The characters of the Harry Potter universe belong to Ms. Rowlings, and I'm borrowing them for my own imagination.
Kids at Work Day
Ron stepped onto the lift in the Ministry of Magic. He felt the little body the little six-year-old girl clinging tightly to his hand move as close to him as possible as others, strangers to her, joined them in the lift. In her other hand she held tight to the small briefcase, identical to her father's except in size, a special gift from her mummy for this special day with Daddy.
He looked down to see her bright blue eyes absorbing all the new things and people around her. He pointed to the pieces of paper flying about above their heads, "Inter-office memos. Grandpa Weasley told me that they used to use owls, but they made an awful mess." He told her and she laughed.
"This is us." Ron said as the lift dinged and the doors opened when it reached their level. "Remember to stick close." Ron said.
"Okay, Daddy." She responded tightening her grip on his hand a little more.
Ron once again felt relieved that he had Rosie with him for the kids at work day instead of Hugo. Rosie would do whatever he told her, while Hugo would be into everything. He doubted Hermione would get any work done today with Hugo with her.
As they entered the Auror offices and headed toward his cubicle, he stopped and introduced her to several of his co-workers. She smiled her shy smile at the various men and women and answered politely to their comments, acquiring several pieces of candy that he knew she would make him examine with his wand before she ate it. After six years experience as George Weasley's niece, and Jamie and Fred Weasley's cousin, she knew not to trust candy based on appearances.
"Here's Daddy's desk." Ron said with a small wave at his desk. He had taken time the previous day to clean it up and make sure there was a spot for Rosie to sit and help him. "Let's get all set up." He helped her out of her jacket and placed it with his in the small coat closet. They then worked to get the chair to the right height for her to sit at the desk next to him.
"What are we going to do?" Rosie asked anxious to help her daddy.
"I need to read and answer some of these memos on my desk, and I have a little project for you. I need you to help me alphabetize these cards. You go by the first letter, and put all the A's together, all the B's together and so on." Ron explained.
"Okay." Rosie said taking the pile handed to her and starting to look through them for all the A's.
Ron started looking through his memos responding when necessary. He had made sure Rosie was watching him the first time he sent an inter-office memo in its way. Her eyes lit up with delight at seeing something new. As he worked he would occasionally check on her. He could hear her mumble the Alphabet Song to herself and a couple of times he caught her biting her bottom lip in concentration, reminding him how much she was like her mother.
When he was done with the memos, he looked down at her and asked, "How about we take a little break and check in with the boss?"
"Mummy?" She asked confused a little.
"No, Mummy works in this building, but she is only the boss at home. I have a different boss when I'm here. I promise; you will like him." Ron told her.
"Okay." She said setting her pile of cards to the side and hopped off the chair. She immediately reached up to take his hand.
Ron led her to door not far from his cubicle. As they got closer he heard the familiar voice from inside, "Lily, I said not to touch that."
Ron looked down and watched Rosie's face light up with recognition. Ron rapped on the door twice before opening it and entering. "Thought we'd come and check in with the boss." Ron said. "Looks like you've been hit with a wind storm." He remarked seeing papers scattered all over Harry's normally tidy floor and desk.
"Uncle Ron!" Lily yelled and ran toward him as Harry muttered "Worse."
Releasing Rosie's hand, Ron caught Lily as she launched herself at him and lifted her in the air. She let out squeals of laughter as he blew raspberries into her neck. "How are you doing, Trouble?" Ron asked her.
"Living up to that nickname." Harry said as Lily just grinned at her Uncle. Harry knelt down to Rosie's level. He opened his arms and she went to him hugging him tightly.
"Are you having fun with Daddy?" Harry asked his niece.
She nodded, her red curls bouncing.
"She's a big help." Ron said.
"What are you helping with?" Harry asked her.
"Alphabeting cards?" She responded looking at her father for confirmation.
"Alphabetizing." Ron corrected. "She's doing a very good job, too."
Rosie beamed at the praise.
"Tell Uncle Harry how many stars you have." Ron instructed her.
"One hundred." She told him.
"And what are the stars for?" Ron prompted.
"I know a hundred words." Rosie said.
"Wow!" Harry
"I know over a hundred words." Lily said not understanding what the big deal was.
"Rosie can read one hundred words." Ron explained.
"You can read?" Lily asked.
"Yeah, now that I've reached a hundred words, Mummy is going to put up another chart to mark when I finish a book. We are going shopping for books and stickers for the chart Saturday as my reward." Rosie said.
"Wow." Harry responded.
"How many words does Al know?" Ron asked.
Harry looked at him and shrugged.
"Oh, he knows a hundred words, too. We are the only two in the class that have had all our spelling words correct every week." Rosie said.
"Well, I will have to do something special for Al then. Won't I?" Harry said and Rosie nodded as they heard a quick knock at the door.
"Mr. Potter, I was to remind you of the meeting today. It's in ten minutes." His secretary popped her head in the door and then popped back out.
"We should get going." Harry said moving to his desk to grab some reports and placing them in his briefcase.
"Well, we will get back to our own work." Ron said waving for Rosie to come with him.
"No, you are supposed to be in this meeting, too. Didn't I tell you?" Harry informed him.
"No, why do I need to go to the meeting?" Ron asked puzzled.
"Don't know, just know Kingsley requested it." Harry said with a shrugging. "Come one, Lily." He held out his hand and she skipped to him and took it.
"Do we need to get our briefcases, too?" Rosie asked.
"I guess we should." Ron said taking her hand. They all stopped by Ron's cubicle then headed to lifts.
"Why do you think Kingsley requested me to be at the meeting?" Ron asked Harry.
"Maybe he wants to see Rosie." Harry suggested with a shrug.
"We would have stopped in to visit if he requested it." Ron said.
"I don't question the Minister of Magic's orders." Harry said.
"Yeah, right." Ron said with a roll of his eyes.
As they exited the lift, Ron and Rosie followed Harry and Lily to the meeting room near the Minister's office.
"This is where Uncle Percy works." Ron told his daughter as they passed several offices.
"Will we see him?" She asked.
"He and Lucy should be at the meeting." Harry said.
They entered the conference room seeing several others milling about. Ten-year-old Lucy Weasley was walking around the table placing a piece of paper at every seat. She smiled at her uncles and cousins as they entered, but continued in her work.
"Welcome everyone, please take a seat." Minister Shacklebolt greeted everyone and took his place at the conference table. Ron helped Rose into a chair then took a seat next to her while Harry settled Lily in the seat between Ron and himself.
"There's Mummy and Hugo." Rosie whispered. He looked across the table to see his wife and son wave at him.
"First of all, I would like to welcome all the newcomers to the meeting. It is wonderful to see all the young faces around the ministry today. Hermione, thank you for the suggestion." Kingsley began the meeting. Hermione smiled at the praise, just as Rosie had earlier when being praised.
Ron sat there as several department heads, including his father, gave reports. He was conscious of Rosie sitting to one side of him alert and taking everything in, and Lily to the other side so fidgety that Harry had pulled her into his lap and flipped over her agenda, then his, to allow her to color on in hopes to keep her occupied. She eventually put her head down and fell asleep.
While several of the other attendees were amused by Lily's antics, one who wasn't was her brother Albus, who was sitting proudly with his Grandpa Weasley. Ron smiled as Al proudly displayed the new Muggle item his grandfather was speaking about. Harry and Ginny had decided to have one of their children attend work with Grandpa, and Al had jumped at the chance.
When it was his boss, Head Auror Savage's turn to speak, Ron became more alert. It wouldn't do to ignore the boss.
"Well we don't have any majors cases to report on today, all are running smoothly. But I would like to announce that after long consideration, I have decided to retire at the end of this year." Ron along with several others were shocked by the surprise. "As I have several weeks of unused vacation, my last day here will be in two weeks. I have enjoyed working with you, and last fourteen years it has been my pleasure to act as head Auror under my friend, Kingsley Shacklebolt."
"Thank you, but it is you who have done outstanding work leading the Aurors after the war." Kingsley said, "I have appreciated all your hard work and outstanding leadership."
"It has been and honor, made easier by the Aurors, lead by the two at this table." Savage said.
"There will be a press conference this afternoon announcing Auror Savage's retirement, and naming his replacement, Auror Harry Potter."
"Congrats, Mate." Ron said slapping him on the back while others offered the congratulations as well Harry nodded in acceptance.
"What's all this meaning, Daddy?" Rosie whispered to him.
"Uncle Harry got a big important promotion, so Daddy is going to get a new boss." Ron explained to her.
"That's not completely accurate. I will still be your immediate boss." Harry said.
Ron heard what sounded like his wife's gasp, but ignored it and said, "You're going to be Head Auror and Alpha team leader. You sure you want to handle all that?"
"No, I'm not going to be the Alpha team leader." Harry said smiling.
"Then I am getting a new boss." Ron said frustrated.
"No, you're not." Harry said. "You're going to be the boss."
"Huh?" Ron asked looking at him as if he had two heads.
"Ron, at both your superiors' recommendations, I am naming you Alpha team leader." Kingsley said.
Ron looked at Kingsley then Harry. Both were smiling at him. He turned to look at Hermione and saw that she was staring at him her hands pressed to her face covering her mouth and nose as if to stifle another gasp. She had tears shining in her eyes. Hugo was sitting beside her grinning his chest puffed out with pride. He felt two little arms wrap around him.
"Congratulations, Daddy." Rosie said.
Ron reached down and pulled her into his lap. "Thank you, Sweetheart. Thank you." Ron directed at Harry, Savage and Kingsley.
"I am guessing you accept the position." Harry said.
"Yeah." Ron said grinning at him.
At the press conference that afternoon, Ron stood proudly behind Kinsley with his wife and children at his side. He was very glad that they brought their kids to work that day.
The End