The Breakthrough

"Albert, do come in. Just the man I want to see", Pius Thicknesse greeted the inspector.

"You sent for me?", Runcorn asked.

"I just had a meeting with the Minister, and needless to say, he's unhappy with how this investigation is going. When the Minister is unhappy, I am unhappy, and so should you. You know what I mean".

"The cock-up at the school".

"Indeed. It makes the whole Department look bad, and what's even worse, is that the Minister has given us ten days to present him with some concrete evidence. Do you have any such evidence?"

"No..."

"And how is that?"

"Williamson and Dawlish: I believe they are too far out of their element in this case. Aurors seldom have any contact with muggles, certainly not in the capacity of an active investigation. Have you also considered this may just be Wormwood's suspicions? That there is nothing to investigate?"

"I have and I don't believe it, and neither do you. It may have started out as a simple matter of one love struck young girl reconnecting with a boyfriend and her colleagues covering for her. To be quite honest, I thought that decree that they have no further contact with their Mentor friends was excessive and foolish in the extreme. At that age - especially - or any age, you can't expect them to just forget it as though it never happened.

"I don't know what these kids are cooking up, or how the Mentors are always a step ahead, but I'm certain it's gone way beyond just Granger and her Mentor boyfriend".

"Let me talk with Granger..."

"We tried that..."

"I mean informally, just the two of us. There's a Hogsmeade outing coming up. Maybe we can clean this shitpile up. It maybe time to just look the other way".

Hogsmeade: Three Broomsticks

Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, Seamus and their house mates were gathering around a table, claiming it for Griffindor. The other Houses: Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, likewise assembled at other tables. The Griffindors and Slytherins took tables on the opposite side of the room, as they always did.

"Won't be the same without Harry", Ron commented.

"I wouldn't count him out", Hermione reminded.

The old stone fireplace erupted in green flames...

"Speak of the devil...", Hermione said as Harry stepped from the fireplace. "Harry!", Hermione called out as she waved.

"So good to see you", Harry said as they embraced. "Same for all my x-housemates".

There were the usual pleasantries as Ron ordered a round of butterbeers.

"How's life apart from Hogwart's been treatin' ya?", Seamus asked.

"It's... different", he started. "Moved into Sirius' old place, and it's still strange, you know, lying there at night with all the quiet. I've never slept alone up till now. Not at the Dursleys or the dorms in Griffindor Tower. I'm still getting used to that. Just finished up the acquisition of a pair of cursed bracelets for Caractacus. For once, he paid a fair price".

"Thought you'd be set up for life with the Ministry", another commented.

"You need a girl", Seamus commented.

"All in due time".

That made Ron blush slightly as Ginny, his little sister, was that very girl Seamus mentioned.

"I'm not the political type", Harry replied. "That wasn't for me, and I disagree with the Daily Prophet: I don't believe I'm wasting any potential, and now that Voldemort's gone, it makes no difference whether I'm the Boy Who Lived or not. I'm not going to do like the overpriledged muggle dilettantes who go into politics because it's the only thing to do to justify an otherwise pointless existence".

Ever since leaving Hogwarts, there had been editorials in the Daily Prophet from Wizarding World notables expressing disappointment with the career choice of the Boy Who Lived, the Prophesied One, the vanquisher of Voldemort, that he was choosing a more private life, and acting as the agent of a pawn shop. He could, at least, remain in the public eye by trying out for a professional Quiddich team (he hadn't ruled that out completely).

"I don't owe them a damn thing", Harry said.

The conversation went back and forth about House standings, Quiddich matches - Griffindor was struggling as they'd lost the best Seeker they had when Harry left - gossip about professors - nothing out of the ordinary.

They were just about to go sight seeing when the fireplace once again turned green.

"Shit!", Ron muttered, as he recognized Albert Runcorn.

"I would like to have a private conversation with Hermione", he announced as he approached. "Unofficially, of course"

"We were on our way", Ron told him.

"You go on ahead", she said, "It'll be alright".

"You're sure?"

"Catch up with you at Honeydukes".

Runcorn led her to a two-person table well off to the side.

"I'll not beat around the bush", he told her, "I know you're seeing Jadin Weston..."

"You know no such thing", she insisted.

"Not legally, no, but I know you are. It's understandable, and I was once your age, believe it or not. I also know kids these days don't adhere to tradition as much as previous generations. The muggle-borns serving in the military shared their knowledge with their superior officers during Voldemort's last rampage. They could never have mounted as good a defense as they did without inside information concerning magic. Given the circumstances, the Ministry was willing to look the other way.

"That's what I'm offering you: Pius Thicknesse is willing to overlook your defiance of the no contact Decree - a measure neither one of us thought a good idea".

"And the Minister is willing to go along?"

"He has delegated matters concerning law enforcement to Minister Thicknesse, and he to me. You won't have to go sneaking about, and your friends won't be taking chances with their futures to cover for you. You can openly date this Jadin for as long as you like".

"Then why doesn't Minister Shacklebolt just repeal the damn thing?"

"He won't, after all, you were the only one to be romantically involved with the Mentors, so it doesn't really involve them, and is a reminder to not be seeking interaction with muggles".

"Just what is it you want from me?"

"All I need to know is what have you been telling Jadin? Has he been in contact with the other Mentors? If they know anything they shouldn't, they will, of course, be Obliviated, including Jadin. As for your relationship, it'll be like starting all over again, but you will be able to do that openly without interference from the Ministry".

"You expect me to believe this?"

"Your case has been a major pain in my ass. Believe me, we have more pressing matters than one love struck school girl and her illicit romances. I'd like to get this thing cleared up and put behind us".

"What of my friends?"

"Their indiscretions will, of course, be over looked as well".

"I don't see a pardon signed by the Minister himself anywhere. It looks a lot like leaving myself wide open to future blackmail. As I told you before, I have nothing to say".

"I was hoping to clear this up and keep you out of Azkaban".

"Here come the threats".

"Young lady, you would be wise to reconsider that attitude".

"If you'll excuse me, I'm expected at Honeydukes".

0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

London: New Revelations

Hermione had just finished relating details of her meeting with Albert Runcorn.

"Were you tempted to take his offer?", Horace asked.

"Maybe a little. Even if it was made in good faith - which I highly doubt - taking him up on it would have been incredibly selfish. It would still mean betraying the Mentors. How could you even ask?"

"Sorry, just wondering".

"Another good sign", Jadin said. "This means they have nothing and are getting desperate".

"I've heard rumours", Percy added, "that Shacklebolt is losing patience with Thicknesse over what he's tending to believe is excessive obsession over a rather trivial matter".

"Any chance he'll call his attack dog off?"

"He very well might".

"Still too early to be getting over confident and sloppy", Jadin reminded.

"Good news", Shibumi announced. "We have a partnership with Silicon Solutions. (The name had a double meaning since doping silicon for semiconductors formed solid solutions.) All I need is Narcissa's signature on the contract to finalize the deal".

"No sneaky fine print?", Jadin asked.

"None: our solicitor was thorough in going over the details. As soon as we get this done, the sooner they can get started with Rita's digivice. If we can get this figured out ahead of the Office of Aurors, that is.

"It's a small lab that specializes in boutique semiconductors such as lateral MOSFETs and VFETs that designers of high end audio seek, and hardened electronics that can still perform despite high levels of radiation. They have been contracted by the government for satellite electronics. The prospect of discovering how Digital World electronics works has them very interested.

"If you would, Narcissa?", Shibumi held out a pen, though she would have preferred a quill for so important a document.

"What's the news on the Hogwarts front?", Jadin asked.

"Professor Snape called me into his office a few days before the Hogsmeade outing", Hermione said. "He just as good as told me that Hogwarts is still lousy with undercover aurors and informants, though not in so many words.

"I know a lot of us never liked Snape, and for a lot of good reasons, but he's not stupid. He's known all along that I've been seeing Jadin on the sly. He's been covering for me from the start; with his history with Lilly Evans, he understands".

"How much else does he know?", Jadin asked.

"I don't think he has further suspicions, at least so far as he mentioned. He's said repeatedly how he doesn't care what goes on off-campus so long as it doesn't affect Hogwarts".

"If push comes to shove, how reliable is Snape?", Jadin asked.

"I can't really say. I never expected he would be as helpful as he's been. Given that we had nothing so far as a friendly relationship when he taught Potions, and there is no love lost between Griffindor and Slytherin, I wasn't expecting any help, let alone his doing anything like giving me that Veritas antidote. The Ministry still knows he was one of the original Death Eaters, there is still a possibility they could prosecute based on that. I just don't know".

London: Ministry of Magic

"Granger didn't go for it", Runcorn was explaining to Thicknesse. "I thought she would".

"You should have known she wouldn't agree to anything without discussing it with her Dumbledore's Army associates".

"I thought there might be a chance".

"Now what? We're running out of time".

"I suggest we press the Malfoy's. I believe we've been remiss in not giving them more attention up till now. I would further suggest more concentration on Headmaster Snape. All we've gotten from him is minimal co-operation".

"Severus Snape has never liked Potter or his friends, nor does he like Griffindor students. It's not hard to understand, the way Dumbledore was always playing favourites, awarding Griffindor all the points they needed to take the House Cup, every year since Potter arrived, at the slightest pretext. Nor to mention how Dumbledore indulged Potter and those friends of his".

"You're forgetting how he came to be in that position in the first place. He turned on his Dark Lord to protect Lilly Evans, despite losing her to James Potter whom he has always hated. Had it not been for Dumbledore's intervention, he would have landed in Azkaban along with the rest of them. You don't think he wouldn't be very sympathetic with Miss Granger, seeing how her situation would remind him of Lilly?"

"I suppose it's possible".

"I believe it's more than possible. We questioned them before under Veritas Serum, and they still admitted nothing. If they had the antidote, Snape would be perfectly capable of brewing that potion".

"It's illegal, and he would be taking a hell of a chance, especially if caught. Do you think he'd go that far?"

"The thought has crossed my mind".