A/N: I am disclaimed. I own nothing. Well, except for the birds. I made those up myself. (Smiles proudly.)
Selmak was a great help. Thanks, Sel.
The morning's session, beyond being grueling, felt pointless. Minerva looked at Rhoda, a question obvious in her eyes. Why was this woman dragging things out? Why, when there was no way it would change the outcome? These people had the means to take out their anger on Minerva and they would. How did these last hours of testimony matter?
Minerva let out an audible sigh at the announced change of witness from Harry Potter to Elphias Dodge. The attention of the room left the always newsworthy Potter for the ancient and plodding Dodge. He had not been seen in public in 6 months. Even the members of the Wizengamot strained their necks to see him more clearly. Rita Skeeter's tell-all biography on their minds, the court room observers closely examined Elphias. Some were discreet, others were less so.
Adding to the confusion was the swell of reporters who were anxious to exit the room with their stories and pictures of Harry. As two reporters passed through the thin aisle near Severus they collided in a tangle, landing on the floor.
Elphias Dodge continued his slow way to the stand, emphasizing his progress with grunts and groans. As Harry moved for his seat he was basically now forgotten, few saw his eyes dart to Arthur Weasley. No one but Minerva saw the young man reach into his robe, but then he was, at this point, poised directly in front of her.
The hairs on Minerva's neck were standing on end. She had spent too long around the prankish and the decidedly villainous to miss the signs of trouble unfolding. Her senses were already heightened when she registered the disturbance in the hallway outside the courtroom. The reporters, she could see as she turned from Harry, were just now extracting themselves from their pile and were pushing for the door when a frightening, whooping call made them freeze.
The doors were pushed open despite their wards and George Weasley bounded in, wild-eyed. Many of those assembled near the doors were on their feet and backing away as smoke began to roll in around George's feet as if his shoes were alight. The young man's grin was lop sided and understandably many there feared for his sanity at the sight of him. There was some clucking amid the stares as people shook their heads and told each other he would never be the same after the death of his brother.
With a look of concern, Minerva stood, as if to walk to him. George let no one approach him though. He climbed over rows of chairs and their occupants like an escaped orangutang too wiley to be bagged. Laughing and cheering, he taunted those who called for him to be restrained. Of the Aurors present, only the two stationed beside Under Secretary Wilkes attempted to intercept George. The other Aurors present made half hearted work of circling around George, their attempts obviously feeble.
As a loyal Auror raised his wand, Helen moved fluidly to his side. With what appeared to be maternal concern, she reached for him. She seemed to merely stand with him, clasping his hand as if he were a small boy who needed help crossing the street. The man's eyes softened and he stood quite still now, his spell unformed on his lips.
"Everyone will take their seats," Wilkes yelled. His words seemed ridiculous given the momentum the confusion had gained.
George began to yell louder, finally finding words. "Wilkes," he called. "She got the package you sent!" George seemed to trip coming over a railing, but he righted himself and continued forward with his eyes on Wilkes and Cullen. "Pictures, Wilkes! A Special Edition of the Daily Prophet!"
As Minerva tried to cross the open floor to intercept him, she was pulled from behind.
"It's time to go, Professor," she heard Harry's voice in her ear. His arms wrapped a cloak about her and his hands closed on her arms from behind. Her eyes locked at that moment with a suddenly lucid looking Elphias Dodge. Smacking his walking stick to the ground in a manner reminiscent of Mad Eye Moody, he had the attention of most of the crowd now. He spun to project his voice at the Under Secretary. "Have you idiots completely lost control here? Wilkes! Cullen! Look at me you fools." An astute listener would have heard the hint of humor in the ancient voice.
A surge of people were all around Minerva suddenly, but none impeded Harry's progress with her. He walked her to a side exit under the bleachers that held the Committee. Once near the door, Harry released her. With a strong push, he propelled her toward the opening. Frustrated, she pulled the hood of the Invisibility Cloak off her head and prepared to berate the young man who was moving back to the crowd.
"Ah, hullo, Professor," a deep voice greeted her from behind. She turned to see Hagrid, stooping to enter through the small doorway. He had spoken to her quite genially, as if the two of them were merely passing on the street. She stumbled to the side to allow him to pass and in stunned silence noted that Hagrid appeared to be carrying two full sized, speckled chickens under each arm. She was trying to wrap her mind around the idea when she saw Rolanda and Filius come through the door. Minerva watched wide-eyed as they cast wandless and surreptitious shielding and disillusionment charms that seemed to cut her off from the rest of the room.
Pomona Sprout edged her way through the door now, smiling. She pulled a flask from her cloak and Minerva could not help but stop and stare. Who decided the middle of a melee was the place for tipple!? As Pomona lowered the flask from her lips, she wagged her eyebrows at Minerva. Madam Sprout moved forward until a change began to grip her. And as she grew taller and thinner, she purred, ran her hands over her hips and then turned with a smile. Minerva was staring at a polyjuiced doppleganger.
"Oh no you don't!" Minerva said and started off after Pomona. She was pulled roughly from behind. Severus' voice scolded her, "Come along!"
As Severus held a guiding hand to her invisible back, and steered her through the narrow maintenance corridor, she began to complain vehemently. She pushed at the hood of the invisibility cloak. Attempting to slow their progress, she turned to face her husband. But he was undeterred, finally, taking her by the hand like an errant child and pulling her along. "I knew handling you would be the most difficult part of this plan."
He stopped at a door and told her, "This is the final stretch. We cross the foyer to the main Floos. There was no way around this part, so just please behave. I swear woman I will levitate you if I have to...
He pulled the invisibility cloak firmly around her. "Take hold of my coat so I know you are there. Straight for the Floo. Walk past me and into it while I grab the powder.
"Alright, Severus... but..."
"Just say, 'Alright Severus. Yes, Severus. I'll do as you ask, Severus. No questions.' Just once could you say that to me?"
"Yes. I'll do as you ask. No questions..... For now." Quickly, she pulled down the hood and launched herself at him. Kissed him hard and said, "I'm ready."
She replaced the hood and he watched her disappear. And then she tugged his coat to let him know she was ready.
With long legs they crossed the Foyer quickly, the confusion had spread to the mostly empty foyer. People stood in small groups trading gossip on what they thought was happening in Court Room Ten.
"Saint's depot," he hissed as he thrust her into the fireplace. She looked up at him and he was cast in a green light.
"'Saint's Depot' did you say?" she asked, surveying her new surroundings. They were in a cabin, surrounded by pine panelling and the faint smell of smoke and must.
"It is a safe house. There are dozens of them held by the Department of Aurors. They rotate pass words, making it difficult for anyone, even people from the department, to find someone," he explained.
"But Saint's Depot? Is that a code word?"
"That was Potter," he spat. "He used his fame while interning with the Aurors this summer to get us use of the safe houses. He had come to me with the password 'Saints Rest' to bring us here and I reminded him we were not quite dead yet."
"And let's not forget that we are not exactly saints..." she said as she explored the cabin further. She found the dilapidated accommodations extended to only two rooms.
Severus moved to the window and pulled back the curtain and tried to check outside. Minerva did not think the blackness to the panes was a safety feature. As Severus released the curtain, Minerva tried not to notice that the fabric fell like a rock because of the weight of the grime adhered to it.
"Am I to understand I have been kidnapped, Severus?" Minerva asked peevishly. It is not that she was ungrateful. In fact, the idea could have been romantic, if she was not currently afraid to touch anything near her.
"Do you think I would have just let them take you?" he asked. "I believe the charges will be dropped now that certain things are coming to the fore. But I am not trusting your future to the Wizengamot. This will only be he first step. If need be, we will make several jumps for me to be assured we are untraceable.
"And then?" she asked amazed at how simply he could discuss such a thing.
"And then that would be our life."
"What about Zoe?" she complained.
"I would send for her once we were safe. I transfered all my funds months ago, splitting it between a muggle bank and a goblin who acts independantly in matters such as these.
"But something George had makes you think the charges will be dropped. He had photos of something. And papers?"
"I believe he had the proof we needed that Wilkes was prosecuting you based on a vendetta and that he was reporting back to someone in Azkaban on his progress."
"And why was Hagrid carrying chickens," Minerva asked, "or God help me, did I imagine that part?"
"Those were Languidus Fowl," he explained.
"No! You're kidding," she said, although she was not sure she had ever known him to do such a thing. "Where did he find them? My God, was he going to stuff them in a dark sack so they would crow?"
"Of course not. That would be illegal," he told her with a straight face. "I am sure he just forgot to leave them at home. However, if we read that a strange and languorous stupor over took those in Courtroom 10, we may have an inkling of what happened."
"How many people did you rope in to helping today?" she asked.
I did not involve many who willing offered to do anything for you. Arthur for instance will have a new daughter soon to consider, I refused his help with anything strictly illegal. But Rolanda is a rare find...."
"Rolanda?" she asked.
"Her personality lends itself to chaos," he said seriously. "She is a natural. We all focused on natural, innate and wandless magic as there is nothing in the Ministry's wards to protect against that... nothing to suppress that. And for Rolanda creating chaos comes very naturally. Your mother and I tested wandless magic on the first day of your hearing. Your mother was turning reporters from our area in the committee chambers quite easily. Few adults have sought to harness that innate magic that is emotion driven. They view it as childish."
"Your time with Zoe and the other children has paid off," she suggested with a smile.
"We all focused on our strengths and found ways to use magic that could not be stifled. Some of the time that Filius spent at the house was spent preparing for your hearing, preparing to contain those he could so that we could make our way to the Floo."
"Filius?" she said incredulously.
"And your mother would have done anything for you. Anything, Minerva," he stressed. "There would have been an amazing display of magic had they attempted to actually incarcerate you. There were only a few of us, but our skills would have been quite daunting and caught them unaware. Certainly, we caught YOU unaware," he said with a small smirk.
"I can't believe it. You would have just bundled me off in the confusion and begun hopping through safe houses," she accused.
"Yes," he said simply. "Anything. I am done with the way the Wizarding world does business. And I will always protect myself and mine." He took in the uncomfortable stance she had taken up, as she tried to limit her contact with anything in the house. "Just sit down, Minerva. Rhoda will be here soon, hopefully to tell us what the final ruling is. Once the smoke clears that is."
"Normally, that is just a figure of speech. But where the Weasleys are concerned," she said with a hint of a smile. "Suddenly, it isn't." Minerva eyed the dirty sofa and decided against sitting.
A voice addressed them from the fireplace as if on cue. "I'm coming through. No wands, alright Severus?" Rhoda kidded.
The fireplace began to glow green, heralding her arrival. Rhoda began talking before she had even cleared the edge of the fireplace.
"I have to hope things are going to sort out the right way, Minerva. The hearing is adjourned. That room was in a complete state of anarchy. The Daily Prophet is selling out as we speak, I am sure. Ron Weasley got pictures to them while his brother was making his appearance at the court room." Rhoda stopped then and began to process her surroundings. "Whoa," she said looking at the listing couch.
"Yes, I know about the couch AND the cabin, Rhoda. What have you got on Wilkes!?" Minerva asked impatiently.
"Well, if someone is corrupt - and you had to figure he was the way he was going after you - it is usually sex or money," she grinned, enjoying her victory. "I had him followed and this guy had less of a sex life than a potted plant. But I couldn't get him on money either. I had friends of yours keep an eye open for anything into his behavior. And George and Ron Weasley saw him quite a bit in Diagon Alley. He was making little purchases the way a man with a mistress would, but he never met with anyone, man or woman that we could connect to him sexually. So, we were stumped. It seemed incredible that the guy was actually buying these things for his wife.
"Do you remember that Auror, Severus, the one from the meeting with Ursula Credea? The one you pinned to a wall," Rhoda said with a smile.
"Yes," Severus replied slowly with narrowed eyes.
"I remembered that you had accused him of being the Wilkes' lackey and that got me thinking we needed to watch him, too. And he was making runs to Azkaban. Not out of the question when you work for the Ministry, but it was just a few too many trips. One thing that really got us thinking was when Hermione Granger saw him buying pink knickers in a size twice that of what the svelte Mrs. Wilkes would wear.
"The Auror was smuggling pink knickers into Azkaban?" Minerva asked.
Yes. Smythe, that's the Auror, was running errands for Wilkes. He bought the pink lace knickers and then he went to Azkaban, on Wilkes' behalf, and delivered them to Dolores Umbridge."
Minerva was unable to contain her surprise or her disgust and made a rather unladylike noise and shuddered.
"Wilkes was having an affair with Delores Umbridge? Merlin, that may be the final thing to set me to retching."
"What sort of pictures did you get then, Rhoda? Certainly Umbridge was not parading around her cell in pink knickers professing her love for Wilkes," Severus said with his arms crossed over his chest.
"No. She needed to be seen by a healer recently. Some sort of allergic reaction after her last package from Wilkes arrived." And at the last bit Rhoda's mouth began to twitch violently. "It WAS unfortunate that it turned out to be itching powder instead of bath powder that was delivered to her. Not only did she itch all over – and I mean ALL OVER – but her forehead sprouted the words 'Property of Wilkes.'"
"How did you manage to get him to order those jinxed products for her?" Minerva wondered.
"We made sure he got a lot of faux Weasley catalogs and flyers," Severus chimed in.
"My God. I've been saved by junk mail." And then looking at her palms as if the ancient sofa was dirtying her, she dusted off her hands and stepped back. "So, I no longer need a safe house! The charges will be dropped. We can go home."
"We are not leaving here until the Wizengamot issues a public statement that you are safe from prosecution," he said throwing himself into a chair by the fire to demonstrate his intractability. Minerva winced at the sight of the dust cloud that rose from the chair and briefly engulfed her husband.
Eyeing the dirty curtains that were frighteningly near her husband's head, she asked, "Do you at least have any of those other passwords? Maybe someplace where people knew how to keep house?"