Disclaimer: I own nothing; it all belongs to J.. I’m just borrowing the characters to play with for a while. This is for pleasure only, no profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Author’s Note: This is a sequel to Harry Potter and the Freedom of Apathy. I recommend reading that first as we start just moments after that story ended. Big thank you to MeQ for betaing this.
Harry Potter and the Apathy of Freedom
Tonks strolled into the Order Meeting Hall, a secret room in the third floor corridor of Hogwarts. She was pleased to be able to pass along the good news of Voldemort's defeat to the people who were grieving and scared. She paused at the doorway as she heard voices speaking passionately, then slipped into the shadows of the room and listened. The majority of the Order was there, even though most were healing from injuries sustained during the attack that had claimed the lives of too many of their members: Arthur and Molly Weasley, Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and the leader and head of the Order of the Phoenix, Albus Dumbledore.
“We’re all hurting and feeling the loss.” An angry Bill Weasley exclaimed. “My parents are dead! But we cannot give up hope. The Order is more than any one man. Even Albus would agree with that.”
A teary-eyed Ron spoke. “We should force Potter to fight him," he spat bitterly. "If he’s half as good as some people keep saying then he’d at least hurt the Dark Lord. And if he died, then it’d be one less worry anyway.”
“Ron!” Hermione exclaimed. “He was once your friend, you know. And right now, he may be our only hope.”
Bill looked around at the assembled people. They looked defeated. “Do we ask Harry to lead the Order of the Phoenix?”
A few people mumbled affirmatives while others didn’t seem to care right now. One voice was adamant though.
“What?” Ron exclaimed. “Are you nuts? He’d probably mark us and make us call him ‘Master’.”
More than a few heads turned towards the insensible redhead.
Ron continued. “No. What we need to do is either find a reason for him to attack the Dark Lord, or find a reason for the Dark Lord to attack Potter. Maybe we could send an official duel challenge to the Dark Lord and sign it from Potter. And then tell Potter that Tonks got kidnapped by the Dark Lord. He seems to care for her.”
Tonks had been standing in the shadows listening to this while getting angrier and angrier. “So are you going to stun me and lock me in a cage?" She finally said, revealing her presence. "Or maybe even give me to the Dark Lord to add credence to more of your lies?”
Ron looked somewhere between angry and embarrassed at being caught.
“And out of curiosity, does Harry’s free will ever come into any of your plans now? Or has all this Dark Lord talk just gotten you thinking like a puppet master and we’re all puppets?” Tonks asked, staring right at Ron.
Ron stood up and stared right back at her. “Albus was too kind and caring. He could have made an effort to end this war through Potter. I’m not as short-sighted as him as to worry over feelings. Ending the war is worth more than the cost of one ex-con’s life.”
Tonks was appalled. “And so acting less like Albus and more like the Dark Lord is the solution?”
“In case you haven’t noticed, the most powerful wizard on our side is gone. Who’s going to protect the wizarding world now? And if acting like the Dark Lord is the only thing Potter responds to, then we will do what we have to.” Ron rationalized aloud.
