Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter. Borrowing the characters for the mere pleasure of writting a fanfic.

A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed. The criticism was very helpful. This chapter is a little longer. Hope you guys will like it. And don't forget to REVIEW!

Auror Training

Dinner was a peaceful affair that day. Mr. Weasley was absent because he had been caught up at work and George had to go back to the joke shop. Harry and Ron were very excited about tomorrow because that was when they would start their training. Hermione didn't start until she came back from Australia, which she was leaving for in two days. When reminded about it Ron looked depressed.

"Don't worry Ron, I'll only be gone three days." said Hermione when she saw the look on his face.

"But what if something happens to you?" replied Ron.

"Get a grip on yourself Ronald, nothing will happen to me. Voldemort's gone now, we're safe." Said Hermione

"Voldemort's gone but there are still a bunch of his followers left out there, Kingsley said it himself yesterday" said Ron angrily.

"But your dad will be with me, and I can defend myself. Or are you saying that I'm not a good enough witch to be able to defend myself?" she said. Harry and Ginny were watching both of them about ready to burst out laughing. They had had this conversation about a hundred times since Harry had come to the Burrow and it always ended up with one of them leaving angrily and not talking to the other for a few hours.

"No, Hermione, I'm not saying that. But I care about you, I don't want anything to happen to you I...I love you Hermone!." said Ron, a tear leaking down his cheek. Hermione looked immensely happy at hearing what Ron had just said that she jumped from her chair and kissed him on the mouth. Ron looked dumbstruck but he kissed back with as much enthusiasm as her. Harry was reminded of their first kiss and both he and Ginny burst out laughing.

"Come of it you two! Eat your dinner, you'll have time for that later" shouted Mrs. Weasley. Hermione looked extremely embarrassed as her cheeks turned red.

"Sorry…" she replied and looked down at her plate of food. She took a few bites as did Ron and they both ran upstairs, to finish what they had started in the kitchen.

"You didn't even finish your dinner" yelled Mrs. Weasley after them. "Teenagers, they rush to things, don't even care if there are people around them. Kissing in the kitchen….!" She muttered. Harry and Ginny tried, unsuccessfully, to sustain a laugh.

"And don't you two laugh, you'd do the same thing if I didn't stop you!" she added. Harry and Ginny made to leave the kitchen. They didn't want to get her angrier than she already was.

"Let's go outside." Ginny suggested. Harry nodded and followed her through the door.

It was a beautiful night outside. The sky was clear so that you could see all the starts as well as the full moon. At seeing it Harry was reminded painfully of Lupin. He pushed the thought away and focused on Ginny.

"It's a beautiful night." Ginny said.

"Yeah, but not as beautiful as you." Harry replied.

"Thank you, Harry! That's really sweet of you." She said giving him a tight hug.

"It's true!" he responded.

They lay down on the warm grass looking at the stars. Ginny had her head on Harry shoulder and her arms around his neck. Harry put his own arms around her waist. I want to stay like this forever, Ginny thought. She rolled on top of him and started kissing his lips intensely. Harry parted his lips to allow her entrance and responded with as much fervor as her. They kissed for what seemed like forever, but were only actually five minutes.

"So, you start work tomorrow?" said Ginny. It was more a statement that it was a question. But Harry answered nonetheless.

"We actually start training. Ron doesn't think we're ready so he wants a little training from Kingsley before we actually become Aurors."

"But you don't need any training Harry. You killed the most powerful dark wizard in the world." stated Ginny.

"But I wasn't alone. I had a lot of help. If Dumbledore hadn't thought me everything he did I wouldn't have been able to. And I also had Ron and Hermione." said Harry. He was tired of everybody saying it was all him. Dumbledore deserved all the credit. All Harry did was love and almost gave his life to try and save others.

"So what?" she replied "Dumbledore wasn't born knowing all he knew. He was thought by other people. I mean, he was brilliant himself but he still went to Hogwarts and got the same education as you did Harry. And yes, you're right, Ron and Hermione did help, but that doesn't contradict with what you did. Admit it, now you're probably considered the most powerful wizard in the world."

"But I'm not. All I did was following Dumbledore's directions and … love." he replied angrily.

"Well see, that's the powerful part. You think anybody would be able to do it? Yeah, you did follow Dumbledore's orders but you did so successfully. Half the people would've died in the attempt, but you didn't. I was because of love that you were successful."

Harry didn't have a reply to that so instead he pulled Ginny closer to him and kissed her. After a few minutes of intense kissing Ginny broke the kiss.

"Does that mean that you agree with me?" she asked. Harry couldn't find a response so he just nodded. He didn't think that he should argue with her. Part of what she had said was true but if Harry's hadn't had help Voldemort would still be alive at the moment and he would probably be dead.

Harry and Ginny stayed outside for what seemed hours so when they felt tired they both went to their rooms for a well deserved sleep. Harry and Ron both had to wake up early tomorrow to go to the Ministry to start their training.

All through the night Harry had dreams of Ginny in which she was repeating to him what she had said outside. He woke up in the morning feeling more tired than when he had gone to bed. He allowed himself ten more minutes of sleep after which he went to the bathroom to take a shower and get ready to leave.

They arrived at the Ministry at eight o'clock in the morning. They took the lift to Kingsley's office and arrived there in a few minutes. He was waiting for them at the door of his office.

"Sorry we're late." said Harry.

"Don't give it a second thought Harry. So, you ready to start?" he asked.

"Yeah, we're ready." answered Harry on both his and Ron's behalf, who was looking rather scared at the mention of the word "start". Kingsley saw the look on his face and said:

"Don't be scared, Ron. You've been through worse, I believe. And with the training you two will become great Aurors, I don't doubt that. Shall we get going then?" Kingsley asked.

"Where are we going?" asked Ron.

"You didn't think that we would train in my office did you?" Ron shook his head. "I like it intact. No, we are going to use an old office on the ninth floor. It's big enough for you to train in and nobody's using it anymore." he added.

All three of them took the lift to the ninth floor and arrived in the abovementioned office. It looked like someone had used, and failed, at destroying the walls with a Reductor curse. They were all blackened but looked pretty much intact.

"A few death eaters tried to get into the Department of Mysteries using this office; the walls connect. They didn't think that the walls were protected against curses of any kind. Unfortunately, for them of course, the curses shot back. You can only imagine what happened to them." Kingsley said. Ron looked about ready to puke.

Indeed, looking at the floor, Harry noticed a few dark red stains, which were surely from blood. He quickly pushed away the disgusting image of Death Eaters in pieces all over the floor.

"All right, enough of that. Let's get started. I trust that you both know how to use and Unforgivable Cur-" said Kingsley but was interrupted by Ron.

"We have to use the Unforgivable's" asked Ron looking more terrified by the minute.

"No Ronald, you don't have to. We try to avoid using them at all costs. But in case you're in danger of losing your life, well, I believe the circumstances would be understandable if you used them. But only on those circumstances are you allowed to use them. Like I said, we try to avoid using them at all costs." replied Kingsley. Ron looked relieved at his response. "Anyways, like I said, I trust that you both know how to use them?" Both Harry and Ron nodded. "Great, because we really don't have the abilities of practicing them, if you know what I mean. Okay, well then, let's go on to when someone is using them against you. The Avada Kedavra curse we all know can't be stopped, as well as the Cruciatus Curse. Now, the Imperius Curse is a different story. A skilled Auror needs to able to partially, if not completely fight off the Imperius Curse. Has any of you ever had the Imperius Curse used on them?" he asked. Both Harry and Ron nodded.

"Moody, actually Barty Crouch Jr., used it on us in fourth year. Harry fought it off completely. And, he's had You-Know-Who use it on him and he could fight it off then also." said Ron. Harry felt angry at Ron for telling Kingsley about Voldemort using it on him.

"That's great Harry; I really didn't know you were that powerful. Well then, let's try it again. I'm going to try to make you surrender your want to me." said Kingsley, Harry nodded. He really didn't feel very comfortable with giving his wand away, but he trusted Kingsley.

"Imperio!" Kingsley shouted pointing his wand at Harry.

Harry felt once again the sensation of being rid of all thoughts and a great happiness filling him. He felt rather than heard a voice on the back of his head saying:

Give me your wand

That's a stupid thing to do, why would I give you my wand? Harry thought

Again, give me your wand.

Harry made to give Kingsley his wand but then again he thought of how ridiculous that was.

"I won't! I won't give you my wand." said Harry and he was coming back to reality. He looked at Kingsley who looked very pleased at hearing Harry's reply. Ron, in turn, had a look of admiration on his face.

"Wow, that's great Harry. Well, I guess that we don't need to practice it on you anymore. Let's try Ron." said Kingsley. Ron looked terrified once again and gripped his wand tight, his knuckles going white against the handle.

"Imperio!" Kingsley shouted once again.

Ron looked like a marionette. He walked to where Kingsley was and handed him his wand. Kingsley lifted the spell and gave Ron his wand back.

"I'll never be able to fight it off. I'm too scared." said Ron.

"Well, scared isn't going to help you when you're fighting a Death Eate and yes you will be able to fight it off, let's try again." Ron gripped his wand even tighter this time.

"Imperio!" said Kingsley, and once again Ron walked toward him and gave him his wand. Kingsley, for the second time, lifted the spell and gave him back his wand.

"Ok, try to keep your head in the present. Don't get lost in the voice that's commanding you, all right? And gripping your wand isn't going to help you." he added, Ron nodded and loosed his grip on his wand.

"Imperio" he shouted again. For the third time, Ron walked toward him and lifted his wand arm, but at the last minute he pulled it away from Kingsley's reach shouting:

"No! No, no! I will not give it to you!" and he ran to the opposite side almost hitting the wall.

"That was good, Ron. Of course, if you hadn't stopped in time you would've hit that wall and knocked yourself out. But otherwise it was good. You completely fought it off." said Kingsley. Ron looked very pleased with himself.

"I can't wait to tell Hermione!" he whispered to Harry.

"That's enough Unforgivable's for now. I think you guys should learn some healing spells also. In case anyone gets hurt, to heal the injuries until the person gets to be taken into the care of a healer. The spell that I'm going to teach you next is very easy. You may probably already know it. It is called Episkey." Harry remembered Tonks using it on him in his sixth year when Malfoy gave him that nosebleed. "You don't really need to know any theory to be able to use it. Just point your wand directly at the injury and say Episkey.This can only be used on small injuries but it is helpful nonetheless." added Kingsley. Harry and Ron both nodded in agreement. Kingsley also taught them an incantation that was to be used on more dangerous wounds.

"Now, this incantation will not seal the wound completely but it will keep the victim alive until put in the care of a healer. All Aurors are required to know this incantation." said Kingsley.

"I think this is enough for today. I expect you here tomorrow at the same time. Two or three more days and you'll be ready to become Aurors." And with that being said they headed back to the lifts. Harry and Ron walked out on Level 8, which was the Atrium. Kingsley's office was on Level one.

They Apparated at the Burrow half an hour before lunch so they went upstairs to talk to Hermione and Ginny. As expected, they were both in Ginny's room and looked positively surprised at the sight of them. They both hurried to their respective boyfriends and kissed them.

"You're back soon. We thought he would keep you there all day." said Ginny.

"Did you want him to?" asked Harry suspiciously.

"No, of course not, we're glad you're back. So, how was it?" asked Hermione

Harry and Ron took turns in telling them what they had done, leaving out the fact that it took Ron three tries to fight off the Imperius curse.

"That's it?" asked Hermione looking unsatisfied "I thought he would teach you very powerful Defensive spells. You could've learned that anywhere." she added.

"Hermione, we know everything we need to know, there isn't much left to teach us. And I don't think that we could learn fighting off the Imperius Curse anywhere." said Harry. Hermione looked a little embarrassed, she was still not able to fight off the Imperius Curse herslef.

"Maybe you're right. Anyways, I'm very proud of you Ron" she said giving him a brief kiss on the lips.

"Get a room, you two!" interrupted Ginny.

"Fine, we will!" said Ron, and he grabbed Hermione's hand and walked out of the room.

"I thought they'd never leave." said Harry and leaned towards Ginny to kiss her.

A/N: So, how was it? Did you guys like it? Chapter 7 coming up soon. I'll try to have it up tomorrow.