Chapter One: Aftermath Things changed after Voldemort was killed. I finally felt like I had some time to do what I wanted for a change. Turns out that I’ve never had this much time to sit and think. I don’t know what to do. These past months fighting Voldemort and trying to find the Horcruxes with Hermione and Ron were tough, the toughest I’ve ever faced but at least I felt like I had a purpose. Now, now I have no idea what to do, becoming an Auror to protect the world seems a bit pointless with nothing to protect it from. Hermione wants to start at the ministry to change it from within. She’s already applied at the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Ron’s talking about quidditch and that seems like a good idea, shame I’ve lost my Firebolt. The repairing of Hogwarts and the funerals have been hard for us all. Fred’s funeral was bad, that was really hard for all of us. George hasn’t been the same since it happened, he broke down at the funeral and wouldn’t leave Fred’s grave until Mr Weasley dragged him away. Remus’ funeral wasn’t as hard as it could have been, not for me anyway, I know that he’s okay wherever he has gone. I made sure he was buried with Tonks, family should be together. We’re all at the Burrow now, Fred’s funeral has just finished and George is upstairs with Mr Weasley, he can’t be left alone right now. The loss of Fred has been toughest on him… Two weeks later and things are starting to get back to normal. I’ve still got no idea what I really want to do, but I need to do something and Kreacher has given me a good idea. He’s itching to go back to Grimmauld Place and it might be a good idea to try and make the place nice. It will be easier with Kreachers help, maybe I can convince him to help me get rid of that old portrait of Mrs Black… Walking out into the garden at the Burrow, stomach full of bacon, eggs, toast and cups of tea courtesy of Mrs Weasleys breakfast, Harry watches Ginny Weasley polishing her new broomstick wondering what’s going to happen when she goes back to school for her seventh year. “Hey Harry!” she said as Harry walks closer. “Just getting ready to go back to school on Monday. It’s going to be really weird now don’t you think?” “Yea, probably. No Snape, no Dumbledore, and with the Magical Repair Squad all over the place. They still haven’t finished fixing half of the classrooms that were destroyed in the battle yet. And you’re a NEWT student, think you’re ready?” asked Harry with a grin. “Oh don’t!” Ginny exclaimed “Any idea what you’re going to do now everything’s over?” “I’m not sure yet, I think I might take Kreachers advice and repair Grimmauld Place. Shouldn’t be too hard with his help.” Harry sat down on the grass pulling out some weeds. He wondered whether he and Ginny will survive a year apart now. They haven’t really progressed more than a few stolen kisses here and there over the past few weeks. With everyone in and out of the house, helping setup the funerals we’ve had and clearing up afterwards there just hasn’t been time. “That’s a g-“ began Ginny but was interrupted by an owl swooping past heading for the kitchen where Hermione sat finishing her breakfast with Ron who was on his thirds. “I wonder what that is..” They headed back towards the house together to see who the owl was for, neither of them expecting anything in the post. They were greeted on entering the kitchen by Hermione shrieking and running upstairs dropping a letter onto the kitchen floor and Harry’s feet. Ron hastily picked up the letter, scanned the page and said “Oh no!” Then quickly followed Hermione up the stairs leaving Harry and Ginny wondering what the hell was going on. Picking up the letter, Harry began to read; Miss Granger, Further to your application of employment at Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures within the Ministry of Magic I regret to inform you that we cannot accept an application from someone with no NEWT scores, whatever the reason. Please accept our sincerest apologies. Yours, Garmin Hopgar Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures Harry looked at Ginny and grimaced he hadn’t expected this. He was sure that she would just get an acceptance letter straight back asking her to start right away. None of them had even considered the idea that they might need their NEWTs to get a job outside of Hogwarts. They headed upstairs together to find Hermione and see if she was okay. He knew that she would take this kind of thing badly. They found her finally curled up in Ron’s room on his bed frantic with worry. “What am I going to do now? How am I going to make a difference if I can’t even get a job?!” She cried and began sobbing again. Ron wrapped his arm around her trying to console her, whispering in her ear, but none of it really seemed to be doing much good. All of a sudden Ginny smiled, walked over to Hermione and put her hands on Hermione’s knees. “Hermione.. Hermione listen to me.” She shook the older girl slightly trying to keep her focus. “It’s simple isn’t it?” When Hermione shook her head, Ginny smiled. “You can come back to Hogwarts with me! They’re holding a short 1 term NEWT year for those seventh years who missed all or part of last year.” “Really?” She asked, “How come I don’t know about this, it wasn’t in the Prophet at all.” “It was in my school letter, you need to apply right away. I’m sure McGonagall won’t mind.” Two hours later, Harry, Ron and Hermione armed with a letter for Professor McGonagall apparated into Hogsmead and headed up the now familiar lane to Hogwarts to hand deliver the letter directly.