Harry Potter and the Veil
Chapter VII
Kingsley Shacklebolt stood before them and with a slight smile he snapped his fingers.
The Great Hall was thrown into instant clamor as the long tables each morphed into a number or smaller round ones. Chairs were scraping against the hard stone floor, each carrying their passenger to the table where their teammates sat.
Luckily for Harry, his team was already together so the transition was very slight. As the table's edges finished rounding themselves, everyone was looking around at the other faces seated around them.
Once it was finished, Harry's chair shuddered, forcing him to stand up. Everyone looked at him, waiting for his introduction. "Er… Well my name's Harry Potter. As you probably know I helped defeat Voldemort (only Ron wiggled uncomfortably at the name), but I hope that that won't affect how you come to think of me." He looked to Sera and Tim before adding, "I already met a few of you and I, Er, look forward to working with you." With that He sat back down and he saw Sera flash him an overly friendly smile and he blushed as Ron was pushed up to go next.
As Ron began, however, a deep voice whispered to Harry, "Would you mind a few minutes, Harry?"
"Not at all, sir," Harry replied, exchanging a look with Ron. He excused himself from the table, and followed the Minister out of the Great Hall, and down a corridor. He and Kingsley passed through a room that had a black metal door with golden designs etched into it. Kingsley sat down behind a large oak desk and Harry took a seat across from him.
"Have you found out anything new about the whereabouts of the Veil?" Harry asked, deciding to get straight to the point. He wasn't at all worried about tact.
Kingsley knew that he and the rest of the ministry were on his last nerve. He had agreed to let Harry and Ron join the efforts, with conditions, of course. They had to participate and successfully complete the advanced crash training course that he had developed due to the great need for new Aurors. "Not yet," he replied, "But I promise that I will fill you in on new information as soon as it is confirmed."
"Right then," Harry said. He eyed the minister scrupulously. "Is there something else, sir?"
Kingsley Shacklebolt smiled. "Yes, as a matter-of-fact, there is. As you know, Mr. Weasley and you will be permitted to aid in the search for the Veil of Styx so long as you undergo this training."
"Yes," Harry said dully. "That's why we came. And?"
"Well, your group was hand selected by myself and a few advisors to participate in an accelerated training. It is very hands-on and there are only a few groups even eligible. Should you and your group pass the preliminary trial, then you will all be ready for fieldwork in under three months' time. It will take an immense effort on your part because normally, Auror training is a year-long course, but we're condensing it all together."
Harry was speechless. He thought he would have to wait to start looking for Sirius. He thought that he wouldn't be able to see Ginny for even longer. Harry face lit up at that thought. "Sir…I dunno what to say! Thank you so much!"
Anxious to get back to the Great Hall, Harry got up to leave.
"One last thing, Harry," Kingsley called out.
Harry stopped and turned on his heel, still beaming. "Yes, sir?"
"What we've talked about is to stay between you and me until after the preliminaries. You are not to tell any of your teammates about the accelerated program. Even Ron must not yet know."
"But sir, Ron's my best mate," Harry pleaded.
"I'm sorry, but it is very important that they act without this knowledge. I'm sticking my neck out just by telling you. I only did so as an act of good faith, but in return, I only ask that you keep it to yourself, for now at the very least."
Harry sighed. "Yes sir, I understand. Thank you very much." He heard Kingsley call out 'good luck' as he left the office and headed back to the Great Hall.
When Harry arrived back at his table, introductions were already over. Ron and Tim were talking Quidditch; Sera and a girl he recalled to be Rosalie Sommer, one of the Beauxbatons from during the TwiWizard tournament, talking mindlessly as well. They saw him looking and giggled.
Embarrassed at being caught staring, Harry turned to the stranger sitting to his right. He was muttering strange words under his breath while reading from a small book. "Uhm, hi," Harry said politely. "I don't believe we've met."
The stranger only glanced at him. "Zack Cronkite." he said and returned to his book.
Wow, he seems like a barrel of fun, Harry thought to himself. Deciding that he wouldn't get much more out of Zach, he looked around the hall at the other trainees.
There were all different kinds of people there: young, old, short, tall. He thought they were all strangers until he met the gaze of Oliver Wood, Harry's fellow Gryffindor and former captain of their Quidditch team. They waved at each other. Oliver looked as if he was about to come over when Kingsley appeared in front of them yet again.
"It is time," he said, "for you to learn about the preliminary trial."
When the chatter finally died down, he continued. "The first trial is one that shall test both your personal and interpersonal skills as wizards." He waved his wand and on each of the tables a large crystal ball appeared.
"Before I explain what it is you shall be doing, I must inform you all of a most curious new rule. Right now, each of you has the opportunity to leave now and apply to come back after a two-year probation. However, should you accept the challenge and fail you will lose all eligibility of becoming an Auror for the rest of your life."
With that, the hall was in uproar. People yelled at the Minister about how that rule is unfair and others boo'd and hissed. He pointed his wand to his throat and commanded silence in the form of an uncharacteristically booming loud voice. Everyone shut up instantly.
"That's better," he said in his normal voice once more. "In order to keep all our teams at an equal and ideal size, should one person decide to leave, then the entire group must also leave. As I said, all of you will be able to return in after two years' time." He waited a minute then cleared his throat. "All those wishing to leave now may do so. Please follow my associates out to the main entrance where transportation home will be waiting."
Chairs were scraping from all around him as people got up to leave. Harry turned back to the group. Everyone's eyes were looking critically at each other's. Only Zach remained as uninterested as ever with his nose further in his book. Nobody from his group got up, however, which was a huge relief to Harry. He looked around the hall once more. Just over half of the original number of trainees remained.
When the last of those bound for home was gone, the hall doors closed ominously. Harry gulped. Kingsley looked around the room at the faces of those who remained.
He smiled and calmly said, "Congratulations to all of you, for passing the preliminary trial. Welcome to the Auror Training Program."
The whole hall was dead silent, then quickly erupted into an explosion of cheers and laughter from the trainees. The Minister and those on either side of him were clapping, some more furiously than others.
Once more he quieted everybody down, this time a little more gingerly, before continuing. "Training will begin tomorrow morning, but for now I must ask you all to retire to your quarters. Merely place a hand on the ball on the table, say "headquarters", and you will instantly arrive in your common rooms. I'll see you bright and early, so for now I bid you goodnight."
All at once the whole room seemed to call out a single word.
After half a second, Harry and the five others were standing in the middle of a brightly decorated room.
Ron slapped Harry on the back and Rosalie hugged him; Harry laughed when he blushed. Hermione didn't have to know about that. That night, they celebrated with more than a few bottles of firewhisky. They spent the whole night drinking, joking, and getting to know each other better.
When he got tired, Harry decided to get to bed, heading for the room marked "H. Potter" on the door in gold cursive. As he opened the door, someone tapped him on the shoulder.
He turned to see who it was and found a pair of soft lips crushing against his own.
Harry didn't know what was going on. A thousand different thought coursed through his brain, none of them were relevant. He was too drunk to care about much. The only thing he cared about was the taste that streaked across his lips. When he realized what was going on and snapped out of his daze. He heard Tim yelling and Sera pulled away from him and smiled warmly.
"Congratulations, Harry," she said with a wink.
Although he knew it was wrong he smiled back and gave her a long hug. "You too Sera," he whispered in her ear.
She returned to the party as Harry lay down in bed, thinking of her, and thinking of Ginny. He didn't know if it was the firewhisky, but his head was really hurting.