A/N: As mentioned in my update yesterday, this is a brief interlude leading into Chapter 11. It is technically not necessary in terms of plot movement but helps bridge the London gap between chapters 7 and 10.

Interlude: Find the Cost of Freedom

London

October 14, 2006

The Parliament Meeting House elevator came to an abrupt halt. Ginny immediately grabbed the railing with one hand and her wand with the other, standing alert.

"I'm sure it's a false alarm." Harry shrugged, tapping his foot and looking at his watch.

Ginny glared at the man, nostrils flared. A red light was beeping, confirming an emergency situation was in progress.

'Attention all employees and visitors in the Parliament Meeting House. We are currently testing a new alarm system. Please remain where you are at this time. The drill will be completed shortly.'

"See?" Harry smirked.

Ginny rolled her eyes and replaced her wand in its holster. "It wouldn't hurt you to be a little bit more careful. Someone did try to kill you after all."

Harry shrugged. "It's the new security measures - apparently we'll be having lockdowns all the time." He loosened his tie and took off his jacket, appearing to relax.

"Any idea how long it will last?" Ginny was somewhat perturbed that she hadn't been informed of the alarm test.

Harry frowned. "I think fifteen minutes? The memo made it seem like it would have minimal impact. Unless of course there was an actual active shooter or something." He said it dismissively, as though that wasn't a very real concern for him.

Ginny gave him a glare but nodded. "Alright."

"So..." Harry perked up, leaning against a railing in the elevator. "What's it like? In the Corps, I mean. I've always been curious if I'm honest…" he trailed off, possibly lost in a memory or some long lost childhood dream.

Ginny considered him for a moment. "It's - interesting. It can be difficult to be away from family for long periods of time, but you get to travel all across the WEA, which is nice."

"Really? Where have you gone?"

"Well, after officer's training, I spent a few years on rotations at the WEA border - so I got to see a good amount of Germany, Austria, and Sweden," she explained.

"And?" He looked at her expectantly.

"What?"

He gave her a playful glare. "What was it like? Was the food amazing? Were the cities terrible?"

"Oh..." She shook her head, a small laugh escaping her lips. "I spent most of my time on military bases. I can tell you that Sweden in the winter is not particularly enjoyable. I mean - the most interesting thing was in Austria. People didn't really like our presence, in spite of the fact that a Corps base does wonders for a local economy."

"Really?" Harry frowned, and Ginny couldn't help but wonder what was going through his head.

"I mean, a lot of people are wary of the Corps." She thought it was rather well known. "In Austria they're just better organized. They say we're the symbol of an oppressive regime."

"The WEA? Oppressive?" Harry raised his eyebrows.

Ginny shrugged. "I'm not saying I agree, but there is substantial regulation on both magicals and non-magicals. From the limitations on magic use to restrictions on the number of people who can congregate outside of major cities… I guess it's not surprising there's some unrest."

He watched her intently, like he not only heard her but actually cared about her thoughts on the subject. It was something she had noticed recently - that he didn't just treat her like a security guard. He genuinely wanted to talk to her, to hear her opinions, even when they diverged from his own - in spite of the fact that he was a duly elected Member of WEA Parliament and she was a Corps Officer.

He furrowed his brows in thought for a moment before responding. "I guess I would rather lose a few freedoms if it means not living in anarchy - like we did for the two years following the Event."

"But I think that's exactly the point," Ginny interjected. "How much of these freedoms have been lost due to fear of anarchy? And how long will we use that as an excuse?"

He had a certain twinkle in his eye as he responded. "Are you familiar with Jean-Jacques Rousseau? The Social Contract?"

"It rings a bell - but no."

He smiled. "Basically, Rousseau points out that before civilization, man was in essence completely free. But the cost of that freedom was a lack of safety and security. So by forming a civilization, the people agreed to give up certain freedoms and liberties in order to obtain that safety and security," he finished with a challenging look.

"Alright. But where's the line?" Ginny questioned. "At what point are liberties being taken for the sake of ensuring those in power stay in power, rather than for the freedom and well being of all?"

Harry appeared thoughtful. "I think it's the responsibility of Parliament to recognize when certain regulations can be relaxed or altogether eliminated. It's an elected body - so it should theoretically reflect the will of the people."

"And what about those in the far reaches of the WEA? Those who don't feel adequately represented?" she asked hesitantly, not sure if it was quite appropriate to voice the question.

"It's hard," Harry admitted. "As counterintuitive as it is, I fundamentally believe that to be truly free, we actually have to give up some freedoms. For example, sure, we could remove Corps presence along the borders, allow people open access to Apparation points and other areas of WEA entry. But then our citizens would no longer have the guarantee of safety.

"Whereas with such minor inconveniences, people can feel reasonably confident that they are safe. They will feel free to move about their daily lives, without fear." His voice was passionate.

"I didn't know you were such a philosopher," Ginny teased.

Harry laughed, brushing his hand through his hair. "I dabble. I think considering matters in the abstract helps when some of my… colleagues… tend to be persistently unable to find consensus." He looked up at her, a soft smile playing on his lips.

"So, it's how you stay positive? I mean professionally?" she asked quietly. She felt her neck grow red as his gaze stayed on hers.

The corner of his lips turned up slightly. "I think I believe that people as a whole are good, even if individuals themselves are not. I'm hopeful that we'll be able to find that line you talked about - so in that sense I am optimistic about the future. Even if I get frustrated in the present."

They were silent for a moment, and Ginny found herself watching Harry out of the corner of her eye. He was rolling up his sleeves and a small bead of sweat was dripping from his brow; the air in the halted elevator was stifling. When he rambled about philosophy he seemed - lighter, at ease. It reminded her of when they danced - seeing him laugh and smile and just be free.

"I guess I've never thought of freedom quite like that," Ginny admitted with a slight smile. The pair each stood on their side of the elevator, with the red light blinking above the doors. She felt moisture beneath her beret, thanks to the small enclosed space and poorly circulated air.

"I think it's been fifteen minutes," Harry mumbled, cracking his neck and pacing the small length of the elevator.

Ginny looked at her watch and laughed. "Not quite. Its only been eight."

He scoffed, "How is that possible?" Harry slid down against the wall, his arms dangling against his knees.

Ginny considered for a moment before mimicking his actions on the opposite side of the elevator. "Is this what life's like for you?" she asked. "Philosophical debates in elevators?"

His eyes shone and he looked at the ceiling and laughed. "I wish!" He shook his head in amusement. "My colleagues typically don't have the patience for such digressions. It's typically just arguing minutiae - how are we going to improve the tax code? How will we solve a trade dispute between France and Sweden? It's a lot of quid pro quo and trying to find consensus."

"That sounds exhausting." Ginny frowned, watching Harry's demeanor shift almost instantly from the light-hearted philosopher to wary politician.

He shrugged. "Someone's gotta do it."

"So that's why you do it?" She swallowed. In spite of what she knew about Harry Potter, she tended to see him still first and foremost as a politician. And in her limited experience, politicians saw themselves in a class above the rest - always in search of power above all else.

He looked old suddenly, the glint in his eyes showing a wisdom, or perhaps lessons learned, of one triple his age. "Because of what happened to my mother, people have always seen me as some sort of - extraordinary figure. I guess I realized when I was younger, either I could feel bad about it, let her sacrifice be in vain, or I could use her sacrifice to try and make a difference - fight for the world she would have wanted."

He looked so vulnerable; his eyes darted from her face to the red flashing light until they landed on his hands. She felt the sudden urge to grab his hand, to comfort him, however irrational it was.

She had begun to scoot over, giving in to the need to be closer, when the flashing stopped and she felt the elevator move once more.

'Thank you for your patience. The drill is now complete. Have a nice day.'

A/N: As always, thank you to my beta ElizColl for her help and support.

You all may (or may not have) noticed there is a general theme of Freedom (and what it means to be free) that underlies this entire story. Sometimes (like in this interlude) it will be more overt - so I hope you all enjoy Harry the Philosopher...

(And I will be attempting to name every interlude after a Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young song...)

Appreciate any thoughts/comments. Next update will still be Wednesday - this interlude is just an extra.