risids.cc 
“What?” Hermione snapped impatiently.
Fred ignored her and looked at Harry. “Remus sent me up here to get you,” he said. “Seems Dad was right and you’ve now got a visitor downstairs.”
“I don’t fucking want to deal with Scrimgeour right now,” Harry muttered angrily, stalking to the door anyway. His friends followed closely, but warily.
Harry paused at the bottom of the stairs and took a deep breath, composing himself before he went into the sitting room where he could hear the others talking. The method had seemed to work for Draco earlier in the day, so it was worth a try.
“Ah, here’s Harry now,” Arthur said warmly, missing the underlying tension in the air.
“Good evening, Potter,” Scrimgeour said. Harry didn’t think anyone in the room missed the Minister blatantly looking Harry over. Hopefully most of them would attribute it to Harry’s new clothing and lack of glasses, though. “You are looking well today.”
Harry nodded once in acknowledgement. “My apologies for not contacting you earlier,” he said, playing the game.
Scrimgeour’s gaze swept once around the other members of the room, who were all looking on curiously. “Perhaps you could step outside with me for a private word?” he suggested.
“Certainly,” Harry said, turning sharply on his heel and stepping out of the room again.
They went outside but not far from the house. Harry raised a brow as Scrimgeour was the one to raise a Silencing Charm around them.
“Potter, you are looking much better than when I saw you last,” Scrimgeour said. “What I still don’t know, is whether your trip was successful or not.”
Harry shrugged. “It was successful,” he admitted.
“And you’re not telling me any more than that, are you?” Scrimgeour said wryly.
“No, I’m not,” Harry said, smirking at him.
“I discovered something today,” Scrimgeour said, watching him closely. “I went to your house to check on you and your cousin answered the door.”
Harry glanced at him sharply, instantly worried. He was certain Draco had said that Dudley and Uncle Vernon’s memories had been modified so that they wouldn’t be able to reveal anything about him and Narcissa. What if Scrimgeour had somehow found out anyway? Aunt Petunia had been helping them and her memories hadn’t been modified.
“Yes,” Scrimgeour said. “He was quite forthcoming with the fact that you did not live there any more.”
Harry still wasn’t breathing easy, but he nodded once. Hopefully that was all Scrimgeour knew. Even though that fact alone was irritating, it wasn’t outright dangerous for anyone. “I didn’t know that I needed to inform the Ministry,” he said sarcastically, staying calm on the surface at least.
Scrimgeour glared at him in annoyance. “Potter, I am not happy with being kept in the dark regarding your activities,” he said.
Harry snorted derisively. “So, you know I’m still not telling you,” he said.
“I recognize that,” Scrimgeour said grimly. “However, considering that we are on the same side, I believe it would be helpful if I at least had a way of contacting you should any emergency arise,” he explained.
Harry blinked in surprise at that. “You’d actually contact me in an emergency?” he questioned.
“It would appear you have resources and knowledge that I do not,” Scrimgeour admitted. “I would be a fool not to take that into account during this war.”
Harry raised an eyebrow, smirking at the man mockingly. “Wouldn’t that mean you’ve been a fool this entire past year for not working with Dumbledore?” he asked.
Scrimgeour glared at him. “Things change,” he said coldly.
Harry rolled his eyes. “In other words, you never attempted to blackmail Dumbledore and you still think there might be some way you can take advantage of me,” he said.
Scrimgeour’s eyes widened marginally as he shook his head in resignation. “You are underestimated frequently, aren’t you?” he said dryly.
Harry smirked in amusement. “Yes,” he admitted.
“Nevertheless, Potter, I need to know where you are living so that I can contact you quickly if need be,” Scrimgeour said briskly.
Harry shook his head. “Don’t think it’s going to be that easy,” he warned. “Even the Weasleys don’t know that I’ve moved out of the Dursley’s house.” Not most of them anyway, he added in his head.
“So, you are not planning on staying here, then,” Scrimgeour said shrewdly. “Arthur mentioned that you were coming to dinner and also mentioned something about you still being at your relative’s house.”
“It’s safer if no one knows where I’m staying,” Harry said with a shrug. “And I don’t intend to tell you. But I can understand the need to be able to reach me.”
He understood it, but he wasn’t sure what to do about it. There was no chance of him telling Scrimgeour where he was at, which meant Floo and Apparition were out. Owls would be too slow in a real emergency. Scrimgeour didn’t have a phoenix. Severus had changed the wards so even other house elves were unable to get into Grimmauld Place. Dumbledore had only taught the Order members how to use their Patronus to send messages. Harry himself didn’t even know exactly how to do that one yet.
He’d been using the coins with the twins, but that didn’t exactly seem to be an appropriate method with the Minister. But he wasn’t sure that he wanted to have Scrimgeour linked to the bracelet on his wrist, either.
He’d been pacing back and forth a few steps in either direction, staying within the Silencing Charm, but now he stopped and addressed the Minister again. “I’m not sure what the solution is,” he admitted. “I’d like to talk to Remus about it first.”
Scrimgeour was irritated again but he nodded in acceptance. They walked back to the house, scattering Harry’s friends who’d been watching and hoping to listen in.
“Could I get you some tea while you wait?” Harry asked politely once they were inside.
Eyebrows around the room rose incredulously as the Minister accepted the offer.
“I’ll get the tea,” Molly said quickly, despite her astonishment at Harry’s behaviour.
“No, that’s all right,” Harry said firmly. “Remus can help me in the kitchen.”
Molly looked nonplussed but sat back down as Remus rose and gently reassured her that he’d help Harry.
Remus erected the Silencing Charm and leaned back against the table as Harry automatically began putting together a tray for tea. He was familiar enough with the kitchen as Molly hadn’t moved things around from the summer before.
“What’s going on, Harry?” Remus asked.
Harry quickly filled him in on the latest problem. He reckoned he should be thankful that it was a little problem rather than anything major this time.
Remus frowned thoughtfully as he considered the situation. He was reluctant to inform Scrimgeour of the Patronus method as that was meant only for Order members and Scrimgeour was still a bit of an unknown.
Harry was reaching to grasp the container of sugar off the table to put on the tray when Remus suddenly grabbed his wrist.
“Hey!” Harry protested. “I’m just getting the sugar.”
Remus rolled his eyes, pulling up the sleeve of Harry’s jumper to look at his bracelet. “You can receive short messages from those of us at Grimmauld Place. Perhaps we should also connect you to Scrimgeour.”
“Isn’t there a possibility of me accidentally sending him an inappropriate message?” Harry asked.
Remus nodded absently, still eyeing the bracelet. “Possible, yes, but we’ve adjusted the charm so that you must use an identifying name to send a message.”
