The next day Harry called on Kingsley and asked to meet with him and the Head of the Auror department. They met in the minister's office Kingsley asked, "What's on your mind Harry?

"Sorry to bother both of you," Harry said, "but last night Professor McGonagall approached me about teaching DADA at Hogwarts this year. I agreed but then thought this morning that I should have asked you if it was ok."

"Its fine," Kingsley said, "she actually told me she was going to ask you yesterday when I told her there would be no Auror for the position like I promised."

The head of the Department was a woman named Daly, she said, "Will you still take the rest of your courses?"

"Yes," Harry said, "Professor McGonagall said she would arrange my schedule."

"I think it's an excellent plan," Kingsley said, "do you have a curriculum?"

"She has provided me with a copy of Remus' curriculum." Harry said, "It's not going to be a problem, I haven't run across anything that I can't do."

"Even the seventh year things?"Auror Daly asked.

"Yes," Harry said, "Hermione, Ron and Mr. Weasley helped me cover the seventh year last night. It was the one I was most worried about. I was able to do all the spells and I could explain them too, so could Ron, I think he will probably help me the most during classes."

"Did Ron and Hermione come with you today?" Daly asked.

"No," Harry said, "but Ron's going to be here in half an hour. We were going to ask for a tour of the department if possible. We both signed up to be Aurors but Hermione has other aspirations."

"I don't think we can do the tour but I have something else in mind." Then she bid Harry and Kingsley good day and left to set up some things. The two chatted for a while until Ron showed up and Harry told him about the conversation.

"That sounds interesting." Ron said.

Before he could say more Daly knocked and said, "I want to do some testing with you two today. If you have nothing planned for a couple hours?"

Both said that they had nothing else planned so they followed the Auror and the Minister. When they reached the destination Daly turned and said, "Now I know you haven't had any time to study but that's ok. I want to know where your knowledge is without studying. So sit here please and take these tests."

The two sat down and wrote out the first test. Harry was finished first and was handed the second test. After both written tests were done Arthur Weasley showed up and took them both to lunch. They reached the Leaky Cauldron, ordered and then Arthur asked, "So how is it going?"

"I apologized for accepting the teaching position without asking them first," Harry said, "they already knew about it. Then Auror Daly said she wanted to test the two of us instead of giving us a tour. The tests were difficult but nothing I'm really worried about."

"I bet I got at least and E on the first test," Ron said, "the second may have been an A though."

After lunch they returned to the Auror department and were ushered into another room. There they were asked to do a lot of spells including a patronus. After a brief rest they were taken into yet another room and asked to duel another person, do some transfiguration, charms, identify some plants and finally brew a potion. When that was completed they were taken back into the first room where they had taken the written tests. Auror Daly was there as well as Kingsley, Arthur and several others that had tested them during the day.

"Congratulations both of you." Daly said, "We never expected such results in your tests. Both of you scored O's on the first test and on the second Harry scored and O and Ron scored an E. We weren't going to use these as official results but we can if you want."

"Official results for what?" Harry asked.

"I was worried that you wouldn't be able to learn all you needed from your other courses while trying to teach DADA." Daly said, "I wanted to know what levels both of you were so you would know exactly what you had to work on to qualify as Aurors. The first test was the DADA NEWT and the second was the Auror entrance exam."

"I got an O on the DADA Newt and an E on the entrance exam?" Ron asked.

Daly nodded and Harry said, "If we take these as official results?"

"You neither need to take DADA class and you are officially Aurors in training." Daly said, "However we still want you to complete Transfiguration, Charms, Potions and Herbology NEWT courses and tests."

"Sounds good to me," Harry said, "Ron?"

"Merlin, Hermione's gonna kill me." Ron said, "I got a NEWT test completed before her!"

Arthur and Kingsley laughed and Arthur said to Daly, "Hermione is the friend of theirs that I was telling you about."

The two teens left the Ministry with Arthur and apparated home. As they approached the Burrow Ginny and Hermione came running out the door to greet them, "What took so long?"

"Let's get inside first," Harry said, "everyone else here?"

"We were just sitting down for dinner." They trouped into the kitchen and dinner was started. The conversations were light and easy to start.

After a few moments Arthur said, "Kingsley called me down to the Auror testing facility today. He wanted me to watch a couple new Auror prospects doing some tests."

"You've never done that before." Molly said.

"Special case." Arthur said, "Probably won't get to do it again."

"Who was it?" Bill asked while Ron and Harry tried to keep their faces neutral and their mouths full of food.

"Couple of teens." Arthur said, "They both got O's on the DADA NEWT's and one got an E and the other an O on the Auror entrance exam."

"Is that where you two were," Ginny asked, "watching that exam?"

"Not exactly." Harry said.

"So were you the ones taking the test then?" Charlie joked.

"I got the E on the entrance exam." Ron said.

It was completely silent for three heart beats then there was an explosion of sounds. After several minutes it had quieted down and Harry realized that Hermione hadn't moved or said anything.

Ron had apparently noticed too because he said, "Hermione, when we were taking the tests we didn't know it was the DADA NEWT or the entrance exam. In fact after it was over Auror Daly said she hadn't planned on this being the official tests but since we scored so well we could count it if we wanted."

"Hermione," Harry said, "that's one NEWT you've got in the bag. She didn't want us to study, she just wanted to see what level we were and I guess we're ok."

"I'm glad for you guys, really." Hermione said, "Was it a hard as they say?"

"Today was absolutely brutal." Ron said, "I kept wondering if they were just trying to see how long we could take it before we died."

"With everything you taught us this year the NEWT was hard but not what I would have expected." Harry said.

"Honestly you three have to be the most well versed teens on defense I have ever seen." Arthur said, "When I was watching the duels there were spells you two were using that I never thought of using for defense. Kingsley called it distract and attack. He said it's an advanced Auror technique."

"Harry taught us that in Dumbledore's Army." Hermione said, "He always said 'get their attention away from the fight and you can either get away or stop them easier' it always worked for us."

"Are you ok?" Ron asked.

Hermione hugged Ron and smiled, "I'm fine I was just shocked is all."

"If we had known we were taking the NEWT we would have had you come too." Harry said, "We didn't know it until we were finished."

"I know." Hermione hugged him, "Congratulations Auror Trainee Weasley and Auror Trainee Potter. I look forward to your class."

Harry laughed, "Thanks Hermione."

Later after everyone had left or went upstairs Harry and Ginny were left alone in the living room. They were holding each other close and talking quietly. Harry said, "I'm really shocked the NEWT wasn't harder."

"Well at least this will give my brothers a pause before they attack you." Ginny said.

"Why are they going to attack me?" he asked.

She replied, "I'm going to break it to them on my birthday that you are the boyfriend I've been hiding."

"I hope they don't try to attack me." Harry said, "I don't think I could bring myself to do anymore than just put up a shield."

"I'll protect you." Ginny said.

"My hero." Harry chuckled, "I'll be glad to be able to hold your hand in public. I want everyone to know we're together and to stay away."

Ginny kissed him which lead to a long snogging session that was only stopped when Hermione came down the stairs, "I'm headed off to bed you better not take too long Harry."

Ginny grumbled as Harry chuckled, got to his feet and pulled Ginny up to hers. He took her hand and the two followed Hermione up the stairs. At her door, Harry kissed Ginny one more time lightly and then went up to Ron's room to sleep.

Friday came and Harry found himself at the gates to Hogwarts. Hagrid was there to let him in, "Harry, good to see ya. McGonagall told me about you teaching. I think it's great."

"Thanks Hagrid," Harry said, "I'm a bit nervous."

"I understand that." Hagrid chuckled, "I was too in my first meeting. You'll be fine."

When they reached the Headmistress' office Hagrid knocked and they both entered. There was an argument of sorts occurring and it came to a halt when the people within saw who was at the door. Harry recognized most of the teachers but several of the others he did not know.

"Harry," Minerva said, "I want you to meet the three senior governors of the school Mrs. Smith, Mr. Longess and Mr. Ridgley."

Harry shook their hands and said, "Pleasure to meet you Madam, Sirs."

She continued, "Harry there are some issue's being raised about you teaching because you don't have your DADA NEWT."

"I do have it." Harry said, "I took it two days ago at the Ministry. I got O."

Minerva was pleased to see the governors were shocked but she had to ask, "I wasn't aware that you were going to take the NEWT on that."

"I wasn't either." Harry chuckled, "Auror Daly was concerned that if I taught DADA I wouldn't know enough to pass the Auror entrance exam. She wanted me to know what level I was so that I could work on the areas where I was lacking. I scored so well that she suggested we use it as my official NEWT score."

"That's wonderful but I think teaching will require more than just NEWT level knowledge." Governor Smith said, "You have to be able maintain control in a classroom setting so no one will get hurt."

"He taught a Defense club two years ago when Umbridge was here." Minerva said, "He had students from fourth year to seventh year all working together and no one ever got hurt. All the students he taught got E's or O's on their DADA test scores. That includes OWL and NEWT students. He even had Fred and George Weasley in the class and they behaved."

"I would still feel better if we had an actual Auror as the teacher." Governor Ridgley said, "Even an Auror Trainee would be fine."

Harry cleared his throat and got the attention of the Headmistress and Governors, "I also took the Auror entrance exam two days ago and scored an O on it. I am Auror Trainee Potter."

"But you're not even eighteen yet Harry." Hagrid said, "Would you be the youngest Auror in History."

"I'm one month younger than Tonks was when she passed the entrance exam." Harry smiled, "She was previously the youngest."

Governor Longess asked, "Who scored you're tests?"

"I'm not sure," Harry said, "but Minister Shacklebolt was there he should know."

"We will investigate this." Governor Smith said, "If you have indeed scored as such we would have no problem accepting you as an Associate Professor. I hope for your sake you have not exaggerated your scores, or had anyone give you an easy exam."

The three governors left and Minerva made a floo call. When she returned she said, "Not to worry Harry they gave you the hardest exam possible. And you have the record high score on the Auror entrance exam. You scored twenty points higher than the next best score. Well done."

"Good, "Harry looked relieved, "when she said that about an easy version of the exam I was really worried. It didn't seem as difficult as the reputation that the NEWT's hold."

"Have you had a chance to look over the notes I left you?" Minerva asked.

"Yes and I think I would like to move a few things." Harry said, "Like I want to make the Patronus charm a sixth year item instead of a seventh year."

Minerva said, "I don't know Harry, that's very advanced."

"I've been able to do one since I was thirteen." Harry said, "And Everyone in the DA was able to do a corporeal patronus, several did them in the presence of the Dementors during the battle. I'll catch up the seventh years at the beginning of the year and leave the sixth years for the end of the year. Here is the list of items I'd like to move and several items I want to add to seventh year, Auror Daly suggested these."

"Harry," Minerva said, "last year they really had no DADA class at all. You have an aggressive schedule just trying to meet Remus' curriculum, I don't think adding things will be a good idea. Few passed the DADA OWL you will have some remedial classes to catch them up."

"Ok," Harry said, "how about I start the year reviewing and see where things stand. If I can fit in the changes I will if not will you suggest them to the next DADA professor?"

"Agreed." Minerva conducted the rest of the staff meeting and Harry was sure this year was going to be difficult.