If You Are Reading This…

Ch 4

ISDH

Harry Potter slowly stretched from one position to the next in his morning Tai Chi routine. Padfoot beside him, as Moony was before them. The Werewolf, had picked up the habit from a Guru when he was trying to 'tame the wolf' while working at a 'New Age' Bookstore in Muggle Germany. As they had finished their routine, and sipped their water, Harry looked about the yard of the Potter Manor.

The Massive House was half the size of Hogwarts. Six floors above the ground, not including a Observatory that stood above the crown of the roof like a child's Lollipop. Harry did not know how deep the underground levels went, but he knew that they were as massive below as above, if not more so. Padfoot and Moony had taken him to the Wardstone Hub, the First night here, handed him a silver knife, and told him to introduce himself to the Stone.

Thirty-six hours he stood there, his bloody hand on the stone, as his magic and that of the Stone hummed. What began as a Lord taking control of his Manor, became an Awakening of the Potter Bloodline. First his bones grew, both longer and thicker. Then his muscles filled in. He would never be bulky like Neville, or lanky Ron, but he now had the strength to lift Padfoot into the air by grabbing the front of his robes in one hand and lifting. Moony had wisely both minded his mouth, and stayed out of reach.

With the 'Taking of the Stone' all the Potter Elves awoke from their stasis naps, and hurried to serve their new Master. They were put out to discover that he already had an Elf, partly bonded to him. He was quick to Correct that, as Dobby was bonded to his service, then ask to keep working at Hogwarts, because he did not fully trust the Headmaster, and Dobby was there as a Paid Elf… the Potter Elves did not like that either, 'Elfs not be paid!'

The Green Houses were Massive as well. Longbottom's dream. Harry had sent an invite to the Lad, and once he had stepped through the doors, was not seen again for over Eight hours, when he and the Elf assigned to help him, walked out with over a ton, by weight, of clippings, seed pods, and transplants. Still no word from the Lad, as he had gone home to work on his own greenhouses. Harry did not expect to hear from him until the Train ride to school.

Setting his bottle next to Moony's, Harry started to jog around the 'Circle', a meter wide Black Marble 'path' that ran around the Manor and Pitch, taking up a full half Kilometer per lap. It was in truth, the War Ward Boundary, but with everything but the War Wards up to full Power, the Circle made for the perfect running path.

Yes, He even had a Quidditch Pitch. He was hoping to bring the Twins and Ron here before School started this year. He did not know about Ginny, as she was still a little squirrely around him, and Hermione would set up camp in the Library, if Booky, the Elf Librarian, would let her.

He could Hear Padfoot plodding along. The agreement was two Laps as a Human, then he could run as a Grim. The escapey was not happy about the agreement, as the run was easier on four legs then on two, but had noticed his health improving just in the first week. He still grumbled, but more to grumble than anything else.

Moony was following along behind Padfoot, making sure he did not cheat the 'No Grim' clause of the morning. The Wolf ran softly, while the dog-wizard had yet to regain his stealth. As they passed their water bottles, Harry noticed that the elves had refilled them, and brought fresh towels.

Only five more laps to go.

121

Albus Groaned as he awoke.

First thing he noticed was that he was in a hard wooden chair. Then he heard Fudge and Umbridge whispering to his left, as a smell of peppermint wax was to his right, 'Barty Crouch, What are we doing here?' He shook his head, as it cleared, blinking his eyes, and noticed that; one, he was cuffed to the chair, two, the others were cuffed to their chairs as well, and three, he was striped to his under robes. He tried to ask what was going on, but found he had been silenced.

The door the room opened as Bones strode in, a couple of folders in hand, as her two top 'Dogs' followed on her heels. The Door closed with a resounding Klank, then sealed. "Good, everybody is awake." her naked eye squinted at the Pink Undersecretary. "Why is Deloris here?"

"She refused to leave Fudge's side, and I had a gut feeling that she had a hand in most of his Ministerial decrees." Rufus drawled, "This issue with Black's Kiss feels more of her touch than his."

Bones nodded, "Fudge is a bit squeamish, I doubt that he could just condemn a man to death, not without some heavy ego stroking. And when you add in the fact that the man is not only innocent, but Fudge knew he was…"

"What!" the rotund wizard squeaked, "I never condemned an innocent man! The only man who…" he trailed off, "Black? Was innocent?" he looked at the other two men chained in the room. "What did you do?"He hissed.

"What had to be Done." Barty sighed. "The Potters were murdered, but in their loss, HE died, and the People needed to feel that their Government was on top of things. Albus told me Black was Guilty, and so I signed. He said he would take care of everything else." He looked at Bones, "It was shortly after that, my Son was exposed, and I lost my position. In the fallout, I forgot everything but my ailing wife, and then she died." He huffed, "It does not excuse, just explains."

"Hem, Hem." the Pink toad/witch made herself known, "What are we doing here?"

"Black was never given a trail." Bones sat at the table, pushing the top folder to the witch, "That means the Kiss order was an Assassination attempt, and most likely a paid one. With the order coming for your offices, that puts you on the hook. The two of you tried to kill a Lord of the Realm."

"What!" Fudge screamed, "What did you get me into you money grubbing, power hungry Slut?"

"You took the Gold, and asked no questions." the Witch hissed right back, "You could have said that he was a Lord."

"I had no Idea, I thought he was disinherited." Fudge scooted away from his undersecretary.

"He was...By his Father." Rufus smirked, "But his Grandfather was the Lord, and had named Him Heir, just after he graduated from Hogwarts. As being cast out from the Family was public, but the Naming was not… only a select few knew the whole truth, and they either were bound by Oaths, or did not talk."

Crouch frowned. "You know, I have never known Albus to be this quiet this long before."

"That is because he is Silenced." Gawain answered. "He has a nasty habit of calling his bird when he does not want to be somewhere. Between this room, those cuffs, and the silence spell, we should get a few answers out of him." Every eye turned to the oldest man in the room. Albus just crossed his legs like he was waiting his turn to talk.

'Shit! I need to get out of here quickly!'

"What started this hunt?" Barty asked as he slumped in his chair.

"Harry Potter sent a note to McGonagall, who took it to the Headmaster, who ask a favor of one of my Officers in front of me." Bones smiled at her former boss. "Something feeling off with Fudge and Umbridge pushing so hard for us to find Black, I sent my Officer to get me the Black file. In that file were three pages, with three names. An arrest report, an order to break a wand, and a transfer to Azkaban. You three wizards signed them." she closed the first file, the second file was moved to the side. The third file was opened. "Filed under 'K' for Kiss rather than 'B' for Black, This file was found."

In bold print across the top of the page:

Order to Kiss on Sight

It named Black as target, and ordered the release of two dozen Dementors to the man, down.

It was signed Dolores Umbridge, Undersecretary

It was countersigned Cornelius Fudge, Minster

It was stamped A.P.W.B.D. Chief Warlock

"I wish I could take this at face value." Bones tapped the page, "But I have worked here in the Ministry too long, been shafted too many times, and three of you have lied to me before." She returned the page to the folder. "Now my problem, I could either throw the book at the four of you, for the attempted assassination of Lord Black, allow you to bid on saving your asses by throwing the others under the Knight Bus, who was involved in this mess and not in this room, who can improve my Department's budget." she sighed, "And then there is my reputation as a Hardliner of Justice. Even stronger than Barty's." She gathered her folders, "You have five minutes to think this through. Rufus, take Fudge to room two. Gawain, take Umbridge to room three. Barty, You are with me, here."

As the squat witch was manhandled from the room, followed by the stout wizard, the lanky wizard just bowed his head. "Amilia, I need to be free for a minute, please." The man sounded beaten down. "There is no way for me to survive this, politically. Odds are I am going to end up in Azkaban just for the Black mismanagement, and with an in depth investigation, which you will no doubt do, I will end up facing the Kiss myself." He looked at her with dead eyes, "My Dying Wife, made me promise to help him, and with everything else… I did. But I could not let him run loose, so I bound him to the House…" a tap of her wand, and the runed iron fell from his wrists. "Winky!" the little elf as at his knee, dressed in a pillowcase with a tea towel kerchief wrapped around her ears. "Bring me my son, please."

"Winky can't." the Elf wailed, "Young master has slipped his bounds. Ordered Winky's silence he did." burying her face in her master's knee. "He returns each evening at half four, to clean up, and await Master."

Bones' eyes widened at the revealed truths, as did Dumbledore's, her Monocle falling from her eye. Replacing the Enchanted Glass piece before looking at her pocket watch, it was 11:23 am. "We will take it from here, Barty."

The Former head of the DMLE nodded, "Winky. I need you to know that you are a good Elf. You have served with Honor and Dignity. But to protect you from the fallout of this, I must pass you on." Winky wailed louder. "Winky, I Bartemius Crouch pass your Bond to Harry Potter. May you serve him half as well as you served me." the Winky wailed again as her Magic lashed out and found her new master. As it found him, it drew her away from her Master with a pop. "Now that is taken care of, Please understand how much I loved my Wife, and it was on this Love that I acted. Again it does not excuse, just explains. I am willing to face any judgement of my peers."

"Okay. Please bear witness as I question Albus." Bones turned to the Old man. A flick of her wand, but keeping it leveled at his crooked nose. "One slight mention of your Bird, and I will stun you, force enough Ventiserium down your throat to float a dragon, and leave you with a dica-quill. Now, What was your reason for all this, and for every 'Greater Good', I will hex you."

121

Harry was running full out after the black dog, that yapped and danced just out of the boy's reach. When suddenly he felt a tug on his core, as something hit the wards, before passing through. He stopped and turned to look in the direction of the 'hit', just as an Elf in a raggy pillowcase and tea-towel crashed at his feet, crying and wailing.

"Dobby! Nooky!" Harry called out, and as soon as he did, both elves were at his side.

"Winky!" Dobby squeaked, gathering the crying elf into his arms. "Whats bes problem?"

"Master sent Winky to Master!" the distraught elf wailed.

Nooky gasped, "Potter new Master?"

Winky nodded, tears streaming down her face.

Nooky frowned, "Why?"

"Master taken by Law! To protect Winky, Master sent Winky to Master!" the elf sniffled.

"Then To Honor your last Master, I will either Keep you, or find you someone who needs a Good and True elf." Harry rubbed the elf between her towel covered ears. "My Uncles could use an elf, but they are being courted by elves from within my household already." He smiled at the newest member of his house, "I would send you to my Best Friend, but she is muggleborn, and does not see the value of the Bond, yet." Looking to Nooky, "Get her dressed as befitting House Potter, but I like her style. See if you can fit it into what you find for her. She was sent to us rather being set free, that means she was valued, and we will honor that."

Suddenly Black was beside him, and Human, "Good job there Pup. And if I was not fending off three offers already from your youths, I would take her."

"Same here." the werewolf smiled at his cub. As the Elves popped away, the Wolf looked at the other two. "Taken by Law, she said, correct? Does that mean Padfoot is looking at getting his day in court?"

"We can hope."

"Maybe I should write Hermione early this week." Harry turned to the Manor, and jogged inside, allowing the elves to clean up behind him. It was a Habit he was having to develop, as his years with the Dursleys had deeply ingrained certain habits. The Elves needed to feel needed, to be allowed to care and pick up after their humans. 'Maybe I should also see if Mrs Dr Granger can take Winky. She felt like Flitch, when we met at Kings Cross.'

121