Chapter Nine: Reactions

(i) The characters and world of Harry Potter are the property of J.K. Rowling. I make no money from this.

(ii) Thank you, everyone, for the reviews. Please, please do continue to let me know what you think of the story.

(iii) And last, but not least, a big hug of gratitude to my beautiful beta, Queen_of_Stars.

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While Harry, Hermione and Luna were busy planning and plotting, the Weasleys returned to the Burrow. There, they attempted to eat a sorrowful breakfast and come to terms with Fred's death. George seemed unable to accept that his twin was gone. He seemed as if he was waiting for Fred to pop back in at any moment to announce that it had all just been an elaborate ruse. Percy seemed stunned. He had just regained Fred and the rest of his family and could not cope with having lost his brother once more. Molly was unable to part with any of her children and could do nothing other than hold them all in turn and kiss them repeatedly.

However, Arthur and Bill were both aware that much needed to be done. Bill collected a frantic Fleur from Shell Cottage, and once she had been calmed, reassured and safely ensconced within the bosom of the Weasleys, he departed for Gringotts. The bank and the Goblins were still busy dealing with the aftermath of the break-in and the escaped dragon, not to mention the destruction to their building.

After a brief rest, Arthur prepared to depart for the Ministry as well. Realising that brooding was detrimental to the mental health of his family, he coaxed a conscientious Percy to accompany him, saying, 'Come along, Percy, it is time to go. The Ministry desperately needs all the good men it can get right now.'

Calling on his sense of duty seemed to work, for Percy straightened his shoulders and joined his father in Flooing to the Ministry.

Arthur, with his long years of service to the Ministry, realised that there was much work ahead of them. There, he and Percy attempted with their colleagues to deal with Ministerial matters and the release of prisoners from Azkaban even as Death Eaters were arrested and incarcerated. More directly, Arthur worked on curbing the enthusiasm of the wizarding public that was indiscriminately celebrating the demise of the Dark Lord. Arthur was rushed off his feet, working to make sure that the Muggles were not made aware of the magical world. Flocks of owls could be explained away as an unusual migration, but fireworks, spontaneous parties, drunken brawls and public rejoicing in the street, however heartfelt and joyful, needed to be contained with Muggles Obliviated.

Percy found solace in working. He spent most of the day behind his desk and sorting through piles of release papers for prisoners, ensuring they were sent to St Mungo's for treatment and making sure that family members were sent owls with news and information. The work seemed to help him cope, and he was grateful his father had brought him in to work.

Buried in his work, Percy did not pay attention to the gossip circulating about the press conference, but while rushing around at the Ministry, Arthur did. He sent his weasel Patronus to the Burrow to make sure the family was listening in. Then, at noon, Arthur collected his son and, like the other employees of the Ministry, stopped to listen to the press conference.

The reactions to the press conference at the Ministry were mixed. Many of the Aurors were angry that the Minister had pardoned hardened war criminals, especially Snape. Others were glad that the purebloods were given a way out, a chance to throw off the mantle of evil that had been placed upon them. Still others, who had worked willingly with Voldemort's regime, were furious at their Dark Lord being portrayed as a half-blood megalomaniac. From long experience, Arthur made it a point to note who was saying what; he knew the Order's task of suppressing evil had not ended merely because Voldemort had been defeated.

Later that evening, as the long day was winding to a close, Arthur was called in for an important meeting with Kingsley. There, as one of the few remaining members of the Order, he was informed of the repercussions of Harry's speech and of Severus' survival. Arthur listened with glowing pride to hear Kingsley's praise of the way the teenagers had handled the aftermath of the battle. He was proud, for he thought of Harry and Hermione as his own. Arthur had noticed how Ron seemed to have forgotten about Hermione after the battle. He had tried to persuade Harry to return to the Burrow with the Weasleys, but had relented when Harry had said he would wait for Hermione. He now realised that Hermione had probably been doing her part to recover Severus.

When Arthur and Percy returned to the Burrow, they met a very weary Bill. He too had had a long day working on securing the bank property and working on reconstruction. At the Burrow, things had not been much better. Molly seemed drained and looked like she was still dealing very badly with the loss of Fred. Arthur realised that for his wife, the loss of their son was still new, still personal. He, on the other hand, had been so involved with the loss of all the fallen that Fred's demise had been put into a kind of rational perspective. He did, of course, grieve the death of his son, but his grief was tempered with the knowledge that they were the lucky ones. With so many of his family so closely associated with the resistance, their losses could have been far greater.

Molly had spent the day trying to get the children to rest. George had finally been sent to bed with a dreamless sleep potion, and Ginny, who had refused to leave the side of her mother, had fallen into a restless slumber on the sitting-room sofa. Ron had merely spent the day eating, as if food would take away the sense of loss and pain he was feeling. Fleur was the one who seemed to be holding the family together while Molly prepared the evening meal. Dinner was a sober affair. However, hunger had finally settled in, and it was not only Ron who ate well. Although still numb, Percy, who had missed his mother's cooking, found in the strangely quiet family meal the comfort and strength he needed to cope with the death and destruction he had witnessed.

After dinner, everyone continued to sit around the table. Everyone was quiet and lost in their own thoughts; no one seemed ready to disturb the sense of peace and comfort being together provided. After a while into the silence, Arthur brought up the topic of the press conference. 'Did you all hear what Harry and the girls had to say?' he asked.

Bill replied. 'Yes. The Goblins aren't happy. Now they won't be able to persecute Harry for the destruction of Gringotts. If the Ministry has officially pardoned Harry, there will be no compensation. Brilliant move that though. They covered their bases immediately.'

'That speech sounded like Hermione's work,' said Ron. His tone of voice was not filled with pride at the achievement of his friends; Arthur found that it was resentful. 'I can't believe they would have a press conference without me. How could Harry introduce Hermione as his best friend? What am I, chopped frog's liver? And Loony Lovegood? What were they thinking? Why did they get her to speak? I did much more than Loony Lovegood.'

Arthur tried to placate Ron. 'Well, you did come home and leave them at Hogwarts. Luna had no where else to go; her father was only released from Azkaban sometime this afternoon. He's still being treated at St Mungo's.'

Ron could only grunt in reply.

Ginny spoke up next. 'I thought Luna was my friend. The presenter was talking about how she shone on Harry's arm as they left the Great Hall. Why was she holding on to him? I don't understand. I thought he didn't like her. I know he took her to Slughorn's Christmas party once, but really, Luna? Did you hear the comments about her charming robes? When did Luna ever wear anything remotely fashionable?'

Arthur looked thoughtfully at his children. They didn't seem to understand that Harry, Hermione and Luna had done what they could at a difficult time. Finally, he said, 'Wait until you speak to them. I'm sure it will all be explained. I think they got Luna involved just because we all came home.'

'Well,' said Molly defensively, 'they could have told the children about the press conference. They could have gone back.'

'Yes, but perhaps they didn't want to intrude on our grief,' said Arthur sharply. 'You were the one who insisted this morning that we all come back to the Burrow and that it was a time for family. They were simply abiding by your wishes.'

'Well, I didn't know they were going to address the public and leave my children from their rightfully earned spotlight, did I?' replied Molly. She seemed extremely hurt and resentful that her children had been denied their moment of glory.

'I think Luna spoke very well,' said Fleur into the awkward silence. 'She iz after all connected to wizarding royalty, and it doez not hurt to remind the publik that 'Arry haz friendz like zhat. Hermione, too, waz very good in ze way she replied. She made sure ze purebloodz would have a way out if zhey want to work with ze Ministry.'

'Yeah,' said Ron. 'That was the other thing, the woman on the wireless kept talking about how mature Hermione looked and how well she seemed to get on with the Minister. What's Hermione doing sucking up to Kingsley? From what they said, she seemed to be clinging onto his arm and smiling at him.'

'I've never liked to tell you, Ronald,' said Molly, 'but this isn't the first time she's made a play for someone in a position of prestige and power. Remember her romance with Krum?' Molly's words fanned the flames of Ron's anger and resentment until he was almost completely red in the face.

Arthur was very disturbed by these turn of affairs. 'Really, Molly,' he said sharply. 'Wait until you speak to the children and know what's really going on before saying things like this. You know what the press are like. They love scandal. You do a disservice to Hermione.'

Molly sniffed. 'You can say what you like Arthur; all I'm saying is that that girl is too smart to not try to climb up the social ladder. Where was she when my Ronald needed her this morning? She wasn't there, and that's why Harry had to wait for her. If she was interested in Ron, then she should have stayed with him. You mark my words, something is brewing, and it isn't something that will work in favour of our Ron.'

Arthur was too tired to argue, but he was disappointed in Molly, Ron and Ginny's attitudes. He only sighed and said, 'Well, when the children come to visit, we'll know what's really going on.'

Then, he bid goodnight to the family and went to bed.