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Chapter 4: Life after war; planning for a future
The Dinner announcing Harry and Ginny's engagement was the first one held in the newly remodeled Potter Manor, which was filled to the seams with all of their family and close friends. As they were sitting there during dessert, Harry stood up. "So I heard that Ireland has been selected to host the Quidditch World Cup later this year. Would any of you like to go? The only reason I ask is because I need to find out how many seats to reserve from the ministry."
"You don't buy seats for the World Cup, being held in a different country, through the ministry. There is a ticket office for buying them," said Mr. Weasley.
"That is only if you are trying to get tickets for someone other than the family of England International's new seeker," said Harry with a smile.
Predictably, the entire room exploded with noise and shock.
"WAIT A MINUTE!" yelled Ginny over the noise. The silence was nearly immediate. "When did this happen, Harry?"
"Well you remember the appointments I have been going to for the past 2 weeks? Apparently, England's new keeper suggested they bring me in for a tryout. It turns out that there new keeper is Oliver Wood."
"Wow Harry. This is amazing. Is it really what you want though?" asked Ginny.
"For now…Honestly this is probably only going to be for a season or 2, while I clear my head a little… I just needed something fun to do that would demand attention, so I can work through some of the mental problems that came with having to fight to stay alive for so long. But for now yeah, I think this is exactly what I want to be doing."
Ginny smiled. "Hunh…then I guess I am engaged to an international Quidditch player," she said with a laugh.
"Engaged?" shouted Mrs. Weasley and Hermione at the same time.
"Noticed that hunh…Well it seemed like the right time to throw that into the conversation. That is the reason we asked all of you to come today, so we could tell the entire family at the same time," said Ginny.
All of a sudden, the room was full of hugs and congratulations as everyone got out of their seats at once.
"While everyone is in such a good mood, are you going to tell them the rest of it, Harry?" asked Kingsley.
"There is more?" asked Hermione.
"Well the minister, professor McGonagall, and I have come to an arrangement. I took and passed both my N.E.W.T.s and the Auror exams last week. Kingsley is going to have me working as an Auror only as needed. When I retire from Quidditch in a year or 2 I will go take over the Auror department."
"And speaking of the Auror department… these are the acceptance letters for Miss. Ginny Weasley and Mr. Ronald Weasley… based on your marks and past experience the academy has decided to offer you both an abbreviated training program and then the final exams" said Kingsley.
"We got in?" exclaimed Ron.
"Yes…You are both to report for training in a couple of weeks. Congrats" said Kingsley.
"And once again the world keeps turning" said Fred with a smile.
"Can we just freeze it in this moment?" asked Lily. "It's just that for once everything is good and they are safe and happy and loved and I just don't want to move from this moment."
"Sorry Lil, you know as well as I do that there is no pause button on life. They can't just stay there," said James giving Lily a hug.
"I know it's just life has been so hard for him and I just want him to be happy."
"Don't we all" said Sirius.
"Is it just me or does it appear to anyone else that a fight is already breaking out?" said Tonks.
"Mom, what exactly did you think was going to happen when I started living with Harry? Merlin's Pants mom, I moved in with him as soon as we left Hogwarts. You helped me load my trunk into the Floo" said Ginny.
"You mean the 2 of you have been…"
"Sleeping together for MONTHS!"
"But your brother and Hermione were there."
"Yes and?"
"And they would have stopped you."
"Why would you think that they would try to stop me and Harry from doing the exact same thing they are doing?"
"Ron and Hermione are…?"
"Yeah… face it mom if you are trying to protect my virtue, you are too late. Now you should probably try to catch up with dad before he starts to worry about you." With that Ginny gave her mother a gentle shove into the fire, while her mom just stood there looking like her world had been turned upside down.
When she was gone, Harry walked up behind Ginny and put his arms around her. "I take is that didn't go well."
"She is just in a state of denial. She will get over it. At least until she finds out that we want a small wedding. Then she will have something new to fight with me over."
"Well I for one am wore out and I think I am going to go let the shower beat on my aching muscles."
"Hum… I should probably join you, you know, just to make sure you don't fall asleep in the shower."
"Why Miss. Weasley you wouldn't happen to be trying to seduce me, would you?" he said as he turned her around in his arms and pulled her even closer.
"Always"
"If it is okay with everyone I think I would rather not know that much about my son's sex life," said Lily as she blanked the screen.
"Agreed" the others said with a smile.
"So Quidditch anyone?" asked James.
"Only if you are fast forwarding all the way to the World Cup… I refuse to watch absolutely every practice," said Lily.
"So which memory is he writing about now?" asked Remus.
"It looks like he is writing about his wedding. You know this may be the longest autobiography I have ever heard of. He has only made it to the age of 19 and it already takes up more than 4,000 pages," said Sirius.
"Yes well now you know why Ginny, Hermione, and Luna wanted him to start writing it in his 30s. There is already so much to write about that they are probably afraid that he will start to forget the small things that they want put in. Everything from growing up with the Dursleys, to the Chamber of Secrets to the Triwizard Tournament to the hunt for Horcruxes to defeating Voldemort and ending the war, to playing international Quidditch and winning England the World Cup, his marriage to Ginny, starting the orphanage, starting the free hospital, all of his work for the Aurors, the birth of James, Albus, and Lily, helping to raise Teddy, both of his Order of Merlin medals, being put on the chocolate frog cards. And now that James and Albus have both started at Hogwarts he has a little more time to work on it" said James.
"Yeah but something tells me that no writing is going to get accomplished tonight" said Lily.
"I agree Ginny has got that look in her eye that says she is up to something," said Fred.
"Well it looks like we are about to find out what… Lily is spending the night at Ron and Hermione's place and Ginny just got home," said Moody.