Harry Potter and The Gilded Portrait
A.N. As you can see things jump around for the first several chapters. Please be patient…there's a method to my madness…I promise! As always, thanks for reading and please review.
Standard Disclaimers Apply
Chapter Four - Chasing Answers
When Harry next opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was there was no sunlight streaming in the windows. His old battered alarm clock he used at the Dursley's was still packed in his trunk.
The second thing he noticed was for the first time since he could remember, he had a restful, dreamless sleep.
Bless you Hermione!
Apparently she had known sleeping at Grimmuald Place would be much better for him than Hogwarts. He lay there marveling that the house seemed quiet as death and he would have continued to lay there but much to his dismay, Mother Nature was dictating otherwise.
He slipped on his glasses and made his way to the loo. He didn't bother to put on his trousers. He was the only one in the house…or so he thought.
As he stepped out into the hall, he turned and saw Kreacher coming up the stairs.
"Harry Potter sir," the old elf croaked as he bowed low, "good to see you are finally awake. Kreacher was getting a bit worried."
Harry stopped a bit self conscious about being caught in his boxers.
"Worried?"
"Yes! You have been sleeping for almost two days."
Two days! Merlin's ghost! No wonder why my eyeballs feel like their floating!
"I guess I was more tired then I thought. If you'll excuse me Kreacher…"
Harry moved hastily toward the lavatory just as his stomach gave such a loud rumble it echoed around in the hallway.
Kreacher straightened up at once.
"Kreacher will make Harry Potter a good, hearty meal!"
"Thanks Kreacher. That's very kind of you."
Kreacher turned to go to the kitchen. He waved a tiny hand.
"Kreacher is glad to do it. Harry Potter's mistress asked Kreacher to look after his Master."
"Hang on, did you say Mistress?"
Kreacher turned and looked at Harry.
"Yes. It was Harry Potter's mud…I mean his Muggle Mistress, the one with the bushy hair. She asked Kreacher to look in on his Master. Kreacher is honored to do it."
Figures…Doesn't miss a trick that one.
He couldn't help but smile.
"Very well, thanks Kreacher. I'll be down shortly."
Kreacher bowed again as Harry finally went to relieve himself. After a much needed shower and a fresh set of hand-me-downs Harry appeared in the dungeon kitchen assaulted by the smells of fresh tea, bacon and maple syrup.
He found the morning edition of the Daily Prophet folded neatly next to his plate. He picked it up and perused the headlines as he annihilated three whole plates of food.
He read that Kingsley Shacklebolt had declined the Minister of Magic position and had decided instead to head up the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. That didn't surprise Harry all that much after what he heard Kingsley say to Professor McGonagall. Besides, Kingsley was one of the best Aurors in the business.
He also discovered, much to his shock, Kingsley had nominated Arthur Weasley to the post of Minister and there was to be a special session of the Wizengamot to confirm the nominations. There were a few others in the running but Harry didn't recognize their names.
On the inside of the front page he saw the smiling face of Ron Weasley staring up at him with glassy eyes and what appeared to be a small metal pale on his head. The caption under the picture read;
Golden Boy - Life of the Party!
He had his arms draped around two very attractive witches as he waved sappily up at Harry from the page.
Harry was trying to figure what that was all about. He wondered where Ron had been.
Hoo boy! You better hope Hermione doesn't see this!
But as Harry sat there looking at the photo, he realized it was a stupid thing to think. Of course Hermione's going to see this. She always reads the Prophet.
"Yah, well…the golden boy is going to be more like the crispy sot once Hermione gets a hold of him!"
He couldn't help but chuckle but it also left him feeling a bit disturbed.
Harry wondered why Ron wasn't either with his family or helping Hermione get her parents back. Why was he cavorting about with strangers and getting his picture in the Prophet. That wasn't like Ron…
Then a memory struck him quite out of the blue.
…Yes, actually. It's exactly like Ron!
The chant Weasley is our King echoed from the depths of his memories. He recalled how Ron had acted after the Quidditch match when he thought he was under the influence of the Felix Felicis potion. It had all gone to his head rather quickly.
Ron was now a part of something much larger and more important. He was one third the Golden Trio. Part of the one's who'd dispatched the darkest sorcerer of all time. Just the thought of that made Harry ill but for Ron, he assumed, it was a chance for him to be in the spotlight…to shine very much on his own.
Harry couldn't help but wonder how this would affect Hermione. He knew she had feelings for Ronald Bilius Weasley but he also knew those feelings had been sorely tested in the past. He was almost afraid to find out the answer.
Ron had to know Hermione would find out. How could he do something like that to someone as wonderful as her? It made his blood boil a bit as he thought of it.
But as he laid the Prophet back on the table, he realized he had other things to attend to.
He wanted to see Ginny.
After breakfast, which turned out to be more like dinner because it was now 7:00 o' clock in the evening, Harry decided he was going to try to find Ron, attempt to knock some sense into him and find out where Ginny was staying.
He had no idea where that would be since they obviously had opted not to stay at #12. He figured the best place to start would be the shop in Diagon Alley.
Harry knew Fred and George had added a flat or two above the shop. That was where they stayed now or at least it was while the Death Eaters were running about the place.
Harry let Kreacher know he was leaving and Kreacher said he would return to Hogwarts and if Harry needed him to call. Harry thanked the wrinkled old elf profusely and he went to his room to gather his things.
As he made his way to the bedroom door, he noticed his invisibility cloak hanging out the corner of his trunk. He paused.
Voldemort is gone. The Death Eaters who survived are on the run. You don't need to hide any longer…do you?
The cloak had been like a security blanket for him for almost half his life. There was a time he had spent more hours under the cloak then not.
In three long strides across the room he snatched the cloak out of the trunk, folded it and tucked it in his shirt.
Old habits die hard I suppose.
He could hear Mad Eye Moody's voice in his mind.
Constant vigilance!
He made his way to the front entrance and let himself out on the front stoop. Harry knew the wards the Order of the Phoenix put on the place still held because of Kingsley, Mr. Weasley and McGonagall.
As he was about to step off the porch he noticed a rather large contingent of strangely dressed people milling about in the shadows of the park across the street. He knew them to be magic folk right away. Some held strange looking cameras while others held parchment and quills. Other small groups of younger people seemed to be lounging near by.
Are they waiting here for me? How could they even know about this place? Surely not!
As he stepped off the porch, he instantly heard a sound he recognized at once. It made his blood freeze as the unmistakable shriek of a Caterwauling Charm filled his head.
In the blink of an eye, he could hear the sounds of apparition all around him as the small front lawn was instantly covered with people. Those who were waiting across the street surged forward in a mad rush to get a spot.
"THERE HE IS!" Someone hollered.
"It's the Savior of the Wizard World," someone else said.
"Blimey, I thought he'd be bigger," a man shouted.
Before Harry could react to the crush of admirers, photo flashes were going off everywhere as people pushed all manner of Potter memorabilia in his face for him to sign. They were all pushing and shoving each other to get closer to him.
As he tried to step back onto the porch, he noticed a young woman standing a bit apart from the rest of the crushing throng. She was slender and pretty with long black hair. She was wearing a rather tight black tee shirt and jeans that rode low on her hips. She smiled at Harry when she saw he was looking at her.
She then reached down, grabbed the hem of her tee shirt and pulled the front of it up over her head. He blanched as he could see she was not wearing any under things. On her chest was painted a pair of glasses just like Harry's. They surrounded her ample breasts that were painted to look like two green eyes. Below the artwork were the words I love you Harry Potter painted in the same green color on her flat belly.
As Harry began to panic, he heard the sounds of more apparition as he tried to fish his invisibility cloak out from under his shirt.
Suddenly, people started to vanish. They scurried away as quickly as they had come. Harry looked out over the front lawn and began to see Aurors tunics everywhere. They were quietly herding the mass of people away back into the shadows of the park across the street.
Harry could then see the white robes of Oblivators as they moved among some of the neighbor's flats that surrounded #12.
He glanced over to see the girl had thankfully pulled her shirt back down and with a sad face, allowed the Auror to escort her back across the street. Harry couldn't help but give the girl a little wave. It was rather clever artwork after all.
She beamed and waved at him in return just before she disappeared.
A younger Auror who looked to be in his mid- twenties stepped up to Harry with a stern look on his face.
"I'm sorry about all this Mr. Potter," he said, "things got a bit out of hand, didn't they?"
He stuck his hand in Harry's face and smiled.
"Twycross, Benjamin Twycross, at your service."
Harry looked at the Auror a bit surprised.
"Twycross, I know that name…"
"I'm certain you do. Most witches and wizards do who've taken their apparition tests. That's my Grandfather."
Harry smiled and took the young man's hand.
"Brilliant, but it's Harry…just Harry."
"Very well just Harry. I suspect this isn't the end of it, I'm afraid," Benjamin swept his arm around; "Folks have gone completely nutters since you dispatched You Know Who. Poor Oblivators are logging some serious overtime as a result. You'll want to watch yourself when you're out and about."
"I suspect things will calm down in a few weeks or so but until then you're going to be a prime target for anyone with a camera or quill if you get what I'm saying."
Harry did. It made his stomach grind his recently eaten breakfast/dinner into chutney.
"Thanks," Harry said, "Can I go now?"
"Certainly," Benjamin replied with a smile. He turned back toward the park.
Harry slipped his invisibility cloak over himself, turned and apparated to a spot just across the street from the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron in Charring Cross.
Being a bit later in the evening, Harry hoped the street wouldn't be as crowded as it would mid-day but was surprised to find quite a few oddly dressed people milling about in front of the wizard pub.
He also noticed several Aurors standing near by as well. As he crossed the street he was hoping to be able to slip into the pub when someone came out.
He didn't have to wait long. A rather portly witch and her companion came teetering out the door just as he reached it. As Harry slipped through next to the staggering wizard, he looked back and noticed the Aurors were all over them, telling them to apparate immediately.
The Leakey Cauldron was busier then he had ever seen it. All manner of magical beings were celebrating the end of Lord Voldemort. A look toward the bar told Harry that Tom the barman had hired a couple of very attractive witches to assist him behind the bar and business was brisk.
The fire whisky, scathing scotch and volcanic vodka was flowing like water. He watched as a tiny witch tossed back a shot of the vodka. As soon as the drink went down she started vibrating like someone had picked her up and was shaking her. Everyone she was with started laughing uproariously.
It was almost impossible for Harry to make his way through the bar to the rear entrance to Diagon Alley without bumping into the revelers but he had managed to make his way to the far side of the room.
It took some time but he finally made the small alley behind the Leakey Cauldron that led to Diagon Alley. When he stepped out the door he noticed the passage way to the hidden wizard street was left open.
People came and went as he stood there waiting for a chance to slip through. When he was finally able to gain the entrance he noticed Aurors stationed here and there among the milling crowds.
Diagon Alley was alive again; the way Harry had remembered when he had first seen it. Many of the old shops had been re-opened and were doing a brisk business. Even though it was getting late, most every establishment was jammed with customers.
It amazed Harry how quickly those places had put themselves back together.
As he made his way towards Fred and George's shop he noticed the Ministry had opened an extension office of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Auror's Division in a vacant store next to Ollivander's.
That explained the heavy Auror presence throughout the alley and in the pub but people seemed to pay them little mind as they went about their business. Aurors were trained to be inconspicuous.
He was thrilled to see the old wand maker was setting up shop once again. He could see workers milling about inside putting everything back in place. He told himself he would definitely have to stop in and say hello one day soon and show Ollivander his repaired wand.
Harry found himself standing in front of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes as the crowd milled around him. The storefront was as garish as ever and it appeared to be the busiest place in Diagon Alley.
Harry saw his own face plastered on the large front window. His likeness had an un-naturally toothy grin as his visage gazed down at the crowd and waved stupidly at them. Under his picture was an announcement in blazing bright orange, blinking words;
Harry Potter's Hero Happy Packs!
Limited Supply
Get them while they last!
Harry groaned but then he couldn't help but laugh.
Leave it to George to capitalize on silly heroic notoriety…
Harry saw Lee Jordan standing at the side of the entrance trying to direct the surging shoppers as best he could.
"Sorry for the inconvenience folks but we'll try to serve each and every one. Please be patient…"
Harry worked his way next to Lee and leaned close. Harry didn't think anyone else could hear due to all the noise surrounding them.
"Lee, it's me Harry!"
Lee jumped a little when Harry spoke.
"Blimey Harry," Lee tried to look nonchalant, "Didn't expect to see you here," even though Lee couldn't see him.
He kept smiling at the customers filing into the shop.
"I don't think it would be wise to try and get in at the moment. If these folks knew you were here we'd have a stampeding riot on our hands!"
"Right," Harry replied a bit darkly. He knew this kind of thing was going to get old very quickly.
"Hey, I've got it!" Lee said quickly, "Why don't you wait up in George's flat above the shop. He and Fred added a few flats after Diagon Alley got hit by Death Eaters. George's is number one. You can wait up there until we close the shop. The password to get in is Fizzing Wizbees. Take the stairs up the side of the building behind us."
Lee pointed toward the stairs with a slight jerk of his head. Harry could see the set of steps going up the side of the building to a small covered landing.
"Alright then," Harry replied, "You sure George won't mind?"
"'Course not mate," Lee whispered, "I know George would love to see you. Oh, and Harry? "
"Yah," Harry looked back over his shoulder.
"I hope you don't mind us using…well…you know," Lee pointed to Harry's picture on the front of the building.
"No, I don't mind," Harry laughed, "As long as you haven't got me selling You No Poo."
Lee smiled broadly but looked quite relieved.
With that Harry made his way up to flat number one. Once inside the hallway that led to the flats he pulled off his cloak. He recited the passwords Lee had given him and the door swung open.
The flat seemed large and spacious. There seemed to be boxes, bags and brightly wrapped packages on every level surface. He peered into one box that was labeled Tingling Truffles.
Harry had learned long ago not to touch anything that had to do with the joke shop. He recalled the time Hermione was holding what appeared to be an innocent looking telescope when, in a blast of bright light and a bang, it punched her in the face. Upon recalling that moment, he couldn't help but laugh. Hermione hadn't thought it was all that funny though. She had been rather annoyed.
He thought about where Hermione might be but was sure she would be with her parents. Surly they would be back from Australia by now.
As he milled about the flat, he could hear the crowds down below. It amazed Harry how quickly things had changed. It also amazed him how one evil person could affect so many other lives.
He passed the time waiting by trying to recount the events that had brought him to where he was and how he was going to deal with his unwanted notoriety. It made his stomach churn when he thought of being the center of all the madness.
How am I expected to live a normal life if I'm pursued by everyone in the bloody wizard world?
The thought of spending the next few months hiding under his invisibility cloak left him feeling depressed.
What was the point of dispatching Voldemort if nothing has changed?
Just as that thought occurred to him he listened to the crowd below. They were laughing and yelling happily, patting one-another on the back and wishing each other well going about their evening without fear…
Things have changed you moron! People aren't running for their lives and hiding…
He thought of what young Auror Twycross had told him at Grimmuald Place about things dieing down in a few weeks. Harry hoped he was right.
His thoughts slowly drifted to Ginny. His memory replayed that brief stolen moment at the Burrow on his last birthday. He recalled how he wanted that moment to last forever but then reality intruded to bring him crashing back into his life.
He thought about their time together at Hogwarts his sixth year. It seemed even then their entire short-lived relationship consisted of nothing more than stolen moments in time, each one more intense then the one before it. It was as if they were trying to fit a lifetime of experiences into those all too brief encounters.
It was as if Ginny had known. She had realized even before Harry did he would set her aside for her own protection. How could he not? He remembered how disappointed she seemed after Dumbledore's funeral.
He couldn't help but think of her quiet conversation with Dean Thomas at Hogwarts. He wondered what it meant.
Now that his life stretched out before him with a big question mark atop it, he didn't seem to feel the relief he expected. There were so many unanswered questions in his mind.
As he sat in the dark flat lost in reflection, he could hear the crowds thinning and the noise receding. He heard George and Lee thanking their customers and letting them know the shop would re-open promptly at nine a.m. in the morning.
Below him he could hear the sounds of happiness. It seemed to only bring him a small measure of comfort.
A bit later he heard them making their way up the stairs to the flats. The next thing Harry knew a small group of people was spilling through the door engrossed in a jumble of excited conversation.
With a flick of his wand, George set a multitude of candles around the flat ablaze while the others removed their Wizard Wheezes uniform cloaks.
Harry saw George and instantly noticed he looked quite normal with two ears! It was a complete shock. He also saw Lee Jordan as well as another brown-haired bloke and a rather pretty witch with short, spiky blond hair. They saw Harry and froze for a moment.
George was the only one other than Lee who seemed to know he was there. George smiled broadly.
"Greetings mate," George said with enthusiasm as he crossed the room and took Harry in a bone-crushing hug.
Harry pointed at the side of his head with a look of shock on his face.
"Your ear?"
George grinned.
"You like it? Something new they've conjured up at St. Mungo's…" and he proceeded to fill Harry in on the process, "Lee and I did a little experiment on the ear and, well have a go at this," George leaned down a bit, "tweak the earlobe."
Harry looked puzzled for a moment, the others laughed.
"Excuse me?"
"Go on, give the earlobe a pinch!"
Harry reached up and gently pinched George's new ear on the lobe and the room was filled with the head-splitting sound of a ship's fog horn as a thick cloudy mist sprayed out everywhere. It was so loud it rattled everything in the flat and blew out two windows.
They all reached up to cover their ears as the sound died away and the smoke quickly dissipated.
George and Lee were laughing so hard they were red-faced. The others seemed as shocked as Harry was.
Lee quickly repaired the windows while George introduced Harry to the two newcomers.
He told Harry the brown haired young man was Benton Hornsby. George had brought him on to fill the empty space Fred had left and the young lady was Gretchen Huffnagle, she worked the register and restock.
Harry looked at Gretchen and noticed that, from the side view, she looked quite normal. She had a very slender figure and was quite attractively proportional but looking at her from the front or the rear she seemed quite a bit wider than a normal person. Harry thought while it did nothing to detract from her appearance; it was just a bit disconcerting and unexpected.
Gretchen, in return, regarded Harry with unveiled fascination and maybe even a bit of wanton desire. Her gaze seemed to ratchet the heat in the room up a degree or two. She moved to where Harry was sitting on the couch and plopped down unabashedly right next to him and held out a rather wide hand.
"'ello, I'm Gretchen," she said with a pleasant smile and a rather breathless voice, "It's an honor to meet you."
"Erm…thanks," Harry stammered, "Likewise."
Gretchen glanced at Lee and George then looked at Harry with a wink.
"Don't let these two nutters rattle you. They may come across as wankers but their both mostly harmless."
Harry looked at her grinning broadly. He liked Gretchen at once. Besides, she smelled wonderful. He wondered if she had spilt love potion on herself or something because he was rather enjoying her sitting quite close to him and he had no idea why.
George leaned over to Harry and whispered in his ear that Gretchen thought there might be a bit of Troll in her family tree somewhere hence her unusual girth.
Harry had no idea if he was being serious or not. It was impossible to tell with George sometimes.
"You tosspot," Gretchen punched George affectionately on the shoulder.
Benton Hornsby came up and shook Harry's hand as well. He and Gretchen seemed fascinated by Harry's presents and he politely answered their questions for a bit as they sat and made quiet conversation.
Harry looked around at all the boxes and packages and laughed.
"What is all this stuff?"
"New inventions mostly," Lee replied proudly.
George moved over to a table and started rifling through a box.
"Come take a look Harry. We've got some really good ones just out of testing."
Harry rather reluctantly got up and joined George and Lee at the table. He discovered Gretchen had laid her arm over the back of the couch and Harry had found himself almost sitting on her lap, with their bodies pressed together. He found the contact with her warm and pleasant. That surprised him. She gave him a smoldering smile as he looked back at her. Her effect on him was most Veela-like.
As Harry approached the table, George held up a box of what looked like mints they hand out at Muggle restaurants.
"Mutating Mints," George said proudly, "We've fashioned them to be a bit like Bertie Bott's Every-Flavor Beans. Pop one in your mouth and it's anyone's guess what you'll turn into. We've used mostly small animal transfiguration effects though. Don't want anyone getting injured. The effects only last about five minutes, just long enough to get a laugh."
"Great at parties," Lee added.
Gretchen literally jumped off the couch.
"Can I do one?" She asked enthusiastically.
Benton laughed loudly.
"Last time she did one she turned into a mouse. Alley cat got sight of her and chased her all the way to Knockturn Alley before she changed back!"
Gretchen gave Benton a scathing look.
"Ha bloody ha, Benton," she said, "Glad you enjoyed it! Didn't do a thing to help did ya? What if that cat woulda' caught me. I'd a been kitty kibble for certain!"
"That cat jumped ten meters straight up in the air when you turned back," Lee laughed, "Probably scarred the poor thing for life."
"Used up at least four of its nine lives," George added, "You had nothing to worry about Gretchen. There's a fail-safe built into the effect. Any threat and you'll instantly turn back. That was Lee's brilliant idea by the way."
"Thank you George," Lee bowed extravagantly.
Harry couldn't help but laugh along with them. This was exactly what he needed. He was very glad he decided to come to Diagon Alley.
Gretchen glided up to the table next to Harry and held out her hand. George dropped the small mint into her palm and she popped it into her mouth without hesitation. She looked at Harry and grinned.
"Here we go!" She juggled her eyebrows.
Suddenly she started to shrink and change, morphing into a small spider monkey. The monkey jumped up onto the table and began tearing around the room, squealing and shrieking. It jumped onto Benton's back and began pulling his hair.
"Gerroff!' Benton tried to reach behind him to grab the little primate but she leaped across and landed on Lee's shoulder. Lee reached for her but she was too fast. The monkey deposited some poo on his shoulder before it leaped to George's head.
When it landed, the monkey proceeded to hose the top of his head with monkey pee and then leaped into Harry's arms.
It looked up at Harry as if it were smiling at him then tore up his chest. It pulled his ear painfully hard, and then leaped from his shoulder to the back of the couch.
The monkey shrieked on final time looking at them before it started to mutate once again. As it grew in size it slipped off the back of the couch and landed with a thud out of sight.
Lee and George were busy scourgifieing themselves as Benton stood grumbling rubbing the back of his head.
Harry was laughing so hard he was crying. He saw Gretchen's hand appear on the back of the couch. She was laughing so hard she couldn't seem to stand up.
"That was more fun then a barrel of monkeys!" She quipped.
That made the rest of them crack up as well. George looked at Harry laughing.
"Want to have a go Harry?"
Harry held up his hands.
"Erm…not at the moment, thanks," he said, "I think I get the picture though."
He looked at another box and asked what was in that one.
"Oh ho," George yelled, "You picked one of my very favorites. Flatulating Fudge."
George looked at Benton and beckoned him closer with a finger.
"Oh, not again George," Benton groaned, "I'm still feeling a bit peaky from the last time. What about Lee?"
Lee held up his hand.
"Oy, mate," Lee exclaimed, "These are brand new trousers thank you very much!"
George beckoned again and Benton reluctantly moved forward and took the rather tasty looking piece of fudge in his had.
"There's a good lad," George smiled, patting him on the shoulder, "this'll be the last time for a while, I promise."
Gretchen had regained her equilibrium and came up behind Harry. She quite unexpectedly slipped an arm around his waist and nuzzled the back of his neck with her cute little nose.
"That was fun but it leaves you a bit disoriented for a moment. You should try it Harry."
Harry smiled at her a bit dreamily but his attention was fixed on Benton as he took a bite of the fudge.
They all waited for a few moments as Benton stood there cringing with his eyes shut tightly in anticipation of something horrible.
George shot Lee a glance.
"You might want to move mate…"
Lee realized he was standing almost directly behind Benton. He realized it about one second too late.
"Bloody…," was all Harry heard before there was a muffled explosion.
What happened next had Harry and Gretchen holding one-another upright because they were laughing so hard neither one could stand up on their own.
A bright blue flame shot three meters from Benton's back side. With it came a blob of sticky brown goo that splattered Lee from head to toe. The flame scorched the seat of Benton's trousers leaving a huge smoking hole.
Benton doubled over holding his stomach and Lee could only stand there wide-eyed and trembling.
"GREAT CSESAR'S GHOST," Lee screamed, "Would one of you get this mess off me?"
George moved forward and cleaned Lee with a wave of his wand. The he turned and helped Benton put himself back together. When all was back to normal, Harry and Gretchen were still crumpled in a fit of laughter at the whole thing.
After they had managed to get control of themselves, they all moved into the sitting area and reclined. George passed cold Butterbeer all around and they fell into conversation.
Harry however was still chuckling.
"That was absolutely the funniest thing I've seen in ages."
Benton looked perturbed. He sat stiffly with his arms tightly folded in front of him
"Humiliating is more appropriate."
"Oh come off it Ben," Gretchen laughed, "You know we've all done it. Besides, George would never ask you to do something he wouldn't have already tried himself."
Benton didn't look mollified in the least.
"Fred perfected the Flatulating Fudge the day before we left for Hogwarts." George said.
"I'm really sorry about Fred, George. You must miss him a great deal."
George looked solemn for a moment as the others fell quite. He gave Harry a significant look.
"Yes, Harry I do," he replied, "and I'll not have you blaming yourself for what happened either."
Harry couldn't help but look down at his hands.
"Sorry mate," he whispered, "bit late for that I'm afraid."
"That's what I figured," George said with a slight frown, "Listen. I'll tell you just like I told that gormless younger brother of mine. I'm not going to morn or mope about or feel sorry for myself. Fred died a hero and to do anything less then go on with our lives would be a complete disservice to his, and everyone else's, sacrifice. Get what I'm saying Harry?"
Harry nodded. George continued,
"And for you to sit there and blame yourself for any of what happened is utterly ridiculous."
Everyone else nodded in agreement. Gretchen took Harry's hand in hers.
"Fact is we all owe you a debt of gratitude for having the courage to stand up to You Know Who," she added.
Harry suddenly felt unsettled and more than a bit uncomfortable but he sat and tried to accept what they were saying with as much grace as he could.
These people were the closest thing to real friends he had and to become surly and argumentative over frivolous insecurities was pointless. Trying to make them understand he's had a prophecy wedged up his rectum since he was a carpet crawler was redundant and useless.
George was right. The best way to stick it to the Dark Lord was to move on and forget him all together. Let the memory of him fade into the dusty shelves of libraries. Harry knew it was something easier said than done but now was as good a time as any to start trying.
"So when is Fred's funeral?" He asked.
"Well," George replied, "we thought it best to lay him to rest in a place we were happiest so the family decided the garden at the Burrow would be that place. It's not as if we'll use it for a garden any longer."
"How sweet," Gretchen said.
"Yah, I thought so too. The ceremony is set for tomorrow night at midnight if all goes as planned. Dad had to get the necessary permitting from the Ministry but with all of Percy's connections I'm sure that's done by now. Bill and Charlie are at the Burrow now getting everything ready I believe."
"Why midnight," Harry asked puzzled.
"It's the Witching Hour Harry," Lee said with a gleam in his eye.
George smirked.
"While that's an appropriate reason enough, it's not precisely true. It's because Dora and Remus' service is going to be held tomorrow at six p.m. and we all want to attend theirs as well."
Harry nodded. He knew tomorrow was going to be a difficult day. He remembered reading in the Daily Prophet that Colin Creevey's funeral service was going to be tomorrow as well at nine a.m.
He wondered if it had all been planed that way. It made sense to him. He had every intention of attending as many services as he could without causing unnecessary distractions. He tried to think how he was going to pull it off but he knew his Invisibility Cloak would once again play a major roll in his life.
Anonymity and Invisibility…
With all the Cloak and Dagger shite, minus the dagger of course, he was beginning to feel like a non-person again.
"So when does your father find out if he's been selected to the Ministry?" Gretchen asked.
"That's right," Harry piped up, "I read in the Prophet Kingsley rejected the Minister's post and nominated your dad. I thought it might have been something they were making up. So it's true then?"
"Yah," George sighed, "I'm afraid it is."
"You don't seem all that thrilled about it George," Benton remarked.
"To be honest, I'm not sure how I really feel about it. Maybe it's good the Weasley family is finally getting the recognition it deserves after all these years."
"But you don't feel that way?" Benton was a bit confused. He was a pure blood wizard like George. Harry guessed he expected George to have the same allegiance to the Ministry as many others.
"Look at the last three Ministers," Lee added, "They weren't exactly up to scratch now were they. Fudge totally abused his power in office, Scrimgeour was completely ineffective and Thicknesse was under the Imperius curse. Not a stellar track record to say the least. George's father is going to be inheriting an office that doesn't carry a lot of respect with it."
"If anyone can bring integrity back to the Ministry, that's Mr. Weasley," Harry said tersely, "He's the best."
"Harry's spot on George," Gretchen grinned at Harry.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," George smiled, "He'll be pleased he's got your endorsement. I'm sure he's considering it anyway. I know Mum is behind him and Ginny is absolutely barmy about the possibility of living in the Minister's Mansion."
"What does Ron thinks about it all?" Harry was wondering where he was.
"Haven't seen him," George said with a shrug, "Lee, didn't you say you saw him here yesterday?"
Lee had gotten up to fetch another round of Butterbeer.
"Yah, he was leaving when I was coming up to get some supplies. Said he was just in to get a quick shower and a change then he was off again...had two rather striking-looking witches with him. They were hanging all over the bloke. One looked to be quite a bit older then him anyway."
"Where's he staying?" Harry queried.
George frowned.
"He's supposed to be staying here but that's the first anyone of us had seen of him. If half the stories in the Prophet are true then he better stay on the lamb. If mum gets her hands on him, ooh boy!"
He didn't have to finish that statement for them to understand what he meant.
"With your dad being up for the Minister's post and all…" Gretchen chuckled, "yah, I'd say he's neck-deep in stink sap!"
They laughed. Harry wasn't sure how to ask the next question. He wasn't sure how much George or Lee knew about his time spent with Ginny. They had already left Hogwarts before he and Ginny started seeing one another.
"Erm…George, where is Ginny staying?"
"Oh, she's staying at Shell Cottage with mum. Dad's in and out at Aunt Muriel's for the time being. I think Percy still has his flat in London but it's so small you can bump your head if you turn about too quickly."
"I suspect Charlie will go back to Romania after the service. Personally I wish he would stick around a bit longer but, oh well."
"If dad gets the top spot, I don't think they're going to rebuild the Burrow. Ron really didn't like that idea but you can see their point I suppose."
"The only one left at home now will be Ginny, but even she will be flying to coup after next year. The way she was carrying on with Dean Thomas the other night at St. Mungo's, it might be sooner rather than later…"
That revelation made Harry stop dead in his tracks. His mind immediately flashed to the memory of Ginny and Dean in conversation at Hogwarts. His first reaction to George's statement was to ask for more details but something inside prevented him. He wasn't sure if it was insecurity or simply the fact he was afraid of the response.
The obvious questions swirled around in his head. He sat frozen in place next to Gretchen on the sofa. Luckily she was absorbed in the conversation with the others and didn't seem to notice how Harry had stiffened with fear and dread. He suddenly felt uncomfortably disconnected from the others around him.
Has Ginny changed her mind about us? Is Dean putting pressure on her to get back together?
He sat for a moment as reasons and possible explanations swirled in his head but he decided to push it all to the back of his mind.
Face it Potter. You won't know the truth until you talk to Ginny face to face. She's the only one who can tell you. Don't jump to conclusions…
He physically relaxed as he came to those conclusions but his insides still squirmed uncomfortably. He glanced up at a strange-looking Cuckoo clock hanging over the fire place and saw that it was ten thirty. He stood abruptly.
"Well, I think I should be heading home…" Harry made his way toward the door amid protest and requests for him to stay but he barely heard them. It was Gretchen who followed him to the door and placed a hand gently on his shoulder as he grabbed the doorknob.
"You don't have to leave so soon, do you?"
Harry looked at her eyes. She appeared genuinely sad that he was leaving. The strange effect she had on him all evening almost made him change his mind as he stood there in close proximity to her but the thought of Ginny seemed to drown everything else out. He searched his jumbled thoughts for an excuse.
"Sorry," he mumbled, "I've got to get up early. I'm expected at quite a few funeral services tomorrow so I really should be getting home."
Gretchen looked at him with affected sadness, pouting with her bottom lip out.
"All right then," she sighed, as she turned away. She suddenly stopped, turned back toward Harry, grabbed him by the shoulders, spun him round and planted a heart-stopping French kiss on his unsuspecting mouth. It lasted for well over a minute and she pressed her body firmly against his while she kissed him senseless.
When Gretchen finally released him, Harry looked as if he had been hit with several bludgers to the head. His body instantly reacted to the smoldering kiss in ways he had never known before. Parts of him became very aroused but the rest of him was mortified.
"Erm…wow!" Harry said with a stupid looking smile on his face.
Gretchen gave him a steamy look as she retreated back into the flat.
"You can come see me anytime Harry. I'm in flat number three if you're so inclined."
"Fla…three…yah," Harry mumbled as he stumbled his way out the door. He could hear Gretchen giggling as the door closed.
As soon as he was alone in the hallway his self control returned. He stood in wonder at the power she had over him when she was close. It made him a bit nervous but it wasn't uncomfortable or threatening in any way. He thought it was kind of…well, nice! He couldn't help but think of how her body felt pressed firmly against his. He shuddered.
Merlin's ghost...focus Harry! You're acting like a swotty little teenager…
The voice in his head sounded suspiciously like a bossy witch he knew very well. That thought was enough to snap him back to complete sobriety. He made his way out of the flats and down the stairs. When he reached the ground he spun and disappeared into the night.
He decided to apparate into the space behind the building where #12 was located It was the first time he had seen it. It was a single lane alley and was surprised to find it quite a bit cleaner than he had anticipated. He was expecting the worst.
As soon as he appeared he donned his invisibility cloak just to be safe. No crazy alarms or stripping fan-girls or crushing mobs met him which helped him relax a bit but he noticed there were several Aurors placed in strategic locations the length of the narrow lane.
At that point he had no idea how he was going to get into the house. He figured the best way was to go around to the front and go in the usual way. No sense in making a fuss trying to get in a rear entrance he didn't even know existed.
He passed a few of the unsuspecting Aurors as he made his way to the front. He spotted Benjamin Twycross and almost went over to say hello but thought better of it when he turned the corner of the building.
He spotted two Muggle police foot patrolman standing under a streetlamp across from his front entrance. He knew they couldn't see #12 but it made him leery all the same. Some of his Muggle neighbors must have called the authorities and complained before the Oblivators could get to them.
How can anyone blame them! All those nutters running about the place…
As he made his way inside of the house, he instantly saw a tall man at the end of the hall bent over a small table. Harry saw the feather of a quill twitching as he wrote quickly on a small piece of parchment.
Harry's first reaction was to go for his wand but he instantly recognized the shiny bald brown head of Kingsley Shacklebolt and knew he was quite safe.
When Kingsley heard the front door he turned at once and saw Harry step into the foyer. Kingsley greeted Harry with a wide, friendly smile.
"Ah, you caught me," Kingsley said in his deep, rumbling voice, "I was just leaving you a note."
Kingsley laid the quill on the table and met Harry half way down the hall. Instead of taking Harry's hand in a manly handshake Kingsley pulled Harry into what could only be described as a rather fatherly embrace. That took Harry a bit by surprise. Kingsley stepped back and looked at Harry in the eyes.
"Good to see you again my boy," he smiled, "Sorry for such a late intrusion but my days, of late, have been filled with meetings and interviews and all manner of Ministry business."
"That's fine sir," Harry smiled in return, "I understand…"
"I'm glad you do," Kingsley laughed, "Mrs. Shacklebolt is quite annoyed with me right now. Tells me she's beginning to think she married one of the Hogwarts ghosts."
Harry laughed, "Not good that. I'm just a bit surprised to see you, sir."
"Actually, I'm here for two reasons Harry," Kingsley's face went serious; "Do you feel up to having a chat at this ridiculously late hour?"
"Sure, sir," Harry responded curiously. Harry had slept for two whole days so he wasn't tired in the least. He gestured into the sitting room. As they moved inside Harry sat on the sofa and Kingsley took one of the over-stuffed arm chairs next to the fireplace. The older man turned the chair so they were facing one-another. Kingsley began…
"I'm glad you agreed. Quite frankly, with my schedule it could be weeks before I have a chance to meet with you again so I shall get right to the point."
"The first reason I came is to update the Fidelius Charm on this house. Once I received the reports of the incident here earlier today I thought it wise to help strengthen the wards and protection on this place. I believe it would be only a matter of time until someone figured out how to get past them."
"Unfortunately, Harry you are a much sought-after commodity at present…but I'm sure you are more than aware of that fact."
Harry nodded with a sigh.
"I'm sure you'll agree extra protection would be advantageous."
"Yes sir," Harry answered, "I appreciate that."
"Very well," Kingsley continued, "Once we have concluded discussing the other reason for my visit we shall do just that." Kingsley shifted in his seat.
"I'm wondering Harry if you have given your future any thought since that night at Hogwarts?"
Before Harry could respond, the older man seemed to answer the question for him.
"I realize there hasn't been much time for you to think of such things but I would like to offer you…" Kingsley paused thoughtfully, "an option."
"As you may know, I have decided not to accept the Ministers post and have opted instead to head up the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."
Harry smiled. It didn't surprise him after what he had heard Kingsley tell McGonagall in the Great Hall the other day. Kingsley went on.
"Just between you and I Harry, to me the Minister for Magic is nothing more than a glorified figure-head in many cases. Don't misunderstand, the position carries with it a great responsibility but it is also constricted and controlled by the limits of executive power, or at least it should be. I think Cornelius Fudge forgot those limitations often during his tenure. He seemed to believe he was exempt from Wizengamot oversight."
"I simply believe with my background and experience my expertise lies in a different direction."
"However, I have found that as a result of past administrations and the Death Eater occupation of the Ministry, the Auror's Department as well as some of the others that fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement," Kingsley's face darkened slightly, "things are in complete and utter chaos at the moment."
Harry sat and though about what kind of havoc the Death Eaters wrought on Hogwarts. He could imagine the mess they made of the Ministry.
"I'm not surprised sir," Harry responded solemnly, "So do you think Mr. Weasley will get the Minister's job?"
Kingsley gave Harry a significant look.
"I'd be willing to bet my wand arm on it Harry." He grinned, "While I realize Arthur is going to be inheriting an absolute mess of an administration I am confident he will surround himself with competent people and bring back to the Ministry what it is lacking most."
"What's that sir," Harry asked. He thought he knew the answer but he didn't want to appear presumptuous.
"Honesty and integrity Harry," the old Auror replied.
"So what does this have to do with me, sir if you don't mind my asking?"
"Yes," Kinsley responded, "I suppose I got a bit sidetracked there, sorry."
Harry held up his hand as if to tell him it was no problem.
"I have decided to restructure the entire Auror department Harry and use some ideas that I witnessed while protecting the Muggle Prime Minister."
Harry remembered seeing Kingsley in the background on the Muggle television guarding the Prime Minister.
"I had the opportunity to see how the Muggle Law Enforcement departments were structured and operated. They were quite efficient and superior to our system in both response and tactical maneuvers in the field. I think it would benefit us to implement some of those operations in our departments."
"Their chain of command was top notch and information flowed smoothly and effortlessly across the entire system. The entire department could be brought up to speed within moments of a response to a disaster or an attack."
Kingsley leaned forward in his chair toward Harry.
"That's what I want for the Auror's Department and I think you could be a significant part of that operation Harry."
Harry's eyebrows all but disappeared. His first reaction was shock at the fact that Kingsley thought he could be a viable part of his plans. He couldn't see how but he figured he was going to find out shortly so he kept his reservations to himself.
"Instead of having individual Aurors running about with little or no for warning of an attack or disaster, as it was with this last nightmare with Voldemort, my idea is to create teams of highly trained and skilled Aurors and Hit Wizards to respond in an organized and synchronized fashion."
"These teams would be so well trained they will know instinctively how to take down a threat using official tactical maneuvers that are practiced and perfected. Each teams members would be permanently placed so they will know each-others moves and personalities. I would like you, Harry to seriously consider being on one of these teams."
Harry sat contemplating this for a moment. Part of him instantly reacted negatively to the suggestion. He had had what seemed like a lifetime full of dealing with the darker elements of the wizard world.
He wasn't certain he wanted to make it a career choice but another side of him couldn't help but get caught up in the enthusiasm in Kingsley's voice. The thought of taking down the remaining Death Eaters that were still at large and being at the for front of a crack operation sounded quite exciting.
Even though, he could hear Hermione's voice echoing in his head…
Oh Harry, I can't believe you're even considering such a ridiculous idea. You know you're just mollifying that `saving people' thing I said you suffered from…
He groaned internally. Kingsley saw that Harry was struggling with the decision so he tried to alleviate his concern.
"If it's all the same Harry, I would rather you not respond at this time. I would really appreciate it if you would give it some thought and serious consideration."
"I think you are a powerful wizard and I believe you would fit perfectly into this system and flourish, however having said that I want only those who are committed to this idea one hundred percent. I don't want anyone to go into this program half-heartedly. Not only will it put you at risk but it could compromise the entire team."
"A chain is only as strong as its weakest link but I truly believe with your talent and skill you would be more than up to the challenge."
"At present, it's going to take a few weeks to get the mess cleaned up at the Ministry and a bit more time to sell the idea to the Minister and the Wizengamot. After all, they may not go for it at all so this conversation might be pointless but I'm going to push hard for these changes. I think they are important and needed to bring some organization to our Enforcement Division. What do you think, Harry?"
Harry took a deep breath and decided to answer Kingsley honestly.
"Sir, I really appreciate your confidence in me. It means a great deal but I'm going to be perfectly honest and tell you my first reaction was to say no thanks…"
Harry looked at Kingsley to gauge his reaction. The old Auror only looked at him thoughtfully.
Harry couldn't help but recall how Rufus Scrimgeour had wanted him to be nothing more than the Ministry's Poster Child of Righteous Superiority but then did nothing to assist them in the fight until it was too late. He felt the Ministry's lack of concern was partially responsible for his Godfather Sirius' death. That had left a very bad taste in his mouth and he wasn't sure he had shaken off that stigmatism yet. Some of his wounds left scars under the surface no-one could see.
"You must understand I've been walking around with a bloody target on my back since I was eleven years old. There is a part of me that says, "You've done what everyone expected you to do and you managed to survive in the process. Enough is enough…"
Kingsley started to respond to what Harry had said but Harry cut across him.
"Mr. Shacklebolt, sir. I mean no disrespect but please let me finish."
Kingsley nodded. Harry looked down at his hands a bit ashamed for the way he was talking to this man who was so much older and wiser than him but he felt compelled by his own self-righteous sacrifices. Being the bloody Savior of the Wizarding World should afford him a little authority even though it made him very uncomfortable to think that way.
"I have spent the last seven years just trying to survive and keep the people I care about alive so I didn't have to watch them be destroyed because of me, having said that I've found I've become pretty good at not getting killed. I'm not convinced it's because I'm some great wizard or anything like that. I think it had more to do with luck and my friends."
"Without the sacrifices Hermione Granger made to stand by my side and my friendship with Ron Weasley as well as so many others I would have never succeeded in any of this. I would have been dead five years ago."
Harry sat looking off into the void of his memories as many of the things he had gone through flashed across the back of his eyes. It all just made him feel weary.
"But as I sit here and think about what my future might hold for me I can't think of anything else I might be suited for except maybe Quidditch but I'm not sure I'm good enough to make a professional team."
"My whole life since I boarded the Hogwarts Express that first time has been in preparation to take Voldemort down. I didn't know it then but that's exactly what Professor Dumbledore was doing in his own, strange way."
"His brother Aberforth told me once that he thought Dumbledore was tossing me right into the mouth of the dragon. You know, in a way, he was right. I didn't see it that way, of course. I was Dumbledore's man through and through, still am I suppose."
"I guess what I'm trying to tell you is…if I have the ability to prevent people from getting killed by those who choose to practice dark magic then I guess it's my responsibility to try. I've had a lot of practice recently." Harry smiled.
"But I'm not going to make any promises just yet. I would like to talk it over with some of my friends first to see what they think."
He knew what Hermione and possibly Ron would say but he felt compelled to ask them anyway. They were the only ones left he had to confide in and Hermione's opinion mattered to him more than any other.
Even though he knew her initial reaction would be one of frustration and anger, she would eventually offer him sound advice in the end. It was simply the way Hermione worked. You sometimes had to endure a lecture in order to benefit from her wisdom. That was just the price you paid but to Harry, most times it was worth it.
"I understand completely Harry," Kingsley nodded, "I would expect nothing less and even though I might be loosing a highly qualified candidate for my team, you need to seriously take into consideration what your friends tell you. That's all I'll say about that. All I ask is that you give this some fair consideration."
Harry nodded his agreement as Kingsley rose to his feet.
"Very well then, I think we can set to strengthening the wards on this house."
Harry and Kingsley revamped most of the wards as well as updated the Fidelius Charm and made it possible for only three people to apparate into and out of the house. Harry himself, Hermione and Ron. They restricted the flue to let only those three in and everyone else would have to seek permission prior to entry.
They also modified the anti-appartion ward to include a rebounding spell. If anyone unauthorized tried to apparate inside #12 they would be bounced to a random location kilometers away from Grimmuald Place. Harry loved the idea and thought that quite funny. Kingsley said it was even funnier to see.
Once their work was concluded Kinsley gave Harry another warm embrace, bid Harry a goodnight and was about to let himself out when something occurred to Harry.
"Mr. Shacklebolt, sir?"
Shacklebolt looked up, "Yes Harry?"
"I was wondering if I could ask you a favor."
"Certainly Harry," Kingsley smiled, "What can I do for you?"
"I wanted to attend the funeral services of Colin Creevey, Dora and Remus as well as Fred's at midnight but I'm fairly certain my presence would be a major distraction for the families. Would it be possible for you to provide a bit of security so there won't be any interruptions because of me? I know it's a lot to ask but I would really like to pay my last respects and say goodbye. I owe them that sir."
Kingsley didn't flinch or hesitate in his response.
"Absolutely Harry," Kingsley said with a sad smile, "We had planned on providing security at the Tonks service as well as the Weasley's simply due to the fact that Arthur is now a candidate so it's Ministry regulations to provide him protection, however I will be more than glad to do the same for the Creevey family. When and where is their service to be held?"
"The Prophet said the service starts at 9:30 a.m. and is to be held at the family plot in Crossbones*."
"Ah," Kingsley said, "Crossbones, down off Borough High Street. Know the place well. Many a wizard family has been laid to rest there over the years. It used to be a Muggle pauper's burial place but has since been abandoned. We still use it though. Some Muggles think it's haunted which makes it perfect for us. Not to worry Harry, we'll be there in force."
"Thanks sir," he watched as Kingsley stepped out onto the front porch, "goodnight."
"Goodnight Harry." Kingsley closed the door.
As Harry stood in the silent foyer thinking about all he had said to Kingsley. He decided to turn in.
Tomorrow was going to be a difficult day.
*Crossbones Cemetery is a real place in London!
-->