Chapter Seven - Daft Aurors and Interviews

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 Seven - Daft Aurors and Interviews

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

That evening, one of the aurors who still maintained a watch over Harry informed him and Hermione both that an auror would be taking the both of them to the Ministry to be formally interviewed as witnesses to what had happened over the past three-plus years, the next morning.

Harry was looking forward to it, but Hermione was becoming somewhat of a frazzled mess. He had to take her aside to help her calm down before she made herself sick with fretting about it.

Again in a classroom just down from the entrance to the common room, this time with Harry dragging Hermione down there, he firmly sat her on the edge of a desk while he stood in front of her, frowning and with arms crossed. Both ignored the quiet tailing aurors, this time.

"Hermione," he firmly said. "You need to calm down. You're making yourself sick with all this worry―"

"But, Harry," she cried, "What if I mess things up? What if I say the wrong thing and get everyone in trouble? What if I say something that's going to see Headmaster Dumbledore... or, worst still, Professor Snape... get away with what they've done? What if―"

"Hermione!" he firmly cut in. "You're not going to do any of those things."

"But, Harry―" she tried again.

"Stop!" he snapped back. "You're not going to do any of those things, because none of those things are your concern.

"What you're going to do is simply answer the questions put to you. It is not your responsibility to ensure you say nothing that allows someone who deserves suitable punishment from receiving said suitable punishment. That is the job of Madam Bones and her aurors, first; and then the Wizengamot, second."

Before she could say something else, as she clearly appeared to want to do, he continued, "I know we have learned not to trust those in authority since we entered the wizarding world three years ago. However, that has only been to do with the adults here at school, the Minister, and his... handler... Lucy Malfoy.

"We have no reason to doubt Madam Bones or her aurors. So far, over the past few days, she's done everything I've expected her to do when doing the right thing - and more. As for the Wizengamot, they've also not yet done anything that would lead us to believe they'd do anything but the right thing; Albus Dumbledore, as Chief Warlock and his machinations, aside."

As Harry had continued, he could see Hermione begin to slump her shoulders and look down, embarrassed by her actions.

"I know you're worried you might say the wrong thing," he more calmly said. "However, you cannot say the wrong thing if you simply answer the questions put to you honestly and fully. If you think something is important, tell her... or 'he', if it's a male.

"I really cannot see how you could possibly say anything that could harm the case or cases against anyone if you simply tell the truth. And I will not think less of you if, by some miracle, you do manage to say something that harms Madam Bones's cases.

"The only way I can see you truly harming her case or cases is if you lie. And, if you do that, you and me are done; our friendship will be over."

That had Hermione lift her face to stare back at Harry in shock bordering on outrage. "I would never!" she exclaimed.

Harry was pleased to see and hear the modicum of outrage in her expression and her tone.

"I didn't think you would," he calmly explained. "I only said that our friendship would be over if you did. As our friendship is as strong as ever, shows I don't believe you would."

That had Hermione shoot up off the desk to wrap him in a 'Hermi-hug'.

For Harry, that signified she'd both accepted the truth of his words and would no longer doubt herself; at least, on this issue.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

The next morning had another, though smaller, parliament of owls make it's way to Harry. Again, Harry stepped back and allowed Neville to cast his wide area stunner over the lot.

However, when the other two stepped forward to being unloading the owls of their loads, he said, "No; stop."

When they both hesitated, he said, "This time, I want the loads checked for harmful packages before we release them from the owls. If they're harmful, the owl can identify the sender; understand?"

By then, one of the aurors came up on them. "Step back, please, everyone. Again, this is a declared crime scene." Then she turned to Harry and said, Madam Bones has already been contacted and I expect her on her way."

Harry immediately explained why he said the owls were not to be freed of their loads until each package was checked. That way, they knew which owl carried which load.

The auror nodded almost negligently as he worked.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Directly after breakfast a team of four aurors - two males and two females - turned up to escort the two to the Ministry. They were escorted off the grounds by way of the main gate and, once outside the wards, directly side-along apparated to the auror apparation point inside the DMLE.

Harry, for one, was thankful; as it meant they had bypassed the public areas of the Ministry. And that meant not also being stared at by both Ministry workers and the public at-large.

Once inside the DMLE they were directly escorted to an interview room by one each of the male and female aurors.

They'd only been there a minute or two when they were also joined by another male-female auror pair. This time, both sat on the opposite side of the table to the two chairs at the table Harry and Hermione were seated in.

After quick greetings of 'Good morning's across the table between the four, the female auror got right to the heart of the matter.

"Lord Potter, Miss Granger," she began, "I'm Master Auror Constance Hammer. You may address me as 'Connie'."

After both teens nodded back, she then introduced her partner. "And this is my partner, Senior Auror Beauregard Fleming."

"You may call me, Beau," he smiled. "Everyone does."

That had both teens smiling back.

"Here's how this is going to work," said Hammer. "When dealing with children we normally provide them with a glass of water that contains a squeeze of lemon, plus a very mild calming potion and similarly mild truth potion. It's not Veritaserum, so no need to worry about that."

Harry knew of Veritaserum; but only knew it to be a strong truth potion, nothing more.

"We don't normally use it on adults as we believe adults are more than capable of remaining calm and understand the need to be entirely truthful. They understand the consequences when they aren't. Therefore, their water only contains the light lemon flavour.

"For you two we'll leave it to you as an option. However, I recommend you choose to have the potions as they'll stop you from worrying about what you say. Further, it means there is less chance of your statements being disregarded in court.

"Which would you prefer?"

After a glance at each other, both teens turned back.

Harry said, "So long as we do not delve off the subject matters I raised during the first task - and you do not go too deep into my personal life - I have no complaints about taking both potions."

"Same here," Hermione immediately added.

"I understand your concerns," said Hammer. "However, while the second is a truth potion, unlike Veritaserum it will not force you to answer. You can also state you do not wish to answer the question. That will be the truth and, therefore, it will not be unacceptable to the effects of the potion."

After both teens glanced at one another again, Hermione was first to answer.

"Then I have no problem taking either potion," she firmly stated.

"Me neither," added Harry.

Both aurors nodded back with pleased expressions.

"In that case..." said Hammer. She turned her head to the side and looked down a little. "Locky!"

A little house elf almost silently popped into place. "Yes, Miss?"

"Water with both potions, please," Hammer immediately ordered.

Without a word the little elf popped away again. A long moment later and it was back, together with a silver tray holding a carafe of ice water and two inverted tumblers.

"Thank you, Locky," said Hammer.

With a small smile, Fleming asked, "Alright, who wants to go first?"

"I do, please," Hermione immediately replied. Turning an embarrassed glance to Harry, she added, "Sorry, Harry. But, I really need to get this out of the way before I barf."

Harry just smiled back, gave a sheepish shrug and replied, "That's fine, Hermione. I don't mind."

"Very well, Miss Granger," said Hammer. She indicated the tray and said, "You'll want to drink about half a glass of that to start with. Then you can sip from it as often as you like."

As Hermione reached for it Harry could see her hands shaking. As could the two aurors.

Fleming simply reached out, flipped a tumbler over to be right side up and poured her half a glass of water.

Hermione carefully lifted it and - after a couple of steadying breaths - drank the entirety of it in one hit.

When she turned to look at Harry, he could see she was a bit embarrassed by that. He smiled back, just reached out and silently patted her thigh.

"It's alright," he said.

Meanwhile Fleming was setting up a large Dicta-quill in front of himself.

Once he was ready he turned to Hammer and nodded once.

Hammer just gave a slight clear of her throat and began. "Interview of Miss Hermione Granger in Interview Room One at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement on Friday, twenty fourth of November, 1994, at 9.30am. Interviewer, Master Auror Constance Hammer. Dicta-quill operator, Beauregard Fleming. Also present are Senior Auror Prusilla Proudfoot and Master Auror Thaddeus Pickwhistle. Master Auror Pickwhistle is senior officer of this interview."

She then turned to Hermione, who was now clearly a lot calmer and gently smiling back. It was clear to even Harry that the potions were having a positive effect.

"Miss Granger―" continued Hammer.

"Hi!" Hermione immediately and brightly returned with a smile, interrupting the auror.

Hammer smiled back and repeated, "Miss Granger, for the record, please give me your full name and date of birth."

"Hermione Jean Granger. Nineteenth of September, 1979," Hermione promptly replied.

"Confirmed," said Hammer, after checking off a sheet of parchment she had before her. "Do you give this interview of your own free will?"

"I do!" replied Hermione

Hammer gave a small nod and then got into the meat of the interview.

"Let's do this as chronologically as possible," said Hammer. "In your own words, Miss Granger, please describe for us what happened at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - from here on referred to as simply Hogwarts - on the afternoon and into evening of the thirty-first of October 1991. I believe there was an incident concerning a troll."

"During Charms class that day, I was trying to help a fellow class and housemate, Ron Weasley, in how to successfully perform the levitation charm, Wingardium Leviosa, when..."

With a break after the first hour, Hermione continued with her interview right through to the day of the first task. Hammer asked for further information along the way.

When she'd finished Harry was surprised to discover it near enough to lunch that Hammer decided they'd break for lunch before continuing.

The four aurors escorted both teens to the DMLE-only cafeteria and remained with them the entire time.

Once they'd eaten and taken a short break in the water closets, also escorted by aurors of their own genders, the two teens were escorted back to the interview room.

This time it was Harry's turn and Hammer and Fleming switched roles. Harry opted for the same potion-laced water.

Harry's interview went much longer and they took two breaks as they started back as far back as Harry remembered his time with the Dursleys.

While speaking, he was surprised by just how much he remembered. And was somewhat surprised the potions allowed him to recall it all without concern or embarrassment. It seemed there was one form of mind-based magics that affected him, after all; potions.

Then again, maybe it only did because he was a willing recipient. Something to test for another time.

By the time he was finished, his throat felt quite raw. And he was offered a potion that immediately soothed it.

"What was that?" he asked, after drinking it.

"A throat healing potion, Lord Potter," Fleming replied. "You're not the first, and I very much doubt you'll be the last, who has come away from an interview with a sore throat."

When the effects of the potion in the water wore off about thirty minutes after the interview concluded he was shocked to discover it was going on to 5.00pm.

"Sweet Merlin!" he exclaimed. "It's almost dinner time! And, damn, I need to use the little boys' room!"

The four aurors chuckled and Hammer added, "I thought you might. You managed to get through almost half a gallon of water during that."

It was only after he said what he said that he realised Hermione hadn't berated him for his language. He turned to her and could see she'd been crying for a while but hadn't very recently. Her eyes were bloodshot and red-rimmed and her cheeks were puffy with tear tracks on them.

"I'm sooo sorry you went through all that, Harry," she hiccuped

"Hermione," he firmly said. "Not your fault; hear me? I do not blame you for the least of it. You did your best and I lo― appreciate it a great deal."

After a quick trip to the loo for both teens, they were soon escorted back to Hogwarts in reverse of how they got to the Ministry.

Thankfully, it appeared Hermione hadn't noticed his slight slip of the tongue.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

As they were walking back from the gates of the castle, Harry quietly asked Hermione, "Now that the interview is out of the way... are you going to take the School Board's offer of returning home until classes are back on again?"

She was a long few moments of clearly thinking it through before she replied, "Do you... think I should?"

"I think you should do what's best for Hermione Granger," he instantly replied.

"What about you?" she asked.

"Well, I'm definitely not going back to Privett Drive!" he replied. "I think I'll just stay here."

"No... I mean... What do you think of the idea... ummm... what do you think of the idea of coming and staying... with me?" she tentatively asked.

Her offer surprised him; enough that it made him think for a bit.

Suddenly stopping, which caused everyone else to stop, he turned Hermione to face him full on. Her expression was one of disappointment as she looked at the ground.

He said, "Sorry. You caught me by surprise there."

That brought her eyes back up to meet his.

"If that's what you want..." he began. "If your offer is genuine and not one that a friend would say but expect to receive a negative answer to... and you ask your parents first and they reply with a yes... then, yes, I think I'd like that."

The smile that bloomed on Hermione's face was contagious. It had him smiling as well.

He heard a quiet snicker from one of the female aurors, but chose to pretend he hadn't heard.

Now all excited, Hermione grabbed him with both her hands by his offhand elbow and started to almost drag him to the doors of the castle.

"Oh, Harry! Of course they're going to say yes! I've been writing my parents about you since the night of the troll. And they've already said that they want to meet you. That day in Flourish and Blotts was nowhere near long enough! What better way to get to know you than for you to come and stay with us for a while. Can I borrow Hedwig?" she said with a rush.

Harry chuckled back and replied, "Of course you can. I know I don't give her enough work to do. So, I know she'd love to take a letter to your parents."

"I'll write as soon as I can get back to the tower so I can collect parchment, ink and a quill. How quickly do you think Hedwig can get to Wimbledon and back?"

"Wimbledon?" he asked.

"That's where I live, Harry," she replied. "About a stone's throw from the Wimbledon All England Club."

"I thought you lived in Croydon," he said.

"No, I said I lived near Croydon," she corrected. "I say that so people don't know just how wealthy my parents actually are. Wimbledon is an expensive area to live."

"Ah!" he said, as they continued to walk. A long moment later he asked, "Hang on. Isn't Wimbledon one of those areas where housing is like over a million pounds per?"

"Yes," she simply replied without explaining further. "That's why I know you coming to stay with us for a while will be no imposition," she added. "We live in a three story detached that's really four floors as the semi-underground area is also used. There's plenty of room. You'll even have a bedroom with an ensuite, all to yourself; which is what I've got. You just won't have the huge dressing room I've got that I've had Dad convert to a study for me.

"I'm on the second floor, which is the top floor, while you'd be in the guest room on the first floor across the hall landing from my parents room, which is directly under mine. That's the main guest room. There's another two guest rooms on the same floor as me but neither has an ensuite. They have to use the main bathroom on that floor."

"Whoa, Hermione," he laughed. "Let's not count our chickens before they're hatched, alright?

"Why not wait to describe everything once... if... your parents agree."

"They'll say it's alright, Harry," she said, still dragging him along. "You'll see."

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Once back in the castle Hermione finally let go of Harry's elbow and almost ran back to the Gryffindor Tower.

As soon as she was out of earshot one of the aurors said to him, "She sure has a lot of energy, doesn't she."

"She becomes quite focussed once she has a problem she wants to solve and devotes almost all of her energy to solving it," he replied. He gestured after her and added, "This focus is kinda the norm for her. It's good to see after having to go through those interviews."

It was left to Harry to thank the aurors for escorting them to and fro to the Ministry so, by the time he got back to the Gryffindor common room, Hermione was well into writing her letter to her parents.

As soon as he stepped into the room she looked up from where she was writing her letter at one of the very few study tables and gestured him over.

"I hope you don't mind Harry," she said, "But, there's been a fair bit happen over the past few days that's radically changed. And I want to let my parents know about all that and why I'll be coming home a lot sooner than expected, before I drop on them the request to bring you home with me."

"It's your letter and your parents, Hermione," he shrugged. "I doubt a couple of extra sheets of parchment in a letter is going to bother Hedwig in the slightest. She often brings me my copy of the Prophet, remember?"

"Oh, yes," she replied, not even looking up from her writing. "I forgot about that."

Due to the time, Hermione continued to write her letter home while they sat at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall for dinner. And both teens headed directly to the owlery from the Great Hall to send the letter out through Hedwig.

Harry could tell his Snowy was more than happy to take the letter as Hermione carefully tied it firmly to her leg.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Of course, with her letter 'slash' request now winging its way to her parents, Hermione began to fret again. And that began, as far as Harry could estimate, before Hedwig even reached the horizon. This was easy for Harry to determine, as it was just as easy for him to determine back at the Ministry. She was using her top front teeth to nibble on the inside of her bottom lip.

"Relax, Hermione," he said to her. "Even if they say no, I won't mind."

"I'm not worried about that, Harry," she returned. "I'm worried my parents are going to think you're my boyfriend."

"Oh?" he asked. "Am I that repugnant?"

"No-no-no!" she blurted. "That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?" he asked.

"I meant... I'm worried what my father might do or say to you if he thinks you're my boyfriend."

He shrugged back and said, "He'll probably say what all fathers of teen daughters say. 'You hurt my little girl and they'll never find the body.' Or, possibly, 'You even think of poking what's between your legs between my daughter's legs and I'll cut it off with a rusty knife... if you're lucky.'"

Hermione looked horrified.

Harry just grinned back and said, "Don't worry about it, Hermione. I'm not. It's just the sort of thing fathers say to their daughter's boyfriends. I'm expecting it."

"But... but... we're not boyfriend and girlfriend!" she whined.

"I am a boy and I am your friend," he returned. "I dare say that'll be close enough for your father. And maybe your mother, too."

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Back at the DMLE Madam Bones had just finished skimming through the statement of Lord Potter - she'd read Miss Granger's later, as it mainly was really only a supporting document to Lord Potter's - and set it aside with a sigh. Connie Hammer and Beau Fleming were seated opposite in her 'guest's' chairs.

"And both drank the potion-laced water?" she asked.

"They did," replied Hammer while Fleming simply nodded. "Lord Potter even managed to polish off almost a half gallon of it. He spoke for quite a while."

"And every word supported one hundred percent what he made public during the first task," added Fleming.

"I simply can't believe the atrocities those Dursleys committed upon that boy and yet he still turned out to be wonderful young man," said Hammer.

"Have you ever heard of the quote: 'Nature versus nurture'?" asked Fleming.

"Yes," replied Bones while Hammer looked a little confused. "The argument goes, I believe; how much of a person's personality can be attributed to their inherent nature as opposed to how they were nurtured, raised?"

"Indeed," nodded Fleming as Hammer seemed to have at least somewhat understood. "However, it's even more than that. When they talk about nature they're even going as deep as the cellular level; what muggles refer to as 'genes'. It's that level that determines things like eye colour, hair colour, optimum height and weight, that sort of thing. Nurture goes to the environment in which a child is raised, warm or temperate climate, the country they were raised in, all the way down to siblings, guardians, schooling, etcetera; and includes behaviour directed toward him or her.

"If nurture was the dominant effect, then there's no way Lord Potter would not have turned out to be a new Dark Lord; irrespective of what Dumbledore would have us believe. It would also explain what Lord Potter meant when he said he should have been sorted into Slytherin and argued with the Hat not to sort him there.

"If nature were dominant - which I think has been proven in Lord Potter's case - then, no matter how poorly he was raised or badly treated, he's a Potter; and the Potters have always been inherently good people.

"Lord Potter has a strong sense of 'Noblesse Oblige'; the responsibility of the peerage towards the commoner. Miss Granger often referred to what she called Lord Potter's 'Saving People Thing'. Lord Potter has a strong sense of doing what is right, even at the cost of his own welfare. I think that is a combination of his own sense of righteousness being paired with his poor sense of self worth brought about by how the Dursleys treated him.

"From everything I've learned of this matter so far, Lord Potter has been raised in a very specific way that will lead him to ultimately sacrifice himself to save others. Dumbledore's actions have created a teenager, to date, who is simply waiting for the time when he will get to carry out that act. And, I'm sorry to say, I believe it was deliberate on Dumbledore's part."

"That was my intuitive belief, as well," replied Bones. "As it was Lord Potter's. However, it's nice to have it confirmed by a Master Mind Healer."

"You should also know that Lord Potter was correct in positing that magical children raised in an abusive environment will often be sorted into Slytherin. However, that is the case for children whose psyche manages to survive being raised so. Those not so lucky will often be sorted into Hufflepuff, as they fear confrontation and try to hide in the shadows."

"I remember a couple of children like that when I was in Hufflepuff," Bones almost absent-mindedly muttered.

Coming back to herself and sitting up straighter she asked, "Was he also right about matters such as the traps they had to get through in First Year, the whole basilisk fiasco and everything else?"

"I believe so, yes," he nodded. "Just as Lord Potter believes, those traps were way too simple to stop a skilled wizard, let alone a Dark Lord. They were clearly set up to test him and his friends; but, more importantly, him. Nothing else makes any sense.

"As for the basilisk I can see no situation where Dumbledore could not have known there was one in the school the first time it was brought up into the public areas. That was the night of Hallowe'en, 1992, when Filch's cat was petrified.

"And, as for the students who were attacked and petrified, they could have been woken within a day of their petrifications. Mandrake Restorative Draught is kept in stasis in every medical centre I know of. Hells, we even have it here in the DMLE Infirmary. I know for a fact there's currently a dozen doses of it sitting in stasis in the potions cabinet.

"No, Dumbledore wanted those students kept petrified so they wouldn't let anyone know too early that the monster was a basilisk."

"When do we go to trial with all this?" asked Hammer, who had been quiet for most of the talk.

"We start in three days - Monday morning," replied Bones.

"In what order?" asked Hammer.

"Fudge and Umbridge, then the staff of the school, we'll slot the Dursleys in there somewhere and, finally, Dumbledore," she replied. "I want Fudge and Umbridge out of the way so they don't interfere with the other trials. And I want to have Dumbledore last, as I'm hoping there will be more evidence that comes to light from the trials of the other members of staff."

In the past day and a half they had managed to get out of Fudge just how much Umbridge was involved in what he'd been doing. And that she had been blackmailing him, on the side.

"I'm going to put forward all the evidence that I now have on the old man. I want to make sure that even the most die-hard of Dumbledore's supporters on the Wizengamot learn exactly the type of man whom it is they support. I want there to be such a preponderance of incontrovertible evidence there is no possible way the old man is going to escape justice."

"What about Sirius Black?" asked Fleming. "The man is clearly innocent."

"That's being dealt with," she replied. "I have Shacklebolt and Tonks looking for him."

"Tonks?" asked Hammer. "A bit young, isn't she?"

"Yes," nodded Bones. "However, what makes her special for this is that she's of Black blood and a second cousin of him. She remembers 'Cousin Siri', as she called him, with fondness. And, apparently, that fondness was returned.

"If Shacklebolt and she find him it may be the trigger that has him surrendering to them, rather than fighting them off and or running away again."

"Have you asked Lord Potter if he knows how to get hold of him?" asked Fleming. "I didn't specifically ask him that, but I'm pretty sure he likely knows how."

Surprised, Bones replied, "I... hadn't thought of that. I'll send him an owl and ask."

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

The next morning, while Hermione had not heard back from her parents yet, Harry received a decent sized letter from Madam Bones. In it she'd covered what was happening regarding the upcoming trials and such.

In two days they were starting with Cornelius Fudge and Dolores Umbridge. If they had time they'd then start on the Hogwarts staff. Since he'd effectively and willingly admitted to any and all wrongdoing, the first of the staff to be tried was Filius Flitwick. Harry was surprised they'd be starting the trials so soon.

Her letter stated he would be required to attend all the trials, though she knew he'd get bored pretty quick. If he didn't he might find himself approached by an auror who was there to immediately take him to the trial of the moment. And that was only if a member of the Interrogation panel - the judges - specifically demanded his presence for a short time to answer questions.

However she also assured him, as he'd already provided authenticated memories and statement, the likelihood of that occurring was low. If he was so summoned he'd be provided a Law Wizard to advise him before he even took the stand to give verbal evidence.

Turning to a hovering Hermione he said, "The trials start the day after tomorrow - Monday. First up are Fudge and Umbridge. And, if they have time, they'll be followed by Flitwick."

"That's Minister Fudge, Senior Undersec... Oh, to hell with it," she said. "Fudge, then Umbridge, then Flitwick. When are the others?"

Harry laughed. It was the first time he could recall since he'd first met the girl that she had not insisted on people being referred to by, as she saw it, their proper titles. It said a lot to the state of things she now chose to not use them for the adults concerned.

"After Flitwick, the next day it will be Hagrid, Sprout, McGonagall, Snape and Dumbledore in that order. Madam Pomfrey, from what Madam Bones alludes to here, will not be prosecuted at this time so long as she co-operates fully with the DMLE and satisfactorily answers all their questions. However, it's very likely she's going to lose her Medi-witches' credentials."

"But, why?" she plaintively asked. "If Dumbledore's been Obliviating her left, right and centre she's really not at fault for any of it."

"According to Madam Bones her mind's been too badly compromised," he replied. "Plus, she also apparently asked to be allowed to retire and move to one of the colonies. She's utterly mortified Dumbledore was able to do to her what he did. It seems she's lost complete faith and confidence in herself."

Hermione sighed and nodded. "That makes sense, I guess."

"Of course, there's also Sirius's trial to slot in there somewhere," he continued, returning to the letter. "She has a Senior Auror by the name of Shacklebolt and an Auror Second Class by the name of Nymphadora Tonks on the case of finding him. She's also asked if we have some way of finding him."

Confused, he looked at her and asked, "Haven't these people got a lick of sense? Just send him a bloody owl! How do they think I get in contact with him?"

Harry heard the auror standing closest behind him suddenly groan in dismay.

When both teens turned to look at him he was staring back at Harry and shaking his head in exasperation. Without a word he then cast an almost silent Patronus and said to it, "Madam Bones, Potter suggests sending an owl to Black."

The Patronus, a small bear, then galloped out through the wall, heading south.

Harry just snorted in amusement and said, "Really? Is everyone in magical Britain that daft?

"Won't he have up owl redirection wards?" asked Hermione.

"Any and all wards, including an owl redirection ward, can only be set up on a place - a fixed position," he replied. "As Sirius is on the move, he will have no such ward set where he is; unless, of course, he's passing through one at the time."

Turning to the auror again, he asked, "You realise that, since you can cast a corporeal messenger Patronus, you could also send him one of those, right?"

The look of pain on the auror's face was, in Harry's book, 'priceless'.

Not waiting for a reply, Harry turned back around, Hermione was only a fraction of a second behind him.

"That's daft," she muttered.

That's when Harry caught out of the corner of his eye a second corporeal Patronus gallop out through the wall.

"They're also forgetting they could use a house elf to take a message to Sirius, as well," he snarked loudly enough for the auror to hear him.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake!" the auror exclaimed.

Neither teen bothered to look, they just smiled at each other.

That had a third messenger Patronus sent.

Realising she had another issue to raise, Hermione asked Harry, "Any word on when classes are going to start again?"

Surprised at the question, though he knew he really shouldn't be based on the girl's personality, he replied, "Well, a lot of it depends on which staff members find themselves cleared of the charges; somewhat cleared of the charges, but ordered to give up their teaching positions; flat-out dismissed by the School Board anyway or even incarcerated. Only the first of those will see them returned to teach. Based on that I cannot see more than one or two, if they're lucky, returning to be professors.

"For the rest, they'll need to source and contract replacements. According to this, Madam Marchbanks of the WEA - that's the Wizarding Examinations Authority within the Ministry - has been tasked with immediately finding replacements for all the positions, just in case. She's now working with the School Board to recruit those replacements.

"Well, if she's not now, she will be starting as of Monday."

"That could take months," she whined.

"It could," he shrugged. "But that's only to have all the positions filled. They may choose to recommence classes if they have... say... all bar two positions filled. We don't know.

"Actually, I wouldn't mind having someone like Madam Marchbanks come and teach here for a while," he added. "I dare say she has a great deal of knowledge she could share with us. She's one of the very few people I know of who's actually older than Dumbledore.

"Plus, she apparently thinks rather poorly of our so-called esteemed Headmaster. That puts her as someone I believe I can like, right there."

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Having just arrived and now sitting in her office, even if it was a Saturday, this time more closely reading Lord Potter and Miss Granger's official statements and taking notes, the Patronus of a small sun bear leapt into her room through the wall.

It spoke with the almost ethereal voice of one of her aurors; one she knew to be currently stationed as one of Potter's bodyguards, "Madam Bones, Potter suggests sending an owl to Black." Before it faded away.

Giving her own groan of exasperation, the Director of the DMLE set aside the statements she was reading and notes she was taking and practically face-palmed herself before she pulled a sheet of parchment before her, together with quill and ink, and set to writing.

A few seconds later, a second sun bear Patronus entered the room from the direction of the first.

"From Potter again, a messenger Patronus should also reach him."

That time she definitely face-palmed herself and groaned. "Damn. Bugger. Shit. Damn!" she vehemently muttered.

It took her a good ten to fifteen seconds before she could return to her writing.

Then the third Patronus entered.

"Potter also just suggested using a house elf to take Black a message."

"Oh, for Merlin's sake!" she more vehemently sighed, unknowingly echoing her auror's own remark. "This is getting ridiculous!"

Once she'd finished writing she pushed the rune stone button on her desk that would summon her personal aide to her.

When the young woman entered Bones said, "If they're in, please send in Shacklebolt and young Tonks."

The aide softly said, "Yes, Ma'am." And walked out, closing the door behind herself again.

Two minutes later, there was a double knock of knuckles on her door before the door opened and both aurors walked in.

"Yes, Ma'am?" asked Shacklebolt in his deep baritone. As senior auror of the two, he spoke first.

"Have either of you thought to send Black an owl asking him to come in?" she asked.

The look of surprise on both faces before they sheepishly glanced at one another gave her the answer. "No, Ma'am," they both replied.

Looking sternly at both, trying to wilt them with her eyes, she then asked, "Do either of you know how to send a messenger Patronus?"

"Errr... yes, Ma'am," replied Shacklebolt as Tonks silently shook her head.

She then waited to see if it would twig to them what she was getting at.

The looks from both of sheepish confusion told her they didn't.

"If you can cast a messenger Patronus, have you thought of sending Black one of those?" she sarcastically asked.

That was the first time she'd ever seen a black man blush in embarrassment.

She knew she shouldn't be hard on them. After all, even she hadn't thought of that communication option. She was just dirty on herself for not thinking of it; and having a fourteen year old school kid, who wasn't even in his OWL year yet, reminding her of it.

"On top of that," she snapped, "What about giving a note to a house elf and having the house elf deliver it?"

Again, both aurors blushed back.

With a sigh, she handed the sheet with the letter she wrote to Black to Shacklebolt and said, "Send this to him using an International owl. The man might not even be in the country, at the moment.

"Then, once you've done that, send him a messenger Patronus and a house elf with a written message."

"Errr... yes, Ma'am," he quietly replied. And both exited again.

She muttered to herself, "We're looking like complete idiots before this young man. And it's our own bloody fault."

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

That morning's Weekend Daily Prophet was again filled with the happenings regarding what Harry had caused to make known; just as it had been for the past few days. However, little of it was of any real substance.

Information contained in the newspaper alluded to a lot, but it was practically all 'hearsay'. And it was also clear the reporters writing the stories were getting quite frustrated with how well Madam Bones was making sure the information leaks were being kept to as small a minimum as she could manage. They were attacking her for it.

As such many of the student body were trying to figure out ways to approach Harry to get information. And he was quite thankful the aurors stationed in the castle, especially the two he always seemed to have specifically guarding him, were keeping those approaches to a tiny fraction of what he could have expected.

Now the students were getting sneaky in their approaches.

As the two teens were slowly heading back to Gryffindor Tower tailed by Harry's two bodyguard aurors, they'd just walked out of the Great Hall when one of the Slytherins in the year above them, Scarlett Lympsham, approached and offered to teach him about what it meant to be a Lord of a Noble and Most Ancient House. In return, all she asked for was, 'the occasional titbit of information he'd be willing to share to someone who was going out of her way to help him'.

The female auror shadowing him at that moment gave a firm clear of her throat and frowned at the girl. Lympsham immediately backed off and said, "I only meant information otherwise available to the public, of course."

Before the auror could scoff back, Harry said, "Heiress Lympsham, I thank you for your offer. And I may take you up on it once the current... unpleasantness... is suitably dealt with. However, for now, I must decline. Please pass on my respects to your grandfather, Lord Lympsham, when next you have opportunity to communicate with him."

With the bare twitch of her left eye showing she was surprised by his response and his intuitiveness in 'suggesting' it was her grandfather who pushed her to approach him, she replied, "Of course, Lord Potter. I shall do so and look forward to the time when I may assist." Then she gave a slight curtsey before heading off again.

However, while her tone and expression was pleasant, Harry knew she was somewhat miffed he'd so handily discounted her; or that he'd immediately guessed it was her grandfather and Lord of her House who encouraged her to approach him. After all, she'd appeared to have gone to some effort to make herself visually appealing to get her way. For the first time he'd seen her since they first bumped into each other a few days after he first entered the school - and she'd sneered at him, looking down on him as if he was beneath even her contempt - she was not wearing a buttoned up blouse with a school tie. Instead, she was wearing 'civilian-wear' with a blouse that had a neckline low enough he could see down to between her bra-encased breasts, together with a loosely-pleated skirt that ended above the knee. As she spun away to leave he saw how it flared out, displaying her legs quite nicely.

Hermione, who was with him at the time, softly exclaimed, "Well! I... never!"

He turned to her with amusement on his face and twinkling eyes. "The single ladies of the castle have now had it pretty much driven home to them that the Harry Potter they thought they knew was only a mask. And that the real Harrison Potter is a Lord of a Noble and Most Ancient House, single and... I hope... quite attractive."

"Quite attractive, are you?" she scoffed.

Harry laughed, reached out, grabbed her and dragged her in close to lay a big hug on her.

After an initial exclamation of shock at being suddenly grabbed and hugged, Hermione was a few seconds before she relaxed into it.

It was a long few seconds more before she declared, with a voice muffled by his robes, "It's going to take me a little while to get used to you actually being more the touchy-feely type than I thought you were. Well, not touchy-feely; more... willing to initiate physical contact with someone else."

Still grinning, he turned his head a little and kissed her on her forehead. "Hermione Granger; my slave in the chariot."

She gave a snort of amusement before pulling away again. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised you know that reference and what it means."

As they continued to walk, heading up the stairs, he said, "I'm not surprised it was a Slytherin who was the first to approach that way; or that it was an Heiress of a Noble-ranked House. Once the rest of this lot get their minds around just what type of person Harrison James Potter truly is, that's going to happen more and more often."

"What do you mean?" she asked, curious.

"I'm the Head of a Noble and Most Ancient House," he shrugged. "That puts me at the top of supposed wizarding society here in Britain. In a way, you can class me as someone around the level of Marquess in the muggle world. Next are the Noble and Ancient Houses - Earls, Noble and Elder Houses - Viscounts, non-noble Ancient Houses - Barons and non-noble Elder Houses - Baronets. After that you have the 'higgledy-piggledy' of other Houses, who've earned a Life peerage on the Wizengamot - Esquires. The Magical House of Malfoy wants to be one of those, but is really not."

Hermione had stopped without a word to say she was going to and Harry had walked on a bit before he realised she was no longer beside him. He turned back, curious as to why she'd stopped. She was looking at him in stunned shock.

"Hermione?" he asked.

"You're... you're... a Marquess?!" she stuttered out, that last bit in a high-pitched squeak.

"No," he immediately replied, gesturing her forward again. "Actually, a better representation would be 'Marcher Lord' since Marquis is really the French equivalent. While Marcher Lords no longer exist in the muggle world, the wizarding world had already separated from their muggle cousins by then and the Potter holdings are mainly located in the south of Wales."

"Plus, as I said, I really only called them that so you had some idea as to the ranking system of the Houses in wizarding Britain. I could, of course, have used military ranks, but the Houses are more about hereditary peerages than military ranks. The major difference between Wizarding Britain and the United Kingdom is we do not have a monarch. Well, not one that's recognised, at any rate."

Frowning she asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"I, for one, happen to believe Her Majesty, Elizabeth the Second, is our liege monarch whether in muggle or wizarding Britain or not," he shrugged with a small smile. "But, that just might be me coloured by my muggle upbringing."

"It probably is," she quietly sighed.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

Sirius had actually arrived back in wizarding Britain late on the evening of the 23rd of November. As soon as he'd learned from Harry his name had come out of the Goblet of Fire, he immediately made the decision to leave the unplottable Black 'holiday' island in the southern part of the North Atlantic near the Azores and made all haste back.

He knew, though, that Harry didn't know that.

He'd also tried to get in to watch the first task, but the security was so tight he knew he'd be caught for sure if he made the attempt.

Instead, he'd headed back to 'his' cave out the back of Hogsmeade and used the last couple of days since then to gather intelligence. Almost immediately after the first task he'd learned from the Daily Prophet just what had gone on. It was all over the front page... and the second... and the third! Actually, it was all over the front page for the next few days.

From that he'd also learned that Harry had reported that he, Sirius, was innocent; and that both the Minister and the Chief Warlock had received irrefutable evidence of such and not acted as they should have done. The paper also covered the arrests of Fudge, Umbridge, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Sprout, Hagrid, Pomfrey, Barty Crouch Senior, Molly Weasley and Lucius Malfoy. To add insult to injury, it also reported that the person who posed as that year's DADA Professor, Alastor Moody, was actually a supposedly dead Death Eater, Bartemius Crouch Junior. He too was also arrested at that time.

'Twelve people arrested!' he thought. 'Of them, the Head of the Wizengamot and Headmaster of their premier school, the Head of the Ministry and his Senior Undersecretary were included!'

"And this was all because of Harry?" he muttered.

He'd been living in the now 'refurbished' cave for just over a week, still collecting intelligence, when the Patronus form of a lynx cat appeared out of nowhere and leapt into the mouth of the cave.

It so badly startled the crap out of him he had his ill-gotten wand raised and pointing back at the Patronus before he even realised he had reacted. However, his hand shook so badly it would be pure luck if he'd actually managed to get a spell off, let alone hit anything.

While he was trying to get his hammering heart and shakes back under control the lynx spoke in a deep man's voice.

"Black. Auror Shacklebolt. We know for a fact you are innocent. We need you to turn yourself in so we can give you the trial you should have had and clear your name."

As the first one faded away a second one jumped in of the same Patronus form. And the voice continued.

"I swear on my magic, if you turn up at the Three Broomsticks at noon on any day I will ensure your safe transport to the Ministry to await trial. Leave a white rose on a table and I'll know you accept."

As he took time to calm down again, even choosing to chug one of his on-hand calming potions to quickly achieve it, he began to calculate the risks involved and how to minimise them.

It took him hours to think about it - he really had nothing better to do at the moment - while he thought it through.

And that's when the Ministry owl glided in and alighted on the ground in front of him.

After a puzzled frown he checked to ensure there were no illicit, or otherwise unwanted, charms on either the bird or its letter before he then used a charm to drop the letter away from the owl.

As soon as the owl was free of its load, it moved to perch on a rock nearby.

Again frowning, he cast more detection charms over the letter and only found the one - a standard mail package shrinking charm. He quickly had that cancelled and the letter unshrunk. There were no other charms.

Carefully opening the letter he realised it also contained a blank sheet of parchment and a self-inking quill. Both had been wrapped inside the letter.

Setting them aside he began to read...

~ # ~

Lord Sirius Orion Black III

of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black

Lord of the House of Black

Lord Black,

I, Amelia Susan Bones, swear on my magic I mean you no harm. I further swear I am ready to give you that trial you were denied and, if you hand yourself over to one of my aurors, they are under orders not to harm you and to bring you before me with all alacrity. As I write, so I swear, so must it be.

I have tasked two aurors specifically with finding you and bringing you in unharmed. One is Senior Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt; and the other is your cousin, Auror Second Class Nymphadora Tonks.

If you find them before they find you, I beg of you, hand yourself in!

We know you're innocent of the crimes for which you were unlawfully tossed into Azkaban, Lord Black. Together, we will right this wrong.

If you would prefer we come to you at a place of your choosing, please use the attached quill and parchment to write me and let me know. The owl has been ordered to remain to allow you to mail back. Otherwise, please simply order it to return to the Ministry.

Sincerely Yours,

.

Madam Director Amelia Bones

of the Noble and Ancient House of Bones

Director of the DMLE

Regent of the House of Bones

~ # ~

Shocked yet again, Sirius simply sat there unsure of what to do. Did he go ahead with the 'white rose' concept? Or, did he write to her and have her or someone else meet him at a place of his own choosing, as she suggested?

He also found himself completely believing what he'd been sent. He already knew Ami Bones was a witch of her word and had no doubt she'd do her best to keep him safe and see to him getting the trial he needed.

The question was: Was her best going to be good enough to keep him alive? He knew there were forces out there that would like nothing better than for him to reach a state of 'dead' before he even had a chance to walk into that courtroom.

He was certain Malfoy would be one of them. And had the financial capital and incentive to organise it.

What to do? This bore some deep thinking. Plus, knowing the trials of Fudge and Umbridge, at least, were starting the next morning, he knew he'd need to do what he was going to do pretty quick. Or, he'd have to wait until after the trials and move then.

But, if he did turn himself in either that afternoon or the next morning, would they be able to fit his trial in before or during the trials of those already organised, anyway?

He spent quite the few hours more thinking on it. And, suddenly, he had an idea. As far as he was concerned, his idea was both brilliant and worthy of being titled one of the most brilliant and daring pranks of all time.

It would definitely be one for his memoirs, if he every got a chance to write one.

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ

At Riddle Manor 'Babymort, the homunculus' was having another tantrum, though mainly in his head.

There was a great deal going on in the wizard world at that moment and he was effectively out of the information loop. The only information he was receiving was via the Daily Prophet and Pettigrew. And, as far as he was concerned, neither was a reliable source of information.

He already knew that one of the two of his minions currently aware of his existence and location was once more behind the walls of Azkaban. The other, Pettigrew, was a poor choice of servant. His only redeeming quality was his animagus ability and form. That he was a common brown rat allowed him to infiltrate places very few could hope to enter. However, besides his animagus ability and loyalty to him, he had very few redeeming qualities. And being a representative of his powerful self wasn't one of them.

"Wormtail!" he called.

When Pettigrew scurried in, he tentatively asked, "Yes, Master?"

"My potion!" snapped Riddle. "And be quick about it!"

Oh, how he wanted to cast the Cruciatus curse on the fat little sniveller. But, he couldn't. He needed Pettigrew to have a steady hand while making him his potions. And the Cruciatus curse would rob the man of that.

It was so annoying trying to be the most powerful dark lord the world had ever seen and yet be forced to use such pathetic whelps for lackeys

_‗_

―==(oIo)==―

ˇ