Author: Muggle Witch
Story: Ministry Auror
Rating: Everyone
Setting: AU
Status: Completed
Reviews: 8
Words: 1,271
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the song American Solider by Toby Keith.
A/N: I
wrote this over Christmas 2004. I have family over seas and was
thinking about all the families that do as well and this was the
result.
A big thank you to my new beta, Trelawney2213.
I’m just trying to be a father
Raise a daughter and a son
Be a lover to their mother
Everything to everyone
Harry Potter looked at his sleeping wife.
He was trying to memorize every feature on her face before he had to
leave. Sometimes he really hated his job as an Auror. He missed simple
things like watching Ginny sleep. She was a remarkably strong woman to be able to handle him, he mused.
He had missed so much of his children’s lives over the last few years
as well. Now, they had just found out that Ginny was expecting their
third child, and it was possible that he would miss the birth of the
newest Potter. It was another of the many sacrifices he had to make.
Suddenly he heard the sound of small footsteps coming down the hall. Glancing at the door he saw two little heads peer in.
“Come here you two,” said Harry holding out his arms. His four years
old son and two years old daughter ran into the room, and to their
father. He gave them each a quick hug and kiss and released them.
Lily looked up at him and asked, “Daddy go bye-bye?”
Harry looked down into her big brown eyes that resembled her mother’s
and nodded. “Yes love, Daddy’s going bye-bye,” he said. Seeing her eyes
fill with tears, Harry picked her up and held her close to him.
“It’s ok, baby girl. Daddy loves you very much and I will be home as
soon as I can. I promise.” Harry then set her back down and knelt down
to James who had stood quietly watching his father and sister. “I love
you son. Be good for your mum, and help take care of Lily for me,
okay?”
“Yes Daddy,” said James, trying to be brave.
Harry
then gave them another hug and kiss. Looking back at the bed, he saw
Ginny sitting up crying quietly. He walked over to her, and whispered
something in her ear. She then nodded her head and kissed him. Then
with one more goodbye, he was gone.
Up and at ‘em, bright and early
I’m all business in my suit
Yeah, I’m dressed for success, from my head down to my boots
I don’t do it for the money, there’s bill that I can’t pay
I don’t do it for the glory, I just do it anyway
Providing for our future’s my responsibility
Yeah I’m real good under pressure, being all that I can be
Harry was on another early morning patrol. He was to search the area
and look for anything that seemed out of place or suspicious. Even
though Voldemort was gone there were still Death Eaters on the loose,
and his unit was on detail to capture them.
He glanced around
at the snow-covered Alps, and wished that Ginny could see the almost
surreal scenery. It was really quite beautiful, if you weren’t watching
out for the enemy. Realizing how cold it was, Harry rubbed his hands
together to warm them up. Unfortunately, he couldn’t use magic to cast
a warming charm for fear of being seen. Sighing, he continued on his
patrol.
For the millionth time since he had joined, Harry
wondered why he did this job. It wasn’t for the money that was for
sure. Being an Auror didn’t pay that much, and besides he really didn’t
need it.
He most defiantly didn’t do it for the glory
either. In reality he was a simply man. All he wanted was to live a
quite life at home with his wife and children. Besides he hated all the
attention he got for just being Harry Potter.
Why had he
become an Auror? He had heard Muggle British officers say they did it
for God, Queen, and Country. He had even heard some Yank soldiers say
they did it for freedom. Then it hit him.
Harry, himself,
felt that he did this because he had to. He had a responsibility to his
family to keep them safe, and to a smaller degree the wizarding world.
He had a duty to guarantee a future and to preserve his way of life.
Even if it meant sacrifices on his part, and boy, he had made some sacrifices. That, he supposed, made him no different from any Muggle soldier.
And I can’t call in sick on Mondays when the weekend’s been too strong
I just work straight through the holidays
And sometimes all night long
Ginny sat looking out the window rubbing her growing belly. She missed
Harry terrible every time he left, but this time was harder. She wished
Harry would be home in time for the birth, but with the baby due in
less than a month, she didn’t see how that would be possible. She knew
that she was one of the lucky ones. Ginny knew of several Aurors’ wives
whose husbands had never been home when they had given birth. Harry had
at least been there for James’s and Lily’s births.
Ginny also couldn’t believe it was almost Christmas. It was the second
one Harry would miss since they had married five years ago. She looked
at James and Lily playing beside the Christmas tree. Next year the new
little one would be joining them. Ginny smiled at the thought. She had
just found out what they were having. She was hoping that her father,
being Minister of Magic, could arrange for the Aurors to receive
Christmas care packages from their spouses so she could tell Harry.
With that thought, she started writing a letter to her husband.
~*~
Harry couldn’t believe it. His commanding officer had just brought him
a package from Ginny. Even if he couldn’t be home for Christmas, he had
something from his family. It meant a lot to an Auror to know that
people back home were thinking of them.
Not that he doubted
it. It just helped when you could see and have something from home. He
was thankful that his father-in-law had found a way for all the Aurors
to receive care packages. His unit had been in low spirits lately.
Harry also knew that he and Ginny were some of the lucky ones. Aurors
tended to have a high divorce rate. All the secrets that had to be kept
and the long periods of time away from home were hard on a marriage.
Harry and Ginny however, had a strong marriage, and a wonderful family.
Reading the letter Ginny had sent to him, he smiled. They were going to
have another boy and Ginny was going to name him Sirius. He was now
more determined than ever to find the remaining Death Eaters and make
it home as soon as possible.
All soldiers, Muggle or
Magical, had the same goal, he realized. In the end a soldier fought
for his family and home. No matter what the cost. That was his job and
who he was, and Harry was just one of millions.
And I will always do my duty no matter what the price
I’ve counted up the cost, I know the sacrifice
Oh, and I don’t want to die for you
But if dyin’s asked of me
I’ll bear that cross with honor
‘cause freedom don’t come free