Civil Duty

"Now when it comes to sanctions against Dumbledore what do you think, shall we continue with them or not?" Harry was once again sat in a black leather chair. Though thankfully this time he was swirling a much stronger drink and enjoying much better company. One man and two women both of whom held the same position as Umbridge but with different ministers, all three were Lords in the Wizengamot and the two men had been knighted. A fate that often awaited those who rose through the ranks of the real government,

"I think enough is enough, the old man already has lost all standing and his school is under inspection; any more could damage his comeback," Narcissa Malfoy was only woman in the conversation. She was the undersecretary for the Minister of Finance; she was the real power in the family.

"I agree," Harry began, the conversation was fine now. This room was divided into a selection of chairs and tables, though each one was surrounded by a silencing bubble. Privacy was taken seriously here at least.

"Dumbledore has to be seen as a bumbling old man, not a serious threat if that happens then his support may not be as absolute as we'll need it to be," he ended. Another man took the reins of the conversation, an older gentleman with fluffed grey hair and pointed cheekbones. Making his face look thin and jagged; though it crinkled as he spoke.

"Yes Alistair there seems to be very little point in continuing. Tell your minister to leave it, all of them have been jumping on the man like starving wolves. I'll do the same and I'm sure Narcissa and the new unofficial undersecretary shall do so," the man smiled turning to Harry.

Umbridge had been made High Inquisitor, a job which ensured she would keep her power base, gardening leave would have caused a hundred hungry civil servants to pounce on it. Though this position lessened but did not end her influence. However she had no deputy, meaning the most senior person with access to the minister was Harry. At least for now.

"Yes that did come as a shock, a welcome one though," the other man said, a larger more well rounded fellow who looked down on the world with beady black eyes. The rest of his face was hidden by a fading brown beard which morphed into his hair somewhere along the line.

"I'm pleased you feel that way, though living up to Dolores will be a job, of course the filing people are doing the work for her but I keep needing to step in and rearrange certain files. I must say the work Dolores put into it, I may have to employ her services," Harry chuckled and a round of them followed. Yes everyone admired Umbridge but despised her secretly.

"Now moving on to more pressing matters, the trial today, how the hell did you manage it?" Narcissa asked,

"Indeed dear boy," Sir Alistair, the rounded gentleman, looked suddenly intrigued "increasing the charges to get him off was a stroke of genius,"

"Well minister Fudge wasn't chosen by you for his foresight, I basically offered him a loathed scapegoat, but this time it was a real," Harry smiled taking a sip of a vibrant violet liquid.

"Two birds with one stone though, that is impressive. I mean now we have Bones out of the way we can finally get back to running the government, we can't leave it up to the ministers now can we?" the thin faced man said with a roll of his eyes.

"Oh I know, actually one moment, we have visitors," Harry turned to see the doors open and a very familiar pair walk in. They sought Harry out and ignoring the fact the room was, to them, deadly silent walked over.

"In which case I shall be going, while I adore the educated young people, the naive and foolish sadly fall victim to my distaste. Good day to you Narcissa, and you to Harry. Do keep me informed."

"Ron, Hermione, what are you doing here?" Harry asked the moment the two had walked over, thankfully the two older men had left together. He did not want them meeting these two, mainly Ron who could have shown him up.

"We're not allowed into the court to help prepare," Hermione answered. Of course they had come to support Daniel, though the courtroom was off limits to everyone unless they were essential. Family wasn't even allowed in unless they knew their way around. There was a public gallery but there was also another reserved one.

"Didn't you go the gallery?" Harry asked knowing his parents, Sirius and a number of others including the Weasley family almost as a whole had come to support his brother.

"Molly said we weren't allowed..." Hermione said looking almost angry.

"So we came to find you, we thought you would want to watch the trial and well we thought you might have a way," Ron began with wary, angry looks at Narcissa. Of course he linked her to her husband, though Harry knew in truth this woman had far more power than her husband ever could.

"I'm sure we can sort something out, but you still have fifteen minutes, would you like a drink?" Narcissa offered with a false warm smile. One both her and Harry had learned to perfect.

"Yes they would, non alcoholic," Harry ordered handing his drink back, it was quickly replaced by three small glasses of butterbeer,

"Sit down." Narcissa stated after a moment, both had looked unwilling to even move. Harry's relationship to varied; at Hogwarts he was sociable with everyone, though some people who had got in his way had often found themselves in a sticky situation. Though Harry often talked to them and while they were far closer to his brother, both of them sort of liked Harry, however they were some of the few who knew he had life apart from anyone.

"Narcissa, don't go into detail of course but has that idiot finally decided to increase the expenditure account?" Harry inquired knowing neither Hermione nor Ron would talk about anything they overheard. Firstly they needed to understand it, secondly they needed to prove it and then find someone to believe them. Though any details had to be restricted, it was essential.

"No, I have no idea how I'm going to change his opinion," Narcissa growled with an angry look, yes her minister was being difficult about the amount the Civil Servants should be able to claim in expenses. Harry noticed in the corner of his eye Hermione frowning.

"Well may I suggest, knowing your minister, that you spin your opinion; make out you're on his side and then when he is secure..." Harry trailed off and the older woman nodded. She grinned.

"Perfect," she looked merry and took another swig of drink.

"Who are you talking about," the conversation was very suddenly interrupted.

"The minister of finance," Harry answered "Narcissa here is his undersecretary and he's making a few decisions we're not really agreeing with."

"But that means she's a civil servant, she can't interfere with his decisions. The minister is the one in charge." Hermione began indignantly and while Ron looked bewildered both Harry and Narcissa chortled into their drinks.

"Oh Hermione," Harry smiled through chuckles "Ministers in charge, where do you get your ideas from?"

The question was rhetorical but Harry was not overly surprised she elected to answer

"The Ministry and wizards," a well known book title looked able to send both Harry and Narcissa into silenced hysterics. Hermione for her part looked both confused and furious. She did not like facts being contradicted.

"Oh goodness girl, you might as well read witches weekly, it gives a more factual insight." She half cackled but her eyes quickly fell upon a wooden grandfather clock just to the left of one of the many fireplaces which dotted around the rooms old grey walls.

"Oh dear," she cut Hermione off before she could even begin to answer "the trial should be starting in about five minutes, Harry are you going to escort these two to the gallery?"

"Not the official one, come on then," Harry stood up realising he could put this off no longer, he didn't really want to go to the trial. His brother was going to get off there was no question about that but then again he did want to see his work pay off. So with a quick solemn goodbye he led Hermione and Ron through some of the ministry's twisting corridors.

"Harry what did you mean about ministers?" Hermione asked eventually, unable to contain the question much longer.

"To hell with that why are you hanging around with a Malfoy?" the red head asked with a voice of loathing, Harry movements stopped and he slowly turned just to glare at Ron.

"Shut up!" he hissed looking around cautiously. No one in their right mind would insult her or the family so openly, well not here. At home everyone did.

"Why she's a..." Ron began again but Hermione taking a hint shushed him. Harry once more looked around, just in case someone was lurking around the corridors.

"She happens to be one of the most powerful people in this building, she also happens to outweigh and hate her husband, but Ron you don't know that and no you won't mention it again." Harry growled. Ron was confused.

"What does that mean?"

"It means Ron you shut up and pretend nothing happened," Harry sighed, he preferred dealing with the Minister of Magic than Ron, sure they had the same IQ but at the least the Minister was housetrained.

Court 1

"Daniel Potter, you are charged with conspiracy to undermine the ministry. In that you willingly and intentionally used magic in front of muggles to undermine the statute of international secrecy to a point where magic would be common knowledge. It is alleged the plan failed due to the trace being active. How do you plead?" Fudge announced this for once. He had wanted to say those words for quite some time but he knew that everything he said was rubbish. Truth had left the equation.

Madam Bones was almost shaking, she was sat in her chair as she always did but this time she had a role to play. One that was going to shake her politically and she had a strange feeling that whoever came up with the idea to increase the charges was out for her blood more than anything. Though it was her job and once order was declared and the parties had announced themselves she rose to her feet.

"Madam Bones?" Fudge feigned surprise but he knew this was going to happen, she wondered just how much he did know before turning to the courtroom, the Wizengamot looked down at her. With the hereditary Lords and Ladies looking confused and the appointed ones secretly smiling, they wanted this. The heredity Lords who had inherited their position had no idea what was going on.

"As is my right as head of Magical Law Enforcement, the charges against one Daniel Potter are hereby dismissed." She announced in her usual booming voice which was followed by a gasp and a number of hisses from the hereditary side of the Wizengamot.

"On what grounds?" Umbridge stood up and demanded, oh she had something to do with this, Madam Bones would stake everything on it. The woman had been worried ever since an inquiry into her had been launched.

"There is no solid evidence to charge him with the given offence, therefore all evidence is classed as invalid and charges are dismissed. Subsequent charges based on the given evidence may not be put forward," with that she sat down. Unaware that on a balcony just above the rows of now snarling Wizengamot members sat a smiling young man. Swirling a glass as his brother went free he grinned because he had just ensured Amelia Bones would lose all political support, there would be no inquiry into Umbridge or any other undersecretary.

"Cheers," Harry smiled sipping his drink once more.