Honors

Tuesday August the eleventh dawned warm and overcast. It had rained overnight breaking the humidity gripping the southern half of England for the past few days, and Harry woke to the sound of a pedestrian swearing as a passing car splashed water from the gutter onto to the walk. Putting on his glasses he made his way to the owlery hoping the forecast was right and the clouds would lift by early afternoon. Entering the room on the uppermost floor of Grimmauld Place he found Dagny preening her feathers.

"Good morning girl, did you have a good hunt?" The massive eagle owl nodded her head in reply and Harry patted his shoulder. She jumped from the perch to join him as he reached up to scratch her head, "Looks like I may have been right about using this room after all." Dagny pulled her head from under Harry's fingers, "Come on now, there's no need to act like that, we all make mistakes." In a gesture that Harry took as begrudging acceptance of the statement Dagny nipped his ear and allowed him to resume stroking her. "That's better; come on let's go have some breakfast."

They started towards the kitchen but passing Harry's room Dagny jumped from his shoulder and flew to her preferred roost on his wardrobe. Harry continued on and was soon being served a heaping plate of bubble and squeak. Just as Kreacher placed it on the table a green flash filled the room and Ginny stepped from the fireplace wearing her dressing robe.

"Good morning handsome. Mom doesn't know I've left so I need to get back before she misses me, just wanted to wish you good luck today." She gave Harry a quick kiss, "See you after." With a flash Ginny was gone leaving Harry smiling at the empty grate.

Turning his attention back to breakfast a troubling thought entered Harry's mind. "I hope this doesn't make me bubble and squeak at an inopportune time?" Chuckling to himself he poured a generous portion of brown sauce over the dish and tucked in.

As the hour of departure drew near Harry crossed the hall from the bathroom to his bedroom. He had decided against wearing dress robes to the Ministry and returning home to change before going to Buckingham Palace. He needed to be there early to attend a briefing being held by the Lord Chamberlain's Office and even with magic; time would just be too tight. Dressed in his new suit he looked himself over once in the mirror before apparating directly from his room to the Ministry of Magic visitors entrance. With a load pop he reappeared, grabbed the invitation he'd need to gain admittance to the Palace and departed again.

Arriving at the visitor's entrance, for the second time in mere moments, Harry looked around and spied Dudley at the end of the block. He called to him and together they entered the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic. Harry's eyes and ears were assaulted by popping flash bulbs and a mix of shouts and cheers. The entire length of the hall was lined many rows deep by well wishers, reporters and photographers. A velvet rope had been strung from brass poles along both sides of the hall to mark a walkway for the honorees and official guests. Security personnel were stationed along the rope to dissuade any overly eager persons from crossing into the clear area. As he and Dudley walked along this corridor of humanity Harry waved occasionally and did his best to ignore the shouted questions put forth by the members of the press, until one shrill voice caught his ear.

"Harry! Why are you arriving alone, where's your beloved Ginny Weasley? Who's that with you, have you started hiring private security?"

Harry stopped and turned to face Rita Skeeter. For a moment he considered confronting the bothersome reporter he thought to be more hag then witch before he noticed the individual just two spots down from her.

Thaddeus Rowen wrote a weekly column in the Sunday Prophet that Harry found extremely enjoyable and never failed to read. Recognizing him immediately from the photo that accompanied his byline Harry walked directly to the reporter, leaned in and whispered, "Mr. Rowen, if you'd like to stop by my house tomorrow afternoon I just might have some information for you." Reaching into his pocket Harry pulled out what appeared to be a business card and pressed it into the stunned columnist's hand. "The address is on the card, see you tomorrow then."

Harry continued to follow the path made by the crowd until he neared the elevators and was met by an usher wearing a maroon uniform. "Mr. Potter, follow me please."

The usher led him to a set of doors that Harry hadn't noticed before and he wondered if they only appeared when needed. The doors blended almost perfectly with the wall to the left of the elevators and as they approached two doormen swung them open to reveal a small lobby. A second set of doors stood open across the lobby and Harry could see they led to a large well lit room. However the usher directed Harry to a door on the right that led to a small anti-chamber. Harry told Dudley he'd see him after the ceremony and entered the room to find Neville sitting in a comfortable looking chair, his hands folded in his lap and his eyes closed.

Neville opened his eyes as Harry entered and rose to greet him, "Harry thank goodness. It feels like I've been sitting in here by myself for hours instead of just a few minutes."

Harry shook Neville's hand, "Good to see you again Neville, how was Australia?"

"Fantastic, thanks for asking. That Anangu healer really appears to be onto something with the Acacia brachystachya. I don't really understand all the medical stuff, but I'm hoping to learn enough to compare the European varieties of the plant and see if they'd be of a similar use. Oh, I almost forgot, Mick and Xanthe say hello."

Harry looked at Neville and blinked, "Who? No wait, of course, Mick from Mulga Bore. How's he doing, is the place still as hot? I'm afraid I can't place Xanthe, but it seems like I should be able to."

"Mick's doing fine, its winter down there so Mulga Bore is a couple of degrees cooler, but you could still fry an egg on a rock. You should be able to remember Xanthe, she's the tall attractive blond that works in the Canberra portkey office, loves to dance and is a great cook."

"Of course, I remember her now. Ron got a punch in the shoulder from Hermione because of her." Harry eyed Neville and grinned, "What I don't recall is how catching a portkey enables you know someone loves to dance and is a great cook. You haven't been doing more then just studying plants have you?"

Neville grinned right back at Harry, "Well, I did have the weekends off."

At that moment Hermione was shown into the room and gave Neville a hug. "It's good to see you again Neville, how's the research going?"

Harry answered for him, "You may not believe this but while he was supposed to be studying the Acacia branch-a-ma-thingy our Neville here was actually studying blonds. Do you remember Xanthe who worked in the portkey office?"

Hermione laughed, "What the tall one I punched Ron in the shoulder over?"

"Now hold on a moment," injected Neville, "It's the Acacia brachystachya and I was studying it. I just had weekends off, that's all."

He was spared more teasing by the arrival of Ron who wasted no time expressing what was on his mind. "Merlin's left one; it's a bloody zoo out there and that Skeeter woman! She's no lady, I'll tell you that! In fact you know what she is? I'll tell you what she is, she's not a witch, she's a word that rhymes with witch and starts with a 'b', that's what she is! If she so much as writes one bad word about Harry and Ginny I'll hit her with all three of the unforgivables, that's what I'll do!"

Hermione went to Ron and took both his hands in hers, "Settle down Ron. I'm sure we all saw Skeeter on the way in, what happened to get you so brassed off?

Hermione's touch seemed to calm Ron and he continued in a slightly more relaxed manner. "Well we all entered together right, my whole family I mean, and we're walking through the Atrium when all of a sudden who should be there but Rita Skeeter. She starts shouting at Ginny about where's Harry and what happened since her return from Hogwarts and why aren't they together today. Well Dad just hurried us along but I swear Ginny and I were both ready to jinx her on the spot."

Harry joined Ron and Hermione, "Don't worry about Skeeter Ron; I've already set a plan in motion to stomp on the beetle. I hope she writes a nice rotten story because on Sunday it will blow up in her face."

Harry quickly filled the others in on his conversation with Thaddeus Rowen.

Ron looked puzzled, "But I don't get it mate. So you give Rowen an interview, so what, it'll still be a case of she said he said. What will it solve exactly?"

A grinning Harry replied, "If everything goes well tonight, there will be a little more than just he said she said involved. I won't give you the full details right know, but don't worry, you'll be able to figure it out soon enough."

Hermione squealed and gave Harry a huge, "I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!"

Ron looked even more puzzled, "You knew what Hermione?"

"Really Ronald, think about it. Today is Ginny's seventeenth birthday; she's going to be an adult. What could happen tonight to make a story by Rita Skeeter, about Harry and Ginny being broken up, look like a complete load of tripe?"

As Ron continued to look confused it was Neville who made all the right connections. "No! Really, tonight, what after the party then?" He grasped Harry's hand and shook it, "Congratulations, or good luck, or whatever's the right thing to say."

Harry was about to thank him when Kingsley Shacklebolt entered the room. "Good you're all here and I take it you all received your briefing on how things will proceed this morning."

They all nodded their heads and mumbled, "Yes Minister."

Kingsley smiled, "It's time then, are you ready?"

Once again they all answered yes and followed the Minister for Magic from the room to take their places in the processional. Two ushers led the group into the Grand Assembly Chamber of the Ministry of Magic; one carried the Ministry banner while the other carried a banner adorned with an image of the Order of Merlin. The ushers were followed by a dozen senior members of the Wizengamot, Kingsley, Harry, Hermione, Ron and Neville. As they entered the room the brightness of the light forced Harry to squint as he attempted to make out his surroundings. In many ways it resembled the courtroom where his hearing had been held, only this room was much more inviting and seemed much larger. The entire Wizengamot sat on raised seats along one curved wall of the room and the twelve members that had marched in the processional took their places among them. Where the Wizengamot's seats ended the remaining seating began to rise in height as they encircled the chamber, broken only by the tunnel the marchers had just walked through. The Minister for Magic, Harry, Hermione, Ron and Neville all took their places on a raised dais in the center of the room and Kingsley address the crowd.

"Gentle Witches and Warlocks we are gathered this morning to honor four brave young people for the service they have rendered." He continued on for another forty full minutes before calling for the Orders of Merlin to be brought forth. Three witches and a wizard entered the chamber, all dressed in flowing gossamer robes of blue and carrying a polished wooden box. The first witch approached the dais and Kingsley removed a white sash adorned with a large bronze eight pointed star.

As he placed it on Neville an unseen, commanding voice announced, "Mr. Neville Longbottom, Order of Merlin Third Class."

The second witch approached the dais and Kingsley removed a white and blue sash adorned with a large silver eight pointed star.

He placed it on Ron as the voice announced, "Mr. Ronald Bilius Weasley, Order of Merlin Second Class."

The wizard approached the dais and as Kingsley placed the white and blue sash with a large silver star on Hermione the voice announced, "Ms. Hermione Jean Granger, Order of Merlin Second Class."

Finally the third witch came forward and Kingsley removed a blue, white and red sash festooned with a large gold eight pointed star. He placed it on Harry as the voice announced, "Mr. Harry James Potter, Order of Merlin First Class."

The assembly erupted with thunderous applause as the four recipients turned to wave and acknowledge their accolades. Beginning with Neville they were each given the opportunity to say a few words and one by one Neville, Hermione and Ron thanked the crowed for honoring them. When it was Harry's turn to speak he first sought out Ginny and found her in the front row. They made eye contact and shared a smile.

"I look out upon you today and see gratitude reflected in your faces and thank you for believing me worthy of this honor. However, when I look out upon you today what I don't see are the faces of the missing, those who gave all they had to give for the cause of good over evil. Here on the dais with me today are four people who in their own ways did every bit as much as I. Among your number is a great multitude who acted every bit as heroic as I'm said to have acted. You have chosen to honor me because I delivered the final blow in our joint effort. But I say to you that blow was delivered from the shoulders of those who came before me and joined with me. This honor is our honor to be shared and cherished by us all, lest we forget why the fight was necessary and find ourselves fighting it again."

As applause once more thundered in the chamber, the Minister, Harry, Hermione, Ron and Neville made their way off the dais and out of the room, followed by the Wizengamot, the honored guest and finally the rest of the crowd.

Once again in the anti-chamber Minister Shaklebolt and the four honorees were soon joined by Augusta Longbottom, Stephen and Penny Granger, Dudley Dursley and the whole Weasley clan. Ginny and Harry hugged and stood holding hands as they conversed with the others in the now crowded room. After verifying that Dudley and Ginny would still be traveling to the next ceremony together Harry said his goodbyes and see you laters and left to make his way back past the crowd of well wishers and reporters assembled in the atrium. The sea of humanity safely navigated he reached the street, glanced around, and apparated to St. James Park.

Arriving at the park Harry removed and folded his sash before placing it in his left suit coat pocket. He removed his invitation from the right pocket, made his way along the Mall, dodged traffic to cross the circle around the Victoria Memorial and found the appropriate gate to enter the Palace. Entrance to the Palace secured he followed the directions to the room where the Lord Chamberlin was to deliver his briefing.

Harry wasn't the first to arrive and as he joined the others a soldier in his dress blue uniform spoke to him. "Finally somebody younger, between you and me mate this place looks like a dance at the pensioners home. So what's yours for then?"

Harry studied his new acquaintance, he didn't know much about military insignia and couldn't identify this man's regiment, but he was certain three chevrons meant this individual was a sergeant. "Um, it's for services delivered under great duress above and beyond that which would normally be expected of a subject of the realm."

The sergeant smile, "Well done that, no need to say more, totally understand." He looked around and leaned closer before adding in a whisper, "Getting mine for doing something we ain't doing in a place we ain't at."

When they finally had all assembled, Harry estimated their number to be slightly more then one hundred, the Lord Chamberlin entered. He was dressed in black trousers and a black knee length tunic. The tunic was adorned with gold shoulder boards and gold braiding ran from his right shoulder to the tunic's top button. The badge signifying his office hung over the center of his chest, suspended from the braiding. After giving them a brief presentation on the order of the ceremony and the proper etiquette to be observed, the Lord Chamberlin departed the room leaving one of his staff members to arrange the recipients in the proper order.

As he took his place Harry strained to see into the ballroom where the actual presentations were to be made. A red carpet had been laid from the room he was in, across the length of the ballroom to a room on the far side. It created a walkway between the dais on his left and rows of chairs on his right. Upon the dais stood five members of the Yeoman of the Guard, wearing their traditional uniforms little changed since the corps creation by Henry VII. The orchestra from the Purcell School of Music was assembled in the balcony directly opposite the spot were the Queen would be standing.

Just as Harry managed to take this all in a loud, clear voice sounded out, "My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen, Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II," as all present stood the Queen entered the ballroom from the room opposite Harry and the others. She was escorted by the Lord Chamberlin and attended by two Gurkha orderly officers in addition to two uniformed military officers. Once the royal party had taken their places the orchestra played the national anthem. While the guests took their seats the Lord Chamberlin moved to a podium on the Queen's right and announced the first recipient and the award being presented.

One by one those being honored prior to Harry were called forward and sooner than he would have liked the Gentleman Usher tapped him on the shoulder indicating he should begin walking towards the dais. As Harry moved forward he continually repeated to himself, "Turn, bow, step forward and kneel."

The Lord Chamberlin announced, "Harry James Potter, Knight Bachelor and Officer in the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire."

Harry stopped, turned to face the Queen with her trademark handbag draped over her left elbow, bowed, stepped forward and kneeled on the Investiture stool.

The Queen used the sword which her father, King George VI, had used as a Colonel in the Scots Guards to touch each of Harry's shoulders, dubbing him a knight. Harry rose and the Queen pinned the Knights Bachelor badge on his coat, followed by the rose pink ribbon and gold cross of an Officer in the Order of the British Empire. Then, as she had done with all the other recipients she briefly addressed him. "Congratulations Sir Potter, well done." As she spoke she extended him her hand.

Harry took the Queen's hand, "Thank you, Your Majesty." He stepped back, bowed once more and exited the room through the door opposite the one he had entered as the next honoree took his place.

Exiting the ballroom Harry was escorted to the Inner Quadrangle of Buckingham Palace where his photo was taken with his awards and soon after he was reunited with Ginny and Dudley.

Muggle world or magic world it made no difference to Ginny and she ran to Harry and hugged him, although given the formality of the situation she did refrain from jumping into his arms. "Now I have my very own knight in a blue tailored suit," she joked once they had kissed.

When Harry and Ginny broke their embrace a smiling Dudley stepped forward and took Harry's hand firmly in his own, "Well done Sir Potter, what's that make you now, Harry James Potter, OBE, Kt.?"

Harry had felt a little embarrassed and mumbled, "I'm not really sure something like that I guess. By the way, did Aunt Petunia make it?"

"She did," replied Dudley. "Traveled here herself sat in the back by herself and is going home by herself. Sometimes I think the biggest part of her problem with Aunt Lilly is herself. At least she was congenial when I introduced her to Ginny."

Harry turned to Ginny, "So you met my aunt then, what did you think?"

Ginny glanced at Dudley who shrugged and said, "You probably won't hurt my feelings."

Ginny turned back to Harry, "She seems to have a bit of a stick up her bum."

Harry and Dudley laughed and Harry said, "Come on, let's get back to your place. The party's already started. Is the plan still to apparate and bring Dudley back to his car later?"

Ginny sighed, "That would be quickest and now that my trace is removed I really do want to. But Harry, cars are so much fun! You really have to get one and learn to drive, and then you can teach me!"

Harry was amused by Ginny's revelation and request. He had never considered cars to be fun. To be fair he had always been treated as excess baggage and not an honored guest, so he could understand her opposing perspective and excitement. They continued to discuss the feasibility of Harry buying an auto as they searched out a deserted spot to apparate to the Burrow.