The Half-Blood Princess

Chapter 33- Career Advice

Sabrina couldn't enjoy the rest of her final year at Hogwarts, because the realisation of what she was doing had become too much for her.
Not only was she aiding a murderer, who's ideas she didn't agree with. She was helping recruit people for his army.
And when she finished school, she would no longer be a student, but an adult who was responsible for her own actions.
Fitting in had seemed like the most important thing to her when she started school, but now she realised the danger she was in.
If she was caught with the other death eaters, she would be sentenced to life in Azkaban. And if she betrayed Voldemort, he would have her killed.

Now that she was reaching the end of her school days, a lot of people were asking her what she wanted to do with her life, career wise.
This was one question that Sabrina did not know how to answer.
Her mother didn't work, and neither did Walburga.
So Sabrina expected that the Black's wanted her to become a good housewife, and stay at home all day.
And since she was a death eater, she knew that a lot of her time would be spent on missions, so she probably wouldn't have time for a job.
But Regulus wanted her to have a career first, before they thought about having kids.
So Sabrina ended up looking into career options at the Ministry, to see what would suit her.

"Really any department in the Ministry would be happy to have you" admitted Professor Slughorn, during her final career advice meeting, in the week before she took her NEWTs.
"I know. But that doesn't exactly help me narrow down my options" sighed Sabrina, as she looked down at the butterbeer in her hand.
Slughorn liked his meetings to be informal, especially with his favourite students. Which is why he had provided Sabrina with snacks and refreshments.
"You are predicated O's in all of your subjects, so almost any career in the world is open to you" replied Slughorn.
"Yeah, I know" mumbled Sabrina as she took a sip of her drink.

"Have you considered being an auror?" Asked Slughorn.
Sabrina choked on her drink at the suggestion of being a dark wizard catcher. Since she herself, was a dark wizard.
"I have thought about it. But I don't think that career is for me" admitted Sabrina.
"Fair enough. What about working in one of the law departments, and helping make the wizarding rules that we live our lives by? I know a lot of people who are on the Wizengamot. I'm sure I could put in a good word for you" replied Slughorn.
Sabrina rolled her eyes, as she knew her teacher wasn't trying to help her because he actually cared what she did with her life.

Sabrina knew that her teacher didn't want her to waste her potential, because he liked to have his favourite students in high up places throughout the wizarding world.
Helping his students achieve their goals made him look good, and they always paid him back later on in their lives.
But Sabrina didn't have any goals, so she didn't think that Slughorn could help her.

"I honestly have no idea what I want to do with my life" revealed Sabrina.
"I hope that just because you are engaged now, you aren't going to give up on your ambitions. You could go far in life" insisted Slughorn.
"So everyone keeps saying" mumbled Sabrina.
"Well, it's true. You are one of the most talented students I have taught in many years"
"Even more talented than my brother?"
"I would say yes. Except perhaps in Defence Against the Dark Arts, because your brother really excelled in that area".

Sabrina thought about how her brother wasn't exactly using the defensive part of his qualification at the moment.
Her future was going to be dictated by Voldemort, as she didn't exactly have her free will anymore. And if he wanted her to work for him full-time, she would have no choice but to obey.
"I think I might just take a gap year, until I decide what I want to do with my life" admitted Sabrina.
"That is a good idea. A lot of people like to travel, to try and find themselves, before settling down. Maybe in a year's time you might have decided what you want to do" replied Slughorn.

"Yeah, maybe" mumbled Sabrina.
She wasn't even sure if she was going to be alive in a years time, so planning that far ahead seemed pointless to her.
"Well, since you don't know what you want to do, you might as well go back to your common room, and send the next person in" sighed Slughorn.
"Alright" replied Sabrina, as she got up from her chair.
"Oh, and good luck with your exams that are coming up"
"Thank you Professor"
"And don't forget that my office door is open, if you ever want to talk"
"O.K"
"After school is over, you can still owl me whenever you like, if you ever need anything. And if you need a good reference for a future job, you know that you will get a great one from me"
"Thanks sir".

When she left the room, she found Regulus waiting for her in the corridor outside the room.
"Shouldn't you be revising?" Questioned Sabrina.
"I was, until a few minutes ago. I wanted to be here when you finished" admitted Regulus.
"How sweet... I still can't believe that we will only be here for a few more weeks"
"I know, it doesn't seem real that we will be leaving here forever, very soon"
"I've always felt safe here"
"But not in 12 Grimmauld Place?"
"I didn't say that"
"You didn't have to. In fact, I would be concerned if you did prefer Grimmauld Place to here, since it's not exactly a very homely place".

"No, it's not. But it's going to be our forever home very soon" sighed Sabrina.
Regulus placed his arm around Sabrina, and the pair began to make their way back to the common room.
"I know. But my parents won't be around forever. One day the building will just belong to us" admitted Regulus.
"That doesn't make me feel any better, since it's the building I have a problem with, and not just your parents" replied Sabrina.

"Maybe I can convince them to let us get our own place, until they die and leave me the house" suggested Regulus.
"That would be nice... A place just for me and you. It sounds like heaven" admitted Sabrina.
"Then I will ask mother and father to let us move out, when we return after school is over"
"I doubt they will let us, but we can dream".