Chapter 98
The Ministry suddenly seemed brighter now that Ron knew he only had a few more weeks here. There were things he noticed now, as he walked across the atrium, that he hadn't once noticed in his nearly eight years of employment. He hadn't noticed the brightness of the main entrance or the little lights that danced above their heads. Nor had he ever seen the cheerful smiles on the employees' faces.
That was something that would always baffle him — the majority of people actually enjoyed working here. For years now, this place had made him feel so down that he'd failed to see the genuine smiles on the vast majority of people's faces as they made their way from lift to lift, level to level, running errands or on some business.
This was the heart and soul of the wizarding world. Its mere existence kept their society alive and free from reprimand and unnecessary exposure. It was — well, it had been — an honour to work there, especially in the job that he had. There would be nothing quite like being an Auror. And he'd certainly miss seeing Harry every day, or walking down the corridor and finding Hermione bent over a stack of work as she fussed about everything needing to be done.
But with the dark cloud of dread having lifted with his decision to leave, he could see the appeal; the satisfaction, the joy working here brought. No matter what they did, they liked being here, which told him he definitely didn't belong anymore.
Today was his day off, but he'd come to officially tell Robards and Kingsley of his decision. Hermione had come, too, offering moral support, but he suspected part of her was curious to see how her office was faring without her.
Ron was determined to not let her anywhere near it, for he knew that once she stepped inside, she'd start organising everyone. Not to mention that Malfoy would see his daughter, which he wasn't ready for just yet.
She was too precious to be exposed to the likes of a Malfoy at such a young age. He wanted to keep her safe, to keep her hidden from prying eyes. Not that he thought Malfoy would care, but he wanted to be safe rather than sorry.
Rose slept against his chest. She was in a carrier tied around his body, where she fit perfectly and snuggly inside. Ron liked this Muggle invention. Being able to hold her so close to him without his arms getting tired was a miracle. And, it had protected her from the Floo better than had he just been holding her.
She'd fallen asleep shortly after putting her inside, not even stirring at the whirling feeling of being sucked through hundreds of fire grates.
"You're really going to do this, aren't you?" Hermione said as they stopped at the lifts, waiting for one to take them down to the Magical Law level.
"Are you really asking that?" Ron said.
Hermione flushed, turning her gaze to the lift. "I am just checking, because there's no going back once you tell them."
"Do you not want to be married to someone who owns a joke shop?" Ron teased. "Is it embarrassing for you to admit that?"
"No, not at all."
"Bit of a step down from telling everyone you're married to an Auror, huh?" Ron grinned at her, and she smiled back. Once, he might have thought that to be true, but after seven years with her and everything they'd been through, he knew without a doubt that he could have been the Ministry's janitor and she would still love him.
"It's not if it makes you happy," Hermione answered, offering another smile.
"Yeah, it's a step up, really."
Rose shifted against him, but didn't wake. As they rode the lift down, Ron watched her, listening to her even breathing. Every time he looked at her, every time she smiled at him, it made him just that little bit more certain that he was doing the right thing. He couldn't wait to be able to spend more time with her; this little girl — so tiny and yet so perfect — had become his world. Everything revolved around her now. Every decision, every action.
He was counting down the days when he wouldn't have to say goodbye to her every morning.
They stepped out of the lift and began the walk down the corridor when a voice called out.
"Weasley!"
Ron startled, turning to find Robards behind him. His boss frowned, eyes running over the three of them. First Ron, then Hermione, and then Rose, before settling back on Ron. "I hear you've organised a meeting in fifteen minutes with myself and the Minister?"
Ron nodded. "Yeah…"
"But you won't say why?"
"It's best to discuss this in private," Ron replied.
Robards' eyes narrowed. "I see… well, I'll see you then, Weasley."
Ron nodded and waited for Robards to continue on before he started walking again.
"I think he knows," Hermione said.
"Of course he knows," Ron said. "Why else would I be arranging a meeting?"
Robards wasn't in the Auror office when they entered, but Harry and Dean were. Harry looked surprised to see him there, but Dean seemed delighted, getting up from his desk to come over to them. He hadn't met Rose yet, only heard about her, so the first thing he did was peer into the carrier attached to Ron.
"She's beautiful!" he exclaimed.
Harry was slower to approach. "Come for a visit?"
"Come to resign," Ron corrected.
Harry's mouth opened, but was stopped from saying anything by Dean's exclamation of what?
"So, you've made your decision, then?" Harry said. "I mean, your mind hasn't changed?"
Ron hadn't yet told anyone other than Hermione of the new arrangements regarding the joke shop. And it seemed that George hadn't let it slip, either.
"Yeah, I have," Ron replied after a moment. "I'm leaving. For good. I'll be helping George open the new shop in Hogsmeade."
This seemed to surprise Harry even more than the fact that he was resigning.
"He's not just helping out," Hermione interjected, almost scoffing at the word. "George asked him to become part owner, and Ron accepted."
"What?" Harry gaped.
Ron nodded. "Yeah." He shrugged. "You're looking at the new owner of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Er, as of March, I mean."
"Are you for real?" Harry questioned. "Ginny hasn't said anything…"
"Ginny doesn't know. No one knows. I don't think, anyway. It's all kind of new. But… it feels right. Moving onto something better, I mean." He looked down at Rose still sleeping against him. "It means I get to spend more time with her. Which is great."
Harry nodded, though he said nothing. He still looked shocked by the revelations.
"We'll miss you here," Dean said.
"Yeah, I'll miss seeing you all every day, but we can still catch up. I mean, I'm not getting rid of Harry any time soon. We're family."
"Well… just don't forget about me, alright?"
"Come into the shop, I guess," Ron answered with a smile just as Robards walked in.
"Weasley, you ready?"
"Yes." Ron unclipped the carrier from his body and Hermione lifted Rose from it. He set it on his desk — it looked the cleanest it ever had — and Hermione rocked Rose gently against her. He kissed Hermione's temple and the top of Rose's head. "I won't be too long," he said.
Hermione nodded as Ron turned to follow Robards from the Auror Office and off to the Head Auror's personal office. Ron had only been in there a handful of times, Robards usually preferring to conduct business surrounded by others. It was a small, cramped space, filled with objects such as Sneakascopes and other useful tools that hadn't been used much in recent years.
Ron found a chair and sat down. "Where's Kingsley?"
"Minister Shacklebolt will be here soon — ah!" Robards jumped to his feet as the door swung open and Kingsley came in, robes sweeping behind him.
Ron had expected the Minister to sit beside Robards, but instead, he took up a seat beside Ron, offering him a warm smile. It made Ron feel a little more uncomfortable. He now felt as if he was speaking to Kingsley as a friend and not as his boss, which was a lot harder.
He shifted in his chair.
"So, Ron," Robards said, "let us get straight to it. You've called a meeting. Tell us what for."
Ron shifted again, cleared his throat and then decided to get straight to the point. "After some thinking, I've decided that I'm no longer suited for the job as Auror. I… I'll be resigning in two weeks."
Robards' eyes widened and he could sense Kingsley's eyes on him, too.
"You're a good Auror, Ron," Kingsley said after a moment.
"I'll agree to that," Robards said with a short nod.
"That may be so," Ron said, "but I don't think I can give my best to the job anymore."
"May we ask what's changed for you?" Kingsley asked. "I remember when I offered you the position to begin training — you were thrilled to even be considered. Something about being your dream job."
"My daughter," Ron answered simply, and neither man seemed to have a reply to that. Kingsley had no children, himself, but Robards had one son, working in the Magical Creatures department.
After a moment, Robards said, "Many people have children and work as an Auror, myself included."
"Yeah, I know, but I don't want to." He'd expected them to try to talk him around. He'd planned for it. "I… I have another opportunity lined up. Part owner of the joke shop my brother runs. It's less dangerous and I get to spend more time with my daughter."
It seemed that neither were able to argue with that assessment. How could they?
"Well, Ron," Kingsley said, "we'll be sad to see you go, but I suppose we cannot stop you if that's what you want."
"I'll be losing one of my best Aurors," Robards added. "Especially when we are still figuring out the Black Robes."
"Sorry," Ron said, though he found it hard to mean it. In all honesty, the last of the weight that had been holding him down was beginning to lift, relief and joy filling him instead.
"And there's absolutely nothing we can do to change your mind?" Robards continued, glancing over at the Minister nervously. "We… can't pay you more? Give you better hours? Eliminate weekend shifts?"
"No," Ron answered honestly. "You couldn't pay me enough." He winced, knowing how that sounded. "I don't mean that in a bad way, honestly. I've enjoyed my time here, liked being an Auror, but I now see my future elsewhere — somewhere where my life isn't placed in danger every day, leaving myself, my wife, or my daughter wondering if I'm going to make it home at the end of the day."
"You've contributed so much to the Ministry over the years, Ron. You've left your mark here, regardless of whether you stay or not." Kingsley offered him a wide smile, and Ron knew in that moment that the Minister wasn't going to try and change his mind. Perhaps it was just Kingsley's way, or perhaps he could see in Ron that nothing would convince him to change his mind, but he seemed content with this turn of events.
Ron returned his smile. "Yeah, well… I'll just leave it at that for now."
Robards seemed to give in after that, too, leaning back in his chair and sighing. "I had you pinned for someone high up in the future, Weasley. You and Potter. Deputy Head and Head."
This surprised Ron. He stared at Robards for a moment. "You did?"
Robards nodded.
Kingsley said, "As did I."
Ron couldn't quite find the words to respond to this revelation. In truth, he'd not seen himself reaching any further than Senior Auror, maybe eventually being one of the Aurors who ran training sessions for those with aspirations to become one. But now, to hear that both Kingsley and Robards saw him in a much more prominent role than that, pride swelled within him. It hadn't changed his mind in the slightest, but it still felt good to hear it. Gave him confidence.
"Wow, that's… that's… I really appreciate —"
"Still not enough to change your mind, though?" Robards asked.
Ron shook his head.
Robards nodded. "Understood."
"How many weeks are you giving us, Ron?" Kingsley then asked. "So we can fill your shoes, as hard as that will be?"
"Two weeks. Three, if you're desperate," Ron told him. "I start with George at the beginning of March, but I'd like a week or two in between, just to… you know… get things in order."
Both men nodded, looking at each other and then back at Ron again.
"Very well," Kingsley said after a moment. "Consider your employment at the Ministry finished in two weeks from today." He held out a hand, which Ron accepted, smiling and relieved that it had gone well. He hadn't thought it wouldn't, but he'd been a little nervous at how they'd react. He was glad neither had tried to put up more of a fight than what they did.
Robards offered his hand, too, and they all stood up, moving to the door.
Together, they headed back down the corridor to the Auror office, and Ron was unsurprised to see that Hermione was no longer there. The optimist in him thought that maybe she'd taken Rose to the lunchroom, or for a walk around the atrium. But he knew her too well to know that if he walked a few paces down the corridor, he'd find her introducing their daughter to her office.
Robards and Kingsley left Ron to speak to Harry, who got up from his desk. "So… you're done?"
"In two weeks, yeah. Don't worry, you've still got me until then. Someone's got to do all the hard work around here."
Harry raised an eyebrow. "You think that's you?"
Ron chuckled, not bothering to answer. They both knew that Ron was hardly the hardest worker in the office, even if he did give a lot more to the job than he had during his time at Hogwarts.
"See you tomorrow then?" Harry said, clapping Ron on the back. "We'll have to celebrate your final days with us. Go out with a bang. Maybe solve the bloody case of the Black Robes."
Ron left after that, not even bothering to check anywhere else for Hermione. He went straight to her office, and sure enough, there she was, Rose in her arms and talking to her junior, Maia. Malfoy sat at his desk, head bent and apparently paying either of them no mind.
She turned her head at his approach, almost looking guilty.
"Why am I not surprised?" he said, grinning.
"I wasn't expecting you to be back already!" Hermione exclaimed. "You're done? It's done? They didn't try to change your mind?"
"Not really," Ron said. "They were disappointed, but they understood I think. Though…" He frowned, thinking about what Robards and Kingsley had said at the end.
"What?" Hermione asked, eyes on him.
"Robards said he thought I'd make a good Deputy Head of the office in the future."
"Well, of course!" Hermione said. "You're a brilliant Auror. I'm not surprised by that at all."
Ron smiled at her. "So… couldn't help yourself. Found your way back here?"
"It's not like that!" Hermione said. "I just… I will be going back soon. I wanted to see…" She looked away from him, embarrassed, though Ron only smiled.
"You wouldn't be Hermione if you didn't come here while you waited. So, Rosie, what do you think of the place your mum will never surface from?"
"Oh, come on!" Hermione said, gripping his elbow and steering him towards the door. "If you're done, we can go."
Ron smirked and allowed Hermione to steer him from the office and down the corridor to the lifts. He felt so much relief knowing that in a few weeks, he would no longer be employed here. His eleven-year-old self would have balked at the idea of him ever giving up a position with the Aurors, but he wasn't eleven anymore. There were many things his eleven-year-old self would have hated about this life. But, at twenty-five, he'd done so much, achieved a lot already, and he felt content to give this one thing up.
Hermione didn't speak until they were outside in the fresh air, choosing not to head home straight from the Ministry. Muggle London was bustling for the middle of the week, people wrapped in coats and scarves in the still-cold late January weather.
Hermione stepped into a side street, and with Rose attached to her in the carrier, she managed to extract a tiny, thick coat for their daughter from her tiny bag at her waist.
Ron rarely noticed it these days, though he was always amazed at how she managed to think of everything.
He helped her put it on Rose, who didn't appreciate being disturbed, and then she pulled out a coat for each of them, too.
"Honestly having second thoughts about this whole being Rosie's main carer, you know," Ron said, shrugging on the coat and feeling instant warmth. Had she placed heating charms on it? "I'd probably forget the baby if it weren't for you."
Hermione smiled. "You'll be fine. So… it went well, then?"
They returned to the main straight and walked, everyone warm and snug.
"Really well," Ron said. "Two weeks. That's all I have left."
"And then what?" Hermione questioned.
Ron thought for a moment, a smile falling across his face. "And then… a new chapter of our lives begins."
If you follow my Instagram, you might have seen that November and December are busy months for me and I won't have much time to post much after this chapter for the rest of the year. That, however, doesn't mean I am in any way abandoning the story. Real life just needs to be prioritised. I'm a teacher and it's the busiest time of the school year in Australia as we are wrapping up. The year finishes on December 8 so things will settle down afterwards.
I expect one more chapter, maybe two, by the end of the year :)
That might be just in time for #100!