[a/n]Events here inspired by school shootings in America, including the arguments [both sides] that have sprung up around them.
Updated. Continuity problem corrected.
Year 5 [pt12]
Weeks passed and Harry began smiling again, particularly in the company of his favorite redhead, who he was rarely without. He resumed exercising, pushing himself to return to his peak. In that, he changed, no one could pace him and he no longer kept down to anyone's level. Dueling, he was relentless and merciless, he wasn't teaching people to box, he said repeatedly, he was teaching them to live. But he kept it to that person's level. When he disappeared with Professor Flitwick, he often reappeared bruised, stiff or limping. But slowly, the Charms professor began to display similar minor injuries, and more often.
"Looks like your friend calling you." Announced Susan, softly, breaking their kiss.
Harry reluctantly pushed her away and opened the glowing book.
About this time, Umbridge was preparing her final push to put Dumbledore out and become Headmistress. Another mistake I hope you'll correct, all the rest of my life and especially after I became Headmaster, it sickened me to look into her face but no one can remove a portrait. My life only got more bleak from here, but hey at least Gryffindor finally won the Quidditch Cup. Far too many kids, then later, Muggleborns generally suffered from her Muggleborn Registration Committee [think Nazis and Jews from your WW2 history] As a side note, I never cared much for Trelawney, but the malicious glee she took in getting her fired really irked me. Is Snape dealt with? Good!
Of significant note is Easter this year. Just before it, I had Career Counseling. What do you want to be when you grow up? I had my heart set on Auror, and despite Umbridge's total denigration of my heart's ambition, McGonagall promised to work her ass off helping me become the number one Auror of the age. I did. Me, loyal Ron by my side, and a couple great Senior Aurors under us, cleaned up the department. Check with Susan Bones on this, as her Auntie's favorite [only] niece, she knows where all the dirty laundry is. It's after this that I went on to teach, then Headmaster. Imagine telling Snape you teach Potions in the future.
Wrapping the year goes like this. And PAY ATTENTION! Things to avoid. Malfoy and his Junior Death Eaters help Umbridge break into the RoR and imprison us all. She threatens me…publicly…with the Cruciatus. We lead her on a wild goose chase in the Forbidden Forest where, thanks to some lucky help from some centaurs, she's tucked away for a while. If this still happens, at least make it a better victory.
Kreacher, following Walburga's instructions, tells Sirius you've been kidnapped and taken to the Department of Mysteries. The whole thing is a trap set by Voldemort to get the prophecy. During the battle, Sirius falls through the Veil and dies. It goes without saying this needs to be prevented. Dumbledore and Voldemort fight to a very destructive draw. And suddenly I was no longer an insane attention seeker. Good old Rita is on my side and Fudge admits the truth. This lasted about a week, as everyone started demanding I do something about all the DEs and Voldemort. So, right on the heels of my Godfather's death [btw Bellatrix Lestrange did it] good ole Granpa Albus takes me to his office and begins his speech with "Because you are not nearly as angry with me as you ought to be. If you are to attack me, as I know you are close to doing, I would like to have thoroughly earned it." The bonehead goes on to tell a grieving teenager the prophecy that he has to kill or be killed. Bastard. Deserved to have his office destroyed. What does he then do? Ships me back to Durzkaban. Just about the only bright spot there was watching the whole Order threaten our dear relatives.
Just for the record, here are the Death Eater names from the DoM battle Rodolphus Lestrange, Rabastan Lestrange, Mr Crabbe, Mulciber, Antonin Dolohov, Jugson, Walden, Macnair, Avery, Augustus Rookwood.
"I'm flattered." Susan commented drolly "How many other girls make it here by name? Almost a paragraph all my own."
Harry gave her a look and bounced a fist off her head, then cogitated "Got Umbridge but not soon enough. I've known the prophecy for years now, but Dumbledore's a boob for treating him like that. I've got have a mind to trash his office too."
"You can't punish Dumbledore for something he did a century ago to a different you." Then she made a face "Time travel really screws with you, don't it?"
He nodded then still thoughtful "I have a feeling I'm not going to get much more useful foreknowledge from The Diary."
"Probably not." Agreed Susan "Harry? I have a question. Reading this, I'd like to know, you had something to do with Professor Snape's death, didn't you?"
He looked her in the eye and replied "In all honestly, I can say not directly. He was just as guilty of my parents' murders as Pettigrew. On top of that, Dumbledore knew it, and hid it. No, Snape's death was not as reported. But yes, Amelia found what she was supposed to. I don't know exactly what happened."
"And if I asked if you know who-?" she began.
Harry put his hand over her mouth and cut her off "I'd rather you didn't."
"Now seems a good time to snog." She declared.
Abcij
Spring was now well under way, in fact the Hogwarts-Hogmeade area was experiencing its first 80 degree day. Harry and his classmates were in pre NEWT Transfiguration. Like most pre NEWTs, all four Houses were present due to the relatively small number of students reaching this level. Of some importance to today's events, Draco Malfoy sat with Pansy Parkinson, as neither Vincent Crabbe nor Gregory Goyle scored well enough on their OWLs to proceed.
"Miss Granger, excellent! Ten points to Gryffindor!" exclaimed Professor McGonagall "You likely have the ability to become an Animagus, with training. Mr. Malfoy…you as well, apparently…ten points to Slytherin. Mr. Potter, it appears you, unfortunately, will not be following in your father's footsteps there. Mr. Longbottom! Excellent! Remarkable even! Miss Turpin, in your case it just appears to be a lack of raw power…" And so on.
The two-hour period was in mid-swing when something happened. Anyone that didn't happen to have their wand out, drew. It wasn't a sound the students recognized, but they instinctively cringed.
Going to the door, her own wand at the ready, Minerva cracked it and ordered "All of you, stay put!"
"All of you, follow me. I'm to take you to the Great Hall." It was the Head Girl.
Harry nudged her shoulder "What gives Stebbins?"
"Don't like finding out with the peasants, Potter?" she sneered at him. She'd been exceptionally close to the senior Hufflepuffs, of whom she was now "Just get in fucking line with everyone else."
Neville restrained him from slapping her "Not worth it Harry."
Abcij
"I saw it!" "He was here!" "His mark!" fearful whispers filled the Great Hall. Three large white screens spanned the House Tables, hanging in places that gave everyone a decent view of an adequate map of the castle. Tensions mounted as time passed. The massive Hall doors were closed once the last student arrived. Only that wasn't quite true, as everyone found their friends, someone's classmate, dormmate, brother, sister or friend was missing. Before long two facts came to the surface "Fourth Year Muggle Studies." "Third Year Potions."
When they finally appeared, the staff was as grim as they had ever been. Professors Slughorn and Burbage were missing. Instead of sitting at the Head Table, they all gathered behind the podium where the Headmaster barely had to call for attention "We're appreciative of your patience. This has been a most tragic day. All of you know that Potions and Muggle Studies share a hallway; I am making it blink on the screens above. Both those classrooms were attacked by followers of Lord Voldemort. The attackers used a Dark but not Unforgivable spell known as Fiendfyre. Everyone in those classes, students and professors, are missing … but presumed… dead."
"OUR SISTER WAS IN THAT CLASS!" the Weasley boys yelled.
Professor McGonagall commanded, compassion in her tone "Calm down Misters Weasley. There is still much to announce."
"How about who did this?" demanded George.
Ron finished "We want revenge!"
"Gentlemen, now is a time for mourning, not vengeance." Dumbledore sought in a grandfatherly tone "Nothing is to be gained by further violence."
As one, fists raised, and joined by some others who realized they'd lost someone they yelled "BULLSHIT!"
"ENOUGH!" the magically enhanced voice of Amelia Bones roared over everyone else.
Harry, as word spread, clutched Susan almost violently. Now that the full scope of the disaster was public he simply silently sobbed into her shoulder. More than once, Susan had to gasp when pain jolted her. She imagined the bruises here and there on her body, but somehow didn't mind. A bit taken aback by the violent shouts, she could quietly support them. Long acquainted with her Auntie's mannerisms she knew the Head of the DMLE was about to lay out the bloody truth without filter.
"Do we know why?" she began in a mournful tone "No. At the moment we know that thirty-nine of your fellow students, along with two professors, were murdered." She waved her wand and the maps were gone, now listed were the names of the dead. Among them Ginevra Weasley, Colin Creevey, Astoria Greengrass, Mafalda Prewett, Romilda Vane, Natalie McDonald, Jackson Sheppard, James Evans. The other facts known at the moment are the Dark Mark was burned into the wall at the end of the hallway, and that both Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe, Fifth Year Slytherin students, are unaccounted for."
The older sister, and co-betrothed to one Sirius Black, had it worked out and snarled "I want them dead! So help me, if it's the last thing I do. Weasley, count me in, but we'll do it my way."
"Why'd we want a filthy snake?" Ron growled, shoving her away.
Harry had heard the screaming and crying, but all he wanted was what he had in his arms right now "Sue…I finally get it. I" he cut off.
"Get what, Harry?" she asked, still wrapped up in the raw emotions the slaughter had unleashed in the Hall.
He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her close "Love Sue. I'm so sorry. I do love you and I am going to keep on saying it, every day."
"Don't be sorry, Harry." She pecked him on the lips "I'm glad you finally made the leap. What… do you think… led to your epiphany?"
He raised an eyebrow at the last word. But could only shake his head "I think, just this in a way. A lot of families just got destroyed. There's gonna be a thousand people here tomorrow mourning their sons and daughters. Wanting answers. That's love too, the way I felt when Luna died. The Dursleys? If I fell down the steps, they'd make me scrub the stairs before my blood stained it. Whenever I think of her, half of me wants to cry… the other half wants to laugh. That's all there with you, but more, I don't even want to think of life without you in it."
"That was such a combination of sad and beautiful. I'm going to hex the pants off the Dursleys, but some little part wants to thank them… in a perverse sort of way. Now knowing you as I do, we'll go offer support to people you don't like anymore, no matter what it costs you. Well, I wouldn't be much of a girlfriend if I didn't go through it with you. And, Harry, I love you too."
The Ice Queen of Slytherin was very important to Harry; not in a conventional sense. He didn't especially like or dislike the young woman, nevertheless she was, thanks to the laws of wizard society, a Black-to-be. Her Family and Sirius agreed to a marriage contract with both Greengrass sisters. And now, someone long known for her cold, contemptuous dismissal of virtually all her fellow students and particularly the stream of boys who simply wanted her body. Among the few was Tracey Davis. Another, of course, was her sister. The one was now attempting to console a thoroughly shattered Daphne over the loss of the other. She looked up and demanded, sobbing "What do you want Potter?"
"I'm sorry about your sister, Daphne." He didn't let her tone antagonize him "If you need anything, just ask. You're practically family. I'll do all I can to help. I'm sure Sirius and your parents will be here soon."
Still gorgeous, despite streaked makeup, she only shook her head and resumed sobbing inconsolably in her friend's robes. She didn't know, or care, how long the bespectacled wizard held her hand before leaving.
The Weasley boys had built up a grounds-well of emotion that exploded in violence. Nor was it drawn on any particular House. In fact, it was focused on one student. Ron pointed it out in a growl "Malfoy's been giving them orders, probably since they were in diapers. Nobody…that is, I never hid my hate for Slytherin, and Malfoy, but as many of you lost people as us. You don't want to get involved, fine, just stay out of our way."
"My brother was barely 13, Weasley." Snarled a Seventh Year Slytherin "Blood is thicker than water. I owe that couple of baboons a beating. Since they're not here, Draco will do."
Ron nodded, punched the table in front of him and replied "Good enough."
"What's all this?" asked Draco Malfoy, looking around at the hostile-looking group that he suddenly noticed gathering around him. The self-declared Prince of House Slytherin saw a mixture of Gryffindors and Slytherins, boys and girls of all ages. They surround him silently and closed in, he backed himself against a pillar. Professors and Madam Bones were distracted with keeping order and answering what they could. He looked down and contemptuously asked a First Year Griffindor "What do you want? Filthy little mudblood?"
The girl backed away in fear. A Slytherin boy stepped in front of her and said conversationally "Go be with your friends, no need to watch this. Expelliarmus!"
"Hey!" exclaimed Draco as his wand just plinked from his hand, but otherwise he was unharmed. That was not to last more than an instant.
Three of those closest yelled almost as one "Crucio!"
"AHHHHHHHH!" the blonde boy fell and writhed on the polished stone floor in agony. Purplish electricity ripped through him, burning his nerves. Minutes passed where still no one in authority noticed a thing. The Unforgivable faded and the Muggleborns went to work, the mob kicked and stomped and punched. He screamed "WAITLL MY FATHER FINDS OUT!"
Dumbledore summoned the staff and Aurors to the site of the disturbance. Some students were stunned, others disarmed, more simply shoved out of way in the rush to save the victim. By the time Madam Pomfrey was on the scene, she only delivered the obvious medical ruling "Mr. Malfoy is dead."
"Mr. Weasley? What have you to say about this?" asked Madam Bones, immediately beginning an interrogation.
Fred answered "It's like this"
"ma'am" George continued
F: "We saw"
G: "young Mr. Malfoy"
"Enough of that nonsense!" she commanded harshly "I've not the time for tennis! ONE of you speak! And one ONLY!"
From beside his brothers, Ron offered sullenly "Dunno, miss. Must've tripped."
"Down the Great Staircase, perhaps." She observed sarcastically "Everyone of you, turn in your wands for examination. And there will be a considerable investigation into this incident." Turning to another obvious suspect "You know, Harry Potter, suspicion will…naturally…fall upon you. The two of you were never friends."
Susan leapt to her boyfriend's defense "But, Auntie, Harry's been with me the entire time. We just finished consoling Daphne."
"I am not auntie at the moment, child." She told her niece severely "And you can expect to be cross examined by Mad-Eye. This is a murder investigation, this is NOT a game."
The girl looked her square in the eye and answered coolly "I am no longer a child, Madam. And we will see what we will see. That is, unless you plan to use…shall we say…enhanced interrogation?"
"Ahahah" Harry stepped between the Bones women as they squared off "Let's not get carried away, Sue, Ami, no I didn't like Malfoy and he didn't like me. But remember I once saved him from a goring after the idiot pissed off a hippogriff."
To which Madam Bones confirmed "A point in your favor, yes. And one the investigation will be interested in discussing the details of, assuming it is confirmed. But, until then, you are a more than logical suspect. Your wand, please?"
"You know, Madam Bones" he began, coldly as he drew his wand. He didn't -quite- aim it at her "Professor McGonagall does the same thing, I noticed. She tends to need to prove how fair she is by being harshest with her own House." He then spun the wand several times between his fingers before passing it over handle first.
The Head of the DMLE glared at him, lightly shaking his wand "I believe we had this discussion about respect for the people in charge."
"And you were right, there, Auntie." Susan countered "In this, Harry has a valid point. As for Moody? I've chatted with a basilisk, not directly… of course, through a translator, but still."
Over 50 wands were taken for inspection. Dumbledore complained "I find the odd lack of evidence and unwillingness of anyone to come forward with information most disgusting. I am, as a result, voiding all House Points. There will be no House Cup award this year. Further, the Quidditch Cup will not be awarded and records of this year's play will be expunged."
"You can't do that!" cried Angelina.
"Silence Johnson." Came curt command from Professor McGonagall "Professor Dumbledore most certainly CAN. Perhaps future students will learn from this to properly aid authorities in criminal investigations."
The Headmaster was silent during this byplay, coughed for everyone's attention "Moving on. This incident, coupled with the prior mass killings in our classes, has led to the decision to close Hogwarts for the remainder of the term. Students whose parents are arriving in the next 24 hours will go home with them. Anyone else, on the Express, Friday morning. There will be no classes. All students are confined to your Common Rooms or dormitory. No exceptions. Meals will be brought to Common Rooms. Professors and Aurors will patrol House areas around the clock. You may all go."
"That's not fair!" a First Year Hufflepuff blubbered "You're punishing everyone for something most didn't do!"
Professor Sprout told him "No. We are making sure you get home to your parents. Now, do as Professor Dumbledore said. I will be there shortly. Go on. Go."
"Well, guess I'll see you in a couple days, Sue." Said Harry as he pulled her tight and kissed her deeply.
The Head of Hufflepuff snapped and slapped his shoulder "To your dorm, Potter!"
"When I'm done with my girlfriend." He answered, not even deigning to disconnect their lips. And when he was ready, gave a few last pecks while saying "See ya in a day or two. I love you, Sue."
She gently rolled their foreheads together, nodding "Love you, too. Your place or mine."
Abcij
Harry found solace in deep meditation. He'd far surpassed the early instructions his Diary gave and he learned tremendously in the Legilimency duel with Dumbledore. That battle, a win in the sense of preventing him from aiding Snape, now had him doing things at the limit of human ability. At first, he'd concentrated hard to change his body temperature in small parts, now he was barely aware of the intricate patterns of hot and cold roaming across his torso or up and down his limbs. It was nothing to have one freckle near the freezing of water and an adjoining one approach boiling, then for them to reverse with barely a thought. But it all netted out to an apparently normal body temperature. When he was ready, after a timeless period, to eat, he first exercised extensively.
"Well, look who graces us with his presence." Sneered George.
Harry didn't rise to the bait, explained "I needed to think. I don't think my friend foresaw Luna's murder. The possibility of a couple of Death Eaters killing two whole classrooms of kids wasn't even - or I would've known about it. Fred, Ron, George, you have my sincerest regret over Ginny's murder. I mean that despite our differences."
"Very nice" sneered Fred.
And George also "Very nice"
"Now blow, Potter." Added Ron.
Harry shrugged "If you like. Or wouldn't you rather do something else constructive. For one I have a surefire method to prove who killed your sister. Interested? And I'm willing to fully fund Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes startup."
"Why?" all three asked as one. They didn't need to ask how he knew about the twins' plans, they knew that, somehow, he did. And that it wasn't going to be talked about in public. But to that, added "What's in it for you?"
Harry answered "Part ownership, silent. You guys can run it without a word from me. We can work out the details later. Let's deal with the here and now. You're wanting who killed Ginny. I'm totally with you on that, so is all of Gryffindor and much of Slytherin. I can supply that and in exchange, you'll come up with new and nasty ways to kill Death Eaters. I'll finance that too." Many had seen Harry hand out packets of jewels from the Chamber of Secrets, he gave them each piles that considerably exceeded that.
"Right. Why us?" Ron demanded, coldly.
He pulled out one of his prized possessions. He didn't care there were other people in the Common Room, who'd heard every word, and explained "The Marauders' Map. The sina-qua-non of pranking for the last two generations. You're safe from being caught if you know where everyone is, every second of the day. Sorry folks it's password protected, but without my wand and I'm not giving away goodies, a drop of blood will open it for me."
"Harry! This is so much more detailed than anything Dumbledore showed us yesterday!" exclaimed Hermione.
Fred scratched an ear "Don't see how"
"this can help." George concluded.
Harry just gave verbal commands "Third floor, corridor five, zoom on intersections one and two, show classrooms. You'll all recognize Burbage's Muggle Studies and Slughorn's Potions classrooms. It's vacant now because we're all here for our own safety."
"We are!" Hermione complained.
"With almost half of us wandless?" Harry shot back "Sure, I feel safe. Anyway, the brilliance of this creation is that it can go back in time. You two didn't know about that. Rewind! Quadruple speed!" There was a flash and suddenly the classrooms had people in them. It went back a bit too far "Stop! Play! And there we have it. Gregory Goyle, Vincent Crabbe …someone else Georgina Smith Goyle, Elizabeth Burke Crabbe. More than we thought. Map off!"
Ron shook his head and sarcastically commented "Too bad about Malfoy, ain't it? But then they were his goons. Still might've been following his orders."
"Or Daddy's." Dennis Creevey snarled "We don't even have bodies to take home. Ashes even. Nothing!"
Harry pounded the younger Gryffindor's shoulder and promised "Don't worry, mate, they'll get theirs."
"And you got my word on that too." Neville added.
Many, but not all, of the girls nodded in support when Hermione suggested "But you're not doing anything like before, right?"
"They all deserve to pay." Parvati Patil snarled. She'd quite publicly allowed herself to be Dennis' first kiss only days ago.
Lee Jordan, who was already planning his legal career, offered "Why not a full public hearing, before the Wizengamot, with the press. There are enough victims among the Pureblood faction… no offense, anyone… that they should all back at least the first hearing. I don't think anyone will be powerful enough to try to bury it."
"If not, they can always die in a mysterious explosion." Said Dennis, malevolently.
Closing his mind was one thing, Harry did not have what could be called a 'Poker Face'. He hacked and choked trying to desperately cover. Fortunately almost everyone made no connection. When able to talk, he offered "I can guarantee two powerful Wizengamot members will push it til it breaks; Blacks and Greengrasses."
"I don't much care about the legal shite. I want someone dead. Preferably, several someones." Dennis wasn't even partly satisfied.
To which, Harry nodded "Right. And it'll always piss me off that we couldn't count on the system to do in Umbridge. What do you know about Wizengamot procedures, Jordan?"
"There are three, sorry, four levels of representation. The Moste Ancient and Moste Noble Houses control half the votes, the Ancient and Noble Houses control thirty percent, Noble Houses control fifteen percent, Ancient Houses the last five." The dreadlocked Seventh Year explained "In most criminal cases, a single judge not even a Head is appointed to try the case. If the case involves the Head, or an heir, of a Wizengamot House the rules get more complicated. It's not a one House one vote either, like Muggleborns might be familiar with Parliament. It's all about money."
Professor McGonagall had been sitting quietly all through the conversation, finally put in "A decent overview Mr. Jordan, simplistic but adequate for most purposes. I want to compliment you, all of you, for remaining within the law on that."
"Neville challenging Umbridge was legal too." Dennis pointed out, making his opinion obvious to all.
She sighed "You are, Mr. Creevey, entitled to your opinion. I appreciate the grief you are suffering, however two wrongs do not make a right. Just as people will be punished for Mr. Malfoy's murder. I do not think anyone will benefit from additional discussion. All of you to bed, please….That was NOT a request….children."
Abcij
Within days, Hogwarts was depopulated. Hogsmeade would thin to its summer population in April instead of June. Without students, the classrooms and hallway could be gutted and rebuilt and re-equipped. The area would look exactly as it did prior to the attack. That didn't stop the evidence that would be presented for all of Wizarding Britain to see.
"I, Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister for Magic of England, Wales, and Scotland… hereby decree this Session of the 496th Term of the Wizengamot… Open!" the corpulent leader spoke from his formal place "This special session sought by a sufficient number to call this meeting. Madam Speaker, please proceed."
By virtue of her leadership of the largest voting bloc, Augusta Longbottom took the podium. She formally bowed to Fudge and gave her speech "By your leave, Minister. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the finest institution for education on our island, a millennium, ten centuries of teaching most of the young wizards and witches of our great land to be productive and law-abiding magic users: that is what we are here to discuss. Starting with the unfortunate accident suffered by Potion Master Snape before the term began, followed by the torture death of Gryffindor Luna Lovegood and Delores Umbridge's execution by Harry Potter, peaking with the mass murder of two Professors, seventeen boys and twenty-two girls. That is essentially all the students Sorted into Gryffindor and Slytherin expected to graduate in 1999 and 2000. Lastly, the still unexplained death of Draco Malfoy, a then Fifth Year. This is a bald statement of the state of current events. For what purpose does the gentleman rise?"
"Thank you Madam Speaker." Cyrus Greengrass took a podium on the lowest tier. By every measurement this was a powerful wizard, one of the wealthiest in Britain, magically and towering over his peers. As poweful as Augusta Longbottom was in her own right, she would not be sitting in the Speaker's chair without his support. The white-haired noble spoke eloquently and forcefully "Minister Fudge, Speaker Greengrass, peers of the Wizengamot, my fellow Magical Britons, Daniel my grandnephew and Head of House Greengrass finds himself unable to speak before this body today. The cause is the heinous murder of his youngest child, Astoria. My family is as powerful as it is because its Heads have made hard choices, but wise, and occasionally lucky. In the last four generations, we have married members of the Parkinson, Crabbe, Weasley and Yaxley Families. I will not insult anyone sitting here by claiming these were marriage-for-love matches. These alliances pulled my House more toward Dark families, the current Weasley stance notwithstanding. Lord Daniel chose a betrothal to the drastically changing Black Family as a way of moving our House to at least the center, perhaps even a Light oriented phase. It was a good, wise and sound political and financial choice."
From several sources came a shout of "Blood traitor!"
"By whose definition?" Cyrus sneered an angry retort "That and Mudblood was burned on the school hallway. You'd have our Muggle guests believe their children deserved to die? Why? Have the courage to stand as well, if you dare speak!"
Though Wizengamot members held widely varying numbers of votes, during an open forum like this was, they were nobles equally. One did stand and declared "You go against both our heritage and our Lord!"
"Yes yes, He-Who-Must-No-Be-Named and all that rubbish." Waving a dismissive hand "Well, Lady Carrow, let me just point out two pieces of information, one a minor legal fact… One cannot, by definition, be a traitor to something he has not sworn allegiance to. The other, a definite blood matter, followers of this upstart lordlet have murdered a daughter of House Greengrass. He may beg our forgiveness with the dead bodies of little Astoria's murderers-"
"THE DARK LORD BOWS TO NONE!" the same witch cried.
Even across the large chamber one could feel his icy rage "Then count yourself fortunate, woman, that we are in a neutral place. Outside this place every Greengrass witch and wizard and every last Greengrass Knut are now as fully committed to his death as Lords Black and Potter."
"Let me remind you, Cyrus" Dumbledore interrupted from his seat "that violence and threats of violence are beneath the dignity of these proceedings."
The man had been a Hogwarts student at the same time as the Headmaster, he was not impressed "And let me remind you, Brian, I am not answerable to you. This is a declaration of war. House Greengrass reaffirms the betrothal of its daughter, Daphne, to Lord Black. Death Eaters may expect to do exactly that, eat death."
"I was hoping for a more conciliatory statement, Lord Greengr-" Minister Fudge began, only to be interrupted by a page who whispered in his ear. What he said back must unrecorded, however, the poor young witch did learn that …in future… to duck when delivering bad news. The Minister had to tell "I regret to announce… the security of Azkaban has been breached. All Aurors on duty are… dead. All prisoners have been released. The Dementors …have defected… and are now allied to He-Who-Must-No-Be-Named." Magical Britain's Head of State slumped into his chair and rubbed his eyes.
Sirius and Harry were in a sudden furious discussion as the whole Ministry rocked. The Wizarding judiciary/legislature was in turmoil.