Harry woke with a start. His glasses askew, he jammed them back into place. The moment Harry got back last night, he had fallen asleep; too tired to take off his glasses or change into his pyjamas. The red clock said it was 7.00. Getting up, Harry performed his daily routine of chugging down orange juice and shoving large bits of muesli in his mouth. For the first time in ages, Harry looked in the mirror. His messy hair framed his face and a startling pair of green eyes looked at him. He ran his fingers through his hair, managing to secure loose bits of fly-away hair. He smiled, pleased with his handiwork. "Don't get too hopeful now, my dear." The mirror sniggered. Harry shot it a dirty look, then stepped into the fireplace. Just as he was about to throw the green powder in the fireplace, a knock rang out. Grumbling slightly, Harry stepped out, careful not to spill any green powder in the wooden floorboards. He opened the door to a fresh-faced and slightly puffed Ron.
"Why you chose a Muggle apartment and at the highest floor, I have no idea." He wheezed, sending bits of spit to fly out and hit Harry. "There is a lift, you realize." "Yeah but all the buttons and knobs are so confusing. So I had to take the bloody stairs!" Laughing, Harry let Ron in. "So what would you like?" Harry asked, once they were inside. "Ginny told Hermione that the head of the Department of Mysteries was going to do an experiment on you." Harry rolled his eyes, news travelled fast. "The Head of the Department of Mysteries proposed an experiment on me but he didn't force me or anything." "But why would you do it anyway?" Harry hesitated, Ron was his best friend after all. "You know how we used the invisibility cloak often? Well, Lucas reckons that using the cloak continuously might have an affect on me now." Ron's eyes widened. "Does that mean I might have it too? I've used it too." Harry paused, Ron had a point. "I think you didn't use it as much as me though, I used it by myself too, like to sneak out to go to Hogsmeade, and in the 4th year when you and I...and I've used it once in a while after the battle, while you only used it when you were with me and you haven't used it after the battle." Ron nodded, relief etched on his face. "I mean I pity you and all, but it would really suck for me what with me being married." He had a certain pride in his voice and Harry felt happy for his best friend. He clapped him on the shoulder. "I've never really properly said congratulations have I? Well, congratulations, mate." Ron grinned, "Thanks. But now we've got to worry about you."
Ron and Harry ended up missing work.
After what seemed like the 100th game they had put in on the PS2, ("The PS what?") Ron seemed to be getting the hang of it. "Wow! This is great! Now have you decided what you're going to do?" Harry shrugged his shoulders. "If I were you, I would do it. I mean so what? You'll be stuck an 11 year old forever but it doesn't mean you don't get..." Ron stopped when he saw Harry's expression. "So what? So what? If you were stuck as an 11 year old would you like it?" "Yeah I guess it wouldn't be that fun." Ron admitted sheepishly, while dodging a passing car on the PS2. "Okay how about we do a pro and cons chart on the experiment?" Ron suggested, surprisingly sounding like Hermione. "So the positives are...that you MIGHT find a cure for a possible affect of the invisibility cloak...and the negatives are..." "...that I'll be stuck an 11 year old forever." Harry finished glumly.
"Okay, think of it this way, if you do get stuck as an 11 year old forever, you won't have to pay adult fees and therefore will be saving money!" Harry looked at Ron amusedly. "More and more you're sounding like Hermione." Ron beamed. "What would Hermione say?" Ron looked mock thoughtful. "Harry, although this may endanger your life, it would be a once in a lifetime opportunity. Imagine going back in time but with the mind of your older self! Oh, Harry, but be careful won't you? I should go to the library to find if there are any books on it...maybe under Potions...yes." Ron and Harry cracked up laughing. "That was uncanny!" Ron laughed, giving a little bow. "Well if that is what Hermione would say and what you would say, I better see Lucas now." Harry said with a smile. "Good luck, old chap." Ron said with a clap on his shoulder, looking pleased with himself.
\~/~\~/~\~/~\~/
Finding Lucas this time round was far easier. "Missing work, are you?" Again, Harry jumped. "I must stop doing that." Lucas sighed. "But don't worry, we've had word with Kingsley and he had made sure to have some replacements underway." Harry said nothing. "So you've made your decision, I suspect?" Harry nodded. "And what would that be?" I guess I'm doing it." Lucas didn't look surprised, or pleased for that matter. Nodding, he gave Harry a small smile. "You're a brave man, Harry." "When will the experiment happen?" "I will have to discuss with my colleagues. But don't be surprised if it's soon." Lucas warned. Harry nodded, resolved. "Alright then, well I better go, but I'll read all the papers this time." Harry promised. Lucas smiled, "Good move. Well, when we have fixed a date and all that jazz, I'll make sure to contact you." That done, he walked away briskly, this time dignified and not in a rush to see his girlfriend.
Taking a deep breath, Harry looked at the crumpled up paper once more and began to punch numbers on his phone. With a second of hesitation, he pressed ring. "Cho speaking." That was fast. "Uh...hi ,Cho. It's me, Harry. Um...so I was wondering if we could, you know...um...do something together?" Why, oh why did he always sound like an idiot? Do something together? Who said that? Thankfully, Cho laughed. "How about for lunch?" Harry breathed a sigh of relief. "Yeah sure, what time?"
Harry walked among the bustling people, for the first time, he was glad to be back at work. His cloak was groomed and shiny, his hair was...well, manageable, and his shoes shined in the bright light. For work of course, not Cho. Getting into the lift seemed easy enough, but with thousands of people pushing and budging to go somewhere, it took Harry a long time to reach the lift. Finally reaching it. He pressed 2 and waited for the lift doors to shut. "Level 2. The Department of Magical Law Enforcement." Announced the croaky lift. Harry walked out and was immediately greeted by shouts and cries of welcome. "Harry!" "Good to see you!" "Harry!" "Come to help us out again eh?"
The Department of Magical Law Enforcement was boring, compared to the Department of Mysteries. Here, the entire floor was divided into separate cubicles where each wizard was assigned to one cubicle. Work after Voldemort's defeat had been scarce but when they did track down Dark Wizards from all over the world, it was worth all the trouble. Harry walked over to his cubicle, which was situated at the very end. Clippings of catches decorated the cubicle, as well as a moving picture of Ginny and Harry. Harry made a note of taking that down. Harry worked steadily, never taking a break and only pausing once to scratch his ear. Soon, the clock hit 12 and paper pigeons flew in with Lunch Break written on their wings. Soon people were packing up and the scraping of chairs filled Harry's ears. He too, packed up, closing his books and research. "Wait everybody! Come back at the latest of 2!" Harry roared to the backs of the shuffling people. Groans were heard. "Fine, 3! Be fired!" Harry grumbled. He squeezed into the lift, stepping on someone's foot by accident. "Sorry." Harry turned around and found himself face to face with Lucas. Lucas smiled. "Watch it." He muttered in the corner of his mouth. "Level 8. The Atrium." Everyone pushed to get out, including Harry. The only one left standing in the lift was Lucas. He gave Harry a wave and the lift doors shut. Harry made his way towards the fireplaces. Stepping in, he took a handful of green powder. "Diagon Alley!"
Diagon Alley was especially busy. Haggard mothers leading wailing children, hurried wizards striding purposefully towards Gringotts and confused children holding Hogwarts imprinted robes filled the alley as Harry made his way across. Searching for the familiar sign, Harry at last spotted it. Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour was a small cosy shop situated opposite the Gateway to Diagon Alley. Thank goodness it's not decorated with pink love hearts, Harry thought, grinning to himself. Cho was already there.
"Hey." Harry greeted her, slipping in the seat opposite her. "Sorry for holding you up." Cho grinned. "No I just came early." Harry still remembered the awful date that happened in his 5th year with Cho, thankfully, it was going better than that. Cho seemed to think the same too. "Remember our date in our 5th year?" She asked smirking. Harry laughed, trying to appear as if remembering the disastrous date was funny rather than mortifyingly embarrassing. "Yeah, sorry about that." He said apologetically. Cho waved her hand away. "No, no, it wasn't you fault. It was both out faults. "Yours being inexperienced." She looked smug. "And mine being overly sensitive." Harry laughed. At least Cho was happier now, and he could tell that she was enjoying her life. "So what's this I hear about you travelling the world with Michael Corner?" Cho giggled, and for once, Harry didn't mind it. "Lies! After the battle, the first thing I did was head to London, I think that was where everybody went. And what's this I hear about you being the Head of the Auror department?" She teased. Harry shrugged. "It just happened." "The CHOSEN ONE saying 'it just happened'? Pfft!" Harry was strongly reminded of Snape. Conversation easily flowed and before he knew it, both Cho and his ice-creams had melted and his watch told him it was 10 past 3. Great, the head of the Auror Department turns up late, he scolded himself. "This was good." Cho said eyeing him, as if waiting for his reaction. "It was." Harry agreed. For the first time, Harry found himself laughing constantly and their conversation wasn't awkward like it was in his 5th year. "I'll see you another time?" Cho nodded. "Of course." She came towards Harry and gave him a peck on the cheek, narrowly missing his mouth. Smiling, Cho disappeared in the crowd, just another business person heading to Gringotts and leaving Harry rubbing the spot where her lips had met his skin.
\~/~\~/~\~/~\~/
For the first time in his bachelor life, Harry was making roasted chicken. Anxiously watching the chicken brown in the oven, Harry hit himself for following Ron's footsteps in proving to himself that he can cook. Rubbing the chicken with oils and herbs had been fine but waiting for the chicken was pure agony. The fireplace burst into flames. Harry didn't bat an eyelid, all eyes were on his chicken. "Good evening, Harry." The smooth voice jerked Harry into his sense and Harry turned to find Lucas Florence dusting ash off his cloak. "Hello." Harry greeted Lucas cautiously, glancing every so often in the direction of the oven. The timer beeped and Harry jumped opening the oven door eagerly. Tentatively, Harry put on his oven mitts and slowly edged the chicken out. "It does smell nice." Lucas commented, watching Harry amusedly. "Do you want some?" Harry asked, a bead of sweat forming on his forehead; taking the chicken out was hard work. "No, no. I came here to tell you something, actually." Harry nodded slowly, taking a mouthful of white, fleshy meat. Lucas continued. "Your experiment...are you free now?" Harry's spoon- laden with meat- hung forlornly by his fingers, "You mean...you mean now?" "Well, yes. Observing your skills now will only take a half hour but giving you the potion and experiencing the events from your mind will be...well, hard work." With nothing to say, Harry grabbed his coat and slid it on. "Well, let's get going." The carefully made chicken lay half eaten, abandoned and knowing its owner would be gone for sometime.
\~/~\~/~\~/~\~/
Please Review! Even if it means typing one word, I would really appreciate it. Thanks. :)