Professor McGonagall met Minister Fudge and his entourage at the main entrance to Hogwarts. She was relieved that all the students were in class, so they wouldn't know about his arrival.
McGonagall led the group to the chamber off the Great Hall. "Gentlemen and Ladies, if you would please wait in here until we return," she requested. "Minister, the Headmaster has requested that I bring you to his office."
"I have come to see Mr. Potter, not the Headmaster." Fudge told her as he followed her to the Headmaster's office.
"I am aware of that Minister, but as he is presently in class, you will have time to see the Headmaster first." McGonagall told him.
"I know what he intends to try and do Minerva. He wants to try and talk me out of giving Potter the honour due him by awarding him the Order of Merlin." Fudge's tone made it quite clear he had no intention of being talked out of anything.
"Maybe you should listen to his reasons, Minister." The deputy headmistress told him as they came to a halt by the stone gargoyle guarding the Headmaster's office. "Mars bars."
Dumbledore looked up at the knock on his office door. "Enter."
Professor McGonagall came in followed by Minister Fudge.
"Ah Cornelius, good to see you," Dumbledore got to his feet and gestured toward one of the chairs in front of his desk. "Have a seat."
"No thank you, Dumbledore," Fudge declined the offer. "I have some very important business to take care of today with young Mr. Potter, so let's get this over with so I can do what I came to do."
"That is what I wish to speak to you about, Cornelius." Dumbledore told him. "I would like to request that you wait until at least after the first of the year, before you present this award to Harry."
"And why should I want to do that?" Fudge demanded. "We at the Ministry have had numerous owls telling us we should have done something long before now to show the wizarding world's appreciation for his destroying He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. I have also heard rumours that Mr. Potter intends to leave the wizarding world once this year is over. Right now the rest of the wizarding world doesn't know about his intentions and I intend to see to it that he stays here. He is needed here."
"I am well aware of Mr. Potter's stated intention to leave the wizarding world behind Cornelius." Dumbledore tried to keep calm. "This is what we are trying to avoid. I agree with you that we need him, but he needs us just as badly. However, given his present level of anger over what he sees as the betrayal of the wizarding world, not once but several times, he is unwilling to acknowledge this fact. I also believe that because he has never wanted or sought the spotlight, that young Harry will not be too appreciative of the honour you want to bestow on him. We must work through his feelings of anger and betrayal first before Harry can properly appreciate his place in our society."
"Poppycock! I'm afraid I must disagree with you, Dumbledore." Fudge told him pompously. "What that young man needs is to see is how much we… the whole of the wizarding community value him for what he has done in destroying the Dark Lord once and for all. You'll see, once he's had a taste of how much the wizarding world respects and admires him, it will bring young Harry around."
"Mr. Potter has already had a taste of the wizarding world's regard." Dumbledore reminded the Minister. "He has also seen how quickly wizardkind can turn on those it claims to respect… including the Ministry, if you will remember. I think I can safely say that he has no desire to return to that spotlight."
Fudge squirmed for a moment before saying, "nonsense. Young Harry is like any other young man. The attention and regard of young witches will be heady stuff to him and that will bring around, you'll see."
Dumbledore shook his head. "Cornelius, he has already had the attention of a number of the young witches here at the school since his return and he either ignores them or treats them with contempt. Please, I beg of you, put this off for a little while. Give us more time to help Harry work through the issues he has with us before you try and shove him into the spotlight. I'll warn you now, that it is a place he has never wanted to be and desires even less now. If you force this issue, I'm afraid it will backfire in ways you can't even begin to imagine."
.....
The Head Boy, Terry Boot walked down to the Care of Magical Creatures class near Hagrid's hut. He'd been sent to fetch Harry Potter for a meeting with the Minister.
The sixth year students were all sweaty and panting, but Terry couldn't see the creature that Hagrid had had them working with.
"Hagrid," he called, taking the half giant's attention away from his students. "I've been sent to fetch Potter and bring him back up to the castle. The Minister has asked to see him."
Hagrid nodded. "'Arry, ye need ta go back up ta the castle with Mr. Boot. The Minister would like ta see ya."
Harry stepped out of the group of students without a word and headed toward where Terry was standing. Once he got close enough to be heard without shouting, he asked, "Can I clean up first? I don't think the Minister would like to see me like this."
"I suppose so." Terry nodded. "They didn't say it was urgent, just that he wanted to meet with you as soon as possible. While you're getting cleaned up, I'll let Professor Dumbledore know."
"Where am I supposed to meet him?" Harry wanted to know.
"In the anteroom off the Great Hall," Terry told him. "Oh and when you change, you might want to dress nice."
....
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