Fic: I am not your man [HP, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Harry Potter, G]
Title: I am not your man
Author: Ceria
Rating: G for gen
Warnings: n/a
Word count: 2,600
Summary: All Harry wants to be is invisible after the war
A/N: Thank you, elfflame, for all your help with this one.
Prompt: Harry Potter, Kingsley Shacklebolt: Divided loyalties - Invisibility.
Life should have been simpler after the war ended. Wasn't the key to that killing Voldemort? For the last two years, not much else had been on Harry's mind, at least.
There'd been a vague thought or two that involved becoming an Auror. Possibly even getting married soon. Weren't those the rewards one should expect after defeating Voldemort? Ending up with the girl and the dream job?
The only thing he knew he wanted to do for sure today was apply for Auror training. Which meant a trip to the Ministry to see how he went about it. Of course, he could go directly to Kingsley Shacklebolt, but Harry wanted to do this on his own, not through the help of the Minister. First, the secretary actually laughed at him when Harry went to the MLE for the application, showing up at nine o'clock sharp.
"I'm sorry, did you say Harry Potter? Oh, yes, I can see you are. Did you say that you want to apply to be an Auror?” Harry made a point of looking at the name plate on the man's desk, with every intention of reporting him for being rude when he couldn't stop laughing.
"As if they could teach you anything!" Marcus Ackerley went on to say when he caught his breath.
Now Harry was offended for the department's sake.
"I'm sure there's a thing or two I could learn," Harry said stiffly, uncomfortable by the look of astonishment on the man's face.
"If you say so," Ackerley replied, his voice wavering as if he really didn't believe that.
Nor was he the only one to doubt Harry's need for applying. Four hours later, Harry did the only thing he knew to do, and apparently the only thing people expected him to do.
He walked into Kingsley Shacklebolt's office without an appointment, expecting to wait as it was lunchtime. Yet, once again, he was surprised. "Do you have an appointment?" the secretary asked, without looking at him.
'No, but I just wanted a moment of his time…"
"Not without an appointment," she began, then looked at him. Ms Whitby, according to the nameplate, who had been daintily eating a biscuit at her desk, literally jumped from her seat. "Oh! He usually never takes a lunch, but someone came to see him today and I believe he's in the cafeteria downstairs. It will only take me a moment to fetch him…"
"Please," Harry said, hiding another sigh, "I can wait right here, there are chairs and I don't want you to interrupt Kingsley's lunch on my account." Why did she feel the need to go herself? Not to mention Harry had to hide a grin at the way she smoothed her robes as she stood up, as if he cared how she dressed.
"Oh, I couldn't…" she began and Harry wondered how to distract her. He didn't want to interrupt Kingsley's lunch appointment. Suddenly, he remembered that Percy worked for Kingsley as well. Knowing him, Percy most likely ate lunch at his desk. At least Harry could have a real conversation while he waited.
"Sit," he told her one more time. "Do you know where Percy is right now?"
Unable to hide her frown, she asked, "Percy Weasley?"
"Yes, that Percy, do you know where he might be?"
"In his office, he never leaves for lunch," she pointed at a smaller door in the far corner of the foyer.
"Thank you," Harry said, walking unseemly fast to escape her, moving toward his office. He knocked once then opened the door, catching Percy as he shoved a large bite of corned beef into his mouth.
"Don't mind me," Harry said, "I'm just waiting for Kingsley."
"Here about the petition are you?" Percy asked after managing to swallow that bite and take a drink. Harry shuddered, he'd had Molly's corned beef sandwiches before.
"Petition?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, the one for you to become the next Minister."
Percy's astonished expression at Harry's confusion was almost comical, "Don't tell me you didn't know, Harry!'
"No," he said, shaking his head slowly, wondering who might have been foolish enough to begin such a thing.
"It was all over the Prophet today!" Percy said, pointing at an article on page two, making Harry laugh in relief. That explained some of the strange looks he'd received all morning.
"I've been here all day, Percy, filling out paperwork to become an Auror."
He picked up the article to read it, only to hear Kingsley's deep voice in the foyer behind him. Standing up quickly, Harry shook the paper, "I'll bring this back, all right?"
Percy waved him away, already returning to the stack of files on his desk, "That's fine, or give it to Ginny when you see her and she can return it to me."
While his deep, rolling voice might be considered slow, there was nothing dim about Kingsley's wit. Harry didn't even need to wave the newspaper for the Minister to know why he'd arrived unannounced to see him.
"Sir," Kingsley's secretary - whose name Harry had already forgotten - said to her boss, "your owl from the Muggle Minister returned right after you left for lunch. I fed him and put him away for you."
"With a return letter, Ms Whitby?"
"Yes, sir. It's on your desk."
Kingsley opened the door for Harry and shut it behind them. "Interesting… She thought you were important enough to try and find me, but the Muggle Prime Minister was not?"
Nodding, Harry said, "I didn't even come about the Prophet, Kingsley. I just found out about it now; Percy told me."
That seemed to surprise him because Kingsley raised an eyebrow at that announcement. "Did you stop reading the daily news then, Harry?"
"I think I know my own life better than the Prophet does," he said, then shook his head. "You think Skeeter would have taught them to hire some reporters with talent."
"No, it's not a surprise. I'll have to admit I read it considerably less now myself. Of course my benefit is that I can make Weasley read it for me."
Laughing, Harry dropped into the leather chair Kingsley indicated and sighed. "I want to be an Auror, Kingsley, not the Minister. Whose idea is this?"
His rich laughter filled the room, "You think it's just one person, Harry? I can name half a dozen off the top of my head."
"Why?"
Saying "Accio water," as he waved his wand, Kingsley Summoned two bottles from his Muggle fridge. Handing one to Harry, he opened his own bottle and settled back into his chair. He all but propped his feet onto the desktop and Harry wondered just how long the story would take.
"Tell me, Harry, if I was to ask you to describe yourself in one word, now that the war is over, what would it be?"
"Tired."
Kingsley smiled grimly at him, nodding once. "Exactly, and that is what I see when I look at you. I see a tired young man who wants to fade into oblivion and let the world run without him."
"Not quite oblivion, but invisible for a short time would be nice. I don't want to leave our world, Kingsley, or else I wouldn't be applying to become an Auror. I want to stay and fight.
"But I don't want to lead it, either."
For a long moment Kingsley didn't say anything and Harry wondered if he was considering how to answer.
"Harry, personally I think you could lead us. I think you could be Minister of Magic and a damn good one. In ten years or so."
"Why?"
"Because you're smart and capable, and you've got a good head on your shoulders. Not to mention you defeated Voldemort. Just for that reason alone ninety percent of the wizarding population in England would vote for you."
"However?"
He grinned at Harry, acknowledging that Harry was smart enough to notice that.
"Politics isn't quite the same as fighting Death Eaters."
"Harder to tell the good guys from the bad, is it?"
Kingsley's shoulders rolled with laughter and the light flashed off his gold hoop. He didn't bother to answer, but Harry knew he was right.
"You don't have to find a delicate way to tell me, Kingsley. I already know."
"Already know what?" he asked.
"I'm not ready to deal with the intricacies of politics. Not yet."
He took another drink before acknowledging Harry's words and Harry wondered again what Kingsley was thinking.
"There are certain people you could always trust to steer you directly, Harry. Arthur Weasley obviously, I would help in any way I could, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement would always stand for you if I have any say.
"But there are others who head large departments, International Magical Cooperation, Regulation for Magical Creatures, and Mysteries that I'm not sure I'd trust, for I think they see what I see when I look at you."
"Inexperience?" Harry asked wryly, sure that was the point Kingsley was making.
He hesitated again, then took a deep breath, fingering his earring. "I want you to know that if you want the job, I'm more than willing to go back to the Aurors and help you as I can. I don't want you to think I'm trying to frighten you away from it, if that's what you want."
Shaking his head, Harry said, "But I don't want it, Kingsley. I want to enter training to become an Auror, to continue doing what I've been doing these past two years."
"You need to know, Harry, that if I sign the paperwork accepting you as a trainee, you've effectively ruined your chance to be Minister this year. You can't run for the Minister position and sign up to be an Auror at the same time. No matter who you are."
"Sign the paperwork, Kingsley, the rest will fall into place."
~ * ~
Except that, two weeks later it hadn't fallen into place and Harry was being bombarded by the post, by visitors at home and at the Weasleys', and by people standing outside the perimeter at Auror training camp, wearing neon yellow shirts with a jagged scar across the front and "POTTER FOR MoM" blazing across the back.
He was mortified to be seen in public and yet, afraid to go home. The strange owls delivering the post every morning and afternoon to him made him miss Hedwig. Not even the white owlet Ginny bought him three days ago helped.
Finally, unable to take it any longer, Harry owled Kingsley, asking him when his next public appearance was, then called the Prophet, telling them he'd be there as well to talk. Rumors flew and that morning the Prophet headline read:
"Potter to Debate Shacklebolt at Diagon Alley Tuesday Morning."
He arrived twenty minutes early, at the exact same time Kingsley did; Harry carried nothing but his wand and Auror trainee robes in his hand and he grinned at Kingsley's formal robes and bulging briefcase. A podium had been set up in the middle of the pavement with a shrouded room beside it for some privacy as they talked.
Kingsley shrugged, an odd gesture for such a large man and grinned at Harry. "I hear we're going to debate some issues." He patted his briefcase, "I brought you a set of notes as well. Would you like to go first or second?"
Harry hadn't thought to explain his reasoning prior to that moment to Kingsley, but he shook his head. "I won't need them, Kingsley. But I'd like to go first, if you don't mind."
Nodding, he motioned Harry to step to the podium. He hadn't seen that many people gathered since the funeral following the final battle at Hogwarts, except then there had not been any neon yellow shirts dotted throughout the crowd.
"Good morning," Harry said, holding his wand to his throat, wincing at the shrill cheers from the throng. He held up his hand to quiet the people, waiting for silence before continuing.
"First, I want you to know I see your support for me every day. I've seen the shirts, I've read my post, and I've see the Prophet." He waited for the cheering to stop once more.
"You all are here because you think I'd be the best Minister of Magic you could have, aren't you?"
He started as the crowd chanted, "Yes!"
"Do you want the best Minister possible after the war?"
Yes!
"Do you want someone to navigate the politics of the wizarding world?"
Yes!
"Do you want someone who can guide us, and clean up the Death Eaters that are ensconced in the Ministry even now?"
Yes!
"Do you want a capable leader?"
Yes!
Harry took a deep breath, silently thanking Hermione for her help with his short speech today. He waited for silence, holding his hand up one more time until the cheers faded.
"Then, my friends, there is something you should know."
Tell us, Harry!
"I. Am. Not. That. Man."
All the loud voices aborted almost instantly as the crowd looked at each other, unsure if they heard him correctly. They looked about, confused, wondering if this was a joke and Harry took advantage of the silence.
"My friends, I am eighteen years old. I haven't even formally finished my NEWT's. I haven't even held a real job yet. I've only worked for the Ministry, as an Auror in training, for one week."
He paused, unveiling his robes and settling them around his shoulders. That had been Ron's idea and Harry had agreed that the bright colors would garner attention to his career of choice.
"I've never followed public debates before this past week, my friends. I've never read the by-laws of the Ministry. Hell, I haven't finished reading the Auror's handbook yet."
He heard Kingsley snigger behind him and Harry had to smile.
"My friends, if you want someone who knows the Ministry, who knows how to ferret out Death Eaters and who believes that there is no difference between a pureblood, a halfblood and the Muggleborn, then you already have a candidate to vote for.
"If you want someone who has fought Death Eaters for years, who fought in the final battle with me and the Order, you already have such a man in office.
"So I ask you today, why are you here, trying to put an inexperienced youth into the Ministry when the man you need has already been assigned the position?"
He raised his voice and his arms. "I ask you again, why me? Why me, when Kingsley Shacklebolt is already there? Already prepared and already running the Ministry?"
Silence greeted him for a moment, until Harry stepped back, sweeping aside the curtain to reveal Kingsley, who, for once, stood there looking as though he had nothing to say. It didn't take the crowd very long to begin chanting "Kingsley!" Of course, even Harry realised that most of those beginning it were Auror trainees. Probably another of Ron's ideas.
Harry had to grab Kingsley's arm and pull on him to make him move. Stepping to the side of the podium, Harry raised his arm in front of the cheering crowd.
Harry had no doubt that Kingsley was the man needed for the job. It didn't take long to move past his shock at Harry's speech and embrace the crowd. Within ten minutes, they were listening and nodding in agreement at his plans.
No, Harry thought, stepping behind the curtain, he decidedly wasn't the man for the job right now. Not yet and hopefully not until Kingsley wanted to retire.
Author: Ceria
Rating: G for gen
Warnings: n/a
Word count: 2,600
Summary: All Harry wants to be is invisible after the war
A/N: Thank you, elfflame, for all your help with this one.
Prompt: Harry Potter, Kingsley Shacklebolt: Divided loyalties - Invisibility.
Life should have been simpler after the war ended. Wasn't the key to that killing Voldemort? For the last two years, not much else had been on Harry's mind, at least.
There'd been a vague thought or two that involved becoming an Auror. Possibly even getting married soon. Weren't those the rewards one should expect after defeating Voldemort? Ending up with the girl and the dream job?
The only thing he knew he wanted to do for sure today was apply for Auror training. Which meant a trip to the Ministry to see how he went about it. Of course, he could go directly to Kingsley Shacklebolt, but Harry wanted to do this on his own, not through the help of the Minister. First, the secretary actually laughed at him when Harry went to the MLE for the application, showing up at nine o'clock sharp.
"I'm sorry, did you say Harry Potter? Oh, yes, I can see you are. Did you say that you want to apply to be an Auror?” Harry made a point of looking at the name plate on the man's desk, with every intention of reporting him for being rude when he couldn't stop laughing.
"As if they could teach you anything!" Marcus Ackerley went on to say when he caught his breath.
Now Harry was offended for the department's sake.
"I'm sure there's a thing or two I could learn," Harry said stiffly, uncomfortable by the look of astonishment on the man's face.
"If you say so," Ackerley replied, his voice wavering as if he really didn't believe that.
Nor was he the only one to doubt Harry's need for applying. Four hours later, Harry did the only thing he knew to do, and apparently the only thing people expected him to do.
He walked into Kingsley Shacklebolt's office without an appointment, expecting to wait as it was lunchtime. Yet, once again, he was surprised. "Do you have an appointment?" the secretary asked, without looking at him.
'No, but I just wanted a moment of his time…"
"Not without an appointment," she began, then looked at him. Ms Whitby, according to the nameplate, who had been daintily eating a biscuit at her desk, literally jumped from her seat. "Oh! He usually never takes a lunch, but someone came to see him today and I believe he's in the cafeteria downstairs. It will only take me a moment to fetch him…"
"Please," Harry said, hiding another sigh, "I can wait right here, there are chairs and I don't want you to interrupt Kingsley's lunch on my account." Why did she feel the need to go herself? Not to mention Harry had to hide a grin at the way she smoothed her robes as she stood up, as if he cared how she dressed.
"Oh, I couldn't…" she began and Harry wondered how to distract her. He didn't want to interrupt Kingsley's lunch appointment. Suddenly, he remembered that Percy worked for Kingsley as well. Knowing him, Percy most likely ate lunch at his desk. At least Harry could have a real conversation while he waited.
"Sit," he told her one more time. "Do you know where Percy is right now?"
Unable to hide her frown, she asked, "Percy Weasley?"
"Yes, that Percy, do you know where he might be?"
"In his office, he never leaves for lunch," she pointed at a smaller door in the far corner of the foyer.
"Thank you," Harry said, walking unseemly fast to escape her, moving toward his office. He knocked once then opened the door, catching Percy as he shoved a large bite of corned beef into his mouth.
"Don't mind me," Harry said, "I'm just waiting for Kingsley."
"Here about the petition are you?" Percy asked after managing to swallow that bite and take a drink. Harry shuddered, he'd had Molly's corned beef sandwiches before.
"Petition?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, the one for you to become the next Minister."
Percy's astonished expression at Harry's confusion was almost comical, "Don't tell me you didn't know, Harry!'
"No," he said, shaking his head slowly, wondering who might have been foolish enough to begin such a thing.
"It was all over the Prophet today!" Percy said, pointing at an article on page two, making Harry laugh in relief. That explained some of the strange looks he'd received all morning.
"I've been here all day, Percy, filling out paperwork to become an Auror."
He picked up the article to read it, only to hear Kingsley's deep voice in the foyer behind him. Standing up quickly, Harry shook the paper, "I'll bring this back, all right?"
Percy waved him away, already returning to the stack of files on his desk, "That's fine, or give it to Ginny when you see her and she can return it to me."
While his deep, rolling voice might be considered slow, there was nothing dim about Kingsley's wit. Harry didn't even need to wave the newspaper for the Minister to know why he'd arrived unannounced to see him.
"Sir," Kingsley's secretary - whose name Harry had already forgotten - said to her boss, "your owl from the Muggle Minister returned right after you left for lunch. I fed him and put him away for you."
"With a return letter, Ms Whitby?"
"Yes, sir. It's on your desk."
Kingsley opened the door for Harry and shut it behind them. "Interesting… She thought you were important enough to try and find me, but the Muggle Prime Minister was not?"
Nodding, Harry said, "I didn't even come about the Prophet, Kingsley. I just found out about it now; Percy told me."
That seemed to surprise him because Kingsley raised an eyebrow at that announcement. "Did you stop reading the daily news then, Harry?"
"I think I know my own life better than the Prophet does," he said, then shook his head. "You think Skeeter would have taught them to hire some reporters with talent."
"No, it's not a surprise. I'll have to admit I read it considerably less now myself. Of course my benefit is that I can make Weasley read it for me."
Laughing, Harry dropped into the leather chair Kingsley indicated and sighed. "I want to be an Auror, Kingsley, not the Minister. Whose idea is this?"
His rich laughter filled the room, "You think it's just one person, Harry? I can name half a dozen off the top of my head."
"Why?"
Saying "Accio water," as he waved his wand, Kingsley Summoned two bottles from his Muggle fridge. Handing one to Harry, he opened his own bottle and settled back into his chair. He all but propped his feet onto the desktop and Harry wondered just how long the story would take.
"Tell me, Harry, if I was to ask you to describe yourself in one word, now that the war is over, what would it be?"
"Tired."
Kingsley smiled grimly at him, nodding once. "Exactly, and that is what I see when I look at you. I see a tired young man who wants to fade into oblivion and let the world run without him."
"Not quite oblivion, but invisible for a short time would be nice. I don't want to leave our world, Kingsley, or else I wouldn't be applying to become an Auror. I want to stay and fight.
"But I don't want to lead it, either."
For a long moment Kingsley didn't say anything and Harry wondered if he was considering how to answer.
"Harry, personally I think you could lead us. I think you could be Minister of Magic and a damn good one. In ten years or so."
"Why?"
"Because you're smart and capable, and you've got a good head on your shoulders. Not to mention you defeated Voldemort. Just for that reason alone ninety percent of the wizarding population in England would vote for you."
"However?"
He grinned at Harry, acknowledging that Harry was smart enough to notice that.
"Politics isn't quite the same as fighting Death Eaters."
"Harder to tell the good guys from the bad, is it?"
Kingsley's shoulders rolled with laughter and the light flashed off his gold hoop. He didn't bother to answer, but Harry knew he was right.
"You don't have to find a delicate way to tell me, Kingsley. I already know."
"Already know what?" he asked.
"I'm not ready to deal with the intricacies of politics. Not yet."
He took another drink before acknowledging Harry's words and Harry wondered again what Kingsley was thinking.
"There are certain people you could always trust to steer you directly, Harry. Arthur Weasley obviously, I would help in any way I could, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement would always stand for you if I have any say.
"But there are others who head large departments, International Magical Cooperation, Regulation for Magical Creatures, and Mysteries that I'm not sure I'd trust, for I think they see what I see when I look at you."
"Inexperience?" Harry asked wryly, sure that was the point Kingsley was making.
He hesitated again, then took a deep breath, fingering his earring. "I want you to know that if you want the job, I'm more than willing to go back to the Aurors and help you as I can. I don't want you to think I'm trying to frighten you away from it, if that's what you want."
Shaking his head, Harry said, "But I don't want it, Kingsley. I want to enter training to become an Auror, to continue doing what I've been doing these past two years."
"You need to know, Harry, that if I sign the paperwork accepting you as a trainee, you've effectively ruined your chance to be Minister this year. You can't run for the Minister position and sign up to be an Auror at the same time. No matter who you are."
"Sign the paperwork, Kingsley, the rest will fall into place."
~ * ~
Except that, two weeks later it hadn't fallen into place and Harry was being bombarded by the post, by visitors at home and at the Weasleys', and by people standing outside the perimeter at Auror training camp, wearing neon yellow shirts with a jagged scar across the front and "POTTER FOR MoM" blazing across the back.
He was mortified to be seen in public and yet, afraid to go home. The strange owls delivering the post every morning and afternoon to him made him miss Hedwig. Not even the white owlet Ginny bought him three days ago helped.
Finally, unable to take it any longer, Harry owled Kingsley, asking him when his next public appearance was, then called the Prophet, telling them he'd be there as well to talk. Rumors flew and that morning the Prophet headline read:
"Potter to Debate Shacklebolt at Diagon Alley Tuesday Morning."
He arrived twenty minutes early, at the exact same time Kingsley did; Harry carried nothing but his wand and Auror trainee robes in his hand and he grinned at Kingsley's formal robes and bulging briefcase. A podium had been set up in the middle of the pavement with a shrouded room beside it for some privacy as they talked.
Kingsley shrugged, an odd gesture for such a large man and grinned at Harry. "I hear we're going to debate some issues." He patted his briefcase, "I brought you a set of notes as well. Would you like to go first or second?"
Harry hadn't thought to explain his reasoning prior to that moment to Kingsley, but he shook his head. "I won't need them, Kingsley. But I'd like to go first, if you don't mind."
Nodding, he motioned Harry to step to the podium. He hadn't seen that many people gathered since the funeral following the final battle at Hogwarts, except then there had not been any neon yellow shirts dotted throughout the crowd.
"Good morning," Harry said, holding his wand to his throat, wincing at the shrill cheers from the throng. He held up his hand to quiet the people, waiting for silence before continuing.
"First, I want you to know I see your support for me every day. I've seen the shirts, I've read my post, and I've see the Prophet." He waited for the cheering to stop once more.
"You all are here because you think I'd be the best Minister of Magic you could have, aren't you?"
He started as the crowd chanted, "Yes!"
"Do you want the best Minister possible after the war?"
Yes!
"Do you want someone to navigate the politics of the wizarding world?"
Yes!
"Do you want someone who can guide us, and clean up the Death Eaters that are ensconced in the Ministry even now?"
Yes!
"Do you want a capable leader?"
Yes!
Harry took a deep breath, silently thanking Hermione for her help with his short speech today. He waited for silence, holding his hand up one more time until the cheers faded.
"Then, my friends, there is something you should know."
Tell us, Harry!
"I. Am. Not. That. Man."
All the loud voices aborted almost instantly as the crowd looked at each other, unsure if they heard him correctly. They looked about, confused, wondering if this was a joke and Harry took advantage of the silence.
"My friends, I am eighteen years old. I haven't even formally finished my NEWT's. I haven't even held a real job yet. I've only worked for the Ministry, as an Auror in training, for one week."
He paused, unveiling his robes and settling them around his shoulders. That had been Ron's idea and Harry had agreed that the bright colors would garner attention to his career of choice.
"I've never followed public debates before this past week, my friends. I've never read the by-laws of the Ministry. Hell, I haven't finished reading the Auror's handbook yet."
He heard Kingsley snigger behind him and Harry had to smile.
"My friends, if you want someone who knows the Ministry, who knows how to ferret out Death Eaters and who believes that there is no difference between a pureblood, a halfblood and the Muggleborn, then you already have a candidate to vote for.
"If you want someone who has fought Death Eaters for years, who fought in the final battle with me and the Order, you already have such a man in office.
"So I ask you today, why are you here, trying to put an inexperienced youth into the Ministry when the man you need has already been assigned the position?"
He raised his voice and his arms. "I ask you again, why me? Why me, when Kingsley Shacklebolt is already there? Already prepared and already running the Ministry?"
Silence greeted him for a moment, until Harry stepped back, sweeping aside the curtain to reveal Kingsley, who, for once, stood there looking as though he had nothing to say. It didn't take the crowd very long to begin chanting "Kingsley!" Of course, even Harry realised that most of those beginning it were Auror trainees. Probably another of Ron's ideas.
Harry had to grab Kingsley's arm and pull on him to make him move. Stepping to the side of the podium, Harry raised his arm in front of the cheering crowd.
Harry had no doubt that Kingsley was the man needed for the job. It didn't take long to move past his shock at Harry's speech and embrace the crowd. Within ten minutes, they were listening and nodding in agreement at his plans.
No, Harry thought, stepping behind the curtain, he decidedly wasn't the man for the job right now. Not yet and hopefully not until Kingsley wanted to retire.