Cornelius Fudge stormed into Professor Dumbledore's office.
"You've really done it this time, Dumbledore! You've broken the National Decree for Wizarding Secrecy!" he yelled furiously. "You can count on losing your job here for this!"
Dumledore gazed calmly at Fudge. "Cornelius, it's for the best. Think of how better prepared we will be to fight Voldemort now." he said, his light blue eyes showing that rare fierceness. Fudge shrank back slightly before replying.
"It was not your decision to make, Dumbledore! You should have talked it over with me first," he said. "But you have broken the most important law in the Ministry. You may be sent to Azkaban for this, you know." Fudge fidgeted with his lime green bowler as he spoke. "I can't promise that you won't."
Dumbledore nodded gravely. "I do not think it would be wise. You would be giving Voldemort the upper hand. You know that, Cornelius. . . But if you insist, I will go with you to the Ministry."
Fudge glanced nervously around the room. "Dumbledore. . . I will see what I can do to keep you out of Azkaban. But I really can't promise anything."
"Of course," smiled Dumbledore, the usual twinkle back in his eyes.
Fudge nodded and left Dumbledore's office.
***
Harry carried his school trunk downstairs. Ron's dad would be here anytime now. He walked into the living room where the Dursleys were sitting, looking a mixture of hatred and nerves. Harry set his trunk down next to an empty chair and sat down. The Dursleys were staring at the TV. Harry glanced at it and saw Dumbledore was on it again. He had forgotten completely about him being on it the day before.
Harry wondered how Mr. Weasley would be coming to get him. Probably not Floo Powder. Harry remembered what happened last time. Mr. Weasley and his sons, Ron, Fred, and George, had all been stuck in the boarded-up fireplace. He couldn't be getting him using their flying car either, as it was still roaming around the Forbidden Forest near Hogwarts.
Harry's thoughts were answered the next moment, as a green car he recognized as a Ministry car pulled up in front of Privet Drive. Mr. Weasley and Ron got out and walked up the pavement to the door, and rang the bell.
Harry ran to the door and opened it. Ron grinned.
"Hello Harry," said Mr. Weasley. "Are you ready? We've got to get going, we're picking up Hermione today as well."
"Yeah, let me just get my trunk," Harry ran back to the living room and grabbed his trunk, mumbling a quick goodbye to the Dursleys, who barely looked up from the TV.
***
"Well, it's not like Dumbledore didn't know what he was doing," said Hermione. They had just arrived at the Burrow after a long drive to pick up Hermione. Harry was lounging in a chair and staring into the fire, and Ron was arguing with Hermione about Dumbledore revealing the wizarding world to Muggles. "And he obviously thought it was best for everyone, I mean, now the Muggles will at least know what's going on." she said, a tone of finality in her voice.
"Well, what if he loses his job as Headmaster at Hogwarts. Or he might get sent to Azkaban! It wouldn't be all right then, would it!" Ron said. Harry had a feeling Ron was right about this.
"Oh, give it a rest, will you?" said Fred, who had just walked in with his twin, George.
The twins sat down on the sofa and began writing things on a piece of parchment, muttering to each other. Harry was quite sure they were working on more 'Weasley's Wizard Wheezes'. He had given them his prize money at the end of last year, the money he had won from the Triwizard Tournament. Harry felt a sharp pain in his chest as memories of that fateful night flashed in his mind's eye. . .Cedric, dead. . . Voldemort, reborn. . . His parents. . .
Hermione, sensing Harry's sudden stillness, reached over and put a comforting hand on his arm. "So how has your summer been so far, Harry?"
"Same as always. I'm glad I got away from the Dursleys though. . . They really didn't like Dumbledore announcing about the wizarding world.." said Harry, grinning. "I bet they thought it meant I could turn them into trees if I got bored enough."
Everyone laughed, and for the moment it was just like old times.
"You've really done it this time, Dumbledore! You've broken the National Decree for Wizarding Secrecy!" he yelled furiously. "You can count on losing your job here for this!"
Dumledore gazed calmly at Fudge. "Cornelius, it's for the best. Think of how better prepared we will be to fight Voldemort now." he said, his light blue eyes showing that rare fierceness. Fudge shrank back slightly before replying.
"It was not your decision to make, Dumbledore! You should have talked it over with me first," he said. "But you have broken the most important law in the Ministry. You may be sent to Azkaban for this, you know." Fudge fidgeted with his lime green bowler as he spoke. "I can't promise that you won't."
Dumbledore nodded gravely. "I do not think it would be wise. You would be giving Voldemort the upper hand. You know that, Cornelius. . . But if you insist, I will go with you to the Ministry."
Fudge glanced nervously around the room. "Dumbledore. . . I will see what I can do to keep you out of Azkaban. But I really can't promise anything."
"Of course," smiled Dumbledore, the usual twinkle back in his eyes.
Fudge nodded and left Dumbledore's office.
***
Harry carried his school trunk downstairs. Ron's dad would be here anytime now. He walked into the living room where the Dursleys were sitting, looking a mixture of hatred and nerves. Harry set his trunk down next to an empty chair and sat down. The Dursleys were staring at the TV. Harry glanced at it and saw Dumbledore was on it again. He had forgotten completely about him being on it the day before.
Harry wondered how Mr. Weasley would be coming to get him. Probably not Floo Powder. Harry remembered what happened last time. Mr. Weasley and his sons, Ron, Fred, and George, had all been stuck in the boarded-up fireplace. He couldn't be getting him using their flying car either, as it was still roaming around the Forbidden Forest near Hogwarts.
Harry's thoughts were answered the next moment, as a green car he recognized as a Ministry car pulled up in front of Privet Drive. Mr. Weasley and Ron got out and walked up the pavement to the door, and rang the bell.
Harry ran to the door and opened it. Ron grinned.
"Hello Harry," said Mr. Weasley. "Are you ready? We've got to get going, we're picking up Hermione today as well."
"Yeah, let me just get my trunk," Harry ran back to the living room and grabbed his trunk, mumbling a quick goodbye to the Dursleys, who barely looked up from the TV.
***
"Well, it's not like Dumbledore didn't know what he was doing," said Hermione. They had just arrived at the Burrow after a long drive to pick up Hermione. Harry was lounging in a chair and staring into the fire, and Ron was arguing with Hermione about Dumbledore revealing the wizarding world to Muggles. "And he obviously thought it was best for everyone, I mean, now the Muggles will at least know what's going on." she said, a tone of finality in her voice.
"Well, what if he loses his job as Headmaster at Hogwarts. Or he might get sent to Azkaban! It wouldn't be all right then, would it!" Ron said. Harry had a feeling Ron was right about this.
"Oh, give it a rest, will you?" said Fred, who had just walked in with his twin, George.
The twins sat down on the sofa and began writing things on a piece of parchment, muttering to each other. Harry was quite sure they were working on more 'Weasley's Wizard Wheezes'. He had given them his prize money at the end of last year, the money he had won from the Triwizard Tournament. Harry felt a sharp pain in his chest as memories of that fateful night flashed in his mind's eye. . .Cedric, dead. . . Voldemort, reborn. . . His parents. . .
Hermione, sensing Harry's sudden stillness, reached over and put a comforting hand on his arm. "So how has your summer been so far, Harry?"
"Same as always. I'm glad I got away from the Dursleys though. . . They really didn't like Dumbledore announcing about the wizarding world.." said Harry, grinning. "I bet they thought it meant I could turn them into trees if I got bored enough."
Everyone laughed, and for the moment it was just like old times.