For the Heir

Safe Harbor

Harry reread Remus's letter. What dagger? What was Remus talking about? The weapons were all very interesting, yes, but what did it have to do with him?

And why was there an empty block of time that lasted about thirty-six hours in his memory? Was it a spell? Harry started to think about Ginny during second year. She had said that she woke up and had no recollection of what she had been doing. Could the same thing be happening to him? Could Voldemort be using the link to possess him? No, Dumbledore said that his heart and his love had stopped Voldemort from possessing him. But then what was happening?

He was shaken out of his reverie and rising hysteria by a sharp TAP on the window. It was an owl, delivering the Daily Prophet.

"Wha...? Oh, coming." He rose and took the newspaper, leaving the owl five Knuts.

Harry flipped to the first page of the Prophet. His eyes widened as he saw the headline: Minister steps down in light of recent events. He began to read:

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Minister steps down in light of recent events

By Loretta Ames, special correspondent

Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge stepped down earlier this week in note that You-Know-Who has come back to power. When asked about his decision, the Minister responds, "I just can't handle it. You-Know-Who, back. We, the Ministry, aren't ready to deal with this. I'm not ready to deal with this. I'm... I'm sorry. Let Albus handle it. I just can't..."

Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Albus Dumbledore has agreed to take the place of Mr. Fudge for the time being. Elections for the new Minister will be held in two weeks. Candidates are Umbridge, currently Senior Undersecretary to the Minister, Weasley, currently working the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office, and Avery, currently head of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad ('How ironic,' thought Harry).

Umbridge, for a short period, had been the Headmistress of Hogwarts, stepping down once Dumbledore made his return. When asked about her decision to run for Minister, she replies, "I believe that it is in the best interest of the Wizarding World to have me as Minister. Many students at Hogwarts admired my skills and methods ("Not!" snorted Harry.) while I was teaching and later Headmistress, and would agree when I say that the Wizarding World needs sorting out almost as much as the school did. These Death Eaters running amok will stand no chance, just like the rowdy students at Hogwarts didn't. And neither will You-Know-Who. ('Yeah right! Come on! Voldemort will have no problems squishing you like the bug you are... and I'd love to see you be squashed, as would everyone in Hogwarts except some of the Slytherins!)

Avery was accused, when You-Know-Who fell, of being a Death Eater, but was apparently controlled by the Imperius. Now, cleared of all charges, he is Head of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad, and in the perfect position to become the new minister. His knowledge of the workings of You-Know-Who in correlation with his experience in Law Enforcement provide him with an advantage when dealing with You-Know-Who

Weasley, though not quite as high up in the Ministry as the other candidates, has been working with Muggles for years. This provides him with an advantage as Minister when dealing with Muggle leaders, as shall be needed if You-Know-Who returns to his sport of Muggle-torture and killing again.

All in all, this election is sure to be a close one, for each of the candidates have a distinct trait that will help them become the new Minister. We can only hope that whomever we choose as the new Minister will be a better one than Fudge, and one that can lead us against You-Know-Who before he regains his full power.

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"Well, at least they could get their facts straight! Avery still is a Death Eater; you'd think they'd know that by now. I guess that was the Death Eater I forgot about when I told Skeeter about Voldemort's return. I knew I forgot someone! Well, I hope Dumbledore will correct him. And Umbridge...ugh! She was a b****. Everyone hated her! I really do hope Arthur wins- we'll get a good Minister who's also part of the Order." Harry fell back to reading the rest of the articles. Mostly, they were about the elections, Dumbledore, and Fudge, but revealed no further information on the elections.

The next few days went by quickly. Harry used all of his spare time to finish his essays for Transfiguration (Describe and compare five different types of transfiguration and their positive and negative implications), and Defense against the Dark Arts (Discuss the use of Muggle physical defense techniques in correlation with curses, hexes, and charms upon opponents when dueling). Focusing on his homework kept his mind from the thought of Voldemort possessing him, something he didn't want to think about.

Harry was still up at eleven at night. He was putting the finishing touches on his Potions essay (Discuss the effects healing potions have on the human body and why some healing potions are considered dark) when he heard a BANG coming from downstairs.

"Tonks? Remus? Moody? Is that you?" whispered Harry, sticking his head out of his room. No one responded. "Remus?" he whispered again, this time louder, as he snuck downstairs, wand at the ready.

Harry's scar burst into pain, and he cried out. Voldemort was pleased. And very near. Harry crumpled to the floor, trying to stem the pain by pressing his hand to his scar. Through the haze of pain, Harry could hear the Dursley's muffled whimper, a cold, cruel laugh that made his hair stand on end, and a hoarse whisper, uttering, "Morsmordre." He saw a dark light burst through the ceiling, and Harry knew the form it would take: a ghastly, grinning skull with a snake protruding from its mouth.

"No...No, you can't... you be here! Dumbledore said..." gasped Harry.

Voldemort laughed again. "That fool, Dumbledore? He knows nothing! He forgot, at the graveyard, I took your blood! Which means that your safe harbor isn't quite safe anymore." He grinned ruthlessly. "And this time, you don't have Dumbledore to save you."

Harry's eyes widened, knowing Voldemort was right, and he tightened his grip on his wand. "Expelliarmus!" Harry, unprepared, was hit by the spell, tumbling back several feet while his wand flew through the air toward Voldemort. "And no wand, either. Pity. And now, we can finish our little game."