The cake was delivered by owl not minutes after Natalie saw the memo about Harry. To say she was shocked would be an understatement. She'd asked Hestia about getting Kings a cake as congrats. Thank goodness she had not told Abbott to put a name on it. Natalie didn't even know if Harry knew yet. She had not seen him today.

He was still getting used to the new office. He hadn't known he was going to have to change. Well, obviously he would, but he didn't have to like it. He missed his own desk. He missed his own chair. Though, there were more shelves for the books he'd gotten over the years. That was a plus.

One of the only ones, he mused, putting a book on a shelf.

Natalie took the cake and started heading for Harry's new office. She wondered if this meant he wouldn't mentor her any longer. That made Natalie sad.

Hestia fell into step behind her. Many of the other Aurors were grumbling. Angry. They did not understand Minister LeGrot's decision. Hell, Hestia didn't understand it. Harry didn't want this, but she would put on a smiling face for Harry. He would need support.

Natalie nudged Harry's door open with her boot. "Who's the new head of the MLE? Because he gets cake."

Harry turned to look at Natalie with a glare, eyes darting over her shoulder to see Hestia as well. "What if he doesn't want cake? What if all he wants is his old office back?" He put the book away and faced them, sticking his hands in the pockets of his slacks.

"I didn't pester Hannah Abbott to make this cake at the last minute for you not to eat it."

Hestia leaned against the door frame. "I didn't have breakfast, Harry. I think cake might help."

"Just like chocolate might?" Harry sighed, crossing the floor. He rose an eyebrow at Natalie. "You knew about this in time to get me a cake?"

Natalie smiled widely. She didn't know what to say. She'd ordered the cake for Kings, not Harry.

"Way to be brave, McDonald," Hestia said dryly. "We knew someone would be getting it today, Potter. To be honest, I didn't expect you, but hey, never let it be said I'm not supportive. When I interviewed with Madam LeGrot, I told her I didn't want the job. Maybe Kings did too. Cheer up, Potter. There's cake and it has handcuffs on it."

Harry wasn't going to cheer up. Kingsley would be doing a much better job of this. He'd know what to do... what to think. Harry didn't know what to do or think. His head was all jumbled. Cormac telling him all the departments, all the duties, that went along with the position had thrown him. How was he going to be out in the field if he had to make sure the Improper Use of Magic department was alright? He was an Auror. He needed to be out there... protecting. Who was going to train Natalie? Who was going to hunt Crabbe?

Hestia could almost hear Harry's thoughts. Several people were angry and worried about what this would mean for the department. Probably Harry most of all.

Natalie, ever with the brave face, set the cake on Harry's new desk. "Come on, Harry. It'll be fine."

Really she was about to cry. She didn't want any other damned Auror as her mentor. She wanted Harry.

Frowning, looking down on at the cake, Harry shook his head. "They can't take me out of the field, can they? I mean... I'm still an Auror. I still go out and..." He looked up at Hestia hopefully. "They can't really tell the Head of the MLE to sit behind a desk, smile, and look pretty, can they? Can't I pass a law saying I can stay in the field? Keep my current duties?"

Hestia frowned. "Sorry, Harry. Only the Minister can do that, but I doubt they will take you off of the Crabbe case until it's solved, so no worries there. I think McLaggen wants you on it still. Malfoy doesn't seem to mind either. I see rebellion if they try to take you off. It's important for the victims or witnesses in the case to trust the head Auror on it. Besides, it's a big case. The head always works the big cases. Just maybe not field work, Potter."

"So you finally get to pawn me off on someone else," Natalie said, trying to keep it light.

Harry looked up at Natalie then. "What? No." His head spun to look at Hestia. "That's not fair. They can't just take me off field work. That doesn't make any sense! If I'm apparently the best Auror they've got, why would they want me stuck in an office? They should want me out, doing my job. The one I signed up to do. The one..." He ran his hands over his face, resting them on the back of his neck as he looked down at the cake. "I don't want to stop training you."

Natalie smiled at him. A gooey smile.

Hestia rolled her eyes. "We'll figure something out. The Head of the MLE and the Auror Trainee Supervisor decide who mentors who. That's... us... isn't it, Potter?"

"Well, how the hell am I suppose to train her if I'm stuck behind this rudding desk all day long?" Harry reached out and swiped his finger across the top of the cake, bringing it to his mouth and eating the frosting angrily. He knew this was a great position to be in. He knew he'd been given this spot because the Minister believed he could handle the position. However, at the moment, he was more upset that he was getting pulled from what he'd wanted to do.

"What you need, Potter," Hestia said with a grin. "Is a good assistant that knows how to run interference."

Natalie made a confused face.

"So when he sneaks out or polyjuices into me to go traipsing off with you in tow, no one is the wiser."

Natalie made a different face. This one had furrowed brows.

Harry was staring intently at Hestia. She was reminding him of- "You know we could get in trouble for that?"

Hestia reached forward and swiped her finger though the icing. "That's the best part."

Natalie raised an eyebrow then looked at Harry with a grin. "Know anyone you trust who needs a job?"

"No." Harry wasn't sure what they were really talking about doing. Polyjuicing into Hestia to go into the field? Sneaking out so he could do his job? It seemed a little drastic. Why wouldn't he just continue what he was doing... with the other duties on top of it? He'd take pepper-up potions, stay up all night if he had to. He was going to find his way around this. He was going to get back out in the field. He wasn't made for desk work.

Hestia shrugged and left his office. "You know where to find me when you change your mind."

Natalie watched her go. She turned to Harry. "So you're just going to keep doing what you do until someone tells you not to, and by someone I mean Madam LeGrot."

"Well, I highly doubt she put me here because I take direction so well." He grinned, digging into his cake again. He would keep doing what he was doing until someone told him not to. Why not? Why was this not a good idea? No one had told him he had to sit behind a desk. Just because the other Heads always had, that didn't mean he had to follow in their footsteps.

Did it?


Summary: Harry's not too happy with his new position just yet. Hestia and Natalie offer some sort of congratulations. With cake!