Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J. K. Rowling and her publishers, not to me. I'm not making money off this.

Spoilers: All five HP novels.

PRELUDE--MUSINGS & CONVERSATIONS

XII: Albus and D.C. Markham

Meanwhile, downstairs, Dumbledore approached the police officer. "You wished to see me?" he inquired, entering the living room.

"Yes. I'm Detective-Constable Carleton Markham, Little Whinging Constabulary. You are?" the other man returned.

"Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Harry's school," Dumbledore replied. The two men shook hands and sat down. Neither of them heard Snape's silent ghosting footsteps; he had decided that if he was going to leave Lupin and Potter in privacy, he might as well back up Dumbledore. Now that most of the Muggles were gone, and he was away from the about-to-explode Potter, the Headache Potion was finally taking effect.

"First, I think it would be fair to say that Mr. Potter conducted himself very well today. He seemed to be the only one in that entire mob who was being halfway honest with me." The detective met Dumbledore's eyes. "Mind you, now, I only said halfway; I know good and well he didn't tell me everything about his parents; he wouldn't tell me the name of his school, and I noticed you didn't either; and I find his story about his parents being in a secret anti-terrorist agency to be more than a bit odd. But, that said, none of that part has anything to do with why I was here in the first place, which was to deal with the Dursley boy, and find out if it was indeed Potter who was the dealer in marijuana. Frankly, I don't think he was; the time frame is too far off; he was not in contact with anyone else around here, it appears, bar the Figg woman; and he was far more concerned about having his name slandered by a lie than anything else. I see no reason to have us deal further with him on this case; the most I might need is a statement." He dropped his eyes as he considered his next words. "As to the matter of this Sirius Black: if the man is truly dead, it would be a waste of my time and County funds to drag up something that is probably more the province of Scotland Yard, or maybe MI-5; anyway, I'm going to let it lie, despite that vicious Miss Dursley. A dead man is not a public danger, and that is my primary concern."

"That story about St. Brutus? What is that, anyway?" Dumbledore was indeed curious.

"Right, I forgot you're not a local. St. Brutus' Secure Center for Incorrigibly Criminal Boys is just that--a facility to educate underage criminal delinquents. Unless Mr. Potter has a lengthy juvenile criminal record, and no one of that name appears in our records, he would never have been sent there. As I told the others, I am a probation officer for some of the boys who do go there, and there has never been a Harry Potter of any description there for at least the last ten years. Nor have I ever seen anyone there matching his description—not with those glasses, green eyes and scar." His eyes met Dumbledore's again, and his voice intensified. "But I think Potter is going to have some serious problems with his relatives when they get home from the station house. It's pretty obvious who was the spoiled Golden Boy favorite around here, and it certainly wasn't Potter. I think he's going to be at least yelled at and verbally abused, if not physically; that sort of middle-class stiffnecks really hate to have their perfect world upset, and he exposed them—if reluctantly—as liars in front of all their neighbors." Markham rose and paced around the living room a bit, clearly bothered about something.

"Headmaster, is there anything you can tell me about Potter and his family, and why he was placed here, that would stave off serious trouble? And is there any other place he can be put, and do you have the power to do so? When it comes to dealing with children and teens, I much prefer to avert danger before it begins, rather than have to put the pieces back together afterwards; too often, the pieces don't fit well any more. That boy was just short of breaking when he went up to get you, and any more abusive language is going to set him off. If he blows, someone is going to get hurt, or worse. He's really almost too old for Child Protective Services to deal with, and if there is some political complication involved, I'd really not bring it to their attention, as should have happened years ago. Sometimes they do worse by the children in the name of trying to do right, and I think Potter is a special case that won't fit."

Dumbledore sighed sadly. "First of all, I can confirm what he said about Sirius Black. I, too, witnessed the man's death. He was indeed Harry's Godfather, and had truly loved him. However, the incident that caused him to be wrongfully imprisoned happened immediately after the deaths of the elder Potters. I had hoped that when Harry was placed here, that the Dursleys would treat him at least humanely. There was no affection between Petunia and her sister, Harry's mother, but I had hoped for the best. I see now that my Deputy Head was right: while he was safe here—and this does indeed have to do with his parents, and how and why they died—he was never treated well. Still, it was the least bad of several poor alternatives, then. Now, he is still deeply grieving his Godfather's untimely death, and a number of other issues that the Dursleys do not, and cannot, know about; they would give him no support if they did, and his condition can now be considered desperate." He looked briefly toward the stairs. "One of his professors is with him right now; he is a good and kind man, and was a close friend of the boy's parents and Godfather. He is working with Harry right now as we speak to defuse Harry's reactions to this crisis and to stabilize him."

"And when the Dursleys return?"

"We will not abandon him. He has friends and surrogate family elsewhere. Given the situation, I think I can persuade the Dursleys to sign a waiver of guardianship in favor of one of our professors, or one of his other adult friends. One way or another, we will keep him safe."

"And what about this terrorist thing? How much of that is true? And is this the same Death Eater gang we've had the reports of—the cultists with the masks?"

"All of it, and much more; and yes. They are far more dangerous than I care to describe, and I am bound by the same secrecy that Harry is; suffice it to say that things could get much worse. But you here should not be affected, once Harry is out of here." Dumbledore looked directly and intently at the man. "I believe you to be sincerely concerned for Harry; if so, leave him, and the Dursleys, to us. Do what you can for young Dudley; while he is badly spoiled, I do not think he is completely beyond saving. That may help your credit with his parents. It's too late to avert the scandal they so feared more than anything; and if they cannot take it out on Harry—and I agree with you that they will, do we not intervene—they may do something else rash."

Markham nodded. "All right. For what it's worth, I believe you're sincere, too, and the boy obviously trusts you." A thought struck him. "Is there any way I can recommend Master Dursley for placement in your school? Scotland seems far enough away to keep him away from his current environment and make a clean break."

Dumbledore shook his head. "I fear not. Our school requires a certain level of achievement at the gifted and talented level; Master Dursley could not possibly be even placed there, let alone handle the academic load. And our sports program does not include boxing. But having him removed from his current school--which seems to foster bullying rather than academics--and placing him elsewhere does have merit, although I do not believe that he yet rates that St. Brutus' facility." He stood. "I thank you, sir, for being fair and seeking facts and the truth instead of quick and convenient answers. I see far too much of the other."

Markham too rose. "Fair enough. Then I'll leave now, so that I won't have to officially notice anything I don't need to know about. I need to get the paperwork started on the other case, anyway, and deal with those parents." The two men shook hands, and Markham headed for the door. But as he was about to exit, he turned for a moment. "Headmaster, I don't know what the...greater situation is, and it's probably better that I don't. But that boy deserves better than this. I'll rest better knowing that you and your people will take good care of him."

"Be certain we will," Dumbledore assured him. "I have already pledged to do so."

"Good," Markham nodded. As he left, Dumbledore quietly whispered a soft, powerful and very selective "Obliviate". Markham would remember everything except Dumbledore's name and a couple of minor details.