"No, our choice is to either go on to our judgement or return here as a ghost. And since he split his soul even the option of returning in specter form is out for him. You need a full soul at the time of death to do that. The portion of his spirit he'd housed in the diary has already been dispatched. It couldn't find another form to inhabit before it was pulled onward. Probably because it's choice was either me or Ms. Weasely and to it's mind she was weak and unworthy. I was the one who killed it's former resting place. So I was too dangerous. So it got pulled onward. But that means his returning here as a ghost is out. When his created body dies he will go to his judgement like any other mortal. He has no choice."
"I see."
Harry had his doubts as to whether the man actually did see or not but he was willing to accept his statement at face value until the man said, "Still, the freed Death Eaters Fudge refuses to admit were released by him will be a problem for you. I've no doubt right now they are preoccupied with trying to keep him alive but when he does die, they'll turn their attention to you. And as is their nature they will wreak havoc trying to find you."
"And they aren't my problem. This world has aurors, Professor. Whether Fudge admits the Dark Lord freed his devoted followers or not really doesn't change their job. Now does it? Bellatrix LeStrange is a dangerous woman no matter who reportedly freed her. It's the task of the Auror force to find, apprehend and incarcerate her and her ilk again. Not mine. I refuse to continue to do a job I'm not being paid to do simply so that the people who are being paid to do it can rest on their unearned laurels bragging about how easy it was to recapture them."
"When and if those people make their move to disrupt society, I'm sure the aurors will be called upon to deal with them. Nor do I believe the people here truly expect me to do their job for them. Deal with the Dark Lord, yes. Because Albus told them that was my destiny. You know the Death Eaters have been making pests out of themselves since the World Quiditch game. Yet not one word has been heard calling for me to deal with them. Because the people believe them to be just normal people whom the aurors can easily handle." Wryly Severus had to admit that was true. No one had called for Potter to begin apprehending the escaped prisoners. Nor were they likely to until either fudge or Albus suggested it.
"Albus could suggest it Potter. Then the public would do exactly that. Demand you be brought into the Ministry and appointed the task of rounding them up for the good of the People. Because you're their Hero Boy. And Albus says it's your job to save society," he sneered.
"Albus' days of whispering ideas into people's ears as he fills their pockets with someone else's gold are over, Professor. He'll not be doing any of that anymore."
"How do you know? He's down for now, yes. Getting him booted out of the Castle has knocked him off his stride. But he is still the Chief of the Wizengamot and the Supreme Mugwump of the ICW. He is still a creditable threat to your safety."
"No he isn't, Professor. I told you he has been taken care of and will never bother me or anyone else again. I do not want to discuss him any further."
To end that line of discussion Harry went back to the questions he'd been asked about fixing magical society instead. "As for straightening out society, I couldn't do that even if I tried. This society is what the people have made it. Nothing I could do would straighten it out now. Even if I somehow managed to dethrone every single corrupt politician, the people would only replace them with new people just as corrupt as the ones I dethroned. Because the people haven't woken up and realized their system of government is corrupt. Eventually, something will occur that will change things but it won't be now. Nor will I be doing it. All I intend now is to finish out this year and sit for my Owls."
"And then what? What are your career goals? Your plans for the future. I know both Minerva and Albus said you planned to be an auror but somehow, if that ever was your goal, I don't think it is now. I'd like to know what you'd truly like to do with your life, Potter."
Harry sighed. "So would I," he admitted wistfully. "Honestly I have no idea what I want to do because I have no idea what I like from what I don't. Well, partially anyhow. I know quite a bit of things I don't like. But what I do… yeah, that I don't really have a clue about. About the only thing I know I like to do is fly my broom and I can't even do that here because the quiditch nuts won't leave me alone about rejoining the team. And no. I never wanted to be an auror. They only told people I wanted that because Albus wanted people to see me as my father as much as possible. That's why he sicced Ms. Weasely on me. Just as I became James, she was to remind everyone of my mother every time they saw her hanging off my arm. Then when he finally led me to my death, no one would care because everyone knows James is dead. Has been dead for years. And because the people would've already been forgetting me in place of my father, no one would miss me. Harry. Because for the people of Britain, I've never been a real person in my own right. I'm a storybook character. Nothing more."
And for Severus the saddest part about that statement was he could see how Albus' plan would've worked. Because it was true. The magical people of Britain never had seen Harry Potter as a living breathing boy like any other. Not that he was like any other either, Severus ruefully admitted. Hogwarts Child was one of a kind. The Gods definitely broke the mold when they made him as his mother used to say. Of course, she meant it for any guy she saw she considered beyond normal in the looks department. Either in a good way or a bad way.
Deciding to take a chance Harry took a deep breath and said, "What I do know is after I finish out this year and sit those Owls, I intend to disappear. I may hire some tutors so I can take my Newts. Or I may go back to a muggle school and get my equivalency papers. All I really know is I'm tired. Tired of dealing with untrustworthy people. All with their own agendas. None of which are good for me. So while I'm 'vanished', as the saying goes, I'll try and rest while I figure out if there's anything I do like enough to find a career in. So far the only thing I know is I don't want a career dealing with the public on an hourly basis or even a daily one if I can avoid it. Being around people has never been a good environment for me."
"What about you, Professor? Now that I've told you both Tom and Albus are neutralized, what are your plans? I know you don't like teaching and wouldn't have chosen to spend all this time doing it if it wasn't for those two old men. So now that you'll be free, what will you do with your freedom?"