Harry sat at the kitchen table at the Burrow and continued to stare at the letters laid out on the table before him each with their distinctive crests emblazoned on their envelopes. He had immediately recognized the emblems as they arrived, one right after the other, but was still in a bit of shock as to the fact that they were addressed to him. Although he had read them all at least three times, he still could not wrap his head around their contents. Oblivious to the spur-of-the-moment party that had erupted around him, he again read the letter he still held in his hands:

To: Harry James Potter

From: Philbert Deverill, General Manager – Puddlemere United

RE: Offer of Interview for Employment

Dear Mr. Potter,

First, let me be the first to congratulate you on an extraordinary season with the Gryffindor Team this year! You and your co-captain, Ms. Weasley, should be very proud of the team that you assembled and the level of professionalism and teamwork that you instilled in your team. On a more personal note, it should please you to know that our scouts have noted that your skill at Seeker did not suffer one iota from your absence of the previous year.

It is with those observations in mind that I am pleased to formally offer you a personal invitation to interview for the position of Seeker, 2nd string, for Puddlemere United!

Please find enclosed a copy of the standard contract for new talent. You may have your agent and/or lawyer peruse it, at their leisure.

Also, note that you are required to have legal representation before signing a contract with Puddlemere United. I have enclosed a list of player agents that are currently employed by our players or have been employed by our players in the past. These agents are familiar with our contract format, but you may employ any representation that you wish.

Once again, congratulations and I hope to see you soon. Please owl back at your earliest convenience to arrange an interview date and time.

Yours truly,

Philbert Deverill, General Manager

Puddlemere United

Harry couldn't remember the last time he was so excited and confused at the same time! Then he remembered that miserable little shack on that rock out at sea on his eleventh birthday and how his world was forever changed when Hagrid explained to him that the letters he had been receiving meant he was a wizard and that he would be attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He remembered how his head seemed to swim as he tried to comprehend what it all meant and, even though he had no idea of the extent of that magical, new world he was beside himself with excitement for it to begin! Now, years later, his world was again set a-spin with a letter. What path would his life take now? Up until now his life had not seemed to be his own but had been dictated by a prophecy; his path had seemingly been chosen for him. Now, the whole world was opening before him. Choices he never thought he would have the opportunity to make were, literally, right in front of him. He thought that he had decided to be an Auror, something that he had wanted to be for quite a few years now. Being an Auror was the reason he decided to finish his education and get his N.E.W.T.S. That and the fact that he didn't want to rely on his "fame" to get a position. He could remember the conversation he had one day last summer at breakfast with like it was yesterday when she had nonchalantly asked what everyone's plans for the next school year were.

"Well, we're all going back to Hogwarts to get our N.E.W.T.'s, aren't we?", replied Hermione.

"Yeah, it will be great! We'll all be in the same year now!", exclaimed Ginny with a mischievous glint in her eyes, which she directed straight at Harry.

"Well, I don't know about all that. I think I'm done with school work." Hermione shot Ron a scandalous look.

"Ronald, how do you think you are going to get any kind of decent job without your N.E.W.T.'s? You know the Auror program will not take you on your good looks alone!"

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, love!", replied Ron donning a fake hurt expression.

"You know what I meant." said Hermione. "You can't expect them to let you in the program just because of what we did with Voldemort."

"I think Hermione's right." Everyone turned to look at Harry; Ginny, Hermione and Ron in mild shock and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley with looks of approval and pride.

"Harry, you can't be serious, mate. I thought we were going to go straight into the Auror program? Kingsley himself offered to wave the NEWT's requirements for us!", exclaimed Ron.

"He did? When did he tell you that?" asked Mrs. Weasley. Scratching his head, Mr. Weasley answered a bit timidly, "Well, actually Kingsley sent word home with me, since he knew Harry was still staying here."

"You mean, so no one else would get wind of it?" Mrs. Weasley crossed her arms and scowled, her temper starting to brew.

"I think, dear, it was more like a special offer that Kingsley didn't want getting out to the general public at large. You know…..special circumstances and all that."

"That's exactly why I want to go back and get my NEWTs." Harry stood up from the table to make his point. "I don't want to have special treatment to get into the Auror program, just because I got lucky and Voldemort's spell backfired on him. I want to earn my place the way everyone else does. If my NEWTs aren't good enough then I will have to figure out a different career path, simple as that. I don't want to become known as The Boy Who Mooched!"

Arthur stood up and placed his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Aptly said, my boy!"

Ron hung his head in defeat. "Alright, if you aren't going to play the fame card, I guess I won't either. I just hope we don't ruin our chances with bad NEWT scores!"

Mrs. Weasley rose from the table and moved to stand behind Ron, who was still seated, and enveloped her youngest son in one of her typical rib-crushing hugs. "Don't worry, dear. I know two bright girls who will not let that happen to my fine boys!"

"Oh, don't worry, Mom. We won't let them out of our sights!" chimed in Ginny. "We'll keep them on the straight and narrow!"

"That'll be harder than you think." joked Harry. "We've had a real problem with straight and narrow so far." Harry was pulled from his reminiscent daze by a question, apparently from Ron.

"Oi, Harry! When are you going to set up your interview?"

The kitchen at The Burrow had taken on the semblance of a party as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, Hermione and Ron had broken out a handful of bottles of Butterbeer to celebrate Harry's good fortune, but everyone quieted down a little to hear Harry's response. Harry absent-mindedly rustled through the numerous pages that made up the new talent contract and the list of player agents as he tried to wrap his head around the idea of possibly being a professional Quidditch player.

"I'm not sure I'm going to set up an interview." Harry had the distinct feeling he had grown an extra head by the looks he immediately received from his friends and family. "What?" was the only word he could muster in response to their expressions.

"Are you nutters?" replied Ron, who nearly dropped his Butterbeer on the kitchen floor, narrowly saving it with his Keeper reflexes. "Mate, this is like a dream come true! You will probably be first string within a year or two. You saw the article in The Pitch yesterday – Williams is planning on retiring after next season and they don't have anyone with your Seeker skills, especially after you get a season under your belt! Why do you think they are recruiting you? They obviously want you to replace Williams!"

While Ron had been talking, Ginny had moved across the kitchen to stand next to Harry, taking his empty right hand in hers. She gave a gentle squeeze which caused Harry to look up from the paperwork that was laid out on the table and into her eyes. Ginny took a deep breath and Harry noticed a little smile break across her lips. "Maybe Harry has other plans, Ron." Ginny knew that Harry and Ron had planned to enter the Auror Training Program together as soon as applications were available for a new class. But, Ginny also knew how much Harry secretly wanted to play professional Quidditch.

Harry's last year at Hogwarts had been one of transformation, even though it had a rough start. Many of the students who had fought against Voldemort and his regime had deep and painful scars…the most devastating being emotional. Most of these students, including Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville did not know how to deal with the emotional trauma, turmoil and guilt they were experiencing. Madame Pomfrey had the foresight to arrange Witch/Wizard Mental Health Physicians from St. Mungo's to assist those students who needed their special treatment. Kingsley Shacklebolt had also arranged for the use of the specialized Combat/Trauma Psychologists the Aurors used when dealing with especially traumatic cases. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville met regularly with that group to work through their individual circumstances from the previous year. It was not easy for any of them, especially Harry, but they all survived and were better for it, in the end.

Harry could then allow himself to be a normal teenager….well, as "normal" as it could be for him. The pressures and issues of Voldemort, the prophesy and everything that went along with that situation had mostly been resolved and Harry had immersed himself into his last year at Hogwarts as if he were trying to pack a lifetime of lost happiness into one year. He had studied more than he had in the first six years combined (which wasn't saying much), co-captained the Gryffindor quidditch team with Ginny and, much to Ginny's delight, visited the Room of Requirement to snog quite regularly. It was there that Harry and Ginny had talked for hours on end about their future and how it might work out between them. Both were committed to making a lasting, life-long relationship work no matter what the future held for them. They had played out scenarios in which they held different careers to see what obstacles they might run into and had come to the conclusion that, no matter what careers they chose individually, they would make it work.

Harry was between a rock and a hard place with this new twist. Although he had secretly wanted to play Pro Quidditch he never thought he would be scouted and had definitely never planned on trying out for a team. Now he had three offers laying on a table right in front of him – the first from The Appleby Arrows, the second from The Wimbourne Wasps and the last to arrive, if not best, from Puddlemere United. To make matters worse he and Ron had personal invitations from Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Minister of Magic, to join the Auror Department – especially since they had both received adequate NEWTs and did not have to rely on their notoriety to obtain those positions. Harry had decided long ago that he wanted to be an Auror – for his parents, Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Fred, Mad-eye and everyone that had died fighting with him against Voldemort. He wanted to honor their memories by making sure the nightmare they all had experienced, and many had died in, would never happen again. How could he cast that responsibility aside now? Would he be letting them down - all those friends and family who perished - by deciding to do something as trivial as playing Quidditch?

Mr. Weasley could see that Harry was in turmoil. He set a Butterbeer down in front of Harry and gave him a quick wink. "I think maybe we should give Harry some time to think. What do you think, Harry, hmm?"

"Yeah, thanks Mr. Weasley!" said Harry. Mr. Weasley turned to look at Ron, Hermione and Mrs. Weasley and gave a little nod of his head toward the sitting room and made his way to his favorite easy chair. Hermione gave Harry a quick hug on the way by and whispered in his ear, "Whatever you decide Harry, make it what you want…you deserve it."

"Thanks, 'Mione." is all Harry could get out through the tight constriction that suddenly appeared in his throat. Ginny slowly let go of Harry's hand and started toward the sitting room, but Harry took her hand back and gave her a look that she knew all too well meant "stay". She smiled and sat down next to him, putting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes. She sat silently, just basking in being next to him while he played over his decision. Harry was the first to break the silence.

"A knut for your thoughts."

"Harry, I don't think I'm qualified to have an opinion on this. This is your life…your career…you're considering."

"Gin, if you're not qualified then I don't know who is! I know we've discussed all of this before but that was just daydreams and wishes in the Room of Requirement. I never thought in a million years that I would have one, let alone three, offers to go Pro. I thought me and Ron would become Aurors and that was that. Now, I don't know what to think."

"What's the real problem, Harry?"

"What do you mean by that?" he said, a little defensively.

"I mean, what is holding you back from playing for Puddlemere? I know they have the best offer of the three and they are your favorite team. Don't you want to play quidditch?"

"I do, Gin, really I do, but…"

"But what, Harry? Do you think you're abandoning Ron? Do you think you are disgracing the memories of Sirius and Remus and Tonks and…Fred…by not becoming an Auror?" her voice becoming a bit thick with emotion at the mention of her brother.

"Harry, you defeated Voldemort. There's nothing more you could do to honor them than that. I'm sure they would all want you to be happy now…to follow your heart." Ginny leaned over and kissed him gently, letting her lips linger on his. As she pulled away from their kiss she said,

"And that's what I want too…for you to be happy." Harry sat at the table looking back and forth between the letters and Ginny for a few minutes. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, making sure he was truly o.k. with the decision he was about to make.

"I guess there's no reason I can't become an Auror later, right?"

"Not if I can help it, mate!" came Ron's reply from where he had been eavesdropping. "I'll probably make Senior Auror by that time and I might not let you in to the program!" Ron clapped Harry on the back and mussed his hair,

"Congrats, Mate! You'll be the best Seeker in the league in no time…I know it!"

Harry, Ginny and Ron returned to the sitting room where everyone congratulated Harry on a great career move. While everyone was excitedly talking about season tickets, practice schedules, game schedules and new brooms Harry sat back in his chair and slowly looked around the room. He noticed how Ron so naturally had his arm around Hermione's shoulder as they sat comfortably on the couch, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were hand in hand – Mrs. Weasley sitting on the arm of Mr. Weasley's chair and Ginny was sitting on Harry's lap straddling his legs – his hands resting gently on her hips. "This must be what a real family is like," thought Harry. "I think I could really get used to this!"