A turning moment in life

Things had been going from bad to worse for the Golden Trio since Voldemort’s defeat four years earlier. Ginny and Harry spent all their time together ignoring Ron and Hermione, who were having problems of their own.

The problem was that Ron had accepted to enrol in Auror training along with Harry without talking to Hermione first. The air in Grimmauld Place was so thick with tension; you could see the sparks flying between the redhead and the know-it-all. For some unfathomable reason, Hermione seemed to be angry with Ron, and he did not understand what she wanted from him.

‘Why didn’t you tell me about the training programme before?’ Hermione asked when she heard of Harry and Ron’s plans through Ginny. ‘We should have planned this together!’

‘But, Hermione, you knew I wanted to do it. What was there to talk about?’ Ron practically whispered, waiting for the blow to come.

Hermione’s blood was starting to boil with her boyfriend’s lack of brain cells. ‘I knew you’d both take the training, but you failed to mention that it is for three years, and most of it is done abroad.’ she said, her voice raising.

‘I thought you wouldn’t mind’ said Ron.

‘WHAT?’ Hermione shouted at last, ‘You are going to Merlin-knows-where to do Merlin-knows-what, and I have to sit here and wait? I’m not your wife, Ron.’

‘Bloody hell, Hermione, I’ll be on missions and won’t have time for us.’

‘So, missions are more important than being with me, right?’

‘Merlin, Hermione, I didn’t mean it like that,’ said Ron sheepishly.

‘No, of course not! You just mean that I have to put my life on hold for you while you’re away; and then what?’ she asked, realizing what was probably coming next.

‘Well, when I come back, we could start seeing each other again,’ he suggested, his face getting paler by the second. He didn’t expect her to react this way. He thought it was simple enough to understand. He had more important things to do than marry her.

‘You mean we should see other people during your training and then continue just where we left off?’ she asked in a deathly calm voice; a warning to any more intelligent person.

Ron gave her a small smile, thinking she finally understood what he meant and agreed with him; she had said it without shrieking at him, after all. ‘Well, that would be the practical solution since I’ll be too far away to spend time with you.’

Hermione’s slap was heard throughout the house. Ron was completely wide-eyed, staring at her as his hand automatically reached for his burning cheek. ‘What did you fucking slap me for?’ yelled Ron at the top of his voice.

‘You’re just an immature jerk, Ronald Weasley.’ Hermione accused with her head held high, ‘Go to training. We’re over. Right here, right now.’ She then turned around, stormed up the stairs and started to pack.

Hermione could not stay at Grimmauld Place any longer. She did not want to see Ron ever again. How could he suggest they see other people and then get back together as if nothing had happened? No, this was the right thing to do. She talked to Ginny and Harry before apparating back to her parents’ house without shedding a single tear.

**__**__**


A week passed by, and Hermione was still fuming over Ron. He had not even tried to contact her. The worst part was that the boys knew what to do with their future, and they had something to work for. She had no clue. It was a first for the Gryffindor know-it-all, and she felt the blow of being bested by her own friends.

She spent the following days going shopping with her mother and scanning the Daily Prophet to check for something that peaked her interest. She wanted to continue studying or do something in research; office work was simply not enough for her. While she was munching on her toast, there was a sharp tap on the kitchen window. A barn owl had a letter tied to her leg with the Hogwarts seal on it. Hermione’s heart sped up, and she could not control her shaking hands as she ripped the letter open. McGonagall’s tidy handwriting was going to save her from her boredom.


Dear Miss Granger,

I hope to find you well and willing to accept the following offer: Hogwarts is opening a new apprenticeship position this year, and with your excellent student records, we would be delighted to have you back as the Transfiguration apprentice. If you answer in the affirmative, we shall expect you at Hogwarts a week before the start of term.

Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Headmistress of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.