"Harry, this is Thomas Biggleby. He will be the Auror you're shadowing for the next month. Ron, this is Kayla McNaster, your Auror. I expect full work ups and weekly reports over the next month from both you and your superior Auror. These next four weeks are crucial to your training. You will do exactly as you're told, exactly as you're told to do it. If I hear news about one foot being out of line, you will be immediately removed from the position. Do I make myself clear?" Kingsley Shacklebolt looked taller to Harry, as he stood there giving them a rather serious lecture.

Both Ron and Harry nodded profusely, acknowledging that they understood their directions.

"This is the last phase of your training. Neither of you are guaranteed a spot in the department. Work hard, pay attention and do as you're told, if you follow those instructions you should have no problem becoming Auror's."

Ron took off with Kayla and gave a slight thumbs up to Harry. Harry returned this gesture with a smile, waving good luck.

Harry turned to Thomas, waiting for instruction, he was talking to the Minister. A few minutes later they both walked over, looking rather serious. Harry felt himself get nervous.

"Harry, can I have a word?"

Harry followed the Minister to a cubicle outside Thomas's office.

"Is something wrong Minister?" He questioned nervously.

"Harry. I need you to promise me, that no matter what you see in the field this next month, hell – even the next few years as you develop in this career – that you will not take drastic, immeasurable actions."

Harry fought all urges to roll his eyes at his boss. "You're afraid I'll go off the deep end eh?"

"No. That's not what I'm saying." Kingsley stated, matter-of-factly. "I'm telling you that life as an Auror is nothing like you're used to. You are skilled, highly, in defense Harry. We all know it, and it's why you were offered a stab at this position. But you are careless with your own life. Though Auror's often work alone, you are part of a team. Carelessness with your own life affects that team. Do you understand?"

Something about this conversation was familiar to Harry. It reminded him of ones he would have with Professor Dumbledore. He felt his throat tighten.

"Yes sir." He muttered, staring down at his shoes.

"Good. Alright, Thomas is waiting. Good luck Harry."

And with that Kingsley was gone. Harry made his way back to Thomas's office. It was going to be a long, painful day.

"Well? How did it go?" Hermione was grabbing a slice of pizza as she drilled the two about their first days in the field.

"It was rather boring actually. Kayla spent most the day in Diagon Ally reading the Daily Prophet. Which means that's all I did as well." Ron finished his second piece and lurched for another, "And we didn't get a lunch break."

"Why Diagon Ally…? I don't imagine many dark wizards wondering around there."

Ron shrugged, "Sheseditwuzferbaghound."

Hermione raised her eyebrows, disgusted as Ron spit pizza everywhere trying to answer her with his mouth full.

"Well Thomas and I are tailing someone in a muggle town south of London, but he won't tell me who and he won't tell me why. Basically I know nothing." Harry took a drink of butterbeer as he rolled his eyes. The day was basically useless and he felt like he had learned nothing.

"ARGH!"

"What was that?!"

"Bloody hell!"

Hermione jumped up, pushing herself from the table with such force she knocked both Ron and her mugs of butterbeer over. Harry was saved as he was drinking his at the time. He mopped the mess off his face.

"What was that?"

Hermione was coming back to the kitchen with a letter in her hand. "It's for you Harry, a barn owl ran into the window." She handed Harry the letter and went to grab a towel from the sink.

"Who's it from?"

"McGonagall…" Harry said silently, hoping desperately to not open the letter and find bad news.

"Open it!" Ron exclaimed, anxiously peering over Harry's shoulder.

Harry opened the letter and read over it quickly. It was rather short.

"She wants to set up an appointment…to meet me at Hogwarts."

"What…why?" Hermione finished cleaning the butterbeer up and sat back down in her seat as Harry handed her the letter. She scanned it quickly. She handed the letter over to Ron and looked up at Harry's expectant face.

"Harry, do you think…do you think she wants to talk to you about the empty Defense position?"

Ron looked up, "No way, what would Harry know about hiring a teacher?" He scoffed, handing Harry back the letter. "She wasn't very descriptive though Mate." He continued to shovel pizza into his mouth.

Harry shook his head, "She probably just wants to check in…"

Hermione rolled her eyes, picking up her wand from the table and standing up. "Honestly Harry. Do you really think the Headmistress of Hogwarts has time to just 'stop in' and see how you're doing? On the plus side, I guess this means you won't need to write Luna."

"I guess she has a point." Ron acknowledged, watching her walk away.

"I just hope nothing is wrong."

Harry finished writing his response on the letter and returned to the window where the barn owl was waiting. "Here you go, back to Professor McGonagall at Hogwarts." He muttered, tying the letter to the creature's outstretched leg.

Harry and Ron finished cleaning up dinner and sat down to try and complete the Auror homework they had been given.

"I reckoned after school we wouldn't have any more bloody studies to do." Ron grunted, crossing out another sentence on his parchment. "Did you find the negative side effects to veriteserum yet?"

Harry shook his head, sighing and leaning back in his chair. He glanced at the clock, it was almost midnight, and Hermione had gone to bed – declining their pleas to help them – two hours ago.

"We've been at this for four hours. I'm tired and my brain hurts." Ron slammed down his quill, splattering ink all over his report. "Bloody hell." He cleaned it up with a wave of his wand and rolled up his report. "The only thing I'm missing are the negative effects. I have…positive effects, uses, ingredients, theory and examples. Why did we not pay attention during potions?" He groaned, checking the items off the list as he went. "Want to finish this tomorrow morning?"

Harry nodded mid-yawn and rolled his own report up. He topped his ink and stored his quill. "Yea I'm tired."

"So, about Hermione." Ron started cautiously, closing the books spread out on the floor in front of them.

"Yes?" Harry had his back turned to his friend but he could tell he was blushing. He continued to keep his back to Ron has he pretended to clean up his items on the couch beside him. This was going to be an awkward conversation.

"Do you think I should let her go?"

Harry had not expected this. He turned around abruptly. "What do you mean?"

"I mean…" Ron sat down with a pile of books on his lap. "I mean I don't think I'm good for her anymore. I feel changed, different. I don't want to hold her down. Not that she's waiting for me – do you reckon she's waiting for me?" He asked, hopefully.

Harry finished putting the books away on the bookshelf in the sitting area, stalling. He didn't know how to answer this question.

"Ron. I think Hermione has been 'waiting' for you since third year. I think you've both been waiting for each other."

"Do you think I'm bad for her?"

Harry sat across from his friend, "No. I think you're one of the only people who understands what she feels. I think that going through this –" He beckoned his hand to the furnished apartment, "- together makes you good for her. I don't have all the answers mate, but I wonder if you are better to be miserable together rather than miserable apart."

Ron nodded, "Thanks," he mumbled, "What about Ginny?" He questioned, as Harry stood up to go to bed. "Would you rather be miserable with her instead of miserable without her?"

Harry sighed. "I'm not ready to talk about Ginny, Ron." And with that he shut the door to his bedroom. Harry sat awake on his bed, determined to fight the sleep that threatened to engulf him. With that sleep came the nightmares, the visions of the people who died because of him. Whenever he slept he saw Fred, Remus, Tonks, Sirius; everyone who fought a battle that they didn't need to fight, people who died when they didn't need to die. How could Ginny ever love Harry when it was his fault her brother was dead. Harry wiped the tears that fell from his eyes as his eyelids shut, as he lost the battle he was fighting and sleep enveloped him.