Chapter Fifteen: A New Minister of Magic
It was a sunny but cold March morning just weeks prior to Easter that the next big bit of news surfaced. Hermione's Daily Prophet, which normally proved as useless as a pig under water, caught the attention of the whole gang as she read to Ron that day.
"Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, resigned from office yesterday saying he wished to step out of the limelight during these stressful times. Daily Prophet reporter, Rita Skeeter, wonders if Fudge has decided he simply cannot hack the stress of leading the battle against You-Know-Who and his followers."
"Well, Fudge never did lead that battle," Ron commented, "Dumbledore has always been at the helm, ever since the first attack more than twenty years ago."
"Well, leave it to the Prophet to screw it up," Harry said dryly, then added, "Go on Hermione, what else does it say?" Hermione nodded to Harry and continued.
"An emergency election will be held in two weeks to determine the new Minister. The Wizengamot will select the new Minister based upon skill, experience, and the weight of the popular vote upon any one candidate. Those who have already applied for the job are listed on page three."
"Turn to page three, Hermione," Ron said eagerly, but she was already headed there. They scanned the list of names until they found one that shocked them all.
"Percy Weasley" was clearly printed in the alphabetically ordered and rather short list. Ginny leaned over Harry's shoulder then and stared bug-eyed at the page.
"Percy thinks he can get elected?" she said, and they all looked at each other in shock.
"What are his chances of winning?" Harry asked, remembering the vision he'd seen of Voldemort wanting to do just this with Percy.
"There's a rating chart on page six," Hermione said, and she flipped the pages to find it.
"Apparently, he's in the upper runnings," she said when she had looked over the graph carefully. "And no wonder, since he's running against Mundungus Fletcher and someone named Allen Ringbow. All their credentials are listed here below the graph. Amos Diggory is on the ballot, too. Of all the people listed, he's got my vote."
"Mine too," Ron agreed, and Harry nodded. Ginny looked thoughtful, then asked, "Why doesn't someone more worthwhile run? I know Dumbledore doesn't want the job, and he's got enough with the Order and the School, but there has to be someone with better credentials than Percy or Amos Diggory."
"Well, the members of the Wizengamot all declined saying they felt they could serve better from where they stand," Hermione said, referring to the article on the facing page. "But what about your dad? He'd be great as Minister!"
"He should, but I'd bet he won't," Ginny predicted. "If you haven't noticed, the only one from the Order who listed his name is Fletcher. I'd bet he did it against, rather than because of Dumbledore's orders. I don't think Dumbledore wants the Order members to be in that position."
"I wonder why not," Harry mused looking up at the Professor who was engaged in a conversation with Professor McGonagall as they, too, surveyed the pages of a copy of the Daily Prophet.
"He needs them to stay under cover, doesn't he?" Hermione speculated. "Anyone who runs becomes subject to a stringent background and character profiling by both the press and the Wizengamot. He wouldn't want it getting back to the Prophet that someone running was connected with the Order of the Phoenix. There are good reasons why the membership list is kept secret!"
"If candidates are scrutinized so carefully, what makes Percy think he can run?" Ron asked suddenly, and Ginny and Harry nodded their agreement.
"Beats me," Hermione shrugged. "He was just labeled a Death Eater by the Prophet two months ago in a front page article! I can't imagine who he thinks he's kidding now!"
"Let's just hope that it's enough to keep him out of office," Harry said.
"No kidding," Ron said, "That's all we need in this family: a Weasley that goes down in history as the Death Eater that shammed an election and became the worst Minister of Magic in wizard history!"
Tensions seemed to run high among the faculty and staff of Hogwarts over the next two weeks. Teachers gave extra homework, all four houses lost numerous points over small offenses, and classroom atmospheres were gloomy and strict. Even the jovial Professor Flitwick seemed a bit on his guard. A first year showed up in Harry's morning class in tears after her feather caught fire and she was reprimanded for not paying closer attention. Snape's lessons were becoming increasingly nerve-wracking as he peered over his students' shoulders just as they were about to add a mistaken ingredient and evanesced their cauldrons the moment the made half a turn toward stirring the wrong direction. In Transfiguration the day of the election Professor McGonagall hovered over Neville, repeating instructions until his toad, Trevor, was transformed successfully into a photo album and back again. Neville was so nervous by the time he left the room that day that he went straight to Gryffindor Tower to take a hot shower before returning for dinner. Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione ate silently, and even when Luna sauntered over to talk about how her father's friend, a herder of Crumple-Horned Snorkacks, was sure to win the election, even though his name wasn't listed on the ballot, they just shook their heads, got up from the table, and left her there with Neville. They sat very quietly by the fire that evening. The boys were finishing homework, Ginny was studying some of Hermione's notes from last year to prepare for her OWLs that were coming up, and Hermione was reading her book about the Goblin Wars for the third time. There was no discussion of the election or predicting of the results. No one seemed to want to think about it at all. Nevertheless, it occupied the larger part of each of their minds, and when Ginny did finally speak, it was as though a flood gate had been opened.
"I can't stand it! Percy could really win this thing! Why don't people remember what happened to the Burrow?" Ginny raved.
"This is why," Hermione commented, sliding this morning's copy of the Prophet over toward her.
Ginny read a few lines and visibly paled. She looked up at Harry and he noticed the concern on her face. He took the paper from her and read it, then handed it to Ron.
Ron looked at Harry quizzically, scanned the page, then stood up and exclaimed, "You've got to be kidding me!" Everyone else in the common room turned to look at them, and Ron blushed and sat back down. "They think he was framed? How can they think he was framed?"
"Like it says here, Ron," Hermione informed him, pointing to a paragraph halfway down the page, "He says he never was a Death Eater, that he was lucky to escape the fire without being captured by them, and that the Death Eaters made it look like he was involved to try and estrange him from his family."
"The poor dear," Ron spat in a sarcastic imitation of his mother. "If I remember correctly, it was him that took off from you-know-where and went to the Burrow in a huff. Has anyone even checked his arm for the mark?"
"He must be hiding it somehow," Harry suggested. "Look here, this article makes him out to be some kind of unsung hero!" Harry pointed to the back page of the paper, and Ron turned it over in his hands.
"Oh, good grief," Ron said disgustedly, and tossed the paper onto the table in front of them. "What will this rag print next?"
"If only it were all true," Ginny said quietly, "We'd be celebrating instead of feeling angry, wouldn't we? We'd all be backing Percy one hundred percent, if only he really were the kind of hero this makes him out to be."
"Too true, Gin," Ron said gloomily, and he slunk down in his chair, his knees brushing up against the table leg in front of him and his head resting on the cushion behind his back. "What will happen if he wins?"
"Who knows? At least Hogwarts is still a safe place to be. Voldemort still hasn't found a way to penetrate these walls," Harry tried to comfort them all.
"We can be grateful for that," Ginny agreed, then added, "but what do we do over the summer holiday? We can't just stay here!"
"Well, Grimmauld Place is safe enough, too," Hermione said. "Percy was there, but the fidelius charm will keep him from remembering how to get back, and he never saw much of the Order while he was there. No one even told him it was Order Headquarters. He just thought it was Black's house which now belongs to Harry."
"Really?" Harry asked. "Is that all they told him?"
"Yes," Hermione answered. "Do you remember that they were worried that the rescue mission went far too smoothly? And Snape had found the mark on his arm."
"Yeah," Harry nodded and waited for more of an explanation.
"They were concerned right from the start that he might not be loyal to Dumbledore, and after all his statements and accusations last year when he was running around behind Fudge and Umbridge, they had a reason to worry."
"The twins never did trust him," Ron reminded them. "Even during the rescue mission, they almost gave up and went home before entering the dungeon because they were sure it was a trap."
Hermione nodded and continued, "Tonks told me they used a confundus charm to keep him from knowing where they were headed in the first place, obliviated parts of his memory of the rescue, and then told him they had brought him to your house, Harry, that Sirius had left to you, and Percy never questioned it. Since he left by Floo Powder, he didn't get another chance to see the house from the outside, so there is no way he can tell anyone else that the Order meets there."
"Well, that's a bit of a relief," Harry said with a sigh. "Still, I have an uneasy feeling about this summer, like everything is about to fall apart for us."
"I know, me too," Ginny agreed.
"Likewise," said Hermione, "But all we can do is wait to see about this election, and try to study for our exams."
"We can do more than that," Harry responded. "We don't have much say in government, but we can petition people who do."
"What are you saying, Harry?" Hermione asked eyeing him pointedly.
"I'm saying that if Percy becomes the next Minister of Magic, we should do everything we can to expose him. We should share information we have about him with people who have some political influence, like Madame Bones, Susan's aunt. Maybe we can sway the Wizengamot to reject the popular vote if Percy wins it."
"We can try, but history is against us," Hermione pointed out.
"Meaning?" Ron asked.
"You remember Barty Crouch, don't you?" she reminded.
"Who could forget? Winky still pines for him down in the kitchens," Ron replied.
"And Dobby still tends to her in the Room of Requirement," Ginny put in.
"Haven't seen much of them this year, have we," Ron commented, and Hermione sighed as the conversation turned to house elves.
"Dobby is still a free elf, which makes him useful to Dumbledore," Harry pointed out, and Hermione looked suddenly gleeful. "Dobby goes on errands for the Order, even, from time to time. He stopped by a couple of weeks ago to see me."
"That's great," Hermione exclaimed excitedly, having completely forgotten about the election in favor of the topic of elf rights. "I always knew Dumbledore would come around to helping the elves more. If only we could get the other house elves to realize how pleasant it is to be free. Watching Dobby has to be helping!"
"What were you going to say about Crouch, though, Hermione?" Ginny asked, trying to steer clear of the house-elf topic as soon as possible.
"Well," she began again, "he was almost elected Minister once too, wasn't he? But the popular vote went against him when they saw how he treated his own son who had been caught helping the Death Eaters. No one was even sure if his son was actually guilty, and the trial was horribly unfair. It wasn't until he was unmasked after the Triwizard tournament that anyone knew for sure that he really was a Death Eater and always had been. And then he got the Kiss, so his confession never went on record. But it was too late by then anyway. Barty Crouch Sr. lost the election to Fudge right after his son's trial because the popular vote went against him. The popular vote seems to really count for something."
They sat in silent contemplation as they digested this bit of information. Harry's thoughts turned to all that could happen if a Minister of Magic controlled by the Darkest Wizard of the modern era took office. He shuddered at the thought, and saw Ginny shudder as well. He caught her eye and knew she had heard his thoughts just then. "I've had enough. I'm going to bed," Harry announced, hoping a good night of sleep would help him clear his mind.
"Me too," said Ginny, and the two of them rose from the couch.
"I'll be up in a bit, Harry," Ron replied as he scooted closer to Hermione, and Harry smiled knowingly.
"All right, see you then," he said, and he and Ginny walked to the spot in the stairs where they'd have to part for the night. They stepped just out of sight before Harry wrapped his arms around her tenderly and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"You shouldn't let yourself get too gloomy about the future," Ginny reprimanded him for his previous thoughts.
"I know," Harry said, looking into her chocolate eyes. "I just worry is all. You know what the prophecy says. Just what kind of obstacles will I have to overcome by the time I'm trained enough, or powerful enough, or whatever Dumbledore is waiting for?"
"Harry, there are many ways to fulfill a prophecy. Who says you'll defeat him one on one? Maybe your own training and power are not what Dumbledore is waiting for. Maybe he's waiting to see a weakness in Voldemort, or uncover another possibility. Maybe he's just waiting for the prophecy to fulfill itself without his interference or help."
"Then maybe he's just waiting for me to get up enough courage, or anger, whichever comes first, to go out there and do whatever it takes to get rid of the monster."
"Harry…"
"No, I'm sorry. I just wonder sometimes…" and he felt Ginny in his mind, searching for what he wondered.
"Harry, don't think like that. Please, you have to make it through this. I need you to live!"
"I'm sorry Ginny, I don't mean to be so morbid. It's just that I don't see how I can win. If this struggle does take me with it in the end, promise me you'll go on. Promise me you'll be all right."
"I can't promise that, Harry, any more than you can promise me that you'll live through this in the end. We just have to hope for the best. It's like you told the D.A. on the very first day at the Shrieking Shack. He's just a man. He's just a bully and a coward and a pig. We have to believe we can make bacon out of him. If we don't believe it, what are we doing leading the D.A.? What are you doing teaching defense classes? Why are we hoping for anything good if you don't think he can be defeated?"
"I'm quite sure he can be defeated," Harry argued swiftly. "I'm just not sure I can do it. That prophecy says I have to be the one to defeat him. How do I do that? I'm just a kid!"
"The prophecy also says you have a power that he doesn't have. You have the ability to love people. He has never loved or been loved by anyone. But you have loved even the most depraved of the people who have been in your life. You even helped the Dursleys escape the Death Eaters last summer. Your ability to love gives you the strength to help people when others would or could do nothing."
"So what am I to do, love him to death?" Harry laughed at his own question.
"Oh Harry, I can't tell you how to do it, but I have to believe that love will be the magic that will save you in the end." Ginny looked pleadingly into his eyes.
"When all else fails, and I'm sure to be destroyed, it will be my love for you that will give me the courage to go on. I would do anything to have the chance to spend the rest of my life with you." He pulled her closer, and their lips met softly, searchingly. He let the flow of electricity fill him this time, and it seemed to encourage him to continue. They pulled away breathlessly, and Harry whispered softly, "If anything gets me through all of this in the end, it'll be my desire to be with you forever. I can't imagine a world without you in it, either here or wherever we go when we die."
Harry leaned in and kissed Ginny again, and the kiss continued until Ron cleared his throat loudly behind him. Harry quickly pulled away, blushing at being caught, and Ginny smiled and turned toward the girls' dorms. As she passed out of sight, Ron glared at Harry, who did his best to ignore him.
"What was all of that?" Ron demanded.
"Ron, you can't expect me to date her and not kiss her. Don't pretend you weren't doing the same with Hermione just a minute ago."
It was Ron's turn to blush, but he trudged on anyway, "Hermione's not your sister, though. You didn't even notice Hermione passing by you on her way upstairs. It was like you two were in your own little world. You can't blame me for being a little unnerved at seeing you that way with my sister. You said you were going to bed. You didn't say you were gonna go snog Ginny!"
"Would you have let me leave if I had said that?"
"No!"
"Well, enough said. Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. Would it help to tell you I intend to marry her someday?"
"No, that doesn't help! Now I'm going to have to strangle you in your sleep when you least expect it. You cannot ask me to accept that my sister will someday be a married woman. She's just a little girl!"
Harry chuckled at Ron's reddening face. "Ron, I may not be the best person to tell you this right now, but you have to realize, she's not a little girl anymore. She's fifteen, and she'll be sixteen in a few days. She's only a year from being of age. You already are of age! You're only a year older than she is."
"Thanks again for the birthday bash, by the way," Ron changed the subject abruptly. "That was a real blast!"
"Yeah, sure," Harry sighed, relieved. "That's what friends are for. You guys did the same for me last summer. It was the least I could do."
"Yeah, but your party was for our OWLs too, and it was so…I dunno, we were all pretty upset about Percy and the Dementors."
"Well, was it much different last week when we were all thinking about the election on your birthday?"
"No, I guess it wasn't. But thanks for doing it anyway."
The two boys had made it into their dorm room by now and were standing by their beds. Harry shrugged and smiled, grateful to have Ron's attention diverted from Ginny and himself. They pulled off their robes and climbed into bed exhaustedly.
"G'night, Ron," Harry said as he settled himself in.
"Night, Harry," Ron replied.
Harry waited for sleep to overtake him, but his mind kept replaying the conversations of the evening and all the things he had left unsaid. He lay awake long after Ron's snoring confirmed he had drifted off to sleep. He thought about what Ginny said, that love was the source of his strength. He wondered how the ability to love could ever help him in this fight. He thought about all the people he had loved and who had loved him who had died. Love had not kept his parents or Sirius alive. How would it help him? He lay awake a long time before realizing he had not tried to clear his mind for Occlumency practice yet. He focused on a single thought, Ginny smiling as she sat beside the Unicorn statue from the dream he shared with her. That thought always seemed to be able to block out everything else.
She was smiling lovingly up at him as he approached. They fell into an embrace and held one another for a long time. There were no words to say. The need to speak was eliminated by the bond they shared. Feelings flowed between them freely, and Harry knew he was loved, knew she would always love him. The feeling overwhelmed him as he sobbed into her shoulder. Fear of the future crept into his thoughts, and she squeezed him harder as though trying to press those thoughts out of him. He pulled away and smiled wistfully at her.
"It'll be all right," she said.
"As long as you stay by my side, it will be," he replied, and he leaned down to kiss her. Power, electricity, sheer uncontrolled energy erupted from the two of them and surrounded them in a yellow orange glow. The kiss deepened. Just when he was sure the power of their love would consume them entirely the sound of faraway voices startled them.
"Harry," Ron shouted, and Harry opened his eyes reluctantly. "Come on, Mate, it's time for breakfast."
Harry glanced toward the nearest window and noticed for the first time the sunlight filtering into the room. He sat up groggily and held his head. There was a throbbing, aching pain that for once wasn't centered on his scar. He closed his eyes against the light that added to his pain, but swung his legs off the bed and attempted to stand. When he almost toppled right back into bed, Ron gave him a searching look and caught his elbow.
"Whoa there, mate, what's the matter? You'd think you hadn't slept a wink!"
"I barely did," Harry croaked, and yawned. "I couldn't fall asleep. Just kept tossing and turning."
When the two of them eventually made it out of their dorm it was only to run into Hermione and Ginny. By the looks of it, Ginny hadn't slept well either. Harry caught her gaze, and as they stared at one another, a fire erupted within each of their eyes.
"You two didn't go sneaking out after we'd all gone to bed, did you?" Ron asked warningly.
"No, no of course not," Ginny replied. "It's just the bond. When Harry can't sleep, I sometimes can't either."
"Sorry, Gin," Harry said without taking his eyes off hers.
"S'ok. You couldn't help it."
Harry finally had to pull his eyes away from Ginny's when Ron pulled him by the arm toward the portrait hole. Hermione and Ginny followed closely behind. They all sat down to breakfast, and Ron and Hermione tucked in as usual. Harry found he didn't have much of an appetite. He and Ginny both ignored their plates as their gazes locked again and they allowed their feelings about the contents of the dream they'd shared to flow between them. They were startled from their reverie when Hermione gasped loudly and spoke in hurried, incomplete sentences.
"It can't be…no…he can't have…Oh, what will we do?" she babbled, and Ron grabbed the paper out of her hands that Harry only just now noticed she was reading.
"So, your brother, eh," Malfoy's drawl came from behind Harry's back, and Ron looked up, his ears turning red.
"Do you know what this means?" Ron asked the Slytherin. "Have you a clue where this is leading?"
"I know all about Percy," Malfoy said. "I always said you Weasleys…" But Malfoy cut off as Harry stood and drew his wand.
"Not today, Malfoy," Harry warned. "You should know by now not to judge a whole family by the actions of one member."
Malfoy narrowed his eyes and shot back in a low hiss, "How do you know you can trust a single one of them? Don't you think if the Dark Lord can get to one Weasley, he could get to any of them?"
"How did I know I could trust you?" Harry whispered. "Should I have rejected you in that manner when you asked me for membership in the D.A.?"
"Perhaps you should have," Malfoy shrugged, but the defeated stance and the resigned expression told Harry he'd gotten his message across. "Look, there's something you should know."
Harry looked on expectantly, but Malfoy shook his head. "Not here," he said quietly. "Meet me in the Library before lunch. Bring them, if you must." Malfoy waved his hand toward the three onlookers. He nodded to them all with a smirk, and then left the Great Hall.
Finally, Harry returned to his seat and glanced over Ron's shoulder at the copy of the Daily Prophet that was now spread flat over the table in front of them. There was a large photo of Percy there smiling proudly and waving. It reminded Harry of Professor Lockhart's false face, and he looked away in disgust.
"Malfoy's got one thing right. No one ever expected a Weasley to be appointed the next Minister of Magic." Ron shook his head sadly, and then folded the paper and handed it back to Hermione.
When Lunch hour finally arrived Harry's curiosity was beginning to wane. Whatever it was Malfoy had to tell him, he doubted it was as important as his grumbling stomach. Still, he trudged on toward the library dutifully. If it was important enough for Malfoy to put on a little show at breakfast, perhaps it was worth listening to. He had told the others to go to lunch without him and save him a seat rather than coming along. He hoped the whole thing would be over faster that way. He nodded to Madame Pince as he passed her station upon entering the library. He looked around and caught the top of Malfoy's white-blonde head poking up from behind an opened copy of the Daily Prophet. Harry sat in the empty chair next to the Slytherin and pulled out his potions text book, a quill and a roll of parchment. It had been the unspoken rule so far to never give any indication to the rest of the school, outside of D.A. meetings, that Malfoy had joined sides with Potter and his gang. Harry was quick to see why. Malfoy still had the summer to endure with his parents between their sixth and seventh years. Revealing his allegiance could be dangerous for him.
Harry started on the essay they'd been assigned by Snape that morning and whispered without looking up, "So what's so important that you needed to see me here?"
Malfoy turned a page of his Daily Prophet to show he was listening and whispered in return, "It's Percy. There is a chance he's been placed under the imperious curse again. Father said something in his last letter. He was gloating about it."
"Can you be sure that your father was talking about Percy?" Harry asked, still whispering.
"No, he was very unclear. He was bragging that he has someone important to "The Cause" under his control, that he has essentially taken over the government from behind the scenes. He was trying to frighten me, like he could do the same to me if I don't prove myself worthy this summer." The library was empty now but for the two boys and Madame Pince. The strict librarian glanced their way now and then, obviously hoping they would leave soon so that she could go to lunch as well. But she was too far away to hear what they were saying. Malfoy lowered his Daily Prophet so that Harry could see his worried face. "I really think it's Percy Weasley he's controlling. But I haven't any proof."
"It is possible," Harry agreed. It would certainly fit with the vision he and Ginny had witnessed. "Do you have anywhere else you could go for the summer besides Malfoy Manor?"
"No," was the flat reply.
"You must have tons of relatives!" Harry was aghast. "Isn't there anywhere safer you can go?"
"My grandparents are all dead, and most of my other relatives are just like my parents. The only one I can think of is Aunt Andromeda. My cousin, Nymphadora, she's our Defense Teacher, you know."
"Oh, yeah, I saw that on Sirius' tapestry a year and a half ago." Malfoy raised an eyebrow at Harry, but otherwise made no comment about Harry's foreknowledge of his family.
"But my family has been estranged from them since before I was born. Andromeda married that Mudblood, Tonks, and…Well, I might as well stay at Granger's house as there. The moment I suggested it they would know why." Malfoy looked uncaringly at the Prophet now folded messily in his lap. He straightened the edges nervously and tugged at his lower lip with his teeth. "Look," he finally added, "Don't start worrying about me. I can handle Father. Mother won't let him do much to me. I just have to lay low and act the part of the Death Eaters son for a few months. It's time for lunch, and I dunno about you, but I'm famished." Malfoy stood and began to walk toward the door.
Harry was still concerned. He stood and called out, "Malfoy," and the blonde boy turned around sharply.
"What?!" he snapped.
"Whatever our mutual animosity, I don't want to see you get hurt. No one deserves to live in fear."
Malfoy stepped right up into Harry's face so that their noses were only inches apart. He was taller by just a bit, and quite intimidating at this range, but Harry stood his ground. "Fear is what we will all live in forever if the Dark Lord is allowed to carry out his plans. The whole wizarding world is living in fear right now! There will be nothing but fear until that Bastard of a Dark Lord is thrown down. People will fear, I will fear, and many will get hurt, even die, before this is over. Do you intend to protect them all? Is the Hero and Savior of Hogwarts, the Boy-Who-Lived, able to make sure no one else dies?"
Harry thought of Sirius, of Cedric, of his parents, of all the nameless faceless strangers who had already died or whose lives were ruined because of Voldemort. He had not been able to save any of them. Still, he could not sit idly by and let Malfoy put himself in a situation that they both knew could cost him his life. "Malfoy, you swore an oath to remain faithful to Dumbledore and to me. I trust you as a member of the D.A. and I expect to fight alongside you." He paused and took a deep breath before continuing, "I can't defeat him alone. I will need your help in the end. I need you to stay alive."
Malfoy stepped back and surveyed Harry's face as though judging the truth of his words. "What can you do? Would you go to my parents in my stead?" he asked doubtfully.
"Well, obviously, even Polyjuice couldn't make me enough like you for that to work," Harry chuckled, "But there must be something we can do. I mean, wouldn't you prefer it if you didn't have to go back to your father?"
"Of course I would," Malfoy relented. He sighed heavily and looked at the floor. But suddenly his head popped up, his shoulders squared, and his eyes took on a hardness that surprised Harry. "We each have a part to play to defeat the Dark Lord. If I go back, I can find out what they're up to. I can make Father believe I'm ready to join the Death Eaters and perhaps gather some useful information."
Harry had never seen Malfoy look more like Snape. He broke out into a grin at the comparison and chuckled a bit.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing, you just reminded me of someone else." Harry was moving toward the library door now, Malfoy quickly caught up.
"Who?" Malfoy passed Harry and walked backward in front of him.
"Can't tell you" Harry pushed Malfoy aside and continued on.
"Why? D'you forget already, you mindless prat?" Malfoy called out toward Harry's retreating back.
"No, I didn't, I'm just not going to tell you, you bouncing ferret."
"Swooning fainter"
"Hopeless git"
"Fame seeking freak"
The two continued the name calling all the way to the Great Hall. Students they passed on the way looked up at them from time to time, but they were used to Harry and Malfoy's bickering by now. So they paid it no mind. Harry reached the Great Hall first and went to sit with his girlfriend and his two best friends. He watched Malfoy out of the corner of his eye as he sat with Zabini and some other Slytherins, most of whom were in the D.A. He noted that Crabbe and Goyle were at the opposite end of the Slytherin table from the one they had always flanked in the past. If that wasn't a sure sign of Malfoy's change, what else could be? He began to worry afresh about Malfoy's summer plans. But Ron pulled him out of his thoughts.
"So, did you find what you were looking for in the Library?" Ron asked.
"Yeah, and a bit more than I bargained for," Harry responded, looking briefly over his shoulder at Malfoy.
"What happened?" Hermione asked and Ginny gave Harry a concerned look.
"There is a chance Percy is being controlled by an imperious curse. And…"
"And what, Harry?" Ginny asked.
"And someone we know is in a lot of danger this summer. We need to find a way to keep him safe."
"You don't mean…?" Ron looked from the Slytherin table to Harry and gulped. "We're going to help? How?"
"I don't know yet. He turned down my first suggestion. We should talk to Tonks about it. Maybe the Order can help."
"I never thought I'd see the day," Ron said. "A Weasley helping the Death Eaters, whether against his will or not, and him protected by the Order. That's just too much!"
Hermione nodded her agreement and said quietly, "Looks like things are going to be going downhill for a little while, doesn't it?"
"With Voldemort in control of the Ministry, this will likely be the darkest period the wizarding world has seen since his return two summers ago. I can only imagine it'll get worse before it gets any better."