Don't Look Back In Anger (Completed)

Chapter 16: Making Moves

Being led into the grand bastion of wizarding tradition that was the Wizengamot chamber in their casual muggle clothing left the group feeling a bit like christians walking into ancient Rome's colosseum - they just hoped they weren't about to be fed to the lions. The public and press galleries were also packed to capacity, and every pair of eyes were focused on the boy-who-had-buggered-off-out-the-country.

"It's good to see you again, Mister Potter."

"Thank you, Minister, though it's actually Lord Black now. I was under the impression that today's meeting was going to be very low key, hence the way we are dressed. I'm sure that important fact was specifically stipulated when today's visit was agreed upon."

"For the awarding of an Order of Merlin, First Class, this is low key. Normally there would be a ball in the recipient's honour, with the ceremony being part of that evening. Since you no longer live in Britain, and have refused our repeated pleas for contact, never mind to return for this ceremony, the country was denied this option."

Dumbledore's smile just made Harry angrier. It would appear the Minister was extracting a modicum of revenge for them slipping out of the country without his knowledge, and then repeatedly refusing to have anything to do with Dumbledore's ministry. Today seemed to have been engineered for the sole purpose of causing Harry embarrassment, he certainly intended to return the favour. "Why is this the first I'm hearing about this being an awards ceremony? There was no mention of any ceremony in your letters..."

"I assumed you would research the award. After all it's a great honour to receive one. No matter, it won't take too long to run through what's required of you. I'm also sure some suitable robes can be found..."

"No."

"Sorry?"

"I said no. I have no intention of playing along with whatever you have planned here, and at no point in our correspondence was press involvement mentioned. In case you've forgotten, Voldemort is still out there - and still after me. My family has remained safe because no one knows where we are. Today you are deliberately putting them in danger to further whatever your own ends are here. If this award comes with these type of strings attached then I may have to reconsider, I have no intention of becoming the Minister's poster boy in this conflict."

The grumblings that had started the minute they walked into the chamber disrespectfully dressed as muggles had grown decidedly louder, and a lot more hostile. There was also the fact the Wizengamot wasn't used to people saying 'no' to them. The Chief Witch wanted to clarify exactly what was happening here. "Lord Black, are you refusing this award?"

"Madam Longbottom, I made an agreement in good faith with Minister Dumbledore to come to the ministry today and collect my award. In return for doing this, we would be allowed to sit our O.W.L. exams at Hogwarts. The faith of that agreement hasn't just been broken, but shattered into tiny pieces. For whatever the Minister's reasons behind this, it appears to me to have been done deliberately. At the very least, I should have been made aware of what procedures and protocols were in place for this proposed ceremony today."

This had some people nodding in agreement so Harry continued on the same theme. "I left Britain to get away from Albus Dumbledore's attempts at manip

ulating my life. He's been doing so since I was a toddler, and those manipulations continued right up until the moment I left the country, I'm not about to let him get any sort of hold over me again. I mean no disrespect to this chamber, or the people currently in it, but I will not be collecting my award today. If it is then decided by the members to remove this award from me, I will be disappointed but understand. If the chamber will excuse us, we'll be leaving."