A/N: Hi all, so here is the fourth chapter. Yes it's been a little longer than I expected but exam time is finally over! I've got a lot of free time on my hands and a huge burst in motivation and ideas. I want to say thank you to those reviewing on both this story and the last, I've gained a lot of new knowledge and inspiration from what you've had to say. I've got plans to repost most of the first story over the next week so anyone following it I'm preemptively sorry for the spam.

This chapters story recommendation is going to be 'Outside These Walls' by silentclock, a Harry/Daphne pairing oneshot that left a lasting impression and an insatiable desire for more.

I hope you all enjoy chapter 4

Cya

Chapter Four: The Debut

July 26th

10:02 am

Ministry of Magic Waiting Room

Harry Potter

The last two weeks of Harry Potter's life felt somewhat like deja vu. Preparing for the meeting with the minister was so similar to preparing for his first meeting with the Greengrass' that most of what they covered was a repeat of last year. However, upon deciding that hearing Scrimengour out was worth it if he would stop badgering them, Damien and Daphne insisted that he brush up on how to talk like a politician and Daphne even declared she was coming with him "just in case."

'If Scrimengour is half as cunning as Moody described him then I'm sure I'll be glad for her help,' he thought sitting next to her in the Minister's waiting room. They had both dressed somewhat smartly, for muggle standards at least, with a button down and jeans for Harry and a t-shirt, jeans and her leather jacket for Daphne. What had surprised him was how much thought was going into what he would call a fairly standard outfit.

/Flashback/

"We need to both present a well groomed front but also convey to him that it's more of a casual acceptance to this meeting. We should make him feel like he needs us more than we need him." Daphne had said whilst rummaging through his trunk to find suitable clothes.

"That makes sense," he had replied. "I wish it didn't but it does."

"Exactly, now take this and go change we're leaving in ten," she had said, handing him a bundle of clothes as she left to get changed herself.

/End of Flashback/

In the present, Harry and Daphne were still sitting in the waiting room, ambient office sounds of parchment crumpling and incoherent muttering was their only source of stimuli. The under secretary had been sent on an errand leaving them to wait for the minister to finish his 'very important floo call.'

'What a load of dragon dung, the bloke is probably having a right laugh making us wait' Harry thought, checking his watch. Their meeting was supposed to start at 9:45 which was twenty minutes ago. Harry was about ready to go knock on the door when Daphne stopped him.

Sensing his frustration, she whispered, "it's a power play, and considering who you are, likely a test too." Seeing his confusion she elaborated, "he wants us to feel less in control by making us wait on him. He undoubtedly wants to see how you'll react to that."

Nodding, Harry asked, "and how should I react?"

"Unperturbed. Hostility towards him will likely kill any bridges before they are constructed and the minister could seriously affect your public image right now. Just shake his hand, smile and move on. We're above his games." She spoke, in the haughty way she does when she knows something is beneath her.

Snorting quietly, Harry just replied, "fair enough." They lapsed back into a comfortable silence, waiting for the leader of their country to call them in.

They didn't have to wait long thankfully, after a few moments the door in front of them opened to reveal the man they were here to see. Rufus Scrimengour, minister for magic stepped out of his office, straight back and eyes narrowed. The first feature that people were drawn to when meeting the minister was his wild scraggly mane, giving the man a fierce 'old lion' look that could be very menacing.

'He looks the part, can he walk the walk though?' Harry thought.

"Mr Potter," he intoned in a deep voice, "Heiress Greengrass, please join me in my office." With that the man turned around and walked back into his office, leaving the door open for them. Harry looked at Daphne in a sort of 'get a load of this guy' type of way which she discreetly rolled her eyes at before following the minister. Shaking his head, Harry followed suit, entering the office last.

For the highest of the highest, the man's office was fairly bland. No decorations on the wall save for a clock. A large wooden desk in the centre of the room was the only furniture besides the chairs and even that only had a small case with a medal inside and his essentials. The final feature being a window that could see most of the atrium, although they were on the 14th floor so the people looked very small. Everything about the office screamed 'all business, no pleasure.'

'The exact opposite of Fudge then, I imagine his office had the most lavish of designs, the corrupt prick.'

"Please take a seat, I apologise for the wait, I had to reschedule a meeting at last notice and the other party was not happy." Scrimengour gruffly said, his apology sounding sincere enough. Harry followed Daphne's advice and stepped forward offering his hand.

"Not a problem minister, it's good to meet you." Harry said, finishing with a small smile.

Daphne stepped up next and offered her hand too. "We were just happy to find your office, this building is a right maze," she said with what Harry recognised as false cheeriness.

'She's a fairly good actor. Another dubious skill to add to the list,' he thought fondly.

Scrimengour cracked his first smile, albeit a small one, and replied, "you're right on the money there, I tried to make them move my office to my old one but Pius had already taken it."

"He's an ambitious one that Thicknesse, I imagine he's just chittering with excitement being made head of the Auror Office," Daphne surmised.

"That is a fair assessment," Scrimengour dryly agreed. "Now, to you Mr Potter, I want to extend my gratitude for your intervention in June. I daresay we'd be worse off without your assistance."

"Much appreciated." Harry replied shortly.

"Yes, and as I'm sure you're aware, this has increased your story from legend to reality for many people." Seeing that neither of them were going to reply, his demeanour changed entirely. The small smile he had been wearing vanished and he went back to the straight and narrow body language Harry first experienced. Continuing by saying, "with that in mind, as I said in my first letter, I am asking you to do more public showings of support for the ministry."

Turning to Daphne in surprise, not expecting the supposedly cunning man to ask for help again, he watched her turn to him expectantly. 'Right,' he thought, 'we went over this.'

"I received your letter, minister, but considering my relationship with the past administration, I thought nothing of an alliance between our two bodies," Harry said dismissively.

Scrimengour's lip curled in disgust at the mention of Fudge's tenure, he had liked the man no less than Harry but he believed the bureaucratic system would deal with the fool and in some sense he wasn't wrong.

"If there is one thing I can promise, Mr Potter, it is that I am not Cornelius Fudge"

"Really?" Harry challenged. "If that is the case then how many death eater arrests has the ministry made without the aid of teenagers?"

"Well now you see–"

He continued, "and how many people did you personally save at the Godric's Hollow attack?"

"Listen it's not that simple–"

"I'm sorry Minister," Daphne interjected, trying to diffuse the situation before the man became too offended. "But as of right now you haven't done anything of note, that we can see of course."

The minster shifted uncomfortably, muttering and putting a hand to his chest. Harry could see a small chain going down the minister's robes. Daphne's face remained impassive as the minister had his little moment which Harry tried to replicate after grilling the man.

The minister stood up and walked to his window which faced the atrium, still clutching his chest before speaking, "there are ways to fight the dark forces more aggressively, however I as minister can not use them without the full support of the wizengamot. You see, we are a democratic government at the end of the day, and too many sympathisers are the leaders of our nation. I do what I can; investigate potential threats and allow the aurors to handle it and… clean up the aftermath."

Daphne was about to speak but Harry rested his hand on hers and gave her a look that said 'let me.' Searching his eyes for moment and finding only sympathy she nodded her head for him to go ahead.

"I understand," he said. "I too am a man of action, I like to be there making the tough decisions and saving lives and I too was bound by old men who didn't have the courage to face their fears. Me and mine are no longer tied down by bureaucracy or hypocrisy, and I believe you can help us."

Looking out at the men and women bustling below him, Scrimengour pondered his current predicament. Fight the good fight internally? With stuffy old men blocking him at every turn or hand over the fate of the nation to this young man? Breaking the faith he has in the ministry entirely. The conflict inside him clearly present on his face but hidden from his guests. Making the decision he felt he may regret was tough but he at least wanted to hear them out, perhaps he could spin it well enough in his favour. "What do you propose?"

Harry and Daphne shared a satisfied smile, things were going well. "If the ministry isn't giving you enough support then we'll fill the gaps. Any raids or attacks we are involved in will be officially ministry operations and when you speak about the attacks we'll be right beside you on the podium." Harry suggested.

Scrimengour nodded his head in agreement and turned around to face them once more. "There are ways that we could spin your presence at attacks that would be irrefutable to the stuffy Lords and Ladies. They would require you to be a part of the ministry though."

Seeing Scrimengour smile, which could be better described as a grimace, Harry realised that most of that show of powerlessness could have been a ploy. 'There it is. Conniving as the rest of them.'

"You and I both know that's not going to happen, Minister. Harry here will not work for the ministry perhaps ever and you won't ever consider a people's militia type of system." Daphne surmised taking the lead, "we're going to fight the Dark Lord whether with your support or not, but maybe there is a third option? Whereby all parties leave satisfied and working towards the same goal."

Unhappy that his sob story didn't work on what he deemed a chivalrous boy, Scrimengour switched to his ministerial compromise role. "Just like your father, well then, what do you suggest Miss Greengrass?"

Daphne sought Harry's gaze and asked permission without saying a word, receiving the go ahead she said, "how about an independent party with a government contract?"

Catching her line of reasoning, the minister replied, "mercenaries?"

"Of a sort," Harry cut in. "We'd technically be a private investigation group in partnership with the British ministry."

"Thereby giving you the right to both investigate its citizenry and make arrests where you see fit? The laws of self defence covering your unfortunate casualties." Scrimengour concluded, clearly reacting distastefully and beginning to pace.

"Essentially," Daphne confirmed. "However, because of our partnership with the ministry we'd be legitimate. Also our presence here in the ministry would be as we suggested before. Further we wouldn't just be random civilians deciding to assault the elite socialites, but a sanctioned business in conjunction with your very own law enforcement."

'Thank Merlin for Damien Greengrass, that man could find loopholes blind and deaf.' Harry thought.

Scrimengour was once again facing the hard decision of faith in the law and disbanding it all together. To allow a teenager's ragtag team of miscreants to run his war for him went against everything the man fought to uphold. However he was no longer head of the aurors, he couldn't afford to think like a law enforcement officer but rather a politician, compromise was the name of the game after all, right after deception.

"Curious you would be so eager to skirt the law Mr Potter, especially with me, considering your prolific mistrust in the ministry for that reason in particular." Scrimengour said, trying to rile him up, stalling so that he may think about their proposal some more.

Harry's muscles grew tense and his eyes narrowed thinking about the ministry's transgressions. Keeping the storm of mistrust and hatred swelling in him at bay he said, "I'm learning to prioritise what's important and what's not. Presently, doing what's right is coming in at a close second to doing what is necessary."

"And you trust me to uphold my end of the bargain?" Scrimengour said, poking him further but privately appreciating his answer.

However, Daphne interjected, realising that Harry was oddly losing his patience saying, "we trust your desire to win outweighs your desire to be proper."

Daphne's deduction stunned the old lion, the two stared at each other hard, neither willing to break the mental fencing match they were having. The minister, realising that she had gotten a good read of him, broke away first and sat down, to Daphne's satisfaction. The three sat in silence as the Scrimengour thought over the proposal some more, Daphne cast a concerned eye towards Harry who was deep in thought too.

'This isn't the first time I've felt such unbridled rage. Umbridge, Dumbledore and now the Minister. I know I can be temperamental but this doesn't feel right. A strong emotion but it feels so cold, not a feeling I thought I was capable of.' Harry self assessed. Using the mental exercises his books taught him, he calmed down enough to think neutrally again. His mental exercise was finished when Scrimengour cleared his throat to speak.

"You two have given me much to think about, it would be foolish to agree or disagree to anything too early. That being said, I believe our meeting is concluded." Scrimengour said standing to offer his hand once more.

Daphne stood first and shook his hand saying, "thank you for having us minister, it's been a pleasure."

"Yes, despite the topic it has been," he replied honestly. Whilst he doesn't appreciate the shadiness of their conversation, he does enjoy scheming.

Harry stood last and shook his hand too, getting in his final words, "if you need more clarification on anything, please owl Lord Greengrass."

"Yes of course, you know how to reach me as well I believe. Good day." The office door swung open and the duo left the minister in search of the floo network. The minister sat back down and pulled open a drawer, a quick notes quill bursting to life and waiting for his word.

"Owl Damien Greengrass about… potential business venture," he said as the note followed his command. Searching the room he found his target, a small beetle sat at the top of his wall clock. "Transform Ms Skeeter," he ordered.

The beetle flew down to the floor and grew in size, where once was an insect, now was a middle aged witch with blonde hair in an elaborate set of curls, studded jewellery all over and studded spectacles. The normally snarky and vindictive woman was now cowed by the discovery of her secret by the highest level of office.

"I want you to follow him," he declared. Seeing that she was about to protest he continued, "if you're discovered I can not help you, nor do I have a desire to."

"But Minister!" Rita protested, "the boy is a little murderer and to say nothing of the Greengrass girl. I will not put myself in mortal danger for anything less than my own desire."

Scrimengour's eyes grew cold, face set to a menacing stare, "I've heard that life in Azkaban can be a fate worse than death. The crashing of the waves, criminally insane and hungry dementors your only companions and the food, Merlin the food, so grotesque that some choose to starve rather than digest any more of it. If that is your preference than I will send a message to—"

"No!" Rita cried dramatically, backing away from the minister in fear, "I'll go."

"That's great news, shut the door on your way out and report back every week from today, this time." Scrimengour said, waving his hand in dismissal and pulling some paperwork in front of him. Rita did all she could not to transform into a beetle right then and there but remembering the Minister's request to close the door and his monologue of Azkaban, she thought it best not to annoy him right then and there.