After a few more words, Madam Bones contacted the Minister to let him know they were on their way, and escorted the four up to the Minister's office on the next floor. She took them up by way of an internal flight of stairs installed for easy transit between the two floors.
Leading the way, she escorted them directly into the Minister's office. The man was clearly waiting for them as he was sitting perched on the edge of his desk in his finest. The Pink Toad was sitting on a chair off to the side, but close enough to being behind his desk as to show she was considered his 'Right-Hand Witch'.
Ignoring everyone else, Fudge made his way directly to Harry. "Ah! Mister Potter! Welcome, welcome. I trust you're in fine health?" he vigorously shook Harry's hand with a wide smile plastered on his face.
"Minister," replied Harry.
As the Minister released his hand, Harry indicated his wives. "Allow me to introduce my wives, Missus Hermione Granger-Potter and Missus Daphne Greengrass-Potter."
"Errr... w-wives?" stuttered the Minister, as he held his hand out towards Hermione.
"Yes, Sir," said Harry. "As you can no doubt deduce, we've finalised the bonds."
Quickly gathering his thoughts, Fudge took Hermione's hand in his own before lightly bending to brush his lips on the back of her knuckles. "Missus Granger-Potter," he muttered, before turning and doing the same for Daphne.
While Fudge was lightly kissing the back of Hermione's fingers, Harry watched as an expression of distaste flittered across the Pink Toad's face.
'You don't know this yet, bitch,' he thought. 'But your days on this earth are numbered.'
"And, of course," he said. "You know Sirius Black; my godfather. I believe you recently had quite the in-depth discussion."
Fudge blanched just a little before his smile was once more firmly affixed to his face as he turned to Sirius. "Mister Black," he said, as he shook Sirius's hand.
"Minister," acknowledged a grinning Sirius.
Fudge quickly turned to introduce Umbridge. "And, allow me to introduce Madam Dolores Umbridge; my Senior Undersecretary." As the woman came forward.
Before she reached them, Harry drolly said, "Ah, yes. The witch who couldn't control her outbursts and called me a liar at the hearing."
That stopped the woman in her tracks as she looked back in shock that morphed into ill-concealed anger.
Turning back to a surprised Fudge, Harry drawled, "I trust, Minister, you've educated your... underling... on how to comport herself in the Wizengamot in future?"
"Errr..." stuttered Fudge, before he decided on a quick change of subject. "I... trust you're ready for the presentation, this morning?" "You're going to hang a medal around my neck," said Harry. "I didn't find it difficult to learn."
Fudge laughed with false cheer. "Oh, no; dear boy! There's more to it than that!"
As he guided them all to seats and headed to sit at his desk, he said, "There's a bit of ceremony that goes with the awarding of an Order of Merlin, dear boy. Allow me to step you through it."
Harry and his wives then had to put up with almost fifteen minutes of being told what they already knew. And, knowing if he hadn't been snarky, most of the talk would not have occurred.
Harry, Daphne, Hermione and Sirius were all sitting on the chairs on the stage to one side while the remaining living Order of Merlin Holders sat on the other. They were: Albus Dumbledore - Order of Merlin, First Class (of course); Newt Scamander - Order of Merlin, Second Class; and Orabella Nuttley - Order of Merlin, Second Class.
Harry was surprised to learn that Lockhart actually did hold an Order of Merlin, Third Class. However, the man was still happily signing photographs with a crayon and giving them to pot plants in the Janus Thickey Ward in Saint Mungo's. As such he was considered too ill to attend the event, that morning. A chair was located at the far end but left vacant for the man out of 'respect'.
There was another vacant chair on the inside end for Fudge - another Order of Merlin, First Class holder. Harry had no idea, though, how the man could have possibly earned such an award. During their talk in his office, Fudge said, "Madam Umbridge, who'll be holding the little display box for the medal, will be sitting on the stage, with us. She'll come..."
"No," Harry flatly said.
"Errr... pardon, Mister Potter?" asked the Minister, his explanation suddenly derailed.
"I said, no," said Harry. "Madam Umbridge publicly insulted me only a few short months ago. While I think it somewhat justice for her to be forced to hold such an award for me. I do not want her anywhere near me.
"If you need someone to hold the award box while you draw the medal out to hang it around my neck, I'd rather someone of Madam Bones's calibre do it. Madam Bones is a Head of the DMLE; while Madam Umbridge is, after a mere Undersecretary.
all,
only
"Your underling, Madam Umbridge, may find herself unable to blurt out that she thinks me a liar, again. I'd hate to have to immediately demand satisfaction through an honour duel for her remarks. Especially during the presentation, itself."
As Fudge sat there and appeared unable to think how to proceed, Madam Bones calmly said, "I would be honoured to, Mister Potter."
"Errr... yes," said Fudge. "Of course, it's not a requirement for Madam Umbridge to be the one who holds the box; but, still, I've already informed Madam Umbridge..."
"Uninform her," said Harry. "The woman is, after all, sitting in the corner." "Errr... yes," said the Minister as he clearly thought very hard about what to do. Eventually, he said, "Well, if you prefer Madam Bones to be the one to hold the award for you..."
"Minister!" exclaimed upset and enraged.
Umbridge,
clearly
"Enough, Dolores," he said. "If Mister Potter prefers Madam Bones, then it shall be Madam Bones. You did, after all, publicly insult Mister Potter only a few months ago."
The Pink Toad almost curled in on herself and quietly fumed.
"Now, then," said the Minister, continuing. "Madam Bones will also be sitting on the stage..." That now led to Madam Bones wearing her 'parade' uniform and sitting in a chair between the groups of family and Order of Merlin recipients with the medal case sitting on her lap.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you enjoy reading? Visit my site on Tiendup! There you will find the advanced chapter in PDF format, ready for your convenience.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
https://fictiontopia.tiendup.com/