Chapter 16
The next morning Harry heard someone speaking to him. He
opened his eyes to see the headmistress staring down at him.
"I'm sorry to disturb you, Harry," she commented,
"but the minister of magic has to see you. He has to speak
to you right away!"
"Certainly!" Harry moaned. "I'll be right
there."
"He needs to see you too, Hermione!" the headmistress
continued. "My goodness! An awful lot of young people are
where they shouldn't be this morning, but as nothing improper is
being done under the circumstances it will be forgiven. But you'd
better hurry to your own place and get dressed!"
"Yes ma'am!" Hermione answered from under the covers.
The headmistress smiled at Harry. "Harry, I was young once,
too!"
Harry returned her smile. After Hermione hurried off Harry got
dressed. When he got into the hall Ron was waiting and Viktor,
and many of the others. "What's going on, Harry?" Ron
asked.
"I don't know!" Harry answered. "The minister of
magic wants us."
When they got into the diningroom it was not Cornelius Fudge that
was waiting for them but Arthur Weasley. "Good morning,
Harry!" Mr. Weasley remarked.
"Good morning everyone! I'm sorry to rise you so early, but
things have been happening, and I want to speak with you. First
of all, a request has been made from the families of the fallen
that they be buried here at Hogwarts, both friend and, foe. Some
of our finest magical engineers have been working all night
preparing a place. You'll have to approve it, Harry, because you
were in charge of the situation.
Secondly, the ministry of magic is crippled. Much of our staff is
gone. Fortunately few were death eaters but many have found that
their relatives were, and simply do not feel that they can carry
on their duties. Harry, we desperately need a commissioner for
the department for the regulation and control of magical
creatures. All the remaining district department heads are asking
for you!"
"Me?" Harry gasped. "I'm not even a
graduate!"
"That will be taken care of," the minister answered.
"Harry, you're deeply respected. People believe in you. You
have shown exceptional skill! We have no one, Harry. People need
someone they can trust, someone they can believe in, someone they
know will give everything he's got. With your consent I need a
district leader for India. I was thinking Ron, where he already
has intimate connections to that country. His subordinates have
already said he will be welcome, and Germany is asking for
Viktor."
Harry shook his head. "Viktor is my senior!" he
remarked, "I could not ask him to be my subordinate! He is
superior to me! This is just unacceptable! It is just completely
unacceptable! Take some teacher from the school."
Mr. Weasley shook his head. "Every teacher is going to be
needed here. I can't take any of them away," he answered.
"May I speak?" Viktor asked.
"Certainly!" Mr. Weasley answered.
"Harry," Viktor began, "you just spoke a serious
untruth. I am not your superior, I could never be your superior!
I will spend all my life striving to be your equal, to have half
the courage, wisdom and understanding that you have. I will
always fight beside you in any battle, but I could never lead
you! It would be completely beyond me! I would be honored to take
the post that is offered me if I would be answering to you,
because I would be told to do the right thing. Accept, Harry!
There's not one person here that won't support you!"
Every voice around Harry spoke up and said "Accept,
Harry!"
Harry sighed. "On a condition," Harry continued,
"that Professor Snape be paroled to his brother, and be
allowed to work here at the school."
The commissioner didn't even look startled. "I think that is
a proposal," he answered, "that could be put forth at
the next session of the prison's board. As your position
automatically makes you a member of that board you would be able
to put forth that proposal yourself. I'm quite sure it would be
accepted."
Harry nodded. "I think you've got yourself a
commissioner!" he agreed. "I won't have the foggiest
idea what I'm doing, but you've got yourself a
commissioner!"
Everybody around Harry applauded. "Now!" Harry
continued, "Let me go check that memorial. Then can we
please have some breakfast? I'm hungry!"
"Most certainly!" the commissioner agreed, "Most
certainly!"
When Harry got out to the site there were ooohs and aahs from
everyone following him. A great black stone had been erected.
Beneath it the two tombs were ready. Above the tombs stepping out
o the black stone, was Neville and Diane in white marble, their
wands raised and ready. One of the workers came up. "is it
suitable, commissioner?" he asked.
"My gracious compliments!" Harry answered, "What
about the death eaters?"
"Behind the monument," the man answered, "simple
gray crypts, no markers. Just simple places to lie in
peace."
Harry came back around to the front. "Above them," he
remarked, "I want their names and under that the words 'True
And Faithful Friends'."
"Yes!" the engineer assured "Yes! Perfect! We were
going to put along the bottom 'Remembered By Hogwarts
Forever.'"
Page 24