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Politics Of Power…
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Chaotic – that is how Sirius had described the events that had happened at the ministry. Everyone was in uproar, demanding Cornelius stepped down from the minister's position, following Voldemort's return. Luckily, Fudge was smart enough to listen to the public but that was because he didn't have any other choice. He also knew that he couldn't hope for things to get better for him from this point on and so he had to resign from his position.
It left the spot for minister of magic open and the ministry knew that with Voldemort's return they couldn't risk holding an election. The position needed to be filled as quickly as possible. So an emergency meeting was called upon by senior auror Kingsley Shacklebolt under Amelia's orders and a decision was soon taken to make Rufus Scrimegeour their new minister of magic.
The man was a high ranking ministry official. However, he had also been a well-reputed auror back in the day which is why Kingsley and Amelia had proposed Rufus be made the new minister. His experience in both the field and as a high ranking ministry official made him perfect for the governing role considering the danger they were all in. His proposal met with little opposition and within two hours after the meeting Rufus was sworn in as the new minister of magic.
"We couldn't have asked for anyone better on such short notice," Matt had said when Sirius told them about it. "He's a man of action. That is the simplest way to describe him. He fought against Voldemort's armies in the last war and he has people's respect and trust for that."
"But he was never a good politician," Ann had added. "Which begs the question as to how long he can hold onto that position? He will definitely be targeted by Voldemort's supporters some of who we know, are high ranking ministry officials."
"But if that's the case, then it means he doesn't hold any real power, does he?" Daphne said. Everyone looked at her.
Sirius smirked impressed that she had already deduced it. Ann and Matt understood as well as could be seen by the look on their faces. "Is it true?" Matt asked looking at Sirius.
"It probably puts us in the same boat as our enemies – manipulating the position of power," Sirius said slowly, "but we saw no other choice."
"What are you talking about?" asked Harry. He didn't understand what they were saying.
"Rufus is just a figurehead," Matt said.
"What is that supposed to mean?" asked Harry.
"It means that he's simply the minister for show," Sirius said. "The real power lies with the DMLE who put him in that position. The department will take the decisions and Rufus, as minister of magic, will execute them on the DMLE's behalf."
"That doesn't sound very transparent," Harry said. "What is the point of having the position of minister, if he is not really given the powers?"
"It's called politics," Daphne said. "Fudge didn't have any power either. Most of his decision was actually made by his benefactors. It's the same with Rufus. The only difference is that the DMLE actually cares about the people and their safety. And we need something like that, especially at a time like this."
"I know it doesn't make us look very good, and you wouldn't be wrong," Sirius said looking at Harry, "but sometimes steps have to be taken to deal with certain matters. The last time Voldemort came into power he first took the ministry under his control where he put one of his people on the minister's seat. While he did it openly and no one dared to defy him for that, he was able to execute a lot of 'laws' in support of his view of how the magical world should be. Of course all those laws were abolished after he was gone but as long as he was in power his laws were actual laws, executed by a minister of magic."
Harry felt a little conflicted over the whole thing but he said nothing. He didn't understand politics and after this he had no intention to. He decided to simply focus on Voldemort and let the experts handle the politics of the whole thing.
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Three days later Harry returned to Hogwarts. Being an emancipated minor he didn't need to give any reason for his absence and he appreciated that he wasn't bothered by Dumbledore over it. Apparently the headmaster had been out as well, most likely on Order business. Daphne and Astoria had stayed back. Everyone agreed that it wouldn't be safe for the sisters to return considering the recent developments.
After the news about Voldemort's return became public, this was the first time that the students saw Harry and they all looked at him like he was some sort of a messiah. He found it funny but had sort of expected that reaction from them and once again, he felt how two-faced they actually were but he no longer cared about any of that. Despite how they had treated him over the last four and a half years, these students didn't deserve to die at the hands of Voldemort and his death eaters. And Harry was glad that Neville and Hermione had come up with a plan to stop that from happening while he was away from the castle.
Winter had arrived and snow had covered the lands. It was the Hogsmead weekend and the students were desperate to get out of the castle, especially after being cooped up in there following the news about Voldemort's return.
One could see its affects. There were aurors patrolling each of the village's streets and corners. They had proper dragon-hide armors on and they all looked ready to mobilize at the moment's notice. Harry was honestly surprised and even more so, relieved. Maybe the DMLE secretly controlling the government of Magical Britain was a good thing.
It was then that he spotted Luna near the stationary shop. Neville had told him about Draco and Harry was definitely shocked. The fact that the Slytherin knew of a way to defeat Voldemort for good could be really helpful. And so Harry had talked to Luna and the two and Draco had decided to meet by the Shrieking Shack during the Hogsmead weekend.
The Slytherin was already waiting for them when he and Luna arrived.
"Are you sure no one will see us here?" asked Draco.
"Not when we are inside," Harry said pointing to the shack before the three headed in. He then applied a series of privacy wards for extra precaution before he looked at Draco.
"Do you have to be here?" the Slytherin asked.
"If it has anything to do with Voldemort, then yes," Harry said. "Besides, I promised Luna that I wouldn't leave her alone with you."
"What did you want to talk about?" Luna asked in a dreamy tone.
Draco looked at her and wondered whether she was sane enough to help him. But he had no other choice. "I want to talk to the ghost of Helena Ravenclaw," he said. "I was told that you could help me with that."
"She is very shy," Luna said. "It took me a very long time to gain her trust before she started talking to me. But I will talk to her about you."
Draco blinked. "You're…not going to ask why I want to meet her?" he said.
She shook her head. Even Harry was surprised. "I have noticed how the gnargles hover around you," she said. "They stay away from bad people and you are not one."
Draco looked at Harry with a dumb expression and the Gryffindor just shrugged with a tired look. "Um…okay?" he said slowly. "So, uh…where can I find her?"
"In the Ravenclaw tower, of course," Luna said like he hadn't considered it. She then smiled. "I will talk to her. I will have to convince her to meet you first. I will tell you if you can meet her."
Draco nodded. She then left, leaving him and Harry in the shack by themselves. Draco looked at him knowing why he had stayed. "You really wanna know?" said the Slytherin.
Harry pressed his lips together before folding his arms. "You know my connection to Voldemort," he said. "What is it?"
"It's the lost diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw," Draco said. "That is what I am looking for and as the name suggests, it's been impossible to find. I have looked everywhere I could so asking the Grey Lady is my only option I'm left with."
"Grey Lady?" Harry said sounding confused.
"Helena's ghost," Draco said. "That's what people call her."
Harry nodded understanding. There was silence for a while before he spoke again. "So the diadem contains a way to destroy Voldemort?" Draco looked like he didn't want to talk about it but Harry had to know. "You've already taken enough risks to prove that you really don't want Voldemort to win. What is it? How can that diadem be used against him?"
"It is an anchor…of sort," Draco finally said.
"Anchor? Of what?" asked Harry.
"His soul," Draco said as his face went grim. "He has made a few. I don't know how many but as long as even one of them is intact, it doesn't matter how many times you kill him the dark lord will come back."
Harry stood numb. The way Draco had explained it made Voldemort seem like an immortal. It also made sense how he had been able to return. "So destroying that diadem will kill him?" he asked a moment later.
"If all the anchors are destroyed then yes," said Draco. "However, they are indestructible."
"What do you mean?" asked Harry.
"It means they can't be destroyed," Draco said as if Harry was a child. "He wouldn't have made those anchors if they had any weaknesses. It's foolish to think that."
"So you don't know how many he made?" Harry asked.
"I know that there are at least four," said the Slytherin. "Years ago I had overheard my father telling my mother about it. He mentioned a diary that he had received a few days after the night of Halloween when the dark lord…" he paused and looked at Harry, quietly implying what he was saying.
Harry looked surprised. "Wait a minute, you said your father received a diary?" he asked. Draco nodded. "What did it look like?"
"Like any other diary, you know?" Draco said. "It had a dark brown leather binding. I only saw it once when my father was putting it in a safe in his room. That was before I overheard him telling my mother about it."
Harry was stunned. If it was the same diary that he had destroyed in his second year then it meant that these anchors could be destroyed. He looked at Draco with realization and the Slytherin knew he had figured something out. The corner of Harry's lips curled into a smile. "I think I might have a way to destroy these anchors," he said.
Draco didn't seem to believe him. "The dark lord wouldn't make them if they could be destroyed," he said flatly.
"What if I told you that I have already destroyed one?" Harry said. That had the Slytherin's attention. "You remember when we met in the Diagon Alley before the start of our second year? Your father dropped an old diary in Ginny's bucket. It was Voldemort's and through that diary he had made Ginny open the secret chamber to release the basilisk that was there."
"Wait, wait, wait…" Draco said raising both his hands. "You're saying that my father deliberately gave the diary to Weasely? Why would he do that?"
Harry didn't want to say too much because he still didn't know if Draco was telling the truth about the diadem or these anchors but for some reason he felt like he could trust the Slytherin. Draco had, after all, proved that he could be better. And Daphne trusted him as well. However, he needed to know from the Slytherin in person. "Before I tell you that," Harry said, "I want you to answer something completely honestly."
Draco remained quiet for a few minutes before finally speaking. "What is it?"
"Can I trust you?" Harry asked.
Draco looked at him for a moment before responding. "The fact that I'm standing here, telling you about these anchors should answer your question," he said. "But if you still want an answer from me, I think you will have to know it for yourself. All I can say is, I want my family to be safe and I will do anything to make it happen, even if it requires me to go against the dark lord."
Harry looked at the boy and saw a completely different person in him. It was hard to believe that this was the same Draco who often tried to bully him and was cocky, arrogant and discriminative. Well, he could still very well be all of those things but his tone told Harry that maybe the Slytherin had changed for the better, or at least he was trying to.
"I have my answer then," Harry said, smiling slightly.
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Thanks for reading…
