The Headmaster's Office

The Headmaster's Office.

Chapter 2: "May all misfortunes be forgot and never brought to mind"

----------------------Flashback

"What do you mean you're leaving Hogwarts?"

"I mean just that, Harry." Ginny was angrily shuffling through her books, slamming a stack of papers on her desk. "I'm not working here anymore. I've taught for five years and I've had my fill."

"Have you honestly given this thought though?" Harry was leaning over the desk, facing his wife as she tore about their study, stray hair hanging down over her face.

Ginny rounded on him angrily. "Of course I have!" she snapped angrily. "I've been thinking of it since I found out Albus was on the way! I'm supposed to be a mother right now Harry, not a teacher. I've already talked to McGonagall and she's got a few people lined up to take over in the fall."

Harry gaped at her. "You told McGonagall before you told me?"

"YES!" Ginny yelled at him. "I told her two months ago but was waiting to tell you because I knew you'd be a stick in the mud! Honestly, what happened to being spontaneous! I remember you were all about that once upon a time."

"Once upon a time was when we were seventeen!" Harry shouted back. "When I wasn't a working man with a career. When I didn't have to plan the future aside from killing Voldemort. Before I was a father!"

"And you're just as good at that as yours was," Ginny sneered at him.

"What?" Harry demanded darkly. Straying into Harry's parents was always an untouchable territory and Ginny knew it.

"I'm saying you're never home!" Ginny threw her hands up in the air. "You're too wrapped up in teaching Defense to students! We're not in a war anymore! They don't need to be ready to fight Voldemort like we did!"

"I'm as home as much as you!" Harry shouted back, his eyes flashing. "I've been there as much as a working man can be! I'm doing everything I can to be a good father to my children and you know it!" He slammed a hand down on the desk stepping away and sighing, trying to calm himself. "I'm trying my best, Gin. I'm sorry I may not be there as much as you'd prefer, but some things just aren't possible."

"Well I'm not doing it anymore," Ginny said flatly. "I'm leaving the Charms position and going to stay at home with the boys."

Harry ran a hand through his hair, feeling exhausted. "You realize with you not working I'm going to be the only source of income." Ginny huffed. "I might have to work overtime as well, McGonagall wants to make me head of Gryffindor."

Ginny turned to him sharply. "Excuses always? You're turning into your parents and Sirius, Harry. Making excuses as to why you can't be in your children's lives."

"I am not making excuses!" Harry yelled. "Sirius was in Azkaban, if you remember, and my parents were dead! It's not like they could have done anything!"

Ginny said nothing, instead giving him a sour look and storming from the room. Harry groaned in frustration, stomping from the study. A sudden noise made him turn. A three year old James was was hiding in the shadows by the half open door, tears rolling down his face as he looked up at Harry fearfully. Harry's anger immediately vanished to be replaced by guilt. Sighing, he crouched down, holding his arms out to his son.

"I'm sorry James," he said softly as the boy sniffed loudly. "Mommy and I sometimes don't see things the same way. It's all right. You did nothing wrong."

James sniffed again before running into Harry arms, crying softly as his father held him.

--------------------------

"C'mon Dad! I wanna stay up until midnight!"

Harry grinned down at the pouting boy. "Now James, you know it's already way past your bedtime," Harry scolded gently as the boy scowled up at him. "It's late and you need your rest for the new year tomorrow."

"But I'm not tired," James protested, trying to prop himself up on his elbows.

"Tell you what," Harry said, sitting back and looking at James seriously. "If I come back in half an hour and you're still awake, you can stay up. Sound fair?" James nodded enthusiastically, grinning. "Alright, but I'm turning the lights out."

"I'll be awake! You'll see!" the eight year old called to his father. Harry, keeping the door open a sliver, peeked in just in time to see James yawn before snuggling down and staring determinedly at the ceiling, muttering "won't go to sleep" under his breath.

Chuckling softly to himself, Harry quietly walked back down the stairs, expecting that in half an hour James would be fast asleep and dreaming. At the bottom of the stairs, the soft murmur of voices in the kitchen drifted over to him. Smiling, he looked in, leaning on the door frame and watching the occupants.

Ron, George, Ginny, and Andromeda were all sitting at the scrub kitchen table, watching as Hermione and Mottle argued by the sink. Ron was nursing a cup of coffee and George was wearing a festive Happy New Year hat which Ginny was poking occasionally. Andromeda was seated in one of the chairs, watching things with crinkled eyes and a warm smile. Hermione was standing with her hands on the kitchen sink behind her while Mottle stood importantly on her stool (used typically for washing dishes).

"But you do so much work for Harry," Hermione was saying, apparently back on her old subject of S.P.E.W. yet again, just like fourth year. She had been extremely angry with Harry when he and Ginny had decided to get a house elf but had quieted some when Harry had explained Mottle's relation to Dobby and that Harry had offered to pay her handsomely.

"Mottle doesn't want paying, Mrs. Weasley!" Mottle said firmly, her little fists defiantly propped on her hips. "Mottle is almost thinking she should be paying Harry Potter because he is so good to her!" Needless to say Mottle had refused all forms of payment what so ever when Harry had offered and made he and Ginny gourmet meals for a week to prove her devotion.

"But Dobby-"

"Mottle is perfectly aware of what her cousin twice removed on her mother's side was wanting and did!" Mottle cut Hermione off. "Mottle is wanting none of that! Besides, Harry Potter has told Mottle to speak her mind completely even if it might be offensive." She nodded her head, as if proving a point. "That is all the freedom Mottle is ever wanting."

"Remind me to hit him for that," Ginny said, grinning.

"Harry Potter is the best Master Mottle could have asked for," Mottle said, fondly. "Even if he doesn't always listen to Mottle and doesn't finish his vegetables."

"That's not true," Harry said from the doorway, grinning in amusement as their heads turned to him, "I eat my vegetables." Smiling, he took a seat opposite George, who grinned at him, hat bobbing slightly. Mottle gave him a pointed look, her hands still firmly on her hips. "Well, most of the time."

Ron and Ginny laughed, while George smiled and Hermione fought a grin.

"I still don't see why you don't set her free, Harry," Hermione said, continuing her tirade.

"Are you kidding me?" Harry said, incredulous. "She'd poison me if I so much as tossed her a sock!"

"Unless it is for washing, Harry Potter sir," Mottle said, nodding in agreement with Harry's statement. Ron snorted into his coffee cup as Mottle wandered from the room, quietly reminding Harry to tell her if he needed anything.

"So who do you think is going to be the new Potions fill in?" George said, as if continuing a topic they had already been on for a while.

Hermione frowned. They had gotten to talking over the topic after Christmas dinner, though Harry had only relayed the information McGonagall had given him to Hermione, who had fortunately kept mum. "I dunno, though I still think it's a shame about Slughorn."

"To be honest, I'd say it's about time he retired," Andromeda commented, sipping a cup of tea. "He's already retired once. I was surprised when he stayed on after the war."

"As was I," Harry said, nodding. "Well, if the new professor is anything like Edmund we're in luck."

"You mean Professor Kipton?" George said, getting up and pouring himself a cup of coffee.

Harry nodded and Hermione pushed herself from the sink to sit down next to Ron. "He's quite talented, I'll agree," she said as Ron habitually draped his arm over her shoulders. "Still, I wish we didn't have to shift mid year." She sighed. "It's such an impact on the students."

"Are you kidding?" Ron said, looking at his wife in amusement. "They'll be delighted! Makes the school year more interesting. Besides, it's fresh meat technically."

"I swear, in ten years you're still as mature as a seventeen year old boy," Hermione said, shoving him playfully.

"Honestly though," Ron continued, ignoring Hermione's comment. "How do those kids do it? They must be bored out of their minds. When we were in school we always had something to do."

"You mean constantly risking our necks to fight dark wizards?" Harry clarified, raising an eyebrow.

"When you put it like that is sounds so negative," Ron said, waving a hand. "Calling it constructive character building adventures makes it sound much less dangerous and foreboding."

"It's when you say stuff like that that your lack of normal childhood becomes apparent," Ginny said, glancing at her brother. Everyone laughed at this.

"You'd be surprised, Ron," Harry said, folding his arms as he grinned at his best friend. "They may not be battling dark wizards but I can certainly see why the Marauders were able to make as much mischief as they did." Hermione nodded, knowing where Harry was going. "Those kids honestly have more time on their hands that they ought. I swear, most of them seem to be taking after the Weasley twin legacy." Harry nodded to George, who smiled softly and sipped his coffee.

"Oh come on, they can't be that bad," Ginny said skeptically.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Consider yourself lucky you left when you did, Ginny," she said, leaning forward in her seat. "The lot we put up with. I haven't seen that much trouble since Lockhart set those Cornish Pixies loose in the classroom."

"I'd almost forgotten about that!" Ron said, grinning widely at the memory. "Tricky little blighters, them pixies were."

"I swear, I've never seen a more havoc obsessed lot than those fifth years," Harry said, stretching his arms out over the table. "You know, one of the Ravenclaw boys made something to rival those fireworks you set off in our fifth year, George." George raised an eyebrow.

"Did he now? What's it do?"

"Size of a lemon drop," Harry described. "Just prod the thing and it blows up like a grenade. Covers anything within distance in bright rainbow soot and makes a show like LSD would if put into explosives."

George laughed while Hermione sighed, obviously recalling when one of the things had gone off in the entrance hall. Enid, the new caretaker, had nearly dragged out Filch's old torturing devices on the lot of the fifth years, muttering to his hound about 'wretched abominations to society' before Hermione had calmed him down.

"I'd love to be in school again," Ron said wistfully, looking up at the ceiling in one of his memory moments.

Everyone was silent at this, Ginny swirling the dregs of her coffee in her cup, George staring at the table, Hermione watching Ron as Andromeda seemed to look into nothing. The moment broke quickly however, as Ginny straightened up and glanced at the clock on the wall.

"I should be getting home," she said, standing from her chair and taking the cup to the sink absently. "It's getting late and Christopher will be waiting."

Sighing, Harry dragged himself up and stood. "I'll show you to the door," he mumbled, distractedly walking to the doorway.

"I can get there myself," Ginny remarked, though following him none the less. "I did used to live here, you know."

"It's called being a polite host," Harry replied, grinning slightly to himself as he kept walking to the door, keeping his voice down as they passed the stairway. He'd have to check on James in a moment, just to make sure the trickster hadn't actually stayed up. "I've been practicing manners."

"Mottle would be proud," Ginny said jokingly from behind him. As they came to the door, Harry watched absently as Ginny pulled on her cloak, mind back upstairs with his children as they slumbered.

"So when are you going to tell me what's got you bothered?"

Harry was jolted from his musings as he quickly turned to look at Ginny. "What?"

Ginny sighed, giving him one of her looks. "Something's got you bothered and you're letting it play merry-go-round in your head till you snap." She raised an eyebrow. "I know you well enough by now. What is it."

Harry frowned. "It's nothing Ginny. I'll drop the boys and Lily off tomorrow before I head back to Hogwarts." He made to open the door but Ginny swiftly put a hand to it, keeping it firmly shut.

"When are you going to move on?" she said, quietly but demandingly, eyeing him seriously. "It's been four years. I've moved on, why haven't you?" Harry finally met her eyes and glared. "When are you going to date someone and stop moping about?"

"I have not be moping," Harry snapped, frowning. "In case you hadn't noticed, I've been working these past four years, hard, at a steady job." Ginny rolled her eyes. "And," Harry continued as if he hadn't seen her gesture. "Every moment I have free I've been spending with the children. I may not seem them as much as I like, but I still want to be a part of their lives as much as I can."

"But what about you?" Ginny pressed, leaning towards him slightly. "When are you going to get on with yourself." She huffed. "It's all good and well that you want to be with your children, but you're lonely." Harry scowled at the door. "Stop denying it. When will you get back on your feet and find someone nice to settle with?"

Harry bit back his retort. He knew it wasn't something she would enjoy hearing. That he didn't want to find someone else. That he was tired of being disappointed. That he had stopped searching because there was just nothing left that he wanted. So, instead of being honest, Harry decided to use a distraction. "McGonagall is trying to find a replacement," he said softly, still scowling at the door.

"Yes, I heard about that at Christmas but-"

"She wants it to be me," Harry cut her off, glancing up at her. Ginny's mouth had fallen open, a look of complete and utter shock written over her face. "She wants me to become headmaster next fall. She's cleared it with the governors and asked me at Christmas." Harry sighed, watching as Ginny's face remained frozen while her eyes betrayed the flashing of thought inside her head.

She swallowed, quickly moving from her shock. "Please don't tell me you were an idiot and said no." She frowned suddenly, watching Harry's face closely. "Harry James Potter, if you denied that opportunity you are by far the stupidest man I've ever met."

Her voice had risen slightly as her face stained with pink in her temper and Harry anxiously waved his hands, trying to shush her, face slightly panicked. "Shush!" he said, glancing back down the hallway. "I didn't tell her no!" Ginny's face began to lose the pink tint and her scowl became less pronounced. "I told her I'd think about it a bit and then give her my answer."

Ginny's scowl was back, full force. "If you say no, so help me, I will skin you alive if Mottle doesn't do it first," she growled at him. "This is one of the best offers you're going to have!"

Harry ran a hand distractedly through his hair, sighing. "I know, I know, it's just," he sighed again and looked back at Ginny. "I like teaching." She huffed and crossed her arms. "And I don't know how much time this is going to take away from what I spend with the kids." Ginny's features softened, but only slightly. "I don't want to disappear from their lives."

Ginny sighed. "Look," she said. "Things haven't always been easy between us and with them. But I know they think the world of you." She smiled slightly. "I'm positive they would understand if you had more duties to school. They'd still love you just as much."

Harry scowled. "I don't want to have them understand!" he snapped. "That's not something a child should have to do!" He rubbed a hand over his face. "It's why I told McGonagall I needed time to think," he said tiredly. "I need to consider everything before I make this choice. It's a change that I want to be completely prepared for."

Ginny scowled and reached for the door. "Fine," she said, wrenching the door opened and letting cold air seep over the threshold. "But if you say no, I swear, if Mottle doesn't club you with a wooden spoon, I sure as Hell will."

Harry smiled slightly, remembering the old threat Ginny used to use on him from their first years of marriage. "I'll drop the kids off tomorrow," he said as he watched her walk down the steps. "And Gin." She turned back. "Please don't tell anyone about this." She nodded curtly before disapparating.

Harry quickly closed the door and ran a hand through his hair again, doing nothing to improve its typical state of mess as he ascended the stairs to check on James. Fortunately, when he peeked in, the boy was fast asleep, head turned towards the door and mouth slightly open as he slept. Smiling gently, Harry turned quietly from the sight and furtively made his way down the steps to the drawing room. Sighing as he stepped into the room, he flopped down on the couch, the soft murmur of voices drifting gently from the kitchen. The clock over the fireplace read ten forty five.

"Getting late, isn't it?" a soft voice said, startling Harry as he turned quickly to the door way. Andromeda stood there, smiling softly as she looked over at him, eyes twinkling like Dumbledor's used to years ago. Pulling her shall around her, she walked gently into the room, eyes drifting over to the mantle and the many pictures which adorned the surface. Harry stood quietly to stand next to her as her eyes slowly swept over each of them, the occupants smiling and waving up at them.

"It's hard to really realize how much time has passed," Andromeda said quietly as her eyes alighted on the two photos of the Order of the Phoenix, the one that Sirius had given him from the first war, and the one that Colin had taken, just a few weeks before Dumbledore had died. Andromeda was looking at the more recent photo, still smiling softly but her eyes seemed distant, sad and longing. She was looking at Tonks.

"It is," Harry said softly from beside her, looking at the other occupants in the photo as well. Lupin, Fred and George, and even Snape looked up at him, waving (except Snape, he just looked uncomfortable and kept shifting his eyes). His eyes drifted to himself, Ron and Hermione by his side, smiling up at him, still just under seventeen and unknowing of the horrors they were about to face. Horrors he had faced, now burned into his memory forever, like the scar on his forehead. To stay with him whether he wanted it or not.

"You know," Andromeda said, angling her head towards Harry. "It seems like just yesterday that Nymphadora and Remus were showing me little Teddy." Her eyes were shining slightly, never leaving the form of her daughter, frozen in time. "Just yesterday he was a little baby, turquoise haired, wrapped in blankets resting in her arms." Harry shifted his weight from his left foot to his right. "And now he's getting ready to go off to Hogwarts himself. Asleep upstairs in the bedroom his father would visit Sirius in, dreaming about clogging toilets and catching frogs, no doubt." Harry laughed in spite of himself and Andromeda turned to him, smiling gently.

"I'd have to say that'd be James' influence," Harry said, his eyes drifting over the faces of his parents, Sirius, and Remus. "I don't want to know what trouble they'll get into once he enters school. Remus would be proud."

Andromeda grinned. "About as much trouble as 'Dora did, I'd imagine." Harry smiled at her. Adjusting her shall, she yawned and turned away from the mantel. "Harry, I think 'Dora and Remus would be as proud of you as they would be their own son." Harry stared at her, not knowing how to respond. "Remus, I imagine, often saw you as something of a son to him, just as much as Sirius did." Harry swallowed as Andromeda turned to study a hanging by the door. "You've done more than I think he could have asked for when he appointed you Teddy's godfather."

"I've done what I can," Harry said, feeling embarrassed and resisting the urge to rub his hand through his hair yet again. "I'm just trying to do the best I can."

Andromeda smiled at him. "You've done a fine job," she said. "Now I think it's time for an old woman to take a night cap." She winked at him. "Staying up to welcome the new year is for younger people, like you and those in the kitchen, not a sack of bones like me." Still smiling, she turned and left Harry alone in the room, the light flicker of the candles dancing on he walls as her words echoed in his head. Suddenly, old words floated along side them.

"And you're just as good at that as yours was," Ginny sneered at him.

Harry sighed, the arguments he had with Ginny in years past flashing before him once again. Taking off his glasses and rubbing a tired hand over his face, Harry sank into the couch, hearing the old springs creak under his weight. The clock over the fireplace now read eleven fifteen. James' sleeping face drifted across his mind, the boys earlier voices echoing inside his head. The crying face of a three year old Albus when Harry had tried to explain that his mother wouldn't be living with Harry anymore. Teddy's face when he had looked at his parents picture for the first time and realizing who they really were.

"I thought you stopped brooding after the war ended."

Harry dropped his hand from his face and slipped on his glasses, the blurred figure at the door coming into focus. Ron was leaning against the door frame, two champagne flutes in one hand as the other was thrust inside his trouser pockets.

"I have relapses every now and then," Harry said, though grinning slightly as Ron pushed off the doorway and walked over to sit opposite him in one of the armchairs. "If you don't watch out, I'll become Mad-eye Potter, seeing dark wizards everywhere and cursing dustbins."

"Better you than me," Ron said, grinning. "Though I'd probably be more likely, considering I'm the auror here." Harry laughed. "So what's got you all downs and frowns? I haven't seen you this distracted and borderline wretched since the divorce."

Harry paused a moment, trying to think over what to say. "Am I a bad father?" That wasn't what he had meant to say. Harry mentally slapped himself in the face as Ron's eyes widened slightly and he stilled momentarily. Ron suddenly shook his head, eyes closed.

"What has gotten into your head lately?" Ron said, looking at Harry, smiling slightly. "I thought you'd never probe for gratification." Harry rolled his eyes.

"Ron-"

"Of course you're not a bad father," Ron cut him off before he could say anything. "Why would you ask something like that?"

Harry shook his head. "Nevermind," he sighed, standing up and shaking his head. "I've just been thinking too much lately. Head's a bit muddled."

Ron gave him a quick calculating look (Hermione had rubbed off on him after all those years. His emotional range had finally expanded beyond a teaspoon) before shrugging and standing as well. "Well, nothing to do but muddle it a bit more." He grinned. "C'mon. Let's go celebrate the New Year properly. With champagne and come of George's confetti."

"I'm sure Mottle will be pleased in the morning."

"Nothing says 'Welcome the New Year' like champagne and unnecessary amounts of useless confetti everywhere."

Harry laughed and followed his friend from the room, casting one last glance at the photos on the mantle.




A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews everyone! I love reading them and they're really wonderful to keep my writing going! Just a heads up, next week I am returning to school and, therefore, my time schedule will be much more limited. I will try to post chapters on Fridays but it might be more like every other Friday (two week gaps) because of studies and such. Just wanting you all to know. I apologize but otherwise the chapters will be short and I wont have had enough time to really think them through, making them less enjoyable. Hugs to all!