Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe belongs to the proverbial Duchess of Magic, JK Rowling, Scholastic, Bloomsbury, Warner Bros and some other high falutin' companies. No matter how much I whine about not owning anything related to the HP universe, other than a few fanfic plots, I do not profess to own - and would never dream of making any money off - JKR's wonderful world... Damn it!
A/N: For those who receive a notice when this story is updated, please note I uploaded an out-of-sequence chapter last Friday. It was only up for, I think, less than a minute; however, all notices were automatically generated and went out with the wrong title. (But, hey, at least you now know the topic of a chapter soon coming up. :))
Chapter Forty Three - Amelia's Act
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―==(oIo)==―
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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.
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―==(oIo)==―
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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.
"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."
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―==(oIo)==―
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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―"
"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.
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―==(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.
"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 DMLE-registered 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 self-satisfied 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.
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.
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―==(oIo)==―
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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, wonkily-flying 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.
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―==(oIo)==―
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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.
While she was pressing hard, not giving the old man time to dawdle, she kept an eye on the healer. Only when the woman gestured her to back off or slow down, did she do so.
While she continued to press she was also watching the old man's, though muted due to the serum, expressions. He was quite flushed, breathing a little rapidly and sweating buckets.
At the eighteen minute mark, the Healer simply said, "Enough." And Bones immediately stopped and sat back.
She then watched as the Healer administered the antidote and kept up her monitoring charms on the old man as he began to recover.
Once he appeared to have regained his senses, Dumbledore started to look quite shocked and utterly disappointed.
"Well, well," she said. She'd have smirked at him if she wasn't already so horrified by some of the answers he'd given.
"Dumbledore, we now have the following confirmations under Veritaserum and faithfully recorded by Dicta-quill: You lied in court when you stated you did not know the Dursleys would mistreat Lord Potter. If anything, you were counting on it. You even 'helped' in that with the occasional casting of compulsion charms to increase their ire towards Lord Potter when he first arrived there. In effect, you were conditioning them to condition Lord Potter for you. Plus, if the abuse the Dursleys heaped onto Lord Potter was ever discovered, which it was, you would have ready 'patsies' to take the fall for you while you sat back and faked pious disappointment, which you did.
"What you've either completely forgotten about, or simply didn't care about, is that, if Lord Potter did not have the sheer force of will and fortitude he holds and has since amply demonstrated and had actually tried to suppress his magic as his muggle relatives tried to force him to do, you may very well have turned him into an Obscurial."
That caused the old man to nearly jump in his chair in shock, as if he'd been surprised by getting tagged by an electrified cattle prod.
Bones ignored it and went on. "On that, I have you for premeditated child abuse, psychological; premeditated child abuse, emotional; premeditated child abuse, physical; child abuse by proxy for all three; deliberate child abandonment; criminal child neglect; muggle-baiting many more multiple accounts than you've already faced court for and perjury of the case 'The Ministry and Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore; Regent Dowager Lady Augusta Longbottom, presiding'.
"That last one means I can now keep dosing your arse with Veritaserum, over and over again, until I have all my answers before resubmitting that entire trial back before the Wizengamot. That means all those crimes of yours, which did not receive the full sentence, I get to reopen and have reheard. Double Jeopardy does not apply.
"Going back in time a bit, I now have the following: You received information that the Dark Lord had specifically targeted the Potters and Longbottoms. On hearing that you immediately 'ordered' both couples go immediately into hiding, but refused to tell them why other than you 'suspected' the Dark Lord was specifically targeting them. You tried to get the Longbottoms to use a Secret Keeper of your choice, but they refused you and Frank's mother fulfilled that role. However, you demanded to be informed of the Secret... in writing... and you were. You then kept that slip of parchment in a draw in your desk in the Headmaster's Office at Hogwarts, not even under a lock and key let alone within a magical safe.
"The Potter's, however, also wanted to use a Secret Keeper of their choice. However, you managed to convince them to use Peter Pettigrew instead of Sirius Black, their first choice. You were able to convince them by stating how much of a prank it was to fool everyone into thinking it was Black when, all along, it was Pettigrew. You also knew Pettigrew was a Death Eater and had obliviated him of knowledge you knew. As such, you convinced the Potters to use a Secret Keeper who you knew to be a marked Death Eater. I also have confirmation, from your own mouth while under Veritaserum, you were hoping Pettigrew would share the secret with his master, Voldemort, so that his master would go to the Potter Cottage, kill Lord and Lady Potter and attempt to kill the then infant Heir Apparent, Harry Potter.
"In other words, you deliberately and with forethought engineered the death of the last remaining members of a Noble and Most Ancient House, thereby rendering that House extinct. As such, by your own evidence-submittable admission, on this act alone I have you dead to rights for a capital crime that has only one punishment - the Veil. As the evidence is via your admission under Veritaserum and faithfully transcribed onto parchment by Dicta-quill, it cannot be overturned.
"All other crimes I've been able to uncover through your questioning today is just icing on the cake and, ultimately, doesn't mean much. However, it is useful in learning the truth about matters of importance to the Wizarding World.
"From what I have been able to learn so far, I now have enough to make a certain decision right here and right now.
"I, Madam Director Amelia Susan Bones, Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, determine the wizard known as Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore to be a Dark Lord. As I say, so let it be written."
That had Dumbledore blanch so white she thought the man was going to die, right then, from either a brain aneurysm or a heart attack.
After a pause to carefully watch the man to see if Pockridge would have to step in to save the man's life for the moment, she had to wait a bit for Pockridge to step back before she continued.
"I, Acting Madam Minister Amelia Susan Bones, concur with the determination made by Madam Director Amelia Susan Bones, Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; and also determine the wizard known as Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore to be a Dark Lord. As I say, so let it be written."
With a shorter pause, this time, she continued, "I, Madam Regent Amelia Susan Bones, Regent and Heir Secondary of the Noble and Ancient House of Bones and member of the Wizengamot, concur with the determination made by Madam Director Amelia Susan Bones, Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; and also determine the wizard known as Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore to be a Dark Lord. As I say, so let it be written."
There was a muted triple-flash from Bones that signified the magical command had taken effect upon the three legal entities in one body she was.
As soon as the triple-flash occurred, another occurred about Dumbledore. Magic had accepted the determination.
With a nod, she declared, "Let the record reflect magic has accepted the determination. From this moment forth, the wizard known as Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore will be known as the Dark Lord Dumbledore. This determination may only be overturned by the three who determined it to unanimously agree to do so, or a full sitting of the Wizengamot through majority vote to do so.
"End transcript."
It took a long moment before young auror Fitzwallace was finally able to say, "Errr... yes, Ma'am. Deactivate!... The Dicta-quill is deactivated, Ma'am."
"Thank you, Auror," she replied. "As of this moment, I declare the matter of the questioning of Dark Lord Dumbledore, together with his incarceration within the cells of the DMLE, a Security of the Realm matter. It has a designation of High Secret. Only those in this room and any auror of the rank of Master Auror or higher may know of it. To speak of it outside this room is an automatic sentence to Azkaban and an obliviation of any knowledge of it, other than you breached a High Secret matter of which you once knew."
Having given the old man time to cogitate through his mind he was now a declared Dark Lord, she smirked and said, "You no longer hold any position of any authority, Albus. You're unemployed. Therefore, there is no employer who will question your sudden disappearance. Only your brother will question it if you disappear. Even then, I have it on good authority he wouldn't push for an investigation.
"When I'm done with you - if I'm of a mind to - I can stun you, mask your presence and levitate you down to that lovely room with its lonesome arch... and float your arse through it. As you should well know, anything that goes in there is never seen again. No trace, whatsoever. And Saul Croaker owes me a favour."
It was easy to see Dumbledore was now completely terrified. His half-broken Occlumency shields from the Veritaserum didn't allow him to mask his emotions.
"As I cannot have Veritaserum used on you again for twenty three hours, we'll have to wait to do this again until tomorrow."
Leaning forward and glaring at him, she tapped her list of questions and said, "I'll have these questions answered. It does not matter how much you pontificate your answers, trying to last out the eighteen minutes, I'll have as many lots of eighteen minutes as I need; day... after day... after day. If I manage to accidentally kill you in the process, so be it. You're now a declared Dark Lord. Therefore, if you die, no punishment awaits me.
"Once I have all my answers, only then will I call for your new trial. If you're already dead, then I'll simply try you in absentia. That way, the information that comes to light will all be public.
"By the time I'm finished with you, Tom Marvolo Riddle, also known as The Dark Lord Voldemort... if he does actually manage to come back, as you believe he will... is going to be pissed. Because, he'll have lost the title 'The Worst Dark Lord, Ever'."
She sat back and returned her attention to her notes. As she then began to pack them up, she ordered, "Take him back to his cell and put a twenty four hour suicide watch on him. Other than aurors, no one is to see him; and no one, including the aurors, is to talk to him.
"If he attempts to talk to them, he is to be immediately silenced. I will not have him employ his silver-tongued ways to get any... concessions."
Once she had packed her notes and tucked them under her arm, she rose and walked over to the clerk's desk, collected the record of interview and walked out the door without another word.
About a minute later, the two beefy aurors who first dragged him into the room came and got him. Moody and Robards escorted them.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After the morning's classes, Herbology and CoMC, Neville was almost bouncing in excitement. He didn't know if Headmistress Marchbanks planned it that way, but putting Herbology and CoMC one after the other in classes that weren't separated by a morning tea or lunch break was clever. It now meant they could go from working in the greenhouses to working on the grounds, or vice versa, and not have to worry about rushing inside to change clothes between classes before changing back later.
And then there was History with their second new-Professor-taught class for the day. All the Gryff's and the 'Puffs they shared it with thought he was brilliant; though he did scare them, at first, knowing as they did he was also the new Deputy Headmaster. No one slept a wink in his class.
As the Fourth Year Gryff's had a self-study period immediately before lunch, many quickly changed out their books for their afternoon classes, an elective double.
Though early for lunch, the house elves brought up a small portion of the food from the kitchens for those who stopped by early to have their midday meal, like Neville and other Gryffindor Fourth Years; and, apparently, the Hufflepuff Fourth Years, for starters.
Neville was just in the process of building a lunch when MacMillan approached him again.
"Heir Longbottom," he said, getting Neville's attention. "When will we see Lord Potter arrive?"
Neville calmly said back, "I answered that question for you, this morning. My answer has not changed. Is there anything else?"
MacMillan appeared frustrated, but he shook his head and replied, "No." Then turned about and stalked back to the Hufflepuff table.
Neville mentally smirked and thought, 'There goes a very unhappy boy.'
After he finished his lunch he gave Susan and Hannah a signal and walked out the doors into the Entrance Hall, a quick look around and he ducked into the antechamber all the new First Years were herded into on their first arrival at the castle and before the Sort.
He only had to wait about five minutes before both girls walked in and, a couple minutes later, so too did Daphne and Tracey.
"How are you all holding up?" he asked. As the senior 'Heir', without Harry also there, it was his job to make sure the other four were all alright.
"We're fine," replied Tracey, for the four of them. "You're the one who is getting continually questioned over and over again."
Susan added, "We've been watching. We think you're getting about triple the questions the rest of us are getting."
Neville sighed and replied, "I'm fine, too. It's not as if we didn't expect this."
Daphne asked, "No word from Lord Potter?"
"No," he replied. "Without news to the contrary, he and Hermione still plan to arrive tomorrow morning during breakfast."
Daphne sighed and said, "If you manage to talk to Lord Potter before I do... which, of course, is almost a certainty... can you pass on the message I need to speak with him?"
When Neville looked curious, he still replied, "Of course."
Taking another look around her she let her 'Ice Queen' mask slip, as she would only in their presence or within their dorm, and said, "Alliance Secret time. My father has tasked me with approaching Lord Potter about a Concubine Bond Agreement."
That had everyone, but Neville, shocked. He and Susan just looked at each other for a moment before both blushed.
"If we're talking about such..." he said, giving Susan a pointed look.
She didn't indicate he was not to say, so declared, "Alliance Secret; Susan's aunt, Regent Bones, and my father are also talking about a Concubine Bond Agreement for Susan with me."
"Furthermore..." prompted Hannah.
"Furthermore," he agreed, with a nod in her direction. "My father and Mister Abbott are currently negotiating a Betrothal Agreement between Hannah and me."
That seemed to surprise the two Slytherin girls. And both noticed that Susan and Hannah did not seem surprised.
Tracey looked to Hannah and asked, "You don't have a problem with the Concubine Bond Agreement, Abbott?"
"Nope!" the once-pigtailed blonde happily replied. "As you know, Sue and I have been friends since we were babies. We... kinda... hoped this would happen ever since Sue found out she'd enter either a Concubine Bond Agreement or needed a Line Continuation Clause in a Betrothal Agreement."
Neville smirked and said, "Harry, apparently, figured it out during that day when he formally introduced Hermione as Lady Presumptive to you all. According to my dad, he'd told him it was quite obvious by the way the two girls acted between themselves and me, when he was talking about his and Hermione's Betrothal Agreement. He said it had something to do with 'body language', whatever that means."
Tracey, not realising Neville didn't actually expect an answer, replied, "It's to do with how people move, stand, gesture with their hands, hold their heads a certain way, their expressions, things like that when interacting with others. Apparently, someone who becomes skilled in... reading... it can determine a lot more information than the person just telling them."
When she noticed the others, except Daphne, looking at her in surprise, she blushed and added in an almost mumble, "Leastwise, that's what my father tells me."
Neville was the first to react. He gave a small snort of amusement and said, "And that means Harry was both telling my dad the truth and knows how to... read, as Tracey put it... someone's 'body language'."
Daphne asked, "All three of you are happy with this arrangement?"
All three replied in the affirmative.
She then said, "Well, then; I can only hope Harry is as open to discussing this for he and me."
"As you now know," said Neville, "Harry is not an idiot. You've now seen and talked with the real Harry Potter. He'll hear you out and give the matter a lot of thought.
"Your bigger, probably only, problem is going to be Hermione. She's a muggleborn, remember? They don't have concubinage. Mum even told me it's illegal in their world.
"You're going to need to be able to explain it to her in a fashion she'll understand. And you're going to need to give her a logical reason why she should be accepting of it."
Daphne winced. Her one 'card' she could play was that she and Hermione were both in Ancient Runes and Arithmancy; and the two had studied together for both those subjects.
In her mind she began to formulate her arguments for the girl.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Harry and Hermione had spent the first half of the morning going through their spell books for all their wand-based classes at Hogwarts, revising the practical side of the work. They transfigured for Transfiguration, they charmed for Charms and moved onto hexes, curses and shielding for DADA.
When Hermione began to flag, Harry called on Willy to organise a morning tea for them - one the little elf insisted they partake of in the informal dining room. And then they moved onto theory revision.
That led to lunch, again in the informal dining room, before returning to the duelling room to practice more hexes, curses and shielding; this time against each other, rather than the training dummies.
However, they only did that for about ten minutes before the auror with them in the room called a halt and offered to teach them and provide better training for the rest of the day.
That had the two of them then practicing against he. And he'd hit them with stinging hexes if they weren't trying their best against him.
"You're not going to hurt me," he firmly declared. "I hold a dual Mastery in Combat Magics and Defence! I might only hold the rank of Senior Auror within the aurors, but part of that is because I cannot be promoted any faster than I am now. I spent the first five years out of Hogwarts working on my Masteries, so I'm probably the most highly skilled of all the aurors on the force; and I include Mad-Eye Moody and Bones herself in that!
"So, either try your best, or be prepared to need plentiful application of soothing balm on your welts! Because, as from now, stinging hexes is what I'm going to hit you with, if I see an opening in your defences I can exploit.
"Your next issue," he continued, looking to Harry, "Is that you have a tendency to go 'all out' right from the start. I noticed that when you whittled down that rock on the banks of the Black Lake at Hogwarts. That's all well and good when you're up against a mediocre wizard, but is unwise against anyone who has a firm grasp of strategy and tactics. All I had to do was spend most of my time shielding and dodging, waiting for you to tire yourself. Once you did, you became a much easier target. That's when I had you beat. Don't do that, in future.
"Next, you tired out too fast. While Quidditch gives you some added fitness, it's nowhere near enough for what you need when facing someone of my calibre. You need to get more aerobically fit; to build stamina. That is, you need to become fitter in the style that allows you to keep going beyond a mere couple of minutes. You need to get your fitness to a level where you can keep going at near full speed for at least fifteen minutes. With developing finesse and strategy you could easily take me on within a year or two. At the moment, I can easily keep wiping the floor with you.
"Now, let's go again." And the auror, who barely showed any fatigue, gestured for both of them to stand and ready themselves.
Once they were, he snapped, "Begin!"
By the end of the training both teens were quite exhausted, Hermione more so. But it showed Harry, now that he'd recovered from the effects of malnutrition and an unhealthy lifestyle, needed to dedicate more time into getting physically fit. Hermione then stated she'd be joining him.
"But, where?" she asked.
"The Room of Requirement," he firmly replied.
She sighed and said, "Of course."
The auror, after rehydrating a little himself, came over and said, "You, Lord Potter, have power to spare. However, your focussing more on that power, rather than on finesse, is your weakness. Power versus power you had me beat, hands down, on your own. Now you need to focus on strategy and, as I mentioned, finesse."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Returning to the Granger residence in time for Harry to make a start on dinner - he was determined Dobby wasn't going to rob him of the chance to cook the last dinner before they returned to Hogwarts - they were home well before Wendell and Monica were due.
He had no idea Hermione had already had a word with Dobby to alert him to letting Harry cook dinner that night. "It's his last night here, Dobby," she explained. "You know he'll want to; need to, even. Let him."
That also meant, once he had the dinner in the oven, he was able to head up to his room to take a quick shower.
Hermione also took a shower, seeing as both returned quite sweaty from their exertions, but must have spent longer under the water as she was a little while before she came back down.
When she walked into the kitchen to find him doing something with raw vegetables, she looked beautiful and her bushy hair was significantly tamed.
He practically goggled at her, which made her blush.
He exclaimed, "What happened to your hair?!"
With a light jut of her chin as if in defiance, she replied, "Betsy used her magic on it. She also used some potion she collected from Pottermore that's supposed to tame unruly hair."
He stood staring back in shock for a moment more before he realised he was doing it and gave himself a shake. "Must be Sleak-Ezy," he suggested. "The Potters were involved in developing and initially marketing it."
Getting her blush under control, she smiled back and said, "Yes. She told me that, too."
"Hunh!" he exclaimed. "I was about to send one of the aurors up to see if you'd slipped and disappeared down a drain hole or something."
She gave a snort of amusement and said, "So. I take it, you like?"
"Yes!" he immediately declared. "But, that's if you like it, too. You don't have to go to the trouble if you don't want to. But, it's very nice to see you looking so beautiful."
She smiled back. "Well, then," she said. "It looks like Betsy is coming to Hogwarts with us. That is, if you don't mind."
"Nope!" he happily declared.
As she helped him prepare dinner, he said, "You know... your father's going to take one look at you, looking as beautiful as you do now, and be thinking about threatening me to keep my hands off you again."
She giggled.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ