I Saw My Lady Weep

Chapter 21: They Say Life Carries On And On And On...

HERMIONE JANE GRANGER

Order of Merlin, First Class

Hermione Granger, Friend and Advisor to Harry Potter during his long war against He Who Must Not Be Named, was one of the founders of the student resistance movement at Hogwarts during the last year of You-Know-Who's reign of terror. Miss Granger is widely recognized as the brightest witch of her generation Hogwarts has ever produced. She is the first Muggle-Born ever to be recognized with a Chocolate Frog Card.

"So, I'm merely your friend and advisor, Harry?" Hermione asked sardonically. "I feel so marginalized." She couldn't help the grin that had crept onto her face.

"I didn't write the stupid thing, Hermione," Harry said in response. The recognition still made him feel slightly uncomfortable.

Ginny brought out one last card. "If you really want your head to spin, try this one." She passed the card to Hermione, who read out loud:

NEVILLE ALLEN LONGBOTTOM

Order of Merlin, First Class

Neville Longbottom, one of Harry Potter's chief lieutenants during the Hogwarts insurrection against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, was one of the primary leaders of student forces at the Battle of Hogwarts. He remains one of only three people (other than Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter) to single-handedly duel You-Know-Who and survive, and, along with his close friend Harry Potter, is one of the only two people to have borne the Sword of Godric Gryffindor in combat in the last three hundred years. Mister Longbottom is a recognized Herbology expert.

Ron shook his head, still grinning from ear to ear. "They make it sound so much cooler than it was in real life. Don't they know that it was mostly just terror and no time to think?"

"Of course they don't, dear... that's the point," Molly answered. "People need heroes so they can remember the good that comes from such bad times." She sighed, deeply. "I suppose I'll just have to get used to having so many heroes in the family."

"So says the holder of an Order of Merlin," her husband chided her gently. There was a sound from the door as someone knocked on it lightly. "I'll get that." Arthur rose and left the kitchen.

"Tut... that's not what I meant and he knows it." Molly scowled. "I'm proud of all my children, and proud of what they've done. I don't need medals and Frog-cards to see how special they are. I've known you were all special since the moment you were born. Well, not you, Harry, but I'm sure you know what I mean."

"I do... thank you," Harry chuckled.

"Yes, but it does raise the question. Everyone in the Weasley family received an Order of Merlin of one class or another. I know Harry had something to do with it, but I can't think of how he pulled it off." Hermione got up and began clearing dishes into the sink.

"He asked me." Kingsley Shacklebolt appeared at the kitchen doorway. "May I join you?" he asked, gesturing toward the table.

"Certainly, Minister... certainly!" Molly rushed to clear him a space.

"Kingsley, Molly. Kingsley. We've known each other too long for all this 'Minister' folderol... especially when it's in your own house," Shacklebolt smiled. "I wanted to speak to Harry, and figured that it's been a while since we all visited anyway, so I'm killing two birds with one stone. Hello, Harry!"

"Minister."

"It's Kingsley to you too, Harry." Shacklebolt studied Harry for a moment. "Sweet Merlin, Harry... You look like some creature rushed up and shat in your porridge. What's wrong?" As his only response, Harry handed over a copy of his Chocolate Frog Card, causing Shacklebolt to chuckle gleefully.

"Get used to it, young man. Celebrity is what you make of it."

"Minister... Sorry, Kingsley... What do you mean, he asked you?" Hermione wasn't quite sure she heard correctly earlier.

"Just so... He originally wanted everyone who fought at the Battle of Hogwarts to receive one, or else he'd refuse his. There's no way I'd not have given one to Harry, so I negotiated. He finally presented me with a list of twenty or so names of people he insisted receive a medal. Every member of the Weasley family was on the list." Shacklebolt sat back, as if that explained everything.

"I did notice..." Harry said with an element of bitterness in his voice, "... that not everyone on that list got an award."

"Snape?" Hermione asked. When Harry nodded, she continued. "Not surprising, really, given everything. But there's always a chance that it could happen later on."

"Now, now..." Molly interrupted. "I'm sure Kingsley hasn't come all the way from London to talk about medals and Chocolate Frog Cards."

"Indeed... I actually came to speak to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, specifically about their plans for the future. Other than nuptials, I mean... I saw the article in Witch Weekly; my executive secretary is an avid reader, you see."

"The day after tomorrow, Ron and I are leaving to retrieve my parents from Australia, and then two weeks after we've got start of term at Hogwarts!" Hermione relayed enthusiastically. "We've all been given a chance to take our Seventh Year and get our N.E.W.T.S. out of the way."

Harry didn't say anything, but gave Ginny's hand a squeeze under the table. She looked at him and smiled thinly. Thinking back to what Ginny said about Ron, Harry searched his best mate's face and saw... something deep and troubling. Ron's face was as blank as Ron could ever make it... but Harry could tell from long association that he was hiding something that was bothering him.

Kingsley was nodding. He, Molly, and Arthur... not to mention Hermione, who tended to always be unobservant when the subject of learning and education came up... were all unaware of the emotional turmoil going on around them.

"And what about the long term?" The Minister of Magic asked. "What do you plan on doing after school?"

Again, Hermione spoke first. "I was thinking about going into the law, to be frank. It was actual Rufus Scrimgeour's idea... at first I told him I wasn't interested, but now... I've been reconsidering."

Again, Kingsley nodded. "And Harry and Ronald? I've been told by Headmistress McGonagall that both of you spoke previously about your wish to perhaps someday become Aurors. Is this true?"

Harry sat up in his seat. "Yeah, it's true. I've wanted to become an Auror ever since Professor Moody... well, the false Professor Moody... Barty Crouch Junior, in fact... told me that I had the makings of being a good one."

Shacklebolt laughed at that. "Wait... Are you really telling me that a Death Eater, disguised as your Defense Against The Dark Arts Professor, set you on the path to perhaps becoming an Auror?"

"Well, yeah," Harry chuckled. "You see... while it was true that he was a murderous lunatic, he actually taught us quite a bit about Defense. I learned a lot of what I needed to know later on about defending myself and resisting curses from him. So yeah, he was a good teacher. Up until the point that he tried to kill me, of course. He told me I'd make a good Auror. He said the same thing about Ron."

"I see... well... I can't say I disagree." Shacklebolt picked at one of his thumbnails for a moment. "Harry... the problem is, the war nearly depleted our force of Aurors, and some of the ones who remain I cannot honestly trust fully. I need some new blood in the system, and some new eyes on the problem. That's where you, and Ronald, for that matter, come in." The Minister took a deep breath. "What if I could guarantee you a position with the Aurors straight off? I'd ask that you undertake some training to fill in the gaps with what you already know, but I don't think you'd need the full two year training course. Would you be willing to join me at the Ministry as an Auror?"

"Absolutely!" Harry said. "How about you, Ron?"

All eyes turned to Ron, who had suddenly become very quiet and withdrawn. He was trying to avoid looking Harry in the eyes. "I... I don't know anymore. I've been thinking about a lot of things that have happened over the last several years. And about things that are going on right now. And I'm not sure I want to be an Auror anymore."

"Ron?" Harry sounded... if it was possible... both betrayed and supportive.

"Harry, we've effectively been working as unpaid Aurors for the last seven years. Since that time with Quirrell and the Stone. I have nightmares about things a child never should have been a part of. And I have nightmares about dying alone in some ruddy dungeon by myself, leaving Hermione and... and... our children... all alone." Ron blushed, and then sniffed and wiped at his nose with his sleeve. "I don't know... maybe, eventually, later on I might change my mind. But for right now... I think I want to hang around and help George get back on his feet. Work in the shop some and see what happens. I think I want peace and quiet for a while."

Hermione took his hand in both of hers and held it close to her. "I can think of nothing I'd like to do more than be the wife of a shop-keeper."

"I think it's a good prospect. Its honest labor, and ever since Harry sold me his share in the business, it's not like I'll just be drawing a clerk's salary," Ron said defensively.

"Its fine, Ron. Really." Hermione leaned over and kissed him.

"Yeah, but Hermione..." It was obvious that this was what he had been dreading "... I don't think I'll be going back to Hogwarts after all. Wait!" Ron held up a hand, forestalling Hermione's reaction. She had opened her mouth, but shut it just as quickly. "I'm not going to need my N. E. W. T. S. if I'm just going to be a shop-keeper, Hermione, and my N. E. W. T. S. were the only thing drawing me back to Hogwarts. Otherwise... it's just a continual reminder of the war for me." Ron shrugged. "I'm sorry if I let you down."

Hermione kissed him again. "I'm a little disappointed, but I understand. So it will just be Ginny, Harry, and I at school this year. You can still visit on weekends, I'm sure, and I'll write. We'll work it out."

"Actually, Harry..." Kingsley sounded hesitant. "What I was thinking about was having you start as an Auror in lieu of finishing your schooling. In my opinion, your life experience more than makes up for the lack of N.E.W.T.S.; in fact, I can't think of anyone more qualified that you three for immediate deployment as Aurors, except perhaps Neville Longbottom and he's already turned me down. If I can only get one of you, I'll take it. So... what do you think?" He grinned, and then added, "I'll even toss in the Apparation licenses you three have forgotten you're suppose to acquire before Apparating all over England."

Harry looked at Ginny for a long while before answering. "Kingsley, I'd be less than honest if I didn't admit to questioning the wisdom of my going back to Hogwarts. If you want to take me on without my N.E.W.T.S., I'll give it a go." He turned to Hermione. "Sorry about that," he said, sheepishly.

"I feel the same way as Ron does," Ginny exclaimed out of nowhere. "I can't go back. I'm sorry, it's just too painful."

"Ginevra Molly Weasley! What kind of talk is that? Of course, you're going back to Hogwarts!" Molly Weasley was shocked and angered. "I'll not hear of..."

"Mum, you can't make me go back if I don't want to. I'm of age now, and I... CAN'T... go back there! That's final." Ginny was on the verge of tears.

"THAT'S CERTAINLY NOT FINAL! I WON'T HEAR OF..."

Harry stood up, pulled Ginny from her chair, and whispered in her ear. She nodded, crying, and ran out the kitchen door.

"YOU COME BACK HERE, YOUNG LADY! WE AREN'T..."

"Mrs. Weasley," Harry said, fruitlessly. "Mrs. Weasley, listen to me..."

"I SAID COME BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!" Molly moved to follow Ginny and Harry was immediately in her way, keeping her from leaving the kitchen.

"Mrs. Weasley, I cannot have you screaming at Ginny like this." Harry put the same steel into his voice that he used during his last encounter with Voldemort. The hard edge was immediately recognized by everyone in the room. Suddenly, it was like the kitchen had been plunged into winter.

"I'll talk to Ginny any way I please! She's my daughter! Now..." Molly began to push past Harry, but again he got into her way.

"You can talk to your daughter any way you please, but I will thank you not to yell and scream at my fiancé," Harry said with finality. "I understand your concerns and your fears and your anger, but she's not a child and I demand you respect that."

"You... You what? You..." Molly was almost apoplectic. She took several deep breaths, as if about to start yelling again. Arthur stepped up behind her and put a hand on Molly's shoulder. She jumped as if startled, but never took her eyes from Harry's.

Arthur's face displayed concern and resolve to Harry. He looked Harry in the eye, and his look told Harry that while he was sympathetic to Harry's point, he was also supporting his wife, as a husband should. It was also clear that he knew Harry was effectively doing the same exact thing with Ginny. "Harry, I think you should go. Come back tomorrow evening. I'm sure everything will be sorted out by then."

Harry took a deep breath, calming himself. "Yes, I think that's for the best. Ron, Hermione, Kingsley, I'll talk to you all later." He looked Molly Weasley in the eye. "Molly, thank you for dinner. I'm sorry things got so heated."

He stepped into the parlor where Ginny was waiting for him. She had a hastily packed back in her hands, along with a box that looked surprisingly like his trunk, but miniaturized. "Ginny," he said with some honest concern, "I don't think..."

"I'm not staying here tonight, Harry. I left a note. It's either your house or the Leaky Cauldron, I don't care, but I am not staying here." She looked up to see her father standing in the kitchen doorway. Her mother, from the sound of it, was clanking around the kitchen.

Harry looked at Arthur, who somehow looked far older than his actual age. The man stared at his daughter for a long while, but then nodded to her. Arthur sighed, and in the sigh looked like a man who just realized he had lost something precious.

"Daddy... I love you..." Ginny said softly. "I'm sorry."

Arthur nodded again. His eyes were wet. "Just... go, Ginny."

"Just go." And with that, he turned and re-entered the kitchen.