AN: Ah, the new story. So the tales and troubles begin again. It will be fantastic. Just continue reading. You'll see.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.

Oh, how this Narrator is terrified of passing the continuing tales of the slightly off his rocker Minister of Magic and his very brave, yet lucky friends onto you. The on-going tale of how the Wizarding World reacted to their Minister returning without a word as to where he had been. Not even a simple 'Oh, just made a mistake in a time turner mixing and went a couple of months into the future, nothing to worry about.' In fact, one could say that the community was more worried by the silence.

Harry tossed the Daily Prophet down onto the table, irked at the headline. Muttering to himself, "'23 days without a word as to where the Minister Went'. Well, it's none of your damned business." Harry stretched his neck muscles, trying to avoid tension. The tension had been growing since he had gotten back, since the others decided his company was not company worthy of keeping. Okay, so he might be being a bit harsh. Hermione had needed to return to her studies. And sure, when she wasn't studying, she should be spending time with her boyfriend. That didn't excuse Luna. Hell, or even his recently returned best friend Ron.

Though, according to the Bloody Daily Prophet, Ron had been seen with both his family and one Hermione Granger. Yet, whenever he called on Hermione, she wasn't in to receive him. His own girlfriend was refusing to speak to him. She had buried herself into her work at the Department of Mysteries alongside the newly hired Ron Weasley.

He supposed he only had himself to blame. His mind turned to what happened as soon as they had arrived back home.

"The Founding?" Ron said, incredouslessness present in his tone. Hermione, Draco, and Luna nodded in unison as Harry just gazed at his returned friend. Harry wouldn't let the others know this, but he had never believed that Ron would return to him. Hermione had told him to be patient, saying that 'Ronald only needed time to think things through.' Suppose that Hermione was right on that one, but he was unsure of why Ron returned and if it was really for me.

"But we shouldn't say anything to anyone else." Harry spoke, the command present in his voice. He would order them to tell no one else if he had to. He didn't need the Wizarding World getting their hands on the potion and going back that far in the past. It was already a very dangerous idea to time travel. Going that far in the past could have unforeseen effects on the future. Just look at what his argument with Draco had done to centuries of wizarding thought. Maybe the pureblood vs muggleblood battles could have been avoided.

"But-" "Harry!" "Be reasonable!" "What about the others!?" Four voices clamored at him, demanding that he not hold them to it.

"No! Nothing will be said! That is that!" Harry took the parchment with the potion on it in the lab, holding it over the small fire that had obviously been burning to keep Ron warm.

"Harry!" Hermione protested reaching out to stop Harry, but not being able to prevent him from burning it.

"No, it's to dangerous, Minnie. We can't-" Harry stopped talking as he was slapped across the cheek by Luna, who was glaring at him.

"Grow up, Harry. Stop acting the fool." Luna walked out, the others trailing after her without looking back.

Harry hadn't been into the office in 23 days, sending messages via magic. He signed forms and paperwork by having Dobby bring them to him. He knew that some people were trying to get in touch with him because according to Dobby, Professor McGonagall, Arthur Weasley, Tonks, and Remus Lupin had come by at various points in time and pounded on his door. Since he had silenced his study and the kitchen, he didn't hear them. Harry was more than fairly certain that he looked like hell, but that is about what he felt.

He didn't know how to go on. Dumbledore had warned him that being a bumbling fool had its disadvantages as well. He had had a choice – constant fear or anger at the idiot. Guess he was an idiot for choosing the anger at the idiot.

Fingering the silver time turner on his desk, Harry contemplated a small vacation. He could take a hop to the Absurdly Located in the General Vicinity of the Northern Arctic School of Hocus Pocus. They always liked it when he popped in for a visit. But then again, maybe they wouldn't be this time. They might be upset at his silence over where he went. Might think him the bumbling fool. Might think that he was trying to hide something.

He didn't know what he was going to do. He honestly had no clue for once. The bumbling idiot act was supposed to last. He was supposed to remain happy in his role. But, maybe that was what Dumbledore had meant when he said he was able to be himself at Hogwarts. Maybe, the Ministry wasn't where he was meant to be at. Harry didn't need to work to be able to live. Grimmauld Place was his own, given to him by Sirius. With his inheritance from his parents, he had enough money to feed himself for forever.

Somehow, he thought, Luna wouldn't return to him if he lived the life of a hermit. Besides, he needed something to keep busy. Maybe research was a route he could go. Certainly couldn't do any harm?

Well, until he experimented and blew something up. Then, maybe things would be harmed. Probably just himself. Harry found himself finding the notion rather appealing. Even if Luna didn't come back to him, he would be having fun. He could find something helpful to the wizarding and muggle worlds alike. He wouldn't have to put up with ratty politicians and whiny constituants. Sure, he would always have to be in the public eye, but that hardly mattered to him anymore. He had gotten accustomed to it. Besides, he would always have his trusty time turner – if slightly modified time turner – to take extended vacations if he deemed it necessary. Escapes from the reality of being Harry Potter, saviour of the Ridiculously Idiotic Wizarding Community and be Harry Potter, Free Man.

Now, the question became how to announce that he was resigning from the Ministry. Should he write a letter? No, that wouldn't work to well. People could claim it was a forgery. They could say he was forced to write it. He could start mass panic that way. Why start mass panic? Panic was no fun and often caused headaches.

Rifling through the various letters and papers on his desk, Harry thought about the dilemna. Almost as though Fate was shouting at him 'Golden Opportunity', Harry spied an invitation to the 5th Annual Continued Cooperation with Wizarding and Muggle Relations Ball. A prime opportunity for the Minister to resign. In fact, it was the best opportunity. Harry smiled, gleefully rubbing his hands together as he started work on what he would say. After all, the Ball was the very next day.

Now, this Narrator knows that you don't want to leave Harry all by himself as he prepares to wreak mayhem yet again on the Wizarding World. However, it is important that we catch up with the three other travelers and their recent addition. One must know all the facts before walking into the Lion's Den, or rather the Ball. After all, you certainly want to understand everything that happens that rather fateful night, don't you?

Hermione threw her pen down, horribly frustrated. She had gotten no work done on her dissertation, despite all the help that Draco, Ron and Luna had given her. She wanted her thoughts to not keep going to her overbearing, arrogant ex-friend Harry Potter. The nerve of the man to order them around like that! The power of being Godric Gryffindor must have gone to his head! He was so confident that they would just do what he said. Now, yes, they hadn't told anyone but it wasn't because of his order. It would be stupid to risk people trying the potion themselves. Paradoxical situations would be happening all the time. They didn't have the resources to stop meddlesome people from changing history for the worst.

"'Mione?" The man sitting on her couch said cautiously. Hermione blinked, having forgotten that she had Draco over. Well, he was almost always over, where he tended to do his work on her couch. They tended to just work in silence together, which was fun and rather fantastic. She went over to him curling up against him.

"I can't concentrate." She whispered, looking at his blank pieces of parchment, "And apparently, neither can you." Draco grinned kissing her briefly. His smile faded, looking at the work,

"All I can think about is Harry. I mean, I'm pissed at him. Royally pissed off about his 'order'. But I can't help thinking that we are his friends and we walked out on him. Think about it, you're supposed to take your friends the way they come. And ours comes packaged as a bumbling idiot. Its better than him scaring all the little ones."

Hermione nodded, placing her head on his shoulder, "But he had no right to say it! He's so arrogant!" She shook her head, "But I miss him. I miss the rambling, crazy fool."

"I know, 'Mione. What can we do? No one has seen him! He's ignoring everyone going to his house. He hasn't left it since we got back. He's done work, but heavens only knows how. His meetings are being done by proxy. It's horrible. I never meant to hurt him that much."

"Yeah, but we didn't say anything. Luna is what hurt him the most. We need to talk to him. We need to talk to both of them."

"Awww, you want to play matchmaker." Draco grinned, kissing her more, "I love that about you." He whispered to her. He looked at her mail briefly, catching sight of the Ball invitation, "Do you think he'll attend?"

Hermione blinked, confused, but then saw what had caught his attention. She grinned, bouncing up suddenly, "You are brilliant! Of course he will! We'll be able to corner him and apologize!" Hermione kissed Draco over and over again, before bouncing up to place a floo call.

Luna kicked a box in her small flat. She was moving soon. The tabloids speculated that she was moving in with Ron, since they had seen him come in with empty boxes and leave with full ones. It was the biggest load of garbage. Ron was just helping her move into her bigger flat. She was tired of tripping over her possessions because there was no place to put them. Logically, moving into a larger place made sense. Since, she wasn't talking with stupid, idiotic Harry Potter, she had to ask Ron and the rest of the Weasley's for help. Most of the others helped with setting up the new flat, getting the furniture placed there as she packed up the old one.

Luna grinned, knowing that the other Weasley's were just afraid of walking into this flat. They had all been at some point or another, and most had tripped and gotten hurt in some fashion. Surprisingly, Ron had managed that yet, despite that it was in worse disarray than when his family had stopped by. But, then again, Ron had traveled over the world. He probably was used to avoiding bad things.

Another swift kick later, and Luna was throwing things haphazardly around the room, screaming. Tears were running down her face. She didn't notice as Ron stopped her from breaking things. She did notice the tug of apparition and that she was at her new flat. She felt someone's arms encircle her, but she didn't quite care.

"What happened, Ron? What did you say to the poor thing?"

"Nothing, mother. She was throwing things around, crying, when I came back." Ron whispered to his mom. Ron understood that Luna periodically got upset over ending her relationship with Harry. From what he could understand, this was only the second time that they had been separate in their relationship – something that had been growing since he had healed after the Final Battle. Though, they hadn't gotten together as a couple until they were thrown back into the past. Ron didn't understand how Harry wouldn't actually talk with Luna and learn her feelings.

Ron watched as his mom steer Luna to the kitchen, making her tea. While his mom calmed Luna down, Ron recruited Bill and Charlie to help him finish packing up Luna's place. He didn't really want to be around them that long, because he was certain that they would ask about Harry. He just wasn't willing to say that he had forgiven his best friend to then walk out on him. His family had taken to pestering him about what had happened, so he had moved out to a flat in London. Granted, that had meant he had had to find a job. Now, that search had been interesting. Ironically, he had ended up working the Ministry in one of the more obscure departments. He was more than happy with that.

"Ron! Are you even listening to us?" Bill said, as he poked his brother.

"What?"

"Ron, what is going on with Harry? He hasn't been around the Ministry and dad said he doesn't answer the door. What happened to him and Luna as well?" Charlie repeated their questions.

"I didn't answer when I lived at home, what makes you think I'll answer now?"

"Because, the Annual whatever the name is Ball is tomorrow and no one knows if the Minister is going to show up. No one knows what to expect. No one knows what happened to the four of them. I've also never known Luna to get torn up over Harry doing anything, so clearly wherever they went, Luna and Harry got close. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, but they obviously got into a lover's spat. So, what happened?"

"I'm not allowed to talk about where they went. But, Luna wanted Harry to grow up. She didn't want to be ordered around. She wanted a partner. Harry obviously wasn't giving her that. He's cloistered himself away as a result, not that Luna wants to talk with him until he's demonstrated that he's grown up. No, I don't know if he's going to be there tomorrow. But I would doubt it." Ron bit out, putting Luna's things into boxes with a flick of his wand. He blinked as he saw that his brothers had finished everything.

"Don't understand why this was taking you guys so long." Bill grumbled as he put all the boxes into a big box, using magic to shrink them. Ron shrugged,

"I think she was going through everything. I don't know though." Ron whispered, "Maybe she was hoping someone would show up at her doorstep." Charlie noticed that Ron was upset and decided it was time to move the subject to less troublesome topics.

"Well, are you going to the Ball?" Bill shook his head at his brothers attempt to change the subject.

"Probably. It's recommended that all Ministry employees invited attend. Since I was invited, I should probably go." Bill grinned, ruffling his brother's head.

"Aw, he doesn't want to go. Probably afraid of looking silly." Ron glared,

"Of course not!" Ron went with his brothers back to the flat, looking at Luna who was mechanically unpacking. He set to work on trying to bring her spirits up, not liking Luna without the strangeness that made her sparkle. Right now, she seemed to similar to everyone else.

This Narrator could bore you with every detail of the next 24 hours. Taking up your precious time with little unnecessary details that have no bearing on the next evening. I could describe the exact meal that Ron Weasley ate for breakfast, how he ate it, and how much time he took to each separate bite. However, that hardly seems fair – now does it? Not when what you are interested in is how the five characters in our tail interact with each other at the Ball that is the talk of everyone. Or were you more interested in how Crazy Harry Potter plans to step down as the Minister of Magic? Well, I suppose if that is what you were looking forward to, you will have your wish in a few brief moments. There is one last event that takes place prior to the Ball that influences heavily on the events there.

Hermione looked at the other four as they met for lunch. She wasn't sure how to say what she needed to say. She supposed just spitting it out was the best way, "I'm going to corner Harry tonight. I'm going to force him to listen to me apologize. I don't care if you guys don't think he deserves it, but I'm worried for him."

Ron smiled at her, though it was a bit tense. Over the past 23 days, Ron had had to get used to her dating Draco. Hermione had to admit that it was going rather well, considering that the two of them used to be mortal enemies. Draco had helped his case quite a bit, though, by revealing to Ron how he had helped the side of the Light during the Battle. It had taken him years (well, years back at the time of the Founding. Hermione still wasn't sure how she was this age again) to reveal that information to her fully.

"I am as well," Ron spoke softly, "I didn't come back to make up with him and then turn my back on him again. Bad enough I did it the first time."

"Damn straight it is." Hermione snapped him, her eyes blazing with anger at him for that. Draco jumped in, trying to calm down Hermione,

"Mione, don't bite his head off. He acknowledges it was wrong. He wants to make up for it. 'Sides, he's agreed your plan is good. As do I. I am more than willing to corner our errant friend and force apologies into his ear. Sounds like a bad form of torture." Draco rambled a little bit, causing Hermione to smile. Surprisingly Luna did as well.

"He won't want to listen to me, I'm sure. But I'll help." Luna whispered. Ron put a hand on her back, comforting her,

"He will want to listen. He loves you. I'm sure he does." Ron smiled encouragingly. "Guess we'll have to be prepared to run all over the place tonight! Also, we should have a signal if one of us corners him."
"Well, use a summon charm. Sure you know one Ron." Hermione smiled at him. Ron nodded. "I have to go get ready. Lots of work goes into making me pretty for a ball."

Harry looked at the fantastically decorated and expanded atrium at the Ministry. It was the perfect place to hold a Ball, and whichever committee had been placed in decorating it that year had done wonderfully. He supposed he should write them a letter thanking them for such a good job. But, he'd deal with that after his announcement. Not a moment before.

Naturally, there were hordes of politicians there. Harry fought to keep the scowl off his face, placing his best I'm not here fully look on. Always made people think he was too stupid to know what they were really trying to do. He supposed that they figured his advisors were the ones that got him to not implement their stupid ideas. He possibly couldn't be expected to figure those things out. Oh no, he wasn't smart enough. But they didn't matter anymore.

Harry smiled to himself, wandering aimlessly about the room, taking in everything. He had no real destination in mind, nursing the small cocktail in his hand. Glancing about, he saw Hermione walking towards him. He turned abruptly on his heel, walking to the nearest person that he could have a conversation with. All the while, he did it with a goofy demeanor and drinking the cocktail quickly. One of the servers for the event came around and refilled it for him. Harry murmured his thanks.

"Ah! Cordelia! How fantastic it is for you to make it!" Harry said, with a wide smile on his face. He really didn't mind Cordelia. She was from the North American Free Elf Organization. Fondly, Harry referred to it as Nafeo. Whereas Nafeo did have a political agenda, it was a decent one. It was one Harry could support.

"Oh, Minister! Its so great to see you out and about again!" Cordelia continued talking, but Harry only listened with one ear, drinking his continuously refilled cocktail, managing to maneuver Cordelia away from Hermione by walking into a crowd of people. After about thirty minutes and three cocktails later, Harry managed to extract himself from Cordelia. He wandered around, taking in everything, wishing that there wasn't another two hours before talking time. He wanted to resign now and leave.

With a nod to the server, Harry accepted a slightly stronger cocktail. He had the feeling he was going to need something more powerful. Especially since he saw Draco heading in a beeline to him. Time to initiate another avoidance tactic by talking to another politician. He was a little upset that the only one around him was the Headmaster of the recently opened school for young witches and wizards under the age of ten. Apparently parents wanted to send their little children to school sooner.

"Hello, Stefen. How are you doing? Is the school still running?" Harry forced a wide grin on his face. Stefen wasn't a supporter of Voldemort, but he wasn't a supporter of Harry either. He believed in purity of blood and hated the merging muggle and wizard communities. Harry was pretty certain that the only reason the man showed up to this ball was because it would look bad if he declined.

It took all of Harry's will power to not lose his cool as he listened to Stefen and the people that joined in the discussion. The only good thing about being around Stefen was that Draco had left, not willing to put up with the annoying man. However, it took Harry forty agonizing minutes to extract himself from the clutches of the vile man. Thankfully Harry had had the help of more than a few cocktails to help him suffer through the experience. At the rate he was going though, Harry wasn't too certain that he would be coherent for his resignation speech.

Without a clear path in mind, Harry walked to the fringes of the people, waving politely at people and keeping the bumbling fool grin on his face. Once in the fringes, he relaxed a little, ignoring the people. In fact, he was ignoring people so well that he didn't notice Ron had come up until he talked,

"Hey Harry." Harry jumped at the sound of his voice. He didn't want to talk to Ron. He really didn't. Looking behind Ron, he saw the Minister of Magic for the United States. Sure, the man was insufferable. Sure, he believed he was God's Gift on Earth. But, he was better than listening to Ron outline his faults.

"Sorry, Ron. Love to stay and chat. Really would, but I need to say hello to the Minister from the US before his knickers get into a twist. Sorry, mate, really am." Harry extracted himself from Ron's hold on his sleeve quickly, going over to Dick Powers, bloody man. On the way over, Harry grabbed another drink, indicating to the server to keep them coming.

"Mr. Powers! Glad to see that you could make it to our Ball. I wondered if you would be able to after the Stupify incident." Harry said, plastering the nicest expression he could. He sniggered internally at the mention of the stupify problem. Apparently, the Minister had been out gnome catching. However, he stupified a friend, instead of the gnome that he was trying to get out of his garden. Pictures had been taken and it was plastered in every paper within hours. Harry had been very amused by it.

"No, no. That thing got blown out of proportion. Bill admitted that he had made a mistake. All a big mistake." Powers tried to assure Harry. Harry took a big gulp of his cocktail, appreciating the burn in his throat and that it prevented him from having to respond. He just nodded instead. Thankfully, he was only in the clutches of Mr. Powers for twenty minutes, however, alcohol consumption equalled the one before, whatever his name was. With his brief break before having to escape to Mr. Powers, he was down to about twenty minutes before his speech. Oh boy, was it going to be fun because he was pretty tipsy.

Pretty tipsy. Oh that was a joke. Harry was fairly certain that he was completely toasted. He squinted a little, the person that was blurry coming into focus. Harry turned on his heel, wishing the world would stop spinning as he hurried to find someone new to keep Luna away from him. He really didn't want to deal with Luna. If he hadn't want to deal with the other three, they didn't even equal how much he didn't want to deal with Luna. In fact, it was as though it tripled, or something. Harry wasn't sure anymore. He really just wanted the room to stop spinning. That would be nice.

Instead, he settled for another cocktail and having to talk to the new head of the Bureau of Magical Cooperation. Someone with the name Lacy something or other. He didn't really care. Her voice was very piercing however. Actually, piercing wasn't adequate to define her voice. He looked as someone walked onto the stage. If Harry wasn't mistaken, it looked an awful like Arthur Weasley. He decided he should try to pay attention, instead of drinking more.

"It is with great pleasure that I introduce our Minister of Magic up to have a few words. I have a distinct pleasure in knowing the Minister as he went through school and during some of our darkest times. He is a brilliant man and an even better leader. I give to you Harry Potter!" Arthur said, pointing to Harry. Harry blinked, realizing he was actually in front of the stage. After a moments confusion, he got up on the stage. He squinted at the lights on him. He supposed they were to help others see him. They just made it harder for him to concentrate though.

"Thans fer tha Arthu." Harry said, his words coming out oddly. It was like his tongue didn't want to work. Well, that could pose a few problems in saying his speech. Maybe he should shorten it or something. He blinked hearing people shuffling and murmuring things in the audience. "Prattle! Prattle prattle! Prattling. That's what people say others do. They prattle. Its like an insult, 'cause its prat meets tle. So its like you are saying they are a prattler. . . like a prat. That's annoying. Did you ever think of that? No, you wouldn't. You are slimy politicians with slimier minds. Maybe you should jump in an algea covered river or lake. Become slimier. Slime. Sssssslime. It comes of the tongue so nicely. Very sibilant. Very fun. Slime. What was I doing?" Harry blinked, seeing the lights again. He realized why he was on the stage. He saw Arthur looking around, confused and worried. He thought he saw him motion at someone, but he didn't really care. "I wanted to speak today about something. Trying to remember what it was. Wasn't slimy politicans or whiny people. Oh! Right. Something with a sign. Why a sign? Oh, right. That's it. I'm through. Through with leading complainers and dealing with slimy slimeballs. I'm done. I am going private sector. I resign. I quit. Bye!" Harry grinned brilliantly, waving his wandhand, disappearing.

Four people watched in the audience as their friend drunkenly apparated away after resigning. Only one of them voiced everyone's thoughts. "Uh-oh," Draco murmured as chaos broke out in the audience.