Chapter 3
When Harry and his dad arrive home, there’s an emerald envelope waiting on the doorstep. Well, it’s hovering at eye level right in front of the entry to be more specific. James reaches for it, but it floats toward Harry instead, urging him to open it. He summons a letter opener once they get inside and slices through the glue like butter.
Mr. Harry J. Potter,
We formally invite you to join the Department of Souls as:
KEEPER OF THE REGISTRY.
You have made quite an impression on our department, and we hope you will accept our offer. Below are the specifics of the position and attached is a contract if you wish to accept the position. All contents of this letter will be automatically returned to us upon your acceptance or denial.
This is a lifetime position with the possibility of promotion. Start date: 2nd August 1998
You will work in the Department of Souls at the British Ministry of Magic, Level 11. You will be able to enter Level 11 independently upon the completion of your training.
The starting salary will be 13,000 Galleons per year, or 64,090 GBP.
You will work 6 pm to 12am, Monday through Sunday, for 42 hours per week. You will receive 28 days of holiday leave each year.
We look forward to your response, and please contact us by owl at any time.
Sincerely,
The Department of Souls
Harry hands the letter to his father to look over along with the attached contract. He’s never been very good with legal jargon, but everything in the letter seems extremely fair. As he looks over James’ shoulder, he notices that all mentions of the Department’s name have been blacked out. How intriguing. As his dad looks it over, he sets off to search.
“Mum! You home?” He calls after checking the kitchen, sitting room, and his parents’ bedroom. He hears her faintly from outside. Must be in the garden or the workshop, then.
Outside, it’s bright and clear. He basks in the sun for a few moments before looking around for Lily. The workshop is dark, and the door locked, so he jogs toward the garden instead. There, he spots his mum’s red hair glinting in the sunlight from where she is weeding the petunias. He skids to a stop next to her, careful not to trample anything.
“Hey, mum. How’s the flowers?” He asks. They look wonderful, as always.
She looks up from her work with a bright grin. “Hello, darling! Oh, they’re doing well. Just needed a bit of weeding. No, no, stop trying to distract me—tell me all about your testing! How did the interview go? I know you were so nervous. And what was your top choice?” His mum has always had the habit of chattering for several minutes without waiting for an answer, so Harry waits patiently as she finishes her train of thought.
Finally, she stops for a breath, and he can chime in. “It’s a bit of a long story. I haven’t told Dad yet either…”
Lily furrows her brow, then stands up from her crouched position and says, “Let’s talk inside. I’ve got to cool down anyway, and I’ve some lemonade in the fridge.”
They meet James in the kitchen where he sits with the letter and contract at the worktable in the center of the room. He holds the papers out to Harry and nods his approval.
“Mum, dad...Er, I’m not supposed to tell you much, because the area I’ll be working in is like the Department of Mysteries. A lot of the work is very secret, so they aren’t a publicized department or anything...” He trails off at his parents’ furrowed brows. “Anyway, I went in for the test and they told me I aced it. Said I had one of the highest scores in history and I’d been approved to work in a special area. After that they took me to an interview and I was offered a position there, of course. So... I’ve just got to decide whether I want to accept it or not.”
His parents share a glance for what feels like ages, then burst into laughter.
“Oh darling,” his mum says, “of course this happens to you. With your track record and all, I’d have been surprised if you weren’t put in some strange job!”
James chimes in then. “Well, you’ll have to take it, Haz. The Ministry chose it for you, which means it must be something you’ll do great in. Plus, you’ve always enjoyed a bit of research when it comes to things like quidditch or charms, so who’s to say you won’t enjoy this?”
Why must his parents be so logical all the time?
He looks back down at the offer letter in his hand. What could go wrong? Besides, you know, having to work for a ministry that he doesn’t quite agree with on principle and being placed in a department so mysterious and secretive that 99% of the magical world isn’t aware of its existence.
Harry summons a quill and scribbles a response on the back of the letter quickly, along with his signature on the contract attached. Then, the Potters watch as the pile of papers disappears without a sound.