The grandfather clock in the corner of the Minister's office ticked relentlessly, each second echoing in the silent room. Cornelius Fudge, sat behind his ornate desk, looking shellshocked as he stared at the young wizard sitting calmly in front of him.
For his part, Harry sat straight, his eyes unflinching. His very bearing seemed to radiate confidence in himself and his command over the situation.
"Minister?" He prompted when Fudge did not reply, his voice laced with amusement.
Fudge blinked, returning to the present, and his arms tightened on his robes.
"Exonerate Sirius Black?" Fudge repeated faintly, his voice a mixture of desperation and disbelief. "Y-You can't be serious, P-Potter. The man's been a symbol of terror for over a decade. The public"
"The public," Harry interjected smoothly, cutting him off. "The public will follow your lead, Minister. Just as they've been doing so far, with you denying Voldemort's return so vehemently. And with how you've painted me and Dumbledore as liars and fearmongers."
Fudge flinched at the Dark Lord's name once again, unable to offer any rebuttal at the reminder of what he had been up to for the past few weeks. He knew the young man in front of him would not let it go so easily, no matter what he said.
Shakily, he reached out for the glass of water on his desk, fumbling slightly in his haste and nearly knocking it over on his desk as he slowly lifted it, taking a small sip.
"That… that was different," he tried, mumbling weakly.
"Was it?" Harry asked, an eyebrow arched. He leaned forward in his seat, resting his arms on the desk whose polished surface reflected his face. "You have managed to convince an entire nation to ignore what would be a very real threat, assuming Voldemort has truly returned. Simply convincing them to accept the innocence of one man should be child's play compared to that."
Fudge's eyes darted around the room, looking anywhere but at Harry. Photos of him shaking hands with dignitaries across the world and being the chief guest at several wizarding events lined the walls, reminding him of the time when he had been at the pinnacle of his powers. Now, those same smiling faces seemed to be mocking him, acting as a stark reminder of the power that was slipping through his fingers.
Lucius was unreachable. Dolores was incarcerated in Azkaban, pending trial, but if his feelings were on point, she would perhaps call it her home for an extended period. He was without allies now, and as such, he could not see any other choice.
"Allow me to be candid with you here, Minister," Harry continued when Fudge remained silent. "I could go ahead and ask Madam Bones to oversee the process. I'm sure I can get this done without your involvement. This is me extending you an olive branch. Join in and we can be allies, or… well, you are a smart enough man."
Fudge blanched at the mention of the head of the DMLE. Amelia Bones was one of the few ministry officials whose integrity remained unquestioned, and her involvement would mean a game over for him. He vividly recalled her threat when he was in her office, and the winds were knocked out of his sails as he stared at a calm and collected Harry Potter.
"That won't be necessary," he said, a bit too quickly for his liking. He leaned back in his chair, the leather creaking under his weight. "But you also have to understand my position here, Potter. With no Lucius or Dolores, I'm standing on quicksand here."
Harry's lips quirked a bit, although his expression remained firm. "Then perhaps it's time for you to find a firmer ground to stand on. As I said, the support of the House of Black could be that ground."
Fudge's brows furrowed. "That is what I am confused about. Wasn't Sirius Black disowned?"
"He was named heir by his grandfather, superseding his mother's actions," Harry explained calmly. "With his exoneration, Sirius would claim his rightful position as the Head of House Black. A Noble and Ancient House, allied with the Ministry… I don't believe that is an opportunity you'd want to overlook."
Fudge's eyes widened as he started to consider the possibilities if what Harry had said was indeed true. Political alliances, financial support, and public goodwill – all dangled before him like a lifeline to a drowning man.
"Do not forget that this should've happened at least a year ago when I told you about it, Minister," Harry remarked, his voice hard, and Fudge flinched, remembering how he had dismissed the claims, attributing them to the ramblings of confused children.
"Are you… erm… certain of the evidence you have of his innocence?" Fudge asked searchingly. Harry got a feeling that Fudge was filled with trepidation, his steps careful and measured so that he did not offend him somehow. He had to admit that having this sort of power over the man felt good.
He nodded curtly. "Memories belonging to three different individuals who would be open to testimonies, including me, that contain irrefutable evidence. The DoM can examine those memories as factual, more than enough to justify reopening the case."
Fudge nodded shakily, his fingers twitching as he thought about it. "This would be unprecedented… but then again, we are living in unprecedented times." He glanced up at Harry for a second, a thought striking him. "You want something more from the Ministry, am I right?"
"Quick on that catch, Minister. I'm impressed," Harry smirked. "It would only be fair if the exoneration is followed up with a public apology, right? I know you are not the one who chucked him off to Azkaban, but as the current Minister, the responsibility does fall on you. You may hold a press conference where you personally clear his name. That would send the message nicely, am I right?"
Fudge winced but could not say anything to refute the statement. He gave a resigned nod, pausing when Harry interrupted him once again.
"That is not all. There would be reparations for his unlawful imprisonment in Azkaban too. Sirius was never afforded the courtesy of a trial, after all. It would only be fair. We can discuss the specifics at a later date," Harry said with an easy smile.
"And in return, I will have an alliance with the House of Black?" Fudge asked with more daring in his voice than he was worth, but Harry entertained him, nodding.
"As I promised you," he replied.
"I believe we have an accord then, Mr. Potter," Fudge said, extending a shaking hand across the desk.
Harry grasped the offered hand, his grip firm. "I'm glad we could come to an understanding, Minister. I'm looking forward to when you fulfil your end of the bargain. Hopefully soon."
"It will be done, Mr. Potter," Fudge said eagerly. "I just want to ask you to give me your memories of the event, only for administrative purposes."
Harry smirked and nodded, pressing the tip of his wand against his temple. A long, glowing strand of white emerged at the tip and he pulled his wand away, gently depositing the memory in a vial Fudge was eager to hold out for him. The Minister quickly sealed it firmly and placed it to the side, nodding.
"I shall begin the proceedings right away," Fudge said, and Harry stood up with a nod.
"See you soon then, Minister," he said, and with a small smile, he turned around and walked out of the office, leaving a visibly relieved man in his wake.
Fudge knew change was necessary now with his allies all but lost, and he had no choice but to acquiesce to these demands. However, it was nothing he had not done before. Perhaps he would get something unexpectedly good out of this alliance. He could only hope.
XXXXX
Albus Dumbledore sat at his desk with his hands clasped in front of him, his mind troubled and deep in thought.
The interview had finished a few minutes ago and he would be lying if he said he'd seen it coming. This development had completely blindsided him, for he had never expected Harry to turn away from the first place that had been his home.
A lot of developments had happened in the past few weeks, and when he thought about them, they had indeed come out of nowhere.
Dumbledore was not a fan of surprising developments. He was a calculating person, predicting moves well in advance and moving in accordance with those predictions, always anticipating the next move of those around him. He was a strategist, always compiling the information available to him and planning meticulously around it. He was not an omniscient, contrary to what many believed. He did not know everything, no one did. Sudden or unexpected events had always troubled him.
It had first happened with Gellert Grindelwald – an altercation that had changed his life for good. His sister died, his brother severed ties with him, and the man he had called his truest friend had left him behind.
Circumstances had forced him into the limelight, and it was his anticipatory planning that had enabled him to succeed against Gellert, which came with another development that he had anticipated – one that had thrust him into the limelight and bestowed upon him multiple positions of power. In spite of that, his seat in the office of the headmaster of Hogwarts was the one he appreciated the most.
Tom Riddle was another matter though. He was an unpredictable entity, the complete opposite of Gellert, and although he was a powerful and dangerous adversary, Dumbledore had struggled massively against him. There was no meticulous planning involved with Tom, for he did not shy away from large-scale destruction without any care for anything around him. Such unpredictability never let him think properly about a way to take him down for good.
Born out of the same unpredictability was the young man he was thinking of right now.
Harry Potter had been born the child of prophecy, and he had somehow managed the unthinkable – he had survived the killing curse, and it was impossible for him to anticipate such a development and think of a proper plan around it. As such, all he could do was improvise.
Years later, he was showing the same unpredictable traits he knew Tom for. Now, Tom was not entirely unpredictable. He was a prideful wizard with no bounds to his cruelty, but it was his personality that had made his task marginally easier, not that it had aided him much. On the other hand, this new Harry Potter was someone Dumbledore could not make sense of. All he could say for certainty was that Harry Potter cared for Sirius Black. That was all.
The boy had changed drastically since he'd told him about the Horcrux and his plans for him, and although his anger toward him was entirely justified, Dumbledore could not make sense of the sheer magnitude of change in his attitude. His principles had changed entirely, and so had his bearing. No longer one to be manipulated, it seemed Harry had now learned how to play the game, and he was playing it very well indeed.
This interview was a direct jab at his position as the headmaster of Hogwarts, and Harry had questioned his ability in front of the entire nation. It was akin to going for the throat of one's target, and Harry had shown no hesitation whatsoever.
If he was being honest, he could not blame Harry in the slightest. He knew he had been in the wrong, and he was aware of the fact that he had played a massive role in ostracizing Harry from himself. It was another calculating move on his part, but it had backfired massively, all because of how Harry had changed.
The Harry of old, the one he had taken as a basis to go ahead with this calculating move, would have understood his reasoning, agreed with him, and remained his ally, no matter how disgruntled with him he might have seemed to the world. However, he had not anticipated the change and now found himself at odds with this new Harry who was not only vindictive but also unforgiving, and ruthless against those he considered his adversary.
He was already under tremendous pressure after those students had been reported missing from Hogwarts from right under his nose. Now, it had come to light that Fenrir Greyback, the darkest werewolf in recent history, had been the one behind the abduction. Dumbledore did not know what motivation Greyback could have to go against the sons of some of Tom's staunchest supporters, but it was normal since Tom was personally involved. He had always had trouble predicting his former student's next move.
However, with this recent development of Harry refusing to return to Hogwarts and even questioning his authority and leadership directly, he had a feeling that more and more students would be reluctant to come back. He could already envision Minerva coming to his office, irate, with a large stack of envelopes levitating in front of her, all proclaiming the same thing – that those students would not be returning to the castle.
Dumbledore saw this for what it was. Harry had attacked him so that his position as the headmaster was questioned once more. He had already been relieved from his duties as the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and the Supreme Mugwump to the ICW. With this position gone, his reputation would take a hit, considering it was Harry Potter who stood against him, and he would lose the position he coveted the most.
For the next hour or so, Dumbledore allowed himself to immerse in the Pensieve, watching memory after memory of Harry's time at Hogwarts from all four years, paying particular attention to the memories that pertained to his fourth year. It had been a trying period for the young lad, with his friends turning on him for the first time. Voldemort had made his return using Harry's blood, and Harry had been hit with another killing curse in that graveyard.
Was it possible that the destruction of the Horcrux released something unpredictable? Could it be the reason behind the drastic shift in Harry's personality since that night?
Dumbledore watched the memory in which he told Harry everything, and he saw the rage in the boy's eyes. He could not help but feel apprehensive of that rage, but still, nothing gave him a conclusive answer.
Sighing to himself, he banished the Pensieve and steeled his fingers on his desk, pondering on his next course of action. With Harry openly standing against him now, he had to factor it into his plans. Earlier, he had planned on leaving everything with Harry, believing that the young man would choose what was right, but now, he could not be sure.
His place as the headmaster was secured owing to the Hogwarts Charter as long as he didn't voluntarily step down or announce his retirement. Thus, his immediate concern was still defeating Tom. He knew Harry would be the one to kill him, and he believed that the young man would still do it. But a question remained in his mind – what after that?
He would need to monitor Harry's development more critically than he had been doing so far. He was already concerned with his methods that included violence, and he knew he would need to act before things worsened with Harry.
He had not seen the darkness in Gellert until it was too late. He had been unable to stop Tom either, clinging to the fruitless hope that he would not be lost. He could not repeat the same mistakes with Harry.
He could not grow complacent and miss the making of another Dark Lord.
XXXXX
Cornelius Fudge stumbled back from the Pensieve, his face ashen and his breath coming in short, panicked gasps. The memories he had just witnessed swirled in his mind, making him shiver in fear and panic as his carefully constructed worldview shattered into a million fragments.
Without even pausing to straighten his robes or don his signature lime-green bowler hat, Fudge burst out of his office. His eyes were wide with a mix of fear and urgency as he accosted the first Ministry employee he saw.
"Potter! Where's Potter?" he demanded, his eyes wide and his voice shrill.
The startled witch, clutching a stack of parchments to her chest, stammered, "I... I believe he's with Madam Bones, Minister. In her office."
Without another word, Fudge took off down the corridor, his shoes echoing loudly on the polished floor. He ignored the curious stares and whispers that followed in his wake, his mind fixated on a single purpose.
The door to Amelia Bones' office crashed open with such force that a nearby painting of a beautiful landscape toppled from the wall. Fudge stumbled in, his usually immaculate robes askew and his face as pale as a ghost. Sweat beaded on his brow, and his eyes darted wildly around the room before settling on Harry Potter who remained seated calmly in front of Amelia Bones.
"P-Potter!" he gasped, his voice cracking. "I... I saw... everything!"
Amelia exchanged a glance with Harry as she rose from behind her desk, her crimson hair glinting in the afternoon light that streamed through the enchanted windows. She kept her expression a mixture of concern and irritation at the sudden intrusion as she exclaimed, "Cornelius! What in Merlin's name—"
However, Fudge was beyond listening. He staggered forward, nearly tripping over his own feet, and collapsed into an empty chair right beside Harry. His hands trembled violently as he gripped the armrests, his knuckles white with tension.
"Lucius," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "Lucius' elf warning you about the Chamber of Secrets… the elf confessing his master was behind it!" A hysterical laugh escaped his lips. "Lucius! My trusted advisor! I thought he was good! But he was planning m-murder! What else did he deceive me about!? Merlin…"
Harry exchanged another amused look with Amelia. This was the final nail in the coffin. Using Fudge's emotional and cornered situation to their advantage so that the buffoon would recognize how he had been deceived by those he had trusted the most. The circumstances had unfolded brilliantly, their plans working better than they had expected.
"I take it you've reviewed all the memories I provided, Minister?" Harry asked, his tone deceptively calm.
Fudge nodded frantically, his jowls quivering. "Black's innocence, yes, but... but the other... Potter, why didn't you tell me you were going to do that!?"
Harry's emerald eyes hardened, a flash of controlled anger crossing his features. "With all due respect, Minister, I did not see the reason. You have shown your reluctance to see the truth. You have chosen not to listen, not to believe. You preferred the comfort of your lies to the harsh truth. Can you really blame me?"
The words hit Fudge like physical blows. He recoiled, shrinking into the chair as if trying to disappear. "W-what are you s-saying?" He whimpered.
"I'm talking about Sirius' case, Minister," Harry replied, taking a deep breath. "You didn't believe me back then. I just didn't think you'd believe me this time either if I told you the truth."
He exchanged a glance with Amelia and leaned forward, his gaze intense as he stared at Fudge. "Minister, you have a choice to make. You can continue to bury your head in the sand and watch as people continue to manipulate you while acting like your friend and spread mass panic. Or you can stand with us, as allies, just as I described, and take our country forward. Contrary to your former allies, I never minced my words, and I never tried to act like your friend while hiding a knife behind myself either. I have been nothing but truthful with you regarding our alliance."
Fudge slowly nodded, shaking.
"But... but how?" He stammered, wringing his hands. "How could I not see this!? Dolores… Lucius… I thought them friends… I was so"
Harry stood up, looming over the seated Minister who stared up at him with wide eyes. "Wrong? You were worse than wrong, Minister. You were willfully blind. Your actions—or rather, your inaction—have put countless lives at risk. Malfoy and Umbridge both abused their power to pass discriminatory laws that have harmed this country more than you can fathom, and that is the least of our worries. It's high time we started fixing everything."
Fudge shrank back, cowering under the intensity of Harry's glare. "I... I didn't mean... I never wanted..."
"What you wanted doesn't matter anymore," Harry pressed on, his voice rising. "What matters is what you do now. Will you stand with us, Minister? Will you cooperate with us? Or will you continue to be an obstacle that we need to work around?"
The office fell silent save for Fudge's ragged breathing. Amelia and Harry exchanged another conspiratorial glance as they finally forced the Minister into a corner he couldn't even hope to escape from.
When Fudge finally spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper. "I… I will. I will honor this alliance… You are right. You have been honest with me. You haven't said you are my friend or tried to give me false reassurances."
Harry and Amelia shared a triumphant look, knowing that Fudge was firmly under their control now. Even if Umbridge somehow came back, she could never hope to have even an iota of influence in the Ministry.
"Good to hear that," Harry started, his tone calm and collected. "You are going to exonerate Sirius Black, as we discussed. That will be our opening move – a way to make the public feel that things are not what they've been believing for years."
Fudge nodded weakly as he stood up to leave before he glanced at a calm Amelia Bones.
"So you already knew about this…"
"Indeed," Amelia replied curtly.
Shakily, Fudge nodded and turned around, walking out of the office, disheveled and trying his best to calm himself down.
As the Minister walked out of the office, Amelia flicked her wand and shut the door, activating the privacy wards around her office. Her wand clattered to the desk as she stood up and walked around the desk, standing in front of Harry who gazed up at her with a smirk.
"You're a wicked man, you know that?" She asked, running her hand through his hair.
Harry pushed himself to his feet and put a finger under her chin, tilting her face up so that she was staring right into his eyes. He teased her lips with his thumb, smirking as her tongue slid out, swirling around it erotically.
"I'm what the situation demands me to be," he replied huskily. "And right now, the situation demands me to be something else."
"Yeah?" Amelia asked breathlessly, feeling his fingers quickly working on her clothes.
"I did promise you we'll continue very soon," Harry whispered and before Amelia could react, he turned her around and bent her over the desk. Amelia let out a squeal of delight as she felt his firm hand come down on her supper arse cheek with an audible slap. She heard a rustle of clothing behind her and glanced over her shoulder. Her eyes feasted on the sight of a naked Harry who stepped out of his clothes and with a flick of his wand, banished them near the wall.
She was still clothed entirely, but not for long. Harry pulled off her witches' robes and she quickly unbuttoned the silk shirt as he undid her skirt, pulling it over her curvy rear and down her legs. Her clothes joined his on the pile, and she was left in just her silky bra and knickers, bent over on her desk in her office.
"I bet you've been waiting so long for this," Harry murmured as he caressed her arse, fondling the cheeks and slapping them gently. He smirked as he saw how they jiggled enticingly.
"Fuck, you've no idea," Amelia whispered. She moaned when she felt his hand slide forward, caressing the edge of her knickers as he reached her flat belly. He rolled his finger around her navel before sliding, and Amelia's breath hitched when she felt him push his hand under the waistband of her knickers.
Harry probed her gently, smirking as he reached her gushing womanhood, and he ran a finger over her wet slit.
"Damn… you're dripping," he whispered in her ear, biting her earlobe gently.
"Hurry up and just get on with it," Amelia said with impatience, making him chuckle.
Harry ran his finger over her slit once again before pulling his hand off her. He reached out, pressing his fingers against her mouth, and the redhead tasted herself eagerly, rolling her tongue around his digits.
With his free hand, Harry quickly undid her bra and pulled it off her curvaceous frame, freeing up her large tits that hung over in front of her. He reached out and palmed her breasts, squeezing and fondling eagerly as Amelia squirmed beneath him.
He felt her hardened nubs, teasing and flicking her nipples, and Amelia hissed when he pinched them gently. He made sure nothing hurt her, his intention only on pleasuring her as much as he could.
"Please… Harry…" Amelia breathed, and Harry bit back the chuckle that threatened to escape him. If only someone in the Ministry could see how pliable and desperate their usually strict Madam Bones was when she was with him like this, naked and bent over, ready for taking…
He relinquished his hold on her tits and grabbed the waistband of her knickers, pulling them over her arse. Amelia sighed in pleasure as she felt the flimsy fabric pull off her gushing quim and slide down her legs. She stepped out of them, now bent over in front of Harry, entirely naked.
Harry feasted on the sight of the alluring redhead with her plump rear hiked high in the air for him, her puckered hole clenching as she breathed, and shifted his gaze lower, taking in the sight of that dripping snatch that awaited him. He stepped closer, one hand wrapped around his length, and brought it up, rubbing the head over her lower lips.
Amelia sighed in pleasure and anticipation as she felt him touch her, and Harry leaned over her, kissing down her back as he kept teasing her opening. He raised himself back and lined himself up with her pussy, slowly pushing forward.
The redhead held her breath as she felt him slide inside her and felt him maneuver her properly in place. She hissed sharply when he continued pushing forward, and in no time, her arse was pressing firmly against his body. Both Harry and Amelia could feel her pussy pulsating around him as if trying to get accustomed to the intrusion and the sensation it brought them.
"Go on," Amelia whispered after a few seconds, and Harry obliged eagerly. He grabbed hold of her hips and began to move back and forth, impaling her on his cock over and over. He picked up the pace after a minute, knowing what she wanted owing to the bond they shared, and he could feel how she was getting wetter with each thrust. Her juices had started to flow out around his length, the office echoing with wet, crude, and erotic sounds of their flesh slapping together.
Harry held her by the hips and kept thrusting, his eyes firmly on her arse and how it puckered and released in tandem with his thrusts. She was dripping incessantly, her juices flowing down his balls and onto the floor now as she moaned and breathed heavily. He reached out and gathered some of her juices around his fingers before he reached up and smeared it all over and around her puckered hole.
Amelia let out a loud moan at the sensation and began to push back against Harry now, showing him how much she loved what he was doing to her. Harry easily took the hint and applied a little force with his finger, and after a bit of initial resistance, the finger slipped inside her.
The moment her arse sucked his finger in, Amelia let out a deep guttural moan and Harry grunted, feeling her pussy walls tighten around his length. Her inner muscles fluttered as she gasped, a powerful orgasm rocking her in place as Harry kept thrusting in and out of her. Her arse clenched his finger tightly and Harry pulled it out, slowing down the ferocity of his thrusts as she shivered beneath him, cumming.
Minutes passed and Harry kept moving slowly as Amelia came down from her orgasmic high, and she glanced back at him over her shoulder, a sweaty mess.
"Keep going… don't stop."
Harry was all too eager to oblige, and he began to build a rhythm once again, watching mesmerized as Amelia arched her back. His hands gripped her arse cheeks tightly, his fingers sinking into the pillowy flesh as he fucked her hard, and Amelia pushed back as hard against him, bucking as if she could not get enough of being filled with his massive rod. She kept gasping and moaning loudly as she was furiously fucked, and Harry was shocked when he felt her get unbelievably wet.
"Amy!?" He asked in wonder, and all Amelia could manage was a weak grin over her shoulder as she exploded into another orgasm around his cock. Lewd, wet squelching noises echoed in the office as their skin slapped together, and Amelia toppled over on the desk. Her orgasm seemed to spill over, and Harry grunted under the impossible tightness of her inner walls that squeezed him relentlessly. His balls tightened and he exploded, gasping and breathing heavily as sprayed her inner walls fully with his hot cum.
Amelia's body gave away entirely, and Harry allowed himself to get slumped over her sweaty back as his cock kept pulsing inside her creampied pussy. He softened and slid out of her, and as he looked down, he could see their combined juices leaking out of her and pooling onto the floor between their legs. Her forehead was resting on her arms as she shook, her breathing ragged.
"Amy? You good?" Harry asked softly as he squeezed her.
For a few seconds, Amelia did not reply, and Harry slowly stood up, stepping away from her and sitting on the desk. He stroked her wet hair and pulled it away from her face as she turned to him, an expression of pure bliss on her face.
"I think you broke me, Harry," she said with a wry grin, and Harry chuckled. He reached out and pulled her onto the desk, wandlessly banishing the stationery items to create ample space for both. Pulling her beside himself, he wrapped an arm around her from behind and buried his face in her sweaty hair, breathing in her scent.
It was the first time she'd been with anyone in decades, and as Amelia lay in Harry's arms, thoroughly fucked and satisfied, she could not help but think that the wait was totally worth it.