I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
Defiance of Fate
Chapter 8 – Fallout
Immediately after the meeting with Kingsley
"What do you mean you're volunteering?!"
Hermione's shriek filled the flat, ringing off the walls. Harry winced and looked at her. "Don't yell so loudly, it's bad for the baby."
"Don't you give me that Harry James Potter!" Hermione's hands went to her belly, rubbing it softly, belying her angry tone. "I know what's good and bad for the baby and me yelling is not a factor!"
"Well, you yelling is making you even more upset and that can't be good for her so, there," Harry said lamely.
"You had to know this would be my reaction," she retorted. "Why on earth are you volunteering to fight in a new war?! One that we don't actually have to fight in!"
"It's complicated," he said, rubbing his temples. "I kind of have to."
"Does it involve Tom Riddle?"
"No."
"Does Dumbledore have anything to do with it?"
"Surprisingly, no."
"Then you don't have to do a damn thing!"
"Language!"
"Fuck your language! I'm upset and I can use what language I want!"
Harry blinked. "Goodness, I don't think I've seen you this upset even during the last war."
She snorted. "The last war," she repeated bitterly. "I can't believe we're in a position to be a part of a new one when we've barely survived the last one. And yes, I am fully aware of the obligations to the ICW but this is beyond the pale."
She looked at him, her eyes narrowing. "It's worse than that, isn't it? You can't hide from me. You look guilty. Why are you guilty?"
Harry sighed. "Remember I asked you to come see me. That you're the person I'm telling this to."
"Okay. Go on then." Hermione listened while Harry recounted part of the conversation, of why he was volunteering. "That..no. Harry, absolutely not. What the Minister is implying is incredibly illegal and won't make it through the Wizengamot. The entire judicial system will poke so many holes into his reasoning, it wouldn't float in a teacup."
"I looked it up. The Minister can make a decree for drafting or conscription," Harry said wearily.
"And it can be fought by the Wizengamot!"
"So it gets held up and we miss the deadline and people have to be drafted and sent anyways while we lose the opportunity for aid," Harry countered. "You know the old seats on the Wizengamot will do a draft if pressed."
"No offense Harry, you're my best friend, but you are not going to end the war on your own, not this one. You are an amazing healer but you're not going to fight on the line and end the war with you casting spells left and right!"
"I know that! I know that and I'm sure others know that. But you know he's not wrong, names have power. Even mine despite it being synonymous for cowardice."
"Which proves my point more! You volunteering won't help the ICW at all, so why must you?!"
"I have a theory," Harry said bitterly. "Once my name goes out as a volunteer, others will feel compelled to volunteer too. They can't let me be the representative. They'll want people who actually fight and cast offensively to be the face of Wizarding Britain and the UK."
"Despicable," Hermione growled. "Of course they would do that. Use you as a goad for the others." She looked at him more closely. "That's not it. There's more. Tell me. Tell me the real reason."
"Anyone ever tell you that you're a very good solicitor and investigator?"
"Yes. Now out with it." She growled at his hesitation. "Harry, I'm about to lose it. Tell. Me. Now."
"Families will be forced to send a representative," Harry whispered finally. "Especially pureblood ones. Equal representation. No exceptions."
Hermione paled. "No. They can't."
"It's been done before. It's an actual protocol. To ensure the numbers meet the goal and to ensure that no one skives off and avoids the responsibility. If there is a single member of the family, then they will be forced to go."
"The Wizengamot would never allow it," she said faintly. "They would fight it bitterly. Most won't let anyone in their family go-"
"We know that most of the seats there have branch families or vassal families to foist the responsibility off on. But when decree passes, with the heads of the oldest families making it where they're spared and the others make up the differences, what then? What about the families that don't?"
"But-"
"Who would go from the Weasleys?" Harry knew his words were hurting her but he pressed on. "They've all suffered and who would suffer more? The Tonks? The Blacks? The Bones?" He looked her in the eye. "The Longbottoms?"
Hermione sobbed and clutched her abdomen. "Oh God, oh Merlin," she whimpered.
"I'm the last Potter. I…don't have anyone. It's best that I do this on these terms."
"Not best for you!"
"I know that! But I can handle it. All I've ever done was handle things and if I can take this responsibility so the people I love and care about don't have to, then dammit what choice do I have?!"
Something clicked in her head. "You never had a choice in this! He tricked you! He knew you were coming and he isolated you and told you all this knowing you would do this! By rights he should have discussed it with his cabinet first and the other Department Heads but he didn't!"
"I know," he said quietly. "It occurred to me after."
"And you're still going through with it?"
He looked so broken just then. "I have the least to lose."
She sobbed, dissolving as he pulled her into his arms. "It's not fair," she wailed. "You have always had to pay the most. Why is it you? Why is it always you? You might think you have the least to lose but they're forcing us to lose you!"
"The needs of the many," he said softly.
"Fuck that," she said savagely, voice muffled by his chest. "I don't care about the many. I care about you. I care about my few." She pounded his chest with half-hearted blows, fists clenched. "Why did you tell me this?"
"Because you would have figured it out one way or another and there would be actual hell to pay." He smiled at her watery chuckle. "And as my solicitor I need you to help me…settle my affairs."
She sobbed harder. "Harry, please, you can't do this. This will be an actual war."
"Hermione, I know what war's like-"
"Not like this!" She pushed back and grabbed his face between her hands. "This is war on a scale we don't know! In our war, people knew you and wanted to kill you because of you! In this war, it will be too big. They won't know who you are!"
"Is it any better that the enemy knows me personally and wants to kill me for that?" he asked sarcastically.
"No you thick arse! It means that the people will be indiscriminate in their efforts! You'll just be another face, another person in an enemy uniform. They will see you as an obstacle and treat you as such! They won't care. They just want you dead."
"That's really no different than how it was against the Death Eaters," he said quietly.
"It is. They aimed for you directly. On the battlefield they'll aim for a group of people and you'll be caught alongside."
"I'm a noncombatant remember? I won't be on the front lines."
"Harry, you're a healer and you're you. We both know what will happen." She shook her head. "And you won't have people that actually care about you with you, to help protect you."
"I'm not going to change myself for this. I won't break my oath."
"And I'm not telling you to. I would if you'd listen but I respect you too much and…I'm just so scared!"
He hugged her tight again. "Me too, truth be told," he admitted to her. He could finally let himself feel the fear that built in him since the meeting. "I'm scared too. But I'm scared more of what'll happen if I refuse."
She clung to him for a long moment. Then she froze still. "You're doing this for another reason, aren't you."
"How do you do that?" he groaned.
"Because I know you." She looked up at him. "You think if you refuse to go, you'll be proving them right. Prove all those people who use that horrible nickname for you."
"That did cross my mind," he admitted.
"Harry, you have to ignore them."
"You don't understand just how much it follows me around," Harry said wearily. "Every day, someone says that to me, makes a remark, talks about how much they miss someone. If only someone did something sooner, if only I had proper wizarding pride and used my abilities like a normal person would. Maybe if I go, maybe it'll finally stop."
"You and I both know that for some, it'll never be enough," she said harshly.
"I know. I have to try though. One more time. Maybe, just maybe it'll be enough."
"What if it isn't?"
"I'll have to cross that bridge when I get to it."
Silence.
"It's not fair," she whispered.
"No, it's not," he agreed sadly.
"Where's Luna when I need her?" she cried. "Between the two of us, we could change your mind, keep you from doing this."
"She's on her trip," Harry said. "And I doubt even the both of you could change my mind about this. I have to do this. I have to."
"You don't," she insisted.
"Maybe, but if I don't, the consequences would be unbearable."
"No, you just have to bear fighting in a war," she whispered.
He reached into his pocket and gave her a vial wrapped in parchment. "Hold onto these for me please. This is proof of everything plus the original copy of the assurances I got from the Minister. Keep these safe. If I don't come back," he tried to ignore her sob, "if I don't make it back, I want you to do what needs to be done."
"You have to come back," she said feverishly. "Harry, swear to me. You must. Do whatever you have to do and come back. Do not force me to raise my daughter without you."
"She'll have her mum and dad," he said, pained.
"She will need her godfather, especially when her mother is being unreasonable and her father too overwhelming. I don't want to tell her stories of how her godfather was. I want you to tell her stories of what we did, how we lived, what we hoped. You'll have to be there to keep Ron from lying too much to her. You'll have to teach her how to fly because she won't learn from me or her father."
She grabbed his face again. "Harry. Please. Swear to me you will come home. One way or another. Please."
"I'll try," he said and she echoed in the same breath.
"I knew you would say that," she said, unwillingly smiling as he did.
"It's the best I can do," he said weakly.
"Your best is good enough," she whispered, "usually."
"I solemnly swear to try and come home," Harry said as sincerely as possible.
She took his hand and rested it on her abdomen. "Swear on her."
"Don't use my goddaughter like that," he scolded.
"She's my baby and I will use her like this to guilt you into staying safe and ensuring your return," she retorted without shame.
He sighed and nodded. "I swear."
She nodded, keeping a brave face on until she broke and clutched him to her, weeping anew.
-0-
Present day.
Neville Longbottom set the newspaper down. He blinked for a few moments, looking into empty space. "I never thought he'd do that to him," he said, shell-shocked. "I never imagined Kingsley would be capable of that. What was he thinking? What was either of them thinking?!"
He looked over at Hermione. "You knew, didn't you? Either you got it out of him before he left or he told you willingly."
She nodded, miserable. "He called me over to his flat right after the meeting." Tears ran silently down her face.
Neville drew her to him, hugging her tightly. "This is why you quit working for the Ministry, this is why you've been so upset. You've kept it hidden for the most part but I could tell."
She sobbed into his shoulder. "I'm so sorry! He didn't want me to tell anyone!"
"I don't blame you, or him," he soothed, rubbing her back. "It must have been terrible holding onto the secret for so long. I'm sorry I couldn't have helped or done anything." Neville shook his head angrily. "Just like Harry to be protecting us without us knowing."
"I'm the worst," she said bitterly. "When he said what would have happened, if the families had to send representatives, I was so relieved for a moment when I realized you wouldn't be forced to go. I'm the worst friend!"
"You are not," Neville said firmly. "Hell, I'm relieved that that wasn't the case. And I know Harry doesn't hold that thought against you. It's why he did it, the noble idiot. Damn. What the fuck is Kingsley thinking?!"
He kissed her softly. "I'm sorry you had to bear this alone."
"It's less than what Harry has to endure."
"But what you've endured is no less to you."
A crack interrupted him and a House Elf stood there. She squeaked in dismay, seeing Neville and Hermione upset. "Gilly is sorry Master Neville and Mistress Hermione, but a visitor is at the front door."
"Really? It's early, who is it?" Neville asked.
"Miss Luna."
"Oh let her in. I wonder why she didn't try the Floo. I hope it isn't anything serious." Neville felt Hermione shiver a little as Gilly disappeared. "Hermione?"
"I think I know why," Hermione whimpered.
Luna walked into the sitting room, led by Gilly. It was clear that Luna had rushed over, her hair was wild and she wore an overlarge t-shirt and pajama pants. Her cheeks were flush from emotion and she stood there, staring at Hermione. "This is what you knew," she said, her voice sharp.
Hermione nodded, tears still cutting their way down her face.
Luna's expression softened. "I am upset but will wait to address it. I know you must have been very hurt holding onto this alone." She hugged Hermione who cried into her shoulder. "Good morning, Neville. I apologize for coming so early like this."
"It's okay Luna. I'm glad you're here actually. Do you mind keeping Hermione company for today?"
"Of course, you must go to work. I am free and will help."
"I'm not going to work today." Neville summoned parchment and quill and began writing.
"What are you doing?" Hermione asked.
"Telling Professor McGonagall that I won't be going in today. My classes will be cancelled. We were just doing some repotting so the students won't miss much." He finished the letter and Gilly took it before disappearing for Hogwarts. "I'm going to the Ministry today," he said, pulling on ornate robes. "I'm going to give Kingsley a piece of my mind and raise some hell in the Wizengamot." His smile was sharp and feral, making his usual round kind face terrifying. "If he thinks he can guilt my best friend, upset my wife and my other very good friend without consequences, then he's in for a big surprise."
"Give it to them," Hermione snarled.
"Make them pay," Luna said savagely.
"You got it ladies. Harry's fighting for us over there. It's time we fight for him here."
-0-
"I'm going! I'm going straight to his office and dragging him out by his neck!"
"You will not Nymphadora! You will stay here with your father and I will go!"
"I don't care about my job Mum! This is more serious than that. You stay with Dad and I'm going!"
"I swear, I don't need to be babied as much as you two think I do. Don't get me wrong, I love the attention but still."
Andromeda and Dora turned, looking sheepishly at Ted who limped into the kitchen. "Seriously. I get around pretty well and Macnair did me a favor by cursing my bad leg. This prosthetic is pretty great. It's been months, I've gotten used to it."
Andromeda huffed. "You are not funny."
"I'm pretty funny," he chuckled. "And no one is staying here with me, I'm going too. I'm as pissed as you two are." He glared at the newspaper on the table. "So I want to go and remind Kingsley who saved him in a fight or two and to see what he's going to do about it. I won't have a problem breaking my foot off in his ass." He wiggled the prosthetic foot.
"Okay, that was pretty funny," Dora said with a big smile. "I guess he's got us there, Mum. He deserves to go exercise his citizen rights as much as we do."
"Let's make a family day of it then," Andromeda said, eyes glinting dangerously.
-0-
Arthur Weasley sat back and set the paper down. "How did it happen again?" he asked faintly. "How have we failed him again and again?"
Molly Weasley dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief. "That poor boy," she wept. "I should have questioned why he went over there! We should have tried to talk to him before he left!"
Arthur moved to his wife's side, hugging her. "He never would have told us the reason even if we did. If anything, it would make us feel worse now, knowing that he was hiding this if we confronted him with it."
"He's still protecting us all this time," Molly cried.
Arthur shuddered. He heard stories of conflicts in the past, where drafts and conscriptions did happen. His family still mourned members of the family that were chosen to serve, the ones that never came back home. The Weasleys had suffered during the Blood War, much like most families, and he felt sick imagining any of his children having to take part in a new one in their current state. "It would have broken us more," he murmured.
"It's still not his responsibility," Molly said sadly, clearly torn between relief and shame.
"No, it really isn't. He's had to endure so much from what our society has thrust upon him." Arthur rubbed his eyes. "Good thing Ron is still out of the country, he'd be beside himself right now."
"He couldn't have done it, none of our children could have and neither could you or I." Molly blew her nose. "No wonder Percy has been so withdrawn the last few months. He knew and could not say anything until the article."
"He must have been relieved when Skeeter contacted him." Arthur chuckled. "Something I imagine barely anyone could say and mean."
"I hope he will be okay. He still went in today knowing the fallout from this."
"He's brave and a good boy," Arthur said. "He knew and will face what comes like a Weasley."
The fire in the hearth roared, turning green. Fleur's head appeared and it looked like her anger was making the fire roar even fiercer. "Molly, Arthur, are you well?"
"We're okay. Upset obviously, but okay. How are you and Bill?" Arthur said.
"Bill is very angry as am I," Fleur spat. "I made him go to work however to blow off his steam. I promised I would check on you and the others."
"Ginny is in Holyhead of course and generally doesn't read the Prophet. Ron is in the States still. Percy went to work. You'll have to Floo the shop to talk to the twins." Arthur winced. "If I know them, they will be less than pleased and I imagine they will be mailing the Ministry a few of their less safe products."
"You said your cousin is there with him. He's okay right?" Molly asked, biting her handkerchief.
"He is less okay than he tells us," Fleur said, her eyes softening. "Sophie has told me he has been injured a few times. Recovered from them but details he has left out of his messages to me. And to you I imagine. Physically anyways. She tells me he is well otherwise, despite what the Minister has done! How could that bastard do this?!"
"He learned too well it seems," Arthur said tiredly, "from…well you know."
"I do, all too well." Fleur's voice was so cold it burned. "I have not forgotten the Tournament." She took a deep breath. "May I come over with Victoire? She is rather upset as well with her uncle Harry gone. I have not told her what has happened, she is far too young, but she is aware something is more wrong than him being in a war again."
"Please, come over," Molly said. "It'll do us all some good."
"We will be over soon. She wanted to visit Charlie's resting place as well, she drew him a picture."
"He'd like that," Arthur said wetly.
Fleur's head disappeared and Arthur rubbed his face. "I'm glad I'm technically on holiday, the Ministry is going to be a madhouse for a while."
"Good. I hope the Minister suffers," Molly spat. She teared up again. "Oh Harry, please come home safe."
-0-
Amelia Bones hurriedly pulled her clothes on. "I better get going. I can only imagine how things will be at the Ministry. Will probably need to call in extra Aurors to maintain order and security."
Sirius stared off into space, the newspaper falling from nerveless fingers. "What have I done?" He looked at Amelia who had paused at his words. "He…he saw me before he left."
Amelia nodded slowly. "I know, you mentioned it."
"I said he had to prove himself to the world. That he had to act like a proper wizard while among the other countries. To show that we aren't weak."
She bit her lip, waiting for him to finish.
"I…said that to him. Why did I say that to him?"
"Because you never accepted the fact that he doesn't use those spells," Amelia said kindly but firmly. "And that's completely on you."
"I told him to prove himself, to act like a real wizard and he left for us all, so we wouldn't have to," Sirius said faintly.
"Siri, you know I love you," Amelia said slowly, "and I know you've heard what I'm about to say from others, but I can only hope you listen now." She waited for him to meet her eyes. "Maybe it's time to accept the wizard that he is and don't try to force him to be the wizard you want him to be."
He stared at her. "I'll make this right," he said finally, "when he gets back."
"If, he gets back." She took no joy in saying that and seeing his expression almost made her regret it, but she knew he had to hear the words, if he would not listen to them.
-0-
"Classes are cancelled for today," McGonagall said out loud to the assembled students. A few made happy noises at the announcement but the older students exchanged glances, some not even stopping their hurried conversations with one another. Copies of the Daily Prophet were everywhere and she knew the article would be at the forefront of everyone's attention.
It had been years since an article had dominated people's attention like this. She could still remember a particularly grim article that made a huge revelation that had shocked everyone in the school and beyond. One that was not directly about the Blood War. This article could possibly eclipse that one in import and fallout.
"Make the most of the day," she said. "Write home if you need to. If you wish to use the Floo, you may speak to your Head of House and see if arrangements can be made. That will be all."
She sat back down and resisted the urge to bury her face into her hands.
"Are you okay?" Pomona Sprout asked softly.
"No, I am not. I am sickened and furious," McGonagall said. "I cannot believe this has happened."
Sprout shook her head. "Me neither. Just when I thought things were better."
"I thought better of Kingsley," Remus snarled. "How dare he."
"He has learned well it seems," McGonagall said and their eyes drifted to the empty chair in the middle of the staff table.
"He didn't try to show up," Sprout sniffed. "I bet he saw the article and decided to stay away."
"I don't want to look at him right now either," Remus said coldly. He sighed and rose. "I'll see to the Gryffindors before writing a letter to Sirius. I'm sure he's none too pleased about what he's done either. Now that we know this." He rubbed his eyes. "I wish Harry told us."
"He still does what he has to, usually alone." McGonagall said sadly. "I don't know if we could have helped at all."
"We should go to the Infirmary," Sprout said to McGonagall. "Poppy is going to be in a state."
"Agreed. Let's go," McGonagall said heavily. "Or else the next article will be 'School Matron Murders Minister Messily'."
"Perhaps you should let her," Remus said quietly and they all chuckled at the thought.
-0-
Kingsley flinched when the door opened. He looked in astonishment as Percy walked in and closed the door behind him. Angry shouts and yells followed him in but were muffled as soon as the door closed. "I'm surprised you're here."
Percy gave me a look of disgust. "If this is your way to tell me that I have been sacked then I will turn around and leave."
"It hasn't come to that yet," Kingsley said weakly.
He never read the newspaper at home. Usually the newspaper was related to work so he normally waited to get to the Ministry to read it. The moment he arrived at the Ministry he knew something big had happened. A crowd of people, many of the older families from the Wizengamot among them, had accosted him the second he walked through the Floo. It required Aurors, who acted very reluctantly, to push the crowd back and allow him to pass.
The normal ten-minute walk from the Floo to the Minister's office had taken closer to an hour. The entire time he was buffeted by shouts and yells and more than a few people brandished their wands at him but surprisingly no spell was cast. By the time he got to his office, he knew what happened and reading the article had only cemented it.
"I had hoped you wouldn't go to Skeeter," Kingsley said bitterly.
"I didn't, she came to me," Percy replied scathingly. "I swore to not go to the press. I did not swear not to confirm what happened. And she knew. She had all the details."
"Damn." Kingsley closed his eyes. "I never imagined Harry of all people would go to the press."
"Of course you did not. Like your predecessors, you underestimated him and thought he would suffer in silence." Percy's eyes bore into Kingsley. "Congratulations, you have done what the others failed to do, angered him enough to act unlike himself. I hope you are proud of that."
He sniffed. "However, what was more likely, is that Miss Skeeter noticed your poorly delivered words from last week's speech and decided to go to the source. She has been a firm supporter of his after he saved her life. You had to know she would do this."
"I had hoped it wouldn't be until after things had passed."
"Or he passed," Percy said quietly.
"Don't put words in my mouth!" Kingsley rose, wrathful. "I've never wanted Harry dead!"
"Look me in the eye and tell me you did not hope that he would be reduced to a state where he would not speak of this!" Percy yelled back. He laughed scornfully at the look of intense shame on Kingsley's face. "Despicable. What happens next will be well warranted, well deserved."
"You can cut and run," Kingsley said tiredly. "Blame it on me."
"I am not without blame. I let my shame send one I call friend to a new hell," Percy said. "Shame in my relief that my family would be spared this. I could have spoken out before. I stuck by my duty at his request and against my better judgment, to gain something positive from his sacrifice. Whatever is my fate, I accept it willingly."
Kingsley stared at him. "So what are you doing here right now?"
"Until I have been sacked, my job. Your presence is demanded in Courtroom one. You will face the Wizengamot and a full public citizenry box." Percy looked at him directly. "The longer you make them wait, the worse it will be."
Kingsley rose to his feet, grim resignation written on his face. "I was only trying to do the best for the most," he said softly.
Percy snorted. "You truly have learned from your predecessors. Unfortunately, you learned their mistakes instead of learning from them."
-0-
"Harry!" Blaise stomped into the tent and opened his mouth to shout more but Harry's raised finger made him pause. A few others walked into his back and there was a minor scuffle of people bumping into one another.
"One second," Harry said, eyes still focused on the cauldron. He sprinkled in a pinch of petals, stirring the solution two more times before nodding with satisfaction, lowering the flame so the potion would simmer. "There." He turned and blinked at the crowd of people standing there. "What's going on?"
"Is this true?" Blaise asked, waving the Daily Prophet.
"I haven't read it yet," Harry said, looking at it with trepidation.
"Why not?" Astoria asked.
"It's not something I like thinking about." Harry sighed and took the newspaper from him and started reading. The visitors moved throughout the tent, finding seats or leaning against tables. They waited patiently for him to read. Finally, he set the newspaper down and rubbed his eyes. "Yeah, pretty much just like that."
"Fucking Kingsley!" Vance spat. "I never would have thought he'd do something like this! I've half a mind to go back and shove this rank down his throat and watch him choke on it!" She shook her head angrily. "We were on the same response squad for ages. I trusted him."
"Mother is furious," Blaise said. "Like, incredibly so. She's already whipped up the Wizengamot though admittedly they didn't need much provoking."
"Same with Daphne," Astoria said.
"So are the heads of the Remnants block," Millicent Bulstrode said. The Remnants block were the families that had members support Voldemort but the whole families did not. They were able to stand slightly apart from the accused and convicted Death Eater family members, but had obviously been cast as 'bad' families. With many of them in financial and social instability, they banded together to try and recover.
"Pretty much everyone is pissed off together," Michael said. "The conservative heads could see the spell coming for them if you refused, even if they could have kept it from getting that far."
"My family have always been diehard Ministry followers and this shook them," Elliot deadpanned. "Which, considering what Fudge was doing, seems a bit too little too late but better late than never?"
"How are you feeling Harry?" Astoria asked.
"Tired," he said honestly. "But, relieved. It's finally out in the open." He stared at the newspaper.
"I can't believe you did it," Millicent said softly. "I mean, I can. You're you after all. But…this was so much to accept."
"I mean, before you guys came over," Harry waved at the second wave of volunteers, "things were improving at home yeah? People united? Things being done? Repairs?" They nodded and he sighed. "We wouldn't have had that if I refused."
"It wasn't your burden to bear," Vance said. "We've already asked too much of you."
"And it'll be the last thing," Harry said quietly. "There was a list of demands before I fully agreed. After this, I won't have anything to do with the Ministry. At least as long as Kingsley is the Minister."
"He'll be lucky to live in Britain much longer," Blaise said savagely, "much less hold any sort of position anywhere."
"He should be in Azkaban," Elliot said.
"Which is technically outside of Britain," Blaise said.
"Well, what's done is done," Harry said wearily. "That's back home, we're all out here. We can only do what we can and try our best to finish things here so we can make it back home."
"You can drop the stoic act." Blaise's smile was small and pained. "It's okay to be upset."
"I've been upset for so long, I'm tired of it." Harry's smile was a perfect reflection of Blaise's. "I'm just trying to take things one day at a time."
They all looked at each other for a moment. "He's not wrong," Astoria said finally. "Let's just stick together and do our best."
They all nodded.
"I still can't believe you saved Rita's life," Michael said after a moment. "She rinsed you for such a long time."
"She's not that bad," Blaise said. "She was really bad, but ever since Harry saved her, she's not that bad."
"She can be nice," Harry protested.
"So could Snape technically," Millicent smiled.
"Bullshite," Vance said and they all laughed.
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BlackjaxCXXIII - Thank you for the high praise. I hope you continue to enjoy the story.
DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - I had the random idea that Rita would be good for this story and I think it worked out well. The pairing will eventually a focus but not right now. Hope you enjoy.
Hands Off MY Wolfie - It can really change a person and hopefully it makes sense that it happened to her. Hope this chapter of the fallout and outrage interests you.
alix33 - She's trying her best.
Urgwaew - So uh, sorry to disappoint you in this one friend. I'll try to giv Charlie some attention in Extended to make up for it. Glad you thought the backstory was believable and it made sense. I thought it would be interesting to paint Kingsley as the villain in this scenario, something different from what I've done before. Hope the shockwaves in this chapter is nice and don't worry, it will persist. All the best to you.