HPWW331-340
Chapter 331
She did have to transfigure a large set of steps before
it, though, as she was such a little thing. But, once
she stepped up on them she could see clearly above it
and across the four House tables.
As she did, Professor Sprout used a little hammer on
a chime bar and rang it. That had everyone who was
still making a bit of noise quiet back down.
As soon as she had silence she began to speak. "For
those who do not know me because they left the
school before I arrived and did not know me from my
work with the WEA, I am the new Headmistress of
Hogwarts, Lady Griselda Marchbanks. Before I worked
at the WEA I was the Professor of Charms and Acting
Deputy Headmistress here.
"Now, bear with me. I have quite a few introductions to
make before we can start dinner."
Ron gave a wince and an almost sub-audible groan.
Only Seamus heard him, though.
"First," she said. "For those who do not already know,
we no longer have the services of Albus Dumbledore,
Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, Sybill
Trelawney, Cuthbert Binns, Poppy Pomfrey or Barty
Crouch Junior posing as Alastor Moody. Rubeus
Hagrid is also no longer a Professor.
"That means a lot of permanent positions needed
refilling.
"So, I shall introduce them all to you now. I know you
won't remember all their names, but they'll remind you
as you each have classes with them. I won't, however,
cover all their achievements. Instead, I will leave that
to them.
"First, I present our new Professor of History and
Deputy Headmaster, Professor Ebenezer Goodstone."
A middle aged wizard stood and bowed to all four
house tables before sitting again, as applause
sounded throughout the Hall.
"Next, I'll cover the new Heads of Houses. Please save
your applause for all four, together. Otherwise, we'll
be here all night.
"For Hufflepuff, Professor Pomona Sprout remains
your Head of House; the other three are all new. For
Gryffindor, we have Professor Bathsheba Babbling;
for Ravenclaw, Professor Aurora Sinistra; and for
Slytherin, Professor Septima Vector. You may
congratulate them now." And led the applause while
all four stood there.
A quick gesture from Marchbanks and all four sat
almost as one, which also brought the applause to a
near abrupt halt.
"I now have one re-tasked and a further six new
professors to introduce. Please hold your applause
until I've introduced them all."
After giving that a moment to sink-in, she began.
"First, I need to mention Professor Charity Burbage
has moved from Professor of Muggle Studies to
Professor of Wizarding Traditions, a new course.
"Second, I present our new Professor of Muggle
Studies, Professor Phyllis Claystock.
"Third, I present our new Professor of Potions,
Professor Doris Grimfield.
"Fourth, I present our new Professor of Defence
Against the Dark Arts, Professor Ian Murdstock.
"Fifth, I present our new Professor of Care of Magical
Creatures, Professor Oliver Senkinhall.
"Sixth, I present our new Professor of Divination,
Professor Rebecca Brottingwell.
"Seventh, I present our new Professor of
Transfiguration, Professor Johnathan Biffingwater.
"I'll add him in now, because he's the only other new
member of staff. I present our new medi-wizard,
Journeyman Healer Peter Robinson.
"That is all the new staff we have starting with us.
Please join me as we give them all a round of
applause for taking on their roles."
As all the new staff, except the new Deputy
Headmaster, stood the entire student and remaining
staff population applauded them. Marchbanks let it go
on for a while.
Finally, Professor Sprout rang her chime again and
everyone settled.
"That's staffing," said Marchbanks. "Now for new
rules..."
Once she was finished describing them she said,
"You'll find a list of these new rules, in written form,
affixed to the noticeboards in each of your common
rooms. That document is not to removed for any
reason other than under my direct order. Breach that
rule and you will be suspended on the spot... and sent
home.
"I'll also announce that the temporarily suspended
school Inter-House Quidditch League is now
reactivated. However―"
That was as far as she got before almost every
student suddenly starting celebrating. She let it go on
for about fifteen seconds before she signalled Sprout
to ring her chime again.
When they all calmed again, she said, "Let me finish
before you celebrate. As I was saying... However,
because there is only six months of the school year
remaining, the number of games is also reduced.
Instead of playing each House once... meaning three
games for each House team... you'll only be playing
two of the other House teams. The draw will take place
as to which team will be playing which in my office
between me, Madam Hooch and the four Team
Captains. We'll carry out that draw on Tuesday
evening.
"Finally, though the Tri-Wizard Tournament is not yet
cancelled, discussions are still being held as to if it
will or will not. So, for the time being, it is still on.
"For those who do not receive, or otherwise manage
to read, a copy of the Daily Prophet while you've all
been away, you'll notice that the contingents of both
Beauxbatons and Durmstrang are not with us. Both
school representatives have returned to their schools.
However, together with their respective Headmistress
and Highmaster, they will return on the evening prior
to both remaining events and stay for that day and
evening. The next day they shall leave us, once again"
"That is all. I now call on our House elves to serve the
meal."
Before the students could start celebrating or
otherwise making noise, the tables immediately filled
with food.
For almost all children, filling hungry bellies took
precedence over celebrating.
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Chapter 332
Dumbledore had been analysing the wards for about
five to ten minutes when he heard someone coming
up behind. Quickly sliding his wand up the sleeve of
his off-arm, he turned to see who it was.
In the gloom of the early evening he saw two young
adult muggles walking towards him and quietly
talking, as proper the young lady was on the left. By
the way the girl was using both hands to grip the
young man's left upper arm and kept leaning her head
on his shoulder, it was easy to see that these two were
'lovebirds' out for an evening stroll.
As if seeing him for the first time, the male of the two
saw him and grinned. As he walked closer, he pulled
something out of his pocket.
Thinking it might have been a weapon, Dumbledore at
first tensed and readied to snap draw his wand, before
he saw what it was and relaxed. The man had pulled a
packet of those horrid muggle cigarettes from his
pocket.
"Hey, gramps!" said the male, as he slipped a premade cigarette between his lips. "Got a light?"
"Errr... sorry, no," replied Dumbledore, wishing they'd
go away. He had not even realised how close the two
had approached.
As the male seemed to sigh in disappointment, he
withdrew the cigarette from between his lips and
quietly said, "Oh. Damn."
Then he gave it a flick into the garden of the house
next door in a high arch.
As Dumbledore's eyes were drawn to follow its
trajectory, thinking what a disgusting thing to do,
there was a sudden flash of red light and his lights
went out.
As Dumbledore slumped to the ground from a stunner
fired by the female from a range of about eighteen
inches, both young aurors quickly separated. The
young witch auror flicked her wrist, causing her wand
to slip back up her sleeve into the auror quick-draw
holster and reached for her hidden magic-resistant
manacles that were hanging on her belt at the back.
As she bent down to manacle the old man, the male
summoned the flicked away cigarette back to the
packet, then vanished the lot, before drawing his
badge out and tapping a set of runes.
While the female was finishing manacling
Dumbledore's hands behind his back, after first bodily
flipping him face down on the pavement, there was a
quick flurry of activity as half a dozen aurors came
from the front doors of the Granger residence and
from down the side of the house.
Master Auror Robards was leading the pack, so to
speak. He was grinning away. After looking around to
see if any muggles were watching, he asked, "Who's
idea was it to pose as a couple of canoodling
lovebirds on a midnight stroll?"
The male immediately, but softly, replied, "Senior
Auror Cummerbatch's, Sir."
Looking about, Robards quickly spotted him. "Well
done, Senior. Expect a commendation for this."
Cummerbatch smiled back and replied, "Thank you,
Sir. But, Aurors Watkins and Cupperman flawlessly
executed it." Then he turned to look at the male,
Brendan Cupperman, and said, "Nice distraction trick
with the muggle cigarette, by the way."
Cupperman grinned and gave a nod.
"Alright," said Robards. "That's it for the due pats on
the back for jobs well done." Looking at the two
young ones he said, "Since you two bagged him, you
get to process him. I'll let The Boss know you're doing
that. Expect her to join you while you're processing
him."
"Right, Sir; thank you, Sir," said Cupperman as he and
Watkins bent down to each stick a finger on the
manacles affixed to Dumbledore's wrists. A moment
later and they portkeyed away.
Robards then said, "The rest of us, inside to the
Quarters for a quick debrief. And we can let Lord
Potter and the Grangers know we've got him."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
As the aurors re-entered the house to relieved joshing
between them, MacNair, who watched the whole thing
from the other side of the road in his favourite spot
under the tree of the opposite house's front yard, was
feeling quite excited. 'Dumbledore tried to break in
through the wards and was arrested!' he thought. 'I'll
finally have something for the Dark Lord!'
However, as the front door on the house was closing,
there was a close by flash of pale blue light behind
him and everything went fuzzy.
A few moments later and he was blinking his eyes
awake and feeling sleepy.
'Another boring night,' he thought with a mental sigh.
'I'll never learn anything, this way.'
A few moments later and he was quietly packing up
his set up. And, a few moments after that, he
apparated away.
The on-duty Unspeakable watcher from the Knight's
Shadow team, Owl, stepped out from behind the tree
and took another long look around. When it was
apparent MacNair was definitely gone for the night,
she returned to her watcher's nest and settled down.
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Chapter 333
As soon as she was comfortable, she settled into her
alert state meditation pose and began to write her
report of the event and the action she took all in her
mind.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Back at Hogwarts, Neville was being questioned as to
where Harry was. He'd just smile and say, "He has
important family matters to take care of. He'll likely be
along, once they're out of the way."
When anyone tried to press him for extra information,
he'd say, "As I said, he has important family matters to
take care of. He'll likely be along, once they're out of
the way."
By the time dinner was finished, he thought he'd given
that same response a good dozen times.
Susan and Hannah, together with Daphne and Tracey -
for those who knew of the Alliance and knew them to
be Heirs of that Alliance and asked them - also
answered the question the same way. However,
between them, they still answered the question less
as many times as Neville on his own.
Once everyone finished dinner the Headmistress had
one final announcement to give them before she
released them to go to their dorms. Because of
changes to classes, new class schedules needed to
be handed out.
"Meeting the same time-frames as the second of
September," she said, "All students are to be in the
Great Hall, tomorrow morning, no later than 8.00am,
so new class schedules may be distributed."
After everyone rose to make their way out, the word
quickly spread among the rest of the student
population about Harry (and Hermione) being delayed.
By the time they all reached their dorms, almost all of
them knew the alliance Heirs would only give that
answer and that Potter and Granger would 'likely be
along' somewhat soon - maybe.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Moody was still in the office with Bones when the
same auror stuck his head in the door again. "Albus
Dumbledore's been arrested and is currently in
processing. No muggles saw anything. I believe you
wanted to know?"
She smiled back and replied, "Thank you, Auror
Preedy. We did."
He said, "Yes, Ma'am." And again withdrew.
Looking to Moody she started to rise and asked,
"Shall we?"
Moody grinned back and replied, "Lets!"
They were very quickly in the cell area and were just
in time to see the old man guided, almost shoved, into
a cell. Unsurprisingly, it was the same one he'd been
in the last two times he was in her 'care'.
Bones and Moody gave it a few moments before
walking up to the two aurors who'd brought him in.
Cutting right to the chase, she asked, "Who caught
him?"
"We did, Ma'am," replied Cupperman. "Henrietta and
I."
"Well done," she smiled. "He's been fully processed?"
"He has," replied Cupperman. "Henrietta and I were
about to head out to the bullpen to write up the arrest
report, Ma'am."
Bones gave a nod and said, "Get it done quickly and
bring it to me. I'll should be in the cell with
Dumbledore, giving him an initial interview to start
with. If I'm not there, I'll be in my office."
"Yes, Ma'am," replied Cupperman. And the two left to
get on it.
Once they were on their way, Bones chuckled and
said, "Eager."
Moody, who heard it, replied, "So they should be."
Turning more fully to the older and officially 'retired'
Master Auror, she said, "Come on." And walked over
to the cell. After first checking through the peep-hole
to ensure the old man was visible and clear of the
door, she unlatched it and stepped within.
Dumbledore, now enervated again, was sitting on 'his'
bunk with his arms folded and a scowl on his face.
The manacles had been removed.
Only his eyes flickered in her direction and he quietly
said, "Amelia."
"Prisoner Dumbledore," she shot back.
With a huff of annoyance he asked, "What am I
supposed to have done wrong, this time, Madam
Bones?"
"I have quite a few charges to file against you, this
time, Mister Dumbledore."
When his eyes shot to hers in somewhat surprise, she
snickered and said, "Yes, I'm aware you've finally
been fired from Hogwarts. Headmistress Lady
Marchbanks advised me of the situation, earlier
today."
She gave that a moment to sink in before she said,
"The matters I have on you so far this evening are:
You assaulted one Ronald Weasley just outside the
gate of Hogsmeade Station. Yes, I know about that,
too. And you were caught in the act of analysing the
wards on the Granger residence. Naughty, naughty,
Albus.
"With the list of new crimes beginning to pile up
against you, I think I'll have more than enough to take
you trial, once more, at the February sitting of the
Wizengamot.
Dumbledore just glared back.
"So," she said. "I'm offering you the chance to have
the charges dropped. All you have to do is be honest
with me and tell me why getting hold of Lord Potter is
so important to you. What do you say, Albus?"
"The information I have is so sensitive I'm afraid I
cannot speak of it with anyone except Mister Potter,"
he huffed again.
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Chapter 334
"You mean Lord Potter, don't you, Albus?" she asked.
"Is your mind starting to fail you and you're beginning
to forget important details?"
"Yes, I meant Lord Potter," he snapped. "And, no, my
mind is as sharp as ever."
"So, you're just being deliberately rude then," she
said. "That's grounds for an honour duel, Albus."
When Dumbledore just frowned even more and glared
at her, she chuckled back.
When the old man still wouldn't say anything further
she stood and said, "Get yourself comfortable, Albus.
Since you won't answer my questions, I'm adding a
charge of 'Failing to comply with the directions of an
auror'."
Moody watched her back for her as she turned her
back on Dumbledore and walked out. Once she was
out the door, Moody said, "You're no longer in a
position to decide what is and is not 'For the Greater
Good', Albus. You're no longer protected from due
justice by hiding behind the offices of Chief Warlock,
Britain's Ambassador to the ICW or Supreme
Mugwump. When you refuse to co-operate with a
DMLE investigation, you're going to face the
consequences for it."
Then he let himself out, making sure to properly lock
the door behind himself.
Dumbledore, gave a huff of annoyance, then gave a
soft sigh and closed his eyes with a pained
expression on his face. 'Damnation!' he thought.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After Dumbledore's capture and assurances he'd be
spending at least the night, probably two, in the DMLE
holding cells, Robards was as good as his word by
informing Harry and the Grangers the risk was over
for the time being.
The extended auror contingent were given a quick ten
minute debrief, told to note down their recollections of
what happened and then sent away. That left their
'normal' three-auror standing detail.
Once they were gone, Wendell gave a sigh and said to
the two teens, "Well, we're back to work tomorrow. So,
we're off to bed. If you're going to stay up, don't stay
up too late."
A quick cheek-kiss good night where applicable - not
Harry and Wendell - the Granger adults headed off to
bed.
Once they trooped upstairs, Hermione looked to Harry
and said, "I'm too keyed up to sleep. The meditation
only helped up until we were sent down to the
servants' quarters. Do you know of anything we can
do that'll mentally tire me out enough to sleep?"
More comfortable with their relationship now, Harry
leered back with a cheesy grin and waggled his
eyebrows at her.
Hermione looked back in shock for a long moment
before she blushed and stammered a moment.
It took her yet another moment before she suddenly
stamped her foot while glaring at him. She loudly
whisper-snapped, "Harry! We can't go doing that!
What about my parents?"
Harry chuckled at her, letting her know he was teasing
her.
When Hermione realised what he'd done, she girl-
punched him on the arm and said, "That wasn't nice!"
"Sorry," he said, pretending to cringe away while
snickering. "I couldn't help it. It was too funny not to
use."
"Just for that," she declared, "You're now definitely
responsible for coming up with something for us to
do."
He shrugged and said, "Come into the dinette and I'll
make us some warm milk. I'm told it can help you feel
sleepy."
Surprised, Hermione said, "Yeah. I've heard that too."
The two headed for the kitchen only to find Dobby had
overheard and already prepared it. He indicated the
dinette and said, "On the dinette table, Master Harry,
Miss-tress Herm'nee."
Not bothering about it, they both said, "Thank you,
Dobby." And went and sat at the table, picked up their
cups of hot milk and talked about what they thought
they'd missed at the welcome back feast at Hogwarts.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After being yet again badgered by his dorm-mates
about just when it was that 'Harry' would be returning
to Hogwarts, Neville had taken to simply continually
repeating the same answer over and over again, word
for word.
Then, once up in the Gryffindor Fourth Year boys'
dorm, the first thing the four noticed was that there
were only four beds. And the others had been better
spread out.
"Hey, we're missing a bed!" declared Thomas.
"No, we're not," said Neville. "If or when Harry gets
here, he'll be going into the Lords' Quarters.
"Lords' Quarters?" asked Finnegan; muggle-raised,
but halfblood.
"Yup," said Neville. "Now that it's public Harry's taken
up his Lordship, he's entitled to move into the Lords'
Quarters. He'll be doing that."
On hearing Harry would be moving into what he
thought would be private and, worst still, luxurious
accommodation, without thinking it through first Ron
had instantly reacted and snapped. "That'd be right!
Bloody Potter! I suppose he's going to have Hermione
move in with him, too?"
― ― ―
At that moment, Ron's hand on the Weasley family
clock shifted to 'In Danger'. 'Dong!'
Hearing it, Molly rushed downstairs from the main
bedroom and hurried into the kitchen. The time was
not beyond the time the Burrow would all be in bed
and asleep.
She stared at the clock for a few moments, appalled,
before she suddenly got quite angry.
Grabbing a sheet of Howler parchment she wrote off a
quick message to her youngest son before trying to
simultaneously stomp up and quietly climb the stairs
to where Errol and Hermes slept.
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Chapter 335
Though they'd had a bit of a tense start to the night,
the residents of the Granger home slept well. Both
teens were able to join her parents for breakfast
before the latter two had to head off to work, their first
day back after their two and a half weeks of vacation
time.
Because he was eating and she was down early, Harry
relieved Hedwig of her load of the Daily Prophet and
immediately handed it over to Hermione.
"You can have it first," he said, when she looked
confused. "I'm still eating and you're better at reading
while eating, than I am."
"Alright Harry, thank you," she replied, accepting it.
It appeared she had only started to read for a few
seconds before she said, "You made the front page,
again."
"Oh?" he asked.
"Give me a sec," she replied, clearly reading.
A few moments later she said, "It covers: You didn't
show up at Hogwarts, me neither; you claim you'll be
late due to the need to attend family business matters;
but, you've still asked for access to the Lords'
Quarters; so, you will eventually get there. Then
Skeeter gives her 'opinion couched as questions'
where she asks just how many special privileges
you're going to demand before you're satisfied.
Harry snorted in amusement and said, "She's still
miffed about Ted going in there and slapping her and
Cuffe down for her articles that denigrated me. And
me doing it directly right before the first task."
"It's still rude," Hermione practically growled.
Harry shrugged and said, "If I sic Ted on her and the
Prophet management for every article they write about
me, then she'll be able to claim we were picking on
them.
"Let her have her little victories, like this. It's not as if
anyone who's worth knowing won't know both the
truth and how petty she's being. She's just more and
more showing herself to be someone not worth
paying attention to."
Hermione seemed to think about that for a few
moments before she looked at him in pride. "That's
actually quite wise, Harry. I'm liking this new Harry a
lot better than the old one, now I'm getting used to
him."
Harry smiled back and returned to his breakfast.
However, it was only a couple of minutes later when
she said, "Yet another article about you."
"What's it about, this time?" he asked.
"Actually, it's about the Alliance in general," she
replied. "It states the Alliance held a secret meeting at
Longbottom Hall, where they were 'obviously' going
over plans that may or may not include taking over the
Ministry." She gave a snort of amusement and said,
"They mention that two of the direct members are
Madam Bones and Miles Ogden; the Director of the
DMLE and the Chief Warlock, respectively. And
wonder if they're... you... are planning to see your
choice of Minister elected."
"Okay, wow!" he said. "What's the name of the idiot
who's trying to get him- or herself called out?"
She quickly scanned the article and replied, "A... Kate
Erister?"
Harry frowned and thought about it for a moment
before he said, "That's not a wizarding name. And
'Erister' is not a muggle name I can think of either. It
must be a nom de plume."
Hermione frowned as she stared at the page for a long
few moment before she suddenly smiled. "It's an
anagram for Rita Skeeter."
Harry gave a snort and said, "We'll take note of it and,
if she gets too comfortable using it, we'll hand the lot
over to Ted and tell him to go to town on her and the
Prophet.
Hermione gave a nod and continued through the
paper as the aurors brought up the rest of Harry's
mail.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
As her parents' cars disappeared down the street;
Hermione, who had watched them from the parlour
window, walked into the dinette and asked, "Could we
go to Pottermore today?"
Surprised at the question, Harry replied, "Sure! If
that's what you want to do. I've not asked Willy to sort
the books in the library out, though."
She shook her head in the negative and said, "No;
though it'd be nice if you did ask him to do that. Since
we've been here we've hardly cast any magic. And
we've definitely not cast anything too powerful.
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Chapter 336
Back at Hogwarts, Neville immediately turned a glare
on the red-headed idiot, braced himself up, stalked
across the room until he was right in the face of the
other boy and angrily hissed, "You will watch your
mouth, Weasley! If you don't be careful of what you
say, I'm well prepared to stand as Lord Potter's
second in a duel against you! And Lord Potter has
already told me he is no longer prepared to put up
with crap form anyone; especially, coming from you!"
Ron stood in shock as the usually very placid and shy
boy got in his face and scared the Hell out of him.
"Sorry!" he squeaked.
"'Sorry' won't cut it, Weasley," snapped Neville. "If you
disrespect Lord Potter in my presence again... Harry
might not get the chance to duel you, as I'll have
already done so.
"Lord Potter is responsible for the recovery of my
parents from over a decade of long term care in Saint
Mungo's. As far as I'm concerned, I stand ready to
defend him to the death any who come after him. And
that includes those who verbally attack him - just like
you did.
"My father, Lord of my House, has publicly named him
a Hero of House Longbottom. And that's all the
excuse I'll need to kill you.
"Do it again in my hearing and I'll call you out. You'll
be dead by nightfall! Got me?"
Ron rapidly nodded his head as he was cowering
back. He didn't know it yet, but he was about to have a
night plagued with little sleep. Neville had scared him
that much.
― ― ―
Quickly giving the now charged and folded red note to
the elderly owl, Molly ordered it to deliver it to her
youngest son the next morning, opened the window
and sent it on its way.
Then she returned downstairs to watch how long it
took for the hand to move back. It was already back to
'At School' before she got there.
― ― ―
Back at Hogwarts Neville rounded on the other two of
his dorm mates and said, "I have answered your
questions as to when Harry is likely to rejoin
Hogwarts. Just because it is not the answer you want
is irrelevant to me; it is the only answer I'm prepared
to give. Don't push it!"
That had both other boys quickly nod back with
Thomas adding, "Yeah, right-o! No problems, alright?"
Neville just gave them all a final glare before he
relaxed again and said, "I'm going to bed. Have a bit of
respect for others and try to keep the noise down."
Then he quickly began to get ready to go to sleep.
As Neville grabbed his toiletries and ducked into the
bathroom to brush his teeth for the night, Thomas
rounded on Ron and said, "Merlin, Ron! Are you an
idiot, or something? What got into your head to do
something like that?"
Ron sagged down onto the side of his bed, sighed and
said, "I don't know! I just can't help running off at the
mouth. Both Dad and Aunt Muriel said if I don't get it
under control soon, it's gonna get me killed!
Looking up and back at them, he whined, "But, I'm trying. It's just not work-ing."
A few minutes later, a small beetle flew out the
cracked-open window.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Over in the Ravenclaw Third Year girls' dorms, Luna
was just walking in when she was confronted by the
other five, who were clearly waiting for her.
Shirley Fawcett, one of the ones arrested and charged
when Flitwick stood and outed them in the middle of
the Great Hall for being thieves, was again leading
them.
"Look," she sneered. "It's little Loony Lovegood."
"Look," said Luna, right back. "It's the stupid
muggleborn girl, who is one wrong word from me to a
professor away from finding herself rearrested,
charged, taken back before the Director of the DMLE,
found guilty, having her wand snapped, obliviated of
all knowledge of the wizarding world - together with
her parents and siblings - and tossed out of it on her
arse."
Fawcett stared back in shock and looked ready to
faint. "Y-you wouldn't!" she gasped.
With an expression devoid of emotion, Luna stared
back and said, "I could go right now, if you like. You,
standing there in a threatening manner and trying to
intimidate me, is all I need."
Letting her gaze sweep over the other four, she
continued, "It's also enough for me to have the rest of
you before our Head of House. You four, standing with
this very stupid bitch, means you are aiding her in
bullying. You can and likely would face the same
punishment."
Starting to walk forward, Luna walked up close to
Fawcett, who was now starting to cringe, and said,
"This is your final warning from me, Fawcett. One
more word or action against me from you... One!... and
you're gone!
"What you don't seem to realise or know, a person's
memories can be extracted from their mind and
placed in an object that allows others to watch them.
It's called a pensieve. Memories can be submitted as
evidence in an enquiry. My memory of this event is,
therefore, submissable as evidence. That means,
whether or not you get to stay in Hogwarts, is now in
my mind.
"You and your ignorant friends will leave me alone,
Fawcett. You will, from this moment forth, treat me
with respect. If you do not, the next thing you will
need to do is pack. Do you understand me?"
As Luna stood there and continued to stare the other
girl in the eye, Fawcett eventually and fearfully
nodded.
Right then, Luna knew that the nice mind-healer lady
had not led her wrong. She'd told the little blonde that
bullies are, at heart, cowards. If you stand up to them,
they will cower away. Fawcett was doing that right
now.
She now knew her remaining time in Hogwarts would
not be the nightmare she'd experienced for her first
two and a bit.
"Good," she snapped. "Now, get out of my way."
Fawcett hurried to 'get'. So did the other four.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------
Chapter 337
"I'm asking if we can go to Pottermore to go to the
duelling room and practice casting magic for the day."
Harry thought about it for all of about three seconds
before he replied, "That's a damned good idea. We
need to get back up our casting speed, for a start.
We've got to be a bit rusty with defensive magics,
too."
"My thoughts, exactly," she replied.
Rising, he said, "Then, we'd best go get changed."
Confused, she asked, "Why? I'm comfortable in what
I'm wearing."
"Because it's far more likely you'll be casting both
offensively and defensively while wearing robes.
Therefore...?"
With a resigned sigh, she continued the response.
"Therefore... I need to practice casting while wearing
them."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
As the Great Hall filled the next morning, the first day
of classes, students were excited about returning to
their educations and what all the new Professors
would be like.
Neville had risen early, eager to seek out Professor
Sprout to give her the good news his parents were
being very encouraging of him for him to follow his
dream of becoming a Herbologist.
His parents had already gone, alone, to see her a few
days before the end of the year to discuss with both
her and Headmistress Lady Marchbanks about
Neville's experiences in the school up until that point.
And made sure that the Professor was supportive of
Neville becoming a Herbologist, plus the issue
regarding bullying would be taken care of. However,
he felt he had to tell her, himself.
Therefore, he was already at breakfast by the time the
other three boys in his dorm entered and joined him.
The other three had only just sat down when Ernie
MacMillan approached and said, "I've heard on the
rumour mill that Potter is not here. Will he be
attending at some time? It's important I speak with
him."
Neville, already knowing what the Hufflepuff wanted to
speak with Harry about, replied, "Heir MacMillan; he
has family business he needs to take care of, first. He
should be along soon. I suspect within the next
couple of days."
MacMillan gave a slight nod of a lower ranked Heir to
Neville before he said, "My thanks, Heir Longbottom.
If you see him before I, could you inform him it is most
urgent I speak with him?"
"I'll be sure to," replied Neville.
MacMillan gave another bow and quietly withdrew.
Not long after the boy left to return to the Hufflepuff
table, Malfoy came sauntering over. However, he again
did not have Crabbe and Goyle with him.
Ignoring the others, he sneered at Ron and said, "So,
no Potter; eh, Weasel?"
Before Ron, who was suddenly turning red in anger,
could say anything back, Neville said in a quite clear
voice that drew attention to him from all around, "Heir
Malfoy of the Magical House of Malfoy. Have your
parents been so lax in their education of you, you
have forgotten Mister Weasley is an Heir of the Elder
House of Weasley; and, therefore, outranks you?"
Malfoy looked back at Neville in shock before he said,
"Err―"
But, Neville wasn't finished, "Contrary to your belief of
the past you were Heir Primary of the Noble and Most
Ancient House of Black, I am aware you are now fully
aware you are not."
Malfoy's cheeks turned pink whether in
embarrassment or anger. However, he still managed to
sneer and said, "I am still of the Noble and Most
Ancient House of Black―"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------
Chapter 338
"I can have that rectified, if you like," Neville cut back.
"I am now well acquainted with, and on friendly terms
with, Lord Black. I believe he's looking for an excuse
to have both you and your mother Disowned.
"Embarrassing him and the House of Black in public
by your actions in being rude to a senior House may
just be the final piece he needs to carry out that act.
Continue on the path you are on and I'll be sure to
inform him of such."
Almost quivering in rage, Malfoy was about to say
something back when another voice cut in - Professor
Flitwick.
"Mister Malfoy," he snapped.
From reddening in anger, the boy almost quicker
whitened in shock before turning to look at the
Charms Master. "Ummm―"
"Mister Malfoy," he snapped again. "For your attempt
at deliberately seeking out and causing trouble with
another student against the rules relating to bullying,
that'll be fifty points from Slytherin and two weeks
detention. You'll be serving it with Professor Burbage
in the detention classroom each evening from 7.30pm
until 8.45pm. Leave now, return to the Slytherin table
or I'll double both!"
Malfoy stood gaping back in shock before he again
reddened. "When my father hears about this―"
"He will," snapped the Professor. "That, too, is part of
the new rules regarding bullying. Your father will
receive official notice of your detention, and why, by
no later than this evening."
Malfoy, again looking a little fearful, stood staring
back for a long moment more before he angrily spun
away and stormed off back to the Slytherin table.
Once Malfoy was clear out of range, Flitwick spun to
look at the Gryffindors. Most were in shock or simply
surprised Malfoy was cast down for his actions.
"Mister Longbottom," he said. "For acting in a calm
and rational matter when faced with someone looking
to cause trouble, ten points to Gryffindor."
Then he spun away and hurried back to the staff table,
not waiting for response.
Once Flitwick was up on the dais and moving to round
the head table, Finnegan asked, "Did what just
happen, actually happen? Or, did I just dream the
entire thing?"
Neville chuckled and replied, "It happened. When my
parents paid a visit to the school last week,
Headmistress Lady Marchbanks was apparently quite
firm in her conviction about handling bullying from
that point on. This is going to be the new normal."
Turning to Ron, who'd managed to get his wand out
but hadn't cast when Neville verbally cut down Malfoy,
he said, "And that's all bullying, Ron. That includes
calling someone a 'filthy, slimy snake' or similar; no
matter how much you think they deserve it."
While happy the Professors were now dealing with the
way the Slytherins treated the Gryffindors, Ron found
himself appalled it also meant the Gryffindors couldn't
mouth off to the Slytherins, either.
"But, they're Slytherins!" he tried.
"No, buts," Neville firmly stated. "All bullying."
That left Ron sulking, but it didn't impinge on his
eating breakfast.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Just after 8.00am, Dumbledore was re-manacled,
pulled from his cell within the holding cells of the
DMLE and silently dragged off to the Interrogation
Rooms.
The two beefy aurors who'd come to collect him, who
refused to answer any of his questions on the way or
otherwise interact with him, simply affixed his
manacles to the large iron ring bolted to the middle of
the table in the room, forced him to sit in the plain
wooden chair and left him. He was sitting side-on to
the door and with his face to an almost room-wide
mirror he knew to be magical one-way glass.
He'd not been treated like this since the day of the
first task. All the times he'd been in a cell since, he'd
been informally questioned in his cell.
He was forced to wait for about fifteen minutes before
Bones walked in with Robards and Moody at her
heels. None of them were so much as smiling.
Dropping a thick folder of parchment she'd had
tucked under her arm on the other side of the desk
before taking the more comfortable chair than his own
on that side, Bones then inscrutably stared at the old
man for a few moments. Moody stood by the door
while Dawlish moved to a position on the opposite
wall to the door, just out of the old man's peripheral
vision. It was a spot known for being exactly that.
She stared at him for about a minute before it looked
like the old man had lost his patience and was about
to speak.
Cutting in first she said, "You were given a direct
order by me, no less, to remain away from the
Grangers' residence as you awaited trial for unlawful
trespass on that property. Last night you were caught
analysing the wards of that same property.
"I'm now formally charging you with breaching a
lawful DMLE order - again given by me, no less - by
going to that property.
"As the wards on that property are not yours to
analyse, nor are they under your control, nor did you
have prior permission to do such, I'm also formally
charging you with illegally analysing private property
wards not in your control.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------
Chapter 339
"I also informed you, the last time I charged you, I'd
go ahead and prosecute you for them if you broke the
law again. You've now done that.
Flicking open the file before her she looked down and
said, "I'm adding those two charges to the
following..." And read out the charges she'd told him
before she'd charged him with, but wasn't going
ahead with unless he broke the law again.
Once she'd finished reading them, she looked back at
Dumbledore and said, "Again, I'm offering you the
chance to have all those charges dropped if you come
clean with why you seem to be so interested in getting
Lord Potter under your control. What say you, Albus?"
Dumbledore kept his mouth shut with an expression
of resolution and just stared back.
When, after fifteen seconds, he still wouldn't say
anything, she said, "Fine."
Calling out, she commanded, "Bring in a Dicta-quill
and Veritaserum."
Shocked, Dumbledore said, "You can't! What I know is
protected knowledge under the Wizarding World
Secrets Statute."
"Not everything is so protected, Mister Dumbledore,"
she shot back as both items were brought in. "I'll be
sure to restrict the questions to matters not officially
recognised as covered by the Statute."
As a young auror set up the Dicta-quill on a smaller
'clerks' table off to one side behind Bones, a DMLEregistered Healer stood with a rack held in front of her
near where the young auror was setting the Dicta-quill
up. The rack contained seven vials of clear liquid.
Meanwhile, Bones continued to stare at Dumbledore.
She was carefully watching him with a very slight selfsatisfied smirk on her face.
Dumbledore had clamped down very firmly on his
Occlumency. However, she could see he was still
exhibiting signs of panic. Even with that, he still
wasn't speaking.
Bones had thought the clear threat to dose him with
Veritaserum would be enough to loosen the old man's
tongue. It appeared not to be working.
"Last chance, Albus," she said. "And... I do mean...
last chance."
The select few of her team in the room had already
been briefed as to her plan and what she would do if it
didn't work. They'd be going ahead with the dosing.
The young auror, who'd been told to take her sweet
time setting up the Dicta-quill, had now done so and
was surreptitiously watching for the signal from The
Boss that she was to announce the quill was ready.
Bones gave her that signal, a flick of her foot.
She immediately announced, "The Dicta-quill is ready,
Ma'am. I stand ready to take a court admissible and
acceptable transcript."
Not even looking to the young auror, but at
Dumbledore, Bones cocked an eyebrow at the old
man in query. Dumbledore just jut his chin further
forward in defiance.
She ordered, "Activate the Quill."
A moment later, the young auror replied, "Dicta-quill
activated on the second of September, 1995, at 8.17am
in Interrogation Room One of the DMLE, Ministry of
Magic, Wizarding Britain.
"Dicta-quill activation is for the purpose of
Interviewing arrestee, Mister Albus Percival Wulfric
Brian Dumbledore, citizen of wizarding Britain, of no
known fixed address.
"Present are: Dicta-quill operator, Auror First Class
Samantha Fitzwallace, qualified Dicta-quill operator;
Madam Director Amelia Bones, Director of the
Department of Magical Law Enforcement, wizarding
Britain; Master Auror Alastor Moody; Master Auror
Gawain Robards; DMLE certified Healer, Master Healer
Eliza Pockridge; and the prisoner known as Mister
Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Madam
Bones is senior officer of this interview.
"Madam Bones, you may begin."
Bones replied, "Thank you, Auror Fitzwallace."
Openly smirking at Dumbledore she said, "Mister
Dumbledore; do you recognise and accept you have
been arrested and charged with the crimes of..." and
read them all out.
As the last charge was read she looked back up at him
and asked, "What say you?"
With his lips firmly pursed together in anger, it was a
few seconds before he finally replied, "I do."
With a quick single nod of satisfaction, she asked,
"Do you confirm you were offered the chance to speak
in your defence regarding one or more of these crimes
before the Dicta-quill was activated and you refused?"
Again, he had his lips pressed together in a firm line,
glaring back, before he finally replied, "I do."
Another firm and single nod from Bones and she said,
"I, Madam Director Amelia Susan Bones, Director of
the Department of Magical Law Enforcement for
wizarding Britain, state for the record I know Mister
Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, citizen of
wizarding Britain and no known fixed address, is of
half-blood birth; and is, therefore, not exempt from the
condition in the Pureblood Statute forbidding the use
of Veritaserum on his person. I also state for the
record I know the same to no longer hold any official
title that would otherwise exempt him from the use of
Veritaserum on his person."
As she spoke, she saw Dumbledore's eyes begin to
widen in alarm. Clearly, he thought her threat to use
Veritaserum on him was a bluff. He was now
discovering it was not.
She then stated, "I now hereby order for Mister
Dumbledore to be dosed with Veritaserum for the
purposes of receiving truthful answers for the
remainder of this interview!"
"No!" he blurted. "Ask your questions. I'll answer
them!"
"Too late." she stated right back.
Turning to the Healer she said, "Master Healer
Pockridge. Do you confirm you have in the rack you
are holding in your hands four vials of Veritaserum
and only Veritaserum?"
"I confirm I hold in my hands a rack containing seven
vials of Veritaserum and only Veritaserum, Madam
Bones," the Healer replied in a clear voice.
"Confirmed," said Madam Bones. "Place the rack on
the table before me and draw out the sixth vial from
my left."
The Healer did and said, "I have drawn the sixth vial
from the rack and state it is both sealed and is
numbered vial three sixty four."
Bones then confirmed the information for the record
and asked, "Master Healer Pockridge, what is your
expert opinion on the maximum number of drops of
Veritaserum Albus Dumbledore can be administered?"
As the matter had already been discussed before
Dumbledore was even brought to the Room, she
immediately replied, "I recommend the maximum
number of drops of Veritaserum to be safely
administered, without harm to the prisoner, to be four.
I further recommend the maximum number of drops to
be administered with a twenty to thirty percent risk of
permanent harm to Albus Dumbledore to be six."
Bones gave a firm nod and looked back to
Dumbledore. "I, Madam Director Amelia Susan Bones,
Director of the Department of Magical Law
Enforcement for wizarding Britain, state for the record
I order Master Healer Eliza Pockridge to immediately
administer to Mister Albus Percival Wulfric Brian
Dumbledore, citizen of wizarding Britain and no
known fixed address, five drops of Veritaserum."
Dumbledore stared back at Bones in complete shock.
He'd even paled quite dramatically.
"I, Master Healer Eliza Pockridge, confirm I have been
given a lawful order by Madam Director Amelia Bones,
Director of the DMLE, to immediately administer to
Mister Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore five
drops of Veritaserum."
As she walked around the table she cracked the seal
and opened the thin-necked vial.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------
Chapter 340
As Dumbledore began to cower away, Moody stomped
forward, grabbed him by a fistful of his regrowing hair
and yanked back, causing Dumbledore's head to be
tilted right back.
Then he reached forward with his other hand and
pressed down on the old man's chin, forcing his
mouth open as Dumbledore tried to struggle against
him.
The Master Healer then reached forward and allowed
five drops to enter the man's mouth, counting them
out as she did so.
Moody held Dumbledore's mouth open for another ten
seconds, to allow the Veritaserum to be absorbed
before Dumbledore could try and spit out any
remnants, before finally releasing him.
Pockridge then said, "I have now administered five
drops of Veritaserum to Albus Percival Wulfric Brian
Dumbledore, as ordered by Madam Director Amelia
Bones of the DMLE. Mister Dumbledore had to be
forced to take the serum."
As Moody stomped back to his 'place' next to the
door, Bones and Pockridge watched as he tried to
fight against the effects.
Pockridge said, "From witnessed evidence, Mister
Dumbledore is attempting to fight against the effects
of the Veritaserum."
After a further ten seconds the visible signs were
there that the serum had taken effect.
Pockridge then said, "From witnessed evidence,
Mister Dumbledore is now under the effects of
Veritaserum."
Bones said, "Thank you, Master Healer Pockridge. As I
have ordered Mister Dumbledore to be dosed with five
drops of Veritaserum, please continue to monitor
Mister Dumbledore's health as I question him."
"Yes, Director."
With everything now ready and Dumbledore suitably
dosed, she began to ask the old man her pre-prepared
list of questions.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
At Hogwarts, students were just finishing up their
breakfasts and the four Heads of House had just
delivered their new class schedules when the owls
began to arrive.
Mainly, the mail was not personal letters but small
packages of items students had meant to bring with
them and had forgotten to, or their parents had sent
them because they should have taken them and had
left them behind. Of course, there was also the dozens
of copies of the Daily Prophet that many students had
subscribed to, advertising bumph and catalogues
from various wizarding retailers a few students had
added their names to and other sundry mailings.
But, almost everyone was immediately alerted by
seeing it for themselves or being alerted to it by their
nearby table-mates to there being an old, wonkilyflying barn owl that had in its beak the tell-tale red of a
Howler.
It was making its way to the Gryffindor table.
However, before it was able to complete its journey, a
very accurately fired stunner from the Head Table
impacted it, sending it dropping onto the Gryffindor
table at the Head Table end.
The Professor they'd been introduced to the night
before as the new Professor of DADA, Professor
Murdstock, hurried around from the head table and
approached the now stunned owl and its released but
undelivered Howler. His action had many gasping in
shock or making small exclamations of surprise; but,
none interfered with him. Nor did any of the young
first year Gryffindors at that end of the table touch
either the bird or the Howler.
Once he reached the table he quickly deactivated the
charms on the Howler parchment, turning it back to
normal parchment, and picked it up. A quick check of
the addressee and he looked down the table.
He called, "Which of you is Ron Weasley?"
Though Ron was slow to respond, the Professor
noticed quite a few Gryff's towards the middle of the
table look to a cringing red-headed boy.
Ron, seeing the Professor stare at him, replied, "Errr...
that would be me, Professor."
The professor gave a firm nod and walked down the
table before handing him the parchment. "Tell
whoever sent that, that Howlers are now banned at
Hogwarts. They're considered bullying and will be
treated accordingly."
Accepting the now-letter, he embarrassedly replied,
"Yes, Professor."
With a firm nod to the boy, the Professor walked back
up the table, scooping a still stunned Errol up on the
way.
Walking past the new CoMC Professor he gently
placed the owl on the table clear of the man's food
and said, "Deal with that, would you please, Oliver?"
After making sure the Professor had gone, even
though there was a lot of students and some of the
staff watching him, Ron opened the letter and read it.
Of course, as it was a short note, it didn't take him
long.
He slumped in his seat with a sigh of disappointment.
While he was reading, his twin brothers walked down
and asked, "What did you do to annoy Mum?"
About to snap back at them in anger, he hesitated,
noticed how many people were watching him, and
said, "Let's go out into the Entrance Hall and I'll tell
you." Then rose from his seat.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After alerting the aurors the two teens were headed
for Pottermore, Harry hurried upstairs to change into
casual wizarding robes.
Surprising him, when he hurried down the stairs it
was to see Hermione had already beaten him down.
However, she was dressed 'appropriately', as he
asked her to be, in her own witches' robes.
"Ready?" he asked, coming down the last few stairs.
"Just waiting on you," she smirked.
"How'd you get up and down so fast?" he asked.
She gave a slight scowl and said, "Betsy had
everything ready for me."
He immediately grinned back in amusement. While
she wasn't as visible as Dobby around the house,
Betsy still made the household aware she was around
by the little things she'd do. One was 'assisting' both
Hermione and Monica in getting prepared and ready
for the day. That included readying their clothes,
making sure their make up was at hand, things like
that.
Less than five minutes later, the two teens with two
aurors were in Pottermore, with Harry quickly heading
to the hidden ward keystone to enter the two aurors
into the ward book as Guests. Neither were with them
when Harry and the Grangers first visited.
While there, he asked Willy about combat training and
was told the duelling room allowed anyone to cast
magic, including possibly lethal curses, without fear
of the wards reacting negatively towards them. That
was something he was relieved to hear, as he did not
know how they'd accomplish any true training if
anyone casting magic at him while duelling found
themselves stunned and trussed up like a Christmas
turkey due to a reaction by the wards.
Back upstairs in the welcoming parlour he alerted the
aurors to the change of their status while at
Pottermore.
Looking to Hermione, he asked, "Ready to do some
training, Love?"
When she looked a little concerned, he said, "We'll
use the training dummies, just to get comfortable with
casting again."
Relieved, she smiled and nodded. Harry led her down
to the basement.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Dumbledore was still coughing up honest answers to
her questions after fifteen minutes, so Bones pressed
on. She was determined not to give the man time to
waffle too much, so he could delay enough to have
the time limit run out. She figured out his strategy
after the first question, when it took him almost a full
minute to answer a question it should have only taken
him less than five seconds.
Figuring that was his game, she was ready for it and
reverted to asking closed questions - those that only
required a 'Yes', 'No' or 'I don't know' to answer -
before asking an open question if she wanted
clarification.