Chapter 21
Aurors At Hogwarts, Part 1
Author's Note: Yep, this is only Part 1 of what will be two parts. It was always going to be two parts, because of what I planned for this chapter. Let's just say this ends with an evil cliffhanger.
I've had questions concerning whether or not one of the Goblins now owns the Elder Wand. When Dumbledore was Portkeyed to the Holding Cell, the Elder Wand and Dumbledore's clothes simply vanished off Dumbledore and appeared in a box near the Holding Cell. No Goblin actually handled it or took custody of the wand.
As you'll see in the warnings, there is a mention of a background/minor Fem-Slash relationship. Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis are mentioned as going to the Yule Ball together. This won't have much importance to the storyline as a whole. Just a background relationship that might be mentioned from time to time, as Daphne – and possibly Tracey in the future – is a member of the Children of the Great Alliance.
For those of you interested in all the current pairings seen in this story, the list will be up on my FFN Profile. It will be updated as new couples come into future chapters.
Warning: Dumbledore, Ginny, Ron and Molly Weasley Bashing; Mention of a Background Fem-Slash relationship.
(Wednesday, December 16th, 1994)
Amelia Bones glanced through the window of the Thestral-drawn carriage, admiring Hogwarts Castle, as it came ever closer as the carriage closed in on its destination. She could still remember the very first time she had seen the castle, crossing the Hogwarts lake in a four-person boat, with Rubeus Hagrid leading the pack. That was nearly a quarter of a century ago. She sighed and shook her head.
"Something wrong, boss?" Rookie Auror Nymphadora Tonks asked.
Amelia shook out of her musing. Rookie Auror Tonks was sitting across from her, with Senior Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt sitting next to the young Rookie. Arthur Weasley was sitting to Amelia's right. She noticed that Arthur's face held the same troubled expression that had crossed his face many times, since his wife had been arrested the previous evening at their home. He had been so distraught over the results of the test the DMLE Healer had given him, that he hadn't even gone home the previous evening. He had spent the night in one of the private bedrooms in the Auror Department, where Aurors sometimes stayed after a late night, when they were too exhausted to travel home. Now, the man was going to have to be present when Amelia interrogated his children. He certainly wasn't having the best couple of days.
"Nothing, Tonks," Amelia answered, "Just a wave of nostalgia at seeing the old castle again. Don't get too many opportunities coming here these days. Even though my niece and ward spends nine months a year here."
Tonks nodded, sympathetically. "I finished my education in '91, and I still catch myself waking up on the first of September thinking I am supposed to be heading to Platform Nine and Three Quarters for another trip on the Hogwarts Express."
Auror Shacklebolt chuckled. "I've been out of Hogwarts almost as long as Director Bones here, and I still feel that way sometimes, Rookie."
"Oh, Merlin, you're making me feel old now, Shacklebolt!" Amelia said.
Kingsley and Tonks chuckled at that. Amelia glanced at Arthur, hoping she might see a trace of a smile light up his face. The man was still staring out the carriage window, as he had been since he entered the carriage.
Amelia cleared her throat. "Alright, listen up. As much as I hate to do this, we're here during a time when the students are taking their end-of-term exams. The students we're here to meet are being let out of their first period, missing what might be an important exam. They will have to make up these exams sometime this week."
That is, if Arthur's youngest two aren't leaving the castle today, Amelia mused.
"Let's do our best to make sure they don't miss too much of their lessons," Amelia said. "I am going to be talking to Harry Potter and Hermione Granger first. Minerva McGonagall will be their chaperone during the meeting. Kingsley, Tonks, you're to accompany Arthur here and remain in a room with his four children. I do not want you to interrogate Ronald and Ginevra, that is my job. As for the older two, the twins, Fred and George. They only have one charge against them. The Breach of the Statute of Secrecy. Ask them about their point-of-view during that day at King's Cross on the first of September in 1991. When they are finished, excuse them back to their classes. I will decide what, if anything, to charge them with, once I hear your reports.
"As for Ronald and Ginevra, as I said, do not interrogate them. Arthur is allowed to speak to them. However, I want both of you to check them for illegal items. As I understand it, Ginevra is wearing a necklace, and Ronald is wearing an ankle bracelet. These are enchanted with Level Seven Restricted Enchantments. Remove them from their persons. They will likely complain about it. Arthur will be there to calm them down. Arthur, look at me."
Arthur sighed and turned to Amelia.
"I need your permission to allow my Aurors to Stun Ronald and Ginevra if they resist my Aurors," Amelia said. "I also need your permission to possibly use Veritaserum on the two of them. I suspect they might resist giving me information, because they are involved in criminal activities."
Arthur's bottom lip wobbled, then he cleared his throat. "You have my permission to do what you must. I will be there every second, of course. If Ron and Ginny complain, I will tell them to cooperate. If they don't, your Aurors may Stun them. If they don't believe you about the Truth Serum, I will tell them you have my permission to use it. I'm afraid to say Ron and Ginny's behavior over the past few years have been rather suspicious. Especially when it comes to Molly, and also Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. If… I –"
"I understand, Arthur," Amelia said. "Believe me, I do."
She did understand what Arthur did not want to say. If he hadn't been dosed up on illegal and restricted Potions, and enchantments, he might have been able to prevent all of this. Which is exactly why Molly had done what she had. Now Arthur only wanted to understand just what his two youngest children were capable of.
"While I cannot give my reasons why at this moment in time," Amelia said, "I want us to be done with all of this and leave Hogwarts before Albus Dumbledore returns to Lord over the castle. Whether that means we're leaving with Ronald and Ginevra Weasley or not… well, I suppose we'll know that by the time we leave today."
Kingsley merely nodded firmly, while Tonks looked a little confused at the mention of Dumbledore's name. Neither Auror had been informed of Dumbledore's suspected involvement in any of this yet. They would likely discover some of that information before they were finished today. Arthur's only response was a shuddering sigh, probably at the thought of his two youngest children being placed under arrest.
Amelia suddenly realized something. She had not asked the Aurors about Percy Weasley. She had been so busy, she had forgotten she had asked them to find Arthur's third oldest son.
"Aurors Shacklebolt, Tonks," she said, "Were you able to get in contact with Percy Weasley?"
"We were." Kingsley said, "We asked Eric, the Welcome Wizard in the Atrium, to inform us if and when Percy arrived today. About half-an-hour before we met with you, Percy Weasley arrived and we met with him in Bartemius Crouch's office, in the Department of International Cooperation, where he is currently proxying in Mr. Crouch's absence.
"We asked him about that September incident at King's Cross. He told us about his point-of-view of what happened that day. He told us he was rather confused as to why his mother wanted to take the Muggleborn route to get to Platform Nine and Three Quarters, as they had never done so before. He said he was quite shocked when he heard his mother loudly talking about Muggles and asking his sister about the Platform which she had dutifully answered. Percy had wanted to lecture both his mother and sister right there about risking a breach in the Statute of Secrecy. But he said he didn't want to cause a scene. He said he wrote two letters the first night at Hogwarts that term, and sent them to his father and mother."
He glanced at Arthur. "He wrote to his father about the incident, and asked why his mother and sister had risked a breach in the Statute of Secrecy, why they had to use the Muggleborn route. He knew nothing at the time about Harry Potter going over to his mother and siblings. He said he never got a response from his father."
Arthur sighed. "I don't remember ever receiving a letter about such a thing from him. I now believe Molly might have prevented me from receiving the letter."
"Percy said he wrote to his mother about the scene," Kingsley continued, "and the breach. He asked her why she had done such a thing, and encouraged her own daughter to break the law. He said he received a letter the following morning from his mother. His mother said that there had been no risk to the Statute of Secrecy, that she had taken care of it, and that he should mind his own business. His mother told him to not mention any of it to his siblings, or he would face 'severe repercussions' from his mother. He said his mother had threatened him with removal of his Prefect Badge, and the chance of becoming Head Boy if he ever spoke up about it. If he did tell anyone, the Headmaster would surely find out and he wouldn't become Head Boy, and he certainly wouldn't be able to have a good job at the Ministry.
"I suspect we're going to hear this from Fred and George. Percy said the twins asked him about what had happened at King's Cross, and why they hadn't used the Floo Network to go to the Platform. Percy said he told his brothers to mind their own business, and that he would take care of it. They never brought it up to him again.
"He told me and Tonks that he 'deeply regretted' the incident and he would accept any punishment. He knows he should have reported the incident to someone at the Ministry. He told us he had tried to write many letters, but he had thrown them all away before he would finish them. He said he was selfish and wanted the Head Boy title and a job at the Ministry."
Amelia sighed. Percy Weasley was clearly a victim of emotional manipulation from his mother. She highly suspected it wouldn't be the last case of this with the Weasley children."
"Thank you for your report," Amelia said, "I will decide what to do about Percy by the time we return to Headquarters."
A few moments later, the carriage stopped and Amelia inhaled and exhaled. It was time to get some very important answers to many questions she had asked herself over the past several hours.
(Ten minutes later…)
Harry Potter and Hermione Granger were eating the remainder of their breakfast, and happily chatting away with Padma Patil, Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom at the Ravenclaw Table. Hermione had been right about Padma. She was a gossip like her sister, though she wasn't obsessed by it.
"Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott now have dates to the Yule Ball," Padma said, "Susan is going with Terry Boot, a fellow Ravenclaw of mine. Hannah is going with her fellow Hufflepuff house-mate, Ernie MacMillan."
All members of the Children of the Great Alliance, Harry realized,Inter-Alliance relationships, like Neville and Luna.
"You didn't hear it from me," Padma said, lowering her voice, "But there are rumors Daphne Greengrass has decided to take her best friend Tracey Davis as a date."
Harry blinked. "As friends or…?"
"I do not know," Padma said, shrugging. "Could go either way. It is possible they just don't want to go with any blokes. That will certainly make a few Slytherin males mad. I heard Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott are interested in them."
"What about you, Padma?" Hermione asked, "Do you have a date to the Ball?"
"Still looking," Padma said, smiling.
"I'm sure you'll find someone to go with," Hermione said, smiling, "Someone you'll like."
"Thanks," Padma said.
Harry smiled as conversation continued. He mused about what had gone on that morning so far. Earlier that morning, minutes after he awoke, Dobby had delivered a large package from Keeper Ragnok. Not only did it have the two copies of Blood Tests – his and Hermione's – it also had a copy of the Contract for the Dursleys he had requested. He also received a letter from Keeper Ragnok. Ragnok told him about the letter he would give Albus Dumbledore, as well as details about the Contract. Ragnok said he had plans for a human representative of Gringotts to meet with the Dursleys this Saturday, or Sunday at the very latest, to discuss the Contract. He just needed Harry's approval of the Contract.
Harry had read it over, and was quite happy with the results. He wrote a letter to Keeper Ragnok, confirming his approval and wished the representatives good luck with the Dursleys, knowing they would need it. Then he asked Dobby to deliver the letter to Ragnok.
About twenty minutes ago, the Owl Post had come. Harry had gazed up at the Head Table, where he had witnessed Albus Dumbledore receive a black envelope, which had turned into a piece of parchment. Whatever the parchment said, it made Albus stand and leave the Great Hall immediately. Harry had suspected the letter was from Keeper Ragnok. Whatever his Account Manager had written, he had succeeded in getting Albus Dumbledore out of the castle, which was exactly what Harry had wanted.
Now, Harry was just waiting for the arrival of Director Amelia Bones. Professor McGonagall had left the Great Hall a few minutes prior, and Harry suspected she would soon return and ask him, Hermione and the Weasleys to join her.
As if his musing had been heard from the higher powers, the doors to the Great Hall opened. Three loud sounds, like firecrackers, were heard, and everyone went silent and turned toward the sound, not from the Head Table but from the large doors at the opposite end of the Hall. Professor McGonagall was standing there.
"Messrs. Frederick, George and Ron, and Miss Ginny Weasley," McGonagall said, loudly, "Please step out into the Entrance Hall, immediately. All will be explained shortly."
Harry turned to the Gryffindor Table. Fred and George stood up immediately, then walked down the aisles. When they met up with Ron, who was still stuffing his face with food, they each grabbed an arm of Ron's and pulled him from the table. The students around him groaned in disgust at the mess caused by the plate of food that Ron had dragged off the table with him. A house-elf appeared for a brief moment and vanished the mess before disappearing. Ginny stood up when her brothers reached her and followed them out into the Entrance Hall.
Meanwhile, Professor McGonagall walked over to Harry and Hermione.
"Mr. Potter, Miss Granger," McGonagall said. "Come with me, please."
"Yes, ma'am," "Yes, Professor," Harry and Hermione said respectively.
The couple stood up and followed McGonagall out of the Great Hall. As they arrived in the Entrance Hall, they found Director Amelia Bones waiting for them. Harry then noticed the four Weasley siblings were being led up toward the Grand Staircase by two adults. Harry was surprised to see Arthur Weasley following them.
"The Weasleys are being led to one of the abandoned classrooms on the fourth floor," McGonagall explained, as she noticed her Lions looking at the family of gingers. "We're heading to my Office on the first floor."
"Keeping us separated from the Weasleys, ma'am?" Hermione asked.
"That was my decision, Miss Granger," Director Amelia Bones said, "I asked your Professor to ask for the Weasleys to leave the Great Hall first, so they wouldn't know the two of you are speaking to me."
"Probably best," Harry agreed. "Nice to meet you face-to-face, Director Bones."
"Please, Harry," Amelia said, "You, and Hermione, can call me Amelia. If your parents had lived, Harry, you might have affectionately known me as Auntie Amelia, like my niece, Susan."
"I've recently learned exactly how close our families were, Amelia," Harry said.
"Have you?" Amelia asked, raising an eyebrow. "I assume this is something we're going to be discussing today?"
"One of a few things," Harry said, nodding.
"Do you need anything from the Den, Mr. Potter?" McGonagall asked.
"I brought all the important documents with me today, ma'am," Harry said, indicating the knapsack on his back.
"Very well," McGonagall said, "Follow me, please. I will, of course, be your chaperone during this meeting."
Harry and Hermione had already predicted this, so they merely nodded in acceptance, and followed the Head of Gryffindor with Director Bones following behind them.
(A few minutes later…)
Arthur Weasley frowned as he followed his four children and the two Aurors into an unused classroom on the fourth floor of Hogwarts. When Ron and Ginny had first seen him, they asked him what was going on. Then they saw Kingsley and Tonks, dressed in Auror garb, and started panicking. They panicked more when the two Aurors summoned all four of his children's wands to them. Arthur ordered them to calm down and do whatever the two Aurors asked them to do. Since then, all four of his children were silent as they had followed the two Aurors. However, he did notice that Ronald had a mixture of panic and anger on his face, and Ginny simply looked angry.
He knew at once that they were hiding serious secrets, and they were both reacting to the Aurors being there.
"Fred and George," Kingsley said, "Sit down in two of the chairs in the front row. Ronald, come here. Ginevra, you are to stand in front of Auror Tonks, here."
Arthur frowned as he watched his children. Ron and Ginny both hesitated visibly. They only moved when Fred and George sat down in two neighboring seats. Arthur watched as the two Aurors ran their wands over the bodies of his two youngest children.
"Your necklace has suspicious enchantments on it, Miss Weasley," Tonks said, "You will remove it at once."
"How did you – it is a family heirloom!" Ginny cried, "I know my rights. You cannot take heirlooms from me!"
"That necklace is not an heirloom, Ginevra," Arthur said, "It was given to you by Albus Dumbledore. Remove it at once, like Auror Tonks requested of you."
"Daddy?" Ginny whimpered.
"The Aurors have been ordered to Stun you if you resist, Ginny," Arthur said. "I have given them permission to do so."
Ginny huffed, angrily and removed the necklace, then threw it on the ground.
"Remove the ankle bracelet, Ronald," Kingsley said.
"Do not mention the words 'family heirloom', Ronald," Arthur warned his youngest son. "Do what the Auror asks of you."
Ron grumbled and knelt on one knee. Then he removed the bracelet and gave it to Kingsley.
"You two may sit down in the back row," Kingsley ordered the two youngest siblings.
"How did they find the jewelry?" Arthur heard Ron whisper to Ginny, "I thought they weren't supposed to be able to find them!"
"Shut up, Ronald!" Ginny hissed, "They can hear us now that we no longer are wearing the jewelry! Be silent! Say nothing! They have nothing on us. They know nothing. We're completely innocent. Do not say a word, or I swear to Merlin when I get my wand back..."
Arthur merely sighed and shook his head. He walked over to Fred and George.
"Boys, I want you to cooperate with these two Aurors and answer their questions as honestly as you can," Arthur said, "Do not do that twin-speak stuff. Speak full sentences and only speak one at a time."
Fred and George nodded in unison. Even they knew when to be serious. Arthur turned to the Aurors.
"You have my permission to question them," Arthur said. "I do not believe you'll need to resort to Veritaserum. As for my youngest two… I can't say the same."
Ginny had heard what Arthur had said. He saw the expression of shocked disbelief cross her face, before it turned to anger.
"Fred, George," Kingsley said, "I want you to describe the events of September 1st in the year 1991, when you were on the Muggleborn side of King's Cross, going to Platform Nine and Three Quarters."
Arthur looked back at Ginny, who's eyes widened at the question. She had the look of disbelief on her face again as she shook her head.
"That was a bizarre start to the day, wasn't it, George?" Fred asked, "We were all ready to use the Floo Network to get to Platform Nine and Three Quarters, like we usually do. Mum said that we weren't using the Floo Network this time. She said our Floo was malfunctioning, and that we would have to use the Muggleborn route to get to Platform Nine and Three Quarters. None of us had never done that before. Mum said we were going to use Dad's Ford Anglia. I was surprised Mum knew how to drive!"
"When we got near London, I asked Mum why we weren't going to the Leaky Cauldron to use their Floo," George said. "Mum said it would be much too busy, and it would be quite the hassle bringing five children to the Platform. I reminded her that Ginny didn't actually need to get onto the Platform. She could say goodbye to us in the Leaky Cauldron. Mum told us we were already in London, and this was a wonderful learning experience, to use the Muggleborn side. She said Dad would be proud of us."
"I asked why Dad wasn't coming with us," Fred said, "He had usually come with us to see us off in prior years, you see. If we were going the Muggleborn way, Dad would definitely have taken off work – just like everyone else did on September 1st of each year, to see us off. She said Dad had an emergency at work."
Arthur frowned. He remembered that morning in question. Molly had told him she had gotten a message through the Floo Network from Perkins, his assistant in his Department, that there was emergency at work. He would have to go in, and wouldn't be able to see his children off to Hogwarts. When he had arrived at work, Perkins said there was no emergency, and he certainly didn't remember using the Floo Network to speak to Molly.
"Anyway, we arrived with only a few minutes to spare," George said, "Fifteen minutes maybe. Percy was panicking about being late to his Prefect's meeting. He was fussing about being the last one to the meeting, and how embarrassing it would be for his very first day as Prefect. Then all of a sudden, as we get close to Platforms Nine and Ten, Mum goes… weird."
"She started talking about the crowds, and how it was always crowded," Fred said. "She had been talking rather loudly, and had even called the people 'Muggles'. That was a magical term, and I remembered wondering why Mum was using such a term quite loudly. It was already weird how she sounded as if she had been to the Muggleborn side of King's Cross before."
"Like she had been there many times," George said, nodding. "We don't recall her every doing being there on the Muggle side. She's always taken us through the Floo Network, even from Bill's first year. We always used the Floo to go home too each time we returned to London. Then it just gets stranger."
Fred looked over his shoulder at Ginny, who was glaring at her brothers. "Mum asks us what the number of the Platform was. Like… how could she forget? It doesn't change. She's been there dozens of times. We were just about to ask her how she had forgotten the number, when Ginny pipes up, rather loudly in a crowd of Muggles, 'Nine and Three Quarters!'. She said it loudly. She didn't say it quietly, even though there were all these Muggles around. We were taught to respect the Statute of Secrecy."
"That is why you're talking to us, isn't it?" George asked. "Mum and Ginny breached the Statute of Secrecy that day, and we did nothing to stop them. So we're pretty much guilty too. We were supposed to report such behavior to authorities and we didn't do it."
"A few days after it happened, we asked Percy about it," Fred said. "He told us to mind our own business, and that he was taking care of it. We never brought it up to him again. We… I remember looking up the Statute of Secrecy in the lawbooks in the library. We also asked Madam Pince, the librarian about what we should do. She said we should write a letter to the Ministry about it."
"We actually did write a letter to the Ministry," George said. "We thought they would handle it. We never got a response about it, so we thought we were in the clear. I'm starting to believe our letter never arrived to the Ministry. Especially if you're here asking us about it."
"Thank you, gentlemen, for your honest answers," Kingsley said. "I will give this report to Director Bones, and she will inform you about any repercussions you may face. However, we do understand you did try to do something about it. We will keep that in mind."
"Well done, boys," Arthur said, "I'm sorry for what you had to endure. I will explain later what actually happened that day, and why your mother wanted to use the Muggleborn route."
Arthur looked at Ginny, who's eyes were wide in panic again. She knew that he knew exactly what had happened that day.
"You're excused for now, boys," Kingsley said.
"Good luck on your exams," Tonks said.
"Thank you, Nymphadora!" Fred said.
"And may we say, Nymphadora," George said, "How lovely it is to see you again!"
"The outfit suits you," Fred said.
"You look hot, Nymphadora!" George said.
Fred and George stood then ran out of the room.
"Don't call me Nymphadora!" Tonks growled after the twins; she then blushed and turned back to Kingsley. "Sorry, sir."
Kingsley merely sighed and shook his head. Then he looked at Ron and Ginny.
"The two of you will remain seated there until Director Bones comes to ask you questions," Kingsley said, "Anything you say, we will report to Director Bones, for use in your Interrogations."
Ron pouted as he rested his head in his arms on the desk. Ginny merely crossed her arms and glared in her father's direction.
"Mum is going to be so upset with you, Dad," Ginny said. "Where is she? Why isn't she here too?"
"Your mother is in a Holding Cell in DMLE custody, Ginevra," Arthur said, "I'm sorry to say she may be going to Azkaban for a few years."
Ginny and Ron's voices echoed throughout the fourth floor:
"WHAT?!"
(A couple minutes earlier…)
Harry followed Professor McGonagall and Hermione into the Transfiguration Professor's office, as Director Bones followed them. McGonagall conjured two seats on the nearest side of her desk, joining one that was already there.
"Director Bones," McGonagall said, "You may sit in my chair, so that I may sit with my students."
"I would be honored, Minerva," Amelia said, with a smile.
The DMLE Head took McGonagall's usual chair while Harry sat in the middle chair with Hermione and McGonagall sitting on either side of him.
"I suppose I should begin this meeting by catching you up with what I've already discovered," Amelia said, "I can't tell you everything, but I can tell you enough."
"We understand some of it may be confidential information, ma'am," Hermione said.
"Indeed it is," Amelia said, then she bluntly said, "Molly Weasley was arrested last night on multiple charges, and is currently residing in a special Holding Cell in the DMLE Headquarters. The Holding Cell is behind various enchantments that can only be accessed by myself and a few other individuals whom I have confirmed are loyal to me. Albus Dumbledore knows nothing about this special Holding Cell, and I may have said too much already to the three of you."
"Can you tell us what charges Molly Weasley was given?" McGonagall asked.
"I can tell you a couple," Amelia said. "Some of the charges are still pending. The first was that she did indeed breach the Statute of Secrecy that September day in King's Cross in 1991. That is the most serious of charges. She also confirmed knowledge of the Enchanted jewelry Ronald and Ginevra possessed. Conspiracy to Use is what we have her on for those."
She then removed a piece of parchment from her robes, and set it on the desk. Harry recognized it as a copy of the Betrothal Contract – identical to a copy he had. Then she set down a large brass key as well.
"My Gringotts Key!" Harry said, recognizing it immediately.
"She had it in her possession," Amelia said, "She said Dumbledore had asked her to give it back to you and that 'she just hadn't gotten around to it.' She confirmed stealing 5000 Galleons from you since August. Would you like me press charges against her for this?"
"I'll let Gringotts punish her for that one," Harry said.
"Very well," Amelia said, she motioned to the copy of the Betrothal Contract. "She is also charged with the Illegal Creation of a Betrothal Contract. We found her copy of it in the Burrow. We also caught her in Possession, with intent to use illegal and restricted substances."
"Love Potion," Harry muttered.
"As well as several others," Amelia said, nodding. "She had a rather interesting plan involving the Love Potion she was making. Interestingly enough, she wasn't going to use the Love Potion to make you fall in love with Ron and Ginny. Not yet, at least."
"That sounds ominous," Hermione muttered.
"The original plan was for Ronald to ask you, Hermione, to the Yule Ball," Amelia said. "Ron would then convince you, Harry, to ask Ginny to the Ball. That would serve the initial purpose – the public view of you two on a date with the two youngest Weasleys. This would give Molly the opportunity to continue her plan next summer, when she would dose you with Love Potions keyed to Ginny and Ron respectively. As you would have been seen as accompanying the Weasleys to the Yule Ball on dates, nobody would bat an eye to the fact that you two were in serious relationships with Ginny and Ron respectively. In reality, you would be under the influence of Love Potions, and nobody none the wiser of any suspicious behavior with your relationships."
"That sounds very plausible," Hermione muttered. "Thank goodness you asked me to the Ball before Ron got the opportunity, Harry."
"Thank goodness for Professor McGonagall encouraging me to find a date rather quickly," Harry said, smiling at the Lioness of Gryffindor.
"I was happy to help," McGonagall said, "You said this was Molly's original plan, Amelia?"
"Indeed," Amelia said, "Her original plan was ruined of course, as Harry had asked Hermione, not only to the Ball, but also to be his girlfriend. Your plan to make your relationship public and well-known worked quite well. Molly had to change her plan. Ginny wrote her a letter last night, and asked her to convince Dumbledore to Obliviate you, as you had assumed. But she was against the plan, because your relationship is so public. She couldn't risk anyone being suspicious about a sudden break-up. So she concocted another plan."
"Let me guess," Hermione said, "She was going to make it look like we were arguing and stuff. Then the public would see us have relationship problems."
"It is a little more complicated," Amelia said. "That Love Potion she was caught brewing? She was going to deliver it to Ginny. Ginny would have to summon a hair from an attractive male. She'd place the hair in the Potion, and give it to you. You were supposed to snog this attractive bloke in public, hopefully where Harry would catch you. This would spark arguments and problems between you. Then Molly would deliver various other Potions like Revulsion Potions and such which would further break up your relationship and even your friendship. Then she would give you Infatuation Potions keyed to Ron and Ginny respectively. Ron and Ginny would ask you on dates to Hogsmeade, and you'd say yes, because of the Potions."
"A couple dates in Hogsmeade," Harry said, "would be enough to convince the public of our pending relationship, and Molly could use her Love Potion scheme next summer, where nobody would notice our evolving relationship with Ginny and Ron."
"Precisely," Amelia said.
"Oh, God," Hermione gasped, "It was Molly! She did it!"
"What do you mean, Hermione?" Amelia asked, "What did Molly do?"
"We visited Gringotts on Sunday, ma'am," Hermione said, "We met with Keeper Ragnok The Sixth, Harry's Account Manager."
Amelia raised an eyebrow. "Were you in Gringotts between ten and eleven in the morning?"
"We were there for quite a while," Hermione said, "I would assume so. Why?"
"I'll tell you in a little bit," Amelia said, "Continue your thought."
"In addition to the Illegal Betrothal Contract, among other things," Hermione said, "We each took Blood Tests. We have a copy of the results for you."
Harry and Hermione took the documents from their knapsacks and passed them to Amelia, who looked through them.
Amelia raised an eyebrow almost immediately. "Descendant of Pureblood, Miss Granger?"
Hermione blushed. "I am the Heiress of the Noble House of Dagworth-Granger."
Amelia blinked. "That… is an unexpected revelation. We'll get back to that. Let's see. Merciful Merlin! All these Blocks! And Bindings! These are extremely illegal! Who is responsible for all this?"
"We believe Albus is responsible for most of the Blocks and Bindings," McGonagall said.
"However, those Potions," Hermione said, "What if Mrs. Weasley made those?"
Amelia frowned as she looked through the Tests. "I will certainly be asking Molly Weasley about this. I beg your pardon, you two, but according to these Tests, both of you are victims of Multiple Obliviations. I believe I need to know about these incidents. I assume the memories were restored."
"We predicted you would ask us that, ma'am," Harry said. "We each wrote statements summarizing our memories we regained."
He and Hermione pulled out another piece of parchment each from their knapsacks and handed them to the DMLE Head. She looked through them, her eyes wide.
"What is this about the Dursleys, Harry?" Amelia asked. "As in Lily's sister and her husband? Harry, either my memory is shady, or I distinctly remember your mother saying your Aunt would never be allowed to be your guardian!"
"So we've recently discovered," Harry muttered. "We'll discuss that soon enough."
"Indeed we will," Amelia muttered, "Because it certainly looks like they should be arrested for attempted murder! You could have been killed if… if Dumbledore and Poppy Pomfrey hadn't shown up and healed you!"
"The Dursleys are being dealt with, ma'am," Harry said.
Seeing the look on the Director's face, Harry quickly explained his plan for the Dursleys. Amelia rubbed the wrinkles in her forehead by the time he finished.
"Let me get this straight," Amelia said, "Instead of turning them over to Muggle authorities, you're giving them money and making them leave Great Britain?"
"Director Bones?" Harry asked, "Do you honestly think Albus Dumbledore couldn't get them out of police custody, or even Muggle prison, and put me back in the Dursleys' custody, if he wants me back there so badly? If the Dursleys went to America or Australia or any other English-speaking country, Dumbledore couldn't find them. Especially in the middle of a large Muggle population."
Amelia sighed. "As much as I dislike it, you have a good point. However, I am sure I could have done something to prevent such a thing."
"Where were you the last thirteen years?" Harry asked, in a deadpan tone.
"Mr. Potter!" McGonagall scolded her student.
"He's right, Minerva," Amelia said, "He has a right to be upset. Let's move on for now. What is this about a troll during Halloween of your first year?"
Harry and Hermione explained the incident – the real incident, and the false incident they were made to believe. Amelia glared at Minerva when the students were finished.
"A Troll invaded Hogwarts and nearly killed a young first year three years ago," Amelia said, "And this is the first I hear about it?"
McGonagall sighed. "I'm afraid the Troll was just one of several incidents that Dumbledore has gone through much trouble to keep anyone outside of Hogwarts – especially the DMLE and Aurors – ignorant of such happenings."
"Surely if there was anything serious, Susan would have told me these things?!" Amelia demanded.
McGonagall winced. "Recently I've questioned everything that has happened over the last three and a half years. I firmly believe all students leave Hogwarts each holiday with the firm belief that nothing serious happened at Hogwarts – nothing out of the normal, nothing serious enough to speak to their parents or others about."
"That would explain why I've told nothing about these events to my parents," Hermione said. "I've just never felt the necessity to tell them about any of the… troubles at Hogwarts."
"Dumbledore is responsible for this, isn't he?" Amelia asked; she growled when McGonagall nodded. "You will tell me everything, Minerva, once I am finished with these two and Ron and Ginny. I want to hear everything about these 'troubles'."
"Of course, Amelia," McGonagall said. "I would of course happily agree to that."
Amelia sighed and pushed away the statements about the Obliviations.
"I will look at the rest of that later," Amelia said, "I have a feeling I'm only going to have more questions. Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, let me be completely open with you. We've been teasing each other back and forth about certain things during this entire meeting. Let me be more clear with you. Sometime between ten-o-clock and eleven-o-clock on Sunday morning, I suddenly – out of the blue – remembered that Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter was a lot more important than I believed over the past thirteen years. The same happened with the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Peverell. You said you went to Gringotts on Sunday. I don't need to be good at Maths to add two and two. What happened at Gringotts?"
"My house-elf Dobby had plans to go to Gringotts to confirm his role as my new house-elf," Harry said, "That was Saturday evening. He returned and told me that Keeper Ragnok, my account manager wanted to see me and was rather angry with me. So Hermione, Professor McGonagall and I – without Dumbledore knowing – went to Gringotts on Sunday. When we arrived, Keeper Ragnok was waiting for us. The first thing he asked me was why I hadn't been answering his communications he'd been giving me over the years. Turns out Dumbledore was blocking such communications."
Harry continued, and Hermione added a few comments as well, including her discovery of being the Heiress of the Noble House of Dagworth-Granger. They explained taking Inheritance Tests and Blood Tests.
"Then Keeper Ragnok wanted me to unseal my parents' Final Will and Testament," Harry said.
"I wasn't aware they penned a Will," Amelia said.
"Albus Dumbledore sealed the Ministry's copy using his Chief Warlock title," Harry said, "He couldn't seal the Gringotts one. I was supposed to open the Will on my eleventh birthday. Turns out I was deliberately kept away from ever meeting Keeper Ragnok until recently. Anyway, so I opened the Will. I have a copy here that you are allowed to read, as your name is mentioned in the Will."
Harry pulled out the large metal scroll from his knapsack. He pressed the button at the end of the scroll and it opened into a long sheaf of parchment. He placed the Will in front of Amelia. Then he braced himself, because he knew what Amelia was about to discover.
"What the bloody hell is this about Sirius Black, Mr. Potter?!" Amelia demanded.
"Exactly what it says," Harry said, "Sirius is my sworn godfather, through the Godfather Ritual. Look at Peter Pettigrew's inheritance message."
Amelia looked back at the Will. "'If we are dead, Peter Pettigrew is guilty of betraying us. He was our Secret Keeper at the time of our death. We made everyone believe it was Sirius, so Peter wouldn't be targeted.' Bloody Merlin's bloody ball-sack! Sirius is innocent!"
"Amelia Bones!" McGonagall scolded, "Language, young lady!"
Amelia blushed, and Harry and Hermione grinned at the intimidating Director looking so embarrassed.
"Apologies," Amelia said, "Forgive me for my assumptions, but I must ask. Mr. Potter, are you currently in contact with Sirius Black?"
Harry's eyes widened. He looked at Hermione, who looked frozen. Then he turned to McGonagall, who shrugged and nodded.
Harry gulped and turned back to Amelia. "I am. I have a communication mirror similar to the mirrors you and Susan have."
"Mr. Potter," Amelia said. "I apologize for what I am about to request. But I must ask you to contact your godfather. I would very much like to speak to him. Now."
My apologies if the last scene seemed all over the place. I have a distinct schedule of topics for them to discuss. Such as the Great Alliance, which was what sparked Amelia's revelation on Sunday which led to her questions here. It happened at the same time Minerva realized the information on Sunday in Gringotts. That discussion will happen next chapter.
Also next Chapter: Amelia speaks to Sirius, finishes the meeting with Harry, Hermione and McGonagall, then speaks to Ron and Ginny. What will happen to Ron and Ginny? You'll see!
Unfortunately, her conversation with McGonagall about the 'troubles' over the past few years at Hogwarts will be off-screen, because we know all about those of course. Amelia will go over her reactions in her thoughts at some point in the close future.