Disclaimer: Them characters ain't mine, ya heard?

Author's Note 1: I hate this chapter, plain and simple. I rewrote it like three times and it is still not good enough but I had to post something, didn't I? Blame this chapter on a lapse in my writing skills. Maybe some day I will rewrite it...(not bloody likely).

Incorporated

Harry's eyes widened at Nott's statement. The man had to be lying. He couldn't believe that the Death Eaters had managed to recruit one of the most important people in the French ministry. But it would explain everything. All the delayed information, all the hostility…

"Why didn't he run?" Harry asked. "Why is it that he is calmly loitering around in the atrium when at this very moment you have the potential to ruin his life?"

Nott licked his lips and gave, what Harry assumed to be, a pleasant smile. Instead it looked twisted and malicious next to the man's gaunt features. He looked like Sirius had when he was released from Azkaban. Harry sighed and tried to dispel the thoughts of his late godfather in favor of hearing what Nott had to say next.

"The fool probably thinks I do not know of his comradeship with the Death Eaters. It isn't well known in the underground either. Luckily I happened to come across a certain drunken Death Eater with loose lips one starry night."

Nott paused as he considered his next words.

"What you and your brilliant team of Aurors failed to realize is that I am not a Death Eater. Frankly I learned my lesson six years ago."

Harry remained silent. This was a lot to take in at the moment.

Nott, for his part, took the time to analyze Potter. He was still the same person that he knew back in Hogwarts. Yet he was different. This was a much stronger man, a man with a power surpassed by none. His only downfall was his failure to hide his emotions. They were all written across his face, like an open book awaiting an audience.

"Fear is a powerful emotion. " Nott commented, breaking the silence. "You fear that you will have to fight a second war. You fear that you will lose you friends. It is precisely this type of fear that the new Death Eaters thrive on. The one that makes you act rashly."

"I'm not-"

"See unlike the last war, this resurrection will not only bring about death and destruction. It plans to bring out the animalistic side of the human being; the one that only cares about survival of the fittest. That is what they believe in. The best will always come out on top; in their case the honorable purebloods."

Nott sighed and leant forward towards Harry. He gazed at him intently.

"Potter the time is ticking. Can you handle the pressure? Keep level headed? Or will you allow your emotions to be your downfall?"

Harry stood up brought out his wand. Nott looked at the wand briefly before reaching for a stray piece of cloth on his robes.

"I trust you Nott. For Merlin knows what reason I trust you. I will act on the information you have given me. If all checks out you will get a reduced sentence of one to two decades in Azkaban. Is that understood?"

Nott nodded and continued to play with the frayed cloth of his raggedy robes.

"Nott?"

The man named a noncommittal noise to show his acknowledgement.

"Why are you telling me all of this?"

"Potter, everything I have ever cared for has been ripped from my hands. My parents are dead, my friends are dead. I have no home or money. I have nothing. In correlation with the Death Eater's ideas of the 'honorable' purebloods, how would I even dare to dream of survival? By telling you, I can get by in the world as it is now with a fair sentence in Azkaban. My telling you is based on purely selfish Slytherin reasoning. There's nothing noble about it."

Harry remained silent for a moment. Everything Nott had said made complete and total sense.

"Thank you"

Nott just smiled lazily and lent back in his chair.

Harry spared Nott one last glance before running past the guards at the door. When he reached the atrium he found ministry personnel from both the London and French divisions. He saw Mr. Arquette speaking to the Minister. As he approached, Mr. Arquette glanced at him briefly.

Kingsley, whose years of Auror training did not allow him to miss the glance, turned and motioned Harry closer.

"What have you found out?"

Harry stopped in front of the men and trained his eyes on Mr. Arquette. How could this man have managed to fool London for so long?

"Mr. Arquette is there something you would like to share with us?" Harry inquired purposely.

The man's eyes widened briefly before he schooled his features and cleared his throat.

"You will have to elaborate, Mr. Potter. I do not know what it is you speak of," Arquette responded haughtily.

"Harry, what is going on," said Kingsley slowly. He glanced between Harry and Arquette with a frown on his face.

"Well I don't know, why don't we ask Arquette over here? Shall we ask him about his collaboration with the new Death Eater regime? His act of treason could cost the lives of many of his citizens but apparently Mr. Arquette is not very interested in that little detail."

Mr. Arquette spluttered and looked around wildly. Gasps were heard. The Aurors around the room were closing in on him.

Just looking at the man made Harry's blood boil. He was despicable. A man who allowed himself to be swept up with promises of position and power. He agreed to collaborate even when he knew that it would cost the lives of thousands. He did not care for anyone but himself. He was everything Harry had grown to hate.

Harry felt his magic spinning out of control. His anger was not allowing him to rein it in. The power was consuming him…devouring him…

Arquette wildly whipped out his wand and trained it on Harry.

"Avada-"

Before he could even utter the rest of the curse, Arquette's wand was out of his hand and he was bound my tight robes. The man lost his balance and fell to the floor. The Aurors quickly put him upright. As he struggled against the binds, Arquette glared at Harry furiously.

"The Death Eaters will succeed this time! Mark my words they will! They are stronger than ever before!"

Arquette's cries were becoming more maniacal by the second. He was beginning to lose control as he was dragged away.

"Will you be happy when they kill you, Potter? You will be able to finally join your disgusting mudblood mother!"

Harry snapped; his face grew stony and a furious blush dashed against his cheeks. His posture quickly changed a fighter's stance.

All eyes were on him as he calmly lifted his wand.

"Cruci-"

"Harry!" Kingsley screamed.

Harry did not take his eyes off of Arquette who now showed genuine fear. He allowed his wand to be knocked out his hand and heard it clatter on the floor. Only by sheer will power was he able to gain some control of his raw magic and prevent it from acting on the curse that was echoing in his mind.

'…this resurrection will not only bring about death and destruction. It plans to bring out the animalistic side of the human being.'

Nott's words were deafening.

'Can you handle the pressure? Keep level headed? Or will you allow your emotions to be your downfall?'

All was silent. The other Aurors wisely chose not to linger around Harry and instead went to attend to the criminal.

Harry did not move an inch. Ron crept closer to Harry and placed a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Harry," Ron whispered anxiously, "What the bloody hell was that?"

Harry locked his emerald gaze with Ron's blue one. There was concern but most importantly there was fear. Ron was afraid of him…

He needed to get away from the scene. His thoughts were scattered and he was caught in between cursing the traitor across the room and cursing himself for allowing his excess power to get out of hand.

He shrugged off Ron's hand and turned on his heel. He walked past the traitor, the Minister, everyone. As he got to the exit, Kingsley called out to him.

"Don't come back tomorrow, Potter. You need to…sort yourself out."

Harry didn't bother to argue. He gave a sharp nod and was gone.

Author's Note 2: Again, sorry for this chapter. Way too short. I know. I won't even fool myself into thinking it is any good. Review!