Chapter Four - Investigations Begin

Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe belongs to the proverbial Duchess of Magic, JK Rowling, Scholastic, Bloomsbury, Warner Bros and some other high falutin' companies. No matter how much I whine about not owning anything related to the HP universe, other than a few fanfic plots, I do not profess to own - and would never dream of making any money off - JKR's wonderful world... Damn it!

Chapter Four - Investigations Begin

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

As Harry finally walked out of the arena, Amelia cancelled the Sonorus charm she'd been using to talk to him and turned to the judges. "You heard the young man, award him one point," she firmly ordered them. "And do that right now."

With the exception of Dumbledore and Crouch, as the judges collected themselves they each indicated a single point each.

When they were done, Amelia then said, "One point for you, Dumbledore." And fired off one point using Dumbledore's own wand. "And, one point for you, Crouch." And fired off another one.

As soon as that was done she firmly said, "Right! Albus Dumbledore, Bartemius Crouch Senior and Cornelius Fudge - you're all under arrest."

Scrimgeour smoothly said, "I believe Mister Crouch is still stunned unconscious, Madam Bones."

"Then tell him he's under arrest when you wake him up in his cell back at the DMLE," she firmly ordered. "In the meantime, I want the following taken into custody, if they're not already as they bloody well should be: Minerva McGonagall, Pomona Sprout, Severus Snape, Filius Flitwick, Poppy Pomfrey, Rubeus Hagrid and - of course - Barty Crouch Junior.

"Then, once we have them back at the DMLE, I want a team of three to go to Lord Potter's home, arrest the two Dursley adults and bring them back to the DMLE. Then send teams to arrest Lucius Malfoy and Molly Weasley.

"While you've sent teams off to do that, a want a team of no less than a dozen aurors sent back here to take charge of the students in the Great Hall. We've just taken into custody the entirety of the senior staff of the school and we need more responsible adults to keep an eye on them.

"Get that done now."

"Yes, Ma'am!" barked Scrimgeour.

"In the meantime, I need to get to Lord Potter and get those memories off him."

"Yes, Ma'am," replied Scrimgeour, a little softer.

As Scrimgeour indicated two other aurors he'd already called up to the VIP box to step forward and take those into custody who were already manacled but still there, Amelia stayed for only a moment to ensure Dumbledore was firmly under the effects of magical suppression 'cuffs and a reintroduced silencing charm before she quickly left the stand to head around to the champions' entrance.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

As Harry headed for the entrance with his wand in his right hand and 'his' egg tucked under his left arm like he was carrying a rugby ball, he could see the looks on the faces of the other three champions. Their expressions were an interesting mix of awe, anger and not a little fear. Poppy Pomfrey had just moved up to stand with them.

Harry simply gave them all a nod before he stepped up next to them and watched the dragon wranglers remove the somewhat sleepy Hungarian Horntail out of the arena.

After a long few seconds Diggory softly said, "Merlin, Harry!"

"Not what you expected of me, was it?" Harry quietly asked back, not even bothering to look at his fellow Hogwarts student.

It was a long moment before Diggory replied, "No... it wasn't."

That seemed to break the tableau, when Krum asked, "Vhat made you fink uff using furst year charms, Mistur Potter?"

"Using the basics, because I've already come to realise just how daft magic users, in general, are," replied Harry. "I thought about, if I was responsible for organising this event, what would I need to block being used to force competitors to actually have to go and collect the egg by hand? Then thought, knowing how moronicly daft most witches and wizards truly are, actually trying them first. I'm quite disappointed, though not really surprised, that the only charm they seem to have blocked is a direct summoning charm - the 'Accio'."

It appeared Delacour was about to say something when Madam Pomfrey said, "Be that as it may, Mister Potter, I need you to come into the Infirmary tent to be checked over―"

"That is not going to happen, Poppy," interrupted Madam Bones, who had just come striding down from the competitors' tent, tailed closely by another auror. "I can assure you, the only thing Lord... not Mister... Potter may be suffering from is from being glared at by the audience. He went nowhere near the dragon."

"Nevertheless, it is my job―" huffed Pomfrey before she was again cut off by Bones.

"Not for the foreseeable future, it's not," disagreed Bones as she stepped in close. "Madam Persephone Pomfrey, while you are not under arrest at this time, I am taking you into custody while certain allegations are investigated."

"What?" asked a shocked Pomfrey.

"You're being taken into custody, Poppy," said Amelia. "While not being placed into magical suppression 'cuffs at this time, you'll be allowed to remain free of them if you follow the directions of Auror Fitzmichaels here." And indicated the young female auror who stood just behind her.

"What? Why?" asked a clearly shocked and somewhat fearful Pomfrey.

"Due to Lord Potter's... history lesson during his task," replied Amelia, "All those who were mentioned are being taken into custody until we know for sure they're not guilty, or otherwise involved in, what's been going on."

"I assure you―" blustered Pomfrey.

"... Of nothing, for now," interrupted Amelia, yet again. Without waiting for Pomfrey to say another word, she gestured for Fitzmichaels to take the witch into custody.

Stepping forward, reaching out and taking Pomfrey lightly by the elbow of her wand arm with her off hand, Fitzmichaels calmly said, "This way, please, Madam Pomfrey."

As a thoroughly confused Poppy Pomfrey was being led away, Amelia finally turned to Harry with a somewhat pained and exasperated expression on her face. Harry just grinned back.

"I believe you have something for me, Lord Potter," she reminded him.

"I do," he nodded, his expression turning serious. Glancing to the competitors' tent he indicated it and said, "Perhaps, if we duck into the tent?"

Giving her own nod she indicated for Harry to precede her. "After you, Lord Potter."

Harry gave a slight snort of amusement but led her over to the tent.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

After first asking her if she'd figured out how he 'summoned' his 'bag of destruction', then sent it away again, all with a snap of his fingers; then doing the same thing with the egg; he sigh in disappointment at her when she couldn't figure it out.

"Madam Bones, I have given you all the clues you need," he began. "Firstly, the object I'm focussed on either appears or disappears in a flash of white light, only. Secondly, I snap my fingers. Thirdly, I do not utter an incantation or use a wand; so it is highly unlikely it is I who is casting a spell.

"Now, with that knowledge, think of what creatures do the same?"

When she glared at him with a mild look of frustration he finally relented and told her, "Was it too hard to figure out it was a house elf?"

She then looked back at him with dawning shock. So much, it caused her monocle to fall out of her eye and drop to her breast on the length of its thin gold chain.

As she was clearly embarrassed by the answer - after all, she had house elves of her own - Harry said, "Don't worry that you didn't figure it out. I doubt any one of those who watched me do it figured it out, either."

She stared at him for another long moment before she gave a grunt, gave herself a bit of a shake of her head and said, "I want those memories."

Chuckling a little, Harry turned to look down to his left and called, "Dobby!"

With a very muted crack the devout little house elf appeared next to Harry's side. The elf was clearly very happy to have been called and was almost bouncing on his little feet in joy.

"It worked, Master Harry?" he asked.

Harry lightly laughed and replied, "It sure did, little buddy. Not one of them figured it out."

"Yes!" the little elf declared before he gave a little fist pump in the air.

Before things got out of hand, Harry gave the elf his instructions. "Dobby, I need you to bring me that rack of memories I had you sort for Madam Bones, plus the documented evidence of Dumbledore's monetary shenanigans the goblins gave me. She needs them."

Without a word, Dobby popped away only to return a few moments later with a large rack of vials, a thick sheaf of parchment and immediately offered it to Harry. This rack was far larger than the one he used in the arena. Each vial contained a strand of memory and was labelled with what the memory covered.

Offering it to the woman he said, "All sorted and labelled, Madam Bones."

Carefully taking it she looked through them before asking, "Lord Potter, could you have your elf put them on the desk in my office?"

"Of course," he replied, before turning to elf. "Dobby?"

"Yes, Master Harry," replied Dobby, before he disappeared with the documents and the rack.

When both had gone, she sighed and softly said, "I can't believe you used a house elf like that. And I don't believe I didn't realise that's what you were doing."

Harry gave a snort and said, "You, like pretty much everyone in the magical world, have 'house elf blindness'. They're always there, so you think nothing of them and the powers they wield. And you've forgotten that the wizarding anti-apparation wards of Hogwarts don't bother them in the slightest. Sorry to be so blunt about that; but, it's true."

She gave her own, more lady-like, snort and bobbed her head once in acknowledgement. "True. It is that obvious, we barely think about it."

"Anything else?" he asked. "I've just spent a few hours mainly sitting on my bum while being warily watched by the meanest breed of dragon of all, I didn't have much of a breakfast and I'm now quite famished. I'd like to go and eat; and, I daresay, you have a ton of work awaiting you in your office."

"My Masters and Seniors can handle the initial interrogations and investigations," she replied. "Besides, I haven't had a chance to talk to my niece yet." Then she grinned and almost coyly asked, "Care to escort an old lady up to the Great Hall?"

With a grin of his own, Harry offered his elbow and replied, "I'd be honoured, my lady. And I don't consider you old."

And the two left the tent to head up to the castle.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

As soon as they exited the tent it was to see a great mass of people waiting outside. Clearly, they were all waiting for him. They'd also just as clearly been blocked from entering by two aurors who'd been standing, facing out, just outside the tent flaps.

Madam Bones immediately stepped in front of Harry and glared at the lot of them. "Unless you have specific business with me," she said, "I expect the lot of you to leave, immediately."

That had almost all of them show various expressions ranging from surprise to happiness to hate. But, with the exception of a few, they all began to disperse. Most of them were students and they headed for the castle.

Turning to one of the aurors who'd blocked the entrance, this one a witch, Madam Bones said to her, "Be between us and those students. Make sure they don't stop before they enter the castle."

"Yes, Ma'am," nodded the auror before she moved ahead and started chivvying the stragglers ahead of her.

That left about half a dozen still waiting. These included: Rita Skeeter and her photographer, who was busy snapping photos; but were now both holding back; Karkaroff and Maxime, the Highmaster and Headmistress of Durmstrang and Beauxbatons, respectively; and Hermione and Ron.

Ron looked angry and Hermione looked worried.

Eventually, Hermione's patience wore out and she dashed to Harry to wrap him in a hug. "Oh, Harry!" she cried. "What you had to go through with those horrid Dursleys! You should have told us! We'd have understood.

"And... what the Headmaster was doing... I'm glad Madam Bones's people arrested him and took him away. I can't believe I was in awe of that man!"

To stop what he knew was quickly turning into Hermione-babble he placed a vertically-held finger to her lips and made shushing sounds. "Shhh! Hermione, stop."

When she seemed to stop and backed off with a bit of a frown, he said, "I couldn't tell you. While Dumbledore's attempts at obliviations failed on me, they would have worked against you. And I didn't want to see you lose your memories."

Finally Ron had also had enough and he came almost stomping over. "You just had to get the Headmaster arrested, didn't you?" he snarled. "And McGonagall!"

As he approached, Harry pushed Hermione away slightly and out of the path of Weasley, then changed hands with his egg to his left hand. As soon as the boy was close enough, Harry simply balled his right hand into a fist next to his hip and slugged him one with a right cross, right in the jaw. It was enough to set Weasley on his bum.

As Weasley went down with a half strangled yelp, Madam Bones quickly stepped in and berated him; "Lord Potter!"

"Sorry, Madam Bones," he replied, not in the least contrite. "But the little shit richly deserved it."

"Be that as it may, Lord Potter," she returned. "I cannot, however, let go the fact you assaulted that boy." She seemed to pause for a moment before she said, "As the boy is otherwise not harmed, I shall consider your assault a case of 'Simple Assault' and fine you a total of ten galleons. Expect to receive a fine by owl mail within the next seven days."

"Understood," he replied with a nod.

Meanwhile, Weasley continued to sit on his bum on the grass, one hand on the ground behind him for balance while he rubbed his jaw with the other. He was looking at the two talking, with shock.

"He hit me!" he suddenly blurted.

Finally turning her attention to Weasley, Amelia said, "Yes, I saw. That's why I've fined him ten galleons."

"Though I can certainly understand why you hit him, Harry," said Hermione. "It was still wrong to do so."

"Yes, thank you, Hermione," nodded Harry, barely glancing to her. "As you heard, Madam Bones was just getting through telling me that. As she is the Director of the DMLE and it's her job to do so, I didn't need you to tell me, too."

Hermione blushed in embarrassment but didn't offer another word. She knew Harry's words were a mild rebuke.

"Now, Lord Potter," said Amelia, getting things back on track. "I believe you were escorting me to the Great Hall."

"Yes, I was," said Harry, moving back alongside her and once more offering her elbow.

As the two headed for the castle, Hermione broke out of her shock and embarrassment and hurried to catch up.

It was a good few seconds before Weasley realised he was getting left behind and scrambled to his feet and stormed after the three of them.

"Bloody Potter," he grumbled, though he did keep his distance, this time.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Upon walking into the Great Hall, the first thing Harry noticed was the distinct lack of teaching staff. Of course, the first thing Amelia noticed was her niece rising from the middle of the Hufflepuff table and heading towards her with a puzzled smile on her face. And both noticed how quiet the population of the Hall got as they'd walked in. All eyes were directed towards the two of them.

"Well, that's unusual," muttered Amelia, as she moved to hug her niece.

"I think it'd be safe to say that everything about this day is unusual," said Harry.

She smiled back at him over her niece's shoulder as she hugged her.

Susan piped up and said, "I'm so sorry for how everyone's treated you, Harry. It's clear to everyone now you didn't put your name in the Goblet."

Harry just gave a nod back and then moved to the Gryffindor table, sitting at the end as he'd been doing since the morning after his name came out of the Goblet. Hermione sat with him, just as she also had since that same morning.

As they sat, Amelia was walking to the head table to speak with the few remaining members of staff, while also talking with her niece who'd accompanied her. As she had informed him during their walk up to the castle, none of the senior staff members remained at the castle for the foreseeable short future. With the exception of History of Magic and Astronomy, all other teaching staff were teachers of elective subjects; and History of Magic didn't count as Cuthbert Binns was a ghost. And that made Aurora Sinistra, though one of the youngest Professors, still one of the most senior in authority still remaining.

As Hermione sat she asked, "Are you now going to tell me what's going on?"

"No," he replied. "At least, nothing further than what you learned during the task."

She looked a little hurt at that response.

"Sorry, Hermione," he quietly said. "But, this is all now a DMLE investigation. It'd be best if you remained ignorant of anything else, for the time being. If I remember correctly, I'm not allowed to talk about it anyway."

She gave a combined annoyed and disappointed sigh before she lowered her eyes and nodded back.

"It's not that I don't trust you, Hermione," he said to soothe her. "But there are certain requirements of a DMLE investigation that are ironclad. And witnesses colluding with one another is a big no-no."

Her eyes snapped up to stare at him in shock. "We would never―"

"I know," he said. "However, even the possibility of that is enough to constrain the both of us from talking about the information I brought to light during the task.

"That doesn't mean we can't talk about anything else, though. There's nothing wrong with that."

"Oh," she said in understanding. She seemed to think for a few moments before she asked, "So, your egg? What's that about?"

Giving a nod and smile back, he replied, "According to that idiot, Bagman, it's supposed to contain a clue to the second task. That is, of course, if there actually is going to be a second task."

Confused, she asked, "Whatever do you mean?"

"Hermione, look around you," he replied. "How many of Hogwarts's staff weren't arrested... sorry, 'taken into custody'... by Madam Bones's aurors.

"Think about it," he said as he held up his hand with his fingers spread. Then he started counting off, "They've effectively arrested the Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore; the Deputy Headmistress, Transfiguration Mistress and Head of Gryffindor House, Minerva McGonagall; the Potions Master and Head of Slytherin House, Severus Snape; the Charms Master and Head of Ravenclaw House, Filius Flitwick; the Herbology Mistress and Head of Hufflepuff House, Pomona Sprout; Professor of Care of Magical Creatures and Keeper of the Keys, Rubeus Hagrid; and the school healer, Poppy Pomfrey.

"Besides Poppy Pomfrey, because she wasn't involved, and besides everything else they've been a party to, the rest are all in trouble for what I showed regarding the traps on the third floor corridor when the Philosopher's Stone was here; and probably a bit about second and third year, too. All of them are just as guilty as the others for deliberately endangering the students of the castle at that time. Madam Bones's people will be wanting to talk to them about that. Of course for some of them, such as Dumbledore and McGonagall, there's a great deal more of which I made clear Madam Bones and her people are going to want to know about. That includes Poppy Pomfrey."

Hermione looked horrified and was about to ask her next question when Madam Bones and her niece separated, with Susan returning to her table, and stepped up to the podium. "Listen up!" she barked.

That had all four tables immediately shut up.

"So that you're aware of what's going on," she said. "The following members of Hogwarts staff have been taken into custody by the DMLE to answer certain questions relating to Lord Potter's revelations during the first task: Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, Pomona Sprout, Filius Flitwick, the person who was masquerading as Alastor Moody, Poppy Pomfrey and Rubeus Hagrid. I have also just been informed that the real Alastor Moody was found locked in a multi-compartment trunk in the DADA office, where he has been since before school started this school year.

"As such the number of staff remaining is insufficient for the school to carry on with normal operations. And, as such, classes are cancelled for the foreseeable future."

When the noise levels rapidly rose she loudly snapped out, "Be quiet!"

The rising noise suddenly shut off again.

"When I speak, you listen," she snapped. When no one interrupted again she continued, "Under my authority as Director of the DMLE, I've declared the entire grounds of Hogwarts a crime scene. That means, until I state otherwise, I am in charge. All decisions regarding this school are mine to make."

After giving that a long moment to be 'absorbed', she continued. "As I am in charge there will be no acting Headmaster or -mistress... or Deputy. There will also be no Heads of Houses. I and my aurors are, temporarily at least, filling all of those roles.

"I am also very aware of just how much rule-breaking and troublemaking was allowed to go on. That stops right now.

"Fighting will now be seen as 'Assault'. That means all parties involved will be arrested and taken to one of my holding cells. Depending on the severity of the trouble-making you could find yourself in the same accommodations. Severe enough rule-breaking or trouble-making - at my discretion - may very well see you immediately suspended and sent home in disgrace. I am not a forgiving person and my aurors are to act the same. This is the only warning you will receive on that.

"Next: No one is to pressure Lord Potter on the information he brought to light during the task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Lord Potter is now a prime witness in the criminal prosecutions I have no doubt will evolve out of what he shared with us today. If you hassle Lord Potter about any of it he is to immediately inform me or one of my aurors. You will then be arrested and a charge of witness tampering may well be levelled against you. A conviction of witness tampering can see you sent to Azkaban. At the minimum, after you are questioned as to what you thought you were doing, you will find yourself suspended and sent home on the spot. Again, this is the only warning you will receive.

"Now, I was going to sit and have lunch with my niece before heading back to my office, where I'll be immediately starting official investigations. However, I now believe I will not have time for that. And there'll be no trying to pump my niece for information, either. That, too, will be looked upon very unfavourably. If you bother her about it, you also might find yourself suspended and sent home. Actually, if you bother anyone about it, you'll probably find yourself suspended and sent home.

"Enjoy your lunch. I suggest you then make use of your now otherwise free time from classes with self-study. My aurors will be keeping an eye on all of you."

With that she stepped away from the podium and made her way to the Gryffindor table and straight to Harry.

"Lord Potter," she said. Before Harry could verbally acknowledge her she added in a clear and carrying voice, "What I said up there is true. If anyone questions you about your revelations you are to immediately inform one of my aurors. Understand?"

"Yes, Ma'am," he immediately and just as clearly replied.

"Good," she nodded. "At some time over the next couple of days I'll have one of my aurors come and collect you. Once I've had time to go through those memories you provided I'll need to talk to you about them. Is that alright?"

"Yes, Ma'am," he replied. "That's fine."

She then turned her attention to Hermione and asked, "The same goes for you, Miss Granger, as with Lord Potter. Is that alright with you?"

"Yes, Ma'am," she replied. "But, aren't I supposed to have my parents with me if you want to talk to me?"

"You're over fifteen, aren't you? I believe you had a birthday a couple months back?" asked Amelia.

"Yes," replied Hermione.

"Then, no. It is not required unless you're being questioned where you might find yourself being charged," explained Amelia. "You are not someone I'm currently looking to charge."

"Then, can I at least have Harry there?"

Surprised at the question, Amelia glanced at Harry, who nodded back that he was okay with it.

Turning back to Hermione she replied, "That will be fine. However, he will not be able to answer any questions for you. He will have to remain silent. Am I understood?"

"Yes; thank you," she replied, quite relieved.

Giving a short nod, Amelia said, "Very well. Now I need to say goodbye to my niece." And left to head across and to the Hufflepuff table.

As soon as she left earshot, Hermione turned to Harry and said, "Thank you for agreeing to come with me if... when... I get taken to the DMLE."

"You'll be fine, Hermione," he soothed her. "You've done nothing wrong and you're not the target of her investigations, anyway. She'll just want to hear your 'take' on what you were involved with that I've included in my memories I've given her."

Hermione nodded, looked relieved and then turned away with a somewhat pensive expression.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Amelia had no sooner walked out the door when Malfoy sauntered over to the Gryffindor table with his two ape-shaped bookends, Crabbe and Goyle.

"So, Potter," he drawled with a sneer. He didn't see an auror suddenly peel off from the wall not that far away and approach from his side. "You seem to have managed to do what no one else has done and gotten rid of―"

That was as far as he got before the auror pushed bookend number one out of the way and firmly placed his hand on Malfoy's shoulder.

Malfoy's head spun about it shock.

"I do believe Madam Bones just got done telling everyone to leave Potter alone," drawled the auror. "Do you want to be the first suspended and sent home in disgrace?"

Malfoy appeared to try and shake the hand off his shoulder. But the auror merely tightened his grip.

"I asked you a question, lad," the auror more firmly stated.

"Let go of me!" Malfoy practically squealed, still trying to shake the auror's hand off.

Instead of doing so, the auror then reached out with his other hand and snagged Malfoy by the wrist. A quick twist and Malfoy's wand arm was now twisted up behind his back.

Malfoy gave a strangled little yelp as the auror manhandled him into a police-style 'compliance' hold.

"Again," snapped the auror. "Do you want to be the first person sent home in disgrace?"

"No!" yelped the ferret.

Then the auror simply marched him back across the Hall to the Slytherin table before he gave him one last shove. Malfoy staggered forward two steps, spun about and glared back.

"The next time you cross the Hall with the intention of bothering Lord Potter," snapped the auror, "You will be arrested and taken to the DMLE. You should expect to be suspended from Hogwarts at that time."

Malfoy spluttered a moment and then bawled, "When my father hears of this―"

The auror rode right over him and snapped back, "Threatening an auror in the course of their duties is an automatic stay in Azkaban. You want to watch what you say to me... boy."

That shut Malfoy right up.

"As for your father, you can be most assured that he'll 'hear about this', as you put it," the auror continued. "As you're under-aged, we're bound by law to immediately notify him when we arrest you."

The auror then glared back for a few moments to make sure his message was received, before he spun about and stalked back to 'his' spot standing with his back to the wall.

Harry and Hermione watched the entire thing, surprised. It was the first time, that Harry could recall, when an adult actually moved to protect him from the blonde ferret.

What neither teen knew was that the warning of the auror's actions were received by the entire school collection of both students and remaining staff; including Weasley.

He'd been about to confront Harry himself just as Malfoy made his play. Seeing what happened to Malfoy actually managed to get through Weasley's head enough to make the boy reconsider his actions.

'I'll wait until we're in the Gryffindor tower,' he thought.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

With no more 'entertainment' during the midday meal, and no classes afterwards, Harry and Hermione finished their lunch in peace before heading back to the Gryffindor tower. Harry needed to change out of the 'Gryffindor champion' robes Dumbledore had practically forced on him, and Hermione wanted to make a start on even more homework.

They'd just entered and split, with Harry going up the stairs to the boys' dorms and Hermione going up the girl's, when more of their House entered the common room through the Fat Lady portrait that protected the entrance. They'd followed the two up, but had kept a 'respectful' distance. The aurors with them had ensured that, at least.

Neville had made sure he led the pack and, as soon as he dashed in through the door to the fourth year boys' dorm, spun about, slammed the door closed and leaned hard up against the back of it.

Looking up from where he'd only just begun changing, Harry asked, "You alright, Nev?"

"Yeah," replied the dark-blonde-haired boy. "Just making sure you can get changed in peace."

Realising what Neville was talking about, Harry looked to his year-mate with surprise. "You'd do that for me? Thank you."

Just then the door seemed to shudder as something hard hit it from the other side.

"I'll be out in a minute!" Harry called out loud.

That stopped the hard banging on the door. Neville, at least, appeared grateful.

Harry smiled at him before he returned getting changed. "Remind me to teach you the Colloportus charm, Neville. It seals the door to the frame."

"Errrr... thanks Harry," replied Neville. "But I don't think I have the power to cast it."

Harry knew the other boy did have the power, but held his tongue for now.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Once Harry had changed into 'civilian' garb - wizarding civilian clothing of a quality Neville had not seen him wearing before - Neville gave a nod and asked, "Ready?"

"As ready as I'm going to be," replied Harry, giving himself a mental kick to brace himself for what he suspected was going to be an ambush of questions from his housemates when he made it down to the common room.

Before moving, Harry looked to other boy with a firm countenance and said, "When we've got time, you and I need to talk, Heir Longbottom."

At first surprised by the direct look and use of his formal title, Neville looked back for a long moment before he seemed to slump a little and replied, "Yeah, we do."

With that he backed off from the door before turning around and gripping the handle. Once he was sure Harry was right behind him, he opened it and stepped out with his wand drawn.

He might not consider himself more than just above a squib, magically, but he was also determined to ensure he had Harry's back.

Surprisingly, once he opened the door there was no one waiting right outside.

"Hunh!" he said, before leading the two of them down the stairs.

As Neville, who was only a half pace ahead of Harry, stepped off the last step it was for Harry to see the very big surprise of no one saying anything. However, the reason for that was immediately identified as two aurors who stood with wands drawn and their backs to the wall either side of the exit through the back of the portrait.

As Harry walked in he looked quizzically at both.

Knowing he would be asked why they were there, the older of the two said, "Madam Bones wanted to make sure no one, including your housemates, were going to bother you and pressure you for information, Lord Potter. As such, we'll be keeping an eye on you."

Harry thought about that for a moment before he said, "In that case, let her know I appreciate it when you next speak with her."

"Will do, Lord Potter," smirked the auror.

"I take it you re-informed this lot that trying to... let's say... press me for information would be viewed as witness tampering? And may very well have led them to unwillingly discovering what the inside of a DMLE holding cell looked like?" asked Harry.

"No," smirked the auror. "Same idea, but as it related to the inside of an Azkaban cell."

"Ah!" exclaimed Harry. "Then, again, thank you."

The auror merely nodded back with the same smirk.

Harry turned to his erstwhile housemates and said, "All the information that I provided, couched as 'entertainment' while I figured out how to complete the task, was my memories I swore on my magic and life was true."

With a flick of his wrist he had his wand in his hand and snap-raised it to cast before anyone even realised what he was doing. "Expecto Patronum!" he firmly intoned.

Appearing almost as if his wand bucked in his hand, the Patronus mist leapt out of the tip of his wand and immediately formed into the almost solid appearing, silvery-ghost, corporeal shape of his father's animagus form of a buck deer. It then stood on the floor, about eight feet in front of Harry, appearing to look about for threats.

A few moments later it appeared it didn't see any and spun about to stare at Harry, waiting.

Harry softly said to it, "Thank you, Prongs. You may go." And the Patronus fizzled away.

With the Patronus now dissipated, Harry continued, "As pretty much all of it also implicated a number of staff members of the school in the commission of crimes, Madam Bones has taken copies of those memories, plus others, to start her investigation into said staff members and said others. As such, I have become her primary witness for the Wizengamot in proceedings she is very likely to bring against those staff members and others. This, she explained to you all in the Great Hall.

"I also have little doubt most of you are wondering why I did it. If you don't know, then no amount of me explaining it to you will improve your understanding of it. If you do know, then I obviously do not need to explain it to you. Therefore, there is no need for me to say anything.

"If you do not like that, I do not care. If you don't know, then ask someone who does know why I did it; because you will get no answer from me. The only people in this tower who currently hold my respect are the two aurors you see standing over by the entrance, Heir Longbottom and Miss Hermione Granger. Maybe someone else will have the patience with you to use little enough words, and speak slowly enough, for you to get some measure of understanding."

He was about to leave when he turned back and said, "Oh! If you're wondering why I don't give a shit about your questions - or you, for that matter - I remind you how almost all of you treated me up to now for this year. And I remind those of you who were students here two years ago of how you treated me during that whole Heir of Slytherin nonsense. You may have forgotten, or thought I had forgiven you, but I have not of either."

That was apparently enough for Ron. He blurted, "But, you had the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall charged!" The boy had finally gathered up his courage enough to try to berate Harry.

Before Harry could verbally cut him down, though, the same auror spoke first. "He did not, Mister Weasley. This is not the MaCUSA, magical America, where citizens can have someone charged. Here, the citizenry can only file a complaint. It is only Madam Bones who can file charges.

"I also remind you that Lord Potter did not even file a complaint. He only played for you, if you were in the audience, memories through a pensieve.

"It was Madam Bones who, off her own cognisance, is now filing those complaints and converting them, on the spot, to charges.

"I'll also inform you that she would not do that unless she was very sure of the crimes being committed, who committed them and her chances of securing convictions of the people being so charged.

"As a fully qualified auror with years of experience, I can assure you it is my opinion that both Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall, to name the two you mentioned, are guilty of numerous crimes. Neither deserves your support, and you're either a fool or an idiot if you do."

Weasley bristled at the verbal slap down, "But... he's Dumbledore!"

"That is utterly irrelevant," the auror immediately snapped back.

Weasley grumbled about it under his breath for a couple seconds before he suddenly spun away and stomped up the stairs to the boys' dorms in a right royal snit.

Watching him go, the auror looked at Harry and said, "I can now see why you seemed so relieved you'll now be able to completely break off your friendship with that boy."

Harry shrugged back with a grin on his face. "I don't believe he ever was truly a friend. His friendship of me was more a selfish act on his part. He wanted to be known as the best mate of the famous Boy-Who-Lived. Losing that is what's got him so snotty."

It had been Harry's intent to only wait long enough for Hermione to rejoin him before heading for the 'Come and Go Room' Dobby had shown him. That was soon after it became too uncomfortable to stay in the Gryffindor Tower after his name came out of the Goblet. However, with the two aurors seemingly permanently stationed in the common room to make sure he wasn't bothered by his own housemates, he felt it was safe enough to remain. So, he found a seat on one of the spare couches and relaxed.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

When she re-entered the common room from the stairs leading to the girls' dorms while wearing an angry scowl on her face, Harry was about to ask Hermione what was wrong when she practically snatched him by the hand and said, "We're leaving!" before trying to drag him towards the portrait hole.

Knowing it was best not to try and impede her when his real best friend got like this, he merely aided her in dragging him to the door by not resisting. He'd ask her what the problem was when it looked like she wanted to talk about it.

She never noticed either auror standing against the wall either side of the portrait hole until both shifted to bar her way.

Almost barging right into one she suddenly pulled up, short.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, suddenly noticing both for the first time. "Sorry! Is there sometime wrong?"

"You are attempting to take Lord Potter from out of here against his wishes, little miss," firmly replied the lead auror. "We will not allow that."

As Hermione seemed to appear stunned and confused, Harry stepped a little further forward and explained, "It's alright, auror. She's gets like this when someone has annoyed her and she wants me to go somewhere private where she can rant at me about it. She has no intention of harming me."

The auror gave him a nod of acknowledgement before he turned back to Hermione. "Is that true, little miss?"

"I―" she stuttered to answer before she immediately blushed in embarrassment and dropped her head. "Yes," she softly and quietly replied.

The auror again gave a nod before he said, "Part of the duties of the aurors currently assigned to the castle is to make sure Lord Potter is not bothered by staff or students about matters soon to be before the Wizengamot. And part of our duties is to otherwise see to his safety."

Snapping her head up to stare at the auror in horror she'd been suspected of such a thing, Hermione exclaimed, "I would never―"

"She wouldn't," Harry quickly agreed. "It's very rare she wants to rant at me about something I've said or done; it's almost always about someone else. I'm happy to be that sounding board for her, at those times."

Hermione immediately spun to face him with a look of shock on her face. Then her expression immediately reverted to one of embarrassment before she cast her eyes down again.

Ignoring the young girl's clear embarrassment the auror said, "Then we shall follow." And stepped aside to allow them to continue the final step to the portrait hole.

As soon as they passed through back into the outside passageway Hermione stopped a few paces further on before turning to Harry again, and leaned in a little to speak quietly with him. "I was going to take us to... you know... that room. But―" Then flicked her eyes towards the aurors, who had followed them out.

"For now, we'll use the abandoned classroom we used until we find out if we can trust them or not," he firmly stated.

Hermione seemed to give a firm nod of agreement before leading them off. She'd been referring to a hidden dueling room they'd discovered through the Marauders' Map.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Amelia had only just walked into the bullpen for the DMLE when she was almost besieged by aurors all asking for her immediate attention.

She quickly stuck two fingers into her mouth and used them to blow a piercing whistle. That shut everyone up.

"Right!" she huffed. "I'll have the currently available Master Aurors join me in my office. The rest of you, find something else to do until the Masters and I figure out what we're going to do next."

Walking into her office she was joined by Rufus Scrimgeour and the others.

Finally sitting behind her desk she moved the rack of memory vials Potter's elf had dropped there earlier to one side, sighed and turned her gaze on her deputy. "Alright, Rufus; let me have it."

Without a word and pulling a clipboard from under his arm, the Master Auror referred to it and replied, "Albus Dumbledore is in Interrogation Room 1. Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape and Filius Flitwick are in Interrogation Rooms 2, 3 and 4, respectively. Pomona Sprout, Poppy Pomfrey and Filius Flitwick are in Interview Rooms 1 to 3 respectively.

"Interrogation Room 5 now holds Vernon Dursley while Interview Room 4 holds Petunia Dursley. That makes all Interrogation and Interview Rooms full, for the first time I've ever known. Young Mister Dudley Dursley, the teen son, is apparently away at a private muggle school; a... Smeltings' School for Favoured Sons, I believe. He is not due to return until the second week of December.

Amelia nodded and said, "We may not need to talk to him about the treatment of Lord Potter, but we'll need to talk to him about the results of the twin trials of his parents if both end up being incarcerated."

"Yes, boss," replied Scrimgeour. "Standard procedure, then.

"The Minister, Barty Crouch Senior and Junior and Rubeus Hagrid are in holding cells until we have Interview and Interrogation rooms free," he continued. "Besides Hagrid, I hope you don't mind but I think we can hold off on the interviews of those four until we get the Professors and the Dursleys dealt with. And aurors have not yet been sent out to arrest Lucius Malfoy or Molly Weasley; as we lack both the staff and accommodations for them if they were brought here."

"No, I think you've called it right. We need to get what professors we can back to the school as soon as possible. Who's doing each of the interrogations?" she asked.

"Dumbledore is currently in his Interrogation Room with a single auror. We're not doing the interrogation, yet, as we want him to sweat for a while," he replied. "The Senior Auror watching over him, Flamebright, has been told that if he allows the old coot to convince him of anything he'll be the occupant of Dumbledore's cell before the day is through."

Amelia gave an amused snort and said, "Leave him in there for another hour, then tell him we've had to put his interview off while we investigate other findings of his alleged crimes we've just recently discovered. That should make him sweat a little more."

"Yes, boss," he replied with a small smile.

"What about Snape?" she asked.

"The healer's found he's managed to dose himself with anti-Veritaserum from somewhere," he explained. "We need to purge him of that or those before we can begin."

"Ah!" she said. "Of course. He's a half-blood, isn't he?"

"Yes, Ma'am," he replied. "The healer recommends a good six hours before we begin to interview him. I suggest returning him to a holding cell, for now."

"Make it so," she said. "And the others?"

"I've made a start on McGonagall," said another Master Auror. "I had to stop when she... errr... burst into tears. And I've decided to suspend the interrogation until she's... managed to compose herself a little."

"How long's it been?" she immediately asked.

"About ten minutes?" he replied.

"Give her another five and then get back in there," she ordered. "I don't care if it makes you uncomfortable, or not. We need the transcript of that interrogation so I can discover if there's yet more charges to throw at that old fool, Dumbledore."

"Yes, Ma'am," he immediately replied, checking his muggle watch.

"Who's interviewing that fat child abuser, Dursley?" she asked.

Scrimgeour frowned back with a pained look and said, "He was making so much noise about how we're nothing but freaks and how he refused to recognise our authority we had to hit him with a silencing charm and hope he tires himself out. That was about... ten minutes ago."

Amelia gave another small snort of amusement before she said, "Nice trick. Go in there once every ten minutes and try again. Each time he starts to rant and rave, silence him again and walk out. Then try again in another ten minutes.

"Sooner or later he's going to tire himself out enough you're going to be able to get the information out of him we need."

The auror gave a pained look and replied, "Yes, Ma'am."

Amelia just grinned back and asked, "Who's next?"

"Flitwick," Scrimgeour immediately replied. "Actually, he's been the easiest of all, so far."

"Oh?" she asked.

"He was quite happy - almost relieved - to give us the information we asked for," he replied as another of the Master Aurors placed a completed interview recording scroll on her desk.

Quickly scanning through it she asked, "So, his only excuse was because he was asked to?... Ah! He feared for his job if he didn't do it."

"Yes, Ma'am," he replied. "He was also offered the job of Professor of DADA twice and turned it down both times. Though Dumbledore keeps brushing it off when someone raises it, he knows... according to him... that the DADA post has a curse on it; and he didn't want to be the next victim."

"The only person willing to offer him a job when he retired from the International Duelling Circuit, because he's considered a half-breed, was Dumbledore," said Amelia, still scanning through the document. "He feared for his livelihood and only chance of earning an income."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Right," she sighed. "Inform him he's being charged with accessory to commit child endangerment and neglect, give him the usual 'don't go anywhere' spiel, that he may yet be facing further charges and will likely be standing trial in the not too distant future. Then release him.

"He's also permitted to return to Hogwarts but is stood down as Head of House for Ravenclaw until this matter is resolved; and, even then, it's highly unlikely he'll be able to head the House again. And, at all times while at Hogwarts, he will be monitored by the aurors I've had cause to be stationed at the school."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Next?" she asked.

"With Flitwick released I'll have room to move Pomona Sprout into an Interrogation Room. Then one of us will be interviewing her," he replied. "The last one is the 'iffy' one - Poppy Pomfrey."

"I hope you had a DMLE-certified healer in with her while speaking with her," she warned.

"Yes, Ma'am; Master Healer Pockridge," he replied. "Because those memories of Lord Potter showed she was the subject of at least one obliviation - and very likely quite a few more - we began with treating her with kid gloves.

"However, it is the healer's opinion we had to stop as it appears she's also been placed under some sort of compulsion regarding Lord Potter. Either that, or she's found some way around her healer's oath."

Amelia frowned and asked, "How do you figure that?"

"When she gave Lord Potter his first physical, once he reached Hogwarts in 1991, she found evidence of long-term mistreatment. Instead of immediately reporting it to us, as her Medi-witch's Oath demanded, she only reported it to Dumbledore. And she does not seem to understand that she's broken the law in doing so.

"Apparently Dumbledore informed her and convinced her that, as he was Chief Warlock, she had done her duty of reporting it to the authorities. He's also given her a direct order that any more such information regarding Lord Potter was only to be reported to him. Something about how he was 'protecting the reputation of the wizarding world's young hero'. Personally, I think it was more a... 'covering his own arse' situation."

She gave a snort of annoyance at that. "That he told her she would be reporting to him in his capacity of Chief Warlock, means I can add charges against him for abuse of authority of that position."

Recognising her silence was permission to continue, Scrimgeour went on. "According to our healer, he believes Poppy Pomfrey is so tied up in compulsions and obliviations she should be immediately in-patiented into Saint Mungo's, so they can then help her get through those compulsions without it also meaning the loss of her magic due to the breach of her Oath."

Amelia sat back, allowed her monocle to fall from her eye and brought her off hand up to massage the bridge of her nose.

A few moments later she sat back up, re-affixed her monocle and said, "Right. Have her taken to the DMLE secure ward at Saint Mungo's and have our healer see to her being treated. If it turns out she truly was not acting contrary to the law off her own volition then we won't be charging her. However, once she's well enough to supply it, I want her full co-operation in bringing charges against Dumbledore and the rest of the staff."

"Yes, Ma'am," said Scrimgeour, making a note on his clipboard.

"Alright," she said. "Continue with the interrogations, as discussed. In the meantime... which of our aurors has the best short-term memory?"

"Errr... I think that would be young Auror Second Class Tonks," he replied.

Nodding back in agreement, she asked, "She on duty?"

"No, Ma'am," he replied. "However, she came in not too long ago because she thought she could help."

"Where is she now?"

"In with the Dursley woman stopping her from doing something stupid," he replied. "She's also monitoring a Dicta-quill that's writing down everything the woman has said."

"Replace her with another female auror and send her to me," she ordered. "Anything you think I've missed?"

"Sirius Black," he replied. Then immediately stepped forward and handed her a long roll of parchment. "Your written authority to remove the 'Kiss on Sight' and 'Dead or Alive' orders. It's amended to only approach him if safe to do so and to inform him he's to immediately hand himself over to await proper trial if an auror comes across him."

"Ah, yes," she said, unrolling the parchment.

As soon as she read it, she gave her senior-most auror a smile and immediately affixed both her signature and stamp of office to it, before then re-rolling it and handing it back. "Execute it, immediately," she ordered.

"Yes, Ma'am," he replied.

"Anything else?" she asked.

When no one else said anything she said, "Then, you have your orders. You'd best be about it."

Once her senior staff filed out to get on with the interviews and interrogations and to move Poppy Pomfrey to Saint Mungo's, she drew out a great sheaf of parchment and put it on her desk. Then she began to 'head' the top of each sheet with the same words as appeared on the labels of each memory strand vial.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ