Chapter 18

Careers.

That evening found Harry and Ginny returning to the Great Hall for the careers event arm in arm. Professor McGonagall had warned them from the start of the school year about displaying overt signs of affection in public, but neither of them really cared about that anymore. Besides it wasn't as if the whole school weren't aware of their living arrangements by now. The few people that had bothered to make a comment about it to their face seemed to think it was perfectly reasonable. It was as they were passing a door that Harry remembered from his first year at Hogwarts that he asked Ginny a question.

"What are your dreams Gin?"

"What do you mean?"

"If you could do anything what would it be?"

"Why are you asking me that? I don't think I'm in need of anything."

"That's not really what I asked. In my first year I discovered the Mirror of Erised which showed you your hearts desire. What's yours?"

"You of course."

"A glib answer, you already have me, but what about something you don't have?" Ginny locked eyes with Harry and he felt he could hear the brain working behind them.

"Promise you won't laugh."

"I promise unless you want to be a clown or something."

"I don't even know what that is," Ginny said raising her eyebrows. "I guess my most long term wish has always been to be a Quidditch star." She then looked at Harry daring him to burst out laughing at her ridiculous dream.

"I reckon you could to," Harry said surprise registering on her face. "I've always thought you raised your game to the level of the competition. There's more in you than you've shown so far, and I don't see why you couldn't be good enough."

"Are you just saying that?"

"No I mean that, just ask Ron I bet he'll agree with me. He's always nagging you to do better at practises."

"That's because I'm his little sister, and it's his chance to have a go at me without fear of retaliation."

"I don't think so," Harry paused and then smiled. "Well maybe just a little bit."

"So you wouldn't mind if I tried out for a team?"

"Not at all, I like seeing you fly."

"Mum won't like it," she said frowning. "She won't consider it a fitting career or proper for a lady." Harry looked across at her still smiling to himself.

"I shouldn't worry about that. You're a Potter now, and Potter's never ever do what they're told."

"Well you can break the news to her if I get an offer, which I doubt." They descended the last set of stairs to the Great Hall joining a steady stream of seventh year students entering it. The tables had been lined around the room and down the centre. Above each of them was a floating banner describing who and what they were offering. In the far corner he could see a group of institutions offering further magical and non magical educations. It was largely ignored by the students in the hall. A notable exception was a bushy haired girl that seemed to be talking to three people at once.

The left hand side of the room was taken up by various departments of the Ministry. The one that had grabbed his attention was next to an empty table which had a simple sign sitting on it.

"Have you seen this Gin?" Harry said pointing out the sign to her.

"If you want to join the Unspeakables you can't," Ginny read out loud. "We find you. You don't find us, a bit childish really."

"I suppose, look I just want to have a word with one of those guys next door," Harry said looking at a pair of Aurors in full dress uniform.

"Mr and Mrs Potter it's a pleasure to meet you both," the taller of the two Aurors said. "My name's Lance Brogden and this is my colleague Hugh Weinstock he's not a real Auror though.

"I resent that," the other man said. He had a small moustache and greying hair, but there was no mistaking the strength of character in his face and the muscles hidden under his uniform.

"He's a field medi-wizard far more important than a mere Auror like me," Brogden said a wicked grin on his face.

"That's more like it," Weinstock said sticking his hand out. "It's a pleasure to meet you both again."

"We've meet before?" Harry asked clasping the hand and struggling to recall. He wasn't very good with names but he felt he always remembered a face.

"Sort of, neither of you were conscious at the time though, so I won't be offended that you don't remember."

"What my friend is trying to tell you is that he was the one who fixed you up enough so both of you could be transported safely to hospital. He abandoned me, left me lying on my face bleeding all over the floor."

"Don't be such a wimp your injuries weren't life threatening."

"It was a communal toilet, and I'm sure it hadn't been cleaned for weeks. All these months later I can still smell it."

"A few germs never hurt anybody. Stop making such a fuss."

"Well I want to thank you both for what you did," Harry said enjoying their gentle banter.

"Me too," Ginny said shaking both their hands.

"The thanks are all on our side you're the ones that got rid of him," Brogden said. "Now before we get down to business I have to pass on a message from our esteemed leader." He paused and dramatically cleared his throat. "The Department of Magical Law Enforcement will never hire a criminal like Harry Potter. Right now that I've done that what can I help you with?"

"I assume that was from Umbridge," Harry said.

"You are correct, but the rank and file don't much care for what she has to say. I could tell you both what requirements you need to become an Auror, but the recruiting office told me before we left that you're both in if you want, your two friends as well if they want."

"That can't be right," Harry said.

"Qualifications can only get you so far Mr Potter. Just don't tell your Professors that I said so. After that it's all down to character and natural ability. If a criminal knew that one of the Potters was after them they'd be much more likely to surrender without a fight. Madeye towards the end of his career rarely had to raise his wand when arresting someone. His reputation was enough."

"Well applying would really upset the toad. I might just have to do that," Harry said.

"If you're going to apply, so am I," Ginny said.

"But I'm not going to apply."

"You said you wanted to annoy Umbridge."

"I'd love to but be honest we have enough on our plates without wasting time applying for a job we have no intention of taking up."

"Fred and George would be turning in their graves if they could hear you, and if they were dead of course," Ginny said. Harry turned away from Ginny to speak to the two Auror's who were looking on in amusement.

"What would we have to do to apply?"

"A simple matter of filling out these forms," Lance Brogden said with a grin as he thumped a lump of parchment on the table. Harry eyed the thick wodge of paper with suspicion.

"How many question are there?" he asked.

"Oh about two hundred and fifty, some are quite simple others need ten or twelve inches to answer fully." Brogden said. "If you want to be an Auror you're going to do a lot of paperwork, so if you can't handle this little questionnaire…well forget it." Harry gave Ginny a side ways glance.

"We'll forget it. Fred and George would definitely not approve of us filling that lot out for a joke," she said, "unless we write spoof answers."

"That's a great shame," Brogden said, "but I understand."

"Is there anything else we can help you with?" Weinstock asked.

"There is actually," Harry said looking around to see if anybody was within listening distance. He was in luck. It seemed that very few people were interested in a Ministry career this year. Hardly surprising considering their current behaviour Harry thought.

"I'd like you to pass this letter over to Kingsley Shacklebolt. Normal post can't be relied on at the moment. Whatever you do don't remove the seal or it'll burst into flames. It's keyed into his wand and magic so only he'll be able to do that."

"Impressive Mr Potter I assume this isn't the first time you've done this."

"No we've err… corresponded in the past. He's a good man." The two Auror's continued to gaze at him and he could tell that they wanted to ask about the letter, and were struggling to quell their curiosity. "I'm sorry but I don't know if you can be trusted despite having saved our lives. I have to trust Kingsley's judgement in this. If he does then you'll know all about it."

"I'm sorry that things have got this bad," Brogden said taking in a deep breath and letting out a sigh. "I do know that Kingsley told you both about the Wizarding debt that we all owe you. I want you to know that it still stands for me."

"Me to," Weinstock said nodding in agreement. Their simple statements made Harry feel uncomfortable. The idea of anybody owing him anything just didn't sit right with him, but he understood that this was considered a serious matter so didn't make a comment.

"Thank you," Harry said holding out his hand shaking both theirs along with Ginny. "There is one more thing."

"Ask away."

"Are we likely to see anymore of that idiot Obadiah Schwitch?"

"What that numbskull's been here?" Brogden asked.

"He tried to arrest a friend of mine," Ginny said. "Her father's the editor of the Quibbler, Mr Lovegood."

"The man is a complete nightmare even Umbridge wouldn't have sent him here, especial on his own. He probably thought he could get back in her good books if he found out where Mr Lovegood was."

"What did he do that even Umbridge doesn't trust him?" Harry asked.

"He was placed in charge of the holding cells. Ten minutes later nine prisoners walked straight out. The moron couldn't even manage a simple locking charm."

"We can take this further if you want?" Weinstock asked.

"It'll be better if we just let it lie. I wouldn't want to give Umbridge any ideas," Harry said.

"Fair enough," Weinstock said.

"You all right Harry?" Ginny asked as they wandered up the hall ignoring the different departments at the Ministry. To be honest most of them were trying not to catch their eye either.

"Yea I'm fine," he said airily.

"Harry who do you think you're talking to," Ginny said stopping him and twisting him around to face her.

"Sorry love, I just don't feel right about this Wizard debt thing, that's all," he said with both hands on her waist.

"What you mean, don't feel right?"

"I don't like the idea of someone owing me anything. It's not necessary. The Auror's all did what had to be done. If it wasn't for Weinstock we might not have survived. He owes us nothing."

"He owes us if he thinks he does. That's the way it works. Why do you think people sent all that money to us? It was ordinary people trying to repay the debt they felt they owed, in the only way they knew how. I'm sure the bitch Umbridge feels she owes us nothing, and that's all we'll get from her."

"I'm sure your right love, you usually are when it comes to wizarding customs, but I didn't face Tom to have people owe me."

"It's those damn Muggles isn't it? They spent years telling you that you were worthless and deserved nothing, and you still believe it don't you?"

"Maybe," Harry shrugged.

"I've a good mind to go and burn their bloody house to the ground."

"Don't please! We have enough trouble as it is without giving them proof of our supposed darkness."

"Of course I won't, and what did you mean by I'm usually right," she said poking him in the stomach making him flinch.

"Sorry dear you are always right," she poked him again, "about everything." Ignoring the fact that they were in the Great Hall in front of everybody he lowered his head and kissed her.

"You're worth more than can be counted," Ginny said quietly.

"To you maybe, but to me you're priceless."

"Mr Potter what did I say about public displays of affection?" a stern voice said beside them.

"That there shouldn't be any Professor," Harry said unapologetically.

"Then I don't expect to see any. Now I saw you talking to the Auror's. Am I to understand that you intend to follow through your original plan to join them?"

"No I'm afraid not Professor," Harry said. "I decided I couldn't face that butcher's yard more than once. I don't really know whether I want a job straight after school. I had half an idea to take a year off or something," Ginny looked at him in surprise as this was the first she had heard of it.

"I can't think of two people who would deserve it more," McGonagall said. "I would like to give you a piece of advice before you decide to go that route though. Make sure you have a reason to get up in the morning. A life of idleness will inevitably lead to a life of misery and strife."

"I'll bear that in mind Professor," Harry answered.

"Good," and with that she was gone to bear down on another seventh year. With her back turned Ginny snatched another quick kiss.

"I'll always give you a reason to get up in the morning," she said with a wicked grin.

"What you're going to start snoring like Ron," Harry said back knowing exactly what Ginny had meant. Fortunately all he got was a frosty glare, but he'd pay for it later. They continued to stroll around the room passing potential jobs in banking, insurance and magical catering which tempted him for a few seconds until he realised that even though he loved cooking he would be undercutting the new Elf Company he was in the process of setting up. Come to think of it they would be undercutting him. His ruminations were interrupted by a nasal voice calling out his name.

"Mr Potter, Mr Potter could I have a quick word please, I promise I won't take up too much of your time." Sighing inwardly he turned and faced the man. His first impression was that he was looking at a smaller, or though only slightly, version of the late Horace Slughorn. He didn't have the Walrus moustache, and his belly wasn't quite as big, but he had the same silvery balding head. Floating above his head were the words 'Quidditch Agent'.

"What's one of those?" Harry asked pointing above his head.

"That would be me, Tyrone Warbington. I'm an agent for numerous professional quidditch players. Some are stars some are not. It doesn't matter I represent their interests with the same dedication, and I would like to represent you."

"I'm not a professional quidditch player," Harry said.

"Oh not at the moment you're not, but just say the word and every British team would be beating down your door wanting to sign you up. A few foreign ones would be more than interested as well." Harry visible flinched at the image of his door being battered down. "And that's where I come in. I would get you the best pay with the best team, and make sure you get the best sponsorship deals possible. All you would have to do is sign the contracts I've negotiated and play Quidditch. The rest would be my job. That would include handling all your post, which I'm sure would be considerable. So what do you think?"

"You make it sound very simple," Harry answered.

"In your case it is. Normally I wouldn't dream of representing anybody who hasn't already been offered a contract by a team. You on the other hand are different. There be no need for you to suffer the anxiety of tryouts, your performance at the World Cup supersedes that requirement."

"So you'd, what start an auction?"

"Not an actual auction but I'd be aiming for the highest bidder."

"What if I had a team I wanted to play for?"

"We'll… that'll be fine, but we wouldn't tell them that up front," Warbington said. "Do you have a favourite team?" Harry looked around to make sure Ron wasn't in earshot.

"No."

"Excellent, now before I start we need to have an agreement between us," He then proceeded to pull out a sheath of paper from a briefcase. "It's a standard form that I use with all my players." Harry picked up the parchment and began flicking the first few pages over, trying to make sense of some of the legalese on it.

"So what's your cut Mr Warbington?" Ginny asked.

"I take a small percentage of Harry's earnings. The more he earns the more I do. So our interests are the same." Harry looked at the strangely shaped man over his glasses raising his eyebrows as he did so, but decided not to comment.

"Just how small a cut is it?" His evasive answer had got Ginny's back up.

"Oh just twenty percent it's standard in the industry, quite standard."

"Twenty percent!" Harry and Ginny said together.

"You must be joking," Ginny continued. "You've just been telling us how simple it would be for Harry to get a position anywhere, and you want twenty percent."

"You're right it's very amiss of me, please accept my apologies." He didn't sound very apologetic Harry thought. "Because it's you Mr Potter I'll lower my percentage to just eighteen percent. I can't say fairer than that. You're a very popular man Mr Potter. It would mean a great deal of work and expense dealing with all the fan mail and the inevitable appearance offers that would come in."

"I don't know that I even want to play professional quidditch," Harry said, "and the whole fan thing is off putting, and eighteen percent is still extortionate in my opinion."

"I'm sure we can come to a mutually beneficially agreement Mr Potter."

"Hmm maybe," Harry replied reading the odd paragraph in the contract. "Tell me Mr Warbington, and be honest. Ginny here is a really good Chaser what do you think of her chances of playing professionally?" The agent looked anxious for a moment. Harry thought being honest wasn't something that he usually did as a matter of course.

"You promise you won't be upset with me if I'm honest?"

"Why would I be upset with you if you're honest?" Harry said.

"I forget Mr Potter. You're still young, despite what you've achieved. Most folks don't like to hear bad news, even if it is the truth."

"You're saying that Ginny hasn't got a hope in becoming a Quidditch professional," Harry said.

"No, no I'm not saying that. I've never seen the young lady play," he said smiling at Ginny who didn't return the favour. "The problem is that very few ladies ever play professional Quidditch, and those that do are, now how shall I put this, not as blessed with the feminine figure that we men prefer."

"You mean I'm not butch enough," Ginny said.

"I wouldn't put it quite that way, but in a nutshell yes," Warbington said. "It also doesn't help that you're not as tall as the average."

"So Ginny would be wasting her time applying to any teams," Harry said annoyed that he had asked Warbington to be honest. "She's very quick and much stronger than she looks."

"Mr Potter her name will get her plenty of tryouts, but I'm afraid they'll take one look at her and dismiss her instantly without even seeing her on a broom. I'm sorry but it's a rough sport Quidditch."

"Yea I've heard that before," Harry added. "What if I insisted that we come as a package?"

"You shouldn't do that Harry," Ginny said. "You need to get on the best team possible, so you can get a shot at playing for England."

"Any team would accept that offer Mr Potter, but they wouldn't guarantee that Mrs Potter would ever get a game. She'd spend most of her time on the bench."

"Well if needs be we'll lower ourselves to play for the Chudley Canons. They'd put Ginny in straight away." Warbington laughed like a hyena.

"They couldn't afford you Mr Potter," Harry was about to say that he didn't care about the money until he remembered that he was talking to an agent who lived off commission.

"I don't want to play for them. The uniform is horrendous, and it'll clash something terrible with my hair," Ginny exclaimed.

"You sound like such a girl," Harry said grinning.

"I am a girl," she retorted through gritted teeth.

"Maybe we could get them to change the colour of the uniform so it wouldn't?"

"They're still a bunch of hopeless losers."

"Then you and I will change all that."

"I'm sure I can do much better than the Chudley Chumps," Warbington said. "Did you want me to start making enquires." The man looked very hopeful that he had reeled in what he considered the biggest fish Quidditch had seen in decades. Harry felt rotten for only a moment that he was going to dash his hopes, but his life was as usual more complicated than the average.

"No I don't think so Mr Warbington I'm sure you're aware of our legal problems at the moment. If we can get those out of the way we might be in contact."

"If I could give you my two Sickles worth it don't matter a jot what those pillocks on the Wizengamot do. They can sentence you both to ten life times in Azkaban. It won't matter. The Wizarding World won't put up with it. That little trouble they had at the Ministry the other day will be just the tip of the iceberg." Up until that moment the Quidditch agent had been all sunshine and smiles, but now he was in deadly earnest.

"I appreciate your support Mr Warbington. Life though is never that simple," Harry said.

"Not always, but in this case its dead simple. They're wrong and you're right. I speak to a lot of people in my line of work, and not one has said that you deserve this treatment. Most of them are downright angry about it. You could have used the killing curse a hundred times and I wouldn't care, and nor does anybody else. We all owe you big time and that's the end of it."

"Thank you," Ginny said. She had become much more at ease with strangers thanking them out of the blue than Harry had.

"We didn't use the killing curse," Harry added fed up with people saying that. Warbington held up his hands.

"I believe you Mr Potter. I'm just saying, that's all, now contact me as soon as you decide to go ahead. The more time I have before the new season starts in September the better the deal I can get for you." Harry and Ginny both shook his hand promising to let him know. They walked away arm in arm having already forgotten Professor McGonagall's warning about public affection only minutes ago.

"If we do go with that bloke," Ginny said, "he's not getting twenty percent of my money."

"I don't really care what I'm paid. I'd much rather play on the same team as you."

"You mean that?"

"I do."

"I'm not very keen on the Chudley Canons though."

"Neither was he."

"What was that about the Canons," a voice said behind them. Both of them turned round to see a despondent looking Ron.

"Oh we were just discussing that they should quit for all time," Ginny said with a straight face.

"Don't be daft the Canons aren't quitters," Harry silently agreed with Ron, no team that lost so often, and yet still turned up to play could really be called quitters, hopeless losers' maybe, but not quitters.

"So has any career grabbed your fancy Ron?" Harry asked not wanting to get into another endless debate on his favourite team.

"No they all seem so dull," he answered looking even more despondent. "Mum will suggest I take a nice safe job with the Ministry, but that would mean working with Percy."

"A fate worse than death," Ginny said.

"You can be an Auror," Harry said. "They as good as told me that they'd take you, whatever your results."

"Nar I've gone off that idea, too many rules to follow."

"Quidditch then."

"I'd love to, but you know I'm not good enough."

"The Canons might take you," Ginny said. "Merlin knows you'd get enough practise saving goals, and you've got half the kit." Ron visible shuddered at the thought, of being responsible for letting all those quaffles in. Like a lightening bolt to the head Harry had a brainwave.

"I've got it Ron. I know just the thing for you."
"What?" Ron and Ginny said together.

"You know more about the game than most normal people."

"Hey, I'm normal!"

"You have a passion for it like nobody else I know. It would be perfect."

"Harry what are you going on about tell us, before I have to make you," Ginny said.

"He could be a Quidditch agent." Brother and sister looked at him in amazement for a moment. Ginny's face was the first to crack into a broad smile.

"He's perfect for it," she half whispered.

"I can't do that," Ron said.

"Why not?" Harry and Ginny said together.

"Well…" he paused for a moment to think why. "I know nothing about it. What does an agent actual do?"

"Judging by Mr Warbington they get a big fat commission, and sit on their arse eating. You'd be perfect for it," Ginny muttered glancing over at him. Ron's eyes lit up, either at the idea of a commission or the eating, but switched off almost as quickly.

"As far as I can make out an agent does everything but play the game. Look, go and have a chat with him," Harry said.

"Just don't tell him you want to be an agent, or he'll clam up," Ginny added.

"I'm not that stupid," Ron said. "But I need a player, and nobody's going to go to an agent without experience."

"First it's a client, not a player, according to this contract," Harry said handing over the copy he still had in his hand. "And secondly you have two already."

"I do," Ron said looking confused.

"Are you going to tell him or shall I?" Harry said to Ginny.

"I sometimes wonder about you Ron. I really do. You're going to be our agent."

"Really, you didn't say you were going to play Quidditch."

"That's true we didn't," Harry said.

"Cool."

"Don't think you're getting anywhere near twenty percent," Ginny said darkly.

"Go and talk to Mr Warbington. It looks like he's packing up, and then get Hermione to find you some books on the duties of an agent. The rest is up to you. Ginny and I are going to have an early night." Ron though paid no attention to Harry's attempt to wind him up, and was already heading over to Mr Warbington.

"An early night!" Ginny growled.

"Yea."

"Excellent, come on time's wasting."