Chapter 24

?" asked Fudge "In what way?"

"Well, in addition to all the usual responsibilities of a teacher, she will also, as you said, be tasked with reviewing all the other staff within the castle, addressing standards across the board, dealing with students… surely she could use a little assistance. Someone to lighten the load a little bit."

"But if I were to try and place someone else in the castle, then I would need to find another position on the staff for them," said Fudge.

"What if you used a student for the role?" asked Harry "What if there was a student at Hogwarts, appointed by the Ministry, to help Madam Umbridge in her endeavours by, say, acting as a go-to person for the students and their problems?"

"Isn't that what the prefects are for?" asked Fudge.

"In an ideal world, yes," replied Harry "But to be honest prefects are a little too much associated with discipline, what with their patrolling the corridors at night, and their acting as an authority figure within the common room. Add that to the fact that they are appointed by the teachers, and you end up with students feeling that they cannot approach the prefects. What I am suggesting is a student who, while obviously tied to authority to a certain extent, acts as a slightly more independent body than the prefects are from the teachers. This student would be approachable by all students from every house in order to listen to their problems and offer up advice. He or she would also have the authority or dish out punishments is required, obviously. And, aside from all this, the student would act as a filter between the students and Madam Umbridge, only bothering her with things that the student really cannot handle and leaving her to deal with her bigger tasks. This student would also be able to act as the voice of the students at any faculty meetings."

Fudge was nodding in understanding. What Harry was essentially describing was a prefect, but this one would be a prefect assigned by the Ministry, and Cornelius Fudge very much liked the sound of that.

Harry and Madam Bones had discussed the possibility of putting Harry's name forward for the role straight away, but they had decided against it. Such a thing might put the Minister off of the plan. Madam Bones would be sure to put Harry's name forward at a later time however.

"Very well, young Harry," he said "Obviously I shall have to discuss this with a few others, but I am reasonably certain that such a plan can be put into place. Was that all?"

"It was Minister," said Harry "And may I just say again what a relief it is to me that the Ministry is stepping in to address the situation at Hogwarts. Long overdue."

"Yes, I quite agree," said Fudge "Well, if that is everything, Harry, I do have some meetings to arrange."

"Certainly Minister," said Harry, standing up "Um, would you mind…?"

Fudge looked up "Oh yes, of course."

He drew his wand and cast a few glamour charms. The result was not quite what Madam Bones had achieved earlier, but Harry would still pass as being Archibald Gunderson.

Harry left the office and headed back towards the lifts. He gave a slight nod to Percy Weasley as he passed him, and managed to control his smirk when he saw Dolores Umbridge.

Harry got into the lifts which, after a few stops to let others in and out at the various floors, he was returned to the Ministry Atrium.

He walked by the security desk, where Madam Bones was waiting. They did not make eye contact, but as he was passing her, Harry gave a surreptitious thumbs up. He then made his way towards the visitors' entrance and left, intending to catch the Knight Bus back to Bones Manor.

About an hour later, Harry entered the kitchen of the Bones family manor and was met by Sarah Abbott.

"I've got a surprise for you," she said as she used her wand to get rid of the glamour charms on him.

"Oh yeah?" asked Harry "And what might that be?"

"My lovely daughter is here," replied Sarah with a smile.

Harry's shoulders sagged a little before he said "Look Sarah, it's been great getting to know you, and I appreciate everything that you have done and are doing for me, but if you are expecting me and your daughter to just suddenly start getting on like a house on fire then I'm sorry, but you're barking up the wrong tree."

"I whole-heartedly agree," replied Sarah "Which is why I don't expect the two of you to suddenly get along with each other. That's why she's here. The bridged between the two of you need to be rebuilt, but that cannot happen if the two of you don't go anywhere near each other."

Harry gave a groan and allowed his head to droop forwards before muttering "Fine. I suppose that I should at least make the effort."

"Thank you Harry," said Sarah "That's all I ask."

Harry smiled, but said nothing more. He had said he would make the effort to get on with Hannah, but there would be no friendship between them until Hannah acknowledged how she had wronged him in the past.

He followed Sarah into the drawing room where Susan and Hannah were seated on a long sofa, talking.

When Harry walked in both girls went quiet and looked up at him. He smiled at them, but headed straight over to the armchair in the corner. A book of his was lying open on the arm rest.

He had only just sat himself down and picked up his book when Hannah surprised him by coming over to him.

"Harry," she began "I have come to realise that my treatment of you in the past has been unfair and, at times downright cruel. This is a result of my paying far too much attention to the Hogwarts rumour mill and I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to you. I also wish to express my hope that I might get the chance to get to know Harry Potter the person, as opposed to Harry Potter the myth. Susan tells me that she has been getting to know the real Harry, and he sounds like someone I would like to get to know."

Harry was so surprised that for a moment he was unsure of what to do in response.

Finally he settled on standing up and saying "Apology accepted. And if you are truly interested in burying the hatchet and starting again, than I will be more than happy to oblige."

Here he held out his hand to her and said by way of introduction "Harry Potter, pleased to meet you Miss…?"

Hannah smiled at him and shook his hand, replying "Abbott. Hannah Abbott, and I'm pleased to meet you too, Mr Potter."

That night as he settled into bed, Harry thought about the events of the afternoon. Hannah's apology had surprised him, but he had been even more surprised by how easily he had accepted it. But on thinking about it, he knew why he did so. Rather than simply give a cover all "I'm sorry" Hannah had also acknowledged what it was she had done wrong, which was he basing her opinions of him upon Harry the myth as opposed to getting to know the real Harry and basing her opinions of his upon what she found out. Susan had later pulled him aside to apologise for making the same mistakes as well.

Harry found that he much preferred that as the way to go in the future. If someone wronged him, they would have to acknowledge what they did wrong and apologise for it. It was what he was going to expect from Ron and Hermione once he was back at Hogwarts, anyway.

The afternoon spent in the company of Susan and Hannah had made for an interesting one to say the least. It had been the first time where he spent time with Susan where they were both just being kids, and Hannah had certainly helped out with that feeling, as one thing in particular that Harry had learned that afternoon was that Hannah had a slight crush upon Harry's dorm mate Neville Longbottom. Hannah had kept quiet on the matter, but her reddening cheeks as Susan teased her on the matter all but confirmed it. It had been fun to watch the two girls tease each other, especially when Hannah brought up Susan's soft spot for one Eddie Carmichael, a boy whom Harry only knew by name, along with the fact that he was a member of Ravenclaw house and was in the year above them at school

As he thought about it, Harry could not help but smile to himself. Hannah would be very good for Neville. The boy was very shy, and Hannah seemed like the kind of person who could help him to break out of his shell.

Perhaps he ought to introduce the two of them once they were all back at Hogwarts.

He didn't know enough about Eddie to decide whether or not he and Susan getting together would be a good thing.

On some level he doubted it.

Harry blew out the candle on his bedside table and closed his eyes to get some sleep. Between his successful meeting with the Minister, and his improving relationship with the two Hufflepuff girls, Harry considered today to have been a very good day.

Unfortunately for himself and everyone else in the house, his thoughts on the day had distracted him from completing a very important task.

Harry Potter went to bed without taking his dreamless sleep potion, and the house was once again woken up in the wee small hours of the morning by his screams.

That damned Horcrux had to go.

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