Wow. . . I can't believe I screwed that up. . . stupid, stupid. . . my
excuse is that it was late and I was tired. Just pretend it's galleons, not
dollars, okay? But I fixed it, so it's all good now, right? Yay!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next three days were spent with lots of work. Harry was doing so much work, the ministry decided to pay him, though not much. He didn't mind, he was glad to help, and he got to spend lots of time helping Cho, Professor Dumbledore, and the Minister, though that was the person he liked to spend time with least, as he seemed intent on making it up to Harry, after not believing him in his fifth year.
"Harry!" Mr. Weasley came up to Harry. "Ron has been dying to see you, as I'm sure you know from his letters, he's coming in to help tomorrow. Hermione's coming too. We just wanted you to know. Alright, then?"
"Yeah!" Harry grinned.
He walked up to Cho's desk. "What are you so happy about?" She asked.
He told her. "Think about it. My two best friends and my girlfriends. I'm going to have the best lunch hour ever." He laughed, starting through a pile of singed documents.
Cho smiled. "There's an election in a few months for the next Minister of Magic, you know that?"
Harry shook his head. "I did not."
"Well, I was thinking, maybe we could get Professor Lupin to run? Or Mr. Weasley?"
Harry sat back to think about it. "No one would vote for Lupin. They'd be too afraid of the fact that he's a werewolf."
Cho shook her head. "The people have grown, I think. If we focus on what he has done for the wizarding community, leading the Battle, and everything."
"I thought I did that." Harry said.
Cho rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean. He was organizing it for months, putting himself in danger to recruit people, fighting, even when everyone thought he would lose. Besides," She said, seeing the mock hurt look on Harry's face, "If you were old enough, I wouldn't even ask you if you wanted to run. I would force you."
Harry couldn't help but laugh.
"Seriously, though, it could be a good idea."
Cho nodded. "You bet. In fact, it's my job to run the election. All of the résumé's come to me, and I lead the counting of the ballots. I was reading up on it. I asked Mr. Fudge, and he said my official title is 'Ministry Assistant.' It means I not only assist the Minister, but the entire Ministry. This job is way more than we thought. It's the most important non- celebrity job in the ministry."
Harry raised his eyebrows. "Non-celebrity?"
"It means not in the papers. Everyone knows who is on the Wizengamot, and who the Minister is. But the Ministry Assistant has just as much power as them, just in different areas. Anyway, I am supposed to lead the election, and I am in charge of hiring, along with the heads of the specific department. For example, if they need someone new in Magical Sports and Games, it's up to the head of that department and me, together, to hire someone! It's so amazing, my first job, and it's something people work their entire lives for!"
Harry smiled. "That's great, Cho. I'm very proud of you." He kissed her, and they both went back to their work.
* * * * *
Harry and Cho left for work early the next day, as they wanted to take an extra long lunch break with Ron and Hermione.
"It's going to be weird. Today's the day that all the new people start. It's going to be full of people again."
Cho nodded. "It's not even again for me. I've never been to the Ministry with more than what we've had the past few days."
They stood there for a few minute, silently.
"Do you realize, we're not going to be some young kids just on the job. We're like, veterans." Harry said as they got off the train.
Cho laughed. "Doesn't that just make you feel old?"
"No, I'm just a student with a summer job. You're the one with the job people work their entire lives for."
"Excuse me!" Cho laughed, putting her hands on her hips.
They entered the guest entrance, as usual.
There was a sign on the apparition blocks, saying 'now open for transit."
Harry smiled. "Finally. We can actually sleep in now!"
Cho nodded. She was still a little unsure of apparition. She'd only done it a few times, even if she had passed the test with flying colours.
"Harry!" They turned around to see Ron and Hermione running towards them.
"Hey guys." He said, hugging them.
"Err, hello." Cho said.
"Good morning, Cho." Hermione said cheerily. Ron grunted, and Hermione punched his arm. "Oh, get over it, Ron!"
"What? What did I do?"
"You grunted! Say hello!"
Ron turned red. "Hi."
Hermione sighed, making Cho laugh. That broke the ice, and they all walked into Cho's office, that Harry was sharing for the summer.
"Wow, Cho, this is amazing!" Ron whistled when he walked in.
"What exactly is your position?" Hermione asked.
"Ministry Assistant." Harry said. "Most important job, besides the Wizengamot."
They spent the rest of the day sorting through papers, cleaning, and doing as much work that didn't involve thinking as possible, as well as taking a rather lengthy lunch break.
All too soon, it was time to leave.
"Good bye, Harry!" Hermione said. I'll see you at school."
Ron said the same.
Unfortunately, there wasn't going to be room for them at Grimmauld Place.
Harry and Cho apparated home, under the watchful eye of Moody, on the receiving end, and Moony, on the Ministry end.
After successfully apparating, Harry and Cho went upstairs to find some privacy, only to realize they couldn't get it in either of their rooms.
Judith, Pansy, and Jill were in Cho's room, and the electronics in Harry's room had caused it to be the busiest in the house. After looking in every room, they decided to visit Buckbeak.
They opened the door and both bowed to him. Slowly, his knees bent, and they walked up to him.
"Hey buddy." Harry said, sitting down beside him. Cho patted his neck, which seemed to make Buckbeak happy.
She sat down beside Harry and leaned on him. "I'm going to miss you when you're at school."
"Cho, you make the rules, remember? I'll send you the date for every single Hogsmeade weekend, and we can talk by owl, or Floo powder. It will be fine, I promise."
Cho nodded. He kissed her, and put his arm around her. They sat like that, in comfortable silence, until it was time for dinner.
After dinner, Cho went back to her room to read. Pansy, Judith and Jill went too.
"Hey Cho." Judith said.
"Hey guys."
"So, Cho, you need to talk, girl. What's up?" Jill said.
Cho sat up. "What do you mean?"
They rolled their eyes. "We just want to talk to you. You know, girls, communicating orally. Everyone's doing it. It's all the rage." Judith said.
They all laughed. "I'm sorry, guys, I guess I forgot I'm supposed to talk to you, aren't I?"
* * * * *
The rest of the summer passed quickly, with work and a full house. It was time for Harry to go back to school.
Cho came with Harry to King's Cross.
"Now Cho," Harry said. "Feel free to stay all year, but if you get bored of all the people, feel free to move out, now that you've got the money."
She didn't laugh. Harry went silent.
"I'm going to miss you, Harry."
Harry held her hand. "I'll miss you too." He kissed her, and got on the train. He knew he had to leave her right away, or it would be harder.
He also knew this year would be different than any other. The school would be more subdued, after so many deaths, and the students would have had time to think about everything that had happened.
And Harry would be ready for everything.
What Harry wouldn't be ready for, was one man. One man who could ruin life for Harry.
One man who'd been watching his every move for almost two months, since he started at the Ministry.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JKReviewer/ potter4prez: Sorry, that information cannot be disclosed at this time. Just sit tight, the answers will come. And I changed it to galleons.
The counter: no. it isn't. or at least, I'm trying to make it something more. The only thing I knew I was writing about at the time was the relationship, so that's what I wrote about. But it will shift to the back seat soon, when the adventure and mystery kicks in. well, adventure, I hope, and mystery I doubt. You see, no matter how hard I try, I really, really suck at writing.
Thanks for all the reviews, but you people can do better! Let's ask for twenty before the next chapter! Please?
-unolimbo
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next three days were spent with lots of work. Harry was doing so much work, the ministry decided to pay him, though not much. He didn't mind, he was glad to help, and he got to spend lots of time helping Cho, Professor Dumbledore, and the Minister, though that was the person he liked to spend time with least, as he seemed intent on making it up to Harry, after not believing him in his fifth year.
"Harry!" Mr. Weasley came up to Harry. "Ron has been dying to see you, as I'm sure you know from his letters, he's coming in to help tomorrow. Hermione's coming too. We just wanted you to know. Alright, then?"
"Yeah!" Harry grinned.
He walked up to Cho's desk. "What are you so happy about?" She asked.
He told her. "Think about it. My two best friends and my girlfriends. I'm going to have the best lunch hour ever." He laughed, starting through a pile of singed documents.
Cho smiled. "There's an election in a few months for the next Minister of Magic, you know that?"
Harry shook his head. "I did not."
"Well, I was thinking, maybe we could get Professor Lupin to run? Or Mr. Weasley?"
Harry sat back to think about it. "No one would vote for Lupin. They'd be too afraid of the fact that he's a werewolf."
Cho shook her head. "The people have grown, I think. If we focus on what he has done for the wizarding community, leading the Battle, and everything."
"I thought I did that." Harry said.
Cho rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean. He was organizing it for months, putting himself in danger to recruit people, fighting, even when everyone thought he would lose. Besides," She said, seeing the mock hurt look on Harry's face, "If you were old enough, I wouldn't even ask you if you wanted to run. I would force you."
Harry couldn't help but laugh.
"Seriously, though, it could be a good idea."
Cho nodded. "You bet. In fact, it's my job to run the election. All of the résumé's come to me, and I lead the counting of the ballots. I was reading up on it. I asked Mr. Fudge, and he said my official title is 'Ministry Assistant.' It means I not only assist the Minister, but the entire Ministry. This job is way more than we thought. It's the most important non- celebrity job in the ministry."
Harry raised his eyebrows. "Non-celebrity?"
"It means not in the papers. Everyone knows who is on the Wizengamot, and who the Minister is. But the Ministry Assistant has just as much power as them, just in different areas. Anyway, I am supposed to lead the election, and I am in charge of hiring, along with the heads of the specific department. For example, if they need someone new in Magical Sports and Games, it's up to the head of that department and me, together, to hire someone! It's so amazing, my first job, and it's something people work their entire lives for!"
Harry smiled. "That's great, Cho. I'm very proud of you." He kissed her, and they both went back to their work.
* * * * *
Harry and Cho left for work early the next day, as they wanted to take an extra long lunch break with Ron and Hermione.
"It's going to be weird. Today's the day that all the new people start. It's going to be full of people again."
Cho nodded. "It's not even again for me. I've never been to the Ministry with more than what we've had the past few days."
They stood there for a few minute, silently.
"Do you realize, we're not going to be some young kids just on the job. We're like, veterans." Harry said as they got off the train.
Cho laughed. "Doesn't that just make you feel old?"
"No, I'm just a student with a summer job. You're the one with the job people work their entire lives for."
"Excuse me!" Cho laughed, putting her hands on her hips.
They entered the guest entrance, as usual.
There was a sign on the apparition blocks, saying 'now open for transit."
Harry smiled. "Finally. We can actually sleep in now!"
Cho nodded. She was still a little unsure of apparition. She'd only done it a few times, even if she had passed the test with flying colours.
"Harry!" They turned around to see Ron and Hermione running towards them.
"Hey guys." He said, hugging them.
"Err, hello." Cho said.
"Good morning, Cho." Hermione said cheerily. Ron grunted, and Hermione punched his arm. "Oh, get over it, Ron!"
"What? What did I do?"
"You grunted! Say hello!"
Ron turned red. "Hi."
Hermione sighed, making Cho laugh. That broke the ice, and they all walked into Cho's office, that Harry was sharing for the summer.
"Wow, Cho, this is amazing!" Ron whistled when he walked in.
"What exactly is your position?" Hermione asked.
"Ministry Assistant." Harry said. "Most important job, besides the Wizengamot."
They spent the rest of the day sorting through papers, cleaning, and doing as much work that didn't involve thinking as possible, as well as taking a rather lengthy lunch break.
All too soon, it was time to leave.
"Good bye, Harry!" Hermione said. I'll see you at school."
Ron said the same.
Unfortunately, there wasn't going to be room for them at Grimmauld Place.
Harry and Cho apparated home, under the watchful eye of Moody, on the receiving end, and Moony, on the Ministry end.
After successfully apparating, Harry and Cho went upstairs to find some privacy, only to realize they couldn't get it in either of their rooms.
Judith, Pansy, and Jill were in Cho's room, and the electronics in Harry's room had caused it to be the busiest in the house. After looking in every room, they decided to visit Buckbeak.
They opened the door and both bowed to him. Slowly, his knees bent, and they walked up to him.
"Hey buddy." Harry said, sitting down beside him. Cho patted his neck, which seemed to make Buckbeak happy.
She sat down beside Harry and leaned on him. "I'm going to miss you when you're at school."
"Cho, you make the rules, remember? I'll send you the date for every single Hogsmeade weekend, and we can talk by owl, or Floo powder. It will be fine, I promise."
Cho nodded. He kissed her, and put his arm around her. They sat like that, in comfortable silence, until it was time for dinner.
After dinner, Cho went back to her room to read. Pansy, Judith and Jill went too.
"Hey Cho." Judith said.
"Hey guys."
"So, Cho, you need to talk, girl. What's up?" Jill said.
Cho sat up. "What do you mean?"
They rolled their eyes. "We just want to talk to you. You know, girls, communicating orally. Everyone's doing it. It's all the rage." Judith said.
They all laughed. "I'm sorry, guys, I guess I forgot I'm supposed to talk to you, aren't I?"
* * * * *
The rest of the summer passed quickly, with work and a full house. It was time for Harry to go back to school.
Cho came with Harry to King's Cross.
"Now Cho," Harry said. "Feel free to stay all year, but if you get bored of all the people, feel free to move out, now that you've got the money."
She didn't laugh. Harry went silent.
"I'm going to miss you, Harry."
Harry held her hand. "I'll miss you too." He kissed her, and got on the train. He knew he had to leave her right away, or it would be harder.
He also knew this year would be different than any other. The school would be more subdued, after so many deaths, and the students would have had time to think about everything that had happened.
And Harry would be ready for everything.
What Harry wouldn't be ready for, was one man. One man who could ruin life for Harry.
One man who'd been watching his every move for almost two months, since he started at the Ministry.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JKReviewer/ potter4prez: Sorry, that information cannot be disclosed at this time. Just sit tight, the answers will come. And I changed it to galleons.
The counter: no. it isn't. or at least, I'm trying to make it something more. The only thing I knew I was writing about at the time was the relationship, so that's what I wrote about. But it will shift to the back seat soon, when the adventure and mystery kicks in. well, adventure, I hope, and mystery I doubt. You see, no matter how hard I try, I really, really suck at writing.
Thanks for all the reviews, but you people can do better! Let's ask for twenty before the next chapter! Please?
-unolimbo