Harry was not the same after the war.

Although Lord Voldemort was gone, the trauma he left behind still remained. The losses of loved ones hung in the air and Harry was probably the most affected by this. These people who gave their lives in the brutal war, the war that could have been stopped if only Harry had been quicker to hand himself over. If he had walked into the Forbidden forest at the very beginning, people he cared about would still be here. Fred, Lupin, Tonks… Their charming and hilarious personalities would still be there making him laugh. Their smiling faces would still be there to support and care for him. But this was not the case because they were gone.

"Their memory will live on"

"They did not die in vain"

No matter how many people told him this, it was not enough for Harry.

Nightmares were what followed Harry after the war. Night after night, he saw the twisted and cruel face of Voldemort and the Deatheaters as they carelessly killed innocent witches and wizards, cackling without a trouble in the world. The bright green light that flashed in front of his eyes causing him to wake bolt upright, dripping with sweat.

He thought he should have been happy. Lord Voldemort, enemy of the wizarding world was now gone forever. But somehow Harry could not move on from the deaths, the people who had laid down their lives, for him…

"Harry mate, you alright?" asked Ron, looking concerned as they sat around the warm fire at their flat. They had been quick to move in together after the war. They were best friends, it simply seemed the logical thing to do and with Hermione away on a six month trip around Europe, they did not want to be alone at such a depressing time.

Harry had not realised he had been staring blankly for a while seeming almost lost. As though all the life had vanished from his emerald eyes and Ron, his best friend could clearly see this.

"Yeah" Harry mumbled after removing himself from his trance, "What were you saying?"

Ron's forehead creased as he frowned, he knew Harry was lying, he knew something was bothering him but he didn't press on it.

"I was just wondering about what we're gonna do now? I mean, we don't have to go back to Hogwarts do we? We could head straight into work… I've always wanted to become an Auror, I think I might just get in now I've fought in the worst war ever in the wizard world" Ron smiled jokily.

Harry nodded; of course any one of the people who fought in the war was a shoe-in for any job they wished. But leaving Hogwarts, he wasn't sure he was ready. It was his home. His first true home, as he didn't count the Dursleys. However, going back would seem strange, after everything that's happened. To see the magnificent castle in ruins may break his heart even more, if that was possible. He felt he had lost so much over the past couple of years; his heart had almost been broken beyond belief. Soon, Harry concluded that it was time to move on and that becoming an Auror was the next big step in his life. He was sure his parents would be proud of this decision.

"Let's do it then" he said firmly, "Become Aurors"

Ron looked at him in disbelief for a few seconds until a huge grin spread across his face,

"Really? You want to?"

"Why not?" Harry replied thoughtfully, "We need a job sooner or later, definitely before Hermione comes back"

Ron beamed at his best friend, although deep down he felt as though Harry was still unsure, he had heard the strangled moans in the middle of the night, he had heard the panting as Harry woke with a start. Ron knew his friend was damaged, but then they all were.