Chapter Ten

Later that afternoon the trio requested a meeting with Kingsley in private. He immediately obliged, as he had been waiting to talk to him for several days.

"Perhaps the Headmasters office?" Kingsley suggested,

"No," Harry replied. "The portraits do not all need to be privy to this information, shall we see how the room of requirement is recovering?

"If it's recovered at all." Hermione added as they started to head in that direction.

As they walked Kingsley addressed them, "Harry, we would really like for you to speak at the memorial service the day after tomorrow. I know it's a lot to ask, given what you have been through but the people need to feel close to you right now."

Harry nodded, "Ginny told me, and I have no problem with that. Although, I've never been much of a public speaker."

"What else did you and Ginny talk about?" Ron slyly asked. He had been mildly uncomfortable leaving her in the bedchamber alone with Harry, but Hermione had convinced him that nothing would happen since Harry was asleep.

Harry tried as hard as he could to keep his wits about him, "Oh she just told me the plans for you know, the funeral and uh…stuff."

Noticing Harry's discomfort Kingsley felt it was a good time to chime in. His deep voice boomed with laughter, "I don't know about public speaking Harry, but you did quite a good job facing down Tom Riddle the other night. If you can do that, you can do anything!"

With that, Ron let out a snort, Hermione chuckled, and Harry let out a one syllable "Huh." Given what he had been through, and what had transpired with Ginny this morning, he was feeling pretty amazing, but he didn't want anyone thinking he was smug. "I really hope that people will eventually stop holding me to that standard, its going to be pretty hard to top that one."

They all laughed a bit as they walked up to the unicorn tapestry. It was slightly singed on the corners, but otherwise it seemed normal. "Ok," Hermione said, "lets all think, 'we need a totally private place to talk about what has happened' and walk by a couple of times."

With that they started pacing back and forth and after a few moments, a door appeared on the wall. Harry went straight to it and turned the knob. The four of them walked in to see a room with four plush armchairs facing each other with a low table in the middle. On the table there was plenty of parchment, ink, and quills along with Dumbledore's pensieve.

Hermione seemed surprised that the room was already in such good condition. "Amazing really. Even the fiendfire couldn't hurt it." Kingsley cocked an eyebrow at her, but he assumed that whatever happened in this room, he would know all about it shortly.

"Are we ready then?" Harry said as they all sat down.

They all nodded in agreement and Harry started, "Well Kingsley, I suppose I should go back to the very beginning, tell you everything, and then we can decide what we want to tell the world. There are many things that should not be spoken of outside this room."

Ron looked worried. "Are you sure we should tell him everything? Its not that I don't like you mate, I just don't know how much Dumbledore would want us to reveal."

Kingsley somberly nodded at Ron. He had suspected that there were details of this story that would be horrifying and he wanted Harry, Ron, and Hermione's absolute trust. "I will make the unbreakable vow with you Harry, that nothing, other than what we decide should be known, will ever be uttered from my mouth." He held out his wand and, after a moment, it was met by Harry's.

"Ron, I don't know this spell…" Hermione said, but Ron already had his own wand out and had started the incantation.

After it was done they all sat back in their chairs, and Harry began.

…two hours later…

Kingsley sat in silence for a moment, as if carefully weighing his words. He could not believe the lengths to which Voldemort had gone to become immortal. He was not however surprised about Snape. "I have to be honest Harry, I always thought there was more to Severus Snape than met they eye. I need to send someone to retrieve his body from the Shrieking Shack. No one has been in there since the battle."

"I will pay out of pocket for his burial, but I need to make sure that it is publicly known that he was essential in Riddle's downfall." Harry looked extremely determined.

Hermione finally spoke up, "I think it is amazing that he managed to lie to the Dark Lord."

Kingsley considered what she had said. "His mastery of Legillimens and Occlumency was amazing. Absolutely amazing. I will make sure that his name is cleared and that he is given an Order of Merlin, First Class."

"Thanks Kingsley. It means a lot to me."

With that, the four of them stood up and left the room. Now all they had to do was wait for the Daily Prophet to publish the story they had decided on, and it was, at least superficially, over.