The Minister's Scheme

Ginny gasped very audibly. "Aren't you going to attempt to rescue her?" Fudge didn't bother to answer.

Ron who was the resident chess player immediately recognized what Fudge had done. "You deliberately put her in danger from Harry, didn't you! I bet that you were hoping he would kill her!"

"The greater good must be taken into account." Fudge said without showing a trace of remorse.

The blue eyes that usually twinkled had now turned to cold ice. "How dare you? What about her family? Who will explain to them why their daughter won't be coming home at the end of term?"

"I'm sure that they knew very well the risks she was running, being involved in a war where those whose blood is less than pure are targets. Then of course, if you associate yourself with bad people like Potter, what do you expect?"

"Try telling that to any parent, no matter who their child is!" Ginny yelled as tears welled up in her eyes.

Cornelius Fudge rolled his eyes. "That's what memory charms are for, young lady."

"We won't forget!" Ron yelled. He leapt from his chair, drew back his fist, and punched the Minister of Magic in the face. Blood began to immediately spurt from Fudge's nose. "You can't just murder Half-Bloods! You're no better than Harry!"

"Yes, Cornelius. What you have done is extremely serious. I think that you had better leave here." Dumbledore said coldly.

Fudge shrugged, got up, and left quickly. Though he had left the office in disgrace, he had shown no remorse whatsoever. Ginny observed that he seemed to be more embarrassed about the fact that he had been dismissed by someone he wanted to be better than rather than the fact that he had just sent a sixteen year-old to her almost imminent death.

"Oust him!" Ron yelled loudly. "Have him charged with murder!"

Dumbledore shook his head. "I'm afraid that I can't do that, Ronald. In all legal technicality, Minister Fudge has done nothing wrong. Hermione did not work for the Ministry nor did he order, direct, or coerce her to put herself in that village."

"He as good as admitted doing it!" Ginny whispered fiercely.

"Because we can't touch him." Dumbledore stated. "If he was in the wrong, he would not have told us his grand scheme. A very clever, but ruthless scheme. I don't like it, but it may work against Harry."

Ron shook his head sadly. He even seemed to be on the verge of tears. "I don't like this at all."

"I feel like being alone." Ginny muttered, not wanting to break down in front of her brother, nor wanting to watch him cry. Maybe a little loss would humble him. Or make him more bitter. It didn't matter to Ginny, she had her own thoughts to sort out.

"Let me know if you need anything, Ginevra." Dumbledore said kindly.

"I will." Ginny said shortly as she left the office.

Within several moments, she was in the Owlery, taking comfort in the presence of the many sleeping birds. After several moments she began to cry over Hermione and the general situation. Everything was so wrong! Voldemort killed, Fudge- the Order's ally- killed, Harry killed. Was there anyone who didn't kill?

....

Alastor Moody was the first who had an opportunity to carry the news to Harry. He did so nervously. After all, how did one break this sort of news to someone? Would Potter mourn for his ex-friend who was now presumed dead, or rejoice? Moody concluded that it solely depended on what sort of person Harry was.

Harry Potter was found in the library perusing a heavy tome. Though he was deeply engrossed in the subject, the entrance of the aged Auror did not escape his attention in the least. "What brings you to my humble home?" Harry inquired with a smile, somewhat glad to have a visitor.

"Not good news, sir." Moody said gruffly.

"It never seems to be." Harry commented, struggling to maintain his cheerfulness, as he marked his place and shut the ponderous book softly. He stood up and met Moody half-way between his table and the entrance. "What do they have me blamed for today?"

Mad-Eye wasted no time in seizing the opening. "The kidnapping and possible murder of Hermione Granger."

The facade of joviality dropped from Harry's face in an instant. "Voldemort? How?"

"Apparently Miss Granger had ideas about confronting you during an attack and trying to reason with you." Moody explained. He then went on to explain all the details of the special Portkey and Fudge's manipulations. When the Auror was finished explaining, he silently watched as Harry made his way to a nearby chair and sat down in it heavily.

"Thank you for telling me, Alastor." Harry said quietly. "I suppose that you have other things that you need to get to, rather than to watch me mope."

"Don't mourn the death of a traitor so deeply, son." Moody said, trying to lessen the burden that Harry was experiencing. "Besides, we don't even know if she's dead yet. For all you know they could turn her lose."

Harry nodded. "Yes, Voldemort could and possibly would do that. That could be just as bad though, and even though she was a traitor, I can't help but feel sorrow."

"Don't let it get to you then." Moody said. He then silently withdrew and made his way home.

...

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