Harry Potter and the Summer of the Dementors

The next day's edition of the Daily Prophet was much extended, with a banner headlines: "FUDGE GOES!" and sections on 'Who's In' and 'Who's Out'. Harry found it a bit bewildering, as most of the names meant nothing to him. Still, if he was going to have a future in the Ministry, he needed to try and follow what was going on.

Remus was leafing through his own copy, ordered specially for the day.

"Looks as if you are going to have a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher after all," he remarked.

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Kingsley's been promoted."

"That's good news - and bad news."

"Not the only promotion for people in the Order."

"Is that intentional, do you think?"

"Hope not. Because otherwise our security's been a bit lax."

Harry spent most of the morning reading through the accounts of the meeting of the Wizengamot, and the details of the promotions and sackings. Percy wasn't in any of the lists: he mentioned this to Remus.

"Arbuthnot's a bureaucrat - and so is Percy, right down to his toenails. No, he'll want to keep Percy. You wait - in a couple of days, Percy'll be making speeches saying how wonderful the new regime is."

And Harry couldn't help but agree.

It was fairly obvious that the Prophet had no real idea of what had gone on at the meeting: the account was colourful, but a lot of it seemed to be complete conjecture. Fudge, however, came out of it with dignity - he issued a statement after his resignation: 'The meeting expressed opinions which were at variance with much of my policies. Having listened carefully to the issues being debated, and the views of many of the members, I decided that it would be in the best interests of the wizarding community if there were a new Minister, and so accordingly offered my resignation. This was accepted."

Harry would have liked to have heard those opinions. He imagined that the Order had been doing a good deal of behind the scenes lobbying. But it wouldn't have been enough to unseat Fudge unless there were a lot of other people who weren't happy either.

Arbuthnot had also given a brief statement: "I would like pay tribute to my predecessor, Cornelius Fudge, who has guided the wizarding world through some difficult times. There are many challenges still ahead, and I look forward to working with the Wizengamot to tackle them as best we can."

Neither of which told him very much. But that was only to be expected from public statements of that kind.

It was not until the late afternoon that the blizzard of owls began. Most were for Remus, but some were for Harry.

One of the first he opened was from Ron.

"Hey, what news! Dad went back to the office and then came back really late last night and told us all about the meeting. He disappeared off to work again really early this morning too. Is it OK to drop in this evening? Ron."

Harry scribbled a hasty 'Sure!' on the note before giving it back to Pigwidgeon.

Another note came from Hermione, saying much the same thing. Harry scribbled on this one: 'Ron's dropping round this evening. Want to join us? H.'.

Then later that afternoon there was a Special Edition of the Prophet. This had obviously been rushed to press to cover all the Ministry news. There were lots of names of people who had 'resigned' from their posts, and lots of new appointments made. Scanning the list, he saw 'Shacklebolt' as the new Head of Auror Department - which must have been quite a promotion. Then another name: 'Arthur Weasley - to Private Office of Minister.'

"Hey, Remus, what does that mean?"

"What?" Harry pointed out the item. Remus gave a low whistle. "Wow! That's good."

"Ok. But what does it mean?"

"Well, in one way, it could mean anything. The Private Office deals with all the papers that come to the Minister, with his diary, and so on. But it also means that Arthur can read all the papers that cross Arbuthnot's desk. Plus, of course, it's a very substantial promotion."

"With more money?"

"With a lot more money."

"That's good. But I wonder if it'll mean having to work with Percy."

"I haven't seen Percy's name mentioned yet. But that doesn't mean anything."

Harry leaned back in his chair. "I really do need to work how the Ministry works."

Remus looked amused. "Slowly. And with difficulty."

"No, idiot. Its structure, and so on."

"Why do you want to know? Planning to be Minister one day."

"I don't think so." Harry found it difficult to put it into words. "Because ... well, it governs our lives, doesn't it? And if I do join the Ministry as an Auror or something ..."

"Is that what you want to do?"

"I'm not really sure yet. But - maybe."

"You don't have to be in the Ministry to be influential. Look at Dumbledore, for example," Remus pointed out.

"But Dumbledore's different."

"In what way?"

"Look at all the things he's done."

Remus shrugged. "There you are then. And you've done quite a few things already."

Harry shivered. "Don't say that!"

"Why not?"

"Because ... because he's still out there. And sooner or later, I've got to deal with him. If the prophecy's right."

"Prophecies often have an odd way of fulfilling themselves. And we don't even know whether it's genuine or not."

"It is," said Harry grimly.

"Each time you tackle him, he comes off worse. And that means you're steadily getting the upper hand."

"Maybe," said Harry, staring at the table.

"Well, you're going to have to face up to that when the time comes."

"Don't you think I know that?"

"Yes. But you'll make it worse if you brood on it."

"Don't you think I know that too?"

"Of course. Look," Remus went on, "now Kingsley's in charge of the Aurors, you could use the opportunity to have a rummage through the department's library and archives."

"That's not a bad idea," admitted Harry.

"Take Hermione too."

"She'd love that."

"You never know what you might turn up."

Harry sat thinking about it. "Yeah. I think I'll do that."

He turned back to the paper to see what else he could glean.

Ron appeared in the kitchen just after seven. Harry was upstairs, and he heard Ron's voice calling him.

"Coming," he yelled, and ran down the stairs.

Ron was standing with a huge beam on his face. "Fantastic, isn't it?"

"You can say that again. And your dad's been promoted."

"Yeah. More money. And a really good job, apparently."

"Heard about Kingsley?"

"Yeah."

"Means a new teacher."

Ron shrugged. "Dumbledore'll find someone."

With the faintest of pops, Hermione arrived too. She was clutching her copy of the Prophet.

"Bet your Dad's pleased," she said.

"You bet," said Ron. "But it's been mayhem in the Ministry."

"Let's go upstairs," suggested Harry. "We can talk about it up there."

Ron regaled them with tales gleaned from his father. Then they read and reread the account in the Prophet.

As they looked through the paper, Harry could hear voices downstairs.

"Let's see who's arrived."

Remus was in the kitchen, with Moody, Mr Weasley, and several other wizards Harry didn't recognise. They obviously recognised him, though.

"Sorry," said Mr Weasley, as they came in, "we're still plotting."

"So this was what you were talking about the other day," Harry said to Mad-Eye.

"Yeah. We didn't think it would happen. But then Fudge thought all the bureaucrats would support him, and they didn't. They eventually decided he was useless too."

"So what do you think of Arbuthnot then?"

"Anything's better than Fudge. Well, not quite. Arbuthnot might be a bureaucrat too but at least he has some guts."

Harry nodded. "That sounds about right."

He pushed his way past various people to find Mr Weasley. "Congratulations," he said.

Mr Weasley was beaming. "Thank you, Harry."

"The Minister's office?"

Mr Weasley nodded. "Not because I'm a high flyer. But Arbuthnot knows I can be useful to him, and vice versa."

"It's still a promotion."

"Oh, yes. Molly's over the moon."

Harry grinned. "Glad to hear it."

"So, what have you been up to the last few days?"

"Not a lot," Harry admitted.

"I think you might get a summons," said Mr Weasley.

"Oh?"

"To the Great Man."

"Arbuthnot?" asked Harry with a grin.

"That's right."

"About anything in particular?"

"You Know Who?"

"Thought as much."

"We're being taken seriously now. After that raid on the Ministry, and the attack on the Longbottoms. People don't feel safe anymore. That's why Fudge had to go."

"Fair enough. And is Arbuthnot the man for the job?"

"Well, it could be worse. He's efficient and effective, you can say that for him. He's made remarkably few enemies. I mean, he wouldn't have been peoples' first choice, but he was a good compromise candidate."

Harry nodded, filing away all this for the future. "So what's he actually doing?"

"Beefing up the Auror department, for one. Improving security at the prisons. Putting research galleons into the Dark Arts department."

"Sounds good."

"Up to a point. But whether it'll be enough ..." Mr Weasley shrugged. "Time will tell. Come on - I'll introduce you to some of the others. Particularly since they're in your house."

Mr Weasley took him round some of the people he'd brought with him. As he did so, Harry became aware of something that had only prickled at the back of his mind before.

At Hogwarts he'd certainly been an object of considerable curiosity when he'd arrived - not helped by the notoriety he'd acquired subsequently. But all his fellow pupils had been too young to have known the days when Voldemort had terrorised the wizarding world. But these people had lived under that shadow. And he was an object of curiosity to them since he'd not only defeated Voldemort somehow as a child, but had taken him on since - and won. He was, he realised, being treated with a mixture of awe mingled with respect.

And he knew something else too. If he succumbed to this, he would become insufferably arrogant. He would become as bad as say, Draco Malfoy. Yet a display of mock humility would be as bad - would in fact be worse. He knew he'd have to work out some sort of strategy for dealing with all of this. In the meantime, he had to try to act as naturally as possible. Which wasn't easy.

Dobby had appeared, and was handing Butterbeers to all and sundry. He was grateful for this: it still felt awkward having strangers dropping into his house - what he was now calling his house, and beginning to call home too. Something else to get used to.

And something else to add on top of everything. He was becoming aware that a lot of these people thought he knew a lot more than he did. He was having to reply with a casual 'Really?' or "Is that right?" when someone mentioned something in passing, assuming that he'd know all the details. But at the same time, he was picking up all sorts of details among the gossip - fitting them into the bigger picture was much more difficult though.

But soon the room began to thin as people made their way home. Ron disappeared with Mr Weasley. After a while there was just Remus and Hermione left.

"Want to stay for a bit to eat?" Harry asked her.

She hesitated, then: "Okay."

Dobby re-appeared. It was if he'd been listening to them.

"If Harry Potter was to have some supper," he said firmly, "then Dobby will provide it."

Hermione looked at him with a slightly equivocal expression, then said to him brightly: "And how's Winky?"

"Winky is fine, miss. Winky works hard for Harry Potter. We is working at making this house a fit place for Harry Potter to live in."

Remus came in: "How is the house, Dobby?"

The elf looked at him. He knew what Remus meant. "The house is becoming a better place," he said slowly, and Harry could see that his eyes had become slightly unfocussed, as if staring off into the distance. "But it takes time." His eyes snapped back to focus on Lupin. "That is what Winky and I help to do. Clearing away all the old things from the past. Make the house a new and clean place." Remus nodded. "Having people who are happy living here helps," added Dobby.

"Does that include me?" asked Remus dryly.

Again Dobby looked at him slightly unfocussed. "Remus Lupin is not necessarily a happy man, but he is a good man," he said softly.

There was several seconds' pause as Lupin first looked surprised, then embarrassed. "Yes, well," he muttered.

Dobby turned and started clattering pots and pans. Harry recognised this as a signal for them to leave him to it. He reached for a bottle of wine and three glasses.

"Come on, let's go upstairs and let Dobby get on with things."

One of the rooms on the ground floor was smaller than the rest: Harry had made into a room where three or four could sit in comfort in large armchairs. With a mutter of 'incendio', Remus set a fire going in the grate. Harry poured out the three glasses of wine and passed them round. Hermione took hers with a muttered 'Thanks'.

The three of them slowly sipped their wine and stared into the fire. Finally Remus turned to Hermione.

"What are you going to do next year, Hermione?"

Hermione gazed at her hardly touched glass of wine and swirled it gently. "Businesswoman or bureaucrat?" she asked.

Remus gave a very faint smile. "Meaning?"

"Do I get a job in the real world, or join the Ministry?"

"The Ministry's not all bureaucrats, you know." Hermione gave him a sharp look. "There's actually a lot of what you might call high level research that goes on there. You've been down there. They need people. Particularly now."

"What sort of people?"

"Two kinds, really. People who have a deep intuitive understanding of magic, and people who are intelligent and can do more than put two and two together."

"Just like Harry and me, in other words?"

Remus gave a slightly broader smile. "Sorry to be so transparent. But yes."

Harry swirled his glass of wine too, looking at the little droplets that coursed their way back down the sides.

"Why should we? Work at the Ministry, I mean," he asked quietly.

Remus looked surprised. "I thought it would be obvious. The wizarding world has two problems - Dementors on the loose, and Voldemort. The skills of the two of you would be invaluable."

"Two schoolchildren are going to save the world?"

"As you well know, Harry, you're not a child any more. And you know the key to the downfall of Voldemort is in you." Hermione looked up with curiosity at this statement. "And as for Hermione - well, she doesn't have the experience of older witches and wizards, but she has a fresh eye.

"One thing about Arbuthnot - he's cleared out a lot of dead wood very fast. He's a true Ravenclaw: he sees things coldly and clearly. There will be those who say he's a heartless bastard - but those will be the people he's getting rid of. And yes, he probably is a heartless bastard ... but he knows what he's doing and where he's going."

"So what's he got to offer to us?"

"Depends what you're asking. I think the ball is going to be in your court this time."

"Don't talk to me about courts."

"You know what I mean," said Remus patiently.

"The big trouble," said Harry slowly, "is that I don't know what I do want from Arbuthnot."

"Then you don't ask for anything specific. Talk about not being sure what to do next year, keeping your options open, possibility of co-operating with the Ministry, that sort of thing."

"You make it sound as though Arbuthnot will be making Harry some kind of offer," Hermione remarked.

"Oh, he will," said Remus confidently. "Probably in the next few days."

"Guesswork or rumour?" asked Harry.

"Both. And firmer than that. If he doesn't, I'll eat one of Dobby's hats."

"Fair enough. What I might do is ask whether I could spend a week in the holidays shadowing one or two people. To find out more how the Ministry works."

"I think he'll take that up with open arms," said Remus with a grin.

"Shadowing Mr Weasley? Kingsley."

"Better and better."

"And the rest of us?" asked Hermione tartly.

Remus shrugged. "Harry could always ask for you - and Ron - to do the same. To be honest, Ron's not in the same class as you two. Oh, he'd make a very good Auror. But not an outstanding one. He lacks - subtlety."

"I think I'd like to look through their archives," said Hermione thoughtfully.

"A good idea," said Remus

But they were interrupted by a knock at the door. Dobby was standing there.

"Your suppers are ready," he told them.

"Come on," said Harry, "we'd better not let it get cold."

They were about to make their way downstairs to the kitchen when Dobby turned to them with a determined look on his face. He was standing by another door leading off the hallway. Harry hesitated then looked inside. He saw a table laid for three, with a lace cloth and silver knives and forks by the place settings. He looked down at Dobby, who looked back with a firm expression.

"Um, right."

He led the way in. He avoided looking at the other two. They stopped by the table, surveying it.

"It's wonderful," said Hermione finally.

Harry nodded.

"Thank you, Dobby," said Remus, "but there is one small snag." The elf looked at him enquiringly. Remus smiled ruefully. "I can't use silver."

For a moment the elf looked blank, then slowly his face crumpled.

"It's ok, Dobby - any other knives and forks will do fine."

Harry braced himself to grab Dobby before he went and starting hitting his head on something.

"Not your fault," he told the elf. "You're not to go and do anything stupid, understand?"

Dobby nodded - he took Harry's meaning. "One moment."