Chapter 3: Confrontation

July 20, 1998
Weasley Place, Ottery St. Catchpole

Molly Weasley was standing in her kitchen this evening, putting the finishing touches on dinner. With her three trialists coming home late last night, they hadn't had a family dinner this weekend. That was happening tonight, she'd told her family, and nobody was missing it.

She had also seen the looks on Hermione and Ginny's faces since the articles had come out. Harry and Ron had taken the Quidditch media by storm, and today was no exception. She hoped that by everyone being present, a larger blowup might be prevented.

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George Weasley- Owner, Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes
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She would have scolded him, but a sad feeling came over her briefly.

With declaration day just over a fortnight away, here are your latest betting moves on the Potter sweepstakes:

Holyhead: 49,749/1

If Harry Potter commits his future to Holyhead, one lucky bettor will win the entire pot! Not too shabby.

Molly snickered briefly. She'd borrowed a galleon from George to make that bet. She'd bet galleons to gobstones that there'd be some piece about that in the next day or three.

In more serious betting action:

Chudley: 6/1

The favorite team of Ronald Weasley, one of Potter's best mates. Would the signing of Ronald be the catalyst to move Potter to the blighted flying oranges? The team's future is up in the air, though, with the recent passing of their owner and no one biting to buy the team from the estate.

Puddlemere: 4/1

The team taking Potter on a tryout this weekend, and the current home of Potter's old captain Oliver Wood. Wood has been highly vocal about believing in Potter, could his support bring Potter into the Puddlemere faithful? Also rumored to be the favored team of James Potter, and possibly his career, if he had survived the First Voldemort War.

DMLE: 2/1

Of course, the betting lead favors Potter joining the DMLE Quidditch Squad. And by 'Quidditch Squad,' we mean Aurors. Rumor has it that Acting Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt is pushing hard for this one.

For full odds, swing by Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes in Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade. Ask about our Hogsmeade Declaration Day Party, tickets are on sale now!

Of course, she knew about the Hogsmeade party, she'd been hired by George to lead the catering. She probably would have been more than leading the catering, but with her three youngest likely all declaring that day, she was going to have a busy day.

The floo flared briefly, followed by her husband stepping out into the foyer and heading for the kitchen. "Mollywobbles, what's cooking? It smells delicious!"

Stepping into the kitchen, he smiled at Molly, before pulling her into a hug. Ending the hug with a kiss, she went back to the stove, where a kettle was whistling, before responding, "A nice roast for supper. I thought it would be nice after this weekend."

Arthur nodded, a brief line of concern flashing across his face. "Let's hope cooler heads prevail on full stomachs." He picked up the still slightly open Daily Prophet, reading the article Molly had earlier. "Someone's losing a galleon."

Molly snickered softly, before pouring the contents of the kettle into a teapot, then dropping in the tea to let it steep. "Well, times do change, Arthur."

Arthur looked up, thoughtfully, before shrugging off her comment. "Yes, but I would imagine we'll hear from Holyhead sooner rather than later." He continued reading quietly, before muttering "Ministry's too damn high." Molly turned to her husband in shock, as he was usually not one to swear. Arthur looked up at her, continuing, "I imagine many people are gambling on where they hope he'll end up. At those odds, I'd say about a third of the country, well, a third of the gamblers, are expecting him to become an Auror. I expect-" Arthur stopped when he heard the floo flare up multiple times in quick succession. "I'll be back in a moment, Molly dear, I'm just going to wash up." As he left the kitchen, he muttered, "I wonder what the odds are on Gryffindor."

Molly folded the paper up as she heard the girls trudge up the steps, "Wash up and be back down soon!" She called out.

The Dinner Table, Weasley Place

With Ron and Harry having just arrived -late- a moment ago, the air in the room was slightly frosty. George and Charlie were chatting, Bill and Fleur were chatting with Percy, but Hermione and Ginny were sitting, just eating dinner, but looking like they were trying to set fire to the tablecloth. Molly looked at Arthur, who was listening into George and Charlie's discussion, but who seemed nervous. Hopefully by sitting them away from their girlfriends, they'd manage to avoid the upcoming confrontation, or at least push it back to when cooler heads (on full stomachs) would prevail.

Molly had just turned back towards the kitchen cabinets to grab something when she heard George call out "Harry! Ron! So good to see you!" Molly turned back towards the table, where it now seemed that Ginny and Hermione were shooting daggers at the boys who had just entered. Molly let out a sigh, as it seemed that the fight was not going to happen immediately. Everyone else seemed quite happy to see the boys.

George continued, "Any news that could shake up the odds of the sweepstakes?" He winked at Harry and Ron.

Ron smiled, "Well things have been going well, at least on my end. I can't speak for Harry, though, since he was elsewhere this weekend." He nudged his best friend.

Harry seemed in thought for the moment. "I've had a lot to consider over the last couple of days."

Ginny responded, with a hint of venom, "Care to share with us?" Bill shot a questioning glance at the youngest Weasley, while Fleur shot a look of warning in her direction. Ginny didn't seem to notice the looks.

Harry shrugged, not noticing the tone in Ginny's voice. "I haven't had a good thought about it yet." He went over to one of the open seats, sitting next to George, while Ron sat between him and Arthur.

After few moments, the silence was broken. "Alright, Ron." Started Hermione, looking at her boyfriend, "What about you?"

Ron looked up from his food. "What about me?"

"Have you got something to share with the family?"

Ron looked back at Hermione. "Not yet. I think I did well, and I think they were impressed with me. I probably need a year or two to get better as a Keeper if I go forward." Harry nodded in agreement. "But I won't know until I see an offer."

Hermione glared at him. "If you're so certain you'll be going forward, why is he-" she pointed at Harry, "the subject of a betting pool run by him?" She finished, pointing at George.

George chimed in, saying "It's because he's Harry Potter. We do have a betting line on Ron, but it's only had about two or three hundred galleons thrown in. Harry's at more than fifty thousand. Plus," continued George, sipping on the water in his hand, "Ron's is about 90 percent Aurors."

"Shame they'll be just about breaking even then," responded Hermione icily.

Ron looked at Hermione with an irritated expression in his eyes. "And why would that be?"

"Because it would be a waste of your life to play any more of that- that game with what the two of you have accomplished!" Hermione spat. "You're graced with the talents that got you through the war, and what are you planning to do with it? Throw it away! The two of you owe it to the rest of us that you use your talents to their fullest!"

Harry looked down at his food, hoping to ignore the oncoming row. Ron, however, was being dragged into it. "Really? What about you? I don't see you trying to work with the Aurors, and you have a lot of those same talents!"

Hermione stood up, glaring furiously at Ron. "Because as my NEWTS will show, I'm best suited to not be on the front lines! I can help Kingsley best there!"

Ron now stood up, turning red in the face. "And we are supposed to be on the front lines every day because the almighty Granger said so? What about Ginny? What about George? She's going for Quidditch and he's the owner of a joke shop! They were both part of Dumbledore's Army!"

At this point, Ginny stood up, also starting to turn red in the face. "Don't bring me or George into this! You have no right to tell me how I can and should live my life!"

Ron pinched his nose, trying to calm down. He and Harry had been working to keep cooler heads since the end of the Battle of Hogwarts. "So I don't have a right to comment on it, but why do the two of you get to comment on it?"

"Because we're your girlfriends!" The two chimed in simultaneously.

Ron and Harry looked at each other for a moment. Harry had to hide some amusement at that turn of phrase before Ron looked back at the two and continued. "I don't believe that gives you the right to demand anything of me," he paused for a moment, then continued, "besides, that wouldn't explain why Ginny also seems mad at me as well despite her not being my girlfriend." Harry put his head into his hands, as he knew Ron had slightly mucked it up, and Harry was about to get drawn in.

Ginny looked at her brother dangerously calmly. "I mean, you are taking him along this path with you, it seems, but you do have a point. Why are you playing around with Quidditch, Harry Potter?"

Harry looked up at the three people standing at the table. "If I wished to talk about it, then that was one thing. I don't wish to talk about it at this time." He turned back towards his food, ignoring the argument. He would be brought out of his musings by the unmistakable sound of a spell hitting a shield, and he looked up to see rage in his girlfriend's eyes for a split second, before she realized what she'd done.

"GINEVRA WEASLEY!" Molly was up and out of her seat now. "HOW DARE YOU!"

Harry pushed his chair away from the table, away from where Molly was still yelling at Ginny, and out of the kitchen, summoning his Firebolt as he walked out.

The Quidditch Pitch, Weasley Place

One of the things Harry had convinced Mr. Weasley of when he had given the Weasleys money for the 'new Burrow' was that they should replace the old hoops in the backyard. It seemed like a good idea, given how Quidditch obsessed the family was.

Now, he was exceedingly grateful to have an excuse to soar through the air. He really liked Molly Weasley's cooking, and he was going to have to go back in later, but for now, it was a warzone. He'd summoned his Firebolt as he'd left, with the fiery-tempered witches still yelling at each other. That hadn't lasted long, though, as Ginny had left the house in a huff, not long after he'd left. Hermione had followed suit.

Harry was pushing the broom close to its limits as he ran a lazy circle through the air before he veered upwards. The last time he'd run this move, he'd been chasing the Snitch with Cedric. Unlike the last time, there were no dementors to knock him off, so he soared higher and higher, looking as the house below got smaller and smaller.

He had no idea how far up he was, only that he'd been higher with Hagrid and Hedwig in the Battle of Seven Potters. "Stupid name," he muttered to himself, "and stupid all around." Mad-Eye and Hedwig died that night, and all for a move that could have been done differently. "The entire war could have ended so much quicker. Stupid Britain."

Far below him, he noticed several redheads and one blond step out of the house, faintly calling out for him. He decided to cut the broom's power and drop, entering a freefall.

Charlie, the former Seeker, was the first to spot Harry in his descent. He watched as the speck that was Harry grew. Noting that Harry had the broom in the proper position, he smiled. "Going for a nice bit of speed, eh, Harry?" He muttered to himself.

Ron caught the quiet comment and looked where Charlie was looking. He rolled his eyes as Harry slowed his fall and started moving towards them. When Harry got off his broom and came to them, Ron punched Harry in the shoulder. "Prat."

Harry grinned, winking at Ron. "I have the need for speed." His grin faded as he turned to face the others who'd come out to the pitch. Charlie had a bemused smile on his face, George was grinning, and Fleur was shaking her head, but smiling. Bill and Percy seemed stoic, their faces not giving away their thoughts.

Bill was the first to speak up. "That was not a good dinner." Percy and George shook their heads no as Bill continued, "and while I'm not sure Quidditch is a good career choice," he held up his hand as if expecting protests from his siblings and wife, "but if you put in the work, you could make it work. Look at Krum."

Fleur nodded, adding, "You owe nothing more to Britain. They owe you if you ask me."

George wrapped an arm around Harry, and said, "Follow your dreams. You've got a safety net in the shop if you need it." Following a minor protest from Ron he added, "And you too, I suppose." More quietly he added, "But we owe you for that startup money."

Charlie laughed, "I could probably point out that if Harry wanted to work with dragons, he could almost certainly get a job at the reserve. Especially after the Tournament."

Percy was the last to chime in. "I don't think Quidditch is right for you." Ignoring the eye-rolls, he continued, "But the Ministry isn't right either. You two were never much for following the rules at Hogwarts, and you were great in war-time. But this is peace-time. If we want to pretend that Harry "owes" anything to Britain, he'd almost do a better service outside the Ministry than within it. The same goes for Ron, for the same reasons."

The others were shocked at Percy's comments. "What about Kingsley? He said he wanted Harry and Ron as Aurors." Fleur was the first to recover and respond.

"I believe that it's short-sightedness on behalf of the Minister," responded Percy, sighing. "Wouldn't be the first time," he muttered, before continuing, "Sure, recruitment would rise dramatically, but I think that will be well covered by Kingsley's offer. People whose philosophies seemed to be 'break all the rules' while at school probably are not the best for enforcing those rules."

Ron and Harry sighed in relief. While the family wasn't all on board, most were happy enough and would support them. The trouble now lay with their girlfriends.