The Difference One Choice Makes
17th July 1998
Sipping his morning tea, Harry was slightly nervous as he picked up the envelope containing his Newt results with his siblings and parents watching him with great interest.
Slowly breaking the wax seal on the envelope, Harry opened the envelope and pulled his result sheet out to have a look at his achieved grades.
Harrison James Potter
Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test Results
Grade Criteria:
- O = Outstanding
- EE = Exceeds Expectations
- A = Acceptable
- P = Poor
- D = Dreadful
- T = Troll
Harrison James Potter has achieved the following:
Defence Against The Dark Arts – O
Charms – O
Transfiguration – EE
Potions – EE
Arithmancy – A
Care Of Magical Creatures – EE
Duelling – Subject not graded at Newt level
Feeling proud of himself at the two Outstanding grades, along with the three Exceeds Expectations and single Acceptable grades he had achieved in his Newt's, Harry smiled and passed the sheet to his father.
The congratulations he subsequently received from his family made him feel even more proud of himself, knowing that a successful try-out next week would make things a whole lot better and put him on course to fulfil his dreams of being a professional Quidditch player.
Later that evening…
Sitting down at the small dining table in Katie's flat, Harry could not wait to sample what Katie had cooked for him, with the smell that was wafting through the flat making his mouth water.
As he was about to ask her what they would be eating, he was caught off guard when she placed her hands on his shoulders, leaning down to kiss his ear.
"I have a present for you" whispered Katie in a breathy voice.
Harry turned his head to kiss her before pulling her into his lap.
"Close your eyes Harry… and hold out your hand" said Katie softly.
Harry did as he was told and soon felt something small, solid and metallic being placed in his open palm.
"Don't open your eyes until I say so" said Katie softly wrapping her arms around his neck and shoulder for support.
Feeling her breath on his face told him that she was so close to him that their noses were almost touching.
"You can open your eyes now" said Katie softly.
Opening his eyes slowly, Harry was greeted with Katie looking directly into his eyes.
Seeing the slightly nervous smile on her face, Harry looked down at what she had placed in his hand, with his eyes going wide.
A single key but one that carried a very big message.
Looking back into her eyes with the shock still all over his face, Harry swallowed when she tightened her hold on his shoulders and neck.
"You've spent a few nights here since you came back from Hogwarts Harry… let's make it permanent" said Katie softly.
Harry gulped.
"You mean?" said Harry.
Katie nodded.
"Move in with me Harry… I can get my dad to put your name on the lease and you can move in today… right after dinner if you want" said Katie softly, really hoping that he would say yes.
Harry took a deep breath, unable to get any words out and simply nodded to her.
With her smile widening, Katie shifted herself on his lap so her legs were draped on either side of his hips.
"So that is a yes?" said Katie teasingly.
"Yes" said Harry before his lips were claimed by Katie.
Taking his breath away for several seconds. By the time Katie removed her lips from his and slid off of his lap.
"After we've eaten, I'll make up some space for you… then we'll go and get your stuff" said Katie as Harry got to his feet.
Shaking his head, he wrapped his arms around her.
"We can get my stuff tomorrow… I already brought my pyjamas and a change of clothes for tomorrow, so we have no need to go anywhere this evening" said Harry softly, slowly twirling them on the spot.
Katie smirked and kissed her boyfriend before pulling herself from his arms so she could get their dinner.
"So you don't fancy a few butterbeers in the Leaky Cauldron after dinner… or maybe try that new nightclub in Diagon Alley?" said Katie with a raised eyebrow.
Given that her flat was only a simple twenty-minute walk from the Leaky Cauldron, going there after dinner sounded like a good plan.
Either they apparated to the designated apparation point close to the Leaky Cauldron or enjoyed a walk there and back later on when their night was finished.
The thought of taking Katie to the new nightclub named "The Witching Hour" which had opened in Diagon Alley a few weeks into the New Year seemed like a good idea to Harry and he nodded his agreement, finalising their evening plans.
"Sure… it gives us something else to do other than just sitting around at home drinking butterbeer and firewhiskey" said Harry.
Upon hearing the word "home" fall from his lips as he made reference to their flat, Katie smirked at him.
"Home eh, is that what this flat is now?" said Katie teasingly.
Looking at her but neglecting to get out of his chair, Harry nodded and swallowed his nerves.
"Well… yes… as of tonight this is my flat as well, you pretty much sealed the deal the moment you gave me this key" said Harry holding the key up in the palm of his open hand for her to see.
"I guess that settles it then… dinner first, then I might as well get dolled up for a deserved night out with the boyfriend" said Katie teasingly before she turned and walked into the kitchen to get their food.
22nd July 1998
Stepping off the elevator on Level 2 in the Ministry of Magic where the offices of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement were located, Neville followed Auror Carter Williamson along the corridor along with his fellow Auror Trainees Ron, Josh Sloper, Susan Bones, Melissa Karasu, Anthony Goldstein and Jeanette Farley.
After waiting in the Atrium to be collected and escorted to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement for their initial interviews, designed to determine if they were the right choice to become Aurors.
As they reached one of the large open rooms at the end of the corridor, which was lined with single tables and chairs in perfectly symmetrical rows, Auror Williamson instructed all of them to take a seat.
Once Neville and the others had taken their seats close together, Auror Williamson straightened up and cleared his throat.
"You have thirty minutes to write a short essay on why you want to be an Auror and why you think we should take you into our ranks… you will find quills, ink and parchment on your desks… begin" said Auror Williamson in a no-nonsense tone of voice.
As Neville started to write his reasons for wanting to be an Auror, he spared a few thoughts for Hermione, wondering how she was getting on with her first day at work in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, having had a successful interview the day after she had received her Newt's last week, getting six Outstanding grades and one Exceeds Expectations grade in her eight Newt's while her Duelling class was not graded at Newt level.
Knowing his girlfriend as well as he knew her, Neville pictured her throwing herself into whatever work they had set her without hesitation.
Later that afternoon…
Sitting down at a table in the small cafeteria in the Atrium, Neville, Ron and Josh had paid for a few sandwiches and some pumpkin juice to share amongst themselves as they made the most of their hour-long lunch break before they would have to go back up to the DMLE to continue their work on the Auror Training program, with most of this morning being devoted to theoretical learning at the hands of Auror's Williamson and Lisa Macdonald.
As they shared the sandwiches and pumpkin juice amongst themselves, Hermione saw them as she entered the cafeteria on her own lunch break and she quickly made her way over to them.
Greeting Neville with a quick kiss as she sat down in the empty chair available, Hermione let out a weary sigh.
"What a morning… and I thought school work could get tiring at times, this is so much more taxing than anything we did in school" said Hermione wearily, confirming to the three young men that she had had a busy and slightly exhausting day at work so far.
She only hoped that she would either get a chance to have a nap for a few hours after work before she and Neville went to Harry and Katie's flat for dinner later on, or that the rest of her day would not be so exhausting so she would not be tired when dinner came calling tonight.
Helping herself to a cup of pumpkin juice and a ham sandwich, Hermione slowly felt her energy returning to her, getting her ready for the rest of her workday.
As she spoke with great detail about exactly what work she had been doing all morning, only Neville wanted to listen to her with Ron reminding her that like at school, they did not need a precise, minute by minute account of her entire workday.
As the four enjoyed lunch together, the cafeteria started to fill up with Ministry workers from all Departments who had not brought their own lunch with them, including a few familiar faces to the four including former Ravenclaw Prefect Penelope Clearwater who worked as an Obliviator in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, Seamus Finnegan who had started working in the Goblin Liaison Office also came over to say a quick hello to them after getting his lunch. Mandy Brocklehurst, who was working in the Portkey Office was the last person to come over to say hello to the group before going to join Padma Patil for lunch with the former Ravenclaw working in the Administration department of the Auror Office.
After going back up to the offices of the DMLE, Neville and the others spent the rest of the day taking part in even more theoretical learning before taking a small test to see how much they had learned over the course of the day.
After handing in their test sheets, Auror's Williamson and Macdonald told all of them that they could leave, telling them to be back in the Atrium at nine o'clock tomorrow morning.
24th July 1998
Sat at the desk in the press room which would be used whenever the Falmouth Falcons would hold their press conferences, Harry was positively beaming with pride as he signed his first professional contract with the Falmouth Falcons at the young age of eighteen years old.
Dressed in a set of dark grey and white Quidditch robes with a white falcon emblem on his chest, Harry had been given these robes to wear for his contract signing press conference following his successful try-out that morning.
With a proud James stood behind him with supporting hands on his shoulders while the middle-aged Team Owner Julian Macmillan and Head Coach Brian Fenwick sat side by side with him, Harry proudly signed the contract and slid it to Julian Macmillan who shook his hand.
As several cameras flashed with pictures being taken, Harry was instructed of the different photos they wanted ranging from, pictures with his supportive, proud parents, pictures with Julian Macmillan and Brian Fenwick as well as solo pictures.
Once all of the photographs had been taken, Harry took his seat once again, allowing the reporters, most of which were from Quidditch Monthly and the sports column of the Daily Prophet with one or two working for the gossip column of the newspaper as well to ask him some questions.
"Mr Potter… what made you choose the Falmouth Falcons instead of other teams who approached you?" said a young male Reporter from Quidditch Monthly.
Harry took a deep breath and leaned forward.
"My father is a lifelong supporter of the Falmouth Falcons, I guess you could say I grew up supporting them as well… so I believe this was the right choice I could have made" said Harry.
Several more shouts could be heard around the room before another reporter from the gossip column of the Daily Prophet managed to make herself heard.
"Mr Potter… is it true that you and Appleby Arrows Chaser Katie Bell have been in a romantic relationship for the last two years?" said the young woman.
Harry composed himself.
"The only thing I ask… is that we keep these questions professional and related to Quidditch, my personal life outside of my career is private… next question" said Harry politely.
"Mr Potter… do you see yourself as a worthy successor to Jackson Macdougal, after all… he is a famous international Seeker and you are only a novice" said a male Reporter for Quidditch Monthly in his late forties.
Harry managed a small nod.
"You are right… at this moment in time I am just a novice while Jackson Macdougal is one of the best Seekers in the League, perhaps the best of the lot… but I believe that one day I will be good enough to fill Jackson Macdougal's shoes and become a top-class Seeker myself" said Harry confidentiality.
Answering a few more questions posed to him, the press eventually turned their questions to Julian Macmillan and Brian Fenwick, questioning them about what role Harry would play in the team.
Once the press conference was over, James and Narcissa took Harry to Fortescue's for some celebratory ice cream before going home to hold a small party celebrating his success.
29th July 1998
"Trainee Black… your patient has lost all of the bones in his right leg… what treatment would you prescribe for him?" said Healer Janice Belby who was one of the Healers assigned to train Healer Trainees in addition to her normal duties.
Jennifer who was dressed in lime green and white Healer Trainee robes with the St Mungo's crest on her left breast pocket was kneeling beside one of the magical dummies used by Healers to simulate injuries for training purposes.
With this being her fifth day of Healer Training, Jennifer was relishing the new opportunities and knowledge the Healer Training course was offering to her, with the taxing and exhausting nature of the course only proving to make her work harder.
Stood around her in a circle, watching her with keen interest and focus, were nearly a dozen other Healer Trainees including her friends Rose Snape and Matthew Clearwater, all of whom were dressed in identical robes to Jennifer.
Looking down at the dummy, whose right leg looked like a deflated balloon, Jennifer carefully examined the dummy's leg, making mental notes of every detail before standing up and turning to Healer Belby.
"The patient should be admitted to the Spell Damage Ward under observation while being given Skele-Grow to regrow the bones in his injured leg… after treatment is complete and the patient's leg is healed then arrangements should be made to ensure he is well enough to walk again" said Jennifer confidently.
Healer Belby nodded with approval.
"Excellent… though I would also provide the patient with a small prescription of light pain potions after his bones have regrown to alleviate any further pain caused by the injury" said Healer Belby.
She waved her wand at the dummy, mending its injured leg as well as giving it a new injury to test another one of her trainees.
"Miss Duggan… examine your patient and determine the required treatment" said Healer Belby.
Jennifer paid complete attention to Healer Trainee Ellie Duggan as she knelt down by the dummy to examine it for injuries and/or ailments.
Later that evening…
Dropping down on one of the settee's in Black Manor with a bottle of wine and a single wine glass in her hands, Jennifer relished the idea of being able to finally put her feet up after a long day at work.
Pouring a glass of wine for herself as she brought her feet up onto the settee, Jennifer felt slightly lonely as she contemplated popping over to Melissa Karasu's flat but decided against it after a few seconds, knowing that her best friend had told her that she would be enjoying a night in with her boyfriend Ryan Cartwright and did not need her best friend coming over to be an unnecessary third wheel.
While her best friend's relationship with her boyfriend had been strong enough to last beyond their school years, Jennifer felt slightly sad that her own relationship with Talbot Desford had ended a few weeks before the end of her seventh year, with the two knowing that their relationship was not to last but they decided to remain friends.
Of course, the busy timetable of her Healer Training not to mention the exhausting nature of the course meant that Jennifer had not had much of a chance recently to enjoy a good night out with her friends, nor had she had the chance to go on any dates in the last week.
Sipping her wine, Jennifer heard her mother enter the sitting room and looked up at her.
"Long day?" said Amelia softly.
Jennifer nodded before taking another sip of her wine.
"Is this what it felt like for you… that your job was taking away any chance you had of a social life?" said Jennifer.
Amelia made her way over to her daughter, sitting down next to her and using her wand to silently summon a wine glass to her hand from the large cabinet in the corner of the sitting room.
"Yes… I threw myself into my work when I was your age… and even more, as I got older, I had not had a date for years before your father and I got together" said Amelia, pouring a glass of wine for herself.
Looking at her daughter from across the settee, Amelia was eager to savour every moment of this time that she was getting to spend with her treasured daughter who reminded her of herself in her youth.
Jennifer sighed.
"I want to be good at what I do… and the last few days working at St Mungo's have been great… but I don't want it to wreck my social life, I want to go out on dates and have boyfriends Mum" said Jennifer with a tiny hint of regret in her voice.
Amelia sighed and placed her free hand on her daughter's arm.
"I understand your frustrations… but once you have completed your training you might find that it affords you more of a social life… more of a social life than working as an Auror gave me at least" said Amelia softly.
Managing a small smile, Jennifer appreciated every single piece of advice her mother would give her.
"And one day… you will find that lucky wizard who you cannot live without, the wizard who will make you a happy woman" said Amelia softly as she sipped her wine.
Jennifer felt her worries about not being able to have a social life dissipate as she simply enjoyed the time she was spending with her mother who had been so busy both before and after she ascended to the position of Minister For Magic last year.
16th November 1998
"Your daughter appears to be running late Lord Greengrass" said Druella Black in a tense voice with hints of disapproval laced into her words.
She was sat around the large dinner table in Greengrass Manor, in the company of Lord and Lady Greengrass, James, Narcissa and Edward, all of whom had been invited to dinner for the purpose of introducing Edward to Daphne Greengrass in a hope of arranging a possible betrothal agreement between the two.
While Harry had also been invited to dinner at Greengrass Manor, he had declined to attend owing to a previously arranged date night for himself and Katie, both of whom had received a few days break from their training with their respective clubs.
Lord Gaius Greengrass, who was in his late fifties with greying black hair straightened up with a stern look on his face as he turned to his much younger, long blonde-haired wife Lady Lucille Greengrass nee Pucey who was in Narcissa's year at school.
Sensing her husband's eyes on her, Lucille Greengrass sighed.
"She knows what time she is expected to be here Gaius… she will be here soon" said Lucille Greengrass before taking a sip of her wine.
Gaius Greengrass straightened up.
"She better be… as not to disappoint our guests" said Gaius Greengrass, sparing a glance at Edward who was sipping the wine offered to him with a flat look on his face as though he would rather be somewhere else.
Truthfully, he would rather have been anywhere but here in this tense atmosphere where the attention would be focused on himself and Daphne Greengrass but his parents persuaded him to just give this dinner night a chance and see what happens.
While it was not hard for the eldest Potter Boy to get dates from witches, finding one that was not after him solely for his money or status was proving to be near impossible.
Hence the reason for his Grandmother arranging this dinner with Gaius Greengrass who was rather vocal about his eldest daughter showing little interest in romantic relationships, preferring to focus solely on her work in the Administration Office of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
Several minutes of uncomfortable silence passed before the Greengrass Couple looked up when they heard the sound of the Floo roaring into life from the foyer outside the dining room.
Walking into the dining room, dressed in suit-like robes designed for an office working environment, the now 18-year-old, long blonde-haired Daphne Greengrass walked into the dining room with a flat look on her face.
"I thought I made it clear that you should arrive on time in a presentable state" said Gaius Greengrass sternly with a look of disapproval on his face at the sight of his daughter's choice of clothing.
"It's nice to see you as well Father" said Daphne sarcastically as she sat down at the far end of the large dining table.
This made Gaius Greengrass unhappy once again.
"Sit next to your mother Daphne… as you are aware we have guests and I doubt they would want to shout down the table at you when they want a conversation" said Gaius Greengrass stiffly.
Deciding not to protest even after noticing the uncomfortable looks on the faces of the three Potters, Daphne stood up and moved further up the table, taking a seat next to her mother.
"Couldn't you have at least worn a dress Daphne… I am sure Mr Potter would have preferred it if you had shown up in a dress" said Lucille Greengrass in a slightly strained voice as she glanced at Edward who took a sip of his wine.
Turning her gaze over to Edward for a brief moment, Daphne let out a weary sigh.
"If he wants to hold my hand then he should see me in what I would usually wear to these… dinner nights" said Daphne in a flat voice.
Edward took a single breath to steady himself.
"Your daughter can wear what she wishes Lady Greengrass" said Edward politely.
Seeing a small smile flashed at him by Daphne, Edward had a suspicion that many people who commented on her choice of clothes during dinner with her parents would often side against her, supporting her parent's decision that she should wear more formal clothes as opposed to her suit-like robes.
While Daphne flashed him a small smile, her parent's did not look entirely pleased that he did not support their decision about their daughter.
"See… I could walk in here in a pair of shorts and a corset and he would not insist that I change for dinner" said Daphne sarcastically.
"Daphne… watch your mouth" said Lucille Greengrass in a slightly scandalised voice.
Daphne ignored her mother and poured herself a glass of wine.
Half an hour later…
As the people around the table were quietly enjoying the main course, the tension around the table was tense as it was silent.
Too silent for Druella who kept glancing at Edward, expecting him to converse with Daphne, while her own parents looked less-than-pleased at the silence.
Sensing her father's eyes on her, Daphne let out a sigh.
"Yes Father?" said Daphne dryly, not even looking at him.
Gaius Greengrass straightened up and glanced at Edward for a moment before returning his attention to his meal.
"Perhaps you should ask Mr Potter to tell you about himself… I am sure there are many things he can tell you about himself" said Gaius Greengrass flatly.
Daphne straightened up.
"I already know a fair bit about him, Father… a Prefect when I was in my third year, winning Tri-Wizard Champion in my fourth year, Head Boy in my fifth year… and one of Professor Snape's… favourites as I recall" said Daphne, glancing at Edward who nodded to her.
"To know a man's achievements is one thing… to know a man is like as a person is another thing entirely" said Gaius Greengrass.
After several more seconds of silence between the father and daughter, Edward cleared his throat and decided to take the initiative when it came to starting a conversation.
"What do you do for work Miss Greengrass?" said Edward politely.
Daphne turned to him with a polite look on her face while the whole exchange seemed to please Gaius and Lucille Greengrass.
"See… at least Mr Potter knows how things should be done" said Gaius Greengrass.
Daphne rolled her eyes before composing herself so she could answer the question posed to her.