Bound by Brotherhood, Forged in Fire

Chapter 2: The Penny Drops

Harry shivered at the coastal breeze that washed over the dock where the Portkey dropped Harry, Tonks and Mad Eye. It made him look forward to putting on his fur when he got the Animagus down.

"And with whatever sentence I'm getting I'll have all the time I need" he thought.

"So what's your opinion of Dumbledore's latest idea?" Harry asked as he was marched up the path towards the carriage that would lead him to the fortress

"Half the order thinks he's off his rocker" Moody grunted "But there are a few who're glad the Weasley's didn't side with you. It draws the lines in the sand as to who you can count on"

"Who would be…" Harry began

"Fletcher" Tonks began "Remus, the two of us, Kingsley, a few of the older Aurors, Minerva, Hagrid, Snape, astonishingly (We're trying to figure him out though), Bill and Charlie Weasley, the twins, both of them moved into the flat over their shop and have password locked the Floo, warded the front door to keep the rest of the Weasley's out too, they've promised that if any of them, even Ginny, set foot within ten metres of their shop they'll be hexed back to the Dark Ages"

"You've got a lot of people loyal to you Potter" Moody grunted

Harry nodded as they climbed into the carriage and Tonks asked "So where is your wand?"

"I'm sure as hell not gonna tell you that" Harry said "You just need to know that I know where it is, and I'll go get it as soon as I get outta here"

"You're already making plans?" Tonks asked "You don't even know how long you'll be inside"

"They've got no proof for the Cruciatus charge" Harry said "Never mind the fact that I'm still a minor by all laws. And add to that that even in the Muggle world the maximum for Breaking and Entering is six months for a minor"

"Based on that" Moody said "I'd say you'll get, at most,three months"

"I can handle three months" Harry said "I'll try to teach Neville, Occulmency if he's down on the same charges"

"If I'm right you'll be in the West wing the fortress" Moody said "Less Dementors there"

"Good" Harry said as the carriage came to a stop.


"What the hell are you doing here Harry?" Neville demanded when Harry walked into the Warden's office, where Fudge and Madame Bones were waiting for him.

"You really think I would leave you in this place alone?" Harry asked with a frown "Granger and the Weasley's may have abandoned me, but I won't abandon you"

Neville smiled as he sat down and Harry asked "Did you really tell Dumbledore to go rot in Hell?"

"Called the Weasley's who were against you a pack of backstabbing bastards too" Neville said "Told Granger, Malfoy was right about her in second year"

"You mean the Mudblood thing?" Harry asked as he sat down "I see her as more of a bossy know-it-all brownnoser myself"

"Yeah" Neville agreed as they turned to Fudge

"I take it you gentlemen know why you are here?" Madame Bones asked

"I've got a pretty good idea" Harry said "The two of us are being charged with the Ministry break in, in June"

"Yes" Fudge said "Although before we discuss that, I would like to ask your opinions on why Dumbledore decided to bring the fact that you used the…"

"I'm alleged to have used the Cruciatus Curse" Harry countered "And since I haven't seen my wand since the fight that broke out in my compartment on the Hogwarts Express going in Kings Cross. You can't exactly charge me with anything involving the Unforgivables. Barring the fact that unless my Godfather's killer presses charges, which she will not since she's a known Deatheater, and that use of Veritasum on wizards under the age of eighteen is illegal, you have no grounds to charge me for that"

"He is right Cornelius" Bones said "We have no grounds for anything but the other charges"

"Just out of curiosity" Neville said "What's the sentence for those charges?"

"For underage wizards" Fudge said "Taking into acount that the destruction of the spheres was accidental, and that you helped in the capture of eleven Deatheaters, six weeks incarceration (sp), and a year's suspension from Hogwarts"

"So we get six weeks with nobody but the Dementors to bother us" Harry began "And I get to not have to see my backstabbing friends again in September?"

"That's one way of looking at it" Fudge agreed

"Can we get back to the topic?" Bone said as she looked at Harry "Mr Potter, why exactly did you go to the Ministry?"

"Everyone knows that I have dreams and visions about Voldermort right?" Harry asked

Bone and Fudge flinched, but nodded

"Well last year I kept getting visions" Harry began "To the extent where Dumbledore had Professor Snape teach me Occulmency, and a dismal attempt we made at it"

"What do you mean?" Fudge asked

"Professor Snape and my Father had…a history" Harry said "He's hated my guts and I've hated his since we met in 1991. We unfortunately weren't able to put the past aside during the lessons, so they didn't go well. Then during my History of Magic OWL, (will I get my scores in here by the way?) I fell asleep. And had a vision, about Voldermort torturing Sirius in the Prophecy room at the Ministry"


Harry sighed as he began to tell the story. About sneaking into Umbridge's office, the Centaurs in the Forest, Hermione and the others insistence to come with him, the Thestrals, the trap in the Prophecy room, the fight with the Deatheaters, Sirius falling through the veil, his chase of Lestrange, cursing her, (but he didn't say he used the Cruciatus) although Fudge probably knew he did, Voldermort and Dumbledore's dual, and his possession by the Dark Lord.

"You should know Mr Potter" Fudge said after a long silence when Harry was through an hour later "That there may be a chance that your godfather is still alive"

"What?" Harry asked

"Nobody knows what exactly the veil is" Fudge replied "Any information we had on it was destroyed during World War two. Three hundred years of research gone. All we know is that it was used around the turn of the millennia as an execution device, before the Dementors were discovered"

"So Sirius could still be alive?" Harry asked

"We don't know" Bone replied "My great grandfather was an Unspeakable in that department all his career and he never figured it out. But they still try"

"Have faith Harry" Fudge said "You may see him again"

"Thank you Minister" Harry replied

"Now If I may ask" Bone said after a moment "Do you have any theories as to why Dumbledore would suddenly push us to bring these charges against you Mr Potter?"

"Not really" Harry replied "From what I've been told, Molly Weasley has decided I'm a danger to her children, so she wants me out of the way. As for Dumbledore…aside from the Prophecy I haven't a clue, since he actually needs me to fulfil it"

"Maybe that's it" Neville said, he had been relatively silent through Harry's story

"What do you mean Mr Longbottom?" Fudge asked

"Harry said that Dumbledore needs him to fulfil the prophecy right?" Neville said "Well I'm gonna guess that it's the same prophecy was on the sphere I smashed. So let's say that from what Harry said, it involves him and the Dark Lord. That would mean some kind of fight to the finish. So maybe Dumbledore figures, that Harry being here for a few months with the memories of his parents deaths will make him more controllable"

"Where the hell did Neville get such a logical mind?" Harry wondered "It's a plausible idea" he agreed

"Do you know the prophecy?" Bones asked Harry

"I do" Harry said "But I can't tell you what it entails. It's too dangerous" then he glanced at Neville and said "It involves you, so I'll tell you when we get situated here"

"Who says you're going here?" Fudge asked

"Huh?" Harry asked

"We don't send underage wizards to this prison" Fudge said with a smile "We simply use this fortress to…put the fear of God in them. then we switch them to another facility in the night"

"Why did you tell us then?" Harry asked "You could have put us in a cell and sent us on our merry way

"Because I won't be Albus' puppet" Fudge growled "I am the Minister of Magic. I made the mistake last year of ignoring your warnings, and it has cost us too much. You'll serve your six weeks at a Juvinal facility on the far side of the Island and then you can disappear for a year. I'm planning on putting through an emergency Decree for young wizards over thirteen, who achieved at least an Exceeds Expectations in their Defence Against the Darks Arts, and Charms end of year examinations and OWLs, to use magic outside of Hogwarts, it should be in place by the time you get out"

"Cool" Harry said.


Several hours later Harry and Neville found themselves in a cell, slightly larger than Harry's room at Privet Drive.

It had a bunk bed (Harry had claimed the top bunk) a sink, toilet, and a desk . The facility Fudge had portkeyed them to was sparsely populated, which was why it was only about half the size of the Great Hall at Hogwarts.

"So what's your form?" Harry asked

"A Pyrolf" Neville replied

"Not bad" Harry said "I got a Shadow Wolf"

"Very nice" Neville said "Are we gonna work on them here?"

"Yeah" Harry said "But we'll have to get you going on Occulmency first. The key to a successful transformation is control of the mind"

"Right" Neville said "Let's get started"

Authors Notes: Done.

Next time Neville explains all.