Tonks and Mundungus’ injuries weren’t too bad. Tonks was just put to bed, and was given potion to heal her airway. Mundungus’ hands took longer to fix up due to the terrible curse placed on the handle. And as for Harry and Hermione, their minor injuries they were healed up rather quickly, and they had to spend the rest of the day at headquarters. Ron was there too, looking glad to have his two friends back safe and sound, though he did take the news of the Horcrux being a fake just as hard as everybody else.
And then that lead to the matter of Pendle Draker. He looked absolutely stunned to see Harry back in his presence. Harry began to try and get the reason for that without the Council finding out. Why would he be surprised to see Harry back if he had just gone to some cabin in a forest? Harry wasn’t able to get an answer out of him, and left Draker tied up in the cold and dark basement, until he was ready to give real information. They weren’t about to set him free.
A week into December a letter arrived from Mrs. Weasley inviting the three of them over for the holidays. Harry was thrilled. He could use something that would help him put the forest behind him, and then concentrate on the next Horcrux afterwards. And as an added bonus, the letter mentioned that Ginny would be coming home too. Harry didn’t even complain about having to be cooped up in Grimmauld Place for the time being.
So, on the twentieth they all packed their trunks, gathered up their animals, and bid a temporary farewell to Grimmauld Place and Kreacher.
“Oh, we should take him with us,” Hermione said. She immediately retracted her statement due to Harry and Ron’s expressions.
Harry closed his eyes and imagined the snow-covered lawn of the Burrow. He Apparated and then ended up at his intended destination. Ron and Hermione appeared next to him, both looking very pleased to be back. Crookshanks leaped out of Hermione’s arms, shook off the feeling of Apparation, and clambered off.
Mrs. Weasley then came running at them looking disheveled. She immediately came up to Harry and Hermione, and gave them a big hug. “Oh, my goodness, I heard what happened to you two.” She grabbed hold of Hermione’s left hand. “Maybe I should check it to make sure you’re alright.”
“I’m fine, Mrs. Weasley,” Hermione claimed. “Nice to see you.”
Mrs. Weasley shifted over to Harry, and inspected him from head to toe. “And are you sure you weren’t hurt in that dreadful place, Harry?” she asked earnestly. “To think the danger you were put under, and you managed to get out practically unscathed.”
Harry started to feel a little guilty. It was he who was supposed to have gotten hurt, not anyone else. “We’re okay,” he assured Mrs. Weasley.
She then went over to Ron, and for some reason put her palm on his forehead. “I was told that you didn’t go into that awful forest, Ronald. I’m happy for that, but you must have taken seriously ill not to go along.”
“Well, I’m not.” He took off her hand. “Can we go inside now?”
“Yes, yes, come in. I’m preparing supper.” She led the way. “Oh, and I must thank you for letting Ginny use you broom over at Beauxbatons. She”never mind, she could tell you all about it.”
Harry’s stomach flopped. “Ginny’s already here?” he asked, trying to sound casual.
“Yes, she arrived last night. As for Bill and Fleur, they went to France to spend Christmas with her family. And Charlie will be coming tomorrow or the day after.” She sounded positively giddy. “He’ll be bringing his girlfriend.”
“I have got to meet her,” Ron said, sharing the same enthusiasm Fred and George had over the summer.
“Too right about that, little bro,” Fred said, once they got inside. George right there with him. Fred grabbed Ron and pulled him away an arms length inspecting him. “Don’t see anything. Do you, George?”
“No I don’t, Fred.”
“See what?” Ron asked.
“See anything that could possibly make you any use to the Order. I mean, what are they having you do? Make notes during meetings?”
“Having you deliver letters, even though owls do a better job?”
“Or maybe he’s handing out ‘Death Eaters Stink’ flyers,” George suggested. “Now you see, Fred and I could be much more helpful. Wish we had some trump card that would allow us to join behind everybody’s backs”mind telling us what it is?”
To Harry surprise, Ron merely grinned, and simply said, “Order business.” What was going on with him? Ron would usually explode. Then again, that one comment was enough to sting the twins in the right place. He had access to that and they didn’t.
Fred and George grinned back. “Good one.”
“Good one what?” a familiar voice asked. Harry looked up the stairs and saw Ginny descending them.
“Everybody clean up,” Mrs. Weasley announced. She shuffled into the kitchen. “Dobby, how’s the meal coming?”
“Very good, Ma’am,” Dobby’s squeaky voice responded.
“So,” Hermione started, “what are you two doing home so early? Shouldn’t you be running your shop for the holiday rush?”
“Our holiday rush came early for us, dear Hermione,” Fred said boastfully.
“The Holiday Sparklers were a huge hit,” George continued. “People bought them along with ten other items in the store. We cleaned up so good, we decided to take an extended vacation.”
Harry was barely paying attention to the conversation. All he heard was something about one of them accidentally changing from red to green during testing, before his attention was back on Ginny.
“So,” Harry began, “how’s school so far?”
He and Ginny took a seat at the dinner table. “Not bad,” she admitted. “But I prefer Hogwarts, obviously.”
Harry thought about what to say next. “How are you?”
“Harry, I’m fine,” she said, putting on a genuine smile. “I’d be better if it didn’t end, but I’m making due.”
“How?” Harry asked, alarmed.
“Oh, you know,” she said airily. “I’m now going out with ten different boys. And I’m thinking of dating the six others who asked me out so far.”
It was an obvious joke, but an unsettling one at that. Harry gulped. He forgot that being broken up now meant she was single again, and within every right to find someone else. “Six, huh?” he managed.
“What would you expect from one of the biggest upsets in Beauxbatons Quidditch history?” Ginny started to laugh. “No, just one or two asked me out so far. But I turned them down, of course.”
Fred slid in next to them. “I don’t know, Ginny. It might be good to broaden you horizons. You know, find someone kind, generous…won’t dump you at the first sign of trouble,” he said, shooting a look at Harry.
“I dunno,” Ginny continued casually. “I think it’s kind of sweet if a boy is willing to be miserable just so that his girlfriend can be safe.” She looked at Harry. “But then again, that boy should have considered his old girlfriend’s feelings before he acted so rashly.”
Harry leaned into Fred’s ear. “I’m not trying to get back with her.”
He smiled. “All I needed to know. And just for the reassurance, I’ll take your stuff up for you. ” He left.
“One of the biggest upsets in Beauxbatons Quidditch history, eh?” Harry said as if Fred never came. “Knew you’d be a shoe in, even if you didn’t have the Firebolt.”
“Got to admit it,” she said, “I never would have considered joining a team without you giving me that broom. It’s a real stress reliever.”
Their discussion about Quidditch lasted a while, and continued into supper. Dobby had laid out all the dishes, served the meal, and earned himself some appraisal from the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione.
Hermione asked very curiously how Ginny got through all of her schoolwork at Beauxbatons, since they had to of spoken French. She explained that it was a simple matter of having a self-writing quill take notes for her in English, thus Ginny spaced out during most of the lessons. As for her homework and tests, she just wrote in self-translating ink. She also made some English speaking friends that translated anything else.
“And you’d be amazed at how much better they think their school is from Hogwarts,” she continued. “Those that I can understand keep asking me how much I like that school better than Hogwarts. Or, they blab about some of the academic programs they have that they think are superior. And the few that see me as in intruder always make snide remarks. All I had to do to shut them up was say that Fleur was my sister-in-law. She’s of course very famous there due to her time as a Triwizard Champion and all.”
“Gits,” Harry, Ron, Fred, and George muttered. They all looked at Hermione.
“Oh! Um, yes, very rude of them.”
By the time supper ended, and it was time to sleep a few hours later, Harry had a magnificent day”his first in a while. He allowed himself to forget all of his troubles: At least for now. Draker would be dealt with again soon enough.
Three days before Christmas, everybody in the house except for Mrs. Weasley was down in the kitchen eating breakfast. They were having a normal time, when she came rushing in pulling on a traveling cloak.
“I have to go,” she said urgently. “I got an owl from Charlie saying he’ll be here with his girlfriend tomorrow morning, and that they’d enjoy a frittata”I don’t have the proper ingredients for one.”
Mr. Weasley stared. “Shouldn’t they be trying to make a good impression on us instead?”
“Oh, I know, Arthur. But you know that I don’t think dragon work is the kind of profession that attracts women. It’s a miracle he found someone in that line of work. I’d better go now. Have lovely morning.” She then rushed out the door.
“Hasn’t even met her yet, and already she likes her better than Fleur,” George commented. A few grins were exchanged.
Then, a few minutes later there was a knocking on the door. Mr. Weasley went to open it, and to everybody’s bewilderment Charlie was behind it.
“Nice to see all of you,” Charlie said nervously. “Is Mum gone?”
“What in heaven’s name are you doing here, Charlie?” Mr. Weasley asked accusingly. “You mother said she got an owl saying you were coming tomorrow, and then she bolted off!”
Charlie breathed a sigh of relief. “So, it worked.”
“Don’t tell me,” Fred said jovially, getting up from his chair. “You got Mum out so we could meet Natty-poo first? Just so we could vouch for you?”
“Ugh! She must horrid, then!” George finished. “Worse than Fleur!”
“Shut it, you two!” Charlie shouted, red in the face. “And it’s Natalya!”
“Don’t tell me they’re right?” Mr. Weasley asked, horrified.
“No, no,” he stammered. “It’s not like that at all.”
“Then what?” Ron asked, standing up.
“All of you follow me,” Charlie said. All the Weasleys started to follow.
“C’mon,” Ginny said, dragging along Harry. “We’ve got to see this.” Harry nodded, wanting to know what was going on.
“Let’s go,” Ron said to Hermione.
“I can’t, really,” Hermione responded, reluctant to go. “It’s a family thing.”
“Don’t belittle yourself,” he urged, coaxing her out of her seat.
Soon enough, all the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione were out in the snow covered back yard. Harry rubbed his hands together, and stuck them in his pocket, just waiting for something to happen.
“Hey, Natty, I want you to meet the family,” Charlie called into the trees.
All of a sudden one of the most stunning women Harry had ever seen walked from behind a tree. If Harry didn’t know any better, he would say that she was a veela”but she couldn’t be. No chance. This woman didn’t have any of the stupefying effects that veela have. A person could choose whether or not to act like an idiot around her. She was tall and lean with thick blond hair, and a slight shadow under her eyes that somehow worked for her. But she would have been more attractive without the sulky look she had on her.
As she was getting closer, Harry took a look at the other’s reactions. Ron, Fred, and George were all looking approvingly at the woman. Mr. Weasley was just stunned, but it didn’t look like it was because of her appearance. And Hermione and Ginny were both giving her a wary look.
“Nice one, Charlie,” George said, stroking his chin as if looking at work of art.
Suddenly, the woman came up to Charlie and smacked him behind the head. Everybody in the vicinity looked dumbfounded.
“Ouch!” Charlie yelled out, rubbing his head. “Natty, I said I was sorry!”
“You lied to me, Charlie Weasley!” Natalya shouted angrily, her accent full of Italian. Her snapped towards everybody else. “Nice to meet you all.”
“Indeed!” Fred said eagerly. He ran up to her, took her hand and kissed it. Hermione and Ginny gasped. “Fred Weasley’s the name. Joke shop’s my game. And let me say that you are one of the most charming women I have ever had the privilege to meet.”
George pushed his twin out of the way, took her hand, and kissed it as well. “George Weasley”same game. And let me just add that I think it’s miracle that my brother was able to somehow catch your fancy.”
“Pleasure,” she responded, taking back her hand.
“Out of the way,” Charlie hissed at them. He turned back to Natalya. “Look, I know I shouldn’t have lied, but I was worried about how they would react if I told them without them meeting you first.”
“And if they rejected me for what I was, then you could have just been a man and stuck up for me!” she roared, turning angry again.
Ron was about to go forward and introduce himself, when Hermione stopped him. “Ron!” she whispered urgently.
“Come off it,” he said, sidestepping her. “Ron Weasley,” he announced to Natalya, holding out his hand. “Member of the Order of the Phoenix.”
“Member of the Order of the Phoenix,” Fred and George mouthed mockingly behind his back.
Harry leaned into Hermione’s ear. “Uh…what exactly is she?”
Hermione and Ginny gave Harry a quizzical look.
“Harry,” Hermione began quietly, “she’s a vampire!”
“I am only half!” Natalya shouted at her from far away. “In case you have not noticed, the sun isn’t killing me and Charlie doesn’t have fang marks on his neck!”
That’s when Harry saw it. It was true. That’s the reason why the shadow under her eyes worked. She even had the slightest dark tinge in her skin, which also looked nice on her. And her dark robes seemed only natural. There was even what looked like a small set of fangs showing through her lips.
Somehow knowing she wasn’t dangerous, Harry walked up to her and extended his hand. “Harry Potter.” Should he give some sort of occupation like the rest had?
“Ahh,” she said knowingly. “Charlie has told me about you along with the rest of the family. He says that you’re brave and cunning. Qualities I would expect from someone who can get past a Hungarian Horntail”not to mention He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.” Harry had completely forgotten that she worked with dragons.
“Thanks,” he said, not knowing what else to say.
“And you must be Hermione Granger,” Natalya went on, looking straight at her. “Apparently you are the smart one in your group.”
“I guess,” she responded timidly.
“And I’m Ginny,” Ginny said, trying to get over her fear. Of what Harry didn’t know. “Beauxbatons Quidditch team, I guess.”
“Charlie spoke has of course spoken of you,” she said back. “Says you have very good Quidditch skills. They can be put to much better use at Durmstrang Institute.”
Ginny rolled her eyes in annoyance, breathing, “Of course they can.”
“And I’m Charlie’s father, Arthur Weasley,” Mr. Weasley finally said in a perfectly friendly manner. “Pleased to meet you, Natalya.”
“I feel the same way,” she answered, smiling warmly at him. “And let me just say I bare no hardships towards you. I can only imagine the fear of one of your children being with what the public labels a menace. Do not worry, I have perfect control, and I have no urges to bite.”
“My wife will find it much harder to let that message sink in,” Mr. Weasley told her, chuckling. “Very protective of her children, no matter how old they are. Come inside, I’m sure you must be freezing.”
And with one last angry look at Charlie, Natalya went inside the house with Mr. Weasley. Charlie followed with Fred, George, Hermione, and Ginny. Harry pulled back Ron to go in last.
“What’re their problems?” Harry asked him, indicating Hermione and Ginny.
Ron waved it off. “They’ll get used to her. In general everybody knows that half-vampires are just like us, but with the ability to suck out blood. Still, they got all the stuff from the vampire parents that make them attractive. Try imagining meeting a male version of Natalya with Ginny around.”
Harry then got the picture of a tall and handsome man that caught the attention of all the women, including Ginny. Along with the possibility that she could have her blood sucked out, Harry didn’t like him one bit. “See your point.” Harry smirked. That’s how Ginny was feeling towards Natalya. But there was no way he’d tell Ron that.
Instead he said, “Then that’s how Hermione must have been feeling towards her. I mean Natalya was here…and so were you.” He grinned boldly at him. “Don’t think that’s a coincidence.”
Ron’s face went hot, and he ducked away into the house. Back inside it seemed that Natalya had forgiven Charlie for the moment.
When Mrs. Weasley finally came back with the proper ingredients for a frittata, the first thing she noticed was Natalya laying her head on Charlie’s shoulder. She immediately must have thought the obvious, and screamed. It took twenty minutes and two calming droughts to get over the sight of her son possibly having his blood sucked out by a half-vampire that came out of nowhere. Then she turned angry.
“How dare you lie to me, Charlie Weasley!” she hollered. “You deliberately send me an owl just to get me away!”
Mrs. Weasley continued on her rant for a little while longer. And when she stopped to take a breath, Natalya went on for her, once again angry. “That is inexcusable!” his girlfriend yelled. “I wondered why your mother was not around, but I never thought it was because you lied to her!”
Fred leaned into Harry’s ear grinning. “Brilliant,” he whispered. “Charlie got Mum all riled up about lying to her, so that she’s ignoring the fact of Natty’s origins.”
Harry was confused. “He did this on purpose?”
“’Course. None of us would have the guts to lie to Mum like that without a very good reason.” Harry then noticed how much Charlie was trying not to grin as he tried to look ashamed of himself.
Mrs. Weasley sighed and turned to Natalya. “I must apologize for my son. You may be a half-vampire, but that doesn’t make you any less of a woman”and no woman would want to meet the family under such circumstances.” It sounded as though Charlie tried to pass a yelp of success into a cough.
After that, Natalya went into a short and simple history. She had a vampire father, and witch mother, who she got most of her looks from. And Natalya had been able to disguise herself without too much effort to look like a full witch. After going through Durmstrang, dragon care called to her. She met Charlie while treating one of his sick dragons in his keeping.
“I still can’t believe it,” George said that evening in the living room, with his parents, Charlie, and Natalya still in the kitchen. “Do any of you know how much half-vampires are known to be picky?”
“Extremely,” Fred answered for him. “But then again after Bill I can’t say I’m too surprised.” They were both in such an awed state they barely noticed that Harry had taken a seat next to Ginny”and he was sitting pretty close.
“And Percy too,” George added, but with some distaste in the name. “Doubt he still has Penelope, but he still had her nonetheless.”
Ron stared at them. “What in the bloody hell are you two talking about? Penelope is no where near Fleur and Natalya’s league!”
The twins stared at him pitifully. “Ron,” Fred said, “we weren’t talking about looks”though we agree Penelope isn’t in the same league.”
“We’re talking about those three having the Death Eater’s Stamp of Disapproval. None of them are purebloods. It’s a trend that in the family might continue.”
“Take yourself for example.”
“W”What are you two talking about?” Ron stammered, his ears going red. He started to inch away on the couch from Hermione, who also blushed.
“And if Harry doesn’t change where he’s sitting,” George said threateningly, looking over at him and Ginny, “we’ll have to assume Ginny’s also on the same path.” They both immediately moved away from each other.
“Yeah,” Fred went on, “Harry Potter isn’t exactly the most popular name among the Death Eaters”a half-blood and you’ve escaped You-Know-Who.”
“Don’t get us wrong, though. Unlike Fleur, Natalya, Hermione, and possible Penelope, it was not a miracle you chose Ginny”but the other way around.”
Fred then went over to Hermione, took her hand, and kissed it in the same fashion as Natalya. “We are simply amazed at how much our brothers,” he said emphasizing “brothers”, “lucked out the in girl department. Ron might have lucked out the most of all”him being the second biggest git and all.” Harry obviously knew he meant Percy to be the first.
Hermione went redder. And Ron smacked away the hand, and looked Fred right in the eyes, yelling angrily, “What’s that s’posed to mean!”
“It means she could have done so much better, little bro…. Well, ‘night all.” He yawned and went upstairs to bed. His twin waved goodnight as well and followed, leaving the rest of them awkwardly quiet.
The next few days before Christmas, Natalya proved herself to be a much more preferable girlfriend than Fleur had. While Fleur did seem to try to act her best around the house, Natalya had not been snobbish about anything. It did seem like Natalya didn’t take to Mrs. Weasley’s music either, but she wasn’t as rude as Fleur had been. It was likely that she knew being a half-vampire was still a crippling quality when it came to getting to know others, while having veela inside of you bred natural arrogance.
The only time that being a half-vampire made others uncomfortable was when she pulled out a blood red lollipop. She explained that she had no urges, but she did enjoy the taste. Another uncomfortable moment was when the tomato she was cutting up squirted her in the eye. Natalya got extremely angry, bared her fangs, and bit the tomato to suck it dry in less than five seconds. Mr. Weasley rightly told Harry to keep his distance for a few minutes.
When Christmas morning finally came, Harry woke to find his usual load of gifts at the end of his bed. Ron woke up too, and they started to unwrap the gifts.
“Whoa! Thanks, Harry,” Ron said, holding up a snow globe with a Quidditch stadium and miniature players flying inside. Ron then picked out a smaller package. He cheeks went pink as he stared at the small present in his hands.
“What is it?” Harry asked eagerly. It was probably a good laugh after the MY SWEETHEART necklace the previous year.
“Nothing,” he said hastily, stuffing it into the ripped paper. Ron then got out of bed and started to gather up some clean clothes.
“Where are you going?” Harry asked confused. “Not half your presents are opened.”
“I’m just going to clean up, so I could head down to the village,” Ron answered. “I’ll open the rest later.”
“Why?”
“Just gonna show Hermione around,” he said, trying to sound casual.
“Oh,” he said, understanding. Harry smirked. “I’ve always wanted a tour. Can I come?” he taunted.
“You won’t like it.” And without another word, Ron slammed the door behind him. Harry chuckled and went back to his presents.
As the morning went on, it was turning out to be a quiet and peaceful Christmas. Ron and Hermione had already been gone a while, Dobby was preparing a meal for later, and Harry was sitting at the kitchen table with Ginny, Fred, and George. The four of them then caught sight of Charlie and Natalya kissing nearby. The twins grinned at each other.
Fred licked his teeth in thought. “Too bad she isn’t French,” he said. Harry and George started to laugh.
“Charlie might hurt himself,” Ginny observed. Harry rolled around his tongue at the thought. It wouldn’t be a very pleasant experience.
There was a sudden knock on the door, and Mrs. Weasley went to answer it. “Remus,” she said in mild surprise. “What are you doing here? I thought you’d have other arrangements.” By that Harry knew she meant Tonks.
“Yes, Molly, I do,” Lupin responded. He scratched the back of his head. “But I was hoping to have a talk with Ron first.”
The kitchen went quiet.
“Why?” Mr. Weasley asked suspiciously. “What’s he up to, Remus?”
“He’s doing the Council a favor,” Remus answered quickly. “And I have to have a word with him now.”
“He is in the village with the girl, Remus,” Natalya responded, surprising everybody”except, it seemed, Charlie.
“Thanks, Natalya,” Lupin said. He then left, and went around the house.
It was Harry who decided to ask. “How do you know him?”
“Sorry, everybody,” Charlie said, grinning in amusement. “Forgot to mention that Natalya’s in the Order. I introduced her to the Council before we got here.”
“She’s in the Order!” Fred and George exclaimed. They looked at their mother. “Mum, please””
“You may try, but I’ll stand in your way,” Mrs. Weasley quipped.
“Dad!”
“I’m not going to stand in the way of her standing in your way, boys,” he said, going back to his food.
An argument then erupted in the middle of the kitchen, and it didn’t take long for Harry to get sick of it. He leaned into Ginny’s ear, and whispered, “Want to go outside?” She nodded in relief, and they both left the house.
When the noise of the Burrow died down, Harry and Ginny stopped in the trees at the end of the yard where those in the house couldn’t see them.
“What was all that about Ron?” Ginny asked, leaning against a tree.
“It’s just as Lupin said,” Harry answered, annoyed that he didn’t have any details. “Ron’s doing something for the Council, and he won’t tell us about it. He’s been going to headquarters a lot for the past few months.”
Ginny sighed and looked in the direction of the village. “It won’t be a good thing when Lupin finds Ron and Hermione. Their date would go down the tubes.”
Harry stared. “Date? Who ever said anything about a date?”
She started to laugh. “Are you seriously in denial about your best friends getting together?”
He kicked aside some snow. “Just don’t want them ending up snogging constantly in Grimmauld Place. It was torture having to hang around Ron and Lavender all those months, and it’ll be ten times worse with him and Hermione in closed quarters.”
Ginny smiled. “If Ron put up with us, you should put up with them. You’ll be as big of a hypocrite as he is if you don’t.”
“Wish he still had to put up with us,” Harry mused. He looked at Ginny in longing, and wished that they could just forget everything. Ginny seemed to have picked up on that, as she got off the tree, and shuffled closer to him.
Why not? Harry thought. It was Christmas, and he really should pretend that no war existed right not. It was just him and Ginny”in fact, it was! They were standing under snow-covered trees, and looked as if they were going to kiss. And if they were, Fred and George were too busy at the moment. Harry leaned in too.
And just before their lips connected, a familiar voice called, “Harry!”
Harry immediately retracted, but in anger not in fear of being caught. He knew that voice. It was the voice of a man that he refused twice already. He turned to find Rufus Scrimgeour making way up to them, and leaning on his walking stick.
“Go back inside,” Harry whispered to Ginny. She nodded again, and left.
When Scrimgeour finally got to him, he said pleasantly, “It’s been a little while, has it not, Harry? How have you been doing?” He gave Harry a look that didn’t show too much concern.
Harry wasn’t in the mood for small talk. “I already told you I’m not interested in helping the Ministry.”
The Minister sighed. “Right down to business, eh, Harry? Well, I’m not surprised. A man of your caliber wouldn’t appreciate nonsense.”
“There’s nothing that you can offer me,” Harry went on.
But Scrimgeour didn’t seem to be listening. “ I came here in hopes that you’ve had time to think about my proposal. I figured that with Dumbledore’s death being six months ago, and the shock of it being so fresh, you weren’t thinking too clearly back then.”
“There’s nothing you can offer me,” Harry repeated. He gave Scrimgeour one last look, turned on his heel, and started to leave.
“Harry,” the Minister called in a semi-solemn tone, “I was hoping that it wouldn’t come to this, but you forced my hand.”
An alarm in Harry’s head went off, but even if it didn’t he still sensed the threat. He turned back around, and said coolly, “What do you mean?”
Scrimgeour only smiled a smile filled with coldness. “About a month and half ago, Harry,” he started, “there were two incidents that took place simultaneously”both of which broke the Statue of Secrecy severely. One took place in Surrey, not too far from where your Muggle guardians live. There we found two Death Eaters that were bound up and beaten, with a gaggle of Muggle adolescents next to them. Those Muggles went into a story of how they were saved by one of us, and then took their leader. Unfortunately they couldn’t give us a name or face. Later on we found out that the Death Eater’s memories have been wiped. Naturally, we didn’t find out who fought the Death Eaters.”
What’s he trying to do? Harry asked himself, panicked. He didn’t allow his voice to hint at that. “And what does that have to do with me?”
Scrimgeour smiled that same way again. “We did a follow up investigation a week later. During that we decided to take a look at a smaller incident that took place close to the main one. So, after calming down a resident of Privet Drive, he started to tell us about how you showed up out of nowhere, shot a strange light at him, and then stole his vehicle.”
“So I either help you, or I go to Azkaban for helping my guardians!” Harry bellowed, seething. How could he have forgotten about the Dursley’s neighbor?
“Of course not,” Scrimgeour said, affronted. “You may have broken the Statue of Secrecy by shooting that jinx at that poor Muggle, but could you imagine the scandal if the Ministry sent ‘The Chosen One’ to Azkaban? We wouldn’t consider it. Besides, there is no proof that you were the one that had that big duel with those two Death Eaters, which further broke the Statue. That would only be speculation.”
Harry was confused, but he didn’t show it either. “And even if you did have proof, I would have been within the law! I would have been trying to save those people!”
Not wanting to take anymore, Harry was about to leave again when Scrimgeour spoke again: “I still haven’t told you about the second incident.”
Harry’s heart almost stopped. He couldn’t possibly mean that, he thought.
Scrimgeour would. “This one took place in a Muggle company called Grunnings,” the Minister kept going. “It is owned by your uncle, I believe? Anyway, after the Ministry arrived at the scene, it was total chaos. Machines were broken, Muggles were injured, and everybody inside saw the duel between a Death Eater and two others, who had Vernon and Petunia Dursley with them.”
“What of it?” Harry snarled. It took all his willpower not to curse the Minister.
“Many Muggles were questioned,” Scrimgeour continued. “In fact, the most credible Muggles had memory charms placed on them that can lifted easily. Everybody told us that they saw a short person in black cloak fighting two younger people: a tall young man with red hair, and a shorter woman with brown and curly hair.”
“And your point?” Harry asked through clenched teeth, his fists balled in anger.
“The Dursley’s neighbor told us of two people fitting that description who were by your side, Harry. Well, after that we went to the homes of your fellow classmates, and asked them who those two might be. They all gave me the same answer: Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger.”
“You have no proof that it was them!” Harry shouted, wanting to wring his neck. The Minister crossed the line.
“But it is good enough to get them a court summons.” Scrimgeour then pulled out two envelopes from his robes. “I could have easily mailed them, but I preferred to deliver them myself.”
“Even if they were there, they were trying to save my uncle,” Harry said, not taking the envelopes.
“Car theft is a crime,” Scrimgeour said. “And the vehicle the Muggle neighbor had stolen was found near the company. Plus, they were within severe breach of the Statute of Secrecy. I’m sure the rescue could have gone a lot quieter, and with less Muggle casualties that were caught in the exchange of spells. And kidnapping isn’t very appreciated either.”
“Who are you saying they kidnapped?” Harry snapped.
“Why, the Dursley family, of course. They are nowhere to be found, so that constitutes as kidnapping.”
“You still have no proof they did any of that!” He was an inch away from hurting the Minister.
“That is why they are being asked to appear in front of the Wizengamot. There we will provide Muggle witnesses who can identify them rather easily”that is if they are guilty.”
“You’re just using them to get to me,” Harry whispered dangerously. “I’ll go to the Prophet on you!”
Scrimgeour chuckled. “Did you learn nothing from Fudge’s time as Minister?”
“Then I’ll go to The Quib”” He stopped, forgetting that The Quibbler stopped printing after Luna’s father was killed. “I’ll just go to the streets then.”
“People have enough problems without having to worry about the fates of two others”even if they are friends of Harry Potter himself.” Scrimgeour then shoved the envelopes into Harry’s hands, and started to leave. “The summons is for January the fifth, Harry. Either they come or you do.”
As Harry watched Scrimgeour walk away, his fears came to past: Ron and Hermione had gotten in danger. Up until now they had been very helpful at the orphanage, and at Kartley. But this was very different. They hadn’t gotten themselves in the type of danger they could forget after escaping, because there was no escaping the Ministry’s wrath without something big getting the way.
He scrunched up the envelopes in his hands in anger. The Minister already knew what Harry’s choice would be.
“Harry?” said Hermione’s voice. He looked and saw that she had come back from the village, but strangely without Ron. But that didn’t matter right now. “What’s wrong? Why was the Minister here?”