Chapter 14

As everyone gathered in the great hall, Harry noticed that there were wizards he had never seen before walking around and assessing the damage. He wondered who they were and exactly what they were up to.

He turned to Ginny to comment on it, but before he could get a word in a large tawny owl swooped overhead and dropped a letter and a daily prophet in front of Him. He noticed that everyone else had received similar letters, but instead of the familiar green font that Ginny's was in, his was in an unfamiliar blue ink. He opened it and began to read.

Dear Mr. Potter,

It is my great honor to inform you that you have been accepted into the Ministry of Magic's Auror Recruiting Class of 1998. If you chose to accept your position, you will begin your training this fall with an expected graduation in the summer of 2000.

The ministry is in great need of people with both experience and potential in the field of Defense Against the Dark Arts and would be thrilled to have you as a member. Your training will include classroom and fieldwork, both of which are equally important to your future career.

Due to special circumstances, we have omitted the need for your last year at Hogwarts, unless you wish to continue your studies there. If that is the case we will defer your matriculation for one year.

Please let us know by owl post if you accept no later than July 1st.

Best Regards,

Kingsley Shacklebot

Interim Minister of Magic

Harry looked up. No one had noticed that his letter was a bit different from there's and he didn't feel the need to point it out. He caught Ron and Hermione's eyes and silently communicated to them that they needed to talk. He had seen the blue scrawl on their letters as well.

"So!" Ginny's voice interrupted his thoughts. "I suppose that we have a lot of studying to do ay?"

Everyone at the table groaned in response and Harry followed suit to play along.

"Harry!" Hermione's voice rang out, "look at the prophet." as he picked up the paper he felt Ginny's hand touch his knee. She had already seen the headline.

Potter Tells All !

(The following is an official statement from the ministry of magic.)

Harry didn't need to read the article; he knew exactly what it said. It recounted some of the 'details' of their trip last year. The public would know that Voldemort inadvertently left a piece of himself in Harry's body. They would also know that Harry lived the first time because of his mothers sacrifice. They would never, however, learn of horcruxes or hallows. It was explained that Voldemort sought Albus Dumbledore's wand because he believed it to be more powerful, but not that it actually was indeed, the wand created from death itself on a lonely road at twilight, or midnight. Whichever.

Harry then turned his attention to another smaller article.

Gringott's Dragon Wreaks Havoc on Bank

Due to massive damage caused by one of the Banks high security dragons, the goblins at Gringotts have agreed to no longer use the beasts to guard their treasure...

Harry smiled to himself. He couldn't believe that Kingsley and Bill had worked this out with the goblins. Now no one would ever know about the break in or the sword.

Everyone continued reading as Harry, Ron, and Hermione ate in silence. As each person finished, they looked at the three of them with a nod of respect, which was pretty embarrassing.

"Oh come of it all of you!" Ron said. "We're sill the same people."

"Yeah, accept now you have a reason to have that big head of yours brother." George laughed.

At that Harry stood up abruptly. He needed to talk to his friends about the letters, but he couldn't do it in front of Ginny. "Didn't Kingsley say he wanted to talk to the three of us about tomorrow?" He said. Ginny looked at him suspiciously, but didn't say anything.

"Oh right, I forgot." Hermione said.

Harry kissed Ginny on the cheek and said "I'll see you later at the burrow."

"Sure yeah better get going." Ron stood up and grabbed a piece of toast for the road as the three of them headed out of the great room and outside into the warm summer air.

"So?" Harry asked. "Your letters?"

"They are from the ministry." Hermione answered.

"They want us to be aurors! It's bloody fantastic!" Ron was trying not to be too loud, but his voice was filled with excitement. "This is what I've always wanted to do! What about you Harry?"

"I'm not going to lie. I want to do it. I want to help round up the rest of the Death Eaters and help the ministry reform."

"It would be thrilling." Hermione added, but she didn't sound very excited.

"Hermione, you don't have to do it just because you got the letter." Harry added as the three of them noticed that they had been walking without realizing it straight for Hagrid's hut.

"I thought we might get something like this from the ministry, but I don't think I should be an auror." she looked ahead towards their destination.

"Why not? You would be bloody fantastic!" Ron asked.

"Thanks Ronald, but I just don't feel as passionately about it as you and Harry. I think I could serve the wizarding world better in a different kind of job. I mean now that Voldemort's gone they are going to have to address the issue of muggleborn rights and perhaps eventually the rights of other magical creatures right? When I think about all of that I think I could do so much for them."

Harry and Ron had been listening intently. Harry noticed that Ron looked a bit bewildered, but he had taken Hermione's hand at some point. "I think that you should do what you really want to do Hermione. Ron and I can join the aurors now and you can take this year to figure out exactly what you want to do."

"Harry's right. You shouldn't rush into anything, we have always known what we wanted to do, but you have a lot more options love." he kissed her cheek," take time to think about. I'll be behind whatever decision to make."

Hermione smiled and leaned into Ron. "Thanks Ron. I'm glad that you feel that way, and you too Harry. Honestly I'd be shocked if you weren't in charge of the whole department in ten years." Harry blushed a bit at the complement.

"Thanks Hermione. Let's keep our plans to ourselves for now then? I don't think Ginny's going to take this very well. She's been going on about how it will be so much fun for all of us to be at school together next year..."

Ron looked at Harry seriously; "you and Ginny are the real deal then? Officially back together?"

"It's official mate. She's the one." Harry met his gaze with all the seriousness he could muster.

"You have my blessing then. But if you ever hurt her I'll..." he stopped talking when he saw the enormous form of Hagrid emerge from behind the hut.

"HARRY! RON! HERMIONE! Get yerselves over here!" he yelled at them. None of them had seen Hagrid since the battle. He had been very busy in the forest tending to the magical animals that were hurt in the battle, as well as his brother, Grawp.

They ran towards Hagrid and enjoyed a bone-crushing hug. "Oh you three, I've been meaning to come find you but I figured you've been busy. So proud...what you did...and Harry..." tears had begun slipping from his eyes and hitting them on their heads like raindrops.

"Hagrid, I'm so glad you're alright." Hermione said into his wiry beard. "Shall we have some tea then?"

Hagrid finally released them, which was good because they were beginning to have a hard time breathing. "Of course, come on in then, we could do for a good talk."

They followed him inside the hut, sat down and enjoyed a nice long chat. It was as if no time at all had passed since they had been in school and tea with Hagrid was just a regular part of their lives. After a while they said their goodbyes, though they would be seeing him later that night at the funeral, and headed back to the castle to pack up their belongings to head back to the burrow.