Harry Potter Fanfiction: The World Thereafter
Chapter 1
The Magical Kingdom of Great Britannia had been at peace for the last 6 years. The Magical Kingdom which had endured ever since the fall of the Roman Empire had become subject to a Dark Lord running the government for the first time in its very history. The brutal 2 years under which the people of Britannia suffered became mental scars on the people and was considered the darkest two years in the entirety of Magical Britannia's years for despite being home to several Dark Lords in the past and their supporters the Magical Kingdom had never until then fallen to them.
Of course it was on October 31, 1999 that the Dark Lord Voldemort or Tom Riddle was killed in battle by Harrison James Potter in Hogwarts. The Death Eaters and the Dark Army of Lord Voldemort were surrounded in the Battle of the Northern Channel amidst the confusion of the Dark Lord's death on 4th November 1999 and subsequently destroyed by the Aurors, Hitwizards and Unspeakables. After a period of dark history came to a close the Magical Community went through a period of mourning and reconstruction. Many things would now never remain the same and many people wondered how it would change the future.
They did not know for certain about any fact. But what they did know for sure was that nothing would ever be the same anymore.
X.X.X
May 2nd 2005 AD, London, United Kingdom
Harrison 'Harry' James Potter stared blankly at the picture in his hands. A picture showing himself and a fiery red headed woman laughing beside him. The way she smiled at him and the manner in which her eyes conveyed her love and adoration for him was something he deeply missed. Missed, you ask? Ginny Weasely had been dead for the past 7 years. Today was her death anniversary.
Harry himself was in a state of disrepair. His clothes flung over all across his room here in 12 Grimmauld Place and a bottle of whiskey on the table in front of him. If a person had gone even a few meters in front of him, the stench of alcohol and whiskey would have been too much to bear to anyone.
"Master…" Came a croaking voice. Harry did nothing to acknowledge the voice other than tilting his head slightly.
"Master, Madam Granger is outside requesting to meet you." A small creature about the height of an average human's hip demurred as he looked at his master in quiet sadness.
Harry shuffled a bit to stand up and shook his head as he set the picture down on the table. He looked at the house elf and replied "Yes….thank you Kreacher, for telling me. Bring Hermione inside. I'll be down in a few minutes."
"Of course Master." Kreacher replied as he bowed his head and apparated away. Harry quickly dried his eyes of tears and fixed his clothes and applied a freshening charm on himself before opening his room door and descending the stairs down below to the living room where he knew Hermione would be waiting for him.
Hermione hadn't changed in the last few years. Her once bushy brown hair which had tamed down in fifth year was now wavy as ever and her intellect had never stopped growing. She wore a plain red long skirt and a grey sweater. Despite Harry's freshening charm, his smell of alcohol did not bypass Hermione's nose.
"Harry…You've been drinking again haven't you?" Hermione asked in a soft voice. After all, she knew what day it was today.
Harry nodded silently knowing he could not lie to Hermione. Hermione sighed as she led Harry to sit down beside her. "Harry, I know it is difficult for you, but you really should move on. Never forget, but move on."
Harry wept. He had tried. He had tried a lot. But he could never move on, even after all these years. His voiced croaked as he opened his mouth to speak. "You…You know…I've….tried Hermione."
Hermione kept a soothing hand over Harry and pulled Harry's head to her shoulder. "I know you have Harry, I know you have….just try harder alright? I can't bear my best friend being like this every-time he's in the privacy of his home."
Harry smiled weakly. Of course. Hermione had been there for him in the past years soothing him and helping him like she was now. His best friend Hermione, of course she was his only best friend…..
"Any news from the Weaseleys?" Harry asked shakily.
"Arthur and Molly are mourning in private as always. Bill and Fleur are visiting the Hogwarts Monument. George is holed up in that store of his. Charlie is in Romania, so I don't know what he's doing. Percy is visiting Ginny's and R-Ron's grave." Hermione's voice shook at the end as she muttered the name of their best friend who had died 6 years ago.
Harry nodded tightly. The Second Magical Britannia Civil War had hit the Weaseley's hard. Especially Arthur and Molly having lost three of their children. George was forever scarred by the death of Fred and poor Percy, poor Percy who had been forced to see Ron killed in front of him helpless to do anything to save him. Percy still held that guilt to this day never forgiving himself for not being able to save the life of his younger brother.
"Harry, you need to pull yourself together…..Come on, this is no way the Minister of Magic of Magical Britannia should be acting." Hermione tried encouraging Harry.
"Of Course, Minister." Harry thought. "How in the nine blazes of hell am I the Minister? Oh that's right, I volunteered for the position!"
Of course, after the end of the war, Harry had felt it personal that because of him the people of Britain had suffered and he would uplift their suffering. So on January 1 2000 AD he became Minister of Magic of the Magical Kingdom of Britannia.
"Oh Merlin!" Harry exclaimed suddenly startling Hermione. Harry quickly checked his watch. It was 1 PM. damn, he only had an hour left! He sprang up from the sofa and turned to Hermione. "I'm sorry Hermione, immensely sorry, but I forgot I had a meeting with the Queen today at 1:45. I really need to start getting ready!"
Hermione smiled as she watched Harry run upstairs to get changed and presumable get the legal documents he would need to take. Harry was at firs really uncertain and timid when it came to his new role as Minister. But he had slowly adapted to it. At first Harry had simply wanted to oust the Purebloods from the positions of power for what had happened with Voldemort but after receiving his Family Grimoire and Family History Book Harry had understood the heritage that came with being a pureblood and one of its descendants. He wanted equality amongst the magical common-folk and had passed many laws regarding family magicks and muggleborn rights over the years. Of course, that didn't mean it was a fast process, but the change was gradual and happening. Very few radical and staunch purists remained in the Wizengamot with their rallying figure being Roran Burke, the Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Burke.
After 15 minutes Harry crashed downed the stairs wearing his formal suit and pants as well as carrying his briefcase with him. He called out "Kreacher!"
With the usual popping sound of apparition, Kreacher appeared before Harry. "Yes Master?"
"Look after the home while I'm gone alright, Kreacher?" Harry asked politely. Of course this was a formality as Kreacher would take care of the house with or without him saying it however, Kreacher liked the attention from his master and Harry liked indulging the old elf.
"Of course Master!"
"Thank you Kreacher. Hermione, why don't we go to the ministry together?" Harry asked as he offered his arm. Hermione smiled as she took the offered arm. Both of them apparated to the Ministry of Magic. The moment he appeared at the apparition point in the Ministry, January tore right through him.
"MR. POTTER! WHERE IN THE WORLD WERE YOU?" January McGonagall shouted in righteous fury. Harry cringed as he looked at his secretary's expression which was so reminiscent of his former professor's expression. It did not help that January was Professor McGonagall's Great Aunt.
"I'm really sorry January, I was caught up in…..nostalgia." Harry stammered an excuse as Hermione watched amusedly from the sidelines.
"NOSTALGIA? WELL THAT'S BRILLIANT ISNT IT? IF YOU DO NOT BRING THE QUEEN'S SIGNATURE FOR THE NEW BILL, WELL YOUR NEW PROPOSAL WILL ALSO BE NOSTALGIA BY THIS EVENING!" January shouted indignantly as her red hair started flying in anger and her face started to become as red as her hair with anger.
Harry backed up a few steps putting his hands up to placate her. "I'm sorry January, I really am! I'm here now aren't I? We still have 25 minutes left for the meeting."
"Fine! Yes we do! Go to Director Shaklebolt's Office. He has the escort ready for you." January bit through her angry mouth. Harry quickly gave a quick farewell to Hermione before quickly making a tactical retreat to Shaklebolt's office. As he came into view, Kingsley's secretary immediately perked up and said "Minister! Director Shaklebolt is waiting inside."
"Thank you Miss Rosaline." Harry replied as he knocked on the door.
"Come in." Came Shaklebolt's gruff voice. Harry opened the door to see Kingsley sitting on his desk looking at some papers while two Aurors, Neville Longbottom and Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin sat in front of him clearly waiting for him.
"Cutting it a little close aren't we Harry?" Kingsley asked jovially.
Harry glared at the man before sighing and saying "Yes, I quite forgot about it until Hermione reminded it to me by mistake."
"Well thank Hermione. I don't think I could mend my ears from going deaf if I hear another slew of shouting from dear January." Kingsley remarked as he took a sip from the tea he was drinking. Kingsley's comment drew an amused snort from Tonks and a smirk from Neville. Harry sighed as he acknowledged the fact.
"Well, Neville, Tonks, your my escorts today aren't you? Well let's get going then." Neville and Tonks immediately stood up and followed Harry to the Apparition point. There Harry took out his wand and muttered the apparition password to Buckingham Palace. "Rule Britannia. For Windsor and Country." Immediately he and his escorts apparated out of the Ministry of Magic and appeared in front of the secret 'Magical Room' of Buckingham Palace where Queen Elizabeth was waiting for him.
"Sir Potter!" the Queen remarked as she saw Harry appear. She gestured to the chair in front of her and said "Why don't you sit down?"
Harry and his escorts immediately fell to one knee and murmured "Your Majesty" before standing up. Harry sat down in the chair while Neville and Tonks stood behind him looking at the Queen's bodyguards.
"I hear you have a proposal that requires my signature, Sir Potter." The Queen stated. "Tea, Sir Potter? This tea is all the way from Nepal, and it's simply majestic in its taste. I do recommend it Sir Potter."
"Of course your majesty." Harry replied as the Queen poured tea into a medium sized cup before placing it in front of him. "And yes your majesty, I do have a proposal that requires your approval and signature before I present it to the Wizengamot."
"I see." The Queen replied whilst taking a sip from the cup of tea. "So do provide me a brief overview of the proposal Sir Potter."
"Of course your majesty." Harry replied as he took out some papers and documents from his briefcase before carefully passing them over to the Queen. "Me and the directors have been meaning to make this proposal ever since I took office. Well you see your Majesty, in the ending years of the war I heard how some magical countries integrate muggleborns into their society before they come to school. For my proposal I'm taking Switzerland's model. The moment accidental magic happens to a muggleborn, a counselor is sent to the family to explain about magic and the nature of muggleborn's to the parents. In this manner I want to integrate muggleborns earlier into our society so that they can access magical facilities earlier and make the advantage that all purebloods and most half-bloods have when they start schooling at the age of 11. This will increase productivity of our manpower and increase our overall standards of living in the long run. Of course, any law regarding muggles must be approved by you, or the Royal Family under the Charter of 1707 because this will take into account the muggleborn's muggle parents."
"Hm….so Switzerland has a system like this?" The Queen asked as she read the documents.
"Yes. Well Switzerland's the only country in Europe to do that. However other countries on other continents like Japan, Bhutan, Cambodia, South Africa, Brazil and Cuba also practice this bill your majesty." Harry answered.
"I see. So will the muggleborn live entirely in the magical world after their introduction to the magical world?" the Queen asked as she laid the documents on the table and looked at him.
"Well no your majesty. They will be informed about magic. If they so wish, they can visit magical urban areas like St. Mungos, Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade etc and use its facilities. They can purchase, use and open magical currency bank accounts and use the magical economic system, but they will continue their muggle upbringing and education before coming to Hogwarts at age 11. This proposal is made to make them and their parents more prepared and aware about the magical world." Harry replied back calmly.
"I see. It is a very compelling proposal Sir Potter. Very well. I accept the proposal. Where am I to sign?" The Queen asked. Harry mentally breathed out a sigh of relief as he directed the Queen on the places she needed to sign. After an hour after that he sat with the Queen talking about the general geopolitics of the magical realm of her majesty before respectfully leaving her majesty.
Once Harry returned to the ministry at 4 PM he entered his office and called for January.
"Yes Mr. Potter? How did your meeting go? Did the Queen approve?" She asked curiously.
"She did. Here are the papers. Arrange them for tomorrow morning's Daily Prophet and call a Wizengamot Meeting tomorrow. This proposal has become a bill and I hope that by tomorrow evening it will become law." Harry answered back as he passed the papers to January.
"This is good news!" January beamed at him. She sped out of the office to do the tasks Harry had given her. Sometime later as Harry was looking over the new bill and its details, January returned with an envelope in her hand. "Is there something wrong January?"
"Well Mr. Potter, I did the tasks you asked me to do. As I was returning here, Director Diggory asked me to give you this envelope. After clearing It in the security check I came here to give it to you." January replied as she handed the envelope to Harry. Harry nodded as he took the envelope and dismissed January.
He opened the envelope and took the letter within to read it.
Minister Potter of the Magical Kingdom of Britannia,
This is an official invitation to you to the 638th ICW (International Confederation of Wizards) Summit which is being held in Stockholm, Sweden. This meeting has been personally called by the Chancellor of the Magical Kingdom of Sweden. Chancellor Norr Drakeson has issued an urgent response and we hope that the leader of the Magical Kingdom of Britannia will be able to be present in this meeting. The date is set at May 31st 2005 and two escorts shall be allowed.
Yours Sincerely,
Lord Gospodin Kolsta
Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards
Ah, Diggory was the Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs so he should have expected something like this. Harry sighed as he made a note on his calendar and placed it on his desk. He had more urgent matters to handle tomorrow, like that bill of his.
But right now, he would go home and sleep, because he was downright exhausted both physically and mentally.
X.X.X
End of Chapter.