James Potter and the Prisoners of Time

Chapter 27

If you asked Harry how he'd like to spend New Years, being stuck at a ministry ball would not be his first guess. And yet here he was. Here they all were to be exact. 

Scattered across the large room were many ministry officials, Aurors for security and a bunch of noble families. Despite all the people there, he was mainly focussed on the raven haired girl accompanied by his eldest son.

It was requested that Scarlet had come to ball to mingle with the Noblemen before she took her place alongside them. Once James found out she was going, he was quick to join in and then Teddy and Victoire found out and then somehow "coincidently" Damien, Delphi, Frank, Alice, Diana and Fred happened to be there. 

Scarlet was now talking to an overly excited Ernie Macmillan. The older man was introducing her to his son who had set a predatory gaze over the young woman. Across the Hall, Hermione and Ron could be seen trying to prevent Draco from going over there to hex Ernie. Harry watched James make direct eye contact with Draco, the blond man gave him a nod and the young boy placed a protective hand around Scarlet's waist before shooting the Macmillan Heir a terrifying look that very clearly said 'back off'. 

Of course after Ernie and his creepy son left, the two teens were flooded with more people. Now a bunch of elderly women were cooing at the two while they both tried to politely escape. Harry watched overly amused at the way his son refused to remove his arm from Scarlet as he lead her away from the women who were far too interested in their relationship. 

"Those two are something else huh?" Astoria said from behind him. He turned to see her with a glass of champagne looking fondly at the two teens.

"I refuse to believe that they are just friends." he simply stated with a grin.

"You seem tense Harry," Luna's dreamy voice floated about him, "Why?" 

"No reason." he shook his head. 

"You're not very good at lying scarhead." came Draco's dramatic drawl from beside Astoria, Hermione, Ron and Ginny had followed him.

"What's wrong Harry?" Mione asked with a frown.

"Something feels off." he finally answered, his eyes looking around the large room.

"Off how?" Ron asked.

"I feel anxious, like something is going to happen." he said again. This comment had resulted in Draco and Mione doing a quick glance around the room to look for something out of the ordinary.

"Everything seems fine Harry." Mione concluded.

"No he's right." Neville had appeared with Blaise and Pansy, "I feel it too. Something's wrong." 

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked now.

"See those Aurors over there," Blaise subtly gestured to a couple guards at the front entrance, "Never seen them at the DMLE before."

"The one on the right has checked his watch every five minute intervals, if you look closely he has a second watch that he checks every two minute intervals." Pansy continued. She really was bloody good at her job. Pansy was a Witch Watcher, a special Ministry force that was presumably stationed at strategic places in search of fugitive criminals. She was as trained as a muggle FBI agent for her job, always on alert.

Her husband had a similar job, Blaise was an Auror Detective who worked for the Investigation Department. The Investigation Department was a subdivision of the Auror Office which specializes in the investigation and tracking down of Dark Wizards and high-profile criminals. Because the department also existed in the MACUSA's Department of Magical Law Enforcement, it was safe to say he was the equivalent of a muggle FBI agent. The detectives would arrive on scene of a crime and determine whether they were needed or not.