8
Career Conundrum
As the year continued on and the idea of O.W.L's become more than a distant thought. Their teachers were giving them more homework than ever before, and the exams were approaching quickly. As they drew nearer, the idea of career selection became a very real for the fifth years. They came back from a Defense against the Dark Arts lesson one day to find the common room littered with career information and pamphlets all over a few of the tables and a large notice on the board detailing the times they were supposed to meet with McGonagall to discuss their career choices. Doe's was Friday at noon.
She walked with Lily around the room looking at all the different colored pamphlets and fliers. There were hundreds of career choices littering the tables. Everything from Dragon catcher to Apparition test provider.
" I think I would make a fantastic Minister for Magic" Lily said picking up a fluorescent yellow flier.
" You would" Doe agreed, picking up the blue one labeled ' Could You Fit in at St. Mungos' and placed it down after reading the first question 'Do you mind witnessing horrific burns or spell damage?'.
They rounded the corner and Doe spotted the one she was looking for, The green pamphlet clearly read out in bold letters ' Do You Have What it Takes To Be An Auror?"
Doe grabbed the last one, just as another hand reached for it.
" Looks like you've taken my pamphlet, Meadowes" Sirius commented nodding at the pamphlet in her hand.
Doe eyed him curiously. Sirius was looking at her with a strange expression also.
" I don't think I have, actually" Doe told him.
Sirius let out a low chuckle, and Doe frowned at him.
" You don't honestly intend on being an auror, do you?" Sirius asked.
" I do, in fact" Doe said sternly, crossing her arms.
" Oh Come on, " Sirius said, " You're joking"
Now Doe was irritated. Sure she was small, but she was good at magic. She had a decent chance of becoming an auror.
" We'll see" she said turning on her heels and walking back to over where Lily was. She was standing with Marlene who had her arms crossed staring at the fliers.
" There is just simply nothing I want to do with my life" she said in desperation.
Marlene was not alone in her observation. Many of the fifth years were staring at the tables of pamphlets and fliers with looks of uncertainty and disgust. Alice Prewett was standing a good distance away, eyeing the table of fliers with a glance that suggested it might leap up and her bite her.
" So, am I exactly what the Muggle Liaison office needs? or am I fit for a job in Magical Law Enforcement?" Remus said walking over holding to pamphlets in front of Doe.
" Well," She told him, " You know nothing about muggles, but you do happen to know the daughter of the head of the Magical Law Enforcement Office"
Remus grinned widely, " Ah the beauty of connections"
Doe grabbed the Law Enforcement Office Pamphlet and read it carefully, it listed the long application process and likelihood of career placement.
" Somehow I think you'll have better odds" She assured him.
He blushed lightly, " How ever will I convince this daughter to help me out?"
" I'm sure you'll think of something" Doe told him.
They watched as Otto Bagman clearly outlined to his brother Ludo the chances of making it as a successful quidditch player across the room.
"... I mean honestly Ludo, you have to be realistic. There's what, one spot per year?"
" I see you have collected your only option," Remus said looking at the auror pamphlet in Doe's hand.
" I don't need anything else" she said stroking the crease of the pamphlet.
She had been cradling it like it was something much more important than a flier.
" Your self assurance is amazing, I wish I was that sure" he told her.
" You will be," she said pulling a piece of fuzz off of the sleeve of his sweater, " you just have to find it first"
The career meetings with McGonagall had been happening all day for the past two days. Students went in and out. Some returned with large smiles plastered across their faces and others returned looking more uncertain than they had before even entering the meeting.
Doe's stomach was in knots while she anticipated my own meeting. She didn't know what to expect, since they weren't supposed to discuss our meetings with anyone else. What if Professor McGonagall didn't think she had what it took to be an auror? Would she encourage her to do something else? By the time that 12:00 on Friday rolled around, she was practically shaking with nerves.
" She's all ready for you, Doe" Marlene said coming into the common room. She looked a little shaken. Doe knew Marlene had gone in there with no idea of what she wanted to do, and hoped Professor McGonagall had been understanding of that.
Racked with nerves, Doe left the common room and headed for McGonagall's office.
The large double doors were closed when she approached them, so she knocked lightly.
" Come in" McGonagall called and the doors opened on their own.
Doe walked in and closed the door behind her. She felt a little faint.
"Take a seat, Ms. Meadowes" McGonagall said looking up from the parchment in front of her.
Doe sat down in one of the velveteen armchairs in front of her desk. She sat on her hands to keep them from shaking.
" How are you, Ms. Meadowes?" Professor McGonagall asked.
" I'm well, Professor. And you?" Doe asked.
McGonagall nodded curtly, " I am quite well."
She watched her pull out a folder marked Meadowes, Doe and open it in front of her.
" Well let's begin then shall we, have you thought about your career at all?" Professor McGonagall asked.
Doe nodded quickly, " Yes Professor, I want to be an auror".
Doe watched her arch her eyebrow and look down at her. This was a look Doe frequently got.
" You understand that the auror program is a very difficult and competitive program, yes?" She asked not lowering her eyebrow, " with certain physical and mental needs that some people find too difficult"
" Yes, I am aware, buts it what I want to do. It always has been" Doe told her sternly.
Doe tried to make her face as serious as she could. She knew a lot of people had probably told her that they wanted to be aurors. It was a very glamorous career from the outside, but it wasn't just the excitement that drew her to it.
" Well, if you're sure, it is my duty to warn you that on average the department only takes three students every five years, and once accepted there is a four week training session followed by two mandatory years of extended study"
Doe nodded earnestly.
" In order to be even be considered you must receive at least an Exceeds Expectations O.W.L. in Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, and Potions." She said rifling through the papers in the file, " but it seems that you seem to be on track for that, I needn't worry about your marks. Do you have a backup plan, in case this doesn't work out?"
Doe sighed, as much as she hated the idea of doing anything else with her life, she knew it was irresponsible to not have a backup plan.
" I suspect I would also apply to the healers program or maybe for a position within my father's department at the ministry" She told her.
Professor McGonagall nodded, " Well it seems as if you have a very clear plan, Ms. Meadowes. I suggest you study hard and I hope you accomplish it"
" Thank you Professor, I fully intend to" she said with a large smile across her face.
" You may go," Professor McGonagall told me, " Please send in Mr. Pettigrew".
Doe left Professor McGonagall's office with a sense of purpose. She knew what she needed to do in order to become an auror and she was determined to do it.
Doe climbed in through the portrait hole and motioned to Peter, " Professor McGonagall is ready for you"
Peter made a nervous face and then disappeared through the portrait hole.
" See it wasn't bad at all, was it?" Lily said to Doe. She had had her meeting several days before.
Doe sat down in the armchair next to her.
" No, it really wasn't that bad"