The war with Voldemort was raging the last time the British Auror Office saw so much of Sebastian Delacour. He was a Master Auror then, on loan to the British Ministry to shore up the ranks after they took significant losses in a skirmish in Wales. Though much had changed – including the person occupying the head office – much more had stayed the same.
The peaceful atmosphere of Amelia's office was a stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of the rank and file. Aurors scurried to and fro as they worked, comparing cases and chasing leads. A multitude of voices, some hushed and some shouting, permeated the bullpen in a dull roar.
The rise in Dark activity after the World Cup was worrisome. Few arrests were made – the perpetrators disappeared quickly – and they were no closer to solving the problem. It was too bad that Minister Fudge was so shortsighted; the Department had less than a third of the personnel they needed because the Auror budget was his favorite one to cut.
But that was not his problem, and even if it were, it would have been the least of his concerns.
With a heavy sigh, Sebastian rubbed his eyes tiredly. Removing Albus Dumbledore from his positions of power was proving both easier and more difficult than they expected. On one hand, the bad press he was receiving as a result of the trial was working very much in their favor – but on the other, he still controlled Hogwarts, and they were having no luck in dislodging him.
And Hogwarts was the Big Prize.
Though it was nothing more than a school, the position of Hogwarts Headmaster was powerfully symbolic the world over. Many previous Headmasters had been the movers and shakers of their world, and Albus was no exception. So long as he held the post, people would wonder how things could possibly be as bad as the press was making them out to be.
Unfortunately, though, the Hogwarts Board of Governors was populated mostly by self-obsessed purebloods who wanted nothing more than to line their own pockets, and Albus had them under his thumb. Until such time as it became less profitable to accept his bribes than it was to do the right thing, they would do nothing. A lot of Harry's money had likely gone to them over the years to create that situation in the first place.
"What about Professor Binns?" asked Amelia thoughtfully, interrupting his musings. "He's a horrible teacher. Maybe we could use that somehow."
"An exposé on falling standards at 'ogwarts?" mused Sebastian thoughtfully. "We would 'ave to tear down more than just one teacher, and most of them are very good."
"Well, there's Hagrid," she frowned, "but I won't tarnish a good man's name for the sake of getting rid of Dumbledore."
Sebastian silently agreed with that ideal. Albus used people as pawns, moving them around on his personal chessboard to his heart's content, heedless of the feelings of the individual. He refused to become what they were fighting; if they were going to take anyone down, it would be people that truly deserved it.
Hagrid was a marginal teacher according to reports, but he was not a bad person – and it was only his second year, so he had a long way to go in learning what was appropriate. In fact, the majority of the problem could be laid at Dumbledore's feet anyway. It was his responsibility to set the standard for what was taught, and he was failing miserably at it.
"I 'ave 'eard 'Arry say that the groundskeeper is almost as bad as Snape," he offered. "We could look into that, but I do not think it would be an open and shut case."
Amelia nodded. "Filch is a piece of work," she said, "but you're right, it wouldn't be as easy as Snape was. The only other ones I've got are Burbage and Trelawney."
"Nobody will care about a Muggle Studies professor," he sighed. "And Divination is not much better."
"Agreed," said Amelia grudgingly.
They lapsed into silence once more, each lost in their own thoughts and budding plans. He was not surprised that she was putting so much time into this; she hated seeing such a horrible injustice as had been committed against Harry, and on top of it, she had a niece in Dumbledore's care. It was easily enough to motivate her.
Sebastian tapped his teacup with his wand to warm it again as he considered the situation. Going after the man for the theft would be an enormous hit, but there was no guarantee that it would be big enough to dislodge him. He was a crafty politician and an accomplished legal defender – his failure at Snape's trial notwithstanding – and public opinion would matter just as much as the facts of the case if they wanted a conviction.
Merlin only knew that he probably had some convoluted reason he could trot out to supposedly justify his actions. His concept of "The Greater Good" was tiresome, but it won many hearts and minds for its seeming simplicity. Just leave everything to Albus Dumbledore, and your life goes on the way you want it.
If they could bring a contributory abuse case against him, then it would shake the world enough to be a done deal – but that was a last resort option. Harry did not want his past publicized, and Sebastian could not blame him for it. The fallout would be horrendous.
And Amelia seemed to be considering the same thing.
"I know you don't want to, but have you asked Harry if he'd be willing to use the abuse against Dumbledore?"
"'E as never told anyone, Amelia," he replied quietly. "I do not think 'e will want it in the press, which is where it would most certainly end up. I will not ask 'im unless–"
He was interrupted by a knock on the door, even as her expression shifted into agreement with his position. She frowned deeply, shook her head, and moved to answer it; Sebastian rose to his feet, presuming that only someone important would be willing to interrupt a closed-door meeting with the Head of the Department.
He was rather surprised, then, when it turned out to be Auror Tonks.
Sebastian rather liked the spunky Auror. Though timid as a mouse at times, she could be boisterous and a great deal of fun at others. He still had no idea how she did that thing with her hair, though, and resolved to ask her at some point.
Her curiosity getting the better of her, she peered into the office around Amelia, and smiled brightly at Sebastian when she caught sight of him. As they so frequently did, the spikes in her hair stood to attention in her happiness, and flipped to bright blue.
"Auror Tonks?" prompted Amelia.
Tonks winced and graced her with a sheepish expression. "Sorry, ma'am," she offered timidly. "You wanted these files as soon as possible?"
Amelia rolled her eyes and took the proffered folders, quickly flipping through them. Her eyebrows shot into her hairline as she read – it was apparently something good – and then she turned back to Tonks with a calculating expression. "Is this accurate?" she asked.
"Yes, ma'am." Tonks' head bobbed in affirmation, though her hair stayed eerily still, almost like it was changing length to prevent itself from moving. "Sharpclaw showed me the books. I didn't even know goblins would do something like–"
Tonks broke off abruptly, her eyes going wide, and she whipped out her wand to point at a small fireball that abruptly blossomed into existence in the middle of Amelia's office. Sebastian watched as it faded, and worry set it in when it revealed a beautiful crimson bird. Neither Harry nor Fleur would use Fawkes to deliver ordinary mail...
"Is that a phoenix?" breathed Tonks.
"Yes, he is," frowned Sebastian, holding out his arm. Then, to the phoenix, "Bonjour, Fawkes. Do you 'ave something for us?"
Amelia closed the distance as Fawkes fluttered down on his arm, and Tonks bravely stepped into the office to get a better look. Sebastian could understand her interest: phoenixes were exceedingly rare, and to see one associating with humans, even more so. But her reaction couldn't hold his attention, as it was riveted on the scrap of parchment in the creature's beak.
He reached out and took it, at which point Fawkes swiveled his head around backwards to peer curiously at the young Auror. She went wide-eyed and stared back at him, and he chirped brightly, apparently having decided that he approved of her. Her smile was blinding, and her hair cycled back to hot pink.
In spite of his worry, Sebastian could not suppress his chuckle and smile at the scene, but he then quickly turned back to the parchment in his hand, and his momentary amusement quickly faded:
We are trapped in Dumbledore's office. He sealed the doors. Please come quickly.
Fleur
Sebastian blinked, and then looked sharply up at Amelia and thrust the parchment into her hands. A simmering anger boiled up inside at the thought that Dumbledore might harm his family, and he had to clamp down on it; anger would get him nowhere, and only cause mistakes. Fortunately, it only took Amelia a moment to come to terms with what she read.
"Damn," she breathed, looking wide-eyed up at him.
Sebastian frowned and scratched Fawkes' belly to get his attention. "Are you willing to take us there, Fawkes?" he requested.
Fawkes bobbed his head and splayed his tail feathers, shaking them in invitation as was his way.
"Grab on, Auror," Amelia snapped out to Tonks, even as she reached out herself. "You're coming with us. Protect the Potters at all costs."
"The Potters?" breathed Tonks, though her shock did not prevent her from reaching tentatively out to grab a piece of Fawkes' tail.
Nobody had a chance to answer her question.
Fawkes was apparently in a hurry, because he burst into flame the moment she touched him. Moments later they were standing in the Headmaster's office, and Tonks jumped back in shock, not having expected the unusual form of travel. But the scene was not what Sebastian expected.
All was quiet, and the room was occupied by three people, none of whom was Dumbledore. Harry and Fleur he could have expected, even alone, but Madame Maxime? That was an odd twist...
She was standing off to the side of Dumbledore's desk, and the troubled expression on her face did not speak highly for the situation, no matter how innocent it appeared. She also had her wand drawn, which was even more troublesome; Sebastian had dealt with her on numerous occasions, and she almost never used magic unless it was absolutely necessary. That meant that something had happened.
In front of Dumbledore's desk stood Harry, wearing a grim expression, with Fleur wrapped tightly around him from behind, her cheek pressed firmly against the side of his head. His daughter gave the appearance of a woman who was desperately afraid of losing her husband, and that concerned him greatly. Something bad had happened...
"Are you alright?" he asked, even as Tonks and Amelia began to wordlessly prowl the office, looking for threats.
"Yeah," sighed Harry. And then he rubbed his face tiredly for a moment, before– "Thanks for coming, sir. I think we have a problem."
Sebastian ignored his urge to correct Harry on his formality, given the situation. "What 'appened?" he asked worriedly.
"He knows."
Two words. Two words with such incredible impact that Sebastian sucked in a sharp breath and his pulse quickened. They had done a fair job of keeping Dumbledore in the dark about the guardianship – far more so than they expected, truth be told – but now it was out. And suddenly, he began to understand the nature of the situation; it would not go over well, and Albus was certain to make an attempt at interfering.
"Where is he?" he asked simply.
"He went to get the Dursleys," grumbled Harry.
Sebastian stared blankly at him.
Amelia snorted.
And Tonks looked on in confusion when Sebastian suddenly burst out laughing, unable to help himself in spite of the situation. It drew a wide-eyed, concerned look from Maxime, who probably thought he was losing his mind, and Harry and Fleur exchanged bemused glances. But it was just too funny!
"Papa?" prompted Fleur through narrowed eyes.
"Oh, magnifique!" he breathed through his continuing chortles. "I wonder 'ow long 'e will search for them?"
Harry and Fleur both stared at him in shock, and he knew then that Harry had conveniently forgotten that the Dursleys were no longer in residence on Privet Drive. Then a grim, cruel smile grew on his lips as the reality of it registered. This was definitely going to be interesting!
Fleur's startled snort of amusement was completely worth it, and Harry turned his head up to give her a small smile. "I forgot about that," he said apologetically.
She just smiled and brushed his cheek with the back of her hand.
"How long has he been gone?" asked Amelia, her tone businesslike in spite of her obvious amusement at Dumbledore's newest predicament.
"Five minutes or so," shrugged Harry. "We sent Fawkes right away."
Fawkes chirped brightly at the mention and fluttered down from atop an armoire, coming to rest on Fleur's shoulder. She and Harry both reached up and absently scratched him without turning from the conversation, as though he was simply a fixture in their lives. Sebastian had to smile again at that; it was somehow appropriate.
"Then why don't you tell us exactly what happened," sighed Amelia, drawing her wand to conjure a couple of plush couches for them to sit on.
Harry, however, wasn't quite comfortable; he nodded his acquiescence, but then his gaze tracked to Tonks. The Auror was standing in quiet confusion several paces away from Amelia, from where she could clearly see everyone in the room, and most specifically Harry and Fleur. Sebastian approved of her positioning, but she clearly had no clue what exactly was going on.
Amelia caught Harry's questioning look. "This is Auror Tonks," she offered simply. "She's our backup for the day, and I trust her completely."
Tonks blushed at the compliment, though unlike most people, it didn't stop at the roots of her hair, which drew a raised eyebrow from Fleur.
Harry smiled faintly at the Auror, and then allowed Fleur to nudge him over to one of the couches. The story was surprisingly short, and Sebastian was both amused and gratified to learn that Harry had the guts to string the Headmaster along, effectively taunting him. That, more than anything, proved that the boy had what it took to survive what was likely coming.
Dumbledore was a formidable opponent in any arena, but none more so than the magical one. Harry had willingly angered the man who was widely considered to be the most powerful Wizard alive. It was impressive, and perhaps a little worrying.
But what really shocked Sebastian was Harry's abrupt decision to transfer to Beauxbatons. While he had considered suggesting it, he never did because he felt that it would be too big an adjustment for the boy to handle along with all the other changes in his life. The more he thought about it, though, the more he liked the idea.
Once the Tournament was over, Harry would be forever out of Dumbledore's reach.
Amelia took it gracefully – she understood what he was dealing with – but Tonks frowned deeply. To her credit, she maintained her silence, but he had a feeling that her boss was going to get an earful later. Hogwarts was a point of national pride, and to see a famous person like Harry transfer away would be a massive hit to that pride.
It could also bring negative publicity, and that would have to be played carefully. The marriage was one thing, but a blow to national pride could cause some problems. Then again, Sebastian had the best public relations staff in all of France, and they would find a way to handle it.
"You are certain that this is what you want?" he asked seriously, spearing Harry with a grave look. "There will be no turning back, 'Arry. If you do this, it will be for good. You cannot so easily change your mind."
Harry shrugged tiredly. "It makes sense, Sebastian," he said quietly. "I'm moving to France anyway, and with Dumbledore here..." He let the statement hang for a moment before lowering his voice. "I don't want to leave, but I don't think I have a choice. He won't give up, sir."
Sebastian sighed. "I cannot disagree," he decided grudgingly. "We will approve the transfer, of course. I just want to be certain that you understand the magnitude of the decision."
Harry chuckled morbidly. "This is nothing, sir," he smirked. "I just married your daughter on a whim, remember?"
That comment got a laugh out of him.
The next ten minutes were spent hashing over what Dumbledore might do upon his return, but none of them could truly predict his actions. He was already angry, and was likely to be more so when he found the Dursleys missing. While it was good to keep him off balance, it was also dangerous: if he lost control of his temper, he could do a lot of damage, and all of them combined would be hard pressed to stop him.
Maxime was immensely pleased to learn that the Delacours had taken custody, as it got her the student she so clearly wanted. Sebastian had no illusions as to her motives – it was a very attractive feather in the school's cap – but he trusted her not to take blatant advantage. For one, she knew how he would react if she did.
And through it all, Tonks stood silently behind one of the couches, absorbing as much she could. Her confusion was clear on her features, but she kept her counsel in spite of the questions brewing behind her eyes. Harry shot her a few curious glances, but nothing was forthcoming from his direction, either.
And then, finally, it was time.
They all pushed to their feet when the fireplace flared, and Amelia promptly vanished the couches and motioned Tonks to join her in taking up positions on either side of the hearth. It was a common Auror tactic when apprehending criminals: they almost never noticed anyone standing next to the fireplace, which made it easy to stun them in the back. Sebastian doubted that it would work with Dumbledore, but in this instance, he was wrong.
The man was far too distracted by his anger to pay much attention.
He stepped out in full aura, and the fire in his eyes and the tint of his cheeks only added to his appearance as a formidable foe. He wasted no time in stalking toward Harry, and Sebastian instinctively drew his wand; he might not be able to beat Dumbledore, but that did not mean he would not try if the man did something stupid. He could only hope it didn't come down to that.
"What have you done with them, you foolish boy?" hissed Dumbledore in barely-contained fury.
Harry's expression shuttered, and he flinched away, deeper into Fleur's embrace. Sebastian's anger returned in full force: he suspected that a lot of his reaction was due to the word 'boy' used in such a context. It had been one of Vernon's favorites.
"That will be quite enough, Albus," he snapped. "'Arry 'as done nothing. If you 'ave a problem, you will take it up with me."
Dumbledore jerked backward a pace – he had apparently had tunnel vision on Harry – and his gaze quickly tracked to Sebastian, whose presence only made him that much angrier. "How did you get in here?" he demanded.
Sebastian eyed him cautiously. There was an edge of insanity to Dumbledore that was quite disturbing. He would have to be careful: the man was on the edge of doing something they would all regret.
His only choice, he decided, was to play it straight.
"'Ow I got 'ere is not important," he said in a commanding tone, causing Dumbledore's eyes to narrow even further. "What is important, is that it is not your place to to take 'Arry to task for anything. I 'ave legal custody, and I am approving 'is transfer to Beauxbatons. 'E is no longer your concern, Albus, not that 'e ever truly was."
Silence rang in the office in the wake of his statement, and Amelia raised her wand slightly behind Dumbledore, just in case they were forced to take action. That was their biggest advantage at the moment: the man was oblivious to the Auror presence, which gave them an edge. Although, if they could get out of this without a fight, it would be vastly preferable.
"What did you do with the Dursleys, Sebastian?" asked Dumbledore dangerously, finally breaking his shocked silence.
"That is not your concern either," growled Sebastian back. "'Ear me well, Albus Dumbledore. You 'ave overstepped your authority on repeated occasion, and I will no longer tolerate it."
"Tell me where they are, Sebastian," countered Dumbledore quietly, "or I will have you arrested for kidnapping British citizens, regardless of the international consequences. I will not tolerate your interference in matters beyond your understanding."
Sebastian's eyebrow went up at his presumption. He wanted to call the man on his hypocrisy, given that he appeared to be meddling with fate, but the fact remained that the less he knew, the better off they were. They needed to deal with whatever the Prophecy meant on their own terms without the ancient bastard trying to insert himself into their plans.
"Go ahead," he shrugged instead. "You will not like the results. I 'ave the law on my side, Albus. You do not."
"We shall see," spat Dumbledore.
And then he whirled to head for his desk, and came face to face with the Director of Magical Law Enforcement for all of Great Britain.
"He's right, Dumbledore," she growled without waiting for him to speak. "His guardianship of Mr. Potter is unassailable, and the transfer took place with Mr. Potter's full approval."
Squaring up a bit she added, "As for the Dursleys, they are my problem, not yours. Unless you want to be charged immediately with a whole host of serious offenses, you will walk away from this. Right. Bloody. Now."
Dumbledore stared blankly, his face cycling through too many emotions to count, and Sebastian suddenly wondered if the man might have a heart attack from the number of shocks he was receiving today. This was going to be very bad for him. Not only was he completely losing control of his pawn – not that he had any of late – but he was also going to take a massive political hit for losing his most famous student, at least if Sebastian had any say in the matter.
"You are not aware of the situation, Amelia," he said slowly at length, his voice quiet and angry. "Harry must stay with the Dursleys. The wards there are the only things that protect him."
Half the people in the room snorted derisively, but it was Amelia who continued the conversation. "Protect him from what, exactly?" she asked rhetorically. "They certainly didn't protect him from the Dursleys."
Albus scowled. "He is not in danger from the Dursleys."
"Oh?" asked Amelia condescendingly. "Just how well do you know those people, Albus?"
"I have known them for more than twenty years."
Amelia's smile turned shark-like at this admission, but Sebastian was distracted by Harry's reaction. His entire bearing had turned angry, and if looks could kill, then Dumbledore would be a dead man walking. The man had essentially admitted that he was aware of what kind of people they were, but he had left Harry there anyway.
"Then I should charge you with multiple counts of child abuse, child endangerment, and attempted murder, among others," growled Amelia back at the old man, causing him to pale significantly in the torchlight. "I know exactly what went on in that house, Dumbledore. And mark my words, Mr. Potter will never return to those people!"
A/N: MTDL: "Kneazle Warren" is this AU's floo address for Arabella Figg's place. She is, after all, the cat lady squib on Privet Drive. =)
Oh, and for those who are wondering, they went with getting Sebastian (Bones was just a bonus) instead of escaping because Dumbledore could easily have stalked them through the school. They needed it to end, not just to escape.
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it! =)
Finally, I've seen this referenced a couple of times in recent reviews, so I'll address it: people seem to think that Harry and Fleur are foolish for meeting with Dumbledore alone. And they are right, and yet also wrong.
For all that they know he's a criminal, the fact remains that Dumbledore is the Hogwarts Headmaster. Fleur could get away with not attending without repercussion; he has no right to summons her. Harry, on the other hand, is actually under the man's authority to some degree. He really doesn't have a choice unless he wants to start the ball rolling on legal challenges against the man, or at least give something away.
Dumbledore is currently clueless that they're on to him, and they're trying to keep it that way. At the time of the summons, Dumbledore is likely to think that Harry is just being petulant because he wants to stay with his new wife, hence the hostility. He has no idea what else they've discovered.
Starting that ball rolling before they're ready could actually have a worse outcome; it could damage their ability to take Dumbledore down for good. So he puts up with it, and takes the risk. He also knows he has Fawkes if things go to shit. It's a calculated gamble on the part of Harry and Fleur, and they genuinely don't think Dumbledore will do anything anyway – yet, at least.
In other words, they're preserving their information advantage while they prepare for the end of a game that Dumbledore doesn't even know he's playing just yet.
Hope that explains that a bit.