"For the last time Mr. Potter, tell us where have you been."

Morning was perhaps the most important time of the day. How your whole day goes depends a lot on how you start it. That is why Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, always started her day with upbeat attitude. Of course, she had to work with incompetent officials, spell-happy aurors, and greedy politicians, something that always put a scowl on her face by the lunch-time. The fact that she was scowling fiercely by 9 AM said a lot about the company she had.

Really, she had never met a 15... no, 14 year old boy, or girl, who could sit so still. But then, the saviour of the wizarding Britain was not a normal boy.

He is nothing like his father, thought Amelia, apart from his looks. The arrogant, cocky, and irresistibly charming James Potter always had a crooked grin on his face, his eyes glinting with mischief, the ultimate role model for a young light sided pureblood. Nor is he like his mother, save his eyes. Lily Potter was widely regarded as one of the brightest witch to have ever studied in Hogwarts. There was even a rumour that You-Know-Who wanted her as a Death Eater, regardless of her birth. Charming, compassionate, and a with a sense of responsibility Amelia had seldom seen, Lily Potter was figurehead for all the muggleborn witches and wizards in those struggling times.

The boy in front of him was sitting in a chair, with an impassive face, and eyes that were calmly gazing back at her. Generally, one look from her and many a grownups, including that pompous fool Fudge, started fidgeting and stammering. But Harry Potter appeared completely unfazed.

Amelia Bones knew this was a huge event, the return of Harry Potter. Many prayers had been answered, many wishes had been fulfilled. And at the same time, the thing that many were dreading had happened. Amelia had heard the rumours floating around, that Potter was being trained by Black in Dark Arts. It was difficult to tell whether it was true or not. The boy was bloody unreadable.
Of course, with the rumours that You-Know-Who was back again, things were going to get seriously complicated. Despite all the assurances by the ministry, many people still had faith in Dumbledore. Amelia herself was not sure what to think. And the fact that the Boy-Who-Lived had returned, well she would go crazy thinking about it. Best get on with the interrogation, not that it was progressing much.

"Mr. Potter, I am the head of the magical Law Enforcement. As such, not only can I detain you here for a long time, but also question you after administering you with this potion," Amelia said, holding a small crystal bottle filled with a clear liquid. "Which in case you are unaware, is veritaserum, the truth potion. So are you going to answer my questions or not?"

Potter appeared to be deep in thought. Perhaps he had bought the bluff, thought Amelia feeling relieved.

Harry lifted his head and spoke in a clear voice. "Veritaserum, invented in 1928 by the German potioneer Sebastien Hertz, resembles a clear liquid, like water. However, it differs in the area of viscosity, flowing like Mercury does, leaving a trail behind. Which is interesting, since the liquid in that bottle has not displayed such property. Rather it has behaved more like, say, water." His lips curled slightly, "Fine tactics Madam Bones, but if you have to bluff, at least make an honest effort."

Amelia Bones had been steadily going red throughout the monologue, heartily wishing she could strangle the little bugger.

"I wouldn't recommend that course of action. Killing a minor by strangling him with bare hands will not make you a very popular dinner guest, I am afraid. No I do not read minds," said Harry, smirking slightly, "I merely noticed your hands twitching slightly, and with that murderous gaze of yours on me, it was not a difficult deduction."

Amelia finally snapped. "Alright Potter, you leave me with no choice. Shacklebolt, go and fetch Veritaserum."
Shacklebolt, a tall auror with dark complexion, nodded at his boss and turned to go.
"Really auror Shacklebolt, must you?" inquired Harry. "After all, you will become her accompalice."
"What do you mean?" asked Amelia.
"Veritaserum is prohibited from being used on minors, and on adults without the approval of Wizengamot. Disregarding this may lead to expulsion from Ministry, a heavy fine, and in some cases, a brief vacation in Azkaban. I hope you are not so eager to experience the charms of that place." replied Harry smoothly.

Amelia Bones sighed. Her bluff had failed twice, and even worse, she had been lectured by a soon to be 15 year old boy in front of her subordinates. Her day was really panning out to be all she had hoped for.

There was nothing about him to suggest that he was a poster boy for dark wizard wannabes. He was wearing muggle clothes that looked like something she thought an ordinary muggle teenager would wear. She wasn't sure about the latest fashion in the muggle world, but her niece Susan had a few muggleborn friends whom she visited in the summer, and Amelia had seen them in photographs Susan kept. He had a wand, which upon her inquiry he revealed to have bought from Mr. Ollivander six years ago. A silver ring with a ruby on it adorned his right index finger, which he said was a gift from his grandfather.
"What do you mean, your grandfather had passed away when you were not even born, both of them," said Amelia, her voice tinged with derision.
"Not all relation are forged from blood, Madame," replied Harry.

Apart from his clothes, wand and ring, he had no other possessions. Yet nothing about his appearance suggested he had lived on the streets. Judging by his way of talking, his polite manners and his calm demeanour, she thought he must have had a decent upbringing. In fact, most of the pureblood heirs who considered themselves noble could do well to take a leaf out of Potter's book. He appeared to be self confident, though he had not displayed any of his father's arrogance. Black seemed to have done a good job of raising him up, thought Amelia wryly.

When questioned about Black, Potter had only one thing to say.
"He is innocent, Madame. The real culprit was Peter Pettigrew, who might I say, is still alive," said Harry, his green eyes gazing into her grey ones.
"Pettigrew is dead, Potter. He was killed by Sirius Black."
"So you think, yet you cannot be farther from the truth."
"Mr. Potter," said Amelia, her eyes glinting dangerously, "there were a dozen witnesses that testified Pettigrew's death by ..."
"And yet there was one witness whose testimony was not considered," interrupted Harry calmly. "A certain gentleman by the name of Edward Jenas, who unfortunately, was admitted into an asylum soon after witnessing that incident. Apparently seeing a man blowing up a street by pointing a wooden stick and then turning into a rat was too much for his brain to handle."
"What are you talking about Potter, Pettigrew died in that explosion, and he certainly was not an animagus", replied Amelia heatedly. "We would have known if that had been the case."
A slight curl of lips was the only reply she got in return.
"Look Mr. Potter," said Amelia softly, "I understand that you think Black will not harm you, but he has brainwashed you into believing all sort of nonsense about Pettigrew being alive and being an animagus."
"As a matter of fact, I found that out on my own when I visited Mr. Jenas in the asylum. Although Sirius certainly told me about him being an animagus," said Harry, shifting slightly in his seat.

Amelia stared at the stubborn young man sitting in front of her, looking in all the world as if he was merely here at his own sufferance. "Potter, face the facts. Black is a Death Eater. He betrayed your parents to You-Know-Who, kidnapped you from your home..."
"Sirius did not betray anyone," replied Harry in a cold voice. "Rather, he was the one betrayed, betrayed by the ministry and the Wizengamot when he was thrown into prison without any trial."

Harry stopped suddenly, shook his head, and continued. "Never mind, you people will not believe me anyways. However Madam Bones," said Harry getting up from the chair, "I have had enough of your hospitality this morning, so if you excuse me, I have an appointment."
Amelia snorted. "Potter, do you think you can just come and go at your whim? You were brought in by one of my auror, and I have every right to detain you here. For your own safety, of course," finished Amelia with a sweet smile.
Harry chuckled, "Really, Madame, you do me great injustice. I was not, as you put it, brought in here, rather I wanted to come here. It would make it easier for me to get what I want."

"And what, Mr. Potter, do you want?"

Potter gave a slight smile, as if he had been waiting for her to say this all along. "Why, to meet the Minister."

Amelia stared, wondering whether Potter really was daft. "Potter, you just cannot demand to meet the Minister. You need to make an appointment first. But that is all moot, as I doubt he is even aware of your presence here."

She was interrupted by her secretary bursting into the room.
"Madam Bones, Minister Fudge requests a meeting with you in his office immediately. He also asked to bring you guest."
Then the secretary noticed the 'guest', and her jaw dropped.

"Thank you Jones,"replied Amelia, trying to maintain her composure. "You may go."

She turned to Harry, who smirked at her.

"Something tells me he already does."