Chapter 35 A Few Happenings

Harry's POV

Remus, and Harry quietly walked up to the Entrance Hall, where the older man gave his soft good-bye, and left. The teen stared after him, and wondered what his problem was, it was as if the man was on autopilot. The werewolf seemed to blank out after they left the Ward Room and hadn't regained any real thought since. The boy hero wasn't sure what to think, so he brushed it off as unimportant, and turned to go eat. As he was making his way to the Great Hall, he was stopped by Draco Malfoy.

"Potter," the Slytherin sneered, looking down his nose at the non-champion, "are dragons too much for you? Are you so pathetic that you had to embarrass the school by being showed up by a Hufflepuff?" the boy taunted, making his 'friends' laugh.

"Papa's Little Bitch Boy, I thought I explained it quite clearly that I want you to leave me alone," Harry stated with a tilting of his head. He wondered what the new wards would do. It was all about intent. If they were just set on harassing someone then they would be subtle, like guide them away from the area. Stealing or meaning harm would make things interesting. He was going to have to warn McGonagall about them, since she was the only person in charge now. She could deal with the Headbastard, if he came back.

"I always knew you were a weak wizard, and now after your deplorable exhibition we know the truth. You couldn't handle the task, so you ran like the crybaby you are," the blond teen stated. Now that he had seen Potter acting like a coward, he had no qualms about picking on him. "You made Hogwarts look bad, so we're going to teach you a lesson in humility," Draco said, jerking his head to Crabbe and Goyle. The two bruisers moved, but before they even took two steps towards Harry, they were stopped.

There was a great flash of light, and when it dissipated, all three boys were standing in the Entrance Hall sans clothes. Each were dressed in a barrel that had words written across them. Crabbe's green barrel stated that he was a brainless monkey, while Goyle's yellow one said he was mindless fool. Draco's pink attire had the words 'Bully, and Wuss' written on it many, many times, in bright glowing, and flashing colors. It was like magic wanted to make sure that the blond Slytherin was well known as a tormenter, and that his two cohorts were just minions.

Harry sputtered, and then bent forward in full-blown laughter, bracing his hands on his knees to keep from falling to the ground. He had no idea how long it would last, but this was great. The noise he was making brought others from the Great Hall, and soon the three bullies were surrounded by students from all three schools. Great bouts of laugher, and finger pointing were going on. The three boys were turning red at the ridicule. They had tried to leave, but their bare feet were stuck fast. They floundered with their arms, trying not to land on their bums.

Greg looked down into the barrel, and realized that if he were to fall, he would be giving everyone a free show, so he stood still. His larger friend seemed to comprehend the same thing and followed suit. Draco, on the other hand, landed on his back, and everyone there got to see his willy. Girls were giving him catcalls and whistling at the embarrassed boy. There were many comments on size, making the blond teen blush all over his body. A seventh year Slytherin helped him up, glaring at the offenders.

"Well, Draco," our hero snorted, "it looks like the castle doesn't agree with you. Now everyone knows you are nothing but a bully, and a wuss. Not that they didn't know that before, but this confirms it for many. Talk about me embarrassing the school. Well, I hope you enjoy your time on display," he snickered as he walked away, giving them a jaunty backwards wave as he made his way through the crowd. He had to wonder about anti-bullying wards that bullied. Then he realized that the wards were set up in a time that it was common to put people in 'stocks'. Maybe the Founders thought it was a good idea to embarrass those that antagonized.

As he pondered the consequences of reactivating the wards, his alarm went off, and he was instantly on alert. He wasn't going to get caught flatfooted again. His map showed a lot of people, adults included. So, he twirled around to see who was barreling towards him, his hand at the ready to retaliate.

"Mr. Potter, undo this right now," came the demanding voice of the temporary Headmistress as she bustled to the stuck boys. She waved her wand, and attempted to fix them, but nothing she did would release the three boys. She turned, and all but snarled at the teen who was looking at her with disdain, and anger.

Harry just glared at the woman he was growing to hate. She was almost as bad as the Headbastard. She had kidnapped him once, and was party to keeping him prisoner here. Oh, yeah it was his own good, so she claimed. Still, she was just as culpable as the old man. He wondered if he should get her arrested too. Right now, he had to deal with this. "You know, McGonagall, you keep accusing me of things that you have no proof I did. Have you always done this? Or does me being without memory give you just cause to make me look like a deviant?" the amnesiac questioned. He had wondered this since the first confrontation he had with the woman.

"You have always been one to flaunt the rules. Being out after curfew, going places where you should not go, and getting into trouble at every turn. So, yes, I have 'just cause'," she snapped, not liking that he questioned her integrity.

"Yeah, but you see, I don't remember those things, so you, as a professor, and someone in charge, should've helped me to be a better person, instead of berating me at every turn. With all your chastisements, and such, I now have very little respect for you," Harry countered. He never liked her holier than thou attitude. It grated on his nerves how she thought herself superior to almost everyone. Well, that is how he saw it since he was brought here, by her.

"I have seen nothing to indicate that you are in anyway not a rule-breaker. You are always on the scene of any commotion," she argued, looking over her glasses at the unruly teen.

"And I've been cleared every time," he pointed out, making her huff and grumble that he just hadn't been caught. "One would think that you'd learn your lesson after so many times of being proven wrong. For your information, it's the refreshed anti-bullying wards. So, if you must blame someone for this, blame Hogwarts. It was her doing," Harry snapped, and then pointedly turned his back on her, not giving her the satisfaction that her constant harassment was getting on his nerves.

"I have never heard of these wards," she sniffed in disbelief.

"That's because you've had arseholes for headmasters," the teen called blithely over his shoulder.

"Fifty points from Gryffindor, for your disrespect," McGonagall yelled after him.

"One hundred points to me for having to put up with your bullshit and accusations," he shouted back, not even looking in her direction. He headed into the Hall and straight for his friends. He then sat and started serving himself dinner.

The jewels in the glass reflected both of their commands, making the professors very concerned that the boy wonder had such power. 'Would he abuse it?' they all thought.

Harry didn't notice, or care, what the hourglasses depicted. He had only said it to get up McGonagall's nose. In his mind he wasn't even a student of this school. Like he had told Snape, he considered himself a paying guest. Now, with the wards at full throttle, he was safer here than he had been in the past. This was as good a place as any to set up base. That and he had his friends here. They, besides Sirius, were the only people he knew.

"Harry, how did you give yourself points?" Hermione asked, turning from where she was staring at the counter.

The wizard in question finally looked up and saw what he had done. He shrugged his shoulder, and said, "Magic.", and with that, commenced to eating his roast beef.

"That isn't an answer," the bushy-haired witch snarled.

"It's the only one you're going to get," was the response.

Hermione harrumphed, and fell silent, knowing that he wouldn't say anymore. The group talked about non-essential things as they finished their meal. Mostly, because of what they were hearing in the gossip mill, which was running wild about the wards, Draco's punishment, and the confrontation that Harry just had. They all silently agreed that they would hold off discussing this morning's events until they were somewhere private.

The rest of the students, and guests, were all conversing —read gossiping– about what had happened in the arena, and just now. The school was divided, they all believed that Harry didn't enter his name, but some thought he was a coward, while others were of the opinion that he did the right thing. Then there were the memories, the arrests, and the imposter who had lost his magic. There were many debates going on, and many didn't bother lowering their voices.

Remus' POV

Remus came from the tunnel in deep thought. He was awed at what he just witnessed, and given everything else he had seen, and heard today, he was in a state of shock. He never would've guessed that little Harry would have ever been the powerhouse he just observed. He knew that charging wards was dangerous and draining. If not done right, one could die from magical exhaustion, but the boy shook it off like it was nothing. He wasn't even tired. 'How did he get so strong? Where did he learn it from? What happened while I was laying low?' were the thoughts running around his head.

"What's got you so unfocused?" Sirius asked from where he still sat. He waved his friend to sit opposite of him. While Remus had been in the castle, he had called Winky, and asked her to cook dinner for the two of them. It was on the coffee table ready to be eaten. The smell of Shepard's pie filled the air, and the dogman couldn't wait to dig his teeth in.

The greying-haired man shook himself, blinked, looked around, and noticed that he had made it back to Sirius' hiding place. "Oh, well, I know you said Harry was powerful, but I just saw him recharge the wards of Hogwarts. Alone. Without a wand. And it didn't drain him," the werewolf explained as he mechanically served himself some dinner. "Not even Albus can do that."

"I told you," was all Sirius said as he too dished up some of the meal.

"I know, but I am having a very hard time connecting the Harry I taught last year to the one I just left," Remus said, shaking his head at the great difference. "Do you know what changed?"

"It's his amnesia," Black answered smugly.

"What do you mean?"

"Luna got ahold of him before any of the teachers. She told him that he could to anything he wanted. He believed her, and has been doing it since," he answered with a casual shrug.

"And you say you learned some of this?"

"Only bits and pieces. I can to a few things, and I'm trying more each day. However, I have years of training to overcome." He put his plate down and went to the bookcase on the wall, waved his stolen wand and took down the wards that were on one book. Taking it down, he returned to his chair. "Here's the book he lent me. Be very careful. It's old, and written by Merlin," Sirius warned, gently giving the tome to his friend. He knew that Remus would treat it well, bookworm that he was. That, and it wouldn't leave this house.

The other man took it reverently and read the cover. He noted that it was indeed old, and priceless. He had heard rumor that Lily had found some rare volumes before she died, but she had been very tightlipped about what she was doing in Gringotts. Now he had an inkling. She was hording books. He turned the page gently and started to read. His dinner forgotten on the table.

Sirius knew his friend was lost in the book, so he snatched the man's uneaten dinner, and finished it off. He then got another book and joined Remus in a quiet night of reading.

Amelia's POV

Amelia had had a long day. She finished questioning the three men, and then was reminded by Shacklebolt that Mad-eye Moody had been left behind. That made her pissed at herself that she had forgotten such an important witness. She brushed it off as stress and made her way to Hogwarts. As she entered the gates, there was a tingling sensation down her spine. She felt like the wards were reading her. She hadn't felt that since she was in school, and even then, they hadn't been this strong. She wondered what happened but felt questioning Alastor was a bit more important. She went up the stairs, and soon entered the Hospital Wing. "Poppy," she called, going to the only occupied bed.

The nurse came out of her office and went to where Bones was standing. "I don't like what you're about to ask," she stated as fact.

"Nevertheless, I need to ask him a few things. I won't be long. So, if you could just revive him," the head of the DMLE requested as she conjured a chair next to the bed. She set up her pad, and pen, and waited for Poppy to wake the man.

Madam Pomfrey did as asked, and then went back her office in a huff.

"Alastor," Amelia said when the man on the bed came around. "I needed to ask you a few questions."

"It's about time you got here, Amelia," the injured man snarled as he looked at her with his one good eye. "I thought I trained you better than that."

"I know, I'm sorry. With Dumbledore being arrested, you got lost in the shuffle. However, now I'm here. So, let's get this over with so you can recuperate. Tell me how you got captured," she started, making sure the pen was writing it all down.

"It was late at night, I heard a noise, and when to investigate. There were two men, one was Crouch Jr., which you can imagine caught me off guard since he's supposed to be dead. We fought for a bit, and the other man got me from behind. I didn't see him until it was too late. He was an Animagus. A rat. They got me good," Alastor groaned at his defeat. He had never been caught so unaware before, and he was embarrassed. Oh well, he'd get over it, and make sure it didn't happen again. Constant Vigilance.

"Do you have any idea how Junior could impersonate you so well?" she asked. It had been bugging her that the imposter pulled the wool over everyone's eyes.

"He took my memories. I was given a potion that rendered me confused. All I remember was that for the first three days of my capture he asked questions. Like my favorite color, food and drink; who was my best friend; what my childhood was like and that kind of stuff. Then he pulled memory after memory and added them to his own head. The man was a lunatic. If he wasn't before, he would've been after he pulled that fool stunt," the retired Auror growled. Everyone knew you didn't place other people's memories into your own head. It would drive any sane person around the bend. The mind just couldn't deal with two sets of memories.

Bones gasped but conceded that Jr. was mad. That, and it did explain how no one knew. "Right, how long were you held hostage?"

"It was a week before I had to come here. But the rest is blurry. Like I said, I was given a potion to keep me compliant."

"Okay, Alastor, that's all I have. Go back to sleep," the woman said, getting up, and storing her pad in her briefcase. "Poppy, I'm done," she called to the office.

Madam Pomfrey came out with a sleeping potion in hand. "Now, Alastor, I don't want any of your gruff. You'll take your potion and be happy about it," she said rearing up for a fight. The man had been a very impatient patient. But she was made of firmer stuff.

"I can't believe you're leaving me here," the grumpy man stated as he glared at the nurse. He had hoped that his friend would spring him. He could heal up just fine at home.

"You need the care," was the breezy answer as Amelia left the room. She didn't want to listen to the argument that she knew was about to happen. When she got to the mostly empty Entrance Hall, she was stopped by Mr. Potter and his friends. "What can I do for you today?" she asked a bit warily. It was because of this boy that her day had been so long and frustrating. What could he possibly want now?

"I was wondering if you could ask Dumbledore about the wards. See I was just down there and noted that they were being drained. I don't know where, but I find it hard to believe that that man didn't know. So, could you ask him for me… please?" Harry said, trying to be polite.

"I will do that when I return to the office," she stated with a nod, thinking that if the Headmaster did know then that would be one more charge against him.

"Thanks," was the almost curt reply as the teens headed to their dorm.

She sent them a glare for the rudeness, until she heard the Granger girl reprimand him. She then made her way back to the Ministry.

Harry's POV

"I wonder when Malfoy got free?" Neville asked, looking at Harry for the answer.

"Must've been while we were eating," he said with a shrug. He didn't care what happened to the blond, as long as the teen left him alone. He was just glad the wards worked.

They continued along, until they got to where Luna parted. Before she left she turned, and gave Harry a huge hug, and a gentle kiss on the lips. "Thanks for not dying," she said as she patted his cheek. She had been so worried when he didn't appear in the stands.

"You're welcome," he answered with a brilliant smile.

The little blonde then turned and skipped down the hall. When she was out of sight, the Gryffindors made their way to the tower, talking softly about the events of the day. They didn't go into detail, but they all expressed that they were glad that Harry wasn't hurt. When they got into the common room, the dark-haired wizard was confronted with an abashed looking redhead.

"I wanted to say that I'm sorry for not believing you. After that fake Moody started screaming, I knew I'd been wrong. So, friends?" Ron asked, holding his hand out as if to shake Harry's.

The other teen scoffed, "Friends? Not bloody likely. You have been on my arse since I came back. You took my stuff in the guise of 'holding it', but even your own brothers say you had every intent on keeping it if I never came back. You've ridiculed me and my friends, taunted me at every turn, and you set a Boggart on me. Why the fuck should I be 'friends' with you?" Harry sneered, looking at the hand as if it were radioactive.

"Oh yeah, well the shite you've done to me is just as bad," Ron snapped back, dropping his hand, and snarling at his former mate.

"Everything I did to you was in retaliation for something you did, or were doing, to me and my friends," the amnesiac growled, giving the redhead a shove.

"Woah, wait a minute," Fred said, holding his brother back.

"Yeah, words are one thing," George stated, pulling Harry away.

"But no touching," they both said as they held on to the two boys.

"Fine," Harry snarled as he jerked his arm out of the taller boy's grip. "Keep that fucker away from me, and I'll keep my hands to myself." And with that he stomped up the stairs, and the whole tower heard his door slam. It had been a terrible day for him, and the last thing he needed was to deal with one more idiot. He fell on the bed with every intent of going asleep when he received a call for him to come to the bridge. He groaned and went into his head.

Amelia's POV

Amelia made her way to Albus' cell. She looked through the bars and wondered why the man hadn't called his phoenix. Shaking her head at the thought, she asked, "Dumbledore, it has been brought to my attention that you might have known the wards of Hogwarts were being drained. Is there any truth to that?"

The old man started at the question but felt that it was one he could answer. After all he didn't attach the leech. "Alas, the wards were quite weakened when I became Headmaster. I tried to strengthen them, however, I am but one man. They were further enfeebled via young Tom Riddle, who you know as Voldemort. When he came to me about the Defense Against the Dark Arts position, he cursed it. He connected that curse to the wards, so it maintained itself even after all these years. It was when he was possessing poor Quirinus that he drained them further. He wanted to make sure the curse would keep the position open for when he finally concurred the Wizarding World."

"And you knew about this?"

"Of course, my dear. There is nothing that goes on in Hogwarts that I do not know about," he answered serenely.

"Why didn't you stop the drain? You must have known that it would leave the school vulnerable," she all but bit out. Her niece went there, and it was always exulted as the safest place in Magical Britain.

"I needed Voldemort to be able to infiltrate the school, so that I could keep an eye on him," Albus stated, waving away the fact that he left the children unprotected. He, Albus Dumbledore, had been there, after all. There was little he could not handle.

"Argh!" Amelia shouted, turning, and stomping away from the delusional man. It had been too long of a day for her to deal with him anymore.