Just as suddenly as the previous time that day, Dumbledore woke with a start to notice he was lying flat on his back with a healer or medi-wizard leaning over him with wand drawn.
"He's awake," said the healer, pulling away.
"Of course, I'm awake, you blithering idiot," muttered the old man, trying to sit up.
"I'll thank you not to abuse my staff, Mister Dumbledore," snapped a voice Dumbledore immediately recognised and hated - Bones.
"Ah, Amelia," said the old man, swallowing his desire to snarl at the woman.
"Pris-on-er Dumbledore," she shot right back, deliberately drawing out and emphasising his 'title'.
As Dumbledore swung his legs to sit on the edge of the bed he realised he wasn't on a bed, after all; it was a bunk. He was, yet again, in a cell within the DMLE. And, again, he was missing his wand, glasses and portkeys.
With a sigh he quietly asked, "Why am I back here?"
"Criminal Trespass," she replied.
"You are in error, Amelia," he said.
"Am I, Prisoner Dumbledore?" she asked back. "That's peculiar, Prisoner Dumbledore, because you were found stunned unconscious at the scene of the crime."
"Then someone has been playing games, Madam Bones," he declared. "I was on my way to visit the family of a magical ward of mine when it seems some foul chicanery has been involved."
"And what foul chicanery would that be, Mister Dumbledore?" she politely asked.
"Someone has erected an illegal anti-apparation jinx or ward around her home," he replied. "It will need to be investigated, at once."
"Very well," she said. "And what is the name of this magical ward of yours, around whose home you believe an illegal anti-apparation jinx or ward has been erected?"
"Her name is Miss Hermione Granger, muggleborn," he replied. "A student of mine."
"Well, that's surprising," said Bones. "On a multiple number of levels."
He frowned at her and asked, "Oh? Because someone would erect an anti-apparation ward around the home of a muggleborn under-aged student?"
"Nope," she said. "It's surprising for the following reasons: One; there is no record of you being the current magical guardian of anyone, any longer, Professor of Transfigurations, Albus Dumbledore. Two; Miss Hermione Granger's magical guardian is Madam Minerva McGonagall. Three; according to the first two points, you had no business being there. Four; there is an anti-apparation ward on the home of Miss Hermione Granger, but it is not illegal; it is there with the permission of the owner occupiers of the home. Five; your arrival point for your apparation was... rudely... well within the property boundary. And, six; and this is the one which changes your charge from simple Trespass to Criminal Trespass, Lord Potter was also on the property at the time and you were warned during your very recent trial what would likely happen should you bother Lord Potter. You, crashing into the wards on a property in which he was in, setting off alarms all over the place, means he was bothered.
"In the short time you've been back in custody, I've already heard from Lord Black, who had a monitor on the wards. He's pressing charges against you. I also have an appointment with Lord Potter; who, I've no doubt, is also pressing charges against you. And I'll be speaking with Doctor and Doctor Wendell and Monica Granger who, as owners of the property, I've no doubt will also wish to press charges against you.
"Oh, and just so you know, I'm always looking to the safety of our Lords and Ladies as it's part of my job description. To that end I made enquiries into the backgrounds of both Doctors Granger.
"Doctor Wendell Granger is what the muggles call a Justice of the Peace; or 'JP', for short. That gives him the authority, in the Queen's name, to issue what is commonly referred to as a 'bench warrant'. That is, he has the authority to issue things such as a Warrant of Arrest. He can have people arrested with the weight of the crown backing him. Theoretically, he can order Master Auror Scrimgeour, for instance, to go to Parkinson House, enter without permission to do so from the Parkinsons and arrest Lady Parkinson. Not even myself or the Minister has that right. However, because his authority comes direct from the crown, he does! He also has the authority of Low Justice and can sit in judicial review any case or matter that can have a criminal conviction with a punishment of up to six months in gaol.
"In other words, since the crime is Trespass, Magistrate Granger can have you arrested, charged and brought before him; where he can then convict you and have you tossed in prison for six months. And it's all completely legal and above board... you twit!
"And Doctor Monica Granger is what is known as a Commissioner of Declarations; or 'CD', for short. That's a title Doctor Wendell Granger automatically has as a Justice of the Peace. That means, in both their cases, any legal document they sign is automatically seen as a sworn statement.
"You, Albus Dumbledore, in one foolish move, have managed to not just kick over the legal version of a doxie nest, but have then proceeded to stomp all over it.
"So, make yourself comfortable," she smirked at him. "You're going to be here for a while. If Magistrate Granger... not Doctor Granger... is of a mind, he has the legal authority under the crown to have you tossed in Azkaban for six months."
Then stood to leave.
As she walked out, while accompanied by her people and blatantly chuckling to herself, Dumbledore closed his eyes, leaned back against the wall to which the bunk was bolted and sighed as if in pain.
Dumbledore knew the Grangers were well-to-do as their daughter never needed access to the Hogwarts Muggleborn Assistance Fund. But he had no idea they had such legal authority, as well.
The background that was developed on each student included the student's parent's names, muggle nobility titles (if they had one), addresses, ages, occupations and whether or not there were other children, together with their ages and schooling.
Reviewing her file in his mind he recalled seeing the letters 'JP' after Doctor Wendell Granger's and 'CD' after Doctor Monica Granger's names, but thought they were related to academic qualifications or professional associations, as such letters usually were. It was never thought to include what other qualifications they had, as it had never occurred to anyone that it might be important. Well, it clearly was, as in this case.
_β_
β==(oIo)==β
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A short while later Auror Cassidy again stiffened and stared off into space. Then he smiled and looked back at the Grangers and Robards. He said, "The Boss and troops are here."
Robards had been using the 'opportunity' to begin to familiarise himself with improvements in modern muggle homes, by asking questions of the Grangers. It had been a while since his last refresher course on moving in the muggle world and he believed 'a wasted opportunity was wasted time'.
Cassidy immediately moved to the door and opened it before using the wall and frame to peek around it and out with his wand in his hand and ready. It would not do to mess up procedure when a Master Auror was watching you, no matter how secure you felt in your protections.
Once he'd satisfied himself as to the identity of those outside he swung the door open and stepped out.
When he returned he was leading two more aurors, then Madam Bones, then another three aurors - six, in total.
"We're going to need seats," said Harry.
"No need, thank you," said Bones, gesturing to him with a wave off. "Aurors, Ward Masters, you know what you need to do."
All but two of the aurors that accompanied her all quietly said, "Yes, Ma'am." And went back outside.
Before he had a chance to ask, she explained to Harry, "They're checking the wards again to make sure they're all in good working order. Dumbledore's quite the powerful wizard and he hit them with significant force."
He nodded back.
She then turned to Wendell and Monica and said, "Magistrate Granger, Commissioner Granger..."
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