apples and scented candles • h.potter ✓

• thirty-seven •

Two weeks passed with Harry away from the Ministry and he finally admitted that he was much happier when he wasn't dragging himself out of bed every morning and forcing himself into the Auror department where he was required to hunt through papers and take cases and go out to find Dark wizards lurking around.

Both Ron and Hermione were pleased with his decision; they'd even sent him cookies a couple of times while he was at home enjoying doing nothing. Well, it would be wrong to say he was doing nothing. He had spent most of the last two weeks reading Corben's books and making mock exam papers for him. Not having sat for the Auror exam, Harry wasn't aware of the question pattern of the final exam but it was just as well.

He and Corben were now, indeed, living together. Unofficially. Harry has more or less moved into Corben's apartment. Most of his wardrobe was there, along with a couple of other things he couldn't live without. Corben has forbidden anything related to his job - "If you're taking a break, you should be taking a proper break," he'd said. Harry hadn't tried to argue.

Corben was spending more time at the Ministry now. He came home late and stayed up later. During any free time he got, Harry cleared up the living room and they duelled. He felt incredible pride in the improvement Corben showed in just one week and he thought it would be utterly foolish if the Auror department decided not to accept him. After each exhausting day, Harry made sure to reward him with a hearty meal.

"You're spoiling me, Just Harry," Corben said with a drowsy smile whenever Harry dragged him out of his study table and led him to the dining room.

It was one of the days during his break that Harry was sprawled on Corben's bed with books and papers strewn around him. By his side was his cell phone. He had indeed bought a pair of them for himself and Corben, just as he had promised. Thankfully, it worked quite well at the Ministry though sometimes it buzzed in Corben's pocket. Corben only had to venture into some remote corner of the Ministry if he wanted to phone Harry.

Harry was jotting down some notes on the margin of the book when his phone began to vibrate. The screen showed Ginny's name and with a smile, he sat up and received the call.

"Hey, Harry!" she said cheerfully. "Is everything okay?"

"Why does everyone ask me that when I say I want to talk to them?"

A familiar ring of laughter sounded from the other side. "You did sound a bit strange when you said that to me."

"I sounded strange ... in a letter?"

Harry had written to Ginny about a week ago asking if she could spare some time for a chat with him. He hadn't spoken to her since he'd last seen her at Christmas and did quite miss her.

"Well, anyway. What's up, Harry?"

"Tell me about yourself first. What's it like being an internationally famous Quidditch player?"

Ginny gave a long, exaggerated sigh. "I'm more than just a Quidditch player, Harry. You of all people should know that."

Harry abandoned the books around him and settled comfortably on the bed where he chatted with Ginny for the next hour. He learned that Oliver Wood was the reserve keeper for the Quidditch team Puddlemere. Ginny said she'd come across him during one of her tours. "I feel bad for him," she said regretfully. "He was so obsessed with Quidditch, remember? I can't imagine what he must feel like watching all of his teammates leaving him behind to play."

Ginny demanded that he tell her everything he could about each of her siblings, which he happily complied to. She told him how Molly listened to the commentary of all of her games on the radio and wrote long letters to her after each game. Her voice sounded a little broken at this point though Harry couldn't be sure.