Author's Note: I'm not J.K.R, I think that is pretty clear. Please excuse any grammar issues, I try to correct them, but it's difficult when you've written the story as you cannot always see the issues because I know what I meant.
As always reviews are welcome – I will update as much as I can. I hope you enjoy the story.
As the final battle came to its inevitable end, Harry Potter sighed. Looking around at the mournful and yet relieved faces, he realized that there still would be a lot of work left to do, and he was just so tired. Tired of living in a tent, of fighting, of dealing with plots against him and those he loved, tired of living a life that seemed pre-destined. Out of the corner of his eye he saw his greatest ally in the war fidgeting on a bench. Harry yearned to go over there and make everything go to the way that it should have been for the last 7 years, if there was no Dark Lord, no Voldemort, nothing that would've stopped him from just being another Wizard.
But Harry also knew that this would take time, time for all his secret allies to get out into the light of day, for Harry to expose to the Wizarding World, that the line between light and dark was not as clear as everyone would wish it to be, that sometimes you have to stand and watch something horrible to prevent something even worse. So with another sigh, Harry went to go find the new Minister of Magic to start on the next long process of his life, the process to re-claim his allies.
Kingsley Shacklebolt was a reasonable man at least that was what he told himself, but this Harry Potter that approached him after the final battle was not at all like the Harry that he had known from before Fleur and Bill's wedding. The last year had made him more demanding, more confidant and if Kingsley would admit to it more arrogant. Niggling in the back of his brain was also the realization that although it was clear that Harry still respected Dumbledore he was no longer held under the sway of his old mentor, he could no longer be used as a pawn. As the two men sat in the Headmaster's office, Harry winked at Albus's portrait and proceeded to lay out a list of names that Harry would refuse to let go to trial. Kingsley just shook his head.
"Harry, be reasonable, the list you have given me is unacceptable, you must be..."
Harry's bark of laughter distracted Kinsley briefly and then the younger wizard interjected, "I understand, I was hoping that it would be enough for my word to bring this matter to rest, but if this is not the case than all I request is that my list of names be the first Death Eaters to be tried in front of the Wizengamot."
Sighing, Shacklebolt agreed with Harry that this was a reasonable request. What puzzled him was why Harry was insisting on dealing differently with his list than with the rest of the death eaters as a whole, but his musings were cut short by Harry's next crazy demand
"... and Snape's portrait must be hung in this room as well."
Kingsley stumbled over his words trying to right this in his mind...
"Harry, my boy, Snape abandoned his post here at Hogwarts, he let Death Eaters punish students... he killed Dumbledore!"
Scoffing, Harry just ignored the whole tirade, with a smirk on his face, he merely replied
"Not to worry about the cost minster, I will get his likeliness painted out of my own coffers."
The minster was flabbergasted! Stuttering a bit at first, and then re-gain his composure he started to raise his voice... when the portraits around the two wizards started to interrupt.
Coming to Harry's defence were centuries of Headmasters, all claiming that it would be an honour and an privilege to have Serverus's portrait up with theirs and they were hoping that he would surive the battle to return to his post, but as he was unfortunate enough to past on, then it was without question a matter of most urgency that his portrait be painted and hung.
The Minister stood slack-jawed and whipped his eyes to Dumbeldore, who with a twinkle in his eye confirmed to Shacklebolt that this was also what he wished, and that Snape was until the end the friend that he had become after Harry was born.
Harry swept out of the office and down the stairs to be greeted by his friends. Relieved to have gotten some of his agenda finished he walked with them back into the Great Hall to deal with the rest of the aftermath of war.
The Great Hall was still teaming with activity, getting people medical attention, caring for the dead, consoling the mourners, Harry's eyes scanned the room quickly and his heart fell a bit. "Have they already taken the Death Eater's then?" he asked in a small voice. Hermione confirmed with a slight nod of her head. Ron launched into a tirade "Those scum, some tried to claim alligence with you Harry! The audacity of them, I can't believe that they would even attempt to try and weasel th-" Harry's smirk at the word Weasel stopped Ron's outburst and Hermione just looked at it with a strange sort of comprehension growing... Harry quietly responded to his friends.
"We three have been through a lot, not only in the last year, but ever since we've met, and I know that being my friends hasn't always been the easiest, and I want you both to know that I know all the hardships that you've had to suffer to remain by my side. I will ask you only one more favour, and I really do wish that you grant it to me"
Hermione nodded with tears in her eyes and Ron clapped Harry on the shoulder and replied "whatever you need mate"
Harry smiled at his two best friends and continued "... as hard as it has been for you two be on my side for the last years, remember in the coming weeks how much harder it would be to be on my side while not being able to show it, try and put yourself in Snape's shoes and remember that everything he did was out of love, and as hard as our decisions were, his and others like him had decisions that were even harder than ours..."
Hermione eyes clouded over in confusion and then quickly cleared with understanding, Ron looked baffled, but replied... "Okay, mate, I trust you, what's the favour?"
Harry laughed nervously, "well I just want you to remember that and to trust me and my memories, to stand by my side and Ron, please try and take 3 breaths before you say something stupid." Hermione giggled at that and Ron grinned. "Consider it done!" The three friends drifted off into some banter and although Hermione noticed she didn't comment on how distracted Harry seemed.
Suddenly a bundle of red hair stormed up to Harry.
"Harry Potter" Ginny sounded more like everyday Harry thought... " you promised me that it would all be fine when he was dead, that everything would be as we talked about, you swore to me that you could make it right! I can't take much more, Harry, I can't do it... I don't understand how you could've let this happen..." Ginny's sobs echoed loudly in the Hall and Harry smiled a sad smile at the girl he looked at as his little sister. He quickly pulled her into a hug and smoothed out her hair... "Gin, he murmured, I'll do everything in my power to make true on that promise, you know that it wasn't only to you that I did, so calm down, I will sort it out as best I can and as fast as I can..."
"I know Harry, but I'm so scared, you didn't have to see them, you didn't have to watch them take them..." Ginny's voice broke and Harry comforted her more... "I've already started fixing this, I'll keep going until the truth is known..." Ginny relaxed a little and dried her eyes. "I'm sorry Harry, I know that this year has been a million times harder for you two than for us, but it still hurts..." Harry smiled sadly, "It's always been harder for us." Ginny nodded and wrapped Harry into another hug.
Ron and Hermione came over to the embracing couple. After Ginny's outburst no one could hear what was happening, Harry had placed a Silencing Charm over them. All the two friends heard at the end was Harry saying "...for us" and Ginny embracing Harry again. Ron clapped Harry on the back and said "... good to have you back in the family, mate." And in confusion Harry just stared back at Ron who stammered in response "well you know what I mean, back together with Ginny, and all and you'd be in the family anyways and well..." Ginny laughed out loud, and smacks Ron on the head, "Oh Ron you great git! Harry and I aren't back together! Never will be in fact, hard to when your best mate is gay." Harry rolled his eyes at Ginny, and sighed waiting for the explosion.
Ron surprising took it in stride; three breaths later and he realized that Harry was still just Harry. And if his sister and his girlfriend seemed okay with it than perhaps it really didn't matter at all. Harry grinned at him in thanks and that was all Ron needed to realize that perhaps growing up and acting maturely to sensitive situations would be the best course of action from now on.
Looking around the Hall, Harry realized that it was late, and wishing to go somewhere quiet to rest, he grabbed Ginny's hand and said "I need a little breather, the trials will start tomorrow, I am going to go stay here tonight, come and wake me tomorrow morning and we'll go to the Wizengamot tomorrow together." Ginny nodded and Harry walked away alone.
Once Harry was out of earshot, Ron and Hermione peppered her with questions, but other than obtaining the information that Harry and Ginny never really were together and that Ginny was more than fine with the situation, they did not get any more insight into the recent events. Cryptically Ginny just said that if they wanted the whole story than perhaps they need to come to the trials the next day.
