FicWad

Authors Note: This chapter has been re-edited as of 8/6/06 Don't own any thing Harry Potter...well except for the books and of course the movies, but that about does it! Once again, thanks for the reviews!

What's He Doing Here

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On the walk back from Hogsmeade, Hermione was thinking over the meeting with Tony when it hit her about the letter that Harry had written to Fudge. "Harry, why on earth did you write to Fudge? I thought after everything Fudge has done to you that he'd be the last person you sought any help or council from. How many times this year have you called him an idiot? I just don't understand?"

"When I was down by the lake the other day, I got to thinking about why Fudge did a 360 in his attitude toward me. In third year, he was more than willing to overlook my blowing up Aunt Marge and helped to keep me safe from Sirius, who at the time we all believed was after me. Then after the final task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, he did seem to doubt what I had said about Voldemort being restored, but that could have just been his total want to believe that Voldemort was still dead. I remember Fudge saying 'He just can't be back, he just can't be'. His reaction was the same as mine when Sirius fell through the veil, that total denial that he was gone, or in Fudges case that Voldemort was back. Anyway, the question I want answered, is what made him actually start to hate and attack me this past year? I have a feeling that Dumbledore was behind the switch in attitude somehow, I just wish I knew what was done.....Listen, I know it doesn't make a whole lot of sense right now, but in my gut I know that getting Fudge to work with me is the right thing to do. If he does take me up on my idea to sit down and talk, and if he still fights me then I will break that olive branch for good, but I really think that after he explains himself that everything will make sense. 'Mione, you know we are going to need his help in this war and if I can get him to work with us....." Harry trailed off.

"Okay, I get where your coming from....it just caught me off guard a little. It could just prove to be one of your brighter ideas." At this they all laughed.

Once back at the castle, they headed into supper, all going over what could possibly happen over the next few days. As Harry was eating, he thought to himself, 'If I don't have to go back to the Dursley's and can stay with Neville or at one of my family homes, then maybe I can convince Fudge to let me use magic over the summer in order to prepare for the war. But how am I going to convince him of that without telling him the prophecy. I have so much to learn to even hope of defeating Tom. If I don't start getting some real training soon, I just don't see me winning this war. Dumbledore's view that LOVE is the "power he knows not" just doesn't make any sense. What am I going to do...go up to Tom, tell him that I Love Him and poof he's dead...HAH! I think not!! Maybe the Chuzzor blood will offer some new power....well, I won't know about that till my birthday. I still need more information. How can we continue to fight the most evil and darkest of wizards with the simple education we receive here at Hogwarts? Expelliarmus and Wingardium are just not going to be enough in the end. I need to learn to fight fire with fire....' As these thought were going through Harry's head, he didn't notice the concerned looks coming from those around him or the fact that his fork had been hanging mid way to his mouth for the last couple of minutes. Coming out of his muse, he looked around noticing the oddness of the moment and gave a reassuring smile saying, "Sorry guys, just lost in thought."

With that they all made their way to the common room and after some light conversations and some exploding snap, they went to bed. Little did Harry know, that the next morning would offer the very chance he was looking for.

While the students of Hogwarts were eating breakfast, up in the Headmasters office, Dumbledore and Fudge were having a heated discussion over the Minister's attempt to meet with Harry.

"Cornelius, these last few days have been extremely hard on young Harry and I really think after the way you treated him this year, you are the last person he wants to speak with. Besides, he's grieving and should be left alone to do so. You would not wish to see him suffer anymore by upsetting him? Maybe, towards the end of the summer, would be a better time to speak with Harry."

Corneilus Fudge was not as stupid as some people chose to believe, the Headmaster being one of those people. He could admit to himself that he wasn't the most intelligent person, but by no means was he an idiot. What made him look so incompetent was, when he made mistakes, and he made them, they were usually huge. Add to that the fact that being in such a high profile job, the press tended to report if you breathed wrong.

While the Headmaster gave his explanation as to why he should not speak with Harry, Fudge was starting to see why Harry had perhaps come to him for aide. Fudge had enough forethought not to let it slip to Dumbledore that Harry had actually written to him and asked for a meeting. If Dumbledore didn't realize that Harry had written to him, he would try to keep it that way. Obviously, Harry had his reasoning for keeping his Headmaster out of the loop. To Fudge, this just proved the Headmaster's claims that Harry was in his pocket were false, and gave him a sense of relief. The Minister also realized that he'd made some very critical errors over the last year.

"I understand your concern for the boy Dumbledore, but this is not open for discussion. I have come to speak with Mr. Potter and speak with him I will. I will curtail your fears by saying, that what I have to say to Mr. Potter will not be upsetting to him." Cornelius said.

"All the same, Cornelius, I still believe you should give him a little more time." Albus said this while giving Fudge a full blown twinkle. Fudge knew exactly what Albus was doing and told him so. "Don't you dare try to use that twinkle of yours to help sway me to your way of thinking Albus. I have been immune to your machinations for some time. Now, enough of this! I wish to speak to Mr. Potter immediately."

With a sigh of resignation, Dumbledore said, "Very well, Cornelius. I will have him called up to my office and we shall have a chat with young Harry."

At this, Fudge laughed and said, "I think not Dumbledore, I will be speaking with Mr. Potter alone. I know what your up to so quit stalling and lead me to the Great Hall."

"You can't honestly expect me to leave you alone with Harry after the way you have attacked him this past year? I really think Harry will feel much better having me with him during your meeting." retorted the Headmaster.

"Albus, I have already stated that I have no intention of harming Mr. Potter. Why don't we just ask Harry if he wants you there?" Inside the Minister was smirking for he knew that Harry wouldn't want the Headmaster at their meeting, but if by offering to let Harry decide kept Albus from stalling, so be it.

"Fine Cornelius, we will see." With that the Headmaster of Hogwarts/Supreme Mugwump of the Wizengamot and the Minister of Magic made their way down to the Great Hall. When the doors opened in to reveal two of the most politically powerful people in Britian, all the students turned to see where they were headed. Walking down the Gryffindor table towards Harry, Neville and Hermione, the three gave each other a knowing look before being addressed by the Headmaster.

"Mr. Potter, the Minister would like to speak with us. I suggest that we use the ante-chamber off the side of the hall." Dumbledore said, trying to wheedle his way into the meeting.

At this Fudge almost lost his cool and said, "Now see here Albus, I said to ask Mr. Potter if he wanted you in the meeting, not that I wanted to speak with you both!"

Turning to Harry, Fudge continued, "Mr. Potter, I was wondering if I could have a few moments of your time, and if you would like to have council with you, you are more than welcome to."

Dumbledore was seething inside, but of course outwardly he appeared the benevolent, grandfatherly figure everyone associated with him. When Harry stood up from his seat, Dumbledore put a hand on his shoulder as if to reassure Harry that he would join him without question.

Harry inwardly laughed at the gall of the Headmaster, and said, "Minister Fudge, I'm not busy right now, and if you wouldn't mind, maybe we could talk while walking outside. I've found lately that being outdoors does wonders for clearing my head and allowing me to see things more clearly. I would like it if Neville and Hermione joined us."

Dumbledore was completely taken back by Harry excluding him and Ron, so said, "Of course they can join us Harry. But don't you also want to have Ron with you?"

"Professor Dumbledore, while I appreciate your offer to join us, I believe my talk with the Minister will go a lot smoother with just my two friends accompanying us. It is apparent that the two of you are not in agreement over this meeting and would not want to make this anymore stressful than necessary." Harry did not address the Ron question directly but felt he had definitely let the Headmaster know who he considered his friends.

Dumbledore could not believe he was being tossed aside like this, or that Ron apparently was not considered a friend anymore by Harry, but decided to try and save face and nodded that he understood Harry's reasoning and headed to the head table. At that, the group of four, plus the Minister's security detail began to head outside for what would prove to be a most productive discussion.

Once outside, Fudge turned to Harry, "Mr. Potter, I have to say, when I received your letter the other day, it indeed took me by surprise. You were the last person I expected to hear from after the whole D.O.M. mess, but your correspondence is not unwelcome and has peaked my curiosity, that's for certain. I also have the information you asked the Children's Welfare Department for. Maybe we could find someplace to sit and cast the appropriate charms to ensure our conversation is kept between us?"

"I believe that would be a good idea." said Harry. Walking out towards the lake, the group found a small area with several benches where Fudge had his security cast anti-listening charms, silencing charms, and a few proximity wards to alert them if anyone was trying to listen from a distance. It may have been overkill, but Fudge had a feeling this meeting needed to stay as private as possible.

As they sat down, Fudge pulled out a folder with the original letter Harry had sent to the C.W.D. and information he had requested. The Minister began to explain, "In regards to your question about who is to oversee the guardianship rights of an orphaned child, that is fairly straight forward. If the parents have stipulated in their will who is to receive said guardianship, then the wishes of the parents are followed. If no will is left, then the child is placed with any available living relative that can take the child in. If that is not an option, then the C.W.D. takes temporary custody and attempts to place the child in a loving home. Our last option would be an orphanage. Under no circumstance is a magical child to be placed in the muggle world unless specified by the parents of said child. Knowing that you grew up with your muggle Aunt and Uncle, I can only assume that your parents wishes were followed in this instance."

With a sharp bark of laughter, Harry pulled out his parents will and showed it to Fudge. "As you can see, by the will in your hands, my parents wishes were not followed, but completely disregarded. What I would like to know is why Dumbledore was able to ignore our laws and put me with my muggle relations. He obviously knew of my parents wishes because he witnessed the will my parents wrote. I think you should also know that my mother was adopted into the Evans family and that she was actually a pureblood. Dumbledore knew this fact and still placed me with my muggle relations, giving everyone the excuse that there were blood wards based on my mothers sacrifice and her connection to her sister. As you can tell that was a total fabrication because they were not blood related. How is it that the head of the Wizengamot can so blatantly ignore our laws? How is it possible that apparently everyone that should've been made aware of my parents will, weren't? How can one of the oldest and wealthiest pureblooded families will be 'lost' and not followed?" Harry said, getting more and more upset.

For Fudge, he was completely thrown by this information. Never in all his time in office had he seen anything like this. "Mr. Potter, I don't know what to say! I was not in office when your parents died, so I can't say how the Ministry was kept at bay in regards to your situation. I tell you that I will get to the bottom of this and offer any help to you that I can. I am completely shocked by Dumbledore's blatant disregard to your parent's arrangements and that he had the gall to actually lie and cover up his involvement. I knew he was manipulative and could bend laws, but I would never have suspected him of actually breaking them. What are your wishes, Harry, after we compile all our facts?"

"Your feelings are pretty much along the same lines as the three of ours over the last few days. It almost feels like I've been punched in the gut with all the information and schemes we are uncovering of late. What I would like to happen is for the Ministry to cooperate with my law wizard, Mr. Anthony Rooks, in attaining any and all pertinent information about what happened, then as I said to Mr. Rooks, 'I want to nail him, and anyone else involved, to the wall'."

When Harry had taken a few deep breaths to help calm himself again, he continued, "On a different matter, Minister Fudge, I would like to know what made you attack me in the press and to send that Umbridge woman into Hogwarts this past year? She not only didn't teach us anything during our DADA class, sticking only to book theory, but on several of the students, during detentions she handed out, myself included, she used a blood quill as our punishment. I would like you to know that right before we all left for the D.O.M., she admitted to sending the dementors after me last summer and if not for Hermione's quick thinking, she would have used the Cruciatus Curse on me. Neville can also confirm this."

Cornelius Fudge looked totally shocked and appalled by all of this new information. He had known that Madame Umbridge was a strict woman, a woman who did not especially like Mr. Potter, but to think her this cruel and to break so many laws, was unfathomable. "Mr. Potter, all I can say is that we will do a thorough investigation into Madame Umbridge's time hear at Hogwarts and her actions against you last summer. I knew that she could be very strict and did not have a tendency towards being kind, but I didn't realize it was to this extent. I can only say that I am sorry for all of this. I believed that I had good, honest, hard working people surrounding me, but after learning that Lucius Malfoy is indeed a death eater and now this situation with Umbridge, I have indeed let myself and the people of the wizarding world down. How could I have not scene all of this? Was I that wrapped up in denying You-Know-Who's return that I was so blind? Merlin, I sure have made a mess of things!"

After a long pause to collect himself, Fudge said, "Mr. Potter, the only justification to my switch in attitude toward you is that I was blind to my ambitions. Dumbledore had me convinced that you were solidly in his camp while Lucius and Delores played up to that fact and sold me on the belief that with your help, Dumbledore was gunning to get me out of office, to be replaced by himself or one of his most loyal followers. My eyes have been opened with the events of the D.O.M. and all that we have spoken about today. I can not begin to know how to convince you that I am sincere in my apology to you. I know that if I were in your shoes, I would find it near impossible to trust the people that are suppose to help protect you. I can only, once again, apologize for my actions toward you and towards Hogwarts and all her students." While Fudge had been speaking this, he never once wavered in keeping eye contact with Harry. This went along way in convincing all those present, especially Harry, that what was being said was the truth. 'It really isn't hard to believe that people could be so convinced and influenced by others....Just look at Ron's actions of late!'

"Minister Fudge, I usually am a good judge of when people are lying to me, although that is being tested lately, and do believe that your apology is sincere. If you are truly going to help in the pursuit of justice against those people that have so blatantly abused their positions, then that is all the assurance of your sincerity that I need. I believe that you should call me Harry." finished Harry.

"I thank you for that Harry, and if you would, call me Cornelius. Now as to this guardianship issue, what are you doing in regard to that?"

"Well, Mr. Rooks is looking into whether I have to go back to the Dursley's or if I can stay with, let's say Neville or in one of my family homes. As you read in my parents will, they have stipulated that I will take over everything involved with being Head of the Ancient and Noble House Potter, not that I truly understand what that entails yet. I don't now what that allows for as to our laws. Seventeen is usually the legal age, so what happens if at 16 you become head of a family?"

"That would cause you to become semi-emancipated. What that means is that you would be considered an adult by wizarding law, so as to allow you to head your family properly, but would still be required to complete you education and of course follow any age specific laws such as drinking. You would be allowed to do magic during the summer and get your apparition license early as those are often needed by the head of a family." Harry could not believe his luck in this. He would be able to practice and learn over the summer!

"Does this also mean that I could live in one of my family homes during the summer and any breaks from school?" Harry asked.

Cornelius gave him an almost cheshire smile and said, "Yes Harry, you can live on your own."

With the first true smile he had given in many weeks, Harry said, "This is fantastic!!! Neville, do you think your Gran would allow me to stay with you until I can look over all the properties and pick out a place to stay?"

Neville turned to Hermione and they smiled at each other with this new turn of events and said, "I really don't think she would mind. As a matter of fact, I'll write her later and ask if both you and Hermione can stay."

At this, Hermione spoke up, "I think that would be great and I'm sure my parents wouldn't mind....I had planned to stay at the Weasley's anyway, for a few weeks, so our vacation isn't planned till the middle of July. I just wish we could also do magic this summer. If the D.O.M. taught me anything, it's that we are all in jeopardy. Harry may have always been a target, but now we all are. I don't know about you guys, but I don't know if we could survive another encounter like that."

Harry couldn't be more proud of the way Hermione was working the Minister. Inside he was smirking at the look on Cornelius' face, he could just see the Ministers' wheels turning.

Moments later, Cornelius said, "I think I can help you there. Their is this old law that states when at war, the underage statute can be waved for those that have completed their OWLS, to assist in the defense of their families. If I were to enact that law, it could certainly help those people like yourselves who are definitely high up on You-Know-Who's hit list. The draw back to this is, those that wish to serve You-Know-Who will also get to use magic."

Pondering this for a moment, Harry said, "That's true, but in reality, most of the people that would be allowed to use magic are not going to side with Voldemort. This could be a huge advantage to those who oppose him."

"I think your right, Harry. I'll get on this right away. Dumbledore isn't going to be pleased with me, but that's his tough luck." Cornelius said, giving a little chuckle, he continued, "The best part of this law is that I don't need the Wizengamot's approval because the law already exists. I only need to declare war on He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. This will also give my Aurors some more lead way. Speaking of Aurors, I noticed that Amelia Bones was on the list of potential guardians in your parents will. I'm wondering if Amelia knew she was listed in the will, and if she did, why she didn't step in?"

"To be perfectly honest, sir, I really don't think anyone but my parents, Dumbledore and possibly some goblins ever knew what was in that will. That is what I am hoping Mr. Rooks finds out. I didn't even know that Poppy Pompfrey was my godmother. I wonder why she never told me?" Harry was speaking at almost a whisper when he asked that final question.

Hermione wrapped her arms around his shoulder and gave him a reassuring hug and said, "Maybe you could ask her. I have a feeling that their is more to this than we realize." With a nod, Harry decided that he was ready to close this meeting.

"Cornelius, I would like to thank you for your candor and frankness today. Any help we can give each other to rid this world of Voldemort and to bring justice to those who so openly ignore our laws, is a good thing. I'll be in contact with you later this week after I talk to my law wizard, and if you could forward any information to him or myself as you find it, that would be much appreciated." said Harry.

"Not a problem, Harry. I too, would like to thank you for being far more mature than I ever gave you credit for and for openly listening to what I had to say. I think we can work together from here on in to get things straightened out. Ms. Granger, Mr. Longbottom, I would also like to apologize to you and offer you any assistance that I can."

After everyone said their thanks and goodbyes, Harry, Neville and Hermione walked back toward the school only to be confronted by a sneering Professor Snape and a sour looking Headmaster. Needless to say, they were not looking forward to whatever was to come.

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There you go....another update! My longest chapter so far. What do you think. From here on out, Harry will start to show a darker nature, especially as he approaches his coming of age. I would like to say that he will not be truly dark, or evil. Thanks again for any review....the good or the bad.