Harry and Hermione had debated long and hard what to include and exclude from the article, there was no mention of prophecies, horcruxes, the fact that Sirius was an animagus or how he was rescued though just about everything else was in the Quibbler which was selling faster than it could be printed.
For all its reputation for mythical beasts the paper could now legitimately list amongst its achievements the first picture of Voldemort, a Basilisk and the man thought to have died a hero's death. It was incredible to think just how little was known about that night yet even what little they did know was proved to be completely wrong.
Albus was sitting on his throne at the staff table by the time he had finished reading and he was worried, he was formulating his rebuttal when the doors of the hall opened to admit five members of the school board, each with a copy of today's Quibbler clutched in their hand.
Dumbledore had just about managed to placate them enough to get the discussions moved out of the view of the whole school and into his office when the doors opened again and a delegation from the goblin nation entered the great hall.
The delegation was led by Master Zutekin, flanked by six goblin guards as he approached the staff table where Dumbledore was still seated; the goblin removed a scroll from his robes and began to read aloud.
"Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, you are charge with conspiring with a goblin clan to subvert and overthrow the legal ruler of the goblin nation. You are also charged with conspiring with a member of that clan, namely Sickyle, to illegally remove gold from the account of which he was in charge. Lord Potter has requested we use all means legally at our disposal to recover all the gold stolen from him and to punish the guilty parties involved, we are well aware this is a school full of children so have left the traitor Sickyle's head on the desk in your office rather than present it here."
This brought about an audible gasp that rippled through the hall, which had been unusually silent as everyone strained to hear what was going on. There was also the thought that if they stayed quiet they wouldn't be noticed and sent to their common rooms or classes.
Zutekin continued reading, "all of your accounts have been frozen and all assets seized, should you make an appearance at any goblin facility you will be arrested and tried under goblin law for your crimes against our nation. All documents pertaining to your illegal dealings against the goblin nation and Lord Potter have been forwarded to the investigation arm of the auror department along with a request that you be arrested and handed over to the goblin nation."
Albus knew that Hagrid would dance Swan Lake with the Bolshoi Ballet in front of the Queen before the ministry would hand a wizard over to the goblins. The 'all accounts' had him terrified; he wasn't sure how many accounts they had frozen but if they got them all he was in deep shit.
Being vilified in the press was one thing but being poor scared the life out of him, he had spent his considerable number of years quietly amassing his fortune and could not contemplate being poorer than a Weasley.
Albus had totally overlooked the fact that the goblin declaration had just validated the entire Quibbler story in the minds of everyone present in the hall, staff, students and school governors were all reassessing their dealings and reactions to the headmaster.
It was into this reflective atmosphere that Harry and Hermione walked arm in arm into the great hall, "sorry were late for breakfast," said Harry "but it doesn't really matter as we're just here to collect a couple of our friends.
....
The ministry for magic was in total meltdown, it seemed like half the population of the wizarding world had turned up and being rather vocal in their demands, the magical multitude had spoken.
The wanted Fudge sacked, justice for Sirius and a delegation sent post haste to Lord Potter, begging him not to abandon them, most were old enough to remember how the first war was progressing before baby Harry's intervention. Not one person currently in the ministry building had any illusions that they would do any better the second time around.
Harry Potter was the saviour of the wizarding world and the idea they had treated him so badly he would leave them to the not so tender mercies of that monster Voldemort did not bear thinking about. This needed to be fixed, and quickly, their leaders had better deliver or they wouldn't be their leaders much longer.
Fudge was in shock, plastered all over the Quibbler was information that he didn't want the general public to be aware of; he took the crowds that were gathered in the atrium as confirmation of the correctness of his notion that the public couldn't handle the truth. He had ordered Amelia Bones to send aurors to arrest the Potter brat under causing a public menace charges but she had refused, citing all the aurors were needed to protect the ministry at the moment.
Fudge's sense of self-preservation kicked in as he realised that removing protection from the minister at this time was not a good idea. Amelia Bones knew Harry had committed no crime, she also knew having him arrested would cost the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement her job, though she doubted if her aurors would even obey that command.
Fudge was making the same mistake Dumbledore was, in any choice between the three wizards almost all the general population would choose the boy who saved them from the nightmare that was the last war.
The thought of Voldemort returning sent shivers of dread running through the battle hardened woman, Amelia knew that the peace time cuts to her department left their world seriously under protected to the threat of another war.
Fudge was bemoaning the fact that he was having to make his own decisions; Lucius had still not made an appearance and he was getting worried. The much-maligned minister then decided, against all advice offered, to speak to 'his people' and explain there had been a misunderstanding.
He appeared on a platform, looking down on his people as the crowd became silent, Fudge took this as a sign of respect and started addressing them in the most condescending tone imaginable, little realising that the only words they wanted to here was "I resign!"
....
Join my P*atreon for early access to 60+ chapters ahead of the public release.
Free members can get a combo of 6+ advanced chapters from my books FOR FREE.
Link : pa*treon.com/thebookaddict (Remove the *)