Rhapsody of a Veela

Part 47 - The weight of Legacy

"Ah Miss Y/ln, just the person I was meaning to talk to" Rufus Scrimgeour announced as his cold yellow-ish eyes pierced through you, it threw you of right away. What on earth could the Minister of Magic possibly discuss with you? The scene of the lonely rest-stop was empty apart from the convoy of 4 black Ministry Cars, and all the menacing looking Aurors that had you surrounded.

Fred quickly stepped in front of you defensively, even though his brother Bill had told him to step away and keep quiet.

"What do you want?" Fred spat out, not taking in at all the fact that he was addressing the Minister of Magic himself,

"Like I said, a word with Miss Y/ln" Scrimgeour repeated himself emotionlessly, resting his hands upon the cane he held in front of him. It was clear as a day that you did not have much choice in the matter at all.

"Al right" you said, stepping forward from behind Fred, "How can I help you, Minister?"

Scrimgeour scoffed, before a bureaucratic smile tensed upon his worn face.

"Oh It's rather how I can help you Miss Y/ln, I hear you are planning on leaving the country?"

"Yeah, and what about it?" you asked, you had been 17 for half a year now which in the Wizarding World meant you were perfectly capable of handling yourself and doing whatever you wanted.

"As your Minister, and servant it is my duty to ensure that no harm fall upon you. Given your... extraordinary circumstance considering your.. lineage... I assume you are aware of the sort of people who wish to reach you"

"I am perfectly aware.. Sir, I'm not sure if you remember but merely a month ago I fought them at the Ministry and –"

Fred seemed both taken aback and impressed by your nerve to talk back, although it was understandable that you did not really put any trust or liking into the Ministry at all given your history. Scrimgeour quickly interrupted before you could point it out anymore however, and Fred's grin disappeared just as soon.

"It was an unfortunate event" he cut you short, "But it only proves the threat you are living under, as for your protection I'm afraid it can only be guaranteed – as long as you remain within Great Britain"

"Forgive me, but I have not asked for your protection" you snapped, finally realising that the Ministry was meaning to prevent you from leaving for France. Which also unfortunately meant that they must have been watching and monitoring your whereabouts, as absurd as it was given the fact that the trace you had on you had vanished the day you turned 17.

"I'm afraid I'll have to insist" Scrimgeour firmly continued, his beady eyes studying your reaction as if it was somewhat satisfactory. Looking over at Fred it was like you could read his mind, which instantly went to planning on how you could sneak your way beyond this somehow, an already futile idea given how it was the Ministry you were talking about here.

"Is this for her protection though? Or is it for yours.. Minister?" Bill suddenly demanded, and you wondered if he feared at all if what he said could have any repercussions for his work at Gringotts Wizarding Bank. An Auror immediately stepped threateningly closer, as Scrimgeour did not answer. Leading Fred to clench his hand even tighter around his wand, you started to worry what might happened if anything escalated any further.

"So that's exactly it then? You're monitoring me because you're afraid –That I'll switch allegiance and join my father?" you blurted out angrily,

"I think you have my intentions misunderstood Miss Y/ln" Scrimgeour retorted curtly,

"This is for your own benefit"

"It doesn't matter, as I don't have any choice either way do I?" you defeatedly continued,

"I'll come with you, but don't let this ruin the trip for Bill and Fleur."

And so the Road-trip to France had come to an abrupt and unexpected end, you and Fred departed with Bill and Fleur joining the Minister in his car, journeying back towards Ottery St. Catchpole instead. Understandably it was absolutely miserable, after already having spent half a day in a car you were now uncomfortably sharing space with the most spiteful little man. Even if you tried to comply to ease the situation, Fred on the other hand did not at all hide his feelings about it. Not because your plans had gone so awry, but because of the way the Ministry could so easily interfere with your lives.

You did not speak much for the whole ride at all, and there was no muggle-radio playing any diverting music at all. By the time you had reached the familiar countryside of Ottery St. Catchpole it was very late at night, and you were yearning to just go to bed in order to move on from the events of the day, hoping that Fred's parents would not make too much out of the situation as you felt far too exhausted to deal with it anymore.

As the convoy of black cars slowed in front of the Burrow, you saw that all the lights of the first floor where still shining.

"Finally," Fred sighed, as an Auror opened the car-door to let you out. Quickly jumping out into the fresh night air to gather your stuff from the trunk.

"Before you leave Y/ln, there are a few more matters I'd like to address with you" Scrimgeour began, and you knew it could not be anything good, as the guard closed the car-door shut again.

"What was it like – seeing your father during the battle at the Ministry?" he calmly questioned, as if it was the simplest question in the world. The question shocked you, and almost without thinking you replied,

"I wanted to kill him... for what he did to Cedric... but I froze"

You got a shiver down your back as you re-lived the moment, which despite having been so brief, perhaps in a matter of seconds – it had burned into your mind. It had haunted you every night since.

"And what did he seem like? When he saw you?" Scrimgeour continued imploring, and you saw Fred worriedly look towards the car from a little distance, Molly and Arthur coming out from the front-door to find out what was going on.

"What?" you whispered, desperately wishing to get out and away.

"Did he seem surprised? Or did he perhaps seem like he wanted to reach you?"

"I-I don't know..." you professed, seeing his snake-like face gaze towards you in your mind. It was unreadable, but you were sure that he knew who you were the moment he laid eyes on you.

"Very well then, take care Miss Y/ln, till we meet again"

The car-door opened again, and you hurriedly got out, trying to go through the odd conversation in your head to make more sense of it. Fred quickly approached you followed by Arthur and Molly,

"Are you alright?" Fred whispered as he embraced you, but Molly quickly pulled you outside while muttering,

"This is completely scandalous!"

"Acting like a little girl is some threat of security"

Arthur and Fred rolled your luggage inn while you sat down at the kitchen table, shaking. Molly hurriedly serving you tea and left-over from supper.

"I think it is more likely that Scrimgeour is assessing whether or not he can use you as a tool of bargaining with you-know-who, or even perhaps as a hostage of sorts" Arthur theorized out loud,

"As a hostage?" Fred repeated,

"I'm equally valuable and dangerous to both sides of the war" you whispered, "Dumbledore said so himself,

"And there's nothing we can do about it"

You defeatedly sunk back down in the chair, it had been years since your trial at the Wizengamot. You were starting to realize more and more why even back then, the Minister of Magic, Fudge, had been in favour of throwing a child into Azkaban and throwing away the key. You were the sole heir to the Dark Lord, even if the war was won yet again you would always be considered a threat – as if you were willing yourself to play out your fathers' legacy. And now more than ever, your very presence in the Weasley's family home was implicating them all. Marking them for death.