Harry Potter and the Betrayal of Snape

Chapter 3— New Minister of Magic

All four of them finally landed on solid ground. Harry looked around and Dumbledore's office was still the same. A large and lovely circular room, full of funny noises, also there were many silver instruments, which were settled on spindlelegged tables, whirring and releasing out little puffs of smoke. The portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, which were hung on the wall, were all looking at the four arrivals. There was also a huge claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, a shabby, wizard's hat, which Harry of course realized— the Sorting Hat. And standing on a golden perch behind the door was Fawkes. Harry wiped his fingers softly over his eyes, wiping away a few tears, his eyes barely pink, which did not give him away.

"Welcome, welcome to my office. Have a seat you three." Dumbledore said with a smile. They took a seat and out of the silence heard a sobbing noise. It was one of the portraits— Phineas Nigellus.

"Harry Potter!" the portrait sobbed. "You…you…killed the la..las..last of the Blacks!". Harry looked over and looked back down at his feet. Those words stabbed him in the chest. Ron and Hermione bit their lips and looked over at Harry.

"Phineas…please…how many times have I explained this to you?" Dumbledore. "Harry…don't blame him…he's just—"

"Yes, I killed the Sirius. If I had only listened to Hermione and everyone else. If I had only mastered Occlumency. IF!" Harry screamed, and once again like last year, seized the silver instrument off the table and hurled it across the room. Ron and Hermione jumped up, startled at Harry's reactions. Harry had been able to control his emotions during the whole summer, but after re-entering into the wizard world, he had lost it.

"Harry…" Hermione whispered. Harry wasn't crying, but tears still rolled down slowly off his cheeks. Fawkes flew off his perch and settled on Harry's shoulders. Harry stroked his feathers softly and whispered: "This kind of pain can't be healed."

"Harry, you have made the choice to come here, then you must face it. I understand the pain you are going to, and the prophecy is of course a burden…" Dumbledore said in a calm tone. Harry after going through the whole summer, now, he just couldn't take it anymore.

"YOU THINK YOU UNDERSTAND?! UNDERSTAND THE PAIN I'M GOING THROUGH?! HAH! OF COURSE, THE GREAT WIZARD DUMBLEDORE MUST KNOW EVERYTHING!" Harry screamed at the top of his lungs, as Fawkes flew up into the air, scared from the unexpected commotion; and Phineas ran to his other portrait. "YOU…." Harry said. "you..you…" Harry buried himself in his hands. Tears started to roll down his cheeks uncontrollably. "None of you understand me! None of you have ever lost your parents when you were a baby and had to live with people that hate you more than ever. And now, after getting my hopes up high of living with someone I truly cherish….and then he leaves this world…because of me?!" Harry sobbed. Hermione and Ron did not know what to say, and just looked down at their feet, waiting for Dumbledore to answer.

"Harry, it's not your fault. Trust me,…trust us. Many people, even the greatest of all wizards cannot face Lord Voldemort face to face or even mention his name. You are one of the most courageous wizard I've ever seen in my life. I know it's a great burden that knowing now, that you are the only one…." Dumbledore said but stopped and trailed off into silence until only Harry's sobs were heard, noticing that Hermione and Ron had a confused look on their faces.

"Uh well…Professor Dumbledore….we should be discussing about uh…" Ron tried to change the topic.

"Uh our classes…and uh…DA!" Hermioine covered for Ron.

"Ye….yes Professor….EXACTLY what I had in mind." Ron said. Dumbledore sighed.

"Very well, very well," Dumbledore said in a weary voice. "You may go back to your rooms…and about your classes, we'll just leave it to another day. Have a nice day you three…and Harry, I'm truly sorry…" Dumbledore said, as a sparkling drop of water rolled down his cheek. The trio took their trunks and carried them back to their dormitories in silence, before Remus and Moody appeared.

The warm fire was crackling in the Gryffindor common room; and no one was talking after settling their stuff in their rooms and changing into their robes. Harry stared into the flames of red and orange, which were blending into each other like paint. Harry had hoped for Sirius' head to appear suddenly in the crimson delicate streaks, even though he knew that was impossible. No one dared to speak, but Hermione decided to break the silence.

"Harry…are you hiding something from us?" Hermione asked. But Ron nudged her with his elbow.

"Uh OF COURSE he is NOT Hermione…" Ron said. Harry didn't know if he was ready…or was he? Harry took a deep breath and told them about the prophecy.

"Harry…I don't know what to say…" Hermione whispered.

"Well I have something to say this time." Ron said proudly, finally being better at Hermione about something. "It's bloody scary to be facing you-know-who all alone, but Harry, lemme tell you something. Me and 'Mione will always be here for you and will fight that evil git together! Right Hermione?" Ron asked.

"Yes!" Hermione smiled. Harry looked up at the two smiling faces, finally feeling true warmth for once after leaving the Dursleys.

"Thanks…" Harry said, and finally smiled. "Thank you for just being here for me."

"No problem mate!" Ron grinned.

"Are you sure you're okay Harry? We can leave you alone for a while if you want…" Hermione said, still unsure if Harry was fine.

Harry was just about to say something then his stomach growled. "I'm starving, let's go ask Dobby for some food!" Harry said, with a grin. The other two smiled and went down to the kitchen.

"Mr Potter…and Mr Weasley and Miss Granger! So glad to see you all! Why is Mr Potter here in Hogwarts so early?" asked a happy little House Elf in the kitchen, Dobby.

"So nice to see you Dobby. Well uh…." Harry tried to explain.

"Well we are here on Dumbledore's wish. We are uh…" Ron tried to cover up.

"We are here organizing the new group DA, which you helped us find a room for last year. It's all thanks to you Dobby that we have this club!" Hermione said with a wink at Harry and Ron.

"Oh! What a wonderful lady you are, Miss Granger. It's my honour to be able to help you all. It's an honour for Dobby." Dobby said and gave a bow. "So how may Dobby be in your service?" Dobby said with a wink.

"Dobby…not in our service…you're already freed…" Hermione started, but Ron stopped her.

"Uh Dobby, we were just wondering if you had any food for us…" Ron interrupted.

"Yes! Yes! Of course! I'll prepare it right away and send it to the Great Hall. Find yourself a comfortable seat at a table, the teachers who arrived earlier too are having their dinner served now too…" Dobby said and ran to get their dinner, before the trio could say anything.

"I thought we were eating in the Gryffindor common room…" said Harry.

"Nah…it dursin't matterr…" Ron said as he started stuffing a piece of bread he found next to him into his mouth. "I'm bloody hungry you know!" said Ron, as he continued eating but Hermione slapped him on the arm. The three of them walked back to the Great Hall and saw many members of the Order sitting on the High Table: Professor McGonagall chatting away with Lupin and Moody and Professor Dumbledore and Snape in deep conversation. Noticing the three, all the teachers turned their way.

"Uh…hello Professors…" the trio said together as they walked right in front of the High Table and the teachers all smiled.

"Hello Harry," said Lupin, "you left before we even go here, so how are you?" Lupin asked.

"I'm fine…prof— uh….Remus." Harry stuttered a bit.

"Yes, call me Remus for now." Lupin smiled and continued his meal.

"Uh….may I ask if you are all here to…um…protect me?" Harry said, hardly able to ask this question.

"Yes Potter. You're choice to come here has wasted all of our precious and valuable time, which in your case, do not need and don't mind wasting hours for—" said Snape coldly, but Professor McGonagall shot him a frustrated look.

"Severus, would you please think before you talk? Harry uses his time well…well most of the time and it's our job to protect our own students so I see nothing wrong with—" McGonagall practically screamed.

"Please, please, Minerva, Severus. In order to face the evil, we must stay together and fight among our true enemies." Dumbledore interrupted the fight, and looked down at Harry. "Yes Harry, we have come here to protect you and we do have things which must be done here anyways. And…I hope you are feeling better…" said Dumbledore. Harry looked down at the floor, feeling quite sorry for his temper in Dumbldore's office.

"Um…yes Professor Dumbledore…um…I'm sorry…" Harry managed to mumble those few words out.

"Harry, don't be. It's my—" Dumbledore said, but stopped as a "pop!" sound was heard and about ten plates of food appeared on the Gryffindor's long table.

"Well you three better feed yourselves up first…I'm sure that all of you haven't eaten much." Moody said. The three of them walked over to their table and started eating. When Harry was in the middle of eating his chicken, Hermione whispered:

"Harry…psst….read this…don't mention it to Ron though…or his family, they're still quite upset…" handing Harry a cut-out from the Daily Prophet (and Ron of course didn't notice, since he was too busy pigging out on all the food and stuffing his face with a little bit of everything.)

New Minister of Magic

After last year's many tragic incidents, there appeared many protests against the Ministry of Magic, for its inefficiency and lack of protection. Most of the population has already lost total confidence in the Ministry, after they had forced everyone into not believing a young and innocent child, 'the boy-who-lived's truthful words last year, causing him to suffer greatly. On August July 28th, Cornelius Fudge, the former minister of magic was forced to resign and an election was held. Last year's Junior Assistant to the Minister, Percy Ignatius Weasley, was elected to be the new minister of magic. "As a new minister of magic, I will promise everyone with a safer environment and the Ministry had already published and distributed many guides to elementary homes and personal defence." He has promised to give everyone all the necessary precautions and safety so everyone could stay together as one and fight he-who-must-not-be-named together. Minister Weasley, the son of Arthur Weasley, currently in the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts office. When we had asked him about his thoughts on the honest boy, Harry Potter, Minister Weasley said: "I believe that the ex-minister, Mr Fudge, had made a right choice of not believing in the boy. As a minister, it's quite hard to believe a boy so young, especially one who has been involved in so much trouble at his school, so I totally agree with Mr Fudge, even though it had turned out that the boy was actually telling the truth. I believe that in not believing the boy was just a precaution, after all, he is, sorry to be rude, but quite troublesome." Said Minister Percy, to our reporter Rita Skeeter. For more of the interview with new minister, turn to page five.

Harry finished reading and looked up at Hermione with a surprised look.

"Ya…" Hermione whispered, answering his shocked reactions.

"Why'd you all stop eating?" Ron asked, suddenly noticing the silence.

"We were just taking a break, we can't eat as much as you Ron," Hermione answered. They finished their meal, excused themselves and went back up into their common room.

A/N: I'm SO sorry that it took so long to update but I slept over at my friend's house for a few days so I couldn't finish this chapter for a while…sorry!