This is a short interlude, I realize. Chapter 19 isn't that long either, but 20 and 21 are long and 22 is shaping up to be as well. Forgive me!
Albus Dumbledore dressed tiredly that day, dreading the meeting that the morning's post had made inevitable.
He had been avoiding the minister as of late. Of course he hadspoken to Rufus Scrimgeour when the man first gained became Minister. Albeit, not immediately - something the man seemed to take great offense from - but he'd had more pressing matters to deal with at the time. The pain in his hand as he went through his morning tasks was a stark reminder of that. He had just been rather busy as of late… there was so much to be done now that Voldemort was no longer operating from the shadows.
It was both a blessing and a curse. With the truth that Voldemort had returned now being recognized, he had his former standing in society returned, enabling him to accomplish his many duties with much more ease. It also meant that the Ministry and the greater public were now properly on guard. However, Voldemort was no longer limited by the need for secrecy. His methods of cultivating fear and submission through open terroristic attacks, something he had been widely known for during his first rise to power, had resumed with alarming speed. In the few short weeks since the end of term, Amelia Bones, Emmeline Vance, and countless others had all lost their lives.
As a result of his renewed status and all that was changing, Albus found himself constantly in the presence of others - offering condolences, providing the Ministry with insight into what Voldemort's next move may be and how to counteract it, as well as continuing to organize his own resistance with the Order. It had left him precious little time to tend to his own carefully laid plans - plans that for all intents and purposes might as well have been torn to shreds and burned to ash in the past two weeks - let alone to meet with the Minister solely to deny the man access to Harry.
Albus knew he had done the boy many injustices over the years - beginning with his decision to allow the greater good to supercede the individual, but most recently simply out of love for the man Harry had yet to fully become - but he would not subject Harry to being used to further the Minister's political agenda. Though Scrimgeour had better intentions toward Harry than Cornelius Fudge had ever had, the only thing that took precedence over Harry's autonomy was his safety and the defeat of Voldemort. As much as it pained both Albus and Harry, he knew they were in agreement on those two points.
None-the-less, a picture of Harry looking nervous while Ginny smiled at Bill as they all entered Gringotts stared up at him from the front page of Witch Weekly, the headline "The Chosen One's Choice - Or Lack There Of", in addition to the front page of The Daily Prophet proclaiming Sirius Black's innocence made it necessary that he find the time to meet with Scrimgeour this morning. The man needed to know in no uncertain terms that Harry would not be a poster boy for the Ministry, no matter that Harry was now considered an adult and technically able to decide for himself. With one last sigh and wince at the pain in his injured hand, he waved his wand to summing the floo powder before making his way to the Ministry.
XXXXXXXXXX
The Minister immediately allowed him into the office without question when he arrived. Percy Weasley, looking chastened but proud, exited the office as Albus entered. The Minister's angry voice followed the young man out the door, "We're not done, Weasley. Wait outside until I have finished this meeting."
To his credit, Percy did not flinch under the disappointment of his superior as he once would have. The boy he had been at Hogwarts was always so eager to please that he could be prone to forgetting that there were other things that mattered. Unearned pride swelled in Albus to see that boy had learned quite the lesson in the last year - he was finally becoming his own man. Molly would certainly be proud to see the changes he had undergone since the last time she saw her son. Albus offered the young man a smile before closing the door between them.
"It's about time, Dumbledore," Scrimgeour said at once, his tone brusque.
"Ah, yes. My apologies, Minister," he replied affably, taking his seat leisurely. There was nothing to be gained by either of them getting riled just yet. "Busy, dangerous times these are. I'm sure a man in your own position can understand that. Cleaning up the disaster this last year has left has not been easy for either of us, I imagine." He had learned over the years how to get to the heart of the matter without having to offer one's own opinion.
The Minister let out an oath. "Fudge was a bleeding fool. Cleaning up this disaster will be near impossible." He sent Dumbledore a pointed look as he continued, "but it would be much easier if 'The Chosen One' was willing to aid our effort."
"I wouldn't think a boy of not yet sixteen could do a better job of it than you, Minister," he replied lightly.
"Do not toy with me, Dumbledore," Scrimgeour replied angrily. "You and I both know how this works. The public believes what it wants to believe and nothing more. Last year, they wanted to believe that they were safe and were willing to destroy your name to do it. Right now, they want to believe that the boy who last vanquished Voldemort as an infant and claims to have survived him once more could do it again as a near man."
"Our society needs hope and security, yes. They should be able to find that with the Ministry under your leadership." It was a half-true statement. The Ministry was far more competent under Scrimgeour than it had been, but the government alone was not enough to stand against the likes of Voldemort, and everyone knew it.
"The Ministry is not mine to lead, not yet. Interim Minister does not allow me to make the changes that need to be made to ensure our continued success. I need the approval of the Wizengamot to do that. Mr. Potter's support would go a long way in making that a reality," Scrimgeour said pointedly.
"And if Harry supports another candidate?" Albus asked, truly curious.
His eyes narrowed briefly before clearing. "While it would not be helpful to me in particular, a good relationship between the Minister and the savior of our society can only prove to be mutually beneficial. The Ministry needs that kind of public support if we are going to win this war, and there is much Mr. Potter stands to gain from us."
"Is that what your pardon of Sirius Black was? And your refusal to comment on Harry himself in this morning's article?" He questioned. "Was it meant to be an establishment of good faith?"
"My prior assistant may have been estranged from his family for quite some time, but he is still familiar with Mr. Potter. Though he did not know him personally, he made it very clear that Sirius Black was trusted and loved by both Harry Potter and the Weasley family." In a tone that was both certain and full of distaste he added, "It never hurts to show respect for those important to an ally. The friend of my friend and all that drivel."
Albus shook his head sadly. "You yourself have never been one to favor political games, Minister, and neither is Harry. I'm afraid you know nothing of him if you believe he will be swayed by your offers or political plays."
The Minister's expression hardened. "I believe Mr. Potter should be allowed to speak for himself in this matter, seeing as he is an adult. What I need from you is to tell me how to reach him, and perhaps a gentle suggestion that he comply."
"I'm afraid I cannot help you in this matter, Minister." He let his own feelings show as he continued in a strong tone, "As we have already discussed at great length, Harry Potter is not yours - nor is he mine - to command or use."
Scrimgeour scoffed and sat back in his chair with a frustrated movement. They had already had this discussion several times, never ending in the Minister's favor. "And I have told you that I do not believe that you have no influence over him."
Albus let out a chuckle. He was not, in fact, pleased with the turn his relationship with Harry had taken, but there was bitter amusement to be found in just how wrong the Minister was. "I am afraid to inform you that while that may have once been true, I no longer hold the position of Harry's counsel. You are barking up the wrong tree, as the muggles say."
The Minister retained his irritated demeanor as he lifted his copy of the Witch Weekly. "I find it difficult to put any stock in a rag such as this. I'm more inclined to believe the opposite, in fact, given their source," a disgusted look came across his face as he mentioned Mrs. Malfoy. It cleared and turned to one of calculation as he asked, "So is it her I should be speaking with? The Weasley girl?"
Albus actually did smile now, the thought of Scrimgeour trying to make any progress with Ginevra calling to mind several interesting, if not outright laughable, scenarios. Genially, he replied, "That I cannot say, Minister. However, if my own interactions with Miss Black are anything to go by, I would advise you that trying to sway her in any way should be rather like trying to trim a Whomping Willow."
She certainly had not held any punches when she invited him to look into her mind. She had held nothing back and allowed all the accusations she refused to voice in front of Harry flow freely through the unspoken connection that Legillimancy allowed. Even when she felt his own regret and sadness, she had not softened her stance in the slightest. It was something Albus respected, in all honesty. The betrothal had thrown many of his plans into ruin, yet he found himself rather pleased to see that Harry had gained a champion who loved him so fiercely.
"Interesting," he said thoughtfully. Albus expected the Minister to press the matter, but his gaze turned calculating instead. Dumbledore sensed he was about to use his position to his favor. The manner in which he steepled his fingers and leaned forward on his elbows only confirmed the suspicion.
"Tell me, Headmaster, have you managed to fill all the open positions on your staff?" He asked in a more neutral tone. "My predecessor made many mistakes, but his legislation still stands. If you have not yet handled the staffing situation by the first of August, it falls to me to do so."
"I'm quite certain that will not be necessary, Rufus, though I thank you for keeping Hogwarts in mind." Scrimgeour was not the enemy that Fudge had been. He would not do anything to hurt the school or the students, and therefore the credibility of the Ministry, but he certainly would play whatever advantages he had to try and gain access to Harry. Having one of Scrimgeour's people at the school would make it difficult for him to do the things with Harry that needed to be done. As much as it displeased him, he would need to work on Slughorn today. "Alas, I best be off. Much to do, as I'm sure you have as well."
The Minister nodded, but his gaze was sharp with the schemes he was building. Albus rather hoped all would go well with Horace today and that he would not need to deal with any of them.
Rather, he hoped all would go well with Harry and Ginny, as he knew Horace, in all his greed, would not be able to resist the lure of cultivating Harry Potter for his collection once he had met him. Getting away from the young couple without having to give away any information would be the trickiest part of his day, he was sure.
He fully intended to tell Harry the truth, as he had promised, but he had hoped to allow the boy just one more birthday, one that he could spend happily in the presence of loved ones. The truth of Harry's destiny was a crushing weight to bear, especially for one so young, and Albus was not yet ready to face it.
Now was neither the time nor the place for such thoughts however, and he took his leave. At the last moment Scrimgeour added, "Take my assistant with you. Perhaps the boy will learn from his mistake and prove he can actually be of use to me."
XXXXXXXXX
Percy Weasley was waiting patiently, if a bit nervously, when Albus came upon him. The man looked visibly concerned at Albus' approach, though he tried to smile to put him at ease.
"Good morning, Mr. Weasley. It appears you have been relieved of your duties for the day." He gave him an understanding look. "The Minister seems to be rather displeased with both of us. His upset with me is rather predictable, but it is surprising that you have disappointed him. As I recall, you were always very competent in any position entrusted to you."
Percy flushed, but straightened his shoulders. "I did what I should have done all along - I chose to protect my family over my career."
"Doing what is right hardly ever is paid in rewards, perhaps except for the peace we give ourselves in doing so." Albus surreptitiously glanced around the room and saw the receptionist listening attentively. "Perhaps you would like to join me in taking a stroll through London. There are some things we should discuss and stretching one's legs is never a bad idea."
The younger man had been glancing in the direction of the receptionist as well and nodded. "A walk sounds reasonable, seeing as I have nowhere else to be."
The walk to the lifts was spent quietly discussing nonsense about the work Scrimgeour had begun on remodeling the Atrium. Percy described in great detail how the destruction wrought by between Albus and Voldemort was unable to be repaired magically and had required all new fixtures to be made. His voice remained level, but he cast a frustrated glance at seemingly nothing in the corner of the lift as he continued to speak. Albus knew what he was looking at the place was where the auror office had placed the charm that recorded all conversations had within the lift - it had been done under his suggestion after all - in an attempt to root out whom in the Ministry was working with known Death Eaters. A casual flick of his wand and the monitor was encased in a white cloud, causing Percy to send him an incredulous look.
"What are you doing? They'll send someone immediately," he began, before Albus cut in calmly.
"According to our dear listeners, I am now having a coughing fit while you summon me some water. The whole affair should last about two minutes, if there is anything you would like to say without an audience," he informed him.
The confusion cleared immediately. "I've been monitored for quite some time, since before last Christmas even," he said quickly. "My outgoing mail for one thing, but also tracking charms, listening charms… some dating back to Fudge, possibly Umbridge as well, and I would not be surprised to find the current Minister has added some of his own, given how quickly he discerned I was the one to hide the filing notification for Ginny and Harry's betrothal."
"You are not without the skill to remove them surely, so I assume you kept them in place to allay suspicion? To what end were you working?" Albus questioned.
Percy shifted guiltily for the first time. "At first, I supposed it didn't matter. I was loyal to Minister Fudge. I believed in what we were doing. There was nothing to hide." His confidence returned and he straightened. "After that, I knew that You-Know-Who had returned and there were more important things to contend with. Once I heard from Ginny, I realized keeping my position and using it to do good was more important than privacy." He looked down at himself and cast a revealing spell, several lights of various colors and strengths appearing. "Though now, it seems that no longer matters." With another flick of his wand, they all disappeared.
Albus smiled. Percy Weasley had not been the top of his class or received Head Boy simply because he could follow orders, but rather because of a dedication to learning and growth, along with a respect for authority and rules, that made him exceedingly talented and reliable. Aside from demonstrating his skill, it was also a clear statement of loyalty. Eliminating the sensors was tantamount to signing his own dismissal paperwork. Still, Albus was curious.
As they stepped off the lift and out onto the muggle street, Albus cast a Notice-Me-Not charm over both of them. He asked without judgement, "Why make a stand now? You were in the Atrium the night that Voldemort was revealed to the world, you work in the same building as your father, and certainly know where to find your brothers… yet, you have made no attempt to reach out to them and offer assistance. What has motivated this change?"
"Ginny asked," he said simply.
Albus nodded but made no verbal response, taking in the surroundings they passed stoically, aware that silence could be the best encouragement to speak in some cases.
It was only a few paces later that Percy explained further. "She didn't say anything about my abandonment or what a fool I was… she just asked me for my help." His voice was pained as he continued, "Ginny hasn't asked me for anything in years. Not since her first year when she came to me for help and I yelled at her for walking in on Penelope and I. I realized not helping her now would be repeating that mistake." With a pained honesty he admitted, "I let my ambition get in the way and let her down that day, and then again when I interrupted her when she went to Ron and Harry. She never once outright blamed me for it, but she never again asked me for anything else either. The fact that she came to me now, after everything I had done, when she had no reason to trust me… it meant whatever reason she had for hiding the betrothal was more important than anything else. If I accomplish nothing else, at least I know I didn't continue to let them down. I did at least one good thing for her."
"It is quite wise of you to learn such a lesson so young. Far too often we take the easy way out and avoid such truths rather than admit our own folly," Albus replied, intentionally including himself in the statement. He had done the same, until the path he had put himself on had ended in the ultimate tragedy. Percy Weasley had thankfully learned the lesson before the damage had become irreparable. "From your earlier actions, I assume it is your intent to begin righting the wrongs you have committed, yes?"
Percy swallowed nervously, but nodded. "I - I want to fix things with my family, and I want to help you in any way I can."
By the end of the statement, his nerves had fled, chin held high with determination. Albus himself hadn't needed to hear the words, but rather felt the man needed the opportunity to say it for himself.
Albus placed his hand on Percy's shoulder and turned him toward the muggle homes they had stopped at. "I'm glad to hear it, my boy, and happy to welcome you to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, and home of your sister."