43

CHAPTER FORTY THREE:

"Wonderful," Harry said with hidden relief as the forensics team reported that the body was definitely that of Voldemort, and that he was also definitely dead. Conjuring a large wooden box, Harry deposited the bodies of Voldemort and his snake within and cast several protective charms on it, ignoring the outcries of the forensics team. "Amelia, is there a safe place this could be left overnight? I don't want to just leave it lying around where anyone can get at it, destroying the evidence now would be a bad move, and I'm sure you don't trust me enough to let me take it with me, despite being the one who killed him in the first place. Also, I absolutely don't want the Department of Mysteries getting their hands on this," he said with a look that told her just how serious he was about that.

The woman gave him a measuring look before dismissing the forensics team. "Where were you thinking of keeping it?" she asked, and he shrugged.

"I was going to put it in the Chamber of Secrets – since only Harry and I can get in there, it seems the safest place."

Amelia blinked. "Ah, there are two Harry Potter's now?"

"Yep," Harry grinned. "Though as I said, I'm a Black now as well, since my godfather named me as his heir in his will."

The look Amelia gave him revealed just how much she wanted to ask for details, but she stayed on topic. "That seems a good place to keep it, but I will have to question you under Veritaserum before I let you take it."

Harry sighed and looked over at Severus. "And here I had hoped that it wouldn't be another late night."

"A foolish hope to have entertained," Severus replied blandly, and Harry laughed.

"I guess so. Alright, Amelia, let's go have a talk somewhere. It's probably best if we get you up to date and discuss some things before moving on to the Veritaserum – unless you'd prefer to get the Veritaserum out of the way first? Whichever way, it's probably best if we went somewhere else. Your place or mine?" he winked, and saw that she had to smother a smile at that.

"Mine," she replied drily. "I will have to side-along apparate you."

"Understood," Harry said, shrinking the wooden box and tucking it in his pocket before placing his hand on her shoulder, a gesture that Severus repeated on her other side. She hid it well, but Harry could tell that she was uncomfortable with their proximity and quickly apparated them away.

"Ugh, I still hate side-along apparition," Harry groaned as he stumbled away from Amelia.

"Potters," Severus smirked.

"Shut up, you," Harry replied good-naturedly as he regained his bearings. "Did Dad also have problems with side-along apparition?"

"Black had the misfortune of being barfed on at the apparition test," came the smug answer, and Harry laughed despite himself.

"At least I'm not that bad!"

"This way, gentlemen," Amelia interrupted them, and the two men exchanged grins as they followed her into one of the sitting rooms of Bones Manor.

"So, Veritaserum first or explanations?" Harry asked as he threw himself into an armchair. Severus sank into another armchair far more gracefully than he.

"Veritaserum," Amelia answered promptly. "I would prefer to be sure that I can trust your explanations."

"I have a vial on me," Severus offered, "but no counter-potion."

"That's not a problem; I have both Veritaserum and the counter on hand," the Head of the DMLE replied, pulling two vials out of a pocket. Severus merely nodded and leaned back.

"Who first, then?" Harry asked cheerfully, and Amelia gave him a measuring look.

"Let's have you go first, shall we?"

"Sure," he replied, and opened his mouth for the three drops of potion. He trusted Amelia, but more than that, he trusted Severus to keep him safe while under the effects of the Veritaserum.

"Very well," Amelia sat down and charmed a quill to record the questions, but was interrupted by the other man.

"I would ask that you not keep a record of this; we are not criminals being questioned. That we offered to speak under Veritaserum is a gesture of goodwill, not of subordination." The Potions Master's dark gaze was perfectly level, and she had to wonder whether he truly was a spy – for in that moment he certainly seemed like a Death Eater to her.

"Very well," she conceded eventually, and put away the quill and parchment. "May I begin?"

The man simply inclined his head, and she hid her irritation. "What is your full name?" she asked the other man, who looked to be under the effects of the potion.

"Harry James Potter-Black," he replied in an even tone – not quite as toneless as most wizards, but Amelia had interviewed enough to notice the faint undertone that showed that the potion was working.

"Age?"

"Twenty one." Younger than she had thought; he seemed several years older...

"Posts?"

The Potions Master interrupted her before Potter-Black could answer the question. "Current or past?" he asked, and her eyebrows rose.

"Past posts?" she asked, curious, and tried not to gape at the answer she received.

"Leader of the Defense Association, Leader of the Order of the Phoenix, Hogwarts Headmaster," came the even answer. The first two she could perhaps understand, but Hogwarts Headmaster at such a young age? She would have called him a liar were he not under the effects of the truth potion.

"What is the Defense Association?" She had never heard of it before.

"The DA is a group of students that I taught Defense Against the Dark Arts in my fifth year."

"Ah, a club," she nodded; for a moment she had feared that there was yet another vigilante group in Britain. "Current posts?" Best to make sure, after all.

"Leader of the Order of the Phoenix."

"Are you a time traveler?"

"Yes."

"Why did you travel back in time?"

"A spell from Voldemort sent me back," came the surprising answer.

"You did not intend to travel through time?"

"No."

"What spell was this?"

"I don't know its' name."

"Its' effect?"

"To slowly liquefy one's brain." Amelia grimaced despite herself.

"You were hit by that spell and thrown back in time?" It sounded too fantastic to be true.

"Yes."

"On what day did you reappear?"

"Friday the 23rd of February."

"Of this year?"

"Yes."

"What have you been doing since then?"

"Working towards Voldemort's death," came the smooth answer, and Amelia wondered, not for the first time, how much one could influence the answers one gives under Veritaserum.

"In what ways?"

"Taking charge of the Order, destroying his Horcruxes, taking out his Death Eaters, and killing him."

Amelia's eyebrows rose. "Explain what you mean by 'taking out his Death Eaters'."

"Killing or incarcerating."

"Have you killed any of them?"

Once again the Potions Master intervened. "In his past or in this present?"

"Have you killed any Death Eaters since returning to this time," Amelia clarified, wondering how many the man had killed in the future if his companion had to have her clarify the question. And how much Snape knew about Potter-Black's past.

"Yes."

"Which?"

Another interruption: "You will have to clarify whether personally or through his actions as the head of the Order."

"Which Death Eaters have you personally killed since returning to this time?" she couldn't hide the faint note of impatience to her tone.

"Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange." She sucked in a breath. He had killed Lucius Malfoy? That would explain why she hadn't seen him around the Ministry. And Bellatrix Lestrange?

"Where was she?"

"Lestrange Manor."

Amelia grimaced – she had argued for taking a group of Aurors to the houses of the Death Eaters who had broken out of Azkaban, but Fudge hadn't allowed it.

"Which Death Eaters have died in this time as a direct result of your actions as leader to the Order of the Phoenix?"

"Nott, Carrow, Jugson, Dolohov, Avery, Lestrange, Lestrange, and Lestrange."

"Damnit!" Snape swore, and she turned to stare at him. "Harry, we forgot Pettigrew!"

"Peter Pettigrew? He's alive?"

"Yes," Snape and Potter-Black answered together.

"He's a Death Eater?"

"Yes," came the single voice of Potter-Black; apparently Snape had decided that since he was the one under Veritaserum, she would only heed his answer anyway.

"Then Sirius Black is innocent of the crimes he was incarcerated for?"

"Yes."

Amelia covered her face with her hands. "I'm going to kill whoever fucked that up."

"Too late; Lucius is already dead," Snape said drily, and she raised her head with a scowl.

"Where is he?"

"Lucius or Black?" Snape raised an eyebrow, and she nearly growled.

"Sirius, of course!"

"Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix," Potter-Black replied, and she let out a long breath. He was safe.

"Does he need to see a mind healer?" she asked then, somewhat afraid of the answer. Few knew it, but they had been engaged before he went to Azkaban.

Snape sneered, "Yes," at the same time as Potter-Black replied, "Maybe."

"What reassuring answers," she said drily, pulling herself together again. "Back to business. You killed You-Know-Who earlier today?"

"Yes."

"There were no other casualties?"

"His snake, Nagini."

Amelia waved a hand at that. Why would she care about a snake? "Earlier you mentioned whores. Why?"

"Hocruxes," Snape said with no little amount of amusement in his tone. "Soul containers. The Dark Lord created several of them, binding him to this plane, but also rendering him less than human."

Amelia shuddered, forgetting all about her embarrassment and irritation at his mirth. "Merlin. They have all been destroyed?"

"Yes."

"Thank Merlin," she said fervently, and Snape smirked.

"No, thank Harry."

Amelia scowled at him, but did thank the young man in front of her.

"You're welcome," Potter-Black answered, and she narrowed her eyes at him. He shouldn't be able to say that under Veritaserum – right?

"Do you have any other questions for him?" Snape interrupted her thoughts, and she eyed him for a moment.

"One or two more, yes. Harry Potter-Black, what are your plans for the future?"

"To ensure lasting peace in Great Britain by cleaning out the Ministry, and provide a better education for the new generation through an improved Hogwarts."

"In what capacity do you plan on seeing through these changes?" They sounded like admirable goals, but she wasn't sure how she felt about this man as Minister of Magic…

"As an advisor behind the scenes, a Wizengamot member and a friend to people who can bring about positive change."

"Which people, for example?"

"Minerva McGonagall as Hogwarts Headmistress, Augusta Longbottom on the Hogwarts Board of Governors, Kingsley Shacklebolt as Head of the DMLE," my position? "and Amelia Bones as Minister of Magic."

Amelia was momentarily dumbfounded. This time traveler, who was Head of two old Pureblood houses, leader of the Order of the Phoenix and former Hogwarts Headmaster, Boy Who Lived and defeater of You-Know-Who, a man who could easily attain any role he wished in their society, wanted her as Minister of Magic?

"Why should I accept the post of Minister of Magic?" For she had no doubt that if this man were to suggest it to the public, she would be moving into the office the very next day.

"You are exactly what the country needs: A strong, unbiased woman, open to change but knowing the limits, a sympathetic character and yet a leader that this country desperately needs after Fudge's incompetence. A woman who doesn't care about popularity ratings and who doesn't accept bribes, but focuses only on the important goals. If you refused to run for the post I would feel there was no other option than to become Minister of Magic myself."

"Why do you not want to be Minister?"

"I just want a long, long vacation. I have been a leading figure in the war against Voldemort since before I was even born, and once I know Britain to be in good hands and on the way to a peaceful, healthy society, I just want to see the world."

Amelia could feel her face soften at the young man's words, knowing the truth of them. Harry Potter had always been in the center of everything, and she for one would not begrudge him the vacation he longed for. I suppose I'll have to seriously consider being Minister of Magic, she thought wryly.

"Thank you very much, Lord Potter-Black," she said, deciding that she had asked about everything she needed to know for the time being. Rising and tilting Potter-Black's head back, she dripped the counter-potion into his mouth. Once he was lucid she turned to the Potions Master. "Your turn?"