Life and Love After Voldemort

It seemed odd to see a group of people wearing formal dress robes and gowns in the Hog's Head pub, but Harry's last-minute suggestion of the off-beat location for the post-dinner activity appeared to be a success. Aberforth had told Harry that if they didn't mind a couple of regular patrons and goats sleeping in the corner, the place was all theirs for the night. The stilted atmosphere that had permeated the feast in the Great Hall was nowhere to be found, which suited the students and the Cannons just fine as they downed tankards of butterbeer and firewhiskey while Hagrid, Slughorn and special guest Peeves led the throng in song. Harry and Ginny were singing and swallowing with the best of them, only to have Bagman barge in and insist on talking to Harry about "very important matters." Harry had overheard one of the important matters from Chudley's Left Chaser Chucky Farkas, who had been crying into his butterbeer about his bad luck.

"...Bloody owners with their bloody casinos and their bloody hotels, and they cry poor because of the bloody war and slash my bloody paycheck and everyone else's who ain't done three full bloody years in the league with a bloody salary cap..."

Harry had no idea about this -- I had a little more to worry about recently than Quidditch salary caps - and was grateful for the heads-up as he prepared for another pitch from Bagman. "I'll be back soon," Harry promised as Ginny gave him a sympathetic smile.

"It's time to talk business, m'boy," Bagman proclaimed as he led Harry towards an isolated part of the pub. "You made catching the Snitch look like child's play today, and the Cannons need a man like that if we're going to shock the wizarding world and bring home the title for the first time since 1892. What do I have to do to put you in a Cannons uniform today? I can whip up a contract that makes you the highest-paid man in the wizarding world in five years! Or are you worried that I can't deliver that?"

Harry shook his head. "No, that's not my worry; thanks to your wife, I'm not concerned that you can't deliver the Galleons, at least by my fourth season courtesy of your new salary cap!" Bagman shifted uncomfortably as Harry continued. "I just have to decide if I want to commit myself to a pro Quidditch career when I have so many other options."

"Harry, I'm sorry that my desire to get you at whatever price you named leaked to the press since postwar league rules now prohibit that. It is true that I can only offer you the top rookie salary slot for the next 3 years. But my boy! Think of what you can accomplish! Defeating Voldemort was one thing, but winning the Quidditch championship with the Chudley Cannons will show that you can really do the impossible!"

Harry couldn't help but chuckle at that one. He was already on the verge of losing it each time Ludo pointed at his gigantic head for emphasis every time he said 'think'.

"Think about your dear friend Ronald. I'm giving you a chance to work side by side with him again and help him achieve his greatest dream. Think about that, my boy. I can have a press conference called the instant you say yes, and this would be a glorious setting for it."

Harry paused. "I still have to 'think' about it," gesturing at his own cranium.

"Come now! There's nothing to think about, m'boy!"

"Actually, there's still the matter of... Say, Minister Shacklebolt has arrived! I just remembered something I need to ask him, so let's stroll over and you two can get re-acquainted! Er, Ludo?" Bagman's grin was now halfway across the room, accompanied by beads of sweat on his brow. Old habits die hard, Harry joked to himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Congratulations, Harry! You and your Miss Weasley looked magnificent today!" said Kingsley, who had apparently come with Madam Rosmerta.

"Thanks, Minister!" Harry replied.

"Cheers, Harry," bellowed Rosmerta over the din. She looked eager to let her hair down in a pub for once rather than be the one keeping an eye on the rowdies. "I'm glad I took the night off for this. No point in missing out on all the fun in town tonight, eh? I'll let you two talk while I grab some drinks; it's what I do best," she cackled and headed towards the bar.

Harry was pleased to see Kingsley, and found himself brimming with curiosity as to the happenings at the Ministry after halting his training there for two weeks while preparing for the exhibition match. "Could you tell me what sort of things you've been working on, Minister?"

"A little of this, a little of that," said Kingsley. "Nothing that you'd be too interested in."

"Are you sure? I want to keep myself up to date with Ministry activities now that I'm a part of it."

Kingsley rubbed his chin and tried to pull a worthy anecdote from his head. "Well, since you asked, there was something that concerned you in a roundabout way... I spent all day working with DOMLEE (Department Of Magical Law Enforcement) and the Grand Goblin Guild on some progressive legislation. Your friend Miss Granger brought to our attention myriad issues involving ownership of Goblin-crafted items. She used the Sword of Gryffindor and your dubious deal with Griphook as an example in her debriefing."

Kingsley noticed the smile on Harry's face. "Don't forget that the Ministry has its eyes on her, Mr. Potter. You'd better use the full scope of your recruiting duties to close the deal if you know what's good for you! At one point during her debriefing, I was wondering who was really running the procedure, and that takes some doing!"

"Trust me, Minister," Harry assured him. "She's chomping at the bit to be a 'Shacklebolt Supporter,' so don't give it another thought."

"Good. Her idea that all wizarding world products including Goblin-made items should be sold either 1) with free and clear title to full ownership and transfer rights or 2) under a 'life-rental' agreement is a truly innovative legal solution to this thorny problem. Under the latter agreement, buyers would affirm that the item purchased will cease to be their property after their demise, with ownership reverting back to the item's maker. Simply having that option in the marketplace will undercut any claim from the manufacturers of their implied ownership of the wares after the original purchaser dies if a life-rental was not agreed to in writing and magical bond. We hope that a change in the mindset of some goblins will occur and help dissolve many of the grudges held against wizarding families and institutions who have goblin-made heirlooms that have been passed through generations. My task along with DOMLEE has been to work with the Grand Goblin Guild to craft the regulations governing the new agreements. We intend to work with the Guild to police rogue operations that will try to sell Goblin-made goods while seeking to escape statutory compliance by refusing to market their items to the public under the new guidelines."

Harry made a mental note not to ask Kingsley what he's been up at the Ministry to unless he really, REALLY wanted to know.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As if on cue, Ginny waved at Harry to rejoin her. Harry excused himself from Kingsley, grabbed two tankards of butterbeer from the bar and returned to Ginny's side.

"What did he have to say?" Ginny inquired.

"Kingsley says you played great and then talked about goblins and stuff."

"No, what did that lout Bagman say?"

"Well, he said something about making me the 'highest paid man in the wizarding world' and so forth. What can I say; I'm irresistible!"

"Oh please!" Ginny rolled her eyes. "So... you told him 'yes,' right? I know I would have, even to play for Chudley. I was against it at first since Bagman cheated my brothers, but he seems harmless now and I couldn't really say no to getting paid for playing Chaser for a living! So how much did you make him cough up?" Ginny leaned forward expectantly.

"Hold on, honey. I'm almost definitely going to say yes, but for one thing, I wanted to discuss it with you beforehand. With all the free relationship advice I've been doling out, I wasn't about to agree to anything without consulting you first."

"Smart boy!" Ginny kidded. "So... how much did you make him cough up?"

"Well, the new rookie salary cap means I'm not going to get rich quick off of this deal, but I think I'll be able to pay the bills and buy my girl something pretty now and again. I'll also send Ron and Hermione a bill for services rendered as Healer Harry to make up the difference." He squeezed Ginny's hand and scanned the room for two specific people. "Speaking of my clients, where are they?"

"They ducked out of the Great Hall when the banquet was breaking up," Ginny recalled. "I've been trying hard not to think about it. I had Hermione promise to use her enchanted Galleon to signal me if she needs us in case things go wrong." Ginny put her head against Harry's shoulder, and Harry stroked it gently.

It's out of your hands, Potter, Harry thought as knots formed in his stomach. It's up to them.