Harry is sitting on his bed when James walks into the seventh-year dorm. The other beds are empty, dinner only just ending.

Harry looks up from the letter he's reading and blinks at the little takeaway bag James is carrying. "Oh, sorry, I completely lost track of the time."

"That's okay, we set off fireworks in the Great Hall anyway," James dismisses as he hops onto the bed, making the mattress bounce.

"Why did you set off-"

"What's the letter about?" James asks excitedly, even while ripping open the paper bag and arranging it nicely to display the gozleme.

Harry deliberately sets aside the matter to ask Remus later. He smiles and cutches the letter. "You know grandma's friends? The magical creature conservationists? We've been in contact for a while, to figure out how to get the basilisk settled."

"Did the acromantula do something weird?"

"Uh," Harry begins, a bit shy. "They...wanted to offer me a job after I graduate."

James gasps in delight and grabs Harry's hand. "Do you want to? Do that kind of thing? You know you could get a job with mum or dad so don't feel pressured to take the first offer."

"I think I'd like it," Harry admits. "The team leader whom I was talking with, she's the manager for the triple-X creatures and up. It's a lot of travel, seeing new things. It's dangerous too and guards need to be hired so I was talking with older Sirius; he's looking into coming along."

"That's...actually incredible," James admits, a grin splitting his face. "Harry!" James shakes his hand. "My baby going off on an adventure! Petting cute animals!"

"I wouldn't say cute," Harry muses, just letting his arm get flopped around.

James yanks him into a squeezing hug and the corner of their glasses clink together, making both slant. "You'll be back for like holidays and stuff though, right?"

"Of course," Harry says happily, squeezing right back. "And you can call on the mirror any time."

James sniffles a little, clearly exaggerated.

"I'm not going yet!" Harry laughs, pulling back and fixing his glasses. "Two months until the end of the year, and I'm only heading out the second half of summer."

"I'll take my NEWTs this year and graduate with you," James insists.

"You...could actually probably manage that," Harry allows. "But then what about spending your last year having fun with Remus and Sirius?" Harry nudges him a bit. "Being boyfriends."

"Ugh, don't talk about that, it's so embarrassing," James complains with a grimace. "I've been getting 'I told you so's from literally everyone – even McGonagall came up to me! And you know what Lily had to say about it?"

"Yeah, she told me," Harry laughs. "She's happy for you!"

"I'm glad my wife and son are conspiring behind my back," James huffs and dramatically throws himself sideways onto the mattress. "I'm going to hide here tonight. Bloody Remus and Sirius are joking about the wedding."

"They're not joking."

James laughs it off and snatches to letter to excitedly read through it.

Harry sighs and drags the food closer to him. James is always just going to be oblivious then.


"Congrats," James chirps, ducking around Voldemort's office door, freshly portkeyed in. "I heard you got a seat on the Wizengamot through public votes. That's impressive considering everyone knows you're Dark."

"Congratulations," Harry says warily. "Please use it for good and not evil."

"Would you like to see my election promises?" Voldemort asks dryly.

"Yes, actually," Harry admits and enters the office.

Voldemort passes over a fancy scroll and Harry sits down on the chair in front of the desk and starts reading.

"Why didn't you take the Slytherin seat?" James asks in curiosity. He trots in and goes left towards the fancy glass cabinet but Voldemort's magic drags him back across the room and dumps him into the chair beside Harry.

"Slytherin has a lot of history," Voldemort allows. "Both pros and cons but it's very restricting and will tie me into a political stereotype. I'm far better than that and I have much grander plans."

Harry hums, sounding non-committal but pointed.

Voldemort laces his fingers, hands on the desk. "You know, Harry, perhaps you should be more concerned about Tom. All that youthful excitement and cocky wisdom."

"I know what he's doing, we send letters to each other," Harry says.

Voldemort raises an eyebrow.

"I – I know what he's doing," Harry tries again, with much less confidence. "He just finished his long-distance education."

"Outstandings across the board," Voldemort agrees. "As expected."

"And now he's looking for a job?" Harry continues. "Not in politics, he said."

"Tom said policy-making to me," James chimes in. "Which is basically a side-step. He didn't say which department though. I assume something suitably menacing."

"Economics," Voldemort answers.

"That's terrifying!" James says in delight.

Harry has given up. He'll step in when people start dying. (When more people start dying.)


Harry carefully reads the scroll Voldemort gave him and…isn't opposed to much of it. It's all in the execution though so Harry grills Voldemort about it later and the man seems genuinely pleased that Harry knows what he's talking about.

Harry spent the last year half-dead from studying politics that he's never going to touch, only being dragged along by a kind-hearted Remus, solely so he could keep a better watch on Voldemort and Tom.

"You could join me," Voldemort offers, suspiciously genuine. "Be my assistant."

"I would rather die. Again."

"It would allow you to keep a better watch on me."

"I'm not that committed," Harry admits and then, a little shy, he states, "Besides, I have a job."

Voldemort spends the next twenty minutes tearing into the very concept of Harry's new job and complaining that Harry isn't even studying the creatures past their base behaviours and habitat – which is not only a complete waste of opportunity but in fact conservations are a huge money sink and-

"What are you talking about?" Tom asks in annoyance, arriving at the office with James. "You're missing lunch and James won't let me eat without you."

"Tell him what your job will be, Harry," Voldemort complains, and then continues before Harry can even say anything. "Tom, did you know Harry will be joining a creature conservation when he graduates?"

Tom turns on Harry in outrage but Harry has already shrunken back into his chair.

"I think it's lovely!" James cuts in, pushing past Tom. "It's something he likes and he already has the skills needed. Like herding Dark Lords -much harder than cats- and caring for injuries on creatures like werewolves, how to pet a deer properly, and compassion and respect which he has in spades. It's going to be dangerous and involve a lot of travelling which he already has experience in, and honestly, I've only just remembered he can talk to snakes so he has that too."

Harry sits up a bit straighter, eyes wide.

"Harry has far better skills to be put to use elsewhere," Tom retorts. "And he could dial back on the compassion if you ask me. Also petting a deer is not a skill."

"Then why are you so bad at it?" James scoffs.

"Fine," Voldemort interrupts, holding up his hands. "Harry, I understand that some people take a gap year after schooling. We will revisit this conversation at the end of next winter."

"No," Harry states, confidence back after listening to James praise him so much, and with such pride in James' voice.

Voldemort ignores him anyway. "James, what are your plans?"

"I'm starving, we should have lunch," James says and swiftly makes his escape.

Harry is not looking forward to the argument that happens when Voldemort asks James what his career goals are and James responds; babies.