HPWW41-50
Chapter 041
Looking around the various tables and mentally going over plans on who he needed to speak to and in what order, Harry never noticed his best friend's face suddenly turn scarlet in embarrassment and look away, thinking about her future.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
After Harry assisted Neville in writing his letter to his Gran, the Regent of the House of Longbottom, Harry then discussed with the other boy who else he needed to approach about not providing assistance to him
when it was obvious he needed it right from the first day of first year.
"I know you've spoken with Regent Bones, Harry," said the other boy, "But have you spoken with Susan, Heiress Bones, about her own lack of action? I mean, she's one of those who've been wearing one of those badges."
Harry gave a bit of grunt and replied, "Not yet. She's also one of the ones who bad-mouthed me during that whole Heir of Slytherin thing in second year."
"When she was twelve, Harry," argued Neville. "Do you really want to hold her to blame for that?"
"But, you're suggesting I hold her to blame for this year when she's fourteen?" he argued right back.
"Yes," Neville firmly and immediately replied. "At twelve we're still pre-teens and it's between four and five years before we take up our Headships if our
father's are dead or... otherwise indisposed. At fourteen it's half that.
"In a little over two years Susan will be the Head of the House of Bones. I cannot see her aunt not educating her, as I was, in what would be required of her."
Harry thought about that for a long moment before he asked, "Do I have a right to talk to her about it?"
Confused, Neville asked back, "What do you mean?"
"Well, I know the Houses of Potter and Longbottom are in alliance, but I don't know about the rest."
Neville looked in dawning shock and asked, "You really don't know, do you?"
Harry frowned back and snapped, "I wouldn't have bloody asked if I didn't."
A little sheepish Neville replied, "No... no, you
wouldn't have. Sorry." And sighed. "Then I shall explain."
"Please," said Harry.
"The Potter-Longbottom Alliance is called that, but that's because our two families formed it and lead it. It's also called that because our two families are the most powerful, as both Houses are Noble and Most Ancient.
"However, there are a number of lesser powerful Houses who have joined in. Those are the Noble and Ancient Houses of Pones, Greengrass, MacMillan, Marchbanks and Ogden; and the Ancient Houses of Abbott and Davis. There's more, but they're even further down than the Ancient Houses. The only ones who do not currently have a representative on the Wizengamot is Abbott and Davis. And I haven't included some even lesser families who have asked for 'membership' because they really don't bring much to the table.
"In Hogwarts, especially in our year, are the Heirs and Heiresses of most of those Houses. They are: Daphne Greengrass, Earnie MacMillan, Hannah Abbott, Sue Bones and Tracey Davis; not including you and me. The Heirs for Marchbanks and Ogden are grown and already graduated.
"Does that help?"
Harry thought about that for a few minutes before he asked, "And have you approached those other Heirs and Heiresses and asked why, for the past month, they've been hanging shit on me?"
"They haven't, Harry," replied Neville. "Sue and Hannah both did not know those disgusting badges would change to saying 'Potter Stinks' when you came close to them, or on command from Malfoy. They both thought they were just supporting Cedric. As soon as both found out what those badges said in full, they immediately removed them.
"Neither Daphne nor Tracey wore them right from the start, because both thought them gauche. But it did take me a while to get Ernie to remove his. It wasn't until I pulled rank as a part of the Alliance before he complied. And he was pretty unhappy I did that."
"Hmmm," mused Harry. "Do I need to go and talk to them? To repri―"
Cutting him off, the other boy quite firmly replied, "Now that you've officially recognised the alliance, you definitely should; if for no other reason than to let them know you're now aware of it, at least.
"I also think you need to lay down the law with them all. That way, we're both now doing that. I still get treated like the supposed squib most thought I was. However, together, they'll have no choice but to knuckle under."
"The only reason you keep being referred to as a
bloody squib is because you're using your father's wand!" Harry snapped. "If you had a wand that was properly attuned to you, you wouldn't be having so many bloody problems!"
As Neville gaped back at him, Harry gave a nod and said, "Now that we've written your Regent, we'll do just that... talk to the other heirs, I mean.
"Oh, and the issue with your wand is yet another thing that's annoying me about your grandmother. I take it she's the one who pretty much ordered you to use it?"
Neville, still a little stunned at Harry's remarks, simply nodded back wide-eyed.
"Then, that will be fixed with all due haste," Harry growled.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
Harry was just going to approach each of the other heirs in the Potter-Longbottom Alliance and demand their presence in a vacant classroom. However, Neville said it needed to be done the 'right' way; and that was to send them each an owl with a formal notice demanding their attendance at a specific time and place.
So, now that the letter to Regent Longbottom had been sent using Hedwig, the two wrote the demand letters for Daphne Greengrass, Earnest MacMillan, Susan Bones, Hannah Abbott and Tracey Davis under their titles of 'Heir(ess) of'. Each heir was required to meet the two of them in the antechamber off the Entrance Hall, where they'd all first congregated the night of their sorting.
Because the mail was internal and he didn't want it delivered in the Great Hall by the owls anyway, nor wanted it to wait the full day, the others all received their summonses by 'house elf express'.
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Chapter 042
The meeting was set for that very afternoon, immediately prior to the evening meal.
Harry also called on Dobby to provide a table with seven chairs to be set up in the room just before the time of the meeting. And the two boys, plus Harry's auror detail, were in the room and waiting as the first of the others arrived.
Harry and Neville both remained in their seats with Harry's auror detail standing up against the back wall and sufficiently well apart they could not be taken out by one curse or hex.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
The first in through the door was Earnie MacMillan, accompanied by both Sue Bones and Hannah Abbott.
As soon as he stepped within, not even holding the door for the two ladies first, MacMillan snarled, "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing, Potter?!"
Ignoring the question, even the rudeness of it, Harry firmly ordered, "Take a seat, MacMillan."
"But, before you do that," said Neville. "Perhaps you should think about holding a chair for the ladies, first."
MacMillan ignored the verbal jab and order and snapped back, "I don't have to do anything either of you tell me to."
"Very well," said Harry, still with a calm voice but with his eyes reflecting his anger. "I shall be writing your Lord immediately on the conclusion of this meeting and informing him that the House of MacMillan is hereby excommunicated from the Potter-Longbottom Alliance due to his heir... you... being a rude and obnoxious self-aggrandising little prick to both Potter and Longbottom."
Harry gave that a moment to 'sink in' before he then snapped, "Now, get out! This is a meeting of the heirs of the Potter-Longbottom Alliance, who currently attend this school. And you no longer meet that condition."
MacMillan stood there gaping back in horrified shock. "You... you can't do that!"
Both Bones and Abbott, who were standing right behind MacMillan, where also staring back at Harry in shock.
"I might only be fourteen years old, MacMillan," growled Harry. "But, that does not mean I am not the Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter; and, as such, one of the two people who head this alliance. The other, Frank Longbottom, is currently indisposed; and as such cannot rule against me. Therefore, whatever decision I make regarding membership of the alliance is absolute.
"So, for the final time, get out! And don't let the door hit you on the arse on the way out. You are no longer welcome here."
"You can't!" Macmillan pleaded. "My grandfather will likely kill me if you do that! At the very least he'll disown me!"
"Not my problem. You were given opportunity to rectify your behaviour by Heir Longbottom - and failed to do so," Harry snapped before he barked, "Now, GET OUT!"
MacMillan paused for all of five seconds while he and Harry stared at one another, before his face morphed from shock to an expression of combined anger and fear. Then he spun on his heel and stormed out the door just as Greengrass and Davis entered. He was even rude enough to knock Davis slightly aside as he exited.
"What was that about?" asked Davis.
"Because of the very recent rude behaviour of Heir MacMillan towards Lord Potter and Heir Longbottom," explained a slightly awed Neville, "Harry... sorry, Lord Potter, Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter... just excommunicated House MacMillan from the alliance."
Both Davis and Greengrass also gave expressions of surprise. However, Greengrass's expression, due to her clear use of Occlumency, was little more than a cocked eyebrow.
"On the conclusion of this meeting I'll be writing to Lord MacMillan, explaining precisely that," explained Harry.
"In the meantime," he added, "Ladies; please sit." And gestured to the chairs around the table.
As Greengrass moved to a seat, along with the other three, she said, "So, the Lion of Gryffindor bares his claws once more. I do believe I'm going to like this Harrison James Potter."
"It's about time, Potter," said Davis.
Harry's expression suddenly changed to guarded and he quietly said, "Please, sit."
None of those there mistook the seeming request as anything but the order it actually was. They all sat and looked back with expressions ranging from angry to uncertain in how to act.
"Alright, Potter," Greengrass eventually said. "You've got us all here. Now what?"
"I want answers," said Harry. "And you people are going to provide them. Plus... be aware... if I believe you're quibbling, being untruthful or I simply do not like the answer I receive, getting your own Houses kicked from the alliance is the least of your worries."
That had them all, except Neville, sit up straighter and focus. Neville knew he'd already passed this 'test'.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
After speaking with the other heirs and getting the answers he wanted, though he was unhappy with many of them, Harry didn't declare any other House excommunicated or similar. Instead, he demanded of them all to recognise they had done him wrong. Then, once they'd formally recognised they had done him
said wrong, demanded of them they inform their Heads of House they provide unconditional support in his endeavours from that moment forward.
However, he did declare that the House of Bones was going a long way towards providing that support through the actions of Regent Bones, Amelia, in her role as Director of the DMLE.
They each now had a far better understanding of just how badly they'd let down the House of Potter. And it was drummed into them they were not to allow it to happen ever again.
It was just as they were about to break up when a house elf popped in, took one look at them all and popped out again.
"Fluxy?" Neville quietly asked the space where the elf had stood for only a few seconds.
Next thing they knew the door was flung open and in
strode a quite irate Madam Augusta Longbottom, Neville's regent.
Neville moaned, "Oh, Merlin!"
"Mister Potter," she practically snarled. "I want a word with you." She then looked to everyone else in the room and barked, "The rest of you can get out. Now."
"Freeze!" Harry instantly barked right back, louder.
That brought the other heirs, except Neville, to an immediately halt when they were practically jumping up ready to run out the door.
Swivelling his gaze back on the Longbottom matriarch, he snarled, "How dare you! We are just finishing up with an important meeting that has taken me quite some time to organise. If you want to have a word with me, you will ask... politely... and wait until I have time for you.
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Chapter 043
"If you cannot wait less than three minutes until the end of this meeting, say so right now; and I'll send formal notice to all the important parties to let them know the Potter-Longbottom Alliance is hereby immediately and irrevocably terminated!"
As the two stared one another down, the others gaped back in shock between the two.
After a long moment that felt, even to Harry, as if an hour had passed while the two stared at one another, Augusta finally 'blinked', threw her nose in the air in a haughty fashion and more quietly said, "I'll wait outside."
Then, not even waiting for Harry to acknowledge her
words, spun on her heel and stormed back out of the room.
As the door closed behind her those remaining, including Harry and Neville, let out a collective sigh of relief.
"Sorry about that," said Harry, a lot quieter this time. "I suggest we meet, once more, one month from today. I'll let everyone know of the time and place once the time approaches."
As the others continued to pack away what few things they had out and began to leave in pairs, Neville was also about to leave when Harry motioned for him to stay.
"You're going to need to remain, I think," said Harry. "I know your grandmother will probably not want you to, but I'm asking you to remain."
Neville gave a slight shudder, but firmed up and
nodded.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
With Susan the last one out, Harry followed her to the door and looked outside.
He saw Madam Longbottom standing in a foul mood and watching the door.
He gestured to her to come in and, without even waiting for her to acknowledge him - let alone hold the door for her - turned and walked back to his seat alongside Neville.
It wasn't until he'd turned away from the door to head back to his seat he saw the two aurors still standing quietly along the wall behind where he'd sat.
He sat down as the woman re-entered the room.
Again, she entered irate.
"Neville," she snapped. "Leave! And the two aurors can leave with you."
"If Neville leaves, so do I," Harry immediately riposted, placing a calming hand on Neville's arm as the other boy almost shot to his feet. "It is obvious this meeting is as much about him as it is about us.
"As for the aurors, they're here at the command of Madam Bones, Director of the DMLE. They're most definitely not going anywhere, no matter how much you bluster about it."
While holding Neville's arm down, he glared back at the woman daring her to countermand him.
After a very long ten-plus seconds of staring, each trying to dominate the other, Madam Longbottom finally sniffed, "I need to speak with you... alone."
"No... you don't," he disagreed right back. "You want to speak with me, alone. You don't need to, at all."
Again she stared back without saying a word. Harry could see she was quite used to this silent intimidation tactic working. The pity for her was it had no effect on him. And he couldn't care less.
Eventually she all but snarled, "I have delicate House business of matters between the Houses of Longbottom and Potter to discuss with you. You don't want other witnesses listening in."
"Do not presume to tell me what I do and do not want, woman!" he snarled back.
That stumped her, as she stood there clearly frustrated and unsure of what to do next.
Finally, she all but snarled back, "You will not be forcing me to relinquish my position of Regent for the House of Longbottom."
"Fine," he simply replied. "Then I shall inform the Heads of Houses for Greengrass, Davis, Abbott, Bones and the others that the long-standing Potter- Longbottom Alliance is terminated. If that was all you came to tell me you could have simply sent me an owl.
"As for you, I'm done with you. As I explained in my letter to you, I consider your actions in blocking Heir Longbottom from rendering me assistance, when he realised I desperately needed it and wanted to give it, as an act of betrayal. As I explained in Neville's letter to you, I have no intention of being part of an alliance where the representative of one of the senior Houses involved could be party to such an action.
"I was well prepared to not terminate the alliance if you recognised your despicable actions for what they were and stepped down. However, as you have stated you won't, then I feel I have no choice left to me but to terminate that alliance.
"Good day, Regent Longbottom. You have my permission to leave now. This audience is at an end and I'm done with you."
The Longbottom grand matriarch stood there quivering in rage and, yes, not a little fear. If it became known, as Harry had intimated, just why he was terminating the alliance, she was done as a political powerhouse.
The other Houses of the alliance would immediately act. The least action of which would be applying significant force towards her to relinquish control of the House of Longbottom to another Regent or directly to Neville through emancipation. She did not know if Harry also knew that, though it was likely he did from his words and actions, so she tried another tack.
A lot calmer and more respectful this time she asked, "If I stand down as Regent will you withhold your announcement?"
"You had your opportunity and you squandered it," he immediately snapped back.
"Harry, please," begged Neville, softly speaking up for the first time since his grandmother entered.
It was clear the other boy was pleading for his House not to be so publicly ridiculed, as would be the result of Harry carrying through on his threat. It was then Harry realised Neville would also be publicly humiliated if he went through with what he said he would do.
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Chapter 044
With his teeth gritted in frustration at his own 'saving
people thing', as Hermione called it, coming to the fore he took a few moments to clamp down on his emotions.
Eventually he growled out, "Fine!" After a quick glance to Neville, he stared back at Augusta and said, "Because Neville tried to do the right thing, even though you blocked him at every opportunity, I give you this one last chance."
When the woman, though her own Occlumency was clearly in use, appeared to sag in relief a little, he again spoke. "However, there are conditions.
"One: You will immediately take Neville to Ollivander's and get him his own wand. His father's wand, which you've been forcing him to use, is ill-suited to him. That is the reason he struggles so much in the wand- based classes. The wand is fighting him. Remember; the wand chooses the wizard, or witch. You have apparently forgotten that.
"Two: You will render all assistance to Amelia Bones in her efforts to see Albus Dumbledore and his lackeys convicted of the crimes she has filed against them concerning me - plus that fumbling fool, Fudge, and Barty Crap Senior. You will use your current and soon to be no longer authority as Regent Longbottom to force the Lords and Ladies of the Potter- Longbottom Alliance to also support and aid her in her efforts.
"And, three: You will then step down as Regent. I don't care what excuses you use to do so. I don't even care if you announce I forced you to do it. But, you will do it.
"I grant you this extra opportunity to head off me terminating the alliance only because your grandson, and rightful Lord Apparent of your House, has begged me to. Even with that, this is your last chance. So, am I clear and will you comply?"
She stared back for a long few moments until she
seemed to reach a decision. Then she slowly, but barely, gave a single nod back. Her eyes never left his.
"I will have your verbal acquiescence," he growled.
Her eyes flashed with anger for a flicker before she hissed, "Yessss... Lord Potter."
"Good," he snapped. "Your verbal acceptance of my demands is noted. In that case and based on your acceptance of my demands, as long as you're complying and continue to comply, I'll withhold informing the other Houses I'm terminating the alliance."
Snapping his gaze away from hers he turned to Neville and said, "I'll see you this evening, Neville. Your grandmother is taking you to Ollivander's to get you a properly matched wand right now. Something she bloody well should have done before your first year."
Harry heard the other boy sigh in relief before he,
Neville, then turned and stood.
"Grandmother," he said, brushing down his robes. "Shall we go?"
After the two Longbottoms left the room, one of the two until now silent aurors behind Harry let out a clear breath of relief.
Without even turning to see which of the two it was, as it really didn't matter to him, Harry smirked and said, "That's what happens when you piss off the rightful Lord of a Noble and Most Ancient House."
Standing himself, he glanced to the two aurors and said, "Alright, you two, I think it's time for dinner."
Without waiting for acknowledgement, he simply strode out the door; head held high and with a light smile on his lips.
_ ̳_
―==(oIo)==― ˇ
That evening Neville returned to the Gryffindor common room with an expression of pleased wonder on his face. As soon as he saw Harry, who was also there, he ducked over and wrapped him in a hug.
"Thank you!" he quietly whispered into Harry's ear before backing off and showing his new wand.
In a clearer voice he said, "Cherry wood and unicorn tail hair; twelve inches."
"It works better for you?" asked Harry.
Without replying Neville spun slightly to the left and whipped his wand out to point in the general direction of a couch. "Wingardium Leviosa!" he firmly but still quietly intoned.
Suddenly, one of the throw pillows on that couch shot
up into the air and smacked hard into the ceiling with a 'foomph!' sound. A bare moment later Neville released the charm and the pillow fell back to land with a muffled thud back on the cushion of the couch.
He spun back to grin at Harry.
What the boy didn't see was the expressions of shock on the faces of his housemates. Harry just smirked back, as he wasn't anywhere near as surprised as the other housemates clearly were at his sandy-haired friend's magical power.
"I told you," he smirked. "You have far more power than that wand you were forced to use otherwise demonstrated. It was holding you back, quite significantly."
A little more serious, Neville returned, "Yeah. When I levitated that rickety chair of Ollivander's off the floor, expecting it to only hover a little, it shot up, smashed into the ceiling and broke apart.
"Right then Gran could see that she'd done wrong by me. I could see she was clearly ashamed. She spent the short trip back here profusely apologising."
"So she bloody well should have," Harry firmly nodded. "And more. Now you're going to have to learn to back off on the force you use when pumping your magic to cast a spell."
"Yeah, that's what Ollivander and Gran said," the other boy grinned.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
The next morning Harry checked to see if Dumbledore and/or Snape had returned and discovered they apparently had not. He was pleased with that.
That meant, so far, he'd have another day of being free
of Snape's vitriol and Dumbledore's attempted obliviates and manipulations. He had little faith, yet, of the Wizengamot actually getting it right and putting both men on trial, let alone getting convictions. But, so far, signs were that it was going to happen.
If Snape did return and said one bad word against him, however... well, Harry already knew exactly what he'd be doing in return. He'd 'end' the man in such a way that he couldn't be touched for doing it. He'd use the life debt.
As he sat at breakfast with Neville, with Hermione sitting on the other side still clearly a little unsure how to deal with 'new' Harry, the mail owls came streaming in.
Besides his copy of the Prophet, Harry was unsurprised to see quite a number of owls headed in his direction.
'Ah!' he thought, 'The wizarding public are now
making their collective move.'
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Chapter 045
The auror's expression turned grim and almost thunderous. He gave a firm nod back and pulled out his auror badge. He gave it a tap with his wand and whispered into it before returning it to a pocket within his robes. "I've let her know to make all haste here."
As Harry nodded back, in a clear voice the auror said, "I need everyone to move away from this area. This is now a crime scene." And he and three other aurors moved in to clear everyone away.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Madam Bones turned up in mere minutes accompanied by a team of whom she immediately explained to be 'departmental cursebreakers'.
Harry returned, "I had no idea the DMLE had cursebreakers."
She smiled and said, "People tend to forget the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office is part of my department. We use them there, plus share them with the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes."
As they were talking, the cursebreakers were going over the mail and quietly speaking between themselves as they systematically worked through it all. Eventually, one of them pulled out a floating portable Dicta-quill and parchment pair, activated it and began muttering to it as he worked.
Finally, they appeared done. And the one not working with the Dicta-quill turned to Madam Bones and said, "Five Howlers, one loaded with a modified explosive curse set to activate when the letter was opened and would then spray undiluted bubotuber pus over the hands of the person who opened it, plus a few other minor hexes and curses. Only the second and some others listed would be considered significantly harmful."
Her expression turning irate, Madam Bones snapped back, "I want to know the identity of whoever sent anything that was harmful, even if you don't consider it significant. This was an attack on the Scion and Head of a Noble and Most Ancient House. I want the culprits in my holding cells."
Both cursebreakers, already with grim expressions, turned back to try and identify magical signatures.
A mere couple of seconds later they looked about and said, "Who deactivated these?"
"Neville Longbottom cast a massive Finite over pretty much all of it," replied Harry. "Miss Granger and I did the same with only a couple of them."
"I need to analyse your magical signatures," said the cursebreaker.
"What do you need us to do?" asked Harry.
"Cast a Lumos and hold it," he replied.
Harry immediately did just that. And both cursebreakers then cast their own magics over his wand tip.
"That will do," the first one said. "Who's next?"
"That would be me," replied Hermione, stepping forward.
As Hermione cast her own Lumos Harry called Neville
forward.
Neville stood up straighter and stepped confidently up.
As soon as the cursebreakers were done with Hermione, Neville cast his own Lumos. It lit up bright enough to almost blind everyone.
"Woah, Lad!" exclaimed the other cursebreaker. "Back off on the power a bit, yeah?"
Again Neville blushed a little before he did just that. And his light dimmed a fair bit.
Once the cursebreakers had somehow managed to get the magical signatures of all three, the first said, "Anyone else?"
"No," replied Harry. "I'm pretty sure we were the only three."
The cursebreaker gave a firm nod back and both returned to scanning the mail again.
It took a little while with Madam Bones, the aurors, Harry, Hermione, Neville and pretty much everyone else watching, but the cursebreakers stepped back and lowered their wands. "I think we got it all," said the first one as the second one deactivated the Dicta- quill.
"Good," said Madam Bones.
The second one then dried the ink on the Dicta-quill parchment before rolling it up and handing it to Madam Bones without a word.
"Right," said Bones, once the cursebreakers were clearly done. Gesturing to one of the aurors who had accompanied her, she indicated the pile of mail and instructed her, "Get all this gathered up. It's coming with us."
As the auror stepped forward with wand raised to do just that, Madam Bones turned to Harry again and said, "After we go through it all and remove that which is offensive or charmed, I'll organise for you to have the remainder returned."
"Not a problem," said Harry. "I doubt there's anything in that lot I want, anyway. I didn't recognise any of the owls."
Madam Bones gave a nod back and asked, "While I'm here, has there been any instances of people... whether they be students, staff or anyone else... who've bothered you?"
"Nothing you need to concern yourself about," he replied.
She frowned back and said, "You did not reply with a 'No'."
"The only incident of note was only relating to the
Potter-Longbottom Alliance," he replied. "As such, it's House business. Nothing for you to concern yourself with as Director of the DMLE. Susan can bring you up- to-date with Alliance business when you're not wearing your DMLE robes."
She glanced towards one of her aurors who'd been in the castle on shift before she arrived. Harry didn't see what the auror had to say to her, but she didn't react. When she turned back she said, "Very well. Then I'd best get back to the office. My people and I have work to do relating to that mail."
Before she had a chance to turn away, Harry asked, "Any news you can share with me relating to what I brought to light during the first task?"
She hesitated a moment before she replied, "Not yet, Lord Potter."
"Fair enough," he replied. "Thank you."
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Chapter 046
What began as a 'super-parliament' of various breeds of owls all trying to deliver to him at once, had his housemates either side scrambling out of the way. But, not Neville or Hermione.
Hermione began by sending paralysing charms at each of the owls but was near gobsmacked when Neville, with a firm wave of his wand and a cry of "Stupefy!" knocked them all out. Those still in the air dropped to either the table or the floor on either side almost as one.
While Neville blushed at what had just happened, Hermione stared at him in shock while Harry quietly
chuckled and started levitating the birds off the floor that had landed there and up onto the table. Hermione joined him but Neville decided to stay out of it in case he did more harm than good.
"Nice shot, Nev," Harry smirked after he gave the boy a long few seconds to come to terms with what had happened.
Neville just blushed even harder and looked away. But Harry still saw the hint of a pleased smirk on the boy's face.
Once all the owls were on the table, Harry began releasing them of their loads.
What surprised him - and quite a few others who had also seen them - was that Neville had also managed to paralyse the few Howlers mixed in with the rest of the mail.
Harry set them aside and vanished them.
When each owl was released of its load Hermione began to take it aside, cast a finite on it and allowed it to fly away.
"My God," she exclaimed, after reviving the third bird on the third attempt. "I don't know what Neville did, but it's taking me quite a bit of power to wake these owls up again."
Again Neville looked pleased - embarrassed, but pleased.
"Gods!" Harry muttered after trying his first. "Hermione's right, Nev. You really knocked these out! How about just casting a finite over them all for us, yeah?"
Blushing so much he looked as if he had third degree sunburn, Neville turned back, raised his wand, paused a moment and firmly intoned with a swish of his wand, "Finite!"
The remaining owls suddenly woke and began righting themselves before flying off with indignant hoots, barks and ululas.
"Damn, Nev!" Harry exclaimed. "Remind me to never get you angry with me, if you can wield that much power."
Harry said it loud enough that, since they were being watched by the majority of the Great Hall, a great many people heard the remark. That was deliberate on Harry's part. He wanted as many people to know of Neville's 'new found' power as possible, just to ensure they no longer looked upon him as a squib.
However, that was no longer going to happen anyway. They'd watched him both freeze all the birds with one massive petrification charm, before then waking them all up with one massive Finite.
With all the owls now freed of their loads and sent on
their way, Harry moved to check said loads. He had been surreptitiously casting detection charms on them already, and had found a few that were quite suspect. Now, though, any charms that were on them seemed to have been negated by Neville's cancelling charm. Surprisingly, that included the remaining Howlers he'd not yet vanished.
The few remaining Howlers that were there before the cancelling charm were now reduced to nothing more than ensorcelled parchment. The parchment was still Howler parchment, but it was all now deactivated.
"Be careful," he said, as Hermione reached to start opening them. "We don't know what manners of trickery the senders have included."
They found their first one when he opened one and found it to contain undiluted bubotuber pus. He was just thankful when he'd also discovered the charm that would have had it explode and send bubotuber pus over the person opening it to have been
deactivated.
"Alright, stop!" he immediately commanded, as Hermione reached for the next one. "Some of these appear to have been booby-trapped."
Hermione snatched her hand back away as if she'd been burned and looked at Harry in shock.
He turned to one of the aurors who'd taken station behind him and said, "I think you need to call Madam Bones to come here. As I've just explained to these two, some of these appear booby-trapped. That would be a direct attack upon the Head of a Noble and Most Ancient House. And that makes this..." he indicated the pile of mail with a wave of his off hand, "... A criminal matter."
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Chapter 047
That evening, one of the aurors who still maintained a watch over Harry informed him and Hermione both that an auror would be taking the both of them to the Ministry to be formally interviewed as witnesses to what had happened over the past three-plus years, the next morning.
Harry was looking forward to it, but Hermione was becoming somewhat of a frazzled mess. He had to take her aside to help her calm down before she made herself sick with fretting about it.
Again in a classroom just down from the entrance to the common room, this time with Harry dragging Hermione down there, he firmly sat her on the edge of a desk while he stood in front of her, frowning and with arms crossed. Both ignored the quiet tailing aurors, this time.
"Hermione," he firmly said. "You need to calm down. You're making yourself sick with all this worry―"
"But, Harry," she cried, "What if I mess things up? What if I say the wrong thing and get everyone in trouble? What if I say something that's going to see Headmaster Dumbledore... or, worst still, Professor Snape... get away with what they've done? What if―"
"Hermione!" he firmly cut in. "You're not going to do any of those things."
"But, Harry―" she tried again.
"Stop!" he snapped back. "You're not going to do any of those things, because none of those things are your concern.
"What you're going to do is simply answer the questions put to you. It is not your responsibility to ensure you say nothing that allows someone who deserves suitable punishment from receiving said
suitable punishment. That is the job of Madam Bones and her aurors, first; and then the Wizengamot, second."
Before she could say something else, as she clearly appeared to want to do, he continued, "I know we have learned not to trust those in authority since we entered the wizarding world three years ago. However, that has only been to do with the adults here at school, the Minister, and his... handler... Lucy Malfoy.
"We have no reason to doubt Madam Bones or her aurors. So far, over the past few days, she's done everything I've expected her to do when doing the right thing - and more. As for the Wizengamot, they've also not yet done anything that would lead us to believe they'd do anything but the right thing; Albus Dumbledore, as Chief Warlock and his machinations, aside."
As Harry had continued, he could see Hermione begin to slump her shoulders and look down, embarrassed
by her actions.
"I know you're worried you might say the wrong thing," he more calmly said. "However, you cannot say the wrong thing if you simply answer the questions put to you honestly and fully. If you think something is important, tell her... or 'he', if it's a male.
"I really cannot see how you could possibly say anything that could harm the case or cases against anyone if you simply tell the truth. And I will not think less of you if, by some miracle, you do manage to say something that harms Madam Bones's cases.
"The only way I can see you truly harming her case or cases is if you lie. And, if you do that, you and me are done; our friendship will be over."
That had Hermione lift her face to stare back at Harry in shock bordering on outrage. "I would never!" she exclaimed.
Harry was pleased to see and hear the modicum of outrage in her expression and her tone.
"I didn't think you would," he calmly explained. "I only said that our friendship would be over if you did. As our friendship is as strong as ever, shows I don't believe you would."
That had Hermione shoot up off the desk to wrap him in a 'Hermi-hug'.
For Harry, that signified she'd both accepted the truth of his words and would no longer doubt herself; at least, on this issue.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
The next morning had another, though smaller, parliament of owls make it's way to Harry. Again, Harry stepped back and allowed Neville to cast his
wide area stunner over the lot.
However, when the other two stepped forward to being unloading the owls of their loads, he said, "No; stop."
When they both hesitated, he said, "This time, I want the loads checked for harmful packages before we release them from the owls. If they're harmful, the owl can identify the sender; understand?"
By then, one of the aurors came up on them. "Step back, please, everyone. Again, this is a declared crime scene." Then she turned to Harry and said, Madam Bones has already been contacted and I expect her on her way."
Harry immediately explained why he said the owls were not to be freed of their loads until each package was checked. That way, they knew which owl carried which load.
The auror nodded almost negligently as he worked.
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Chapter 048
Directly after breakfast a team of four aurors - two males and two females - turned up to escort the two to the Ministry. They were escorted off the grounds by way of the main gate and, once outside the wards, directly side-along apparated to the auror apparation point inside the DMLE.
Harry, for one, was thankful; as it meant they had bypassed the public areas of the Ministry. And that meant not also being stared at by both Ministry workers and the public at-large.
Once inside the DMLE they were directly escorted to
an interview room by one each of the male and female aurors.
They'd only been there a minute or two when they were also joined by another male-female auror pair. This time, both sat on the opposite side of the table to the two chairs at the table Harry and Hermione were seated in.
After quick greetings of 'Good morning's across the table between the four, the female auror got right to the heart of the matter.
"Lord Potter, Miss Granger," she began, "I'm Master Auror Constance Hammer. You may address me as 'Connie'."
After both teens nodded back, she then introduced her partner. "And this is my partner, Senior Auror Beauregard Fleming."
"You may call me, Beau," he smiled. "Everyone does."
That had both teens smiling back.
"Here's how this is going to work," said Hammer. "When dealing with children we normally provide them with a glass of water that contains a squeeze of lemon, plus a very mild calming potion and similarly mild truth potion. It's not Veritaserum, so no need to worry about that."
Harry knew of Veritaserum; but only knew it to be a strong truth potion, nothing more.
"We don't normally use it on adults as we believe adults are more than capable of remaining calm and understand the need to be entirely truthful. They understand the consequences when they aren't. Therefore, their water only contains the light lemon flavour.
"For you two we'll leave it to you as an option. However, I recommend you choose to have the
potions as they'll stop you from worrying about what you say. Further, it means there is less chance of your statements being disregarded in court.
"Which would you prefer?"
After a glance at each other, both teens turned back.
Harry said, "So long as we do not delve off the subject matters I raised during the first task - and you do not go too deep into my personal life - I have no complaints about taking both potions."
"Same here," Hermione immediately added.
"I understand your concerns," said Hammer. "However, while the second is a truth potion, unlike Veritaserum it will not force you to answer. You can also state you do not wish to answer the question. That will be the truth and, therefore, it will not be unacceptable to the effects of the potion."
After both teens glanced at one another again, Hermione was first to answer.
"Then I have no problem taking either potion," she firmly stated.
"Me neither," added Harry.
Both aurors nodded back with pleased expressions.
"In that case..." said Hammer. She turned her head to the side and looked down a little. "Locky!"
A little house elf almost silently popped into place. "Yes, Miss?"
"Water with both potions, please," Hammer immediately ordered.
Without a word the little elf popped away again. A long moment later and it was back, together with a silver tray holding a carafe of ice water and two inverted
tumblers.
"Thank you, Locky," said Hammer.
With a small smile, Fleming asked, "Alright, who wants to go first?"
"I do, please," Hermione immediately replied. Turning an embarrassed glance to Harry, she added, "Sorry, Harry. But, I really need to get this out of the way before I barf."
Harry just smiled back, gave a sheepish shrug and replied, "That's fine, Hermione. I don't mind."
"Very well, Miss Granger," said Hammer. She indicated the tray and said, "You'll want to drink about half a glass of that to start with. Then you can sip from it as often as you like."
As Hermione reached for it Harry could see her hands shaking. As could the two aurors.
Fleming simply reached out, flipped a tumbler over to be right side up and poured her half a glass of water.
Hermione carefully lifted it and - after a couple of steadying breaths - drank the entirety of it in one hit.
When she turned to look at Harry, he could see she was a bit embarrassed by that. He smiled back, just reached out and silently patted her thigh.
"It's alright," he said.
Meanwhile Fleming was setting up a large Dicta-quill in front of himself.
Once he was ready he turned to Hammer and nodded once.
Hammer just gave a slight clear of her throat and began. "Interview of Miss Hermione Granger in Interview Room One at the Department of Magical Law
Enforcement on Friday, twenty fourth of November, 1994, at 9.30am. Interviewer, Master Auror Constance Hammer. Dicta-quill operator, Beauregard Fleming. Also present are Senior Auror Prusilla Proudfoot and Master Auror Thaddeus Pickwhistle. Master Auror Pickwhistle is senior officer of this interview."
She then turned to Hermione, who was now clearly a lot calmer and gently smiling back. It was clear to even Harry that the potions were having a positive effect.
"Miss Granger―" continued Hammer.
"Hi!" Hermione immediately and brightly returned with a smile, interrupting the auror.
Hammer smiled back and repeated, "Miss Granger, for the record, please give me your full name and date of birth."
"Hermione Jean Granger. Nineteenth of September,
1979," Hermione promptly replied.
"Confirmed," said Hammer, after checking off a sheet of parchment she had before her. "Do you give this interview of your own free will?"
"I do!" replied Hermione
Hammer gave a small nod and then got into the meat of the interview.
"Let's do this as chronologically as possible," said Hammer. "In your own words, Miss Granger, please describe for us what happened at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - from here on referred to as simply Hogwarts - on the afternoon and into evening of the thirty-first of October 1991. I believe there was an incident concerning a troll."
"During Charms class that day, I was trying to help a fellow class and housemate, Ron Weasley, in how to successfully perform the levitation charm,
Wingardium Leviosa, when..."
With a break after the first hour, Hermione continued with her interview right through to the day of the first task. Hammer asked for further information along the way.
When she'd finished Harry was surprised to discover it near enough to lunch that Hammer decided they'd break for lunch before continuing.
The four aurors escorted both teens to the DMLE-only cafeteria and remained with them the entire time.
Once they'd eaten and taken a short break in the water closets, also escorted by aurors of their own genders, the two teens were escorted back to the interview room.
This time it was Harry's turn and Hammer and Fleming switched roles. Harry opted for the same potion-laced water.
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Chapter 049
Harry's interview went much longer and they took two breaks as they started back as far back as Harry remembered his time with the Dursleys.
While speaking, he was surprised by just how much he remembered. And was somewhat surprised the potions allowed him to recall it all without concern or embarrassment. It seemed there was one form of mind-based magics that affected him, after all; potions.
Then again, maybe it only did because he was a willing recipient. Something to test for another time.
By the time he was finished, his throat felt quite raw. And he was offered a potion that immediately soothed it.
"What was that?" he asked, after drinking it.
"A throat healing potion, Lord Potter," Fleming replied. "You're not the first, and I very much doubt you'll be the last, who has come away from an interview with a sore throat."
When the effects of the potion in the water wore off about thirty minutes after the interview concluded he was shocked to discover it was going on to 5.00pm.
"Sweet Merlin!" he exclaimed. "It's almost dinner time! And, damn, I need to use the little boys' room!"
The four aurors chuckled and Hammer added, "I thought you might. You managed to get through almost half a gallon of water during that."
It was only after he said what he said that he realised Hermione hadn't berated him for his language. He turned to her and could see she'd been crying for a while but hadn't very recently. Her eyes were bloodshot and red-rimmed and her cheeks were puffy with tear tracks on them.
"I'm sooo sorry you went through all that, Harry," she hiccuped
"Hermione," he firmly said. "Not your fault; hear me? I do not blame you for the least of it. You did your best and I lo― appreciate it a great deal."
After a quick trip to the loo for both teens, they were soon escorted back to Hogwarts in reverse of how they got to the Ministry.
Thankfully, it appeared Hermione hadn't noticed his slight slip of the tongue.
_ ̳_
―==(oIo)==― ˇ
As they were walking back from the gates of the castle, Harry quietly asked Hermione, "Now that the interview is out of the way... are you going to take the School Board's offer of returning home until classes are back on again?"
She was a long few moments of clearly thinking it through before she replied, "Do you... think I should?"
"I think you should do what's best for Hermione Granger," he instantly replied.
"What about you?" she asked.
"Well, I'm definitely not going back to Privett Drive!" he replied. "I think I'll just stay here."
"No... I mean... What do you think of the idea... ummm... what do you think of the idea of coming and
staying... with me?" she tentatively asked.
Her offer surprised him; enough that it made him think for a bit.
Suddenly stopping, which caused everyone else to stop, he turned Hermione to face him full on. Her expression was one of disappointment as she looked at the ground.
He said, "Sorry. You caught me by surprise there."
That brought her eyes back up to meet his.
"If that's what you want..." he began. "If your offer is genuine and not one that a friend would say but expect to receive a negative answer to... and you ask your parents first and they reply with a yes... then, yes, I think I'd like that."
The smile that bloomed on Hermione's face was contagious. It had him smiling as well.
He heard a quiet snicker from one of the female aurors, but chose to pretend he hadn't heard.
Now all excited, Hermione grabbed him with both her hands by his offhand elbow and started to almost drag him to the doors of the castle.
"Oh, Harry! Of course they're going to say yes! I've been writing my parents about you since the night of the troll. And they've already said that they want to meet you. That day in Flourish and Blotts was nowhere near long enough! What better way to get to know you than for you to come and stay with us for a while. Can I borrow Hedwig?" she said with a rush.
Harry chuckled back and replied, "Of course you can. I know I don't give her enough work to do. So, I know she'd love to take a letter to your parents."
"I'll write as soon as I can get back to the tower so I can collect parchment, ink and a quill. How quickly do
you think Hedwig can get to Wimbledon and back?" "Wimbledon?" he asked.
"That's where I live, Harry," she replied. "About a stone's throw from the Wimbledon All England Club."
"I thought you lived in Croydon," he said.
"No, I said I lived near Croydon," she corrected. "I say that so people don't know just how wealthy my parents actually are. Wimbledon is an expensive area to live."
"Ah!" he said, as they continued to walk. A long moment later he asked, "Hang on. Isn't Wimbledon one of those areas where housing is like over a million pounds per?"
"Yes," she simply replied without explaining further. "That's why I know you coming to stay with us for a while will be no imposition," she added. "We live in a
three story detached that's really four floors as the semi-underground area is also used. There's plenty of room. You'll even have a bedroom with an ensuite, all to yourself; which is what I've got. You just won't have the huge dressing room I've got that I've had Dad convert to a study for me.
"I'm on the second floor, which is the top floor, while you'd be in the guest room on the first floor across the hall landing from my parents room, which is directly under mine. That's the main guest room. There's another two guest rooms on the same floor as me but neither has an ensuite. They have to use the main bathroom on that floor."
"Whoa, Hermione," he laughed. "Let's not count our chickens before they're hatched, alright?
"Why not wait to describe everything once... if... your parents agree."
"They'll say it's alright, Harry," she said, still dragging
him along. "You'll see."
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
Once back in the castle Hermione finally let go of Harry's elbow and almost ran back to the Gryffindor Tower.
As soon as she was out of earshot one of the aurors said to him, "She sure has a lot of energy, doesn't she."
"She becomes quite focussed once she has a problem she wants to solve and devotes almost all of her energy to solving it," he replied. He gestured after her and added, "This focus is kinda the norm for her. It's good to see after having to go through those interviews."
It was left to Harry to thank the aurors for escorting
them to and fro to the Ministry so, by the time he got back to the Gryffindor common room, Hermione was well into writing her letter to her parents.
As soon as he stepped into the room she looked up from where she was writing her letter at one of the very few study tables and gestured him over.
"I hope you don't mind Harry," she said, "But, there's been a fair bit happen over the past few days that's radically changed. And I want to let my parents know about all that and why I'll be coming home a lot sooner than expected, before I drop on them the request to bring you home with me."
"It's your letter and your parents, Hermione," he shrugged. "I doubt a couple of extra sheets of parchment in a letter is going to bother Hedwig in the slightest. She often brings me my copy of the Prophet, remember?"
"Oh, yes," she replied, not even looking up from her
writing. "I forgot about that."
Due to the time, Hermione continued to write her letter home while they sat at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall for dinner. And both teens headed directly to the owlery from the Great Hall to send the letter out through Hedwig.
Harry could tell his Snowy was more than happy to take the letter as Hermione carefully tied it firmly to her leg.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
Of course, with her letter 'slash' request now winging its way to her parents, Hermione began to fret again. And that began, as far as Harry could estimate, before Hedwig even reached the horizon. This was easy for Harry to determine, as it was just as easy for him to determine back at the Ministry. She was using her top
front teeth to nibble on the inside of her bottom lip.
"Relax, Hermione," he said to her. "Even if they say no, I won't mind."
"I'm not worried about that, Harry," she returned. "I'm worried my parents are going to think you're my boyfriend."
"Oh?" he asked. "Am I that repugnant?"
"No-no-no!" she blurted. "That's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?" he asked.
"I meant... I'm worried what my father might do or say to you if he thinks you're my boyfriend."
He shrugged back and said, "He'll probably say what all fathers of teen daughters say. 'You hurt my little girl and they'll never find the body.' Or, possibly, 'You even think of poking what's between your legs
between my daughter's legs and I'll cut it off with a rusty knife... if you're lucky.'"
Hermione looked horrified.
Harry just grinned back and said, "Don't worry about it, Hermione. I'm not. It's just the sort of thing fathers say to their daughter's boyfriends. I'm expecting it."
"But... but... we're not boyfriend and girlfriend!" she whined.
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Chapter 050
"I am a boy and I am your friend," he returned. "I dare say that'll be close enough for your father. And maybe your mother, too."
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
Back at the DMLE Madam Bones had just finished skimming through the statement of Lord Potter - she'd read Miss Granger's later, as it mainly was really only a supporting document to Lord Potter's - and set it aside with a sigh. Connie Hammer and Beau Fleming were seated opposite in her 'guest's' chairs.
"And both drank the potion-laced water?" she asked.
"They did," replied Hammer while Fleming simply nodded. "Lord Potter even managed to polish off almost a half gallon of it. He spoke for quite a while."
"And every word supported one hundred percent what he made public during the first task," added Fleming.
"I simply can't believe the atrocities those Dursleys committed upon that boy and yet he still turned out to
be wonderful young man," said Hammer.
"Have you ever heard of the quote: 'Nature versus nurture'?" asked Fleming.
"Yes," replied Bones while Hammer looked a little confused. "The argument goes, I believe; how much of a person's personality can be attributed to their inherent nature as opposed to how they were nurtured, raised?"
"Indeed," nodded Fleming as Hammer seemed to have at least somewhat understood. "However, it's even more than that. When they talk about nature they're even going as deep as the cellular level; what muggles refer to as 'genes'. It's that level that determines things like eye colour, hair colour, optimum height and weight, that sort of thing. Nurture goes to the environment in which a child is raised, warm or temperate climate, the country they were raised in, all the way down to siblings, guardians, schooling, etcetera; and includes behaviour directed
toward him or her.
"If nurture was the dominant effect, then there's no way Lord Potter would not have turned out to be a new Dark Lord; irrespective of what Dumbledore would have us believe. It would also explain what Lord Potter meant when he said he should have been sorted into Slytherin and argued with the Hat not to sort him there.
"If nature were dominant - which I think has been proven in Lord Potter's case - then, no matter how poorly he was raised or badly treated, he's a Potter; and the Potters have always been inherently good people.
"Lord Potter has a strong sense of 'Noblesse Oblige'; the responsibility of the peerage towards the commoner. Miss Granger often referred to what she called Lord Potter's 'Saving People Thing'. Lord Potter has a strong sense of doing what is right, even at the cost of his own welfare. I think that is a combination
of his own sense of righteousness being paired with his poor sense of self worth brought about by how the Dursleys treated him.
"From everything I've learned of this matter so far, Lord Potter has been raised in a very specific way that will lead him to ultimately sacrifice himself to save others. Dumbledore's actions have created a teenager, to date, who is simply waiting for the time when he will get to carry out that act. And, I'm sorry to say, I believe it was deliberate on Dumbledore's part."
"That was my intuitive belief, as well," replied Bones. "As it was Lord Potter's. However, it's nice to have it confirmed by a Master Mind Healer."
"You should also know that Lord Potter was correct in positing that magical children raised in an abusive environment will often be sorted into Slytherin. However, that is the case for children whose psyche manages to survive being raised so. Those not so lucky will often be sorted into Hufflepuff, as they fear
confrontation and try to hide in the shadows."
"I remember a couple of children like that when I was in Hufflepuff," Bones almost absent-mindedly muttered.
Coming back to herself and sitting up straighter she asked, "Was he also right about matters such as the traps they had to get through in First Year, the whole basilisk fiasco and everything else?"
"I believe so, yes," he nodded. "Just as Lord Potter believes, those traps were way too simple to stop a skilled wizard, let alone a Dark Lord. They were clearly set up to test him and his friends; but, more importantly, him. Nothing else makes any sense.
"As for the basilisk I can see no situation where Dumbledore could not have known there was one in the school the first time it was brought up into the public areas. That was the night of Hallowe'en, 1992, when Filch's cat was petrified.
"And, as for the students who were attacked and petrified, they could have been woken within a day of their petrifications. Mandrake Restorative Draught is kept in stasis in every medical centre I know of. Hells, we even have it here in the DMLE Infirmary. I know for a fact there's currently a dozen doses of it sitting in stasis in the potions cabinet.
"No, Dumbledore wanted those students kept petrified so they wouldn't let anyone know too early that the monster was a basilisk."
"When do we go to trial with all this?" asked Hammer, who had been quiet for most of the talk.
"We start in three days - Monday morning," replied Bones.
"In what order?" asked Hammer.
"Fudge and Umbridge, then the staff of the school,
we'll slot the Dursleys in there somewhere and, finally, Dumbledore," she replied. "I want Fudge and Umbridge out of the way so they don't interfere with the other trials. And I want to have Dumbledore last, as I'm hoping there will be more evidence that comes to light from the trials of the other members of staff."
In the past day and a half they had managed to get out of Fudge just how much Umbridge was involved in what he'd been doing. And that she had been blackmailing him, on the side.
"I'm going to put forward all the evidence that I now have on the old man. I want to make sure that even the most die-hard of Dumbledore's supporters on the Wizengamot learn exactly the type of man whom it is they support. I want there to be such a preponderance of incontrovertible evidence there is no possible way the old man is going to escape justice."
"What about Sirius Black?" asked Fleming. "The man is clearly innocent."
"That's being dealt with," she replied. "I have Shacklebolt and Tonks looking for him."
"Tonks?" asked Hammer. "A bit young, isn't she?"
"Yes," nodded Bones. "However, what makes her special for this is that she's of Black blood and a second cousin of him. She remembers 'Cousin Siri', as she called him, with fondness. And, apparently, that fondness was returned.
"If Shacklebolt and she find him it may be the trigger that has him surrendering to them, rather than fighting them off and or running away again."
"Have you asked Lord Potter if he knows how to get hold of him?" asked Fleming. "I didn't specifically ask him that, but I'm pretty sure he likely knows how."
Surprised, Bones replied, "I... hadn't thought of that. I'll send him an owl and ask."
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
The next morning, while Hermione had not heard back from her parents yet, Harry received a decent sized letter from Madam Bones. In it she'd covered what was happening regarding the upcoming trials and such.
In two days they were starting with Cornelius Fudge and Dolores Umbridge. If they had time they'd then start on the Hogwarts staff. Since he'd effectively and willingly admitted to any and all wrongdoing, the first of the staff to be tried was Filius Flitwick. Harry was surprised they'd be starting the trials so soon.
Her letter stated he would be required to attend all the trials, though she knew he'd get bored pretty quick. If he didn't he might find himself approached by an auror who was there to immediately take him to the
trial of the moment. And that was only if a member of the Interrogation panel - the judges - specifically demanded his presence for a short time to answer questions.
However she also assured him, as he'd already provided authenticated memories and statement, the likelihood of that occurring was low. If he was so summoned he'd be provided a Law Wizard to advise him before he even took the stand to give verbal evidence.
Turning to a hovering Hermione he said, "The trials start the day after tomorrow - Monday. First up are Fudge and Umbridge. And, if they have time, they'll be followed by Flitwick."
"That's Minister Fudge, Senior Undersec... Oh, to hell with it," she said. "Fudge, then Umbridge, then Flitwick. When are the others?"
Harry laughed. It was the first time he could recall
since he'd first met the girl that she had not insisted on people being referred to by, as she saw it, their proper titles. It said a lot to the state of things she now chose to not use them for the adults concerned.
"After Flitwick, the next day it will be Hagrid, Sprout, McGonagall, Snape and Dumbledore in that order. Madam Pomfrey, from what Madam Bones alludes to here, will not be prosecuted at this time so long as she co-operates fully with the DMLE and satisfactorily answers all their questions. However, it's very likely she's going to lose her Medi-witches' credentials."