This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Harry Potter universe, which are trademarked by J.K. Rowling. I do not claim ownership of these characters nor the locations such as Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, etc. that are Rowling's creations. This work also includes Pokemon, which belong to the Pokemon Company, and I again claim no ownership of these characters.

I thank both Rowling and the Pokemon Company for the universes they have created that allows me to do something like this for my own entertainment and, hopefully, the entertainment of the readers.


The school was abuzz for days after the confrontation between Dumbledore and Umbridge. For most of them, particularly those that Harry could listen to, they were excited by Dumbledore's putdown of the High Inquisitor, feeling it was about time that someone put her in her place.

Unfortunately their glee was short lived as a few days later the Ministry announced the appointment of a new Fortune Telling teacher. She was middle-aged, strict, and incredibly dull, turning Fortune Telling into an only slight less boring version of History of Pokémon.

It wasn't all bad, at least for Harry. Fortune Telling had never been one of his better subjects and while Professor Trelawney's classes were in general more relaxed there really wasn't too much of a drop in quality with the new professor. Also Dumbledore had set up Professor Little on the fifth floor, much more accessible to the students than Trelawney's tower.

The real problem for Harry, as Hermione was quick to point out, was how Umbridge was going to react to being one upped by Dumbledore. Past experience said it was doubtful that Umbridge would just let it go and every day Harry went down to breakfast expecting to read of a new Educational Decree being passed. So far there had been nothing, but it was only a matter of time.

In the meantime things seemed to go back to normal. Classes went on as usual, even with Fortune Telling the students fell into a routine, and the students continued to eat, sleep, study, practice Quidditch and, in the case of the DA, battle.

In fact, the only thing of note before the school broke up for Easter, though Harry doubted anyone in fifth year was going to be going home for the holiday, was the announcement of special one on one sessions for fifth year students with their heads of house to discuss career options.

Harry didn't quite see the point.

"It's not as though I've got job prospects," he told Hermione as she tried to hammer in how important these sessions could be. "With Voldemort out there I'm hardly going to be able to go and work nine to five in an office somewhere."

"Yes, but this isn't about now," Hermione told him insistently. "It's about after."

After. Harry wasn't entirely sure about that. Was it really a good idea to be thinking of after Voldemort? They were no nearer to him being defeated now than when he'd first returned. If anything they were worse off. The Ministry was doing everything in their power to weaken Dumbledore and were pouring resources into capturing an innocent man while dozens of guilty ones remained at large.

Harry wished he could see some light at the end of the tunnel but he just couldn't. Hermione couldn't either but she was a planner, she simply could not ignore her future even if there was no way it could ever come about. Ron was an optimist. It almost seemed like he expected Voldemort to be defeated before the year was out. Harry only wished he could share the sentiment.

Even so there wasn't anything to lose from talking to Professor McGonagall and, as the sessions were mandatory, Harry soon found himself knocking on her office door at his allotted time and being invited inside.

"Mr Potter," Professor McGonagall greeted him. "Take a seat." Harry did so. They sat in silence.

"Well, I suppose you know why you are here," McGonagall told him. "You are about to sit your APEs, and as important as they are in determining your future it is also worth thinking about what you want your future to be. Next year you will be required to drop three subjects."

"Potions," Harry said easily, without missing a beat. "And History and Fortune Telling." Professor McGonagall gave him a hard look.

"What I was about to say is that you should choose wisely and take your time to think it over," she said, a small reprimand in her voice. "Certain careers require certain subjects to be studied at Hogwarts. For example, anything medical would require at least Herbology, Potions and Pokémon Physiology."

"I don't think I'm interested in being a Healer," Harry said. McGonagall fixed him with a firm look.

"And what are you interested in?" Harry shrugged. Nothing was the answer but he didn't feel he could tell McGonagall that. He couldn't admit to how pointless he felt this whole process was for him. After all, the odds were big he wouldn't survive to start his post-Hogwarts career anyway.

McGonagall sighed. Harry couldn't be sure but he thought that perhaps she knew what he was thinking.

"I know things might seem difficult, Potter," she said, her voice heavy. "But there is no reason to act as though we do not have a future. It is our future, our aims and our goals that drive us to do what we have to. We are not born with our future written."

"I have goals," Harry said quietly. "I want to stay alive. I want to protect my friends and help stop Voldemort and his Death Eaters. I just don't see how any of that translates to a career."

"I understand, Potter, but sometimes you've got to look past the obvious," McGonagall told him. "After all, the attributes you have demonstrated are important to you remind me very much of certain aurors I have known in my time. The desire to protect people, to fight evil, is something fundamental to anyone who wishes a job like that."

"In the Ministry," Harry pointed out. McGonagall frowned.

"The Ministry will not always be like it is now, Potter," she told him. "Minister Fudge has only so much time left. Eventually he'll be replaced and you could find yourself highly sought after."

"I wouldn't want to work for someone who wants me just because I'm Harry Potter," Harry told her. Honestly, he hated the idea.

"Perhaps," Professor McGonagall agreed. "But there is a difference between Harry Potter, the boy of legend, and Harry Potter, the boy sitting before me. And I know which I'd rather have in my employ." Harry blinked. Was she complimenting him?

"You are in extraordinary boy, Harry," McGonagall told him and Harry felt himself straighten slightly in his chair. "You are strong, you are smart, you are compassionate and you are, more than anything, a leader. You have a lot of talent at your fingertips, and a lot of people would give an arm and a leg to get just a spark of what makes you tick. Don't waste it. You are far more than what anyone who thinks of what happened fourteen years ago claims to understand."

Harry didn't know what to say. He'd never heard Professor McGonagall talk like this. He'd been complimented before, by many people with varying degrees of honesty, but never had he felt so proud as to hear it from Professor McGonagall. Professor McGonagall, who so rarely gave praise. Professor McGonagall, who had watched over him for the last five years as he stumbled from one adventure to the next. Professor McGonagall, who had always had his back, even though he hadn't always realised it. He hated that he had to disappoint her.

"I don't think I'd be a good auror," he said. "I attract trouble. They wouldn't want that." McGonagall frowned.

"Here," she said and she pulled a leaflet out of a drawer and laid it before Harry. "Just in case you have second thoughts," she told him and Harry read the heading.

'So You Want To Be An Auror?'

"Keep your mind and your options open, Harry," she told him. "And if you ever want to talk, about this or anything else, my door is always open."

Harry left feeling more confused and conflicted than he had when he walked in. The pamphlet was held in his hand, the logo for the auror corps blazing out towards him, and he did his best to ignore it as he walked the empty corridors on that Friday afternoon. What McGonagall had said had touched him, he had never felt so confident in his own abilities as he did now he'd heard the praise come from her. But how could he think of his future when it was so heavily tied to Voldemort's?

He turned to a nearby window and looked out over the grounds.

"Hello, Harry."

Harry instantly jerked around, though his motion quickly calmed as he recognised the familiar airy voice floating down the corridor.

"Hi Luna," he responded, nodding towards her as he settled back into his position by the window. The blonde haired girl was alone, as she often was, somewhat of an outcast at Hogwarts, but to Harry she was a friend. Though he hadn't seen too much of her in their time together at school each encounter left him with something new to think about.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked. Classes were still in session, Harry was only allowed out so he could speak with Professor McGonagall.

"Oh, Professor Flitwick let us go early," Luna told him. "It's a pity, I really like his class. Now I will just have to wait until after the holidays." Typical Luna. Most people would be glad to be let out early. Luna was different.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Harry told her and he meant it to. Professor Flitwick's classes were often fun and it could be disappointing not seeing the excitable Head of Ravenclaw House. "Do you want to head down to the Great Hall? I know dinner won't be out yet but it won't be long."

"Oh, no, I'm going up to the tower," Luna told him. "I have to drop my books. But thanks for the offer." Harry frowned. Luna wasn't carrying any books.

"My classmates took them," she explained, looking perfectly at ease with the situation. "They do that sometimes. It shouldn't take too long to find them."

"Do you want a hand?" Harry asked politely. The idea of Luna wandering around on her own trying to recover her stolen possessions was hard to bare.

"Why, thank you, Harry," Luna smiled brightly. Then she tilted her head. "That might be a good idea. You can tell me what's bothering you." And she turned and walked off leaving Harry, shaking his head in bemusement, to follow after her.

"I heard you had careers advice," Luna said as they strolled down the corridor, casually allowing her eyes to survey the area around her. "Did it help?"

"Eh, no," Harry admitted. "I mean, I don't think so. Professor McGonagall has given me some stuff to think about."

"Like joining the aurors?" Luna asked. Again Harry was taken aback by her ability to know things she shouldn't but this time he remembered the pamphlet in his hand.

"Eh, yeah," Harry said. "That… and other things."

"I think you'd make a good auror," Luna said matter-of-factly. "You're really good with the DA."

"Thanks Luna," Harry smiled. "It's not really about being an auror though. It's more about… planning for a job, any job, in the future."

"You're worried you won't make it that far," Luna said. Harry nodded.

"I have a dangerous lunatic madman after me," he told her. "And I know I've got Dumbledore on my side and people like McGonagall too. But they can't do everything and now they are fighting against Umbridge and the Ministry."

"So are we," Luna pointed out.

"Yeah," Harry muttered. "But it's not really doing much."

"You are making us stronger."

"But strong enough to face Voldemort?" Harry challenged. Luna didn't shudder at the name like most people did. She did, however, lose some of her airy quality.

"We don't have to be strong enough for him," Luna told him simply. "We just need to be strong enough to hold him off until you're ready. You'll win, Harry. I know it." She smiled at him.

"Luna!" Ginny Weasley appeared at the other end of the hallway, looking somewhat annoyed and loaded with not one but two book bags.

"Hi Ginny," Luna said brightly, smiling as the red head hurried up to her. "Is that my bag?"

"I saw some of your classmates trying to hide it in the haunted bathroom on the second floor," Ginny told her, handing over the slightly wet bag. No wonder she'd looked annoyed.

"So that's where they went," Luna said thoughtfully, not looking concerned by the state of her possessions as she accepted them from Ginny. "Not very inventive. I assume they must have been pressed for time." Ginny looked as though she wanted to say something but held her tongue. Harry had the distinct impression this wasn't the first time this scene had played out.

Luna turned to face him.

"Seems as though we've found my books," she said with a smile. "Thank you, Harry. I enjoyed our conversation."

"Yeah, me too," Harry agreed, and he meant it. "And Luna," he said as Luna turned to follow Ginny down the corridor. "Thank you." Luna just smiled her usual, easy-going smile and walked away, leaving Harry with a lot to think about, but with a smile on his face.


A/N: Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

In response to the review about the cliffhanger in the middle of last chapter: I won't be writing the scene of Harry and Hagrid discovering whatever it is they discovered but I promise you will see whatever it is in later chapters and hopefully it will surprise you.

Also, following on from my notes from the previous chapter, I'm really happy to hear the replies I got to the question of the day. On the subject of who's your favourite Pokémon we had Scrafty, Charmander, Ninetales, Flygon, Eevee, and shiny Zoroark, all of which are really cool Pokémon, and with some good explanations as to why these Pokémon are important to you.

We also had one review that posed a good question, which is going to be the question of the day for this chapter.

The review is below:

DelugeLeader 666 : - To answer your question, my favourite Pokémon is Eevee. With all the choices you could evolve it into, you actually have a choice, unlike other Pokémon. But i got a question for you, mr/mrs/miss author, what is your favourite Eeveelution?

So, my favourite Eevee evolution is Umbreon. I just love the black design with the golden rings. To be honest I love all the Eeveelutions, with Jolteon, Espeon and Glaceon also being among my favourite designs.

And to add to the question above I'd like to ask if there are any Eevee evolutions you dislike. If I had to choose it would be Vaporeon or Sylveon, but that would be me being hyper critical. I honestly like all the Eeveelutions so I suppose you could say for me Vaporeon/Sylveon are simply the worst of a very good bunch.

So what are your favourite Eevee evolutions? Are there some you dislike? Or even hate? Let me know in the reviews and I'll see you in the next chapter.