Resonance

Chapter 51 -- Uncertain Glory

Severus Snape completed the student record for the previous school year by filling in the last entry in long columns of classes, teachers and students in green, red, blue and brown in lieu of yellow inks. At the bottom of the last page were logged notable events of which there were surprisingly few, the first one being the passing of the headmaster, noted by McGonagall in factual language. The sizable square dusty book containing these entries had a thick leather binding that creaked from its infrequent use and only bound enough pages for the compilation of the last hundred years. The book flickered occasionally with the old spells applied to protect its utterly mundane contents. New spells had been put on twenty years ago: a locking spell and a content protection spell that had to be neutralized before writing in it.

Snape adjusted the soiled bandage on his palm, and turned the large stiff pages back to the previous year. McGonagall's hand was very different from his own, curlier and prone to flourishing beyond the small box supplied for each student's name down the left hand side. Horizontal, were coded entries for classes attended and grade given, or a code for a footnote of which there were several, such as Crabbe's line of daggers and the note that he withdrew for family reasons. The same note was repeated for Goyle. It is always the foolish who pay in the end, Snape thought idly, noting that Malfoy and Nott were in good stead throughout. Nott, Snape would have in his House one more year. He considered that if he remained the quiet outsider, Snape's job as Head of House would be easier. Sometimes though, Seventh Year created unexpected changes in students, drawing out leadership potential or the opposite--active disloyalty--where none had manifested before.

The notes section below the last name, Zerxes, Saris was a tidy list in McGonagall's competent hand.

Teachers and Aurors respelled the barrier to the Forest before classes resumed as Centaurs can no longer be relied upon to defend it.
Cancelled all Quidditch in the interest of safety.
Cancelled student Hogsmeade visits on 1 January for remainder of year.

Snape swallowed, gripped unwillingly by the memory of everything spiraling down into doom. He had begun to seriously question his faith in Dumbledore about the time McGonagall had made the Hogsmeade note. The old wizard's opaque plans and gentle assurances had grown maddening that winter. The Ministry's assistance had constituted little help as the Order, Ministry, and others worked at odds to each other. The constant strain of his own dual role had rendered him unable to do more than mindlessly follow the orders he had been given. His own single-minded priority of avoiding exposing his disloyalty to the Dark Lord had overridden larger thoughts about the usefulness of what they were all doing. Even as he had realized this, during the rare quiet moment, he could do nothing about it.

It wasn't nearly long enough ago. Perhaps after another year, the memory of the stress would not be so acute.

Student, H. Potter, abducted from grounds during Easter break. Recovered from Forest by Headmaster and Prof. Snape.

Bloody lucky that, Snape now realized. Very, very lucky that Goyle and Crabbe had been as stupid as they were. Had they forgone their own petty revenge and turned Harry over to the Dark Lord they would have been richly rewarded, and the Order would have lost its single most important, yet unacknowledged member. Snape had not known at the time how very close that had been to utter disaster. Although, perhaps, just perhaps, Harry could have managed, could have overcome Voldemort rather than the other way around.

Dwelling on that imagining, of an utterly desperate Harry as Voldemort's prisoner, was too much. He moved on to the next line and savored it joyfully.

Dark Wizard Voldemort broke spell barriers surrounding castle and entered with his followers only to be summarily dispatched by student, H. Potter.

Snape had replayed said moment in his mind countless times: the spells sizzling and flaring in all directions, the groans of the fallen Death Eaters, the shouted warnings, and most of all, Harry, wand aimed, his gaze full of the bright intensity of someone who has absolutely no thought of failure. Everything that Snape had endlessly derided as naiveté and weakness had in the end served as overwhelming power. Harry's shouted Killing Curse had held the high pitch of desperation, but it flared true. Snape now knew that desperation had not been born of fear but of a need to cast a spell that was not supposed to be possible, an Avada Kedavra containing no hate. Snape closed his eyes to better remember the wiry body falling in a halo of green light, skull-like face wide with shock.

Snape's mouth twitched. A moment joyful enough even for a Patronus, he thought as he closed the book and released the protective spell to lock in the contents.

Out in the back garden, Harry tired of going back and forth to an abandoned sheep shed on the edge of their village to practice his Apparition. He went up to sit on his bed, and played with parchment spells rather than writing to Penelope, who had not yet written back, although that may be because her owl had only left that morning. He lifted his head as the door knocker sounded from downstairs. Footsteps and then Snape's voice could be heard speaking to someone. When Harry heard, "Come in," he put his things aside and got up.

"Ms. Tonks is here, Harry."

Harry came fast down the steps and, with firm control, held his face from looking too hopeful.

Tonks, whose hair was bright green and very short, grinned, "Congratulations, Harry." Harry, ecstatic, jumped forward and hugged her. "Easy there, mate," she teased.

Flushing, Harry released her and accepted her outstretched hand vigorously. Her smile was going straight through him, or maybe it was the affection in her gaze that was making it hard to grip her hand.

Snape's voice interrupted them, his gaze watchful of Harry's reactions. "If you wish to make him truly happy, you will insist that he earned it."

"He did," Tonks insisted. "It was a good year to apply as well. Due to our . . . losses the last three years, we have the largest ever incoming class of apprentices . . . four."

"Did Vineet get in?" Harry asked.

"I am not supposed to give other results. There is an orientation meeting next Monday, you will meet your fellows at that time. I suspect you will be pleased with them." She winked, and smiled when Harry brightened more.

"Can I have a party to celebrate?" Harry asked his guardian.

"If you wish. Please keep it to fewer than twenty attendees, if you can at all manage."

"Tonks, can you come, uh, Saturday, tomorrow, I guess," he asked brightly, then felt awkward about being so blunt.

She smiled more. "Of course, I'd love to." She took her leave with another round of handshakes. Harry couldn't stop smiling and his face was actually starting to hurt from it.

After she departed, Harry turned to his guardian. "I got in," he said brightly.

Snape crossed his arms and stared down his nose at him. "Of course you did." He considered Harry a long moment from that pose. "I believe I am missing something here."

"What?" Harry asked, pouring on the innocence.

Snape's brow furrowed more, his stiff posture not easing. "You should go write out invitations."

"Oh, yeah." Harry turned to head upstairs, pulled to a stop by Snape saying, "Invitations to more appropriate companions."

Harry, hand on the railing, did not turn to look down at his guardian. "Yeah," he agreed dryly, before dashing upstairs, two steps at a time. At the top he said, a little flustered, "Maybe I'll go to the Burrow, tell everyone I was accepted."

"Be back by dinner."

Harry, now at the door to his room, replied, "Yes sir."

* * *

The next morning, Harry finally received a letter from Switzerland. He hesitated opening it since he had put everything out of his mind and didn't feel like picking it all up again so soon. The strange owl that had delivered her letter had not waited for a reply, so there was no hurry. Eventually, the unopened letter began to bother him, so he gave in and opened it. This letter was a little more conciliatory, he was grateful to see, but in three separate places Penelope expressed a wish that things could be different. Harry could certainly identify with that, but he still felt he had made the right decision. At the end she noted that she had started as an assistant at the archives in Montreux and was looking forward to working on bigger projects.

Harry collected a parchment and quill and, with afternoon tea spread beside him, composed a reply. Snape came in, collected a cup and wedge of shortbread, watched Harry a few moments, then departed in silence. In the letter Harry explained that he had been accepted to the apprenticeship, which was what he had always wanted. The act of writing that out hardened something in him, making him feel hungry almost, as well as impatient for his training to begin. He explained that he still felt a lot for her and should she need anything he could help with, to please ask, and to please keep corresponding as he would like to keep in touch. He reread the letter slowly before precisely folding it up and addressing it.

Snape stepped in and said. "Do you wish me to be absent for your party this evening?"

"No. Why?" Harry asked.

"In my experience, when one of your age holds a party, one does not want one's parent or parents around."

"I wasn't thinking it would be that exciting, especially since Headmistress McGonagall and Hagrid are coming."

Snape looked rather surprised. "Did you warn your friends that this was the case?"

"No, do you think I should have? Eh, they'll find out soon enough, and most of them are finished at Hogwarts anyway." Harry fidgeted with his pen and finally asked, "Can you try to be nice to Neville?" At Snape's questioning look, Harry explained. "He has this challenge to himself to walk up to you and talk to you about something not school-related."

"Has he ever done that?" Snape asked aloud. "I don't actually remember an instance."

"Give him a chance, maybe?"

* * *

"Nice place, Harry." Dean said as he came into the hall from the entryway. "Nice town; tons of history."

"Thanks," Harry said as he poured a butterbeer for someone. He sensed that the returning students were disappointed to find the teachers in their midst, but his older friends took it as an opportunity to flaunt their new freedom. McGonagall shook her head as she was regaled with yet another story of mischief that had gone undetected.

"Knock it off, Ron. Headmistress will think we are all miscreants," Ginny complained when her brother explained about yet another secret scheme.

"Don't worry, Ms. Weasley. I already believe that," McGonagall bent down to tell her.

"Congratulations, Harry," Neville stepped over to say. After they chatted about the examinations for the apprenticeship, Neville turned and stiffened when he found Snape right behind him.

"Good evening, Mr. Longbottom," Snape said.

"Uh," Neville managed. "Good evening, sir."

"'Ello Harry," Hagrid said from the entryway, where he was bent low to get inside.

"Hagrid!" Neville said and immediately escaped in that direction.

"Maybe not sneak up on him," Harry suggested.

"It is impossible to do otherwise with someone who does not notice what is happening around him." Snape moved off to join the other two teachers.

Harry topped off his own butterbeer from the metal pitcher sitting on the tea warmer and surveyed the room. Everyone seemed very happy; Harry marveled at how good he felt as well; he fairly tingled with anticipation. Tonks stood snacking at the other side of the table and gave him a wink. He smiled back in a restrained way, because he could see Snape eyeing him from Hagrid's shadow. Harry escaped by stepping over to Ginny and Ron, since he had not yet spoken with them.

"Thanks for inviting me, Harry," Ginny said, toasting him casually with her butterbeer glass.

Harry, honestly confused, said, "Why wouldn't I?"

Ginny smiled and shrugged, flushing around the ears. Ron lowered his brow. "You better not have designs on my sister," he said to Harry.

Harry pulled his head back from his friend. "Excuse me?"

"I don't mind if he does," Ginny commented slyly with a sloppy grin.

"And I thought this part of the room would be safer than the one by the teachers," Harry commented.

"Oh, it is," Ginny assured him with a wag of her eyebrows. "I heard you broke it off with Penelope," she said, very conversationally.

"Where did you hear that?" Harry asked, giving Ron a pointed look.

"Word gets around, Harry, especially word about you," she said. "In fact," she added, leaning in close, "I heard some great gossip about Lavender and this boy from Beauxbatons . . . "

"'Scuse me," Ron groaned. "I'll skip this." He headed off to where Hagrid and Neville were talking near the staircase.

Ginny chuckled and straightened. "Always works." Harry had to grin. She finished her butterbeer and, tapping the empty glass with her fingers, said, "You're looking good, Harry."

"I am?" he asked.

"Yes, you. You look like you are getting along with things. Wish I was. Can't stand the thought of another year of school." Using her want, she Fetched the butterbeer pitcher from the serving table and refilled both their glasses, then hovered it back a little more carefully.

"What would you do instead?" Harry asked, curious.

"Work for Fred and George. They need someone to do marketing who isn't a looney. They'd make even more money than they are now. I've almost convinced them; the last three ideas I gave them were the bomb."

"That's great, Ginny." He leaned in a little and checked that Ron was on the other side of the room. "Better than training security Trolls," Harry commented with a grin.

Ginny had to put her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing aloud. Between giggles, she said, "Did he tell you they have a new pair of Trolls coming in next month at Gringott's?" When Harry shook his head, she went on, "They don't work for long, you know. Make enough to live on back in the mountains for years in just a few months, so they leave. The new ones are Romanian, apparently, don't speak any English. Gringott's gave Ron a Romanian phrase book to work from, so he has been going around the house practicing, What color is this umbrella?" She laughed harder. "As if Trolls would know what an umbrella is." Laughing so hard she could barely speak, she hit him on the arm and said, "Turns out they're color blind."

Harry chuckled, then with effort made himself stop because he couldn't laugh too hard at his friend. Across the hall, Snape and McGonagall were glancing their way. Harry said, "You know, he gets good at training Trolls he'll be ordering us all around and we'll obey without thinking."

She sobered. "There is that. Hey, that would probably qualify him for Minister of Magic. Speaking of which . . ."

Luna Lovegood wandered over. "Are you talking about the vote?" she asked in her slow, dreamy way. "Do you think Fudge will be supported? I heard Madame Bones is considering challenging."

"I heard that too," Ginny said. "I like her."

"So do I," Harry added, thinking of his hearing, oh so long ago.

Ginny and Luna fell silent. Finally, Luna said, "Are you going to publicly support Madame Bones?"

Harry shrugged. "I wasn't planning to. Why do you ask?"

"Why?" Ginny echoed in disbelief. "I expect you'd swing the vote."

Harry asked doubtfully, "Really?" Luna nodded too, making Harry shake his head. "I'll have to think about that." He didn't feel at all like getting involved, even though he had no real love for Cornelius Fudge.

The hall fell silent. Harry glanced around to see why and found Winky hovering in a very large, round, scarlet-frosted cake covered in sparklers. The lamps went down on their own, leaving the cake alone to light the big room. Harry approached the drinks table as it settled there, bathing him in no-heat sparks. He glanced over at the side wall by the mirror, where Snape and McGonagall stood in a position as though interrupted from talking. Snape broke away and came over to the other side of the table where he picked up the broad cake knife and handed it across.

"Thanks," Harry said, accepting it. As their gazes remained locked, he thought of adding something like, for coming to get me, or just for everything, but there were too many others around. He finally looked down at the cake instead. Several people shuffled their feet as though somehow realizing that they were intruding by being there. A stack of small plates appeared at Harry's elbow and he began to cut and serve. Ginny stepped up for the first piece, took the plate and, on tiptoe, gave him a chummy one-armed hug and congratulations.

The party remained subdued as everybody ate and many went over for seconds, still leaving a very large section of the oversized, triple-layer cake. Harry moved to the windows as he forked a bite into his mouth. Ron, Ginny, and Hermione made space for him to join their close conversation.

"You almost brought us to tears there, Harry," Ginny commented, getting an elbow from Ron as though to shut up.

"What do you mean?" he asked, confused.

"Nothing, just kidding," she said. "Think I'll get another piece," she breathed and stepped away.

Harry looked between his two best friends. Ron straightened and said, "So . . . uh, you start on Monday."

Harry nodded. "I'm really looking forward to it. Learning really powerful spells and getting to use them. Learning everything because you have to know it to defend against it." He looked at Hermione, who was biting her lip. "How are you getting on?" he asked her.

"Good. I started on Thursday, but already I have a month worth of work. Mostly research, but I get to summarize findings . . . " She faded off and said, "Congratulations, Harry."

"You said that already," Harry observed, feeling out of touch.

"You deserve it though," she insisted quietly, then took a deep breath and glanced at Ron.

Ron bumped Harry on the arm. "Everyone's really glad you got what you wanted, you know."

The party quieted down after one in the morning and guests started to depart. Eventually, it was just his closer friends, sitting around the dining room table with a small fire in the hearth lighting the room along with a single candle. Neville sat sideways on the end staring into the flames, a hot cocoa cradled in his hands. When Luna had departed, she had given Neville a kiss on the cheek, which had embarrassed him into shyness, but now he looked serious and brooding. Harry shifted his chair around to the end to face the fire as well.

"Hey, Harry," Neville said, swigging his cocoa the way Hagrid would whiskey. "Not still trying to carry the weight of the world, are you?"

Harry scoffed. "I can't even carry one girlfriend."

"Oh, sorry 'bout that."

"It's all right," Harry insisted.

Neville turned back to the flames. "I still find myself surprised that Luna, well, likes me."

"You two are perfect together."

"Really? You think?" Neville asked brightly.

"Yes," Harry assured him. He felt a bit sorry for himself in comparison, and sighed into the flames.

Neville turned back to the flames as well, looking pensive. Conversation went on behind them between Ron, Ginny, and Hermione. Quietly, Neville said, "I heard some things recently."

Half a minute later, when Neville didn't elaborate, Harry asked, "About what?"

Neville turned and put his empty mug on the table, then fidgeted with his empty hands as he leaned forward over his legs toward the glow from the hearth. "About the prophecy," Neville finally explained. Harry shifted in his seat and Neville went on without looking up, "Did you know it could have been me?" He sounded vaguely horrified.

"Yes. But Dumbledore insisted it wasn't you." Harry paused, and Neville turned to him. "He said this scar was the mark from the prophecy. But . . . he seemed to think it could have been either of us before that point, that Voldemort chose unknowingly."

Neville was silent a long while before he said, sounding self-effacing, "Good thing it wasn't."

Behind them Ginny was telling a story about the Creevey brothers getting out of History of Magic for a week by convincing Madame Pomfrey's holiday replacement that they were allergic to ghosts.

Harry said, "You don't know what you can do until you have to. I remember hearing the prophecy the first time. I dearly wished it wasn't me, then I realized I couldn't wish it on anyone else, including you."

"You did all right, though," said Neville. "I wouldn't have. Imagine if it had been me, we'd all still have . . . Voldemort to deal with." His voice dropped at the name as though it still needed whispering. "You'd all have; I guess I'd be dead." He swallowed hard, turned back to look in his empty mug, then wrung his hands.

Harry insisted, "Neville. You don't know how things would have worked out. If the prophecy had gone the other way, you'd have had the power to destroy him. You could have done it."

Sadly, Neville said, "I'm glad it was you. Not that I would wish that on you . . . "

"It's all over with. Don't worry about it," Harry insisted. His eye was caught by something in the doorway. Winky had arrived with more cocoa, Snape behind her. Harry nudged Neville to get his mug out for a refill. Snape looked very serious as well in the firelight, his eyes taking in each person in the room separately. "What time is it?" Harry asked him, wondering if they were staying up far too late.

"It is 2:00, but it is no matter," Snape replied. "I was just . . . checking that everything was all right. I'm going to retire, in case you need anything."

"No. Good night, Severus," Harry said. Hermione and Ginny echoed this with 'Professor' instead. Neville seemed to have caught Snape's eye and they locked gazes before Neville looked away, back at the fire. Snape departed with a quiet swish of robe.

Long minutes later, Neville said, "I know he adopted you and all, but I don't think I could trust Professor Snape quite as much as you do."

"You mean . . . how could I trust someone who had once joined Voldemort?" Harry queried. When Neville nodded, Harry said, "Thinking about the prophecy has you rattled, Neville; he's all right, really."

"I know; I just . . . don't think I could. But he is very conscientious with you. Like a real dad; doesn't let you get away with anything." Harry laughed lightly and Neville went on more confidently. "I always wanted a dad; you're really lucky to have found one, former dark wizard or not."

Even more quietly, Harry said, "That pain never quite goes away, does it?"

Neville shook his head. "You still wish for your real dad?" he asked curiously.

Harry thought that over. "In a way. Maybe because I always have, not because I'm still missing him." The room felt colder, even this close to the fire. Harry had not thought about his parents in a long while and resisted dwelling on them now.

Behind them chairs were moving. "It's late and I have to get going," said Hermione. "I'm already out beyond my curfew." She touched Harry on the shoulder, said goodbye to everyone and Disapparated with a pop!

"Show off," Ron muttered. "We need to go too. Got any extra Floo powder?"

Harry took down the canister and after a round of goodbyes saw all his friends off. The house seemed very quiet as he made his way up to his room.

* * *

Harry arrived for his apprenticeship orientation with time to spare. When he was shown to the meeting room, he grinned to find Vineet already there. He shook the man's hand. "Congratulations," Harry said to him.

"I am surprised to find myself here," Vineet commented calmly.

"I'm not. What did you think of the personality test?" Harry asked.

Vineet shrugged faintly. "The written test caused me more difficulty."

Harry blinked at that. His attempt at coming up with a response was interrupted by the entrance of two other new apprentices. Rodgers followed behind with the two senior ones. "This is Kerry Ann Kalendula," he said, introducing one of the new admits. "And Aaron Wickem," he continued, indicating the dark-haired man who stood with a self-satisfied smirk on his face. "You all know Harry Potter, I assume, and this is Vineet A.K.A. Vishnu Abhayananda. You may have met the one year and two year apprentices in the program." He gestured behind him at the serious-faced pair flanking the door. "Munz and Blackpool."

The new apprentices took seats. Rodgers went on. "You will all be getting to know each other extremely well over the next months, so don't be shy. I have to collect one more person, or more specifically, I must rescue Ms. Tonks from a meeting with a Ministry administrator." He gave them a pained smile and departed.

The senior apprentices lounged near the wall, arms crossed. Their eyes gravitated toward Harry a bit more than to the other three. Kerry Ann broke the silence. She had very short, mousey brown hair that stuck up straight off her head a bit militaryish. "This is going to be fun," she said, glancing at Harry. "You as good as they say you are?"

Harry shrugged.

"I remember you from school," Aaron said. At Harry's look of question, he went on, "Kerry Ann and I finished in '93, she was a Ravenclaw, I was a Slytherin. Everyone regarded you with suspicion back then as I recall, though it seemed a bit much to pin on a Second Year and a small one at that."

"Yeah," Harry said remembering. "That Heir of Slytherin thing and the Basilisk."

A bit derisively, Aaron said, "Why would a Gryffindor be the Heir, anyway?" He laughed. "Speaking of Basilisks, what about that snake they had for the test?" Aaron went on, shifting topics. "Did you get past that one?" he asked stridently.

"What? Nagini?" Harry asked in amusement. "She was harmless."

"That snake has a name?" Aaron blurted in dismay. "It should be stuffed and put on display in the atrium."

"Why?" Kerry Ann asked, offended. "I thought it was cute," she teased him with a sly grin.

"I don't think I'd have said 'cute'," Harry commented. "What did you think of the snake, Vineet?"

"It was just a snake. Everyone calls me Vishnu, by the way," he said informationally.

Prodding at his calm, Harry said, "You were lucky they took her poison away. She attacked my best friend's dad once and he was in St. Mungo's for weeks because her poison kept the wounds from healing."

"That snake?" Kerry Ann asked. "How do you know?"

Harry grinned widely. "Nagini was Voldemort's pet snake," Harry said as though they all should have known that. They gaped at him in nearly comic horror, making him laugh. "Look at you," Harry scolded them teasingly. "She didn't kill your house-elf or nearly kill one of your friends, so what's the matter?"

"They locked me in a room with Voldemort's snake?" Aaron asked, appalled to the point of trembling.

"You are being lucky not to know ahead of time," Vineet commented. "She was just a snake, nevertheless."

Rodgers returned accompanied by Tonks. He glanced over them, then asked if anything was wrong. After explanations he shook his head. "We just wanted to use her to test your fear of snakes; telling you who she was would have complicated that. The only person who knew who she was, seemed pleased to see her . . . which was a little odd." He handed out several parchment booklets to each of them. "We are all a little curious what you two talked about, Harry."

Harry shrugged. "Old times. Her dental work." He winked at Tonks, who smiled back before falling serious again.

Aaron clutched his booklet until it crackled. "You talk to snakes? For real?" He looked to Rodgers uneasily. "Wouldn't that disqualify him from this program?" he asked their trainer.

Harry gave Aaron a dark look and Rodgers chuckled. "It hasn't so far," he replied in an easy tone. "We noticed that you didn't indicate it on your application."

"I left it off intentionally, sir," Harry said, flipping through the booklets he had been given. They were about the structure of the Ministry, with all the departments drawn on a big tree that ran sideways from one page to the next, followed by basic rules and policies. Another was an overview of the mission and schedule of the three years of the Auror's program.

Rodgers stepped back to the front by the chalkboard and went over their training schedule. They would do spell training every morning followed by physical training and studies of law, procedures and spells in the afternoon. This was four days a week for now with one or two days of field training, Friday and Saturday, when they reached the three-month mark. He then went over each of their strengths and weaknesses so that they all knew them. As expected, no one had any significant weakness. Aaron's was in theories of spells and potions. Vineet's in his steadfast disregard of danger and his weak spell power. Kerry Ann needed to work on blocking and physical training. Harry's was described as having a lack of emotional balance. He almost complained about that, by pointing out how much he had improved, before he thought better of it.

"As for strengths," Rodgers went on. "You all have a lot of them, or you wouldn't be here. Aaron has steadfastly followed this calling for five years without wavering in applying and improving, so I expect him to continue to work very hard, which is as critical a skill as any in a program as long and difficult as this one. Kerry Ann scored highest on the written test, tying the record high score. Her emotional balance is excellent. Vishnu has superior physical skills and excellent knowledge as well as an almost eerie psychic balance. Potter scored highest on the spell testing and second highest on the written test. We also know from life experience that he is determined to persevere under the worst of circumstances."

Aaron turned to Harry when Rodger's paused. "So on the application, you just wrote, Killed Voldemort in big letters and sent it in, right?"

"No," Harry replied levelly.

Rodgers sighed. "We are going to go over the reading assignments and give you a tour, take your measurements for your uniforms, and then send you home for the day to start studying."

After complicated measurements and small talk, Tonks stopped Harry in the corridor as he headed out. "I need to talk to you. Come into the office."

She sounded very serious, making Harry nervously consider what might be the problem; certainly his wink had not been that unwise. Her office was shared with another Auror who wasn't there. Harry borrowed the other desk's chair and sat facing her, hands clasped in his lap.

Tonks frowned and hesitated before beginning, making Harry bite his lip. "It's like this, Harry. . . " Harry was certain something bad was forthcoming. "Minister Fudge is insisting that your apprenticeship fees be waived."

Harry blinked at her, trying to adjust to what she was saying.

"You probably noticed you haven't been sent a bill yet," she went on. Harry hadn't, but he nodded anyway. "I know you have insisted all along that you be treated the same as everyone else, and believe me I understand that, although Minister Fudge doesn't. But nevertheless, I also understand the Minister's position." She paused to gauge Harry's reaction. Harry wasn't reacting much; he was thinking that an expensive apprenticeship fee was not something he could afford. Tonks plowed on, "Frankly, I think Fudge is afraid of what would happen if the Prophet found out we were making you pay. But I don't think you should pay. . . Harry?" she prompted him for a reaction.

"Uh, let me think about it," Harry hedged, feeling multiple kinds of relief.

She seemed disappointed with that response. "All right. But get back to me soon. I have to tell higher-ups what is happening with it."

Harry stood, feeling transfixed by his dilemma. "Can I go?" he finally asked. She waved him off, already sorting through the parchments on her desk.


Study was what Harry did that afternoon and evening. His trainer strongly suggested that everyone finish two chapters a night from the six books they were starting with. Harry began reading while taking copious notes as he went, then realized he was not going to have time. He read the chapters without taking notes, but with an extra effort at memorizing. He decided to sleep on what to do about his fees. It occurred to him now that he should have asked Tonks what the fees were, so he could better work out a plan.

Snape came into the library as Harry sat jotting down a few things from the more complicated chapter on spell theory. "They have you working hard already," he commented.

"Yep," Harry said. "It isn't supposed to let up, either, although we only have training four days a week right now."

Snape bent down and read over his shoulder for a minute. "Need help with anything?" he asked.

"Probably," Harry sighed. "But at the moment I am too overwhelmed to know what to ask." He shut the book and rubbed his eyes. "I hope I'm smart enough for this," he said, a little worried.

"You are, Harry," Snape said easily, resting his hand on Harry's back. "Give yourself time to adjust to a new kind of learning,"

Harry looked up at him and Snape raised a brow at his expression. Harry said, "I was just thinking how little you sound like yourself."

Snape stepped away, dropped onto the nearby leather lounger, and said, "It is summer holiday, Potter. I do not have to be Professor Snape right now."

Harry laughed at that, a bit harder than it probably deserved, but it felt good to do so.

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