His Darkest Devotion

Chapter 6: Pardons

"Do you really mean it, Albus?" Minerva was aware that she'd raised her voice and they were in front of the students, but on a day like this, she did hope that no one would ask her to lower it. This was too shocking, like a mild version of the pain she had experienced when her soulmate Elphinstone died. "Lily and James Potter are to be pardoned?"

"Yes." Albus's own face was pale as he spread out the paper in front of him on the staff table so that everyone could take a look. Then again, he had been brewing all those healing potions, Minerva thought, and perhaps the problem he was taking them for had got worse. "I—see for yourself."

Minerva leaned over Albus's shoulder to read the article, which was breathless and gushing the way it often was when Minister Riddle won a victory over the Wizengamot. Minerva didn't approve of the cult of personality the man had built around himself, but she did have to admit that seeing him depress some pure-blood pretensions was good sport.

The photograph on the front of the paper showed Riddle standing in front of the Ministry, the official pardon held high in one hand. Beneath that was an old picture of Lily and James Potter, taken soon after their graduation from Hogwarts.

And beneath that was that recent picture of Harry Potter that had graced the front page after he had saved Minister Riddle and his retinue from death by falling building material. Minerva sniffed. "You think he did this as a gesture of gratitude to young Mr. Potter?"

"That," said Albus, and lowered his voice. "Or as a bribe."

"A bribe?" Minerva looked back and forth from the slightly scowling picture of Harry to Albus. "What are you talking about? To whom?"

"To Mr. Potter," Albus said, but he shook his head when Minerva started to turn towards him. "Please, my dear, let's not talk about it in public."

Minerva let the conversation go, but she knew that she would resume it in private. She was disturbed, and not even obscurely, by Albus's idea that Harry would be bribed by Riddle encouraging the Wizengamot to pardon his parents. What would Harry be bribed to do? And if he did have his parents back and free again, what exactly did Albus worry would happen?

None of it made sense, but it didn't make sense in a way that rendered Minerva's chest tight.

*

Harry moved dazedly through the corridors of the Ministry towards the Atrium. The official announcement of his parents' pardons had already been made, and he'd told Riddle that was enough, but now there had to be another interview, for some reason. An interview that was coupled with a public invitation for his parents to come forwards and speak with him.

Harry knew better than to think they would. Hidden away in that portal to another world, they might not even have read the Prophet and heard about the pardons yet. But more than that, they still had uncomplicated loyalties to the Order and an uncomplicated distrust of the Minister.

Harry couldn't claim that was true of him, anymore.

"Will you please cheer up?" Riddle said softly into his ear as they passed through the doors into the lift that would take them down to the Atrium. They were the only ones in it, to the visible distress of Riddle's Aurors. A week ago, Harry would have found that funny. Now his gut churned. "This is supposed to be a joyous day for you."

"A joyous day that you arranged for your own reasons. I don't owe you anything."

Riddle tried to take his wrist, but Harry moved away from him as much as the confines of the lift would allow. He didn't want to be touched or confined right now. He did have to admit it would be funny if he managed to throw up on Riddle's expensive shoes, but he didn't have enough confidence to aim for them.