Chapter fourteen

'Okay, what we're talking about here is illegal if we get caught, but I'm willing. We can't let him get away with this, any of it, but more importantly, he tried to kill my son,' Arthur said.

'I'm in, they need to be stopped,' Aberforth said.

'I have dedicated my life to teaching and this is the way he treats me, so I am definitely in,' Minerva said, 'I just need to find somewhere to stay until hopefully this can be worked out and I'm allowed back to Hogwarts.'

'You can stay here, there's eight bedrooms and it's safe here.' Harry said.

'Thank you but only if you and Charlie are sure?'

'We are Minerva, you stay until we get you back into Hogwarts where you belong.'

'I'm in, I will not let anyone get away with trying to hurt or kill my children,' Molly said and everyone heard the anger in her voice.

'If you've only got a week, then you and Harry should get that wand in case they change their mind. For all we know, they are watching this place and know you lot are here.' Charlie said.

'I'll go with you now Minerva, but under the cloak so they won't know I'm with you. Who is going to be running the school when you go?'

'He's bringing in someone, he never told me who.'

'Does the staff know?'

'Not yet, we thought we should explain all this to you first.'

'Let me get the cloak,' Harry raced up the stairs, grabbed his cloak, then remembered the map, so he grabbed that as well before heading downstairs, 'I brought the map in case we need it.'

'It might be needed, we won't know until we get there.'

'Can you stay with Charlie, he's still not fully healed yet and getting impatient.'

Charlie scowled, 'I'm fine, Harry's just being over cautious.'

'We know what you are like Charlie, so we're staying,' Arthur said.

'Spirit, unless mum and dad help Charlie, he's not to move off that settee, make sure he doesn't.'

Spirit sat right beside Charlie, staring at him which made all of them laugh but Charlie glared at Harry.

'Now you've got no choice love, live with it,' Harry knelt next to Charlie, 'They tried to kill you, I won't let them get away with that.'

'Don't do anything stupid Harry, get the proof, that's all we need to make them pay.'

'Oh, he'll pay,' Harry leaned down and kissed Charlie, but they kept their eyes on each other, 'I love you.'

'I love you to, please be careful.'

'I will,' Harry stood up, 'I shouldn't be long.'

'Put the cloak on Harry, because I have a feeling we are being watched,' Minerva waited until Harry was covered then she nodded to the others before leaving the house. She acted like she was alone, then apparated away knowing Harry will be right behind her.

'I'll follow you through,' Harry said quietly then waited until Minerva took the enchantments down from the gates, then she stepped through and slowly closed the gate giving Harry time to get in. 'I'll stay at the tomb, we have to make sure no one is around.'

'I worked that out, I'm calling for all students and staff to come to the great hall that I have something serious to explain to them. The moment you see it has cleared from out here, get the wand then come to my office.'

'I'll be there,' Harry watched her walk away while he stepped over to the large white marble tomb, 'I never thought I'd need to use this Dumbledore, but I do now,' Harry sighed, then turned around so he could keep an eye on the students and staff that were outside. When he heard Minerva's amplified voice, he started watching until everyone was inside the castle. The moment he never saw anyone else, whether staff or student, Harry removed the enchantments, then made a small break in the marble. He reached in and grabbed the wand, slipping it inside his wand strap on his arm, then he fixed the tomb, replaced the enchantments, then headed into the castle. He heard the uproar of people, students and staff all yelling about Minerva McGonagall being sacked and made to leave Hogwarts. Harry couldn't listen, so he went straight up to the large oval office, 'Dumbledore.'

'This is terrible Harry, I hope you are able to find a way to fix this.'

Harry pulled the wand out, 'That's why I decided to get this. But we need to get all the memories out of here, the books and you're belongings.'

'Yes, Minerva has already packed the memories and the pensieve. The books are still where you put them and the enchantments are still around it.'

Harry nodded then pointed his wand at Dumbledore's portrait, removed the enchantments, opened it, he removed the large old books and placed them in his bag before closing the portrait again.

'They tried to kill Charlie, I won't let them get away with that.'

'I know you want Harry, but please think first and don't do anything rash.'

'I'm not going to kill him even if I want to. He deserves to rot in Azkaban for what he's done. Can you tell me anything about Herbert Pickford that might help?'

'He was always very arrogant, he wasn't into dark magic nor did he support Voldemort. One thing I remember about him as a child, he used to be petrified of ghosts, even the harmless ones like nick. He wasn't very good at defence against the dark arts, he was good at potions though, about average with the other subjects. One thing that stood out though, he was ambitious and did end up prefect and head boy.'

'So because he finally got the minister for magic job, but couldn't get me to support the ministry, he's realising he might lose what he's been after for years. You know Dumbledore, all he had to do was allow Charlie and I to marry and do the right thing with the memorial, right for the people, not for the ministry and not for him and everything would have been alright.'

'Yes, he should have, but that is another thing about Mr. Pickford. He always believed he was right and never let anyone talk him out of anything. Minerva went through his old files from when he was a student, she found his old address, whether it is the same address we do not know. For all we do know that place might not be in his family anymore.'

'I'll check it out, find out one way or another,' Harry sighed then stared around the office, 'I always loved this office, let's hope Minerva ends up back in here. She deserves this job, she's good at it and is the best person to sit in that chair. They want to hurt her because they know she supported me and we're friends, but I think they found out how much I came to care for Minerva McGonagall. She's one of the best people I've ever met, so I'm going to do everything I can to make sure she comes home. I have to stop these people before someone comes along and tries to take over our world like Voldemort did. We can never let that ever happen again,' Harry sighed again then sat down not realising that Minerva had heard everything Harry had said.