HPWW421-430

Chapter 421

However, by the remarks of their Boss and later reports in the Daily Prophet, very few did not figure out the asset was Dumbledore. But, no one said a word. That way, they might 'think' or 'suspect' it was Dumbledore; but they didn't 'know' it was Dumbledore.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

Monday morning's mail drop at Hogwarts also saw the delivery of the workout/fitness clothes for the Heirs. They were carried by Sable, Sirius's owl. And, it wasn't until Harry realised they'd needed to have been

shrunk to be sent, he realised he hadn't asked Sirius to drop around to do that.

However, the included letter from Monica told him they'd already thought of it and contacted Sirius by floo to come and do it for them. He was happy to do so and also loaned his owl to get it done.

He must've let out a noise, or it was just his expression, that had Hermione asking him, "What's wrong, Harry?"

"I had another daft moron moment," he sighed.

"When?" she asked.

"I forgot your mother would need Sirius or some other magical to both shrink the clothes for her and use an owl to send them to us," he sighed.

She smirked back and said, "Harry, my parents are not... as you put it... daft morons. They were more

than capable of figuring that out for themselves."

"Which they did," he replied. "But, I should have still thought of it."

"We both should have," she replied. "Especially, me."

When he gave a her a slight look of confusion, she explained, "I've been receiving owl mail from my parents here for more than three years. Up until they were introduced to other magicals who could help them, they've had to go into Diagon Alley to send me anything. Anything that needed shrinking before it could be sent was done by the Owl Post Office.

"That's why I should have thought of that and suggested Sirius. I've had prior experience; you have not."

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

Harry's letter to Bones - which she'd received that morning - at first had her wanting to ignore it. However, as usual, she could find no fault in his reasoning.

'Damn him, for that,' she thought.

So, on the Monday morning and as soon as she entered her office she immediately gathered her Masters and informed them she'd be scaling back the search for Dumbledore and why. And none of them could fault the logic, either.

"So, we do nothing?" asked Robards.

"No," she replied. "We put the word out to our criminal informants and other information sources that we're looking for the 'old fairy', but they're only to tell us as soon as they see him that they've seen him and where.

"Sooner or later, without a house elf, he has to come out of hiding to buy food. Logic dictates he won't come into the wizarding world to do that, so he'll try to shop... or steal... in the muggle world."

"He could get a house elf," said Proudfoot. "Whoever helped break him out could either loan him one, rent him one or even buy him one."

"I'll have an investigator go question the house elf purchase and rental agencies," said Moody. "He or someone else might have already been in. If they haven't, they might yet."

"Good idea," she nodded. She also gave a nod to Proudfoot for the idea.

"What makes you so sure he'll remain in wizarding Britain, Ma'am?" asked another.

"There's... something... here he desperately wants. It's one of a kind. At the moment he can't get it because

it's behind some pretty powerful wards," she explained. "However, that... item... has to come out from behind those wards soon and we believe he's just waiting for an opportunity to grab th- it."

"If we know what the item is, can we not set all manner of both protection and traps upon it or the area it's in?" asked yet another.

"That's being worked on," replied Bones. "For a start, protections are being increased. However, we don't want to do too much as we don't want to tip the old fool off that we know he wants to make a try for hi- it.

"Any more, people?" she asked, mentally urging them to keep going with the ideas. "There are no bad ideas here. I want them all, no matter how far-fetched they might sound or how silly you may think them to be."

"What about Potter's suggestions?" asked Proudfoot. "Send him tracked owl mail, send him a house elf carrying a charmed letter, try scrying... ummm―"

Bones mentally sighed again. 'Dammit!'

"All good ideas and ones the rest of us should have also had," she said, picking up a parchment-based pad and an ever-inked quill off her desk. "Keep them coming."

"If an elf can find him, use an elf to pop someone directly to him?" asked Robards. "I saw Potter do that, once." Suddenly, he snapped his fingers and said, "No. Instead, have an elf find him and then pop him to us."

Bones froze for a moment before she slowly developed a pained expression and allowed her monocle to fall to the length of its chain. Then she brought her off-hand up to massage the bridge of her nose.

Robards, feeling a little sheepish said, "Errr... Sorry?"

Not moving her hand from massaging her nose bridge, Bones quietly said, "Don't apologise for that idea, Gawain. It's a bloody brilliant one. I, too, have seen someone popped by house elf through wards. It was in this very office, at that; young Heir Longbottom. As such I, too, should have thought of that."

Letting her hand fall away she said, "Someone go down to the holding cells and prep one for the old man. As soon as it's set up I'll send an elf or two to go and capture the old bastard."

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

Immediately after the fire-side, Croaker returned to the bare interrogation room alongside Dumbledore's new cell. In effect, it was a cell, too; just one where everything had been stripped out and replaced with the single desk, the desk chair, the paintings and the

Truth Chair.

The Spectral Threat Team, plus the specialist Legilimencers, were already waiting.

Looking around, Croaker discovered everything right as he wanted it.

With a nod of satisfaction, he simply said, "Bring him."

Dumbledore was brought in minutes later. He was again manacled with his hands behind his back and with the plain black bag pulled over his head and down to his elbows.

Uncaring, his two 'handlers' dumped him into the chair, ensuring his hands were through the small gap between the back of the chair and the seat. The bag was yanked off his head and he was charmed stuck to the chair through the activation of a rune on its back.

As soon as he was ready, Scimitar gave Croaker a nod and stepped away to stand with his back against the wall.

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Chapter 422

"Good evening, Albus," said Croaker. "Been sleeping well?"

"Evening?" blinked Dumbledore. The long period of effective darkness was causing him some eye difficulty with the bright light of the room.

"Oh, yes," said Croaker. "We don't want you going insane due to the sheer boredom of being locked inside that room for so long. We obliviated you of much of it. It's now been two weeks since you came

into our midst.

"You'll be pleased to know that Madam Bones believed you, somehow, engineered your escape through aid from an unknown accomplice. And immediately hid yourself under a Fidelius.

"The hunt's been called off, for now. Now, she and her aurors are just using their intelligence gathering resources to wait for you to pop up again. They're sure you will."

"The date?" Dumbledore asked.

Croaker smirked at him and replied, "As I said, it's been two weeks. Well; I may have exaggerated a little. It's Friday the Fifth of February. This is your thirteenth day with us.

While Dumbledore poorly tried to hide his surprise, Croaker said, "Now, we were last talking about your relationship with a young Gellert Grindelwald. What,

specifically, caused you to break off your relationship with him?"

Dumbledore stared back in horror. He didn't remember speaking with Croaker about his relationship with Gellert. His last recollection had him being Legilimenced for information on Tom. Had his mind been obliviated of that knowledge? It was the only thing that made sense.

"Albus?" asked Croaker. "I'm waiting. You agreed to answer my questions or you'd be, effectively, mind raped of the information through force. You know what the price of that is. You'll end up a mindless vegetable."

Dumbledore sat there for a long few moments trying to remember. Even clues he'd been obliviated escaped him because it relied on information of what he'd been doing and finding the gap. Having been locked in one room with minimal light, in a room that didn't change, robbed him of that.

Suddenly his mind was attacked. Again, the pain was excruciating. Again, it was four Legilimencers working concert.

After a near unbearable time it suddenly stopped.

"As he previously told you, it was a difference of opinion between the two on how to go about 'The Greater Good'," said a voice from behind. "However, Ariana's death, as she was an obscurial, was regrettable, only. But, Aberforth Dumbledore also had a role to play in that. It was he who attacked Grindelwald, first."

Croaker appeared surprised. "Well. You didn't tell us that last time, Albus. I thought you promised not to hold anything back. That was naughty of you."

Dumbledore was on the information back-foot and he had no idea what to say or how to proceed. The information about he and Gellert he thought

eradicated from everyone's minds. He even locked the knowledge of that inside the mind of his own brother. His own brother knew what happened, but could never speak of it.

And his sister becoming an obscurial? He thought no one but he, Abe and Gellert knew of that. Why had he told them; Croaker and his people?

"Albus?... Albus!" he heard.

Snapping his eyes up to look at Croaker he hadn't even realised he was not paying attention.

"You, as the muggles would say, zoned out on us there, Albus," said Croaker. "I think I can guess, based on what you've already told us, but why did Aberforth choose that time to attack Gellert?"

"He... he saw... he thought it was Gellert's intent to harness dear Ariana's illness as a... a... an obscurial for evil purposes," replied Dumbledore. "I... did not

believe him. I did not think Gellert could be so... cold."

"I've looked it up in the past few days," said Croaker. "Apparently, through that incident in New York during the mid 1920s, Grindelwald tried to discover the identity of and gain control of a young untrained wizard named Credence Barebone, another obscurial. Apparently Newt Scamander, a student of yours, stopped him."

"Yes," replied Dumbledore. "Young Newton was a prodigy in Care of Magical Creatures study. He and his later wife, Porpentina, were nearly killed by Gellert when he was portraying the Head of the MaCUSA Auror office, Percival Graves. I'm proud to say, young Newton was soon thereafter able to defeat and capture Gellert through the use of his magical creatures.

"I still cannot figure out how MaCUSA managed to let Gellert loose again." He sighed.

Suddenly shifting track without allowing his voice or anything else to change, Croaker asked, "How did you come to the determination Tom Riddle was seeking to make six Horcruxes?"

"Seven is a powerful magical number," Dumbledore immediately replied. "After much badgering from myself, I was able to get my old friend, Horace Slughorn, to give me a memory of young Tom asking him how many Horcruxes could be made by one person. However, the memory I received from Horace was... corrupted. I think Horace tried to trick me into believing he did no such thing. But, his efforts to change the memory were very obvious. And Horace always did have a love for an esoteric question; especially from one of his favourites."

"Seven Horcruxes or seven parts of the soul?" asked Croaker.

"Seven parts," replied Dumbledore. "But, the part in young Harry was an accident."

"And how did you know he'd already created the six Horcruxes when he attacked the Potters?"

Dumbledore was confused by the question. "Pardon?" he asked.

"How... did you know... Riddle had already created the six Horcruxes when he attacked the Potters?"

That stumped the old man. "I... assumed," he replied. "I cannot see Tom having delayed in creating them."

"But, you've already told me Tom wanted the Horcruxes to be in objects of importance to him and the magical world," explained Croaker. "You told me he's spent quite a bit of time and effort searching for them. How do you know he'd already found six of them at the time he attacked the Potters?"

That had never occurred to Dumbledore. Quietly, almost muttering, he said, "It... hadn't crossed my

mind―"

"You assumed," said Croaker.

"That means there may not yet be six," said Dumbledore, clearly working that out as he spoke.

"Correct," said Croaker. "Which means, the ones we've already collected and dealt with may be all he had."

"Which means young Harry can now kill him," said Dumbledore.

Croaker sighed in frustration and said, "No, Albus. It means now anyone can kill him. The prophecy is a bust."

"The prophecy orb still glows," Dumbledore firmly said.

"No, it does not," Croaker just as firmly cast back.

"The day young Lord Potter went into muggle surgery and had the scar removed - that was about five weeks ago, now - the prophecy orb dimmed. It now mimics any other prophecy that is deemed to have been completed."

"No," said Dumbledore. "Tom must die by young Harry's hand."

"You're being too literal, Dumbledore," he disagreed. "Harry filling out and signing the authorisation form to undergo the surgery can, in a prophecy sense, mean the soul fragment in his wound was destroyed by his hand.

"And, remember: It's hand; not hands. That means it would be something that can only be done one- handed, such as signing a form."

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Chapter 423

Again, Dumbledore was stunned silent. He had no defence or counter-argument to such a claim.

"As I've heard claimed before," said Croaker. "You really were pants at Divination, Albus. You withdrew from the subject within three weeks of your third year, did you not?"

Not even bothering to wait for the old man to even have a chance to respond, Croaker pressed on. "Well, our experts in the subject - Divination Masters, all - assure us our interpretation is about as correct as it gets. While your own interpretation? It has them laughing so hard it takes a calming potion down their throats to get any sense out of them for the next hour or so.

"To put it bluntly, Albus; you are meddling in affairs in

which you have no right to do so. You are meddling in affairs of which you have no true knowledge of how to set on the correct path; and are, in fact... stupidly, because of your ignorance... trying to guide individuals away from.

"If it wasn't for that, we'd have just left you in Bonesy's 'care' and wouldn't have stepped in. However, there was always the risk one of your patsies, who think the sun shines out of your arse, would have found a way to free you; or, her people would have screwed up and killed you.

"That's why you're now here with us and not currently allowed to go out and play with the other boys and girls. You're too dangerous to be allowed free roam, for the moment."

Dumbledore thought for a bit before he asked, "How soon will I be able to get out of here?"

"That depends entirely on how helpful you are,"

replied Croaker.

What Dumbledore didn't know was, once he was no longer useful, Croaker was going to carry out Bones's threat. Albus Dumbledore was going to take a trip through the Veil.

From what Croaker had already learned; not just from his interrogation of the old man, but from his reading of Bones's own interrogations; the old bastard well and truly deserved both the 'title' of Dark Lord and a trip through the Veil. As far as he was concerned, Dumbledore deserved a great deal worse. However, he'd limit the punishment to that.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

Dumbledore had just been escorted out when an Unspeakable ducked in and quickly said, "Monitor says Monocle's just had the idea given to her to use a

house elf to nab the old man and elf-pop him to her in her holding cells. We've got less than two minutes."

"Sssshit!" exclaimed Croaker. As he quickly ran from the room after the 're-bagged' old man, he thought, 'Why hadn't we thought of that?'

As soon as he saw him from behind he cast a temporary elf-avoidance charm on him and breathed a sigh of relief.

That gave him time to get the Unspeakable ward masters to set up a more permanent version of it, plus anything else she might try.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

Standing in 'Dumbledore's' cell in the holding cell facility, Bones looked around and said, "This should do. Form a circle and, as soon as the old man

appears, stun him. We've no idea if he's managed to get hold of another wand or not, or anything else."

'Let's hope this works,' she grimly thought.

With everyone in place she called for a DMLE holding cell elf. "Locky!"

When the elf popped in she said, "Do you remember the old man who last had this cell?"

"Yes, Mistress Bonesy," he replied.

"Right," she said. "Here's what I need you to do..."

Once she gave the elf its instructions and knew the elf knew what to do, she said, "Right; go get him."

The elf concentrated for a long moment with its eyes closed before it opened them again and stared at her in sadness. "Locky cannot finds him. Sorry, Mistress Bonesy."

She sighed and said, "Not you fault. Thank you, Locky; you can go."

When the elf popped away again, Moody said, "He must be under elf-avoidance wards. Illegal, but I wouldn't put it past Dumbledore to erect them on himself."

"I thought it might have been a good idea," said Robards

"It was," she firmly said. "So were the rest of the ones you and Proudfoot came up with. We'll try them next."

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

When breakfast finished, the others were all invited up to the Potter apartment so they could see and try on for themselves the exercise clothes Monica had

purchased and sent.

Hermione was quick to separate out the boys clothes from the girls and left the boys' on the couch. "That's yours and Neville's," she indicated the pile. "This lot is for us girls. We're going into my room to try them on."

Then, leading the other girls, she headed for her room.

Curious as to what was bought for them to wear, Neville went over to the boys' pile and had a look. He was shocked with what he found.

Amused, Harry went over and sorted them out between the two of them, while also explaining what each item of clothing was for. "These are briefs; they're a form of underwear that 'cups' what's needed to be protected. These are running shorts; yes, they keep the legs bare. These are lightweight, 'muscle' T- shirts similar to what I had you change into when we took you muggle shopping; just with shorter sleeves

so the sleeves don't get in the way while exercising your upper arms. These are a set of tracksuits, useful when moving out in public and are donned over your exercise clothes. And these... are a pair of trainers, like you've seen me wear. They're rubber-soled and built with protections for your foot while running in them.

"Thankfully, Monica's labelled it all so we know whose is whose." Separating the piles further into one for each of them, he indicated one and said, "That's for you."

Holding up a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, Neville asked, "This is all we wear while exercising?"

"That, plus socks and trainers; yes," replied Harry. "Don't worry; you'll get used to it, fast. The girls will be wearing something similar, I assure you."

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Throughout the day, the aurors were trying every idea they could think of to locate one Albus Dumbledore. All ideas Harry had given - and demonstrated - to Madam Bones and the rest of the aurors were tried. Scrying, mail owl delivered tracking charms and even an attempt to include a tracking charm in a messenger Patronus were tried.

Unknown to Bones, the Unspeakables were quickly devising - read: 'madly scrambling for' - ways to block them as soon as they learned of them from her through their tiny, Fidelius-hidden monitors spread across the Ministry. In offices, such as hers, they had tiny mirrors using an idea 'sourced' - read: stolen - from the mirrors Harry and Sirius now used from back when the Marauders were still in Hogwarts.

That last one about tracking messenger Patronuses nearly gave the Unspeakables conniptions. They didn't know if it would work and, therefore, had no

idea how to block it. Even so, Croaker immediately set a Charms Mastery team on trying to figure out if it was possible, after all. However, the ward Masters had no idea how to block even a messenger Patronus until someone hit on the idea of blocking only the audio component. That worked. After all, if Dumbledore was able to cast one wandlessly, he'd have been able to let one or more of his minions know where he was and organise to get him out.

The only ones getting any pleasure out of it were the Monitors in the Unspeakables' Ministry Observations team. They got to see the attempts by the aurors in time to warn those tasked with hiding the asset. Then watching the DoM's Ward Masters madly figuring out ways to block them. Bets were being made between them.

Oh, not on if the Aurors would succeed, but on how long it took for a possible working solution out of left field from the aurors to be voiced before the Unspeakable Ward Masters had a way to block it.

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Chapter 424

Once he felt warmed up enough, Harry stepped off and walked off to the side where a tray bearing a chilled carafe of water and glasses appeared. He'd noticed it flash in with elf magic a little while earlier

Taking his own half-full glass he moved away to give everyone else access and stripped off his tracksuit, dumping it on a bench.

As they turned to look, the three pureblood girls and Hannah, a halfblood, all blushed. Harry didn't react one bit, as he knew that if he did it might create an awkward situation. He already knew that not making an issue of it would be the best way to get the

purebloods used to this style of dress.

As he expected, Hermione was the next to strip off her tracksuit. It left her in a tank-top with a sports-bra underneath and shorts.

While Harry made his way to the rowing machines, Hermione made for the elliptical trainers.

He was then surprised that Daphne was the next to strip down, then Hannah, then Tracey, then Neville and finally Susan. Each moved to one of the other cardio machines with both muggle raised showing them how to use them.

After the rowing machines and elliptical trainers Harry and Hermione showed them the normal and recumbent bikes.

Before they knew it, the hour was almost up and Harry recommended they cool down by setting the treadmills to just a walking pace.

"Three miles an hour should do it," he told them. "We do this for about five minutes then call it done for the day."

"What about the rest of this equipment?" asked Daphne, slightly puffing in exertion and indicating the rest of the equipment.

"Once we can get you much fitter than you are now," he explained, "We'll move onto that. For now, you need to get your cardio fitness up before we can start on the weight training."

There was no argument.

As they stepped off after the five minutes, Hermione said, "You've been sweating a great deal and burning calories. Make sure you drink plenty of water until dinner. Then, load up a bit on carbs... carbohydrates... bread, pasta and such.

"Trust me, you're going to sleep well tonight. But, not if you don't drink plenty of water. If you don't you place yourself at risk of muscle cramps. That would be bad."

Once the seven got their heavy breathing back under control, Tracey said, "I feel... I don't know."

"That's the endorphins," explained Hermione. "We all feel that. It's your body's reward to you for giving it a workout. Enjoy it."

"Is that going to happen all the time?" asked Susan.

"Yes," she replied. "However, as you get fitter the more effort you'll need to put into your workout to feel like that again. That way, you get fitter and fitter."

After everyone redressed into their tracksuits, they headed back to the Lords' Quarters, where Tracey showered in Daphne's room.

Once ready, they all - still feeling the effects of the workout - headed down to the Great Hall for dinner.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

After dinner everyone went to their own accommodations. On the way back up to their apartment, Hermione said, "We need to make a start on homework. We can't let our physical training interfere with our school work."

"We won't," he promised her.

In their apartment, after they pulled out their assignments from the day, Harry said, "I meant to ask earlier. How's Sirius?"

"Calm," replied Hermione. "With a hint of excitement about moving into his renewed home."

Harry nodded and returned his attention to his work. Tapping one slip of parchment he said, "That's what I've got done for Herbology. And..." then moving his hand to tap another, he went on, "... this is what I've done for CoMC. You might want to take a look at that first, Daphne."

As both girls moved to look for themselves, Harry returned to working on his Ancient Runes homework.

"When did you get all this done?" asked Hermione. "Daphne and I weren't gone into my room for that long."

"During other classes," replied Harry. "I know I shouldn't have been, but I can multi-task. Besides, it's not that much, really. The bibliography is because we have immediate access to the books that are here from the Potter library. Not having to trudge down to the library and back saves a great deal of time."

Hermione nodded and said, "Sorry, Harry. I keep

forgetting you're a lot more intelligent than I remember the old Harry to be. I don't know why I keep doing that."

Harry just smiled at her. "It's alright. It's a learned response of over three years of 'barely adequate' Harry."

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

The next day and after classes for the day were complete, both Hermione and Daphne sat Harry down and asked him about what he'd planned to do about the next task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament.

Hermione said, "Today marks only four weeks until the Second Task, Harry. At this stage I don't think they're going to cancel the rest of the Tournament."

Daphne added, "She's right. Do you have a plan on

how you're going to tackle it yet?"

Harry thought about it and said, "Well, it's in the lake; we know that much. And we know they're going to take something that's important to me."

"Your Firebolt, yes," said Daphne. "But, how do you foresee recovering it?"

Harry smirked and replied, "Daphne, what is the charm Flitwick has been teaching of us late?"

As both girls sat there, somewhat surprised, Harry grinned.

"Surely, they'd block that," said Hermione. "No. Wait. They won't expect it."

Daphne asked, "Will you be close enough to do it?"

"Yup," he replied. "I've practiced over long distances and... yes... it won't be distance that will be the factor."

"Even so," said Hermione. "You need back up plans."

"Which I demonstrated I had during the First Task," he replied.

"So, what are your back up plans?" she asked.

"I need to practice the Bubblehead charm and get hold of some Gillyweed," he replied.

"Gillyweed?" she asked.

Before Harry could reply, Daphne cut in first. "That should be your first backup. And, it's brilliant."

Turning to Hermione, Daphne said, "Gillyweed is a Mediterranean plant that grows on the edge of the sea. If you swallow some of it, it causes a temporary metamorphic transfiguration of your body, something along the lines of an animagus transformation. It causes you to grow gills for breathing underwater,

transfigures your feet into long flippers and grows the webbing in your fingers right to your fingertips.

"It's very useful for exactly what Harry wants to use it for; swimming underwater for long periods of time. But, it's going to last for one hour exactly. There is no immediate antidote if you want to cancel the transfiguration early; and you'd have to take more, if you need to be down for longer, which would add another hour.

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Chapter 425

"However, because of the gills, you can only cast silently if you need to cast to defend yourself. As such, you need to learn to cast defensive spells, at least, silently."

"Wow!" said Hermione.

Harry nodded and said, "That's why I'll be going with Gillyweed as my first backup, as Daphne suggested, but practicing casting the Bubblehead charm silently for if I end up being down there longer than the hour."

Both girls nodded at learning of the simple concepts Harry would be providing.

"I had thought of just going with the Gillyweed, right off the bat," said Harry. "As anyone with magical power, even a squib, can use Gillyweed, it would be yet another way for me to show the organisers of these events to be idiots. But―"

"But, you've already done that enough, haven't you?" asked Hermione. "Plus if your first plan works, you'll have done that, too."

"Yeah, but that way is using a fourth year charm," he

shrugged. "Gillyweed means a competitor didn't need a magical education, at all."

"Herbology," said Daphne.

"Got lucky and read a book," replied Harry. "Or, someone told them."

Daphne smirked and said, "The same could be said for your first option."

"Point," he smiled, while pretending to doff a hat to her.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

While Harry had laid out his options to both his girls, both still demanded he practiced them. That led to even more time in the Come and Go Room.

For the first time, Hermione had called on the room to provide a large indoor swimming pool and the room had provided. Then she used an ordinary broom and had it weighted to drop into the deepest and furthermost end of the pool.

Once in place, she had Harry stand on the pool edge at the opposite end and attempt to summon it.

Surprising both girls the broom shot off the bottom, through the water and almost skewered him with the handle-tip as it shot out of the water only ten feet from him and right at him. If it wasn't for his fast reflexes, dodging at the last moment, it very well would have.

"Well, colour me impressed, Lord Potter," said Daphne. "I confess to not believing it would work."

"But, he's going to need to practice improving his reflexes," said Hermione. "A bare fraction of a moment of not paying attention and he could end up with his Firebolt skewering him through his chest."

"Indeed," said Daphne.

That then led to practicing dodging. And, during that practice, it also proved more effort had to be made on getting his fitness up. Dodging was hard work.

After talking it over with Professor Flitwick, he told them about the Colourball charm; a charm that shot a coloured ball out of the wand tip that would fly true to what it was aimed at. And, if it connected, would leave a coloured dot about three inches in diameter on whatever it hit. The dot would disappear within an hour.

Over the next weeks, whenever they had time and they weren't otherwise using the room in it's 'gym' configuration, the girls would transfigure the Come and Go Room into an arena and 'hunt' Harry with the intent to tag him as often as possible; though, when he got tired, Harry would allow some of the dots to hit him. So, for incentive not to allow the charms to

connect, Daphne suggested to Hermione they start including Stinging hexes in with the dots.

Getting hit with a Stinging hex a couple times truly motivated Harry to move. However, he insisted he also be allowed to cast back the same. That led to more and more intricate arenas, complete with stone barricades and the like that could be hidden behind.

When he suggested they not always be the two girls against him Daphne immediately shut that down. "No, Harry," she said. "This is to aid you in learning to dodge; not us. Besides, haven't you noticed you, on your own, is pretty much a match for the two of us, together?"

"Not quite," he grouched.

"Soon, though," said Hermione. "I don't think Daphne and I working together is soon going to be enough to keep up with you. We might have to invite Tracey to join us."

"If you invite Tracey, I'm inviting Neville," he firmly stated.

He thought he might have headed that idea off, but when both girls grinned he was instantly wary. "What?" he asked.

"What an absolutely brilliant idea," said Hermione. And the looks on the faces of both his girls had him mentally groaning.

"I thought this was for getting my reflexes up so I won't be skewered by my own Firebolt in the Second Task?"

"That's what it started as," nodded Hermione. "But, it's so much more, now."

Daphne asked, "If someone casts a curse at you, what is the best defence?"

Harry sighed and replied, "Not be there to be hit."

Again, both girls grinned. "Exactly," she said. "Which means, learning to effectively dodge when a curse is cast at you benefits us all. We may not have your power to continually cast offensively over and over again for as long as you're able to, but it's within us all to be effective at dodging."

"Which is why you're so supportive of the idea of bringing the other Heirs in on this," he moped.

"Exactly," grinned Hermione.

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Chapter 426

With Dumbledore now 'properly' hidden within the

Department of Mysteries, with even the knowledge he was there by those who knew protected from being discovered and with the Aurors now unable to locate him, together with classes back up and running at Hogwarts and things moving apace, events of note began to taper off.

The Unspeakables were slowly dragging out of Dumbledore all the information the man had previously locked away in his mind by using the Truth Chair, small doses of Veritaserum in his food and the occasional Legilimency attack; just to ensure he knew that avoiding answering a question would lead to a massive headache and the truth coming out anyway. Their other method was also deceiving him into believing he was now with them for weeks, when it was days; then months, when it was weeks.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

At Hogwarts, the rest of the Heirs had been brought in to 'help' Harry train for the Second Task and were just as enthusiastic about it. They even made a mad game out of it. Two on one, became three on one, became three on two, four on two, five on two.

Of course, it started with Harry doing almost all of the dodging until Tracey was brought in. Then he dragged in Neville to help him, which brought in both Susan and Hannah.

It helped that the obstacles were there the first time Neville was brought in, or the poor boy would have ended up looking like a polka-dot clown from all the coloured dots. They'd promised not to use stinging hexes on him until he managed to get used to it, but once he did there were as many yelps of sudden pain from the sandy-haired boy as there was from Harry.

Once the others discovered why Harry had first started this form of 'training' the others wanted to see him summon the broom, too.

While they were still in their training clothes and working in the gym, they stepped out, waited for Harry to change it and stepped back in again.

When he demonstrated the summoning charm on a broom that was just there and waiting, Harry was easily able to avoid getting skewered. He thought it was travelling as slow as a turtle and couldn't figure out why he was almost skewered with it the first time he tried this.

Wanting to summon something a second time, he simply cast, "Accio!" before he realised there was nothing there, thought of Hermione finding another broom and accidentally summoned her from the other end and into the pool about twenty feet in from where she was standing.

When she popped up she was spluttering and bellowed, "Harrison James Potter!"

As he was standing there part horrified, part amazed and part amused he'd accidentally yanked his betrothed into the pool, he suddenly felt himself yanked a good ten feet forward into the pool, too.

He had no idea she had her wand in her hand, but neither did she until she silently cast the same charm right back at him.

It was less than thirty seconds before all seven of them were in the pool either laughing or yelling at one another.

What none of them knew was, when the Abbott girl was making a dash for the door to escape and got tagged by a summoning charm from Susan into the pool, both the charm and the girl just missed the stationed and disillusioned auror who was watching them, self-silenced and laughing her head off.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Unknown to the seven students, Harry's auror detail had never gone away. Since he'd returned to the school it had dropped to only one following him everywhere except within the Lords' Quarters. However, they were always there and always disillusioned and silenced at all other times.

They had also taken to following the seven into the Room of Requirement and were both stunned and gleeful the seven of them were working hard to get fit. They thought the colourball 'battles' were brilliant and had already sent off reports of it to the 'higher ups'. However, it took quite a bit of concentration on their part not to get hit by a wayward cast at those times.

The only time since Harry had re-entered the school a specifically tailing auror had made themselves known was during the confrontation with the Malfoy boy. However, that particular auror was not on the PPD - the Potter Protection Detail. He was one assigned to

the castle and was later told that, when disillusioned in future, not cause himself to be seen. They did not want Lord Potter to know there were disillusioned aurors about more than he suspected.

When Nott had made his play on the aborted Hogsmeade weekend, the following auror was about to step in when Potter made his charge and made the point moot.

He was also the one who provided a pensieve memory of the event, which meant no one else's was asked for or required.

On that same day, a few hours later and when the Lord Nott had stormed into her office and demanded 'the Potter brat' be arrested and thrown in Azkaban, Madam Bones calmly told him she had only the hour earlier reviewed a certified pensieve memory of the event and would do no such thing.

"Lord Potter will not be charged, Lord Nott," she

calmly stated. "However, your Heir most certainly will be. He and his two friends set up and laid in wait an ambush. It was clearly premeditated and Lord Potter only injured your precious Heir after he and his two friends injured Miss Granger and Miss Greengrass."

Before Nott could arc up again, she gave him a firm and very direct look and said, "Your Heir attacked and injured the magical ward of Lord Sirius Black of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, who also happens to be the Lady Presumptive, through betrothal, of the Lord of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter; and, further, also injured the Heiress Presumptive of the Noble and Ancient House of Greengrass, who happens to be the concubine of Lord Potter. I have asked Lords Potter, Black and Greengrass to let me handle dealing with your grandson. However, if you interfere in both my handling of the situation and the rightful charging of the boy, I will inform them all that you have decided to interfere.

"If I have to do that then you can expect those three to come after you. And, need I remind you, two of them are of the Seven. You'd best ensure your affairs are in order and your Will properly filed and ready before you do."

She gave that a moment to sink in as the man turned almost pasty white before she asked, "Now, Lord Nott, are you interfering with my investigation?"

Nott stood there for a moment, before he spun about and fled. He'd call it, 'tactically retreated' or similar, but Amelia knew the man was wanting out of her office and away as quickly as he could; so, he fled.

As she heard him bark at one of her aurors to get out of his way as he practically ran out through the auror bullpen, she gave a snort of amusement and thought to herself, 'Potter might cause me some heartburn with making us look like idiots; but, his getting Fudge and his pet toad out of my hair so I can get on with my job, more than made up for it.'

Once Theodore Nott was revived from getting his testicles 'fixed', as was the Cowley boy's also damaged testicles, but not to the same amount, she was in the hospital informing them both they were being charged. Both were also moved, at that time, down to the DMLE-secure ward on her direct orders. McGruder was currently cooling his heels in one of her holding cells.

Nott had blustered and said, "My Lord will have me free in no time; you'll see!" he smugly said.

"He's already been in to see me," she smirked right back. "As far as he's concerned, you're mine. You went up against one of the Seven; one who is of and the person who reactivated and heads the Potter- Longbottom Alliance. But, not only that, you injured the magical ward of another of the Seven and the Heir Presumptive of a third Noble House. I might consider your Lord to be an idiot, at times; but, he's not that big an idiot.

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Chapter 427

"So, young Mister Nott; you should think yourself very lucky. If it wasn't for my aurors, who were very quick to be on the scene, Lord Potter would have killed you right where you lay. It took the quick words of one of my aurors, begging for your life, that stayed Lord Potter's hand."

As Nott blanched, she thought, 'That's two Notts I've made do that today.'

"So, Mister Nott," she said. "You are going to be a good little boy. You are going to answer the questions my aurors are going to put to you truthfully and in detail. If you do not, I shall be informing Lord Potter

you did not wish to comply. Then I'll step out of his way. Got me?"

Nott was quick to nod back.

Parents or guardians of the other two boys had also demanded the release of their precious children. However, once she explained what the three had done and against whom, all of them shut up and immediately switched to politely asking her to personally handle the matter, begged her to talk Lords Potter, Black and Greengrass out of more physical action and asked to be let know when they could collect their boys to take them home.

With no 'bought' Minister or dumpy, sneering Senior Undersecretary to harass her, her job was both much easier and a lot less stressful and aggravating.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

It wasn't long before Harry was contacted by Sirius via mirror and informed Black Manor, now (temporarily) renamed the Kennel, was complete right on schedule and right on budget. And he'd moved in, practically ordering Moony to move in with him.

"I told him it was much too big a place for me to be there on my own, so he agreed," explained Sirius. "So, I now need to tell you the floo address and password."

"Let me guess," said Harry. "The address is 'The Kennel' and the password is "Woof Woof'?"

Sirius pouted and said, "The first part's right but the password is, 'Hey, sex god'."

Harry broke up laughing, before he calmed down and said, "I can just see it now. Hermione activates the floo in the Doghouse and yells into the fireplace, 'Hey, sex god' right in front of her father." And cracked up laughing again.

"Oh!" said a sheepish Sirius. "Oops! I'd better change it."

That had Harry rolling about on the sofa in the apartment, laughing himself to tears.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

At Black Manor, Sirius walked into the library cum sitting room with a grin on his face and holding the mirror in his off hand.

Moony, who was sitting and reading a book, looked up and saw the expression on his friend's face. "No! He fell for it?"

Sirius chuckled and said, "Yep."

That had Moony laugh. "What was his reaction?"

"The same as yours," replied Sirius. "But, he also said, 'I can imagine the reaction on her father's face when he sees his daughter activating the floo and yelling "Hey, sex god" into the fireplace'."

That had Moony lose it to laughter. Which then had Sirius also collapse into a chair and laugh his head off.

"He's right, you know!" laughed Moony. "If you're lucky, Wendell would only pull out his surgical knives and come after you. If not, he'd come wielding a shotgun."

"Oww!" laughed Sirius. "Don't say that first one, ever again. My boys have already crawled up back inside!"

Finally getting himself under control, Moony asked, "When are you going to tell him the real password?"

"Tomorrow," replied Sirius, wiping his eyes clear of

laugh tears. "I don't want it to be too much longer than that."

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

On the Saturday before the upcoming Wizengamot session, the Alliance met. With Lady Marchbanks as Headmistress, she had no hesitation in allowing the Heirs to attend under 'family business' provisions.

She even mentioned that a couple of other Alliances were also, apparently, meeting either that day or the next, Sunday. And their Heirs and/or family members were attending those meetings under the auspices of 'family business'. So, the Heirs had no reason to find counter arguments to how they were receiving special privileges due to Marchbanks being a member of the Potter-Longbottom Alliance.

The main item of business was the discussion and

determination of who the Alliance would support as Minister. Ogden immediately opted out, claiming his Chief Warlock position was a conflict of interest. No one gainsaid him, as each member was entitled to their opinion without rancour.

The meeting was much shorter than the previous due to there only being a month since the last. And the Heirs, after spending time with family, returned to the castle well before dinner.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

After three weeks the Unspeakables believed they had convinced Dumbledore he'd been with them for almost five months.

For the Second Task of the 'Tri-Wiz' they gave him a bunch of made-up results, claiming they gave him the information as a reward for being co-operative. Harry

had 'rescued' his beloved Firebolt from the bottom of the lake and come in third, but placed last due to his demand to only be awarded a single point by each judge.

However, it was as the 'made-up' time neared the Third Task, Dumbledore was pushing for more and more information regarding that particular Task above anything else.

Croaker had asked, "Why is the result of the Third Task so important to you, Albus? It is, after all, only a competition."

The old man had immediately closed up and went into this huge monologue - for that was all it really was - about how the Tri-Wizard Tournament was a great opportunity for the three leading European schools of magic to come together in fellowship. In other words, the old man had realised the Truth Chair would only cause him to glow red if he lied; not if he avoided the question.

He'd figured that out in their real third session, not the sixth session he thought it was. Croaker let him get away with it as, by the old man not directly answering, he was informing them the Third Task was, in fact, important.

That led Croaker to approaching the subject most carefully. With the aid of psychologists and mind- healers they formulated a plan on how to deal with it, as the Third Task was clearly of major interest to the old man.

At least, that was what Croaker thought was going on. He would soon discover just how effectively Dumbledore had misled him.

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Chapter 428

While, truthfully, the Second Task was fast approaching, so too was the February Wizengamot session.

At Hermione's request, Sirius contacted her father and told him of the session and that there would be an earlier sitting of the Wizengamot in judicial review. They would be sitting to hear the cases of Algernon Rosier and Augusta Longbottom.

At the same time he told both Granger parents that the attackers of Hermione on the Hogsmeade weekend - Nott, Cowley and McGruber - had all chosen to quit Hogwarts and finish their schooling elsewhere. That was Durmstrang.

"Isn't that one of the schools that is taking part in that infernal Tournament?" asked Monica.

"Yes, but the three are not permitted to attend,"

replied Sirius. "Their Highmaster, Karkaroff, forbid it. No one had to lean on him about it, either."

So, on the morning of the sessions, Sirius flooed to the Granger residence, picked up Wendell and flooed them to the Ministry atrium. Not to 'offend' wizarding sensibilities, Wendell wore a robe and carried a spare wand - though he could not use it - for the wand- weighing security station.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

At Hogwarts, permission for Harry to attend was given well in advance. Though, it would be fairer to say, that it was officially recognised he'd be attending as part of his duties as an invested Lord, than he was permitted. He did not actually need permission.

The girls, however, were not permitted to go watch as they had classes to attend. Though, again, if Lord

Greengrass had demanded the presence of his daughter as Heiress Presumptive to watch in order for her to learn how the Wizengamot worked, she would be allowed. He did not ask, though; and Harry wouldn't push it, because he didn't feel it was his place to do so.

"But, Daddy's going to be there," Hermione grumped.

"Yep," said Harry. "But, do you want everyone to know that your father, who everyone knows is supposed to be a muggle because of your known heritage, is also in the chamber?"

Hermione immediately sighed and said, "You're right. Sorry."

"Don't apologise for it," he said. "You've done nothing wrong and it's completely understandable."

Harry headed for the Ministry atrium by way of Lady Marchbanks's Headmistress's office and flooing over

from there with her.

After arriving via floo, first, he was quick to save her the effort of vanishing the soot off herself by doing it first. Then immediately offered his left elbow for her, knowing she used her cane in her left hand.

She gave a little chuckle and immediately accepted the elbow by laying her right hand on his horizontally held left forearm. "Such a gentleman," she said, as the two slowly made their way down the length of the atrium towards the security gate.

Many they passed hesitated and gave them both a slight nod of acknowledgement.

They'd only managed to go about twenty feet before Harry noticed a team of aurors had subtly formed a box around them as they walked. And he only noticed that because they'd also slowed their pace down to match that of the unusual couple.

He gave a little sigh of annoyance about it, which had Lady Marchbanks give a little chuckle back and gently pat his forearm with her fingers in a 'There-there' kind of way. She clearly knew why he'd sighed.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

After passing through the checkpoint without having their wands weighed - the aurors were exempt and both Harry and Lady Marchbanks were recognised Wizengamot members - the now six made their way to a lift. When one arrived, the aurors immediately commandeered it and the six rode down to Level Nine, where the Wizengamot chamber was located.

Passing through to the chamber, Harry stayed with Marchbanks until her saw her safely within. Then, noticing Wendell in the visitors tiers with only a couple of journalists for company, he made his way up the stairs to sit alongside him for a moment.

"Wendell," he smiled. Quietly, he asked, "Have you been told, yet, about what happened to those idiots who dared attack Hermione?"

"Yes," the man smiled. "They... willingly... left Hogwarts and are seeking an education elsewhere."

"Mmm," smirked Harry. "Word was made clear to them that going back to Hogwarts would very likely see them immediately expelled again, if they were lucky. If they were unlucky, they would consider their lives forfeit."

Wendell smiled and asked, "You threatened them?"

"Threatened?" smirked Harry, while also trying to act innocent. "I would never do such a thing. I merely asked Mister Nott, the ringleader on their side of that little fracas, which curse he would prefer to be executed with; and explained why such a thing would happen."

Looking more fully at his future father-in-bond, he asked, "You don't think he took that to mean I was actually going to kill him, do you?"

Wendell chuckled and said, "You're a good boy, Harry. Now, I think you better go join your peers before the trials are called."

Harry gave a nod and descended from the visitors' gallery before crossing the floor and exiting through the door to the Wizengamot antechamber.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

After going into the antechamber and meeting up with Sirius, Frank, Samuel and some of the others - stopping for a quick chat with each - the Wizengamot were called to take their seats. Harry sat between Sirius and Frank.

As they sat, he leaned to Frank and asked, "I didn't ask him, but why did you not want Neville here?"

"He is here," replied Frank. "He was escorted by aurors and is in the witness's isolation rooms with Alice."

"Ah!" said a surprised Harry. "I should have thought and come with him."

"That would not have been proper, Lord Potter," he said right back. "It could have been perceived as you interfering with a witness."

Harry nodded, understanding.

When the session came to order, Miles Ogden banged his gavel and called for the accused. They were starting with Algernon Rosier.

Frank immediately stood, stated he would be a

witness and was recusing himself and headed for the witness isolation rooms.

As they were all settling down, Rosier was brought in.

As Madam Bones had already informed those who needed to know, Rosier immediately admitted guilt to the charges he claimed he would, but not the charges he claimed he wouldn't due to 'extenuating circumstances'.

Though he was pureblood he asked to take Veritaserum, just as Sirius did for his own trial, with it being allowed. That the charges were in relation to actions against a then Heir Apparent of one of the Seven is what got it through.

Of course, the court case was a foregone conclusion; guilty where he pleaded guilty and not guilty where he pleaded not guilty. However, the sentencing was not.

After the silencing wards went up to block sound from

the tiers being heard outside them, Ogden said, "Right. What do we do with him?"

"He is clearly remorseful of his actions," said one of the Neutrals. "He pleaded and admitted guilt where it was warranted and accepts he placed the young Heir Apparent of the House in jeopardy. I urge leniency."

As the discussion went on, Harry asked for and got the call. "The Heir Apparent you're referring to has a name; Neville Longbottom. Mister Rosier deliberately placed his life at great risk on both occasions. I also remind you that, at the time, he was also considered the last of the line of a Noble and Most Ancient House. Should anything have happened to young Neville, we may have lost one of the Seven. That is a travesty that cannot ever be allowed, or excused.

"His actions demand jail time, even if he has later admitted guilt and shown remorse. He did not do such until he was called on it. If he was truly remorseful, he would have come forward on his own long before

now.

"I suggest five years minimum security at a minimum. I, for one, will countenance no less. This body must show it takes its responsibility to the security of the realm, most gravely."

Harry received a fair bit of approbation for that call.

"Five is insufficient," stated another. "I would consider five would be the minimum for only once exercising such poor judgement. I call for ten, but acknowledge the call for minimum security."

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Chapter 429

In the end, Rosier was sentenced to seven years

minimum security incarceration in Azkaban. When the sentence was 'read' it was obvious he expected such. He just nodded and waited to be taken away.

Because the case did not take long, Augusta Longbottom was brought in almost as soon as Rosier was led out.

As soon as Harry saw her, he was pissed. The bitch was not just wearing expensive and well-tailored witches' robes, she had the audacity to wear robes that reflected she was the Regent of Longbottom. A position for which she knew she'd been stripped.

Ogden saw it and snarled. Quite a few others were unhappy seeing it, too.

As soon as she was sat in the defendant's chair and the chains bound her, he said, "Aurors. Missus Longbottom wears the crest of Longbottom, signifying her being the Regent of Longbottom. We all know it not to be true. Remove it, at once!"

When 'Rosier' - Harry still refused to acknowledge her by her married name - tried to protest, the auror ignored her and tried to vanish it. When it couldn't be vanished, he cut it out. It left a large hole in the breast of her outer robes, but no one cared.

Once it was gone, the auror stepped away again, but only as far as two paces behind her and with his wand drawn.

When the charges were read, Harry thought she might have already 'gauged' the members' reactions and decided to plead guilty. However, she stuck to her wand and, in an arrogant manner, pleaded not guilty. Harry was both pleased she didn't - as it meant the punishment would be harsher - and annoyed she still didn't acknowledge she'd done something wrong.

The case proceeded apace and, finally, they were done.

Again, up went the privacy ward. There were quite a few Lords and Ladies, the dark families, who wanted to toss her into Azkaban and throw away the key. However, there was a significantly large block who believed she could not be held accountable for the actions of her brother.

The final result was six months - three for each count - in Azkaban minimum security for failing to alert the DMLE to the deliberate endangerment of the Heir Apparent of a Noble and Most Ancient House by her brother, two counts.

She was firmly told it was not her decision to make or take. And that, just because she was regent of the House at the time, was irrelevant.

She was led out stunned silent in shock, clearly in disbelief they'd actually imprison her for it.

As soon as she was gone from the chamber, Ogden called for a thirty minute recess and reminded

everyone they'd be electing a new Minister as the first order of business once they met in general session.

Harry immediately scarpered towards the visitors' gallery in order not to be waylaid by those who 'wanted to know his views on certain matters' or wanted to 'congratulate him for his rhetoric in the first case'; he never spoke one way or the other for the second.

Sirius followed him over, after blocking those who immediately tried to chase after him.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

Up in the gallery, Harry plonked himself down on the seat next to Wendell and said, "Phew! I'm glad that's over."

He thought he might have seen Frank there, but he'd

obviously chosen to go directly into the antechamber to speak with members. Harry also should have gone to the antechamber, but chose to spend a bit of time with Wendell.

With the election of the new Minister coming up as the first order of business, Harry didn't want anyone trying to either plead for his vote or get a sense of which way he would vote. Plus, he'd rather use the time to speak with one of the two men who had become his 'father figures'; and the other had chosen to sit on his other side, anyway. Sirius had also decided not to get involved in the last-minute vote pleading.

"That was... interesting," said Wendell. "Thank you for recommending I come and watch it."

Harry nodded and said, "If it wasn't because of the major divide between light and dark Houses, I'd call it too many chefs in the kitchen. However, it surprisingly works.

"Besides, the cases, while relating to the same matter, also dealt with matters pertaining to a Noble and Most Ancient House. No one was going to be missing that. Especially, when the second case was relating to a woman who was once Lady of the House and, lately, the Regent. She also held the post of Chief Adjudicator right up until the last session, right before Christmas; and was slated to become either the Next Chief Witch or Minister.

"There are many who take great delight in cutting down one of the 'tall poppies'; and Augusta Longbottom was one of the tallest. A real political powerhouse."

Wendell nodded and said, "What's next?"

"The boring part," sighed Harry. "First up, we're all called back to sit in general legislative session. The first order of business is the election of the new Minister. After that, we'll see."

"Any ideas on who that might be?" he asked.

"My money's on either our man, Tyler Stebbins, or Lord Gabriel Brunt," replied Harry. "At first we were going to support Lady Jacinta Cauldwell, but we changed our mind at the last minute when we realised she'd not get the votes. Brunt's a Neutral and doesn't belong to any alliance. All the formal Alliances, including ours, have courted him; but he's refused every one. He has a lot of respect among the members, just for that."

Sirius said, "My money's on Brunt, too. I don't think Stebbins has a chance, because many see him as a Ministry flunky and in your and Frank's pocket, Harry."

Harry gave a grunt of annoyed amusement. "He is and he isn't. Yes, he's a member of the Alliance, but he's always been true in putting his responsibilities above the Alliance, every time. And, neither Frank nor I can be annoyed at him about that, as we both know we'd

be the same."

When the members were again called to session, both Harry and Sirius quickly excused themselves and returned to the tiers and their seats.

As soon as the session was called to order, Ogden banged his gavel to start and, as promised, called for the vote of Minister. None were allowed to speak as the time for that was past. If there was no clear winner, only then would they be allowed to speak.

However, it was not required. Lord Gabriel Brunt of the Noble and Elder House of Brunt won on the first round. The Elder House of Brunt was one of those who's nobility came from the muggle world when a son of a Marquessate turned out to be a wizard. It was the same path Harry was investigating to see if Finch- Fletchley could become a new Noble House.

Amelia immediately swore him in and Ogden asked him to take his seat in the Minister's chair. As he

approached it, the members all stood and applauded him in congratulations.

As soon as he sat, the members followed suit. Then Ogden, as per tradition, asked him to give a few remarks.

Of course, Brunt stood and did just that, after withdrawing a small set of slips of parchment from an inner robe pocket.

'He was prepared for this,' thought Harry, as soon as he saw the man pull out the slips. 'Good. We might not have elected another daft moron, after all.'

Then followed about two hours of matters so riveting in Harry's interest he could have found more pleasure in watching grass grow or paint dry.

As soon as the 'normal' work of the Wizengamot commenced, Sirius pulled a book out of a pocket, sat back and began to read it.

The mongrel, in Harry's opinion, just smirked at Harry on and off for the next ten minutes before he pulled a second book out of the same pocket and handed it to his godson.

The look on Harry's face made Sirius have to smother a chuckle.

When Harry looked over to a reseated Frank Longbottom, he could see the man had a copy of the Daily Prophet out and folded so it was easier to handle while he was reading articles.

Harry sat back and started to read the book. However, as soon as he opened it and began to read, he realised it was a book titled, 'How to Woo your Witch (In Ten Easy Steps)'.

When he, shocked, turned to look at his godfather, he realised the man had up a localised silencing bubble and was laughing at him.

'Laugh it up, chuckles,' he venomously thought. 'Payback is a female boarhound'.

Then, as he had nothing else to do bar read the book Sirius had given him, began to plot his revenge while pretending to read and pay attention to some idiot prattle on about ensuring quality in potion ingredients.

'Really,' he mentally scoffed. 'There's been a decent set of laws in place about that for more than three hundred years, dutifully updated when and where necessary. Why, the hell, did this idiot want to revisit it?'

After a further ten minutes of the man's waffle he realised why. He sold commercial quantity potions ingredients and had quite a few shipments determined to be of too low a grade to be allowed to sell. Now he wanted the law changed to put the onus on the Apothecary to make that determination, rather than

the Ministry's inspectors; and was claiming it would be an excellent way to save money.

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Chapter 430

As the Bill was only the first reading, Harry would hold off commenting on it. He'd do his research and 'out' the fool in the Prophet in the week leading up to when the Bill would be read for the second time and voted upon.

That meant he didn't have to listen to any more of the dribble until the next item of business was raised.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

When the session was called to conclusion just before lunch, Harry was glad to get away.

He went and saw Wendell, told him that if he ever needed to speak directly to Hermione he could by asking Sirius if he could borrow Sirius's communication mirror and returned to the tiers to escort Lady Marchbanks back to Hogwarts.

As they were walking from the elevator lobby on the atrium level back to the floos he asked her of her thoughts on the meeting.

"Actually, Lord Potter," she began. "For a lot of it I was watching the interplay between you and your reprobate of a godfather. It was most amusing."

Harry just cocked an eyebrow at her and grinned.

"What was so funny about that book our Lord Black gave you?" she asked.

Harry sighed and drew the book from his pocket. Sirius had told him to keep it.

When he showed it to her, she hesitated only a moment before letting forth a great cackle of glee. When she calmed down again, she said, "Now I understand." And handed it back to him.

Accepting it back, he firmly stated, "Revenge, shall be mine!"

Again, she cackled as she again took his arm as he escorted her to the floos.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

After returning to the school via Marchbanks's office, Harry returned to the Lords' Quarters to shuck his Wizengamot robes and change into school robes.

Checking the time he realised Hermione had not yet returned from Herbology to clean up before lunch and had no idea where Daphne would be, but suspected she'd be along soon.

Right as he was thinking that, Hermione entered. As she crossed the room heading for her door, she quickly said, "Give me a few minutes, I stink of dragon dung." And was gone within.

"Well, hello to you, too," he quietly said, standing in the middle of the room and looking to her door.

"Talking to yourself, Potter?" asked Daphne's voice from behind.

Spinning around he saw his concubine bonded standing in the doorway and smirking at him.

So, with no other comeback available to him right at that moment, he just blew her a raspberry.

As she laughed and walked in he said, "Hermione hurried past, complaining of the smell of dragon dung and didn't even stop to say hello."

"I gathered," she replied. "Shall we wait for her, then?"

"Of course," he nodded.

As Daphne asked Betsy to change out her books for the afternoon class, Harry did the same with Dobby. Then Daphne asked Betsy to do the same for Hermione, just as she came back out.

"Ready," she declared, retrieving her satchel where Betsy had just returned it. "Thank you, Betsy," she called out as she was checking through it.

Harry and Hermione only had to worry about Potions, while Daphne had to add her Charms text for the final class, which neither of the other two had to worry

about as they had Astronomy that night.

Harry already knew it was going to be a long day for him. He'd try and catch a nap that evening and have Dobby wake him in plenty of time.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

As the three Potters headed for the Great Hall, Hermione asked, "So, how did it go?"

He knew what she meant - the trials.

He replied, "Algernon Rosier got seven years, minimum security; Augusta Longbottom got six months, minimum security. Even once the verdict was read out, it was apparent she didn't believe it."

"She will have, by now," said Daphne. "The DMLE would not have mucked about getting her to

Azkaban."

"Mmm..." he muttered. "That's why I'm kind of avoiding Neville, at the moment."

Daphne asked, "Do you believe Heir Longbottom will blame you for what has befallen his grandmother?"

Harry was a long moment replying before he said, "Somewhat; yes."

"He does not," she immediately and firmly said.

"Oh, Harry," said an understanding Hermione. "Neville doesn't blame you for any of this. He knows what his 'Uncle Algie' and 'Gran' did, or didn't do, is what's led to this. He knows they're responsible for their own actions."

As it turned out, Frank had immediately informed his son of the results of the trial between the judiciary and legislative sessions; and Neville in no way held Harry

responsible for any of it.

_ ̳_ ―==(oIo)==― ˇ

After an interrupted sleep, where he managed to get a longer sleep before heading to Astronomy, Harry was up early as was his usual habit on a Wednesday morning.

Today marked one week before the Second Task and Hermione was determined they would ramp up their training for it.

So, immediately after breakfast, she, Harry and Neville - who'd offered to come and help - headed for the Room of Requirement to do some light training and practicing of the Summoning and other charms Harry might have to use in the Task.

Since he'd received his own wand, Neville had worked

hard to rein back on his excessive use of magical power when casting. With the help of his father and mother he'd managed it in time to rejoin his classmates at the beginning of January at Hogwarts.

However, that did not mean he was no longer able to apply that prodigious amount of power when he wanted to. He used that just that morning during training, when he had a go at summoning the broom from off the bottom of the pool.

Like Harry, he was more than capable of the feat. But, unlike Harry, he had to quickly dive out of the way when the broom shot out of the water and directly at him. He might have had Harry's power, but not his reflexes.

"Damn!" he exclaimed, picking himself up off the pool edge while the broom clattered to the floor after hitting the wall well behind him.

Harry snickered in amusement. "Without all that

dodging training we've been doing," he said, "It just might have got you."

Back on his feet and 'dusting' himself off, Neville said, "Yeah, it was close."

Walking back towards them from around the other end of the pool, Hermione said, "Well, I think you've got and practiced everything you need for the Second Task. And we've got about an hour before Daphne, Hannah and Susan are out of their classes before morning tea. Do you want to make a start on preparing for the Third Task?"

Harry grinned and said, "I think that one's going to be even easier than the first two Tasks."

Joining the two boys, she asked, "Oh? What is it?"

"It's a hedge maze, believe it or not," he replied. "The winner of the Tournament will be the first person to find the Tri-Wizard Cup, located somewhere in it. As

such, even if you have the lowest number of points, you can still win by finding it first."

Neville frowned and asked, "Then what's the reason for the points?"

"The first to enter the maze will be the competitor with the highest points. After the first person enters, the next to enter will be the person in second place," he explained. "How long after the leader they get to enter depends on how many points behind that person they are. Then third and then fourth."