A/N: Phew. One regent down, one to go. E/t here belongs to JK except the plot and Liz. Don't forget to review. I need suggestions. I think I'm losing my touch.
Chapter ten: The tower of Power
"I owe you one Harry Potter. And the time has come to repay you for letting me live. There is a plot to make a complex potion to cause the brother wands to work against one another. Until then, the Dark Lord will not harm you. Be careful Potter. Be careful, Potter. Be careful potter. Be careful potter. Be careful potter. Be careful potter. Be careful potter." Wormtail's voice echoed and echoed until he was heard no longer. And Harry Potter was scared. Very scared. The next morning found him knocking on Dumbledore's door again.
***
"Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter, Ronald Weasely, Liza Beauton, and Cho Chang, please come up to the head table." Dumbledore was standing at the head table and he watched the students come up. Harry and Draco met each other and not caring what the whole school thought, gave each other a slap on the back. Draco then pulled Hermione to him, and gave her a soft, quick kiss. Professor Dumbledore knew that Malfoy was trying to make a statement for the whole school to see. The place was in an uproar. A Malfoy with a mud-blood?
Ron and Draco gave each other hesitating grins and then shook hands. Harry pulled Cho along with him and felt happy. Let Voldemort try to kill him now, he would really feel like he's leaving something behind. Five friends like no others. He saw Ron and Liza arm in arm behind him, whispering excitedly.
"Ready boys and girls?" The headmaster queried. "We'll be leaving soon." Harry bit his lip down hard, and felt something warm under his tongue.
"Harry, you're bleeding!! Are you okay?" Cho looked at him, concerned. She moved closer to him, and said quietly, "I know you're nervous about Sirius, but don't worry. I'm sure they found some evidence."
"When I give you some floo powder," Dumbledore began. "Step into the fire and state 'the tower of power'. It will take you to the ministry. I will go first, so that no unwanted reporters bother you." He stepped into the fire. They hurt him declare "The Tower of Power", and he disappeared. One by one they all stepped in. Soon only Harry and Ron were left. Harry turned to him.
"Ron, I know these past few days I haven't spoken to you alone once. We were both busy with about a trillion different things. I had my dreams and was worrying about that voice I heard in the forest. And I was busy with Cho. You also had schoolwork and was with Liza. But still, you're my best friend. You were my first one, and you'll be my last one. We'll try to find more time for each other when we come back for this trip."
"Don't worry Harry. Are you nervous about Sirius? My hands are shaking for him. Do you think they'll ask you to testify?" That possibility hadn't even entered Harry's head. Harry shuddered involuntarily, not wanting to think about the possibility of hundreds of people gaping at him and his scar. Ron squeezed his shoulder, as if knowing what he was thinking, and gave a sympathetic look. Then as one they stepped into the fire and called, "The Tower of Power". They whirled and swirled through the air, until they fell into a fireplace. Through the grates they could see hundreds of people walking back and forth. Dumbledore was talking to Professor Lupin, who had told Harry yesterday he would be there too. Hermione, Liza and Cho were talking rapidly to someone in navy blue robes. Ron craned his neck to see who it was and gave a little groan.
"Who is it?" Harry whispered.
"Fleur Delacour." But his face didn't even change colors. "Now that I have someone like Liza to love, I don't think she makes an impression on me."
"That's good. Oh Ron, by the way. Did you hear that the ministry over ruled Fudge's rulings not to remove the Dementors? They didn't take them away, but they did put twenty aurors to help watch. Dumbledore told me." They continued watching. Malfoy was talking to someone in forest green robes. It wasn't anyone they recognized, but when Draco saw them peering out of the fireplace he laughed and strolled over to them.
"Are you planning on staying there forever? Come here, and I'll introduce you to my one and only friend other than you guys. He and I met when our fathers were on dark business. None of us wanted to be there, or to be like them." He spat out the word as if it were poison. "To we both talked to each other and we found out that we were in the same position. His father is McNair, the executioner. Come on, and I'll introduce you. He's eager to see my two new real friends. Especially the famous Harry Potter." Harry and Ron stepped out of the fireplace and waved to Dumbledore.
"Enjoyed yourself?" Dumbledore asked with laugh. "The trial is starting in a half hour. Then will be some entertainment. After that will be Fudge's judging."
"Will they be choosing a mew minister today, Professor?" Ron asked curiously.
"No, Mr. Weasely. They aren't sure if Fudge will be removed, so they didn't check into anyone else, out of respect for Cornelius. We'll go in, in about fifteen minutes to get a good seat. Harry, Professor Lupin would like a word with you." Harry made a one minute sign to Draco and Ron, who were waiting for him to go with them to Steve McNair.
"Harry, be honest with me. Do you feel up to testifying for Sirius? It would certainly help a lot, but he'd be okay without it too, hopefully." Harry nodded his head, having come to terms with the idea during his trip through the fireplaces. He walked quickly through the crowds hardly noticing them part for him.
"Harry Potter!! Can I have your autograph?" A girl stood in front of him, smiling flirtatiously. He smiled back and signed hurriedly. He looked at the rest of the people standing there with their quills or lipstick or whatever else they had for him to use to sign.
"I have to hurry someone is waiting for me. Maybe I'll sign more later. MAYBE." With that he hurried towards Ron and Draco. He glanced at Steve McNair and found none of his father's coldness. He saw a brown haired boy, with natural, shoulder length waves. He had hazel eyes that contained flecks of silver, and an easy smile. He grinned at Harry and Ron, and as if in answer to Harry's silent request shook Ron's hand first. Ron beamed.
"I've heard so much about you in Draco's latest owls. I'm glad he found such good friends. Nice to meet both of you. Wow, Harry can I have your autograph? Ron, when your brother Percy heard I was gonna meet ya today he told me to make sure you get in to no trouble. I told him to geta life." Harry laughed and threw Draco a grin that said, 'he's not bad at all. Pretty good in fact.' Draco threw him a smug, 'a Malfoy knows how to choose friends look.' Harry laughed and muttered, "Goyle and Crabbe . . ." Draco glared at him. Hermione, Cho and Liza soon joined them with Fleur. Draco introduced Steve to them, while Fleur gave Harry a kiss on his cheeks.
" `Arry, `ow nice to see you again. `Ow are you doing?" Cho looked put out. Harry laughed and the teens were all talking amiably to one another. Many boys around Harry's age cam and introduced themselves to him. This was the first time Harry had really been by himself with no grown up and such a crowd, in the wizarding world. He was enjoying it. Cho made sure to stay near him to prevent the flirting girls from getting too close. But soon he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was The headmaster.
"Harry we'd better go." And his butterflies returned.