A/N: English is my second language, so I'm doing the best I can, especially because this chapter didn't pass through a beta.
All the standard disclaimers apply, for ownership (not mine!) and the excuses and begging for forgiveness for the delay of this chapter (to all the amazing 14 people that are following this story!! Thank you so much!!!).
CHAPTER SEVEN
THE-BOY-WHO-LIVED… TRIUMPHS?
Rumors coming from the Ministry employees say that Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived, engineered and accomplished an attack that decimated the Death Eaters' ranks and destroyed You-Know-Who himself for good!
Since the Death Eaters' raids happened every night in the last couple of months and have been two nights that not a single attack is reported, these rumors get quite truthfulness light.
Where is the Minister to explain things and calm the worried heart of the English Wizarding society?
"This is the closest of a political disaster we have come since Albus Dumbledore's death," young Percy Weasley told the Minister in hushed tones.
"You don't think that somebody from the Order of the Phoenix talked?"
"No, sir. It's not their style. Usually they really like to keep themselves and their actions a secret. There were a very large group of Aurors at Malfoy Manor and a lot of wounded going to St. Mungo's."
"Let's prepare an official statement, Weasley. And a reward ceremony really quickly. Potter doesn't like the press, but we have to use this as much as we can," Scrimgeour said.
"Yes, sir!" Percy ran out of the Minister's office to do whatever was needed to capitalize on the victory over the Dark Lord.
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Harry slept late and chose to go to the kitchens for breakfast, not wanting to meet anyone yet.
He went to bed last night after a hasty good-night to his friends. The discussion in the Headmistress's office left him sour and Harry wanted to try and go to sleep while his body was tired enough to win over any worry that might occupy his mind. In the end, Harry had a calm night and as much rest and sleep he could manage without potions or magic exhaustion.
After a filling meal, Harry went to enjoy the good weather and the sun walking around the grounds. He sat by the lake and let the silence and calm soothe him, letting his mind wander around what he and his friends would do now that the war was over.
Harry, Ron and Hermione lost the NEWTs tests at Hogwarts but Professor McGonagall had promise them that they would be able to do the tests at the Ministry as independent students. They would use the month of July and the first quarter of August to study and prepare and then they would go to the Ministry to take their NEWTs.
Ron and Hermione found Harry lying on the grass by the lake in a light doze, lost in his thoughts and dreams.
"Wake up, lazy bones!" Ron exclaimed, looming over his friend.
Harry opened just one eye and smiled. "Hey, mate."
"We have been looking for you," Hermione started. "The Daily Prophet published a report saying that you destroyed Voldemort and they are asking what the Minister has to say to this."
"And what the Minister has to say?" Harry asked with his eyes still closed.
"Well, the Minister was quite annoyed about the news. I think he wanted to control how this information would be pass on," Hermione answered.
"Ah, everything is the same around the corrupted world of the politicians," Harry commented.
"Harry! This is important! You don't mind that they are using your name?"
Harry opened his eyes, sighed and seated up. "Hermione, whatever was published it was true? Or it was the usual garbage that the Daily Prophet likes to write?"
"They say you destroyed the Death Eaters and Voldymorts all by yourself," Ron said. "But they also said that it was just a rumor coming from the Ministry."
"How a rumor like that would start at the Ministry?" Harry asked surprised.
"Well, we got a lot of help from the Aurors when we went after you at Malfoy Manor," Ron answered.
"And a lot of Death Eaters and Aurors ended up at St. Mungo's." Hermione completed.
"So, someone talked," Harry concluded.
"It is the most probable conclusion," Hermione concurred.
Harry smiled brightly. "So, what I have to worry about?"
Hermione humphed. "You are not taking this seriously."
"Of course not. I finally did what I was supposed to do. For me, the war is over. I don't want to know what the Minister plans to do. I want to prepare and do my NEWTs and then think about what I can do with the rest of my life."
"I don't think it will be this simple, Harry." Hermione said in a low voice, seating beside him.
Ron followed her and spread his big body on the grass. "I'm sorry to say that I have to agree with Hermione, Harry. I don't think people will forget you and what you have done."
"You couldn't even let me dream a little longer?" Harry complained his smile fading and a crease appearing in his forehead.
"I'm really sorry, Harry, but I think you should prepare yourself and not let your guard down. The Minister will ask for your presence in whatever ceremony they devise to acknowledge the victory over Voldemort," Hermione said.
"And the Death Eaters that escaped might want some kind of revenge," Ron said.
"You two definitively aren't fun!" Harry whinnied.
"But we cover you back really well," Ron joked.
Harry lost his playfulness. "That you did, Ron. You two did that very well. I just hoped that you wouldn't need to keep doing that anymore."
"Don't worry, mate. Cover your back doesn't get in the way of the other things I want to do," Ron answered grinning.
"We wanted to go with you, Harry. Don't start to feel guilty about anything!" Hermione interfered.
"But I still can bash your head in for going after Moldyshorts without us, mate," Ron said, his smiling getting evil.
"I thought you would cover my back not help everyone who wants me dead."
"No worries mate. I'm sure the twins have something that will satisfy my thirsty of revenge from you."
Harry laughed. "Anything but a Wheezy!"
The trio laughed it out, basking at the sun and the calmness of the moment.
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Hermione, Ron and Harry only went back to the castle for lunch. They walked slowly, complying with the hunger that drove them but without any real desire to face what might be waiting.
They finally entered the Great Hall to find all the professors and most of the Order of the Phoenix seated there. The trio arrival brought silence to the room and everyone turned to watch them entering.
Ron's face reddened immediately and Hermione also could feel her cheeks warming up, a sure sign of discomfort and awkwardness. Harry stopped by the big doors and ran his eyes over all presents.
"So, what happened now?" He asked tired. Something must have happened. Because something was always happening to him whenever he thought things were calmer or better in his life.
There were some feet shuffling and some awkward glances exchanged. Finally Professor McGonagall sighed and stood up to look at Harry.
"The Minister was a bit nervous after the Daily Prophet, Mr. Potter," she kept her eyes on the young man's face. "He wants to have a ceremony tomorrow at the Ministry."
"What kind of ceremony?" Harry asked dispassionately.
"An award ceremony mixed with celebration for what I understood."
"I don't want any award. And the only celebration I'm interest in wouldn't go well with Scrimgeour."
"Harry…" Professor McGonagall started but was interrupted by Remus Lupin.
"I'm sorry, Harry, but I think you will have to do this. It's better to stay on the Ministry good side. Let the man have this moment of glory and then you'll be able to do whatever you want."
Harry lowered his head and sighed quite loudly. "But it's not that simple, isn't? When the Ministry will think it's ok to let me be? Or they will always want me to be at their beck and call?"
More of that awkward silence was all the answered Harry needed.
"I don't think I'm hungry anymore," and he turned around to leave the Great Hall.
"Harry…" Hermione tried to call him back but was interrupted by Ron's hand on her arm.
"Let him be, Hermione. He's right. It feels like they never will let him alone." Ron pulled his girlfriend inside his embrace.
"Oh! Why Harry can't have whatever he wants and deserves?" She asked sadly.
"Because he is The-Boy-Who-Lived and he destroyed the worst dark lord in memory," Lupin answered quietly. "People need him to be their hero, their symbol. Harry became what Dumbledore was. The light that the Wizarding world follows."
"I don't think he wants that." Ron said subdued.
"Albus didn't want it at first," Minerva McGonagall informed. "But after sometime having to fulfill the role, he got used to it. I believe he even started to like it "
"Well, Harry is quite different from Professor Dumbledore," Hermione said from inside Ron's arms. "He wants a life like everybody else. He doesn't like to be single out."
"He learnt early on that we rarely get what we want. Maybe we can help him get used to what are expected from him," Lupin offered.
"For as long as we are friends, we have been trying to help him cope," Hermione said. "I just don't know how much more we can do."
"Or how much more he can take," Ron completed.
The group went back to their meal subdued, uncertain of what would happen to the young man all of them like and admired.
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Harry didn't turn to check who was entering Gryffindor Common Room. He just stayed on the couch.
A small and delicate hand touched his shoulder and squeezed it lovingly.
"It's not fair that you should be so sad now, after all you did…"
Harry sighed, "My life is never fair…"
"I hoped that after this last year, all this would change…"
"I had hoped for that too, Ginny."
"We can help you get that, Harry, I can help you!" Ginny said with emotion, sitting by his side and taking hold of his hand.
Harry sighed deeply once more and squeezed Ginny's hand in answer to her offer and her gesture.
"I don't know if it is possible, Ginny," he turned to look at her. "And how come you are here? Nobody else wanted to come and 'show their support' or whatever they called it?"
"I escaped the Great Hall without being noticed. They were talking about what the Wizarding World expects of you and how you will cope with these expectations."
"Ah, nothing new then. Just people talking about me and my life behind my back and even making decisions for me," Harry said surly.
"Don't be a prat, Potter! Everybody down there loves you and wants to help!" Ginny slapped Harry's arm without much force.
"Yeah…" Harry couldn't escape the sadness swooping over him.
"Harry, you have to choose how you'll go on. Are you going to sulk all the time? Too much like your fifth year."
"Yeah…" Harry turned to Ginny. "I don't want to go back to that…"
"So, stand up! Take this sad look from your face! And if you have some problem with the Ministry or whatever, go deal with it!"
Harry sighed. "Easy for you to say. But everybody just seems to wait for me to continue to be their hero, their saviour. I thought that it would end…"
"So, you're wrong! Don't cry about it! Do something so things start going your way, for a change!"
"I thought you came here to help me, not to shout at me," Harry whinnied.
"I want to help, Harry. But if you just sit there whining and feeling sorry for yourself, nothing that I say or do will help. Nothing any of us do will help. The only one that can do something about this situation is you." Ginny said, still a bit picked. Her patience was not one of her best assets.
"Again, only I can resolve this."
"Well, it's your life, Harry. You said that you didn't want anyone else making decisions on your behalf. So, you have to do something."
"Yeah," Harry stood up and faced the red-haired girl. "Let's do it."
"Let's do what?"
"Let's do something. I'll find out what the Minister wants about this whole Voldemort thing and I'll decide how much I want to be part of it."
"Well, you already know that they want Snape at the stage and you at his side, smiling." Ginny said with a malicious smile.
"Well, Miss Weasley, that is something that I can assure you won't happen. Nobody seemed to take me serious on that one. Maybe finishing old Voldy off without witness wasn't such a good thing after all. I'll have to prove to the Minister and the public that I'll not be manoeuvred around." And Harry walked out of Gryffindor common room with Ginny hot at his heels.
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The Great Hall was still full of people. The lunch was finished but the discussion seemed winded enough to go on forever.
"Harry is right! If he is such a hero for the Ministry, he shouldn't have to put up with the likes of Snape!" Ron exclaimed, his red face a testament of how upset he was as much how long he must have been discussion this issue.
"But, Ron," Hermione was in her "explanation" mode. Meaning she already said the same thing at least three times already. She would be able to go on, repeating the same argument for some time yet but her patience was wearing thin. "The Minister Scrimegour wants to award all that fought against Voldemort. This will show the public that it's time to move on and change their attitudes. If we show any kind of grudge how it will be possible to defend a better future without prejudice, away from the Death Eaters believes?"
"We are not discussion purity of blood or this kind of prejudice, Hermione." Remus stated. "Harry said that his problem with Snape has to do with how the man treated him because of his own past."
"But nobody will understand! Or see it this way!" Hermione responded.
"Well, we say that…" Fred started.
"…this is their problem." George continued.
"We agree with Harry on this."
"Snape is a git,"
"and this has nothing to do with him being a Death Eater,"
"or even a spy."
"He was a git because he likes to be!" The twins finished together.
"I couldn't agree more," Harry's voice came from the vicinity of the doors of the Great Hall.
The entire group turned to watch the young man enter the room. Some comments started around the room but Harry walked directly to the main group in this discussion.
Professor McGonagall, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Lupin, Shacklebolt and Moody were surrounded by the Weasleys boys, Hermione and Tonks. The opinions seemed to be quite divided, if you go by the upset faces of the group.
"Harry, dear," Mrs. Weasley started. "We understand your reluctance, but that might really help with the future of our society. People must follow a bright example and after Albus…" She didn't finish, already knowing how much Harry detested been seen as the Headmaster substitute in the role of leader of the Light.
"I agree, Mrs. Weasley," Harry didn't quite finish his statement before Ron and the twins exclaimed in outrageous "What?!"
"Mate, you don't mean it!" Ron begged.
"You didn't let me finish, Ron," Harry said.
Now the Great Hall was in deep silence, waiting for Harry comment, knowing that it would be the first step of the new journey the young man would start. And everybody in the room was quite ready to follow him into this path.
"I agree that there is need of a better example for the Wizarding world. And I'm starting to accept that maybe I will have to be this example."
Headmistress McGonagall and Mrs. Weasley smiled at that declaration. They knew the boy had his heart in the right place and wouldn't disappoint them.
"But if I'll be the new light to guide the Wizarding world, them I'll light up the road I want to follow. I'll not act like Dumbledore and make decisions for other people's lives. I'll do what is right for me and I'll behave as I think I should. That means I won't be a bloody saint!"
Tonks, Ginny, Ron and the twins cheered at the last statement.
Harry let a lopsided smile appear and continued: "I will go to this award ceremony. And I'll accept whatever the Minister wants me to accept but I won't be buddy-buddy with anyone I think doesn't deserve it. And that definitively includes Snape!"
Another cheer filled the room, followed by some clapping.
"If the Minister doesn't want a scene in the stage during his nicely arrange party, he better keep that git far away from me!" And with that, Harry turned around and went to the kitchen, followed quickly by Ron, Hermione, the twins, Ginny and Tonks.
"Well, I think it's better that I warn the Minister. I don't want to hear any complains about them not knowing Harry's opinions on the matter," Mr. Weasley said and went of the room to walk out of Hogwarts until he could Apparate.
"Oh, my! I don't think this will work that well," Professor Flitwick comment.
"At first I thought about skipping this whole mess, but I think young Potter will give us an entertainment no one will forget for a long time! You better arrange for the best front line seats, Weasley!" Moody screamed after Arthur.
"You should not encourage this, Alastor!" Molly complained.
"I didn't say anything! The boy decided all on his own!" The ex-Auror defended himself.
"I don't think that there is much we can do, Molly," Remus interjected. "Harry seemed completely decided about this. And I, for one, don't blame him." Lupin completed and walked out of the Great Hall, going toward the kitchen.
"You know what?" Bill Weasley said. "I think this will be bloody brilliant. I want a front seat too!"
"Language, Bill!" Mrs. Weasley and Fleur said at the same time.
"Why worry, Molly?" Professor McGonagall said with a straight face. "I think the language will be the least of our worries during this award ceremony."
And the silence descended again into the Great Hall.
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A/N 2: I'm not very satisfied with the chapter but I couldn't let the year end without an update. I hope you read it with all the open heart the holiday season brings and feel generous enough to leave a review!
TBC…
