Chapter 14 – Fudge strikes again
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Susan finally broke free and came to our tower room. We chatted and had a good laugh at what happened in the Great Hall. "Well I guess its time for me to head off to bed."Susan yawned.
I saw nothing to keep me up sort of my evening shower. As I finished my shower and got ready to jump into bed I notice a change in the sleeping arrangements. Susan was already asleep in my bed. I figured I would be safe joining her as it was my bed. I finally got to sleep.
/Scene Break/
It had been about a week into school when Umbitch the Toad got her first NO! I was at breakfast when the Dailey Profit came in with a story of Ministry worker who was now in St. Mungo because he tried to take the famous Harry Potter prophesy.
I took Susan's paper and as I was rereading the article I was walking to the head table and Dumbledore, I just gave an off handed statement to Dumnledore…"It looks like Voldemort has returned, he…"
Umbitch came unglued and screeched, "You're a little attention-getting liar the Minister has confirmed He-who-must-not-be named is gone and cannot return."
"He's an idiot, you're a fool and Bob's your uncle."
"Detention Mr. Potter!"
"I can assure you that Mr. Potter will not be attending your detention."
She made a real mistake as the DADA professor and drew her wand that she didn't know how to use. My wand was out and a stream of electricity hit her in the chest. She was knocked backwards about ten feet and when she sat up her hair looked worse than Hermione's frizzy mop.
"Headmaster I demand he be expelled! Umbitch's volume and screech had cats running.
"Oh he can't do that you know, the prophesy and all that rot. Isn't that right Headmaster? That reminds me why I came over here Headmaster. Voldemort must have sent this Bode character to retrieve the prophesy which turned him into a vegetable. Voldemort would be the only other person that would be interested in what that says."
"You've heard the prophesy?" Dumbledore seemed quite shocked.
"I demand action, I want punishment, he attacked a professor, I WANT HIM EXPELLED!"
"Sounding a lot like Filch isn't she? Yes heard the thing years ago. Quite a bore you know."
"Cornelius will hear about this!"
"Yes do tell dear Cornelius that Lord Peverell, the holder of five votes on the Wizengamot would be quite displeased if he doesn't expel that Harry Potter chap."
I turned around to see an astounded audience of students.
/Scene Break/
"Harry you are really lighting a fire under just about everyone. What are you trying to accomplish?" Susan wasn't mad but still unhappy with what I was doing.
"Trying to keep us safe from all the good guys lov. Dumbledore has his plans as is using The Minister who is trying to discredit me to keep his job. Did you hear from the kids that got detention with Umbitch? She is using a blood quill to make them write lines. Is Dumbledore stopping her, No! Is McGonagall trying, No! I wrote the Dailey Profit and Fudge squashed the article. I can only use their own rules against them to keep us safe. Oh! That reminds me. Be ready to get married again this weekend in Vegas. I've done all the paperwork."
"Not like I don't like the idea of getting married to you again but why?"
"I think in the near future we are going to announce our marriage and I want that under the name of Peverell. That will provide us more protection if you wish to finish your education here at Hogwarts."
"We could always go to another school."
"True but they would track us down. If we go to another school we could be tracked down regardless of the name we use. I want to keep our real married name a secret so if we really want to disappear for real they can't sneak up on us before we even get start. They have tried for our vaults and even tried for removal of my name, I just don't want to end up in Azkaban under guard one morning with no escape possible."
Vegas was as flashy as ever and the justice of the peace in the little chapel was as drunk as last time. I plan in advance! The marriage was done and paperwork would be filed Monday coming. I took Susan to a nice dinner show and then we took a cab to a swanky Hotel on the strip. We got in our nightly kisses. After awhile we hit the bed for a nice night of snuggling. We had not gone all the way yet but we were getting close and right now was the time for me to back off. We were quite hot and bothered, as I started to roll over Susan said, "Isn't it time for you to show me what people do on their honeymoon night?"
(LEMON SCENE TIME)
We got back to Hogwarts late Sunday night and did get to sleep even later. Monday morning was classes.
My schedule was quite skimpy. I had Hagrid's creatures, Herbology, Potions, History and Divinations. The last two classes were for me to catch up on paperwork. I had CEO's and workers coming out my ears but so was the paperwork that I shouldn't give to someone else.
The pressure was being applied more strongly by just about everyone. The Headmaster wanted me to attend classes and detentions with Umbitch. Umbitch took points off me and my house worse that Snape and wanted me expelled. The Minister of Magic wanted me expelled and thrown in Azkaban but was too much of a coward to try. Snape acted like he wanted me dead. McGonagall was always in a huff and disapproving of me whenever I was in her sight. Flitwick thought the whole thing was hilarious. In fact Flitwick had gotten to a point where he was asking Dumbledore if the Headmaster had cleared it with Lord Peverell's Head of House. On the rare occasions that I did get dragged up to the Headmasters office Susan insisted that she tag along. That always got another round of arguments going and whether Professor Sprout should be there if Susan was to be kicked out as Sprout was her Head of House.
The pressure kept rising, Harry Potter, err, that kid was going to be controlled and taught his place by order of just about everybody. Then on a bright and cheerful day Dobby popped in and told us that there was a storm brewing in the Headmasters office. This included the Minister, Umbitch, Snape and that a summons for me was coming via Professor McGonagall. I was lucky it was lunch time and Flitwick and Sprout were at the Head table.
"Lord Peverell you are required in the Headmasters office and as usual only you are to present yourself."
"Not a problem Professor we are ALL ready and on our way." McGonagall just shook her head and left for elsewhere.
It was a real Donnybrook of a meeting. Dumbledore attempted to mediate the meeting with his grandfatherly look and twinkling eyes. Snape was on about arrogant brat just like his father. Umbitch was incoherent. Fudge was on about expelling me for attempting to overthrow the Ministry and instilling unrest in the general public. Sprout looked lost and Susan was angry. Flitwick was again rolling around in an overstuffed chair laughing.
They finally noticed Susan and Umbitch went off on her. That's when I demanded her guardian be present. Amelia was the head of the DMLE but also a member of the board of governors.
The arguing raged on, threats were thrown and screeching interspersed the entire time. For the most part Susan and I kept quiet and stood by the laughing Flitwick. I did make a statement on a couple of points of order.
"NO!" I proclaimed again for the gazillionth time and they were off and arguing again. The main players finally agreed on what they came to do to start with, Lord Peverell you are hereby expelled from Hogwarts.
More fun erupted, as an expelled student my wand was to be snapped and my wizard magic bound thus making me a squib. Now by this time laughter by every body had ceased. Flitwick was however watching me very closely.
"Sorry Minister but my wand is in my trunk in my room, shall I go get it? Now they were not going to fall for that, they were too smart, so Dumbeldork dispatched an elf to retrieve the wand in my trunk. While I waited with my fingers crossed I was wondering how Dumbledumb figured I was going to win against Voldemort when I turned seventeen when I couldn't use magic. I also hoped my knowledge of elves was totally correct along with a couple of other things.
The elf popped in and handed the wand to Fudge and part one was going my way. Elves did what they were told, not questions, no argument and no emotions, well every elf except Dobby. I swear I saw an elf ready to burst out laughing. The elf had done what it was told without comment… but it knew!. It had gone to my trunk and obtained the wand that was there, Ginny Weasley's wand I had never returned and forgotten about until now.
"You are here by officially expelled from Hogwarts and prohibited from wand magic forever." Fudge smiled and snapped the wand. "I now perform the binding spell prohibiting you from using your wizard magic." Since he performed the binding spell only he could remove it so it was technically a forever spell…except?
"Are you all done there your Fudgness? Am I done with your trial and execution?"
"Yes Squib Peverell" Fudge replied and as he sat down you could almost see him counting the Wizengamot Lord seats and vault that squib Peverell could no longer hold.
I on the other hand was about to throw another wrinkle in their plans. As in the muggle world, so did the wizard world hold under law about double jeopardy. I was tried and convicted and punishment rendered, I was now free from further prosecution or penalties.
As I raised a wind shield I used my other hand to raise the Minister and his chair into the air with more directed wind. "Sorry old chap, wandless magic, see you in the Wizengamot with my five votes." Flitwick broke out in laughter again. The rest of the room found there jaw dropping. Fudge came to his senses and lost them again. Fudge cast the binding spell again. I was not sure what kind of curse he would throw or the intent behind it. The wind shield diverted the spell which almost hit Dumbledork. Fudge was subdued before he could cast any more spells.
I smiled and calmly said, "Thank you'all for a boring afternoon of nonsense. I accept my expulsion as a badge of honor. Now! I am formally requesting married quarters for my wife and me as Lord Peverell.
"You can't request anything… that's nonsense you have no standing here at Hogwarts" ranted the Minister." Still being held by his Aurors.
"You tell me as the last of the line of Gryffindor and Slytherin I have no standing here at Hogwarts? Surly you jest? Now my wife is a student and that requires married quarters at the least."
"You have no standing here you are not even an adult!" raged Umbitch.
"Again you stupidity precedes your mouth. I was required to participate in the Tri-wizard contest where only a seventeen year old could enter, your magical Goblet accepted me as legal age in your magical community. Your forcing me to take part makes me an adult. Further, I am a Lord and married, ditto on the adult bit. If this is all too confusing for your small minds or have some obscure objection I will have Lady Peverell request married quarters instead of my requesting them.
Flitwick fell off the chair laughing and was joined in by Sprout and Amelia. Dumbledore's lemon drop had fallen out of his mouth and was now stuck in his beard. Fudge's mouth was moving but no sound came out and Umbitch was redder than Susan's hair. We got married quarters. Although it is still possible that half the room might not realize who I am married too, magical are not quick on picking up the obvious.
Somewhere the fates messed up in their making my life a problem. The Dailey Profit the next morning had the headline… MINISTER FUDGE DECLARES THERE IS NO PLACE IN HOGWARTS FOR THE HEIRS OF GRYFFINDOR AND SLYTHERIN!
In a back page of the paper there was an article that announced that Lord Peverell was now off the market and married.