Crouching Badgers Hidden Fudge

Harry, Hannah and Susan returned to Hogwarts that evening with the latest news about Jade. Their entire house had been worried about the girl since she had been discovered by safety charms activating – the same ones that had gone off when the trio had slept in the same bed together. As they went and got a late dinner, both girls noticed that Harry's wand was out and firmly gripped in case of any danger coming towards them. None of the three had said anything to Susan's Aunt, but they'd done some quick reading from an old Auror field handbook they discovered in the library and practiced for several hours before they'd been escorted back to Hogwarts.

"Out after your curfew, are we?" asked an oily voice. Filch made them jump as he appeared from behind a door.

"We're going for dinner"

"Dinner happened an hour ago"

"But we have permission to be out late" Susan said.

"Oh, liars as well, are we?" the caretaker moved forward and grabbed Susan by the shoulders and shook her roughly. "They'll expel you for this, girl, so you'd better c–" he was cut off by a pair of hexes fired by Hannah and Harry and he flew down the corridor and hit the wall with a thud and a crunch.

"Is he dead?" asked Susan.

"He should be" Harry said, looking her over and trying to work out if she was hurt. "You do not hurt girls"

"He wasn't hurting me that much" the girl replied.

"I do not care" Harry said.

"Would somebody mind explaining why you just attacked a member of staff?" the trio jumped and turned to see their head of house glaring at them.

"Mr Filch hurt Susan" Harry said.

"Oh?"

"He caught us going to the hall for a very late dinner, Professor" Hannah said calmly. "We tried to explain, but he called us liars and grabbed Susan and started to shake her. I only wanted to push him away with a nudging hex, but Harry sent him flying down the corridor"

"He hurt my Susan" Harry said, glancing at the groaning man. "He should not hurt my Susan" he repeated.

"I do not think that Susan is yours to own, Mr Potter"

"Actually, Professor, I am"

"I suppose you're going to tell me you are married?" Sprout said with a laugh – which died as she saw the seriousness of their faces. "Are you three trying to trick me?"

"You? No, Professor… You can go and ask at the bank if you'd like, but the Goblins told us we're married and they almost never tell lies" Susan said.

"Hey, do you think it is okay for us to sleep together before we were married?" and there was a muted sound as Sprout fainted on the spot. "I think we broke her" Harry shrugged as he prodded her with the toe of one shoe.

"Oh well… Somebody will come along in a minute I expect – let's eat" and they went off to the hall to see what food was left.

#

Two weeks later, and a few days after Jade came back to Hogwarts, one of the things Harry was looking forward to what was finally going to happen. During their free time, the Hufflepuff trio had been watching some of the Quidditch teams practicing so they could pick up some tips for their lesson.

"I guess it must be awesome to fly" said Harry. "When I was with the Dursleys, broom flying was for muggle shows"

"Mummy and Daddy sometimes let me fly one of their brooms around the garden" Hannah said. "Maybe we can ask them if they will let you do that this Christmas" she added.

"What is Christmas actually like for a family? I was always forced to do the cooking and then sit in the cupboard for hours" Harry said.

"It's like the Halloween celebrations, but much happier and with more sweets" Susan said, leaning in to give him a hug.

"I guess I had better get you something each" Harry mused over what he might the two girls he was best of friends with.

"I think that is what husbands do for their wives" said Hannah with a grin.

"Feels funny to be married" Susan said.

"Feels alright to me" Harry giggled.

"BOYS" the two girls laughed together.

"Seriously… When we're mega older, do want a wedding with big dresses and stuff?" asked Harry.

"Really?" Hannah raised an eyebrow.

"Sure – girls love that sort of thing. Besides, I've read that all girls want a wedding with big dresses, flowers, music and all sorts of stuff"

"That's true under normal circumstances, yeah" Hannah replied, "But we're already married so we don't need it"

"Oh" Harry sounded depressed.

"That's not to say we don't want one" Susan hastily added. "Being married already can be our big secret"

"Oh, that's cool" Harry brightened up.

"Anyway, we're all going to be spending the holidays at Hannah's place because my Aunt has to work Christmas, so we might as well just stay there and let her have peace"

"It will be nice to see where you live" said Harry. "Apart from the living room of course" he laughed with the others at the memory of the trio making Susan's Aunt wait after she sort of insulted them. "Your mum helps me a lot"

"She's a Mind Healer that specialises in children" Hannah shrugged, "It is kind of what she does"

"I know, but at least I don't have the nightmares or think about what the Dursleys did to me every night" Harry frowned before looking up at the flying figures in the sky. "Its getting cold – wanna go back to our room and do some homework?"

"Might as well" Susan shivered. The three left the stadium and walked back up to the school, stopped to return one of their books from the library and then headed back to their room for a cup of tea. The two witches and Harry had found a curious little kettle in an antique store down Diagon Alley, liked it and chipped together to buy it for their dorm room. So long as you put tea bags, milk and sugar in the right compartments, it would make the tea exactly as you wanted. The trio had spent an entire weekend after their return with a small box of magical tools taking it apart, checking that all the parts seemed to work before carefully putting it back together again. At first, Professor Sprout had objected to them having it in their room with the head of House saying it was against the rules. Harry and the girls had countered this by saying it was something that belonged to their family and it gave them something to do after they had finished with their homework.

"Here you go" Harry gave a cup each to Hannah and Susan before sitting down with his own.

"I wonder if they will ever find Dumbledore" said Hannah.

"Auntie said they've not been able to find him in any of his old places" Susan replied.

"What about caves and stuff?" asked Harry. "Maybe he knows of caves where secret treasure is buried or stuff"

"Not entirely sure that Dumbledore would like to be a pirate"

"Well he has the stupid clothes for it" Harry giggled and sipped his tea. They talked for a little while before Hedwig swooped in through the open door and landed on their large wooden table. Harry gently removed the letter she was carrying and opened it. "I'm expected to attend some sort of dance in three days to celebrate some Ministry anniversary" he said after a while.

"You going?" Susan asked.

"Nope" Harry replied. "Why do I want to go to some boring old dance when I can stay here with my friends?"

"There will be lots and lots and lots of trouble if you do not go" Hannah said.

"All there is going to be is some dumb speeches, stupid dancing and stupid clothes"

"We'd go with you" said the two girls at the same time.

"Would we have to tell everybody that we're married?" Harry asked. "I don't think I want all that attention" he added.

"I don't think so" Susan said, "But I can get permission from Sprouty to use her Floo connection to make a call to my Aunt"

"They let you do that?"

"If it is for a family matter, normally" Susan said. "After all, no matter if we're married or not, we're our own little family" and she wrapped an arm round each of her friends and pulled them close for a group hug.

"What do I have to wear?"

"I think its clothes" Hannah said.

"I don't see why" Harry shot back, "You've seen me naked"

"True, but lets go with a suit or something…" Hannah smirked.

"Maybe he just needs a suit jacket or something" Susan replied, standing up from the bed and crossing over to the wardrobe that was Harry's. Opening it open wide, she started rummaging around and soon gave off a cry of triumph. "FOUND IT!" she said.

"A jacket?"

"No… That biscuit that vanished"

#

Three days later, the trio raced back from Astronomy and rushed straight into their room to get ready. After a quicker shower and an even quicker drying off, they carefully stepped into their chosen outfits. Hannah and Susan had elected to wear dresses that came up to their necks in a crushed light forest green velvet whilst Harry was wearing a traditional black suit cobbled together from bits and pieces that he already owned. The trio had begged an older student called Cedric to do some transfiguration to make a cloak for Harry that was a shining black on the outside with a red velvet lining inside. All of three them wore their wands in holsters that tied round their waists in a faded brown leather that Harry had found in his family vaults – taking one for himself and giving the other two for his friends to wear. After they were finished, it was a slightly odd collection of clothes they had got together, but it reflected their untraditional thinking and the fact that Harry really didn't want to be at this gathering. The only thing that Harry did not have was a small clutch bag Hannah and Susan held – containing nothing more than some large sweets to act as ballast.

"Let's go and meet our escort" said Harry, leading his two friends out of the dorm room, out of the common room and into the corridor beyond. They passed students who gave the trio a series of odd looks before they met up with their escort for the evening. As a high ranking member of the Wizendgamot, Harry ranked no less than three Senior Grade Aurors. "Good evening" Harry said pleasantly.

"Good evening, Lord Potter" said Shaklebolt. "May I thank you for allowing me the honour of heading your escort detail tonight"

"You may" Harry laughed at the brief look of confusion that ghosted over the Auror's face. "What exactly is going to happen there?" he asked as they passed through the main doors.

"You will queue up to meet the Minister and be introduced to him" came the reply. "After that, you are supposed to mingle and discuss politics"

"I don't know anything about that" Harry shrugged.

"For somebody at your age, and with such a recent introduction to the Magical World, I suppose a lot of people will want to associate themselves with you. In addition, its likely that people will try to hassle you for your votes in a number of important bills and laws that are due to be voted upon"

"Is it too late to go back and watch the 7th years do magic tricks?" asked Harry with a frustrated look upon his face.

"Sorry" Susan apologised.

"Never mind…"

#

The annual celebration of the Ministry's founding took place in a central chamber with all the nobility, Ministry officials and members of the press.

"Lord Harry Potter, Lady Susan Bones and Lady Hannah Abbott!" an usher at the door announced, and heads turned to watch the trio step through the door and down a short set of stone steps into the chamber proper.

"Ah, Lord Potter, it is a pleasure to meet you in such an environment" Cornelius Fudge stepped forward and shook his hand warmly – followed by politely bowing from the waist to the girls. "I had heard stories that you didn't want to come"

"As you can imagine, Minister, homework takes up a lot of time" Harry smiled, "And I had other things on my mind such as my friend nearly dying"

"Terrible business" Fudge guided them to one side. "We've had word that Dumbledore was seen several days ago near York, but the Aurors found nothing but an unusual magical signature. We have some experts running tests and searches, but nothing has been of much use lately…" he sighed. "The truth of the matter is that we may never find him"

"Ah, there you are, Minister" Fudge turned round to see an older version of Draco Malfoy approaching them.

"I was talking with our young guests here, Lucius. This is Lucius Malfoy, one of our most generous supporters"

"Ah, Mr Potter, I was hoping that I would meet you here this evening" the oily and silky voice said.

"And I you, Sir"

"Oh?"

"Do you realise that your son is bullying others at school with two of his friends, threatening them with threats of what you and whatever power you have?" Harry asked quietly.

"Is he indeed…? I shall raise this with him in my next letter to him this evening" Lucius Malfoy said.

"There was also another reason I wanted to meet you" Harry went on. "I understand that you were, and pardon the term here, but brain washed to serve Voldemort"

"Indeed"

"Hmm…" Harry folded his arms and turned to look at Fudge. "Minister, despite what happened at the end of the last war this man has lied to you for over a decade. When Susan got me out from living with my relatives, I had to go to the hospital to get checked up and given potions. I met Hannah's mum and she told me all about the ways a mind can be damaged or changed. She also told us about the Dark Mark"

"We're Hufflepuffs, Minister, but we did some research and found out that you can only take the sign or mark of a Dark Lord if you do some really naughty and terrible things" Susan picked up the thread.

"Cornelius, surely you are not suggesting that we listen to the tale of a boy who is only recently introduced to our world?" the senior Malfoy spluttered.

"He would have grown up to not be this way if he had not had his family torn apart… We know that you took the mark willingly – but do you also know that even if you did not personally attack the Potters at Godric's Hollow, by letting Voldemort stay in your home and giving him what he needed in way of food and drink and clothes to wear, that makes you just as guilty?" Susan continued.

"How can you be sure?" asked Fudge.

"You can ask our experts yourself" Hannah said. "Harry didn't want to come until we told him about the yummy food he would miss out on, but also to get revenge and peace for the death of his parents. The experts we spoke to are all in this room as it happens"

"I will not stand here and listen to the lies of children" Malfoy swept his cape in a dramatic fashion and headed towards the exit. Fudge had changed since he had been elected as Minister of Magic – that was a price he was willing to pay to help make things better. However, it was only now that he realised how deep he was over his head with Malfoy, other supposed former Death Eaters and those willing to bribe him to get certain laws passed or overruled. But, when he looked into the expectant faces of Hannah and Susan, at the face of a troubled Harry, he could see that not only had he failed himself and the Ministry, he also realised that he had failed those that had little to nothing left after the war.

"Aurors – attention to orders. As Minister of Magic, arrest Lucius Malfoy on charges of Treason, Murder, Theft and ra… just take him to the cells" he broke off after realising that the trio were too young to have such things discussed in front of them. He looked around to see the three of them sitting down together at a table.

"Can we eat now?" asked Harry, "Because we're dying of hunger" and there was some amused laughter as they went to the tables as Lucius Malfoy was dragged kicking and screaming by a group of Aurors who had thought that all their Christmases had come at once

A/N:

Well everybody, there it is – another chapter of this story. I know this is a short chapter, but I have not updated for a while due to some suspected brain injuries that have taken their toll on me. Basically, I had an argument with a cement mixer…

The cement mixer lost!

The next chapter may be at the end of this month as I want to write for one or two of my other stories and also do some betaing for a promising young writer.

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All good reviews will be donated to buying Donald Trump a new hairpiece

Regards

Pixel and Stephanie Forever