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CHAPTER SEVEN: Unwelcome Newcomers

Nott couldn't resist the temptation to spread himself out in the minister's chair. He'd done it. The wizarding world of Britain was, to all intents and purposes, under his control. And he hadn't even had to take it by force, just say the right things in the right ears. It was how the country had been run for centuries and now it would be done again.

Hamilton Race entered the office, looked around once to make sure Nott was alone, then beckoned Romilda Vane in. Nott stood and gripped her by the shoulders. "We've done it."

Romilda nodded, a look of delight on her face. "Harry Potter and his friends out of the way and us in their place. I never thought it would happen."

Rice was a bit more cautious. "It's only temporary, don't forget. We shouldn't get complacent."

Nott dismissed his doubts with a wave of the hand. "The wizengamot has sided with us. They won't change their mind."

"Really?"Rice persisted. "With Potter and his wife, and Weasley and Longbottom, looking into this? They're not going to meekly slope off."

"He's right,"Romilda admitted. "Harry's not the sort to give up without a fight."

Nott considered this. "Fine. Then we're going to have to be ready for a fight."

Scorpius had been loitering outside the wizengamot assembly for some time when he picked out one of the people he was looking for, leaving the meeting and heading in the opposite direction. He hurried after the man. "Mr Prentice!"

Rubicon Prentice had always seemed like one of the more reasonable members of the wizengamot, one who had never shown any objections to the new rules and regulations introduced by Ron's ministry. So he was one of the people whose support of Nott's challenge seemed most strange. Prentice turned at the hail, but looked nervous, as though he really didn't want to be there. "Secretary Malfoy."

Scorpius had been practising what to say although he suspected it still didn't sound remotely convincing. "Some of us in the ministry have been wondering what's going to happen with Minister Weasley."

Prentice's eyes kept darting in the direction he'd been heading, as though he was hoping for a quick escape. "The matter is being thoroughly investigated."

"But he's been suspended from office,"Scorpius argued. "You must think enough has happened to warrant that."

"Standard procedure,"Prentice said quickly, in a way that suggested it was actually anything but. "The committee can't be prejudiced."

"But if you're not sure that he's guilty…"

"I'm sorry, I can't discuss this any further." Prentice hurried away.

Scorpius sighed and headed back the way he'd came. As soon as he rounded the corner, he bumped into Rose, who had evidently been hiding there. "How much of that did you hear?"he asked her.

"Enough to be confused. What was that?"

Scorpius struggled to put it into words. "I think he was frightened."

"Of you?"

"Not exactly. More of what I could find out. There's definitely more going on here than anyone in the wizengamot is going to admit."

Hermione found Harry sitting in a room on his own. "You're looking thoughtful,"she remarked.

Harry gave a wry smile. "I think that's the problem."

"I'm not with you."

"Well…never been that much of a thinker. I've got you to do that. I've spent so long trying to be Dumbledore. It seemed so easy when he did it. Get together a bunch of people he could trust, and lead them against whoever the enemy was. No rules, no red tape, just doing the right thing."

Hermione smiled at him fondly. "Sounds like a sensible way of doing things."

"Yeah and it worked. We stopped Rodolphus Lestrange, and Lucius Malfoy and whoever else. Until I ended up using those methods against the wrong people."

"Ron,"Hermione realised quietly.

Harry nodded. "I should have handled things differently. Him using the Purification Device like that, stripping people of their magic, even temporarily, concerned me. But it ended with the two of us duelling each other in public. We left ourselves open for someone like Nott to come in and blow it all apart. And you know what? I would really love to do it all again. Just storm the ministry and fight with anyone that's supporting his attempt to destroy everything we've built."

Hermione would have been concerned if she thought he'd meant it but she knew this was just him thinking things through. And she knew he knew what they had to do. "That would just prove his point though."

"Yeah, I know. I can do the thinking that far. So, we're having to do something I really don't like doing. We're having to wait."

It was, Nave thought, beginning to feel just like old times. He was walking the corridors of Hogwarts with his friends, no Harry Potter in sight. Melinda Johnson had stuck by him even during his time in hiding. Henry Navoy was more cautious, but willing to accept the official story that the manhunt for him had all just been a misunderstanding. Both of them were by his side as he walked around the quadrangle.

And then he saw her. Nymphadora Potter. His so-called sister, given the life that he'd been denied. She saw him as well and her hand rested on her wand. He smiled a bit at the idea she might be frightened of him. "I guess they're not very careful about who they let in here,"he remarked.

"I was just thinking the same thing,"Nymphadora fired back. She looked at Henry and Melinda. "I'm surprised you can bear to hang out with him."

"He's been cleared,"Henry attempted awkwardly.

"Don't you get it?"Nymphadora demanded. "The ministry's been corrupted! What they're saying about him is all lies!"

"Oh, so it's the truth when your family are running things but not when someone else is?"Melinda retorted.

Nave smiled, pleased at her loyalty. "Face it, Potter. I'm the one with the friends and you've got no-one."

"She's got me,"announced Bradley, as he stepped to Nymphadora's side. "Jog on, Nave."

Nave dearly wanted to hex the pair of them into next week but he'd been told not to cause trouble. There'd be time for that later. "Whatever,"he replied, walking past the pair with Henry and Melinda following him.

Nymphadora breathed a sigh of relief and looked gratefully at Bradley. "Thanks."

"No problem."

"If you hadn't come along, I'd probably have killed him." She sighed. "Having him here is hard enough as it is. I think it's only going to get worse."