See chapter 1 for notes, disclaimer, and everything…
IMPORTANT NOTE: I'm still writing this story; I need to format scenes to post them here. Stay tuned.
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'You look tired,' McGee said, sounding quite concerned.
'That Umbridge is a nasty piece of work,' the Auror answered.
'Is she going to be a threat?' Ziva inquired.
The young Auror shook her head.
'Abby's lab,' Gibbs ordered.
They all followed him there.
Gibbs was walking fast, but he slowed down abruptly, causing Rae and Ziva to collide with DiNozzo. McGee quite skilfully avoided colliding with his friends.
In fact, Gibbs had noticed that Pince hadn't gone back to Hogwarts yet; his witch was chatting with Abby. Gibbs was still somewhat surprised to feel such strong feelings for a woman who was so completely different from his late wife.
Abby and Pince looked towards the door, and both women noticed Auror Rae.
'What news, Ruby?' Abby inquired.
'Harry is still under the protection of the spell that I cast with my Auror colleagues, but after what Umbridge told us, we strengthened it, and we included a Protection spell for your family and closest colleagues,' Rae said.
'What was the exact ruling?' Abby asked.
'She had to pay a fine for attacking Tim; an entire squad strengthened the Protection spell, for which she will be charged; she'll be charged as well for the additional protection that the judge felt necessary; she's forbidden to come to the US until Harry comes of age – magically speaking, and the judge has sent Auror Milly to escort Assistant Umbridge back to the UK Ministry of Magic. Milly will release her only to her employer,' Rae said.
They were all silent for a few seconds, taking it all in.
'A fine?' McGee said.
'Yes, and a part of that will be sent to you. You'll receive a registered Muggle mail in a few days,' Rae explained.
'That's… whoa,' McGee said.
'Can Severus sue her or something?' Ziva asked.
'He could, but we hope that the full account of Umbridge's trial will encourage her local Minister for Magic to take measures,' Rae said.
'Ruby, can I read the transcript? You've got transcripts, right?' Abby asked.
'We have them on parchments, but yes, we have transcripts, and yes, I can make you a copy,' Rae answered.
Rae took her wand from its sheath, cast a spell and made Abby a copy of everything that was said in Umbridge's trial.
'I don't want to get you in trouble for giving me this,' Abby said with the parchment in her hand.
Rae smiled widely and said, 'It's your right to have access to it.'
'Why?' Abby asked.
'Well, the fact that a Wizarding orphan considers you his mother is one thing, but the moment you agreed to bond with Harry's legal guardian, you became Harry's guardian, too – at least for us, I don't know how that works in the UK,' Rae explained.
'I remember that,' DiNozzo said with a dreamy voice.
'DiNozzo?' Gibbs said.
'Yea, Boss?' the young agent asked.
Gibbs glared.
'Well, I remember my grandmother warning me that when you propose to someone, if the answer is yes, you're as good as married according to the local laws,' DiNozzo explained.
'And it works when a Muggle is involved, too,' Abby stated.
Gibbs blinked – that was an interesting piece of information.
Rae yawned fiercely then.
'You must be tired,' McGee said, clearly concerned.
'I'll go order what Gibbs usually drinks. I've had cases that were much longer,' Rae said.
'A few drops of Pepper-up?' Abby said.
Rae nodded, and Abby lent her her own phial of potion.
'Thanks a lot! Coffee on top of that, and I'll be good for the day,' Rae said as she gave Abby the phial back.
'McGee, bring our dear Auror a cup of coffee,' Gibbs said.
The suggestion sounded like an order, and McGee obeyed instantly.
'DiNozzo, escort Rae back to her desk,' Gibbs said.
DiNozzo and Rae left the lab.
Gibbs kissed Abby's brow. Her bright smile told him that she was fine.
'You can go plan stuff with Ziva, Gibbs. Since it's so quiet, I'll read what the evil witch said,' Abby said.
Gibbs grinned and nodded.
Ziva and Gibbs went to the elevator to talk quietly.
'What do you think?' Gibbs asked his team-mate.
'I think she needs to be convinced that Harry and Severus are off limits,' Ziva said.
Gibbs nodded. 'We can't involve Severus,' he added.
'But we'll need magic to reach her once we're in Hogwarts,' she said.
'She should still be wandless, but perhaps she'll have time to buy a new wand,' he pointed out.
'I think she's the kind of witch who needs to focus her spells through a wand, and I think she's quite vain,' Ziva declared.
Gibbs nodded again. 'I could ask Irma if she'd help us,' he said.
'Minerva would make a better choice,' she countered him.
'Why?' His voice indicated curiosity, not irritation.
'She's a… What's the name again? Well, she can turn herself into a cat. It could be useful,' she explained.
'Irma told me about that, but I forgot the name, too. Do you think she'd agree to come help us?' he inquired.
'She's a tough cake, and she's quite fond of Harry, and Severus, and Abby, and all of us in fact,' she said.
Gibbs smiled and said, 'Cookie.'
'I've had breakfast with Tony, thank you,' she said.
'Tough cookie, Ziva,' Gibbs said.
'But a tough cake would cause more damage,' she pointed out.
'Let's stick to conventional weapons, shall we?' he said.
Ziva shrugged.
'Would you ask Minerva if she'll help us?' Gibbs asked.
'I'll hop by Hogwarts as soon as I have a break. With school starting next week, I'm sure to find her in her office,' Ziva said.
Gibbs turned the elevator back on.
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In the meantime, Snape was contacted by Kingsley Shacklebolt, who Floo'ed to the Potions master's office.
'Arthur suggested that I come see you,' Shacklebolt said.
'Why is that?' Snape asked quietly.
'An American Auror escorted former-Assistant Umbridge to the Ministry, and he's told the minister everything that she'd done and intended to do. Minister Fudge has told her that he was accepting her resignation, and he's having an Unspeakable check her past actions in the Ministry,' Shacklebolt explained.
Snape smirked.
'Arthur has been named to replace her, and he fears that she might try to retaliate,' Shacklebolt said.
'She might,' Snape said quietly – too quietly.
'Professor Snape?' Shacklebolt was lost.
'I have done something to protect my fiancée, our son is surrounded with house-elves who would kill for him, and I can take care of myself… and there's one thing that Umbridge is forgetting if she thinks that it'd be wise to threaten my family. Abigail already broke her wand, but we have friends who could be even more direct,' Snape said.
Shacklebolt blinked, said "oh" and bid Snape good day, admonishing him to be careful.
Snape had to admit that it was rather nice to deal with people who didn't want to bug him; Shacklebolt was a decent man, and Weasley would make a great ministerial assistant – and with the horde of children he'd fathered, he could probably do with a raise!
Snape was no seer, but he had the odd feeling that Umbridge would be dealt with for good very soon – one way or the other. His instincts had allowed him to survive when he'd spied on the Dark Lord; he was convinced that he was right.
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Ziva went to see McGonagall, and the witch said that she'd go with Gibbs and her have a little chat with Umbridge. As soon as she'd found Umbridge's address, she'd go fetch them at NCIS.
The bullpen was very quiet when a tabby cat with a Wizarding visitor's badge around her neck jumped on Ziva's desk.
Gibbs and Ziva followed the cat – down to Abby's lab, to Hogwarts, then down to the staff room.
There, the cat stood inside the fireplace. Gibbs and Ziva followed McGonagall, who, with some strange magic, activated the Floo while in her Animagus form.
They arrived into Umbridge's parlour just a few seconds before the annoying witch arrived home, defeated and humiliated.
Gibbs coldly told her what he'd do to her if she tried anything against the Snapes, and it scared the witch.
Ziva demonstrated on a cushion what she could do with a knife, and by then, Umbridge was terrified.
'Did we make ourselves clear?' Gibbs asked calmly.
Umbridge nodded.
The cat trotted back to the fireplace, the agents joined her, and she sent them back to Hogwarts.
In the staff room, Professor Flitwick was more than surprised to see Muggles travelling alone through the Floo. However, there was someone who was even more surprised, it was McGonagall.
'How can you be here? We've just left London with you!' Ziva exclaimed.
'I haven't moved from here. I haven't found Umbridge's address yet,' McGonagall said.
'Then who's the cat-witch who took us to Umbridge?' Gibbs asked.
Flitwick cast a spell on the fireplace and identified the magic of the other Animagus.
The cat in Umbridge's parlour took her human form again.
If Gibbs and Ziva had terrified her, that was nothing compared with what she felt when she recognized the uniform of the witch in front of her.
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(Next scene as soon as possible)
