"Spread out!" Amelia Bones commanded as she led the charge through the damaged vanishing cabinet. She had not expected to be woken up to the news that Hogwarts was under attack and the headmaster under siege. By the time she had roused her aurors into action the battle had already been settled with lethal force. Only a few Death Eaters had been knocked out by the Campione. The majority of survivors had fallen to Dumbledore's wand work.

As the minister of Magic it was not her job to lead the aurors. But she'd be damned if she let her skills be absent in what could be an important battle. Only to find a mostly empty mansion. An annoyed Campione with attendants and a bag of dust that once was Voldemort. Upon hearing that Dumbledore wasted no time to summon Severus Snape, who was already looking for him to report that the Dark Mark was gone.

'I really want to smack the boy over the head. There are plenty of signs that a lot more people lived here. They all got away while he was fighting Voldemort. Who knows how many of them will escape justice.' Amelia thought annoyed at the pensive young man. "A car is underway Harry." The attendant he usually send to make life in the ministry complicated softly informed the young man.

Amelia waved one of her aurors over to take a quick statement. It didn't take much effort to get the viewpoint from the boy. Although she wondered why he point blank refused to let her know why he knew to watch that map of his. She considered pointing out that he should have taken less lethal options, but she already knew from the transfiguration professor that killing curses were cast. The cow of an Umbridge had been felled by one.

She saw Dumbledore consider saying something to the boy but decided to let it go as he was guided out to whatever muggle transport was summoned up. They didn't want to risk destroying the vanishing cabinet after the beating it took transporting a Campione once.

"I do not think mister Potter is the cause of the exodus." Dumbledore said as most of the aurors started to return. "I agree. A Campione on a warpath has people running in panic. The few that were here had been caught deep asleep and surprised to find their rooms empty. Someone pulled a slick one between or before the attack on the castle." Amalia Bones agreed as she surveyed the battlefield one last time before returning to her office.

"Someone is waiting at my office with urgent information?" Amelia asked the desk jockey tiredly. "Yes Madam Bones." the jockey said while nodding like a bobblehead. Belatedly realising that an all night operation het left his boss on the wrong side of cranky. Amelia Bones reminded herself that it was improper to let out a groan of frustration, or to strangle people trying to be helpful.

It was a close thing however.

Temptation to strangle someone resurged with redoubled fury when she saw who was waiting for her. In normal circumstances the person should have been behind bars as a person of interest. "Madam Malfoy. I am surprised you are here considering your hasty retreat the last time I tried to speak to you." she said as she held her hand ready to draw her wand and hex the other woman into next Sunday.

"Madam Bones, I find an out of control fiendfyre a reasonable excuse to evacuate the area as soon as possible." Narcissa replied with a false smile. "That is understandable, although one usually presents themselves to the DMLE to explain how such a fire got started in the first place." Amelia replied as she unlocked her office, taking care not to present her back to the other women before waving her in.

"Please sit down." Amelia said as friendly as she could muster. As Narcissa did so she took her own seat opposite to her. "So how can the Ministry help you this morning?" 'Aside from tossing you into a cell and letting you stew in there as I catch up to my sleep.' she added mentally. "I'd like to cut a deal. In exchange for the safety of myself, my family and those who follow me, I can provide vital information on the most recent Dark Lord plaguing our country."

Amelia smiled and Narcissa was caught off guard by it. "I am afraid I cannot 'cut a deal' as you put it." The Malfoy Matriarch blinked confusedly for a moment. She had expected resistance yes but an outright denial seemed to be off script. "Also, you are under arrest."

"What?" Narcissa managed to object before the former head of the DMLE had disarmed and bound her with both magic and ropes. Amelia walked around her desk towards the door. "You see. We already know where Lord Voldemort is hiding. He is in fact no longer in the living world, permanently this time."

Amelia admitted to herself she was taking too much sadistic pleasure from this. The wide eyes Narcissa had as plans crumpled literally in front of her was a delight to see from the usually composed and superior acting woman. "You still do not have the location of the remaining followers."

"They will emerge soon enough. The more combative part of the former 'Dark Lord's group has already fallen to Dumbledore's wand. With your confession we can now put out arrest warrants. They either turn themselves in or get arrested later when they try to obtain basic necessities."

She unlocked the door and hollered for an auror to bring the Malfoy woman to her cell. A sentence she had wanted to say a long time.

When the newspapers finally were flown into the great hall a lot of rumors were already spreading. Both professor McGonagall and Umbridge were absent. Aurors were seen by the early risers and the area around the headmaster's office and the entire seventh floor were closed off.

It was the presence of the headmaster merrily working away his breakfast that kept people from panicking. Although a few jumped when the great hall doors opened to let in a tired looking Harry Potter with an equally sleepy looking Cressida.

"Are you alright Harry?" Hermione said the moment he plopped himself down beside her. "I'm fine.. Bloody bugger had his hideout on the other side of this stupid country. Shoulda jumped on Victoria's back instead of trying to sleep in the car." Harry mumbled as he tried to get some food in. "We don't have any tests right? I could use a full day of history lessons."

"No Harry." Hermione said with a relieved sigh. Despite his preferred excuse he seemed to be alright, aside from the lack of sleep. "So what happened?" "The papers didn't say?" Harry asked curiously despite the fact he looked like he was ready to take a snooze in the pile of sausages he had shuffled into his plate.

"Only that there was a death eater attack that professor Dumbledore stopped. Professor Umbridge was killed and professor McGonagall got injured in the running battle." She was surprised that Harry jerked up at hearing who was injured. "Professor McGonagall got injured? I thought we had them all at the headmaster's office." Harry frowned as he stated that.

Since Hermione couldn't offer an answer he just shrugged. "We'll visit her afterwards and ask if I can take the day off." "Sleep sounds good." Cressida muttered. Mia smirked at the two tired teens. Harry seemed to sense the smirk "Yes, rub it in you can sleep anywhere Mia." The young woman's smirk only increased at the grousing.

A few curious students caught on that Harry was 'on the ground' so to say and tried to ask for more information. A tired glare from the young Campione was enough to keep their distance. Once done with breakfast he headed towards the infirmary with a nod towards Dumbledore as he left. Who returned it with a soft request to visit him at his office later.

'Why is the infirmary so far away?' Harry mused to himself as he made his way up. He gently made his way in to find his transfiguration professor looking quite put out as Pomfrey fussed around the other witch. "Mister Potter, what brings you here?" Caught off guard the next words slipped out without his permission. "Wondering how it feels to be on the opposite side for a change."

Pomfrey meanwhile had scanned his form up and down to confirm that he did not need any medical attention. "If you are wondering if your reckless use of spells has caused me to be here, I can assure you that is not the case." Professor McGonagall said sternly, utterly unimpressed by Harry's initial response, and Harry winced as he realised what Dumbledore would chew him out for later on today.

"I suppose I won't get a day off for stabbing Voldemort?" Harry asked, feeling surprisingly tiny under the stern witch's glare. The deputy headmistress graced him with a haughty sniff. "I suppose I could let you off for one day, mister Potter. But next time I insist you acquire a sufficiently fast enough mode of transportation after defeating a Dark Lord."

"Yes Professor." Harry said as he did his best not to show he was pretty sure she was pranking him. It was not like Dark Lords were a dime for a dozen. "Talk to madam Pomfrey to properly establish your rest so that you do not fall into an endless state of exhaustion due to an improper sleeping schedule." the professor finished. Harry restrained himself from pointing out that he was being used as a distraction. The way Pomfrey glanced at his head of house he had the feeling she knew it as well.

"A short nap until lunch mister Potter. Then endure the day and go to bed early." the mediwitch said shortly. Harry merely nodded and made his exit. He decided to get his chewing out for damaging the castle from Dumbledore before taking that much needed nap.

A much fresher looking Harry made his way towards the table. He had horrible overslept so he knew he'd be in trouble tomorrow. "What's the commotion about?" he asked as he sat down. "An evening edition of the Prophet. When were you going to tell us you got you-know-who again?" Fred demanded

"Wait... they actually believed me when I said that pile of dust was Voldemort?" Harry demanded incredulously. Ignoring how a few of the Gryffindors at the table winced at the name. "You pranked them?" George asked hopefully. "Oh no. It was definitely Tom's whose head I took. I just didn't expect it to be in the news or be believed right off the bat."

"Aww… while I suppose they did since it's Bones's ministry now instead of Fudge's." Fred answered. "No more Fudge to fudge things up." "Be a fudge in the works." The other twin opened his mouth and then visibly faltered. "Ran out of puns already?" one Gryffindor teased and the twins immediately gave him a look that promised pranks in his near future.

He nabbed a paper for himself and he was surprised at the accuracy. He blinked when the names of the attackers came in, along with their state. "Wait.. Malfoy was there as well?" Harry asked, surprised. He then paused and remembered the smaller masked figure between the Death Eaters.

"Harry?" Hermione asked worriedly. She had moved closer when Harry started to read. "Ah Hermione.. Sorry. Just lost in thought." he evaded. He didn't want to tell her he was pretty sure he knew when he had killed his former bully slash rival. Suddenly the masked attackers were not just nameless enemies to be destroyed.

He turned his attention back to the article and noted that almost all 'imperiused' Death Eaters had been present. He learned that both Malfoy's had not survived the assault and as he was the only one who had been slinging around magic with the intent to kill he knew it was his fault that they were no longer with the living.

The swirl of emotions that this summoned were quickly stomped away into a corner to sort out later. He felt Hermione's worried eyes on him and shot the girl a passable smile as he continued to read. He snuck out when people decided that the second downfall of the Dark Lord was a good reason to start a party.

"Another year gone." Harry noted as he threw his and Hermione's trunk into the overhead area. "I wonder what the results are." Hermione mused thoughtfully as she watched the rest of the school population load up into the Hogwarts train. "Anything less than straight O's and I'll be surprised Hermione." Harry said with an eye roll.

"You really should worry about your grades more Harry. If you do not get a good enough result you won't be able to take certain classes. Like potions you'll need an outstanding." Hermione lectured. "And there is nothing we can do. And despite Snape finding his shred of civility ever since I can legally stab him I think we both agree that me not taking potions is to everyone's benefit."

"You can't legally stab people, Harry." Hermione said with a groan. "Nor should you think you could. Power corrupts and you seem far too eager to slide down the slope sometimes." "I doubt Harry seriously considered it aside from Malfoy Hermione." Mia chided the other girl lightly. "And Harry is stating an accepted fact. Even if the law does not provide a provision." Harry let them talk, wishing that they would stop talking about it already as he still had not figured out what he felt about killing Draco.

"Hello Harry." Luna greeted as she skipped into the cabin and plopped herself in one corner. "Mind if I sit with you?" "Not at all." Harry agreed even though he gave the girl, who was reading the Quibbler upside down. The blond girl saw no need to add anything and seemed absorbed reading the newspaper.

He shrugged and picked up another geology book he had asked Cressida to order for him. The more he understood the mechanics the better he could use the authority he had received from the goblin emperor. 'Or so I hope.' he felt a phantom burn for a moment. Getting hit by molten hot rock was not a pleasant sensation.

The trip was uneventful and Harry found a moment of oddness that Malfoy would never appear again to taunt him. 'I wonder if there is any family left. Sirius did say there wouldn't be any problems with it… well when he was done being upset I got myself into a battle.'

With two trunks in hand Harry exited the train. He barely had set two steps on the train platform before he had a faceful of Sirius. "Really…" he groaned in dismay. "He just missed you Harry. Be nice." Luna said in a tone more suited for a puppy being caught after being naughty.

"Listen to your harem girl Harry." Sirius agreed while Remus sighed in despair. "I am not a harem girl." Luna objected as well although she didn't sound upset at all by the accusation. "I won't mind. But Hermione won't let us yet." "Yet?" Sirius and Hermione asked in different tones. Harry was pretty sure he caught Hermione muttering 'How about never.'

He was more worried about the 'us'.

"So how have you been Sirius?" Harry asked in a blatant attempt to divert the subject as they followed Luna. The girl made a beeline for her father despite the crowd in the way. A flurry of pet names followed as the two greeted her. Then there was a short conversation that seemed to be composed mostly out of creatures with dubious existence.

Xenophilius Lovegood turned towards Harry with a grave look that did not fit the eccentric looking wizard. "I entrust the safety to you, Campione Potter." he declared. He bowed briefly and before anyone could gather his wits he managed to disappear in the crowd. "What." Harry managed to say when Luna turned towards him looking quite pleased. "Sleepover!" she declared happily.

"You do know the polite thing to do is to ask for permission first?" Remus asked with remarkable restraint. "Harry wouldn't say no." Luna answered with unshakable conviction. She made a point to look at a point over Harry's shoulder. Against better judgement he looked over his shoulder to see Nichol Poole look back at him before turning away hastily.

"Poole." Harry noted to Luna. "He is up to something isn't he?" "He knows." Luna replied and the usual serenity or airiness in her voice was absent. "Harry?" Sirius asked as he glanced in the same direction. "Someone with more ambition than is healthy. Let's find Hermione's parents." he decided.

Narcissa Malfoy kept an iron neutral expression as she walked out of the courtroom. 'I was lucky.' she concluded as she nodded towards the lawyer the Malfoy family kept on retainer. The aurors who flanked her kept pace as she headed up. 'If that fool didn't lead with the imperius question I would have claimed so.'

'Someone must have spilled the truth.' she concluded. 'We did not have the chance to create a coherent story to tell the neutrals and the bribable.' Narcissa calmly started to list who she suspected had broken ranks and how she was going to ruin their credibility. She knew that she needed every edge to get Draco and her husband off the hook.

One of the aurors took the lead and disappeared through the floo with a cry of 'Gringotts!'. Narcissa did the same and the last auror followed her into the bank. Ten minutes later she had given the Gobins permission to allow the ministry to fine the Malfoy vault. 'Bones hit us with every little thing she could find.' she thought with a small frown as she clutched the copy of charges a bit more tighter.

"Good day Madam Malfoy." one of the auror had the politeness to say before they left her out on the steps of the goblin bank. Her lawyer was waiting for her. "What do you know of the cases of my husband and son?" she demanded of the man. He blinked owlishly for a moment. "Well?" she pressed, her ire rising at the slow response.

"You are not aware?" the lawyer asked carefully. "I am not aware of what?" "Your son and husband both died during the assault on Hogwarts. The fines towards the family are still to be determined…" "They are dead?" Narcissa asked disbelievingly. "Yes madam. It has not been released by the DMLE how they died. But according to rumors…"

"Who did it?" Narcissa demanded icily. "The rumour has it that your husband was killed by a reflected spell while your son was just one of the many victims caught in the Campione's charge to rescue the headmaster of Hogwarts." The lawyer laid out factually. "As you can imagine, I suggest that legal action is not the option to take."

The glare he received for his answer made it abundantly clear she was not pleased by his suggestion. As the lawyer started to reconsider his tenure taking care of the Malfoy legal affairs Narcissa started to walk again. In her mind one plot for vengeance after another started to take shape as she headed to the Leaky Cauldron. As she stepped through the floo she swore that Potter would not walk away from this unpunished.

This would be the last time most people of the wizarding world would see her.

"So what is chewing you up Harry?" Sirius asked as he slunk from the corner where he had watched Harry watch the night sky. The inclusion of Luna was a surprise and Sirius knew there was more to the story than he had been told. However he had held a firm hand on his curiosity, in the back of his mind he grudgingly accepted that Harry might be involved in things he did not want Sirius to be aware of. Things that are not your usual teenage antics.

"Nothing, unless Luna forgot to warn me of something." Harry answered with a weak grin. Having been exposed to Luna's mangerie of made up creatures Sirius returned the grin as he made a show of checking Harry over.

"Well it seems your bottom is unchewed by invisible creatures, so what is on your mind?" "Nothing much of substance… the headmaster is convinced that Voldemort truly bit it this time since the dark mark has faded away." Harry thought out loud. "It's… odd that he is gone now. Nice mind you… just odd."

"You feel aimless?" Sirius suggested slowly. "I suppose so." Harry answered. "Well you could focus on enjoying your vacation first, then survive…" Sirius paused and frowned to himself "Wrong choice of word there… I don't know. Make it through Hogwarts without something threatening your life for a change and see it from there. Little steps." Harry was unaware he was repeating the advice he had gotten from his mind healer.

"Little steps." Harry echoed thoughtfully. He did not have the heart to tell Sirius that the chances of him getting through a school year without getting snarled up in something was utterly unlikely.

~Fin~

Author Notes:

'Fin for now' just doesn't roll off the tongue as well. The current hook I got into the Campione story makes me too unhappy to publish it, so I am hitting complete on the story for now, but I intend to return to it, hence the half a dozen dangling plot lines. I just need to dig deeply into the Campione canon and figure out how to hook into it properly, thankfully aside from a single hint I got a good bit of timeline to work with.

Story trivia:

When I started posting, the story was about 98% complete as I had written the bulk of the 150k words back in 2018. I had set myself a couple of goals, such as subverting the usual fanfiction take on Dumbledore and the goblins, a powerful Harry who doesn't go mad with it right off the bat, signalling upcoming plot points better and merging the Campione world into the HP one.

As you can guess, I kinda failed with the last two and fumbled the third point, thus lost the motivation to post (plus the entire writing myself into a deep dark corner with the cabinet). Yet it kept nagging me to do something with it, thus after my two week vacation was sunk due to a plague-that-shall-not-be-named, I spent the first two days patching in the last 2% and then starting going over it with a final review.

I had thought the entire project would take no more than twenty hours, but then some of you started to provide thoughtful comments and the story expanded with two more chapters than initially planned and it started to eat way more time than expected. Not that I mind however, I quite enjoyed reading your reviews and working with them, it certainly made me consider giving another of my 'failed' projects another look.

If the next chapter button is not available, I hope you enjoyed the story. If it is there, keep on reading.

Kind regards,

Ikaruga