HPWW241-250
Chapter 241
"One moment," he said.
A quick kiss and hug from his parents, Madam Bones
then said, "Young man, you cannot apparate or portkey out of the Ministry, unless it is with Ministerial authorisation granted in advance. And, even then, portkeys can only be made by certain people within the Ministry; and I'm one of them."
Neville just grinned and said, "I won't be using a portkey or apparating, Ma'am. Harry really is smart."
"Hermione said to tell you," and here he read direct off the bottom of the parchment, "'Harry says, please tell Madam Bones I'm sorry for her to see this happen before I warned her. But, I don't think she'd believe me if she didn't see it with her own eyes'."
As Bones looked suddenly very wary, he grinned, looked to Dobby and said, "Okay, Dobby. I'm ready to go."
Dobby immediately took hold of Neville's hand and, near-instantly, both popped out of existence with a white-flash of elf magic.
All three adults sat stunned for a few moments before Madam Bones quietly said, "Awww... shit!"
Frank gasped, "Sweet Merlin! Did he just do what I think he just did?"
With both elbows now on her desk while she used both sets of fingertips to massage her brow, Bones replied, "That he just used house elf apparation to bypass the tightest security wards in the Ministry, including those on the Minister's office, with barely a thought? Yes... dammit!"
Alice asked, "Would you have believed him?"
"No," she sighed. "Why would I? No one, to the best of my knowledge, has ever done it."
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
Down in a Fidelius-charmed small office within the Department of Mysteries, a junior Unspeakable charged with monitoring what was happening throughout the Ministry was sitting back with his feet crossed at the ankles and propped up on a desk. He saw what had occurred in the Director of the DMLE's office, gave a start and exclaimed, "What the Hell?!"
As he yanked his feet off the desk, he stared more intently at one of the large mirrors before him.
"Shit!" he quietly exclaimed, before quickly activating the Dicta-quill on the desk before him and began dictating an urgent short memo for his supervisor.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
With a crack of apparation, Neville appeared right in the middle of the dinette room a little apart from the
table.
Hermione suddenly exclaimed, "Well! I'll be damned!"
With a sudden shout from downstairs, there was a thundering of running feet running up the stairs leading up from the lower ground floor.
Harry had his wand out, pointed at his mate in a flash and said, "Best put your hands up, Neville."
Neville immediately did just that as Harry grinned at him. The boy was looking back in shock. "H-Harry?" he squeaked.
"Just saving you from―"
"Freeze! Aurors!" suddenly snapped one of that morning's auror coterie.
"... getting stunned, Nev," Harry finished.
Neville gave a yelp, but didn't move. He looked half- terrified.
As the other two aurors came running in from outside - one from out front and the other from out the back - Harry put his wand away and snickered.
"What the hell?" asked the youngest of the three.
"Harry?" Neville asked again.
"It's alright, aurors," said Hermione. "It's only Neville Longbottom. Harry was testing an idea to get past the wards. It worked."
"How?" demanded the senior auror. He didn't look happy.
"Side-along apparation via house elf," she immediately replied.
"A house elf can side-along apparate someone?"
asked the youngest. "Yep!" laughed Harry.
"Please don't do that again," said the female Auror First Class. The one who was 2IC on site.
"You might want to let Madam Bones know he's here," snickered Harry. "Dobby 'side-alonged' him right out of her office."
"WHAT?!" asked the senior.
Harry snorted and said, "Neville... was side-along elf- apparated... right out of Madam Bones's... DMLE office."
Neville, trying to be helpful added, "Right in front of her."
"Oh, crap!" exclaimed the youngest.
The senior pulled out his badge and appeared to be trying to figure out how to send her a message via badge-taps, or something.
Hermione grinned. "If you can send her a messenger Patronus, try that."
The senior gave her a pained look and sent one. It looked something like a possum or a squirrel.
Neville, who by this time had lowered his hands, watched in confusion. "You can do that?" he asked.
"Yeah, Nev," replied a still grinning Harry. "If you can cast a Patronus, that is."
Hermione stood and gave a still confused Neville a hug. "Welcome to my home, Neville."
Finally giving her a hug back, Neville said, "Err... yeah. Thanks for allowing me to come... I think."
Harry laughed.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
Bones was still trying to get her head around the fact Lord Potter, with the help of Heir Apparent Longbottom, yet another fourteen year old boy who hadn't even sat his OWLs yet, had just demonstrated a massive hole in their security, when the Patronus form of an opossum leapt into the office from the wall.
In an ethereal voice of one of her senior aurors, it said, "Madam Bones, Neville Longbottom has appeared in the middle of Golf Romeo. Straight through the wards. We have a security issue."
As the Patronus faded away she frustratingly threw her hands in the air and exclaimed, "No shit!"
Frank and Alice looked to one another in amusement.
Tentatively, in case he further upset the supposed Head of wizarding Britain's security, Frank asked, "How often does Lord Potter pull stunts like that?"
With a sigh, she replied, "With much too often regularity since the First Task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament a little over three weeks ago. He keeps referring to us all as daft morons; then goes and proves it by doing crap like that.
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Chapter 242
"You saw what he did with the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Statute yesterday, didn't you?"
After both Longbottoms grinned and nodded back,
Frank asked,
"Were there ever anti-house elf apparation wards up anywhere? Including the cells?"
"Nope!" she emphatically replied.
"So, all those folks we used to arrest and bring back here―" he began.
"Could have simply called their house elves, if they had them, to apparate them directly back out again," she finished. "Yep."
Alice asked, "What about Azkaban?"
Bones stared at her for a long moment in horror before she replied, "Well... shit!"
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
As soon as Marchbanks was assured Dumbledore was out of the castle - and, therefore, out of the way - the Ward Masters from the Ministry came in.
They immediately set to work analysing the wards. It took them time, but they eventually had them all.
For what was listed at the Ministry for the wards on the castle and lands surrounding it, there were quite a few significant changes. Those added included:
◊ - A general secrecy charm ward that subtly blocked staff and students from talking about any event out of the ordinary;
◊ - A loyalty ward to instill loyalty towards the Headmaster or Headmistress of the time;
◊ - An enhancement ward designed to cause aggravation between the Houses of Gryffindor and Slytherin;
◊ - An avoidance ward directed at one individual - like Potter - that would cause a general desire to stay clear of a person (who is also likely to be the person);
◊ - An almost hidden link to an artefact that was currently off the school grounds and located in the direction of London that was linked to a location ward keyed to all those on the grounds; and
◊ - A magical power tap that was keyed to one individual - likely, Dumbledore.
Wards that were in place, but deactivated, included:
◊ - A monitoring ward designed to monitor bullying;
◊ - An intent based ward designed to suppress bullying;
◊ - A monitoring and recording ward against dangerous artefacts;
◊ - A monitoring and recording ward against the use of dark magic; and
◊ - A monitoring and recording ward designed to block sexual assault by stunning all involved until woken by someone carrying a DMLE badge.
When Marchbanks was given the report she was, of course, furious.
"How soon can you rectify all this?" she demanded of the Team Lead.
"With control of the wards and we can drop the full ward scheme for the time, it can be done in mere minutes," he replied. "However, it's going to take about an hour to prep. I'd rather have everything in place and ready, before I drop the wards.
"Without doing that it's likely going to take us weeks. And that's beside it putting things at risk with a ward cascade failure.
"If we do the lot together... when they drop, they'll all drop. That includes the muggle notice-me-not and avoidance wards. Then we bring the whole lot back up, together, as an integral set. It'll also mean that if anyone wants to change anything by doing what Dumble― by whoever did all this did, they'll have to take everything down again to do it. The other way, that protection won't be there.
"However, I'd also like your permission to add to the wards if we're going to go that far."
Marchbanks frowned and asked, "What additions?"
The Team Lead handed her a short list:
◊ - A combined monitoring and notification ward for under-aged magic used outside of dormitories, the Great Hall and classrooms - such monitoring will immediately be entered into a book designed to accept them;
◊ - A dark mark notification ward keyed to the Head, the Deputy and the four Heads of Houses;
◊ - Redoing the hidden location charm ward and keying it to an automated map of the school - such map to be provided ASAP; and
◊ - The location charm will also be tied in with the other notification charms.
Marchbanks read through it and asked, "When you say 'mere minutes', how long are we talking about here?"
"Three, maybe four," he immediately replied.
Surprised, she said, "I was expecting you to tell me about ten times that amount."
He just smiled. "That's what the prep work is for."
Nodding, she asked, "If I was to include these four you suggest we add, how much preparation time do you need, then?"
"One hour fifteen," he promptly replied. "I've never seen that location ward before and I want to study it. Whoever did it was bloody brilliant. I want to analyse it because I think the Minister should be made aware of it and what it could mean for the Ministry. I'm thinking it could be useful for places like Diagon Alley, Saint Mungo's and places like that."
She didn't even hesitate. "Do it. You have my authorisation. Come and see me when you need
control of the wards and I'll hand them over to you. I'll be here in my office.
"I'll also be needing a full written report of what was there that should not have been; what wasn't there that should have been, or was deactivated; and what you've added. I'll need it for both my records and for the Acting Madam Minister."
"Yes, Ma'am," he replied. "However, that report would have been provided, anyway."
With a slight bow of respect he left.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
After leaving the office of Madam Bones - with the woman frustrated and trying to figure out a way to engineer stopping house elves side-along apparating people through the wards of everywhere, without
letting the 'secret' out it was possible first - the Longbottoms began the process of getting their lives back in order in official records.
Bones suggested only one true stop was needed and that was the Minister's Administration Office one floor below her own. She even gave them both her written authorisation to put 'her' staff in that office to work on getting it all sorted out for them.
"Officially, you're still employees," she'd told them. "You were never stood down as aurors. As such, I'm authorising my staff in the Minister's Office to reactivate everything for you, as it should never have been deactivated in the first place."
After Frank handed over the note from Bones to the senior Office staffer, he read it and said, "We'll get right on that. It should all be done before close of business, today. I'll send an owl when it's done, so you won't have to worry about it."
After thanking the man, that allowed them to head directly to Gringotts. They needed to find out just what his mother, as regent, had done with the accounts.
As they walked in, they were immediately greeted by the concierge goblin available for the Seven. He gave a short abbreviated bow to them both and said, "Lord Longbottom, Lady Longbottom; on behalf of Axe Lord Ragnok, we at Gringotts rejoice at your recovery. May your enemies once again tremble in fear of your presence and gold overflow your vaults."
"Thank you," said Frank. "If the Longbottom Account Manager is free, whoever that is these days, please inform him we seek a meeting with some level of urgency."
"Account Manager Irontongs expects your presence, this day, and has cleared his schedule for you," replied the goblin. "Please follow me."
When the goblin immediately spun on his heel and began to stalk deeper into the bank, the two Longbottoms followed.
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Chapter 243
As the time neared 11.00am Sirius had already been into the Leaky to check the place out for his meeting with Remus, then moved into the Alley proper. His initial idea for a couple of elves to clean Black Manor was shelved when he found out the initial cost and time it would take.
Instead, he contracted with a private company that combined curse breaking and cleaning to go in and do the work. He'd then organise for a house elf or two to be bonded that would then maintain the place.
While he was discussing that with the reps of the company they told him they also had a subdivision of their company that would do interior decorating as the teams worked.
"By us providing a full service, it will cut down on your costs; but, for someone like you that we believe doesn't care so much about the cost, it will also drastically cut down on the time," explained the sales rep. "As I said, though, our analysts will have to go in first to give you both a cost and an estimation of the time involved."
Sirius came away from the meeting happy to have contracted them and a time when he would meet them at the townhouse.
His next stop was in Flourish and Blotts adults only section. He found the book he needed and quickly purchased it.
A quick Tempus and he realised he'd have to hurry to the Leaky to make his meeting with Remus, so hurried back up the Alley. Unknown to both him and Dumbledore, though, he just missed the man heading down the Alley from Malkin's and heading back to Twillfit's carrying his brown paper-wrapped parcel of three black robes.
Once in the Leaky it was to see Remus sitting in a booth at the back, partially in shadow and looking as shabby as ever.
With a sigh at the appearance of his friend, Sirius adopted a light smile and casually walked over. He drew his wand as he walked, ready to erect privacy wards.
As he slid into the seat opposite, he said, "Hi, Moony."
Surprised by the appearance of his friend, Remus's face lit up. But there was still a strong hint of wariness in his expression. "Pads!" he greeted back.
"Give me a minute to put up some wards," said Sirius, bring his wand up.
He did, however, notice the twitch of Remus's hand as he raised his wand. It showed the werewolf was definitely on edge about something.
He threw up the wards - subtle masking ward that blurred their appearance, a muffling ward that turned sound coming from their booth into indistinguishable conversational noise and a very minor notice-me-not ward - before turning back to his friend.
"Going for subtlety, Pads?" asked Remus. "That's unlike you."
"That's unlike what I used to be like," he corrected. "I've changed. Now, why are you so 'twitchy'?"
Remus sighed and seemed to slump a little. "As I was passing through the mountains near western Austria
some... mongrel began hunting me. I had to stay moving for three days and I was deep into Southern Germany and across the Danube before, whoever it was, backed off."
Sirius winced. He hated the fact there were still those 'illegal hunters' out there who liked nothing better than to hunt werewolves. It was great when they decided to go after someone like Greyback, but going after his friend was a different matter.
"Then I had to spend a few days working the docks in the Netherlands before I could get passage across to the Isles," his friend continued. "I arrived in Felixstowe early yesterday."
"But, you made it," he nodded.
"I made it," smiled Remus. "So, I didn't get much news in Italy that was more than just 'general'. What happened?"
"Drinks, first," he replied. "Light ales, though. This will take a while."
Once Sirius collected the drinks and brought them back, he took a few sips before sitting back in a way he could watch the room.
"Let me start back to the ninth of June," he began. "That's the night we were all in the Shrieking Shack."
That then began a very long tale of what had happened, really starting with him heading for the unplottable Island of Black in the southern part of the North Atlantic to clear out of wizarding Britain for a while.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
The Team Lead of the Ministry ward masters was doing a final check of the preparation of taking down
the Hogwarts wards. Everything had to be perfect as they really only had one cast at this.
Seeing something he thought not quite right he barked, "Johnson!"
A young man perked up and hurried over, "ET?"
Gesturing to what he felt was a mistake, the Team Lead asked, "What, in Merlin's name, do you call that?"
"Ah!" said Johnson. He then went on to explain the slight differences he made and why. It took a little while, too.
"Interesting," said ET, the Team Lead. He stared at it for a few long moments before he said, "Yes. That will work. However, never make such a change without getting authorisation in advance, in future. Someone might have initiated a change somewhere else in the matrix that could have conflicted. Do you know what
would have happened if it conflicted?"
"Errr... we... could have died?"
"More important than that, you numbskull," snapped ET. "I could have died. If you died it would have been your own damned fault. However, killing me would have been a true tragedy.
"I do not want to be a tale of a true tragedy. I want to live to a ripe old age. I want to die of old age from exhaustion brought on by having too much sex with a pair of Scandinavian identical twins twenty... even thirty... years younger than me!
"Got me, Johnson?"
"Yes, ET," the young man muttered.
"Good!" snapped ET. "Lesson imparted and learned. Go away."
Once he had checked it for a third time he cast a quick Tempus away from the matrix.
"Right," he declared. "I'm going to see Marchbanks and take control of the wards. When I do, I'll send a red flare out the window. That's the signal to activate.
"Johnson! Since you've been the clever little monkey, you get the privilege of activating the matrix. Don't dawdle!"
"No, ET!"
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
After purchasing his... Uurgh!... Professor's robes at Malkin's Dumbledore headed back to Twillfit's to get the robes he really wanted. And that chartreuse yellow sounded divine.
Walking in, this time he had to wait a few seconds after five minutes before Twillfit came out to see him. It was Twillfit's way of showing he was displeased with you.
When he finally arrived, Dumbledore smiled and said, "Terrence, there was no need for you to get 'huffy' I had to go elsewhere to buy those horrid black robes. If I was being forced to buy them, I did not want you having to sell them to me to infringe upon our creative designs."
Twillfit chose to ignore all that and asked, "Do you have your receipt? As long as I sight that I can sell you anything you can afford."
Dumbledore sighed and produced the receipt from Malkin's.
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Chapter 244
He gave a harrumph and muttered, "Cheap, worthless garbage."
"Of course," nodded Dumbledore. "I have little intention of wearing them anywhere, but in the classroom. The less I have to, the better. I much prefer your sartorial splendour, which is why I've come back.
"Now we can finally get on with the real reason I'm shopping."
It was while he and Twillfit were discussing what colour to pair with the chartreuse that Dumbledore felt the ward tap at Hogwarts he had his predecessor install suddenly release.
As Twillfit was recommending a dark forest green for trim, Dumbledore suddenly stiffened and cried,
"Noooo!"
He quickly blurted out, "Terrence, my good man. I apologise. I must hurry back to the castle. I'll be back as soon as I can." He suddenly spun on his foot and raced out of the clothier. He needed to get back to find out what had happened to his ward tap.
In his haste to leave, he left his bundle of 'Malkin' robes on the counter.
As Dumbledore fled out the door, Twillfit took one look at the brown paper wrapped bundle, stared at it with distaste and gestured for his shop assistant to come over.
"Sir?" the young man asked.
"Send that to Marchbanks, would you, Peter?" asked Twillfit. "Add a note that Dumbledore left it here when he suddenly and rudely took off. There's a good chap."
With that, Twillfit left the young man to it. After all, little issues like that were the reason he and his partner hired the man. That, plus he looked delicious in robes that fit well at the hips, upper arms and shoulders, as a well-tailored robe should.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
Sirius was telling Remus a few of the more public stuff Harry had been up to recently, his winning of the case for Sirius against the Ministry and the stripping away of the Statute of Misuse of Muggle Artefacts together with the sudden appearance of the Longbottoms right at the beginning of the Wizengamot General Meeting, when Remus spotted Dumbledore suddenly hurry into the Leaky.
"Hey, there's Dumbledore," said Remus, beginning to rise.
Sirius immediately hit Remus with an underpowered banishing charm, knocking him back into his seat as the old man raced for the fireplace just past them. And before Remus could snap at him for the banishing charm, he hit him with a silencing charm.
A few moments later, Dumbledore barked, "Transfiguration Office, Hogwarts!" He stepped in and was gone.
Sirius immediately lifted the silencing charm as Remus surged to his feet.
"What the hell, Pads?!"
With a sigh, Sirius said, "Sit down and calm down, Moony."
"Why?" the scarred man angrily asked. Both knew what he meant.
"Because I cannot have Dumbledore use the excuse of bumping into me in the Alley to stick me with tracking, compulsion, loyalty charms and the like," he replied.
"Why would he do such a thing?" snapped Remus.
"Because he has this very unhealthy focus on Harry," he replied. "I know why, but I cannot tell you. I'm under oath. All I can tell you about it is that it makes perfect sense."
Moony scowled back and said, "I cannot believe Dumbledore would get up to all that sort of nonsense."
Starting to lose his temper back, Sirius said, "And I really couldn't care any less than I do right now that you don't!"
Surprised by the almost sudden vehemence in his
friend's words, tone, posture and demeanour Remus sat back and stared back in not a little shock.
A few moments later, he'd calmed down enough to give a pointed look to his friend, who had also calmed back down. "What aren't you telling me, Padfoot?"
"It's what you haven't told me that's the issue, Moons," Sirius snapped back.
Leaning forward and staring intently at his last remaining school time friend, he asked, "During that near nine months you were at the school as a Professor, why didn't you ever tell Harry about his true heritage? You had plenty of time to do it; so, why didn't you?"
Shocked at the vehemence at the question, it was a few moments before Remus replied, "Errr... because Dumbledore asked me not to?"
Sirius sat back and stared back in fury. And it was
obvious from his expression that the answer was nowhere near acceptable.
Remus's inner wolf was recoiling in fear.
It was a few long moments before Sirius quietly, angrily, vehemently stated, "We're going to get you checked out by a Healer. If there's no traces of compulsions, loyalty potions or the like in your system... then, we're done. Do you understand what I'm telling you?"
"Padfoot! What the Hell?"
"You don't know the full story of what that man did to our boy," said Sirius. "But, it's not for me to tell you. You clearly won't believe me."
He pulled a couple of galleons from his pocket and dumped them on the table. "Go to the Daily Prophet and ask for back-copies of the paper. The specific days you're looking for are the twenty fifth and twenty
sixth of November; and the week starting Monday, the thirtieth of November. Hell, get the ones in between, too.
"You need to read them. You won't believe me, otherwise. Then, once you've done that, talk to a few people to get their views of what happened and contact me again. I expect to hear from you within the week.
"Then, when I do, I'm taking you to see my cousin, Andi. She's a Master Healer and very well trained in detecting lingering traces of potions within your system."
Then he rose and said, "Take care of yourself until then, Remus." And spun about and left.
Remus was left sitting there wondering what had just happened. The two galleons remained sitting on the table for almost a minute before he scooped them up as he rose. He made his way out to the Alley, heading
towards the offices of the Daily Prophet.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
By the time Dumbledore made it back to Hogwarts and hurried up to the Headmistress's office, the ward master team were just completing their work and the wards were coming back up. He hadn't even noticed the gargoyle had immediately stepped aside for him, or what it meant.
Almost bursting into the office he saw Marchbanks and 'ET', the Team Lead. He recognised the man, immediately.
"What the Hell have you done?" he demanded.
Marchbanks snapped right back, "Professor Dumbledore, mind your tone!"
ET smirked and replied, "The school's wards have been reconfigured. Your power tap has been removed."
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Chapter 245
Still angry, but now also quite fearful, the old man snarled, "Do you realise what you've done?"
"I am a Ward Master with over forty years experience," replied ET. "Of course I know what I've done. And I resent the implication―"
"I need that tap!" yelled Dumbledore. "When Voldemort comes back, that tap is the only way I'll have enough power to again fight him!"
"Albus Dumbledore; that is enough!" snapped Marchbanks.
When Dumbledore just glared back in fury, she practically hissed at him, "You and I will be having a long talk, later, about you siphoning power from the Hogwarts wards for your own ends. An act which, I will point out, is clearly illegal."
Turning a glance to ET she said, "Though, by his own admission to having committed this act has practically rendered the idea moot, please check."
ET gave a nod and, like a striking snake, quickly raised his wand and lashed out with a charm at Dumbledore.
Dumbledore, still with most of his attention on Marchbanks, was not even prepared to fend it off. It made him immediately glow green for a moment.
"It's confirmed," he said, still staring at Dumbledore
and prepared to react. "The power tap was, indeed, linked to Dumbledore. It was feeding him the power."
"Thank you," she nodded, also still staring at Dumbledore; her eyes fixed upon him just as intently as ET's. "Professor Dumbledore, you are dismissed. Leave my office, now."
Dumbledore, his wand gripped in his hand in white- knuckled anger where he'd suddenly drawn it from his belt without even realising it, stared back for a few moments before he suddenly spun on his foot and stormed out.
As he stormed out, Marchbanks snapped, "And, due to your behaviour, your leave to attend to your shopping in Diagon Alley is now hereby revoked!"
Ignoring her, he clawed his hands into fists and stormed out the door. Marchbanks banished it shut and sealed it.
Not until a few seconds after he had gone did either Marchbanks or ET relax again.
"I think you'll be leaving via my floo, Edward," said Marchbanks. "I take it your people are waiting for you out in Hogsmeade?"
He gave a nod and replied, "They are."
"Then I recommend flooing to the Three Broomsticks and meeting up with them there," she suggested. "And I expect a copy of that report within three days."
"You'll have it tomorrow," he said. "You'd have it this afternoon if I didn't have to go and talk to the Acting Madam Minister, first."
"Thank you, Edward," she nodded.
As suggested, as soon as he exited the floo in the Three Broomsticks ET collected the rest of his team and headed directly back to the Ministry. After he gave
a verbal report to the Acting Madam Minister he'd be able to go and celebrate with his team. The report could wait until after that.
In her office, Marchbanks carefully listed in her ongoing report concerning Dumbledore's actions this latest 'shenanigan'. However, his siphoning power from the castle's wards, on its own, she already knew to be enough to fire him.
Now she just needed to consider when she would do precisely that.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
While Harry was still working through a lot of the financials regarding the House of Potter, Hermione had taken Neville on a tour of the house.
She first took him to the top floor and showed him her
suite and the other two guest bedrooms located up there, then down to the first floor with the Master Bedroom suite and Harry's suite. She next took him on a tour of the upper ground floor (main floor), where they tended to spend most of their time. And, finally, down to the lower ground floor with its access to the double garage, the laundry, the media room and the servants' quarters which the aurors had taken over.
Coming back up to the main floor she led him back into the dinette.
Knowing the tour would soon be over when Hermione led Neville down to the lower ground floor, Harry had decided to pack away what he was working on for the time being.
He had just entered the kitchen and was already arguing with Dobby about what to have for lunch.
Harry was all set to make snacks, while Dobby was insistent he have a proper meal.
Hermione took one look at the stance of the both of them and said, "Harry, stop arguing with Dobby. Dobby, Harry needs a mid-morning snack."
"Master Harry be cookings dinner," the little elf declared. "Dobby be cookings brekky and lunch!"
"I was just going to―" Harry started, until he saw the look on Hermione's face and the shock on Neville's. He sighed and grumbled, "Fiiiine."
"Harry, we have a guest," she said. "Between the two of us we need to come up with how to keep the three of us occupied."
"We could always―" he stopped as he had a sudden idea and his face lit up in happiness. "Hermione; you have a video player, right?"
Surprised at the idea, she said, "Ah! That is a good idea."
Rounding on Neville she asked, "What do you know about the muggle entertainment medium known as 'television'?"
Neville looked back in confusion and replied, "Nothing?"
As both other teens grinned back, Harry snapped out of it and said, "Hermione, take him down and get things set up. See if you can find something that gives a halfway decent showing of modern muggle Britain. I'm going to teach Dobby how to make... popcorn!"
As she began to lead Neville out again, she said, "Don't worry about drinks. There's a small bar fridge down stairs that we use to store the fizzy drinks in!"
As they left, Harry wheeled on Dobby and said, "I'm about to show you something muggles snack on when they're at, what they call, cinemas. It's really quick and easy to do and only has three ingredients -
butter, dried corn kernels and salt. The secret is in the timing and heat."
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Chapter 246
Because of the almost 'express' service in both the Ministry and Gringotts in getting things back into order, Frank and Alice spent longer in Gringotts than they originally planned. They took a look at the actual finances of the House.
A quick review of the books of the House showed that Augusta had not been a poor regent when it came to the finances. If anything, she actually did a better job than Frank, if he was honest about it, could do.
Sitting back with a sigh he said, "So, Irontongs, there
was no activity related to Gringotts, on her part, that you would consider suspect?"
"None," the goblin immediately replied. "She did well by the House. And was even ruthless in a couple of the business dealings."
Alice frowned and asked, "Were any of those dealings against a House in the Alliance?"
"No," replied the goblin. "She made no financial moves that would be considered against the intent of the alliance."
Frank finally nodded and looked to his wife. "Alice?" he asked. "Anything else you can think of?"
"Yes," she immediately replied. "Remove her from full access to the accounts and re-establish the stipend for her. That's missing."
Frank quickly checked and noticed she was correct.
With a nod he looked to Irontongs and said, "Recreate the vault for Augusta Longbottom and re-establish her familial stipend to the same amount as prior to her becoming Regent, increased by... ten percent. The stipend is to be deposited into that vault, as per the previous arrangement. When I release her to do so, she may come into the bank and collect her key. That may be a while, however."
Alice, still looking at the financials, said, "There's no vault for Neville."
"What!?" asked Frank, leaning over to see for himself. Once he did he snarled, "Damn that woman!"
Straightening back up he was a moment to centre himself again before he said to Irontongs, "Create a similar vault for my son and Heir, Neville. Place within it one thousand galleons. Have it refill back to the thousand galleons annually. Make the first of December the anniversary of that."
As Irontong nodded and began to write on the parchment before him, Alice quietly sighed and said, "Neville must have no idea how to manage his own finances. That's yet another thing we're going to have to teach him, fast."
Once Irontongs was ready again, Frank continued, "Next, we need to adjust our Wills with an addendum. I want to remove the line regarding Regency and replace it with my Heir Apparent being granted immediate emancipation, together with self-regency of the House both actual and fiscal. He will, as of the moment of our passing, be considered Lord of the House."
Irontongs nodded and replied, "I'll have the addendum written up and ready to be signed for when you next visit."
"Then, I believe we are done," said Frank, standing. His wife was only a half heartbeat behind.
Irontongs said, "I shall have the vault key for young Heir Primary Neville Longbottom ready by this afternoon, at the latest."
"Thank you," said both adults.
Irontongs gave a nod, closed the folder in which he was taking notes and said, "May your ventures prove fruitful and your conquests be overwhelming. Fare thee well."
"Fare thee well, Irontongs," Frank replied, as he and his wife made their way out.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
Dreading the meeting for almost the entire morning, Arthur Weasley and Clifford Perkins were finally summoned to Amelia Bones's office about an hour
before lunch.
As both men entered, she was muttering something about ward masters, smart-aleky young men and manipulative old gits.
She took a look at the pair of them, indicated the pair of chairs before her desk and said, "Take a seat, gentlemen."
As Weasley and Perkins took seat, Bones was moving one small pile of documents before her off to one side and bringing another pile into its place.
As soon as both were seated she said, "Right... gentlemen... You know of what happened regarding the Statute for the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts yesterday, yes?"
"Yes, Ma'am," replied Weasley for them both.
"Good; Because that very statute is at the heart of
what we need to talk about today," she said.
Forty minutes later, Weasley and Perkins left the office of 'The Boss' and returned to their own. Neither noticed the intervening distance or time from when they left one office and returned to the other.
As both sat, Perkins finally spoke. "Merrr-lin!"
"Yeah," said Weasley. "We need to find a bigger set of offices."
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Chapter 247
Dumbledore was sitting in his office, wondering what to do next, when a house elf appeared and dropped a package on his desk. Of course he immediately
recognised it as the package he'd forgotten on Twillfit's counter.
On top was a note.
~# ~
Albus,
Mister Twillfit was nice enough to forward your package you left on his counter.
Now that you have the replacement robes you were sent to purchase, there will now be no need for you to go to the Alley for the foreseeable future.
Headmistress Marchbanks (NOT Griselda)
~# ~
Screwing the note up in his hand, Dumbledore flung it
across the room and, with a snarl, fired an Incendio charm at it. He overpowered it.
In so doing he nearly set the other of his two armchairs alight in the process.
However, he did manage to burn the slip of parchment, this time.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
On his return to the Tonkses' home, Sirius sighed in somewhat disappointment at the end of his meeting with Remus. Though the old man did not even know they were there, he had to resort to blocking his 'old friend' from getting the man's attention.
He wasn't yet ready to directly interact with Dumbledore. And was even amazed the old man had not yet tried to get hold of him to use him as some
sort of 'cat's paw' or 'stalking horse' against Harry.
However, he was certain of one thing; the old man would definitely try to use Moony that way. As a werewolf, if Dumbledore succeeded in turning him into one or the other, Moony would not be protected by law.
He needed Remus to get those old copies of the Daily Prophet, read them and come to the right conclusion himself. If there was any one in their group other than Lily who could have been a Ravenclaw, it was Moony. If he read those copies of the Prophet he would figure it out for himself.
After raiding Ted's liquor cabinet, he came away with a small glass of muggle whiskey. He dropped into one of the chairs in the lounge, kicked his feet forward and lounged back with the small glass in his off-hand. He needed to figure out what to do next. He needed to think.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
Arthur, still stunned with the news Perkins and he received from Bones, asked for and received permission to 'floo home for lunch and speak with the wife'.
As he popped out of the floo, Molly took one look at who it was and her face fell. "Oh, no, Arthur."
"No, Molly-wobbles," he quickly said. "It's not like that."
Indicating the kitchen he said, "I can only stay for a little while, but I have some rather surprising and outstanding news."
Once in the kitchen and with a plate for lunch before him, Arthur began to speak between mouthfuls of food as he told her what 'Madam Bones' had told him
and his partner was to happen to his office.
"So," she said. "You and Cliff have to see to probably at least quadrupling your Office to seven or more people. You have to find the staff to staff it who are all muggleborn or at least muggle-raised, as they need that grounding and understanding of muggle artefacts to properly do that job. And you and Cliff both have to attend the DMLE auror muggle-awareness course - both basic and advanced - within the next three months."
"Yes, Molls," he replied with a nod. "On top of that, once we get the muggleborn staff started, one of the jobs of the new Office will be designing a new set of muggle-awareness courses. One that, according to Madam Bones, will have to include things like living for three days non-stop in a purely muggle home, information on 'vidya' recordings and cameras and things like that.
"Madam Bones is organising for a new 'Muggle
Instructor' who will be a muggleborn. That person will be working with Cliff and I to design the new courses and will then be the new instructor for the courses.
"It's all pretty exciting. However, it seems it might just be all too much for Cliff, as he's already said to me he's thinking about retiring. So, that'll be another member of staff I'll need to replace."
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
After watching two different movies and somewhat over-indulging in sampling both popcorn and fizzy drink for the first time, Neville was almost bouncing off the walls in a combined excitement and sugar high rush.
He was exuding so much magic from it Harry and Hermione had to rush him out of the media room, lest he cause the electronic equipment to short.
Back up in the dinette Harry was almost giggling at Neville's enhanced 'enthusiasm' for what he'd seen and tasted.
"That was a-maz-ing!" the boy was gushing and speaking overly quick. "Who knew muggles could do that? That was like a stage play and a portrait and a pensieve all rolled into one! Brilliant!
"Neville!" said Hermione. "You need to calm down!"
"How can anyone be calm after watching that... viewing that... doing that... whatever!" he enthusiastically retorted. "Brilliant!"
Hermione turned her glare on Harry and softly said, "His parents are going to kill you."
"It'll burn off soon enough," he tried, speaking just as softly back.
Neville was still practically bouncing off the walls.
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Chapter 248
"I have to come back again and do that some more!" declared the sandy-blonde haired boy. "That was... wow!"
Harry sighed and pulled a sheet of parchment out and wrote a quick note on it.
~# ~
Frank and Alice
Please forgive Neville. He's 'suffering' from imbibing too much sugar and popcorn. Think of it as a short-
term overcharged Pepper-Up Potion, but muggles call it a 'sugar high'.
When it wears off he's likely to very quickly fall fast asleep with no ill effects. Muggles call coming off a sugar high as 'crashing'.
Harry ~# ~
He quickly folded it and attempted to get the attention of his still very much currently hyperactive friend.
"Neville!" he firmly said, finally getting the boy's attention.
"Hunh?"
Holding the note forth he said, "When you go home... as soon as you see either your Mum or Dad, hand them this note, alright?"
"Yeah! Right-o, Harry!" declared the other boy, taking it and practically ramming it into his pocket.
"Don't forget!" Harry firmly ordered.
"I won't!" he declared.
Hermione just looked at the pair of them in exasperation. But, she was also trying not to laugh at it all.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
Eventually, as Neville was finally starting to get over the effects of the sugar and popcorn, plus the excitement of watching a movie for the first time, a house elf popped in and handed Neville a note.
"Thank you, Fluxy!" he happily replied, taking the note
and opening it.
After a few seconds he said, "Mum and Dad are back home at the Hall. I hafta go! See ya!"
Before either Harry or Hermione could say a word, Neville held his hand out for the elf. A moment later they were both gone with a crack.
Harry gave a snort of amusement and said to Hermione, "Well, I certainly hope he remembers to give them that note."
"I still think they might want to kill you," she smirked.
"Maaaay-be," he replied. "However, as Frank's declared me his personal hero, I can't see that happening."
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
With Neville gone, Harry was able to return to what he was working on. But, first, he wanted to write a few letters and get a few things happening before he properly returned to it.
His first was instructions for Ted. ~# ~
Ted Tonks
Law-wizard of Record
for the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter Diagon Alley
London
Ted,
First, I need you to look into whether or not the floo can be connected to the home of the Grangers. Now that Hermione is both the magical ward of the Lord of Black and the betrothed of the Lord of Potter, I wanted
to see if this would get around the law against muggle homes having the floo connected.
Second, I need you to set up an anonymous donation to pay for a mind-Healer to help Luna Lovegood get over her mother dying in her arms and to help Ginny Weasley get over being partially possessed by the spirit of Tom Riddle for most of her first year at Hogwarts.
I do not want either of them or their families finding out I paid for it and I do not want either of their families deciding the monetary donation could be 'put to other uses'. Claim, for instance, it is from a wealthy witch who did not like the idea two young innocent pureblood witches have suffered such mental trauma and nothing was done for either of them.
As an aside, I got your second stack of documents you deem to be both urgent and important enough for me to go through and make decisions. Are you trying to bury me in parchmentwork, or something? Sheesh!
Harry
~# ~
With the note written, Harry was going to hand it to Dobby to take, but knew he hadn't made much use out of Hedwig for what she was designed to be, a mail owl, for the past couple of weeks.
Rising from the dinette table he went and opened the window and was just in time for her to glide in. Once in through the window, she performed a tight bank to bleed off speed and landed on the table before turning to him.
"Prek."
"Yep," he replied. "A letter to be delivered."
Walking back to the table and sitting down he was quick to tie the letter to her leg.
"For Ted Tonks in his office in Diagon Alley, girl," he told her.
She quickly checked for herself the letter was secure, gave him another muted Snowy bark and took off back out the window.
Thinking, he quickly checked the time and smiled.
'If I start dinner now,' he thought, 'I wonder what I can come up with?'
So much for working on House documents.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
The Unspeakables update that evening was that the Dog had met with the White Wolf. Leo and Lisa were working on getting their parchmentwork sorted, now
they're back in the land of the living. Little Old Lady got one up on White Beard. Apparently White Beard had been a naughty boy and set in place a power tap on the Hogwarts' wards, among other things. The wards are now back to what they should have been, plus some extras, and―
"He did what?" asked their team warder.
"The White Knight decided we all needed another example of why we're all daft morons... his words, not mine... and figured out a way to get through practically any ward, in and out, that everyone else missed," replied the reporter, ignoring the warder's shock. "Apparently, a house elf can side-along apparate a witch of wizard and, since there are no wards I'm aware of that block a house elf apparating through them, it now means witches and wizards can get through practically every ward."
"Oh, sweet bloody Merlin!" the warder exclaimed. "Do you know what this means?"
"Wards to block witches and wizards from getting through via portkey or apparation are now pretty much useless?" asked another.
"No, you git!" exclaimed the now exasperated warder. "It means... all those pureblood witches and wizards who own house elves and are in... say... Azkaban? Can get out whenever they bloody want to! All they have to do is call their house elf to come and take them out!"
"Oh!" said the other, suddenly realising. "Yeah... oh!" snarked the warder. "That's not good."
"No, it bloody well isn't!" grumped the ward expert, who felt as if his very world was crumbling around him. "And the Knight's not supposed to be making people like me feel like I'm one of those daft morons of his!"
That had others snickering at their team member's heightened annoyance.
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Chapter 249
"Well," continued the reporter, "Monocle has already been in contact with Croaker to develop a way to block it. Croaker's not happy because, as you know, we use a very similar method to get through wards when and where necessary."
"And so we ward and charm masters are going to have to come up with an idea that allows the blocking of side-along elf-popping the Knight has figured out, while also allowing our special method of apparation through," snarked the warder. "Merlin damn it!"
Again his fellow section members showed him their empathy for him by laughing at him.
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
Harry had prepared another slow-roast, lamb this time, and talk was somewhat lively around the table at dinner, that night.
Sirius had told them about his meeting with Remus Lupin and how it didn't end so well; and about organising a cleaning crew for his old family home on Grimmauld Place in Kings Cross, inner south London proper.
"That's a pretty run down area," said Wendell.
Sirius shrugged and said, "With wizarding forms of travel and warding it really doesn't matter what the
area is like. A wizard could have a high class mansion in the area and it still wouldn't stick out for the muggles. Muggle Notice-Me-Nots take care of that."
Hermione asked, "Do you think Professor Lupin will read those old editions of the Daily Prophet?"
"I hope so, yes," he replied. "He'll want to know what's going on and, since I wouldn't tell him, he'll go read those back issues."
"Why have him read the back issues and not just tell him?" asked Monica.
"Because, he won't believe me," he replied. "He'll just think I'm trying to prank him.
"With everything that's happened over the past three weeks I probably wouldn't believe it either, if someone had just told me."
After dinner, Monica pulled Sirius aside into the
kitchen and told him about her fears about Harry's education.
Sirius heard her out and said, "Alright. I got your letter this morning and I'm going to ask you a question. Don't get upset with me about it, as I'm just doing my duty both as Harry's godfather and Hermione's magical guardian."
When she nodded back he flat-out asked, "Is your endgame here to have Harry and Hermione sleep together, have sex and for your daughter to fall pregnant, so it activates the binding portion of the Betrothal Agreement?"
Monica, at first shocked by the question, scowled and replied, "No. And I don't know how you could think I wouldn't get upset by that question."
Sirius nodded and said, "I'm sorry, but whether or not you got upset about it is not really my concern. My primary concern, here, is the protection of those kids
and Harry's familial legacy. However, you've answered the questions and I believe you. I just needed to hear it out of your own mouth."
Monica, still frowning, asked, "So, does this mean you're going to talk to Harry or not?"
"Actually," he said, reaching into his robes and pulling out the book he purchased earlier in the day from Flourish and Blott's, "In the short time I've known him, it's already easy to understand he learns more by reading about it that listening to someone else talk about it.
"Besides, I have a very well-known reputation for pranking people; sometimes, unfairly, quite inappropriately. While the first part is true the second is not. However, that's what I'm tagged with.
"Therefore, I'm giving him this book and will impress upon him he and I will be talking about it once he's finished it."
Monica took the book and began to thumb through it a bit. "This is actually... surprisingly quite informative. It is not the sort of book I would expect to be found in the wizarding world.
"There's actually similar books in the muggle world, but this one seems a great deal better than those."
"The purpose of this book is not to educate kids on sex," said Sirius. "It's for kids to understand what it is and how it can lead to them being trapped in a loveless marriage. It's to protect Heirs, like Harry, from some witch with delusions of getting herself pregnant and trapping the heir into marrying them as a way to lift her standing in our world; or just putting the family of the father in a position where her family has to be 'paid off'.
"Actually, that second one is probably the main reason of the two, if I was being honest about it."
Monica gave a huff and said, "I shouldn't be surprised. Anyway, when do you want to give it to him? I think the sooner, the better."
Sirius gave a nod and said, "Now, then. How about you send him to me?"
Monica gave her own nod and said, "I'll go get him and send him in." Then she stopped and said, "Actually, to keep Hermione out of this, how about you go into the office and I'll send him there?"
"Good idea," he replied.
As the two separated, Sirius headed via the hallway into the office and sat at the 'discussion' table and waited. He put the book on the table and thought about how to broach the subject.
Less than a minute later, Harry came in. He appeared a little confused. "You wanted to talk to me?" he asked.
"I do," nodded his godfather. Indicating the other chair he said, "Take a seat."
Fifteen minutes later, Harry came out almost red with embarrassment and had the book tucked up inside his windcheater. He quickly went up to his room and put it there, stuffed between two of the folders of the stuff he received from Ted. There was no chance in Hell he wanted Hermione to see he had it.
When he came downstairs after giving his face a wash, Hermione immediately asked, "What's up?"
"Nothing," he was quick to mumble.
Sirius, realising Harry made a poor liar for Hermione, said, "Business between the Lord of Black and one of his Heirs, Hermione. Nothing for you to concern yourself with."
"Oh," she replied, "Alright then."
_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ
At just after breakfast the next morning, Harry received a letter back from the aurors. It was from the twins.
"When you're next in contact with Misters Frederick and George Weasley," he said. "Please impress upon them not to try to attach charms designed to prank the recipient to their correspondence. Depending on what it is, it can be seen as attempted assault."
Surprised, Harry said, "I'll do that."
With a mental sigh, he thought, 'Idiots. Trying to prank a Lord of one of the Seven? That can get you discovering what the inside of Azkaban can look like from the point of view of a prisoner as a prisoner.'
~# ~
Harrikins,
Something is worrying Mum about what happened at the Wizengamot yesterday. We suppose that'll be two days ago for you. And it's worrying us that she won't tell us.
Since you should've been there, we were hoping you could let us know. Just in case it was something that we should know about, yeah?
Hope to hear back from you soon, Gred and Forge
P.S. Don't get upset about the donkey ears. We don't want to see you make an ass of yourself. Ha!
~# ~
With a sigh, he thought, 'Well, at least I know what the
prank was meant to be.'
Thinking of what to write in reply, he called Dobby and asked him to bring down the stack of documents he was working on the previous day, plus fresh parchment, ink and quills. With the visit from Neville very little of it got done and he really needed to put some effort into it today.
With the documents set aside, he pulled parchment, ink and quill before himself and began to write his response.
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Chapter 250
Fred and George,
Firstly, please be aware that my auror 'shadows' are
still with me. They go through my mail before I get it. That's because Dumbledore tried to slip me an auto- portkey in a letter and, if it wasn't for Dobby grabbing it first, I'd have been portkeyed right out of Hermione's home.
Yes, I'm staying with Hermione at the moment. But, I'm sure you guys had figured that out ages ago.
The aurors have requested of me to ensure you two are made aware that a prank, even a harmless one, can be seen as assault when it's directed towards a Lord of a Noble and Most Ancient House. You also need to be made aware that sending a wizarding prank into a muggle home can be seen as a breach of the Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, Code 13. It, too, can lead to you getting into serious trouble with the DMLE.
So, guys; knock it off, in future - please. I don't want to see your trying to pull a prank on me being the reason you both find yourselves serving a bit of time in Azkaban.
Warning delivered. No more needs be said.
Next bit of news for you. Hermione and I are now betrothed through a Betrothal Agreement. That's something I'm surprised the Daily Prophet hasn't picked up on yet. The reasons are quite a few and not something I or Hermione are discussing with anyone outside of the immediate families. I can tell you one of them is not because Hermione is pregnant, or anything. (In case you were wondering.)
The second point of note is that Sirius Black, Lord of Black, is also now her magical guardian.
The advantages, you should know, is so that Hermione is now protected. If anyone tries anything to interfere with the Betrothal Agreement, such as loyalty or - dare I say - love potions, both the Noble and Most Ancient Houses of Black and Potter, along with both alliances, will be brought to bear on anyone who tries. NO exceptions!
So, please don't try to aim one of your pranks in her direction, either. Sirius has already sworn he will be very protective of his magical ward; and the Potter- Longbottom Alliance will be the same. Anyone trying to even look with disdain on her or the Agreement will very quickly be wishing they could find a hole under a secrecy charm somewhere and hide.
As for what happened two days ago. For the three days leading up to the Wizengamot meeting I was working on two projects.
The first was getting Frank and Alice Longbottom cured of their afflictions that had them in Saint Mungo's for the past thirteen years. Yes, you read that right, curing Frank and Alice Longbottom. Both are now healthy and hale and back to their best. During the initial part of the meeting of the Wizengamot, Lord Frank Longbottom took back control of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Longbottom from his mother, Dowager Lady Augusta Longbottom. We both then
took our Seats.
This means the Potter-Longbottom Alliance will soon, once again, be a force to be reckoned with, within wizarding Britain. Very soon the Potter-Longbottom and Black Alliances will be working together to sort things out.
The other thing that happened occurred just before the start of the General Meeting of the Wizengamot and is why your mother was probably worried. That was the trial of Sirius for a Breach of the Statute for the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts.
I and Ted Tonks, law-wizard, were the defence team for Sirius. I was actually quite ropeable with the Ministry attempting to do that, because of the following muggle artefacts that are also blatant breaches of the Statute and nothing's ever been done about them. Hell, three of them were where the Ministry itself was responsible for the breaches.
The Hogwarts Express - stolen muggle artefact. Stolen during the height of the second world war (War with Grindelwald) from the rightful muggle owners - by the Ministry!
The Knight Bus - stolen muggle artefact. Stolen from the rightful muggle owners in 1939 at the beginning of the second world war from the rightful muggle owners - by Ernest Prang under direction from, you guessed it, the Ministry!
The current building housing St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries - purchased muggle artefact. Purchased from the muggle company Purge and Dowse Ltd in 1962 - under direction from the Board of Directors of the Saint Mungo's Hospital Fund.
A K6 Model telephone kiosk & the Automatic Electric payphone model 233G within - stolen muggle artefacts. Stolen from the muggle Government-owned British Telecom sometime shortly after 1955 - by the Ministry!
Those are the four I was going to present as evidence
in Sirius's trial. However, there's a lot more than that I wouldn't have presented but made the Wizengamot aware of many of them.
Acting Madam Minister of Magic and Director of the DMLE, Madam Director Amelia Bones wears a monocle that is of muggle construction, thereby meeting the definition of a muggle artefact, and has been enchanted. This would have breached the Statute.
Ex-Chief Warlock and Ex-Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore wears spectacles of muggle construction and he has enchanted them. This, too, would have breached the Statute.
Current Headmistress of Hogwarts, Lady Griselda Marchbanks, makes use of a muggle constructed cane, which has been enchanted. This, also, would have breached the Statute.
The enchanted entranceway between the muggle side of Kings Cross Station and Platform 93⁄4 is also such. So, too, is the hiding of the Leaky Cauldron behind Notice-Me-Not and anti-muggle wards.
The memorial to my parents in Godric's Hollow is actually an enchanted muggle war memorial. That one was enchanted under the direct orders of the Wizengamot.
And that's just some of the stuff I figured out in a single day! Later, I also remembered about the Ministerial cars that picked us up from the Leaky to take us to the station at the beginning of my third year - your fifth - but didn't remember for the trial. Those, too, are illegal under the Statute (though I do believe they were probably purchased, rather than stolen).
Because of that I proved that the Statute, in what was its current form, was both unworkable and utterly unenforceable. So, the Wizengamot had no choice but to strip it from the books until it can be rewritten into something that actually makes sense. I would not have been satisfied with anything else and would have forced Madam Bones's Head Auror, Rufus Scrimgeour, to arrest the lot of those who were involved; including his own boss.
However, because I knew this would have negatively impacted upon certain Ministry employees - How's your father these days, boys? - I ensured Madam Bones will be redeveloping the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office and the Statute into something that actually properly works. I'm not positive but, if I've read the play right, your father is about to get a 'promotion' out of it.
Anyways, that's all the news I've got for you I can pass along. I hope this alleviates your worry over why your mother is worried. I do not believe she needs be.
Oh, and my betrothed, Hermione, says, 'Hi!' Harry.