Mourning Dawn (A Prelude to The Wand of Elder)

"That was a setup!" thought Harry furiously as the door to the castle banged shut behind him. He stuffed the piece of official looking parchment deep into his pocket. "A bloody setup!"

His face a storm cloud, he walked rapidly down the steps of the school in search of Ron and Hermione. Over an hour before, when Ron and Hermione departed the Headmistress' Study and left Harry to the wolves (as he now viewed it), he thought he had heard Hermione mention something to Ron about sitting by the lake to relax for a little while. Harry's angry stride took him in that direction.

He couldn't believe it! His head was swimming. Just when he had thought his life was free of trouble and that he could finally choose his own destiny, it was chosen for him again!

"I'm a 'Auror Junior Thingy,' now, am I?!" thought Harry, the late afternoon sunlight dazzling his eyes. "What a load of ..."

"Harry! We're over here!" shouted a young woman's voice.

Harry was startled to see that his purposeful gait had already carried him to the edge of the lake. He looked towards the sound of the woman's voice. He saw Hermione and Ron set up near the old tree by the lake, not too far from where Harry had sat in the morning...all those ages ago.

It was amazing how much a person's life could change in forty-eight hours.

Hermione was sitting on the ground with her legs stretched out in front of her, primly crossed at the ankles, and with her feet towards the water. She was leaning back against the old tree, and Ron was laying on his back perpendicular to her, his head pillowed in her lap. He had a short thin branch from the old tree in his hands, and he was busy picking the early summer leaves from it one by one. His tiredness by this point was palpable. Hermione was distractedly running her fingers through Ron's hair with one hand, and waving to Harry with the other.

Harry walked towards them. He felt his fury devolving into a strong streak of sulkiness as he approached.

"Hey, Mate," said Ron, tossing the tortured branch into the lake as Harry sat down beside them.

Hermione watched Harry eagerly, a grin on her face. "So? What happened?"

Harry made a noncommittal grunt and shrugged his shoulders.

"Come off it!" said Ron, laughing. "What did they say after they kicked us out? Did they make you Minister of Magic, yet?"

At one point in time, Ron would have been jealous at Harry's accomplishment. Now, however, all Harry could hear was a profound note of humorous pride in Ron's voice. It was almost too much for Harry to stand.

" I'm a 'Junior Auror in Training!'" spat Harry bitterly.

"Well, that's wonderful news, isn't it?" said Hermione, clapping her hands.

Harry shrugged again, feeling suddenly exhausted.

"Well, your happy about it, aren't you?" asked Hermione uncertainly, concern edging her voice. "You always talked about being an Auror. And this makes you...what... the youngest Auror in history?"

Harry dug into the earth and pulled a small pebble from the soil. "I'd like to talk about being just myself for a little while." He heaved the pebble into the lake. "Besides, I'm not an Auror, Hermione. I'm a 'Junior Auror in Training.'"

"I've never heard of that," said Ron, a yawn taking his voice away for a moment. "I thought they just had Auror Trainees and full Aurors."

"That's because Kingsley just made it up," sighed Harry.

Harry pulled the official parchment from his pocket. He tossed it to Ron, who caught it and flattened it out as best he could after all of Harry's angry crinkling. Ron held it up high so that he and Hermione could read it at the same time.

"This looks very official for something that Kingsley just whipped up," said Hermione thoughtfully. "Look! It even has the seal of the Wizengamot on it."

"That's because it was a set up, Hermione," said Harry, shaking his head angrily. "Kingsley knew what he was going to do before he ever got to Hogwarts today. As soon as Griphook left the Ministry, Kingsley had this 'new program' created. Then he rammed it through what is left of the Wizengamot before anyone could protest."

Ron let out a low whistle. "Well, that sounds about like a Minister of Magic."

"That's the problem," said Harry bitterly. "That whole place is a nest of scheming bas..."

"Shame on you Harry!" chastised Hermione, aghast that Harry was taking such a bitter view of such a great event. "Kingsley is your friend. How many times has he saved your life?"

"Not to mention my father and brother work there!" said Ron angrily.

"I know, I know," said Harry defensively, feeling apologetic. "I didn't mean it. It's just that every Minister of Magic seems to think it's a grand idea to make me some kind of poster boy." Harry sulkily threw another pebble into the lake. "I'm just mad that Kingsley actually hooked me. Kingsley's alright, don't get me wrong, but I don't like being on display like a trophy."

Ron snorted and Harry scowled at him. Ron scowled back.

As Harry caught his friend's exhausted blue eyes, a sense of guilt made him look away. Here was Harry, angry at receiving an honor. It was a heavy responsibility, too, it was true. Nevertheless, it was an honor that had never been bestowed on any wizard of his age.

But Ron's brother was dead, and Ron's family was enmeshed in sorrows, and Ron's sister, for whom Harry professed such deep affection, was distraught to a level that Harry had never seen. And Harry had only thought of himself all day.

He would have to get by to see Mr. and Mrs. Weasley directly and pay his respects. He would have to find Ginny and lend her his shoulder if she needed it.

"Look, Ron," began Harry contritely, "you know how I feel about your mum and dad - your whole family, really. They're like my own family. I'd never say something like that about your father or brothers intentionally. I'm really sorry."

"Yeah, well..." said Ron grumpily, but he looked mollified. "What does 'Junior Auror in Training' mean, anyway?"

"I think it means that Harry will be coming back to school," said Hermione, her nose still in the parchment.

Harry wondered if Hermione had just read his mind. "Yeah, it does. How'd you know that?"

"It says so right here in your commission," replied Hermione matter-of-factly. "It says that you are installed in office as an Auror of the most junior grade immediately, to be made an Auror of rank upon completion of your education and a special course of comprehensive Auror training to begin in September. You know, Harry, this is really extraordinary!"

"I know. But it's just a way to make me a ministry employee until I get through with school. That way the goblins can't start a fight for at least a year." Harry was surprised to have to explain this since Hermione had been sitting right there during that part of the meeting.

"I don't think you do understand, Harry," said Hermione shaking her head. "This says that you are already an 'Auror of the most Junior Grade.'"

"So," said Ron with a sleepy smile, his eyelids drooping. "I knew you'd come back to school, Mate." He yawned mightily. "M'glad about that."

Hermione exhaled exasperatedly as she usually did when having to explain things to them. "This is a Commission as an actual Auror! This does not say that you are an Auror Trainee, it says that you are already an Auror. You are just of a low rank. I think the only thing that is different between this and a normal Auror's Commission is that this acknowledges that you still have to complete school and your training."

"So? What? Does that mean that I can't flunk out of the training program or something?" asked Harry.

"I think that is exactly what it means!" said Hermione, looking pleased at Harry's cognizance. "I think it also means that you don't have to pass all of your N.E.W.T.s, though I'm sure that you will if you applied yourself. It means that your training and education are more of a formality than anything else. I bet you that Auror Trainees will even have to follow your orders and everything."

"I don't think so," said Harry morosely, shaking his head. "Kingsley said that I will begin training during the school year. He said that it will be three nights a week and both weekend nights on three weekends out of every month. He said that I will be trained with the Auror Trainees. I'm sure the Trainees are just going to love the fact that I have a commission and can't fail the training. I'm sure they'll be tickled." An image floated into Harry's mind of being intensively hazed by several jealous wizards and witches.

Hermione looked puzzled. "Why would they care, Harry? Everyone knows what you have done. They'll be thrilled to have you."

Harry smiled. Hermione was brilliant, but she could be thick about some things. Harry was certain that the Auror Training Program would be a lot like a competitive sport. Having played Quidditch, Harry could imagine the locker room mentality that would prevail. The Trainees were not going to like someone that walked in with so much special treatment.

"Maybe you're right," said Harry reassuringly, not wanting to argue the point. Hermione beamed at him.

They sat for several long minutes in silence, watching the late afternoon sky as it progressed towards twilight. Ron's eyelids drooped closed as Hermione continued to stroke his head in a motherly fashion.

Ron mumbled sleepily, "What'd you think of Didact?"

"Oh! That's an interesting story, too," replied Harry.

Hermione made a shushing gesture. Harry got the distinct impression that she was trying to get Ron to fall asleep. Her plan was temporarily derailed as Ron's eyes popped open.

"How so?" asked Ron.

Hermione rolled her eyes in obvious frustration. Harry gave her an apologetic shrug. "Well, remember what Kingsley said about his 'cause,' and how Didact was not sympathetic to it?"

Hermione and Ron nodded.

"Kingsley told me a little about his 'cause.' It turns out that Kingsley has some kind of plan to eliminate people like Didact from the Ministry. He wants to make it 'compassionate' and institute a 'culture of public service' and eliminate 'careerism.'"

"That sounds worthwhile," said Hermione softly.

"Anything that gets rid of gits like Didact is a good thing," agreed Ron dazedly. "You know, we saw his little weirdo of a nephew wandering into the woods just after we came down. I'd hate to see that kid end up working in the ministry. You know what he called me when he brought us up to the meeting? He said I was ..."

"Ron," scolded Hermione, amused. "He is just a little boy, for heaven's sake. You can't honestly be upset that he thought you were 'as disordered as a free House Elf.'"

Harry and Hermione chuckled as Ron's ear turned red.

"That didn't bother me at all!" huffed Ron. "After knowing Dobby, I take that as a compliment. Just the same, I don't want his or his uncle's kind in the Ministry." Ron paused as another yawn cracked his jaws. "Or any sadistic nightmares like Umbridge."

"Umbridge," said Harry, his smile disappearing. "At least I don't have to worry about running into her during training. One of the first things Kingsley did as Minister was sack everyone involved in oppression of Muggleborns."

Ron made an appreciative grunt.

Hermione also nodded in grim satisfaction. "Excellent! You know, I'm very hopeful about all of this. I mean, you're in the Ministry, Harry! You can work to change things directly now."

"We'll see," said Harry noncommittally. He tossed another pebble and the Trio sank into another silence. Ron's eyes drooped closed again.

Harry had liked what Kingsley had said, but he still felt ill-used. He didn't like the choreography of the meeting today. It was all too well planned for his comfort.

He didn't mind the commission. Even though he wasn't prepared to admit it, he was quite proud of it. Harry remembered warmly the way that Professor McGonagall had beamed at Harry when Kingsley had presented the commission.

But even so, Harry would have liked them to have talked about it with him first before drawing the thing up. He did not like the way his path had, yet again, been foreordained for him. Even though he trusted those who had planned this course of action, and even though he had accepted it as the only option given the circumstances, Harry knew that he would be jealous of his independence from now on.

He was going to do this. He was going to be an Auror and a Ministry official.

But he was going to do this his way.

Harry heard a soft snore coming from the vicinity of Hermione's lap, and glanced over at the new couple. Harry suddenly felt that he was intruding.

Hermione was gazing down at Ron, stroking his hair. He slept now, open mouthed, his head in her lap. Her face was a mixture of concern and relief. The tenderness of her touch upon his hair, and the light of unrestrained affection in her eyes, made Harry feel as if he was interrupting a very personal and private scene.

Harry quietly stood to leave, and Hermione looked up at him. Hermione smiled, but she did not ask him to stay.

"Is he going to be alright?" asked Harry in a barely audible whisper, feeling suddenly concerned for his exhausted best mate.

Hermione waved Harry closer so that she could whisper very low. He knelt down next to her and watched Ron's chest rise an fall in the regular deep breaths of slumber.

"He's barely slept," whispered Hermione. "He won't talk about his brother. He's trying to be there for everyone else, but he won't let on that he's even upset." She smiled down at Ron warmly. "He won't let me leave his side, though. Not even for a minute."

There had been a time that Ron would have sought Harry out for such support. A time when Ron would have needed Harry's comforting presence in such tragedy. Harry reckoned that such time had passed.

Hermione would be Ron's comfort now. There was a new closeness between his two friends that did not involve Harry. A couple of years ago, such a shift would have bothered him. Now it seemed like it...fit.

Harry leaned down and gave Hermione a brotherly kiss on the top of her head. "Are you comfortable? How long will you stay here like this?"

Still gazing down at Ron and stroking his hair, Hermione airily replied, "Oh, I'll stay as long as he sleeps."

Seeing Hermione and Ron together made Harry happy but he also felt the sting of loneliness. He thought back to his first waking moments that day, and the feel of Ginny in his arms. Harry decided to go pay his respects to the Weasleys immediately.

He straightened up and dug the invisibility cloak from his robes. He placed it on the ground beside Hermione, and whispered, "In case you get cold."

Hermione smiled gratefully, and Harry departed as quietly as he could.

As he made his way down the twilit path, the burgeoning night rose around the castle grounds like a drawn cloak. Warm light bloomed in the castle windows like newborn stars in the void.

Before darkness and distance swallowed them, Harry glanced back at his friends. He saw Hermione's silhouette raise her fingertips lightly to her lips, and then touch her hand gently to the sleeping face cradled in her lap.