Boy Who Lived: Hero or Coward?

By Rita Skeeter

The title of the Daily Prophet screamed these words the next morning. Many outraged people cried against the Boy Who Lived as they read it.

Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived, was seen leaving his residence by this public-loyal reporter. 'I saw Harry Potter leave his residence at around 6:30 pm', what a perfect time to run away. Earlier that day, around 6 pm, a strange tabby had come to Mr. Potter's door, and had jumped to ring the door bell. This of course is not normal cat behavior, as one of our experts explains. Our expert was probably right, as this may have been the Transfiguration Professor turned Headmistress, Minerva McGonagall. This faithful reported was not able to look into the house, since 'I found some magic that blocked me from going in.' Harry Potter has always been a dab on the dark side, and this reporter is sure that he has used some dark magic to shield himself from the public's right. Harry Potter and an elderly woman had then been seen leaving the house and apparating. Mr. Potter had his owl, and was completely packed in traveling gear.

Our correspondences at St. Mungo's give reasons for Mr. Potter's situation. 'Mr. Potter,' He says, 'May be facing a mental trauma. I am sure that the death of Albus Dumbledore must have hit him hard. It perhaps caused him to run away, but I am disgusted that he'd run away at this time of need.' Another unnamed, but trusted source has claimed what could possibly be more a believable explanation. 'He has always been a boy border lining the dark arts, perhaps he snapped at the death of his mentor and joined the dark lord. Perhaps the criminal Severus Snape – murderer of Albus Dumbledore – had turned him during his school years.'

This reporter sincerely believes that Mr. Potter should be apprehended before he causes damage to the Auror ranks.

The new young barman, Al, at the Hog's Head stuffed the paper into his pocket angrily, and looked over to his employer. He simply nodded to Al. The employer looked like a wary old man; his becoming gray beard cut short, and his long white hair hid by cloak.

Harry had come to him last night with his problem. He knew that Dumbledore trusted him with a high regard. Harry was perhaps at a loss forwhere to stay before he left for his missions. He needed a place, a place that even Dumbledore deemed safe. He sat on the steps of the closed Three Broomsticks the previous night, looking through Dumbledore's Pensive, focusing on a thought of a safe place to stay. Memories from the Hog's Head filled Harry's thoughts. The old manager of the bar and inn was Dumbledore's half-brother, Aberforth Dumbledore.

Harry had not explained to Aberforth, or Abe, about the horcruxes, but had told him that he had some important things to do, to finish Albus Dumbledore's work. He had simply asked Abe for room and board, and a way to stay out of suspicion that he was Harry Potter.

Abe of course had a better idea. Abe said he needed part time help around the Leaky Cauldron, Tom then presented Harry with the idea of becoming his part time help under the temporary name of Al, perhaps a namesake for Albus. Harry nodded his approval. He had found a few self-Transfiguration spell, with helpful side notes in Minerva's old transfiguration school book. He made his hair grow a tad longer, enough to cover his unchangeable eyes and scar. He had also managed to modify a bit of his body proportion, to look more bulky and tall, and made his back curve slightly like Abe's did. Abe had said that the best way not to be noticed is to remain obviously in front of the public eye.

But he needed to stop the Daily Prophet's interference. If the Daily Prophet kept reporting any sighting of him, it would easily tip off Voldemort on what he was up to. All Harry needed now was an opportunity. That opportunity had just walked in through the door. Rita Skeeter and her photographer came into the pub, whispering rapidly. She stepped up to the counter, and spat at Harry, 'Get me a pint of firewhiskey, boy, and make it fast.'

Harry nodded and said, 'Yes, ma'am.' Harry then quickly filled the shot glass with the magical whiskey, and set it on fire with a muggle lighter. There was a puff of smoke rising from it and Harry rushed to serve it. Skeeter grabbed the shot glass from him hurriedly. Harry reached into his pocket and brought out an Extendable Ear, and slid it under her table.

'What are you doing here boy, leave!' She barked at him. Harry noticed how different she was to the people who actually 'meant' something. Harry backed away, slowly unraveling the ear's string and took his place behind the counter. He then plugged the ear phone into his ear.

'That's exactly what I'm saying Steve, we need the Potter boy in the open.' Rita Skeeter whispered.

'Why's that Rita?' said the photographer.

'How many times do I have to explain this to you, Steve! The minister asked us to keep an eye on him.' Rita said to him.

'Since when did we owe the Minister any favors?' Steve mumbled.

'We don't owe him any favors, he's paying for it.'

'What if the Potter boy finds out that we're working for the minister?' Steve asked again.

'He won't be able to do much will he? As long as he doesn't know that the Daily Prophet belongs to the Minister. He validates every article we right on Potter. Only the Minister, his Senior Undersecretary, the owner of the Prophet and I know. It's a closely guarded secret.'

'Why is everyone so interested in him? He's just a kid, a famous kid with a scar on his head.' Steve asked.

'It's because people are looking at him after the death of Dumbledore. The Minister wants to keep the icon under a leash.'

Harry ripped off the Extendable Ear angrily. 'Had… no… right…' he muttered.

'Al,' Harry turned around to see Abe there, 'you do understand that I do not allow one of my customers to spy on another.' He said looking at the Ear warily.

'I- I'm sorry s–'

'Good thing you're not my customer then, son.' Abe smiled widely, revealing his bluff.

'Abe, you're an old sly dog, you know that?' Harry yelped and then added in a quieter tone to his friend, 'I'm going to have to do something today.'

'I suspected as much. Come into the back, I might have something to help you with your – situation.'

Once they were in the back, Harry asked, 'How would you know what the situation is? I thought it was only between the Minister and the Daily Prophet.'

'Being a barman at a famous pub has its plus points, believe me. I hear many things here, Al. People might think that an old barman has a very weak sense of hearing, but they often find themselves wrong, but do not find out that they are wrong.'

Harry smiled widely. 'Then you have information for me?'

Abe laughed, 'Of course. I was rather inclined to hear carefully when the Minister and the owner of the Daily Prophet entered the bar. Well, they were whispering the truth that you just heard and they drew up a contract, which they both signed and everything. Fortunately for you, Hog's Head's surveillance charms caught the whole event on Pensieve,' Abe said holding up a silver vial.

'As my best mate Ron would say, Bloody Hell!' Harry whistled, then added solemnly, 'He was right when he asked me to come to you.'

'He was a good brother, he was the one that got me this position in the first place. I have never had to reveal my name past Abe here, since most of the people here are dodgy, they don't mind a dodgy bar man.'

'If I may ask, why did you go into hiding, Abe?'

'Well, due to popular belief, there was this goat and I had a wand. But that was the cover story Albus cooked up. I – I was turned nearly into a squib by Grindelwald's followers. I still have a bit of magic, to use the odd cleaning charm, but most of it was drained out of me.'

Harry nodded warily and accepted the silver vial. He slipped it into his pocket and drew his wand. 'Finite Incantatem,' he said waving it over his body. He grew a bit shorter and a lot thinner, and his hair shrunk back a bit to display his green eyes and his famous scar.

'Ready to go then, Mr. Potter?' Abe said.

Harry swooshed his traveling cloak around him, 'Never been readier.' As Harry got ready to apparate, Destination, Determination, Deliberation, Abe slipped him a last side note, 'I know Scrimegeour, boy, and if I knew anything about him, it would be his determination.'

And with a swish of his cloak, Harry Potter had apparated away.

'Welcome to the Ministry of Magic Please state your name and business,' the cool female voice of the machine had said.

'Harry Potter, here to discipline the Minister of Magic.'

There was clinking as a silver badge came out;

Harry Potter

Disciplining Higher Ministry Officials

'Visitors, please take the badge and attach it to the front of your robes. Visitor to the ministry, you are required to submit to a search and present your wand for registration at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the Atrium. Thank you, and have a nice day.'

The telephone box shuddered as Harry found himself moving down the magical elevator. Once the darkness cleared, Harry's gaze fell upon the newly constructed fountain of Magical Brethren. The aging dull gold had gone, andwas replaced by a new shiny gold with silver trimming. Harry walked past the fountain, walking up a few floors to the Minister's office. On the way though –

'STOP THAT MAN! I-it's Harry Potter!' An all too familiar voice shouted out from behind him. Harry turned back to see a red Percy Weasley. 'AUROR SHACKLEBOLT,' He said shouting to the nearest auror, 'Take him into custody!'

'Stand down, Auror Shacklebolt.' Harry knew Kingsley Shacklebolt wasn't going to move on him anyway, but he might as well play the farce. He looked to Percy and said in a firm voice, 'Under-secretary Weasley, under what terms are you taking me into custody?'

'You… you used illegal dark arts around your home!' Percy Weasley stuttered.

'There is no proof of that Under-secretary Weasley,' Harry said scathingly, 'Perhaps just a rumor made by the Daily Prophet, hmm? Just like they made rumors about Voldemort not being back two years prior to this one. I wasn't the law breaker in this situation either, Rita Skeeter was trying to break and enter my home. Take her into custody why don't you.'

Percy flushed as Kingsley watched in amusement and winked at him.

'Now I have an overly esteemed minister to visit.' Harry said stepping by Percy.

'He isn't going to take appointments today.' Percy said spitefully.

'He's going to take mine, because he is going to be very interested by what I have to say.'

Harry then pushed past the odd Weasley and whipped the minister's door open, Rufus Scrimgeour was, at least to say, surprised as the Boy Who Lived walked into the door, slamming it behind him.

'Tell me minister,' Harry said slamming the Daily Prophet on the table, 'What is this.'

Rufus Scrimgeour tried to meet Harry's eyes but could not, so he kept his eyes on Harry's hand, firmly pressed on the Daily Prophet.

'It's an article about you in the Daily Prophet, Mr. Potter.'

'Don't play stupid with me Scrimgeour. You just put a huge dent in my plans. Voldemort is not supposed to know that I left my home! You just handed the information to him on a silver platter, Scrimgeour! Oh, I know, I know the Daily Prophet belongs to you. I will not let you feed the wizarding world any information about me!'

'I will not have some STUCK UP TEENAGER WAGING A PERSONAL WAR AGAINST THE DARK LORD!' Rufus Scrimgeour said, retaliating.

'It is not my war, Minister, it is Dumbledore's.'

'Dumbledore is dead, boy, if you did not realize.' Scrimgeour spat.

'He will help me more from beyond the grave than you can ever!'

'I see that you are Dumbledore's Man – '

'Through and Through, Minister. However, I must ask you to stay away from me. You have no right to monitor me the way you have been!'

'The Ministry is allowed to do such!'

'No they have not, I have not done anything above the law, Scrimgeour, therefore I am in perfect position to drive a law suit up your arse for breach of personal privacy, and I have the tools,' Harry said pulling out the pensieve vial from his pocket and shaking it in front of the minister's face, 'to discredit you so badly, that you will be out of office in a day!'

'What is in that pensieve, boy?'

'The memory of you and the owner of the daily prophet sitting in the Hog's Head, discussing how best to hand the Daily Prophet over to you.'

Scrimgeour visibly paled. 'What do you want, boy?'

'I want to disappear for a while, be left to my own business, with no Ministry interference. I won't be bending any laws, do not worry.'

'Then you will be running away! Leaving the wizarding world alone withoutany hope!' Scrimgeour said reddening.

'Personally Scrimgeour, I believe, what I do, is none of your business, and your stupid wizarding world is beyond mental in placing all their trust in a 17 year old boy, who hasn't even completed his schooling!'

'Why do you work against the ministry?'

'I don't work against the Ministry, Minster, but I choose not to work with it. By reporting all of my actions publicly, you have completely decimated my chance of going un-noticed until September! It is you that chooses to work against me!'

'Is there no changing you? What honey has Dumbledore put into your ears for you to show such loyalty to him?'

Harry wanted to look at the Minister straight into his eyes and scream out LOVE, but he responded quietly, 'The greatest magic of all, the only type Voldemort does not understand. And as you know, Minister, we fear what we do not understand.'

'So is that what you've chosen then? A path of a dead man?' The minister said, barely audible.

'Yes, as I am constantly telling you, that is what I have chosen,' then Harry added with a smile before he gathered his things and left the Minster's office, 'afterall, I'm Dumbledore's Man Through and Through.'

Those who are asking about the mistakes, well I got a beta reader on it! Thanks Di!