Chapter 229

Dumbledore looked him in the eye before he pulled out his wand and pointed it at him. His voice shook as he said his next words, "I have said this before and I will say it again Harry. Never in my years at Hogwarts have I ever been prouder of a student than I am of you. Obliviate."

Harry did his best to exert as much control over Gamer's Mind that he could, commanding his shields to take themselves down as the spell washed over him.

Ping!

Memory spell attack averted!

"Damn it!" Harry cursed in frustration as soon as he heard the ping before he realized who was sitting in front of him, "Sorry Professor."

"No worries Harry, although I presume you already know the result of that little experiment," Dumbledore said, waving away his apologies, "I must say I expected that, but as disappointing as the result may be, you offering to do what you just did…it speaks volumes of your character Harry."

Harry didn't know what to say, so he decided to take a sip of his tea instead. It had lost its heat, leaving behind a cold and bitter concoction.

Dumbledore smiled at him, "I've kept you here for a while. Perenelle must no doubt be wondering when you will be coming home. I would rather not risk her ire if that is fine with you."

"Yeah," said Harry, scratching the back of his head as he looked at the time, "I did tell her that I'd be back within a couple of hours."

"Then off you go Harry. Just hop through from the Floo here this time."

Harry nodded before he got up from his chair and headed over to the fireplace, grabbing the powder and throwing it into the fire. The fire turned green and Harry stepped in. Seconds later he was off, hurtling through the Floo Network in the direction of his home.

After Harry had disappeared in a burst of green flames from the fireplace, Albus Dumbledore pulled his wand out and vanished the Veritaserum laced tea that Harry had been drinking out of his cup.

The experiment that Harry had volunteered for was only one of the two that Dumbledore had been conducting this meeting.

Both had failed.

"It's getting late Harry!" rang Nicholas's voice from downstairs just as Harry finished fluffing up a pillow for Hedwig on his bed.

"Just go Harry. I'll be fine," Hedwig's voice sounded in his head.

Nodding, Harry quickly grabbed his wand and ran out of the room and down the stairs, where Nicholas was waiting for him beside the door. They quickly made their way down the corridor and into the small room that held the floor's Floo connection.

Handing two sickles over to the doorman, Nicholas grabbed the Floo powder and threw it into the fire.

"After you, Harry," he said, waving Harry into the fireplace.

Harry acquiesced, stepping into the fireplace before saying, "Ministry of Magic!"

And he was whooshed away, flitting through an ethereal black space with many momentarily visible green specks of light whizzing by him as he headed towards one green spot of light that grew. Harry braced himself, carefully managing to step out of the fireplace without stumbling.

Flooing was still something he wasn't entirely used to, he thought as he looked up at the splendid hallway in front of him.

The highly polished dark wood floor and walls, the peacock blue ceiling inlaid with gleaming moving golden symbols and many gilded fireplaces looked just as grand as they had the first time he had come to the Ministry. The number of people going in and out of the fireplaces was much less though since it was midday, and other than the few dozen people who were hurriedly walking through towards the atrium, the hallway was fairly empty.

Nicholas emerged in a burst of flame from the fireplace behind him before placing a hand on his shoulder, "Let's go, Harry. We don't want to be late."

Passing the Fountain of Magical Brethren halfway down the hall, they joined the small crowd of people, wading their way through towards the Security desk near the left corner of the Atrium. Occasional snippets of strange and curious conversations reached his ears.

"…just send your toilet over to the DMLE and they'll lick it clean for you…"

"…if your wife gets mad at you for yelling at your kids, just put a coin in your sock every time you yell at them. Soon you'll have a weapon to beat them with…"

"…my goat got my baby stuck in a tree…"

But Nicholas had a firm grip on his shoulder as he guided them hurriedly through to the Security desk, and Harry had no time to investigate any of them.

"Step over here," said the wizard in a bored voice as they reached the desk.

Harry walked closer to him and the wizard held up a long golden rod, thin and flexible as a car aerial, and passed it up and down Harry's front and back before doing the same for Nicholas.

"Wands," grunted the security wizard at them, putting down the golden instrument and holding out his hand. The wizard read the wands on the brass instrument one by one, before handing them back.

"Thank you," said Nicholas firmly, and grasping Harry by the shoulder he steered him away from the desk and back into the stream of wizards and witches walking through the golden gates.

Harry followed him through the gates into the smaller hall beyond, where at least twenty lifts stood behind golden grilles. Harry and Nicholas picked one that looked like it was empty. They hurriedly jogged over to the lift, and before anyone else could get in, Nicholas slid the grills shut and pressed the button labeled Level Nine.

The lift gave a groan before it ascended slowly with a shudder, carrying the two of them.

The hall soon disappeared into the floor, and they were alone in the lift. Nicholas turned to look him in the eyes, "I'm sure Albus stressed it enough in your meeting yesterday, Harry, but remember not to lose your cool in there. Mulciber will be looking for weaknesses, and he will definitely try to provoke you. Don't let him."

"I know Nicholas," Harry said over the rattling noise, "Professor told me all that yesterday."

"I have no doubt," Nicholas said. The flickering light on his face made him look older than Harry had ever seen him look, "But he has a habit of trying to sugarcoat things. I'll be blunt. This trial is being seen as so damaging and polarising that even Fudge refused any part in it. People are out for revenge, and they are not looking to hold back. Just promise me that you will be careful in there."

There was a palpable worry in the man's voice, and it was kind of off-putting to see someone that Harry was used to being cheerful look like that. He nodded, agreeing to that promise.

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