A/N: Harry Potter isn't mine. Thanks to
CosmicAngel and Polaris the Ice Queen for being Beta!
Thanks to all my reviewers!
Mikee: Wait and see *smirks*.
Diani: It is in the summer after Sirius died. So it's the summer after 5th year.
Brightest Star: I'll do my best!
cyral: Thank you!
Taisa Ayase: I'm glad you like it!
toxis: There you go!
IndigoInk1: If you hurt me, I won't be able to write. ;-) Glad you like it.
Chapter 2
"Oh my God! DUNG!" shrieked Arabella Figg, when she spotted the Dark Mark hovering in the black sky. When she got no reply she screeched again "DUNG!"
"I'm
h're. Ya cr'zy 'le cot. I's fo' lille pirat's"
"I
don't care. Look at it Dung! LOOK AT IT! We are in so much trouble… Oh my
God…Poor Harry…Oh God oh God" rambled Mrs. Figg.
"Wha's
it?" Fletcher looked out of the window and saw the dark mark.
"H'ly
moly!" Said Fletcher getting pale. "A'bella call Dumbled're! I'll ch'ck da
house!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No 12
Grimmauld Place
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Severus?
Do you have any important information?"
"Voldemort
doesn't trust me enough. But as for his plans, Headmaster,
he wants to attack some Muggles for fun."
"We have to try to prevent that. Now… concerning the safety of Mr. Potter… who has the next shift?"
"I have, Albus," answered Remus.
"Good.
We have to check…"
"ALBUS!!!"
came the screech from the living room, announcing the arrival of Arabella Figg,
before the door to the kitchen flew open.
"ALBUS!"
came the shriek when she entered the kitchen. "Thank God you are here," she added, breathing hard.
Dumbledore
stood slowly up.
"Arabella calm down. Is something wrong?"
"Calm down??!!
Calm down??!! ALBUS!" she shrieked again "The Dark Mark…in Surrey…over Privet
Drive. You have to get there! Quickly!"
Mrs.
Weasley gasped. Tonks, Remus and Moody were out of their seats in a second.
Dumbledore nodded at them.
"Yes, yes. Leave. We are following in a moment." The three apparated with a thunderous 'crack'. "Minerva, go to Hogwarts and check the screeners. Arthur, check the Ministry. Severus, you stay here. Poppy, come with me. Molly, not a word to the children. We will meet here as soon as possible." With that everyone did what he was told.
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When
Dumbledore arrived at Number for Privet Drive, he found Tonks searching the
house for Harry, Moody checking for Dark Magic and Remus trying to wake Harry's
relatives. Madame Pomfrey bustled over to him immediately.
"What
happened?" asked Dumbledore
"I
don't know for sure, Albus," said Moody gruffly,
"The Dark Mark is in the sky. The door was blasted open and there is blood on
the mantle here." He went on, pointing to the fireplace.
"Do you
know who's blood it is?" asked Dumbledore.
"Sorry, Albus. Maybe his relatives know something."
"Poppy?
Can you wake them up?"
"I'm
sorry, Albus. I don't know what they were hit with. I've never seen anything
like this before."
Dumbledore went over to the Dursleys and pointed his wand at Vernon.
"Enervate"
He didn't move, nor were the any signs of Vernon waking up.
"Curious.
Very curious." mumbled Dumbledore, scratching his beard.
"What
in Merlin's name did happen here?" came a superior and demanding voice from the
back door. "Is this your doing, Dumbledore?"
"We didn't do anything, Cornelius. I was informed of the Dark Mark floating over my student's house. I'm sure you can understand my concern about my student's safety and well-being."
"Well,
it's Potter we are talking about. I'm sure all he wanted to do was getting some
attention." came the haughty voice of Percy Weasley.
"I think the matters of my students are none of your concern, Mr Weasley."
"Now,
now, Dumbledore. Young Percival here is my junior assistant and he, as well as
I, have a right to know what's going on here. This concerns after all the
matter of Voldemort and an underage wizard. A wizard in the British society, I
might add. And as Minister of the British Ministry of Magic it is my concern. So, every one of you, leave now and wait for the Aurors to check the
house and report back. The report will be owled to you."
"We have already Aurors present, Fudge." growled Moody.
"That's nice for you, Moody. Although, if I
remember right, you are retired and Auror Tonks isn't on duty. So leave.
Dumbledore, I advise you to wait for the report. Madame Pomfrey, leave the
Muggles alone. Mr Weasley please take them to St. Mungo's."
"Of course, Minister Fudge. I will do it
right away, Sir." Percy said, emphasising the Minister while giving Moody a
dirty look. Percy went over to Madame Pomfrey, conjured up three floating
stretchers and put the Dursleys on them. He put a connecting charm on the
stretchers, binding them together. Then he went to the fireplace and muttered a
short spell to connect the fireplace to the floo system. Then he pointed his
wand at the fire, muttered a short 'incendio' then he got some floo
powder from his pocket, then he took hold of the first stretcher, walked into
the fireplace and said "St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.
Closed Ministry Ward"
He was gone with a 'swoosh'.
A few minutes later, several Aurors
apparated in to the garden. Their leader went to Fudge and said, "Sir, we will
check the place and call the Oblivators. We will report back to you as soon as
possible."
"Very well. I also have another request."
"Yes, Sir?"
"Send Shacklebolt and Dawlish to the Leaky Cauldron. I want to know if anyone there knows something about this."
"Yes, Sir."
Fudge left the house through the backdoor
and went over to Dumbledore and the others.
"Dumbledore, I want you and your little 'gang'," he nodded at Moody, Tonks,
Remus and Pomfrey "in my office in 15 minutes." with that he apparated away.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Percy arrived in St Mungo's, he
checked for any security before pointing his wand at the Dursleys, muttering 'stepufy',
before he breathed a quiet, "That will do."
Then he said loudly, "I need three Healers!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the Minister's office
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So, Dumbledore. You might want to explain
how you knew about the Dark Mark." Before the old wizard could reply, there was
a knock on the door.
"Come in! Ah, Percival. You are right on time. Can I ask another favour of you
at this late hour?"
"Of course Minister Fudge, Sir."
"Could you record our little" he made a swift
motion with his hand," chat."
"It's my pleasure." answered Percy. He took
a roll of parchment and a Quick-Quotes-Quill out of his robe pocket and sat
down in the corner of the room. Percy nodded at Fudge.
"Right. We can begin now. Now, Dumbledore how did you know about the Dark Mark over Mr Potter's house?"
"An old friend of mine lives in the
neighbourhood."
"Of course. And why, if I may ask, did she
call you instead of the Aurors?"
"Maybe because I am Mr Potter's headmaster
and it's my duty."
"Don't play wise guy, Dumbledore. You know
that the Ministry has to be informed promptly. That counts as failure to render
assistance. Your friend could be send to Azkaban for that."
"She is a Squib."
"So? Squib or not. She has to follow the law.
What's her name?"
"I don't think that this matters to the
disappearance of Mr Potter."
"It doesn't matter what you think in that
case. It doesn't matter if you give us her name or not. We will find her. Be
assured."
Fudge paused for a moment and looked around
the room.
"You got that, Percival?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Did we miss something?"
"I have a few questions, if that's fine
with you, Minister."
"Of course, of course we need every help we
can get."
"Professor Dumbledore, you said that you
are concerned about you student's safety and well-being and that it is you duty
as headmaster to take care of them."
"Indeed I said that. I also mean that."
"Now, if this is a concern as a headmaster, then please tell me why you have an retired Auror, an Auror of duty as well as Mr. Lupin with you. I understand the matters of Madame Pomfrey, as she is the school nurse."
"I think, where I go and who I'm with is still my concern."
"I don't mean to impose your private
affairs with my question. I was just wondering why you didn't, while on
Headmasters duty, have an other Professor with you. More appropriate, Professor
McGonagall, as she is Mr Potter's Head of House."
"I think, I can decide fairly well, who
accompanies me where."
"Like I said before, I don't care about
your private affairs. Although, you as headmaster should handle in the best
interests of your students and"
"I see nothing wrong with…"
"It would be nice if you let me finish
first. Like I said, as headmaster you should handle in the best interests of
your students and protect their privacy."
"I didn't violate Mr Potter's privacy."
"So you say.
Maybe Mr Potter doesn't want everyone to know what happens at his relatives
home. Which means that, you shouldn't take outsiders to Mr Potter and discuss his
private affairs without his consent."
"Right he is, Dumbledore. Good work, Mr
Weasley. I think we should present this matter to the school governors.
Anything else?"
"Yes, Minister. Dr. Rimstone asked me for a
list of spells that were used on the Dursleys. It seems," added Percy, looking
straight at Dumbledore "that they can't find the true evidence of their
unconsciousness, because someone used spells on them."
"What spells exactly?" asked Fudge sharply.
Dumbledore's eyes narrowed.
"Are you assuming, that…"
"Oh no! Nothing serious. It's just that the
Healers have difficulties finding the cause, because you tried to wake them. Or
what ever you did. Now, it would help matters if you just wrote down what you
did." Percy stood up, gave them a piece of parchment and a quill. Madame
Pomfrey took the parchment ad muttered something angrily. "That is all,
Minister."
"Good. Thank you, Percival."
"Not at all, Minister."
"Perfect. Could I have a private word with
you later?"
"Of course, Minister Fudge, Sir."
Dumbledore finished the parchment and gave
it back to Percy.
"Good. Now, if there isn't anything else,"
Fudge looked at Percy, who shook his head, "then you are free to go. I will
inform you about the Auror's report."
Remus opened his mouth to say something,
but Dumbledore shook his head.
"Thank you, Cornelius." said Dumbledore.
Dumbledore nodded at him, turned around and left, the other's following close
behind.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No 12 Grimmauld Place - the kitchen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I can't believe it," exploded Remus, slamming his fist on the table, "How dare
they, these … these pompous asses!"
"Remus!" thundered Dumbledore, "calm down.
This isn't helping any."
"What's going on here?" asked Molly Weasley
sharply, when she entered the kitchen.
Remus just muttered angrily.
Dumbledore turned to her, "Molly, call the
rest of the order. Every one of them not on missions."
"Yes, Albus." Molly left for the living room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ministry of Magic - Minister Fudge's office
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After Dumbledore and the others left, Percy
turned to Fudge.
"You wanted to talk to me, Sir?"
"Ah, yes. Please take a seat" said Fudge
sitting down in a high backed chair next to the fireplace. Percy sat down
opposite him, "Tea?" The Minister pointed to a tea-set standing between them on
a small table.
"Please." Fudge filled two cups with tea
and gave one to Percy. He leaned back in his chair and looked at him.
"About earlier today, when we got news
about the Dark Mark."
"Yes?"
"Why did you tell me, to send Shacklebolt
and Dawlish to the Leaky Cauldron?"
"Well Sir, I will be earnest. I don't trust
Dumbledore."
"Straightforward, I see." Percy smiled
slightly.
"I somehow felt that Dumbledore would be
there, before us. He has many contacts and I'm sure he had young Mr Potter
observed. Anyway, I remembered the day when Dumbledore disappeared in his
office. Shacklebolt and Dawlish were there then. We both know that we didn't
see anything, but we can't be sure about the two of them."
"You mean, they spy for Dumbledore?" asked
Fudge incredulously.
"I'm not sure about that. We shouldn't make
any rash decisions. It is just very conspicuous when you think about it."
"What is?"
"Well, I will give you my theory. When
Madame Umbridge-"
"No need for the formalities with her."
"Of course, when Umbridge tried to expose Dumbledore and Mr Potter, I think it is not very believable that a) she presents you with a false witness, b) a witness that suddenly forgets everything, that c) Dumbledore managed to talk himself into this club when it looked like Mr Potter was about to protest and finally, d) that Dumbledore managed to leave like that when Professor McGonagall looked a bit knowingly. Then of course, Dumbledore being at Mr Potter's house. With two Aurors, no less, as well as Lupin. Lupin has no contact with the Ministry as he is a werewolf. But Moody is another factor. He knows many Aurors and other workers. Then there is Auror Tonks. She too, has contacts and her mother was working in the Department of Magical Transportation, Portkey Office. There could be some connections, too. I think we, that is, if you want my help in that, Sir, should keep an eye on these kind of things."
"You have a great mind for these things. I know why I made you my junior
assistant. Better yet. I'll promote you to First Assistant. I was never sure
about MacCarter, anyway. I'll put you in charge of these things. You have free
reign. This is a very important matter."
Percy blushed slightly, "Thank you, Sir."
"Call me Cornelius."
"Of course, Sir. Thank you, Si…I mean
Cornelius." rambled Percy.
Fudge gave a hearty laugh.
"Now, what's your first proposition?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No 12 Grimmauld Place
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
About 50 members were sitting in the large
drawing room, talking at once.
"What's going on?"
"What happened."
"Why are we all here?"
"SILENCE", thundered Dumbledore. "We don't
have time for this. We have dire problems."
"What happened at Surrey, Albus? Did Potter
feel the need to be in spotlight again?"
asked Snape sharply.
"What do you know about him, Snape," began
Remus angrily.
"Stop this childish behaviour, now." said
Dumbledore with a sharp edge in his voice. "Young Mr Potter has been kidnapped. By Voldemort, I can only presume."
There was uproar.
"How is this possible?"
"I don't know, yet. Minerva, what did the
screeners say?"
Professor McGonagall stood up and faced the
others.
"They show some kind of disruption. They
are flat for the beginning of summer. Then, this evening there is a small gap.
Then they are as flat as before. Then, at exactly 10.28 pm the line shots
straight up. That has to be the Dark Mark. Then the line goes flat again and
only changes when Moody, Tonks and Lupin apparated in."
"Curious. Very curious indeed." mumbled
Dumbledore. "Thank you Minerva." She nodded and sat down.
"What does that mean Albus?" asked Molly
Weasley.
"This means, that there wasn't any magic
used except for the Dark Mark."
"But how is this possible?" asked Tonks,
"Something hit the Dursleys. Even Weasley sat so." Molly, Arthur, Bill and Charlie
looked at her sharply.
"Percy that is," growled Remus, sounding very much like a wolf.
"Why? What happened?" asked Bill.
"It seems, that your brother thinks a bit
too high of himself." said Remus icily.
Tonks took over at that. "About three minutes after we arrived at Privet Drive
and started with our investigation. Fudge showed up with Percy in tow. He made
some snide comment about Harry at first. Then Fudge held some speech about him
being Minister and that Harry is his concern and such. Fudge everything but
threw us out. He sent Percy to St Mungo's with the Dursleys. Then the Aurors
arrived. He sent Kingsley and Dawlish to the
Leaky Cauldron. Then he told us to be in his office in 15 minutes. Some time
after we got there Percy arrived. He took protocol of our discussion with
Fudge. Fudge was about to dismiss us. Then he asked Percy if he forgot
something. Of course, did he have some questions. – He is actually quite good
at interrogating people. - He asked us how we knew about the Dark Mark and why
we" Tonks made a swift motion to Moody and Remus. "were there. He said that
Harry isn't our business and if Albus puts it as headmaster duty, Minerva or at
least an other Professor should be there. Then he asked what spells we used on
the Dursleys. Apparently they don't wake up."
Mrs Weasley looked close to tears.
"Anyway," said Dumbledore "Arthur, anything new at the Ministry?"
"Nothing. Looks like it is kept in the
Department of Magical Law Enforcement."
"We can ask Kingsley about it later," said Tonks, "Maybe he knows something."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ministry of Magic - Minister Fudge's office
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Well, at first I think we should keep the Dursleys warded. Nobody should be
allowed in there, except for Dr. Rimstone and three nurses. We know that the
nurses in the Closed ward are safe. Next, we should find the Squib Dumbledore
was talking about and question her. Maybe not Azkaban, but fine her heavily and
watch her. One step out of the line and she will be send to Azkaban. Then, I
think we should check the screeners in the Improper Use of Magic Office."
"Good good."
"Oh I just had a brilliant idea about the Aurors. Do you know if Dumbledore found another Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, yet?"
"Not that I know of."
Percy nodded.
"Good. Maybe we should start there. You know, Dumbledore won't have another Umbridge disaster. But I know how we can kill two birds with one stone."
"Good good." said Fudge, rubbing his hands
together. "With what are we going to start."
"I think we should ask Head Auror Williams
for the report."
Suddenly Percy's eyes widened and he
started grinning.
"What is it?"
"I think I know who the squib is…"
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A/N: Please review. More reviews --- make me happy ---- I write more
---- I update faster.
