Black and White Forever:

Disclaimer: I do not own anything having to do with Harry Potter. I am not making a profit from this story. Harry Potter is the property of J.K. Rowling and her corporate partners.

Summary: Fate's pissed off and fights back using her new weapon, a Veela named Malfoy.

A/N: I am desperately seeking a beta, if you know of one or want to be one, PM me or leave info in a review. At the very least, I need a dedicated person to rap me on the head and remind me to write. Just so you know, the buffer I once had is now gone. I got a new computer and my old chapters got lost in the exchange of files. I'm working on a new one. Fantasyra gets credit for rapping me on the head this time.

In this episode: Bob has his poker night. Harry has a crisis of conscience, and the Weasleys find out about their son's dirty deed.

Black and White Forever: Payin' For It

*Ministry of Magic*

Amelia Bones let some of her grunts carry in the exhausted young man. She shook her head, "Does anyone actually know what happened?" She had sent her aurors on a sweep of the castle, interviewing all that they came across.

The only female member of her team, other than herself, spoke up. "All of the students at the dance had heard that Mr. Ronald Weasley gave Miss Hermione Granger and Mr. Viktor Krum potions hidden in glasses of punch. One student heard Lamia's Lust and another heard that Blood of the Styrix was used." She sighed and drew out a notebook. "There were several other students who heard other potions mentioned, but those two were confirmed by Madame Pomfrey and Professor Snape. Apparently, another student, a Mr. Draco Malfoy, witnessed him administer the potions to the young people, and he got a confession out of him. This confession ended up saving their lives because Mr. Ronald Weasley mixed the two potions up."

Amelia nodded her head. "Thank the Goddess for small miracles. Kingsley, please take the suspect into custody and book him." She clasped her hands behind her back, "We're going to let him sleep it off before we question him further." She gestured with her head to the young woman, "Tonks, I need you to stay with me. The rest of you are dismissed for the evening. Go home and enjoy the rest of your Christmas!"

Amelia began the long trek back to her office, with Tonks following. She sighed deeply, "Do you have any clue about what those two potions do?"

Tonks shook her head, "No, Ma'am. I barely passed Potions with an Exceeds. Do you know what they are?" She looked down at her feet while she walked.

Amelia shook her head as she walked. She kept looking around at the walls in case any portraits aroused her suspicions. "The only one that I have ever seen used was Lamia's Lust. It was my first case as an Auror." She approached the door to her office, and gestured so that the young Auror would enter it before her.

Tonks entered the room and took a seat, "What happened?"

Amelia shook her head, "She was a young witch, barely fifteen, if I remember correctly. She had been recruited to work in a tavern off Knockturn Alley." Amelia paced the room. "She had rebuffed the advances of an older wizard, who was determined to have her."

She brushed her hair out of her face. "He talked her into taking a sip of his ale, which he had drugged. When the potion started taking effect, he waltzed her out of there. But, the owner had called us with his concerns."

Amelia closed her eyes, focusing on the memory. "When I showed up, they were in an alley way. The wizard had his prick in her, and she was mute and pliable."

Amelia shuddered. "She looked at me, and I could see it in her eyes. She was trapped in her body. Her body was doing things that this young girl would never do of her own volition. She was miserable."

At this point, Amelia took a seat across from Tonks. "I…I…I wanted to help her, but she was just so locked in to her own mind. I pulled the wizard off of her, and smashed his tackle while I was at it. I then reached back to help her, and she was convulsing on the ground. I was doing everything I could to possibly help her, but I wasn't helping. Then, my partner found out what potion it was. He transported her to St. Mungo's."

Amelia smiled weakly at Tonks. "I caused the seizure while trying to help her. I found out later that the witch becomes tied to the wizard from the potion. Whatever he experiences, she does too. By slamming my boot against his testicles, I caused her extreme pain."

Amelia looked into Tonks' eyes. "This young woman was determined. She decided that she couldn't deal with the pain from this unbreakable link. So, she asked to confront her attacker before the trial. We allowed her to. What we didn't know is that she had smuggled a muggle knife into the conference room with her. She asked us to face away while she talked. When we did, she slammed the knife into his femoral artery. It caused him and her both to bleed out in seconds."

Tonks leaned back in her chair, her mind blown by the tale. "I don't know if I could have stayed in this business after that." She shook her head. "I just can't believe that she would kill herself because she was tied to another person."

Amelia smiled, "I thought so too, at first. Then, I came to a realization." Amelia sat back in her chair. "I realized that she was the bravest Witch I have ever met. She took out her enemy on her own terms. She decided what she could and couldn't deal with. She had a plan of action, and she carried it out. For that, I can't help but admire her. She also taught me that people are brilliant and resolute, and that they will fight for justice if given half a chance. She knew that if she just killed herself, he would never pay for it. So, she got even."

Tonks' face held a grim smile. "Well, thank the Goddess for small miracles. Hermione, at least, does not share that fate." Tonks bit her lip. "Will Viktor be tied to him?"

Amelia cocked her head. "I don't think so. I believe it can only work on a Witch." She shrugged. "In the meantime, we need to contact Mr. and Mrs. Weasley to let them know we have their son in custody."

Tonks winced. "I went to school with their oldest children, William and Charlie. I can contact them if you'd like."

Amelia nodded and stared at the fire in front of her. There were just too many irons she needed put in the fire. Tonks saw the pensive look on her face and left to go contact the parents of the accused.

*Fate's Parlor*

"Read 'em and weep!" A charming raven haired man laid a hand of cards onto the table. He then reached forward and grabbed the pile of loot from the middle of the table and pulled it towards himself. A hand reached out to stop him. That the hand was attached to a shapely olive-skinned woman did not escape anyone at the table's notice.

A red-haired man doused his cigar in his drink. "You both know that money is mine!"

A very, very small man spoke up next to the red haired man. "Yeah well, we all know that that is just a pipe dream."

The next person to speak was a woman with incredibly pale skin and dark hair. She addressed the small man. "Well, we all know what you had to do to get let out tonight, Elpis."

Elpis snorted, "And what of it? At least I can control myself, unlike you, Anaideia"

The red-haired man felt the need to contribute, "Yeah, Elpis. What did you have to do to get Pandora to let you out of her box?" He looked at Anaideia and said, "I just don't understand. I think I might need a tutorial." He winked at her.

Anaideia sniped back at the red-haired man. "Well, we're all just so excited to see that Pasithea and her sisters were happy to let you out for the night, Hypnos."

He cocked a grin and a wink. "Well, you know how having a wife whose part of a triad is. Oh wait," he took in a deep breath, "I guess you wouldn't, would ya?"

The olive skinned woman spoke next. "I really think that you are dreaming if you think that any of the other Graces would even want to touch you. The only reason you got Pasithea was because her mother bet her in a poker game."

Hypnos grinned. "You bet your sweet ass I did, Kakia. By the way, how did that city in the desert work out for you?"

Kakia stood up, showing off her body. "What do you think? Making that place was genius! I've never looked better." She did a quick twirl. "Just look at that ass!" She curled back up in her chair. "Making a city dedicated to me never worked out so well."

Hypnos cocked his eyebrow. "I thought Vegas was an effort of Plutus and Eutychia? Besides, I thought you gave up having your own city after both Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed?"

Elpis spoke up, "Sodom and Gomorrah weren't destroyed. Well, by anything she didn't already know about. I gave her an insurance policy."

While the others were sniping back and forth in conversation, they all heard a loud bang coming from the back of the room. Bob was standing in the corridor, holding the dark-haired man up off the ground. For his part, the dark-haired man was attempting to hold on to all of the things he walked away with. "Why was Dolos attempting to sneak out?"

Anaideia narrowed her eyes and approached the pair. "We hadn't even finished the first hand before he decided to lay it all out there and claim everything." She grabbed Dolos by the ear and wrenched him out of Death's grasp. She then drug him back to the table, "We're going to play a nice, friendly game, Dolos. And, if you fuck up again, I'm sure Elpis will be happy to keep your shares of the insurance racket."

Dolos looked down at his feet, "I understand, Mommy. Can I get my prizes back now?"

Anaideia ruffled his hair and leaned down to whisper in sotto voce, "You can only call me Mommy when I've got you tied up, and your ass is freshly spanked." She then punched his arm, stood up, and walked away, declaring. "As far as I'm concerned, the game hasn't really started yet, and I can only wait so long to see Hybris again."

Bob smiled at Anaideia, "How is your old lady doing?"

Anaideia winked at Kakia, "Your turn to shuffle, dear." She then addressed Bob. "Hybris is great. She's really enjoying this new sport, mixed martial arts is what I think they are calling it. It never fails to get her blood pumping. How is Moira doing?"

Bob smiled. "You know I love her dearly, but she's got this wild idea into her head that she's going to be proactive with the Veela." He took his place at the table.

Kakia passed the deck to the right to be cut before shuffling it and dealing out the hand. "Why is she getting herself involved with that mess? She, of all of us, should know what's going to happen. Why would she want to mess with that?" Each of them looked at their cards and made their initial bets. She gave cards out to those who wanted them.

Elpis put a ring into the pot. "Has anyone ever actually asked her how it's going to turn out? It could be that she's looking for a better future."

Dolos groaned and folded. "It's not like any of us can do anything. We're representations of human traits. Nothing can happen to us." He laid his head on the table.

Bob winced, that ring was a little more than he was willing to bet, but he could match. He tossed a voucher into the pot. "Anything could happen to you. As Benjamin Franklin once said, 'in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.' So you guys all know that I'm here for the long haul." He grinned.

Hypnos' was jostled around by Anaideia, waking him up. He folded his hand, "You know that I think Moira is nuts normally, but I think she might be right this time. I heard a rumor that someone let Ophion out of his cage."

Anaideia snorted, "Who would let that fucking lunatic out?" She added a broach to the pot. "He should've been put down like a rabid dog instead of locking his ass up."

Kakia smiled, "I'd be happy to lock his ass up." She took off her jacket and tossed it into the pot.

Elpis rolled his eyes at her antics. "You know that none of us want you to lock him up. You'd get bored in 10,000 years and unlock him for shits and giggles." He added the key to a building in the pot.

"What's that for?" asked Bob. He was nervous about the answer.

Elpis smiled, "Ah, it's a key to the Bellagio in Kakia's city." He made the motion of tipping his hat to Kakia. "Las Vegas is one of your best ideas my dear. I've never seen so much hope in one place." He grinned at Death, "Well, unless you count in the direct path of a volcano."

Bob grinned and folded his cards. There is no way that Elpis would be betting that big in the beginning of the night unless he had a sure thing. Anaideia and Kakia obviously thought the same thing because they also folded.

Elpis pulled the pile to his chest. "I win. I quit for tonight. I'm just going to sit over on the couch and talk to you guys." He pulled his loot up and walked away. "Champion for the night!" He tossed back his declaration over his shoulder as he sat down.

Bob smiled to himself. He had started them thinking about the possible escape for one of the Titans. That means they would spread the word and bring more people to him. They would help him and Fate train the boy. Dolos shuffled the deck for the next hand.

*Ministry of Magic*

Molly and Arthur were flustered. An Auror had contacted them last night telling them that they were to report at the Auror Department at 8 p.m. so that they could handle some problem that their youngest son had involved himself in. Molly was certain that Harry had gotten him involved in something. She was about ready to wring Harry Potter's neck for all the trouble he had gotten her baby into over the years.

The girl who had identified herself as Tonks was ready to greet them as they entered into the Auror Department. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Chief Auror Bones is waiting for you in conference room seven." Tonks turned on her heel and started to lead the way. "She will give you more details when you arrive."

Molly used this time to voice some of her concerns. "Well, I hope whatever they got into this time was not too much for them to handle. I swear that Potter boy is just a bad egg. He is constantly dragging my poor little Ron into all kinds of mischief…"

Tonks shook her head. She was glad that she was going to be done soon. The red-headed woman just continued to ramble on and on. It was irritating to no end. She stopped in front of the door to conference room seven. She rapped on the door three times before opening it and allowing the Weasleys through. "Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Weasley are here to see you, Ma'am."

Amelia waved the couple in and walked around the table to shut the door. "Thank you, Auror Tonks, for delivering them safely and promptly. I will take responsibility now."

Tonks nodded her head and left.

Amelia closed her eyes to center herself before turning around to face them. She took a deep breath and invited them to sit down at the table. She then took her own seat across from them. "We brought you here to discuss the events of Christmas night."

Molly and Arthur nodded. Arthur was the one to speak this time. "The young lady who escorted us here contacted us last night to let us know that Ron had gotten in trouble. Why did we have to wait so long to come in? We would have been happy to come in this morning."

Amelia drew out a file and nodded her head. "I can easily understand your confusion, but I am going to be brutally honest." She drew a piece of paper out of the folder and laid it in front of them. "Your son, a Mr. Ronald Bilius Weasley, is charged with attempted rape, attempted assault, attempted murder, and the brewing and use of two internationally bound potions."

Molly looked shocked. "That's impossible! My baby would never do something like that. This must all be the Potter Boy's fault. I can't even imagine…"

At the word imagine, Amelia waved her hand and cut Molly off magically. "You are here to listen, Madam. If you cannot listen, you will be escorted from the premises. Your husband is more than capable of being the witness to the young man's interrogation."

Molly narrowed her eyes. "When Professor Dumbledore hears of this, he's going to have you removed and barred from the Auror office!" Her voice went very high pitched at the end.

Amelia leaned forward, threateningly. "If Professor Dumbledore attempts to interfere in my investigation, I will have him barred from the Wizengamot, the ICW, and Hogwarts." She narrowed her eyes. "He knows that I will have his guts for garters if he interferes."

Molly opened her mouth to talk. Amelia shook her head and walked around the table to grab her by the arm. "You are no longer welcome here. If you had a legitimate question about your son, I would be happy to talk to you. However, you are going to rant and rave about the unfairness of the situation." Amelia escorted the red-faced, red-haired woman to the exit. "Your husband can fill you in on our conversation." She pushed Molly out of the door and slammed it behind her.

She returned to her seat. "Do you have any questions, Mr. Weasley?"

Arthur glanced at the door through which his wife just left before reading the paper that had been put in front of him. He ran his finger down the page. "If I am reading this correctly, Draco Malfoy both saw him administer the potion and heard his confession? Then, the evidence was further corroborated by evidence that Madame Pomfrey and Professor Snape found when curing the two victims?"

"Yes, they found evidence that your son had mixed up the two potions as well. He had meant to administer Lamia's Lust to a young woman and Blood of the Styrix to a young man." She slid some folders from the file across the table at him, the faces were blurred out and only the damage that the potions would have caused was shown. "Instead, he mixed up the cups and caused allergic reactions in both of the young people."

Arthur bit his lip and looked at the door. "What did these people do to him to create this issue?" He sighed. "My son would not do this without just cause." He looked at the door again.

Amelia nodded her head and narrowed her eyes. "I cannot reveal who the victims were due to confidentiality issues. However, for lack of a better term, your son was caught red-handed." Amelia pulled out a notebook from her side-pocket to check the times against what she had in the formal paper work. "In the end, it doesn't matter what they did to cause his reaction. They had obviously never done anything to warrant this attack."

Arthur sighed and shook his head. "Why would you say he was caught red-handed? Someone else could have given him the glasses to hand to the couple." He checked the door. "Ron wouldn't do this to anyone." He bit his lip. "The Potter boy might have made him do it."

Amelia leaned forward in her seat, resting her elbow on the table. "Well, there is no evidence to that, but I will be happy to conduct Ronald Bilius Weasley's interrogation in front of you." She laid her notebook out on the table and scribbled something on it.

Arthur looked at the door. "Can Molly be there?"

Amelia shook her head. "Molly Weasley has already attempted to threaten me and derail this investigation. If you do not want to be there, I will find someone else."

"Who could do it instead of me?" Arthur nervously asked.

She ripped the scribbled upon paper out of the notebook, folded it into an airplane, and let it fly with a minor burst of magic. "I know your two eldest children are now adults. They could be witnesses to the interrogation."

Arthur shook his head, looking at the door pensively. "I don't like the sound of that. I can do it."

Amelia smiled and stood up, gathering her folder and notebook. "I'll just get someone to come and test you. All witnesses must be free of any potions that might change their mood. It's a standard procedure." She nonchalantly walked to the door to open it. "I'll be back in just a few minutes."

Arthur sighed, "Can you send Molly in while you get the person?" He rubbed his hands up and down his arms, as if he had a chill.

Amelia frowned at him. "I would love to send your wife in, but I can't until you are cleared for potions. I can send in an Auror to chat with you while I get the person used for detection duty." She smiled, "I can even have them bring some tea."

Arthur nodded his head in acquiescence.

Amelia walked down the hall, keeping her eyes open for the red-haired woman before she stepped into conference room eight. She left the door open. She knew that Molly was not around because she had had Tonks escort her away and send Alastor Moody in her direction.

While she waited for Alastor to show up, she tapped her wand in a complicated pattern on the wall facing room seven. When she tapped her wand the last time, the wall became transparent. She could see in, but no one could see her watching.

As she watched, Arthur laid his head down on the table. He sighed and groaned. He then stood up and started walking around the room. He approached the door, but he didn't seem comfortable opening it. The closest thing she had ever seen to this was a puppy trying to get comfortable when its owner wasn't present. This continued for close to two minutes before Alastor appeared.

"What's going on, Amelia? I was supposed to be off tonight." Moody gruffly said as he entered.

Amelia's eyes twinkled when she looked at him. "We both know that's bull shit. You were staking out some little alley way in Knockturn Alley, attempting to apprehend some Death Eater wannabe."

Moody harrumphed. "You still ruined the best entertainment I've had in months." He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "Why do you have Arthur Weasley locked up? Did he finally kill that harpy of a wife he's got?"

Amelia shook her head. "I'm pretty sure he's on some kind of potion. One of his sons got in trouble, and he's just not reacting right. I got him to agree to witness an interrogation so that you could test him."

Moody rolled his eye. "You and I both know that your hunches never pan out quite right."

Amelia narrowed her eyes. "At least my hunches always have something going on at the end." She handed him two mugs filled with tea that had appeared on the conference room table. She gestured to the room next door. "You are more than welcome to double-check my hunch. Just make sure to test him if you feel the same."

Alastor Moody left room eight and entered room seven. His face screwed up in the view that outsiders get to see. Amelia had to chuckle. The paranoid fart was going to go for broke.

Arthur smiled and gestured during the conversation for several minutes, but he eventually just stopped talking and stared at the door. It was like watching a toy dog. One that you tapped your wand to and it ran around until the charm wore off.

Moody shook his head and left. He came back in to room eight and relaxed his facial muscles. "You're right. I'll be happy to test him. There's something going on there. I'm just afraid of what I'll find."

"I know, old friend." She patted his shoulder and left the room. "I'm going to go to St. Mungo's and return with some Potion's Experts. I can't believe I let it slip by under my nose either."

Alastor Moody scrunched up his face again. It was time to find out what had been done to his old friend.

*Hogwarts*

Neville woke up to a room surrounded by darkness. "Harry?" He asked before he looked at the bed next to him.

Harry groaned and sat up. He put his glasses on. "Yes, Neville?"

"How long have we been asleep?"

Harry waved his wand and whispered, "Tempus". He looked at the time. "About eighteen hours."

Neville groaned. "We missed lunch and supper, didn't we?"

Harry stood up and stretched. "Yup. We both need to get some food. Do you want me to go to the kitchens, or do you want to come with me?" He pulled some clothes out of his trunk.

Neville nodded his head. "I'll come with. Do we want to go see Hermione too?"

Harry nodded his head and wandered off to the restroom with his clothes. He took a few minutes to use the restroom, wash his face and hands, and get dressed. Neville was waiting when he stepped out. The two swapped while Harry grabbed his wand and the Marauder's map. He and Neville were both too big to fit under the cloak, so he figured they would just use the map to avoid Filch.

"How are we going to get around?" Neville stepped out of the restroom, and the two left their dorm.

"Oh man, I've got a whole new world to open up for you…" They whispered the whole way to the kitchens. Since it was the Christmas Holidays, most people had left on the train after the ball.

Harry spent the time traversing the length and breadth of Hogwarts telling his new friend about some of the minor mischief he, Hermione, and Ron had gotten up to during their three and half years of attendance. Neville smiled and joked about some of his own mistakes. Then, they started talking about the two resident mischief makers of the castle.

Harry came to a stop in front of a still-life containing fruit. He tickled the pear and the entrance to the kitchens appeared. "Hermione showed me how to do this a couple of weeks ago." He frowned slightly.

Neville punched his shoulder. "She's going to be alright. You heard what Malfoy said." He moved past Harry to enter. "You know that we won't be any use to her if we don't eat."

Harry followed him. Once they got inside, Dobby appeared. He was nervously hopping from foot to foot. "Mr. Harry Potter Sir, How can Dobby help today?" Harry noted that Dobby only had one sock on.

"Neville and I need something to eat. Anything at all would be good." Dobby jumped nervously when Neville came into the room.

He then went and fixed a couple of sandwiches for them. He shoved them in Harry's and Neville's hands. "Okay, there's your food. Dobby must be hiding now."

Neville looked confused, "Why are you hiding."

Dobby groaned. "My wives are looking for me." He gave a paranoid glance around before he 'popped' out.

Harry cocked his eyebrow at Neville's puzzled look. "Do you think he means Malfoy's elves?"

Neville nodded his head and bit into his sandwich. "Let's hurry up and go see Hermione. I think we've got time before Madame Pomfrey forcibly removes us."

Harry nodded his head numbly. He felt sick to his stomach every time he thought of Hermione in the Hospital Wing. They walked in silence until they arrived.

Harry checked his map and peeked into the waiting room. It was deserted. They could always wait here for a moment or two until Madame Pomfrey told them where Hermione was. But, he would rather just go in and find her. He looked at the map and found Hermione's bed before he walked in. He was sure that Hermione would eventually abandon his side because of all the trouble he had gotten her into. And, this seemed to be the most serious of the lot.

Harry and Neville approached quietly, afraid of making Madame Pomfrey aware of their presence. When they made it to her bed, she was sleeping. Her breathing was deep and calm, but her face was pale. It was oh so very pale. Harry couldn't stop himself. He reached out and touched her forehead. Hermione's eyes opened and she smiled. "Harry," she moaned.

Harry smiled back at her. "Hermione." It was okay. Hermione was going to be okay.

Neville grasped her hand. She looked at him. "Nev," she sighed.

Neville couldn't help but let a foolish grin cover his face. "How are you, Hermione?"

She groaned, "I feel like I got hit by the Knight Bus while carrying an armful of bricks. What happened? Where are Ron and Viktor?"

Harry winced. "Krum is in the bed next to you, and Ron is at the Ministry."

"Why? Why would he be at the Ministry?" Hermione winced as she tried to look at them.

While the trio was talking, Snape had approached them. "He's at the Ministry because he did this to you, Miss Granger." Madame Pomfrey was magically exhausted and was resting from healing Miss Granger and Mr. Krum. He was watching over them so that she could rest.

"What did he do, and why would one of my best friends hurt me?" Harry and Neville were looking at Snape, expecting him to kick them out at any time.

Snape stood at the foot of her bed and ran a diagnostic charm. Her breathing was better, but she wasn't nearly well enough for a full conversation yet. "No one can know the motivation of a mad man." He looked at her with kindness in his eyes. "But, I can tell you what he tried to do and what happened to you. The rest will come out at the trial." He glanced at the two boys and conjured chairs for them. "You might as well take a seat. This will be a conversation that I will never willingly repeat…"

Snape then spent the next ten minutes detailing what would have happened if Ron had succeeded, both for Hermione and Krum. It was horrific.

Harry and Neville looked at Hermione. She was shaken to the core. They shared a look at the end. They both knew that if the Wizengamot failed to act properly, Ron would die, and that it would be by their own hands. Neither was willing to risk Hermione's soul for the sake of vengeance.

Snape then stood up. "Miss Granger, do you require a dreamless sleep potion after what I just told you?"

Hermione numbly nodded. The likelihood of restful, healing sleep occurring after that revelation was somewhere between lightning striking you while wearing a rubber suit and getting heat stroke in Antarctica.

Snape administered the potion and took her pulse. He then conjured a chair to sit near Harry and Neville. "Do either of you have any questions?"

Harry asked, "What's going to happen to Ron?"

Snape shrugged. "There are three ways it can go. He could be sentenced to life in Azkaban." Neville grinned at that one. "He could be executed." Harry's eyes narrowed tightly. "Or, he could walk free."

Neville looked shocked. "How is that possible, sir?"

"He's a minor with a powerful protector. Dumbledore could step in a request leniency because he is so young, and he probably didn't know what the potion did."

"Bollocks!" Harry declared. "If the potion was kept in a hidden book and was as difficult to brew as you implied, he would have to know that whatever it did was horrible."

Snape nodded. "I've benefited from Professor Dumbledore's protection before, but even I would not use those potions." He looked at Hermione, the same tender look in his eyes that was there before. "Miss Granger is an extraordinary young Witch. She's had more happen to her tonight than should have ever happened in her life."

"Why do you give her that look, Professor?" Harry asked.

"What look?"

"You look like you want to wrap her in cotton to protect her from everything dangerous." Neville replied.

"She reminds me of someone I used to know." He leaned back in his chair and pulled a stack of papers from his pocket. "Now, I know the likelihood of the two of you leaving her side is between slim and none. So, I suggest that you go back one at a time and get your Potions' books. We might as well make the best use of our time because I will not leave this young lady unattended."

Neville headed back first with the Marauders' map. Some things in the magical world never cease to amaze.

*Two Hours Later*

Draco Malfoy enters the hospital wing carrying a bag full of books. Harry and Neville both look up and wave him over. Snape rolls his eyes, "Come on over. We're studying Potions. I think these two buffoons are about to explain to me why we crush Beetle shells instead of chopping."

Draco responded automatically, "You crush them because the act of crushing releases more of the oils which will cause the reaction to happen faster." He took the seat and pulled out his book, telling the other two what page they can find the information on.

*At the Ministry*

"So, it's definitely true." The man sitting across from her nodded his head. Amelia groaned and ran her hands through her hair. "He's been on love potions for over twenty years and not a single one of us noticed?"

The healer nodded his head again. "We can flush the potions, but it will take all night and most of tomorrow before he becomes lucid."

She gripped her hair tightly. Sometimes she hated delivering bad news. "Is there any way we can make him lucid so that we can talk to him before you start?"

"Yes, but I can only promise thirty minutes of lucidness before he passes out."

Amelia nodded. Tonks had convinced Molly to go home, and in order to make sure Molly stayed there Amelia posted Moody in Ottery St. Catchpole to keep an eye on the Burrow. "I have to talk to the boy tonight, and I cannot risk it any longer." She wrote a message on a blue piece of paper, folded it into an airplane, and sent it flying. "You will watch Mr. Arthur Weasley while I complete the interrogation. When we are finished, you will escort him to St. Mungo's and bar the presence of his poisoner. You will also not contact his family until he has been cleansed." She leveled her gaze at him. "Do you agree to follow your Oath?"

The healer whispered, "So mote it be." A green light suffused his body. "We should time it so that you get the most time possible."

"Amelia nodded and led the way to conference room seven. "Please go get Arthur. I will wait for Ron here."

The healer nodded his head and left. Amelia sat down at the table, much in the same place that she had spent the past few hours of her life. She didn't have long to wait before a contrite Ronald B. Weasley was escorted into the room by a young Auror. "Here's the prisoner." The Auror took out a vial of clear liquid. "This is the serum you requested."

"Thank you. You may take your seat." She took the vial from his hand.

Ron tapped his fingers on the table in the universal sign of impatience. "Well, why did I wake up in a cell?"

Amelia laid out a notebook, a pen, and she conjured a glass of water.

Ron asked again, "Why am I here?"

Amelia fidgeted with her things on the table until they were just right.

Ron stood up and slammed his hand on the table, "Why am I here?"

Amelia looked up. Her pupils dilated very minutely before she looked back down.

Arthur had come in in that moment. "Ronald Bilius Weasley! Sit down right this second."

Ron crumpled in on himself. He was beginning to come to the realization that something must have gone terribly wrong. "Dad," he whined, "no one will tell me why I'm here."

Amelia looked up. "I would have told you, but I am not allowed to talk to you unless a parent or guardian is present."

She looked to the side and addressed Arthur Weasley. "Can I give your son serum? Or, will you have a problem with that?"

"No. I won't have a problem." He sighed and grasped the bridge of his nose. "We only have thirty minutes, and the longer we wait, the less I can be objective. Do you have a list of the questions you are going to ask?"

Amelia handed him a piece of paper before adding precisely three drops to the glass of water. She gave him a couple of minutes to read the questions before she asked, "Do you object to any of the questions?"

"Yes, you will not ask questions two, six, and eight. The rest should allow you to obtain all of the evidence you need to exonerate or charge my son." He shook his head, as if dismissing a fog. "We had better hurry before I fade out again."

Amelia marked through the requested questions before beginning the session. She placed the cup in front of Ron. "Please drink the potion."

Ron shook his head, "What is going on? I'm not drinking any potion."

Amelia noted down his response on the paper in front of her. "You have been brought in for questioning because of the attack on two people at Hogwarts." She wrote something else down. "You are here under suspicion."

Ron scoffed. "Why would I want to attack anyone?"

"That's what we are here to determine." She noted down his response. "Why would you want to attack anyone? Much less a world-renowned Wizard and Witch?"

Ron scoffed, "He's not that special, and she's nothing but a muggle-born."

Amelia calmly wrote down his response, "Not from what I've heard. She's already supposedly headed for greatness, and at such a young age, too." She then said. "Please take the potion. Your father has not objected to it. I think it will be the best way to clear these matters up."

Ron stubbornly shook his head. "I won't take it. Besides, it was just a muggle-born and a half-blood. There's no way that a Pureblood will even see a trial."

Amelia frowned at that "No, that's not right. The boy was a pure-blood, and the girl was muggle-born." She flicked her pen on the paper. "However, by all accounts, the girl is rather remarkable. I really should get her lineage done. She might be the descendant of Squibs. That would put her status as Pureblood."

"There is no way that Hermione is a Pureblood!" Ron shouted before his eyes widened.

Amelia had to stifle the urge to smile. She wrote down what he said. "Where did you get the recipes?"

"What recipes? I don't know what you're talking about."

Amelia rolled her eyes. "Arthur, if your son does not answer the question I will be forced to administer the potion."

Arthur tapped Ron's shoulder. "Answer the questions. The longer you try to hide the truth, the worse it is going to look for you when it comes out."

Ron gulped, his mind racing as quickly as it could. "I got them from Malfoy."

Amelia leveled her gaze. "You received recipes for two of the most dangerous potions in our world from another fourth-year boy?"

Ron nodded his head.

Amelia stomped her foot on the ground and stood up. She gestured to the Auror and Healer in the room. The Auror waved his wand and bound the young man in ropes, and the Healer opened the boy's mouth and poured the glass down his gullet.

Ron took on a glassy-looked appearance. Amelia then proceeded to ask the questions that Arthur had approved. It was always nice to finally just get the answers she needed.

In the end, it turned out that Ron had planned to poison both Granger and Potter, but he had changed the second target at the last moment. Ron had found the Potions' book at the Burrow, and he had used it to make the two that he thought would have the best results. He had drafted his family in helping him over the course of the summer. Each member thought that they were doing something to help him with an extra-credit project for school.

After Amelia finished asking the questions, Arthur nearly fainted. He was feeling incredibly weak and dizzy. "The questioning is over for now." He managed to bark out. "I need to go." He practically ran from the room, looking for the nearest toilet. The Healer followed him out.

Amelia nodded her head at the Auror and gestured for him to leave and leave the door open. "Potions' users are rarely forgiven the use of such gruesome concoctions. They either end up dead or in Azkaban. I can't imagine anyone wanting to live their life locked up in Azkaban. The food is horrible, the Dementors are terrifying, and it's incredibly cold." She took a knife out of her pocket. "The first person that I ever met that had used Lamia's Lust ended his life with this knife." She left it lying on the table. "I sometimes think that it was the most honorable thing that he could have done." She then laid the knife on the table and walked out the door.

Author note: Bob's buddies were as follows: Dolos the spirit of trickery, Anaideia the spirit of ruthlessness/shamelessness, Kakia the personification of vice, Elpis the personification of hope, and Hypnos the god of sleep and Thanatos'(Bob's) twin brother. You can check my research at www theoi com Just replace the spaces with dots.