With Good Intentions

The trial date left little time to prepare for re-election or to intervene without intervening in the possible conviction of the couple responsible for the Minister’s highest approval ratings since he took office after the Battle of Hogwarts. 

Some maneuver was needed or Kingsley Shacklebolt would oversee the arrest and incarceration of half of the most influential (and respected) community activists in Britain. 

A half grin acknowledged the Minister’s awareness that he’d been manipulated — starting the day he’d officiated that marriage. The alternative, however, scared him more: a world where Molly and her crazies defined acceptable. One loss too many (her Order of the Phoenix comrade and friend sadly admitted — if only to himself and Dumbledore’s Wizengamot portrait) pushed her to the monster-in-an-apron side of things. Harry, Ron, George and Bill now warded anyplace they inhabited or visited against her uninvited entrance — lest they be assassinated by a woman none could bring themselves to harm.

Minister Shacklebolt retained a sworn obligation to work towards the greater good. Greater, as in greater number of election-winning votes, sat waiting in Malfoy-built villages across Britain — filling with returning refugees.

Leaning into the fireplace, he threw a handful of powder into this most ancient of communications devices and called out “Hermione Malfoy”.

She’d sequestered herself, these past months, to prepare for the now-scheduled trial. Nonetheless, she answered enthusiastically and invited him through and into the snake’s den guarded by a lioness.