Harry Potter and the War of Souls

Chapter 9

Ministry Manipulations

Hermione kept a close eye on him from the moment they stepped on the train. "Don't take offense, Harry," she said with half a grin, "but your record of making it to the sorting ceremony isn't great and as Head Boy, you need to be there."

He rolled his eyes and thought back to the way she kept on Ron over the last two years about his Prefect duties. "Look, Hermione. You do what needs to be done this year. I don't know why McGonagall wanted me as Head Boy in the first place."

"Well, she had her reasons, didn't she?" She paused as she led him toward the Prefects' car. "I know you have a lot on your mind, though. I'll help where I can."

And he was happy to let her. She gave what he supposed were the usual instructions to the Prefects, adding that she encouraged them to see that their houses followed the rules, particularly this year. She told them to pass the word that the Gryffindor hourglass of rubies, which had been destroyed in the attack upon Hogwarts last spring, had been repaired, so house points would definitely still be counted.

After they left, Harry told her he would remain in the Prefects' car, if for no other reason but that there was nobody here to stare at him.

"Er, well I sort of told Ron I'd meet him though," Hermione faltered.

"Go meet him," Harry said. "I'm fine."

He found it relaxing to be there and even started to doze off at one point when he heard a knock at the door. He opened it and saw Ginny standing there, looking somewhat embarrassed. Wordlessly, he widened the door for her and let her in, then shut the door behind her. She stood there a moment staring at him, then took a deep breath.

"I wasn't going to say anything because you weren't saying anything, but then I realized you never say anything so I had to say something."

Harry squinted. "Huh?"

She paused as if trying to decipher her own sentence. Then she apparently gave up and added, "I love you, Harry and I think you still love me too. And if we're together or apart, it doesn't really matter because He can get inside your head and see that you still care. So I don't see why you're trying to be heroic about this when it won't help anything."

It was Harry's turn to take a deep breath. Maybe she was right, but he wasn't going to risk it. He wasn't going to risk her. "I'm sorry, Ginny," he said softly. "I did love you, but now I just see you as a friend, that's all. If He does get into my head, He'll see that you're no special prize as a way to get to me."

"That's how it is with you then?" she asked, a single tear now rolling down her face. "You can just turn off your emotions like that?"

"I had to." He stood there staring at her, wondering if she could see through his lies. But after an awkward minute, she wiped the tear from her cheek and said, "Okay, you do what you have to do. I'll see you around." Then as quickly as she could open the door, she left.

He sank back to his seat and gave himself a mental kick. What had Dumbledore told him? That if nothing else, he could love, and what a powerful ability that was.

More like a curse, he thought. Today, that is a curse.

He barely noticed or cared when the train began slowing, but sure enough, Hermione appeared to tell him he needed to be one of the first off the train so he could help organize the students. He shrugged and followed her to the train doors.

As the students got off the train, there were a few bright spots when he saw Neville and Luna holding hands, and others of his friends including Dean and Seamus. Neville walked up to him and said, "Did you notice who's not here this year?"

"Who?"

Neville smiled. "Obviously Draco Malfoy isn't coming back, but he seemed to have recruited Crabbe, Goyle, and even Pansy Parkinson his way. Everyone was talking about how deflated all the Slytherins are this year. They don't exactly have a good reputation anymore."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Since when was their reputation good?"

He rode with his friends in the carriages up to the castle, but was separated when he heard someone calling his name at the entrance. Harry turned and was pulled away from the group by none other than Percy Weasley.

"Over here, please," Percy said.

"Let go of my robe," Harry said, yanking it free of Percy's grasp. He looked up and saw Rufus Scrimgeour staring down at him.

"Harry Potter, it's good to see you again," Scrimgeour said, holding his hand out to Harry.

Harry eyed his hand cautiously then took it and gave it a firm shake. Instantly, there was a bright light and as his eyes readjusted, he saw Rita Skeeter stepping forward. Her hair had returned to its unnaturally tight, blond curls, something which he took as a warning sign that she was writing for the Daily Prophet again.

"Anything to say, Harry?" she asked. "Are you The Chosen One?"

"No questions tonight," Scrimgeour said, waving her off. She frowned, but backed into the darkness until he couldn't see her anymore. Harry was impressed to see that at least, she obeyed the Minister.

"Can we talk?" Scrimgeour asked. "I've prepared a place where we might have some privacy."

"I have to get in to the sorting ceremony." Harry nodded to his badge and added, "They'll miss me if I'm not there."

"Percy will go up and inform the Headmistress of your whereabouts, and we won't be long."

"I always knew you'd make Head Boy," Percy said, a comment which made Harry consider ripping off his badge and tossing it to the lake. "Well, I'll go talk to Professor McGonagall."

Like an eager to please dog, Percy merged into the group of students, announcing, "I've got to come through on official Ministry business. Please move aside!"

Harry followed Scrimgeour to what appeared to be a small carriage floating three feet off the ground. There were steps leading up to it and Scrimgeour motioned for him to go up first.

The carriage was larger inside with a wide desk for Scrimgeour and a comfortable chair for Harry. He was not going to sit, however. He did not intend to get comfortable with the Minister.

Scrimgeour didn't seem to take notice though and sat at his desk. He folded his hands together and looked at Harry. "The Daily Prophet now has a picture of us shaking hands. You know when that photo is released, there will be the general perception that you are helping the Ministry. You see, even without your cooperation you can still help us."

"Why did you want to talk to me, Minister?"

Scrimgeour conjured a piece of paper onto his desk which he handed to Harry. It read, "Official order for release of Stan Shunpike from Azkaban."

Harry looked up and Scrimgeour said, "Oh yes, it's official. Mr. Shunpike was released yesterday with the Ministry's most sincere apologies. He should be back on the Knight Bus as soon as St. Mungo's clears him to return to work."

"I still don't know what you want with me."

"I want peace." Scrimgeour sighed. "What am I supposed to do, Harry, tell me that? He-who-must-not-be-named and the Death Eaters are turning up in every region of the country, terrorizing muggles and wizards - even full-bloods. They are gathering to their army the most vile and evil creatures known to us. Our people are frightened, as well they should be. We are losing even our finest Aurors and frankly, we are losing this war. Now I don't know if you are meant to kill - Him, but our people believe you are. They are looking to you for hope whether they should or not and whether you want them to or not." His expression fell even further. "I suppose I'm not here to see what you can do for the Ministry anymore. Harry, I want to know what we can do for you."

Harry shifted the weight on his feet. "Protect Hogwarts. Protect the students who are here."

Scrimgeour nodded. "We will. Now may I ask, is there a prophecy?"

Harry shrugged. "As you said, that's not what matters. It's what people believe, isn't it?" He turned and began to open the door behind him then said, "I've got to get back to the school. Keep it safe, Minister."

"One more thing," Scrimgeour said. "From now on, you may hear a lot of things in the papers or from us directly about the Ministry or even about yourself. I'd urge you not to take those things too seriously. It's politics, that's all. Only words and nothing more. Between us, we both know you're still, how did you put it?" Scrimgeour smiled. "Yes, you're still Dumbledore's man."

Harry nodded and walked out. He ignored Percy who was waiting outside the door and hurried into the Great Hall where it appeared the sorting ceremony was just ending. He caught a glare from Hermione and moved as quietly as he could through the aisles to sit beside Ron.

"What happened to you?" Ron asked. "We thought you were right with us."

"Detour, no big deal." Harry looked around the Hall and was surprised to see that although enrollment for the new year was clearly much lower than usual, it hadn't dropped as much as he had expected. McGonagall must have done more active recruiting this summer than just to him.

"Almost nobody got sorted into Slytherin," Hermione whispered with a slight edge of triumph in her voice. "And there was very little surprise for the few who did."

"Can't blame anyone for that," Ron whispered back.

"Honestly Ron, that's a terrible way to look at things," she answered. "It's not any of their fault what Draco and his crew did. I certainly don't think the entire Gryffindor House is responsible for the things we three have done."

"Gryffindors may not be responsible for what we've done but they've also looked the other way a fair share while we did it. I'm sure the Slytherins overlooked a lot about Draco as well."

Hermione looked as if she had a full lecture ready to hand back to him, but they were interrupted by the sound of the Hall doors opening and shutting, and heavy footsteps echoed throughout the room. Harry turned and saw Scrimgeour walking up the aisle with Percy in tow.

Scrimgeour whispered something to McGonagall who turned very red in the face, but as he continued to talk to her she finally nodded, then sat down looking as if she might shoot curses at him through her eyes.

"I wish to thank Professor McGonagall for allowing me to say a few words to you. I'm delighted to see so many of you here for another year at Hogwarts. These are dark and difficult times and I have no doubt your families bid you farewell with heavy hearts and wishes for your safety. I want you to have my word that the Ministry will do our parts to insure your school year is a safe one. You may also assure your parents in your next letter home that I have told you this is likely the safest place you could be right now. After all," he said with a deliberate focus on Harry, "You are in the company of the Chosen One, are you not?"

Harry's eyes widened as he wished for a vanishing spell that could make him disappear from the room. He felt every head in the room turn towards him, creating a heat inside him that threatened to boil over.

A voice at the far end of the room that Harry did not recognize called out, "My mum and dad say being here with him is the biggest danger of all. Wherever Harry Potter is, trouble seems to follow. What do you have to say about that, Minister?"

Whatever Scrimgeour answered, Harry didn't know. His ears were burning with anger and embarrassment and all he thought to do was leave. He stood without looking at anyone and left the Great Hall. He was as furious at himself as with Scrimgeour. After all, in a way Scrimgeour had warned him of what he was about to do. It was nothing more than words or politics to the Ministry, but it was humiliating to Harry, who had never hated being in the walls of Hogwarts more than at this moment.