HP Life after Hogwarts
Chapter 30
Paying the piper
--
"Harry?" Wills knocked on the doors leading to Harry and Hermione's rooms. "I've got someone here who misses her Daddy." He called softly.
"We've got two someone's who miss there Da." Henry also kept his voice low in tone as not to awaken Dani.
"Come on in." Harry glanced up at the door from where he sat propped up on the bed with his computer on his lap working on year five. "Dani's in her crib."
"How's our little munchkin doing?" Wills asked softly.
"Dada," Ally and Mia chimed in unison when they caught sight of their father.
"She's sleeping, so hopefully the medicine that we gave her is working its magic." Harry set his computer out of harms way before holding his arms out for his girls. "How are my angels this evening?"
"They miss their sister." Wills set Ally in his lap.
"And their Da," Henry set Mia down as well.
"It's not that we don't want to be with all of you." Harry cuddled them on his lap, "No it's not that way at all." He kissed the tops of their downy haired heads. "You see Dani doesn't feel so hot right now, so that's why she's up here in the nursery with me watching over her."
Ally sneezed. :I no feels good too.:
:I feel hot.: Mia sniffled miserably then coughed.
"I thought that this might happen." Hermione sighed deeply from where she stood in the nursery doorway. "The three of them are so close that they share everything between them even this cold. Ally and Mia were being fussy, refusing to eat their dinner, and whimpering for you and Dani."
"Don't worry my little angels. Daddy has just the thing to make you feel all better." He crooned softly.
"I made more than enough of each potion just in case the two of them came down with a cold too." Hermione walked over and picked up Mia. "It's into your sleeper and bed for you little one." She carried her out of the room and into the adjoining nursery.
"After you tend to your girls then you and I will talk." Wills pinned Harry with a sharp look.
"There's nothing to talk about. I had a good reason for doing what I did a few hours ago and that's all I'm gonna say about it." Harry, who had been heading for the nursery with Ally in his arms, paused in front of the nursery doorway.
"He's not being cross with you about it, Harry. It's just that what ya did is all over the media." Henry gave him the thumbs up in approval.
"You put your foot down with the HP fandom's internet elite. Not many take on all of them at once nor do they threaten legal action towards them. Just so you know you've got Jo, Emmy, Rupert, Tom, and Daniel all backing you up one hundred percent." Wills followed Harry into the nursery. "Their mole has caused them a lot of fuss because their pot of information gold has turned to fools gold."
"Colin called and wanted me to tell you that he debunked the snaps and the information that you asked him to and that whoever the bloke was now has a zero rep in the Worldwide Web." Hermione remembered what she had come up to tell him as she fed Mia some fever medicine.
"It's far worse than that I'm afraid. You see the person in question could very well be stripped of his magic, find themselves in Azkaban, or both for breaking the cardinal rule of all rules." Harry set Ally down on a changing table, so he could feed her a dose of medicine. "There's my girl." He smiled down at her for taking her medicine and not putting up a fuss. "I only wish that your sister took medicine the way you and Mia do." He picked her back up and cuddled her against his shoulder.
"That explains why Logan, Draco, Uncle Sirius, and Dad all left so hastily a while ago." Hermione sat down in a rocker.
"That doesn't surprise me, because Dad was up here with me when we uncovered the person in question's identity. Let's just say that he was beyond cheesed off with the person." Harry was beyond pissed at him himself.
"The thing that I don't get is why, after being so bloody careful, bungle it all up now." Henry scowled.
Dani roused in her crib.
"His latest posts appear to be that of a person scorned and they laid most of the blame on Harry." Wills scooped up a whimpering Dani into his arms. "There now gorgeous no need to fuss, I'll change you and have you in a fresh sleeper in no less than two shakes." He placed a gentle hand on her forehead sighing in relief when he found that she was once again fever free. "The medicine did the trick her fevers broken."
"Wills…" Dani sneezed as she was set down on the changing table.
"Yes sweetie that's right it's your Uncle Wills." He kissed her foot.
"Henry" She yawned sleepily.
"Right here beautiful," Henry bent down and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"So who here is in need of some Pepperup potion?" Rory and Dromi walked in with the smoking vials of medicine.
"It's all three by the looks of it." Harry glanced over at his sisters.
"No wonder the other two were so fussy." Dromi walked over to coo down at Dani.
"Romi," She reached her tiny hand up to touch a strand of Dromi's fiery mane.
"Why yes munchkin it's me and I've got just the thing to make those bothersome sniffles history." She held up the vial of candy apple red potion.
Dani saw that this medicine was even smoking and immediately started to fuss. "NO…NO…NO!" She howled in outrage between fits of coughs and sneezes.
"Not a big fan of medicine is she." Rory winced as her howling increased a few decibels.
"Not really no," Harry had been afraid that his would happen. "It took many tries to get her to take her fever medicine."
"That would explain why Draco suddenly ended up with potion all over his head." Hermione was astonished that Ally and Mia were blissfully ignoring Dani's tantrum.
(Dani be good!) Ally growled.
(It tastes yucky!) Dani growled back.
(So it makes us better.) Mia's tone was gentler than Ally's was.
(Don't care.) Dani pouted.
(No stuff then you no play.) Ally changed her tactic.
(We get to play cuz we gonna take stuff.) Mia seconded Ally as she took her medicine.
(You be stuck here all alone.) Ally also took her medicine.
(No fair. I take. I no like, but I take.) Dani's howls quieted down to a whimper.
"Rory it's okay to give Dani the medicine now," Harry, who had overheard the girls lecturing their sister, chuckled as he went about changing Ally and then getting her into a fresh sleeper. "Very nicely played out," He kissed her nose.
"Love Dada," Ally didn't mind in the least that she had pink smoke puffing out of her ears, nose, and mouth.
"Care to fill us in?" Hermione arched a brow at him.
"Yeah, little brother what gives?" Henry frowned.
"There now angel it wasn't that bad now was it." Rory successfully gave Dani her medicine on the first try.
"Rory," Dani didn't mind the taste at all and happily kicked her feet. "Yum…"
"Well, little brother, answer the question." Wills cuddled Dani against his shoulder.
"It's simple really. Harry eavesdropped on their private twin link." Dromi handed Hermione a fresh sleeper for Mia.
"It's something that very few can do, but then little brother is the Next Merlin." Rory cooed down at Ally.
"It's not anything that I do on purpose. You see to me it's as natural as breathing and it's also a choice way of seeing to my girls." Harry winked at Mia. "Our Mia is quite the mediator among them."
"So, what you're sayin is that they convinced Dani to take her potion?" Wills eyed him in disbelief after he got Dani settled in her crib.
"Yeah pretty much," Harry got Ally settled in her crib and kissed her goodnight. "They used the no medicine then no play strategy."
"Well done my bright girl." Hermione kissed Mia before getting her settled in her crib.
"Sleep well little ones." Dromi and Rory cooed down at each of them.
--
"Mum and I tweaked the original potion, so it will chase away their colds and they'll be our happy little girls by morning." Hermione snuggled against Harry's shoulder as they left the nursery.
"That's wonderful news my darling." Harry kissed her.
"Now that we've got the girls tucked in you can finally get something to eat." She knew very well that Harry was famished.
"We'll go get him a dinner tray, but first he has to reveal the identity of Raven-eagleclaw05." Henry had an idea who they were but he wanted proof.
"He's a Ravenclaw that much is obvious." Hermione as usual loved a good mystery.
"He?" Harry arched one brow at her. "I never said what gender they were."
"If it is a he..."
"05 could mean the year they graduated from Hogwarts." Wills started to unravel the clues.
"All things do point in that direction." Rory agreed.
"It would explain why they had snaps of the private wedding and of the Millennium Ball." Dromi frowned.
"That's enough evidence to prove that they know Harry well enough to get an invite to the Christmas Eve wedding." Henry mused.
"Or they were the guests of one of the friends or family."
"Look this is taking forever and I'm beyond starving." Harry decided to fill in the rest of the blanks. "The person in question is a he, was in Ravenclaw, did graduate in 05, and was the date of one of Hermione's closest friends."
"Michael Corner?" Hermione's eyes narrowed when Harry nodded. "That lowlife has been leaking things out over the internet!"
"Harmless stuff mostly that was until Parvati broke things off with him." Harry nodded again.
"That had nothing to do with you."
"That's not the way he saw it because Chase is a teammate."
"Those two weren't serious at least from what I've seen." Rory frowned.
"Most of the time she looked bored to tears." Dromi agreed.
"The thing is that Corner was in love with her and took the breakup very badly. So much so that he needed to place the blame on someone and zeroed in on me." Harry made a break for the door. "Mystery solved. Now I'm gonna go get something to eat."
"Harry you have to help him." Hermione was hot on his heels.
"Dad knows the truth. He'll say something on his behalf eventually." Harry continued towards the stairs.
"They'll wish to make an example of him. Professor Penrose will demand it." Hermione felt a little guilty because they were going to match Chase and Parvati and would have in turn ruined Michael Corners life.
"Had we gone through with your matchmaking then yes I would be more sympathetic towards his cause, but we didn't and he went postal online. No one forced him to nearly out our world he did that all on his own." Harry saw that dinner was finished in the Common Room and decided that takeout was in order. "Catch." He tossed the baby monitor receiver to Hermione, changed his clothes to casual fast-food run wear, and vanished.
--
"He'll be back little sister. He just went to get some take-out." Rory paused beside her.
"Why are you being so forgiving about Corner?" Wills scowled. "He's always seemed like an arrogant SOB."
"Yeah, I agree the guy's a rotter." Henry growled.
"Michael was always a sore loser and a know-it-all fool." Luna gave her own two-cents from her place snuggled in Ron's arms on the couch.
"Oh, he was that in spades, but by Mab could that boy kiss." Ginny grinned wickedly.
"Ginevra Molly Elizabeth!" Ron snarled at her.
"Oh please! It's a known fact among all of us girls, even Luna got caught by him under the Mistletoe sixth and seventh year." Ginny rolled her eyes in exasperation at him.
"Luna!"
"I have to agree with Gin that boy can kiss." Luna's silver gray eyes danced merrily as she grinned wickedly up at him.
"Yes, well, I think my Harry is a far better kisser than Corner." Hermione blurted out. "Oh frazzle! Did I just say that?" She blushed crimson with embarrassment.
"He got you under the mistletoe too!" Ron fumed.
"It's in the past Ronald, so stop making a fuss over it!" Hermione's amber brown eyes sparked with temper.
"The rotter snogged all three of you! I'd say there's plenty of reason to put up a stink about it!" Wills grumbled.
"It was harmless and under the mistletoe." Rory and Dromi rolled their eyes at him.
"The bugger took over advantage of a holiday tradition it's…" Henry started to rant but Hermione cut him off.
"It's exactly what you and William used to do, so not one more word out of either of you!" Hermione snapped.
"So what's the slimeball gone and done now?" Ron grumbled darkly.
"He's Raven-eagleclaw05." Dromi answered.
Ron's scowl turned into a wickedly evil grin. "Well, I say let him rot in his own mess."
"Why in the name of magic did he try to disclose our world?" Ginny frowned.
"Parvati dumped his sorry arse for Chase Landry and he blamed Harry for the breakup." Wills scowled.
"That's crackers. Harry don't have time to meddle in affairs of the heart nor does he like to meddle in other peoples love life." Ron narrowed his eyes at Hermione.
"Yes, Ronald, if you must know, a plan was in the making to pair the two of them up, but Parvati and Chase met each other of their own accord." Hermione bristled.
"Mama…" Dani's whimper coming from the baby monitor ended the discussion. "Hold Dani…"
"Dani needs me." Hermione vanished.
"Saved by a convenient cry from Dani," Dromi chuckled.
"Well, she can't play favorites and always bail Harry out of trouble now can she." Rory giggled.
--
Diagon Alley-In front of Enchanting Imaginations
Harry decided that he would at least try to help the sleazeball. He hadn't liked tuning into the conversation back at the castle during the whole Corner can snog rendition from Gin, Luna, and his own Mione. That reason alone made him wish to see him booted out of the Wizarding World, stripped of his magic, thrown into a cell at Azkaban, or all the above. Still, he had promised that he would try to get him out of the mess that he had caused and he never went back on his word. He glanced down at the lit up dial of his watch it was going on half past seven so the shop still had patrons browsing inside exploring around the new shop.
He took several deep breaths to cool off his temper, forced himself to smile, and opened the door to the shop. "I see that you ladies decided to open your doors earlier than scheduled." He greeted Padma who was ringing up a sale at the counter.
Parvati, who was in a glorious mood and had been since Sunday afternoon, ran over to give him a hug hello. "Harry! What a delight it is to see you! Where's Hermione?"
Harry hugged her back. "The girls caught the sniffles this afternoon. It's Mione's turn to watch over our brood while I ran out to get me something to eat." She was in such a gloriously happy mood and now he was gonna have to ruin it by telling her his news about Corner. "The place looks great by the way and it looks to be a smashing success as well."
"Thanks to a team effort we were able to open our doors early." She led him over to the infant toddler section of the shop. "Let's see our miserable little angels need a get well treat or two." She studied the area for just the right present.
"Parvati what's this?" Harry was eyeing a rainbow colored spoon with a fairy dancing up and down the handle.
"Oh, that's quite brilliant. Fred and George call it The Merry Medicine Dispenser. It makes any potion taste like candy or your favorite treat."
"This is brilliant." Harry's eyes lit up with happiness the twins had done it again. He made a mental note to get them something beyond spectacular for Christmas. "I'll take a couple of these. You see my Dani hates to take her medicine."
"That would explain why the packaging states that it's guaranteed to work on even the most finicky of little princesses." Parvati giggled.
Harry spotted a display of colorful winter baby wear and went to check it out. "Warm and Cozy's?"
"Those are beyond smart. Kate and the twins joined forces to come up with the line. They keep your little ones at the perfect cozy temperature even during the coldest days of winter." She explained.
"Load me up with three complete sets one for each of my girls." Harry saw no problem splurging on needs for his girls.
"Kate is one step ahead of you. She packed a lot of the must haves for the triplets and the twins and we've got it in the back storage room." Padma, who had finished with ringing up her customer, put up the closed sign, and walked over to give him a hug. "How are Hermione, Luna, Ginny, and the munchkins?"
"Luna, Gin, and Mione are all fine, but the girls have the sniffles." Harry hugged her back.
"The poor little darlings you must be in a rush to get back to them. I'll go get the parcel from the back." She rushed off to the backroom.
"Babe! I passed my Auror trials!" Chase still dressed in his Auror robes raced into the shop and pulled Parvati into his arms for a long kiss.
Harry didn't need to be cupid to know a matched pair when he saw one and discreetly cleared his throat, so he could remind the two of them that they were in a public place. "That's great news Chase."
Chase grinned sheepishly at Harry, but he kept Parvati cuddled in his arms. "Harry! Hi…uh…Parvati and I are seeing each other now."
"So I see." Harry's grin widened even more. "Congrats on that as well."
"We, um, bumped into each other in front of the ice-cream parlor on Sunday." Parvati looked very much enamored with Chase and happier than she had ever been.
"Oh, I know all about it. You made the society pages on Monday." Harry decided that it was now or never and set about breaking the bad news to Parvati. "So how is Michael Corner taking the split?"
Parvati's blissfully happy face turned solemn and she stared down at her shoes. "He's devastated…" She bit down on her lower lip and sighed heavily. "He claims to love me…we didn't part as friends. He became very belligerent started ranting about Chase being nothing, but a mindless jock and spouted other nonsense so I left."
"Corner was losing a rare and beautiful treasure, so I feel for his loss." Chase rested his chin on her head. "Parvati is the greatest gift that's ever happened in my life."
"Oh, Chase that's so sweet…" She turned around in his arms and stared up into his dreamy sky blue eyes. "I feel that way too." She purred as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.
Harry cleared his throat again to get their attention. "He may have done something beyond rash and it's likely that he will be put in front of the High Court…"
Padma had been watching the three of them from the doorway and finally made her presence known. "Michael's on trial? What did the fool do now?"
"Disclosing our world using the Muggle Internet would be the main charge." Harry thrust his hands in his pockets as he calmly told them his crime.
"He did what?!" Parvati broke off the kiss with Chase and stared in horror at Harry.
"Corner used an alias to post highly classified information complete with detailed photographs of our world on over a dozen popular muggle fandom sites."
"That was only a game he played to tease the muggles…" Parvati buried her face against Chase's shoulder and burst into tears. "This is my fault!"
"No baby the guy used bad judgment and that got him into the boiling oil that he's in now. This is in no way your fault." Chase comforted her as she cried on his shoulder.
"I knew all about it and should have told Harry what he was up to!" She sobbed. "Before he went and did something stupid like this!"
"Corner assumed that I helped set you and Chase up and acted accordingly. The damage has been mended. I had Colin debunk all of his snaps and information. The sites are banned from posting them or face getting sued by me. You see he also posted private family snaps and I won't tolerate them being internet gold." Harry's temper was on the rise again.
"He always was a sore loser." Padma scowled.
"Dad knows about the whole situation and will hopefully relay that to the council." Harry went over to the counter to sign for his buys which he shrank so they were small enough to stow away in his pockets.
"I'll testify on his behalf. It's because I shattered his heart that he did this." Parvati sniffled miserably.
"He may just need you to do that." Harry glanced down at his watch it was a quarter past eight. "I've gotta run. I plan on making a stop at the Ministry to see what's going on about Corner, before finally getting a bite to eat, and then it's back to the Castle and my girls."
"Thanks for telling me about it instead of my hearing or reading about it in the papers or from some stranger." Parvati sniffled miserably.
"Look. I can't make any promises. I'll try to sort this out with the Council, but they aren't easily swayed." Harry tried his best to cheer her up with some words of hope.
"I know that he hasn't been your favorite person, so thank you for trying to help him out of this mess." Parvati walked over to Harry and gave him a hug.
"I'm not one to hold grudges even if he was the kissing Casanova of Hogwarts." Harry hugged her back.
"Give everyone our love and pleased keep us informed." Padma hugged him fiercely.
"I will." Harry vanished.
--
Ministry of Magic
Dept of Magical Law enforcement
Amelia Bones' office
Amelia Bones patiently listened to both sides of the situation about Mr. Corner's rash actions. "I don't agree with either of you." She folded her arms across her ample bosom her icy blue eyes narrowed at the men gathered in her office. "I'm disappointed that Harry isn't here as well, but I understand that his little ones are under the weather, so he's excused from this meeting. I do however wish to hear more on this before even considering passing judgment on this young man."
Professor Phoebus Penrose's furious round portly face turned three shades of purple. "There is nothing here to discuss! The young man broke our most significant bylaw and should be punished to the full extent of the law!"
"The lad was not of sane mind when he broke the nondisclosure law. It is clear at least to my ancient eyes that this act was not done out of any blatant disregard for our laws. The young man acted out of deep sorrow and uncontrollable fury over the loss of his lady fair." Albus calmly spoke up in Corner's defense.
"I am well aware that young men do rash things when dealing with affairs of the heart. Still Mr. Corner will have to be held accountable for his rash actions." Stephen like Amelia was also listening to both sides of the situation.
"Corner is a fool. He always has been, but being let go from a relationship spanning nearly two years would cause a bloke to temporarily lose his sanity." Draco gave Amelia his view on the situation. "I suggest that we allow him to keep his magic and instead give him a punishment like...I know like driving the Knight Bus."
"Ernie's clipping muggles as of late. It's time for him to retire. Stan would be next in line to take the position of driving the Knight Bus." Stephen saw this as a means out of yet another one of his headaches that being the latest string on endless complaints about the Knight Bus. The Muggle PM had contacted him about the matter and requested that he resolve it with all do haste.
"If not driver then give him Stan's post of Knight Bus conductor." Logan folded his arms in front of him it was obvious that he wanted to do more than just punish Corner, but was taking the civil route instead. "I don't care what anyone says about the Knight Bus working on that is more like doing community service than an actual career."
"I think that a few months in Azkaban would more than set the kid straight." Sirius was beyond furious at Corner for posting snaps of his family on the muggle internet and wanted him to suffer.
"The fact is that Amelia and Penrose were not the victims of this particular crime. On the other hand Harry, Logan, Sirius, Draco, Dad, and I just to name a few were. Therefore, I feel that it's only fitting that it be us making certain the punishment fits the crime." James shot Penrose a scathing look daring the portly wizard to challenge him on this.
"He'll never learn anything unless he's put through the wringer and made to sweat bullets as I was during the summer before my fifth year down on level ten of this fine establishment." Harry emerged from the shadows of Amelia's office causing Penrose and Amelia to jump. "Only I was being railroaded and Corner is guilty as charged."
"Young man skulking about in the shadows is bad form." Stephen scowled at his grandson.
"Gramps, I find it to be a very useful tool." Harry narrowed his eyes at Penrose. "Professor Penrose even our kind makes humongous errors in judgment when it comes to dealing with a not so mutual end to a long-term relationship. In this case being dumped by Ms. Patil caused Mr. Corner to go over the fine line of sanity. He needed to vent his anger or in this case place blame on someone, so he chose to zero in on me. Ms. Patil chose Chase Landry, a teammate of mine, for her new suitor, and by the looks of it future husband." Harry needed to vent his emotions into something, so he chose to channel all of those emotions into a turquoise and gold ball of flame which he was casually tossing in one hand.
This was something out of the ordinary and to those who weren't used to Harry's habits found it intimidating, which he usually used towards his own advantage.
"Now Harry. I can assure you that Mr. Corner will be given a fair trial before we pass judgment on him." Amelia was fascinated by how powerful Harry had become and how alert he was to everything around him. "He will not be forced to stand before a kangaroo court as you were during the dark times. I can assure you that I for one was on your side of things during that trial and demanded that I be the one to preside over it. I never trusted Umbridge or Fudge, but lacked the evidence to act on my suspicions towards them. I was also very much aware of Lucius' influence in our world and of the danger my family could face, so I chose to remain quite. For that I am forever sorry about everything that you were put through during those times."
"It's okay Madam Bones I don't hold a grudge. It's just not who I am nor will ever be. I thank you for that though." Harry smiled at her then narrowed his eyes at Penrose there was just something about him that was off and it was irking him.
Penrose huffed and puffed with fury at the very suggestion the trial had been anything, but fair and just. After all he had been one of the members sitting in judgment on that unjust summer morning. "Law-breaking is law-breaking and should be treated as such! No matter if it be three years past or right this moment…"
"Defending ones cousin and self from Dementors sent after me by some deranged insane bitch Deatheater in hiding is not nor ever will be breaking the law!" Harry was seething mad now and threw the ball of flame at Penrose's feet.
"I always fancy a captive person before testing them for darkness." Harry caged the outraged council member with the flame that he had thrown at his feet. "Oh, don't look at me that way it won't hurt much." He sneered down at Penrose.
"ALBUS! STEPHEN! JAMES! THIS IS AN OUTRAGE! LEASH THIS INSOLENT BOY AT ONCE!" Penrose bellowed.
"You just accused my son of being guilty all those years back, so no I don't think so." James made no attempt to intervene, but laid into him with words of his own.
"Harry isn't a boy anymore and never was given a chance to ever be a kid! Just so you know you potbellied pompous old windbag! My son is very much a man! He is Merlin's heir apparent and the Half-Blood Prince making him heir to this world's throne! So I would suggest that you button it!"
"Harry is well within his rights to test whomever he sees as a potential Dark wizard." Albus calmly sipped his tea. "Carry on nephew none of us will stand in your way."
"Why Phoebus you're breaking out in a cold sweat. Are you nervous about being tested?" Stephen could read the signs when someone was guilty and they were more than obvious in the man behind the fiery cage.
"THIS IS UTTER NONSENSE! I AM A LOYAL MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL! I WAS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE ORDER! I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE!" Penrose's face was so purple with pent up fury that it resembled the color of a plum. "I AM ALSO ON HOGWARTS BOARD OF GOVERNORS! I AM A LAW-ABIDING CITIZEN AND THIS HERE IS AN OUTRAGE!"
Harry was using Penrose's fury to rifle through his thoughts. "Tell me Professor Penrose why were you meeting Lucius Malfoy at Knockturn Alley after every council meeting or after critical meetings of the Order?"
"HOW DARE YOU UTTER SUCH RUBBISH TO ME!"
"It's only rubbish if it isn't true." Harry unpinned his HBP pin from his travel cloak and used it to prick the tips of his fingers. "You see Professor the art of Legilimens comes in handy at times like this. Peter Pettigrew wasn't the only rat traitor working for Voldemort. No he had several such underlings spying for him one of whom happened to be you." Harry thrust his hand through the flames and grabbed hold of Penrose's throat.
"I DON'T NEED MY MARK TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE ALSO A RAT TRAITOR!" His grip tightened on Penrose's throat causing the blood droplets from all five of his fingers to brand sizzling marks all over his throat. "YOU HELPED THEM PLAN THE MURDER OF MY PARENTS BY FEEDING THEM EVERYTHING THAT THEY WISHED TO KNOW! YOU'RE JUST AS RESPONSIBLE AS VOLDEMORT FOR ALL THOSE DEATHS BOTH THEN AND FOR THE COUNTLESS OTHER ATROCITIES DONE TO THIS WORLD!"
Penrose clawed at Harry's hand, unable to speak because, Harry was constricting his airflow.
James reached into the flames to pry Harry's hand off Penrose's throat. "He isn't worth killing son. Let him rot away in a cell at Azkaban for the remaining months of his life." He had to drag Harry away from the choking, wheezing, and gasping broken old man.
"HOW MANY MORE OF THEM ARE SO SKILLED AT HIDING THEIR TRUE NATURES THAT THEY DON'T EVEN ACTIVATE MY SCAR?" Harry seethed in fury.
"You only detect the really dangerous ones. This one here is nothing but a worthless bottom feeder." Sirius was ready to tear Penrose to pieces and was barely reining in his temper.
"So he's the infamous Black Rose?" Draco sneered at Penrose in utter disgust. "My biological father had him on his payroll. I always assumed he was as sinister as they come. Not this, broken stuffed shirt portly bastard, in front of me."
"By Mab…Penrose…" Amelia's face was ghostly white and she clutched at her chest at the thought of how far Voldemort's influence was still very much at large even now in this time of peace.
"Clearly we still have much sorting out to do in our ranks. We shall nevertheless continue to carry on rebuilding our world and not dwell on the occasional dark shadows that lurk among us." Albus rose to his feet. "Harry would you please remove the cage that you conjured around Professor Penrose, so he can be dealt with accordingly."
"Accio, Penrose's wand or any potions that he might be carrying," Harry held out his hand and the wand flew into it. Harry snapped the offending item in half and tossed it at his feet. This was followed by a half dozen vials of potion which he handed to his uncle. "I want him to be very much alive for his stay in Azkaban." With a wave of his hand the cage vanished. "Silencio! We don't need to hear you either!" Harry silenced him as well.
--
A knock on Amelia's doors broke the tension in the room.
"I've brought in Michael Corner as ordered ma'am." Alicia Spinet opened the doors.
"He turned himself over to us." Angelina Johnson, who had been sent by James to go fetch him as well, stood on the other side of Michael Corner.
"Excellent work Alicia and Angelina," She smiled weakly at the two young women. She couldn't help noticing that both of them were dressed to the nines, but that wasn't the issue Michael Corner was. "You may bring him inside."
James secured Penrose's wrists with wizarding cuffs before turning to address the two women. "Well done you two. Angelina sorry to spoil your evening, but you'll have to transfer Penrose to a high security holding cell at headquarters." James was in too foul of a mood to smile, so he didn't even attempt one.
Angelina's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Penrose failed?"
"Oh yeah, you could say that in fact he failed in spades."
"I'm on it boss. Anything else?"
"No. Just that and then you can go back to whatever it was you were doing."
"Lee had just proposed." Angelina shrugged her shoulders as if it wasn't a big deal. "But he can wait a bit for the answer. This takes priority over my private life." She took Penrose into custody noticing the telltale marks still sizzling on his neck. "He's nearly stage three."
"He was Voldemort's mole during both phases of the war." Harry growled softly.
"Move your sorry arse." Angelina shoved him out the doors and into the hallway. "I lost my Uncle Angelo and his entire family because of things like you!" Angelina stupefied him in the back.
"In one-piece Angelina!" Sirius ordered sharply.
"His days are numbered anyway, so why not take some aggression out on him. Oh yeah, that's right we're the good guys." Logan shoved Corner into the chair that Harry had set in the center of the room. "Have a seat. We'll get to you momentarily."
"Yes sir!" Angelina prepared to disapparate with Penrose.
"Alicia please go with Angelina." Amelia ordered softly.
"Yes ma'am." Alicia glowered at Penrose. "I lost my Uncle Adam and Aunt Lucinda. It will be a pleasure to lock him away." She grabbed hold of his other arm and the three of them disapparated to Auror headquarters.
--
"Mr. Corner," Amelia closed the doors to her office with a wave of her hand. "How do you plead?"
Michael swallowed nervously as he eyed all the people in the office all of whom were glaring at him. "Uh, guilty because of temporary madness."
Amelia got up and walked over to scowl down at the young man. "For the past two years you have I believe the term is posted on the muggle internet using an alias. Is this true?"
"Yeah, but it was all just harmless fun…"
"Harmless fun!" Amelia snapped at him. "Blatantly disclosing our worlds secrets is not nor ever will be harmless fun!"
"Not to be snide or anything, but aren't the books based on Potter's life blatantly disclosing this worlds secrets?"
"That is not the issue here young man! She spins a tale of fiction meant to tease the imagination! You provided hard facts as well as photos! Your actions blatantly violated the nondisclosure bylaw! The consequences of breaking that law are dire! You can be stripped of your magic. By that I mean your entire family gets stripped of any magic and your memories will be altered so that you will never have any memory of this world. You can be sentence to half of your life in Azkaban. If I so wish it can have your family be stripped of all knowledge of this world and of you, while you young man rot away in a cell in Azkaban!" Amelia didn't tolerate cheeky children. "Do you wish for that to happen? Yes or No?"
Michael's face went ghostly white. He was visibly shaking and had broken out in a cold sweat. "No…Ma'am." He yelped out in a shaky voice.
"Well then I suggest that you not speak out of turn!" Amelia went to sit behind her desk. "I have heard all the arguments about your case. Everyone in this office are members of the Council and each of them has weighed in on their idea of a proper punishment for your crime." She steepled her fingers in front of her and pinned Michael with a stern look. "Public humiliation was one of the suggestions and public service was the other."
"Being the new conductor of the Knight Bus until deemed otherwise fits the bill in my eyes." Draco growled.
"I agree." Logan nodded.
"Now that's what I call public humiliation. Yeah, I'll agree to that." Harry liked that idea. "It's the perfect fate for the Kissing Casanova of Hogwarts or is it the Mistletoe bandit?"
"What's he goin on about now?" Draco narrowed his eyes at Michael.
"Corner took advantage of our girls when we were at Hogwarts by catching them under the mistletoe. Gin confessed the only thing this twit here is any good at is snogging. Luna and Hermione agree with her." Harry was in the mood to fry Corner's ass. "Truth be told if I hadn't promised to help the git I'd let him hang."
"Now boys, his rude actions are not the issue here." Amelia cleared her throat before stepping in to intervene. "His violation of the nondisclosure bylaw is the only punishable crime that he is facing at least now anyway…" She was interrupted by the arrival of an Owl that landed on her desk.
"What now?" She took the letter from the Owl and read it. "Oh dear, bad news travels fast these days. Gringotts has removed Mr. Corner from his post as Curse Breaker Apprentice effective immediately. It seems as though his actions are intolerable in the banking business and it is beyond obvious that Mr. Corner is not capable of keeping secrets or trustworthy. They are also seeking a full investigation of your activities during your five months of being in their employ."
"I ain't stupid or a fool." Corner's face flushed crimson with embarrassment. "No one steals from Gringotts and as for the other where's the harm in taking advantage of a holiday tradition?"
Marigold Brown, the head of the Department of Transportation, a slender, blonde, frazzled looking witch breezed into Amelia's office. "The Knight Bus had ten more near misses today! The complaints are off the scales!"
"Yes, I'm aware of it as is Stephen, but we happen to be in the middle of something, so it will have to wait!" Amelia was barely keeping her temper in check.
Marigold had the habit of barging into places without even bothering to knock. She looked around the office and saw that something was indeed afoot. "Quite right Amelia, so sorry to have interrupted all of you…" She turned to leave.
"Not so fast Marigold. I believe we have the solution to your current predicament about the Knight Bus." Albus motioned for her to have a seat.
"Ernie is a sweetheart, but it's time that he retired. Stan is more than eager to take up the position of driver, but then that leaves me short a conductor." Marigold clasped her fingers in her lap, as she went on about her problems with the Knight Bus.
"Yes, Yes, Marigold we know and it just so happens that our Mr. Corner here is in need of employment." Stephen handed her a cup of tea. "In fact the boy is eager to serve his community."
She gratefully took a sip before responding to what Stephen was proposing. "Have we another Stan Shunpike in the making that's in need of some proper intervention?" Her brow rose as she took in the appearance of the young man sitting in the center of the office. "What exactly did Mr. Corner do?"
"Mr. Corner is of both muggle and wizarding blood, and so he has access to something the muggles refer to as the internet. The Muggles use it as a means of sharing vast information using a muggle computer. He has been leaking information about our world for the past year. Nothing damning or enough to expose our world mind you that was until recently. You see it was after breaking up with Ms. Parvati Patil that Mr. Corner, in a fit of jealous rage, set about leaking detailed information and photos of our world as well as that of the Pendragon Royal family." Amelia explained.
"Parvati is a close friend of the family. So on her request for leniency towards Mr. Corner it has been decided that Mr. Corner should be put under lengthy probation. Also to make up for any wrong doings will take on Stan's role as conductor until said probation has been successfully completed." Harry set the deal on the table.
"If Mr. Corner refuses this deal then he will face the full fury of the Wizengamot Court with no chance of leniency." James added. "Mr. Corner has already been made aware of the punishments that go with the charges against him, so I'll not go over them again."
"Just how long of probation are we talking about here?" Corner asked dreading the answer.
"Let me put it this way kid. You will be a grandfather many times over, but it's a hell of a lot better than the alternative." Sirius told him.
"I need to add the following stipulations. You will be on your best behavior always. You are forbidden to use the muggle internet. Any violation of this will mean facing the full punishment for your crime." Stephen added even more rules for him to abide by.
"Like I have a choice..." Corner muttered under his breath.
"It's either this or being stripped of your magic. Not just you, but your entire family and having your memories wiped, and there is the half your life in Azkaban, or both. If that happens then you'll find yourself truly alone." Harry got in his face. "Take it or leave it! Right now I'm leaning towards Azkaban, no family, and no magic! Because you put the moves on Luna, Ginny, and Hermione not only during sixth year, but seventh year as well!"
"Mistletoe ain't breakin any bylaws! You left your girlfriend high and dry for three weeks! The way I see it all's fair…" Corner instantly regretted his words because he went from sitting to being pinned on the office ceiling.
"MY WIFE YOU ROTTER! NOT MY GIRLFRIEND! SHE SURE AS HELL WASN'T FAIR GAME!" He roared up at him.
"MY FIANCÉ!" Draco pointed his wand at him and hit him with stupefy.
"Look it was all in good fun! No harm was meant by it! Ginny, Luna, and Hermione each made me writhe in agony by hitting me in the gut, stomping on me foot, punching me in the nose, and then finishing me off with a blow to my lower regions! I never tried it again after that! I swear it!" Corner was so terrified that he was nearly wetting himself. He had never seen Harry or Draco so pissed off in his life. It looked as though they planned on jinxing him into the next millennia and beyond.
"BOY'S! THAT IS ENOUGH!" Albus was furious with them.
"STAY OUT OF IT!" Harry and Draco turned to glare at whoever had said that then visibly blanched when they saw that it was their Uncle Albus.
"Uh, Sorry…" They lowered their tones.
"IT IS ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THE GIRLS HAVE ALREADY DEALT MR. CORNER A PROPER PUNISHMENT FOR HIS ACTIONS!" Albus' eyes blazed with fury. "YOU WILL LET HIM DOWN THIS INSTANT AND THEN RETURN TO THE CASTLE AT ONCE! IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?"
"Yes, Uncle Albus." Harry let Corner down and set him back in the chair again.
"Yes, Uncle Albus." Draco stowed his wand away.
"Good. That goes for Logan as well." Albus narrowed his eyes at his grandson.
"Sure grandfather. Orry was starting to crawl…" Logan vanished.
"Gin's craving Chinese." Draco vanished.
"I'm gonna go get that takeout then go back to my girls." Harry vanished.
"Well what's it gonna be Mr. Corner? Deal or no Deal." Sirius eyed his watch. "You have twenty seconds starting now."
"Deal. Life ain't worth living without magic in it." Corner wasted no time agreeing to the deal.
"Marigold will fill you in on what the post requires and on your new schedule." Amelia had the agreement written in writing within a few minutes. "Sign here." She handed him a quill and pointed to where he needed to sign.
Corner did as he was told and then James, Sirius, Albus, and Amelia signed it to make the deal binding.
"He's all yours Marigold." Stephen growled.
"Let's go Mr. Corner! I haven't got all evening! I'm meeting my daughter and her fiancé for dinner!" Marigold ordered sharply.
"Yes ma'am." Corner reluctantly followed her out of the office.
"Now that we have that taken care of it's another round with Penrose." James eyed the others.
"It's late James. He's securely under lock and key. Angelina will make certain of that. Might I suggest that we go have a drink at the Leaky Cauldron?" Albus suggested.
"Sounds like a plan to me." Sirius and James grinned.
"A drink sounds lovely." Amelia was ready to call it a day.
"Then let's call it a day." Stephen also agreed and they all left her office.
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Chapter 31
Watch where you're stepping please!
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I do not claim any of JKR's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.
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Cindra 2004-2008