Dolores’s Decrees - 3

"You explain. I'll Floo Poppy and ask her if she can tend him here," Remus said, squeezing Harry's shoulder as he passed.

"Dolores Umbridge has obtained information that Ron is at St. Mungo's, and she's in the process of writing a Decree stating that any patient suffering spell damage from an Unforgivable needs to be detained in a Ministry facility until the incident can be investigated," Mr. Weasley said, clenching his teeth and twisting his coffee cup around in his hands.

"Detained how? Ron isn't even conscious," Harry said, jumping from his chair.

Mr. Weasley raised his hands, attempting to calm Harry. "I know that, Harry. She's frustrated by her lack of ability to learn what you're doing. She wants make it appear that it's the Ministry that's in charge, and right now, the public is more enamored with you. Despite all her efforts, she hasn't been able to convince them that you're a dangerous threat to the peace that she's trying to form. It's infuriating her.

"She knows you, and she knows how close you are to Ron. I believe she'll use him as a bargaining tool once he's under her care. We need to get Ron out of St. Mungo's before her Decree is passed."

"How do you know about this?" Harry asked.

Mr. Weasley rubbed the bridge of his nose beneath his glasses. "Percy owled me early this morning. He's dismayed by the Minister's plans for Ron."

Harry bit his lip, not entirely convinced it wasn't Percy who told Umbridge about Ron in the first place. He wasn't about to say that to Mr. Weasley, however. Some of his feelings must have shown on his face, because Mr. Weasley sighed heavily.

"I understand your mistrust of Percy, Harry, and I can't say that I blame you, but I do believe that he loves his family. I think Percy had a rude awakening at Bill's wedding, and he's trying to make amends. I have to believe that," he said.

His eyes looked so sad and almost pleading that Harry had to swallow a lump in his throat. If it turned out that Percy wasn't on the right side of all this, Harry would make certain he paid for it.

"I'm going with you," he said, not about to be swayed by any argument.

"Harry–"

"I've stayed away so as not to draw attention to Ron's being there. He's leaving now, anyway, and his connection to me might actually work in his favor for once. My presence at St. Mungo's should cause enough of a distraction to get him out. I'll bring my Invisibility Cloak, as well," Harry said, his jaw set.

Mr. Weasley sat back in his chair, watching Harry closely. Finally, he nodded. "All right, Harry. You've done a lot of growing up this past year, haven't you, son?"

Startled, Harry jerked his head toward Mr. Weasley.

The older man smiled fondly. "You were such a scrawny little thing when Ron first brought you home. Molly used to say that if you turned sideways you'd disappear, you were so thin. You were always polite and soft-spoken, but even then I could sense an underlying strength of character. You've grown into a remarkable young man, Harry. Your parents would be proud."

Harry wasn't certain how to respond, so he merely nodded, feeling a warm glow of pleasure flush his cheeks. When Remus returned, the three of them left Grimmauld Place and Apparated to an alley near St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.

London's streets were being decorated for Christmas, and Harry was stunned to realize he'd been so caught up in the war that he hadn't even been aware of the season.