"So when can I meet with the Minister?" Harry asked eagerly; as far as he was concerned, the sooner the better.
Tonks regarded him shrewdly. "The Minister told me that I could bring you over right now… if you were willing."
"Well that's a switch," Ron snorted derisively. "Normally the Minister is doing everything he can to force you into talking."
"He still is, in a way," Harry said. "Only this time I'm willing to go along."
Charlie let out a low whistle. "You must really love her."
Harry met his level gaze "Yeah, I do. So," he turned back to Tonks. "Shall we go, then?"
She nodded and Harry watched her glance once at Remus but quickly looked away. They strode out into the hall and walked down along a path that Harry had never been before. She went through a series of several doors until they found themselves at a guarded one. Tonks held out her wand as the other Auror held out his. A soft purple light radiated through his wand, into hers and then through her body making her glow. He nodded once and stepped aside to let Tonks through.
They entered a small room with only a large fireplace occupying the wall straight in front of them. The door closed quietly behind them and Tonks marched over to the fireplace. Before she could do anything else, Harry asked, "Is Ginny being guarded?"
Tonks, whose eyes looked slightly bloodshot, nodded. "Yeah, she's got two brilliant Aurors watching her. The Minister thinks it's to keep her from escaping, but I warned them that someone was likely to try to kill her again."
"And," Harry rushed on, needing a few more answers, "How did you find the house… if it was unplottable?" He'd wanted to ask before but decided that he shouldn't push it with a room full of people… especially Remus.
"I didn't find the house, Harry," Tonks explained, sounding exhausted. "I knew basically where it was and Crookshanks would leave the grounds to deliver notes to me."
Harry stared at her, confused. "Then how did you find her to save her?"
Tonks licked her lip which Harry realized now was actually a bit swollen. "That… that's something I can't tell you about. Become an Auror and I'll explain it to you. Suffice it to say that I could have always got into the house, unplottable or not, but Ginny made that part of the vow too… I couldn't try to rescue her until she sent for help."
"That was some vow," he said with a bit of awe.
"You have no idea…" She let out a long sigh and shook her head. "She said to me, 'Tonks, I'm going to do something stupid and I really need help. You can help me or I'll do it on my own' and I thought, well how much trouble could she really be getting herself in to? I mean," her arms flew into the air in exasperation, "she wasn't even sixteen years old!"
Harry shook his head sadly. "We both had the same thoughts."
"Anyway," Tonks grabbed a pot of floo powder. "It's neither here nor there anymore. Let's get this meeting over with."
Harry took the floo powder and threw it into the fire. Tonks said, "Minister's Office, St. Mungo's."
His jaw dropped as she shoved him into the fireplace, which spun him a few times before depositing him into a small office. Coughing, Harry brushed himself off and turned to wait for Tonks but the fire didn't relight.
"I asked her to wait for us, Harry," a tired voice said from a dark corner. He turned to see an older gentleman walking slowly over to a chair by the fire. "Please sit," he said, indicating a seat opposite him.
Harry crossed quickly and took a seat. "You're the new minister, then?"
"Yes, well," Ogden laughed hollowly. "I'm already old and have lived my life. If You-Know-Who comes after me, then it won't be a major loss."
It was a grim way of looking at it, Harry thought morosely. "Didn't you want to be Minister?"
"No, in fact, I didn't." Ogden waved his wand and a steaming mug of what looked like tea appeared before him. "An old friend of mine, who I understand that you met not too long ago, suggested I step up for it. He thought you might need my help."
Harry shifted uncomfortably in his chair and cleared his throat. "Who's that, then?"
"Fellow by the name of Nick."
"Oh…" Harry remembered clearly meeting the ancient shop keep just before Christmas. "So what do you want from me, then?"
"I think it is quite clear that the Ministry is in shambles. I've taken to hiding here at St. Mungo's, because the Ministry is a disaster." Ogden paused to take a sip of his drink. "I need to rally the magical community together and you're the key. You're the one they want to hear from, not me."
Harry snorted cynically. "Why should I help you when I've refused to help your predecessors?"
"Because I actually believe in you and I know you're going to be our salvation." He was so calm in his assertion that it took Harry by surprise. "If you help me, I'll give you access to Miss Weasley."
"Actually," Harry said, finding his voice and feeling a hint of steel thread through him. "You're going to want her out of here. Voldemort wants her and he's not going to stop until he gets her."
Ogden eyed him levelly. "She could go to Azkaban."
"Yes, she can… and I will give the Daily Prophet an interview about how terrible I think you are." He was more serious than he'd ever been in his life. "I want her out of here as soon as she can be released. In return, I give you my word that she is not a criminal."
Ogden shook his head. "She has to stand trial."
"Then she will be back to stand trial, but she is not safe here… no one is." Harry was bluffing but he didn't think Ogden was going to know that. "You let her go with the family, I guarantee that she'll come back to stand trial, and I'll help you boost morale through an interview."
Ogden looked like he was about to refuse, so Harry decided to go for the kill. "I know what they say about me, that I'm the chosen one and all that rubbish. Well what if I am? If I am, then you need me happy and healthy." He sat back, crossing his arms and staring at the old man. "If anything happens to Ginny, then I'm done. You can get another damn savior because I will leave and not look back."
He meant it and Ogden knew it. Sighing heavily, the old man nodded. "Fine. I'm going to call for a reporter and I'll be present while you give the interview. After that, you will be free to see Miss Weasley and when she is healed, she will be permitted to go home."
It was what he wanted, and yet not nearly enough. "Fine, bring in Rita Skeeter. She's who I want to do the interview with."
If Ogden was surprised by the request, he did not show it. "Done. Wait here, please."
He left, via a small side door and Harry finally took a moment to study the room in which he found himself. It wasn't exactly what he would expect for the Minister of Magic. There was a small, functional desk in the corner and several filing cabinets. Most of it was kept meticulously clean except for a pile of parchment upon the desk.
When the Minister finally returned, he was followed closely by Rita Skeeter. She looked a bit older, but much more kempt than the last time Harry had seen her. Her outfit today was bright red. It hurt Harry's eyes to look at her. Her lips, he noted, were the same shade to match her dress, although with ridiculously high shoes; those too were also red.
"Harry!" She crooned, coming straight up to kiss his cheek. He wondered vaguely if he had a lipstick spot on his cheek now. "It has been too long!"
Not long enough. Harry wasn't taking any chances. He got close to her cheek, on the pretense of returning her kiss. Instead he whispered, "I want what I say to be recorded exactly. In return, I'll keep your secret."
"Fine," Rita exclaimed airily so that even the Minister could hear her. "So," she said, sitting down in the chair that the Minister had sat in previously. "Shall we begin?" She pulled from her handbag her Quick Quotes Quill and a roll of parchment, which she balanced on her knees.
Harry glanced once towards the Minister, but he'd sat himself behind his desk. "Fine," Harry muttered, taking the seat across from her.
"Harry," Rita crooned, her mouth forming a perfect smile. "It has been awhile. What have you been up to this past year, what with school being closed?"
Let the lies begin, Harry thought sardonically. "I've been hanging out with my best friends, mostly. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger."
"What sorts of activities have you been participating in?"
"Uh…" Harry had to think fast. "Well, we've flown a bit and traveled around some. Mostly we've stuck close to home, though."
"Isn't it true, Harry, that Miss Granger's parents have left England?" Rita's simpering smile never faltered.
Harry, however, nearly fell out of his chair. "I believe they went to see relatives, yeah."
This time Rita's question went more towards what he expected. "Do you believe the death of Rufus Scrimgeour has been a wake up call for the Ministry of Magic?"
"Yeah, well I guess so," Harry answered, somewhat lamely. "I don't really read the papers."
"Mm." Her acid green quill stopped for a moment, quivered and began to write again. "Harry, is it true that the Prophecy that was destroyed last year during the battle of the Department of Mysteries predicts you will eventually destroy the Dark Lord? And if so when do you plan to getting around to fulfilling it?"
Harry shook his head. "The Chosen One rubbish was given to me by your paper. It's got nothing to do with reality and-"
She cut him off. "How will you fulfill the prophecy?"
He shook his head. "There was no prophecy."
"So, the death of Sirius Black at the Ministry, when the prophecy was apparently destroyed, was all just a mistake?"
A flood of emotions raced through him, none of which he was willing to deal with. "I have no comment on that."
"But-"
"None." Harry's voice was clouded with anger, but he held himself in check.
Thankfully she decided to drop it. "Is the new Minister's support a result of your help in pursuing of the Dark Lord as the Chosen One?"
"I'm not the 'Chosen One'," Harry growled fiercely. "Honestly, though if you had a chance to kill Voldemort, wouldn't you take it?"
Rita winced and Ogden coughed, almost imperceptibly. "So Harry, is there anything you think the Ministry could be doing that it isn't already to combat the Dark Lord?"
"No." Harry made sure his voice was very firm now. "I think the Ministry is doing a bang-up job of catching Death Eaters."
Her thin, blonde eyebrows rose nearly into her hairline. "Mr. Potter, in your opinion, what should be done to anyone found to be collaborating with the Dark Lord or his followers?"
It was 'Mr. Potter' now… "Give them a fair trial and if found guilty, send them to Azkaban."
"Is that harsh enough?"
"I'm not a barrister," Harry said with a shrug. "But it seems to me that that is the law."
"Of course; how extremely clever of you. So," she said, drawing out the 'o'. "Can you shed any light on rumors of a vigilante group formally headed by the late Albus Dumbledore that has been battling the Dark Lord without Ministry approval or support?"
He just laughed. "Why would Dumbledore have told me that? I'm seventeen years old."
"It's well known that you were his favorite."
"Yeah," Harry replied sarcastically. "And I was sixteen when he died. He's not about to tell a kid something like that although I wish he would have. If that group had existed, I'd have joined."
He saw Rita smirk, but she did not comment further. "Tell me, Harry, what do you think of our new Minister?"
"I think he's doing a fine job. He's a fair man, and he's working hard to end this problem. He's got my full support." Harry fought the urge to fidget about, knowing that he needed to remain calm.
"Wonderful; that's what the public wants to hear. You haven't supported the other Ministers, have you?"
He chose his words carefully, knowing that this was a critical question. "I haven't agreed with their politics, no. I believe that Minister Ogden will do a great job as Minister and he will help bring an end to Voldemort."
Rita glanced once towards the Minister and Harry saw him nod. "Well, now that the business is taken care of, on to more personal matters. If my sources are correct, you were dating a Miss Ginny Weasley while you were at Hogwarts."
Harry's face turned instantly red. This wasn't what he'd signed up for. "Yes, but we ended it at the end of term."
"Yes, I've heard that too. How did you feel when she moved in with the Nott family?"
"Confused, of course. I haven't spoken to her about this."
"What about her engagement to him?"
Harry had to stop himself from curling his hands into fists. Instead he smoothed them along his jeans, wiping the dampness from his palms. "She's free to marry whomever she chooses."
Unfortunately Rita could spot his agitation. "Do you no longer care for Miss Weasley?"
"I care for her, of course. She is a dear friend, but I only want her happiness."
"What about rumors that she's been taken to St. Mungo's?"
He shrugged. "I don't know anything about that. I'm just here to support the Ministry and do all I can for the Minister."
"So, Harry, if you are no longer attached to Miss Weasley in any way, just what kind of witch might strike the fancy of The Boy-Who-Lived?"
Ginny… "Not sure right now, but definitely someone who doesn't see me as 'The Boy-Who-Lived'."
"Could you give us more to work with here? Do you have a preference with hair color, eye color, body type?" She looked at him eagerly and for a moment he wondered if she was trying to apply for the job. The thought made his stomach roll.
"No comment; no. Looks aren't all that important to me." They may have been at one point, but not any more.
"How mature of you," she crooned. "So then how will you ever decide who is the right witch for you?"
"I dunno. I'm only seventeen. Do I have to decide that now?" It sounded like a good enough answer to him.
Skeeter sat back, tapping her teeth with one of her long, sickly-green fingernails. "Very well, Harry. How often can the press expect you to be available for these chats in the future?"
"Well, I'm not exactly doing anything that's newsworthy so I'm not sure why anyone really wants to talk to me. I'm just a normal kid." Harry smiled, finally feeling himself relax a bit. He crossed his arms and sat back.
Rita opened her mouth to speak again but was interrupted by the Minister clearing his throat. "I believe that is enough for now. Miss Skeeter, you may leave us."
Rita stood, although her smile was strained. "Of course, and thank you, Minister, for the opportunity." She left through the door from which she came.
"Harry, I need you to wait here for a bit. I've got to make a few arrangements and then I will send you back with Auror Tonks."
'A bit' turned into four hours, but when he came back, Ogden shook his hand and led him to the floo. "Miss Weasley is stable and has spoken. You have my thanks Mr. Potter."
He flooed back to the room where Tonks was waiting and saw her smiling. "Ginny's okay."
