Partners?
A/N: Don't own a thing, especially not HP. I hope you enjoy chapter fifty-four. Italics denote thoughts. Bold is for spells. Also, thank you for the great feedback.
Chapter 54: Memories and loss
Amelia Bones looked at the wardstone on her desk. She tapped her wand to it and watched it glow softly. It's time to send Vernon Dursley to his maker...She rose and left her office, making her way back down to the holding cells.
Vernon Dursley fumed as he sat in the cell, Pet won't look at me, Dudley won't speak to me, what did these freaks do to my family? Calm down old boy, once you explain that you don't recognize this...freakshow fake court, they'll have to release you...Vernon grumbled to himself as he saw the doors open, Fantastic, here comes the parade of freaks..there's the monocled freak, some ginger freak , two of their fake constables, the boy and two of his she-freaks..
"Vernon Dursley, you stand accused of attempted murder and multiple cases of assault on the Lord of House Potter-Black, how do you plead?" Amelia spoke as the trial began.
"Not guilty. Furthermore I do not recognize this trial. I am a British citizen, not one of your freaks." Vernon spat.
"Auror Hitchens, please state your full title to Mr. Dursley." Amelia said, looking to the older of the two aurors at her side.
"Auror Byron Hitchens, also Constable Byron Hitchens of Scotland Yard." The man said, Amelia held a grin from reaching her lips as she watched Vernon's face go pale.
"All aurors are classified as constables. We have full authority to arrest muggles should they commit a crime against a magical family. In your case you attacked the Lord of two of our Noble and Ancient Houses." Amelia stated, "Now, would you like to reconsider your plea?"
"I didn't do anything wrong. I kept that little brat at my house, fed him my food-"
"Food you forced him to prepare. From age five onward, you had him cooking meals, weeding the gardens-"
"He needed to earn his keep." Amelia glared and then took out her wand, "silencio."
"Now then, we have veritaserum produced testimony, you are pronounced guilty by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and the punishment is the Dementors kiss followed by life imprisonment in the high security wing of Azkaban. Take him away." Amelia watched as the silenced Vernon was stunned and then levitated out of the room.
"We will begin the trial of Petunia Dursley. She will be represented by Mind Healer Jeanette Tompkins." Amelia stated, the doors opened and Petunia Dursley walked in, at her side was an elderly witch in white robes.
"Petunia Dursley, you are accused of negligence in regards to the health and safety of your nephew, the Lord of House Potter-Black. What is your plea?"
"G-Guilty." Petunia said very softly. Mind Healer Tompkins stepped up and spoke, "Madam Bones, during my examinations of Mrs. Dursley, I have found evidence of crimes perpetrated against her that I feel explain her actions somewhat. We have went through the procedures to draw out the memories and I would like to present them."
"Very well Mind Healer Tompkins. Auror Proudfoot, please bring the Department pensieve to the room." Amelia said, the taller of the two aurors nodded and then left the room.
"It's alright Petunia, it'll be just like I explained, I will show them the memories." The older witch was speaking to Petunia as if she was talking to a small child.
She looks lost...Harry couldn't help it, he walked over to his aunt. Fleur started to follow, but Tonks held a hand out and stopped her, "Let him talk..." She said softly.
"Aunt Petunia, what are they talking about?" Harry asked, Petunia Dursley looked at him and then back to the floor. Harry saw tears pricking at the corner of her eyes.
"Your aunt was not as in control of her actions as you may have thought." Tompkins said, "I found evidence of charms cast on her mind. It took some effort, but I feel that we've removed them. She remembers enough of the past few decades now that I feel comfortable letting her be tried."
"Wait, decades?"
"You'll see when the pensieve gets brought in."
That was when Proudfoot arrived carrying the large stone bowl. Petunia and Tompkins stood at the edge of it. The older witch touched her wand to Petunias temple. "Alright Petunia, let's start with the oldest memory.." Like the bowl at Longbottom Hall, the memories played on a cloud of white fog, showing an eleven year old Petunia looking at the days mail.
"Mum! Lily and I got letters!" Petunia Evans races into the kitchen, thrusting them at her mother.
"Well, that Professor Dumbledore did tell you that he would be sending them.." Her mother said wiping her hands on her apron before taking the letters.
"We will have to take the two of you into London.."
"Thank you Petunia, this memory is one of several that had been blocked. Petunia Evans was born a witch, just the same as her sister Lily Evans. Now for the one from your third year please.." Tompkins said as she tapped Petunias temple again.
"It's perfectly safe Petunia. You want Potter to yourself, I want Lily." A greasy haired teenage Snape said, "Brew this potion, he'll fall madly in love with you. Lily will see you kissing him, she'll get angry at him and then I'll comfort her."
"But what about that other girl?"
"Black's cousin? She'll be upset at him, but I doubt it would be worse than a slug-vomiting hex. In any event, he'll be yours, think about it, you certainly won't win James Potter with your magic, sad to say but you are practically a squib and you know it."
She hesitated and then nodded, "Alright give me the recipe.."
"Unfortunately, that wasn't a love potion...Now, Petunia please..
"James, I wanted to bring you something before the quidditch match.." Petunia hands him a small white cake.
"Thanks Petunia.." James looks at the cake and starts to unwrap it.
"What's this Potter?" A voice from behind them, a young Bellatrix Black comes around to James Potters opposite side.
"Lily's sister brought me a present before I beat the Hufflepuffs in the match." He says popping it into his mouth. He chews for a moment, Petunia watching with eager eyes. Then James Potter collapses, white foam coming out of his mouth.
"James! What did you do to him?" Bellatrix points her wand at an ashen faced Petunia.
"I..it wasn't supposed to hurt him.."
"You little..House Elf! I need a House Elf!" Bellatrix screams, with a pop one of Hogwarts House Elves appears, "Take James Potter to the infirmary, now!" Bellatrix screams, before rising and grabbing Petunias wrist. The Elf vanishes with James.
"Come on, we're going to see Professor Slughorn!" She pulls Petunia down the hall, neither of them noticing a smirking Severus Snape.
"Severus Snape gave Petunia the recipe for a poison. After speaking with Medi-Witch Pomfrey and going through the records, it was determined to be a blood poison. James Potter was sick for a period of four weeks." Tompkins said softly, "Now the memory of the expulsion."
"Petunia Evans. You poisoned another student. In light of this, I can do nothing except expel you from Hogwarts, please give me your wand." Albus Dumbledore gave a perfect impression of a stern, disapproving grandfather as he snaps Petunias wand. Beside him stands Alastor Moody, looking healthier but no less crazy.
Petunia's hands trembled as she hands Dumbledore the wand. He snaps it and then set the pieces onto his desk. "Now, as per the statute of secrecy, I will now remove your memories of Hogwarts and the magical world. You will instead believe that you have been at a private school. Obliviate!" Dumbledore touches her head with his wand. Petunia collapses into the arms of Alastor Moody."Now, lastly to bind her magic..." Dumbledore raises his wand and shouts "Magicae Vinctum!" Petunia shrieks and falls unconscious.
"Her magic was bound, her memories changed, and Petunia Evans was dropped off at her home. Now, we will skip ahead to the day she found out her sister was dead." Tompkins touched her temple again,
Petunia opened the door to find a small baby in a basket at her doorstep. Clutched in his chubby fist was a letter addressed to her.
"Who are you?" She says softly before taking the letter. She opens the envelope and her eyes widen and then narrow as she looks at the basket. "My sisters brat? That freak Professor wants me to look after you now that she's dead...fine, I'll do what he wants..at least until he can get you out of my house.."
"That letter, as we have seen from the veritaserum induced confession was a loyalty charm designed to prevent Petunia from connecting with her nephew and for her to implicitly trust Albus Dumbledore." Tompkins finished.
"In light of these facts, Petunia Dursley, you are sentenced to no less than two years in the Janus Thickey ward of St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Mind Healer Tompkins will see to your care." Amelia said, Harry went to his aunts side.
"Aunt Petunia I-"
"Harry, I am so sorry for the way I treated you, for what I let Vernon and Dudley do to you." She said softly, "If..if you'd like, please visit me at the hospital.." She was then led away by the aurors with Tompkins following closely.
Tonks and Fleur walked to his side, "You okay Harry?" Tonks asked, her voice quiet and soothing against the nerves he didn't know were frazzled.
"My aunt was a witch..." He said softly, Fleur put her arms around him and rested her head against his cheek.
"Will you visit 'er?" Fleur asked, her arms snaking around his waist and her head coming to rest beside his.
"I don't know...she tried to give my dad a love potion..Snape gave her a recipe for a poison."
"That was clever of the little shit, give her the recipe so that she's the one who's magical signature is all over the potion." Tonks said.
"I agree Auror Potter-Black. That is why I am having some of my aurors collect Professor Snape after this trial is over." Amelia came over to them.
"Go and get some air Lord Potter-Black, the next trial will begin in a few hours. We need Law-Wizard Tonks here to represent your cousin."
Scene Break
"Macnair, you will lead the attack on The Ossuary." Voldemort said to the masked man kneeling before him. "The Bones family is an annoyance. With DMLE Director Bones out of the picture we can begin to recruit new followers."
"Yes my Lord."
"Good, take the funds you will need from vault 626 at Gringotts. Use it to lure mercenaries. While you are leading them, evaluate them. Bring the competent ones to me, and kill the rest. Take the key on the desk and leave me."
Voldemort watched as his servant did as he commanded before leaving the room. "Severus, go into Diagon Alley and keep an eye out for Wormtail. He is not responding to my summons and our numbers are too few right now to afford simply killing him." He said to the man standing in the corner before waving his hand in dismissal.
"At once my Lord..." Severus turned and left the room.
Voldemort winced once he was alone, save for Nagini. Ever since the Department of Mysteries I have felt the link Potter and I share grow more painful..I must find a way to destroy that link once and for all..
Scene Break
The Owl sitting before Bellatrix and Narcissa was not one they recognized. The bird barked at them, before holding out its leg. Bellatrix tapped the letter with her wand, watching it glow blue. "It's safe.." She said taking the envelope and setting it on the table.
"It's addressed to Harry..." Narcissa noted, as she tried to discern if she recognized the handwriting. It looks somewhat familiar, but I can't think of why...
"I'll open it. Knowing Harry, it'll either be a challenge from some idiot, a love letter from some other idiot, or someone claiming that Harry is the long lost heir of Merlin.." Bellatrix opened the letter, when she did Narcissa understood why it looked so familiar.
"That's the handwriting of Draco's former betrothed...why would Pansy Parkinson be writing to Harry?" She asked. Bellatrix frowned and began to read.
Harry,
I know you have no reason to believe me, but my father was contacted by the Dark Lord. There will be an attack on Grangers home. Her magic is being traced and the moment she uses her wand they will know where she is. I promise you, I am not lying. I'm not sure why, but earlier this morning I felt like I woke up from a strange dream, and I remembered our first year at Hogwarts. I don''t know what made me stop being your friend, but I am sorry. Hopefully you can use this to save the girl that didn't give up on you.
Pansy
"Another threat on the life of someone Harry considers important..." Bellatrix frowned and set the paper down.
"Luckily, they are tracing Hermiones magic...she's here with us, so they wouldn't be able to find her..." Narcissa began, only to be interrupted by Hermione herself.
"Who's tracing my magic?" She asked.
"Riddle. Your house is going to be attacked. Somehow they must have your wardstone, or a copy of it, from the IUM office. The minute you use magic of any sort, they'll know right where you are." Bellatrix explained.
Hermiones eyes grew wide, "They're planning to attack my home? We've got to warn my parents.."
"We will, once Harry returns from the trials. They won't be able to find your home while you are here, at least not that way...Grimmauld Place is still unplottable. No one can get here unless we allow it. We'll move your parents to the safehouse the Dursleys were going to use.." Narcissa said, her maternal instincts kicking in as she saw Hermiones eyes fill with tears.
"I'll go to the Ministry and get Harry. This is too important to wait." Bellatrix said, making her way to the floo.
