A Few Ideas
Two weeks passed away from the incident and everything at Hogwarts became almost normal again. Minnie's head and arm were quickly repaired and she was rewarded by her parents with a new wand. Her's had snapped in her tussle with Crawford.
The situation had made the front page of the Daily Prophet and The Daily Glass in America, with her mother's involvement mysteriously becoming anonymous. Minnie supposed her mother still didn't want her dirty laundry aired about Crawford. Her mother insisted to her one day as they made a private trip to Diagon Alley to get Minnie a new wand, that she wasn't a serious journalist anymore, so it didn't matter to her if she was a bit censored.
Crawford was arrested and the Dementors had been wrangled. The Auror Department conducted a very thorough investigation and a trial was set for the following January.
Minnie hadn't become used to the respect she seemed to be getting from everyone. No one seemed to be blaming her or Cas for the situation, instead everyone began congratulating them for solving who it was. Brenna had continued her tormenting remarks, but less and less students joined in her jeers.
Professor Hayward awarded Minnie with ten points during class for saving her life and another ten points for a well brewed Moly Tea.
Professor Flitwick and Madame Hickory each awarded her ten points for saving their individual lives.
Lulu couldn't award points, but she did give Minnie a large package of grapefruit wrapped in a ribbon.
"Imma noticed your favorite." Lulu laughed as she fixed her bright green ball cap, "I wish you was eatin' more protein, but if it your preferred food I'll get more."
The Headmistress awarded Minnie privately with ten points for Gryffindor for outstanding help during a crisis.
"You'd think they'd have given you more than ten points a piece." Alice commented after Minnie told her, Lysander and Cody about the points while they ate lunch.
"It all adds up in the end." Cody said as he stuffed down his pudding, "We're beating Hufflepuff now."
"Still not enough to beat Slytherin." Lysander said hoarsely, "Not that I don't think Cas deserves the seventy points your mum gave him for saving us and all."
They were interrupted by Hector and Jonah, dressed in full Quidditch gear.
"You ready for practice Longbottom?" Hector asked, his hands in his pockets. Jonah stood behind him, he had been recruited as a possible swing for the Gryffindor team. He'd proven his merit a smart bit more.
Alice stood up excitedly grabbing her broomstick, "As I'll ever be!"
"You all may need to untangle your Captain from the grips of Ravenclaw's chaser." Cody said with a disgusted tone. He nodded towards the Ravenclaw table where Josie and Lorcan had taken their tryst publicly. It was a bit of a disgusting display as Josie's red hair mixed with Lorcan's bright white strands.
Both Hector and Alice presented faces of horror at the idea. Lysander's nose was turned as he too drifted his gaze towards them.
"I'll um," Jonah began to volunteer, raising his large hand, "I'll get them apart I guess."
"Good." Hector reached on his toes to tap Jonah on the back, "You do that Reynolds. Come on Longbottom."
Alice kissed her sister's cheek, "Good luck today Min!"
"Thanks Lissy." Minnie replied, patting Alice's cheek.
Alice and Hector left towards the exit of the Great Hall while Jonah attempted to get Josie's attention.
Lysander still glared at Josie and Lorcan.
"I bet that was a shock Lysander." Cody ascertained with a bounce of his afro.
Lysander grimaced and Minnie couldn't help but notice an exhaustion in his eyes,
"It is his life I suppose." Lysander admitted with an admonishing smile, "He might encourage Josie's studies honestly. He's a bit of a nose to the grindstone about grades."
"She could use the help." Cody rolled his large eyes, "Maybe she can copy his essays instead?"
"Maybe." Lysander said, "I'm not a fan of the idea that it began as a way to spite Minnie or Alice."
Minnie shrugged, "It doesn't bother me."
"Good, but it bothers me." Lysander smirked, "If mum knew the backstory, she'd be kicked off."
"You don't plan to tell her?" Cody implored.
"Of course not." Lysander shook his head, "He's still my brother and I would prefer not to watch him have his blood drained by a Chupacabra."
Minnie laughed a little.
"Honestly, it just seems to be my luck this year." Lysander looked dolefully down at his plate.
"Oh man, you can't still be going on about-" Cody paused, his face turning red as his eyes drifted up to Minnie, "You know that girl?"
Minnie worried the girl was her.
"Well, I don't think I can ask her to the Gala." Lysander shook his head. "It's tomorrow, and I'm sure she has a date."
"Why?" Cody asked before fixing his hair, "She hasn't got a bloke does she?"
"No."
Minnie breathed a sigh of relief, it wasn't her, she had a bloke.
"Who then?" Minnie asked.
"Oh," Lysander said, his eyes dottily looking towards the ceiling, "Just some girl."
"Just some girl?" Cody chuckled, "That's a load of bollox. You've got it bad. Not to mention she was clinging to you during the whole experience with the Death Eaters."
Minnie continued eating her grapefruit. Alice hadn't mentioned anyone else being in their compartment on the train and Alice had exhausted the story to everyone. Maybe this girl was someone Alice didn't like. "What's the problem? Ask her."
"She's a bit younger than me is all." Lysander said before looking towards the door of the Great Hall where Jonah and Josie had run to catch up with Alice and Hector. "I don't think she'd ever see me as more than a friend."
Minnie came to a small realization as she watched Lysander's eyes linger on her sister. He had shifted his attentions to her sister.
"Ridiculous." Lysander shook his head and returned to eating his lunch.
Minnie didn't hate the idea, but agreed her sister was a bit young. She checked the time before gathering her things.
"You off to your career consultation?" Cody asked with a slight brightening of his expression, "Couldn't you have just done that around the dinner table?"
"Yeah." Minnie shrugged pulling a book to her chest, "But dad said it's healthy to do things like my classmates."
"He is the expert." Cody said
"My consultation wasn't so easy last year." Lysander rubbed his neck, "He was shocked I didn't know what I wanted. I know I don't want to do magizoology, like everyone else in my family. We discussed for nearly an hour, before I settled on becoming a Wandmaker. He's got me set up for an internship with Ollivander after I finish next year."
"He was pretty solid for mine, he's the first person to be supportive of my desire to become a playwright and actor. He said there's a company in Manchester, Merlin's Manchester Entertainment Company. Couldn't you see me?"
Cody stood upon his bench and whirled his cloak around, "Cobden George Jordan, one night only, performing his one man show."
"In your dreams Jordan!" Someone called from the Slytherin table making everyone laugh.
Minnie pat Cody's shoulder as he laughed along, "Maybe someday they will laugh with you."
"Do you know what you are going for career wise Minnie?" Cody asked looking into her eyes.
Minnie excitedly nodded, "Yes I do, but it's a surprise."
Minnie made her way to her dad's office. Minnie sat across from her dad, she was actually ready for this conversation. She'd always loved her dad's office. The ceiling was covered in stars, the walls covered in plants and a family portrait sitting on his desk. It was an old picture, from right after Alice was born.
Behind his desk, leaning against the wall was a silver sword with rubies encrusted in the handle. He rarely let the marvel be seen, so this was a special occasion.
"So Minnie, what are you thinking for your career trajectory?" Her dad asked as he leaned back in his chair. His face wasn't bruised or cut anymore.
Minnie sat a little straighter. Her heart beating erratically as she admitted aloud what had once been her greatest fear.
"Dad, I want to be an Auror."
"I think you'd be bloody good at it." Her dad smiled proudly as he warned, "It's a tough program though Min. Not to mention the OWLs you'd need to get."
"I can do it." Minnie responded sitting up taller.
"And it's not for everyone." He admitted, "I hated it."
"I'm not you dad." Minnie felt a smile grow on her face.
"Thankfully" He chuckled heartily, "Now don't tell your mother I said this, or anyone else, but you would have a small advantage considering your Godfather runs the Auror department."
Minnie smiled a little more, "I actually hadn't thought of that."
"He was very impressed by you. He already told me you'd be daft not to try for it." Her dad laughed, "And no daughter of mine is daft."
They ran over a few more particulars. It made Minnie excited to think of the adventures she could possibly have.
She left the office feeling a shockwave through her body, it was so rapidly exciting.
"So how did my beautiful girlfriend's career meeting go?" Cas asked as he met her in the hall outside her dad's office.
"Really good." Minnie admitted as she walked hand in hand with Cas.
"Good." Cas smiled and looked at their intertwined hands.
"How was yours?" Minnie asked nervously.
"Excellent, looks like I won't have too much difficulty." He reached and kissed her hand. "Considering I helped save your sister's life. Your mum's got a lot of pull over at the Prophet."
"Yeah, I mean maybe a little" Minnie giggled.
"So what would you like to do tonight?" He asked, "I know the Gala is tomorrow, but we have a free evening tonight."
Minnie smiled.
She knew exactly what she wanted to do with her evening and by extent, she knew what she wanted to do with her life.
"I have a few ideas." She said before kissing his cheek.
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-The End Of Book 1-