Love and War

"Have a biscuit, Potter."

Harry smiled across the headmistress's desk at his former Head of House, taking the offered tin of shortbread that she always seemed to have on hand. It was quite the departure from the lemon drops he had forced himself to eat during his school years, and he found that he liked the traditional taste far better. "Thank you, professor," he replied.

Minerva McGonagall smiled back at her former student, whom she had always had a soft spot for, especially when her intuitions about his home life proved correct. "How is your injury doing, then?" she asked.

Harry sighed, rolling his shoulders, knowing that The Prophet had had a field day reporting about the spell damage he had sustained. He was no longer approved for the active field duty in the Auror Corps that he'd grown used to, but desk duty was another story. "It feels fine, which is likely due to the potions that Hermione makes for me," he reported, knowing better than to trust the shoddy department at St. Mungo's. "But my career is another matter entirely."

"Is it?" the woman asked, pouring them both cups of tea and banishing one of them across her desk and into Harry's vicinity.

"I would say that it is in shambles, and it is, in that my teenage dream of becoming an active Auror for the Wizarding World is completely over," Harry told her. "The desk duty is not fulfilling for me, and I feel as if I could be doing more, but Robards refuses. Ever since Ron left the department to assist George at the Wheezes... Well, while I understand his reasoning, I feel lonely and that, coupled with the aforementioned non-fulfillment, it isn't what I thought it would be, that's for sure."

Minerva pursed her lips, absolutely hating that Harry, after all he had done, was getting the short end of the stick. "Well, have you ever considered teaching?" she asked. "Your duty to the Wizarding World, plus your three years as an Auror, and that little group you had during your fifth-year, not to mention your impressive NEWTs scores, are more than enough."

Harry blinked, straightening in his chair. "What position?" he asked.

Minerva smiled. "Defense, of course. Professor Mulberry, while very good, has been offered a position as Deputy Head at Beauxbatons, which is something I encouraged him not to give up, given the financial nature of the position. He has been here since the Carrow siblings were ousted, and although, as I said, he is quite good at his position, and it would be a shame to lose him, not many people would turn down this new opportunity he has been given."

Harry swallowed a mouthful of tea, before helping himself to another biscuit. "Professor Mulberry is also Head of Gryffindor House," he said quietly.

Minerva nodded. "He is indeed. Wilmer served the post quite well, since he took it over from me, upon the occasion when he was offered the position after you, Mr. Weasley, and the former Miss Granger completed your studies here. However, I believe that you, too, would serve both positions quite well. Pomona is due for retirement, handing over the reins to Longbottom, while Filius has accepted none other than Percy Weasley as his apprentice. It is time for new blood within the halls of Hogwarts, Potter, and, I assure you, you are the best for the position. My praise does not come lightly, as I am sure you remember."

Harry smiled; he did remember. "How is Professor Snape?" he asked.

Minerva sighed. "But for mealtimes and his classes, we seldom see him out of the dungeons. I know that he takes his summertime for research purposes, and the Hogwarts Potions Grant gives him ample funding for doing so. However, he really should get out more, and Poppy and I are in agreement that inhaling all those potion fumes cannot be good for you."

Harry felt another smile threatening to pull at his lips at the Head of Slytherin House, and Deputy Headmaster's, stubbornness. "Have you told him this?" he asked.