Farewell to the North
Harry bounded down the familiar corridors of Hogwarts, hoping to meet less people if he avoided the main corridors. It worked most of the time. The few people he did pass looked at him as if he was barmy.
“Hello Professors!” Harry tried to reign in his wide grin to a pleasant smile as he greeted the other professors in the staff room. Most of them stayed after the war, feeling bound to the castle and the students because of everything that happened here. Or maybe despite everything that had happened. It wasn’t only the students that had suffered, after all. There were some new ones, of course. The Runes, Muggle studies and Defence positions had to be filled. The teachers greeted him back. His smile turned back into a grin when he turned to Minerva.
“Good afternoon, Headmistress.” His formal greeting stood in contrast to the wide grin he still had on his face and the way he was almost bouncing on his toes.
“Don’t get smart with me, lad.” Minerva said sternly, though people who knew her well could see the twinkle in her eyes. She was fighting hard to control her smile.
Harry acted as if he was hurt, one hand above his heart. “I am a lad no longer, Headmistress. I finished my education and am now a fully functioning member of society.” Harry pompously exclaimed. At that, Minerva couldn’t hold in her laughter anymore. It was good to see him joke so freely. Even three years after the war it was still present.
“You have good news then, I take it?” She asked as Harry sat down at the staff table as if this was a normal occurrence. By the faces of her newer colleagues most of them didn’t even know she was in frequent contact with Harry. Had she paid attention to them earlier, she would also have seen that they were surprised by her laughter. Like before the war, she still held the reputation of being a straight-laced, stern professor. Now her colleagues look as if they would very much like to question what Harry Potter was doing in their staff room. Or why he was at Hogwarts at all. He had been at Hogwarts occasionally after he finished his education, but the friends he still had in school graduated, so that explanation wasn’t feasible anymore. But they wouldn’t ask because he was Harry Potter, and he was obviously here with the Headmistress’ permission.
Harry settled into the seat, throwing the other professors a smile before he turned back to speak to Minerva.
“Yes, I have! We caught the second brother today.” Meant was the second Lestrange brother, Rabastan, of course. Both brothers had gotten away after the battle and the elder had been caught some weeks before. Minerva knew that, of course, she kept up with Harry in letters or sometimes for tea, if they both could manage it. The other professors had no idea what Harry was talking about. Some might have a vague idea that this was about his job, anybody who kept up with the papers knew that Harry was an Auror. Nothing further than that, though. The Auror department was very careful with the information they gave to the papers concerning the manhunt they had going on to bring in the last remaining death eaters. The Lestrange brothers were some of the more prominent Death eaters that had been still at large, hiding in different locations all over the country in the last three years. Minerva knew that the Lestrange brothers had been fighting tooth and nail when they were on the run together, and she didn’t imagine Rabastan would abate in his attempts to stay out of prison just because his brother was already caught. Harry had told her about the case he had been assigned and how it progressed. It wasn’t a happy tale to listen to, but Minerva listened, nevertheless.
“Bound and awaiting trial. He was wounded, but nothing deadly.” At that, Minerva got up to stand next to Harry. That meant there had been a fight, so Harry could have been hurt. He would of course have been right in the middle of the fight; she didn’t even need to ask. Without waiting for permission or any more information, she cast a diagnostic charm on Harry.
“Have you been to St. Mungo’s already? You can’t have, it is quite early yet. What have I told you?” She berated him, while checking for general damage to his person. He was still bad at taking care of himself in that regard, even if he had gotten better. With the help of Minerva and Hermione of course. Sometimes the elder witch wondered how Hermione had survived all these years invested so closely in Harry’s well-being. It was exhausting. And there wasn’t even a war going on anymore. Not that she hadn’t been worried about him before, when he had been her student, but it was different now that she was permitted to openly worry about him, without Albus making a scene or Harry himself.
“I’m fine, Minerva.” Harry assured her, guiding her to sit back down. “I already delivered Ron back home and ‘Mione checked both of us over. You know how she is. Nothing to worry about.”
“Good. At least one of you should have some sense.” Minerva said sternly.
“Yeah, yeah, I know. And it’s not me, although that shouldn’t be news to you.” Harry replied cheekily.
“Sadly, it isn’t.” Minerva sighed. Harry laughed.
“It won’t be a problem if I steal the Headmistress for a bit, will it?” Harry asked, his genial smiled turned to the other professors.
“Certainly, Mr. Potter.” Professor Flitwick answered. As he was currently her deputy, none of the other professors argued.
“Thanks, Professor!” Harry answered.
“Of course.” Flitwick grinned at Harry. “See that she doesn’t work too much, will you?”
Harry laughed. “I’ll try, Professor Flitwick. But you know how she is.”
“Don’t I ever.” Professor Flitwick muttered, but smiled still.
Harry turned back to Minerva, where she was still sitting in her chair. “Shall we, Miss McGonagall?” He asked solemnly, as he held out his arm. She could see the mischievous twinkling in his eyes.
“Miss McGonagall, really Harry?”, she asked with humour lacing her voice. Then her wry grin turned wistful. “I was married, you know?” It was a long time ago now, and she had kept her name through it all, but still.
“I am quite aware.” Harry didn’t move, his grin threatening to show. Minerva rolled her eyes inwardly. At least he hadn’t tried to speak in a Scottish accent again. That had been a trying day.
She took his offered arm and led him out of the staffroom and towards her office.
“It was good seeing you again, Professors.” Harry told the others in the staff room. Most were standing in the same places they had when Harry had arrived. Sometimes Minerva wondered if he was aware of the impression he had on other people. Most of the time, Minerva was glad that Harry had only inherited a fraction of his father’s mischievousness. Merlin knew what she would do otherwise.
Minerva and Harry made the familiar trek to her quarters talking about Minerva’s job, mostly. New students, old rivalries, and the constant struggle to get anything new approved by the board of governors. It wasn’t really anything important, but it was nice to catch up with the routine bits of each other’s lives as well, not only the highs and lows.
The small talk on the way through the castle was a ritual of sorts too, and a type of safety net. Both of them knew that the war was over, but the walls still had ears and it was still safer not to have anything important about yourself floating around. Hogwarts might be safest for that, but both Harry and Minerva hadn’t survived the last war by being careless. Or the last two wars, in Minerva’s case.
As they came up to the door to Minerva’s quarters and she had been updated about Teddy’s progress with speaking and running and jumping – Harry could never stop talking about his little godson, he was proud of every last accomplishment and had to share everything. It wasn’t a heavy burden to bear for Minerva, Harry lit up talking about Teddy and Teddy was very cute.
Opening the portrait of her chambers with the password, Minerva went in, closely followed by Harry.
“Sit down, I’ll make tea.” Minerva called over her shoulder as she made her way into the small kitchen, only to find Harry already lounging in his favourite armchair. She smiled to herself while she prepared the tea – the muggle way; some things just stay with you for your entire life.
As she came back, she handed Harry his tea and sat down in her own armchair, she got to asking about the point of Harry’s visit today.
“So what news are you so desperate to share with me that you didn’t even wait for the weekend?” Minerva smiled. Not that it mattered that it wasn’t weekend yet, it was the last week of summer holiday, and the students weren’t back at Hogwarts yet. But Harry worked usually during the week and their normal teatime was on Saturday. Not that Harry didn’t work on the weekend too, but it was easier to keep to the weekends in deference to her normal schedule.
“I quit.” Harry said.
Minerva put down her cup with an audible click. “You what?”
“I quit.” Harry repeated. “The aurors I mean.”
“I know what you mean, Harry.” Minerva hadn’t quite recovered from the shock, but that didn’t mean she was deaf. Or stupid. “Why?”, she inquired, and corrected herself quickly. “Why now?”
“Why are you surprised?” Harry countered. “You always knew that I didn’t want to work as an auror permanently. And I said I’d only stay as long as there were still death eaters running free. The Lestranges were the last ones. I’m finished.”
“I know that, Harry,” Minerva sighed, “but that doesn’t mean that others will. Are you prepared to deal with the consequences and the whole media circus?”
“Won’t be less ridiculous in a couple years, you know that.” Harry answered.
“True.” Minerva replied, taking a sip of her tea again. “Have you got a plan already for a statement or some such when the news break?”
“No.” Harry said. “Well, ‘Mione helped me put something together a couple of months ago, just in case, you know. Figured I could use that. Still appropriate. I think Hermione still has the original text lying around somewhere.”
“Of course she does. Always prepared for everything, Miss Granger.” Minerva sighed. It was good to have such friends. Although she wasn’t sure if friends was enough of a description for the three of them anymore. Or if it ever was.
“Yeah. She’s good like that.” Harry said.
They sat in silence for a while, both of them sipping tea and lost in thought.
“I won’t insult ye by asking if you’re sure, so I’ll ask instead what you want to do instead.” Minerva sighed after a while.
“I want to do a mastery.” Harry stated. He hesitated and Minerva nodded for him to go on. “And I wanted to ask your opinion and maybe if you could recommend anybody in particular.” He hesitated again. “And maybe, if you could write me a letter of introduction. But only if you want to and if you think I’m good enough!” He assured her, although he still seemed unsure of himself.
“Well, I certainly do what I can. But you have to know that I don’t know too many Masters who take apprentices in Britain.” Minerva began.
“Doesn’t have to be Britain.” Harry interrupted her, earning himself a raised eyebrow.
“Good. Other than that, I know a few defence Masters you could send you applications to. And others I could recommend, although I don’t know them personally.”
“Oh, I don’t want to do a mastery in Defence.” Harry said. “I want to do a Mastery in transfiguration. That’s why I came and asked you. Although I probably would have come to you either way.”
“You want to do a mastery in transfiguration.” Minerva wasn’t sure what the emotion was she was feeling right now. Most of all bafflement, if that could be classified as an emotion.
“Yes.” Harry had put his cup away and squared his shoulders, as if to prepare for a fight. Minerva consciously relaxed, taking a deep breath and releasing it again.
“Alright.” Minerva went through all transfiguration Masters in her acquaintance quickly, adjusting her expectations. “What do you think about Italy?” It would be far away, but getting international portkeys or even an international floo connection shouldn’t be a problem for Harry. If he had to be a child soldier, he could very well get the perks of his fame too. And Minerva knew how important it was for Harry to be there while Teddy grew up.
“Thank you, Minerva.”, Harry smiled, “I think Italy sounds great.”
-
When she later became two letters, one from Harry, gushing about his apprenticeship despite the hard work, she knew that she has made the right decision. It was maybe not usual, to send Harry away to Italy, especially in his situation – meaning his fame and his rather abrupt leaving of the aurors, but it worked.
When she read another letter, from Lorena, she knew she had done well. She was not gushing about her apprentice – Lorena was as disinclined to flattery and overly emotional outburst as she herself was – but she seemed to appreciate having Harry as her student.