Harry and Ron stared at the letter in bewilderment while Ginny and Hermione excited talked among themselves. Hermione tapped Ron's shoulder.
"So what do you need?" She flipped the first page, glancing at the second page. The second page read,
MINISTRY OF MAGIC: AUROR OFFICE
TRAINING SESSION
EXAMS: The training will begin on September 1st until June 18th. There will be four exams during the year, and if trainees fail more than two, they will be sent back home. If sent home, they will have to re-apply for the training session the following year.
AGE: We remind everyone that all participants must be at age of seventeen or older and needs to have a proof of completion of proper education.
LIVING FACILITIES: All trainees are required to live in the residential facility that is provided by Auror Office. They will be living there for the entire year. The trainees are NOT allowed to leave outside of Wizarding world. However, outsiders from Muggle world are allowed to visit upon request.
MENTOR: Each trainee will be given a Mentor who will help him or her out throughout the year. The trainees are required to accompany the Mentors for some of their missions (Minimum is five). Mentors are experienced Aurors who has already acquired a necessary qualification.
MISSIONS: There were originally two ranks of missions, C-Rank and S-Rank. However, after the Reform that Mr. Shacklebolt instigated, another rank of mission has been added: N-Rank. N-Rank missions are Non-Combat Mission, usually dealing with reconstruction and minor missions. The trainees are permitted to take N-Rank missions by themselves without the Mentor's assistance after proving qualification.
C-Rank missions, or Combat Missions, are usual Auror missions. This can include battles against wild creatures, tracking possible leads to Death Eaters. The trainees must have their Mentors in order to participate in these missions. Also, these are the ones that Mentors are required to take their trainees to.
S-Rank missions, or Senior Auror Missions, are extremely dangerous missions that are strictly allowed to Senior Aurors. These missions harbor very dangerous situation with high fatal possibility. The trainees can not accompany these missions EVEN IF their Mentors are Senior Aurors.
UNIFORM: There is no set of uniform. However, all trainees are required to have three sets of plain work black robes, one pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar), one winter cloak.
ALL COURSE BOOKS AND MATERIALS WILL BE GIVEN TO STUDENTS.
OTHER EQUIMENTS:
1 Cauldron
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scale
Trainees are allowed to bring pets. Also, they are highly advised to bring their own broomsticks as means of transportation. There are spare ones for free loan.
Mentors will visit their students on August 22nd for a brief explanation and introduction.
"August twenty-second?" Ron gasped. "That's tomorrow!"
"We should get everything we need before they come by." Hermione hurriedly read through the list. "Although I do have to say most of them are school equipments. If we look through our old stuff, we will be able to find most of them."
Harry nodded and went to his room with the letters in his hand. He still could not believe that he was accepted. Judging by the description, he could not help thinking that it would be a lot like going back to Hogwarts. He gingerly opened the closet that had his belongings from Hogwarts. He picked up his black robes, cauldron and other necessary things. All of them had a lot of dust, but most of them seemed to be in fine condition.
However, when he tried on his robes, he frowned. He had grown since his 6th year in Hogwarts, and the robes were too short. And his winter cloak seemed to be a bit moth-eaten. He would have to go to Madam Malkin's for new ones. Ginny stuck her head into his room.
"Did you find everything OK?" Harry explained his situation to Ginny. She nodded and said that Ron needed to go Diagon Alley to get some money from Gringotts and stop by Ollivander's to get his wand checked. Harry held up his wand looking at its condition. It looked to be perfectly fine after he fixed it with Dumbledore's Elder Wand. Remembering Dumbledore also brought many memories back to Harry.
"Harry!" He snapped out of his daydream when Hermione came into his room. "Ron has already headed to Diagon Alley to tell George about the news. I guess George will have to find a new assistance." Hermione beamed at him proudly. "Oh, Harry. I'm so proud of and happy for you two. I'm sure you will have a great year there."
Harry happily nodded and remembered that he would have to notify the team as well. He scratched his head. It would be tricky to tell the caption about what had happened. He needed a sufficient proof or document to verify the reason for his quitting. It took only moments to decide. He grabbed his Firebolt and headed to Vanessa Petterson's house.
"James! What a surprise!" Vanessa warmly welcomed the blond teen. Harry, or James Evans, took a big breath and stepped into her house. It wasn't the first time that he had visited this house since she often invited other teammates for dinners and parties.
The house was very well furnished and spacious for two people. Vanessa once mentioned that she would be an interior designer if she wasn't the caption for Holyhead Harpies Quidditch team. The floor was soft with beige carpet and many decorative rugs. He strode over to the living room where there was a big sofa. He glanced at the wall which had a big picture of Vanessa and her husband, Zach. They were laughing happily in their wedding gowns in a beautiful garden.
Vanessa hurriedly came and sat down by the couch and offered him a tea. He said no thank you. She deftly realized that he was about to break a big news. And she already knew what "big news" usually was.
"So where are you off to then?" Harry looked at her, surprised by her sharp intuition. Instead of answering her, he glanced around the living room which seemed to be empty. "Where is your husband?"
It was Vanessa's turn to be surprised. "Zach had an unexpected meeting. It sounded urgent. But why...?"
"Vanessa," Harry gave her a solemn look. "I want to say I'm very sorry. I... didn't have any bad intention, but it can't be changed that I had been deceiving you."
Vanessa curious gaze turned into astonishment as James Evan's face slowly started to change. Blond curls became messy black hair, blue eyes green, his face thinner. And she could a prominent lightening bolt scar. "Harry Potter…." She murmured in surprise. Harry looked at her sheepishly.
"The last thing I wanted after the war with Voldemort was special attention from people. So I secluded myself from the world and studied to be an Auror. I just missed playing Quidditch too much but I didn't want to draw unnecessary attention. So this was the only way I could think of. I'm really sorry, Vanessa."
She didn't say anything for a moment and began to laugh hysterically. "I remember Zach telling me that I would bow and lick your feet because I never shut up about you after the war. But to think that I actually pushed you around and made you go through all the training and my temper. Oh, I wonder what Zach is going to say to that!"
"Don't!" Harry interrupted. "Please don't tell anyone about this. Not even Zach. The only reason I revealed this to you is because I have to give you this as a reason for quitting the team." He pulled out the acceptance letter.
Her eyes grew wide as she read the letter. Her face had a huge grin in pride. "Wow, an Auror? That's incredible. Of course, you should take this chance."
Harry sighed in relief. He was glad that Vanessa was understanding—a trait that made her a wonderful captain. She gently held his hand. "It was an honor and absolute pleasure to have you, Harry. Not because of your status, but you were a great asset to a team." Harry smiled in response. He knew one last thing he could do for his team.
"What?" Ginny turned around while she was mending Ron's old robes. Her eyes grew wide with surprise, not believing the words that came out of Harry's mouth. "You can not be serious!"
"Well, nothing is for certain," Harry warned. "But you will get to see Vanessa this weekend before she announces a post for a new Seeker. If she likes how you play, then you will be filling in my absence." His smile reached from ear to ear. "Isn't that great?"
Harry remembered Ginny's concern because she did not know what she wanted to do after she finished Hogwarts. Of course, he knew Quidditch wasn't Ginny's life goal, but at least, it will help her get used to the real world after seven years of school. And he secretly wanted to at least find a replacement for Vanessa since he was leaving the team so suddenly.
"Besides, Holyhead Harpie's practice schedule isn't so bad, so you can look for other jobs if you want to. Vanessa already knows that you're only filling in for me momentarily. She will have a substitute if you decide to leave." Suddenly, Harry was really grateful for Vanessa's generosity.
Ginny did not seem to know what to say at sudden opportunity. "Wow," she mumbled, running her hand through her beautiful, red hair. "Thanks, Harry. I… I don't even know how to say…"
"You don't have to say anything." Harry winked. "I felt like I had to find a replacement for Vanessa for the least. I'm glad you're interested. I will send an owl to her that you will see her on this weekend."
Ginny nodded excitedly. Then she remembered and said, "Ron and Hermione were wondering if you wanted to meet them at George's shop after you buy necessary things from Diagon Alley. They said that they will be there for a while."
Harry nodded and hurriedly went downstairs. Through the kitchen, he stepped out from the back door to face the small backyard. In the middle of the yard stood a familiar, old motorcycle that Hagrid used to ride so many years ago. No, before Hagrid, it was Sirius, his godfather, who rode this motorcycle, probably with his father. Various memories and emotions swept over him whenever he looked at the bike. He shook his head to clear his head and sat on a big, black cushion. Mr. Weasley thankfully repaired it for him and Hagrid told him that he could keep it.
Harry turned the handle to start the engine. He rode the bike a little bit for momentum before he hit the button to allow it to fly. A beautiful countryside lay below him and Harry marveled at the spectacle. No matter how much time he spent in Burrow, he still loved this place and he always would. However, he couldn't help feeling excited for a new adventure in the unknown part of this country, deeply hidden from even wizards and witches.
When he realized that he was getting out of Burrow, he hurriedly pressed the Invisibility Button. It was a little feature that Mr. Weasley added for him: the same one from his old car. He didn't have to hide himself since there was no Muggles on the path that he was taking, but he just didn't want to get noticed. Harry quietly chuckled as he realized just how much paranoid he had become.
The motorcycle glided smoothly on the back yard of Leaky Cauldron, his usual parking spot. Before he took off his helmet, Harry changed his facial features to that of James Evans again. No need to expose himself to the flock of wizards and witches when all he needed was a few black robes. He tapped the bricks on the wall and the path opened up, welcoming him to one of his old favorite places, Diagon Alley.
Without taking any sidesteps, he headed to Malkin's store straight. However, when he passed Flourish & Blotts, he couldn't help seeing the front window which was adorned with many books about him. He could not help blushing as he furiously took faster steps to get into Malkin's store next to the book store.
He was still shaking his head to get the flush out of his face when a girl around his age greeted him at Malkin's. Her blue eyes scanned him carefully as if she was trying to put a finger on something odd. But before he realized what she was thinking, she seemed to be satisfied all of sudden. Feeling rather queer, he stepped onto the podium for measurement and the girl began to measure him.
"Racquel! Are you busy?" Harry could hear her voice through the walls. She pulled her wavy, blond hair back to clear her eyes while she was measuring. "Yes, Madam Malkins. I'm already booked!" Then she cast a mischievous glance upward to Harry. "A very special guest, that is."
Harry had to admit that the girl, Racquel, was very attractive and he involuntarily blushed a little at her bold, careful gaze. She smiled a little bit and stepped up to face him. She was slightly shorter than him, but he instinctively arched his back when she put herself very close to him—so close that her mouth was right by his ear. She whispered in his ears, "If you are going to disguise yourself, you should be more thorough about it." She pulled away, winked and hopped down.
Harry blankly stared at her with his mouth open. He could not believe that his cover was blown away this easily when he managed to fool the entire Quidditch team for a year. He hissed, "You know who I am?"
Racquel's clear laugh filled the room which had no one else. "Of course. I've seen your pictures in all papers, books, everywhere. All you did was changing your hair, eye and make your chin a bit fatter. It's not that hard to notice, actually."
Harry gulped, not believing what was just happening. He did not really pay any attention to this employee, but he could not believe what a sharp eye she possessed. He immediately knew that she meant to be more than a mere employee in this shop.
"Well, Mr. Potter," She giggled, making sure that no one could hear before she said that name, "While you were busy gawking at me, I already finished your robe." She casually handed the robe to him.
Harry hurriedly tore his gaze away from her and closed his mouth. Entertained by his reaction, she laughed a bit more. He took the bag from her and mumbled "Thanks." She flashed her smile and waved him goodbye.
Harry dazedly walked through the streets to George's shop, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. He desperately hoped that no one else could see through his disguise as bluntly as Racquel had. He could see Ron and Hermione walking out of the shop. Recognizing Harry's disguise, they happily waved their hands. Harry quickly came into the shop to say hi to George. He was happy to see Harry and told him that business was going better than ever since the war was over. Harry could see his face darken a bit when he mentioned the war, but George quickly resumed his funny, carefree visage. Harry said goodbye to him and met up with Ron and Hermione and they all headed to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour.
While they were eating ice cream, Harry told them about what had happened at Malkin's Robe shop. Hermione's eyes grew wide with surprise. "Someone actually saw through your disguise?"
Harry nodded, still incredulous about the incident. Ron curiously eyed Harry. "I dunno. You look definitely different. How did she find out?"
Harry shrugged his shoulder in response. "When she saw me, she could just figure out who I really was. She even called me Mr. Potter and figured out what part of face I actually changed."
They excitedly talked about how Racquel could have found out his disguise. However, the subject soon became stale and they moved on. Harry was not too worried about her. She didn't seem to want to tell anyone that the boy with dirty-blond hair was actually Harry Potter, who mysteriously disappeared from public since the Second War with Voldemort. Besides, what was the chance that he was going to have to see her again?
After hearty sundaes, they all took their routes back to Burrow. Ron and Hermione took their brooms and Harry went back to Leaky Cauldron to get his motorcycle. When he arrived, they were already at Burrow. But he could immediately tell that something wasn't right.
The entire house was covered in thick smoke. Harry could barely see the house standing through the smoke. He parked the motorcycle and ran to Ron and Hermione. "What is this?"
"I, I don't know." Ron stammered. "I don't think it's a fire. I can't smell anything burnt."
"Or rather, it smells like cigarettes. Lots and lots of it, actually." Hermione covered her mouth and nose with her right hand. Harry took a careful step toward the house. It was obviously unnatural for a cigarette to produce this much smoke and none of the Weasleys smoked. So where was this coming from?
And out of nowhere, someone appeared right in front of Harry. He flinched at the figure, who was slightly taller than him. When his eyes adjusted to the intrusion, he realized that it was a woman with long black hair with white, messily wrapped turban. Her eyes were sharp and strong, staring right at Harry's green pairs. When she opened her mouth, a husky voice rang through.
"You're not him. I'm here to see Ronald Weasley."