Feel

By: Lady DeathAngel

Disclaimer: not mine, not profiting, 'nuff said.

Warnings: a bit o' language

A/N: sorry this has taken so long. I've had some internet troubles and so it's been done for a while but I've been unable to post. Trust me, I doubt it sucks as much for you as it does for me. Do you know what it's like to have a four day weekend and no internet access? ::sigh:: Also, I've decided that not using Harry's name is a pain in the ass. It wasn't so bad when I thought this fic was only going to be four chapters long, but with it pushing past double digits and quickly becoming the longest fic I've ever written, I'm done with that. So after this chapter it'll be easier to write and easier to read and I'll probably go back to beta through the rest of the fic and change that. Anyway, please read, enjoy, and review! Oh, and to answer a question previously posed, this fic will indeed carry on into Harry's Sixth Year which will be starting within the next two chapters. Not sure how long after that it'll go . . . omfg! I just had inspiration hit like a pillowcase of bricks . . . hmmmm . . . hehehehehe . . . muahahahahahahah!

The Ministry of Magic hadn't changed much since the last time he'd seen it. Other than the piles of rubble in the center, roped off and adorned with blinking signs that said, 'Under Construction', nothing had changed. He wished it had because now he found himself staring at the walls and the fountain that was being rebuilt, thrust back to that night in June. He could see it clearly . . . Sirius going through the veil and the burning hate that made him follow Bellatrix . . . performing Cruciatus and being unable to cause pain and wanting so desperately to do so . . . Voldemort and his scar burning and he was going to die and the only reason he cared was because he needed, needed, needed to kill Bellatrix first.

He didn't realize how far gone he was until a shrill, feminine squeal jerked him out of his memories and made him jump nearly a foot in the air.

"Mr. Potter! What a pleasant surprise!"

He found himself face to face . . . well, chest more like, with a woman he'd never seen before. She had short brown hair, mud-brown eyes and lips that were so glossed he was sure he could see his reflection in them if he squinted. She wasn't un-attractive exactly, but she was quite ridiculous looking, towering over him and making high-pitched noises of excitement.

"I'm Elaine Crass!" she exclaimed, grasping his hand and shaking it firmly. "I'm Junior Overseer of this little project." She indicated the fountain in progress. "Fudge, er, the Minister said that we'd build it with minimum use of magic to get the best detail possible. That's why it's taking so long and that's why I'm in charge."

"That's . . . um . . . that's nice," he stuttered, trying to get around her.

She wouldn't let him go though, instead seizing his arm with both her hands.

"Oh no, you must see how it's going!"

"We are in a bit of a . . ." Remus started but she talked over him and continued walking.

"We're quite pleased with how it's turning out," she said. "In fact, it's a dead-on likeness. Not as handsome as the original of course but . . ."

She winked at him. Or he thought she did. She may just have had something in her eye.

"Tada!" she said with a flamboyant wave of her hands, indicating a small sign and the half finished carving of what looked to be like his face in marble.

He stared at it dumbly for a moment and then blinked.

"That's, er . . . that's me."

She nodded.

"Isn't it marvelous? Fudge requested it and everyone thought it was a great idea. But you're the most important critic of all."

She looked at him expectantly and he wondered what she'd think if he told her he hated it. First of all, it didn't look a thing like him. He was older and definitely more good-looking in marble. Secondly, why the bloody hell would anyone want to make a statue of him? Was everyone really that obsessed with the Boy-Who-Lived? Apparently so.

Thank God Snape and Remus had made their way over and saved him from having to answer.

"What part of 'we're in bit of a hurry' did you not understand?" Snape demanded.

Elaine looked up at him and rolled her eyes.

"Really, what could be so important that Mr. Potter would want to miss this?" She waved absently at the fountain.

"Lots of things," Harry muttered.

He really, he decided, needed to get his eyes checked because the look Snape shot him wasn't hateful it was almost . . . amused.

"Trust us," Remus told her, obviously irritated since he was using his 'don't try my patience' voice. "This is much more important than whatever you're building over here."

"This happens to be a statue of Harry Potter at the request of the Minister and I felt that the Harry Potter ought to have a look," she said indignantly.

The three of them looked at her like she was crazy and then turned on their heels and walked away.

"Wait!" she called. "What do you think about it!"

"I hate it!" he yelled back at her over his shoulder.

"B-but . . ." she trailed off and was left watching them leave, deflated.

"She is really quite annoying," Remus said was they made their way to the room the meeting would be held in.

"She's always been annoying," Snape added.

"We went to school with her," Remus explained. "Hufflepuff. Her intentions are good but . . . she's pushy."

Snape's lip curled and he made a 'psh' sound.

"If she were any more pushy she'd have a job with the Daily Prophet and be named 'Rita Skeeter'."

He was really getting a bit scared at that point. Everything was just a bit too . . . weird what with Snape not being a complete bastard and a statue of, well, him being carved and chiseled in the middle of the Ministry of Magic. Of course, that was around the time they reached their designated room and they walked inside and there was Draco Malfoy looking bruised and broken and the whole situation was so disgustingly horrid that everything seemed back to normal. That was, he decided, very fucked up, actually.

There were a number of people in the room, a few who he recognized and that looked at him with carefully neutral frowns. In their midst was Fudge, looking flustered and angry as usual. He figured things were bound to be worse, what with a new Minister being chosen soon and a war going on and all. Which was why he wasn't surprised when he didn't respond to Snape's demands of why exactly Malfoy was in bound and under a silencing spell with a shake of his head.

"This is a war," he said. "Any and all threats are to be treated with the utmost severity."

"Yes but this is a bit harsh," Remus said, his tone aiming for neutrality but hitting the mark somewhere near disapproval and downright chastisement.

"You may think so but when it comes to it, the safety of the people is the most important thing and this . . . boy threatened that safety and had to be dealt with."

"He didn't do anything, though!" he finally burst out, tired of the conversation going over his head.

Malfoy, who had been staring beseechingly at Snape for the past few minutes looked over at him sharply.

"Everyone witnessed the two of you talking . . ."

"Yeah, I know," he interrupted. "But it was different. We called a truce."

Fudge scoffed.

"We've got enough people willing to testify that this boy hates you, Harry. He's treated you badly, tried to get you expelled many times . . . and he just wanted to call a truce with you?"

He smirked to himself and caught Malfoy's eye.

"He still hates me," he said. "As much as ever, really. But we've grown up a bit. That's why we called the truce."

Fudge hesitated and then nodded.

"And that's the truth of it? He didn't wish to harm you?"

"No he didn't."

There was a small amount of tittering from the others in the room while Fudge paled slightly and Snape practically pounced on him.

"Now that that's settled, I'd like to raise the question of your treatment of Mr. Malfoy," he said. "It seems to me you put him through more of an inquisition than an inquiry."

Fudge's gaze skittered away and he swallowed.

"We only had him in custody for two days . . ."

"Long enough to give him a black eye, it would look like."

"He fell . . . it wasn't . . ."

"A likely story," Snape shot back sarcastically. "I'll be speaking to Mrs. Malfoy about this, believe me."

Someone cleared their throat and Fudge started a bit before nodded.

"Yes . . . well, er, there's a bit of a problem there. You see . . . Narcissa Malfoy is currently under a Ministry mandated psychological evaluation at St. Mungo's. What with Lucius Malfoy having been arrested due to his involvement with the Death Eater's and her son's presumed involvement with the aforementioned, she's being examined at St. Mungo's for traces of Imperius. Her parental capacity is also being examined."

He glanced over at Malfoy who was looking as shocked as he felt. He blinked several times, shook his head once and then shot up from his chair and charged at Fudge.

"Restrain him!" the Ministry cried, taking a step back.

It happened too fast for anyone to follow, but Malfoy was stunned and fell back against Harry, twitching slightly.

Snape growled and made a move toward Fudge but Remus held onto his arms and frowned at the Minister.

"Where will he go?" he demanded.

"He'll remain in government custody until . . ."

"No."

Fudge blinked at Snape and lifted an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

"I said no. He'll come with us."

Fudge shook his head and gave a small laugh.

"Oh, that's just not possible."

Snape smirked at him.

"Oh, but it is. Potter, we're leaving."

He nodded and looked down at the boy in his arms.

"Can you walk?"

Malfoy started to nod, hesitated and then nodded anyway. He managed well enough, though there was a pained look on his face and he stumbled into the dark-haired boy a couple of times on the way out of the room. Remus and Snape flanked them at the back and they ignored the outraged cries of Fudge.

"You can't do this!" he shrieked and Snape turned to him.

"You're in no position to tell us what we can and can't do. I doubt the public would be happy to hear about the action you've taken and if you're not careful they'll know by tomorrow morning. In exquisite detail."

They walked on with Fudge yelling something about empty threats and blackmail and Azkaban. But they weren't empty. Remus removed the spell from Malfoy and Snape walked between the two boys and leaned down.

"Potter, I want you to talk to Granger and I want her to get a hold of Skeeter."

He nodded and shivered a bit at the twin smirks that twisted the lips of his enemies. But then, he could have sworn he was smirking a bit too.