Nothing belongs to me, as usual.
Chapter 12: The New Minister
After three days of anxiously awaiting, the reply from Sirius arrived.
Harry,
I'm as surprised as you are. I can't believe that Remus would ever do anything like that. I don't even want to think it. He has been asking me not to go with him on full moon for the last three months, so I haven't been going. As far as whether or not I think it's true, I can't really say. Things aren't always what they seem. Remember I was arrested for the murder of Peter but he's still alive and I never did a thing. I wish I could visit Remus and talk to him, but obviously I would never be able to. Unless I'd like the cell next to his, of course. Well I guess all we can do for now is wait. I am planning to visit Hogwarts soon to speak to Dumbledore and visit with you. I will talk to you then.
Sirius
This didn't help Harry at all. He hoped Sirius would come soon. It was early November and once again everyone was forced to stay inside the castle. One Thursday afternoon, Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting through a particularly boring Defense Against The Dark Arts lesson. Dumbledore was reviewing the three forbidden curses with them, although it wasn't as cruel of a lesson as the one they'd had the year before with "Madeye Moony" who had really been Barty Crouch. Nothing died. Harry, who had more than enough experience with the three curses, stared out the window at the snow falling to the ground. It would have been nice to be able to go outside. He thought of Professor Lupin, locked away in a cold dark cell. I don't think he's guilty, Harry thought. I know he's not guilty. I don't know how, but I just know. Harry thought he remembered something to do with Professor Lupin from a while ago. But he couldn't remember what it was.
Class was disrupted when Professor McGonagall rushed into the room, looking worried.
"Dumbledore, may I have a word with you outside?" she asked.
"Certainly," replied Dumbledore. They exited the room. The quiet classroom erupted with talking. It was a nice interruption from the boring class. Harry had to tap Ron on the shoulder a few times to wake him up.
"What?" he shouted suddenly, startled. Harry laughed and Hermione scolded him about sleeping in class. "Where did Dumbledore go?" he muttered sleepily, noticing that there was no teacher in sight.
"Professor McGonagall is talking to him in the hallway," said Hermione. "I wonder what they're talking about? Professor McGonagall looked worried."
"Yeah," agreed Harry. "I wonder." Could have it been something about Professor Lupin? Maybe Sirius had arrived. Dumbledore came back into the room.
"Class dismissed," he said hurriedly. "You may report back to your common rooms."
"But Professor," said Hermione. "We still have a half an hour of class left."
"I know, but I have received important news and I must be going right away." Dumbledore left with those words. The class looked at each other a few seconds, then got up and left, silently.
"I wonder why Dumbledore had to leave?" said Harry. "It had to be important. He wouldn't have just left like that for no reason." Hermione nodded.
That evening at dinner, Dumbledore still hadn't returned. Harry found this strange. Dumbledore never left Hogwarts for a long period of time. He was the reason Hogwarts was safe. Without him there, who knew what could happen? They ate and went to bed.
The next morning, when Harry, Ron and Hermione headed down to breakfast, there was still no sign of Dumbledore. They ate and talked.
"I bet something is really wrong," said Hermione worriedly. "What do you think it is, Harry?"
"How am I supposed to know?" asked Harry. "Maybe it has something to do with Professor Lupin," he suggested.
Just then, Dumbledore burst through the door. As he immediately headed to make an announcement, everyone knew that something had to be wrong. He stood to speak.
"Students," he began. "There has been a terrible attack at the Ministry of Magic yesterday. Cornelieus Fudge was captured by a group of Death Eaters and taken to Voldemort to be killed. His body was found later in the day, nowhere other than the in the Forbidden Forest here at Hogwarts." People gasped. "Under the circumstances, it is with great sadness that I tell you that Hogwarts School will be closed for the remainder of the year." Close Hogwarts? They couldn't close Hogwarts! "I know this is upsetting news for a lot of you, but with danger getting worse by the minute, I would be foolish to keep all of you here in this danger and pretend that I can be sure nothing is going to happen. You all need to be with your families, where you belong." Harry felt a jolt of sadness, and Dumbledore stopped suddenly, realizing that what he had just said probably hurt Harry. "You will depart on the Hogwarts Express first thing tomorrow morning. There will be no more classes. Please have your things packed and be ready to leave promptly after breakfast. Resume with your breakfast."
Harry didn't want to believe what he'd just heard. He couldn't leave now. He couldn't leave without finding answers to too many unanswered questions. Why had Voldemort killed Cho? What was the entire story with Professor Lupin? What was the threat to Hermione about? And now what was happening? Harry couldn't go back to the Dursleys's. Not now, not ever. He decided he needed to talk to Dumbledore. Maybe he could make an exception and allow Harry to remain in school.
Later that day, Harry entered Dumbledore's office. He was surprised to find Sirius already there.
"Hi Harry," said Sirius, smiling at him.
"Hi Sirius. I didn't know you were coming," said Harry.
"Well, I wasn't planning to come so soon, but then Dumbledore told me what happened," Sirius explained. Harry remembered why he'd come to the office.
"Dumbledore, I don't want to go back to the Dursleys's," said Harry. "I really don't." Dumbledore nodded slowly and sighed.
"I know, Harry. I know. I just don't know what to do. With Fudge's death, they need a new Minister and I've been asked…I just don't know."
"I'll take Harry with me," said Sirius.
"Sirius, you haven't been cleared yet," said Dumbledore, sounding exasperated.
"Oh really, haven't I, Minister?" Sirius asked, grinning.
"Oh, right. Right, I guess we can take care of that now," Dumbledore seemed to have too much on his mind.
"So can Harry come with me?" asked Sirius.
"Sirius, you're going to be working as an auror now. You can't bring Harry with you," said Dumbledore.
"Why not?" Harry and Sirius said at the same time.
"He's fifteen years old," said Dumbledore. "He's still just a child, despite the remarkable things he's done. He needs to be safe."
"Dumbledore," Sirius argued. "This is Harry Potter, James's son. Not just some kid. He's faced Voldemort already. He'll be fine." Dumbledore made a face. Sirius was right. But how much could Harry handle?
"Okay," Dumbledore reluctantly agreed. "But if anything really dangerous comes up, he'll have to stay behind." Sirius nodded.
"Do you know anything more about Professor Lupin?" Harry asked, remembering.
"As soon as I have some free time, I plan to look into that, Harry," said Dumbledore. "I'm going to go see him and see if we can get it worked out."
"Then you think he's innocent?" asked Sirius.
"I never gave up on you," Dumbledore told him. "And I'm not giving up on Remus either."
"Harry, you go back to your dorm and say your goodbyes to your friends," said Dumbledore. "Sirius and I are going to go over to the ministry and get this whole clearing business sorted out. Then we'll be back."
"I'm going to be free, Harry!" Sirius sounded almost like a little kid. "I'm going to be free!" Harry smiled. He knew Sirius would be happy to finally not have to hide from everyone and live in caves eating rats to stay alive. Although it would have been lucky if one of those rats had been Peter Pettigrew. Sirius and Dumbledore both apparated away, and Harry headed back to the common room.
"Dumbledore is going to be the Minister?" asked Hermione when she heard the news. "I can't believe it!" Harry nodded.
"He can get Sirius cleared now," he said. "And I get to go with him when we get out of here."
"Really?" exclaimed Ron. "That's great! You deserve it." He smiled at his friend.
"And Sirius is going to be an auror so I'm going to be allowed to go along sometimes," Harry continued.
"Cool," said Ron. "Don't forget to write and tell me about it."
"And be careful," Hermione added.
"Don't worry, I will," Harry hadn't been this happy in ages.
"Well, we should pack our things, shouldn't we?" said Hermione. "We leave first thing tomorrow morning. I wonder how we'll make up what we miss?" she thought out loud. That was the last thing on Harry's mind.
They packed their things. Harry was sure not to forget anything. When they finished, it was late and they decided to go to bed. They had just laid down to sleep when there was a knock at the door.
"Come in," said Harry. It was Sirius.
"Well, that's that," he said. "I'm free."
"Great," Harry smiled. Ron looked out from the curtains around his bed.
"Hi Sirius. Congratulations," he said.
"Thank you, Ron," said Sirius. "Well, I'm going to go now. Goodnight. I'll see you tomorrow morning, Harry."
"Goodnight," said Harry and Ron. Ron went back inside his bed. Harry lay awake thinking about how much better his life would be. No more Dursleys! Not ever. Harry would never see them again; never have Dudley chase him around the house, never hear Uncle Vernon yell at him, never hear Aunt Petunia scream about Harry's family and their being abnormal. He smiled and fell asleep, forgetting all of his troubles.
