Chapter Eleven – The Minister of Magic
"Not if I get to him first," Mr. Weasley whispered back to his wife. "He obviously hit his head on something."
Mrs. Weasley looked at her husband, gauging his reaction. His features had quickly paled and the shocked look on his face spoke volumes. Obviously Harry hadn't consulted Arthur before springing this on him, and just as obviously, Harry had been planning this for a long time.
"This is what he meant, the little bugger," Mr. Weasley whispered to himself. "Why didn't I see it? Oh, what are we going to do?"
The courtroom was silent. Harry had finished his speech, made his decision, and now it was up to the heads of the departments at the Ministry of Magic. It was an odd law, a bizarre precedent, but it was entirely legally binding. The Ministry heads could accept or reject Harry's choice, but they had to vote. According to Merlin's Writ, his appointed candidate, Arthur Weasley, was not allowed to speak. He could neither promote himself nor ask to be rejected. He was merely allowed to accept his fate. Harry had neatly trapped this usually self-effacing man in a neat corner.
Dumbledore looked fondly over at Arthur Weasley, his eyes twinkling. "Merlin's Writ has been invoked, a vacancy for Minister declared, and a candidate announced. As Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot I find no flaw with Harry Potter's reasoning. We need a different type of Minister, one that will help us win this war and restore order to our world. Arthur Weasley is one of the finest wizards I know. He is a dedicated man with an enormous sense of responsibility. He is devoted to his wife and family. He has a respect for all types of beings on this world, magic and Muggle, human and others. His leadership and varied strengths are exactly what we need at this time. I accept the decision of the Boy Who Lived and I confirm that it is a wise choice indeed. I vote aye."
Stunned at Dumbledore's strong support, Mr. Weasley half stood, trying to find the words to object. He couldn't figure out what to say, how to stop this absurd series of events. They couldn't seriously be thinking about agreeing with Harry's deluded request, could they? Mr. Weasley thought that they'd get a good laugh that young Harry had nominated his best friend's father, and then they'd move on. But Dumbledore was taking this seriously. Had everybody taken a crazy pill today except him?
Madam Bones looked fondly over at Arthur. Her eyes were dancing between him and his wife. Looking at the two of them, and their close knit family surrounding them, she turned her head to look at Dumbledore and then looked down at Harry. Madam Bones knew all about this remarkable young wizard, stronghold against evil for his entire life, and realized that he was not a mere child any longer. He may still be young, and he may still need training and guidance, support, and love, most of all he would need love, but while she pondered her decision and stared thoughtfully at the Boy Who Lived, Madam Bones realized that Harry had made a deeply insightful decision. Wishing that young Harry didn't understand what he had done, but accepting the likelihood that he did indeed contemplate the entirety of his actions, Madam Bones nodded her head.
"Dumbledore is correct. The Boy Who Lived has chosen well. Arthur Weasley is a fine man, a worthy man, and he represents the best of what we all should strive to be. We need a leader who will bring us together, a leader who will help us through these terrible times. We need a symbol of the importance of our struggle, a symbol that will bring us through this awful war. I agree with the Chief Warlock. And I agree with the Boy Who Lived. I vote aye!"
Arthur fell back into his seat. The entire world had gone mad. Obviously there was something wrong in the courtroom, perhaps a curse or a spell or maybe a potion? He wasn't sure, but he was now firmly convinced that there was a terrible enchantment cast upon this room. Perhaps he was only dreaming? Didn't most people have weird dreams, terrible dreams, during times of strife and stress? Yes, that was it. As another head of department stood up, his own boss, Arthur quickly grabbed his wrist and pinched as hard as he could.
"Ow!" he exclaimed to himself, embarrassed at realizing he was not asleep.
"What's wrong Arthur?" his wife asked, her voice emanating concern.
"Nothing, erm, I just pinched myself to see if this was a bad dream," he said with the famous Weasley blush creeping up his face. "But the spell must be very effective because I felt it. I guess I just have to wait until I wake up."
"Don't be silly! You know this is real," Molly said, a small smile appearing on her face. "Harry has been planning this for a while, and obviously Dumbledore was in on it. Like it or not Mr. Arthur Weasley, it appears that you will be the next Minister."
"But this is insane. I mean, that's my boss, standing there telling us how he thinks it's important for me to be HIS boss. This is absurd."
"Shush," she whispered. "I know we didn't expect it, but who else would Harry trust? More importantly, who else would WE trust? Bones? She's too stodgy and by the rules. Bagman? Please. Who else? There's no one. Fudge didn't want heads that would challenge him, and they know that. Despite the fact that they have let themselves be bullied by Fudge and that awful Umbridge woman, those are good, decent people up there Arthur Weasley. They know that they are not up to this task. None of them could lead us in this war. We need a strong, competent, caring, thoughtful leader. Who else would you let do this, if it isn't you?"
The Weasley family was an affectionate one. Displays of emotion, from love to anger, were always evident, and always strong. Molly's voice was filled with love, respect, and pride for her husband. They had lived a wonderful life together. They had raised, or were still raising, seven wonderful children who were all healthy and actively involved in the world. Despite Percy's shortcomings, they still loved him. Their marriage was strong and healthy, and their love for each other undiminished by the years that had passed since their own time at Hogwarts. And they felt a strong sense of duty, of obligation, to the world. When Dumbledore had asked them to join the Order, they immediately obliged. Despite the risks, despite the sacrifices, they worked tirelessly to defeat evil, and make the world safe.
Until now their contributions to the cause were unrecognized, and they were fine with that. But Harry had changed that. This wounded young man that they had immediately accepted into their home, into their family, saw the strength of the Weasley family, and sought to let the rest of the world know what he saw.
As head after head stood and accepted Harry's choice, it became clear that the decision would be unanimous. Looking up at Dumbledore, Harry motioned to the ancient wizard.
"Could we get Bill and Charlie here, sir?" he asked. "I think they should be with their father when this is decided."
"I've already contacted them, Harry. They should be here by the time the last head votes. Congratulations, by the way, you've done a good thing today."
"Thank you sir," Harry blushed, "but it's just the beginning. We have a lot to do still. I just hope Mr. and Mrs. Weasley can forgive me. Their lives will be very different now. I should have told them."
"I disagree, Harry. If you had told Arthur he would have tried to persuade you not to do this. He is a very humble man, and would not have seen the need for this. I believe even now Molly is persuading him to accept this for the reasons you stated. He is the best man for the job, and the Ministry needs him. I think he'll come around."
Finally the last head stood up. It was a witch Harry did not know and she did not introduce herself or what Department she headed.
"I do not know Arthur Weasley very well, but I do not care. I do not know Albus Dumbledore that well, but I do not care. I do not know Harry Potter at all, but I do not care. However, I do know evil, I know it well, and thus I DO care.
"Fudge was an incompetent meddler who was justifiably removed from office. But I fear it may be too late, though I hope it is not. The Ministry has failed to secure the peace, or prepare the world to fight this evil. It is right and it is just that we replace an incompetent Minister with a new one. I accept the decision of my peers, but more importantly, as one who has been dealt a savage blow by evil, I repeat the call of the Boy Who Lived as my charge to the new Minister.
"Remember Cedric Diggory and the innocents who have fallen! I vote aye!"
A moment of silence surrounded the hushed crowd as they realized that the vote was unanimous. Suddenly a tremendous roar rushed through the courtroom, the sound bouncing off the walls as the approval of the decision was made clear. Out of the corner of his eye Harry saw Bill and Charlie cautiously enter the room, stunned by the noise. Dumbledore had obviously told them what was happening when he contacted them because they both waved their approval to Harry and quickly made their way to sit with their family.
Dumbledore stood, silencing the crowd, and motioned to Arthur. Nervously Arthur Weasley walked down to the courtroom floor, standing close to Harry, who was looking up at him with a tremendous grin.
"Arthur Weasley, Merlin's Writ has been invoked. The seat of the Minister of Magic is vacant. You have been approved by the Ministry department heads and the Chief Warlock as the new Minister. Do you accept this decision? Will you serve?"
A slow flush crept along Arthur's face. Nodding his head, his voice carrying the slightest hint of nervousness and tension, Arthur spoke.
"I accept the decision. I will serve. I will be the Minister of Magic"
The courtroom exploded in noise again, and Arthur almost fell to his knees. Only Harry's quick reflexes saved the new Minister of Magic from falling to the ground. Grabbing the older man by his shoulders, Harry propped him up.
"Careful there, Minister. We can't have the new Minister embarrass himself before he gets sworn in. You have your position to think about."
Offering Harry a bemused scowl, Arthur regained his footing. "I only have this position to think about because of you, I'll have you recall. Don't worry, Molly and I will find a way to get you for this."
He ended with an ominous tone that made Harry force himself to laugh nervously. He was aware that George and Fred got their devious nature from somewhere, and Harry realized that it was likely that the twins were amateurs next to their parents.
As the roars of approval died down, Arthur made his way up to where Dumbledore was standing. Dumbledore motioned to the Weasley family to join them. As Molly and their children made their way over to where Dumbledore and Mr. Weasley stood, Harry walked over to Percy where he sat, dejected, with the stunned Cornelius Fudge.
"Percy, get up there you stupid git."
"Sod off, they won't want me up there."
"Don't be a fool. Yes, your brothers and sister are mad at you, and your mum and dad are very hurt, but you are still part of the family. If you want to be, that is."
Percy was a proud person, and Harry felt the defensive shell pop up around Percy. Knowing that he had to lance the boil of Percy's anger and pain before the entire Weasley family could heal, Harry dug in.
"Look Percy, you were wrong, but that's tough. It happens. You sided with Fudge versus your family, which is awful, but not unforgivable. You were more worried about your position and your power than the truth, it's unfortunate but not a crime. You tried to drive a wedge between Ron and me, that is much harder to forgive, but we can forgive you, if you change. You didn't visit when your father was attacked by Voldemort, I don't know your thoughts behind that, but even that can be forgiven, somehow. You haven't spoken to your sister or brothers, or your parents, in a year; you are wrong to do that and you need to grow up. Of course there is anger and resentment, of course they are mad at you, but they still love you.
"Maybe you feel wronged, I don't know. You were doing your job, and you wanted to believe the Minister. But you did it all the wrong way. You put yourself first, before the truth, before your family, and you refused to listen to the truth. You made a bad choice and you were wrong, time and time again. So apologize, admit to yourself that Fudge was wrong, that you were wrong. Admit that it doesn't really matter, so long as we defeat Voldemort."
"You don't understand," seethed Percy. "They'll think I was a fool. They'll laugh at me."
"You are right. I don't understand. I don't know what it is like to have parents who weep for me when I mess up. I don't understand what it is like to have brothers who love me so much they want to pound me every time I make a bad decision. I don't understand what it is like to have a sister who wants to beat me senseless for hurting my parents. That life was taken from me, and I can never get it back. But you still have it, if you want it. Your parents, your brothers, your sister, they all love you, unconditionally. They may be angry with you, they may be mad at you, disappointed in you, but they do love you. And they always will.
"But you are wrong as well. I DO understand what it is like to be laughed at. I DO understand what it is like to be mocked. You won't be treated that way by them, if you recognize your failures for what they are, if you change. You were wrong, horribly so, dangerously so, but you have a chance to redeem yourself. Apologize to your parents, your brothers, and your sister. Demonstrate that you understand that you were wrong, and work to improve your understanding of the world.
"You and Fudge, and that hag Umbridge, you all live in the world of gray. You avoid the hard truth because it is inconvenient, because it interferes with your view of the world. But sometimes the world really is black or white. Right now, in this awful time you are either with us or against us, there is no in between. Voldemort certainly won't let you stay neutral.
"We don't have time for your devotion to proper procedure, we don't have time for bureaucratic process, we must act and react, prevent and deter, or we will lose and more will die."
Percy was near to bursting. A confusing blend of emotions swirled through his mind, anger, pain, jealously, embarrassment, shame, loathing, and worse. He couldn't contain the agony that the jumble of emotions was causing him. Tears streaming down his cheeks he looked up at Harry with anguish on his face.
"Tell them I'm sorry," he gasped. "Tell them, please, tell them I'm sorry."
Percy ran from the courtroom, his hands pressed up against his face, covering the evidence of his tears. He did this without causing much commotion, but Harry glanced up to see a flash of pain cross Mr. Weasley's face. Deeply disturbed by Percy's inability to see that his family loved him, worried that Percy perhaps didn't fully understand how wrong he was about the generosity of the Weasley family, Harry sighed with frustration.
As the Weasley family, minus Percy, gathered around Mr. Weasley, Dumbledore quieted the room with a wave of his hand.
"Arthur Weasley you have been called to serve by the Ministry of Magic. Do you swear to uphold the laws? Defend the world? Protect magic? Do you vow to uphold these vows to the utmost of your abilities and serve well and faithfully as the Minister of Magic?"
"I swear," replied Arthur.
"Then the conditions have been met. Congratulations. Wizards and Witches, I give you the Minister of Magic, Arthur Weasley."
Again the crowd erupted with approval. Cheers and whistles echoed throughout the chamber as Molly Weasley grabbed her husband in a firm embrace and gave him a short, chaste kiss. Gradually they let go of each other and each of his children hugged their father. As the applause died down, the Minister of Magic quickly cast a spell on his throat so his voice would be heard throughout the room. He looked out across the room, but he was obviously addressing the Ministry officials and workers he would now lead.
"Thank you, thank you for that approval. I hope to truly earn it someday. I obviously have not planned for this, so I have little to say at this point. Obviously I appreciate the support given me by the heads of the Ministry, and the Chief Warlock, and I look forward to working with them all. But I must say that I will be planning some significant changes to the Ministry, and we can not afford to deal with outdated rivalries or rule- bound hysterics. There will need to be changes to law, changes to rules, and changes to practice. I will rely on all of you to support these needed changes, and I will not be offended should you decide to leave the Ministry as a result of what we will need to do, though I ask for your help and support.
"We are at war with Voldemort and his evil followers. We can choose to react to his attacks, wait until he shows himself again, or we can bring the war to him. I will not sit idly by as our friends and neighbors sit in fear of potential attacks. I will not wait for the terrible sighting of a green cloud hanging over a home before I react to the threat. This time of terror, this time of fear, must end. Together we will change the Ministry and save the world.
"A terrible burden has been laid down upon me. I did not seek this position, I did not choose it for myself. But I accept the task, I will bear the yoke, and I will do my best. We fight now for our way of life, and our very lives. Let the Ministry stand once again for truth and justice and let the dark forces gathered against us tremble at our terrible wrath!"
***
After the Minister of Magic made his speech and the cheering had stopped, Arthur Weasley and his family were mobbed by well wishers and Ministry officials. Arthur quickly found himself in the middle of several conversations as different people congratulated him and tried to set up appointments to meet with him. As the courtroom slowly emptied, Harry allowed himself to be swept to the opposite side of the room with the crowd. Struggling to get away from the wave of people exiting the room, he sat down in an empty chair. As he watched the small crowd of people surrounding the Weasley family bobble around for attention, a figure stepped in front of him, blocking his view.
Harry looked up at the wizard in front of him and saw the pale and gaunt features of Amos Diggory, Cedric's father. Harry flinched as the memory of Cedric flashed in his head and he quickly averted his eyes from the man's face.
"Good afternoon, Harry." Mr. Diggory's voice was deep, but very calm. However, it was vary quiet, and Harry strained to hear him above the noise of the crowds. "That was remarkable. Arthur is a fine man, I think he will do a good job."
"Thank you sir," Harry said awkwardly. He wasn't really sure how to talk with this man. Harry still felt the tremendous burden of causing Cedric's death, and he was sure that Mr. Diggory would also share that feeling.
"Your speech the other day, at the end of Malfoy's trial," Mr. Diggory continued. "What made you say that? Why did you bring up my son's name?"
Harry stared up at the man, not knowing how to respond. He couldn't tell if Mr. Diggory was upset or truly interested. Taking a breath, he stared just beyond Mr. Diggory, refusing to maintain eye contact as he talked.
"I am really not sure. It just felt right. I guess, well, to be honest, I still feel guilty about that night. Cedric was, well, he was a friend I guess. We weren't close or anything, but he helped me with the egg after I helped him with the dragons. When we both reached the goblet, he refused to take it, even though he should have. He earned it. But he insisted that it was mine, so we shared it. If I hadn't done that, well..."
"If you hadn't done that," interrupted Mr. Diggory, "he would have been taken alone and my son would have been killed by that monster and we would never have known why or how. Cedric would have disappeared and we would never have known what happened."
"Well, erm, I guess. But maybe the portkey was linked to me though, and only because I was there did Cedric get pulled along."
"That's nonsense. Portkeys can be set for specific times, or to be activated by touch, but I've never heard of anything like that. It was meant to be. Don't question that, don't live with that guilt. It's Voldemort's fault, not yours."
Harry was stunned. Outside of the Order, and Madam Bones, he had never heard a witch or wizard say that name without flinching or stuttering. Seeing the calm fury that Mr. Diggory contained at that name, Harry offered him a small smile.
"Thanks, I guess. It's hard though, I still feel guilty, and responsible for everything. But to answer your question, well, I figured I owed Cedric that much. He wasn't really the first victim of Voldemort's rebirth, that would really be Bertha, but he was the first one we all knew about. The first victim we all saw. He is a hero and everyone needs to remember that. It proves to the world that Voldemort is evil, I mean Cedric was innocent, and accidentally there, and they killed him so casually. Without warning even. And his spirit, well, it helped me, it gave me a firm resolve to get back. I mean, I wanted to live, but more importantly I had to return, to give you his, well, I had to return him to you. I promised."
Tears welled up in Mr. Diggory's eyes, tears that he found himself consistently fighting every day since that dreadful day last June. For a long time he blamed Harry, then Dumbledore. Over the past year he found himself hating the two of them, the two who had caused him and his wife so much pain. But then the bizarre events in the world cause him to see that there was more going on than could be explained by the Ministry, especially the breakout at Azkaban, the break-ins at the Ministry, and finally the attack at the Ministry that revealed that Voldemort was alive and had regained his power. Diggory knew then that Potter and Dumbledore were right, and that his anger was misplaced. He shouldn't be angry at those two he should be angry at Voldemort, and Fudge.
A year since his son had died and the Ministry did nothing. It was as if Cedric's sacrifice meant nothing to the Ministry, to the world. But Harry had changed that. In one quick motion, Harry had turned Cedric from a tragic victim to a hero. Harry had struck a savage blow to Voldemort by breaking Malfoy's wand with the cry to remember Cedric. The new Minister of Magic was approved with the call to remember Cedric. Nothing would ever take away the pain, nothing would ever fully heal the Diggory family, but this would help. Knowing his son's death was not in vain and would serve as a rallying cry to oppose this evil, only that would help Amos Diggory move on and heal.
"Thank you," he whispered to Harry. "You have no idea how much that means to me. If there is ever anything I can do for you, please do not hesitate to call on me, or my wife. Anything at all."
"Thank you, sir," Harry replied. "I will remember that. I will remember Cedric's sacrifice forever."
Nodding his head, Amos Diggory quietly exited the courtroom, leaving Harry alone with his thoughts. Harry sat back down, relieved that his conversation with Mr. Diggory had gone well. He silently pondered the pain that he knew the man had been through over the past year, and sighed. He was quickly brought of his reverie as another shadow crossed his face.
"Always the hero, Potter?" It was a voice he recognized. The snarl was unmistakable and Harry slowly reached for his wand. "Now you've put the pauper in charge of the Ministry? The Dark Lord will win faster than he ever thought possible."
"What are you doing here Malfoy?" Harry asked of his classmate. "Why aren't you home with your father?"
Draco's eyes flashed at Harry's insult. The moment his father's sentence had been issued, Ministry officials had sealed off all of the family vaults, put wards over their estate and other homes, and forced him and his mother to live with some distant cousin that Draco didn't know or care to associate with. The noble Malfoy family had been upturned overnight by this freakish boy in front of him, and Draco was intent on making him pay.
"You'll get yours, Potter," he snarled. "Some day soon you'll get it, and I'll be there to gloat."
"I doubt I'll ever be visiting Azkaban," Harry said. "But when you are finally sent there to rot, maybe I will visit you. Perhaps you can gloat then."
Harry calmly stood up, glaring at his hated nemesis. Harry pulled out one half of the wand that he had broken at Lucius' trial and casually twiddled it in his hand.
"Say hello to your father," he said with a smile. "Remind him when he has his magic taken away from him that I said hello. Maybe, if he's lucky, the Minister will give him a job sweeping floors. Or should we ask Professor Dumbledore to get Mr. Filch to take on an assistant?"
As Draco stood spluttering, Harry turned his back on him and left the courtroom. Not wanting to be attacked from behind by the enraged menace behind him, Harry quickly made his way out of the Ministry to the streets above him.
Deciding that it was an entirely beautiful day, he quickly removed his robes to look more like a Muggle and folded it across his arm. Putting his wand safely in reach in his pocket, Harry casually walked down the street in the late afternoon sun, and enjoyed a long and leisurely walk back to number 12 Grimmauld Place.
Once there, Harry decided to put the rest of the day to good use and went up to the library. He had realized that there was a lot he needed to know if he was going to continue to D.A. in September, and decided to lay out a plan of action. 'Constant vigilance' he thought to himself as he made his way up the stairwell.
***
"Harry James Potter!"
Several hours later Mrs. Weasley's voice was echoing through the entire house at number 12 Grimmauld Place as she entered after an exhausting afternoon at the Ministry. "Show yourself immediately, or I'll have the Minister of Magic issue a warrant for your arrest."
"Now, now, Molly, calm down. I thought we were agreed?" Mr. Weasley tried to calm his wife down, but was fully aware that it would be easier to calm down a rampaging hippogriff.
"HARRY POTTER! GET OUT HERE NOW!"
Gulping nervously, Harry slowly crept down the stairs. He had heard Mrs. Weasley outside the house before she came in and knew he was in deep trouble. Stepping into the entryway he offered a weak smile to the angry woman and the bemused Minister of Magic.
"Erm, hello. Can I help you Mrs. Weasley?"
"HARRY POTTER! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF WHAT YOU'VE DONE TODAY? THE POSITION YOU'VE PUT US IN? WHY DIDN'T YOU ASK ME, OR ARTHUR, BEFORE YOU DID THIS?"
"Molly, please," interrupted Mr. Weasley. "I thought we agreed that Harry's explanation today was good enough. I didn't have to accept this, but I thought you were fine with this. After all you prompted me to accept it."
"Of course I'm fine with the decision, Arthur," she snapped. "But that doesn't give Harry the right to escape a firm lecture about responsibility. What right did he have to do this without asking you, or me?"
"Mrs. Weasley, if I may, please let me explain," Harry begged. He hadn't anticipated that she would still be angry, so he was desperate to calm her down. "I couldn't tell you ahead of time for several reasons. First, I never knew if we were entirely safe to talk. I only told Dumbledore once, when we were at a muggle restaurant and Dumbledore put up his own protection charms. We couldn't risk word getting back to Fudge, because then he wouldn't have charged me himself, and I couldn't have invoked Merlin's Writ.
"Second, well, I thought it would be more genuine if Mr. Weasley didn't know ahead of time. He couldn't have been more shocked and it was obviously news to him, and you too, Mrs. Weasley. This way no one could accuse you of being part of the 'coup' or whatever they want to call it.
"Third, well, it was a gift. A bizarre and burdensome one, but a gift nonetheless. I wanted it to be a surprise. You two, your whole family, has done so much for me, I wanted to return the favor. I can't really offer much, other than my gold. So I offered you a chance to improve the world. I know you don't want power, that you'd probably prefer that I had given this to someone else, but I had no choice. I couldn't trust anyone else with that responsibility.
"I'm sorry it was a surprise. And I'm sorry I did this to you. I know it will be a burden. I know it will be more work and strife and toil than you would have ever wanted, but we need you to do this. Once you've changed the Ministry," he said, addressing Mr. Weasley, "if we can find a decent candidate to run the place, you can step down. In fact, it might be an idea for you to call yourself an interim Minister, so that people don't think you are making changes for your own power, but to improve the Ministry.
"But, I did what I had to do. I'm sorry if it upset you-"
Harry was cut off as he was enveloped in a massive hug from Mrs. Weasley.
"You silly young man," she said, her eyes glistening with pride. "Never say anything so foolish again. You offer us more than power or gold every day we have known you. You offer us yourself. We are honored to have you in our lives, and I am proud that you have seen the strength in Arthur that I have seen since the first day that I met him."
Harry was struggling to breathe and amazed at how quickly Mrs. Weasley's mood had changed.
"I'm not angry with you," she continued. "In fact I'm so proud my heart could burst. I just wanted to make sure you know to keep us informed in the future if you have any further grand plans. Especially since I'm married to the Minister of Magic. He's an awfully important man, you know."
"I know," murmured Harry into Mrs. Weasley's arms. "I know. You are all so wonderful. I am sorry I did this to you."
"Enough!" said Mr. Weasley, sniffling as he wiped his eyes. "Upon decree from the Minister of Magic, it's time to eat. You managed to escape the courtroom pretty easily, young man, but I was bombarded by everyone. I put them all off until tomorrow, for my first meeting with the full Ministry, but it still took me several hours to get out of there. What have you been doing since then?"
"I came back here and studied some of Sirius' books, erm, I guess I mean Hermione's. I still have to figure out what I'm going to do with the D.A. back at school and I wanted to lay out a series of things to learn. I just hope it doesn't interfere with whatever the new DADA professor wants to do. Speaking of which, do you know who that will be? Dumbledore wouldn't tell me."
"Why," Mr. Weasley said with a mischievous smile on his face, "I do believe that I know who that will be. Molly, you know as well, if I'm correct?"
"Yes I do, Minister," Mrs. Weasley said with a matching grin. "But we can't tell anyone here, you never know who might be listening. Now if only Professor Dumbledore were here to provide us with some protection charms, we'd be free to tell you. I guess you'll have to wait. We want your reaction to be, what did he say?"
"Genuine, I believe it was," Mr. Weasley said with a laugh.
"Alright, I get it, point taken," Harry said, joining in the laughter. "I give up. Don't tell me, I'll learn with the others."
"Now, if you'll excuse me," said Mrs. Weasley. "The famously temperamental wife of the Minister of Magic needs to see about dinner."
Harry paled when Mrs. Weasley reminded him of his words from the courtroom. Of course Harry hadn't intended to say it just that way, but he had gotten caught up in the moment and let that description out. Laughing, very pleased with his panicked look, Mrs. Weasley excused herself to the kitchen so she could help Dobby and Winky prepare dinner.
"Where is everyone else?" Harry asked. "I slipped out so I could get away from everyone, I would have thought everyone would have been right behind me."
"Well, Fred and George decided it would be helpful to me to clean out my new office. They went up with Bill, Charlie, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione and started shoving all of Fudge's personal possessions into boxes and sent them to his residence. I imagine they are still at it. Of course, I'll probably have to issue a personal apology for the surprises that they put in his boxes, but it will be worth it, I think."
"It will indeed," agreed Harry. "Well, since we have some time alone, could we talk a little about some other ideas I had, Minister?"
Noticing how Harry had quickly turned serious, Mr. Weasley agreed.
"I have a few ideas, one in particular, that you might appreciate," Harry said. "First, I know that you will need a lot of help, and you are currently without a Senior Undersecretary or a Deputy Minister. Assuming of course that you will be replacing that evil toad."
"Of course, that was one of the first things to cross my mind. But you obviously have a suggestion or two?"
"Just one. I don't know who would be a good Senior Undersecretary, Umbridge is not a good role model for me to figure out what that person does. But anyone would be an improvement."
"I agree, but you have a suggestion for the Deputy Minister?"
"Erm, yes. You see I have a friend, who has been overlooked for far too long. He could really use the work, but he'd be a great leader and he would be a big asset to you. Plus, he's tremendously loyal to Dumbledore and, I guess, to me."
"Hmm, you seem to think a lot of him. Why are you nervous? What's the problem with him?"
"Well, you see, you'd need to get rid of some laws first, before you could hire him."
"Oh, I see," Mr. Weasley said as he realized to whom Harry was referring. "Would you want me to remove these laws in general or just create an exemption for---our friend?"
"Erm, I hadn't really thought about it that way. But it would be better, probably more advantageous if you were to eliminate the law as a whole. Plus, we might be able to recruit more to our side if we take steps to improve relations."
"I think that I will spend a lot of my time trying to improve relations that Fudge destroyed. But I agree. You are a smart man, Harry, and a very caring one. I don't really see any personal objection to what you propose, but I will ask Dumbledore's advice before I make a final decision."
"I think he'll agree, sir, but that makes sense. When could I tell-- my friend, about this?"
"At dinner, we'll make an announcement. In fact, I'll talk with Dumbledore right away. I would like this to be my first decree tomorrow. That way the furor will hide other plans I have, especially when I transfer Umbridge to the Antarctic office for a permanent tour."
"Excellent! Thank you Mr. Weasley, thank you. I'll let you go, I have a few more things to look up before dinner."
Taking his leave of the new Minister of Magic, Harry went back up to the library to do more research for the D.A.
***
As Dobby and Winky were bringing out the platters of food for dinner, Mr. Weasley clinked his glass to gather everyone's attention. The table was crowded as there were several members of the Order joining the normal gathering of Harry, Hermione, and the Weasley family. Remus, Tonks, Moody, Kingsley, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Dumbledore were there as well.
"Thank you," Arthur said as the room went quiet. "It has been an eventful day, one that surprised most of us at this table. We have our friend Harry Potter to thank for that."
"To Harry Potter!" shouted Fred and George, and they were greeted by a chorus of cheers.
"Thank you boys. Now, as the new Minister, I have a lot of work ahead of me, and I have decided that I will be more than happy to share this burden that young Harry has unceremoniously imposed upon me. I will be calling upon the Order to help, as well as my family.
"Now first, I will say that I am most displeased with the condition of the Aurors. Fudge refused to let the Aurors train a sufficient number of recruits or let them use their authority as necessary. I mean to impose a new standard. But with the new standard requires new leadership. So, effective tomorrow morning, I will be calling upon our very own Kingsley Shacklebolt to be the Chief Auror. He will have full discretion to recruit, train, and deploy the Aurors to help defend us against Voldemort."
"To Kingsley!" shouted the twins, and again a chorus of cheers joined them. Kingsley was apparently stunned by this turn of events. He tried to object.
"Arthur, be serious man. I'm not at the top, you'll cause anarchy, Aurors will quit in protest for being passed over."
"I am serious, Kingsley. We need competent people. We need those dedicated to the fight. You will be able to coordinate with the Order more effectively, allocate our resources better, and help develop a more strategic approach. I know there are others that the leadership should fall on, but if we went by that approach then I wouldn't be Minister. I trust you, I can rely on you, and I want you. Will you serve?"
"It appears I have no choice. If Harry can con you into your job, I guess I can let you do the same to me."
Arthur smiled. A flutter of panic gurgled in his stomach. This next announcement was going to be more difficult, and he was certain that he'd get more of an objection. Maybe not from this room, but from the public as a whole. Once he made his decision known to his friends and family, there was no backing down from it. Arthur was not the type of person to waffle under pressure.
"Excellent. Now, a more sensitive subject, one for which I need the approval of everyone in this room. As you know, I need to appoint a Deputy Minister. A wizard, or witch, that I can trust implicitly, completely. A person that could step in at a moment's notice to replace me if necessary. Obviously that person must be intelligent, competent in their ability to use magic, aware of the politics of the Ministry, and deeply involved in the struggle against Voldemort.
"We need a person that is loyal to the Order, and dedicated to the fight against evil. Now there are a lot of people that meet that description, but there is more at stake. Fudge and his cronies have soiled the Ministry, so we will need to spend a tremendous amount of time and energy reshaping the Ministry. Fudge and his cronies passed a series of horrible laws and decrees that need to be overturned or modified."
"Like those horrible Educational Decrees?" asked Ron.
"Exactly," replied his father. "But there are others as well. I mean to reexamine many laws. Starting with underage magic. Harry has gotten into a spot of trouble in the past over his use of magic in entirely reasonable situations. We can not risk losing a young person to Deatheaters because they are afraid or hesitate to use their magic. And I will also examine the appropriate age for Apparition. We need to make sure our children can be safe, and if that means allowing them to learn how to Apparate at a younger age, then so be it.
"But most importantly, for tonight, there is one set of laws that need to be changed immediately, and I have asked Madam Bones to prepare a new decree for my signature tomorrow night."
"What does all this have to do with your Deputy, Dad?" asked Ginny. She offered a bright smile that Mr. Weasley immediately recognized as being disingenuous. His daughter apparently had figured out what he was going to say, and was trying to help him. Giving her a small, proud smile, he continued.
"Well, you see, the Ministry has issued several laws regarding non-humans, part-humans, and other creatures that have prevented good, solid individuals from obtaining steady employment. Why our own Remus Lupin has been unable to hold a steady job as a result of these wretched decrees."
"Tell me about it," sighed Remus, oblivious to the grin Ginny threw at Harry. "That horrid little hag took it on as a crusade to prevent werewolves and others like me from getting even miserable, low-paying jobs. But that's excellent Arthur! I really appreciate what you're going to do. It will cause quite the ruckus, but it is the right thing to do."
"I'm glad you feel that way, Remus, I really am," smiled Mr. Weasley. "For you see, my second decree tomorrow, after I revoke those abominable laws, will be to offer you a job. You see, I have decided that you will be my new Deputy Minister of Magic."
Remus fell back in his chair, toppling to the ground in shock. Ginny clapped in delight, having guessed her father's intentions almost from the beginning. Only Molly and Dumbledore weren't stunned by this news as Arthur had already discussed it with them.
Harry quickly jumped up to help Remus regain his chair. Harry was grinning broadly and cast an appreciative look at Mr. Weasley. Mouthing his thanks, Harry grabbed Remus' hand in a firm handshake and congratulated him.
"You're kidding Arthur, you're mad," stammered Remus. "You can't appoint a werewolf as Deputy, it's not safe, the political fallout will be immense. I mean, I thought it would cause an uproar just to let me get a job, but to make me the Deputy Minister, that's just absurd."
"Nonsense," exclaimed Dumbledore. "The Minister has it absolutely correct, my friend. What better show of support than the Minister himself hiring you? And think of the message it sends to all of our potential allies? It shows that he values their abilities and input. If they fight against Voldemort and his Dark ways they are welcome with us. I heartily approve!"
"Me too," chimed in Tonks. "It's a brilliant move, plus you'll finally have a real job and feel better about yourself, that you are finally contributing in a meaningful way."
"How would she know how he's feeling?" whispered Ron to Harry. "Are they an item?"
"I don't know," Harry whispered back. "But that blush creeping up on his neck makes me think something's going on. We'll have to investigate."
Grinning at each other, the two saw Hermione rolling her eyes at them.
"Boys!" she exclaimed quietly. "Leave well enough alone. It's none of your business one way or the other."
Harry smiled and returned his attention to Remus, who was still protesting against Mr. Weasley's decision.
"You don't really have a say, my friend," said Mr. Weasley with a bright grin. "You see, I'm sending a copy of the decree overturning those laws to the Daily Prophet first thing in the morning, as well as the announcement that I've named you my Deputy. Now, if you want to embarrass me on my first day as Minister, and publicly refuse the job, well, I suppose you could do that, but it would certainly hurt our efforts to reclaim the Ministry from Fudge's incompetents."
Shaking his head ruefully, Remus offered a small smile to Arthur.
"So, it seems like I'm trapped. I guess I have no choice but to accept. So accept I will. I appreciate the offer, Minister, and I accept. I will be your Deputy."
"To Professor Lupin!" shouted the twins.
"Erm, that's not right," said Fred.
"No, not at all," agreed George.
"To Deputy Minister Lupin!" they shouted, and the rest of the room joined in the cheer.
The gathering exploded into a raucous party for the rest of the evening. For the first time that Harry could remember, Remus seemed to relax and allow himself to be happy. He knew it would be a tough job, and a difficult one, but Harry was thrilled that his friend would finally be given the chance to shine.
***
Dinner ended a long time later, after much light-hearted conversation and platters of cookies and sweets. Dobby and Winky had made great strides in improving the pantry and items available to them, and Mrs. Weasley was thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to cook for the large gatherings. As the conversations ended and people made their way to their beds or other duties, Remus motioned to Harry to follow him up to the tower.
"Thank you Harry," Remus said as they reached the top of the magical tower. "I know you had something to do with this. I don't know where to begin to thank you."
"Remus, it's the right thing to do," Harry said with a smile. "As much as I wish you could come back to Hogwarts to teach, Mr. Weasley needs you at the Ministry more. And I get the impression from Dumbledore that he already has a new DADA teacher, so I figured this was a good second choice for you."
"Only you would think of the Deputy Minister of Magic as a second choice job. But you are right, Dumbledore has chosen a new DADA professor, though I'll admit I'm a bit surprised at who he chose. Quite interesting."
"Who?" Harry asked eagerly.
"No way, Harry. If Dumbledore hasn't told you, there's no way I will let the secret out. You can learn the same way all your friends learn, at the Welcoming Feast."
"Fine," grumbled Harry. Turning to look out across the city, Harry stared thoughtfully at the twinkling lights. In the course of a week he had dealt another series of blows to Voldemort, overturned the magical government of his country, installed a new Minister, and found his father's friend a job. Not a bad week. He still had a few things to do before his school term started, but Harry felt that he was up to the task. After all, if destiny was going to claim his life, he figured the world owed him a few breaks in his favor every now and then.
"Deep thoughts, Harry?" Remus asked quietly, interrupting Harry's solitude.
"I guess, yeah," Harry replied. "Just thinking about what I have left to do before school starts. I still have that meeting with the Daily Prophet, so I have to figure out how best to use that."
"No more surprises, please Harry. I don't know if we can stand anything else right now."
"Nothing tricky, like today," Harry laughed. "Just a few more things to help weaken Voldemort, and move people in the right direction. We're all in this one way or the other, I just need to help people understand that."
"Well, ask for help if you need it. You are amazing, and I wish you didn't have to be so responsible all the time. In fact, before you go to school, we need to take a day for fun. Something your father and Sirius would want us to do. Maybe we'll go somewhere for the day? We can go to a muggle amusement park or something?"
"That sounds like a good idea, Remus. Let's discuss that after tomorrow."
"Sounds like a plan, Harry. Well, I'm off to bed. I think I'll need my sleep for tomorrow, Arthur wants to get to the office early before many people get in, that way we can prepare certain things before people start demanding his time."
"And yours, once they realize you are the Deputy. Oh, and speaking of which, there should be several packages in your room from Madam Malkin's. I took the liberty of ordering you several new robes for your new job. They had your measurements from the dress robes I made you wear for the trial, so I got more everyday robes for the Ministry."
"Harry," Remus objected. "You didn't need to do that, I don't need charity."
"Sod off. It's not charity, it's a gift. A 'Thank you' gift for taking the job. A 'Congratulations' gift for your new job. Or even a 'We won' gift for Wormtail's conviction. Any way you look at it, I don't care, it's a gift for my friend."
"But the expense Harry, you didn't need to do that."
"Remus," Harry said with sincerity. "You know how much my Dad and Mom had, and Sirius. Right? You knew they were very wealthy? What do I need all that money for? I'm not greedy, or idle. When I get out of Hogwarts, I'll get a job, so I don't really need to worry about the money. And you deserve it. If that hag hadn't prevented you from getting a job, you'd be a professor or something and have plenty of money. So forget it. Pay me back by doing a good job for Mr. Weasley, for all of us."
Remus sighed. Knowing Harry wouldn't let him argue, he shook his head at this wonderfully generous young man.
"Thanks Harry. I appreciate it. I will do a good job, if only to keep the Ministry from interfering in your life again. Now, let's go to sleep."
Putting his arm around Harry's shoulder, the two wizards walked down the magical stairs and went to their rooms. Exhausted, Harry collapsed into his bed, not recognizing that Ron wasn't there.
"Not if I get to him first," Mr. Weasley whispered back to his wife. "He obviously hit his head on something."
Mrs. Weasley looked at her husband, gauging his reaction. His features had quickly paled and the shocked look on his face spoke volumes. Obviously Harry hadn't consulted Arthur before springing this on him, and just as obviously, Harry had been planning this for a long time.
"This is what he meant, the little bugger," Mr. Weasley whispered to himself. "Why didn't I see it? Oh, what are we going to do?"
The courtroom was silent. Harry had finished his speech, made his decision, and now it was up to the heads of the departments at the Ministry of Magic. It was an odd law, a bizarre precedent, but it was entirely legally binding. The Ministry heads could accept or reject Harry's choice, but they had to vote. According to Merlin's Writ, his appointed candidate, Arthur Weasley, was not allowed to speak. He could neither promote himself nor ask to be rejected. He was merely allowed to accept his fate. Harry had neatly trapped this usually self-effacing man in a neat corner.
Dumbledore looked fondly over at Arthur Weasley, his eyes twinkling. "Merlin's Writ has been invoked, a vacancy for Minister declared, and a candidate announced. As Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot I find no flaw with Harry Potter's reasoning. We need a different type of Minister, one that will help us win this war and restore order to our world. Arthur Weasley is one of the finest wizards I know. He is a dedicated man with an enormous sense of responsibility. He is devoted to his wife and family. He has a respect for all types of beings on this world, magic and Muggle, human and others. His leadership and varied strengths are exactly what we need at this time. I accept the decision of the Boy Who Lived and I confirm that it is a wise choice indeed. I vote aye."
Stunned at Dumbledore's strong support, Mr. Weasley half stood, trying to find the words to object. He couldn't figure out what to say, how to stop this absurd series of events. They couldn't seriously be thinking about agreeing with Harry's deluded request, could they? Mr. Weasley thought that they'd get a good laugh that young Harry had nominated his best friend's father, and then they'd move on. But Dumbledore was taking this seriously. Had everybody taken a crazy pill today except him?
Madam Bones looked fondly over at Arthur. Her eyes were dancing between him and his wife. Looking at the two of them, and their close knit family surrounding them, she turned her head to look at Dumbledore and then looked down at Harry. Madam Bones knew all about this remarkable young wizard, stronghold against evil for his entire life, and realized that he was not a mere child any longer. He may still be young, and he may still need training and guidance, support, and love, most of all he would need love, but while she pondered her decision and stared thoughtfully at the Boy Who Lived, Madam Bones realized that Harry had made a deeply insightful decision. Wishing that young Harry didn't understand what he had done, but accepting the likelihood that he did indeed contemplate the entirety of his actions, Madam Bones nodded her head.
"Dumbledore is correct. The Boy Who Lived has chosen well. Arthur Weasley is a fine man, a worthy man, and he represents the best of what we all should strive to be. We need a leader who will bring us together, a leader who will help us through these terrible times. We need a symbol of the importance of our struggle, a symbol that will bring us through this awful war. I agree with the Chief Warlock. And I agree with the Boy Who Lived. I vote aye!"
Arthur fell back into his seat. The entire world had gone mad. Obviously there was something wrong in the courtroom, perhaps a curse or a spell or maybe a potion? He wasn't sure, but he was now firmly convinced that there was a terrible enchantment cast upon this room. Perhaps he was only dreaming? Didn't most people have weird dreams, terrible dreams, during times of strife and stress? Yes, that was it. As another head of department stood up, his own boss, Arthur quickly grabbed his wrist and pinched as hard as he could.
"Ow!" he exclaimed to himself, embarrassed at realizing he was not asleep.
"What's wrong Arthur?" his wife asked, her voice emanating concern.
"Nothing, erm, I just pinched myself to see if this was a bad dream," he said with the famous Weasley blush creeping up his face. "But the spell must be very effective because I felt it. I guess I just have to wait until I wake up."
"Don't be silly! You know this is real," Molly said, a small smile appearing on her face. "Harry has been planning this for a while, and obviously Dumbledore was in on it. Like it or not Mr. Arthur Weasley, it appears that you will be the next Minister."
"But this is insane. I mean, that's my boss, standing there telling us how he thinks it's important for me to be HIS boss. This is absurd."
"Shush," she whispered. "I know we didn't expect it, but who else would Harry trust? More importantly, who else would WE trust? Bones? She's too stodgy and by the rules. Bagman? Please. Who else? There's no one. Fudge didn't want heads that would challenge him, and they know that. Despite the fact that they have let themselves be bullied by Fudge and that awful Umbridge woman, those are good, decent people up there Arthur Weasley. They know that they are not up to this task. None of them could lead us in this war. We need a strong, competent, caring, thoughtful leader. Who else would you let do this, if it isn't you?"
The Weasley family was an affectionate one. Displays of emotion, from love to anger, were always evident, and always strong. Molly's voice was filled with love, respect, and pride for her husband. They had lived a wonderful life together. They had raised, or were still raising, seven wonderful children who were all healthy and actively involved in the world. Despite Percy's shortcomings, they still loved him. Their marriage was strong and healthy, and their love for each other undiminished by the years that had passed since their own time at Hogwarts. And they felt a strong sense of duty, of obligation, to the world. When Dumbledore had asked them to join the Order, they immediately obliged. Despite the risks, despite the sacrifices, they worked tirelessly to defeat evil, and make the world safe.
Until now their contributions to the cause were unrecognized, and they were fine with that. But Harry had changed that. This wounded young man that they had immediately accepted into their home, into their family, saw the strength of the Weasley family, and sought to let the rest of the world know what he saw.
As head after head stood and accepted Harry's choice, it became clear that the decision would be unanimous. Looking up at Dumbledore, Harry motioned to the ancient wizard.
"Could we get Bill and Charlie here, sir?" he asked. "I think they should be with their father when this is decided."
"I've already contacted them, Harry. They should be here by the time the last head votes. Congratulations, by the way, you've done a good thing today."
"Thank you sir," Harry blushed, "but it's just the beginning. We have a lot to do still. I just hope Mr. and Mrs. Weasley can forgive me. Their lives will be very different now. I should have told them."
"I disagree, Harry. If you had told Arthur he would have tried to persuade you not to do this. He is a very humble man, and would not have seen the need for this. I believe even now Molly is persuading him to accept this for the reasons you stated. He is the best man for the job, and the Ministry needs him. I think he'll come around."
Finally the last head stood up. It was a witch Harry did not know and she did not introduce herself or what Department she headed.
"I do not know Arthur Weasley very well, but I do not care. I do not know Albus Dumbledore that well, but I do not care. I do not know Harry Potter at all, but I do not care. However, I do know evil, I know it well, and thus I DO care.
"Fudge was an incompetent meddler who was justifiably removed from office. But I fear it may be too late, though I hope it is not. The Ministry has failed to secure the peace, or prepare the world to fight this evil. It is right and it is just that we replace an incompetent Minister with a new one. I accept the decision of my peers, but more importantly, as one who has been dealt a savage blow by evil, I repeat the call of the Boy Who Lived as my charge to the new Minister.
"Remember Cedric Diggory and the innocents who have fallen! I vote aye!"
A moment of silence surrounded the hushed crowd as they realized that the vote was unanimous. Suddenly a tremendous roar rushed through the courtroom, the sound bouncing off the walls as the approval of the decision was made clear. Out of the corner of his eye Harry saw Bill and Charlie cautiously enter the room, stunned by the noise. Dumbledore had obviously told them what was happening when he contacted them because they both waved their approval to Harry and quickly made their way to sit with their family.
Dumbledore stood, silencing the crowd, and motioned to Arthur. Nervously Arthur Weasley walked down to the courtroom floor, standing close to Harry, who was looking up at him with a tremendous grin.
"Arthur Weasley, Merlin's Writ has been invoked. The seat of the Minister of Magic is vacant. You have been approved by the Ministry department heads and the Chief Warlock as the new Minister. Do you accept this decision? Will you serve?"
A slow flush crept along Arthur's face. Nodding his head, his voice carrying the slightest hint of nervousness and tension, Arthur spoke.
"I accept the decision. I will serve. I will be the Minister of Magic"
The courtroom exploded in noise again, and Arthur almost fell to his knees. Only Harry's quick reflexes saved the new Minister of Magic from falling to the ground. Grabbing the older man by his shoulders, Harry propped him up.
"Careful there, Minister. We can't have the new Minister embarrass himself before he gets sworn in. You have your position to think about."
Offering Harry a bemused scowl, Arthur regained his footing. "I only have this position to think about because of you, I'll have you recall. Don't worry, Molly and I will find a way to get you for this."
He ended with an ominous tone that made Harry force himself to laugh nervously. He was aware that George and Fred got their devious nature from somewhere, and Harry realized that it was likely that the twins were amateurs next to their parents.
As the roars of approval died down, Arthur made his way up to where Dumbledore was standing. Dumbledore motioned to the Weasley family to join them. As Molly and their children made their way over to where Dumbledore and Mr. Weasley stood, Harry walked over to Percy where he sat, dejected, with the stunned Cornelius Fudge.
"Percy, get up there you stupid git."
"Sod off, they won't want me up there."
"Don't be a fool. Yes, your brothers and sister are mad at you, and your mum and dad are very hurt, but you are still part of the family. If you want to be, that is."
Percy was a proud person, and Harry felt the defensive shell pop up around Percy. Knowing that he had to lance the boil of Percy's anger and pain before the entire Weasley family could heal, Harry dug in.
"Look Percy, you were wrong, but that's tough. It happens. You sided with Fudge versus your family, which is awful, but not unforgivable. You were more worried about your position and your power than the truth, it's unfortunate but not a crime. You tried to drive a wedge between Ron and me, that is much harder to forgive, but we can forgive you, if you change. You didn't visit when your father was attacked by Voldemort, I don't know your thoughts behind that, but even that can be forgiven, somehow. You haven't spoken to your sister or brothers, or your parents, in a year; you are wrong to do that and you need to grow up. Of course there is anger and resentment, of course they are mad at you, but they still love you.
"Maybe you feel wronged, I don't know. You were doing your job, and you wanted to believe the Minister. But you did it all the wrong way. You put yourself first, before the truth, before your family, and you refused to listen to the truth. You made a bad choice and you were wrong, time and time again. So apologize, admit to yourself that Fudge was wrong, that you were wrong. Admit that it doesn't really matter, so long as we defeat Voldemort."
"You don't understand," seethed Percy. "They'll think I was a fool. They'll laugh at me."
"You are right. I don't understand. I don't know what it is like to have parents who weep for me when I mess up. I don't understand what it is like to have brothers who love me so much they want to pound me every time I make a bad decision. I don't understand what it is like to have a sister who wants to beat me senseless for hurting my parents. That life was taken from me, and I can never get it back. But you still have it, if you want it. Your parents, your brothers, your sister, they all love you, unconditionally. They may be angry with you, they may be mad at you, disappointed in you, but they do love you. And they always will.
"But you are wrong as well. I DO understand what it is like to be laughed at. I DO understand what it is like to be mocked. You won't be treated that way by them, if you recognize your failures for what they are, if you change. You were wrong, horribly so, dangerously so, but you have a chance to redeem yourself. Apologize to your parents, your brothers, and your sister. Demonstrate that you understand that you were wrong, and work to improve your understanding of the world.
"You and Fudge, and that hag Umbridge, you all live in the world of gray. You avoid the hard truth because it is inconvenient, because it interferes with your view of the world. But sometimes the world really is black or white. Right now, in this awful time you are either with us or against us, there is no in between. Voldemort certainly won't let you stay neutral.
"We don't have time for your devotion to proper procedure, we don't have time for bureaucratic process, we must act and react, prevent and deter, or we will lose and more will die."
Percy was near to bursting. A confusing blend of emotions swirled through his mind, anger, pain, jealously, embarrassment, shame, loathing, and worse. He couldn't contain the agony that the jumble of emotions was causing him. Tears streaming down his cheeks he looked up at Harry with anguish on his face.
"Tell them I'm sorry," he gasped. "Tell them, please, tell them I'm sorry."
Percy ran from the courtroom, his hands pressed up against his face, covering the evidence of his tears. He did this without causing much commotion, but Harry glanced up to see a flash of pain cross Mr. Weasley's face. Deeply disturbed by Percy's inability to see that his family loved him, worried that Percy perhaps didn't fully understand how wrong he was about the generosity of the Weasley family, Harry sighed with frustration.
As the Weasley family, minus Percy, gathered around Mr. Weasley, Dumbledore quieted the room with a wave of his hand.
"Arthur Weasley you have been called to serve by the Ministry of Magic. Do you swear to uphold the laws? Defend the world? Protect magic? Do you vow to uphold these vows to the utmost of your abilities and serve well and faithfully as the Minister of Magic?"
"I swear," replied Arthur.
"Then the conditions have been met. Congratulations. Wizards and Witches, I give you the Minister of Magic, Arthur Weasley."
Again the crowd erupted with approval. Cheers and whistles echoed throughout the chamber as Molly Weasley grabbed her husband in a firm embrace and gave him a short, chaste kiss. Gradually they let go of each other and each of his children hugged their father. As the applause died down, the Minister of Magic quickly cast a spell on his throat so his voice would be heard throughout the room. He looked out across the room, but he was obviously addressing the Ministry officials and workers he would now lead.
"Thank you, thank you for that approval. I hope to truly earn it someday. I obviously have not planned for this, so I have little to say at this point. Obviously I appreciate the support given me by the heads of the Ministry, and the Chief Warlock, and I look forward to working with them all. But I must say that I will be planning some significant changes to the Ministry, and we can not afford to deal with outdated rivalries or rule- bound hysterics. There will need to be changes to law, changes to rules, and changes to practice. I will rely on all of you to support these needed changes, and I will not be offended should you decide to leave the Ministry as a result of what we will need to do, though I ask for your help and support.
"We are at war with Voldemort and his evil followers. We can choose to react to his attacks, wait until he shows himself again, or we can bring the war to him. I will not sit idly by as our friends and neighbors sit in fear of potential attacks. I will not wait for the terrible sighting of a green cloud hanging over a home before I react to the threat. This time of terror, this time of fear, must end. Together we will change the Ministry and save the world.
"A terrible burden has been laid down upon me. I did not seek this position, I did not choose it for myself. But I accept the task, I will bear the yoke, and I will do my best. We fight now for our way of life, and our very lives. Let the Ministry stand once again for truth and justice and let the dark forces gathered against us tremble at our terrible wrath!"
***
After the Minister of Magic made his speech and the cheering had stopped, Arthur Weasley and his family were mobbed by well wishers and Ministry officials. Arthur quickly found himself in the middle of several conversations as different people congratulated him and tried to set up appointments to meet with him. As the courtroom slowly emptied, Harry allowed himself to be swept to the opposite side of the room with the crowd. Struggling to get away from the wave of people exiting the room, he sat down in an empty chair. As he watched the small crowd of people surrounding the Weasley family bobble around for attention, a figure stepped in front of him, blocking his view.
Harry looked up at the wizard in front of him and saw the pale and gaunt features of Amos Diggory, Cedric's father. Harry flinched as the memory of Cedric flashed in his head and he quickly averted his eyes from the man's face.
"Good afternoon, Harry." Mr. Diggory's voice was deep, but very calm. However, it was vary quiet, and Harry strained to hear him above the noise of the crowds. "That was remarkable. Arthur is a fine man, I think he will do a good job."
"Thank you sir," Harry said awkwardly. He wasn't really sure how to talk with this man. Harry still felt the tremendous burden of causing Cedric's death, and he was sure that Mr. Diggory would also share that feeling.
"Your speech the other day, at the end of Malfoy's trial," Mr. Diggory continued. "What made you say that? Why did you bring up my son's name?"
Harry stared up at the man, not knowing how to respond. He couldn't tell if Mr. Diggory was upset or truly interested. Taking a breath, he stared just beyond Mr. Diggory, refusing to maintain eye contact as he talked.
"I am really not sure. It just felt right. I guess, well, to be honest, I still feel guilty about that night. Cedric was, well, he was a friend I guess. We weren't close or anything, but he helped me with the egg after I helped him with the dragons. When we both reached the goblet, he refused to take it, even though he should have. He earned it. But he insisted that it was mine, so we shared it. If I hadn't done that, well..."
"If you hadn't done that," interrupted Mr. Diggory, "he would have been taken alone and my son would have been killed by that monster and we would never have known why or how. Cedric would have disappeared and we would never have known what happened."
"Well, erm, I guess. But maybe the portkey was linked to me though, and only because I was there did Cedric get pulled along."
"That's nonsense. Portkeys can be set for specific times, or to be activated by touch, but I've never heard of anything like that. It was meant to be. Don't question that, don't live with that guilt. It's Voldemort's fault, not yours."
Harry was stunned. Outside of the Order, and Madam Bones, he had never heard a witch or wizard say that name without flinching or stuttering. Seeing the calm fury that Mr. Diggory contained at that name, Harry offered him a small smile.
"Thanks, I guess. It's hard though, I still feel guilty, and responsible for everything. But to answer your question, well, I figured I owed Cedric that much. He wasn't really the first victim of Voldemort's rebirth, that would really be Bertha, but he was the first one we all knew about. The first victim we all saw. He is a hero and everyone needs to remember that. It proves to the world that Voldemort is evil, I mean Cedric was innocent, and accidentally there, and they killed him so casually. Without warning even. And his spirit, well, it helped me, it gave me a firm resolve to get back. I mean, I wanted to live, but more importantly I had to return, to give you his, well, I had to return him to you. I promised."
Tears welled up in Mr. Diggory's eyes, tears that he found himself consistently fighting every day since that dreadful day last June. For a long time he blamed Harry, then Dumbledore. Over the past year he found himself hating the two of them, the two who had caused him and his wife so much pain. But then the bizarre events in the world cause him to see that there was more going on than could be explained by the Ministry, especially the breakout at Azkaban, the break-ins at the Ministry, and finally the attack at the Ministry that revealed that Voldemort was alive and had regained his power. Diggory knew then that Potter and Dumbledore were right, and that his anger was misplaced. He shouldn't be angry at those two he should be angry at Voldemort, and Fudge.
A year since his son had died and the Ministry did nothing. It was as if Cedric's sacrifice meant nothing to the Ministry, to the world. But Harry had changed that. In one quick motion, Harry had turned Cedric from a tragic victim to a hero. Harry had struck a savage blow to Voldemort by breaking Malfoy's wand with the cry to remember Cedric. The new Minister of Magic was approved with the call to remember Cedric. Nothing would ever take away the pain, nothing would ever fully heal the Diggory family, but this would help. Knowing his son's death was not in vain and would serve as a rallying cry to oppose this evil, only that would help Amos Diggory move on and heal.
"Thank you," he whispered to Harry. "You have no idea how much that means to me. If there is ever anything I can do for you, please do not hesitate to call on me, or my wife. Anything at all."
"Thank you, sir," Harry replied. "I will remember that. I will remember Cedric's sacrifice forever."
Nodding his head, Amos Diggory quietly exited the courtroom, leaving Harry alone with his thoughts. Harry sat back down, relieved that his conversation with Mr. Diggory had gone well. He silently pondered the pain that he knew the man had been through over the past year, and sighed. He was quickly brought of his reverie as another shadow crossed his face.
"Always the hero, Potter?" It was a voice he recognized. The snarl was unmistakable and Harry slowly reached for his wand. "Now you've put the pauper in charge of the Ministry? The Dark Lord will win faster than he ever thought possible."
"What are you doing here Malfoy?" Harry asked of his classmate. "Why aren't you home with your father?"
Draco's eyes flashed at Harry's insult. The moment his father's sentence had been issued, Ministry officials had sealed off all of the family vaults, put wards over their estate and other homes, and forced him and his mother to live with some distant cousin that Draco didn't know or care to associate with. The noble Malfoy family had been upturned overnight by this freakish boy in front of him, and Draco was intent on making him pay.
"You'll get yours, Potter," he snarled. "Some day soon you'll get it, and I'll be there to gloat."
"I doubt I'll ever be visiting Azkaban," Harry said. "But when you are finally sent there to rot, maybe I will visit you. Perhaps you can gloat then."
Harry calmly stood up, glaring at his hated nemesis. Harry pulled out one half of the wand that he had broken at Lucius' trial and casually twiddled it in his hand.
"Say hello to your father," he said with a smile. "Remind him when he has his magic taken away from him that I said hello. Maybe, if he's lucky, the Minister will give him a job sweeping floors. Or should we ask Professor Dumbledore to get Mr. Filch to take on an assistant?"
As Draco stood spluttering, Harry turned his back on him and left the courtroom. Not wanting to be attacked from behind by the enraged menace behind him, Harry quickly made his way out of the Ministry to the streets above him.
Deciding that it was an entirely beautiful day, he quickly removed his robes to look more like a Muggle and folded it across his arm. Putting his wand safely in reach in his pocket, Harry casually walked down the street in the late afternoon sun, and enjoyed a long and leisurely walk back to number 12 Grimmauld Place.
Once there, Harry decided to put the rest of the day to good use and went up to the library. He had realized that there was a lot he needed to know if he was going to continue to D.A. in September, and decided to lay out a plan of action. 'Constant vigilance' he thought to himself as he made his way up the stairwell.
***
"Harry James Potter!"
Several hours later Mrs. Weasley's voice was echoing through the entire house at number 12 Grimmauld Place as she entered after an exhausting afternoon at the Ministry. "Show yourself immediately, or I'll have the Minister of Magic issue a warrant for your arrest."
"Now, now, Molly, calm down. I thought we were agreed?" Mr. Weasley tried to calm his wife down, but was fully aware that it would be easier to calm down a rampaging hippogriff.
"HARRY POTTER! GET OUT HERE NOW!"
Gulping nervously, Harry slowly crept down the stairs. He had heard Mrs. Weasley outside the house before she came in and knew he was in deep trouble. Stepping into the entryway he offered a weak smile to the angry woman and the bemused Minister of Magic.
"Erm, hello. Can I help you Mrs. Weasley?"
"HARRY POTTER! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF WHAT YOU'VE DONE TODAY? THE POSITION YOU'VE PUT US IN? WHY DIDN'T YOU ASK ME, OR ARTHUR, BEFORE YOU DID THIS?"
"Molly, please," interrupted Mr. Weasley. "I thought we agreed that Harry's explanation today was good enough. I didn't have to accept this, but I thought you were fine with this. After all you prompted me to accept it."
"Of course I'm fine with the decision, Arthur," she snapped. "But that doesn't give Harry the right to escape a firm lecture about responsibility. What right did he have to do this without asking you, or me?"
"Mrs. Weasley, if I may, please let me explain," Harry begged. He hadn't anticipated that she would still be angry, so he was desperate to calm her down. "I couldn't tell you ahead of time for several reasons. First, I never knew if we were entirely safe to talk. I only told Dumbledore once, when we were at a muggle restaurant and Dumbledore put up his own protection charms. We couldn't risk word getting back to Fudge, because then he wouldn't have charged me himself, and I couldn't have invoked Merlin's Writ.
"Second, well, I thought it would be more genuine if Mr. Weasley didn't know ahead of time. He couldn't have been more shocked and it was obviously news to him, and you too, Mrs. Weasley. This way no one could accuse you of being part of the 'coup' or whatever they want to call it.
"Third, well, it was a gift. A bizarre and burdensome one, but a gift nonetheless. I wanted it to be a surprise. You two, your whole family, has done so much for me, I wanted to return the favor. I can't really offer much, other than my gold. So I offered you a chance to improve the world. I know you don't want power, that you'd probably prefer that I had given this to someone else, but I had no choice. I couldn't trust anyone else with that responsibility.
"I'm sorry it was a surprise. And I'm sorry I did this to you. I know it will be a burden. I know it will be more work and strife and toil than you would have ever wanted, but we need you to do this. Once you've changed the Ministry," he said, addressing Mr. Weasley, "if we can find a decent candidate to run the place, you can step down. In fact, it might be an idea for you to call yourself an interim Minister, so that people don't think you are making changes for your own power, but to improve the Ministry.
"But, I did what I had to do. I'm sorry if it upset you-"
Harry was cut off as he was enveloped in a massive hug from Mrs. Weasley.
"You silly young man," she said, her eyes glistening with pride. "Never say anything so foolish again. You offer us more than power or gold every day we have known you. You offer us yourself. We are honored to have you in our lives, and I am proud that you have seen the strength in Arthur that I have seen since the first day that I met him."
Harry was struggling to breathe and amazed at how quickly Mrs. Weasley's mood had changed.
"I'm not angry with you," she continued. "In fact I'm so proud my heart could burst. I just wanted to make sure you know to keep us informed in the future if you have any further grand plans. Especially since I'm married to the Minister of Magic. He's an awfully important man, you know."
"I know," murmured Harry into Mrs. Weasley's arms. "I know. You are all so wonderful. I am sorry I did this to you."
"Enough!" said Mr. Weasley, sniffling as he wiped his eyes. "Upon decree from the Minister of Magic, it's time to eat. You managed to escape the courtroom pretty easily, young man, but I was bombarded by everyone. I put them all off until tomorrow, for my first meeting with the full Ministry, but it still took me several hours to get out of there. What have you been doing since then?"
"I came back here and studied some of Sirius' books, erm, I guess I mean Hermione's. I still have to figure out what I'm going to do with the D.A. back at school and I wanted to lay out a series of things to learn. I just hope it doesn't interfere with whatever the new DADA professor wants to do. Speaking of which, do you know who that will be? Dumbledore wouldn't tell me."
"Why," Mr. Weasley said with a mischievous smile on his face, "I do believe that I know who that will be. Molly, you know as well, if I'm correct?"
"Yes I do, Minister," Mrs. Weasley said with a matching grin. "But we can't tell anyone here, you never know who might be listening. Now if only Professor Dumbledore were here to provide us with some protection charms, we'd be free to tell you. I guess you'll have to wait. We want your reaction to be, what did he say?"
"Genuine, I believe it was," Mr. Weasley said with a laugh.
"Alright, I get it, point taken," Harry said, joining in the laughter. "I give up. Don't tell me, I'll learn with the others."
"Now, if you'll excuse me," said Mrs. Weasley. "The famously temperamental wife of the Minister of Magic needs to see about dinner."
Harry paled when Mrs. Weasley reminded him of his words from the courtroom. Of course Harry hadn't intended to say it just that way, but he had gotten caught up in the moment and let that description out. Laughing, very pleased with his panicked look, Mrs. Weasley excused herself to the kitchen so she could help Dobby and Winky prepare dinner.
"Where is everyone else?" Harry asked. "I slipped out so I could get away from everyone, I would have thought everyone would have been right behind me."
"Well, Fred and George decided it would be helpful to me to clean out my new office. They went up with Bill, Charlie, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione and started shoving all of Fudge's personal possessions into boxes and sent them to his residence. I imagine they are still at it. Of course, I'll probably have to issue a personal apology for the surprises that they put in his boxes, but it will be worth it, I think."
"It will indeed," agreed Harry. "Well, since we have some time alone, could we talk a little about some other ideas I had, Minister?"
Noticing how Harry had quickly turned serious, Mr. Weasley agreed.
"I have a few ideas, one in particular, that you might appreciate," Harry said. "First, I know that you will need a lot of help, and you are currently without a Senior Undersecretary or a Deputy Minister. Assuming of course that you will be replacing that evil toad."
"Of course, that was one of the first things to cross my mind. But you obviously have a suggestion or two?"
"Just one. I don't know who would be a good Senior Undersecretary, Umbridge is not a good role model for me to figure out what that person does. But anyone would be an improvement."
"I agree, but you have a suggestion for the Deputy Minister?"
"Erm, yes. You see I have a friend, who has been overlooked for far too long. He could really use the work, but he'd be a great leader and he would be a big asset to you. Plus, he's tremendously loyal to Dumbledore and, I guess, to me."
"Hmm, you seem to think a lot of him. Why are you nervous? What's the problem with him?"
"Well, you see, you'd need to get rid of some laws first, before you could hire him."
"Oh, I see," Mr. Weasley said as he realized to whom Harry was referring. "Would you want me to remove these laws in general or just create an exemption for---our friend?"
"Erm, I hadn't really thought about it that way. But it would be better, probably more advantageous if you were to eliminate the law as a whole. Plus, we might be able to recruit more to our side if we take steps to improve relations."
"I think that I will spend a lot of my time trying to improve relations that Fudge destroyed. But I agree. You are a smart man, Harry, and a very caring one. I don't really see any personal objection to what you propose, but I will ask Dumbledore's advice before I make a final decision."
"I think he'll agree, sir, but that makes sense. When could I tell-- my friend, about this?"
"At dinner, we'll make an announcement. In fact, I'll talk with Dumbledore right away. I would like this to be my first decree tomorrow. That way the furor will hide other plans I have, especially when I transfer Umbridge to the Antarctic office for a permanent tour."
"Excellent! Thank you Mr. Weasley, thank you. I'll let you go, I have a few more things to look up before dinner."
Taking his leave of the new Minister of Magic, Harry went back up to the library to do more research for the D.A.
***
As Dobby and Winky were bringing out the platters of food for dinner, Mr. Weasley clinked his glass to gather everyone's attention. The table was crowded as there were several members of the Order joining the normal gathering of Harry, Hermione, and the Weasley family. Remus, Tonks, Moody, Kingsley, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Dumbledore were there as well.
"Thank you," Arthur said as the room went quiet. "It has been an eventful day, one that surprised most of us at this table. We have our friend Harry Potter to thank for that."
"To Harry Potter!" shouted Fred and George, and they were greeted by a chorus of cheers.
"Thank you boys. Now, as the new Minister, I have a lot of work ahead of me, and I have decided that I will be more than happy to share this burden that young Harry has unceremoniously imposed upon me. I will be calling upon the Order to help, as well as my family.
"Now first, I will say that I am most displeased with the condition of the Aurors. Fudge refused to let the Aurors train a sufficient number of recruits or let them use their authority as necessary. I mean to impose a new standard. But with the new standard requires new leadership. So, effective tomorrow morning, I will be calling upon our very own Kingsley Shacklebolt to be the Chief Auror. He will have full discretion to recruit, train, and deploy the Aurors to help defend us against Voldemort."
"To Kingsley!" shouted the twins, and again a chorus of cheers joined them. Kingsley was apparently stunned by this turn of events. He tried to object.
"Arthur, be serious man. I'm not at the top, you'll cause anarchy, Aurors will quit in protest for being passed over."
"I am serious, Kingsley. We need competent people. We need those dedicated to the fight. You will be able to coordinate with the Order more effectively, allocate our resources better, and help develop a more strategic approach. I know there are others that the leadership should fall on, but if we went by that approach then I wouldn't be Minister. I trust you, I can rely on you, and I want you. Will you serve?"
"It appears I have no choice. If Harry can con you into your job, I guess I can let you do the same to me."
Arthur smiled. A flutter of panic gurgled in his stomach. This next announcement was going to be more difficult, and he was certain that he'd get more of an objection. Maybe not from this room, but from the public as a whole. Once he made his decision known to his friends and family, there was no backing down from it. Arthur was not the type of person to waffle under pressure.
"Excellent. Now, a more sensitive subject, one for which I need the approval of everyone in this room. As you know, I need to appoint a Deputy Minister. A wizard, or witch, that I can trust implicitly, completely. A person that could step in at a moment's notice to replace me if necessary. Obviously that person must be intelligent, competent in their ability to use magic, aware of the politics of the Ministry, and deeply involved in the struggle against Voldemort.
"We need a person that is loyal to the Order, and dedicated to the fight against evil. Now there are a lot of people that meet that description, but there is more at stake. Fudge and his cronies have soiled the Ministry, so we will need to spend a tremendous amount of time and energy reshaping the Ministry. Fudge and his cronies passed a series of horrible laws and decrees that need to be overturned or modified."
"Like those horrible Educational Decrees?" asked Ron.
"Exactly," replied his father. "But there are others as well. I mean to reexamine many laws. Starting with underage magic. Harry has gotten into a spot of trouble in the past over his use of magic in entirely reasonable situations. We can not risk losing a young person to Deatheaters because they are afraid or hesitate to use their magic. And I will also examine the appropriate age for Apparition. We need to make sure our children can be safe, and if that means allowing them to learn how to Apparate at a younger age, then so be it.
"But most importantly, for tonight, there is one set of laws that need to be changed immediately, and I have asked Madam Bones to prepare a new decree for my signature tomorrow night."
"What does all this have to do with your Deputy, Dad?" asked Ginny. She offered a bright smile that Mr. Weasley immediately recognized as being disingenuous. His daughter apparently had figured out what he was going to say, and was trying to help him. Giving her a small, proud smile, he continued.
"Well, you see, the Ministry has issued several laws regarding non-humans, part-humans, and other creatures that have prevented good, solid individuals from obtaining steady employment. Why our own Remus Lupin has been unable to hold a steady job as a result of these wretched decrees."
"Tell me about it," sighed Remus, oblivious to the grin Ginny threw at Harry. "That horrid little hag took it on as a crusade to prevent werewolves and others like me from getting even miserable, low-paying jobs. But that's excellent Arthur! I really appreciate what you're going to do. It will cause quite the ruckus, but it is the right thing to do."
"I'm glad you feel that way, Remus, I really am," smiled Mr. Weasley. "For you see, my second decree tomorrow, after I revoke those abominable laws, will be to offer you a job. You see, I have decided that you will be my new Deputy Minister of Magic."
Remus fell back in his chair, toppling to the ground in shock. Ginny clapped in delight, having guessed her father's intentions almost from the beginning. Only Molly and Dumbledore weren't stunned by this news as Arthur had already discussed it with them.
Harry quickly jumped up to help Remus regain his chair. Harry was grinning broadly and cast an appreciative look at Mr. Weasley. Mouthing his thanks, Harry grabbed Remus' hand in a firm handshake and congratulated him.
"You're kidding Arthur, you're mad," stammered Remus. "You can't appoint a werewolf as Deputy, it's not safe, the political fallout will be immense. I mean, I thought it would cause an uproar just to let me get a job, but to make me the Deputy Minister, that's just absurd."
"Nonsense," exclaimed Dumbledore. "The Minister has it absolutely correct, my friend. What better show of support than the Minister himself hiring you? And think of the message it sends to all of our potential allies? It shows that he values their abilities and input. If they fight against Voldemort and his Dark ways they are welcome with us. I heartily approve!"
"Me too," chimed in Tonks. "It's a brilliant move, plus you'll finally have a real job and feel better about yourself, that you are finally contributing in a meaningful way."
"How would she know how he's feeling?" whispered Ron to Harry. "Are they an item?"
"I don't know," Harry whispered back. "But that blush creeping up on his neck makes me think something's going on. We'll have to investigate."
Grinning at each other, the two saw Hermione rolling her eyes at them.
"Boys!" she exclaimed quietly. "Leave well enough alone. It's none of your business one way or the other."
Harry smiled and returned his attention to Remus, who was still protesting against Mr. Weasley's decision.
"You don't really have a say, my friend," said Mr. Weasley with a bright grin. "You see, I'm sending a copy of the decree overturning those laws to the Daily Prophet first thing in the morning, as well as the announcement that I've named you my Deputy. Now, if you want to embarrass me on my first day as Minister, and publicly refuse the job, well, I suppose you could do that, but it would certainly hurt our efforts to reclaim the Ministry from Fudge's incompetents."
Shaking his head ruefully, Remus offered a small smile to Arthur.
"So, it seems like I'm trapped. I guess I have no choice but to accept. So accept I will. I appreciate the offer, Minister, and I accept. I will be your Deputy."
"To Professor Lupin!" shouted the twins.
"Erm, that's not right," said Fred.
"No, not at all," agreed George.
"To Deputy Minister Lupin!" they shouted, and the rest of the room joined in the cheer.
The gathering exploded into a raucous party for the rest of the evening. For the first time that Harry could remember, Remus seemed to relax and allow himself to be happy. He knew it would be a tough job, and a difficult one, but Harry was thrilled that his friend would finally be given the chance to shine.
***
Dinner ended a long time later, after much light-hearted conversation and platters of cookies and sweets. Dobby and Winky had made great strides in improving the pantry and items available to them, and Mrs. Weasley was thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to cook for the large gatherings. As the conversations ended and people made their way to their beds or other duties, Remus motioned to Harry to follow him up to the tower.
"Thank you Harry," Remus said as they reached the top of the magical tower. "I know you had something to do with this. I don't know where to begin to thank you."
"Remus, it's the right thing to do," Harry said with a smile. "As much as I wish you could come back to Hogwarts to teach, Mr. Weasley needs you at the Ministry more. And I get the impression from Dumbledore that he already has a new DADA teacher, so I figured this was a good second choice for you."
"Only you would think of the Deputy Minister of Magic as a second choice job. But you are right, Dumbledore has chosen a new DADA professor, though I'll admit I'm a bit surprised at who he chose. Quite interesting."
"Who?" Harry asked eagerly.
"No way, Harry. If Dumbledore hasn't told you, there's no way I will let the secret out. You can learn the same way all your friends learn, at the Welcoming Feast."
"Fine," grumbled Harry. Turning to look out across the city, Harry stared thoughtfully at the twinkling lights. In the course of a week he had dealt another series of blows to Voldemort, overturned the magical government of his country, installed a new Minister, and found his father's friend a job. Not a bad week. He still had a few things to do before his school term started, but Harry felt that he was up to the task. After all, if destiny was going to claim his life, he figured the world owed him a few breaks in his favor every now and then.
"Deep thoughts, Harry?" Remus asked quietly, interrupting Harry's solitude.
"I guess, yeah," Harry replied. "Just thinking about what I have left to do before school starts. I still have that meeting with the Daily Prophet, so I have to figure out how best to use that."
"No more surprises, please Harry. I don't know if we can stand anything else right now."
"Nothing tricky, like today," Harry laughed. "Just a few more things to help weaken Voldemort, and move people in the right direction. We're all in this one way or the other, I just need to help people understand that."
"Well, ask for help if you need it. You are amazing, and I wish you didn't have to be so responsible all the time. In fact, before you go to school, we need to take a day for fun. Something your father and Sirius would want us to do. Maybe we'll go somewhere for the day? We can go to a muggle amusement park or something?"
"That sounds like a good idea, Remus. Let's discuss that after tomorrow."
"Sounds like a plan, Harry. Well, I'm off to bed. I think I'll need my sleep for tomorrow, Arthur wants to get to the office early before many people get in, that way we can prepare certain things before people start demanding his time."
"And yours, once they realize you are the Deputy. Oh, and speaking of which, there should be several packages in your room from Madam Malkin's. I took the liberty of ordering you several new robes for your new job. They had your measurements from the dress robes I made you wear for the trial, so I got more everyday robes for the Ministry."
"Harry," Remus objected. "You didn't need to do that, I don't need charity."
"Sod off. It's not charity, it's a gift. A 'Thank you' gift for taking the job. A 'Congratulations' gift for your new job. Or even a 'We won' gift for Wormtail's conviction. Any way you look at it, I don't care, it's a gift for my friend."
"But the expense Harry, you didn't need to do that."
"Remus," Harry said with sincerity. "You know how much my Dad and Mom had, and Sirius. Right? You knew they were very wealthy? What do I need all that money for? I'm not greedy, or idle. When I get out of Hogwarts, I'll get a job, so I don't really need to worry about the money. And you deserve it. If that hag hadn't prevented you from getting a job, you'd be a professor or something and have plenty of money. So forget it. Pay me back by doing a good job for Mr. Weasley, for all of us."
Remus sighed. Knowing Harry wouldn't let him argue, he shook his head at this wonderfully generous young man.
"Thanks Harry. I appreciate it. I will do a good job, if only to keep the Ministry from interfering in your life again. Now, let's go to sleep."
Putting his arm around Harry's shoulder, the two wizards walked down the magical stairs and went to their rooms. Exhausted, Harry collapsed into his bed, not recognizing that Ron wasn't there.