Chapter 2 – Reconnection

A lawyer should never ask a witness a question unless they are already sure of the answer.

- anon.

Hermione released Harry from her hug and dragged him by the hand into the room she'd just been freed from. She didn't want Ron, Ginny or any of the other Weasley's interrupting, so she pushed the door shut as soon as they entered the room. They stared at one another seemingly at a loss where to begin until Harry started. He was rubbing tears from his eyes. "You must think me a real prat to be crying over Hedwig like this." He was clearly embarrassed by his own emotional display.

"No Harry, quite the opposite. I'd be disappointed if you weren't upset over her," she told him. "It okay to be sad over a loss like this," she explained.

"I can't believe I'll never see her again," he said, resignation and sadness pouring out at his pronouncement.

Hermione hugged Harry again and he let a few more tears roll down his face. "Harry, you never told me. Was Hedwig you familiar?"

"I don't know. What's a familiar?" Harry asked.

"It's an animal you've magically bonded with. It's an animal who's become much more than a pet. They're more of a magical companion. Familiars take on their bond mate's personality and will be more readily available to help a witch or wizard than any ordinary pet. They tend to be extraordinarily good at their regular tasks. On a fundamental level, there is a higher degree of communication and understanding than with a normal pet. The emotional attachment is considerably stronger too. Magically, a familiar acts as an intermediary for the witch or wizard. After several years, familiars will gladly offer themselves as tools for spellwork and for sharing of magical cores." Hermione was in lecture made at that moment. Despite their anguish he was very impressed with her ability to keep her thoughts well organized at times like this.

"I guess it's possible," Harry answered. "Hedwig and I always seemed to have a rough understanding of what the other was thinking."

"And Hedwig always knew when someone had a letter or package that needed to be delivered to you. That's very unusual," Hermione added.

Harry sighed heavily. "With everything you've said, I guess it's possible she was my familiar. Either way though I'm really going to miss her," Harry said.

"I know if something happened to Crookshanks I'd miss him terribly. There are very few people I care for more than him," she said sympathetically.

"So he's your familiar?" Harry asked. He noticed the half-kneazle had jumped off of Hermione's bed and crossed the room to them and was now walking between their legs, encircling them in a figure eight pattern.

Hermione nodded. "Crooks and I have bonded. Have you had any headaches in the last couple of days? That often happens when a familiar bond is broken."

Harry shrugged. "Yeah, but I've had headaches all summer."

"Oh Harry, why's that?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

"Voldemort. The connection between us is stronger since he's been back. It also feels like he's trying to use it to tell me something. It's like he wants me to see something. It's especially hard when he's feeling strong emotions, especially anger or joy. Headaches usually follow." Harry admitted. "And then there are the nightmares. They don't help either, but I think those are of my own making and not Voldemort's."

"What nightmares?" she asked.

Harry hesitated, but he knew he needed to talk to someone about these. Hermione was the only person he trusted. Still, his gaze had fallen from hers and he was staring off into the distance, unable to meet her eyes. "From the graveyard. I keep asking myself what I could have done differently to keep him alive."

She knew without asking that he was talking about Cedric. "Look here Harry," she said as she grabbed his chin to force him to look her in the eyes, "that's one of the reasons I wanted to talk to you. I do not want you feeling like this was in any way your fault. It's all on Voldemort and Pettigrew."

"I should never have insisted that he touch that trophy," he said. "If I hadn't done that, he'd still be here," he explained. In hindsight, he had realized that there had been too many clues that something wasn't right during the final task of the Tri-wizard tournament. Viktor Krum's actions, Harry realized on reflection should have alerted him. Yes, the Bulgarian had wanted to win, but his actions in the maze were beyond what Harry should have expected from a teen who was already a successful professional athlete. Possibly the best Seeker in all of Europe, he would never have risked his professional reputation just to win a stupid school tournament. Krum attacking his competitors should have alerted Harry, he knew, that something was wrong.

"You had no way of knowing that Harry."

"I should have known. Krum was not acting normally. I should have spotted that."

"With the pressure you were under? Fighting for your survival? How could you have?" she explained. "Even I didn't spot that Viktor under the Imperius, and I knew him better than you did."

For just a moment, a pang of jealously touched Harry's heart, but Hermione had missed his reaction.

"You could not have known Viktor was being influenced. And you did the honorable thing for Cedric. It's those sick bastards' fault Cedric is dead. Not yours."

Hermione's pointed rant seemed to calm Harry. He sighed and seemed to relax slightly. "You're right. Thanks for reminding me."

Hermione huffed. "How long have you been feeling this way?"

"All summer, Harry told her. "I've… been thinking about Cedric's death a lot."

"Of course you are. What you witnessed, it was horrible. Harry, this summer I've read a bit about how trauma affects people..." Hermione saw a wry smile cross Harry's face when she mentioned her reading habit. "Yes, shocking I know. It may seem hard, but you the best way to get past it is to talk about, what happened and how you feel. I'm here to listen whenever you need me."

"Thanks Hermione." He wasn't quite ready to talk about it, so he mentioned something else that was bothering him. "I've also been worried sick about what Voldemort is going to do next," he allowed.

"I can imagine. I've also wondered what he was up to," she told him.

"f you don't know what was going on, they why didn't he let you talk to me?" he asked her.

Hermione sighed. "That's why I told Dumbledore he was off his rocker and we should have had the chance to talk to you. To really talk to you and not send you those stupid letters Molly dictated to us. I knew you might start blame yourself for Voldemort and we need to be there to make sure you wouldn't."

"Is that why you were so bound and determined to contact me this summer?" Harry asked.

"Yes," she said 'At least that's part of the reason' she thought to herself.

"You have no idea how much that means to me. I've… felt abandoned this summer," he said.

"I will never abandon you Harry Potter. Do you hear me?" She demanded.

There was an underlying commitment in her statement that Harry did not miss. "I'm sorry I doubted you. I won't make that mistake again," he told her. Looking down, Harry noticed that Hermione had taken his hands in hers in an effort to comfort him. He looked down and then back in her eyes. She gave him a nervous smile that Harry couldn't read. Harry finally broke his stare and finally took in the room Hermione had been staying in. Out of necessity she was given the largest guest room on the floor. They were in a sitting area that had a couch and two large wing-back chairs. A coffee table in the middle of the sitting area was covered with books. To one side was an open door that lead to an private bath. An archway lead to the other half of the room, in which there was a king-sized canopy bed. A pair of end table and three dressers completed the room. Harry was a little surprised to see that the room was a mess. He'd never seen Hermione's room at school, so this had surprised him. he did have to admit though that had he been in her shoes, the room would have been in much worse shape. "Are they really keeping you here against your will?" he asked her.

"I was being rather persistent in my efforts to get to you," she admitted. "They finally had enough and locked me up here."

"Oh," Harry said. "What did you do?"

"Unauthorized letters mostly. They would censor the ones I wrote or destroy them outright because they had 'too much sensitive information' in them. They were watching both the owl and muggle post. Someone in the group has to know more about muggle technology than they are letting on because they blocked me from calling you, and not just from my home. I tried calling from my parent's office, on Mum's cell, a couple pay phones and even from the neighbors. I couldn't get through. Eventually I tried to visit you in Little Whinging. After that failed, I got scared, and stopped trying for bit."

"What happened?"

"I don't know. I'm missing a day," she told him nervously.

"What do you mean?"

"There's a whole day I'm missing. I went to bed on a Wednesday night, and swore to myself I'd go to see you the next morning. When I woke up it was Friday. I have no memories of that Thursday," she said, still scared of what she couldn't remember.

"You think they modified you memory?" Harry asked. It wasn't really a question.

She nodded and elaborated on what had happened. "I guess I was a bit off at home. Mum noticed and we had a long talk. She found out how hard I had been trying to reach you and she promised to help. I guess she didn't really know what I was up against. She only knew how badly I wanted to talk to you. We were going to drive to your Aunt's house. I guess we never made it. Don't know how, but I woke up, couldn't remember the day at all and Mum only remembers going to work like usual."

Harry was aghast at this assault on his friend and her mother. "What did you do?"

"I did what they told me too and let it drop, at least for a week. Mum noticed me getting all worked up again and told me I needed to do something about it since I was driving her spare. I don't know what she had in mind, but I tried to get to you again. It was by train this time, and I went by myself. I figured since I was magical, I'd stand a better chance than Mum did. I guess that was the straw that broke the camel's back. Practically the next thing I knew I was back here."

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"A handful of people from the Order snatched me at Paddington Station. I know I saw at least three of them. They got me while I was transferring to the tube to get to Waterloo. They dragged me here, Professor Dumbledore took my wand, and then put me up here. I had the run of the place for a couple of hours, but made a break for it when they let down their guard. Next thing I knew I was locked in here and they wouldn't let me out."

"Why didn't you do what they told you? I never wanted you locked up don't want you stuck here." Harry's voice was tinged with both anger and guilt.

"They told me to lie to you. They told me to leave you alone. I couldn't do that to a friend. Not when I knew you needed a friend what with everything that's happened. I could never turn my back on you," Hermione pleaded.

"I'm sorry they did this to you because of me. What… what do your parents think?"

"I shudder to think. Mum might have disowned me by now." Hermione took a deep breath and released it. "Mum and I spoke at the start of the summer. She accused me of cutting her and Dad out of my life. She told me that I've spent too much time apart from them. I write her at least once a week but it's not really the same. It like we're drifting apart. We get only so much time away from school and I'm away from them for more and more of that. She said I've missed too many holidays. She was really hurt I had to spend so much of the Christmas holidays at school because of the Yule Ball."

Harry of course had not considered that. "Now that I think about it, it was pretty insensitive of the school to pull everyone from their families for that dance during the break. Why couldn't they have done it before the break?"

Hermione nodded. "She'd reached the same conclusion. Mum also said I've missed too many Easters. She's was afraid I'm going to start running off to my friends for half the summer now. She said she wanted me to put her and Dad first this year, before I got too much older and left for good. I promised them I'd spend the summer at home, with maybe only a couple of day trips to you and the Weasleys." The last was said in a single stream of words as tears began to form in her eyes.

Harry reached over and gave his friend a hug, knowing she needed it as badly now as he had earlier. "Do you parents know where you are? Do they have any idea you'd rather be with them?" Harry asked as he released her.

Hermione shook her head. "After they picked me up off of the street, they made me write mum a letter saying the Order really needed my help with an important project and that I wanted to say here the rest of the holidays. They've got to be really angry and disappointed in me. The way Molly made me write it, it sounded like they weren't important to me at all."

"Molly was responsible for it?" Harry asked.

"Yes. Ever since I got here, Molly has written every letter I sent to you or them. She made me copy them in my own handwriting so you wouldn't know, but they said exactly what she wanted them to."

"I thought your letters were off. I swear to you we'll get this straightened and you'll spend the rest of break at home with them."

"You think they'll let me go?" she asked.

"Sirius has as good as promised that they'll let you go home. If not well destroy this place from the inside," he said with a smile. She gave a soft laugh in response. "And just to make sure you're okay, when you get home, you'll write me every day to let me know you're safe, Okay?"

Hermione nodded, although right now she couldn't think of a story she could tell her mum explaining her absence which wouldn't either confirm her worst fears about Hermione drifting away or lead her Mum to try and talk her into leaving the magical world. Hermione had, after all, been kidnapped by the good guys.

"You should report them," he suggested.

"To who?" she asked. It was something she'd already considered."

"The Ministry. Kidnapping has to be illegal."

"And how do I contact them? I have no floo. I have no idea where the Ministry is located and I don't think they're in the phone book," she said, exasperated in the position she had found herself in. She had no one she could trust. "And if I try, how do I know they're not watching me and intercepting my mail again."

Harry shook his head. He couldn't believe Hermione had been trapped like this. That they had apparently scared her so badly she wouldn't act was even more disturbing. "Did they do anything else to you while you were here?" Harry asked.

Hermione snorted. "When I arrived, Molly cast a compulsion spell so I would be more interested in Ron. Perhaps she figured if he was my boyfriend I'd be easier to control."

"WHAT?" Harry yelped in shock. "You're not in love with Ron now, are you?"

Hermione gave a derisive laugh. "Not in the least. The spell didn't do anything. Unless you're using a really powerful love potion or dark magic, you can't make anyone fall in love. Most such common potions and spells only enhance existing feelings. Since I have absolutely no romantic feelings for Ron, it didn't do anything." Hermione actually snickered. "I mean really, Ron and me? Can you picture it, the way we're always fighting? It would be a nightmare." For once since the conversion had begun Hermione let out a real laugh.

"Is that why he's so out of sorts?" Harry asked.

"What are you talking about?"

"Ron was acting kind of strange ever since I arrived. Like he was angry at me or worried I'd do something bad."

Hermione paused to think. "I hadn't given it much thought, but now that you mentioned it, he did seem out of sorts ever since I got here."

"Like he has a crush on you maybe?" Harry said, almost teasing.

"No. It's like he knows something no one else does and he's feeling pretty smug about it. He's also not acting like you would have though towards Percy. Have you heard about him?"

"No," Harry answered. Last time Harry saw him, Percy was filling in for his missing boss during the tournament.

"He got a job working directly for Fudge. I've hear the entire Weasley family arguing about it every day."

"I thought your door was silenced," Harry said.

"It's one way only. I can hear what is going on outside, but they can't hear me. They kind of forget that I'm here for the most part, so I hear them talking all the time. The Wesley's think Fudge only gave Percy this promotion so he could act as a spy on the family and by extension Dumbledore. From what I've overheard that did not go over well with the newest Junior Minister. Percy cut himself off from the family as a whole. He was badmouthing Arthur at work last week and it got back to his Dad. Whenever Percy gets mentioned, everyone goes spare. Everyone except for Ron. You know how Ron was never really a big fan of Percy? Well now he is. Ron's sticking up for him every time someone says something bad about him."

Harry agreed that this seemed strange. While Percy hadn't pranked him at the time like the twins had, Ron had not been too kind about his older brother the prior summer when Percy had become Head Boy.

Harry and Hermione had been talking for hour. Her room had a big picture window that provided the room with light from the lights home's garden. Those outdoor lights must have been on a timer of some sort, because they had begun to go out. This caused her room to get much darker.

Now the only light in the room was from the fire place and a single oil lamp on an end table. "Oh blast it," Hermione said. "You would think I would merit some lighting in this place. Kreature!" she shouted, but got no response. She sighed. "All of the lights in here only respond to magic. Without my wand, I can't light them. The miserable excuse for a house elf that came with this place usually ignores me although he's been ordered to turn on the lights when I ask." Harry stated to pull out his wand and she stopped him. "Best not to use magic, especially for something as routine a this," she told him.

Although Harry was feeling rather rebellious at that moment, he knew Hermione was right about his avoiding using magic. "I'm going to see where Sirius is with your wand. He should have had it up here by now." Harry told his friend.

"It's okay, Harry. Let them finish their meeting first."

"No. He said he was bringing it right back, and I'm holding him to his word. If they won't be good true to their word to me either, I want to know now. We still need to figure out how to get you back to your parents and that is the bigger task. I have the feeling they're planning on going back on that promise, and you ARE going back to you parents"

Hermione tried to stop Harry. "Sirius doesn't even have it," she reminded Harry, "Dumbledore does."

Harry Confronts the Order About Hermione's Captivity

This set Harry off. He was tired of the man ignoring him all summer. Now clearly he was the one ultimately responsible to taking Hermione prisoner. Sidestepping Hermione, he rushed out the door. Harry was thundering down the stairs, taking them at two at a stride. "Then he can answer for it. And I will not have him ignore me now ," Harry said to his friend who was rushing to keep up. In the time Harry had reached the lowest floor in the house downstairs, his anger had returned to full bloom. He flew through the door and drew his wand. He'd been ignored by the man all summer. Apparently the man had seen fit to interfere with Harry's friendships, which now that he thought on it, had made Harry even angrier.

"We were promised Hermione's wand," Harry said as his own was pointed at the chest of the old headmaster. "I understand you have it. Since you lot have already gone back to me on your word to return it, I'll take it now and we're leaving."

Several people gasp or spoke at once. "Harry!" said a shocked Arthur Weasley.

"How dare you draw on Albus!" shouted an equally shocked Elphias Doge.

Dumbledore though seemed to have his eyes closed in relaxed contemplation.

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry spotted a rapid movement from a figure dressed all in black. Harry heard the oily words of Severus Snape "You have this coming you insolent brat!" Out of reflexes honed through years of Quidditch practices, Harry ducked just in time to avoid a curse from the man.

Too late, Harry heard the headmaster shout, "Severus, NO!"

As Harry was diving to the ground, he heard another man scream in pain. That man's head erupted in a spray of blood. As Harry landed on the ground, a large purple top hat landed next to him. With that cue, several things seemed to happen all at once. A witch, who Harry would later realize was the Hogwarts School Nurse, Madam Pomfrey, dove towards the injured man. Several people jumped to their feet and wands appeared in their hands. Harry checked for Hermione. With the outbreak of spellfire, the unarmed Hermione let out an audible "eep!" and dove out of the room, and then peaked back inside. At the same time Ron had come sprinting in, having heard footsteps coming down the stairs and thinking that dinner was on order. As Ron entered, the room erupted with spell fire, much of it apparently directed at Severus Snape. Harry heard the distinctive gong of spells hitting a strong shield.

Someone, a wizard Harry didn't recognize, fell to the floor. He was unarmed and seemed to have been hit by a deflected curse.

Sirius bellowed in rage and he took up the charge against Snape.

Harry was at on odd angle relative to where Snape was standing and the dinner table was between the prone Harry and the standing man's torso. This made casting a spell at the man a bad choice, especially given how quickly Snape shuffled his feet while fighting. His shield was also effective at blocking all incoming spellfire. A side table, which had been set for dinner was struck with another deflected curse and toppled over, dumping its contents across the room's floor. A large heavy cauldron filled with stew landed with a clang and rolled next to Harry, spilling food along the way. He grabbed it and from his position under the dining room table, heaved it at the legs of the man he presumed was Snape. Harry's aim was off, and the fifteen pound cauldron hit the leg of a witch wearing and old flower-print dress. He heard her leg crack and saw her go down in pain. He knew at once it had been Mrs. Weasley he had accidently hit.

Harry grudgingly had to hand it to his old potions master, although he was significantly outnumbered, he was holding his own. Harry, from his hidden position under the table drew a bead on Severus legs with his wand, hoping for a chance at a lucky shot. As he was about to cast, he heard a sound like a cannon shot and the amplified voice of Albus Dumbledore who shouted, "CEASE FIRING AT ONCE." There was something magical in the man's command that forced everyone to obey. "Wands away!" Dumbledore shouted, but without the magical command behind his words. Harry did not pocket his wand.

Harry quickly rose to his feet and aimed his wand back at the Headmaster while surveying the damage. Snape's robes were torn and he appeared to be bleeding slightly. The pair of Aurors he'd met at Privet Drive earlier that evening, Tonks and Shacklebolt, appeared to be confused about what they were supposed to be doing. Remus Lupin was holding his wand arm to his chest like it was broken. Another witch had a cut on her cheek. The only person not frozen in place was Madam Pomfrey, who was working feverishly on the injured wizard who was the victim of the first spell Severus had cast. A spell, Harry reminded himself that the man had direct at him. She quickly levitated the injured man, who Harry now recognized as Dedalus Diggle and headed to the floo. "I'm afraid his left eye is a loss, but if I can get him to St. Mungo's, I should be able to save the rest of him. Sirius, unlock the floo."

The man with the long shaggy black hair who still had his wand pointed at Snape, quickly crossed the room and met the nurse at the room's medium sized fire place and did as she asked. Harry looked at Diggle as he floated by. The man was a bloody mess. Two large gashes covered his face. Harry was shaken by the damage Snape had done to the man. It could have been him.

Harry looked at the potion master with a venomous stare that he hoped promised the man a great deal of pain. After a few seconds during which Harry heard Hermione's shuffling feet behind him, he spoke again to the Dumbledore. His voice was icy cold, "Her wand please."

"And then what?" Dumbledore asked calmly. He seemed to be focused on Snape rather than Harry.

"We're leaving." Harry answered coolly.

"You travel at great risk at night Harry," Arthur Weasley pointed out. "Besides it's after 11. Her parents are likely in bed already."

"Then we'll be upstairs until morning when I will be escorting Hermione back to her parents."

"We can't allow that Mr. Potter. It's too dangerous for you at her house," Dumbledore answered.

"So you've left the Grangers exposed?" Harry hissed.

"Not at all. They're under guard," Albus said calmly. "The Grangers have protection, but you would draw too much attention to them. It's not safe for them to have you there."

"Does that guard include the incompetent git who buggered-off to buy a load of stolen cauldrons while he was on duty at my Aunt's house four days ago to?"

A whimpering sound came from the corner of the room from what Harry had previously assumed to be a pile of discarded rags.

Dumbledore ignored the offended wizard hiding in the corner and looked over at the man Harry had been introduced to earlier tonight by the name of Kingsley Shacklebolt and then back to Harry. "With you here now, we can increase the Grangers' guard."

Harry noticed a few of the people in the room didn't seem too excited by the idea of more guard duty. He didn't particularly have much confidence in these people either. Harry considered for a moment who in the room he did trust. "Professor Lupin, are there any professional magical security firms that could be hired for the task?

"The Order can handle their protection Harry," Remus assured him after quickly glancing towards Dumbledore.

"No. I don't think so. I suspect I'm the higher priority amongst you lot and even then you were hardly up to the task." Harry pointed at the stack of rags he had assumed was Mundungus. "If you are asking that gormless buffoon to protect me, you have serious competency issues. Anyone else have any suggestions for protecting the Grangers before I take up guard duty?"

After a few moments of silence Kingsley Shacklebolt spoke up. "Gringotts offers protection services. I've seen Miss Granger's home. A team of four Goblins would be up to the task, especially if they are charged primarily with personal protection." The tall man turned slightly, "They'll be unnoticed by you or your family Miss Granger."

Dumbledore blanched at this prospect. Hiring the Goblins was beyond the fiscal means of the Order. Few, if any Order members had any real wealth. He could not help either. He personally had never been one to amass any real savings. Headmasters were not the most highly paid people in the wizarding world. In fact, with his mastery and side ventures, Severus earned more than he did. The Chief Warlock position with the Wizengamot and Supreme Mugwump position with International Confederation of Wizards were both unpaid. He'd never saved any of what he earned. His retirement plan, so as it was, involved his unpublished memoirs. The main problem there was that they were, as of yet, unwritten. He was waiting until Voldemort was gone for good when such a book would be best received until he played that card. That, he was sure would provide for the basis of a comfortable retirement. Another problem with hiring the goblins was that, although no one knew it, the goblins were not overly fond of the man. Their embarrassment over the break in at the school's bank vault that had previously held the Sorcerer's Stone a few years back had not abated. In logic the old man didn't fully appreciate, the Goblin nation shifted some of the blame for that to the old headmaster. Dumbledore knew that if he tried to hire the Goblins, they'd stick it to him with the cost. He simply couldn't afford it. Now, he dearly wished to safe face. The best way would be to convince Harry that he knew best. "I'm afraid not Harry. The Order doesn't have the luxury of providing anyone protection in excess of their needs."

"I'll pay for it," Sirius interrupted.

Harry knew immediately his godfather was trying to buy his way back into Harry's good graces. Things between them had been very chilly ever since Harry discovered that Sirius had played a part in imprisoning Hermione. This offer was hardly enough to buy the man out of trouble with Harry, but the boy valued Hermione's safety over saving face with Sirius. "Agreed. Set it up first thing in the morning. Hermione and I will leave for her home an hour after the bank opens."

Sirius sighed. "No Harry, Dumbledore is right. You can't go. You'll attract too much attention, even with a Goblin guard. Please consider that the Grangers will most assuredly be safer if you're not there. You need to stay here."

Deep down, he knew Sirius was right. He just didn't have to like it. "FINE! I'll stay here, but under three conditions."

"Which are?" Dumbledore asked.

"First, Hermione has her wand in her hands by the count of ten. Second, Severus leaves these premises and does not return at any time while I am here over the summer…"

"Who do you think you are Potter?" the potions master bellowed in interruption.

Sirius cut off his rant "Actually, I think that is a capital idea. I've also tired of your company and this is my home."

Snape cut him off, "Which you have provided to the Order for our business. After all it is the one thing you've been able to do that is any help at all." Snape's sneer was at an all time high.

"That changes nothing. This is my house and you are not welcome here," Sirius told the man.

The man looked defiantly at Dumbledore. The old man gave his potions professor a tired look. "Meet me in my office in an hour Severus."

With that dismissal, Snape turned and marched to the door, his cape bellowing behind him.

As the man was leaving, Harry turned to Kingsley. "I thought you were an Auror. Aren't you going to arrest him for what he did to Mr. Diggle? He seems to have lost an eye in an unprovoked attack after all."

The tall black wizards seemed taken aback by the suggestion and didn't immediately answer. Snape froze in place, his back to the room. He seemed to be flexing his fingers.

Remus spoke up. "He's too important to us as a spy Harry."

Sirius continued, "Merlin knows that one day he might even provide us with the meanest morsel of useful information."

Harry had the distinct impression that this was a matter that had been discussed before as Snape tensed.

Dumbledore must also have noticed Snape's change in posture. "Leave now Severus," he added, before the confrontation could escalate further.

Apparently though, Kingsley decided his position wasn't what he wished it to be. He shouted after the retreating man. "Pray Dingle lives Severus. If not, I'll swear out an arrest warrant myself."

"And I'll be the one to execute it." Moody threw in. Harry realized the old Auror, whom he had earlier believed had gone a bit round the bend, was looking distinctly unhappy about Snape behavior. Rushed footsteps and a slamming door confirmed Snape's departure.

With which Harry turned back to Dumbledore. "And Hermione's wand?"

"It's safe in my office at Hogwarts. I will retrieve it as quickly as I am able once we have concluded our business here. You have my word that it will be here before she departs in the morning. Is that acceptable?" Once again Dumbledore seemed to have his eyes closed in contemplation.

Harry was about to say no, but turned to Hermione instead. She nodded at him.

"That will be fine. But if it isn't here, I will be leaving with her," Harry answered "Oh, and there was one more thing. I want you to explain to me what the hell has been going on over the last month and a half. I don't appreciate being left in the dark." Harry said angrily.

"Sirius can fill you in on everything in the morning," Dumbledore offered, looking at Harry's Godfather.

"You seem to be in charge here. I want to hear it from you," Harry answered back. Harry could tell a few people in the room were offended by Harry's attitude. He also observed that Dumbledore himself looked slightly nervous.

"I'll make some time Mr. Potter, but not until after your hearing. I have quite a few things that need to be in place before that event."

With that, Emilie Vance, a witch Harry had met earlier that night in Privet Drive spoke up. "Speaking of Harry's hearing for the use of underage mage, perhaps it's time for Harry to surrender his wand. The last thing we need is for him to give the Committee any more ammunition.

Harry gave the woman a glare that promised death. "Who the hell do you think you are?" He asked.

"That won't be necessary," Dumbledore said to Emily in a clamming tone. "I do not believe, despite having drawn his wand several times this evening, that Mr. Potter has cast any spells. Isn't that correct, Harry?"

Harry paused before answering, reflecting on the events of the last several hours. He in fact had not done any magic. "Yes… sir. I believe so."

"Very well. Please put you wand away and continue to exercise your commendable restraint." Harry wasn't real pleased with the man's condescending tone, but he tucked his wand in his pants anyway. "Now, if you'll excuse us, Mr. Potter, we now have a considerable bit more of business to attend to this evening than when you first arrived. I think it best we proceed."

Harry turned on his heels and headed to the door, reaching for Hermione's arm to lead her along as he passed her. Only as he was leaving, did Harry realize that never once hand the Dumbledore looked him in the eye. As Harry walked out, the room was deathly quiet, with only moan from Molly Weasley. Hestia Jones was now tending to the woman's shattered leg.

As Harry was half way up the first flight of stairs, Ron finally broke the silence. Until now he'd been staring ashen face at his injured mother. "Speaking of arrests, isn't anyone going to arrest Harry for what he did to mum?" 'Where in the world did that come from' Harry thought to himself as he reached the landing a top the stairs. By then Arthur Weasley's response to his son was unintelligible.

# # # (A/N begins here)

The door to the small grey room on the Auror's offices slammed open. A grizzled old man with one leg and a hideously scarred face walked into the room. The magical eye the man had focused unblinkingly on the room's sole occupant. Without introduction he newcomer began "I take it you'd have charges pressed for attempted murder against the man."

Mr. Harmonious Magic seemed surprised at the sudden entrance of the most feared Auror currently on the Ministry's payroll. The scribe barely managed to sputter, "You mean Professor Snape?"

The Auror grunted at this. "It's your story. Please try and keep up with the plot. Yes, Snape."

"Not necessarily attempted murder. Potter dodged the spell unexpectedly. If he hadn't moved I would think Snape would have gone for an ear. I believe the official scribe suggested he'd done just that to George Weasley. Diggle just got it worse than he'd intended. Perhaps something along the lines of reckless endangerment?"

"Based n what you've shown, perhaps that's fair enough. But your overall premise is flawed. I very much doubt that he was even capable of such a rash act. He's much too calculating," the old Auror suggested.

"I disagree. In his mind he's the number two figure in the Order. He's successfully working both sides of the coin, having been accepted back by Voldemort. He knows charges against him could never be pressed. Dumbledore would lose his spy if such an attack came to public light, especially in the case of a trial. Snape would take any means to defend himself and such a defense would certainly reveal the Order to the public. Snape knows Dumbledore would act to prevent that by once again protecting his pet Death Eater. I'm also trying to show that the man is beginning to slip his leach."

"I disagree. You've gone a step too far. On the other hand, I'm also a bit tired of all this chit-chat. At least the action, the little of it you managed to provide, is long overdue."

The scribe cringed. There wasn't a whole lot of action in the coming chapters either. Alastor noticed this. "We're not done yet with all the chatter yet, are we?"

"No. But I can a least promise that I'll finish up with the events of August 6th in the next chapter."

The old Auror pulled another roll of parchment from the file and began to read it. The title on the top of the page was Chapter 3. He growled, "I didn't ask to read this. Was ordered too, and frankly I have better things to do with my time. This had better not put me to sleep." the old man groused as his eyes moved over the page.

"Is there anything in particular you're looking for in there," the scribe asked, pointing to the next chapter of his story.

Alastor lost his place and glared at the man. He stood abruptly and made for the door. "I'm going back to my office where I can read in peace. Do try and go anywhere," he warned before slamming the door on his way out.

Harmonious Magic slumped in his chair. He was going to be here a while. Realizing he could use this time productively he reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a large brass inkpot, a roll of parchment and a three foot long peacock feather. He always carried the ornate feather in case he was asked for his autograph. He did hate the fact that whenever his wife saw the thing she had to remind him he'd never actually eve been asked for an autograph. 'Never hurts to be prepared', was his standard reply. He uncapped the inkpot and tore off a few inches of parchment. Dipping he quill, he began to write.

Dear Reader

Thank you for your review of Chapter 1 of "Harry Potter and the Emrys Pendant"

There seems to be some understandable confusion about the last section of that chapter. Everything that appears following the three pound signs (# # #) is just a device for delivering author's notes. I was trying to be cute with how I initially presented this device, but in the end I simply didn't explain this clearly enough.

That section could be viewed as a separate story from the main story that takes place in its own rather warped universe. You are absolutely correct the character Harmonious Magic is a blatant "Larry-Sue." Rest assured that nothing that appears in those notes will have any impact on the main the story "Harry Potter and the Emrys Pendant." Mr. Magic will not even be making a cameo in the main story. Perhaps I should be publishing those notes in a separate story entitled "Harmonious Magic and the Tale of 'Harry Potter and the Emrys Pendant'."

You are perhaps correct that parts of the main story are cliché. I my defense, there are roughly half a million Potter fanfictions on this site alone and true originality is difficult to achieve.

I will tell you that if you didn't like chapter one, you're not going to be too happy with chapter two through four chapters either. They mostly explore recent events and preexisting relationships in a different light. The story really kicks off after that.

Respectfully Yours,

Harmonious Magic

Harmonious carefully folded the note and pulled a tapper red self-igniting candle from his pocket. Reaching in again he pulled out a stamp. He blew on the blackened wick of the candle and a flame came to life. He carefully melted the red wax onto the note where the parchment folds met. When he had a 1 inch wide pool of wax, he blew on the candle again and it went out. He picked up the stamp and pressed it into the wax creating a seal with the initials HM intertwined. He gave the wax a minute to harden before he addressed the note. He hopped he'd get access to a post owl soon. Expecting Mood back any time soon, he pocked the note, the candle, the stamp, the ink bottle which he'd already stoppered and lastly the garish green and purple quill. He wondered just what Moody was looking for in his story.