92

The next morning, so exhausted after the previous night's activities, they did not even open their eyes until the faint sound of a voice reached their ears.

"Kathryn!" it called from an unknown location. "Kathryn!" reaching for her glasses, Kathryn untangled herself from Lucius' arms and sat up; casting a bleary-eyed look around the room.

"Kathryn!" the voice shouted again. Blinking in the light of the morning, Kathryn's eyes finally landed upon her brother's head in the fireplace.

"Harry!" she yelped, clutching the sheets across her chest and hoping that he hadn't seen more than he should have. "Hang on!" sliding off the mattress, she reached for the dressing gown that the house elves must have laid out in the early hours. Checking that there was something blocking Harry's line of sight from the fireplace, Kathryn dropped the sheet that had been concealing her modesty and wrapped the dark green dressing gown around her shoulders.

"What is it?" she asked, somewhat breathlessly as she knelt down by the fireplace. "Nothing's wrong is it?"

"No," Harry shook his head, "but there's something you ought to know."

"What?"

"We've just had an owl from Fudge," he explained, "asking us to a meeting with the Muggle Prime Minister."

"When?"

"He's sending a car for us in an hour."

"An hour!" she cried, jolting Lucius awake.

"Yeah," Harry nodded fervently, "apparently it's quite short notice."

"You don't need to tell me that." She muttered darkly. "So who is going?"

"Just me, Ron and Hermione. Apparently he thought it would be a bit much to take in if the whole Order turned up."

"Yes," Kathryn managed a chuckle, "lord knows what his staff would think!"

"So," Harry paused somewhat awkwardly, "I'm assuming you haven't had an owl?"

"No," Kathryn shook her head, "not that I think I should be surprised."

"What do you want to do?"

"Well, I hardly think I shouldn't be present," she smirked, "but don't say anything to Fudge."

"Of course not." Harry smirked back. "I'll see you in a bit."

"Thanks for telling me." She gave Harry a final wave before his head disappeared.

Before Lucius could even question what was going on, she walked straight through to the bathroom and he heard the sound of water hitting tiles as she turned the shower on. After barely fifteen minutes she was finished and positively stormed back into the room.

"Fudge has scheduled a meeting with the Muggle Prime Minister and has invited Harry, Ron and Hermione but not me." She said, by way of a brief explanation before heading into the wardrobe to get dressed. Lucius had to do his best to stifle a chuckle, not having seen her so righteously annoyed for a while.

Opening and closing doors with probably more force than was necessary, she hurriedly pulled on underwear before turning her attention to the rails of clothes. Privately wondering how on earth she had managed to amass such a collection, she picked something out on a whim and then turned her attention to jewellery.

"So, the Prime Minister wants to meet the heroes of the Wizarding World does he?" Kathryn muttered darkly, yet audibly as she considered her reflection in the mirror.

"I really don't see why this is bothering you so much." Lucius called from where he lay sprawled on the bed, still in a significant state of undress.

"You would expect the Minister to include you if you had made grand contributions to worthy causes, wouldn't you?" she shot back quickly, poking her head around the doors of their wardrobe and raising her eyebrows.

"Well, yes." He shrugged.

"Well there you go!" she called back, her face disappearing behind the door. "Our victory was as much down to me as it was to anyone else who fought, it just so happens that Harry and I had a pivotal part to play."

"It's only the Muggle Prime Minister," Lucius drawled in reply, putting heavy stress on Muggle, "why do you even care if he meets you or not?" as soon as he finished speaking, he realised what a stupid question it was.

"You know exactly why." She replied, emerging from the wardrobe. "And don't pretend not to. He was only elected last year and could potentially be around for a while. I have no idea what I could be doing in a few years, so it makes sense to meet him."

"True," he sighed, "after all, you could easily become the youngest Minister in history!" he smirked back at her, catching her wrist as she passed and pulling her down next to him.

"Don't say things like that!" she protested, trying to squirm out of his grasp. "I don't want anything like that kind of power."

"In a few years it could be yours for the asking." He whispered seductively.

"Someone else can have it."

"But you would do it so well," he continued, pressing his lips to her neck, "and you would certainly be known as the most beautiful Minister in history."

"Do not tease me." She chided him, a blush rising on her smooth cheeks.

"I never joke about such things." He replied; his voice all seriousness.

"Well, much as I'd like to stay here and listen to you flattery," she finally managed to stand up, "I have a meeting to, erm, attend!" she finished with a smirk.

"Am I allowed to come?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. "It is really very amusing watching you embarrass Fudge."

"Well, leaving you behind would probably violate the terms on which they let me have you," her eyebrows knitted together in mock seriousness, "so I suppose you'll have to come!" she finished with a smile.

Dressed and ready within ten minutes, he stood solemnly before the front doors as the car was brought around and held out his cane to her.

"Take it," he instructed, "it suits you."

"But it suits you too." She protested.

"Fudge won't like seeing me with a wand," he shrugged, "Besides, it adds a certain gravitas."

"If you insist." She agreed quietly, taking the potent Malfoy symbol that she had become so used to carrying of late.

"And I have never seen anything sexier in all my life." He added with a smirk as they walked down the steps. To this, she did not reply, simply sinking down into the car with the most alluring half-smile upon her face. Needless to say, he followed eagerly.

From what Harry had told her earlier, she assumed that Fudge would be arriving by Floo whilst the rest were to arrive by Ministry car. Kathryn could see the sense, especially as the meeting was scheduled during normal office hours and having people being seen arriving for a meeting with the Prime Minister would explain his being occupied. This, in turn, meant that the security around Downing Street would be expecting a car, or potentially cars, to be arriving. All in all, this would make their arrival far easier.

"So," Lucius said as they drove towards London, "what do we know about this Prime Minister?"

"Well, not a massive amount," she confessed, "I would've liked the chance to research him a little more, but there was no time. From what I have gleaned from the Muggle newspapers, he is fairly liberal and has been channelling much needed money back into public services."

"Is he well received by the public?"

"I believe so." She shrugged. "He seems to be far more popular than the previous fellow by a long way."

"And obviously you think he would be an asset as an acquaintance."

"I think making his acquaintance would be a prudent move."

"Most certainly."

"Though I think your allusions to my potential future role are a little too imaginative considering the way things are at the moment."

"People far less deserving than you have come to power with great ease," he reminded her, "so I would not push such an idea aside so quickly."

"We shall see." She smiled enigmatically.

London was as busy as ever for a Saturday, but their car did not look out of place amongst the many blacked out windows of the cars that gathered around the doors of Harrods or the diplomatic vehicles that navigated the streets of Whitehall. Arriving at the gates to Downing Street, just off Whitehall, it only took a quick confundus charm for the security at the gate to allow them through. Pulling to a halt before the door of number ten, the driver paused a moment while she and Lucius straightened their clothes before stepping out to open the doors.

To the photographers and reporters that perennially occupied the area opposite the famous black door, it all looked very smart. The first they saw of the car's occupants was the silver tip of a cane, followed by a pair of smart, round toed court shoes on the end of long, slender legs. After getting over the shock of the beauty with which they were faced, they also noted the aristocratic blond gentleman who had, by now, emerged from the other door. They noticed that she did not even flinch at the sight of the press, a trait only common in those who were used to such attention, and simply strode confidently around the car and up to the door. It opened without prompt and the two mysterious visitors were quickly gone from sight.

"I am certain that only three guests were expected for this meeting!" they were told, in a slightly panicked tone, by the aide who had met them.

"You were misinformed." Kathryn replied coolly.

"It is highly irregular." She went on, some than somewhat intimidated by this disastrously beautiful, confident and, apparently, powerful young woman. More unsettling still was the fact that she appeared to be scarily young, far less than the twenty six years of that particular aide, but in possession of a maturity well beyond her years.

"If you'll just wait here," she motioned to a sofa, "I'll announce you."

"That won't be necessary." The mysterious young woman dismissed the suggestion with a wave of her hand and continued onwards through the outer offices turning more than one head as she went. Seeing the door she was making for, she crossed the room in a few languid strides and turned the handle without even bothering to knock. Her companion, who had said not a word since entering, simply smiled and followed her through.

Inside the grand office, filled with bookshelves and adorned with picturesque landscapes and portraits of leaders gone by, the meeting had only been going on for fifteen minutes. Most of that time had been spent on introductions and a brief recap of how events had stood prior to the Battle of Hogwarts, as the events of that night were becoming known.

All in the room turned in surprise as the door opened without warning and though the Prime Minister opened his mouth, presumably to protest at the rude interruption, no words managed to escape. Instead he simply stared, dumbfounded, at the people who has just entered.

First through the door was a woman who, although by the looks of it startlingly young, had a commanding presence about her that the Prime Minister had only seen in the best of the world's statesmen. Her outfit was eye-catching to say the least. A bright, pillar-box red, the dress clung to every subtle, smooth curve before fanning out into a short, flared skirt that stopped several inches before her knees. It was nothing short of stunning. A grey fur stole was wrapped loosely about her bare arms and a serpent topped cane was held quite casually in her right hand.

Following her was a gentleman with a surprising crop of long blond hair and a look of distinct amusement on his face. He was dressed almost entirely in black; in a suit so impeccably tailored it made the Prime Minister, in his costly Saville Row suit, feel positively shabby. In similar fashion to the lady who had preceded him, he had a look about him that could only convey a sense of importance and status.

Unable to understand who on earth these people were, the Prime Minister looked to Fudge only to find him looking equally as stunned. Studying them again, he caught sight this time of the strangely shaped scar that he had already seen once that day.

"Sorry I'm late." She said with an apologetic smile, setting the tip of the cane on the floor where it made a dull thump.

"I was not aware we were expecting anyone else." The Prime Minister addressed Fudge, the look of confusion plain to see upon his face.

"You weren't." Kathryn cut in before Fudge could reply.

"Then would you be so kind as to introduce yourself?"

"Kathryn Potter." she extended her hand, which the Prime Minister shook politely. "And as you have already discerned, I am Harry's twin."

"You didn't tell me there were two, Minister." Fudge looked distinctly embarrassed.

"I assure you," Fudge shot a black look towards Malfoy, "I had my reasons."

"And who, might I ask, is your companion?" the Prime Minister turned his attention to Lucius.

"Lucius Malfoy." He stepped forwards, also extending his hand.

"Whatever the reason," Kathryn spoke quickly before Fudge could, "I played as much of a part in our victory as Harry, and everyone else, and I believe it only fair that I am included in such meetings.

"A fair point," the Prime Minister conceded, "now, if we might continue, I must ask you how your victory came about?" he addressed the question to the whole room. "I was led to believe that this He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was effectively invulnerable."

"Well, it wasn't so much invincibility," Hermione immediately piped up, "simply layers of magical protection against death."

"So how is it that you have only recently managed to defeat him, if you knew that magic was protecting him?"

"Because we didn't know how he was doing it either." Ron replied dryly.

"The magic Voldemort was using is ancient and dark;" Hermione explained patiently, "the teaching of it is banned, as are books on the subject. It took on of the greatest wizards of our time years to figure out the puzzle."

"How did it work?"

"Well, to put it simply, when a person dies the soul is separated from the body and, well, passes on." Hermione again provided the explanation.

"And so he used magic to stop this?" the Prime Minister looked stunned. "How macabre!"

"In a manner of speaking," Harry finished the explanation, "the magic he used split his soul into seven, well, eight parts. As long as one survived he could not be killed and so we had only to find where he had hidden them."

"I assume that they were well hidden?"

"That is something of an understatement," Harry laughed slightly, "he could have hidden the pieces in anything he wanted, but as it happens he preferred a particular class of item."

"A particular class?"

"Something of magical significance." Harry clarified. "Something with history."

"I see," the Prime Minister nodded, "so how does one split your soul?" he asked. "Some potion or spell?"

"Unfortunately not." Hermione answered grimly.

"Oh."

"To split your soul you must kill." Kathryn finally spoke, her eyes flat and her voice deadly serious. "At least, that is the final process. The process prior to that final act is far too horrendous for me to even contemplate telling you."

"I see." He nodded a slightly stricken look on his face. "So you simply destroyed all of the pieces?"

"After a fashion, yes." Kathryn shrugged.

"And what does that mean?"

"My brother and I were also vessels for Voldemort's soul," Kathryn expounded, "created by accident when he first attempted to kill us nineteen years ago." The Prime Minister's face fell. "We had to willingly sacrifice ourselves in order to be successful."

"But then," he stared at them both goggle eyed, "how on earth are you still alive?"

"In willingly giving up our lives in order that others might survive, only the pieces of Voldemort's soul were destroyed." Harry continued the explanation. "We were unscathed and therefore able to return to fight."

"Well," the Prime Minister sighed finally after several moments of silence, "that is certainly the most extraordinary tale I have ever heard, and since assuming this post I can tell you I've hear more than my fair share of unbelievable stories."

"It must certainly have been a shock," Kathryn sympathised.

"Certainly, but that shock aside, I must commend you both on your courage. I believe there are few who could have faced such a fate and remained steadfast."

"Thank you." Harry acknowledged, Kathryn nodding her thanks also. "But no matter our sacrifices, we still lived to tell the tale. There are many others who were not so fortunate."

"Of course." He sighed, bowing his head slightly. "It is still, however, a pleasure to finally meet you. I have been told much over the past few weeks by Minister Fudge," he explained, "although my lack of knowledge as to your sister's existence leaves me feeling quite embarrassed."

"That doesn't surprise me." Lucius commented darkly from his position at Kathryn's shoulder.

"Might I be enlightened as to the reason?" he asked curiously.

"The reason stands before you." Fudge muttered darkly, glaring at the aristocratic blond.

"Excuse me?" he looked rather baffled.

"Mr. Malfoy," Fudge extrapolated, "is the very cause of her disgrace."

"Disgrace?" he raised his eyebrows. "I thought he was from your Ministry?" he once again wore his confused expression. "Or perhaps an adviser to Miss Potter?" Lucius could see how he could have come to such a conclusion, considering his position just behind Kathryn and the way her murmured in her ear every now and then.

"Far from it." Lucius commented, making his position quite clear by moving forwards and slipping and arm around Kathryn's waist. "Though I do offer my advice where it might be useful." Had the Prime Minister's eyebrows been able to go any further up they would've been on the back of his head.

"Mr. Malfoy," Fudge said tersely, "is technically under arrest."

"Arrest?" the Prime Minister spluttered. "Forgive me Minister, but it seems that your prison system has something of a failure."

"Well, he is supposed to be under house arrest for the weekend."

"He is still in my custody Fudge," Kathryn shot back, "I would've thought you'd prefer it if he didn't leave my sight."

"For what reason is he being detained?" the Prime Minister cut in, looking suddenly uncomfortable.

"His activities as a Death Eater." Fudge announced; his voice full of ill will. The Prime Minister jumped back about a foot.

"But weren't…aren't they what's his name's followers?"

"Yes," Fudge nodded, "at least, they were."

"And did you really have that mark on your skin," he asked Lucius directly, staring straight into his cool grey eyes, "the one people kept on passing off as fireworks?"

With a deft flick, Lucius undid his left cufflink and pulled up his jacket and sleeve; baring the slowly fading mark for all to see. The Prime Minister, although still quite wary, seemed to be quite entranced by the swirling shape of the snake that was still quite prominent, despite the passing of its creator.

"To cut a long story short," Fudge went on coldly, "Miss Potter's association, to use the polite term, with Mr. Malfoy has cost her a certain amount of respectability. Though her actions, along with her brother's, were undoubtedly heroic there are certain things that cannot be forgotten." This pronouncement, though impassioned, appeared quite at odds with what the Prime Minister saw. If anything, Miss Potter appeared to be someone who could not fail to command respect.

"Whatever you deem to be my crime, Fudge," Kathryn responded coldly, "it does not change the fact that I was there, no matter how much you seek to ostracise me."

"This is not the time-" Fudge began, only to be interrupted.

"Maybe the Prime Minister should also be made aware of the fact that Lucius risked his life by lying to Voldemort; telling him we were dead when we were not?" she reminded Fudge of the crucial role he had played.

"You did what?" that question was addressed straight at Lucius, no matter the hesitation the Prime Minister felt at his presence.

"The Dark Lord asked me to ascertain whether Miss Potter and her brother were alive. I lied."

"And saved our lives." Harry chipped in, casting a supportive glance at Lucius.

"Why?"

"Me." Kathryn replied simply.

"I had already watched her die once and it was not pleasant," Lucius elaborated, "surely that was reason enough."

"And so you and Miss Potter are, erm, involved then?" the Prime Minister asked enquiringly.

"Oh yes." Kathryn replied with the tiniest of smiles.

"For how long?"

"Over two years now."

"Two years!" he exclaimed. "But, that was well before hostilities had ended."

"Yes." Kathryn nodded succinctly.

"But, how could you have managed to keep it concealed?" he asked, flabbergasted. "Did you not have any inkling that something was going on?" this was directed straight at Harry.

"They hid it well," Harry shrugged, "he was a Death Eater, and married after all."

"Married?" the Prime Minister had to take a seat, gazing dumbfounded at Lucius.

"Up until January, yes." Lucius nodded, not giving the Prime Minister's reaction any notice.

"And you knew he was married?" he gave Kathryn a searching look. "And you had no objection to this?"

"Miss Potter had no choice." Lucius stepped in quickly to say the words that he knew Kathryn would find hard.

"No choice?"

"Our relationship did not start on the best of terms," Kathryn finally said, "and that is all you need to know. I suppose if you imagine the worst you'll be on the right track."

"Oh," his face fell, "I see."

"As it is, I am quite happy so you needn't worry." Kathryn dismissed his concerns and the topic of conversation. "And I am sure there are far more important things that we could be discussing."

"But, if he was a Death Eater, how can you trust him?" the Prime Minister seemed unwilling to let the subject go.

"He has given me proof, which is enough."

"Really?"

"Trust me, Prime Minister, I've made more impossible decisions in the past two years than you have your whole career." She replied assertively, her hand toying casually with the snake head of Lucius' cane. "He risked a great deal in lying to Voldemort, which anyone in our world with a modicum of sense should be able to comprehend." She glared pointedly at Fudge, her tone indicating that the subject was no longer up for discussion. "So, why was it that you wished to see us?" without waiting for an invitation, she pulled over one of the chairs from in front of his desk and took a seat. Lucius stood casually behind her, one hand resting lightly on her shoulder. The others followed suit, Hermione quickly charming a single chair into a small sofa that she, Harry and Ron could all fit on. The Prime Minister's eyes seemed to bulge slightly at the very blatant use of magic but he soon recovered his composure.

"Well, when I first took office, Minister Fudge only gave me a brief overview of how things stood." He explained, leaning casually against his desk. "When he came to me in July to tell me that it was over, he explained more of the history behind it and the part that you played in it." He addressed that part directly to Harry. "Of course, as you gathered, he did not mention Miss Potter's existence. Considering the obvious ramifications for our society had this Dark Lord been victorious, I felt it only right that I should meet you and offer my thanks on behalf of a country that will never know."

"Well, you're welcome," Harry shrugged, "but we weren't exactly rooting for him to win either."

"Of course. Forgive me, but I hadn't actually expected you to be so young. When Minister Fudge told me that this He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had tried to kill you as a child, well, children, I had expected that he meant when you were five or six."

"No," Harry shook his head, "we were only just one year old when he killed our parents."

"I see. So who raised you?"

"I was raised by my Aunt and Uncle," Harry explained, "my mother's sister and her husband."

"And are they wizards too?"

"No, and they did not take kindly to the whole concept so it was a rather miserable upbringing."

"Oh." His face fell. "And what of you, Miss Potter?"

"I was sent to live in France," she filled in the rest, "as Dumbledore thought it prudent to keep us separate."

"Whatever for?"

"Well, no one beyond our parents and their very close friends knew that our mother had given birth to twins, so keeping that secret was a means of keeping us safer. I returned to England when I was fifteen. It's quite funny actually," she mused, "because they literally had to rewrite the history books after I showed up!"

"I see," he turned his gaze to Ron and Hermione, "and what of your friends? Were they also party to this prophecy business?"

"Oh no," Hermione immediately shook her head, "our involvement was really just accidental."

"But bloody lucky!" Ron laughed, giving Hermione a playful knock on the shoulder. "They wouldn't have got far without you!"

"No, we wouldn't." Kathryn agreed. "But the same goes for you Ron."

"Well, it's my natural charisma you see," he replied dryly, "holds the whole outfit together."

"You might laugh Prime Minister," Kathryn commented as he chuckled slightly, "but without Hermione and Ron we would've probably been dead quite some time ago. Though it makes her blush, Hermione is probably the smartest witch of her age. As for Ron, he might make light of it, but he's braver than he thinks he is. Harry and I might have been the key to defeating Voldemort, but our friends were instrumental in ensuring our victory."

"So is everything sorted now?" he asked, casting another wary look in Lucius' direction. "Have all of his followers been rounded up?"

"Some of them." Fudge decided to comment on that front. "Many fled the battle when it became apparent that they were going to lose. We've been doing our best to track them but our resources are spread a little thin at the moment."

"Does that mean that people are still in danger," his brow furrowed, "my people I mean?"

"Not an immediate danger, no," Fudge shook his head, "they will want to keep a low profile, if they are indeed still in the country."

"I see."

"Do you have anything else you'd like to ask?" Kathryn raised her eyebrows questioningly.

"Naturally I have any number of questions about your world." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "But I imagine most of them are things I shall never know."

"We are governed by the International Statute of Secrecy, as I have told you before." Fudge explained. "There is a limit to what we can tell you."

"Of course."

"Is there anything else you want to ask us about what happened?" Hermione rephrased the question.

"You're sure he can't come back?"

"We're sure." Harry's response was final, and Kathryn nodded in a similarly serious fashion.

"No matter how powerful he became," Kathryn reflected, "once his defences were stripped away he was, at the end of it all, just a man and his death was as mundane as yours or mine."

"Well, it's a relief." He sighed. "I don't know how I would've managed if we'd had more of those accidents like the Millennium Bridge."

"I shouldn't think so," Fudge shook his head, "we've definitely rounded up all his trolls."

"Trolls?" the Prime Minister's jaw fell.

"Oh nothing you need to worry about," Fudge waved away his horrified expression, "all dealt with."

"Well," he glanced at the clock, his voice sounding a little shaky, "I'm afraid we'll have to finish things there, I have another meeting to attend."

"Of course."

"But thank you all again," he shook all of their hands, even Lucius', "it has been a pleasure to finally meet you all." Whilst everyone else headed for the door, Fudge moved in the direction of the fireplace.

"Miss Potter," he addressed Kathryn in a far sterner tone to the one he had been using, "I expect you at the Ministry in an hour." Without waiting for a response, he vanished in a whirl of green flame.

"What was that about?" the Prime Minister asked as he gathered some papers up from his desk.

"Oh probably just to give me a good scolding." Kathryn sighed, making to follow the others out of the door. "Not an unusual occurrence."

"Well, scolding aside, it has been a pleasure to meet you."

"It certainly has."

"Forgive me for saying it," he hesitated slightly, "but I get the feeling that this isn't the last I will see of you." Lucius could only smirk, knowing that the Prime Minister had also seen her potential for greatness.

"We shall see." Kathryn replied, smiling enigmatically before nodding her farewell and striding out of the door just as confidently as she had entered