Chapter 085

It was for the second reason, Harry had learned, that some witch/wizards carried a one-shot disposable wand on their person that was truly quite small. He'd read of the examples of a witch who had two, they were wooden pins used in her hair; and a wizard who had one inside a fake finger on his off-hand.

He'd thought of Dumbledore using one-shot wands, but realised that could not be true in this case as the curses and charms that Bones was trying to pin on Dumbledore all bore the same magical signature; and that meant the same wand.

Could Dumbledore have made his own? Easily. He had access to two of the most common cores, the tail feathers of a phoenix and the tail hairs of a unicorn. But, if he made his own, the aurors couldn't even question old Ollivander or any other wandcrafter if they'd sold a wand to the old man. Even then, with Dumbledore often heading off overseas to ICW meetings, he could have purchased one in any country and wearing any glamour.

After the arithmancy expert on magical signatures was sent on his way, Ogden called for a break for lunch. No one argued against it.

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―==(oIo)==―

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When they were again escorted into the Auror's cafeteria, Harry was practically accosted by Sirius, who was there and apparently waiting for him. The man basically laid a massive hug on him.

Finally getting free of the hug, Harry asked, "Where the bloody hell have you been? If you weren't here, the first thing I was going to do is pull out my mirror and call you."

"Off on a small job I couldn't and still can't tell you about," replied Sirius, while he was then hugging Hermione, though not so much.

"Hunh?" asked Harry.

"Let's just say I had a job that people that no one speaks about needed my help with and leave it at that, for now," his godfather mysteriously replied with a 'I know something you don't know' grin.

Harry rolled his eyes at the man and said, "Fiiiine. We'll talk about it when you can. In the meantime, are you here for the rest of the trial?"

"Sorry. No," replied Sirius. "Andi's come down hard on me for not resting up while I'm on that potions regimen she's got me on."

"Oh," replied Harry. "You told me about that in that letter you sent me. Sounds awful."

"Well, you'll be on your own soon. So, prepare yourself for that," explained Sirius.

"What? Why?"

"Because, Pup, knowing the Potters as I do... did... there is no way you should be as small and skinny as you are. And the only way that could have happened is if you've been suffering from malnutrition. And Andi agrees.

"So, after the trials you're going onto a similar potions regimen."

"That's something I wanted to talk to you about," said Harry. "The way Dumbledore's trial is going there's a pretty good chance the old man is going to get let off with little more than a legal smack on the wrist. Even if he isn't I've been invited by Hermione's parents to spend some time at their place.

"Therefore, Hermione and I are leaving for her place right on the conclusion of the trial. As a matter of fact, Dobby should have already popped both of our trunks and other effects, including Crookshanks, to her place. The aurors are getting us there under escort; and then a couple of them will stay with us in Hermione's parents' place for the duration."

"Alright," nodded Sirius. "That sounds like a good idea. I'll let Andi know. But, just so you know, she wants you on a potions regimen to build you up to what should be your correct height, weight and fitness before you get too old for it to have optimum effect.

"If I know Andi, she'll be organising with you... and Hermione's parents, of course... to come to Miss Granger's place on a daily basis to give you those potions."

Harry sighed and said, "You do realise, don't you, that once she decides what potions I should be on she can simply get a house elf to deliver them?"

"Errr... no," blushed the old dog. "That never occurred to me."

"I think I can bet it never occurred to her, either," Harry blandly replied. "Tell her to call for 'Dobby' if she needs potions shuttled back and forth."

Hermione tried to hide her smirk and was mostly successful. Watching Harry demolish the 'logic and practicality' of witches and wizards, especially purebloods, had begun to be quite amusing to the girl.

One of the two aurors with them at the time, one of the ones often with them, quietly sighed loud enough for both teens to hear him. That nearly had Hermione outright laughing.

Sirius saw her, knew she knew something he didn't and thought he might have been the butt of a subtle joke by Harry. However, he couldn't figure it out and, therefore, believed he must've been mistaken.

"Ooooh-kay," he said. "Could you also ask Hermione's parents if I can visit?"

"Of course," replied Harry. "You and me have a lot of catching up to do."

"Thank you," replied a very grateful Sirius.

With the amount of gratitude Sirius had put into those two simple words Harry knew the man, the person who should have raised him and they both knew it, truly was grateful.

A few minutes later Sirius had to leave citing if he didn't return back to the Tonkses' place soon Andi would hunt him down and drag him back there by the 'short hairs'.

"Though, I suppose I could hang around a bit," he mused. "She's currently busy today."

"Sirius, she's busy because she's currently sitting your Seat on the Wizengamot," explained his godson. "So, if you're thinking of coming in to watch part of the trial she's very likely to see you."

"Ah, yes!" sighed Sirius. "I didn't think of that."

"Plus, is there anyone at the Tonkses' who's going to realise you're not there and tell cousin Andi?"

"Nope," Sirius happily replied. "Nymphadora is busy with auror duties and Ted's at his office doing some work for me."

"The Tonkses don't own any house elves who are likely to dob you in?"

"Oh," replied a suddenly dejected Lord Black.

Harry face-palming himself set Hermione's giggles off.

"Hey!" whined Sirius.

The same auror seemed to take pity of the recent 'escapee' from Azkaban and explained, "Don't worry about it too much, Lord Black. Your godson seems to have this innate ability to see what everyone else is missing. And, by that, I don't mean things hidden by magic. I mean he sees answers to problems no one else has thought of and problems where no one thought one existed.