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Daniellemalfoy2:I said that it was AU in the summary. And would you please refer from unsing information from the sixth book as there are countries where the book isn't out jet (mine included). It is not fair!

2) Ministry misery

"Article? Dobby where has the paper gone? Dobby?"

"I is ... I is not wanting Master to see it. I is not wanting it at all! It says horrible things. Dobby does not want Master to be upset, because of Dobby and Winky!"

Despite of his fear he reached out to the cookie box and reached the Prophet over to Harry. There was no reason for him to fear Harry, but he was still so used to being punished for his actions. Harry had never punished a house elf not even Kreacher, but Dobby knew Harry could lose his temper on small matters if it got too much.

Harry took the paper and a large sip out of his teacup. He had better not, because what he read made him spit the tea all over the table.

Ministry declares S.P.E.W. forbidden

As Cornelius Fudge (Minister of Magic for the people who still not know) announced today the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare tried to force a decree to allow elf's to carry and use their own wands, wherefore he declared the whole Society forbidden. "It needed to be done in the name of every true witch or wizard." Was everything this paper was able to reveal on his reasons.
S.P.E.W. was founded by Mrs Hermione Weasley (birth name: Granger) who was one of the defence against You - know - who (the Prophet has been forced to print this name) and the Society has been supported by the honourable Harry Potter (Do I really have to explain who he is?) from the very beginning.
By the time of print there was no statement from Mrs Weasley, because the reporters haven't returned jet.
As The Prophet points out, this is not the way for Fudge to get re-elected.

Gromur for The Daily Prophet (Elf himself)

"Dobby! I'll be off to Diagon Alley. Don't expect me back till tomorrow." Said Harry setting the paper on fire leaving a black mark on the table next to the cauldron burn the Weasley-Twins left there ages ago.

"Harry Potter is not doing anything rash, is he? He will not have trouble! Dobby is not worth trouble for Harry Potter."

Harry knelt down to look Dobby in the eyes: „Dobby, you are my friend..."

"Augh...!"

"Stop crying! You are! You would be worth all the trouble, but I promise I won't do anything rash. I am not fifteen anymore, you know? I'll try to get those writers away from Hermione. She will take this very hard."

He left Dobby sobbing in his shirt and took some floo powder for himself heading for Diagon Alley where he tumbled out of a fireplace in the Leaky Cauldron. Due to the early hour it was still nearly empty. Harry was greeted only by the owner of the pub and left for the street right away. He hurried down, not looking to the sides, knowing people staring at him and pointing their fingers. He was even more famous now, than he had been as a student when he was still able to hide his scar and not being recognized by all people. After the fall of Voldemort, Harry's picture had been in the papers all over the wizarding world every single day since. So there was not one who wouldn't know him at first glance.

The shop was open and when he entered it he did not see Hermione but Ron behind the counter.

"Harry, mate! I am glad to see you. Hermione is crying her eyes out since the paper arrived and these reporters were trying to get a statement so I had to offer them some of Gorges Iceland Candies to get rid of them."

"Iceland Candy's?"

"Well, they take you to Iceland in an instant and I didn't give them the Return Nougat." Ron lowered his voice. "She is upstairs, Ginny is with her. You should think she would talk to me, for I am her husband. She just made me open the shop, just in case someone drops by. So go ahead and try, but beware of her hair burn hex."

Ron pointed on the back of his head where some of his hair was all wrinkled and black. Harry smirked at his friend and turned to the narrow staircase.
He knew his way around the house as he was often a guest within these walls. Hermione and Ron weren't rich and they refused the financial help Harry had offered them. The house reminded him of The Burrow. It was funny shaped and packed, mostly with books.
When he entered the upstairs living room he found Ginny and Hermione sitting on the sofa. Ginny tried to make Hermione stop crying. As she looked up she saw Harry and smiled shyly.

"Harry, come in, it's good to see you." Said Ginny and Hermione raised her head. She looked horrible.

"D...Did you read it? They just could have said no! Why did they make it illegal?"

"Hermione," Harry said, sitting down next to her, making the couch shriek by the weight of the three of them. "You should know by now that Fudge will do everything to make us feel miserable as long as he still can. Who ever the new Minister is going to be, everyone will be better than him. It's not that long to the votes, you just have to hold on. Things will change, believe me, they always have. Don't you remember?"

"Oh Harry! I don't know what's wrong with me, you are so right! Excuse me!" she said and hurried of to the bathroom.

Ginny looked at him confused. "I tried to tell her the same for two hours now, how did you do this!"

"Cheering Charm, she can't resist. It's almost the only one that works on her. And I didn't want my hair burning." Harry smiled. "How comes that she's so out of her mind? I never saw her react like this, she is mostly the one to stay calm."

"Well, you know," Ginny whispered. "She is pregnant."

"What!" Harry was stunned. "Does Ron know?"

"Not yet. But she better tell him. Mum would use worse hexes than a hair burner when she finds out too late. I tried to make her tell him, but she just listens to you, if to anyone."

They sat there in silence until Hermione returned, still looking perky and sobbing from time to time, but much better.
They talked about some trivial things and started to prepare some lunch around mealtime. When they sat the table Harry took Hermione aside.

"Listen, Hermione! I am very, very happy for you and Ron. I am also very proud. I do wish you all the best for this child and I am offering you all the help it needs, but you seriously have to tell Ron. I think he was rather disturbed by that hex you put on him."

"I know, I really don't know what happened this morning, I was so angry and he was the first one to be there."

"I think it's the hormone. But I am not an expert for witches becoming babies."

There was a loud crash when Ron entered the kitchen, having bumped his knee on the corner of a bookshelf. "Who is having a baby?" he asked rubbing his knee.

"I am." Hermione whispered.

Ron looked up and for a moment just stared at his wife. Harry had expected him to burst out in some words as he usually would, but he just walked over to Hermione and hugged her tightly, as if he never wanted to release her again.

Ginny and Harry left for the vacant store.

She sat down on a chair while Harry wandered around, taking the one or other item down, surveying it with no real interest and putting it back on the shelf. His best friends were having a baby! Was this the feeling Sirius had when he discovered his parents having him? It was a good feeling; there was no other word for it.
Holding a Remembrall that strongly reminded him of Neville he turned to face Ginny, aware that she had been watching him all the time.

"Dumbledore came to my place earlier this morning. He wanted me to take his place in Hogwarts when the next term starts." He turned around and put the small ball back just to take a glass of Mandrake seeds down.

After a few moments of silence Ginny asked: "Well, what did you say?"

"I said I would think about it."

"You do know you would be great, do you?" Ginny said, coming over to join him.

"People expect me to be great in everything since I was eleven years old. What if I turn out to be even worse than Phineas Niggelus?"

"You won't, I know it!" said Ginny convincing and then they kissed.

I hope you enjoy!

VampireCat