Sirius looked at the walking stick and went no farther. He lowered his arm and said with a smile:
"I know, we Aurors..."
Scrimgeour snapped, "You're not fit to be an Auror!"
Sirius curled his lip. He knew there was something wrong with the lines Douglas had taught him.
"Of course, I mean the Aurors have worked tirelessly for the stability and safety of the wizarding world, so Remus, Hogwarts, and I will certainly cooperate fully with your operation.
"But... your operation will have to wait until tonight anyway, so I hope you can spare some time from your busy work for a friendly duel with us."
Scrimgeour interrupted disdainfully:
"Sirius, are you looking to test the Aurors' strength? Did your escape last year give you that confidence?"
Sirius's smile widened, its meaning plain without words.
"I've already proved my abilities. Today, I'd like the Aurors to have a friendly match with the students of Hogwarts.
"There are sixth-years among them, in particular, and some have plans to become Aurors. For one thing, this will let the students see the Aurors in action up close. What do you think?"
Scrimgeour frowned, somewhat displeased with Sirius's proposal.
Sirius said airily:
"You're not planning to spend the whole night just waiting around, are you? Besides, this will demonstrate the close cooperation between the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts. It'll help reassure people, too.
"Think about it. Once the students see the Aurors' warm, friendly side, they won't panic so much over this incident.
"Of course, I have a small personal interest in this as well. As the head of Hogwarts' Academic Affairs Office, I have a responsibility to consider these children's futures. Once these children have seen just how formidable the Aurors are, they'll think long and hard before taking a path