Strange Can Be Good

HarryxLuna

Rated T

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or its characters from the franchise. That honor belongs to JK Rowling

Strange Can Be Good

Chapter 3: Talking with Kingsley

Three weeks have passed since the boys and Harry have met Luna to visit the Thestrals in the Forbidden Forest. And during those three weeks, Luna and Harry have been writing back and forth. Three times out of the week he would meet her for lunch when he was on my lunch break or was off. James and Albus have also asked me when they can see Luna (or Aunt Luna as they've started calling her) again. Albus was interested in learning more about the creatures that Luna was passionate about. His father had told him that the creatures Luna believed in have never been seen and most likely didn't exist, but he told his father he would prove him wrong and he and Luna would find a special creature one day.

"After all, if Thestrals are real since only certain people can see them, other of the creatures Aunt Luna talks about have to be real, too," he had once said to Harry, his green eyes shining.

Harry sighed in relief as he filed away the last of his Auror reports before going to tell Kingsley that he was finished for the day. Knocking on his office door, Harry waited for his baritone voice to allow him passage. When he heard him, he walked inside to see him writing a letter.

"Excuse me, sir," the dark haired man said getting his attention. "I just filed away my last report, so unless you need anything else from me, I am done."

"Excellent, thank you Harry. But would you mind sitting for a bit? I'd like to talk to you about something," Kingsley said while finishing up his letter, then folding and sealing it inside an envelope. Harry nodded and sat down after closing the office door shut.

Kingsley sent the letter off with his owl before turning to look the younger man squarely in the eye. The two stared at each other for a while and Harry was having a hard time reading the dark man's expression. After what felt like an eternity, Kingsley finally said, "Harry, I don't like thinking this, but I believe that you no longer enjoy being an Auror."

Wow, was he really that easy to read? Well, Hermione had always told him he was like an open book. Knowing he couldn't completely talk his way out of this conversation, Harry took a deep breath before saying, "To be honest, Kingsley, I'm actually not sure being an Auror is what I want to do for the rest of my life."

Harry looked at Kingsley to see his reaction, which looked very shocked, but the man nodded and indicated for him to continue.

"It's not that I'm not good at it or anything, it's just that I've been doing it for so long the whole thing has become…"

"Unenjoyable?" Kingsley offered.

"Boring," Harry said.

Kingsley sighed before leaning back in his seat. He seemed to ponder what his best Auror had told him, and it was quite shocking. Harry had, more or less, told him he no longer liked his job. It was strange because ever since he knew the younger man, he had always asked him about being an Auror. And with his many experiences with Dark wizards (more than what he should have dealt with at that age) he figured that that was Harry's natural path for his line of work when he graduated Hogwarts. Kingsley thought maybe some other things were happening to make Harry think this way. Deciding to take the chance to ask, he asked, "Are things not going the way they should at home to make you think this way?"

Harry looked at the man before averting his gaze off to the side. He was thirty, but it was moments like this that made him feel like he was twelve again. In the past talking about his home life would be brushed off by Dumbledore. But maybe this time, Kingsley would listen and take into consideration the circumstances.

"Well, Ginny and I have been arguing a lot lately. She claims that I don't spend time with my sons anymore because I am so busy with my Auror work. But from what James and Albus tell me, Ginny's never home either and is always out with friends and shopping, spending our money on clothes and jewelry instead of for things we need. She's a stay at home mother, so she should have no excuse to spend time with our children, but she always seems to find a way out of it. I want to try and fix it, but I'm not sure how.

Kingsley nodded in understanding. He had had similar problems with his own spouse in the past about his line of work and never having time for her and their daughter. He had decided to take a leave for a while to make up for it and was rewarded with a paid leave. Kingsley decided he would do the same for Harry, and maybe would he not only be able to restore his relationship with Ginny, but he could also reconsider his obviously apparent wish to not be an Auror anymore. But he was surprised that Ginny seemed to be behaving this way. She had always stated she wanted to do professional Quidditch and play for the Harpies. What happened between then and now?

"Tell you what; I am going to allow you to take leave. A paid one and you can stay home as long as you feel is necessary to get everything back under control. I also want you to reconsider choosing to not be an Auror anymore as well. I'm telling you this now as a friend, and not as Head Auror or Minister of Magic: things will get better. And if they don't, whatever needed change in your life that comes your way, take it because if you don't you will still be in the rut you are in and will regret that you let that opportunity pass by," Kingsley told him with the utmost patience and sincerity.

Harry nodded and thanked his old friend before standing and shaking his hand. He asked the other man if it would be alright for him to use his Floo network to get home, to which Kingsley agreed with a smile.

"Potter House!" Harry called as he stepped inside the fireplace and threw down the Floo powder. In a flash of green flames, Harry was transported from Kinsgley's office to his living room. He stepped out of the fireplace while brushing soot from his Auror robes and let a sigh out.

Finally he was home and with his paid leave, as long as he liked. He knew his sons would love that because they loved spending time with their father. He just hoped Ginny would be happy with it as well.