Rehabilitation

''Wake up, Master Harry!''

Kreachers squeaky voice pulled Harry Potter from his uneasy sleep. A moment later, the house elf opened the curtains and the gleaming light of the morning sun drove the last thoughts about just staying in bed away.

''Hurry, Master'', Kreacher croaked, ''Master doesn't want to be late!''

Harry grimly pushed his blanket back while the elf bustled outside, watching the room with narrowed eyes. He had moved back to Sirius's old room when he had returned to Grimmauld Place a week before. Luckily, neither Yaxley nor any other Death Eaters had left remaining damage in here. Every cupboard, chest of drawers, and box had of course been rummaged through and its contents had been thrown recklessly to the ground, but fixing that was just a matter of time. Kreacher had immediately started to begin with cleaning the place, after he had survived the first shock of the house's situation.

Sirius's room had been treated just like the rest of the house, but neither the red and golden Gryffindor banners on the walls nor the picture of him, Lupin, Wormtail, and Harry's father had been hurt. While looking at Lupin's young and happy face, Harry felt a burning pain in his chest. He had seen his oldened and war-hardened face every night during last week, always accompanied by those of Tonks, Fred, and all the others. ''Do not pity the dead, Harry'', Dumbledore had said, if it had really been Dumbledore he had seen in that station and not just an illusion, a ghost his desires for final answers had simply made up himself. Anyway, Dumbledore had been easy on saying that. Dumbledore was dead, and he hadn't been in that chamber next to the Great Hall at the morning after the battle, when Harry had seen the faces of those who had died for him: Lupin and Tonks who had named him the godfather of their little son. Fred who had made him laugh so often. Colin Creevey, who had admired him so much that it had sometimes been a plague. And all the others, friends, fellow students, strangers. Every single face had burned itself deeply into his conscience. Nobody of them would be rewarded for their courage, nobody of them would get to know the new world in which they could live without having to fear Voldemort and his followers...

Harry jumped out of his bed, throwing a couple of Daily Prophets to the ground in the process. The one from yesterday had the picture of a dark, bald wizard on its cover who was wearing an earring and blinked at him reassuringly. Under the picture was the matching article:

SHACKLEBOLT CONFIRMED AS NEW MINISTER FOR MAGIC

The temporarily Minister for Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt has been elected as new Minister with a big majority yesterday.

''I am deeply honoured by the trust which the British witches and wizards have put in me'', the former member of the Auror Office said to the correspondents of the Daily Prophet immediately after his election. ''Now it depends on every single one of us to rebuild this country and this ministry and to introduce a new era of peace. I am relying on your support.''

Shacklebolt means to futher follow the politics which he introduced after his nomination as temporary minister a week ago. But what does that mean in concrete, for example regarding the imprisoned followers of He-who-must-not-be-named?

The as collaborators and Death Eaters accused persons face just trials, but hard sentences.

''There is no place in magical society for convinced Death Eaters and pure blood-fanatics. Anyone found guilty will face a life-long stay in Askaban'', the Minister positioned himself clearly.

The wizarding prison itself will be fundamentally reformed. For the first time since its construction, Askaban will not be guarded by dementors any more, but by a new department of the Ministry for Magic which will be called the Department for Magical Law Execution. Members of the new Office will be recruited mainly from the lower ranks of the Auror Office, but part of the posts is open to the public (for the detailed job description with all demands to applicants, see page 33).

''The minister and his closest colleagues - including me - think it is essential to put the control over Askaban away from the dementors. The breakouts in recent years and their actions under the rule of You-know-who have shown that these creatures are not worthy of our trust'', Percy Weasley, Shacklebolts Junior Assistant, said.

The prosecution of collaborators from the ministry itself will be fair, but also hard and just.

''We will look very closely who was a culprit and who was only another victim'', Shacklebolt said. ''Wild weeks and months lie ahead of us.''

Difficulties in the preparations for the trials arise for example from the fact that many former members of the Wizengamot were part of trials under the Dark Rule-

''Every member of the Wizengamot is facing close inspection before they are allowed to go back to court'', the new minister said. ''We have already reacted to the obvious corruption of members of the Wizengamot by naming new judges, whose integrity is beyond questioning, so that the trials may start soon.

Among these ''new judges'' are the members of the famous Order of the Phoenix, Hestia Jones, Arthur Weasley, Elphias Doge, and Minerva McGonagall, and the known heads of houses of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, professors Pomona Sprout, Filius Flitwick, and Horace Slughorn. Furthermore, the two former members of the Wizengamot Griselda Marchbanks and Tiberius Ogden have returned from retirement.

Many high employees of the ministry, among them former minister Pius Thicknesse, former Head of Animal Control Albert Runcorn, and former head of the Muggle-born Registration Commission, have for the time being been suspended and imprisoned. On the correspondent's questioning about the future of this three most prominent acccused, Shacklebolt said that the ministry ''does not give details on running trials. But be assured, that this minstry is fundamentally inspected.''

Scowling, Harry slipped out of bed, picked the newspapers up and placed them on his bedside table, next to the letter from exactly the same ministry that had arrived the evening before and that was the reason for his sullenness.

Dear Mr. Potter, it said,

the Ministry for Magic requires your presence at an official hearing regarding various running trials in the office of the head of the Department for Magical Law Enforcement this Tuesday, May 10th at 9 a.m.

Regards,

Augustine Proudfoot

Wizengamot Administration Services

While brushing his teeth, he wondered on what exactly that hearing would be. If they seriously were about to question him about everything he knew about Voldemort and his minions, he was about to spend weeks at the ministry. Harry thoughtfully looked at his face in the mirror and at the scar on his forehead, which hadn't pained him for a whole week for the first time since years. Softly, he let his fingers glide over it. It would take him long to get used to the fact that he would never again have to face Voldemort's thoughts through it. And no matter what they would ask him about Voldemort and his thoughts, one thing was absolutely sure: Harry wouldn't talk. Hermione, Ron, and him had only talked shorty about it, but they had all shared the same opinion: nobody was allowed to know about the horcruxes. It was bad enough that all these people in the Great Halll had heard of the Elder Wand. Harry slowly turned the phoenix stick in his hands. He had put the Elder Wand in the grave before he had left Hogwarts, and he felt no remorse about this decision, but nonetheless he asked himself whether this mightiest of the Deathly Hallows wouldn't one day cause trouble again.

Harry put the wand back in his pocket and straightened himself. His trip to the ministry would also mean that for the first time after one week, he would have to face somebody else than Kreacher. He didn't look forward to meet all these other people who would surely wish to gratulate him. In fact, he didn't fell that there was any reason to gratulate him. When he had woken up around midday after the Battle, it had pulled him to the dead, and after he had been in this chamber, he had spent the rest od the day in deep depression, like everybody else. Nothing had been left of the festive mood that had followed Voldemort's death, because the memorial that was planned for the evening had brutally reminded them of the costs of their victory.

While the rest of the castle had been quiet like never before, Harry had gone through the tunnel under the Whomping Willow to recover Professor Snape's body. He had buried the man who he had hated for so long on the Hogsmeade cemetery. He had owed him that, and more. At the memorial in the Great Hall, he had held a short speech on Severus Snape's actions so that he would be reminded as the brave man he had been and not as the one he acted to be.

''Breakfast's ready, Master Harry!'', Kreacher called from downstairs. Harry put on the clothes which Kreacher had prepared for him yesterday for the hearing and went downstairs, past the heads of Kreacher's ancestors which he refused to remove, and also past the pictures of Sirius's ancestors, among them his mother's which was still asleep. Kreacher awaited him in the kitchen in the presence of a as usual very tasty breakfast, which today was smashed eggs and cheese sandwiches. While shoveling smashed eggs into his mouth, Harry read today's Daily Prophet. Another familiar face looked at him from the cover, but Minerva McGonagall didn't blink at him and he didn't believe that she even knew how to do that.

McGONAGALL NEW HEADMISTRESS OF HOGWARTS SCHOOL

Minerva McGonagall, long-time Deputy Headmistress at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, has been declared as Severus Snape's successor as Headmistress of Hogwarts by the board of governors. The promotion of the former Transfiguration teacher has met wide praise in wizarding society.

''Professor McGonagall has always been a great role model for her students'', said Mrs. Augusta Longbottom whose grandson, Neville, is a student at the ancient school. ''Not only her oustanding reputation as a teacher and witch, but also her enormous sense of duty, bravery, and her role in the Battle of Hogwarts justify her nomination.''

It is that ''Battle of Hogwarts'', as the decisive battle against You-know-who and his minions is called, that will have a major impact on the future of Britain's single wizarding school.

''Every student who missed the last school year is offered the chance to make up on that'', Filius Flitwick, new Deputy Headmaster, said, ''The same goes for the students who were present, as last year's teaching was unworthy of our school. Students who insist on it may of course proceed to take their OWLs and NEWTs in June. They will be informed about the exact procedure within the next days. Muggle-born first years who were denied magical education last year now receive another chance to enter Hogwarts.''

When asked about the immense destruction which Hogwarts Castle suffered during the battle, Flitwick ensured his listeners that the repairs are going well. Part of these repairs will be the construction of a memorial of the battle and the fallen which will be inaugurated at the beginning of term, on the first of September.

Hogwarts staff also face significant changes. McGonagall will maintain her post as teacher for Transfiguration which she took over from Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Supreme Mugwump etc.) 41 years ago, but the accused Death Eaters Alecto and Amycus Carrow were removed from their posts as teachers for Muggle Studies and Defense against the Dark Arts. Muggle Studies will now be taught by Tabetha Jordan, former member of the Department against Misuse of Magic, while the experienced auror John Dawlish takes over Defense against the Dark Arts.

The new Headmistress thanked minister Shacklebolt for the good cooperation regarding the search for new teachers.

''After the horrible things that happened during the last years, it was not an easy task to fill the empty places in our staff. I thank the minister explicitly for his help and I am confident, that the new colleagues will enrich our school.''

It remains unclear, how many students will actually take the chance to repeat the last terms. It is also to this point unclear, whether 'The Boy Who Lived' will return to Hogwarts School (continues on page 2),

The remainer of the page was inhabited by an advertisement that included the picture of a blonde witch with blinking teeth that waved with a long quill.

Severus Snape: Scoundrel or Saint?

The new bestselling biography by Rita Skeeter, author of Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore, about the most controversial headmaster Hogwarts ever had!

Harry shot a long, disgusted look at Rita Skeeter's face before thinking about the article. There was nothing that surprised him, apart from the new teachers. McGonagall was the logic choice for the post and Professor Flitwick had already hinted that the last year was about to be repeated before Harry had left the castle. He'd never heard of one Tabetha Jordan, but Dawlish wouldn't have been hired as new Defense teacher if McGonagall had had another choice, of course, as he had been one of the aurors that had sent her to St. Mungo's three years ago when Umbridge had tried to sack Hagrid. He scratched himself and nearly threw the smashed egg to the floor. Luckily, Kreacher didn't notice. Dawlish hadn't enjoyed the last years, this much he knew. He'd been hexed by Dumbledore on various occasions and had been sent to St. Mungo's himself last year, after his attempt to imprison Neville's grandmother. Most likely, the ministry wanted to get rid of him and the free post at Hogwarts had been the easiest way to do so.

''We have to leave, Master Harry", Kreacher squealed impatiently.

Harry looked at Fabian Prewett's golden clock at his left wrist and inhaled sharply, for it was already ten to nine.

''All right, let's go", he said and rose from his chair while making an as always unsuccessful attempt to straighten his hair. Then he followed Kreacher onto the corridor and outside, locked the front door behind him with his wand and took his elf's hand that pulled him into nothing.

They appeared on a very shabby and lonely square which was dominated by overfilled garbage containers and mountains of plastic bottles. Kreacher winced at the look of all the rubbish.

''Thanks, Kreacher", Harry said. ''I'll call you once I'm ready to get back."

- ''Kreacher wishes Master a happy day", the elf croaked before disappearing with a loud crack that made the pigeons on the containers fly away hastily. They cooed suspiciously as Harry crossed the square with big steps and entered the demolated red phone box in the corner whose receiver hang closely over a pond of vomit on the ground.

''Scourgify", Harry muttered hopefully and part of the pond vanished. He sighed, took the receiver, looked around to reassure that nobody was watching, and then dialed six, two, four, four, three. As expected, the dial plate disappeared and a cool female voice started speaking.

''Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please give your name and the purpose of your visit."

- ''Harry Potter. I'm here for an appointment at the Department for Magical Law Enforcement."

- ''Thank you", the voice said quite unimpressed, ''Visitor, please take the badge and pin it at your cloak."

Harry caught the silvery badge that said Harry Potter, DfMLE Appointment and pinned it on the front of his shirt.

''Visitors of the Ministry are required to present their wand at the security switch which is located at the back of the atrium."

Finally, the ground of the phone box started moving downside and Harry disappeared with it into total darkness. He bit on his teeth while thinking of the last time he had used this entrance, squeezed in between his friends at the evening when Sirius had paid with his life for Harry's stupidity. After what seemed to be an eternity of going down, the door popped open again.

''The Ministry for Magic wishes you a happy day", the cool voice said and Harry stepped out to enter the atrium of the ministry.

''You're late", said a disapproving voice behind him. Harry whirled around and found himself facing a familiar face.

''Percy!"

They shook hands. Percy looked as correct as ever in his expensive, black wizard's cloak, his thick horn-rimmed spectacles pinned on his slightly red nose. Only the eyes behind these spectacles, that had looked at Harry sternly and accusing for over two years, had changed.

''The visitor's entrance kept me", Harry said, finding himself reminded of all the times when Percy had waited for him, Ron, and Hermione in front of the portrait hole in the Gryffindor common room to criticise them for being late. „This isn't a random meeting, I guess?"

- „I'm expected to bring you upstairs", Percy said in a tone underlining his opinion that this was not a job fit for the Junior Assistant to the Minister.

Harry followed the third-oldest Weasley through the atrium, trying to avoid the curious looks of the ministry workers in the process. Some of them stopped walking while looking at him, others walked into each other, because they didn't look where they were going. Harry scratched himself nervously at his scar and mustered his surroundings. The disgusting monument which had dominated the place at his last visit to the ministry had been removed, but not replaced. Instead, there was a big, empty space in the middle of the atrium.

''We have more urgent problems to solve", said Percy, who seemed to have read his thoughts. When they reached the security wizard, Percy shooed him on.

''We're not going to let you run around here without your wand, Harry."

Harry nodded shortly. The cleaning of the ministry was still ongoing, it was possible, even likely, that minions of Voldemorts where in this building, still unspotted. The security wizard, who had sat up straight at the sight of famous Harry Potter, disappeared behind his Daily Prophet again, looking disappointed. They reached the lifts at the end of the atrium just in time to enter one of them, in which two witches were having a fierce discussion. They stopped arguing immediately when Harry and Percy entered the lift, giving each other nervous glances.

''Good morning, Mafalda. Janet", Percy said pointedly to them.

- ''Good morning, Mr. Weasley", Janet said while Mafalda remained silent. Harry realised that she was the same witch whose appearance Hermione had taken when they had entered the ministry the year before, the witch who should have recorded Mrs. Cattermole's trial. Thinking of yesterday's article, he asked himself whether she was a victim or a culprit, and then decided that he wouldn't want to switch places with Kingsley for all the galleons in the world, for dozens of cases like hers would have to be decided in the next weeks. The witches left the lift at the next possibility, entering the Department of Magical Games and Sports, while Harry and Percy went further up, accompanied by a couple of violet memos which eagerly fluttered over their heads.

''Have you heard anything of Ludo Bagman?", Harry asked, who suddenly remembered the former head of the sports department.

Percy shrugged. ''No trace of him since three years. Most likely, the goblins found him and buried him quietly in the woods."

- ''Sixth floor, Department of Magical Transportation, including the Floo Network Authority, the Broom Regulatory Control, the Portkey Office, and the Apparition Test Centre'', the cool voice said.

''I still haven't done my test, and neither has Ron", Harry said.

Percy nodded calmly. ''Yes, Dad's mentioned it. If you have time later on, you can do it straightaway. You're supposed to have a lot of exercise, as I've heard."

Percy seemed at the edge of adding a comment about illegal apparition when three wizards entered the lift and stopped him. Up and up it went, until they finally reached the second floor.

''Second floor, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, including the Auror Office, the Office for the Detection and Confiscation of Counterfeit Defensive Spells and Protective Objects, the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office, the Improper Use of Magic Office, the Wizengamot, and the Wizengamot Administration Services."

Percy nodded towards Harry.

''Here we are, Harry. First door on the left."

- ''See you, Percy."

In front of the door stood a grimly looking young wizard in a grey-blue coat whom Harry identified as an auror immediately. At the desk next to the door sat an elderly witch who rose from her chair when she spotted him, knocked on the door and called inside:

''Excuse me, sir, the Potter boy's here."

Harry knit his brows. When would he be old enough not to be called the Potter boy? The witch held the door open for him.

''You are being expected, Mr. Potter."

Before Harry could enter, a swarm of memos used the opportunity to fly into the office, passing another auror with a long brown ponytail who just left it, giving Harry a curious look before striding down the corridor. Harry entered the office and the assistant closed the door behind him.

''Hello, Harry", the new head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement said, rising from his chair and stretching out his hand.

''Mr. Weasley", Harry said puzzled and shook the offered hand. ''I didn't know I was going to meet you."

Mr. Weasley pointed invitingly at the chair in front of his desk. ''Yes, my promotion didn't make it to the front page in the light of recent developments."

- ''Congratulations", Harry said.

''Thanks, Harry. But I suspect it's only for the interim", Mr. Weasley said and cleaned his spectacles with a red tissue that had the same colour as his balding hair. ''Only until the last Death Eaters are behind bars. Kingsley insisted that I take the job, and I could hardly decline."

- ''A good choice", Harry said insistently. ''You know that these people need to be punished harshly."

He had to think of Fred and the bitter lines around Mr. Weasley's lips told him that he thought the same.

''Where have you been the past week, Harry? At Grimmauld Place?"

Harry nodded, avoiding Mr. Weasley's eyes. He had left Hogwarts at the evening after the battle, directly after the memorial, and buried himself in Sirius's old house. The faces of Fred, Lupin, Tonks, and all the others had been haunting him ever since.

''I was at Dedalus's and Hestia's and then at the Dursleys's", he said, avoiding the question. ''It seemed right to look what happened to them."

- ''And? How was it?", Mr. Weasley asked, whose sole visit at Privet Drive had devastated the living room. As he thought of Uncle Vernon's face under the thick layer of dust that had been caused by the explosion of the electric ingle, his mood improved significantly.

''Even worse than expected. Why did you make this appointment?"

Mr. Weasley put his spectacles back on his nose. ''It concerns the ongoing processes against the Death Eaters, Harry. I - and Kingsley - think that you could be very helpful. Nearly nobody was...around them as much as you were. We would appreciate it, if you were to support us in the next weeks."

Harry nodded excitedly. ''I want to help as much as I can. But what exactly do you want me to do?"

- ''First thing is, you put everything on record which you know about their activities. Additionally, I'd like to know if this list is complete."

Mr. Weasley opened a file and gave a paper to him; it was a list of all known Death Eaters. Harry studied it attentively.

''I can't think of anybody else."

- „Good. If you remember someone who's missing, tell me immediately. Everything will be explained by Kings- ahm, the Minister."

- ''When do you want me to testify?"

- ''At the trials."

- ''You want to put me on the stand at every trial?", Harry asked uncomfortably. ''Can't I do it in writing?"

Mr. Weasley shook his head. ''Your presence is important, Harry. It will make these Death Eaters nervous, and you are the main witness in some of the trials."

Harry nodded slowly. He wasn't exactly glad to enter the ministry daily in the next weeks, but he knew about the importance of these trials. The Death Eaters had to be put behind bars, only then there would be a chance of peace.

''When do the trials start?"

Mr. Weasley looked at his watch. ''To be precise, in five hours. The Carrows are up first."

- ''Why them?"

- ''Because we want to set a sign to start off, and their case is the easiest. There are hundreds of students who can testify that they used the Cruciatus on their friends."

- ''What about the Malfoys?", Harry asked.

''They'll be the last ones", Mr. Weasley said grimly. ''They're the most...complicate case."

Harry nodded again. ''All right. What am I supposed to do before the trial starts?"

- ''Kingsley would like to talk to you. Just go upstairs, he'll be waiting for you."

They rose from their chairs and shook hands.

''You'll be there tomorrow?", Mr. Weasley asked suddenly.

- ''Of course", Harry said, mustering the desk intensely. ''See you this afternoon, Mr. Weasley."

- ''See you, Harry."

Kingsley's office was located on the top floor, but in front of it stood not one, but four grimly aurors with their wands in their hands. When Harry approached, they opened the door wordlessly. He entered what turned out to be Percy's office.

''Go on, he's waiting for you."

The office of the Minister for Magic was the biggest Harry had ever seen, even bigger than Slughorn's at Hogwarts. Behind Kingsley's enormous desk was a huge window which allowed clear (and magical) sun to enter. At the walls hung, where they weren't covered by bookshelves and filing cabinets, clocks that showed the current time in Salem, Rio, and Sofia, next to pictures of fugitive Death Eaters and portraits of Kingsley's predecessors as minister. At the sight of Cornelius Fudge's smug face and the lemon-green bowler on top of it, Harry clenched his fist. Next to Fudge, Rufus Scrimgeour nodded grimly. Apparently, Pius Thicknesse's tenure of office hadn't been considered worth a portrait. Harry kept looking at the old ministers and took Kingsley's outstretched hand.

''Harry. Thanks for coming", the new minister said in his deep, calm voice.

„Hello, minister."

- ''No need for formalities, we've gone through enough trouble together."

They sat down and Kingsley mustered him thoughtfully.

„How are you, Harry?"

Harry shrugged. ''I'm fine."

Kingsley gave him a look that said and I'm supposed to believe that? but he didn't press the point.

''What are you going to do now, after Voldemort's finished?"

Harry scratched himself at his scar. ''I'm not sure. I mean, I don't know yet. Maybe I'll go back to Hogwarts."

The minister nodded slowly. ''Do you still want to be an auror?"

- ''I haven't finished my education..."

- ''And I didn't ask for your education, Harry", Kingsley said. ''So? Do you still want to be an auror?"

Harry shrugged. ''I don't know. It's always been the only job I've been thinking about, but mainly because I thought it would help me fighting him. Now, as he's gone..."

He looked down on his hands. ''Maybe I've seen enough fights. Maybe it's time to be done fighting."

It was obvious that Kingsley was disappointed, although he tried to hide it.

''Well, that's your own decision to make, of course...but there will always be a place for you at the Auror Office, no matter, how many NEWTs you get. The same goes for Ron and Hermione."

- ''I don't want special treatment."

- ''This isn't special treatment, Harry. You've earned it. For seven years."

- ''What about the Order?", Harry asked, keen to switch subjects.

Now Kingsley was shrugging himself. ''What about it? There's no reason to meet again. The war is won, the aurors will take care of the remaining Death Eaters."

Harry knit his brows. Now he remembered that Mr. Weasley had mentioned something like that.

„Remaining Death Eaters? What does that mean?"

Kingsley sighed deeply. ''Didn't you read the Daily Prophet?"

- ''Only the front page."

- ''We didn't catch all of them", Kingsley said, ''some are still on the run."

He counted them down on his fingers. ''Avery, Jugson, Nott, and Selwyn from the inner circle around Voldemort, and some from the lower ranks as well. They're the other reason why we need your help."

- ''You want me to track them down", Harry said quietly.

''Not on your own", Kingsley pointed out, ''You - and Ron and Hermine also, if they want to - only are supposed to assist the aurors."

- ''I don't think we'll be good at that", Harry said. ''The only thing we're good at is running away from them."

- ''Well, it's past time that you change that, if you ask me." Kingsley looked at him. ''I wouldn't ask you, if I thought it wouldn't work, Harry."

Harry sighed. He hadn't lied, he wanted to be done fighting for good. But these people weren't random criminals, they were Death Eaters, Voldemort's minions, and they were responsible fo the faces that haunted him at night.

''What does 'assist the aurors' mean concretely?", he asked.

''It will be a paid internship at the Auror Office", Kingsley said. ''Harry, please. We lost many good aurors. Only half of us made it through the war. But somehow, we have to put these Death Eaters behind bars, so that it's really over for good."

Harry nodded grimly. ''All right. I can't speak for Ron and Hermione, but I'm in. I'll help you as good as I can."