Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah...it's all the property of JK Rowling.
Chapter 3
-OR-
"Tomorrow's News"
Ron picked up the copy of the Daily Prophet that Hermione had given him. The date was ten years later than he thought it should be. Even still, it's nothing Hermione couldn't have done with some quick Charm work. Ron frowned. He skimmed through the rest of the paper, looking for any tips that he was indeed when his friends told him he was. The front page showed it was a pretty slow news day; some story about a Floo-network malfunction made headlines. He paged through the front section, but nothing really caught his attention until the editorial page. One of the columnists had written "Wizard/Muggle Relations Crucial to Reconstruction Efforts." His interest piqued, Ron read further:
It is well known that those who do not learn from the
mistakes of history are doomed to repeat them. As oft-quoted as
this saying is, seldom is it heeded. The Ministry of Magic is
to be applauded for its efforts to reconcile the bloodline rifts
within the wizarding world. It has been only eight years since
Harry Potter again triumphed over He-who-must-not-be-named,
ending the Dark Lord's second bid at a Reign of Terror, but
already in our world are showing signs of forgetting the
sacrifices of those who opposed the forces of the Dark Lord. He-
Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was infamous for his hatred of Muggles or
wizards of mixed bloodlines. His "purges" killed hundreds of
innocent Muggles and wizards alike.
In his last known message to the wizarding world, ex-
Minister of Magic Albus Dumbledore stressed the importance of
not only the acceptance of all heritages into the wizarding
world, but also acceptance of Muggle culture in general. "[You-
Know-Who] masterfully played on our inherent mistrust of the
Muggles," wrote Dumbledore in his famous Farewell Address, "if
we wish to negate the possibility of a war like the one we just
survived, we must make it our responsibility to truly understand
the people with whom we share our planet."
In his short tenure as Minister of Magic, Dumbledore
certainly tried to promote education about Muggles. His abrupt
departure left many wondering if his initiatives would be
continued.
Thus, Minister of Magic Arthur Weasley should be commended
for his efforts to raise Muggle Awareness and for his efforts to
pass anti-Muggle/mixed bloodlines-discrimination laws. "They
really are remarkable, Muggles," the Minister was quoted as
saying at one recent press conference, "the ways they get by
without magic." He also has publicly chastised those who claim
"purity of bloodlines" is a significant factor in everyday life:
"Some witches and wizards still labor under the illusion that
coming from an all-wizard family makes a person superior. This
is clearly not the case; one of the most powerful wizards of our
day, Harry Potter, is of mixed blood." The Minister has gone to
great lengths to downplay his own wizarding heritage, "not
because I'm ashamed but because it doesn't matter."
As another election year approaches, we should all be
aware of the efforts of the Weasley administration on behalf of
wizard/Muggle relations. If we do indeed wish to learn our
lessons from You-Know-Who's rise to power, then we must continue
on the course set by Albus Dumbledore and followed faithfully by
Arthur Weasley.
Speechless, Ron dropped the newspaper in his lap. My dad? Minister of Magic? He looked back at the paper and read the editorial again...there was no mistaking it. How could Hermione have faked an entire copy of the Daily Prophet? And all the photos?
"I'm in the future!" he announced to the room. Several of the people in the pictures turned to look at him, then went back to whatever they were doing. He threw back the blankets and tried to get off the bed. The simple act of standing tired him, and when he did manage to stand, he got so dizzy he plopped right back down on the bed. Just then, Dobby poked his head around the corner.
"Is the Wheezy needing anything, sir?"
Ron looked at the house-elf before answering. Dobby's tastes in clothing clearly had not changed much during Ron's ten-year absence. Dobby wore an orange sweatband around his brow, and he had a number of cheap necklaces and trinkets around his neck. He was wearing a tattered cardigan sweater over what looked like a very dirty undershirt. He had on what appeared to be flannel, plaid pajama pants, and on his belt he had a number of small leather pouches. He had apparently traded in his rather large collection of socks for well-worn slippers that were several sizes too large. Ron couldn't help but smile. "Well, Dobby, maybe, if you could...could I ask you some questions?" Ron was desperate for information about this strange new world he found himself in.
"Dobby can answer questions for the Wheezy, sir!" Dobby hopped up onto the foot of the bed.
"Dobby, are Harry and Hermione playing a trick on me?"
"No, no, sir, no! They is not playing a trick on you, sir, no!" Dobby's already large eyes widened further. "They is telling the Wheezy the truth, sir, they is!"
"Are you working for them now?"
"Dobby is, sir! Dobby is serving the Potters now, sir, and they is paying Dobby and giving him weekends off!"
Ron thought about that for a moment. He was surprised that Hermione allowed a house-elf to work for them at all. "Dobby, when did you stop working at Hogwarts? And how did Harry convince Hermione to hire you?"
"Harry Potter, sir, is even greater than Dobby thought, sir! Harry Potter started paying Dobby after Harry Potter defeated He-who-must-not-be- named again, sir, because he needed Dobby to help take care of Hermione."
"Taking care of her? What do you mean?"
"After Harry Potter defeated the Dark Lord, Sir, his friend was not in a good way. Harry Potter took care of her as she got better, and got Dobby to help him, he did, sir."
"How was she not in a good way? What do you mean? What happened?"
Dobby looked up at Ron for a moment, then started to tremble. Ron, sensing what was coming, tried to get Dobby to ignore his last question, but Dobby suddenly regained control of himself and said, "Harry Potter, sir, told Dobby not to be telling the Wheezy. He thought it might upset him."
"Fair enough. Can you tell me, Dobby, if this newspaper is real?"
"It is, sir, it is," Dobby said. Then, with a note of pride, he added, "It is Dobby's newspaper, sir."
"Your paper? You get the Daily Prophet?" Ron asked. He had never met a house-elf who kept up with the news.
"Well," started Dobby, "Hermione says that Dobby must be reading and knowing the news, sir." He looked around, then leaned closer to Ron and whispered, "Dobby thinks that Hermione is not understanding house-elves still, sir." Ron had to smile. Figures, he thought, Hermione is still trying to get house-elves to be just like humans.
"Dobby, is my father Minister of Magic?"
"He is, sir, he is! Mr. Wheezy is most kind to house elves, too. He is very good Minister."
"All right, Dobby, can you tell me where Harry and Hermione are?"
"Harry Potter is in his library, sir, and Hermione is with him. Is the Wheezy needing anything else?"
"I'm okay, Dobby, thanks." The house elf popped right out of the room, leaving Ron once again alone. He looked impatiently around the room. What am I doing? Why won't Harry and Hermione talk to me? He threw the Daily Prophet across the room; it hit one of the framed photographs and knocked it off a shelf. The crash of broken glass rang throughout the room. Three figures rushed into the now broken frame, nervously looking around the picture for the cause of the crash.
"Accio picture," he said. The photo flew towards him, showering shards of broken glass across the room. Taking a closer look at it, he realized the three people were Harry, Hermione, and himself. They looked young--maybe first or second year. I remember this picture, he thought, this was after Harry fought the basilisk. Even though it was, by his reckoning, only a few years since he had posed for that picture, it seemed foreign. It must be ancient history for Harry and Hermione. Even still, it was nice to know they still thought of him. There was a sudden knock at the door.
"Ron?" Hermione looked expectantly at him. "I mixed up a potion for you. It should help you move out of that bed." She offered Ron a beaker with a milky green substance in it. "Go ahead...it even tastes okay, I promise."
He took a swig, then tried to stand. "I'm still dizzy," he said.
"Well, it'll get better. If you're up to it, we'd like you to come to the library. I'm sure there's a lot you want to know." Hermione's smile gave Ron the only good feeling he'd had since he first laid eyes on that machine.