Harry Potter and the Green Flame Torch

Harry could not have expressed his shock and excitement greater than he just had. His eyes were positively glowing, his jaw had dropped, and his left nostril was twitching quite violently. Professor Dumbledore, on the other hand, smiled amusedly and took Harry's hand, leading him to the fireplace. As they walked the distance, Harry finally became able of simple conversation.

"He's fired? Who's going to replace him? Oh...Voldemort's not going to be happy," Harry said gleefully. His jaw closed again, and a giant grin appeared on his face as he threw in the Floo powder and Professor Dumbledore shouted, "The Ministry of Magic!" The Professor disappeared in a flash of green flames, as did Harry following him.

They arrived in the Atrium, which was buzzing with the noise of people conversing and shouting. There were at least two hundred people scattered across the large room, and he saw the Order of the Phoenix huddled in a dark corner. Professor Dumbledore led him over to the group, where he saw his friends Ron and Hermione among several adult wizards.

Just as Ron and Hermione caught sight of Harry, whom of course they did not recognize, the doors on the far side of the Atrium opened to reveal a flustered and angry Cornelius Fudge being dragged away by Aurors Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Tonks, both of which Harry knew. The ex-Minister violently kicked and shook in the arms of the two people, and the majority of people in the area began chuckling or outright laughing aloud.

"You fools!" the purple-faced man exclaimed. Everyone that had been silent before burst into laughter. Fudge's anger grew as he continued to protest his removal.

"Is someone filming this?" Harry asked Dumbledore joyfully.

The Headmaster's eyes twinkled immensely at Harry's question.

"Harry, don't poke fun at the poor man now. He just lost his position of power. I daresay he would like to wring all of our necks at the moment. "

Harry just snorted in reply.

"I suppose you're wondering who's going to end up replacing him?" the Headmaster said. "Well, on our end I've got Luthienne Shairai. She graduated from Hogwarts when you were five, so the new blood theory is in our favour. We've also got Findecan Taralom. He's been around for a little longer than Luthienne, but he's been involved with politics since he was a young lad like yourself. Other candidates are Amelia Bones, Ludo Bagman, and to no surprise of mine Percy Weasley. Oh, and you need to be rid of those disguises. Finite Incantatum!" In an instant, Harry looked like Harry again.

While Harry was disappointed that he didn't personally know any of the candidates that were in the Order, he couldn't really care less at the moment, seeing as of one of the men he disliked greatly was being dethroned.

"How are they chosen? Are there elections, or what?" Harry wondered.

A female voice from behind him answered.

"Basically, all the witches and wizards within Wales, Scotland, England, and Northern Ireland use a spell to vote at a certain time. The Ministry workers make sure that the spell is purposefully kept track of, and every time the spell is used, it shows up on their list. Each name will show up on a different list, and they use a counting spell to come up with the number of votes for each person," the voice explained. Harry turned around to see one of his best friends, Hermione Granger, finishing her explanation in full-blown know-it-all mode and beaming at the same time.

"Hermione!" Harry smiled. He pulled her into a friendly embrace. Even after such a short amount of time being away from his friends, it was still great to see her.

"How are you doing, Harry?" she asked, somewhat putting a damper on Harry's

mood. He knew what she meant - Sirius.

"I'm doing fine. I'll get over it eventually," Harry told her truthfully.

Hermione smiled faintly as the Idea-face™ washed over her features.

"What were your O.W.L. results?"

Harry began smiling again as he told her his results. Hermione beamed at him once again when he finished, then frowned.

"Ron didn't do at all well on his. He only got one Outstanding, and that was in D.A.D.A. He failed Potions, he failed Divination, he got an A in Tranfiguration, he failed History, he got an A in Charms, Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology, and failed Astronomy. He failed FOUR courses, Harry! Four! And he only got FIVE O.W.L.s! FIVE!" she emphasized the fours and fives each time she said them. Harry smirked inwardly, wondering and at the same time knowing how she remembered all of Ron's results.

"What did you get, Hermione?" he asked, though knowing well already that she probably got Outstanding on each one.

"I got Outstanding in everything, Harry! I got TEN O.W.L.s! Professor McGonagall says I should try to be a SpellSpinner. Do you know how rare it is to find a good SpellSpinner?" she told him proudly. Just as she finished, someone from the front of the Atrium cleared their throat loudly to gain everyone's attention.

"Attention, please!" the voice rang out clearly. The room fell silent.

"As you know, we no longer have a Minister of Magic. The voting will be held TONIGHT due to the ever-increasing threat of Lord Voldemort," the person allowed the people to gasp at the name while Harry just rolled his eyes. "I ask that you contact everyone that was not hear and inform them of the voting. This is very important. Until 7:00 on July 10, 1996, the polls are open and I am the stand-in Minister. Please place your vote as soon as possible." The young man stepped down and allowed Professor Dumbledore to speak, who had gone to stand by the podium some time ago.

"My fellow magicians," he began, "I am at this podium to speak to you about the dangers of Tom Riddle, better known as Lord Voldemort. I ask that you no longer fear to speak his name, as fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself.

Fear is the virus that Tom strikes in us. It travels swiftly from one to the other, until it finally consumes us all. The only thing to stop this, my friends, is love, unity, and hope. Should we stand together against the forces of Lord Voldemort, we shall conquer him. But, if we continue to spread disbelief, rumours, and lies," (at this, he looked at the Daily Prophet), "We shall no longer have people to be with. No lies to spread. There will be nothing left because we can not do this alone, and you will die if you are not prepared. Now, I ask you to turn your attention to the young man in the corner, Harry Potter, and listen to what he has to say." With that, Dumbledore stood aside from the desk and beckoned Harry to the stand.

'Me?' Harry thought. 'How could...why? What am I supposed to say...'

"Harry, just explain what has happened and do a demonstration. Talk to them, Harry. This is just the D.A. It's just the D.A.," Dumbledore whispered while he returned to "the corner."

Harry stood shakily at the podium, and finally began to speak.

"I may not look like much to you, but so far I've proved to be the only constant in this world. I stick to my story and my beliefs, while many of you sway to the wills of the more powerful and manipulative. This will be your downfall.

I lost my parents when I was a baby. I was raised in a cupboard for ten years, I was forced to work as a slave, and live on hardly any food. I was not raised in a loving home. Then, in my first year, I found that I had a whole world that I was missing out on.

This world won't be here if you let him win. If he destroys Hogwarts, where will the children go? If he destroys the Ministry, who will lead you? If he destroys your life, what will you do? You will have nothing.

In this building, in the Department of Mysteries, my godfather was murdered by a Death Eater. My friends were gravely injured. I may not have a chance to live because of this man. Neither will you.

I ask you to stand with my Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. I ask you to stand together and fight for the world we have already sacrificed so much for. I ask you to stand by me, and Hogwarts, and the Ministry, if they will and if you will. Together, I doubt that five millions witches and wizards will fail to destroy this evil.

Thank you for time. I hope you think about what I said."

With those closing words, he stepped down and began to walk back to the corner when he heard a clap.

Two.

Four.

Sixteen.

One hundred.

Soon, the room was filled with the sound of a raucous applause. People were whooping and cheering, and the man who had spoken first about the voting ushered him back to the center of attention.

"Teach them! Teach them!" he exclaimed to Harry. Harry looked completely horrified.

"Do you want HARRY POTTER to teach you?" he yelled to the crowd.

"YES!!" was the deafening reply.

"What?"

"YESSSS!" they all shouted.

Harry nervously pulled out his wand.

"All right. First, I'm sure all of you know about Dementors..."

About ten minutes later, if there had been anyone watching the Ministry, they would have seen two hundred Patroni charging out of the building.

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"That was excellent, Harry!" Hermione squealed. "You just made two hundred people make corporeal Patroni! Harry, this is a huge accomplishment! They give out Order of Rowena awards for this sort of thing!"

"Yes, mate, that was brilliant," Ron said flatly from Hermione's right, completely lacking enthusiasm. Hermione elbowed him in the ribs and then he remembered to smile. Harry just raised an eyebrow and looked over to Dumbledore.

The old man was beaming, and his eyes were the twinkliest he'd ever seen them.

"Harry, you have done a great thing for the people today."

"I guess..." Harry agreed unconvincingly. "I still have a few questions. Like WHY you let me do that. Now the Death Eaters could realize that everyone believes me now. And why they listened to me is a good question too..."

"Potter, if you foolishly believe that the Headmaster would not think of a threat such as that, then I was right and you really DO belong in Muggle Kindergarten," a snarl came from behind. Harry didn't need to turn around to know who it was, and quite frankly didn't acknowledge that the man was talking to him.

"So anyway, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, I also wanted to know why I specifically was asked to teach them the Patronus charm?" Harry asked the Headmaster. This angered the Potions Professor even further.

"You mean you don't KNOW, Potter? Here I thought Perfect Potter knew everything, seeing as he just KNEW that his precious mutt was being attacked..."

That was enough to light Harry's wick.

"That wasn't my fault, and you know it. It was in fact your master who killed him, you know, that thing that you beg and plead for mercy to every fortnight or so...you know, that one?"

"Ah, but weren't you the one who was there at the time? The only one who could save the fool? The one who came and risked his worthless skin to save your pitiful-"

Before the sneering man could finish, a swift punch was fired at his nose, and he stumbled backwards, clutching his face.

"Potter, you incorrigible..." was what he said next as he dealt Harry a blow to the face as he had been given.

Harry's eyes flashed.

"Oh, yes. Potter, you incorrigible...what? Arrogant son of a mudblood? Big-headed good-for-nothing? Golden Boy? You see, I have green eyes instead of brown, which I guess means that I'm not James. Did you hear that? You have no excuse to hate me now, because I'm NOT JAMES! I'm HARRY, the one reason that the world hasn't gone to hell! I hope you know that if I had died, that our whole world would have been doomed? Did you know, that if Voldemort had got the Philosopher's Stone in my first year, he would have gained immortality and killed me, the only one who can kill him? Did you know that I break the rules to save the world, not because I find enjoyment in being an oblivious asshole? Did you know, that if I wanted to, I could have blasted your worthless hide just a minute ago, but I didn't because I didn't want to embarrass your miserable hide in front of your only friend, and the students you most hate. The only reason I have not said this before," Harry spat," is because of my respect for the Headmaster."

"Why did you allow this to go on?" whispered Hermione to the aged Professor with wide eyes.

"Harry needed to get this out of his system. They need to understand each other," he replied resignedly.

While Harry may have expected his least favourite professor to explode and through back the insults tenfold, the man did almost the exact opposite. His faced was wiped blank of emotion, his eyes looking at his feet. His hands were clasped behind his back. Harry could have sworn he heard the man give a short sob before he Apparated with a pop.

A/N: I really needed that to happen.