A/N: So here's Chapter Six. Sorry it's a little slower on the update than usual… In other news, we have reached 100 reviews!! Well, 108 at the time of me writing this, actually, but still. I continue to be completely overwhelmed by the amount of reviews you guys are putting out there. I love you for it, please don't stop! Here's Chapter Six, enjoy… and review!
THE TIME IT TAKES Chapter Six"Well I like this one, actually, it's quite pretty, see?"
"Yes, but those are so expensive-."
"Oh, completely worth it, though, don't you think? Harry?"
"Er- not expensive is always best- but if you like those-"
"Ginny, really, must we go over these things now? It's almost a year away, and really, who cares about this stuff? Flowers…"
"No one asked you to come, Ron." Ginny snapped irritably. "It's Hermione who I wanted here, but as usual, you insisted on tagging along-"
"I'm the best man!" he objected angrily, glaring down at his younger sister and her wedding arrangement clipboard.
"Well, Ron, I'm not sure if you're intelligent enough to realize this, but the Best Man has very little say in flower arrangements. The Best Man has very little say in anything."
"So-so you three plan everything, and I just sit and watch? What's the point in even doing it?"
"Well…" Ginny sighed. "I don't know why you're doing it either, actually. I told Harry you'd be absolute murder to try and work with, that he'd better pick someone else, but seeing as the stupid bloke has no other friends…" She hit her fiancé in the head playfully.
"I think you're being unfair to Harry!" Ron announced angrily.
Harry looked up, alarmed. He didn't like where this was going. "Ron, I think she's being perfectly fair to me-"
Ron ignored this. "You picked Hermione! How come your friend gets to do an important job and Harry's doesn't?"
Ginny smiled. "Ah, see, that's where you're wrong. It's the beauty of the situation, really. You see, as you know, Hermione is one of Harry's dearest friends. She simply happens to be one of mine, as well. I could have asked Luna, you know, but I thought this way would be more fair to Harry."
Hermione smiled apologetically at Ron, who looked mutinous.
"Don't I get to do anything?"
"Bachelor party." Harry reminded him, "You get to plan the whole night, remember? Er- best ask George for a bit of help, though."
Ron glared at all three of them angrily, as Hermione and Ginny continued to chatter about the advantages of lilies compared to roses.
"Harry?" a deep, smooth voice sounded from Grimmauld Place's fire, and the four of them looked up to see the head of Kingsley Shacklebolt. They all greeted him, grinning.
"Harry," he repeated, "Could I have a word?"
"Er- yeah." Harry consented, a bit curious as to what Kingsley wanted with him. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny seemed to wonder as well, but they all left, heading towards the sitting room. After a moment passed in silence, Kingsley spoke up.
"So, Harry, how have you been?"
"Er- fine, good, yeah."
"Arthur tells me that you're engaged?" he asked, smiling, "Congratulations."
Harry returned the smile, glancing in the direction in which Ginny had left the room with Ron and Hermione.
"Anyway, Harry, I've been made permanent Minister of Magic."
"That's brilliant!" Harry said, sincerely, "It's about time they got someone decent."
Kingsley smiled again. "Well, I've decided to more or less clear the place out, actually. All of those 'Magic is Might' people- a lot of people, really. The ministry was corrupt long before it fell to Voldemort."
Harry nodded, remembering how Dolores Umbridge had sent dementors to attack he and Dudley three years previously.
"That leaves a lot of empty spots." Kingsley admitted, "Particularly in the Auror department. We could really use your assistance."
Harry looked at Kingsley, his eyes widening. "What- you mean, me, join the Ministry?"
"Minerva tells us you've expressed interest in becoming an Auror? I must say, it seems the clear career choice for you."
"I- blimey- but I thought you needed all your NEWTs?"
Kingsley chuckled. "Harry, you've just managed to put an end to Voldemort for good, something that two generations of Aurors have never managed to do in a collective fifteen years. We need you, with or without your NEWTS. I've set it up so you'll only have a few months of training."
Harry blinked at Kingsley rather stupidly for a moment. "So, I would join right now?" he asked slowly.
"In a few weeks, yes. You're important to our mission."
"And- and what mission is this?" Harry asked curiously, as Kingsley had never actually specified.
"We need to round up the rest of the Death Eaters. Many of them have escaped, gone into hiding. It's crucial that we find them and get them locked up, before there's another You-Know-Who."
Harry nodded, silently.
"What do you say, Harry? Will you join us?"
He remained silent, glancing again towards to the door through which Ginny had disappeared.
Kingsley watched him, smiling knowingly. "I'll understand if you need time to think it over, of course, Harry. It's a big decision."
"Yeah." Harry agreed quietly, deep in thought. "Could- Could I let you know…" he frowned. He had no idea when he would be able to make this decision.
"Let me know when you've decided, Harry. Take your time." Kingsley said kindly. "Until then…" he disappeared from the fire, leaving Harry utterly confused.
---oOoOo---
He made his way out to the sitting room, where Ron and Ginny seemed to be carrying on their conversation from earlier. This time, though, they were screaming.
"IT'S MY WEDDING, RONALD! I DON'T BLOODY CARE ABOUT YOUR OPINION OF THE FLOWER ARRANGEMENTS I'VE CHOSEN!" She screeched.
"Well, if you didn't care about my opinion, you shouldn't have asked me to be in the wedding at all!" Ron hollered at his sister, apparently unwary of her livid expression and raised voice, two important indicators that Ginny was not to be messed with.
"IN CASE YOU'D FORGOTTEN, I DIDN'T ASK YOU, HARRY DID, AND I'M BEGINNING TO REGRET ALLOWING HIM TO CHOOSE HIS OWN BEST MAN!" Ginny yelled. turning away from Ron with her arms crossed firmly, she found herself facing Harry instead. "Harry." She said, her face softening as she looked at him.
"Really, Ginny," he sighed, "If I had known you felt so strongly about it…" he grinned, and Ron looked ready to kill him.
"Harry, what did Kingsley say?" Ginny asked, ignoring his last statement.
Hermione, who before now had appeared throughouly disinterested, was now looking at Harry expectantly.
"He wants me to join the Ministry as an Auror."
"What?" Hermione frowned. "You mean, after school's ended."
"No." Harry shook his head. "He said they'd take me without my NEWTs, and I'd only need a few months of training. I'm supposed to start in the next month."
"So you already agreed to this?" Ginny asked sharply, her bright brown eyes piercing his.
"I- no. No, I told him I'd need to think about it, talk it out with you three."
"But you're not going to do this!" Hermione cried, "Harry, you can't possibly- you haven't learned everything you're supposed to, you need that year of school! And I don't think it's right for Kingsley to expect you to handle this, especially with a shortened amount of training!"
"You don't think I can do it?" Harry asked quietly, locking eyes with Hermione.
Hermione was silent. Ginny looked at her curiously.
"Of course you can do it, Harry." Ginny said softly. Ron nodded, actually in agreement with his sister for the first time that day, but Hermione still didn't say a word.
When she spoke, she did it slowly. "Harry, you'd be missing four years of training standard for an Auror." She pointed out quietly.
"Harry's done more than any Auror in the Ministry!" Ron pointed out, "He got the Sorcerer's Stone, he saved Ginny from the basilisk, he-"
"I know what he's done, Ron." Hermione interrupted him, "I was there, remember? It's not a question of what he's done, it's what he's learned-"
"Well, he's obviously learned enough, or he wouldn't be able to do those things!" Ginny said, starting to sound angry.
Hermione shook her head, sinking into the moth-eaten velvet armchair.
Harry turned towards the other two. "So- so you two think I should do this."
Ron nodded, but Ginny frowned. "I think you can do this." She corrected him.
"So you think I shouldn't?"
Ginny laughed. "I think it's your decision, Harry."
Harry looked at her for a moment. He had said that he wanted to talk it over with the three of them, but in reality he only cared about Ginny's opinion. He knew Ron and Hermione would be likely to accept either choice, albeit begrudgingly, but it was Ginny who really mattered. If she wouldn't tell him what she wanted him to do…
Well, than this decision was going to be more difficult than he expected.
---oOoOo---
I think I'll leave you on that cliffhanger for now. Although, I'm not 100 sure which path I want to take with this story, so if you want to offer your opinion, you are welcome to. If Harry chooses to become an Auror, than there will be a bit more action and plot. He will raise Teddy, instead of Molly taking care of him for the year. There will still be romance, and it won't be like a HP book in the sense that I'll include scenes that Harry won't have witnessed (Ron, Hermione and Ginny at school). If he decides not too, than the plot will be in a style reminiscent of the books, but there will still be some action of course. Also, a Harry at Hogwarts story would mean more fluff. Okay… I've babbled enough, so please review, and include your opinion. But say something else, too… I love long reviews. So much fun too read.