Thank you for your reviews. There have been a few comments about lack of interaction between Severus and David. This is half deliberate (I think he doesn't know how to be a father and circumstances make it hard for him to learn, and David doesn't know what to expect or demand either) and half oversight. I have been making some changes to get correct the oversight part, please bear with me and it should be explained/get better after a few more chapters.

Thanks

JS.

Dursleys

A couple of days later David was the first down to breakfast as usual. He had left his stick behind and was very pleased with himself. Then he read the newspaper. He skimmed the headlines, and near the end, just before the sports pages there was a story which caught his eye. He read quickly.

"I said, 'good morning David,' do I have to repeat myself a second time?" asked Severus, breaking David's concentration. "What've you got there that's so absorbing?"

"There's been a Dementor attack," said David. "In Little Whinging – just round the corner from where the Dursleys live. It doesn't say who was attacked, just that they were Muggles. What if they were the Dursleys? What if they were attacked because someone was after me?"

Severus took the paper from David and scanned the article quickly. "It doesn't say whether they were taken to St Mungo's or not," he said. "But if you are worried, perhaps you should ask Sirius to…"

"Ask me what?" said Sirius entering the room.

"Ask you to take David to Little Whinging," said Severus.

"Why on earth?"

"Because of this," Severus said and he handed Sirius the newspaper, pointing to the article. Sirius read it quickly.

"You worried about this, Small One?" he asked.

"A bit," said David. "I can't believe that Dementors would wander into a Muggle place without there being a magical connection. As I understand, I was the only magical resident in that town."

"Well," said Sirius. "I suppose, being unable to find out where you are living, someone decided to start with where you were living. Very well, we will pay a visit to the Dursleys and check they haven't been Kissed, but Remus comes too. This may well be a trap and I think there is safety in numbers. I suppose this calls for Muggle clothing."

David finished his cereal and ran upstairs to change. Simba had already laid out some Muggle clothing for him. He had not seen it before, his family being keen for him to learn to be comfortable in wizarding attire, but it looked good. He doubted the Dursleys would even recognise him in that.

David appeared back downstairs in Muggle clothing and looking like Harry Potter. He met Sirius and Remus and then went out to get on Sirius's motorbike. Leon was wheeling it round to the door as they left. Sirius mounted the bike, David got on behind him and Remus got into the sidecar. Sirius engaged the invisibility booster and started the bike. They flew up and over the house, lapping it for pleasure, and out over the fields towards Surrey.

Sirius was enjoying the excuse for a long ride and his two passengers were enjoying the view. They travelled almost in silence, the sound of the wind against them drowning out all talk, and after a couple of hours they arrived in Little Whinging. Sirius set the bike down on the ground just outside the town, turned it visible and drove through the streets to Privet Drive. He parked the bike and they dismounted.

David led the way up the path to Number 4 and rang the doorbell. The Dursleys' car was in the drive so he knew they were likely to be in. Uncle Vernon opened the door.

"You!" he said grabbing David's shirt collar and pulling him into the house. "You put him right." Vernon dragged David into Dudley's bedroom where Petunia and Dudley were. Sirius and Remus followed them inside and shut the front door. Petunia was cradling Dudley on the bed. Dudley himself was as white as a sheet and was not moving.

"This is your fault," Vernon said rounding on David. "Must be magic that's done this. And now you've come here to gloat over what you've done." He looked torn between hitting and begging David. "You put him right!" he said.

Remus took out his wand, gaining Vernon's attention as he did so. "I'm just casting a diagnostic charm," he said soothingly. Remus waved his wand at Dudley and then lowered it. "Dementors," he said.

"I could…" began David.

"No," said Sirius. "Just give him some chocolate and he'll be fine."

"I've got some here, Popkins," said Petunia opening a drawer in the bedside table. She handed it over to Dudley. He sat there with the chocolate in his hand, not moving.

"What's wrong with him?" asked Vernon.

"Must be a bad case," said Remus. "He hasn't been Kissed so he will recover."

"Kissed?" asked Petunia. "Of course I've kissed him. Is that what's made him like this?"

"Remus didn't mean that type of kiss," said David. "Dudley should be fine. If you would like I could…"

He was interrupted by the arrival of a large owl baring an important looking letter. David looked across at Sirius and Remus in surprise. The owl came to him and he took the letter. "It's addressed to Harry Potter," said David.

"Don't open it!" shouted Sirius. "This is a trap. We've got to get going." David dropped the envelope in shock and it rose into the air in front of him. It began to open like a howler and a voice was heard.

"Dear Mr Potter," it said.

"We have received intelligence that you performed a diagnostic healing charm on a Muggle at fourteen minutes past eleven this morning and this was witnessed by two other Muggles. This is a severe breach of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery.

"As you have already received an official warning for a previous offence, under section 13 of the International Confederation of Warlocks' Statute of Secrecy, we regret to inform you that your presence is required at a disciplinary hearing at the Ministry of Magic at 9 a.m. on the twelfth of August. Your continuation at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry will be decided at this hearing and until then you may consider yourself suspended from school.

"Hoping you are well,

"Yours sincerely,

"Malfalda Hopkirk

"Improper Use of Magic Office

"Ministry of Magic"

The letter fell back to the floor. All eyes were on David. "But," said David. "I didn't do any magic."

"Justice!" said Vernon. "When they hear my testimony they'll throw you out of that school."

"Fortunately," said Sirius, "Muggles can't give testimony at the Ministry of Magic."

"Oh, I'll find a way," said Vernon.

Sirius raised his wand.

"No," said Remus, "They will say Harry did it. Come, let's get out of here." He picked up the letter from the floor and took David and Sirius by the arm. "Give him chocolate," he said over his shoulder as he pulled them out of the house. "It'll help. He'll be fine in no time."

As they flew home, all three were thinking hard about what they could do. David was innocent, that was one thing, but what if he was asked at the hearing whether he had ever used magic outside school? He would have to admit that he had.

They arrived at Lions' Den to find Dumbledore waiting for them with Severus.

"So you've heard then?" asked Sirius.

"Yes," said Dumbledore. "I assume you went to Surrey this morning?"

"We did," said David.

"We can discuss it over lunch," said Severus. He turned and headed for a guest dining room and the others followed him. Once they were all supplied with food and drink Dumbledore turned to David.

"You know I didn't do it, don't you Headmaster?" said David.

"Yes," said Dumbledore. "Why would you perform wizard's magic? It would appear that the wards on that house are still in operation. Someone is still monitoring them for magic."

"Oh that explains it," said David. "I got my 'official warning' after a house elf levitated a pudding in their sitting room. I always wondered why the Ministry thought I had done it."

"Well," said Dumbledore, "I have no intention of expelling you, but unfortunately I answer to the Ministry in some things. The hearing must clear you."

"I cast the charm," said Remus. "Surely my wand could be evidence, proof positive that David was not the one who did it."

"I wish it would," said Dumbledore, "but with things as they are at the Ministry I do not think it is wise to remind them that a werewolf has a close relationship with the Boy-Who-Lived. Dolores Umbridge is out for trouble and that might bring it down on our heads. No, Master Crimson must go to the hearing and make the best of it. I shall appear as your 'defence witness.' You are now able to enter my head at will aren't you – you can detect my surface thoughts?" David nodded. "Very well, we shall keep in contact during the hearing and I will guide you in what you answer." David looked very glum. "Chin up, Master Crimson," said Dumbledore. "You've been in worse situations before. Severus? It is imperative that Master Crimson can detect my thoughts without being detected by the time of the hearing. That is your task."

After lunch, Dumbledore left and the family were able to take council among themselves.

"Albus is right," said Severus resignedly. "This is a plot from inside the Ministry… I hear things in my public role, things which have greatly disturbed me. It is time to keep a very low profile."

"But David must be acquitted," said Sirius.

"If he were not, it would not be the end of the world," said Severus. "He could study here and take his place in the world in a couple of years' time. Then nobody would believe that he had been guilty, once everyone knows who he is."

"I agree," said Sirius. "I've been thinking of withdrawing him for some months. This could be the ideal opportunity – David leaving in this way would not raise much comment and it would make people under estimate him. Could be useful."

"No!" said David. "I'm not going to leave Hogwarts if I can help it. Father, let's work on the Legilimency. I'm going to have my best shot at acquittal."