Title: Retrograde
Author: Knife Hand
Feedback: Constructive feedback appreciated, flames unappreciated
Spoilers: Nothing Specific, general for first few books.
Rating: M
Disclaimer: I do not own Hermione, or Luna, or Ginny, or Cho, or... I would buy them all but I am broke.
Summary: Harry's trial before fifth year goes differently because someone knows more than they should about Harry. Time Travel Fic.
Amelia walked into the Wizengamont Chamber and looked around. Almost everyone was here, though several of the Members and Visitors were still showing signs of recovering from the poisoning incident a few weeks ago. There had been no need for a Wizengamont Trail as the culprit, Sarah Merchant, had confessed, so this was the first session since Fudge was run out of office.
As was in the charter, the head of the Prosecution Office, Henry Boot, had been acting as interim Minister ever since. This kept all the Department Heads of vital departments in their positions to keep the Ministry running. The first thing Henry had done was return all of Minister Fudge's 'Ministerial Staff', who had been assembled by Fudge himself after he had gotten rid of all the Civil Servants who had been supporting the previous Ministers, to their real jobs… the ones they had been hired to do and were actually being paid for. This meant the other departments were paying for his Staff and Fudge could use the Ministerial Staff budget to line his own pockets. Umbridge, if she ever came out of her coma, would be back to being the most junior person in the Regulation of Magical Creatures Department, if she avoided Azkaban and the Department Head would have her back that is.
Amelia smiled to herself as she saw Harry sitting in the visitor's gallery, seated between Professor Flitwick and Professor McGonagall, smiled back down at her. It being a Saturday, the Professors were available to attend. Threading her way through the crowd to make her way to the Bones Seat. Some Members were in their Seats, others were milling around the floor of the chamber talking to other Members. Bones knew the Members well, by reputation if not personally. There was the Dumbledore Faction, which contained those Light Aligned Families who followed the Headmaster. There were also other Light Families who were independent of the Headmaster, like the formidable Augusta Longbottom. There was Malfoy and his Cabal of Death Eater Dark Families but there were also a loose coalition of other Dark Families. And there were the Neutrals.
The complication came not from the Light/Dark Alignment of the Members, but instead by the Political Parties. The Traditionalists, who thought the Old Noble Houses should rule. The Blood Purists, who thought the 'Blood Status' of a person was all that mattered. The Progressives and The Reformers, who both wanted change but fought with each other the way only ideological siblings can.
Dumbledore and Acting Minister Boot walked in behind the Minister's and Chief Warlock's tables and called the Session to order. The few members remaining on the floor quickly took their seats.
"This Session of the Wizengamont is called to order." Dumbledore announced. "The primary item on the Agenda is the Nominations for the vacant position of the Minister for Magic."
"I nominate Pius Thickness." Theodore Nott Senior announced.
"Seconded." Lord Carrow said.
"I nominate Dedalus Diggle." Tiberius Ogden submitted.
"I second the nomination for Diggle." Helena Smythe said, sitting as proxy for her six-year-old son after the death of her husband three years ago.
"I nominate Lady Amelia Bones." Dowager Lady Augusta Longbottom announced.
"That is Lady Amelia Bones-Tenor." Amelia interrupted, causing a bit of a stir amongst the members.
Everyone knew of the new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor William Tenor, but few had realised that he had married Amelia Bones.
"I second Lady Bones-Tenor." Philip Greengrass said, causing even more of a stir.
In the last fifteen years, Augusta Longbottom and Philip Greengrass had agreed on nothing. Longbottom was an independent Light House in the Traditionalist Party while Greengrass was a Neutral House that was part of the Progressive Party.
There were a few more nominations but they had little chance of becoming Minister, apart from Diggory who had a moderate chance. Diggle was the Headmaster's choice through his loyal supporters, Thickness was the Death Eaters' choice.
Once the nominations were finished, the Wizengamont moved on to other business, most of which was boring and repetition of old business. Like the old argument about Cauldron Bottom thicknesses or Food production reforms. Basically, dead issues.
Harry caught the high kick aimed at his head and gripped the ankle.
"What you think of the nomination?" Harry asked, as he ran his eyes down Amelia's leg and beyond.
Bracing herself through the captured leg and reversing the spin from the high kick, Amelia pushed off the floor with the supporting leg and tried to drive her knee into his stomach. When Harry blocked the strike, Amelia allowed gravity to free the captured leg and rolled backwards to her feet. Both were naked in the small Diagon Alley apartment, and were sparring without weapons or Wands.
"I don't know how I feel about being nominated." Amelia replied, before blocking the strike Harry aimed at her neck. "I like being the Director of the DMLE."
A series of brutal knees, elbows and palm strikes followed between the two of them, most being blocked or deflected but more than a few landing on their intended targets. Amelia ended up winning the bout by sweeping Harry's leg out from under him and then pinning him with her knees beside his head. Not an altogether unpleasant situation for Harry given their state of dress. After a few seconds, Amelia stood and held her hand out to help Harry to his feet.
"Do you think you can do more good as Director or as Minister?" Harry asked, rubbing his shoulder when Amelia had gotten in a blow.
They moved to the couch and collapsed onto the seats, snuggling into each other.
"I don't know." Amelia replied. "Director is free of a lot of the political machinations that comes with being Minister."
"Lia, it is your choice." Harry said, stroking her hair. "But consider who is likely to take the Minister's position if you turn it down."
After a few minutes of snuggling together, Harry sat up with a realisation.
"That's why he did it." Harry exclaimed.
"Why who did what?" Amelia asked.
"Voldemort. That's why he attacked Bones Manor." Harry explained. "He wanted you dead so you could not become Minister. Imagine it from his perspective. You were one of his biggest headaches during the War. There was no way he would want the Ministry united under someone who took out so many of his forces in such an effective way. You would certainly prepare well for any moves he made."
"I see your point." Amelia mused. "I still need to think on it."
Susan and Hermione were sitting under a tree down by the Lake, having a relaxing Saturday Afternoon. Hermione was reading a book, while Susan was watching the other students enjoying their day. Luna was dancing on the lawn to music only she could hear and sometimes trying to get a reluctant Ginny to join in to the dance. Daphne, Blaise and Tracy were having a walk around the lake as the chatted. A small group of boys, mostly Muggleborn, were kicking around a football.
What Susan failed to notice was Megan Skinner over by Hagrid's hut tracking every move made by Luna and Allan Trent observing Susan herself from a second floor window. Even after a few weeks, neither Megan or Allan could let go of their perceived humiliation from the DADA Exercise.
TBC…