Until death do us Apart - Part 2
As Mrs. Weasley led Percy away, Scrimgeour stared pointedly at Harry. "A word, Mr. Potter?"
Harry crossed his arms across his chest but didn't move away from Ron and the twins. "We have to stop meeting like this, Minister. I suppose old habits are hard to break."
A flicker of annoyance crossed Scrimgeour's face. "Things are dismal, as I'm certain you are aware. Now that some time has passed since Albus Dumbledore's death, I'm wondering if you've taken the time to reconsider my proposition?"
"Your proposition?"
"About Ministry protection, Harry. I'm certain you've read the reports of Muggle casualties. Just last week there was another attack in Diagon Alley, where several shops were destroyed."
"I'm aware of them. What are you doing about them?" Harry asked.
"The Ministry is doing everything within its power..."
"Released Stan Shunpike yet?"
"That is not going to get us anywhere," Rufus Scrimgeour said, his voice rising slightly.
"No, what's not getting us anywhere is your refusal to accept that I'm not going to be your poster boy," Harry said, snarling. "If you want my approval for the way things are being done at the Ministry, then earn it. Start doing what needs to be done. Skip these useless handbooks on how to protect yourself and start teaching people something useful. Teach them how to cast a Patronus, or how to deflect the Inferi. Stop terrorizing people you know are innocent just to make it look like you're doing something."
"You can start with questioning those former suspected Death Eaters who claimed to be under the Imperius. Hell, any Death Eater worth his salt knows to claim he was acting under the Imperius, and you'll release him. The fact that Stan Shunpike never thought to claim it should tell you he's no Death Eater."
"This is getting us nowhere," Scrimgeour said irritably.
"No, and I can see from your refusal to accept some cold hard truths that it's not going to. You might have once wanted to help people when you first became an Auror, but now you're just like Fudge, more concerned with politics and public perceptions. That isn't the kind of leader we need in this climate, Minister. So, you go right ahead and do what you've got to do, while I'm going to go and actually get something done," Harry said, fuming.
"Exactly what is it you think you're going to be doing?" Scrimgeour asked suspiciously.
"Oh, a little of this, a little of that," Harry replied, shrugging his shoulders.
"You know what Albus Dumbledore was doing before he died, and I intend to find out," Scrimgeour accused, his eyes narrowing dangerously.
"As I said," Harry replied with dead calm, "you do what you have to do. Right now, I have a wedding to enjoy, and your presence is neither needed nor wanted here." With that, Harry walked away from a spluttering and very angry Minister of Magic, Ron following closely in his wake. Harry was amused to see Fred and George remain behind to escort Scrimgeour from the tent.
"Whoa, Harry," Ron said, grinning appreciatively. "You just dismissed the Minister of Magic. I'm glad Hermione didn't hear that, though. She would have started hyperventilating."
Harry smiled. "Are you two having a good time?"
"Yeah, we are," Ron said, watching Hermione chatting with Victor Krum.
Harry tensed, waiting for the explosion. "Ron."
"She came here with me. She wants to be with me," Ron said firmly, keeping his eyes fixed on Hermione as she walked across the dance floor.
He could hear that slight measure of uncertainty still in Ron's voice. Deciding to tease a bit, he asked sharply, "Did you get a nice look at her bum?"