Severus rolled his eyes at Fudge's rodomontade. Fudge was going on and on during his presentation of the Order of Merlin speech, and most of it was bombastic and redundant.

Severus thought back to the events preceding tonight.

Flashback:

"Harry, something's come for you in the mail!" Severus called as he looked through the post.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"I dunno, I didn't open."

"Why not? You know that I don't mind you opening anything that's come for me."

"It's something from the Ministry. Only you can open it."

"Bloody hell, what do those idiots want now?" Harry grumbled.

Severus snickered. "Open it and find out."

Harry emerged from the shower, a towel wrapped around his waist and energetically drying his hair with another one. He draped the second towel around his neck and grabbed the letter.

He opened it and began reading, scowling at the bureaucratic language employed.

"Well?" Severus asked after a minute.

"As far as I can tell, they want to award me the Order of Merlin, First Class, for my work in defeating Voldemort. Where's your letter?"

"Where's my what?" Severus asked, incredulous.

"Your letter stating the same," Harry stated slowly, as though talking to an idiot.

"I didn't get one. Why would I? You know perfectly well they dislike me."

Harry's eyes burned with rage. "Oh no! Oh no! They've done this to you before, screwed you out of what you deserve, but I won't let them do it again! You are going to get an Order of Merlin, First Class, for your work during the war, and that's it! I won't settle for anything less than that!" He threw down the letter and stormed out of the room.

Severus' jaw dropped open and he stared at where Harry had been standing.

Harry slammed open the door to the Minister's office.

"You can't just enter like this, whoever you are!" the Minister spluttered, not bothering to look up at the intruder.

"Minister, why didn't Professor Snape receive a letter offering him the Order of Merlin, First Class?" Harry demanded, ignoring the Minister's outrage.

The Minister immediately became supercilious. "My dear boy, we can't just award anyone the Order of Merlin. Snape didn't do anything that merits one."

"Oh, really?" Harry hissed. "If he didn't do anything to merit one, then I certainly didn't. I just killed Voldemort. Snape spent twenty years spying on Voldemort. Risked his life daily for twenty years. Gave us information necessary to defeat Voldemort. Minister, I give you an ultimatum. Either you award Snape an Order of Merlin the exact same day you award me mine, or I will go to every single newspaper about the Ministry's lack of involvement in the war, thanks to you."

The Minister gaped. "You wouldn't dare."

"Wanna bet?" Harry snarled. "Two days, Minister. Good day."

"I would like to honor Severus Snape today for his hard work during the war. The Ministry is forever indebted to him," Fudge blustered, continuing his rodomontade endlessly.

Rodomontade – n. Vain boasting; empty bluster; pretentious, bragging speech; rant. Word of the Day, March 13, 2008)