Chapter 287: "More Politics"

"Now to our second matter of concern," Dumbledore announced, his voice grave. "We must address the tragic loss of several prominent members of our community on the night of the third task."

The chamber, which had barely recovered from the previous discussion, grew tense once more. A Lord from the Dark faction of the Wizengamot rose to speak.

"Madam Bones," he called out, his voice carrying across the chamber. "What have your Aurors discovered about these deaths? These were prominent members of our society—surely there must be some explanation."

Amelia stood, her expression grim. "Our investigation has been... challenging. We have been unable to locate any bodies, nor can we confirm exactly where or how they died. The only concrete evidence we have of their deaths is the activation of their wills."

She paused, letting the implications sink in. "Had it not been for the will activations, we would have assumed they had simply disappeared. It's worth noting that these individuals were among those who claimed to have acted under the Imperius Curse during You-Know-Who's first rise. If they believed he had returned from Charles's words after he escaped, fleeing would have been a logical response."

Fudge shot to his feet, his face reddening. "Since You-Know-Who is not back, they had no reason to flee! These were good people, upstanding members of our community. There must be another explanation for their deaths."

Lord Ogden leaned forward in his seat. "Madam Bones, do you have any leads at all?"

"Well," Amelia replied carefully, "our only lead comes from Charles Potter's account of his kidnapping. According to his testimony, after the supposed resurrection of You-Know-Who, these individuals appeared at the graveyard, prostrating themselves before him and reaffirming their allegiance. They reportedly boasted of their continued devotion, claiming they had been strategically positioned within the Ministry, awaiting his return."

"Impossible!" Fudge exploded, his bowler hat quivering in his hands.

Lord Ogden raised his hand. "Madam Bones, please continue. If so many Death Eaters were present, how did young Potter manage to escape?"

"According to Charles's account, he was rescued by an unknown wizard who appeared suddenly in the graveyard and facilitated his escape."

"So Mr Potter did not witness what transpired afterward?" Ogden pressed.

Amelia shook her head. "No, but the magical residue at the scene indicates an intense battle took place. We can reasonably conclude there was a confrontation between this unknown wizard and the assembled Death Eaters and their... leader."

Fudge suddenly straightened, his eyes bright with perceived opportunity. "Issue a warrant for this wizard's arrest immediately! We must interrogate Charles Potter and obtain a description of this unknown killer!"

Harry couldn't help but interject, his voice cutting through the chamber with precise control. "So, esteemed Minister, you now agree that my younger brother is telling the truth and You-Know-Who is back?"

Fudge spluttered, his face purpling. "Why are we here again? We already reached the decision that You-Know-Who is dead and not back. It is just the ramblings of a child."

"Ah," Harry replied, his tone deceptively light, "but here you are believing the words of the same child and believing that an unknown wizard saved Charles and then killed your friends in the Ministry."

The chamber fell silent as the implications of Harry's words sank in. Fudge opened and closed his mouth several times, but no words emerged.

Lord Longbottom rose, his face stern. "Minister, Lord Potter raises a valid point. You cannot selectively believe parts of Charles's testimony while dismissing others."

Fudge's complexion had turned an interesting shade of puce. "This... this is different! The deaths are confirmed facts! We must find the perpetrator!"

"Yet you refuse to acknowledge what preceded these deaths," Harry pressed, his voice calm but unyielding. "The very context that might explain them."

Lady Marchbanks cleared her throat. "Perhaps we should focus on establishing the facts. Madam Bones, what actions does your department recommend?"

Amelia took a deep breath. "The only lead we have is Charles. If we cannot believe in his testimony, even if this unknown wizard is caught using the face we get from Charles, we have no way of proving his involvement in the deaths of the Ministry members. He could also argue that Charles was hallucinating. Additionally, it might not be easy to capture the wizard. We've found traces of extremely powerful magic there—magic beyond what most wizards are capable of performing."

Lord Ogden leaned forward. "Are you suggesting this unknown wizard was exceptionally powerful?"

"The magical signatures we found..." Amelia paused, choosing her words carefully, "they indicate someone of extraordinary ability. Maybe stronger than our Chief Warlock. My department is not equipped to deal with wizards of such strength."

Whispers erupted throughout the chamber. Harry kept his face carefully neutral, though he was enjoying seeing the scared faces of the wizards in the room, especially those from the dark side.

"This is precisely why we must apprehend this individual!" Fudge declared. "Someone capable of such destruction cannot be allowed to roam free!"

"Minister, we are here again," Harry countered coolly. "Even if with difficulty we capture this very strong wizard, we have no way of proving his involvement since you refuse to believe in Charles. Also even if he is caught, I as the Lord Potter would do my best to ensure he got away free. If not for him, my younger brother would not have escaped the graveyard that night."

The chamber fell silent once more. Fudge shifted uncomfortably in his seat, seemingly unable to find an appropriate response.

Lord Elphias Doge, a known supporter of Dumbledore's faction, rose from his seat. "While I do not entirely agree with Minister Fudge's interpretation of these events, I must acknowledge that the unknown wizard involved poses a significant threat. It is unacceptable for someone to kill others without just cause. Instead of resorting to murder, this individual should have been captured and brought before the Wizengamot for a fair trial."

Harry's mind flashed to Arcturus's teachings. Elphias's support for Fudge was unexpected, but not surprising - Dumbledore's faction often favored strict control over powerful individuals.

"As Lord Potter," Harry declared, his voice firm, "I cannot support punishing someone who saved a member of my family. Also based on Charles's recount, the odds were against the mysterious savior, and in that situation, when fighting for his life against such a strong group, he likely had no choice but to defend himself lethally. Therefore, his actions were in self-defense and not a crime. The aurors should not waste their time with this wizard. You-Know-Who's return is more important. I do not agree in having an arrest warrant against him."

Harry's eyes swept the chamber. "Also I repeat if you agree about this mysterious wizard and use Charles to get his description, then you agree on his other accounts. So if you want to have an arrest warrant on this wizard you must also agree to the return of You-Know-Who. Else the Daily Prophet would have a field day talking about this."

Sirius stood in support of his godson. "Lord Potter is right. We should not go after this wizard now. Since as you all say we cannot believe in Charles's story, let's wait for this person to act again. If again he kills people we can put a warrant out for him."

No one countered Sirius and Harry again. Fudge's face tightened into a mask of barely concealed frustration, but he remained silent as Dumbledore moved to address the matter.

"I believe we need to vote on the course of action regarding this matter," Dumbledore announced. "First, those in favor of issuing an arrest warrant for the unknown wizard?"

The vote failed, with Harry's and Sirius's vocal opposition swaying many members. However, when Dumbledore called for a vote on continuing the investigation into the incident itself, a clear majority raised their hands in support.

Harry did not care much. He was quite confident nothing could be found, and as he said earlier, even if anyone found out he was the unknown wizard, they had no evidence to prove it. The fire had ensured nothing was left in the graveyard. And if they tried force, his wand and sword were ready to teach them a lesson.

"Motion carried," Dumbledore declared. "Madam Bones, you have the Wizengamot's full support in this investigation."

"Thank you, Chief Warlock," Amelia responded, her expression determined. "We will pursue every lead, regardless of where it takes us."

As the session drew to a close, Dumbledore thanked everyone for their participation and commitment to safeguarding the wizarding world.

As the assembly began to disperse, Harry felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning, he saw Sirius smiling proudly. "Well done, Harry. You handled yourself admirably."

"Thanks, Sirius," Harry replied, relief washing over him.

Lord Diggory approached them. "Wise words, young man. It's refreshing to see such level-headedness."

"Thank you, Lord Diggory," Harry said modestly.

Amelia joined them, her expression thoughtful. "You've made an impression today, Harry. Keep it up."

He smiled appreciatively. "I will."

As they exited the Ministry, the afternoon sun bathed them in warmth. Harry took a deep breath, feeling a sense of accomplishment mixed with the sobering reality of the challenges ahead.

"Come on," Sirius said, clapping him on the back. "Let's head home. There's much to discuss."

They Apparated back to Bones Manor, where the house-elves had prepared a hearty meal. Over dinner, they reflected on the day's events.

"Fudge won't make things easy," Amelia cautioned. "He's more concerned with public image than the truth."

"We'll have to be vigilant," Sirius agreed. "But at least we secured continued investigation."

Harry nodded. "It's a start. And perhaps, in time, others will come to see the truth."

Harry was quite satisfied with the day. He had changed many things from the canon. With the investigation and the fact that Voldemort did not have many influential people in the Ministry now, he would have difficulty creating too many problems. His actions would be very limited. Now he had to wait until he learns of Voldemort's movements to continue to act.

Harry was sure he would learn things soon. The Order would start again, and there was one thing they were good at: getting information about Voldemort.