Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
WARNING: CHILD ABUSE! This is not exactly a pleasant fic. It takes place after the actual events of what I've warned, but it is discussed in some detail. Nothing graphic, but this could be disturbing.
Author's Notes: I really like Harry Potter. I do not, in any way, support violence against children, in any form. However, the focus of this fic is Dumbledore Bashing. Thus, the pain Harry went through, the more Dumbledore gets that cold feeling of dread that comes with realizing just how wide spread his mistakes were.
Also, I read this to see if there were any huge mistakes, but I can allways use the help of a Beta-Reader. Let me know if you are interested.
Title: Mistakes
Author: Orion
July 1, 1991
2:00 pm
Hogwarts: Staff Meeting Room
The staff meeting room was unusually full, considering that most teachers and all the students were away from Hogwarts for the summer. Rather than professors and staff filling the small room, most of the occupants were alumni of the school, or future students and their primary caregivers. The purpose of the meeting was to make sure all of the headmaster's pawns knew their roles in relation to his favorite pawn. That was, of course, Harry Potter.
Remus Lupin was not particularly happy. He knew his role, and understood it. Hell, some of his role might have even been something he agreed with, if given the chance to agree. But no, he was not given the option. Decades earlier, he had been ecstatic to be allowed to attend Hogwarts. It was Dumbledore that had arranged the conditions, and despite Lupin loving his education and his years at Hogwarts, he regretted ever coming. Due to his agreement with the Headmaster then, he was under Dumbledore's control as effectively as if under the Imperious Curse. Though, of course, he wasn't particularly happy that his best friend's son's life was being planned out for him here by this group of strangers.
The others were all in for various similar reasons. Some were being blackmailed, paid, magically controlled, or just simply believed in the infallibility of the headmaster.
The meeting had been going on since the group had come together for lunch a few hours earlier. So far it had been decided that Harry Potter must be sorted into Gryffindor and that Ronald Weasley would be his best friend. Their meeting was planed for King's Cross, with the help of Ronald's Mother. Hermione Granger, the only child present at the meeting without guardians, was to become the other best friend, through as yet undetermined means.
Just as the topic of how Harry would be contacted to start the process out, a house elf popped into the room and whispered something to the headmaster. He simply nodded, and the elf popped back out. Moments later, the door opened and several figures walked in.
"Did you place Harry Potter in the care of his mother's sister, one Petunia Evans Dursley, and her husband, Vernon Dursley?"
It was the first one to enter the room that spoke, wasting no time. That person was none other than Amelia Bones, the head of the department of Aurors. The others that had entered with her were obviously Aurors, most appeared to be guards, though one seemed to be recording the proceedings.
Dumbledore was most curious, wondering what this was about. Director Bones was usually very amicable. However, it seemed that would not be the case this time.
"That is a most complicated matter, Director." The headmaster tried to dodge.
Director Bones, however, would not take that as anything other than the dodge it was.
"You, Dumbledore, are the headmaster of this school, as well as a highly respected political leader. It would look bad for both of us if I had to arrest you and all these . . . people just to get you to answer a few simple questions. And, if you are worried about the-boy-who-lived, I hereby swear by my magic that no harm or ill-intent will come to Harry Potter through your cooperation in answering."
The swear was an honest one, and magically binding; however it still had an edge of extreme anger to it. Albus sat down, and thought for just a few short moments.
"On my instruction, Hagrid removed young Harry Potter from the rubble that was the home he and his family were hiding in, and delivered to me at the residence of Petunia Evans Dursley. Simply put, yes."
"You disregarded all laws about placement of a child, as well as the last will and testament of his parents?" Bones was still angry.
"For his own protection, it was vital that he be placed within the blood protection provided by his maternal aunt. More so, he needed to live him a loving home away from the celebrity that I rightfully anticipated would surround him here in the wizarding world."
"Were there wards other than the blood protection?"
"Yes, there are several. The overall effect was that anyone who approached the house looking specifically for Harry Potter would turn away confused, or believing that they had served their purpose and were leaving after having done so."
Amelia almost cursed the elder man on the spot. While that would afford some protection, that also kept people with good intents away from the home, not just those wishing to do Harry harm.
"Did you have anyone there to observe?"
"Arabella Fig, a squib, lives several doors down the street."
"Does she have regular contact with Harry Potter?" Director Bones was about to deliver the final blow, however she and her Aurors were the only ones that knew it.
"I never asked Arabella to report to me regularly, only to let me know if there was anything particularly strange going on near him. She lived in her home before Harry was sent to live with his aunt, and I did not want to disrupt her life."
"So you are totally unaware that Arabella Fig has been dead for nearly eight years? It is a simple matter of public record."
The headmaster, as well as everyone else in the room, slowly started to realize that the interview was turning much more serious then any of them could have anticipated.
It was time to end this, the head Auror decided. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a large piece of legal parchment. It was the arrest warrant for Albus Dumbledore.
"Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, you are hereby under arrest for charges of . . .
July 1, 1991
Noon (2 hours earlier)
Department of Aurors
Junior Auror Kendra Jackson moved quickly towards the office of Director Bones. She knew how serious and far reaching the document in her hand could potentially be, which is why she was taking it directly to the Big Boss, rather than her direct superior. He would not know what to do with it, and the more tactfully and quickly handled this was the better.
In her hand was not a report, not a legal document, nor an internal memo. No, this was a simple muggle newspaper. It was the headline on the first page that had caught her eye, then they byline that put her in this state.
She did not stop at the director's door and politely wait to be invited in. This was too important.
"Junior Auror, what is the meaning of this?"
Director Bones was angry at her. Oh well, this was important.
"Sir, I . . . I happened to stop by my sister's house in . . ."
"You burst into my office to tell me about some family issue?"
"No sir. I . . . well, it's best that you just see for yourself." Kendra said, handing the newspaper to the director. "Page 1"
Frowning, Amelia Bones took the obviously muggle newspaper from the young woman's hand.
She started skimming the front section of the newspaper, and quickly found what the Junior Auror had brought to her.
"Oh, my . . . "
August 12, 1986
1:25 am
Dursley Residence: Cupboard under the Stairs
Dull green eyes would be the first thing anyone would see should they open the cupboard under the stairs. However, it would not open. The pitiful creature inside was suffering greatly. It would make many people physically sick to realize that this thing in the cupboard was a human being. Most people, for the ones that had put him in the cupboard obviously did not care.
He had been beaten, and then tossed into the cupboard. Again. The six year old child could do nothing to please his masters. Yes, masters, they had made it clear that he was nothing but a slave and that their word was law. This time, he had earned a broken leg.
He was used to the closet. However, his current agony was something that he would never get used to. Six days earlier, he had been slammed back into the closet, after earning bruises and a dislocated shoulder. Two days after that, he had been let out for a short while, and then he drifted off to sleep and had a nightmare. He earned a few good beatings from that. It was 4 days since he had seen the light. 4 days since the last time he had food or water. He was in a lot of pain, and finally it got to him.
June 1, 1991
6:00 am
Little Whinging Park
A man taking an early morning job got the shock of his life. Taking a short cut through a wooded area, said man tripped on something and fell. Looking back at the object he had tripped on, he nearly screamed. The man had tripped on a human skull.
July 1, 1991
Department of Aurors
Newspaper Article
Title:
Local Family convicted of multiple cases of child abuse, neglect, and first degree murder.
Byline:
Dursley family convicted of murdering nephew, Harry Potter.
Full article:
Authorities were stunned just a month ago when the remains of a young child were found in the park in Little Whinging. Forensics revealed that the body had remained hidden and buried there for almost five years. Eventually, the body was confirmed to be young child named Harry Potter. There were almost no records of the child; other than an insurance claim filed by the Dursleys stating that Harry Potter was a dependent.
Shortly thereafter, Vernon and Petunia Dursley (Harry's maternal aunt) were arrested for the murder. No one seems to know how Harry Potter came live with the Dursleys, though recently his birth certificate and parents' death certificate were located.
Dudley Dursley, age 12, was removed from his parents' custody upon their arrest. After less than a few hours in the temporary foster home he was placed him, he was arrested for assault of a young child. When asked why he did it, the young man talked about how he was rewarded for hurting his cousin, and that he expected to be rewarded in the foster home.
It seems that all three members of the Dursley family frequently hurt their young ward. Eventually Dudley told the story of how they had beaten young Harry one afternoon, thrown him into the closet that had served as the poor boy's room, and left for a short vacation with Vernon's sister in Majorca. Young Harry had been without food or water for days before the incident, and when the Dursleys returned a week later, the boy was dead. Dudley Dursley laughed when telling the story.
Vernon and Petunia Dursley were convicted of all charges yesterday. Charges include physical, sexual, and psychological abuse (of Harry Potter); psychological abuse (of their son); failure to provide medical care and basic needs (for Harry Potter); and murder in the first degree.
Dudley, whose treatment by his parents has led to severer psychological disorders, was found guilty in juvenile court of physical and sexual assault of both Harry Potter and the child he assaulted in the foster home.
Harry Potter's remains were cremated and are entombed at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Little Whinging. A small service was held for the child at his tomb. In attendance were all those that had lived near him, all of them remorseful that they had not realized what happened on their street.
AN: well, thus ends the first half of this story. Next part will be shorter, I think, focusing on Dumbledore finding out what charges he faces, and the reaction of those that were in the meeting with him. Actually, that could be fairly long too . . . and as the Aurors talk to those present, Dumbledore might find himself with more charges tacked on . . . not to mention the prophecy.
I read this over to see if there were any mistakes, but I can always use a Beta-reader. If anyone reads this and wants beta-it, just let me know.