We landed on the Weasley House a split second later. The Order was already in, they all greeted me and sat me down on a table in less than a minute after setting foot on the ground. They all gathered around, put two hands on the table as if they were ready for some epic plan making.
"Why didn't you tell us you were going to the Hospital!"
"We knew someone was going to see you there; we could have been there to keep you away from the reporters!"
"I told you it was wrong to leave her wandering alone in London!" said Moody.
"It was Dumbledore's orders, Alastor..." said Lupin walking up and down the kitchen with a hand on his forehead. "Bet he had a reason for it anyway!"
"What do you mean by that?" I cut in even though it seemed to me, as if this was purely a conversation between the two of them.
"Anne, I'm terribly sorry that happened today. We weren't expecting everyone to discover where you were right away!" said Lupin.
"No, I mean, what reason did Albus have to leave me alone for the reporters to find me."
"He has a custom of leaving everything up to people. I bet he wanted the reporters to find you and see how it went."
"This is absurd!" I gasped.
"A rather useful lesson for you; now you know how to deal with a situation like that. Never make a statement if you are not absolutely sure of what you're going to say and what that will mean. Always be strong, never look at the cameras," said Alastor.
"Yeah, and rather impulsive when it comes to the makings of a leader!" said Lupin. "One word gotten wrong and she would be out of the game," said Lupin almost with rage.
"Well, she was wise enough not to say anything!"
"I hope Dumbledore knew what he was gding and it wasn't just another test of his..." he muttered.
"Can you please not talk about this issue as if I'm not here?" I demanded. Everyone turned to look at me. Kingsley smiled. "Now what was this speech business you were talking about."
Kingsley sat beside me and tied his hands in front of me.
"I arranged a public speech for you. It will be in the Ministry of Magic. It was posted on the news just a few hours ago; Arthur and I were just coming to get you from your house when we heard you had been seen in the Hospital."
"What is this speech about."
"We will work on it later. What you need to know is that many wizards and witches of influence give their advice during the election week - which starts tomorrow since the Minister resigned yesterday. The basic goal is to influence the people in favor of one candidate. What you must do is not take place. You must seek their favor for yourself."
"Let me get this straight. Am I running for Minister?"
"No, no, no. You are under 21. You cannot run for Minister. What you must do is try and become the leader people will be looking up to one day. No one is becoming a Minister out of nowhere one day. Your campaign for the future elections that are coming after this war, is starting tomorrow morning. And this won't be a regular campaign. You are not just someone working for the Ministry who wants to seek power. You are the Daughter. You will be a Leader. Not just a Minister. Fudge was a Minister but was he a leader? No. Scrimgeour is probably going to be voted as a Minister but is he a leader? No. What this world needs is someone to unite, to give hope. Before you become a Minister, you will be an inspiration. An idea."
"My mother was that. I don't have it in me."
"You don't?" said Lupin a raised an eyebrow. "Did you see these people today in the Hospital? Did you see that?"
"This is because they know I'm the daughter of a very strong woman. I don't want to be judged by my family. I want to be judged by my work. And the history of our or the muggle world has shown me those trusted because of their family are not as great as their parents."
"Do you want to see if you count? Go for the speech tomorrow. Maybe that will prove you something."
"A speech that you will make for me? A speech that you will write me? No, thank you!"
Everyone stared as if I was offensive. I knew I wasn't. I was telling them the truth.
"I agreed to do this. I agreed to go on with this game. If you want this to work with me, then no one should try to manipulate me."
"No one is doing such-"
"You think I don't know Dumbledore has told you what to tell me? I take your advice and I thank you for it. Maybe I'll follow some of it. Everything will be judged by me. Personally. No one will influence me."
"We are merely trying to help-"
"Do you want me to be a leader? This is how it's done! These are the makings of a leader. A leader is not narrow minded. But a leader is brutal with injustice, too."
The room was silenced for a minute as I was looking at each and one of the people around me with fearlessness.
"This is exactly what we wanted to hear, Annalise. You're right. These are the makings of a leader," said Lupin, smiling.
"Dumbledore didn't tell us anything," said Moody.
I smiled slightly and looked at my hands.
"I will go upstairs now and I want each and every one of you coming one by one, separately. You will give me your advice and you will not be influenced by anyone else that way."
"Wise choice," said Kingsley.
"Anything else?"
"And I want to take the advice from people I trust, too. I need Professor McGonagall coming over. And I need Dumbledore and Harry. Tell them to come over. Oh, no, not Harry. We've arranged to go for a coffee with him tonight so I'll see him in the afternoon."
"I thought you didn't trust Dumbledore, adding to what you said before," said Lupin.
"Who said I did? But he is my godfather and I will talk to him," I said and stood up. "That will be all," I said and went to the upstairs room.
* * *
When I got to out meeting place with Harry, at a small coffeehouse next to a train station, he was already there, reading a copy of the Daily Prophet. It was raining outside and the night was slowly turning black.
"Hey! Sorry for being late. They wouldn't let me leave the house!" I gasped and sat down.
"A speech?" he said. I noticed his grim face and his serious eyes when he jumped right into the issue.
"I would tell you just now..." I said, astonished that he had added this to our almost nonexistent conversation is such a raw way, as if he was mad about it.
"Did the Order push this?" he almost shouted.
"Maybe?" I said and frowned, not really knowing what his problem was.
"Are they absolutely insane?"
"Why are you saying this?"
"Annalise! Have you looked at your face and body lately? You are still covered in marks, you still have the bruises Voldemort gave you. What you're hiding behind the bandages is a cracked scull. In the muggle world, you would be dead right now! If it wasn't for magic you would be dead! And they think you can just suck everything up, play their games, run for Minister, gain them some power before breakfast?"
"Okay, first of all, I'm not running for Minister. I'm simply going to be giving a speech. And secondly, what the Order is trying to do is take as many people on their side. That's what they do."
"Well, they shouldn't be using you to do that. You are seriously hurt and if Voldemort hears about this - if he hasn't already - then he will come after you!"
"Harry, this is what we do. No one is using me and no one is trying to help me. I am the one trying to help here. Just like you are doing everything you can to help."
"It's not the same, Annalise. You have been through so much..." he said and looked down.
"So have you," I said and laid a hand on his. He looked at our hands the moment I touched him and I saw color rising to his neck. "This is what we are supposed to be doing. Everyone is supposed to give whatever they have in this fight."
"I feel like this is bad for you. I don't want Voldemort going after you."
"Voldemort is already after me," I said. Harry didn't respond. "Look, Harry. At the Ministry, we both found out a hell lot of things about ourselves. We both know what these prophecies said and what they mean for us. Our destiny is calling."
"This is all very good, Anne, but when it comes to fighting it is you and a wand and Voldemort. I don't want you getting hurt. I love you, too much and I don't want him hurting you," he said.
"He won't hurt me, Harry. I'm his daughter. He was just bluffing at the Ministry to get the prophecy," I said quickly.
"I just told you I love you and all you think about is Voldemort?"
I stared for more time than I care to admit.
"You're supposed to say something, now," he was kind of avoiding looking at me but every time he was, he couldn't really take his eyes away from me.
"Is this what this is all about?"
"Well, partly, yes," he admitted.
"I think I should go..." I said and looked around awkwardly. I slowly stood.
"No! Anne! Look! It's pouring outside!
But I got out and started walking, almost running away. I did expect to hear the coffeehouse door banding behind me and then opening again. Harry was following me.
Harry followed me at once. In a moment, he had stopped me and turned me to look at him with a painful push of his hand on my shoulder. He placed his hands on my neck and pulled me close to him as he pressed his lips on mine, while the raindrops where getting thicker over our heads.
I completely lost it. I lost all my senses and turned to ice. It was the last thing I had expected from Harry so I stood motionless for two seconds. Shocked and breathless, I forgot how to move my feet. I never moved my lips and kept my mouth closed but I would be lying if I didn't admit that I was struggling not to close my eyes. There might have been half a cell in me that liked it but it was only that half, flattered cell.
Anne! Wake up! He is kissing you!
I drew away from him.
"Why did you do this?" I said.
"Errr, I wanted to do this for a long time, Anne."
"I am with Draco," I said. Draco. The person who had promised to write me every day but hadn't sent a single letter ever since we left Hogwarts.
He was holding my hand tightly and his face formed a please expression, as if he had heard that very thought that had passed through my brain. He smiled at me, making a step towards to kiss me again. This time, I took a step back quickly and then walked away again.
I didn't expect him to give up; I knew he would follow me again, stop me and try to kiss me.
"Don't leave..." he breathed out. My heart shattered to pieces the moment I heard his voice breaking.
"No, Harry. That was enough. I'm with Draco."
"I can't care right at this moment. I just want you," he said and touched my hand.
I snapped my hand away at once.
"I'm going back home, Harry. And don't follow me."
"Do you think I don't know you just decided to go back the Weasley House, in case I'd follow you?"
"How did you do that?"
"It's that connection. I can feel you, every time I touch you or when I'm close to you. I can feel your thoughts, I can feel your feelings," he came close to me and touched me again. "And right now, do you know what I'm getting?"
"I think I know what my thoughts are about you, thank you very much. I'm thinking that I don't want you to kiss me ever again and that I want you to get out of my head forever," I said stubbornly.
"That's not what I'm getting."
"And what are you getting, if I may ask?"
"I'm getting that you liked my kiss. And that you are let down by your relationship with Draco because he is obviously in some trouble if he isn't talking to you. And that you know that I can't give you more."
"I never thought about anything like that," I lied through my teeth because it was exactly what I'd thought while he was holding my hand.
In his green gaze, I could see the doubt. He smiled, sure I was lying.
"You can't always get into my head."
"Anne..." he dropped his eyes down and swallowed on a dry throat. "You're right. I shouldn't have kissed you. It was clumsy to say the least. I'm sorry. I'd understand if you hated me after this. But you have to know. You have to finally know."
I had seen Harry Potter crying before but never because of me.
"I have spent five years with you, wishing I could talk to you, wishing I could hold you," he took a step towards me and slowly he touched my hand finger by finger. "I wish I could turn back time so I could take you first. So I could ask you on a date. So I could take you to Hogsmeade for a butterbeer and stutter every time you looked at me. So I could take you to that Ball and dance with you all night."
Every moment we had spent together passed before my eyes. His jealous look every time he saw me with Draco; his hand wiping a tear when I was going through a tough time; his constant struggle to pick me up from my lowest. In a very specific light, it could all hold a tension between us.
"I was waiting for you," he said. "All this time."
"You should wait forever then."
Harry frowned involuntarily, unexpectedly. He hadn't heard me talking like this before.
"Okay, that was rude," I admitted. "But you can't kiss a girl who's taken and expect nothing."
"You can slap me, if you want..." he suggested and chuckled.
I rolled my eyes. "Goodbye, Harry."
I left him behind me, standing in the rain and staring. As I was leaving I heard his voice in my head; One chance. If I had it, I would never throw it way. One chance.
When I turned back to look at him I realised that he was sending me these thoughts on purpose.
I didn't sleep that night and I didn't know if that was because I was anxious for the next day at the Ministry or because I was thinking about Harry and Draco and all these ways in which my life had suddenly been messed up.
* * *
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