Aspen Sunlight - A Summer Like None Other

"I expect they will, yes," said Albus mildly, his thin shoulders lifting for a moment. "Assuming that matters become worse. Perhaps they won't."

"But, Albus . . . Divination ?" That was Arthur, his brow deeply creased. Harry wondered how he could care how the new Minister had been selected, just a day after his son had been killed, but perhaps this was one more instance of something to keep his mind occupied with other matters. "You know as well as any of us how few true practitioners there are of that art. Most seers are charlatans, and in any case, people usually see what they wish to see, when they read the signs."

"True, true," murmured Dumbledore, stroking his beard. "Though in this case, that may work to advantage. Just think of the man chosen to take on the duties of Minister. Head Auror, an experienced fighter, in this, a time of war. Most apt. Suspiciously so, one might even say. The witches and wizards of the Wizengamot have indeed seen what they wished to see, but by calling it Divination, they are ready to shift the blame in case their judgement is proven faulty."

"Slytherin," said Draco, nodding slightly.

"Why, yes, Draco." The headmaster beamed, though the expression was far less radiant than usual. Too much sorrow in the air. "Rufus Scrimgeour was in fact sorted Slytherin when he attended Hogwarts."

Draco visibly jerked. "No, I meant the Wizengamot-- never mind."

Harry raised an eyebrow. A Slytherin Minister of Magic? That might prove interesting.

Either that, or it would turn out to be a very, very bad thing.

But Slytherin doesn't mean evil , he reminded himself. Strange that he would have to. He'd known it for a long time, now.

But still, the first thing he'd thought of when he'd heard that the new Minister had been a Slytherin was whether Scrimgeour might agree with Voldemort when it came to blood purity. Daft thought, really. He couldn't have risen through MLE if he was a blatant racist.

Unless he hid that part of himself. Slytherins are good at misdirection--

Harry sternly told himself to stop it. Until he had a reason to distrust Rufus Scrimgeour, he'd . . . well, he wouldn't actually trust him. He couldn't, not after the way Fudge had behaved. But, Harry decided, he would give Scrimgeour the benefit of the doubt.

"An announcement will have been made over the Wireless, by now," Dumbledore was continuing, his glance seeking out the clock on the far wall. "Rufus Scrimgeour assumed the post of Minister a few moments ago. He will hold it for six months, at which point a regular election will either confirm or end his appointment. Lists of those killed in the attack on the Ministry will be released to the newspapers tomorrow. Oh, and one more thing. Kingsley has been promoted to head the Auror Office."

"That could turn out useful," said Moody, nodding. His eye rolled about in his skull, like he was checking for hidden spells every which way.

"Indeed." Dumbledore glanced around the crowded kitchen. "If there are no questions, then, I will ask Remus to speak next. As all of you know, he has been impersonating Lucius Malfoy in all walks of life for some time now. As such, he has managed to gain Voldemort's ear, as it were. Remus was present during the attack on the Ministry."

A shocked silence descended, though beneath it, Harry thought he could almost hear undercurrents of the thoughts swimming through everybody's mind. Present? Present during the attack?

Meanwhile, Snape was scowling deeply, his black eyes shining with what could only be resentment. Harry wanted to gnash his teeth. Snape should be delighted that the Order had some inside information! But no, he couldn't be, because in this case, it meant that Remus was the one responsible.

Well, Harry didn't care what Snape thought. For his part, he was happy that Remus was doing so well as a spy. It meant he had what it took to succeed in the position; it meant he would manage to survive the dangerous work he was doing.

"Albus rather overstates the case, I'm afraid," said Remus, looking a little shaky as he rose to his feet, his fingers twitching. "I wasn't present when the attack was planned, or the Order would have been forewarned. I wouldn't say that I have the Dark Lord's ear."

"Now, now, Remus," chided Dumbledore. "You know you were the only one he summoned back to join him from abroad. The only one of his followers he decided to trust."

Snape looked more sour than ever, hearing that. Harry had to bite his lip, in case he remarked on his father's expression.

Nobody else noticed Snape, though, because what Remus had said was too shocking.

"The Dark Lord , is it?" growled Moody. "Are you sure that mark's not doing something to you?"

"A slip of the tongue could end my spying before it's properly begun," said Remus wearily. "Keeping to that here is just another form of vigilance."

"Quite right, quite right."

Albus' quiet approval silenced the murmurings.

Drawing in a breath, Remus went on. "As the Order knows, the Dark Lord sent his all of his Death Eaters away from Britain yesterday. All save me have remained abroad. I, however, was summoned to his side just as the Ministry attack was about to commence."

"Why you?"

That was Snape, his voice perfectly level, his features neutral again. Harry personally thought he shouldn't have asked at all, and certainly he shouldn't have interrupted Remus' report to ask. He was doing what he'd cautioned Draco against: letting his personal feelings influence his conduct at the meeting.

But then, perhaps after all he'd done for the Order, he was entitled.

"Because while I don't have the Dark Lord's ear, I do have his trust," said Remus, his voice dark with emotions Harry couldn't guess at. "I managed better than I knew last year, Severus. Sowing dissention and distrust among the Death Eaters . . . the Dark Lord could have concluded that Lucius Malfoy was among his least loyal followers. Instead, he decided that if Lucius' reputation was being targeted so extensively, it must be because the other Death Eaters knew him to be the Dark Lord's most loyal supporter. By destroying faith in Lucius, they would make it possible for someone else to become the Dark Lord's right hand. Hence, the Dark Lord decided that Lucius was to be trusted and honoured most of all, not least." Remus shrugged. "What can I say? We all know the Dark Lord isn't one for rational thought."

Harry shuddered. He understood Remus' reasons perfectly, but he was still disturbed to hear him saying the Dark Lord so many times, like that.

Good thing he came to the meeting looking like himself, Harry thought. Maybe Snape was right to keep me away from him, this summer. Maybe I'd have had a hard time spending time with him, if he was looking like Lucius all the while.

But then, Harry strongly suspected that his father had also had an ulterior motive. He hadn't wanted Harry spending time with Remus, full stop.

"And when you arrived at the Ministry?" asked Charlie, his voice a little impatient.

The trembling in Remus' fingers began to crawl up his arms, making him look a little palsied.

" Cruciatus ," said Snape, sounding like he was biting off each syllable. "For Merlin's sake, Lupin. Sit down. Something obviously went wrong, since you look like you spent the whole of last night being punished."

"Nothing went wrong," croaked Remus, though he did suddenly sit as Snape had said.

An eerie moment passed, then. Harry wasn't sure if anyone else even noticed it, but he did. Snape was looking at Remus, his dark eyes intent, and Harry could practically smell the Legilimency in the air. Well, of course he could. After the times they'd practiced Occlumency together, and the times since, when Snape had been deep inside Harry's mind, Harry recognised the presence of Snape's, reaching out.