The Truth…

Harry gave it a final wipe before dropping the oily rag back into the box. He was cleaning the inside of Gordon The Big Engine ready for a long run to Barrow for a special event to mark the start of through services between the island and the mainland. Gordon was feeling very pleased as he was going to be allowed to represent the North Western Railway along with Thomas and a few coaches to give the appearance of an express train. Whilst there, he was going to pull the train full of enthusiasts over something called the "S&C" which was a line that Gordon had never travelled before.

"You've done a good job" the engine said to Harry, "But its almost night time now… Shouldn't you be at home having your dinner?"

"Yes, but Nyssa knows where I am and she doesn't mind. After all, we have to go without things if we're to make you look all shiny and clean and important for tomorrow"

"I'm not a dictator"

"Oh?" Harry raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"Maybe I am" Gordon chuckled. "I heard from Thomas about your friend… Is he going to be alright?"

"Yeah… The police will find who did it and put them in prison"

"You mean those magic police"

"I forgot you knew… I have to be so careful about discussions to do with magic"

"All the engines know about magic after all – remember the tale of the lost engine who came back to us" and Harry frowned.

"I saw the movie" he said after a moment's thought.

"Ah… I say, will you be coming with us to this event?"

"I don't think so" Harry replied. "The roster hasn't been posted but I'm very well down the list of seniority so I doubt it. I'd like to fire a nice train of trucks"

"Trucks?" Gordon muttered.

"Yes, Gordon, trucks… Full of things that people in hard to reach places need badly. You know that the mountain road collapsed and the people there need food, drink and wood for their fires"

"A rescue party? Perhaps I should lead it"

"Yes, but what about all those people waiting to see you? Besides, James should pull this one"

"Why?"

"The train is called 'Operation Bootlace'" and Gordon laughed.

"Oh, the humour… Oh, the humour…"

"Well, I'm all done" Harry flicked his wand at the equipment and they all went back into their right places in the three boxes he had brought with him. "You be sure to have a good time on the mainland and give them hell"

"If I wanted to give them hell" Gordon said as he settled down to sleep, "The Fat Controller would have sent Percy instead"

#

"What are we doing here?" asked Dean. Harry had apperated home before a quick shower and sitting down to a beautiful dinner cooked by Nyssa. He'd spoken to her briefly when he'd got back and she told him Dean had done nothing but watch the distant trains pass by the windows.

"We're all out of options but this" Harry said to him. "If anybody can find out what's happened to you, it will be the Goblins – you know I use to consult with them when I was DMLE head… They still owe me big style" and he led Dean and Nyssa inside.

"I've been wondering when you'd turn up" said Seamus. He was stood off to one side of the main floor with a pair of Goblins dressed in their finest.

"You know, they look kind of cute – can I get a life sized teddy of one?" asked Nyssa.

"No"

"Yes"

"We'll figure it out later… The main thing is to get Dean tested by your people as quickly as possible" Harry said. "Seamus, are you ready to help?" and the Irishman nodded.

"Anything for Dean" he said. "I want to know what the hell happened to Melly and the kids" he added.

"This way" the older of the two Goblins said. "Is the young lady coming too?" he asked.

"Yes, but only to the chamber – she's not coming in"

"Harry?"

"It's a magic thing, Nyssa… If something happens, we can throw up a shield charm – you can't" Harry explained kindly. "But you stand outside and stop anybody trying to get in who you think looks dodgy"

"How?"

"With this" and pulled out a stun gun which he handed to her. "I've changed it inside so that instead of wires it shoots out small darts – that ought to confuse people enough for Goblins to arrive"

"Shocking" Nyssa giggled.

#

"I have to warn you that the events you are going to recall will be shown as a projection in the viewing globe" Ragnock said. He had been waiting for them in the chamber deep under the level of Diagon Alley and assisted in getting the devices ready for Dean.

"I know – if it helps me to find who did this to me and my family, I am willing to put up with going through the pain" Dean said as he sat in the only chair in the chamber.

"Perhaps humans can be as tough as us" said one of the other Goblins.

"Humans can be as fearsome and warlike as us, love like a Veela, be as reckless as a Troll, more intelligent than a Centaur… They can do anything they want when they put their minds to it" and Harry looked at his two things with amusement – Goblins were not in the habit of paying compliments like this. After another minute of making adjustments, Dean was pronounced as being ready to start.

"I must ask you, Wizard, if you are really certain of this"

"I am" Dean's voice was shaky but determined. Ragnock said something in the Goblin tongue and all the devices started to glow as several small glass orbs floated upwards, took position around Dean's head and began to spin round. Within a few seconds, an image in the viewing globe faded into view and they saw the events of the incident.

"Melly, you've outdone yourself once again"

"You say that every time"

"You do, daddy… You must be getting really old" said Dean's daughter.

"Not too old to send you to bed without a bedtime story" the memory Dean chuckled as his daughter shut up and started slamming food down her throat. After some light chatter, there was a knock at the door and Dean had got up to answer it.

"What…" was all he got out before he was hit by a beam of pearl white magic. In the globe, Harry and the others knew exactly who had entered the house and Harry barely held on to his anger before magic escaped him. They watched the family be stunned, as one of the pair took some hair from Dean and used Polyjuice, then as Dean's wife was raped and slaughtered and finally ending with every bone of his children being broken before their throats were slit and they flopped helplessly on the floor until they gave a final twitch and remained still. The other person transformed a little and then started to defile the bodies which had even the Goblins furious – then the globe went to a gun metal grey and the orbs stopped rotating and returned to their box.

"How… After everything I did…?" Harry shook his head. "Do you know where they are?"

"I do not know where the Auror might be" said Ragnock, "But the other… Would you like me to summon her?"

"No" Dean answered for him. He was shaking from the trauma he was going through and it took a lot of effort for him to stand. "I have a much better idea"

#

Harry and Nyssa sat next to each other as Dean was brought into the chamber and placed in the roughly cut wood and metal chair with the chains loosely draped over his arms and round his legs. Orrock waited for people to settle down before looking at the paperwork before him and banging a small gavel in front of him. Harry had informed him of his plan, shown him the evidence privately and the Chief Warlock had instantly agreed to do as he had been asked.

"We are now in session" he said. "The accused has been returned to the custody of the Department for Magical Law Enforcement. Evidence has been presented to me and I have accepted it as truth – members will be given copies later if they so wish it. Does anybody have anything to say before I make the traditional question?" but nobody did. People wondered why there was a heavy Auror presence in the courtroom, but they guessed they were there to try and stop Harry if he tried to break out the defendant. "Very well" Orrock said and looked around his courtroom before steadying his nerves. "You stand accused of murder, you stand accused of torture, you stand accused of rape and you stand accused of treason. How do you answer these charges..." the Chief Warlock turned his head slightly to the right, "…Fleur Weasley and Auror Gillyflower?"

A/N:

Yes, a short chapter, but I simply could not think of anything else and so decided a short chapter with a massive wham ending was the way to go

As always, reviews please

Regards,

Pixel