Intersecting Realities

by rightous malestrom

Voldemort is back, he can be stopped but all things come at a price. Someone called for a hero but he said no, ripped from his own reality he jumps again. Will he be more helpful this time? AU femHarry.

3. Ministry

I flew towards Hogsmeade, Tom could think I was flying to the Ministry but the moment I reached the edge of Hogwarts' anti-apparition jinx I disapparated. Reappearing outside Number 12 Grimmauld Place. The miserable old house of the Blacks. Inside waited Dumbledore and those of the Order who were ready to fight. I made my way into the gloomy house, passing by the portrait of Sirius' mother as quietly as I could, I reached the kitchen without waking the horrific picture.

"Rose." Dumbledore greeted me but his tone was serious, lacking the joy and enthusiasm one normally associated with Dumbledore. I couldn't bring myself to speak so I merely nodded. Kingsley Shacklebolt, Alastor Moody, Remus Lupin and several others were seated with grim faces. They had been briefed and it was likely they disapproved of the role of a young girl in it. Initially we had planned on having Dumbledore come with me polyjuiced but it had been decided he would come behind. His role would be to lock down the ministry and trap both sides within. This would be decided tonight. Kinglsey took me to the Ministry itself. The large man's quiet yet strong presence eased my nerves. We'd worked together this year and I trusted him and his skills.

The Ministry was empty when I entered. Still I put on my cloak, the relevant people knew I was here but that didn't mean I actually wanted them to find me. Following the directions, I'd been given I headed towards the elevators and took them to the deepest levels of the Ministry. Kinglsey and the Order would be in position, monitoring the Ministry, they would be ready. I carried with me a small device Dumbledore handed me, if the Death Eaters were here already, lying in wait I should use the device to summon the Order.

The deepest levels were deathly quiet, no security nor white masks and black robes. The Department of Mysteries awaited me. I found myself in a circular room, Dumbledore had described this to me. It was a security system. If I reached out with my magic and told the room what I sought it would direct me but record my presence. I didn't want to be on record so I set about opening each door in turn until I found one that seemed to lead to a hall so large the Retreat could have been swallowed by its depths. This was the Hall of Prophecy, here amongst the seemingly endless shelves was a glass orb recording the worlds of Sybil Trelawney, words that had dictate my life.

I paused, this was it. From now there was no going back. I shrugged off my cloak and took out the small vial of liquid luck. I focused as I took it, I focused on vanquishing Voldemort. I had been warned unless I was clear about the nature of my endeavour the potion might have unexpected consequences, for example if I had wanted for tonight to go off without casualties then I might have luckily enough stumbled on a reason to abort the plan and therefore prevent any conflict. I drained the vial and suddenly felt slightly giddy, I clamped down, filtering best I could to stay in control, to stay focused. Looking out upon the rows of shelves I decided that I'd have to pick a good place to start. I walked along the side of the hall until I reached a point that seemed as good as any, row ninety seven had a good ring to it.

"Rose wait!" I groaned and turned feeling cold and nervous. Ron and Neville were running towards me.

"What are you two doing here?" I hissed angrily, didn't they understand that I was here to keep them safe, so they didn't have to fight like I would have to.

"We heard what you said. I realised what you meant, this is about my Dad, he was guarding here when he died." Ron explained.

"And I wouldn't let him go alone, not if You-Know-Who might be coming." Neville added.

"But how?" I spluttered as I tried to see a way to get them to leave while they could.

"You remember when McGonagall took me to get a new wand?" Neville replied. "She showed me where her floo powder was, the twins had done something to get her out of her office so we snuck in and came to help you."

"Hermione is trying to get the Order." Ron offered.

I couldn't keep in my groan. They were only going to get in the way. They were loyal and brave, they wouldn't leave me now. They should have known that I was far from a damsel in destress but their honour demanded we stick together now.

"Whatever." I relented. "Let's go, be careful."

Row ninety seven still felt good for some reason, it was about halfway down when Neville called out.

"This one has your name on it Rose."

I moved over to where he was standing by the towering shelves. There it was, a little, innocent orb. I looked around for something I could transfigure into a copy. There was no reason to carry the real thing around when I could have a fake. I picked the orb up, weighing it in my palm as I consider the best way to make a fake. I was torn from my musing by a short gasp from Ron. I span and realised we had been surrounded. I reached into my pocket and activated the device, the Order would come.

"Hello there Potter, why don't you hand me the prophecy." Instructed a masked face. The voice was female and haunting. "Is that a Longbottom I see." She added, stepping towards the three of them.

"Bellatrix, enough." Came Lucius Malfoy's voice from behind another mask. I could feel Neville tense beside me. He would show no fear, he would fight if I allowed it and he would die.

"I don't think I want to hand this over." I stated supressing my fears as I tried to work out how to get out of this.

"Oh Potter you Rotter, why not?" Bellatrix sang like and insane and ruthless version of Peeves.

"You see, Bella, you don't mind if I call you Bella do you? You see if I hand this over, what keeps you from killing me and my friends?" I spat.

"Potter, you deny our master. You're already dead." Bellatrix replied.

"Enough. Potter hand over the Prophecy and we will let your friends go." Malfoy offered.

"Bella, can I trust him?" I asked the insane witch. "He is a weak-minded fool isn't he. I was told that only the weak fall under the imperius."

"He is weak." Bellatrix confirmed.

"Rose, what are you doing?" Hissed Neville through gritted teeth, his knuckles going white as they clenched around his wand.

"Enough of this." Came a new voice as another masked man stalked forwards.

"Oh Ruddy, why must you always ruin my fun?" Moaned Bellatrix as I desperately tried to calculate how long it had been since I called for the Order. This would have been so much easier to escape if I was alone.

"Get the Prophecy and lets get out of here." The man who I now assumed was Rodulphus LeStrange ordered.

"There's a problem here. You see this label, it has my name on it meaning this is mine." I tried to explain. Moving towards Neville and Ron and discreetly pulling out my wand.

"It belongs to the Dark Lord." Bellatrix insisted snapping her wand towards me.

"No, we cannot risk breaking it." Malfoy snapped snatching Bellatrix's wrist. This was my best moment Malfoy and Bellatrix were distracted. LeStrange was glaring at the two of them.

"Get ready to run." I instructed under my breath hoping that Neville and Ron had heard. I flicked my wand up and launched a concussive curse. The noise was deafening and prophecy orbs exploded all around us. The Death Eaters staggered and I grabbed Neville's wrist and dragged him away as I blasted the floor in front of two Death Eaters blocking our path as they tried to stop the ringing in their ears. Ron was following us best he could as we ran, we found another door way and I quickly set up a tripwire before rushing on. They would have recovered by now and be in pursuit.

"The Order should be on their way, we have to try and split them up and survive until they get here." I informed the other two as we ducked into another room. Sprinting through that I shot a finite at the lighting plunging the room into Darkness before casting sticking charms all over the floor. Easy to counter but they would succeed in slowing down anyone chasing up. I didn't want anything more dangerous or permanent since the Order should be in pursuit of us too.

A flash of light shot over our shoulders and exploded against the wall in front of us as a lone Death Eater caught us as we dived through a corridor.

"Got you now you little pests." Jeered the Death Eater.

I rounded on him raising my wand. There were three of us, I was confident he would be beaten before the others caught up with him. He snapped off a dark curse that would have left us with traumatic visions but it was a standard dark curse and I'd countered it before it made it halfway to us. I'd already retaliated with a confundus charm as the Death Eater paused and watched his curse fizzle out. My charm hit him and he staggered slightly before turning slightly to look around. I'd followed up with a full body bind before he'd worked out he was facing the wrong direction for no apparent reason. Neville had fired a stunner at him while Ron had added his own disarming charm. The Death Eater had been blasted away by the force of the spells and his wand was now flying towards Ron's outstretched hand. I would have preferred to do something else but we had been stationary too long already.

We soon found ourselves in a wide, open chamber. It was an astronomer's dream as models of planets were floating around. The room was dark but a model of the sun was glowing in the centre.

"Oh Potter." Called out the sing song voice of Bellatrix LeStrange. Neville snapped around pointing his wand in the direction of the noise. Ron reacted thinking Neville had seen something also rounding and looking around. Sensing that the other two were spoiling for a fight I sighed. They would rather fight than run right now. Neville wanted to hurt the LeStranges and Ron just wanted to fight something after the death of his father.

I took a moment to focus my mind, to prepare myself. The other two wanted to make a stand so now was the last chance to rig the battlefield. My wand flicked, circled and slashed as I tried to bend the room to my will. I couldn't work out what the floor was made off nor the objects that made up the planets, therefore I couldn't gouge out a hole in the floor nor could I transfigure things. I did however have a few more goodies in my bag. I brought out the shrunken models of the stone soldiers Harry had transfigured. I hadn't transfigured them so they didn't resonate perfectly with my magic but Harry was almost me and our magic was so similar that I could animate his creations with no resistance. The enchantments he had placed on them in our practice spar had only been added to by Fleur in preparation for this. I would have to focus on controlling them but we now had numbers as I hit them with an engorgement charm and raised them to the size of men. It was like we had our own version of Hogwarts' suits of armour. Neville and Ron watched in in silent awe as within a minute I had given us a chance.

"Protect me, I'll need to focus for this." I warned them as we heard Bellatrix call out again, closer this time.

"The Order will be here soon." Ron reminded us in an attempt to raise the mood but they seemed to finally understand what they had waded into. All of the words Harry had told me about picking my fights had gone out the window the moment the other Gryffindors had arrived. Now I just had to do my best to get us out of here. The sound of feet getting closer caused us to go quite as I focused my will and like a conductor I formed the phalanx of spearman in front of me, either side of me with resolute faces Neville and Ron levelled their wands in the direction of the footfalls.

"Potter?" Came the grisly voice of Moody.

"Over here." I returned as the Order rushed into the room. Nods were exchanged as serious expressions were on all round.

"No sign of the big guy yet." Kingsley informed me in his quiet voice full of inner strength. The Order arranged themselves around us. "Found some stragglers, have you?" He joked but I could tell it worried him.

"They came to help me apparently." I responded in a dry tone giving away exactly what I thought about their attempts.

"We don't have time for that, they're in the next room. They're cautious, whatever you've done you've got'em worried Potter." Moody interjected, his gruff tones snapping us back to attention as his magical eye scanned the area.

"Oh Potter." Called out Bellatrix's haunting voice. As she appeared. "You've brought friends."

"Give us the prophecy Potter and you and your friends may walk out of here alive."

My response was to march the soldiers forwards. Moody had beaten me to the punch and had sent a hail of curses at the Death Eaters on the edges forcing the group together. Bellatrix was just as fast as she retaliated. I had to trust Kingsley to protect me as I herded the spearman towards the Death Eaters. If the call hadn't already gone out to bring Voldemort it should now.

The Death Eaters nearest Harry's creations soon learnt of the effort that had gone into them as their spells splashed ineffectually against them. The screams of pain when the spears were thrust forwards almost made me hesitate but I supressed it as strongly as I could. Guilt and feelings could wait. A shield flashed in front of me as Kingsley kept me safe from a spell to liquefy my organs. While the Death Eaters retreated from my creations I took a moment to glance around. A couple of the Order I didn't know had gone down already but Moody had bested a few of the Death Eaters and my spearman had injured more, a few of which weren't getting back up.

"Potter, these are annoying." Declared Bellatrix her voice somehow making it through the haze of the battle before I saw something that chilled me to the bone and yet it had the opposite effect on everything else. Despite the confined space the insane witch had unleashed fiendfyre on Harry's creations. They were tough but they couldn't resist the cursed flames.

"Run." Ordered Moody as he spotted the flames. Nobody hesitated. Fiendfyre was unpredictable and dangerous. Bellatrix would likely kill them all if they stayed and she wouldn't care if she killed a few of her own. I had a momentary flash of guilt as I remembered those that had fallen in the Space room. If they weren't dead before they were now.

Somehow the chaos we'd all started to get separated. Unsure what to do I dove through a door in confusion and found myself in the circular room of doors. I fled quickly into the Ministry itself thinking I could get under my cloak and hide ready for Tom's arrival.

"Oh Potter, where are you going now?" Came that annoying sing song voice, at least she gave me a warning. I wheeled around and launched a blasting curse at her, she countered in mid-flight and if fizzled out. "That's not very nice. Now the Dark Lord wants to kill you but he never said I couldn't play with you first, you want to play a game Potter?."

"I'd offer to play some gobstones but its clear you've lost your marbles." I quipped desperately hoping that someone would come. Bellatrix was one of the most feared duellists of the last war.

"How precious." Bellatrix commented. She followed the comment up with a blue spell which I swatted away and returned fire with a confudus. Bellatrix just sent more curses at me and broke my focus making the confundus fail as I desperately raised a shield.

"Crucio." She snarled. There was nothing nearby to intercept the curse, no counter nor shield could stop it I closed my eyes and braced for the inevitable pain but it never came.

"Goodnight Bella. Rest now, be at peace." Whispered a familiar voice. I opened my eyes and looked up Harry was holding Bellatrix upright, as he whispered in her ear. He let her go and she slumped to the ground revealing that cruel looking curved knife of his. He absently span it around using the ring where the pommel should be that protected his index finger. The claw like blade had gone up and under Bellatrix's ribcage, the tip tearing into her cold heart. There was no coming back for her.

"Harry, I thought you didn't want to get involved?" I asked. I had rarely been so relieved, if he was here and so was Dumbledore then we stood a good chance.

"I didn't particularly want to be. Fleur however decided that regardless of fate and destiny and all that you could do with some help. I find it hard to say no to that girl."

"Fleur is here?"

"I wanted her to stay away. Turns out she has a bit more Veela in her than she lets on. Jeevesy is probably still trying to put out the fires." Provided Harry. "She's around here somewhere under my cloak keeping us safe."

"Why didn't you just curse Bellatrix?" I asked as together we began to head to the lift up to the atrium.

"She would have had a chance. I was silenced as I approached, unless she had a reason to look around she was dead. If I cursed her verbally then we'd duel and there is a chance she wins, even non-verbally she might have felt the magic." Harry explained as we entered the lift. Fleur appeared as she threw off the cloak and gave me a quick hug. I could see tears in her eyes. That was probably the first time she'd seen someone die I realised, she also lacked the expertise in supressing her emotions that Harry and I had developed. I returned the hug, more of a slight squeeze really and gave a small smile.

"Is Tom here yet?" I asked.

"I don't know, I'd think he's probably waiting up there." Harry replied grimly. "Under your cloak." He ordered. Not wanting to argue I slipped under the silvery fabric. With a ping the gates opened and the atrium appeared. We strode out warily we me still invisible. There was no sign of Tom nor Dumbledore. I was also very aware that there had been no patronus from Snape. So much of our plan relied on him. There was a chance Tom could be restrained but it would be easier to simply kill him.

Two Death Eaters rounded a corner and marched towards us. Quickly, almost a blur Harry flicked his wand out and with two twists and two soft 'pew' noises the Death Eaters fell like puppets with their string cut, never to rise again. Fleur flinched at the easy way Harry killed but she was strong and understood that they were not good men.

A phoenix patronus flew to me. Opening its beak Dumbledore's voice came out.

"Tom has come, I am focused on containing him. Good luck." With that the patronus faded. A slight giddiness rushed through me.

"Let's go over there." I suggested quietly as the liquid luck fed me an idea. Somehow, they were able to work out where 'there' was despite me being invisible.

We walked toward the Fountain of Magical Brethren. Smoke came in swirling round before coalescing in the form of Tom Riddle and two other Death Eaters suspending an unconscious redhead between them.

"Rose Potter, I know you're out there." Tom called before he spotted Harry and Fleur. "And who might you be?"

Harry stepped in front of Fleur, I could see she was scared but too proud to hide behind her man she stepped beside Harry.

"Good evening Tom." Harry spoke with quiet intensity. It was far more serious that I had ever heard him before.

"You stand before Lord Voldemort and you dare mention that name." Voldemort hissed. I moved to the side, trying to get a look at the condition Ron was in. I didn't want to reveal my position either.

"I dare remind you of who you are." Harry snarled and I could tell he truly hated Voldemort. "You who created a new identity because you're so ashamed of who you are. You disgust me."

"Crucio." Voldemort intoned, his wand pointed at Fleur. Harry was a blur as he summoned her to him before casting at Voldemort's Death Eaters. The first took at piercing hex through an eye hole in his mask and was dead before he hit the ground. The second had enough time to let Ron go and raise a shield which absorbed Harry's second hex.

"You have potential, throw down your wand. Throw aside the half-breed and bow before me and I shall show you the path to true greatness." Voldemort offered.

"Fleur would you take offense at that?" Harry asked.

"Oui." She replied airily.

"Sorry Tom but the lady has spoken." Harry replied.

"Then you shall die." Voldemort snarled.

"I'm not the one scared of dying Tom. Will we duel like men, will you bow, didn't your father ever teach you duelling etiquette?" Harry pushed.

"Crucio." Was Tom's perhaps predictable response.

I watched, the felix telling me not to intervene, my brain telling me that I shouldn't give away my position but my heart was telling me to get in the fight. I had to wait for news from Snape.

Fleur was now duelling the Death Eater Harry hadn't killed while Harry held Tom at bay. I think the Death Eater was pushing Fleur back, she was shielding more and more and finding less opportunities to retaliate. My hand was tightly wrapped around my wand as I was ready to jump in. Just when I was getting really worried she cancelled the enchantments on her clothes and the Death Eater stopped at stared at her as if suddenly noticing her allowing her to hit the Death Eater with a jet of flames. He screamed but Fleur followed it up with piercing hex through his chest before slumping to her knees in shock.

"Crucio." Roared Voldemort hitting Fleur, Harry was caught by surprise at the change of targets and could do nothing to stop Fleur's scream of pain.

"No!" Harry roared, his green eyes dancing with power as his anger fuelled banisher slammed into Voldemort tossing him to the side while Harry ran to Fleur who seemed to be shaking on the floor.

Something told me now was a good time to get into position to curse Voldemort so I started to eek round a bit more to get a clear shot.

"This ends now." Came Voldemort's magically magnified voice. "Rosaline Potter, I have your friend. If you value his life give yourself and the prophecy to me now." Tom had Ron kneeling before him Tom's pale yew wand pressed up against Ron's neck. My blood went cold. Harry was cradling Fleur as she sobbed into his shoulder but his eyes were on Tom and they were as cold as emeralds. I hesitated unsure what to do. The Felix was telling me I could do this I just had to be patient a moment longer but I wanted to save Ron. The prophecy orb felt like an anvil in my pocket as it weighed on my conscience.

Before I had a chance to make a decision a patronus of a doe appeared.

"It is done." Was the simple message in Snape's dry drawl.

"Traitor!" Screamed Voldemort seemingly aware of what was happening. In his anger, before I could do anything he tore his wand across Ron's neck and there were two separate thumps as his body hit the ground. I felt the urge to scream but I had to suppress it everything was screaming at me to curse him.

Voldemort tried to spin on the spot but staggered slightly as he hit whatever containment Dumbledore had put in place.

"You." He snarled at Harry, raising his wand. The sheer hatred he was oozing towards Harry and Fleur told me he was focused on them enough I could act. "Tell me what that message meant, what is keeping me here."

"Pew." A soft twist and a lot of intent and I became a murderer. I'd wanted it. After knowing what that monster did to my parents, after watching what happened to Ron I can honestly say I fuelled that dark curse with vengeance, I wanted him dead, I wanted him to have an aneurism and as I softly spoke that simple sound and gave a twist of my wrist I sent a deadly curse at Tom Marvolo Riddle. I watched with morbid fascination as he fell, first to his knees, then onto his face. It was almost anti-climactic. There were no fireworks, no cheers, just the soft noise of Fleur sobbing. I sank to my knees as I lost the will to supress my emotions and I cried. I don't know why, I didn't care. Was it tears of joy at stopping the Dark Lord, was it tears for Ron and anyone else who died tonight, it might even have been me crying at me becoming a killer. Quirrell in my first year didn't count, it was self-defence, I wasn't even awake when he perished. I might have killed some Death Eaters down in the Department of Mysteries but I never took the time to check. This was the first time I truly had killed someone because I had wanted them dead with my whole soul.

"Rose, Rose." A voice cut through my thoughts as I became aware of someone shaking my shoulder.

"Yes?" I asked, looking up at Harry, locking green eyes with green eyes.

"I'm not going to say well done, but you did what you had to do. Don't forget that. Now I want to take Fleur home and get her some rest and pain relief." Harry told me as Fleur lent into him. She tried to smile at me but neither of us were really feeling capable right now. He gave a final squeeze of support to my shoulder before making his way past. "Albus." I heard him say in a respectful tone.

"Mr Potter." Came the reply. "I have removed the travel restrictions." Dumbledore informed him and then there was a loud crack which I assumed was Harry disapparating away. "Rose my dear, though it does not feel like it now, today has been a success."

"Ron is dead." I stated pointlessly. The corpses on clear display were evidence enough to make my statement obsolete but I felt the need to say it. To accept it.

"I do not know why he is here and I do think the Weasley family has suffered enough without this tragedy but I do believe if you were to speak to him on his next great adventure he would tell you that trading his life for Tom's would be worth it to him. Personally, I don't think any cost of life is acceptable but alas all things come with a price."

"Stop right there, you're all under arrest." Came a loud voice. I looked up from the floor, there was crowd of people gathered around, front and centre was Cornelius Fudge, the bungling fool surrounded by aurors.

"Cornelius surely you do not deny even now what has occurred?" Dumbledore asked confused.

"This has gone on enough. I have had it with your attempts to seize power from me." Fudge declared. "Auror Dawlish, arrest them."

"John, you are a good auror, do not do this. Do not deny the evidence in front of you." Dumbledore tried.

"I see two people standing over two corpses. That's suspicious enough to warrant an integration if nothing else." Replied the person I assumed to be this Auror Dawlish.

"I am sure that if one is prepared to listen to the answers then everything will be cleared up in no time, however right now we have an underage witch who has witnessed some horrible things. She needs to go to bed and we shall talk in the morning." Dumbledore announced.

"No." Declared Fudge doing what I considered the equivalent of throwing a tantrum. "I have you now Dumbledore. You killed these people and set this scene up. I can see through your plan. That body has been transfigured to look like You-Know-Who. You were going to have the Prophet find you and Potter here over the body and pretend that not only had he come back but now you have defeated him. Enough is enough I say. You will not get away with it this time."

"Cornelius." Roared Dumbledore and I could feel the oppressive power rolling off Dumbledore in waves. "I have never sought power nor have I resisted your petty attempts to seize more. This ends now. You must see sense."

Confused why the Minister was being such an arse I looked at his eyes and forced my magic to make a connection. Fear, overwhelming fear was all I could sense. The man was paranoid and I would suggest damaged. He seemed incapable of rational thought, perhaps Malfoy had done a number on him to make him easier to control. Dumbledore handed me the arm of the wizard from the Fountain of Magical Brethren that had been blasted off in the fight between Harry and Voldemort. I took it confused until I heard him whisper. "Portus." I felt a pull just behind my navel and when the spinning stopped I was in the Headmaster's office in Hogwarts. Too tired to do anything else I tossed aside the arm and not wanting to face Hermione or anyone else awake in Gryffindor I transfigured one of the cushy armchairs into a makeshift bed and called for Jeevesy to see if he could bring me some bedding. I was asleep before he returned to exhausted to think anymore.

"Miss Rose must be getting up now." I felt a small hand rocking me slightly as I slowly returned to the real world. I squinted slightly as the light shone through the big windows of Dumbledore's office. Sitting up I realised it was Jeevesy who had woken me.

"Jeevesy?" I questioned blearily.

"Miss Rose must be getting up. There is an announcement in the school there is and youse going to be missing it if Miss does not get up." Provided the elf. I nodded and accepted the clean uniform he handed me. With a snap of his fingers the bed I had been resting on untrasfigured and returned to being a chair. "Miss Fleur was hurt, Master Harry will be looking after her but says that Miss Rose should visit anytime she needs to."

With that the elf popped away. I sighed deeply and as I got dressed I took the time to refocus my mind. I felt hollow inside, there was no pride, no sense of achievement but there was guilt. I hadn't even tried to save Ron, I could have given Tom the prophecy and it might have all worked out. I filtered this out. I focused on the idea of there being a school wide announcement and slowly left the Headmaster's office and headed towards the Great Hall. I still didn't feel ready to meet other people, to have to answer their questions but I could feel all eyes were on me as I slipped into the Hall. The first thing I noticed was there was no Dumbledore, not that I had expected him to be there. He regularly waited by my bedside when I found myself under the care of Madam Pomfrey so I assumed if he returned to the castle he would have been in his office when I woke.

"Hem Hem." Umbridge's irritating simper came from the lectern that Dumbledore used to give the start of term notices. I sat at the end of the Gryffindor table trying to ignore the looks of the others. I didn't even dare look for Neville. I don't think I could face knowing if another friend had died. They hadn't needed to be there and that might have been the worst thing. They had tried to help and I had resented them for it and now Ron was dead and I was too frightened of my own guilt to learn if Neville was too.

"Last night, Professor Dumbledore was arrested." Announced Umbridge to gasps around the hall. "He was found surrounded by dead bodies, one of which he claimed belonged to You-Know-Who. Now as we all know, You-Know-Who has not returned and the Headmaster has been lying. The Headmaster has been arrested for the murder of several people found within the Ministry. No further details will be given until the investigation has been concluded but the Minister has appointed me to act as Headmistress of this school." I risked a quick glance over to the Slytherin table, several of them seemed to be clutching letters, and Malfoy looked broken. It seemed that the truth was doing the rounds within the families of the Death Eaters.

There were mutterings and whispers all day. I wanted to hide away, I couldn't bring myself to face Hermione so I skipped all of my classes and found myself wandering to the hospital wing. Maybe Madam Pomfrey's bluntness would be what I needed. There was only one occupant, Neville. He had an arm bandaged up and one of his legs was held in raised position but he was alive. I slipped into a chair at his bedside and had a quick glance over his injuries.

"Hey you." He greeted me catching me by surprise. I thought he'd been asleep.

"Hey." I said quietly.

"I got a LeStrange." Neville commented.

"Oh." I replied unsure exactly how I was meant to respond.

"I stuck with Professor Moody and Professor Lupin after that fire. We ran into Travers, Yaxley and Rodolphus LeStrange. I got LeStrange by surprise with a banisher, he hit the wall with a crunch and never got up." Neville continued.

"How do you feel?" I asked seeing the similarities in our situations. We'd both got revenge against those that had hurt our parents but I wanted to know if he felt as hollow as I did.

"I hurt." Neville replied with a self-depreciating smile. "Honestly though, I don't know. What am I meant to feel?"

"I don't know." I answered honestly. "How'd you get here?"

"Professor Lupin got me out. We stuck down in the Department for a while fighting a few more but I got caught when one of the Death Eaters cast this spell that caused everything in the room to explode. I was standing too close to something and, well." Said Neville with a gesture to his injuries. "After that, I just remember a ringing in my ears before a portkey. Then I got brought here. Is it true Dumbledore got arrested?"

I was about to reply when Daphne Greengrass burst into the hospital wing.

"Good, you're here. I've been looking all over for you. Umbridge wants us in her office now."

"I'll see you later." I told Neville trying to give him a smile before leaving with Daphne and headed towards Umbridge's office. "Do you know what she wants us for?" I asked. Daphne gave me a look as if I was an idiot and pulled me into an empty class room.

"Was that a serious question?" She demanded, her eye seemed to run over me taking in how tired I was. "You're a mess Potter." She muttered under her breath.

"I don't know what she wants now." I responded. I was so tired I sounded whiney, even to myself.

"So you weren't involved in killing a Dark Lord with Dumbledore last night? You weren't involved in the deaths of several Death Eaters, some of whom were close friends of the minister?" Daphne asked and I winced.

"Okay, maybe I can see why she wants to talk to me." I conceded feeling extremely stupid.

"Don't forget that she thinks you're on her side, you told her that Dumbledore was forcing you into this stuff. We're her spies in the Defence club remember." I nodded and took a deep breath to pull myself together. I'd have to be ready, I wasn't sure if there was even a plan. Last night I had realised Fudge was paranoid and unwilling to accept the truth. I wasn't sure what his aims were but I knew he would be looking to have Dumbledore locked up. A small dark little bit of me asked if I cared, Tom was dead. Most of me however saw this as unacceptable.

Umbridge's smug, toad-like face was not a welcome sight today. I just wanted to curl up and work out my place in this post-Voldemort world but now I had to put down my wand and sharpen my tongue. Daphne and I seemed to be honoured guests judging by how she was plying us with tea and smiles.

"My favourite two girls." Umbridge simpered. "As I am sure you are aware, the Minister has made me the Headmaster of this school. Now I am honoured by this request but it does give me several duties within this school, to ease my load I was hoping to create a group of loyal students who will go above and beyond the prefects to bring Hogwarts up to the Ministry's expectations. Now I have selected the students but I need leaders. I was going to offer the role to young Mr Malfoy but unfortunately his father was killed last night in Dumbledore's coup and I did not want to burden him with more." Umbridge's voice didn't sound particularly sympathetic I noted.

"You honour us Madam Umbridge." Daphne replied.

"I do." She confirmed pushing forwards to small silver badges. "We shall speak later about your duties. Miss Potter, Madam Bones the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement wishes to speak to you. I have told her of your true loyalties but she still wishes to speak to you."

I nodded unwilling to speak. Daphne reached forwards and took her badge and glanced at me causing me to reach forwards and take mine. It wasn't entirely sure what the image was meant to be but I didn't care as I pinned it to my robes.

Daphne got up and with a respectful nod left the room. Umbridge escorted me to her floo and was giving me advice for dealing with Madam Bones but I wasn't listening. I was still slightly dazed. The Floo ride was as rough as ever and I spilled onto the floor.

"Wotcher Rose." I was greeted by Tonks.

"You're back?" I asked taking a moment to gaze around the atrium. Huge sections of it were cordoned off and gruff looking wizards stood guard around.

"I got back last night, the moment the Order was summoned I headed back, there was no point me being out there. Anyway, I'm here to escort you to Bones." Tonks answered.

"How's Dumbledore?" I enquired quietly as we headed towards the elevators.

"He's Dumbledore. He's not really fazed by this." Tonks replied.

"What's Bones like?"

"Fair." Tonks responded. "A true Puff, she understands duty and will do everything she can for her people. Be fair and honest with her and she'll be fair and honest with you. She used to be an auror before she got moved to a desk job so she knows what it's like to be in the field."

By this point we'd reached the elevator. We didn't talk anymore, we couldn't give away the fact we knew each other. Tonks guided me through the Department of Magical Law Enforcement to a large office, she gave me a supportive smile and a slight shove into the room.

At the desk was Amelia Bones, a serious looking witch that oozed authority but the effect was ruined when I found myself staring at her monocle. Who uses a monocle? Why not glasses, surely it had to be charmed like Moody's eye.

"Sit Potter." Madam Bones instructed.

I moved quickly to sit in one of the chairs in front of her desk. She stared at me intently but I couldn't feel any legilimency from her. I tentatively reached out to her mind. There was a minor amount of protection, not enough to detect my feather light touch on her mind but enough that I couldn't get much from her and she'd detect me if I pushed. It didn't seem like real occlumency but Harry had warned me that some people who were described as bloody stubborn were often described as single minded which had the effect of giving them a very mild version of Occlumency.

"I have been told my Madam Umbridge that you're loyal to the Ministry and that you were forced into everything by Dumbledore." Madam Bones ventured.

It was likely true. It was a statement of fact, whether or not I was loyal to the ministry was another question altogether but it was probably true Umbridge had told Bones I was, and so I said nothing waiting for the inevitable questions. Madam Bones scoffed slightly.

"I have Albus bloody Dumbledore downstairs humming away in my holding cells. The former holder of a number of important positions and I am told he has a conspiracy to overthrow the Ministry, thoughts?"

"I was always told to look for the cock up before the conspiracy." I responding remembering some of the things Harry had tried to drill into me that meant I wouldn't end up as paranoid as Moody yet still be cautious.

"So you think this is a huge cock up, you know I might agree with that statement were it not for all of the bodies found last night. I guess that counts as a cock up but something was planned." Bones responded as she played with her monocle.

I kept quiet, I hadn't been given a question to respond to. I had already noted that this was Bones' office not an integration room meaning I wasn't in trouble.

"Fudge said you were here last night. Were you?" Came the direct question.

"I was." I replied neutrally. I was treating this like I was under veritaserum and filtering all my thoughts to ensure my responses were good enough.

"Then tell me why I have the bodies of several high-profile wizards dressed in Death Eater garb in the mortuary alongside a couple from Azakaban break outs also in Death Eater regalia. I have a body that is supposed to be You-Know-Who and I also have a couple of civilians who seemed to have been cursed within the Department of Mysteries and even those secretive buggers are complaining that they have curse damage everywhere and one of their rooms was torched with fiendfyre."

"A cock-up?" I tried. Bones grunted and shook her head.

"Try again Potter."

"Well I would assume that those in the Death Eater outfits were also marked." I ventured.

"That's not an incorrect assumption." Bones ground out.

"Did you catch any of them alive?" I asked.

"I'm asking the questions." Bones retorted and yet I could swear I saw a glimmer of respect in her eyes despite the sense of frustration she was making no effort to hide.

"I think their spouses might have a good idea of why they felt the need to have a Death Eater reunion within the Ministry last night." I offered.

"Potter, if I am honest and blunt with you will you do me the same?" Bones questioned.

I took a moment to consider the offer before nodding.

"Good. Now personally I can't see a reason Albus Dumbledore would have told us You-Know-Who was back if he wasn't. Now I have a bunch of known Death Eaters and ones who were suspected of buying their freedom caught dressed as Death Eaters and destruction in their wake. I also have a body that is supposedly You-Know-Who. Have you ever heard of something called Occam's razor."

I shook my head. I might know it by another name but that one wasn't doing it for me.

"It suggests that the simplest answer is often the correct one. Now being in Law Enforcement I'm aware that sometimes criminals try to be clever, they frame others and convolute their plans but in this case if we apply Occam's razor then You-Know-Who came back. Last night he and his Death Eaters engaged in battle within the Ministry with Dumbledore's secret group from the last war. You fit in somehow too but care to tell me how close I am?" Bones asked.

"I was here first. Then the Death Eaters, then Dumbledore's club then Voldemort with Dumbledore showing up at the very end." I supplied.

"So why were you here?" Bones pressed.

"In the Department of Mysteries, there is, or at least was a hall dedicated to Prophecies. In there one had my name on it. I wanted it."

Bones reached under her desk and from a draw produced a bottle of firewhiskey. It probably wasn't the most professional thing but I suspected in her job dealing with fools and the deaths of her officers that the bottle came out at times of stress. I quickly conjured a glass as Bones poured herself one. Seeing my conjuration, she raised an eyebrow but I felt I needed it more than her after the last twenty-four hours I'd had. She hesitated but with a slight snort of amusement poured a measure into my glass.

"What did the prophecy say?" Bones asked. I paused, Tom was dead now, it didn't matter who knew now.

"'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark them as his equal, but they will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..." I paraphrased from memory what Harry had told me months ago. I had rewatched the memory in my pensive at least once trying to analyse the wording for clues. Bones took a swig.

"Well that explains some things. Why were the Death Eaters there?" Bones asked.

"Voldemort knew about the prophecy, he knew the first line, up until the marking bit. He knew it and came after me as a child. He didn't know all of it but he wanted the prophecy in case it explained to him what happened in eighty-one. When he heard I was going after it he sent his minions." I answered.

"How did they learn you were going after it?" Bones questioned.

"I had someone tell them." I admitted.

"So was this a trap?"

I nodded and she took another shot of firewhiskey.

"I'd tell you that challenging You-Know-Who was a dumb idea but it seemed to have worked out so I shall hold my tongue. Now, I believe you. The problem is the Minister doesn't really care about You-Know-Who, he cares about power and staying in office. All he really cares about is that several of his richer and more influential backers were killed last night. The fact that they were here causing damage dressed in paraphernalia that would have had my aurors slinging spells at them means nothing to him. In fact, he is pushing me to investigate them as murders." Bones explained and I couldn't help myself paling slightly so I took a swig from the firewhiskey to put some colour back in my cheeks.

"What are you going to do?" I asked in a quiet voice.

"I don't know." Admitted Madam Bones sounding very tired all of a sudden. "The Minister isn't wrong; several people have died and I could treat it as a set of murders but is that justice? I would keep my job, so would the ministry and Dumbledore and his secret group would go down. You have done something and wormed your way into Umbridge's favour and while the woman is vile she does have the Minister's ear so either way you're fine"

"Sometimes we must choose between what is right and what is easy." I quoted.

"Yes, but who can ever work out what is right?" Bones sighed. "Remember I was a pupil under Dumbledore too and he never answers that bit."

I kept quiet. This was her job and I didn't want to risk offending someone who seemed, not friendly but as Tonks had said Bones was honest and fair. I wouldn't tell her how to do her job and hopefully soon she'd let me go and I could go back to avoiding Hermione I didn't know if anyone knew about Ron yet.

"There is of course the fact that a Hogwarts student was found dead in the atrium." Bones remarked and I checked my occlumency to be sure. It seemed she wasn't doing anything, just working through her list.

"Ron Weasley." I said in a very quiet voice.

"He was one of your best friends according to my niece and his father died only a few weeks ago." Madam Bones commented and I had no reply. "Who killed him?" She asked when I didn't say anything.

"Voldemort." I responded. I hesitated before adding more. "I don't know how he got hold of him but some of the Death Eaters had him when they appeared in the Atrium after I left the Department of Mysteries. He'd come to help me, him and Neville Longbottom, I didn't want them here but they thought I needed them." I struggled to keep the tears from my eyes by the end.

"I see. Well unfortunately as You-Know-Who is officially dead he cannot have killed Ronald Weasley." Madam Bones held up a hand to stop me from interjecting. "Now, You-know-who is dead so some might say justice has been served. Either way it is another thing that the Minister will try to blame on Dumbledore."

"Why can't we just get rid of the Minister?" I asked.

"The only way would be a vote of no confidence." Madam Bones replied. "They can only be called in the Wizengamot which isn't due to meet for nearly a month. With Fudge's supporters dead or in hiding then he will be in a weak position. I suspect that when news of Dumbledore's arrest spreads that Fudge will be further weakened. Dumbledore is so high profile that the trial would have to be in front of the whole Wizengamot so at least Dumbledore will still be around until then. The main issue is we'd need a clear successor."

"What about you?" I asked. Bones scoffed.

"I'd only take the job if I felt I needed to. I can lead in a fight. I'm not so great at dealing with fools who want to tweak the thickness of cauldron bottoms." The distain oozing from her was easy to detect.

"But someone will want the job?" I pushed.

"Oh plenty will, that's not the issue. The problem is that without a clear candidate the votes will be scattered and that might not be enough to oust Fudge." Bones explained.

"It sounds like you need to." I suggested.

"No, if You-Know-Who was still alive and his Death Eaters were attacking then I would be willing step up and lead the defence of this country but I don't want the job." Bones grumbled.

I reached for the firewhiskey and poured another shot for each of us, much to Madam Bones' amusement.

"If we could get rid of Fudge in a month, what happens to this mess?" I asked.

"As the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement I could declare the Death Eaters enemies of the state as they were last time. I would then commend the unmarked who died and they'd get Orders of Merlin third class or some other useless posthumous trinket that their families can have and say what brave people they were." Bones answered after the slighted pause.

"Why can't you do that now?"

"Fudge doesn't want people like Malfoy called that. He'd simply replace me with someone who'd do whatever he says. Umbridge might even get the job."

I winced at that. She was bad enough in the school, how awful she'd be if she had all of the aurors and hitwizards under her control was terrifying.

"Can you wait a month?" I asked.

Bones drank her shot and sighed.

"Fudge will want answers but I can tell him I'm trying to build an airtight case, that I'll have everything ready for the Wizengamot meeting but Merlin alone knows what Fudge would do in that month."

A plan formed in my mind. One that might buy us some time.

"Umbridge informed the Minister that Dumbledore had preparations made in the even he was ousted from Hogwarts. It was keeping Umbridge from replacing him earlier. Dumbledore has only just been removed so it could be that those preparations haven't come out yet. Our esteemed Minister might be best in protective custody, for his own good. You know, just until Dumbledore is put away and is no threat?"

"And where exactly did Delores get this idea?" Asked Bones with a raised brow which told me she knew exactly where that plan had come from. I shrugged innocently. Another sigh from Bones. "You know, I can't believe I'm taking advice from a fifteen-year-old but I think that is the best plan for keeping Fudge from doing too much damage. Typically, when the Minister is indisposed I'd be the one to take the reins so I could keep too much of his current craziness from becoming policy. I'll have to get people working towards this vote of no confidence quietly. Dumbledore's people will be with me and when I tell him the plan I'm sure he'll tell me what to say to them." Bones mused.

I let her think it through. One month and it would all be over. Fudge's craziness would be done with and without Fudge I couldn't imagine Umbridge lasting long at Hogwarts. One month of Umbridge in charge of Hogwarts. I would have to be careful. Daphne and I were her go to minions now so perhaps we could marginalise her influence.

"You should get back to Hogwarts for now." Bones told me. "You will likely receive a summons to called as a witness in Dumbledore's trial. Hopefully the vote of no confidence happens before the trial starts and it all goes off without a hitch."

A sectary guided me back to the floo silently. I took in the aurors all looking grim faced and serious. I had to wonder what they all thought about this. Their loyalty belonged to the Ministry but to become an auror you had to want to fight the darkness. Death Eaters had been caught, some killed but from Bones' behaviour I assumed at least one or two were in custody. Dark wizards had broken into the Ministry and fought with some vigilantes, they had missed out. Their job had been done for them. Did they approve of someone doing what Fudge didn't allow them to or did they resent people for doing their jobs for them?

Immediately after arriving back in Umbridge's office I was sent to fetch Daphne. We had to have another meeting about our new roles within the school. I used the map to find her and avoid everyone else. Daphne was alone in the Library while most of the school was down for lunch, I was able to duck around Madam Pince and found Daphne surrounded by star charts. She didn't take much convincing to return to Umbridge, astronomy was rather dull compared to the political intrigue of what they were attempting to do.

"Ah, girls." Greeted Umbridge when they returned to her office. "Let's take some time to talk over your duties."

We nodded and smiled in all the right places as she basically called most of the prefects useless or traitors. Unless their parents were influential in the ministry it appeared that Umbridge saw all prefects as sleeper agents for Dumbledore. She explained how we had the same power over punishments and points as teachers did and so long as Umbridge signed off on it we could even hand out warnings to teachers for abuse of the points systems or poor teaching. We would, at a later date be given helpers, lesser members of Umbridge's personal squad but for now it would be just the two of us.

"Madam Umbridge, I have request." I offered suddenly thinking about how I could use this to have some more time on my own to process what I'd been through and what I would do with my life now.

"What is it dear?"

"Well, I was thinking that since we're basically going to be working for you in removing the remnants of Dumbledore's legacy. Some of Dumbledore's supporters might not like that, you've seen what my fellow Gryffindors can be like. I wanted to ask if I could have a room separate from them so I can have a clear separation between my duties and my friends."

"An excellent idea Miss Potter, what about you Miss Greengrass?" Umbridge replied happily enough.

"While Slytherin house is more supportive of you I agree with Rose that there should be a separation between us and the rest of the student body. It also could be seen as a reward for helping meaning it could be something people aspire to be over the coming years as you implement your reforms." Daphne offered.

"I shall have Mr Filch set up two rooms for you by this evening." Umbridge replied with a large smile. Daphne and I got out rather quickly after that. I could tell she was excited about having her own room but really, I just wanted to avoid people for a while. I was walking these walls that apart from a month or so in my fourth year I had walked with Ron. Ron was dead, never again would people complain about his table manners, never again would Hermione berate him for his lack of tact or unwillingness to do his homework any time but the night before it was due. Never again would he get jealous over anything, nor would he ever cheer on his beloved Chudley Cannons. I needed time to purge these thoughts. I could filter out the thoughts, supress the emotions and focus on other things but if I didn't let myself feel then I would never be able to work through the pain and would forever live in its shadow.

On the top of the Astronomy tower, all alone I broke down. I knew I felt guilt. I knew Tom wasn't a good person and I don't think I regretted killing him, I knew that he would have killed more people but I didn't feel good about it at all. Watching Ron die, knowing that in some way I let him die so I had a higher chance of success would likely haunt me for years. I had been using all my skill with the Mind Arts combined with the liquid luck to not rush in a try and save him but I had to accept that maybe I could have done more. I sacrificed him for a better chance, maybe because of him I saved many more lives but now we'll never know. I knew that Ron would likely have been happy to trade his life for Voldemort's, he was a Gryffindor but even martyrs should have some choice over their end. Thinking it through I guess I could accept that by coming along in the first place Ron knew the risks but even if I accepted it I didn't have to like it.

As I was drowning in my own despair a burst of flames caught me by surprise as Fawkes joined me, I began to absently pet him as he sung a mournful song doing his best to help my mood. Through time or the magic of the phoenix when Dobby appeared, bouncing up and down to say he had personally prepared a room for Rose Potter, I was feeling much better.

My new room was on the third floor, left hand side with a view of the lake. The guardian to my room was a portrait of a wizard wielding a staff facing off against a dragon. Their endless duel interrupted only when he turned to enquire about the password. One of the first things I noticed about the room was it wasn't a room. It was a little flat of sorts, I had a small kitchenette, a lounge and there were two bedrooms sharing a bathroom. It appeared that I was sharing this space with Daphne but she wasn't here yet.

Dobby was more than willing to fetch all of my possessions from Gryffindor tower which let me avoid facing Hermione or Ron's family. I knew I was being a coward but I think I'd earnt the right to be. I'd been brave, I'd faced a dark wizard multiple times and now I was free to live a normal life. Heck, right now people didn't know he was gone nor did they know I was involved. There was a chance my fame might begin to wane. I shook my head ruefully. If Dumbledore's trial went ahead then it was likely that the knowledge that I cast the final spell would likely come out.

"Potter!" Came Daphne's angry voice from outside.

"Daphne?" I called back getting up to investigate what had happened I'd opened the portrait before she had replied but she looked peeved.

"Potter, we have to share, that means you have to tell me the password before you hide in there." Daphne said in a slow patronising tone. I would have been offended but I would have been just as annoyed as she was.

"Sorry." I muttered as I stepped aside and let her in. "I set the password as Caput Draconis. It was the password for Gryffindor the first time I entered the tower so it seemed fitting to be the first one for here."

"Its fine. You still all angsty or have you got that out of your system?" She asked.

Well that was tactless and rude.

"I think I've worked through it but I did watch my best friend die and I might have been able to do something about it but chose not to. Forgive me for not being at my best." I replied testily.

Daphne's raised brow was all the response I got. I sighed in frustration before going to the room I had claimed as my own and collapsing on the bed in a heap. It was still quite early but after the last few days I managed to fall asleep easily.

The next morning I woke feeling fresh. It wasn't quite like when I removed the horcrux from me but I felt lighter. The burden of destiny no longer weighed on my shoulders and today was the first day of my new life. I had mourned yesterday enough I was happy enough to begin filtering everything without risking an emotional build-up. I'd let it all out at the funeral but for school I could hold myself together.

Daphne was already up and working on something in our little lounge when I emerged from my room.

"Hey, sorry for last night." I said trying to clear the air.

"I'm sorry too. I didn't know the full details, you had every right to be a mess and I was selfish to want you performing at your best." Daphne replied with a guilty smile. Well that was simple. I nodded in acceptance before I suggested we head down to breakfast. She accepted and together we entered the Great Hall. Umbridge had claimed Dumbledore's throne like seat for her own and was looking extremely smug as she looked down at the students both physically and metaphorically. We were some of the first to arrive and the Gryffindor table was almost completely empty other than a few seventh years who seemed to be working on some NEWT related things over their meal.

The Weasleys and Hermione arrived much later none of them looking like they'd got much sleep. They'd probably only had Ron's death confirmed yesterday so it wasn't a surprise. Hermione led them over to where I was seated but as she sat and opened her mouth came an irritatingly familiar noise.

"Hem, Hem." That cough like noise meant Umbridge had an announcement, rarely a good thing.

"What's going on?" Hermione hissed doing her best to be quiet. I shrugged thinking that if she just waited then all would be explained.

"Good morning everyone." Umbridge paused, giving time for a half-hearted reply. Everyone had been in her classes and knew what was expected of them but they didn't feel any more enthusiastic than normal. "It is my pleasure to begin the day with some good news. As you know Minister Fudge has asked me to look after your future here at Hogwarts. To ensure I have time to do all that needs to be done I have recruited two assistants. These are the first of a team I will be forming to ensure that Hogwarts retains its position as the premier school in the world. I want everyone to give a big round applause to Rose Potter of Gryffindor and Daphne Greengrass of Slytherin." It wasn't energetic but there was a steady clap which seemed to satisfy Umbridge who sat down smiling sweetly.

"Explain." Demanded Hermione who looked angry. I noticed I was getting a few suspicious looks from the rest of the house too.

"Better me than someone who actually approves of her." I replied.

"It was you, you and Greengrass." Hermione hissed angrily as something dawned on her.

"Pardon?"

"You two were the ones who sold out the DA." Hermione spat.

"Ish," I confessed. "It wasn't exactly subtle. We told her a bit so we controlled what she knew. This way she left us to investigate rather than do it herself."

Hermione didn't seem to appreciate my reasoning. Her bushy hair seemed to bounce as she looked around the room before pointing an accusing finger at me.

"Did you sell out the Order and Dumbledore too, is that why he was arrested?" She demanded.

"Of course not." I replied contemptuously. "Nobody expected Fudge to do what he did."

"So it was all planned?" Hermione asked her voice weak as her temper burnt itself out. She didn't have the energy to keep it going. She suddenly looked very tired and on the edge of tears.

"Some stuff was. Ron and Neville didn't know the plan and tried to be Gryffindors." I offered. I didn't want to go into this now. Not at breakfast in the middle of the Gryffindor table, not after Hermione's less that subtle signals that this was private. I had no idea how many people were attempting to eavesdrop us but I was certain at least one or two were.

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Hermione said weakly.

"Its not. Unfortunately, they charged in and got themselves hurt because they didn't bother with the details. They were brave but they should never have been there."

"Hypocrite." Hermione tried to joke but her heart wasn't in it. The Weasleys down the table looked even worse.

"I'm going to go check on Neville before Charms." I told her as I got up. The atmosphere was depressing and guilt inducing and I wanted to escape. I had about ten minutes to visit Neville by the time I got to the Hospital wing. I knew a few passageways that would get me there with time to spare. Neville was awake when I got in there and his arm seemed to be better as it was free. His leg was still elevated but he was up and had a herbology text next to him.

"Hey." He offered with a genuine smile. I suspected he was just happy for some company.

"Hey." I replied, my voice quiet and weak as I tried to shake off the guilt that Hermione had re-awoken within me.

"Madam Pomfrey says I'll be let out of here tomorrow morning." Neville offered. "How is everyone else dealing with it all, we didn't get time to chat yesterday?"

"I only have a few minutes now before Charms." I commented. "Everyone is tired and emotionally drained. You know Ron died right?"

Neville looked grim but nodded.

"Yeah Pomfrey told me. Then she told me about the Headmaster."

"Well, you know the Weasleys lost their father just before Christmas and now this. The war is over before it began but that family paid the price. Hermione is an honorary Weasley so she's just as down as they are."

"And what about you?" Neville enquired with concern in his eyes.

"I'll be fine." I told him.

"That's more honest that you'd normally be. You used to just say you were fine no matter what was happening." Neville commented smiling again.

"Yeah but after everything that's happened I've got a new perspective." I hesitated. "Nev, can I ask you something?"

"Sure." He replied, his eyes wary but his slight smile undiminished.

"I want to know what you feel about something." I confessed. He gave me a look that reminded me I hadn't actually told him what it was. "Daphne and me, we're the ones who told Umbridge about the DA. We did it knowing that she'd hear somehow, this way we could control what she knows. Hermione still sees this as betraying you lot but I wanted to know how you felt about it."

Neville took some time to consider his answer. As quiet and as nervous as he could be he was honest and true. You normally got a good, well thought out reply from Neville.

"It hurts a bit, you know, you did betray us, but then, you did it to help us. You remember how annoyed you were at Hermione getting your broom confiscated in third year?" I nodded. "I think it's a bit like that. You're trying to do the right thing but she's too caught up in it to see that. When she calms down it'll be fine."

I smiled and glanced to the clock in the corner and realised I had to leave. Neville was sad to see me go but he understood. Charms itself was slow. Flitwick had lost some of his normally irrepressible cheer and I wanted to hit him with a cheering charm. I didn't think it was a good idea but his feelings soaked into the already unenthusiastic class and it was one of the least productive charms classes I'd ever been in.

The rest of the day passed in much the same manner. The staff felt the loss of Dumbledore and so did the rest of the school. Without him the whole place felt less magical somehow. A month of this we'd have to endure, a month before the vote and Dumbledore should be back. I retreated to my new room to hide from Hermione and the Weasleys after class finished. I knew I'd have to face them at dinner but after classes that sapped at my energy I'd lost all the buzz I woke with.

I headed down to dinner under a cloud of gloom. Just being in the school right now was depressing and the misery was infectious. Even the Slytherins were feeling it, that might have been since several of them had lost relatives but it was uniting the school in depression. Combining the misery with Umbridge's perpetual smugness and Hogwarts was not a nice place to be. For years I had spent my summers longing to be here but for the first time I wished to be somewhere else. I wanted to go hide away at the Retreat. I knew Harry and Fleur would shelter me but I'd always stood my ground and fought before. I'd not run from the Dursleys, I'd not run from Voldemort and now I would not run from my own memories.

I sat next to Ginny near the end of the table. Fred and George were missing, I was worried about them especially if they started causing trouble because I didn't want to have to choose between them and Umbridge. I could use my position to marginalise small things but if they did something grand and public I couldn't help them.

"Hey." Ginny said, she was trying but she had her eyes fixed on her plate where she was just pushing her food around.

"Hey." I replied just as quietly.

"I think this year might be worse than my first year." Ginny confessed. It was the first time I'd heard her talk about her experience in the Chamber.

"I'd ask if you were okay but honestly I think I'd be worried if you were." I started.

"You know, we believed you when you said Tom was back. We stood by you, we all knew it would get worse before it would get better. Really if you have stopped him already it's a miracle. Am I a bad person for wishing you'd let more die so Dad and Ron had lived?" Ginny asked as she looked at me at last.

"I don't think so. I've thought the same thing. We had a plan. He was only trying to help but I wish he hadn't been there." I offered.

"I think Ron wouldn't understand why we're all sad." Ginny said with a smile and a slight chuckle but it never reached her eyes.

"I don't know, when your Dad died he seemed to take it very seriously. Then again, I think that if you straight up asked Ron if he'd trade his life to stop Tom forever I think he'd take the trade, he was a true Gryffindor. He never tried to be brave or noble he just did what needed to be done. I wish more of our house were like him. We have some who worry so much about being brave they never actually do anything brave. Ron never took the time to worry, he was too busy saving the world." I replied.

"It came as part of being Rose Potter's friend." Ginny joked. Signs off life returning to her face.

"So you don't hate me?" I asked nervously.

"Nah, I couldn't. You've saved my life, I'd hope that my family would have fought with you if the war had escalated even if we weren't friends but because it was the right thing to do. If this had got worse then we'll never know how many lives you and he saved." Ginny answered. She gave me a squeeze on the shoulder as she got up and left the hall while I finished my meal. Hermione slid into the spot that Ginny recently departed.

"What else have you told Umbridge?" She demanded.

"Pardon?" I checked. I couldn't believe she was doing this, okay that's a lie. I could believe it I just didn't want to.

"I don't think you only told her about the DA." Hermione explained.

"That's nice. We're in the Great Hall and I'm Rose Potter. Were I to have said anything else I wouldn't admit to it where I suspect at least one person is listening at any given time."

"Fine." Hermione snapped. "You've changed Rose."

"I grew up." I sighed. "I had to so you lot didn't have to."

"Wow there Rose." George interjected as he and Fred reappeared in much better moods than at breakfast.

"I think I cut myself on your edginess there." Fred followed up.

"Have you two done something that I'll need to deny knowledge of or cover for with Umbridge?" I asked straight away as they sat and started to reach for food.

"Why Rose, its like you don't trust us." George replied

"That hurts Rose, right here." Fred added with his hands over his heart.

"I'd say I trust you to behave in a certain way." I retorted.

"Then perhaps we might have done something."

I sighed and looked around.

"I'll leave you to it then. If I'm not here then I was never involved. If anyone asked we were talking about what happened at the Ministry, not conspiring." I stated getting up to leave.

"We're not finished Rose." Hermione added and the urge to confund her grew strong but I kept walking and headed back to my rooms. One day down, too many to go. Daphne was in the lounge, work spread over out little coffee table. It did remind me I had some work due so I settled into another chair and began to work through it.

At breakfast the next morning came news that caught everyone's attention. I wasn't sure what to think about it but for better or for worse Fudge had declared the need for an emergency Wizengamot session. Something that hadn't happened since the last Goblin rebellion when they gathered to make a declaration of war. Dumbledore's trial was to happen as soon as Fudge could manage it. In some ways I was pleased, it meant that this mess should be sorted out sooner rather than later but it did mean that there was less time to organise a viable candidate to replace Fudge in the vote of no-confidence.

The whole school, while still gloomy was alive with the mutterings about the new developments. Nobody was quite sure what it meant. Even the purebloods that I knew didn't seem to be able to say which side this move favoured. I wondered quietly if this was in response to Madam Bones' suggestion that Fudge go into hiding until the trial. As I wandered to class rather aimlessly I began to wonder if I could or even should try and do something. It was likely that I would be called as a witness but was there anything I should say or do before that. Harry, having a looser set of morals than I, would probably confund everyone into agreeing with whatever he said. I couldn't do that, the truth had to come out naturally. This is what Dumbledore spoke about when he spoke of the corrupting influence of power. I could use my knowledge and position to bend the minds of the Wizengamot and the public to my view. I could do it and justify it as making sure the best outcome occurred. It would be for the greater good, that vague term that could justify any evil.

I didn't have to think about it for long before being disgusted with myself for even considering it. I went into my charms class and tried to get my head back into school gear. There would be no more secret missions to save the Wizarding World, I was done, I would be normal now. All I wanted to do was get my head down and finish Hogwarts. I just had to hope I wouldn't get bored with normal.

The news of the emergency session seemed to put a spring in Umbridge's step. Her smug face was seen all over and she was nearly skipping down the corridors as she tried her best to clamp down on pro-Dumbledore discussions. I knew I was meant to be doing the same but I couldn't bring myself to care. I would do the patrol I was meant to be doing with Daphne later to ensure the prefects were doing an adequate job because that was something I couldn't get around not doing but this, I could just pretend not to hear them. I'd got good at ignoring other people's discussions in my second year and my experiences last year had helped perfect it.

Umbridge had a note delivered to me at dinner. The emergency session was expected to take all of Friday and would be a closed session meaning nobody in and nobody out throughout the day. I had been excused from classes in case I was needed to be a witness and I should be in Umbridge's office before breakfast. Only a couple of days more before this should be all over.

The days leading up to the trial I got sick of people asking me what happened and what I was going to say. I'd taken to subtly confunding people to leave me alone or putting up a weak repelling enchantment. Hermione had been the most persistent and I didn't want to get into the details. If I said anything that got back to Umbridge then she might try and stop me going to the trial. I would rather deal with an annoyed Hermione at a later date than compromise the outcome of something that would affect the future of the wizarding world. The only person I was regularly talking to was Daphne and that was only in the privacy of our rooms. She understood what was at stake and while her outlook was far more selfish than mine we wanted the same result.

The night before the big day I barely managed to sleep at all and was up well before I was meant to be with Umbridge. I ended up grabbing my broomstick and flying to clear my mind. It's said fresh air in the morning is better than coffee for waking you up and the air in Scotland in January was certainly fresh. I had returned to my room, showered and dressed before there were signs of life from Daphne. I checked the time and decided to bite the bullet and go early to Umbridge, maybe I could speak to Madam Bones and find out what was going to happen.

Umbridge's smug smile had extended to Cheshire cat levels by the time she let me into her garish office. I kept my head down and said as little as I could not wanting to reveal how nervous I was, not because I thought she'd work out that I was planning to help Dumbledore if I could but because I didn't want to listen to her idea of a pep talk.

Once I arrived at the Ministry I was escorted to the elevators and sent to the deepest levels. I had a slight chill go through me as we stepped out into the corridor that led to the Department of Mysteries but I was guided to one of the other doors. It was labelled Courtroom 10. Inside a sea of people were sat in tiered seating all looking down at a familiar chair, this was the same place that the LeStranges had been tried. I remembered watching the chains curl around the accused and wondered if that would happen to Dumbledore. The court usher guided me over to a section of the seating for witnesses, a few faces I recognised from the Order were there already as were several people who looked far too self-important to be anything but Ministry personnel. I wasn't sure what they were here to do and suspected that using legilimency to find out would be too risky. It was unlikely they had good mental protection but if I did get caught and thrown out then Dumbledore might be doomed.

People were coming into the Chamber in twos and threes, all with serious faces. I spied Rita Skeeter and her acid green quill, judging by the writing implements of those around her, the section she was in was set aside for the press. Whatever leverage Hermione thought she had over the woman was nothing compared to this story. Given Rita's tendency to tear apart the public's idols and that by the end of today, either Fudge or Dumbledore's legacy would be in tatters. If Rita had her way it might even be both. Her quill was already scribbling out something and I felt relieved that for once it was unlikely to be another article about me. I had no doubt if my role in Voldemort's defeat came out then I would be getting front page articles but Fudge being removed from office was likely bigger news than me. Most people didn't even know Voldemort had been back so learning he'd been defeated again wasn't news.

Whispers were suddenly shooting around the room grabbing my attention. Fudge had arrived with an escort of aurors. He wasn't smiling but there was an intensity to Fudge, I remembered how broken his mind was when I peeked into it. That intensity was likely on the wrong side of sanity. I couldn't help but feel he wouldn't leave office peacefully. Fudge, like the other members of the Wizengamot wore distinctive robes and looking at the number of empty seats knew it was almost time to start. As Amelia Bones marched in with several more aurors I knew that the players were in place and the game could begin.

"Your attention please." Called out the wizard who had replaced Dumbledore as Chief Warlock, I think I'd read that he was a Bulstrode, either way it was likely he was one of Fudge's friends. The whispers and muttering died down as everyone took their seats.

"A few points of order to begin with." Continued the Chief Warlock now everyone was seated. "We welcome back to this esteemed body, Madam Longbottom and Mr Ogden who took a temporary leave. Now, the agenda for today, we have the trial of Albus Dumbledore for treason, and murder." Mutters and whispers shot around the room as the crimes were announced.

"Settle down, now I have also received a motion to institute a vote of no confidence in Minister Fudge. It has the necessary amount of approval to be voted upon before we move to a DMLE proposal by Madam Bones."

That caused far louder mutters, Fudge looked offended and stood.

"Minister?" Asked the Chief Warlock in confusion at Fudge standing.

"There are traitors among us!" Declared Fudge. "Those moving against me are in league with Dumbledore, aurors, arrest those that called for the motion."

Several aurors stood, snapping to attention but having no clue who started the motion were left awkwardly standing.

"Aurors, stand down!" Ordered Madam Bones.

"Amelia, have them arrested." Fudge urged.

"No Minister, your paranoia is damaging your leadership. This vote has every right to go ahead, you must allow it." Madam Bones warned.

"No, I will not allow this clear attempt to get rid of me. You're either with me or against me. Aurors, remove Madam Bones from her position." Only one or two aurors moved but they were quickly stopped when they realised that the others weren't with them. Madam Bones had the loyalty of the aurors and in my opinion it was clear Fudge had lost the plot, if the Wizengamot thought this to then Fudge was done for.

"Minister, sit down and let the Chief Warlock do his job. You're demonstrating exactly why your opponents don't feel like you should be in power." Madam Bones instructed. I thought it was masterfully done the way she hadn't revealed that she was the driving force behind the motion.

Fudge looked like he wanted to keep going but he slumped down into his seat allowing the Chief Warlock to proceed.

"We shall proceed with the trial of Albus Dumbledore. Bring in in the accused." Ordered the Chief Warlock. A pair of aurors escorted in Dumbledore who was wearing a set of powder blue robes with small red phoenixes patterned onto it. Needless to say it was as vile and garish as his regular wardrobe. Dumbledore was escorted to the chair in the centre of the room but he walked by himself, the aurors didn't feel the need to push or cajole him along. In fact, Dumbledore was smiling at the crowd as he arrived and let out a sigh of relief as he sat down.

"Albus Dumbledore, you stand accused of treason and murder, how do you plead?" Asked the Chief Warlock.

"Ah, I don't stand at all, I am in fact sitting, however I believe myself to be not guilty." Dumbledore replied.

"Then we shall continue. For the record, today acting as prosecution is the Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge, his second is Madam Bones of the DMLE. I have here a notification that you wish to handle your own defence, is this true?"

"It is." Confirmed Dumbledore.

"The scribe for today is Percival Weasley." Noted the Chief Warlock. I looked towards the front and Percy was indeed there. I wondered briefly how he felt, his father and youngest brother had both died recently for their involvement with Dumbledore. I hadn't spoken to him at Mr Weasley's funeral so I had no clue how he viewed what had happened. Percy was Percy though, he was professional above all else. He would be fine with putting his head down and scribing honestly and fairly.

"We shall now hear the prosecution."

Fudge stood, looking slightly crazed, knowing the vote of no confidence was to follow I suspected he would be feeling the pressure. I briefly wondered why they hadn't handled the vote of no confidence first but that would make sense to me and these were wizards. They were probably just doing it in the chronological order.

What followed was a master class in Dumbledore's version of the truth. It frustrated Fudge so much that he called for the use of veritaserum. Normally the potion was banned but if the accused consented then it could be used. Dumbledore was a Master of the Mind arts, he could abuse veritaserum. The old man's slight smile told me all I needed to know as he gave his consent.

Fudge's irritation grew as Dumbledore continued to tell everyone that he had no intentions to overthrow Fudge. In desperation Fudge turned to Madam Bones. I resisted the urge to smile but I knew this should help us.

"Dumbledore, tell us why you believed He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had returned." Madam Bones instructed. This was the first question about Voldemort. Fudge has been asking questions about Dumbledore's plans.

"The marks on the arms of known Death Eaters had returned following Rose Potter's abduction in the final task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. I have received eyewitness accounts of his return from several sources and the death of Arthur Weasley was too suspicious to be anything but Voldemort related." Dumbledore explained as gasps were heard all around the room at Voldemort's name.

"And how does the death of Arthur Weasley relate to You-know-who?" Madam Bones asked as a follow up.

"Within the Department of Mysteries there is a recording of all prophecies. There was a prophecy made about Voldemort and one who could vanquish him. He learnt of the prophecy's existence and attacked the Potters leading to his disappearance for over a decade. He wanted to learn the rest of the prophecy before he attempted to kill Rosaline again and thus he needed to retrieve the copy from the Department of Mysteries. Arthur Weasley was killed outside the Department by a snake, a rare breed of snake. Such a snake is known to be a companion of Voldemort."

Madam Bones paused given the Wizengamot time to whisper amongst themselves.

"How did the resurrected You-know-who die?"

"He was killed moments after he killed Ronald Weasley." Dumbledore responded.

"How did Ron Weasley die?" Madam Bones pushed.

I looked down, unable to stop the guilt that I felt with that question.

"Some of the Death Eaters had captured him during the fight down in the Department of Mysteries. Following a short fight the Death Eaters were dealt with but Voldemort took Ronald and held him hostage however when he heard something he didn't like he became enraged and killed Ronald before anything could be done." Dumbledore offered.

Fudge seemed to want to say something, to me it looked like he'd worked out that Madam Bones wasn't exactly helping the prosecution. She gave Fudge a contemptuous look before turning back to Dumbledore.

"Are you responsible for the deaths of anyone that night?" Madam Bones asked. I could see the moment of hurt in Dumbledore's eyes, I knew he felt responsible for every single death and yet in the moments pause before he answered he must have been applying his filtering as he answered.

"I did not take anyone's life that night."

Madam Bones nodded and glanced at Fudge who seemed confused at that answer. He leant over to her to confer. I could see that she rolled her eyes as he whispered in her ear but luckily the Minister couldn't see.

"Mr Dumbledore, if you did not kill anyone that night then who killed He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?" There was reluctance in Madam Bones' voice. I knew she knew the answer but hadn't wanted to ask the question.

"Rose Potter." Admitted Dumbledore quietly. I felt the eyes of the room on me. We had all known it was probably going to come out. Either through the prophecy or like this. Fudge stood immediately.

"The prosecution calls for Rosaline Potter as a witness." I stood and made my way down to the front. Every step felt like it added weight to my shoulders. The burden of the wizarding world was once again on me. Really, I wasn't sure what Fudge was going for, Dumbledore had basically worked his way out of any convictions. The court usher and an auror led me the rest of the way and I was conjured a chair to sit in.

"Do you consent to take veritaserum?" Fudge asked. His eyes had a manic gleam to them that had me worried but I knew I could beat the potion if I needed to. From what I knew the use of the truth potion was banned on minors but I didn't care. If it made the Wizengamot trust me more I was fine with bending the rules slightly. The Wizengamot may have allowed Fudge and Malfoy to buy them but for the most part they were a balanced lot. Without Malfoy's gold involved it was almost certainly going to be a fair trial. Heck, if it was as stacked against the muggleborns as some believed there would have been no need for Voldemort in the first place. Never mind that though as Auror John Dawlish was approaching me with a vial of clear potion. Three drops were placed onto my tongue and I felt the potion take effect.

Fudge asked my name as the standard test question before he moved onto the real subject. The first question he asked however helped me and he wouldn't realise until later how it hurt him.

"Miss Potter, describe how you have been aiding the Ministry this year." Fudge instructed. I barely had to filter, to decide what my own truth was.

"This year I have assisted Madam Umbridge at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to raise the standard of education." I answered, my voice flattened out by the veritaserum.

Fudge nodded, pleased that I hadn't betrayed him, or so he thought.

"Tell us about Dumbledore's plans."

That was harder, I had told Umbridge lies, lies which she had almost certainly told Fudge.

"Dumbledore had supporters outside of the castle." I answered truthfully. "He was in regular communication with them." Fudge seemed to hone in on that. His expression was worrying.

"Did Dumbledore's supports approve of me?" Fudge asked.

"I don't know." I replied. I hadn't spoken to the Order about Fudge, I think Tonks might have expressed her irritation but I hadn't spoken to many of them. "They tended just to do what Dumbledore told them."

Fudge nodded in acceptance. He was likely hearing what he wanted to hear but I don't think I had said anything that can be used against Dumbledore.

"Is it true that Dumbledore controls where you live when not at school?"

"He placed me at the Dursleys." I replied. I had suppressed the urge to say no, that I lived that the Retreat and this summer I had been free to do what I wanted.

"And how did the Durselys treat you?" Fudge asked.

"Poorly, they hate the idea of magic." I replied. I pondered for a moment if Fudge was going to have the charges changed to some form of negligence or child endangerment but it was probably too late now. I didn't really understand what angle Fudge could go for. Dumbledore has already told everyone that Voldemort was back and that he had been killed.

"And during his time as Headmaster have you regularly been exposed to danger?" Fudge asked.

"Yes." I replied having no way out. I could maybe have said I had exposed myself to the danger and the headmaster had no part but the veritaserum was strong. The urge to give an honest answer was relentless. He hadn't asked if the Headmaster had created the danger but merely if I had been exposed it.

"And has the Headmaster dealt with the danger himself?" Asked Fudge. The Wizengamot whispered, there had been rumours around the school for years and if they had children or relatives at the school then they would have heard about some of the things that had happened.

"No." I admitted. What more could I say, he had helped, he had destroyed the stone after the danger had passed, Fawkes and the hat might have been sent by him but I didn't know for sure. In my third year he had driven off the dementors once but I had to deal with them by myself after that. In forth year the whole tournament was a danger and Dumbledore had to keep himself from helping.

I felt as cold as the stone that cladded the chamber as Fudge turned around, his back now facing me as he addressed the Wizengamot.

"Hogwarts has long been independent of the Ministry, this year I have made steps to bring order through the High Inquisitor. I cannot remove the Headmaster but I can ask this body to ban him from interacting with children which makes his position difficult."

Fudge did have some aspects that had got him elected to be Minister it seemed. He might be borderline insane, paranoid and utterly spineless but he could work a crowd.

"Miss Potter, in your opinion has Dumbledore failed the students of Hogwarts at times?" Fudge demanded as he turned to me. I paused, I was filtering out the immediate yes as I tried to work out how to spin this. He had invited Voldemort into the castle with the stone, he hadn't dealt with the basilisk nor had he stopped Crouch impersonating Moody.

"Dumbledore could have done more." I conceded. It had been hard to get that much out instead of the immediate yes but it might have been too much, I was worried it had proved that I could flex my answers under the potion. Fudge's triumphant face let me think I'd got away with it, he was too busy hearing what he wanted to hear.

Fudge handed over to Dumbledore, letting him handle his defence which mean the Headmaster could question me. He had hesitated before he did it but Madam Bones was keeping the trial fair.

"Rose my dear, this trial is about treason and murder. Have I murdered anyone as far as you are aware?" The Headmaster asked.

"No." I responded, thankfully the potion dulled the excitement in my tone.

"Are you aware of any plans I have made to remove the Minister?"

"No." The plans were made by me and Madam Bones, Dumbledore wasn't involved, I don't think anyone had even told Dumbledore.

"Was the self-named Lord Voldemort resurrected at the end of the Tri-Wizard and stopped permanently recently?" Dumbledore asked, not even looking at me but at the Wizengamot.

"Yes." I confirmed.

Dumbledore gave the Wizengamot a significant look. The look Dumbledore used to remind everyone who he was and why he knew best. If I wasn't under a potion fuelled haze I would have grinned.

"So, in conclusion, the charges levelled against me are fabrications of the Minister?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes." I had to supress the urge to blurt that I had murdered Voldemort and possibly some of the Death Eaters not to mention I had plotted to remove the Minister but that wasn't what I had been asked, that was the potion urging me to reveal things. I couldn't lie but I didn't have to say everything.

Dumbledore gave me a gentle smile and declared himself finished with me as a witness. I was given the antidote to the veritaserum and the usher escorted me back to my seat. All around me there was quiet discussions. It seemed to me that the trial should be over now unless Fudge had some other witness I didn't know about. I wasn't alone in that opinion as the Chief Warlock stood causing everyone to go quiet.

"Unless there is some new evidence I am prepared to dismiss the charges and proceed to the next item on our agenda, do I have a second?"

Almost immediately a second came, Fudge looked outraged but said nothing as he slumped into his seat looking like a broken man. His anger seemed to leave him as the realisation of what he faced dawned on him. I think Fudge knew he was done.

There was a quick vote which gave a huge majority to dismiss the charges. It all moved far too quickly for Fudge to lodge the child endangerment charges instead.

"We move onto the motion to dismiss Minister Fudge. The motion was submitted by Mr Diggory, Mr Diggory if you please." Directed the Chief Warlock.

I thought it was a master stroke by Madam Bones to not have submitted the motion in her own name. The Diggory family was likely to be angry with Fudge, he had refused to investigate what happened to Cedric. The tournament was dangerous and by entering Cedric had accepted the risks Fudge had claimed in the Prophet over the summer before they started hinting I was responsible.

"The Minister has been negligent and unwilling to accept the truth. Instead he has increasingly lent on the press and his friends to present his own version of events. Under his leadership, the worst Dark Wizard of his time has returned and he did nothing and left a school girl to deal with him. Under his leadership the Press has lost its freedom. Minister Fudge has been corrupt, everyone knows that the late Lucius Malfoy had bought the Minister's ear and I want him charged with corruption once his title has been stripped from him." Mr Diggory declared.

The motion was well supported and quickly moved to a vote as few felt more evidence was needed in the wake of the failed trial and Fudge's panic before it.

"Before we have the vote, procedure demands a well-supported replacement. Do we have a candidate?" The Chief Warlock checked, he sounded tired and reluctant but he was doing his job.

"The removal of a sitting Minister has only happened three times in our history. In this we need a stable leader to handle the change. We therefore propose Tiberius Ogden become Minister for the interim. He comes from an old family and is aware of our history and tradition but his protest against the position of High Inquisitor and the deformation of Professor Dumbledore showed his has a back bone and more moral fibre than the previous minister." Diggory suggested.

Muttering went through the Wizengamot. I could almost feel the tide turning. Without Malfoy, there was nobody for the opposition to rally around and nobody wanted to stick out. With so many pragmatists in the Wizengamot they weren't going to risk sounding like they supported a Death Eater or Fudge who was clearly on the way out. They weren't going to fight the tide.

Ogden quickly gathered the support he needed and the vote was held. It was a landslide against Fudge. Ogden quickly nominated Diggory for a position as Senior Undersectary which meant that Umbridge was on the way out. Diggory accepted and nominated his deputy to take over in the Creatures Department he headed. I sat as all this happened and allowed myself to hope. To my side, I could hear the Ministry personnel grumbling about what was happing. They were probably fearing for their jobs.

"Now onto the proposal by Madam Bones." Directed the Chief Warlock.

"Part of what led to current events was the battle beneath the Ministry. People dressed in Death Eater regalia and with Marks upon their arms fought against some supporters of Professor Dumbledore and Rose Potter. Several from both sides perished in the battle but some of the other Death Eaters were captured by DMLE personnel. I propose they are tried as Death Eaters, we do not need the entire Wizengamot for their trials. I therefore propose a justice subcommittee to sit as a jury in the trials. I also nominate those who died in the fight against the Death Eaters for the Order of Merlin, third class. They died fighting a fight that belonged to the Ministry at a time the aurors were unable to act. Their sacrifice led to the defeat of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named before he could implement another decade of darkness."

Madam Bones had spoken well and there was a round of applause. A cynical part of me had to wonder if it was staged. Having yet more pressure put on those that would defend them. In the face of such approval the motion was sure to pass. I wasn't sure of its implications by Madam Bones ought to know what she was doing.

There were a few more discussions that I barely paid attention to before the day ended. As most people began to flood out I made my way towards Dumbledore who had a group of well-wishers around him. If he was cleared of his charges I wanted to know if he was Headmaster again. From what Fudge had implied earlier and from what I remember from second year only the board of governors could remove the Headmaster.

"Ah Rose." Dumbledore greeted me as he dismissed the last of the crowd.

"Headmaster." I nodded in reply.

"Let us walk." Dumbledore instructed before leading me towards the doors at the back of the courtroom. Dumbledore produced his wand from somewhere, I assume one of the aurors had returned it. Having worked on my senses with the Headmaster this year I felt the slight ripple of magic as Dumbledore weaved a spell of silence over us to protect us from eavesdroppers.

"I'm sure that the last few days have been very hard on you." Dumbledore stated. It was very Dumbledore in the way he just put out a statement and let in hang. Feeling no need to be difficult I replied.

"Madam Umbridge gave and Daphne Greengrass and myself our own rooms. I've been hiding in them." I admitted.

"While I would caution against you abandoning your friends I do understand the upheaval you have been through. In my opinion you have made a rather large advancement in your studies this year. As such it would not be overly harmful to your OWLs were you to take a short leave away from the school." Dumbledore offered.

"I might just do that." It would be nice, have a week away. I would come back fresh and hopefully I could avoid Umbridge and any fall out from her. If she was gone by the time I returned, then all the better.

"I believe that a house elf could collect your belongings from the school if you wished to go now." Advised Dumbledore as we reached the elevator. I nodded in acceptance. "If you wouldn't mind could you pass on to Harry that I would like to speak to him. I have had a lot of time to think while I have been away from the school and I would like to talk to him about some of my plans."

"I'll tell him." I confirmed.

The atrium was packed. There might have been a press section within the Wizengamot but it seemed there were even more out here waiting. Dumbledore smiled genially at them as he continued walking, never slowing. Until you had to keep up with him people tend to forget how tall Dumbledore is. His long legs caused me jog every few steps so as not to fall behind. We left the Ministry as we headed into muggle London.

"I think we separate here." Dumbledore stated with a knowing smile as he stepped into a side alley that hid us from view.

"Sir?" I checked. I could apparate but how did he know? All I got was a knowing smile as he twisted on the spot and disapparated. Perhaps my lack of protest told him all he needed to know or perhaps he had some other way of knowing. I'd probably given it away when I apparated to Grimmauld Place before we raided the Ministry. I was far too quick. Alternatively, I might have apparated in one of the duels he'd watched.

Harry met me at the front door to the Retreat. I must have triggered some alert. He looked tired but not angry or in any way bothered by my unexpected arrival. Just being here I felt more relaxed. The weight on my shoulders had lifted again.

"It's over. Fudge is gone. Dumbledore is free." I told him. He smiled softly and held the door wide for me.

"How long are you here for?" He asked. It didn't sound like he was trying to get rid of me so I took no offense and answered honestly.

"A week I think. Dumbledore told me that I should be fine taking some time to get my head together. Oh and he wants to talk to you."

He nodded and led me through to the lounge. Jeevesy was sent to collect my belongings and move them into my room here. Fleur was coming home in a few hours but for now it was just me and Harry. Harry was sat on the sofa, absently spinning his brutal claw shaped knife around his finger, I was lying feet up on another sofa when Fleur arrived.

"Well you two look energetic."

"Join us?" Harry offered. And with a sigh of faux reluctance she walked over and confiscated Harry's knife and curled into his side. "Welcome home. Tea?" Harry offered.

She nodded and Jeevesy soon popped in to supply her.

"How was work?" I asked staring at the high ceiling.

"I do not want to talk about work. Ze goblins are greedy and power-hungry and some of the people I 'ave to work for are awful." Fleur replied. She sounded weary but there was no venom in her tone. She wasn't annoyed by the question but just wanted to move on.

"How's school been?" Harry asked.

"Different." I replied. I hesitated as I tried to work out how to describe it. "Ron is dead. My first friend other than Hedwig or Hagrid. Every corridor we've walked together is a reminder. The Weasleys are a big part of Gryffindor and I can't spend time there without remembering their father and brother died because of me. You were there, I hesitated and took my shot at Tom. I didn't even try to save Ron."

Neither Harry nor Fleur said anything. Fleur looked miserable and Harry was clearly concerned. They didn't have to be worried, I could handle it with time. More than just the memories of Ron I just didn't want to face Hermione and the Weasleys, I didn't know if it would be worse if they blamed me or if they didn't and forgave me without ever understanding what I had done, or more accurately what I failed to do.

"You did what you had to do. It wasn't nice, it wasn't pretty but it finished everything." Harry tried.

"I know!" I snapped. "Sorry, I know I probably did the right thing, it just doesn't feel like it."

Harry accepted that. Fleur tried to smile but I could see in her eyes she was still worried about me.

"How are you Fleur, last I saw Harry was helping you home?" I asked, trying to move the conversation away from me.

"It was ze second time I 'ave been 'it wiz ze curciatus curse. It 'urts just as much ze second time." Fleur replied. I'd forgotten she was held under the curse by the imperiused Krum in the third task. "Of course, zis time I 'ad someone to help me feel much better after." Fleur remarked smirking up at Harry. I didn't feel the need to ask for details. Their closeness often made me feel uncomfortable at the best of times.

I hesitated, I'd wanted to ask her how she felt about killing that Death Eater. She had looked horrified at the time but fine now. Harry had confessed to me over the summer that he had enough experience to flip a mental switch and turn himself into a sociopath. I didn't want to turn off all moral responsibility but I wanted to know how to get better. I knew time would help but I wanted to feel better now.

"So what do you think Dumbledore wants to speak to me about?" Harry asked.

"I don't know. He just said that he'd had a lot of time to think and plan. Then he said he wanted to speak to you about them." I replied.

"Fleur, thoughts?" Harry asked. She shrugged at him. Not knowing Dumbledore particularly well nor do I think she cared too much.

We didn't stay up particularly late. The last few nights were catching up with me and Fleur had work in the morning. I was asleep seconds after I clambered into bed. I woke late, my curtains had been charmed to be blackouts so the rising of the sun hadn't disturbed me. It was gone eleven before I emerged from by covers. I had the grogginess that comes with sleeping too much but I felt good. Trudging through the house I found Harry in a large, relatively empty room downstairs. He was walking around what appeared to be a block of marble.

"What are you doing?" I asked as I leant against the doorway.

"I don't have my qualification here. I'm working on getting my transfiguration mastery back." Harry explained without turning.

"And this?" I asked, gesturing towards the marble, he didn't turn and look but he knew what I was asking about.

"There are a bunch of aspects for Mastery. You have to show competency in several disciplines and prove that you're capable of working on your own research projects. To show that I have mastered the subject my transfigurations must have flair. This is going to become a statue of some sorts to count towards the embellishment aspect of my transfiguration. It needs to be highly detailed and visually attractive. It doesn't have to be a complex transfiguration. I'm not even going to change the material just the shape."

"Can I watch?" I was intrigued.

"Sure." Harry replied as he started to circle the block again. "Last time, in my world, I turned an old shoe into a decorative glass vase."

I stayed still as Harry drew his wand. He pressed the tip against the marble and the whole block seemed to liquefy. It flowed up and grew thinner as it began to reshape itself. Then end-product was a marble statue of a woman holding a flower to her chest. The elegance grace of her features left me smirking. It wasn't hard to work out who he had modelled it on. The bottom of the block was a beautifully styled podium. There an engraving on the base naming the piece 'Flower of my Heart.'

"I'll send in a copy of my memory for review with a few others and see how I do." Harry told me.

I shook my head and left. I couldn't tell if he was a hopeless romantic or just lacking alternative inspiration. Either way it was too much for me to deal with. I wandered through into what was meant to be the library but was lacking books. There seemed to be more on the shelves than when we first moved in. I sat in one of the reading chairs and sat down with one of the fiction books Fleur had collected. Without television reading for pleasure was something that both Harry and Fleur enjoyed. Jeevesy retrieved me after an hour or so for a light lunch but otherwise I was left to my own devices till the evening.

Having the whole day to myself, nobody demanding or expecting anything of me, was wonderful. While I had escaped into the pages of the book, I had time to relax. Without focusing on avoiding people my mind could wander. The wandering was helping me, for months I had been using the mind arts. The intense levels of focus had been waring me down.

For dinner that night Harry had convinced Jeevesy to take a night off and gone out to get some greasy yet delicious take away that the little elf would never have approved off. I remembered Fleur's comments about Hogwarts food and smiled as she dug into something far worse for her than that. We chatted about Christmases gone by for some reason none of us could remember as we ate. After dinner Fleur pulled out some paperwork she had to fill out for an evaluation she was working on and made her excuses to move into Harry's study.

Harry took me into a room and showed me how to enchant it to be temporarily bigger on the inside and how to transfigure and reshape the inside without effecting the outside. Then he introduced me to a game called squash. A muggle game but one that could be played with wands instead of rackets provided you used a special combination of transfiguration on your own wand combined with a modified banishing charm. Apparently, it was good fun and could be justified as improving your spell swatting skills. Squash games became a regular fixture of our days once I got the spells down. Harry and Fleur had started playing shortly after I left for Hogwarts but we were a little too busy over Christmas to play.

The only interruption to my relaxation was Ron's funeral. Fawkes had delivered the invitation and details. Once again Harry and Fleur escorted me but this time I stuck close to them as they shielded my from the attention. While it was perhaps a tad disrespectful Fleur hadn't bothered with her revulsion spells meaning more people were staring at her than at me for which I was hugely grateful. With the news that I had killed Voldemort moments after he had killed Ron leaking out after the trial several people wanted to ask for details. I just wanted to remember Ron. Brave Ron who always tried to do the right thing. Ron who could be a rude, jealous prat but when it came down to it he would always have my back. Mrs Wealsey was crying too much to say anything to me, Ginny was doing her best to look after her. I saw Hermione glaring at me but she didn't come over to say anything thankfully. It was far too similar to Mr Weasley's funeral and they were far too close together.

The night before I returned to Hogwarts I was sat with Harry and Fleur in the lounge. Fleur was lying across a sofa, her feet in Harry's lap while she seemed to be doing some weird form of juggling. She would flick her wand and send a ball flying up, she had three going and as they fell she'd shoot them back up. I don't think there was a point but she was slightly bored. It was strange the way she used magic so carelessly. Her boredom would be fascinating for any muggle watching as she played with the impossible.

"Rose, you need to think about your public image." Harry suggested, his tone was serious and I sighed.

"Why, I'm the girl-who-lived and I'm probably even more famous than before despite most people never being bothered by Voldemort this time, why can't I just ignore them?"

"Its what they expect from you. You cursed Voldemort in the back when he wasn't paying attention. Now we all know that, we know that it was the plan. The public however, they expect some huge duel between good and evil. Voldemort was as powerful and as talented as Dumbledore in some ways and you beat him. In terms of talent where do they expect you do be?"

I knew what he was getting at. I wasn't an average Hogwarts student in the eyes of the public. I was a prodigy. I knew a few obscure spells and thanks to the combined efforts of Dumbledore, Harry, Fleur and Kingsley I felt safe saying I was quite advanced for my age but I probably knew less than most sixth and seventh years. I knew a few tricks and I was good at them but I didn't have the same depth.

"So what can I do about it?" I asked. I sounded whiney, even to myself.

"Don't use much magic in front of people. Just look smug and knowing before performing when called upon. If you seem unapproachable then you'll be bothered less and if people never see you tested, then they can never see you fail. When no-one is looking, you work hard and stay ahead of the class." Harry recommended.

"So just don't give them anything to criticise." I checked.

"Yeah and look like you know far more. People will never be happy but honestly nobody can tell you what great magical feats look like whereas everyone know what failure looks like." Harry added.

I accepted that. Fourth year had got easier after I did well in the first task. Second year when nothing was being done about the heir of Slytherin stuff, it had been awful.

"Zis is boring." Fleur declared banishing her floating objects to the corner of the room. "Let us play a game or something."

We spent the rest of the evening playing a game of exploding snap. It was the strangest game I'd ever played. Both Harry and I had been trained at different times to feel magic and Fleur was naturally more inclined to feel it than most. As a result we could all feel the explosions coming. To counter this, we were free to fill the room with as much distracting magic as we could. It was like being in a room with the Weasley twins at their worst.

Dumbledore had wanted to meet Harry and Fleur had a day off so we all apparated to Hogwarts together. We arrived outside the front gate, the edge of the anti-apparition jinx, with a loud crack. The Gate swung open for us as we approached and we made our way up the lawn towards the castle itself.

"Its still beautiful." Harry commented in a wistful tone, I could tell he missed this place. For better or for worse this place had been our first homes.

"Beauxbatons is more beautiful, 'ogwarts may 'ave character but it lacks beauty." Fleur replied. Her slight smirk told me she was poking fun at us. I had to wonder what she really thought of the castle. She hadn't seemed impressed last year but I hadn't known her well enough to pick up on her moods and habits like I could now. Knowing how little she enjoyed interacting with regular people she might well have been deliberately offensive to drive away others. Only people who would stand up for their opinions were worth her time. Rodger Davies was pathetic enough that she could have called Hogwarts a shack with no redeeming features and he would have nodded and smiled at her.

"One day you might have to take me there." Harry commented as he paused and seemed to be enjoying the view of the lake. "That lake has never been the same for me after the second task."

"No, somehow the squid is fine. Trident wielding merpeople are something else." I replied. Fleur simply frowned slightly, likely remembering her failure.

The castle was quiet, it was about ten in the morning so most people were in class. The few NEWT students that had free periods were either catching up on much needed sleep or would be in the library.

"Mr Potter, Miss Potter and Miss Delacour. I welcome you all back to Hogwarts." Dumbledore greeted them at the grand staircase. "Let us retreat to my office. Several others will be joining us there."

We followed, not saying anything, Dumbledore hummed as he walked. With Dumbledore back, his shamelessly eccentric robes clashing with the muted colours of the stone walls of Hogwarts it felt like home. Portraits watched them pass with soft smiles, it seemed everything was back to normal. It was a lie of course, it could never go back but right now I was willing to lie to myself and pretend.

Dumbledore didn't need to give his password, he just smiled at the gargoyle that guarded the staircase to his office, it simply nodded its ugly head and stepped to the side. Whoever was joining us wasn't there already. I watched Fleur as I went to sit in my regular seat. This was her first time in Dumbledore's office. The circular room was full of its regular trinkets and that more than anything confirmed Umbridge had never managed to get in here. Harry had flicked his wand at one of the cushy armchairs Dumbledore liked in front of his desk and it became a replica of the sofa Harry and Fleur shared at the Retreat. Fleur hesitated for a moment before joining Harry.

"We shall give everyone else a few minutes to arrive, might I interest you in a lemon sherbert?"

Three polite refusals followed and a then Dumbledore's fire flared green. Snape emerged from it. His regular scowl only grew when he spotted me as it developed into his full anti-Potter sneer. His dark eyes flicked to Harry and Fleur but he said nothing as he went to stand in the shadows off to the side. A knock on the door preceded the arrival of Flitwick and McGonagall. =

"That's everyone. Unfortunately, Pomona is teaching right now and is unable to join us." Dumbledore informed us.

"For those of you who haven't met, or don't remember let me introduce Harry Potter and Fleur Delacour."

"A Potter?" McGonagall asked. I could almost hear Snape growl.

"I am a Potter." Harry confirmed.

"He does look like James." She commented.

"But he has Lily's eyes, just like Rose." Flitwick added.

"They never had another child." McGonagall replied.

I just watched the interaction amused. I knew the truth, Harry had told Fleur and he had also told Dumbledore. It was amusing to know more than the teachers albeit over such a small thing.

"Harry's parentage isn't what I wish to discuss. I have called you all together for something else." Said Dumbledore from behind his desk. There was a pause, nobody asked what they had been called together for, they were patient and let Dumbledore explain.

"Madam Umbridge has been removed from her position." Dumbledore started. "In my time as a guest of the Ministry I had much time to think. I have come to the conclusion that perhaps there was a valid reason for her position."

"Albus, she was awful." Said McGonagall.

"Madam Umbridge was not my preferred candidate but I do believe there have been failings at the school. I have decided that it is time I retire."

A pause, an audible intake of breath from the teachers to my side. Harry's face is calculating while Fleur is smiling pleasantly but I know she is confused. Me, I'm just waiting for the outbursts.

"But Albus?" Protests McGonagall.

"Headmaster?" Questions Flitwick only a second behind.

A year ago I would have been with them. Now I took a second to consider, Dumbledore had been given much time to think. This wasn't a spur of the moment thing. He would have done his reasoning and while he might compromise I doubted he'd change his mind. The question was no longer, was he staying but what does this mean? I glanced around the room. Snape's face had dropped the sneer, he hadn't been expecting this but his eyes revealed the git was thinking fast.

"I have been the Headmaster for such a long time. I don't know how many years I have left before I begin my next great adventure and I would like to do some travelling. I might even write a book or two." Dumbledore commented as he confirmed his intentions.

"Why are they here?" Snape asked waving his hand in my general direction and I could assume he included Harry and Fleur in the question.

Why were we here? I wasn't sure but we were here for a reason.

"Please be patient Severus and all will be explained. Now Minerva, you have long been my Deputy, are you prepared to rise to Headmistress?"

"I still think you could do some good here but if you insist I shall do my duty." McGonagall replied.

"Then might I suggest you consider appointing Filius as your Deputy. He has been here for some time and I believe he has earnt the position."

"Filius, would you be willing?" McGonagall checked.

"I would be honoured." Squeaked the little charms teacher.

"We would need to recruit a new transfiguration teacher." Noted McGonagall.

"Indeed we would. We also need another new defence teacher." Added Dumbledore

"And a new potions teacher." Interjected Snape. I didn't even try to fight the smile.

"Severus?" McGonagall queried.

"You all know my less than savoury past," started Snape. "I swore that I would see the end of the Dark Lord. He is finished and so am I. I have been at Hogwarts because I had to be. Perhaps now I might do some research or some other pursuit where I am not held back by the sea of inadequacy here."

"Severus." Warned Dumbledore, he sounded tired in my opinion but I noted with some amusement that he neither reprimanded him nor disputed his claim.

"So, a new Potions teacher, new Defence Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration." Summarised McGonagall.

"New heads of Slytherin and Gryffindor will also be needed." Dumbledore reminded her. I hadn't thought about that. I didn't even know the house affiliation of most of the teachers. I'd never really thought about it before, I assume most of them were former Ravenclaws but I couldn't say with certainty.

"Severus, is there anyone you would recommend as your replacement?" McGonagall asked.

The potions teacher paused. I wondered if he was remembering how few people took NEWT potions with him. His teaching, or lack thereof had likely led to a shortage of qualified potion brewers.

"I will give you a list." He needed more time to think. Probably time to go through his old records.

"I recommend to consider Mr Potter here for the transfiguration position." Dumbledore offered. He turned to Harry and pulled out a scroll which he held out to Harry. "A friend of mind from the Transfiguration Guild is allowing me to had this over to you. Confirmation of your Mastery Mr Potter, I've seen some of your excellent work and I must say I am impressed."

Harry took the scroll and put it inside an inner pocket of his ridiculous long coat without checking it. Fleur was beaming with pride as if it was her own accomplishment.

"Congratulations Mr Potter. Would you be interested in interviewing for the position?" McGonagall asked.

Harry didn't respond immediately instead he looked to Fleur as they silently communicated before glancing to me. I sent feelings of approval forwards in case he was using passive legilimency to pick up on my opinions.

"I would be." I was already thinking how interesting it could be with Harry at the school.

"Perhaps a handover, or try-out period might be best," suggested Dumbledore. "If I retire at the end of the school year we have time for you to observe Mr Potter teach and advise him."

"Miss Delacour, are you here to be recommended for a job too?" Asked Flitwick.

"Non, my best subject 'as always been Charms and 'ogwarts 'as a good Charms teacher."

"I must confess she is merely here as a guest." Dumbledore admitted. "While she is welcome here, her presence was unexpected."

I wondered why I was still here. If he wanted to give the job to Harry for some reason it made sense for him to be here but me?

"With Voldemort dead, the curse on the Defence position should fade. The next one might be around for some time so chose carefully." Harry commented.

"A thorough check of one's qualifications with occur I assure you." Retorted McGonagall seemingly insulted by Harry's words. Harry smiled politely at her, its hard to argue with someone when they smile at you. Not to mention the recent hires hadn't given McGonagall a leg to stand on.

"Now, I have told you my intentions, we can work out the details at a later point. I wish to speak to the Potters and Miss Delacour and I'm sure you're all very busy people."

The staff took the dismissal as what it was and left with McGonagall promising to owl Harry about the teaching position before she left.

"I'm surprised you trust me that much." Harry stated after the others had departed.

"It might not be the humblest approach but I trust myself. If I saw enough potential to teach you myself in addition to Professor McGonagall's more than adequate tuition, then I expect you are something special."

Harry's smirk said everything that needed to be said.

"Now Rose, Madam Umbridge has been removed from her position by the new Minister. With her gone the positions she created for you have also gone. That being said, I understand the position you have been put in and will therefore offer you the privilege to keep your private room. I would ask that you do not remove your friends from your life but I know better than any the pressures that come with defeating a Dark Lord. I also reluctantly admit that Hogwarts has not been all it could. While your position with Madam Umbridge was created to sow discord and strife it was allowed due to the perceived failings of this school. I would ask that you and Miss Greengrass collect your findings and present them to myself and Professor McGonagall so we can ensure Hogwarts remains the premier school in the world."

"I'd like to keep my room." I told the Headmaster. It was a nice space to have. I enjoyed my privacy now and I liked chatting with Daphne. Part of me was still wanting to avoid Hermione or anything that would remind me of Ron.

"I thought as much. Miss Greengrass has not been asked to vacate the suite. I wanted to wait for your decision."

"Thank you."

"How are you Miss Delacour, I missed you when I visited your home over the Christmas holiday?" The Headmaster asked.

We made polite conversation for a while longer. Dumbledore, it seemed wanted to forge links with Harry and Fleur while also making me feel welcome. Harry and Fleur flooed out to the Leaky Cauldron around lunch time before they would wander into muggle London for a date. I decided to eat in the Kitchens and left with Dumbledore saying that while Voldemort had been vanquished he was still willing to teach me if I was still willing to learn. Lunch had started a while ago and I hadn't wanted to wander in half way through and face the stares. After I was sure most of the students were in class I made my way back to the suite I shared with Daphne.

Jeevesy had already returned my belongings to my room. I hadn't told Daphne when I left nor had I told her I was returning. Dumbledore might have explained what happened to her but it would be understandable if it was low on his list of priorities. I checked the timetable I had stuck to the wall in my room. I was supposed to be in potions now. I felt no need to subject myself to that. Transfiguration was the last lesson of the day. I'd go to that, sit through McGonagall. Something I wouldn't get to do much more.

I took the time to change into my uniform and prepare myself. I wanted to just slip into the class. McGonagall wouldn't let people pester me and if they just got used to my presence then it wouldn't have the same shock value as just turning up at dinner tonight or breakfast tomorrow. My bag was packed and I had time to sit before I headed to class. Unfortunately, I'd got ready too quickly and had given myself time to wind myself up and somehow, this was far harder on my nerves than facing Voldemort. I sat, stewing before deciding it was time.

Harry and Fleur had weaved a mild repelling enchantment into my school robes. It was weak but it meant people tended not to stare. Their eyes just slid over me unless they were looking for me specifically. This let me get to the classroom without being harassed. McGonagall had a class so I had to wait outside her room. In the corridor Coming up from Potions the other Gryffindors seemed grumpy. That was completely normal. Snape might be leaving at the end of the year but the cruel petty git would make us all suffer till the last moment. Neville was the first to notice me.

"Hey, you." He greeted me with a warm smile. His arm was still bandaged slightly but it seemed he had full freedom of movement.

"Hi." I replied. Hermione was about to say something but then the class came out of the classroom and in the noise, I didn't hear what she had to say. I used the opportunity to slip into the class and take a seat near the front. One where people wouldn't talk to me or else they would risk McGonagall's ire. Hermione slid into the seat next to me and Neville took the spot on my other side, what would have been Ron's seat and then the whole way back to the common room he would have moaned about being that close to the front.

The lesson revised living to non-living transfigurations. We'd finished vanishing and were now making sure we covered everything that would be on the OWLs. Not much was said other than incantations as the class worked on turning their cuckoos into clocks. Remembering Harry's advice, I took my time before casting the spell. I wanted to get it right first time, to give people no reason to doubt me.

The spell took, the little bird changed colour and shape as it warped, twisted and grew into a small pendulum clock. It wasn't perfect, the ticking noise from the swinging pendulum was questionable and the whole thing was slightly off in colour. The grain of the wood also looked a bit like feathers but it functioned fine. A quick poke and the outer layer of wood transformed into a brass finish hiding all of the slight defects.

Having finished I took a quick glance around the class. Seamus' attempt seemed to be smoking somehow. Lavender and Parvati both had small watches with pink straps but the straps seemed to be flapping like wings. Hermione had an entire cuckoo clock but it seemed pale and washed out somehow. The edges weren't crisp giving the whole thing a slightly melted feel. Technically it was quite advanced but it seemed her heart wasn't in it. On my other side, Neville had produced as small robust looking pocket watch. It was simple and lacking embellishment but it seemed like a good functioning finished article. Clocks were quite advanced transfigurations as you either had to know how they worked inside or push enough magic into them to compensate. There was a reason transfiguration was considered dangerous. Push too hard and things exploded or overheated.

McGonagall was doing her rounds, checking on the class, she had just finished with the Hufflepuffs and was making her way over to us. Normally Hermione would have been sat upright trying to show off her work but she just looked tired. I kept quiet, not wanting to draw attention. My work was good and I wanted to keep it like that but people had expectations of me, now more so than before.

"Very good work Rose." Commented McGonagall as she moved past my desk. I smiled politely and nodded my head in thanks but kept quiet. She hesitated in front of Hermione's desk but then moved past without saying anything.

After the lesson, Neville and Hermione fell in either side of me but slightly behind like bodyguards as we headed to the Great Hall. It wasn't until the hall that Hermione spoke.

"Ron's dead and a bit of you hasn't come back."

Neville looked between us as he piled sausages onto his plate.

"I think I changed more over summer." I commented.

"Well yes, you got more private and better in class but you were always you." She explained.

"I'll get better." I told her but I was trying to convince myself as much as her.

"What plants do you think we'll be asked about on OWLs do you think we'll get asked about?" Neville asked in a not at all subtle change of topic. I smiled gratefully as Hermione began to recite every plant she knew was on the syllabus and what the previous years she knew about had been tested on and the likelihood it would be repeated. The conversation then moved to other OWLs and what NEWTs we would want to take next year. We had careers meetings with our head of house coming up so things were going to get serious.

At the end of the meal I made my excuses and left for the suite I shared with Daphne. The Slytherin was waiting in our lounge, no books nor notes were laid out before her suggesting she wanted to talk.

"Welcome back."

"Thank you." I replied, "How was your week?"

"Strange. Dumbledore coming back and Umbridge being removed sent the whole school into shock. I wasn't entirely sure where I stood anymore." Daphne commented.

"Well we get to keep the suite." I told her.

She nodded and had a soft smile grace her face. In an unusual move, I could see her wringing her hands slightly as if nervous. She looked up at me but hesitated, unwilling to speak. Not wanting to push her I ignored it and with a slight smile I walked past and into my bedroom.

Collapsing onto my bed I absently summoned a book to read as I curled into my sheets. I had summoned the closest book rather than a specific one. Reading about the theory on the effect of planetary motions on magical plant life was a good cure for insomnia. Astronomy was definitely a NEWT I was not taking. Herbology would depend on other results and what I wanted to do career wise.

My sleep was not peaceful, all I could see was Voldemort decapitating Ron only for Ron's head to roll to my feet and remind me I didn't do anything to save him. I watched Voldemort do it and I had an opportunity to intervene. This wouldn't hurt quite so much if it was a lie.

I flew in the morning. It always helped me clear my head. I didn't see Daphne, she'd already gone down to breakfast when I returned to drop of my broom and change into my school robes. There was a space between Hermione and Neville at the Gryffindor table clearly left for me as both their eyes found me when I entered the hall. Ginny was sat opposite them. I slotted into place and began to eat.

"Rose, how are you feeling this morning?" Ginny asked.

"I'm fine." I replied automatically, Hermione looked sceptical.

"Good, fine is on the way to better." Neville commented. Once again Hermione looked like she disagreed. She'd known me long enough to know that fine was my default response and was utterly meaningless.

"How are you Ginny?" I asked moving the conversation away from me. It wasn't my brother and father who were killed.

"Most of the time I'm okay but sometimes everything just hits me. Like I'll see a chair in the common room Ron used to sit in and I feel like crying." Ginny responded as she stared at her plate. "I feel so weak." She spat.

"Its fine Ginny. Grief is a well documented process. If you want I can get some books on it for you so you can understand it better." Hermione offered. I almost groaned.

"No thank you. I'll get over it." Ginny ground out.

"Denial is a recognised phase." Hermione replied knowingly.

"So Neville, how are you this morning?" I asked loudly. Neville's wry grin told me he knew exactly what I was trying to do.

"I'm okay. It's strange having a spare bed in the room but it would be wrong to get rid of it. Otherwise, I'm okay."

After that the conversation was constant albeit it did feel forced. Defence was a self-study session due to the lack of a teacher. I suspected someone from the Order would be called in to cover, that or Amelia Bones might lend someone so her niece had a decent teacher before her OWLs. Nepotism was alive and well in the wizarding world and if I could benefit from it then I had no plan to complain.

The study session for Defence was reading books in the library wasn't actually that different to what had passed as a lesson this year. Despite complaining about Umbridge Hermione seemed in her element and I suspected this would go down as one of her favourite lessons. She hadn't mentioned anything about her Defence club since I'd got back so I assumed with Umbridge gone that it was over.

Remembering Dumbledore's request, I caught up with Daphne at lunch and told her that Dumbledore wanted to meet with us about improvements to the school. She was surprised that Dumbledore was bothered but was more than willing. I think she just enjoyed being seen as important. I don't know if witches and wizards had CVs but I'm sure that being an advisor to Albus Dumbledore would look great on one. Nothing had turned bad for her but she was now a friend of several people involved with the fall of Voldemort. Nobody knew exactly what she had or had not done so she was for the most part beyond reprisal. Only a few of her housemates might cause trouble but those that would take out their frustrations on her were people who'd cause trouble anyway.

We met Dumbledore and McGonagall a week later. A week of forced conversation and awkwardness within the Gryffindors. Hermione was trying to support everyone and was taking no care of herself and it was showing. Ginny and the twins were shells of themselves and were just going through the motions but seemed to be on the mend. I'd got them talking about their plans for their shop which had filled them with enthusiasm until they remembered neither Ron nor their father would ever get to see it. The sobered them up quickly but it the fact they were smiling and laughing for a while was progress.

McGonagall escorted us from our suite to the Headmasters' office. The lay out had changed slightly since I was in the office a couple of nights ago for a lesson with Dumbledore. He'd transfigured or conjured a few more chairs which were arrayed in front the Headmaster's desk. McGonagall sat in one with me filling in between her and Daphne, all of us facing the Headmaster but able to see each other.

"Thank you for all coming." Began Dumbledore. "Before we really get into this may I interest any of you in a sherbet lemon? No, oh well, let us begin."

McGonagall looked unimpressed as Dumbledore paused, not actually beginning as he began to unwrap a sherbet lemon for himself. Daphne, having not dealt with the Headmaster personally before kept quiet. I smiled at his eccentricities.

"Yes, now I tend to find the beginning is always a good place to start. Hogwarts as a school has long been a premier school of magic in the world and it deserves to stay there and its students deserve an education fitting of such a school. I am unusual as a headmaster as I hold several roles outside of the school. In my time I have allowed myself to be, shall we say distracted. At time I have put aside my responsibility to the school and its students and focused on the larger picture and in doing so have ignored the details. Miss Greengrass, you are the only one in this room currently unaware but I intend to retire at the end of this year."

Daphne's face was a picture. The shock was clear, she nodded, perhaps too surprised to use speech.

"As such I wish to ensure when Professor McGonagall takes over I hand over the school in the best state possible. To do so I wish to identify my failings and the failings of the school. I have recently been reminded that I am not nearly as clever as I like to think which is why I have asked you and Rose here today."

"Albus, you know full well that you will be remembered as one of the greatest Headmasters Hogwarts has ever had." McGonagall reminded him.

"Minerva my dear, while that may be true will it for my greatness as a headmaster or for my greatness while I was headmaster?" Dumbledore asked.

The transfiguration teacher just scoffed as if Dumbledore was being silly, personally I thought it was an interesting question but not one I could answer. Dumbledore was the only headmaster I had ever known, I had no point of comparison and with Dumbledore's age few around did.

"Now, please, tell me what the failings of our school are." Instructed Dumbledore.

I looked to Daphne and she looked to me, neither of us sure who would begin. We hadn't really prepared. Seeing that she was still nervous I started.

"We can start with teachers, subjects or structure?" I offered.

"Perhaps structure then go subject by subject and that will cover the teachers." Dumbledore suggested. His voice sounded pained as if he hadn't actually believed there was much to talk about.

"Well, from what we learnt while working with Umbridge, the board of Governers don't really do much. There is almost no accountability and people just have to trust the headmaster. You've been luck so far as people just trust you because you're Dumbledore."

"Miss Potter." Came McGonagall's warning voice but she was interrupted by Dumbledore.

"No, no, this is what we need to hear. Go on."

"The is no standards at this school, even cauldron bottoms are regulated but the quality of teaching and equipment at this school isn't." Daphne explain, her voice quiet but clear.

"And the Governers should fill this role?" Checked Dumbledore. From my experience Dumbledore seemed genuinely curious but Daphne seemed to wilt slightly under the attention.

"If you wish for Hogwarts to escape Ministry interference then they are the best choice. That being said however, they might wish to employ someone for the role to ensure the person knows what they are looking for." Daphne replied after a moment of gathering her thoughts.

"Well reasoned. Minerva, thoughts?"

I liked McGonagall, she was a good teacher, fair too but right now I had to wonder if she understood what this was all about. She did not look impressed right now, her lips had long ago been drawn to a thin line. A clear warning sign to someone like me who'd been the cause of much trouble over my years here.

"Nobody knows Hogwarts better than its Headmaster." Declared McGonagall. I almost sighed, she was making this difficult. I would have to head this off before she could build up a full head of steam.

"Professor, if everything is fine then any inspect will find nothing wrong." I interjected.

"When their job is to find fault, they will find fault for the sake of their job." She countered.

"Think of it as something to ensure someone like Umbridge would never succeed as either a teacher or Headmistress." Daphne tried.

McGonagall huffed slightly but said no more. I wasn't sure she agreed but I suspected she believed herself above arguing with teenagers. She could be reasonable but evidenced by my first year she did tend to doubt those younger and less experienced than herself. As flaws went it was one of the better ones to have. The times erring on the side of caution would cause you problems were far less than leaping without looking. McGonagall may be head of Gryffindor but that didn't mean she had to exhibit the worst traits of our house.

"Shall we move on? I shall bring this up next time the board of Governors convene." Dumbledore suggested.

"Right, potions." I started.

"No, hang on we should talk about class allocation." Daphne interrupted me. "Every year in potions Gryffindors and Slytherins are paired together and it causes no end of trouble. Now, there other times that the structure and make up of classes has a negative effect. Astronomy can mean students aren't properly awake for their first lessons the next day so maybe it should have the class in the morning for completing the work without disrupting other subjects."

Dumbledore nodded along while McGonagall's face was set in a disapproving frown but it had been like that for a while.

"Now potions as a subject has received several complaints." I started giving a quick look to Daphne to check she hadn't got any more to say before we moved on.

"Perhaps we might delay any changes for potions until Professor Snape leaves." Dumbledore proposed.

"Snape is leaving?" Daphne asked.

"Ah yes, Professor Snape has decided his future lies outside the castle. In the spirit of openness Severus never truly wanted to teach. Following the end of the last war he had few options and he was to play an important part in defeating Voldemort when he returned. As such I offered him the teaching position. With Voldemort defeated then he has no need to remain." Dumbledore explained.

"Is anyone staying?" Daphne muttered under her breath.

"With Professor McGonagall taking over my role we will also have a new transfiguration teacher." Dumbledore added.

"Maybe then we should work more on a system to help rather than criticise now." Daphne suggested, all her previous nervousness gone as it became clear Dumbledore valued her opinion and encouraged her to speak.

"A good idea. Minerva, as the Headmistress next year what sort of feedback would you appreciate from the students?"

"It should not be public, people will complain because it is what they do. You might find they criticise when they simply dislike the teacher regardless of the quality of teaching." McGonagall replied.

"Should it then be restricted to the prefects?" Dumbledore enquired.

"I believe they are selected as the most mature and reliable of their years. They also give a balanced view from all of the houses."

I wasn't sure how I felt about that. While I understood McGonagall's view I couldn't help but feel if the prefects were the students who would be most concerned about complaining about the staff. They might value their education but they were also visible. If complaints were made the staff had a very select few they could blame for it. It shouldn't happen but if the Professor took it badly they had a target for their pettiness. If it came to a teacher's word against a prefect's I wasn't sure which side McGonagall would come down on.

"I think they should be picked from within their own house. Prefects are often teacher's pets." Daphne put in, voicing my own concerns but with less focus on pettiness and more on the prefects.

Dumbledore was content to suck on his sweet and let McGonagall refute the protest.

"That simply means that they see the importance of their education."

"Malfoy is a prefect. He's not dumb but he's definitely Snape's favourite and Pansy? The less said about her the better." Daphne shot back. I was amused watching Daphne, who had been nervous when she'd entered the room was now fired up and arguing with arguably the strictest teacher in the school.

"The Slytherin prefects are not what we are discussing Miss Greengrass, we are here to talk about ensuring Hogwarts remains its status as a premier school on the world stage." McGonagall reminded her.

"We were talking about if they could be trusted to provide good feedback. Would you trust Malfoy and Parkinson to be fair and unbiased, especially if it was a muggleborn teacher?" Daphne pushed.

McGonagall sighed and looked to Dumbledore in frustration. With a crunch, Dumbledore bit down and finished his sweet having long since sucked out all of the sherbert.

"Minerva I'm afraid that Miss Greengrass may have a point. Alas, we cannot prevent them being selected by their house were it to be an elected position so Miss Greengrass' idea has flaws of its own. Rose, do you have any suggestions?"

I paused, thinking, I thought about what would be the best system, what would be the fairest system and what was open to the least amount of abuse.

"I think just having anonymous feedback is best. Have some filtering charm to stop duplicated parchment so it doesn't get filled with rubbish. Have it go to the standards person from the Governors and they can sort through it to find the valid stuff and separate it from the ones that are just whining. They can bring it up at staff meetings or with the heads of houses or something and then action can be taken. If you make it take effort, then people with legitimate complaints will use it and those who just want to mess around would get bored and do something else."

"Ah, an interesting idea. Comments?" Dumbledore asked the other two. Daphne just shrugged while McGonagall said nothing.

"It might work." Admitted McGonagall.

"We shall work out the details at the next staff meeting." Dumbledore summed up. "Thank you for your time girls. Rose, the Minister wishes to speak to you. Would you be willing to speak with him?"

My instinct was to say no, to leave the spotlight and to try and be normal but I could never be normal. This is what Harry was on about over summer, I've survived but I have yet to win.

"I'll meet with him." I told Dumbledore. It gave me a chance to control the narrative, to put my spin on events. I just had to work out what spin I even wanted.

Dumbledore looked tired all of a sudden, I'm sure he would have tried to warn me, to hold me back and was forcing himself to not get involved, to get used to stepping away.

Shortly after that we left, it hadn't quite been what I had expected but it seemed the focus was more on next year. Even with a system in place we hadn't spoken much about how the feedback would actually be delivered. There was nothing to ensure anyone listened to it.

Dumbledore announced his retirement to the school and later to the press at the end of the week. He made a lot of noise about continuity and having a proper handover. I sat and watched, amused at how shocked everyone seemed, it was as if they'd expected Dumbledore to stay as Headmaster until he died. Fred and George had immediately declared that Dumbledore would be thrown the biggest leaving party they possibly could throw. As they compared ideas from the insane to garish smiles crept onto their faces and I couldn't help by enjoy the moment, as if everything was normal. As if we weren't sitting here in the shadows of the dead, dreading the moment one of us slipped up and dragged the others down with us as we descended back into our misery. For that moment though all eyes were on the future. A Dumbledore free Hogwarts, a world without Voldemort, things were changing and we just had to make sure it was all for the better.

The Minister himself came to Hogwarts to meet me, I wasn't sure if he honouring me or if Dumbledore had decided it must be so. Either way I was sure that most people went to the Minister and he went to very few. We met in an empty classroom, I think it was the same one that held the Weighing of the Wands. He'd brought with him a few aides, among them was Percy Weasley, they were all lingering behind Ogden in the deeply cushioned armchairs Dumbledore had conjured for the meeting. Dumbledore himself was sitting slightly off to the side, making it clear that he wasn't the focus of this meeting but close enough he could add his thoughts while leaving the Minister facing me in the middle of the room.

"Miss Potter, its good to meet you." He even seemed genuine about it which was a change. Fudge had always felt strange, as if he wasn't sure if I was a person or an icon. The way he treated me in my third year compared to fifth was night and day.

"Good morning Minister." I replied, trying to keep my voice even and supress any nerves.

"Good morning to you too. Now I asked for this meeting for a couple of reasons. Firstly I would like you to attend an awards ceremony where we honour you and those that fought with you beneath the Ministry. Secondly, this is a bit more tricky to explain but I would like you to do an interview where you state that the Death Eaters were the problem and that you have no problem with Purebloods or wizarding culture in general. Now before you interrupt I just want you to understand why I'm asking." The Minister paused as he assessed me, trying to get a read so he knew what to say. "A lot of wizards have died in the last century. Many not leaving a family behind. As a result the portion of traditional old purebloods has dropped. Increasingly muggle influence is seeping into our culture. Regardless of if this is a good thing or a bad thing it is change and change scares people. He-Who-Must-Not be named was stopped early and while that is a fantastic thing his supporters were not culled. They must be brought back into the fold, we cannot afford to allow their resentment to grow. If we punish them, if we push them we risk them gathering around a new leader and restarting this conflict."

"I understand. I had an advisor who told me that stopping Voldemort was surviving and unless the issues that caused him were fixed then we wouldn't win." I acknowledged. "I don't like it but I understand."

"You're not the one who has to tell the public we aren't hunting down all possible Death Eaters. They want blood from the last war and I want this all to end." The Minister replied with a wry smile.

I nodded in acceptance and glanced towards Dumbledore who was watching and absently braiding his beard. I knew he approved of bringing the sides together without bloodshed but I couldn't help but wish I knew what he was thinking. Using legilimency to find out was not an option. I took a moment to consider what the Minister had asked. A lot of me was screaming that I was normal, that I didn't want the extra attention but the new cold calculating side that Harry had nurtured was reminding me that people already looked to me. A case could be made that if I did nothing then whatever followed by my lack of action could be considered my fault. I was already in a position to help, the question was what do I consider help to be?

"What is happening with the trials?" I asked.

"We're throwing the book at them. We're going to come down hard on them but with the statement that we consider the matter concluded. There is nothing wrong with their prejudices so long as they do not act on them. We will not police beliefs and ideas, we will act against crimes."

"I'll do it." I confirmed.