Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Written for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments): Arithmancy (Assignment 5)

Prompt: Write about someone's day at work

Word Count: 670 (ish)

The patronus was waiting for me when I got home. I didn't recognise it but as soon as it opened its mouth to begin its message I knew something had happened to you. It seems ironic that it was a silver wisp of happy thoughts that brought me such grief and pain.

"Mrs Potter. We regret to inform you that your husband, Mr Harry James Potter is deceased."

It continued to talk but I didn't hear anything more. The sentence just kept echoing around and around in my head. Why Harry? How?

It should have been an ordinary day, indistinguishable from any other.

I woke you up in the morning as usual. I brought you a cup of tea and made you breakfast while you had a shower. I remember you were messing around and I told you to be quiet so as not to wake the children. I wish I hadn't. I wish I'd let you wake them up and let them say goodbye to you.

You flooed to the Ministry, a little late for work. Ron told me that you were happy as you began to sort through the piles of paperwork your boss had left for you. You were whistling that muggle song that he can't stand and you had a mock fight before your coffee break.

I dropped your lunch off in the late morning. (As usual you'd left it on the kitchen table) I had a nice conversation with your secretary but she said you couldn't see me as you were in a meeting. I remember you telling me about it- it was a meeting with the head of department to discuss the job offer abroad. I spoke to him later and he told me that he was sure you would have got the job. I thought I saw you as I left but perhaps that was just wishful thinking.

They told me it was an unexpected, though fairly standard mission. A Death Eater sighting was reported and you insisted on going to check it out. You left halfway through your lunch, half your sandwiches still neatly wrapped when I visited the office afterwards.

Of course there was back up, and of course you abandoned it as soon as you could. The office job bored you and you leapt at the opportunity to take out one of Voldemort's last supporters. You always did prefer to work by yourselves and ignore all the risks.

I've seen the fight. The Ministry allowed me to watch the footage recorded by the standard auror device in yout wand. I sae you sneak through the woods, intent on only one thing. I saw the first sparks that flew at you and the shield you shot up to block the curse. You were more agile than your opponent, faster and better at dodging the spells ricocheting around you. Slowly but surely you were overcoming him.

He wasn't the only one though. There was another Death Eater, another cloaked and masked figure who you didn't see until it was too late. I saw you spin to face him and cast a stunning spell straight at him.

For one exhilirating moment it looked like you had won. Then reality came crashing down. The flash of green light seemed to slash through you. I watched as you stumbled back in surprise and I saw you crumple and the light fade from your eyes.

It should have been an ordinary day. You should have finished training the junior aurors and come home just in time for dinner. You should have complained about how boring your day was, told me all the tiny insignificant things that had made you smile. You should have practiced Quidditch with James, helped Albus with his reading and planned Lily's party with me.

You should have come back to us at the end of an ordinary day and held us all in your arms. You should have come home.