Chapter 15

Christmas Visits

"Are you sure you should be doing that, Harry?" a worried Sirius asked from his seat at the kitchen table.

Harry let out a frustrated sigh as he set down his knife. Sirius had been acting this way ever since Harry had awoken in the Marauder Quarters at midnight three nights ago. Harry had told Sirius and Remus everything he could remember from the strange 'vision' of Malfoy and Professor Snape but couldn't understand why he had seen it or what he had exactly been seeing. He did know a few things for sure, though. One, Snape and Malfoy were not getting along. Two, Malfoy was up to something. And three, that something involved Voldemort.

Remus had come to the conclusion that Hogwarts had sent Harry the 'vision' although the reason behind it was unknown. What did Hogwarts expect Harry to do about it? He had written everything down and handed the parchment over to Professor Dumbledore before they left for Black Manor. He had done all he could at the moment. But if that was the case then why did he feel like he wasn't doing enough?

"For the last time, Sirius, I'm fine," Harry insisted as he rubbed his forehead with the back of his right hand. "Hogwarts never leaves any lasting affects when she communicates with me, you know that. Let's just be grateful she didn't take over my mind when we were at Slughorn's party, all right?" He picked up his knife again and returned to slicing up fruit. "Now, are you going to help me with this or are you going to help Remus research?"

Sirius groaned as he slammed his head on the table. "What's he researching now?" he asked irritably.

Harry shrugged. "It's a toss up between Order research, discovering who the Half-Blood Prince is and figuring out how this connection I have with Hogwarts works," he said tiredly. Remus had been researching so many different topics lately that it was difficult to know what project he was currently working on. Harry had wanted to help but Remus insisted that until he could 'figure out where he was supposed to be going', it would be better if he worked alone. Sirius rationalized that no one understood 'Moony logic' in the beginning stages of research.

Silence fell between them as Sirius debated his options. "So what are you making anyways?" Sirius asked at last.

Harry bit back a smile. He knew Sirius would do anything to avoid research. "It's a muggle dish," he said as he carefully sliced the fruit into small pieces. "A fruity dessert that's fun to eat. Aunt Petunia rarely made it but, when she did, she always added fruit, ice cream or sorbet into it. I haven't seen it made at Hogwarts so I'm assuming it isn't a well known dish in the wizarding world."

Sirius didn't look convinced but shrugged anyways. "All right, well, I guess I'll have to trust you then," he said. "What else are you making?"

"Tarte fine aux pommes," Harry said as he stood up from the table and walked over to the stove to check the pot of boiling water. "Basically, it's a French apple pie. I figured with Fleur there…well, this is her first Christmas away from her family so I thought this would be a little touch of home."

Sirius chuckled. "You do remember that Molly doesn't like Fleur, right?" he asked as he rose to his feet, snatching a piece of uncut fruit on the way. "Don't you think there's going to be enough tension there with the way things are between you and Ron?"

Harry bit back a wave of irritation as he pulled the boiling water off the stove and poured it into a bowl that already contained a red powdered substance. "Not at all," he said as he began stirring the contents of the bowl. "Ron may finally notice I'm there without Lavender there—" Sirius opened his mouth to speak "—and don't say I'm jealous, Sirius. I'm not. I just don't agree with the way Ron's been behaving. He nearly caused half of the Quidditch team to quit and lashed out at Hermione whenever he could when he had his fight with Ginny. Now, he snogs Lavender day and night and has doesn't care that he's hurting Hermione."

Sirius sat back down and let out a sigh as he ran a hand through his hair. "I'll agree that Ron hasn't been the best of friends with you and Hermione but you can't blame him for enjoying the benefits of being in a relationship," he said gently. "James was the same way when he and Lily started dating."

"But he didn't treat you and Remus like dirt, did he?" Harry countered as he turned to face Sirius. "He didn't make fun of you in the middle of class just so Mum would laugh, did he?"

Sirius looked uncomfortable. "Well, not more than he normally did," he said truthfully. "We always made fun of each other, Harry, but we knew what areas not to touch. We never made fun of Remus being a werewolf other than James calling it Remus' 'furry little problem' and they never brought up my family's hatred of me unless I brought it up first. We all had problems, Harry. We were far from perfect but we hid it with pranks and laughter. It was our way of coping."

Harry didn't know what to say. He knew Sirius was trying to make a point but his problems with Ron and Hermione were completely different. Ron wasn't trying to make things easier. He was making them more difficult. Biting his tongue, Harry turned back around and returned to stirring, added the cold water then continued stirring. He knew he probably wouldn't be reacting this way if he wasn't aware of Hermione's pain every time she noticed Ron and Lavender snogging or the feelings Ron and Lavender were projecting all the time. It was just too uncomfortable.

"If you don't agree with me, you can say so, you know," Sirius said breaking the silence. "I thought we had come to the conclusion that Hermione was being oversensitive since she has feelings towards Ron, who acts out from time to time to impress Lavender. Has something happened to change that?"

Harry nodded then picked up the bowl and carried it to the cool box. After it was safely chilling, Harry explained what happened in Transfiguration while washing the fruit. He knew it sounded like teenagers being teenagers but, once again, his ability to sense the emotions of others made it more than that. "Hermione's in a lot of pain and Ron doesn't even care," Harry said in aggravation. "I just don't know what to do anymore. I can't very well tell Ron to break up with Lavender because Hermione fancies him."

Sirius grinned. "I highly doubt Hermione would appreciate that," he said candidly. "I never saw it before but you seem to understand Hermione rather well."

Harry shrugged as he set the fruit aside to dry off. "Well…yeah, I suppose I do," he said softly. "It sort of comes with the territory of being able to know what she's feeling."

Sirius sat back in his chair and stared at Harry cautiously as his fingers started to drum against the table. "Are you sure that's all it is?" he asked nonchalantly.

Harry turned around and stared at Sirius in confusion. What was Sirius getting at? "What else would it be?" he asked. "She's my best friend." She's also been projecting everything for the past couple of months so naturally I would be sympathetic towards what she's going through.

Sirius ran a hand down his face, an uncomfortable look on his face. "I'm really not good at subtle hints so I'm just going to say this bluntly," he said with a sigh then looked directly at Harry. Nervous blue met confused green. "Do you have romantic feelings towards Hermione? Do you fancy her?"

Harry stared at Sirius completely stunned. He had never expected that question. "She has feelings for Ron," he said simply. Harry loved his guardians, he really did. Sometimes, however, he just didn't understand the way their minds worked. How did they go from talking about his 'vision' to this?

"That's not what I asked, Harry," Sirius said gently.

No, it wasn't what Sirius asked but, for Harry, it was the answer. He didn't think of Hermione in that sense just like he didn't think of any girl in that sense. He refused to let himself get caught up like Ron had. He also really didn't have the time to spare anyways. "Hermione's my best friend who has feelings towards my other best friend, who's in a relationship with Hermione's roommate," Harry said at last. "Don't you think it's complicated enough?"

"Harry—"

"—I can relate to what she's going through, all right?" Harry asked in frustration. Why couldn't Sirius just let this go? "I can understand the longing she feels because I felt it for years. I felt it during every holiday at the Dursleys when they were a perfect little family and I had to be the dutiful house elf. I felt it every time Dudley was showered with gifts on his birthday but mine was ignored. Hermione longs for Ron's attention just like I longed for a family for so many years. I don't know how I feel but I do know that I will never do anything to jeopardize the relationship I have with Ron and Hermione. I have already put them through enough."

In the blink of an eye, Harry found himself pulled into a fierce embrace. "I'm sorry, kiddo," he said sincerely. "I didn't mean to pry. I just hate that you always push your feelings aside for everyone else. I know you're scared. Dating scares me too and I'm an old man."

Harry grinned. He knew Sirius was trying to lighten the mood but not overly so. "This is one of those things you'll deny ever saying to me, isn't it?" he asked, already knowing what the answer was going to be.

"You better believe it," Sirius said firmly as he stepped back and smiled. "If I admit I'm old then what does that make Moony?"

Harry looked at Sirius with a raised eyebrow. "Do you really expect me to answer that?" he asked. "I may be young but I'm not stupid. If I say anything, you're going to repeat it to Remus the moment he starts teasing you about your age."

Sirius stared at Harry with an innocent look on his face. "Who, me?" he asked. "I have no idea what you're talking about. I would never repeat anything you told me."

"Really?" Harry asked skeptically. Anyone who knew Sirius knew that the 'innocent look' was a key indicator that Sirius was clearly up to something and the results were never good. "Forgive me if I don't necessarily believe you. How many arguments have you lost to Remus?"

Sirius scowled. "Too many," he muttered. "Moony's too smart and he knows it. Must be a wolf thing."

Harry just shook his head in exasperation and returned to preparing the desserts for Christmas lunch with the Weasleys. He was grateful when Sirius left to help Remus. There was so much on his mind and it was difficult to think with someone else in the room watching you. Sirius questioning Harry's feelings towards Hermione was the loudest of thoughts. It wasn't something he could explain. He had just never thought of Hermione in that context, just like he never thought of Ginny, Cho, Luna, and Hannah in that context. They were his friends and that was good enough for him. Why couldn't it be good enough for everyone else?

After finishing the desserts, Harry had joined Sirius and Remus in the Black family library where they all researched different topics. Harry was to go through books Remus had somehow found on 'special abilities' while Sirius and Remus browsed the books that could be considered dangerous in more ways than one. Remus had been attacked by books a number of times because of some family magic that only allowed individuals with Black family blood to open them. After the fifth book came to life, Remus resorted to having Sirius open the books then handing them over to Remus who checked them for any relevant material.

During those long hours in the library, boredom was avoided by talking about anything and everything. Harry learned about Unbreakable Vows and how they were made. A promise declared by one individual while holding the hand of the person he/she wanted the promise from while a third individual held their wand over the clasped hands. Once the person confirming the promise agreed to the promise, that person was magically bound to fulfill the promise or they would die. After hearing that, Harry was glad that Snape hadn't been allowed to perform one with Mrs. Malfoy since (from the sounds of it) Draco Malfoy was failing at whatever task Voldemort had ordered him to do.

That was another topic of discussion. Harry was extremely unsettled by what he had seen. Malfoy was clearly up to something which would explain why he had been extremely quiet for the past few months. Malfoy was busy trying to complete his task, a task that he wasn't as confident in performing as he let on. If the emotions Harry had sensed all those months ago were correct then Malfoy was indeed fearful for his life and he had no one to turn to since he was avoiding Professor Snape. Hadn't Dumbledore said something about Professor Snape talking to Malfoy? Well, it obviously hasn't worked so now we have a teenager working for Voldemort inside Hogwarts and unwilling to listen to anyone. I knew it was too much to ask for a normal school year.

Deciding what to do about Malfoy had been an extremely long discussion. With what they knew now they couldn't just sit around and do nothing but they didn't know enough to actually do anything about it other than keeping an eye on Malfoy. What was worse was that Dumbledore and Snape clearly knew Malfoy was up to something for Voldemort yet nothing was being done. Malfoy was still free to do whatever he wanted. In the end, Sirius and Remus told Harry they would be sitting down with Dumbledore to find out if the Headmaster had finally lost his mind completely.

Christmas morning arrived with mixed reactions. On one hand, Harry was eager for the break from the library and for a chance to actually concentrate on anything other than Malfoy, his connection to Hogwarts and his abilities. On the other hand, Harry still wasn't looking forward being in the same room with Ron and Ginny. He could handle Ron ignoring him. There would be plenty of other people to talk to. What he was afraid of was being dragged into an argument between Ron and Ginny in front of Mrs. Weasley. Both Ginny and Ron would want Harry to agree with their point of view. Get a grip, Harry. Focus on what you can control and stop acting like a ninny. The worst that can happen is Ron not speaking to you and that's basically what's happening now.

With the security precautious placed on the Burrow, Harry, Sirius and Remus had to use the floo network unless they wanted to walk a rather long way through the snow. Protective charms were placed on the desserts that Sirius and Remus carried since Harry didn't trust himself not to drop whatever he was carrying. For some strange reason, Harry just couldn't floo anywhere without stumbling and falling unless someone caught him. This time was no different. Thankfully, Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley, Ginny and the twins had been waiting for them to arrive. Fred and George caught Harry before he could make too much of a fool out of himself, allowing Mrs. Weasley to pull him into a fierce embrace.

"Oh, look at you!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed as she pulled back and held Harry and arm's length. "You certainly look better than you did during the summer, Harry, dear, but you could still put on a few pounds. I hope you're hungry because you will be eating at least two helpings of everything."

Harry's eyes widened as Sirius stepped out of the fireplace and pulled out the pie he had shrunken and hidden to keep it protected from soot. Remus arrived a few moments later and pulled out the second dessert, protected just like the pie had been. Sirius and Remus handed the dishes over to Fred and George, giving Ginny the perfect opportunity to grab Harry by the hand and pull him away from the crowd.

"Sorry about that," Ginny said as they reached the kitchen table. "Mum's been in a right state for the past few days with all of the new security the Ministry has put on the house so you could visit." At Harry's guilty expression, she smiled sympathetically. "She's just worried about you, Harry. She also isn't too happy with Ron at the moment, Fleur is here, Charlie couldn't make it home, and Percy is too busy at the Ministry to even send Mum and owl."

Harry leaned against the table as he tried to mentally sort out everything Ginny had just told him. He could understand that Charlie wasn't able to make it. Tonks had left early this morning to visit him in Romania. He could also understand Mrs. Weasley still had her problems with Fleur. Percy's absence was once again understandable considering the long hours everyone was putting in at the Ministry. There was also the matter that Percy had a cover to keep. The Weasleys were well known for supporting Dumbledore, someone the current Minister of Magic wasn't on the best of terms with. "What happened with Ron?" Harry asked cautiously.

Ginny grinned as she pulled out a chair and sat down. "Oh, I sort of let it slip that Ron's been more interested in mapping Lavender's mouth than treating his friends like human beings," she said proudly. "Ron tried to defend himself but couldn't think of anything to say after I asked when was the last time he had spoken to you and Hermione. He's spent the majority of his time in his room, trying to avoid Fred and George. They're not too happy with him either."

Harry let out a frustrated sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "I can understand you wanting Ron to change how he's been treating you and Hermione but he really hasn't done anything to me," he said quietly as he casually glanced around for any sight of Ron. He really didn't know what to say to her since Ginny wasn't aware of his empathy. She had no idea that was the only reason he was staying away from Ron. He had been moody and hurtful towards others. There was also the overabundance to hormonal feelings but Harry didn't want to even think about that…ever again.

Ginny stared at Harry as if he had grown another head. "Harry, how can you stand there and say that Ron hasn't done anything to you?" she asked as she quickly stood up. "It was because of Ron that Malfoy attacked you!"

"Ginny!" Harry exclaimed in a hushed voice. He quickly looked over towards the fireplace and saw that Sirius and Remus were still talking to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Fred and George were no where to be seen. "If it hadn't been then it would have been another time. We all knew that Malfoy was carrying a grudge for what happened to his father and it's more my fault than anything for not paying attention. I appreciate that you want to help but I think we both know that forcing Ron to apologize cheapens the apology."

Ginny let out an annoyed huff as she sat back down and crossed her arms, making it appear like she was pouting. "Well, a forced apology is better than no apology at all," she said stubbornly.

"Is it?" Harry countered. "What's the point of apologizing if nothing's going to change?"

The appearance of Bill and Fleur prevented Ginny from answering. Fleur had been so excited to see Harry that she had pulled him away from the Weasley siblings and had to listen as she went into excruciating detail of how the wedding was coming along. Harry was saved twenty minutes later by Sirius informing them that lunch was ready. Fleur looked slightly disappointed as she followed suit. Harry could understand why. Fleur's excitement was bouncing off the walls but there was no one in the Burrow to share it with.

They reached the kitchen table just as Ron reached the bottom of the stairs. Harry and Ron stared at each other for a long moment, neither knowing what to say. Ron finally broke the silence. "Er—hi Harry," he said nervously. "How long have you been here?"

"Not long," Harry said truthfully, trying to think of anyway to relieve the tension. He hated that he couldn't even speak to his best friend anymore without feeling uncomfortable. In the past it had been because of the surge of hormonal emotions but now it was because of the guilt and nervousness pouring off of Ron. "So how have you been?"

Ron shrugged. "All right, I guess," he said as they walked towards the table and sat down. "Everyone's been teasing me about Lavender, can you believe it? Ginny's the worst. She's taking her revenge out on me for telling Fred and George about her boyfriends over the summer."

Harry glanced over at Sirius who was trying desperately to make it appear that he wasn't listening in. "You don't say," he said innocently as he sat down with Ron following suit. Stay calm. It's Christmas. No fights today. "So you believe you've done nothing to deserve this?"

Ron shrugged again as he sat down and started to pile food on his plate. Various conversations had broken out, the chatter and clinking of utensils covering their conversation. "It's not my fault that Hermione's been acting odd," he said in a hushed voice. "She's the one not speaking to me! Just because I've found someone—"

"—who wants to snog you day and night?" Harry offered as he slowly dished food on his own plate. "Think, Ron. When was the last time we worked on homework, talked about Quidditch or even just hung out without Lavender there to distract you?"

Ron stared at Harry incredulously. "So you want me to choose between my girlfriend and my best friend?" he asked.

Harry let out a frustrated sigh as he set his fork down and turned to face Ron. He could see Mr. and Mrs. Weasley talking with Remus, Ginny was laughing with the twins, Bill and Fleur were having fun feeding each other. Waves of happiness, curiosity, eagerness, nervousness, and irritation swirled around the room. Harry rubbed his forehead tiredly as he desperately tried to ignore it all. "I wouldn't do that and you know it," he said in a hushed voice. "If you want to spend time with Lavender, that's your choice. I just can't be there with you."

Ron stared at Harry in confusion. "Why not?" he asked thickly.

Harry ran his hand over his face in annoyance. He really couldn't believe they were talking about this during Christmas lunch but it was probably the only time they would have to talk. "What are you feeling when you're snogging her, Ron?" he asked bluntly.

Ron continued to stare at Harry until he realized what Harry was implying. His eyes widened in horror as his face turned bright red. "Oh," he said uncomfortably then turned his gaze to his plate and ate his food in silence. There was no possible way to ignore the embarrassment that was coming off of Ron in strong waves. Evidently the thought had never crossed Ron's mind, just like acting out against Hermione.

Harry knew this certainly wasn't a fix for the Ron/Hermione problem but it was a small step in the right direction. Turning his attention to the other conversations, Harry listened as Mr. Weasley and Remus quietly talked about the werewolf problem and Fenrir Greyback. He quickly bit his tongue to keep himself from saying anything. Sirius had told Harry about Greyback, the werewolf that was a supporter of Voldemort. Greyback had a tendency to purposely attack children and attack as many as he could so the werewolves could overpower the wizards.

Greyback had also been the werewolf that had bit Remus.

Mr. Weasley and Remus didn't notice that Harry was listening as Remus revealed that Dumbledore had wanted a spy among the werewolves. "Dumbledore didn't say as much but I know he would have wanted me to be the spy if I was at full health," Remus said quietly. "What Dumbledore doesn't realize is that the werewolves would take one look at me then kill me. I'm too publicly known. All of those articles from Rita Skeeter have caused a mix reaction. Some of the werewolves have hope that they can lead normal lives while the others believe I'm a traitor for living in the wizarding world."

"Have you told him?" Mr. Weasley asked in concern. "I can't see Dumbledore sending you to a place where you would be in danger like that."

Remus smiled softly. "He wouldn't, Arthur," he said reassuringly. "I'll admit have the werewolves on our side would be an advantage but it isn't likely. Why would someone align themselves with the very organization that has made their life difficult?"

Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. Irritation and anger joined in with all of the other emotions he was sensing. Harry tried to ignore it all but it just wouldn't go away. He suddenly had no desire to eat. The sight and smell of food made his stomach churn. His head began to ache. Everyone's voices seemed to increase in volume, making it nothing more than noise. Why now? Why after all this time?

As quickly and discretely as possible, Harry excused himself and walked outside. He let out a long breath as he sat down on the front steps. Resting his head against his knees, Harry could do nothing but wait until the pain and confusion passed. Slowly, the overabundance of emotions faded until it was nothing more than a distant echo. He couldn't believe he had lost control like that. His own emotions had pushed his empathy to overload. It was the only explanation.

At the sound of the door opening, Harry quickly turned around to see a familiar large black dog trot out and sit down next to him. Midnight's tongue was hanging out the side of his mouth as he grinned at Harry. It was extremely difficult not to laugh. The dog looked hilarious. Harry couldn't help smiling as he wrapped an arm around Midnight's neck. He had no doubt that Remus was inside at the moment giving some sort of excuse to explain his behavior. Harry didn't envy Remus in the slightest. The entire Weasley family could be extremely demanding.

The sound of feet crunching snow quickly pulled Harry out of his thoughts. Midnight tensed instantly as Harry raised his hand to block the sunlight. There were two people approaching but they were too far away to make out. Midnight stood up and growled softly. Harry instantly had his wand in his hand and reached out to the emotions around him. Midnight's protectiveness and anger were the strongest but the distant nervousness and eagerness certainly weren't coming from Midnight. Whoever these people were, they didn't mean any harm.

Midnight, however, didn't agree. The dog started to bark loudly at the approaching figures and before Harry could tell Midnight to stop, the front door had opened and a slew of people rushed out with their wands drawn. Remus quickly pulled Harry to his feet and pushed him towards the door. Mr. Weasley, Bill, Fred, and George blocked any possible view of the approaching figures but it wasn't long before Mr. Weasley relaxed at put his wand away.

"Merlin, Percy!" Mr. Weasley said in relief. "You should have told us you were coming."

Everyone else put their wands away but they didn't move from the human barricade they had created to protect Harry. Midnight had stopped barking but was still growling at the visitors. Harry tentatively reached out again and could sense skepticism and protectiveness battling against nervousness and guilt. There were subtle hints of impatience and eagerness, which Harry figured was from Percy's companion.

"It was a spur of the moment decision, Father," Percy said stiffly.

An uncomfortable silence filled the air until Mrs. Weasley pushed her way through the crowd. "Arthur!" she scolded. "Where are your manners?" She turned to Percy and Scrimgeour and smiled. "Would you two like to join us for turkey or maybe some pudding?"

"No, no, my dear Molly," Scrimgeour said pleasantly. "I wouldn't want to intrude on a family matter. We have a few minutes before we need to leave for our next engagement. I'll just stroll around your charming garden while you all catch up with Percy and if the young man who had been sitting on the stairs would like to accompany me, I would appreciate it. I do own him an apology for startling him."

No one moved. Everyone knew that Scrimgeour very well knew who 'the young man' actually was.

"Actually, I don't think that's possible, Minister," Remus said diplomatically. "'The young man' isn't feeling well. We were just about to leave."

"It will only take a minute," Scrimgeour insisted although it sounded more like a demand than a request.

Harry moved towards Remus. This wasn't going to end well if he didn't do something. Scrimgeour was desperate enough to pull the 'Minister card' and Remus wasn't about to be intimidated by it. "Its okay, Moony," Harry said softly. "We might as well get this over with. He won't leave us alone until he talks to me."

Remus reluctantly nodded before meeting Mr. Weasley's gaze and silently motioning for the Weasleys to go inside. Mr. Weasley nodded and ushered his sons into the house. Once all of the Weasleys were inside, Harry and Remus stood side by side with Midnight still growling at Scrimgeour, who kept his distance from the extremely large dog. Harry knew this wasn't what Scrimgeour had in mind but he was glad Remus was still at his side. Remus was bound to catch the subtle hints that Harry would miss.

Scrimgeour shifted his body so he was looking solely at Harry. Up close, it wasn't surprising that he used to be head of the Auror office. Scrimgeour certainly looked like he had been through his fair share of battles that had left quite a few scars. The only way to describe Scrimgeour was that he looked like an old lion. There were streaks of gray in his tawny hair and his bushy eyebrows. His yellowish eyes were partially hidden behind a pair of wire-rimmed spectacles. His entire presence demanded your attention, unlike Fudge.

"I assure you all, I mean you no harm," Scrimgeour said sincerely after a long, uncomfortable silence. "I just want to talk you, Harry. I've wanted to meet you for a very long time, as I'm sure you already know."

Harry said nothing. He wasn't going to let Scrimgeour control this conversation. Sirius had told Harry exactly what Scrimgeour was after months ago.

"Yes," Scrimgeour continued after another long moment. "Of course you do. Dumbledore and Black have been extremely protective of you, which is understandable with what you've been through over the past few years. Protecting you from harm is a natural reaction but I assure you I am nothing like Corelius Fudge. I'm trying to do what is best for the Wizarding community, to prevent a state of panic."

"War has a tendency to create panic," Harry said simply as he stepped forward, placing himself beside Midnight and in front of Remus. "Please get to the point, sir."

Scrimgeour lips pressed into a fine line for a brief second before he cleared his throat. "Of course," he said in a business-like tone. "I would like to discuss the rumors that have surfaced concerning you, a prophecy and of you being 'the Chosen One'." When Harry said nothing, Scrimgeour continued. "I trust you have spoken about this with Dumbledore and your guardians."

Harry enfolded his arms across his chest. "I'm well aware of the public's latest attempt to throw the pressure of this war on me," he said evenly.

Scrimgeour shifted on his feet. "I suppose that is one way to look at it," he said evenly. "So I take it you don't believe in the rumors." Harry remained silent. "I see. I suppose, if you think about it, it doesn't matter if you are 'the Chosen One' or not. It's all about perception. The Wizarding community believes you to be quite the hero, a symbol of hope. You have faced He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named how many times?"

Harry didn't like where Scrimgeour was going with this. Symbol was just a euphemism for scapegoat. "More than I care to remember, sir," he said tensely.

Scrimgeour seemed to understand bringing up Voldemort was a mistake and smiled apologetically. "Understandable, Harry," he said. "Understandable. I was just trying to make a point. The idea that there is someone out there who might be destined to defeat He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named gives people hope. Do you see where I'm going? I have to concentrate on what what's in the best interest of the Wizarding community. I would appreciate your help to accomplish that, Harry, by standing alongside the Ministry and give everyone a boost."

Harry stared at Scrimgeour incredulously. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. How could Scrimgeour honestly ask such a thing with everything the Ministry had done to him in the past? From the sounds of Midnight's growls, Harry knew he wasn't the only one to think Scrimgeour was off his rocker. "And why would I even think of doing that?" asked Harry.

"Well, some would say it was your duty—"

"—I don't think so," Harry interrupted. He was no going to let Scrimgeour play the 'guilt card'. Scrimgeour had no right to ask him for anything. "I will not 'stand alongside' an organization that had made my life miserable. Where was the Ministry last year when Dumbledore was trying to prepare the 'Wizarding community' for Voldemort's return? Where was the Ministry when my godfather was imprisoned without a trial? Where was the Ministry when Voldemort and Death Eaters broke into the Department of Mysteries and nearly killed Remus? The only thing the Ministry has done is question my sanity and show up after the fighting is done."

"Now, now, Harry," Scrimgeour said tensely. "Every one of those events occurred before I became Minister. It's not like that anymore. I'm changing the Ministry for the better but I need your help. All I want you to do is pop in and out of the Ministry occasionally. It would give everyone a lift, don't you think?"

"And give the impression that you're working for the Ministry, Harry," Remus muttered so only Harry could hear. "You can guarantee that the press will be there every time you are, wanting your comment of what Scrimgeour is doing."

Harry walked down the stairs so he was standing on the snow covered ground. "So, you want it to seem that I approve of what the Ministry's doing?" he asked. "You want to put the entire Ministry of Magic at risk when Voldemort learns of this insane plan? You want to imply that the entire war rests on my shoulders?"

Scrimgeour looked extremely uncomfortable. "Well, I wouldn't say it like that—"

"—but it's true," Harry said simply. "I don't approve of what the Ministry's doing. I don't approve that you have locked up Stan Shunpike. It's because of Stan that I'm here and not wondering some dirt road in the middle of nowhere. Stan was willing to risk everything the night I escaped from Voldemort and nearly fainted when he thought I was a Death Eater. There's no way he has anything to do with Death Eaters."

Scrimgeour inhaled deeply as his eyes narrowed at Harry. "I do not expect you to understand the times we live in," he growled. "You are only sixteen years old—"

"—and apparently I have a better grasp on reality than you do," Harry said angrily. He honestly didn't care that he was talking to someone who could make his life extremely difficult. All that Harry knew was that Scrimgeour felt that wrongly imprisoning Stan Shunpike was justifiable just like Barty Crouch felt that imprisoning Sirius without a trial was justifiable. "You don't care if the people you arrest are innocent or guilty just like Fudge didn't care if Voldemort had actually returned! You're spending all your time worrying about the Ministry's image when you should be worrying about the people who are dying! You want people to believe that this war will be solved by someone else so they don't prepare themselves for the fight that is on their front steps!"

A tense silence fell between them until Scrimgeour appeared to regain his composure but Harry could still sense the anger coursing in him. "You expect women and children to stand against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and his followers?" Scrimgeour asked at last.

"You expect me to," Harry shot back. "You just pointed out that I'm only sixteen yet you expect me to stand in front of your Aurors, trained adults who are supposed to know a lot more than me. You don't care about what happens to me, Minister. To you, I'm just an expandable mascot. Dumbledore, Sirius and Remus see me as a person with a future. They are making sure I at least have a chance at surviving this war. They understand the dangers of war. They are willing to go the extra mile to help students who want to prepare themselves. What have you done?"

Scrimgeour took a step towards Harry looking like he was having a hard time keeping his anger in check. "I'm preparing those who will be directly involved in the war," he said through his teeth. "The Wizarding community doesn't stand a chance if the Aurors aren't prepared."

"And what are people supposed to do while they're waiting for the Aurors to arrive?" Harry asked with a laugh. "Invite the Death Eaters to tea? Not bloody likely."

Scrimgeour let out a long breath as he straightened his shoulders and tried to make himself appear more intimidating. "I see," he said stiffly. "You clearly prefer to follow your hero, Dumbledore and your guardians instead of doing what is best for the Wizarding community."

Harry let out a laugh. He couldn't believe how pathetic Scrimgeour was acting. The man had said absolutely nothing that would change his beliefs. If anything, he had turned Harry further away from the Ministry. "I prefer to do what I can to assure that I stay alive," Harry corrected. "They don't try to align themselves with me just because the public believes I'm something I'm not. They don't care about their image to the public. Perhaps it would be beneficial to take a page out of Dumbledore's book and focus on the real problem—Voldemort."

Scrimgeour's gaze shifted from Harry to Remus and Midnight before returning back to Harry. "I see this was a mistake," he said, his tone returning to the professional manner it had been at the beginning of the conversation. "I apologize for offending you, Harry. I should have expected your devotion to those in your life. You'll protect the secrets of those in that circle no matter what, including where Dumbledore is going when he's absent from Hogwarts."

Harry fought back the urge to roll his eyes at Scrimgeour's nerve. Did the man ever quit? "Dumbledore really doesn't reveal his travel plans to me," he said honestly. "If he doesn't say then perhaps it is better not to ask. He doesn't force his way into your business. It would be wise to return the favor."

Scrimgeour let out a snort as he took a few uneven steps backwards and took a good look at Harry. "He's certainly done a thorough job with you," he said coolly. "Dumbledore's man through and through. One has to wonder what he's done to instill such loyalty."

"He believed in me," Harry said simply. "Respect is earned, Minister, and you have yet to earn mine." Without another word, Harry turned around and walked back inside with Remus and Midnight. He was well aware that he had probably just made everything even more difficult but he didn't care. Scrimgeour needed to realize that some wounds were just too severe to heal and the damage the Ministry had inflicted on Harry's family certainly left a large wound.