The Muggle Prime Minister's Investigation

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

~oOoOo~

The next morning Arthur broke camp and everyone returned to the Burrow. Mrs. Weasley was holding a Daily Prophet and crying. She hugged everyone and was very relieved.

Hermione sent a long Owl to the Muggle Prime Minister and told him everything.

"I did that party because Crouch made me angry. Harry could have his soul sucked even now. The Dementors are determined to suck Harry's soul. I want them out of Azkaban and out of Great Britain now. They are dangerous and unreliable," said Hermione.

Cornelius Fudge

The Muggle Prime Minister was very unset by what he read.

He summoned Cornelius Fudge first. Fudge seemed flustered and uncooperative. He also seemed to know much less than Hermione. He insisted that, despite the fact Pettigrew was still alive, Sirius Black was still a fugitive and a convicted Death Eater. The Prime Minister reminded Fudge that Sirius was at most a suspect and that if he was captured he was to be handed over the American Aurors for trial in the United States of America.

Fudge said that for the time being he did not want to make the existence of Peter Pettigrew known to the wizarding public or the Muggle public.

"Pettigrew came from and honourable wizarding family," said Fudge. "He is a criminal and still alive but if I come public with that story the Pettigrew family will be destroyed. We had given him a posthumous Order of Merlin. The Matter of Peter Pettigrew is a wizarding top-secret. Please respect it as such."

"Very well I won't make it public," said the Prime Minister. "However I need a picture of Peter Pettigrew for the wizarding branch of the Secret Service."

Fudge took out a Picture of Peter Pettigrew and handed it to the Prime Minister.

"When was this taken?" asked the Prime Minister.

"Nineteen seventy-nine," answered Fudge.

"I'll have this picture aged up," said the Prime Minister. "We have a computer program that does that. Can you make it hold still?"

"Lay it on the table and I'll try," said Fudge.

He took out his wand, pointed it at the picture, chanted "Imobilus" and it held still. After a few minutes it began to move.

"Kingsley will be able to scan it in," smiled the Prime Minister. "He can even run the aging program."

"The Auror Department could use that," said Fudge.

"Send anything like that with Kingsley," replied the Prime Minister.

Fudge asked to Profile Barty Crouch Junior on the Muggle news the same way as Sirius Black. The Prime Minister granted the request.

Fudge went his way. The Prime Minister asked Kingsley to run the aging program on the picture and in a half hour he had a computer aged picture of Peter Pettigrew.

Amelia Bones

Next the Prime Minister called Amelia Bones in.

"I only know that during the terror last night, Mr. Crouch was not on his best behavior," said Amelia. "Years ago his son went bad. It killed his mother and nearly killed Mr. Crouch Senior. The son is at large and he is far more dangerous than Sirius Black. In fact, Black may have been imprisoned by mistake. Could you copy Hermione's Owl for me with your photocopier. It may help me piece things together faster."

"Hermione, is old enough to talk to you intelligently," said Amelia. "I'm sure she would be happy to explain anything she can."

Kingsley made photocopy of Hermione's owl and handed it to Amelia.

"There's no doubt in my mind that Hermione is intelligent," said Kingsley. "I only know her a little but I respect her, Harry and Ron. They are Underage but they are mentally years beyond their chronological age."

The Golden Trio

Later the Squib Secret Service Agent brought summonses to Harry, Ron and Hermione. They went to the fireplace, threw in Floo Powder and said, "Ten Downing Street."

A ball of green fire appeared in the Prime Minister's fireplace. The golden trio stepped out.

"Sit down and make yourselves comfortable," said the Prime Minister.

He laid his computer aged picture of Peter Pettigrew on the table and asked, "How good a picture of Peter Pettigrew is this?"

"It looked like it was taken yesterday," said Harry.

Ron and Hermione agreed.

"Mr. Potter, did the wizards take care of your Muggle family?"

"They were at Number Four Privet Drive while I was there. They took turns sitting there, posing as Muggles. Uncle Vernon is still pretty cold but loves talking about sports with Arthur Weasley. Aunt Petunia and Dudley were very favorably impressed," said Harry.

"I need to know what happened, Mr. Potter, beginning with your dream about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," said the Prime Minister.

Harry repeated the dream and his interactions with Arthur, Professor Dumbledore and Kingsley.

"I found out all of it really happened up to the killing of Frank Bryce. Kingsley checked the scene and found the body. Aurors found fingerprints of both Petter Pettigrew and Barty Crouch Junior in the room next to Bryce's body. We have warrants out on both wizards," said Harry.

~oOoOo~

Hermione had her turn and told the Muggle Prime Minister she was very upset with the way Harry had been treated the night before by Mr. Crouch and with the way he had treated his House Elf.

"He was going to chop her head off but he remembered Madam Bones has gotten a law passed forbidding the beheading of House Elves. The Elf was mistreated very badly by Mr. Crouch and Mr. Amos Diggory. Finally, Mr. Crouch sent her to the Hogwarts kitchens," said Hermione.

"Then, Mr. Crouch attempted to arrest Harry for setting the Dark Mark just because his wand had been stolen and used to set it. He said that was the way things are done in wizarding law. Crouch Senior killed an innocent Wizard named Morfin Gaunt that way,"

"Tell me about this Morfin Gaunt," said the Prime Minister.

Hermione rehearsed the tragic story of about Morfin Gaunt and young Tom Riddle.

"Is this Tom Riddle the wizard who became He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?" asked the Prime Minister.

"He is," said Hermione.

"So he is on the records of the now defunct Wool's Orphanage. I'll get those records out of the Archives. I want to see what the words of the staff were about this boy."

"Do you know about memory modification?" asked Hermione.

"You could change a memory?" asked the Prime Minister.

"I could plant a memory of something that never happened in your mind and you would not be able to tell that it was synthetic," said Hermione. "It would replace another memory. Misuse of this is a serious offense. I read about it last summer, I'm sure He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has used it. You might want to talk to Professor Dumbledore. The Squib Secret Service Agent can find Hogwarts."

~oOoOo~

"Mr. Weasley, what is your story?" asked the Prime Minister.

"Everything happened the way Harry and Hermione have told you, said Ron. "Dad does not approve of Ministry of Magic justice. Dad does not approve of how Azkaban is run. He had a terrifying experience with Dementors while at Azkaban interviewing a prisoner. He does not agree with the idea of blood purity."

"Explain this blood purity, Mr. Weasley," asked the Prime Minister. "I am not sure I understand it correctly."

"A person who supposedly has no Muggle ancestors is considered a pure-blood. Genealogies are modified to remove Muggles, Muggle-borns and even Half-bloods. The pure-bloods think of themselves as superior to other wizards, let alone Muggles."

"Because the genealogies are modified and the claim of no Muggle ancestors is unprovable, by law anyone that has all four grandparents magical and both parents magical is considered a pure-blood regardless of the blood status of the grandparents or parents. This accounts for twenty-five percent of us. I fall in this group."

"Anyone who has magic and at least one magical or Squib parent but who is not a pure-blood is a Half-blood. Harry is in this category along with fifty percent of us."

"Anyone who has all non-magical grandparents and parents but has magic is Muggle-born. Hermione is in this group which is the remaining twenty-five percent.."

"A Squib is a person with at least one magical parent but has no magic. Mr. Filch, the caretaker at Hogwarts, is a Squib and quite bitter about it."

"Anyone who has two non-magical parents is a Muggle, even if both of those parents are Squibs. You, I believe are in this category as do almost all human beings."

"Thank you, Mr. Weasley," said the Prime Minister. "Cornelius has not been clear on this."

"Many pure-bloods do not accept the legal definition of a pure-blood even though it is the law," said Ron.

~oOoOo~

"Can anyone explain what is the matter with Ministry of Magic justice," asked the Prime Minister.

"It is too draconian," said Hermione. "Trials are too short. Sometimes they are nothing more than an arraignment, a pronouncement of guilt and an Azkaban sentence. Usually there is some argument, but not enough, and then the a verdict is handed down. Sirius Black was taken directly to Azkaban with no hearing at all! We know he is innocent. We do not know where he is. Wherever it is, it is hidden by magic."

"You must be speaking of the Fidelius Charm," said the Prime Minister. "I'd love to have a get away hidden by it. Sometimes I need to get away form it all."

"Sirius is to be handed over to American Aurors for trial in the United States. Please enforce that," said Hermione. "He broke prison to save Harry from the real betrayer, Peter Pettigrew. That Death Eater is still at large."

"You three need protection from the Ministry of Magic," said the Prime Minister. "Effective immediately, the Ministry has to have my approval to arrest any of the three of you."

The Minister pulled a lever on his intercom and said, "Kingsley come in here, please."

The Prime Minister prepared a letter to the Ministry of Magic forbidding them to arrest Harry, Ron or Hermione without his consent and sent it to Cornelius Fudge.

Fudge was required to read his letter about Harry, Ron and Hermione to the entire Wizenagmot. It was read to all Aurors. At Auror headquarters, a copy was posted.

The golden trio was thanked and dismissed to go back to the Burrow. Mrs. Weasley had prepared a delicious meal. They ate it and got some needed sleep.

Professor Dumbledore's Story

The next day the Squib Secret Service Argent served Professor Dumbledore a summons to meet with the Muggle Prime Minister. The Professor grabbed a hand of Floo Powder, threw it into the Fireplace and said, "Number Ten Downing Street, London, England."

He stepped out of the fireplace and into the Prime Minister's Office. "I am answering your summons. How may I help you?"

"Do you have a Daily Prophet from yesterday, the one with the story of the Quidditch World Cup fiasco in it?" asked the Prime Minister."

"I have it but this article was written by Rita Skeeter. Take it with a grain of salt."

Professor Dumbledore took out a yesterday's Daily Prophet. The Prime Minister picked it up, looked at it and gasped.

"Sit down Professor. Was the body found a Muggle or a wizard?" asked the Prime Minister.

"There was no body that according to Arthur Weasley," answered Professor Dumbledore. "Rita Skeeter is viscous and makes things up. She distorts truths. She can be enchantingly nasty."

"So you contend the part about the body is a lie?"

"Yes."

"Who is Arnold Weasley?"

"Arthur Weasley. She called him Arnold so that should she be sued she can claim it was someone else."

"That picture is terrifying."

"That, Minister, is his sign, the Dark Mark. It is tattooed on the forearms of Death Eaters."

"What I really want is for you to tell me is everything you know about this Tom Riddle."

For the next two hours Professor Dumbledore told all he knew about Tom Riddle and his becoming Lord Voldemort.

The Prime Minister was horrified and saddened.

"I never knew it was so hard to be a wizard. How can he live with what he has done," sobbed the Prime Minister. "You should not have to face this alone. We should help someway. I have a responsibility to the people of this nation. I can't let this go on. Cornelius is like an Ostrich with its head buried in the sand."

"I wish there was more we could do," said Professor Dumbledore. "I have fought Voldemort for many years. He admits he fears me."

"Talk to me often, perhaps between the two of us we can figure something out" said the Prime Minister."

He shook hands with Professor Dumbledore and sent him back to Hogwarts.

Amos Diggory and Bartemius Crouch Sr.

The Muggle Prime Minister was not finished. He next summoned Bartemius Crouch Senior and Amos Diggory.

Crouch Senior went to Fudge and demanded that he quash the summons. Fudge told him he did not have the authority to quash it.

Crouch became Irate but Fudge remained firm. Crouch went to the fireplace, tossed in a handful of Floo Powder and said "Ten Downing Street."

~oOoOo~

Amos was already seated in the Prime Minister's Office.

"A House Elf is not a human being," said Amos. "It has no rights. It's just a work creature. Most do very nicely. When one refuses to do so it must be made and example for the other Elves!"

"It has feelings and intelligence," said the Prime Minister.

"You Muggles don't understand," said Amos. "That's why we removed ourselves from among you."

"House Elves, have duties only, no rights. Even if they do their duties we can do with them as we please," said Crouch.

"I'm trying very hard but you wizards are being very difficult," said the Prime Minister. "I have a difficult decision to make. You are not entirely autonomous. We have allowed you to have your own government. The result has been killings and atrocities among yourselves and since the rise of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named these murders are spreading into our world. How many Muggles has this Tom Riddle and his followers killed? A thousand? Ten Thousand? Just the other day a Muggle was murdered by your son, Mr. Crouch, and by a wizard believed to be dead. The fingerprints of both were found at the murder scene."

"Who is the other wizard believed to be dead?" asked Crouch.

"His name is being withheld." said the Prime Minister.

"Give me the wretch's name!" demanded Crouch.

"It's top-secret for now. If you want it you'll have to get it from Cornelius Fudge," answered the Prime Minister.

"Come, Amos we have had enough of this nonsense! We're leaving!" said Crouch Senior as he stood up and headed for the fireplace.

"I'm not finished yet," said the Prime Minister. He called Kingsley Shacklebolt on his intercom.

When Crouch saw this he drew his wand. "I know how to kill with this! Get out, Mudblood, or I'll cut you down."

Kingsley would not back down nor would Crouch. Crouch cast a KIlling Curse at Kingsley. Kingsley quickly cast his own Killing Curse. The Curses Canceled. Diggory shot out of his chair and tackled Crouch. Kingsley moved in and cuffed him with Magical handcuffs.

He picked up Crouch, led him away and put him into a holding lock up. Then he left the bellowing Crouch and returned to the Prime Ministers office.

"I have secured him in a central lockup. The man tried to kill me with magic," said a shaken Kingsley.

"Sit down and help Mr. Diggory," said the Prime Minister.

"I'm considered a pure-blood but I don't go along with too many of their ideas. I have, however tried to avoid getting labeled a Blood Traitor, even though the idea is nonsense. In truth there is nothing the matter with being a Muggle. Crouch is bigoted. He's been through a lot. His son went bad, he was believed dead and he is alive. Kingsley are you really Muggle-born?" asked Amos Diggory.

"I am and yet I was in Slytherin house and that's unusual," said Kingsley. "I found out when the Ministry came to our home. I had wanted to be a police officer and I am both a Muggle police officer and an Auror. I'd hoped to never use that Killing Curse but it came in handy to neutralize another one."

"I have always been taught House Elves were just creatures," said Diggory.

"To us it is slavery," said the Prime Minister.

~oOoOo~

The men talked for a while trying to iron things out and partly resolved them. Then green flames appeared in the fireplace. Out stepped Cornelius Fudge and demanded Crouch Senior.

"He cast a Killing Curse at Auror Shacklebolt!" said the Prime Minister.

"Then why is he alive."

"Because I cast a Killing Curse into his Killing Curse to neutralize it," answered Kingsley.

"I'll hand him over to you if you will cooperate with me better," said the Prime Minister. "Kingsley go down and get Crouch. Mr. Fudge go with him."

In a few minutes they came back. Crouch was led to the fireplace and taken back to the Ministry of Magic. Fudge took him in his Office and yelled at him for two hours. Then he gave him his wand and told him to go home."

~oOoOo~

"I'd like to stay and finish this," said Amos. "We could bring in Arthur Weasley. I could Floo call him."

The Prime Minister gave his approval. Amos went over to the fireplace tossed in some Floo powder and said, "Calling Arthur Weasley!"

Arthur's head popped up in the flames. "Would you like me to come to Ten Downing Street?"

"Yes, I would prefer not to talk to a head in my fireplace!" said the Prime Minister.

Green flames erupted and Arthur Weasley stepped out.

"I never thought I would be invited here," said Arthur.

"What happened after the big Quidditch game the other night?" asked the Prime Minister.

"That's a long story, can I pull up a chair?" asked Arthur.

For two hours Arthur and Amos rehearsed what had happened.

The Prime Minister thanked and dismissed them.

~oOoOo~