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The Afterlife and Times of Myrtle Potter	By : NormanCharles Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Harry/Hermione Views: 19696 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Okay, okay. I'm NOT JK Rowlings, I do not own Harry Potter. I make no money from writing these stories, I do it because it's fun and other people seem to enjoy what I write - the best of whom write review and tell me when I get it right and

Chapter List
- 18
- 19
- 20
Chapter 19: Ministry of Magic

Author�s note: Myrtle is
possessing Hermione�s body; Hermione is somehow in control of an essensential
(commonly known as a dementor).� The Hermione/Myrtle combination will simply be
known as Myrtle from now on, with an occasional reference to her being in
Hermione�s form.� The Noir/Hermione symbiot will be known simply as Hermione,
or the symbiot.� I hope this cuts down on the confusion.

_____ooo000ooo_____

The two couples converged on
the small dining room early the next morning. �Harry and Myrtle caught Hermione
in a three way hug, thanking her profusely for the gift of her body.� As Ginny
walked in, rubbing the sleep from her eyes she was gathered into the group hug
as well.

Meacham had a typical English
breakfast laid out, toast and beans and bangers and eggs; coffee as well as
tea.� Everyone had worked up an appetite. �Hermione enjoyed tea and basked in
the powerful emotions of the other three.

�It�s amazing to me that you
can feed on our positive feelings without draining those feelings from us,�
Myrtle observed.

�That�s another thing the
ministry has to answer for,� the symbiot responded, her face darkening. ��Essensentials
only deprive people of their happiness in self defense; otherwise we can feed
and share positive feelings with those we feed from.�� We call it essensential
communion.�� She smiled a quirky smile, �Oh all right, I call it that.� Noir
simply says communing.�

Lately Harry had noticed that
the Noir/Hermione symbiot was becoming more distinctly two souls in a single
more or less corporeal body.

�I wonder,� Harry mused, �if
the reason dement, um essensentials look so frightening to us is because of
what they do?�

Hermione looked pensive, �I�m
going to let Noir take her form, don�t be alarmed.�

Hermione's form slowly gave way
to that of a figure in a dark, silky cloak.� But instead of a shrouded skeletal
form, Noir had taken on a fully fleshed-out young woman with a face that seemed
to change to resemble Hermione's then Myrtle�s then Harry�s before settling
into a pleasant combination of features.

�Is this your true form?� Harry
asked.

The shrouded figure shook her
head �no.�

�Is this closer to your
true form?� Ginny asked.

Noir nodded.

�You�re beautiful� Myrtle sighed.

Noir bowed, and then morphed
back into Hermione's outward appearance.

There were tears in Hermione's
eyes as she said �it�s like magic, not really white or black.� Its how the
magic is being used that makes it good or evil, light or dark.�

�I�m supposed to see Minister
Scrimgeour today. �I think I�d like a tour of the Department of Mysteries.�

Myrtle looked pensive, �I think
you should take Hermione and Noir today dear.� �When he began to protest she
added, �she can sense when something is wrong � b�sides, I�ll have the pendant
so we�ll be in touch.�

�I agree Harry, and Myrtle can
take Ginny to our new home, begin to set it up as a proper rehabilitation
facility.�

Harry scratched his head and
wondered when he had lost control of the situation. �Oh well; at least he was
surrounding himself with competence, unlike the ministry.

The Potters arrived in the
atrium of the Ministry of Magic stepping out of the fireplace and into an
explosion of bright lights.

Two dozen photographers learned
that morning what happens to a camera when it�s hit with a powerful protego
spell.� Glass lenses explode, magical film melts and the camera becomes too hot
to handle.

A deep, gruff voice ordered the
photographers and reporters to �give over!�

Alastor Moody stood red faced
with fury, he pointed at three random reporters and one photographer, �you,
you, you, and you Gonzo!�

�See here Mad-eye,� one of the
selected reporters, Joe Lucas, objected, �This is still a free country, you
can�t muzzle the press!�

�Maybe, but I can stop you
acting like a pack of dogs fighting over scraps!� One of these days you�re
gonna get someone killed!� And I can find out who tipped you off, now,
you four; we�re gonna have a little chat!�

Hermione spoke up �do you
realize how lucky you all are?�� At the confused expressions on the reporter�s
faces she threw her hands up in frustration.� �Don�t you get it?� You�ve all
ambushed the wizard who killed Voldemort!� You should be thanking whatever
deities you believe in for your lives! �If Harry Potter can kill the most
powerful dark lord in a century what chance do you think you�ll have if he lets
his magic go?�

Harry stepped forward.� �If you
want to talk to me we can schedule a press conference. �Just contact my
secretary, Miss Black, and it will be arranged.� For now, though we have an
appointment, excuse us.�

A lone figure chuckled from
behind a door, �very good Lord Potter, exceptionally smooth.�

Harry walked up to the
appointments desk. ��The Potters to see the Minister, we have an appointment.�

�First floor landing Mr. Potter,
the Hexagonal Office is behind the green door. �Please go right on in.�

Harry led Hermione up the
stairs and through the door, beyond which was a large waiting room staffed by
very efficient looking witches and wizards.�

�Mr. Potter?� Harry turned to
see Percy, still the minister�s personal assistant beckoning them. ��This way
please, sir.�

�How have you been Percy?�
Harry asked, not unkindly.

�I�ve, I�ve been better, sir.�

�Percy, please.� It�s still
just Harry, I�m not a sir.�

�Oh but you are sir!� the
always proper Weasley insisted. ��Anyone who has full access to the Minister
must be addressed as sir or ma�am� he explained, nodding to Hermione.� As they
entered the inner office he announced, �Mr. and Mrs. Potter Minister.�

�Thank you Weasley, you may
go.�

Rufus Scrimgeour looked like
he�d taken a youth draught, he was thinner and leaner and with his hair cut
shorter and his sideburns trimmed back he looked 20 years younger.� �Thank you
for coming Harry, Hermione, won�t you sit down?�

They sat around a table in
comfortable chairs, the Minister himself poured tea for his guests.� He sat
ramrod straight in his chair and began �Harry, do you know how old I was when I
first saw combat?�

Harry shook his head.

�Nearly thirty� he looked
between Harry and Hermione and continued, �you fought Voldemort when you were
eleven; gods Harry, eleven!�� The leonid man shook his head in disbelief.
��And you fought him again and again year after year until the last day of last
month when you finally took him down for good and all.� More than that, you�ve
been a field commander for all intents and purposes since you were fifteen!

�Add to that the fact that you
have completed auror basic and are to become the youngest ever recipient of the
Order of Merlin, First Class, and do you know what you have?�

Harry shook his head no.

�I know you don�t like to hear
this, but you have political capital, power! �You have the power to
influence, to lead. �If you want to you can reshape the future of the wizarding
world!�

Harry sighed, then squared his
shoulders and said, �I know, and I want to start exercising that power.

�Minister, I didn�t ask for
this, but if I can use it to benefit the families of those who fought and died,
who gave their all for our freedom then I must do this thing.�

�Where do you want to start,
Harry?� the minister asked.

�I need a panel to review the
antiquated laws that govern our world.� More than that, I need to know that
their recommendations will be acted upon.

�I need the Kissed, all
the Kissed, even the former death-eaters, to be treated and rehabilitated so
that they can rejoin magical society, or muggle society. �Whichever will work
best for them.

�I need to know that there
isn�t another dark lord wanabe waiting in the wings to take over where
Voldemort left off.�

Scrimgeour smiled at the last
one, �I can help with all of these, especially the last one, Commander.�

�Commander?� Harry asked.

�Commander,� the minister
repeated, �let me explain.

�In times past, whenever there
was a threat to our way of life the Ministry of Magic would re-activate it�s
liaison within the muggle Ministry of Defense � the purpose being to train
wizards for combat.� The last time this happened was in 1939, I had already
been an auror for ten years.

�We were about to re-activate
the liaison to counter the threat of Voldemort but you had already done that.�
You have inherited the leadership of the Order of the Phoenix, and created
Dumbledore�s Army, both paramilitary organizations, both with combat experience.�
Add to that the fact that all Order members are fully qualified aurors and you
have a well trained, well armed militia.� We�re just taking what already exists
and sanctioning it under the auspices of the Ministries of Magic and Defense.

�Her Majesty�s government and
the Ministry of Magic need someone to coordinate training and, should the need
arise, lead that militia against the forces that would destroy all that we�ve
fought to preserve.�

Harry looked stunned. ��Surely
you have more experienced people to do this?�

The minister shook his head,
�no one living has your level of experience Harry, and that�s not just idle
flattery.� You�ve been there, as few of us ever have.�

Scrimgeour produced two glossy
pamphlets, showing aurors in full dress robes, then switching to combat gear.�
�We want to make the military arm of the aurors a permanent unit, and we�re
asking you to head the effort.�

�I still don�t believe that I�m
qualified to do the job.�

�Listen son,� the older man said
in a conspiratorial whisper. �I�m not qualified to be the Minister of Magic
either, but do you know how I keep from getting fired?�

Harry shook his head �no.�

�I hire the best qualified
people to do things for me, and call them my cabinet.� My job is to be the
public face, for better or worse.� When magical Britain is on the upswing, as
it is now, I�m doing a wonderful job.� When things go south, as I assure you
they will sooner or later, there will be calls for my head on a plate.

�I propose to pull some of the
older, more experienced aurors out of retirement to help you form the organization;
you�ll be familiar with at least one of them, after that it�ll be the next
generation�s turn to run things.� Your job will be to find the most qualified
people to do your job for you; you will call them your staff.�

�This army or militia,� Harry
looked puzzled, �what will we call it?�

�Officially you�ll be attached
to the 3^rd Regiment, Royal Highlanders.� But Her Royal Highness will
be calling on the Phoenix Watch to respond to magical threats to the Realm.�

�The Phoenix Watch� Harry
mused, Dumbledore would be pleased.

�All members will attend basic
Marine training at the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM)
at Lympstone, Devon.� Members of The Phoenix Watch will
employ time-turners to condense four training days into one, allowing you to be
combat ready in two months rather than eight.� You, as commander of the Phoenix
Watch will take your command staff on to the Officer Course which will earn you
commissions as a Royal Marine Officers.�

�When will you
need an answer Minister?�

�Whenever,� the Minister
shrugged, �the Phoenix Watch will not happen without your endorsement, and I
would not be sanguine about starting it without your participation Lord
Potter.�

Harry stood up to leave, �May I
have an extra day on the time turner Minister, so that I can spend one day at a
time in real time with my family and friends?� I can apparate to the training
grounds at the end of the day so that there will be no break in training.

�I am committed to do what I
can to help the Kissed, and there are several laws that need to be reviewed and
revised, and I have to be seen by the public endorsing those changes.�

�I can honestly say son that I
can give you all the time that you�ll need� having said this, the Minister
handed Harry a small box.� When Harry opened it he saw a shiny new time turner
on a thin gold chain.� He stared at it in disbelief, so that�s how he�d
managed it!� Of course, only is future self would have known about it, but now
he was that future self.� He shook his head as the disturbing nature of
time tripping began to overwhelm him.

�It�s a gift from Melvin Blanc,
head unspeakable in the Department of Mysteries, nice chap, always finds ways
to help us keep up the good fight.�

�I�d like to meet this Melvin
and thank him for this� Harry said, holding up the pendant, �any chance of
touring the Department of Mysteries today?� It�s not like I haven�t been there
before y�know.�

Scrimgeour paged Percy,
�Weasley! �Scare up three passes to the DoM, won�t you?� There�s a good man!�

Five minutes later the Minister
led Harry and Hermione to the door at the end of the corridor that led to the
Department of Mysteries, Harry was uncharacteristically quiet as he walked.�
When the trio had exited the Hexagonal Office Harry had been jostled by a man
in a maroon auror�s cloak, hood pulled up.� The man mumbled an apology as he
strode off.� Harry was trying to figure out where he had heard that voice
before when he noticed a neatly folded scrap of parchment in his hand.� He surreptitiously
read as they walked.

�Beware of Blanc!� it read.

Harry�s eyes snapped to
Hermione�s �do you sense anything?� he whispered.

�Not from him,� she whispered
back, pointing at Scrimgeour, �but someone clearly doesn�t want us there� she
said, pointing ahead to the entrance to the DoM.

�Beg pardon� the Minister
asked.

�Sorry sir,� Harry explained,
�just remembering the last time we were here.�

�Ah yes, well, I think I can
promise you there�ll be no death eaters here today!�

�That�s very reassuring sir.�

As they entered the door Harry
saw the now familiar circular room, but during the day all the doors were
open.� �Probably only closed at night for security reasons� Harry mused.

�Melvin?� Scrimgeour called.�
Two men answered.

One voice, a husky baritone
called out from one door, �you take this one Blanc, I�m on turned time and I
don�t remember having this conversation before!�

A completely different voice, a
pleasant tenor, answered �Rufus?� Stand by; I�ll be out in a minute!�

Hermione asked, �How is it that
he has two different voices?�

�Ah,� the Minister explained,
�Melvin is a natural mimic; I don�t think anyone really knows what his real
voice sounds like.� He�s sometimes referred to around here as �the man of a
thousand voices,� ah, here he is now.�

A short man with dark hair
wreathing an otherwise bald pate came out and welcomed the three visitors.

�Please introduce yourselves.�
Rufus said with a grin.

�I�m Harry Potter, glad to meet
you sir.� Harry began.

Melvin responded using Harry�s
own voice, �very glad to meet you Lord Potter.�

�And I�m Hermione Granger.�
Hermione said.

�Don�t you mean Hermione
Potter?� the little man asked. ��We do get the papers down here you know!�

Hermione didn�t know what was
more disturbing, the fact that the man knew all about Harry�s betrothal or the
fact that the man mimicked her voice so perfectly.

�I wanted to thank you
personally for your gift of the time-turner Mr. Blanc; it�s very generous of
you.�

�Not at all Lord Potter, happy
to oblige. �What else can we do for you here?�

�Well sir, if it�s not too much
trouble, we�d like to see how your research on essen � um, how your essential
research is coming on dementors.�

�Unusual request,� Melvin said,
obviously puzzled. ��Most wizards want to be as far away from them as possible
y�know.�

Hermione piped in, �Please Mr.
Blanc, anything you can tell us might be helpful in treating the Kissed.�

The little man looked saddened,
�I�m afraid once a witch or wizard has been kissed there�s no getting the soul
back. �We�ve ascertained that the soul is quite literally devoured in the same
sense as human digestion, that is to say, the soul become integrated into the
dementor�s body, just as food becomes part of us.

�We have two test subjects in
the Hall of Despair, but I don�t recommend going in there.�

�Can they feed on us?� Harry
asked.

�No,� Blanc answered. ��Powerful
wards hold them in check, a bit like permanent patroni if you will.�

�May we see them?� Hermione
asked in a small voice.

Blanc shrugged, �if you like,
this way.� �He led them to the only door that stood unopened.

�Even with the wards in place
the dementors can still leech positive feelings from us - so let�s not stay
overlong, okay?�

Both Harry and Hermione nodded.

As the four of them entered the
room the temperature dropped ten degrees Celsius, �I know that feeling,� Harry
said looking at Hermione.

Two ragged looking
essensentials floated in what appeared to be a spherical tank, both gravitated
toward the newcomers. �They looked like zoo animals begging food from visitors.

Hermione stepped toward the
enclosure and both specimens appeared to bow low to her. �An indistinct
humming, like several harmonizing tones just outside of human hearing began to
fill the room.

Hermione turned away from the
enclosure, tears streaming down her face when she noticed two things. �One the
door to the Hall of Despair was closed and two, Blanc was no where to be seen.

�What are they saying
Hermione?� Harry asked.

�Lady of Light.� she said, �They�re
just saying �Lady of Light� over and over.�

�How can you know that?�
Minister Scrimgeour asked, agog.

�They can see me for what I
really am Minister,� she answered.

Just then the floating globe
shattered, raining shards of glass over the three mages, and two very hungry
dementors floated toward the only source of food in the room.

_____ooo000ooo_____

Author�s notes: The Phoenix
Watch is modeled after the Black Watch, Royal Highland Regiment.� Some of you
know of my military background, don�t worry, this will not be another tale like
Family Issue where I take you all through basic training.� Remember Melvin
Blanc, no?� How about Mel Blanc?� AKA the man of a thousand voices, who
provided the voices of nearly all the Warner Brother�s animated characters from
the 1930s to the 1980s.� About the only voices he didn�t provide were Granny
and the �Mom� voices from some of the other cartoons, those were done by a
lovely lady named June Foray.� His appearance is pretty much as I�ve described
him here.� He may have been an unassuming character in real life but he breathed
life into many of our favorite cartoon characters.�
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The Afterlife and Times of Myrtle Potter