Harry sat up with a start as Ron entered the room. "Are you feeling better, Harry?" he asked. "Oh, and Isabel wants to talk to you."
Harry went down to the common room and saw Isabel sitting in a chair next to the left fireplace. She beckoned him over and said gently, "If you don't feel up to it, Harry, you don't have to attend Quidditch practice after dinner. You're excused from it."
"Thanks, Isabel," replied Harry dully. "I don't think I'll go."
"All right, then," said Isabel kindly. "And if you need someone to talk to, but your friends aren't around, I'm available."
The next morning at breakfast, numerous owls flew inside and deposited letters in front of Harry. With the help of his friends, he opened them, and found that each one expressed their sympathy over what he went through. A letter from Mr. and Mrs. Adam Rought had more. The second paragraph read, "Our daughter, Isadora, mentions that you are in Diamond House with her. We're sure that once the Ministry settles things, you will need a guardian. If you like, we would be happy to adopt you. Isadora has no objections to having you for a brother, and our son Lionel doesn't mind either. He says it would be cool having you for an older brother. You would have a happy life with us."
Harry raised a brow and glanced over at the table where Isadora was sitting. She was talking with her friends, so he put down the letter and opened another. That one had an offer of adoption as well. When all the letters had been opened, it was found that at least ten of them had offers to adopt him. There was even one from Emily's mother. It appeared that Emily had written to her mother about the trial, and Ms. Spencer had been so shocked by the events that she decided to offer to adopt Harry then and there.
Harry privately preferred having the Weasleys or another teacher adopt him, (except Professor Lupin, who couldn't) but he felt if he had to choose among the other offers, he would pick Ms. Spencer. He had only met her during the trip to Diagon Alley and hadn't seen her again, but she had seemed nice, and he wouldn't mind having Emily for a sister. The only problem was that Ms. Spencer was Muggle, and the Ministry wouldn't be too happy with that.
Toward the end of breakfast, Rita Skeeter appeared in the Dining Hall, a bottle cork in her hand and a triumphant look on her face. She had a whispered conversation with Professor McIntyre, who then stood up and announced, "Ms. Skeeter has kindly spied upon the Hogwarts Great Hall for us, and she reported some very interesting news. During breakfast, Professor Dumbledore received numerous Howlers. Each one told him off for his actions, and it appears that some of the Howlers were from various people in the Ministry. Minister Cornelius Fudge didn't send one, but he gave orders for one his underlings to do so, it seems."
There were cheers and applause as Professor McIntyre sat down.
After classes, Harry was called into the staff room. The entire staff, except Mrs. O'Malley, was there. Harry was quite surprised to see his Head of House in a dark blue sari. The few times he had seen her outside of classes or the Dining Hall, she had been wearing a kimono. Apparently she was giving consideration to her husband's heritage. "Potter," said Snape brusquely, "the meeting with the Wizengamot is on Tuesday of next week. Amelia Bones, head of Magical Law Enforcement sent the letter this morning."
"Several members of the Wizengamot have graduated from Mryddin Academy, and they are firmly on your side, Harry," said Professor Lovegood. "They are well aware of what Dumbledore might do to influence things, and have-" She suddenly broke off and stared into space. Several seconds later, in an airy, dreamy voice like the one her daughter Luna often spoke in, she said, "The one who survived the Dark Lord shall never see his nearest blood relatives again, unless he so wishes. He is free from their torment, and will have a pleasant life until the Dark Lord returns. Then he shall suffer, but eventually return to the pleasant life."
Everyone stared at her, except Professor McIntyre, who had conjured parchment and quill and was busy writing what Professor Lovegood said. The Divination teacher blinked when she was done speaking, and in her natural tone, asked, "I just made another prediction, didn't I?"
The rest of the staff nodded and she read her prediction. "I see. Well, there is nothing for you to worry about, Harry. It appears that the Wizengamot will remove you from the Dursleys and you'll never have to see them again."
"My prayers have been answered," said Reverend O'Malley. Then glancing at the other religious staff, amended, "Or rather, our prayers have been answered. Since we have all been praying to whatever deity or deities we believe in."
Mr. Patil nodded. "I did ask Ganesh to remove obstacles that would prevent Harry from leaving his relatives."
Professor Farohoud sighed. "Well, that's settled. Selena's prophecies and predictions have all come true before, except for one, but that involves something due to happen next year, so this prediction will be certain to come true as well."
Professor Lupin patted Harry gently on the arm. "So there's no need to worry, Harry. Just answer the Wizengamot's questions and you'll be all right." Harry was excused and he left the room.
On Friday, in the Daily Prophet, the front page article, written by Rita Skeeter, reported that Dumbledore had been removed from his position as Chief Warlock on the Wizengamot. He had also been voted out of the Chairmanship of the International Confederation of Wizards, and many people were clamoring for his removal from the Chocolate Frog cards and taking away his Order of Merlin. For once, Light and Dark wizards and witches alike were joined together in their disapproval of Dumbledore's actions. Due to his defeat of the Dark wizard Grindelwald and his help in the previous war, he wasn't going to be arrested, but he was very unpopular.
Tuesday morning, Harry nervously got ready for the meeting with the Wizengamot. He donned the bottle green dress robes he'd gotten for his birthday and tried to flatten his hair, with no success. Finally Professors Yamatato-Patel and McIntyre came for him and they Flooed to the Ministry. Amelia Bones, a broad, square-jawed witch with very short grey hair and wearing a monocle met them. She smiled pleasantly at Harry, which made her look less forbidding, and told him that she was the aunt of Susan Bones, one of his classmates. Then she greeted Professor McIntyre, whom she'd apparently gone to school with, and nodded at the other accompanying teachers.
They were led inside the courtroom, where the rest of the Wizengamot were waiting. Cornelius Fudge called the session into order and said, "Custody hearing of one Harry James Potter, looking into his removal from the custody of his relatives, who allegedly abused him. Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for Magic; Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister. Court Scribe, Blair Edmund North."
He looked kindly at Harry and said, "Mr. Potter, could you please tell us what you went through with the Dursleys?"
Harry was very nervous, but he bravely began speaking. There were mutters and whispers a minute into his tale, and the members looked horrified. The only person that didn't seem to show any shock at all was the witch on Fudge's right, who was sitting so far back on the bench that her face was in shadow. Harry guessed that she must be Dolores Umbridge, however.
Harry had just finished speaking and Professor McIntyre was about to describe how she had found him when the doors opened and Dumbledore walked in. The others in the room did not seem happy to see him, at the very least, and Fudge looked very uncomfortable. "Er, you found out about the date and time of the hearing, Dumbledore?"
Dumbledore nodded pleasantly and conjured a squashy armchair to sit on. "I'm here to defend the Dursleys and see that Harry returns to his loving home."
Several Wizengamot members snorted. Madam Bones said sternly, "You may stay, but you will not say a single word out of turn, Professor Dumbledore. Professor McIntyre, please continue."
When Professor McIntyre was done speaking, Mrs. Figg testified. Harry was surprised, to say the least, to discover that his baby-sitter was a Squib, and had been asked by Dumbledore to live near the Dursleys in order to keep an eye on him. Mrs. Figg reported that she had suspected that Harry was being abused, due to his bruises, and had told Dumbledore, who always brushed her off and made vague promises to look into it. Dumbledore's eyes flashed with anger upon hearing Mrs. Figg's testimony, and might have tried to Oblivate her if there hadn't been so many people keeping an eye on him.
Finally Professor Dumbledore spoke in defense of the Dursleys, but nobody paid much attention to him. He glared angrily at certain people, who looked slightly scared. When he was done, Fudge called it to a vote. "All in favor of removing Harry James Potter from his relatives' custody?" Most of the Wizengamot, including Fudge, raised their hand. "All opposed?" No hands were raised, though Harry noticed that the witch on Fudge's right and the few that had looked scared hadn't raised their hands at all. Fudge glanced around and asked, "Undecided?" and they raised their hands.
"Very well, Mr. Potter is removed from his relatives' custody," said Fudge, looking triumphant. "Anyone who wishes to adopt Mr. Potter may submit their names in for consideration. He will then decide whom he wants to adopt him. The hearing is adjourned."
"Wait!" exclaimed Dumbledore. "Mr. Potter has to attend Hogwarts! That's what his parents would want!"
"After what you've done to me, I don't think so," snapped Harry, glaring at Dumbledore.
"Mr. Potter has chosen to attend Myrddin School, so that's where he goes," said Madam Bones. "You can't stop him, Dumbledore."
Professor McIntyre proceeded to explain to Dumbledore that a student had to change his mind of his own free will to be able to leave Myrddin School at the end of the school year and transfer to another school. Dumbledore appeared to ignore it and walked over to Harry. Before anyone could react, he had grabbed Harry's arm and stuffed a small statue into his hand. They disappeared an instant later.
Harry landed in a heap and as he scrambled to his feet, he looked around to see it was Dumbledore's office. Rather than becoming scared, he was now angry. "What do you think you're doing, Dumb-Old-Dork?"
"Now, now, name-calling is unnecessary," said Dumbledore pleasantly. "Harry, you truly do not want to continue your education at Myrddin Academy. Hogwarts is an older and better school, and your parents were alumni. Professor McIntyre will simply use you."
"Well, you were the one who placed me at the Dursleys!" snapped Harry. He glanced down and saw a beetle on his robe sleeve. It looked as if Rita Skeeter had come along with him. He looked up again at Dumbledore and said coldly, "I have no wish to attend Hogwarts, Professor. So please send me back to Myrddin School."
"I do not wish to have to resort to this," said Dumbledore sadly. He pulled out his wand and said, "Imperio!"
A voice in Harry's head said gently, Change your mind. Say that you wish to transfer to Hogwarts. Harry opened his mouth when his mind retorted, No! Why should I? I'm happy at Myrddin School and don't want to go to Hogwarts. He shut his mouth.
Say it! snapped the voice in his mind. Harry opened his mouth and said, "I wish to transfer to-" He got no further as he suddenly felt a tugging on his legs and disappeared from the office. A second later, he landed in Professor McIntyre's office.
"What happened?" he asked as he got up and looked at the Headmistress, who looked relieved.
"A special spell designed by the Founders," responded Professor McIntyre. "If a student of this school is captured and to be held elsewhere against his or her will, the spell automatically activates and he or she is transported to the Head's office. It is similar to Appariation, but not exactly, for wards on the school prevent Appariation. It is more like the house-elves mode of transport."
Rita Skeeter appeared then, looking wickedly happy. "Dumb-Old-Dork, to borrow your name for him, Harry, is furious. The instant you disappeared, he cursed and began throwing things. I left then. Oh, Professor McIntyre, with your permission, I'd like to submit an article to the Daily Prophet on what went on during the hearing and in Dumb-Old-Dork's office. The wizarding world would have a field day over his putting Harry under the Imperious Curse to try and get him to transfer to Hogwarts. Though it looked like Harry fought it."
"Good for you, Harry," said Professor McIntyre. Then her expression turned angry. "I can't believe he did that! Rita, you have my permission to write the article and you may insult Dumbledore all you want. Everything else has to be accurate, though."
Rita, looking even more delighted, left, while Harry went to find his friends and tell them what happened. They were glad that the hearing had gone in his favor, and were very mad to find out that Dumbledore had tried to kidnap him and force him to attend Hogwarts.
Author's Note: When Emily's mother divorced her husband, she reverted to her maiden name of Spencer, and Emily elected to take her mother's last name as well. That is why Harry refers to her as Ms. Spencer.
