"This can't be!" Dumbledore yelled before he began blasting objects from around his office. "The sorting mistake, I was able to correct as best I could, but that Harry would learn of his heritage, the one thing that I had tried to hide from him-! If he goes to Gringotts this summer and meets with his account manager, all of my plans will be ruined!" he said as he destroyed the cabinet that held the memories of previous headmasters.
As the smoke settled, he began to calm down slightly. "I cannot let this go on… Susan bones is the problem, if wasn't for her, my plans would have succeeded. If I wipe the memories of everyone involved, and expel her, then maybe this can be corrected. I'll call Harry here to discuss the events of last night, then administer a loyalty potion, and have him drop the charges against Mister Weasley, then befriend him. They'll entrap Miss Greengrass, and then I'll wipe her memories. Then I just have to frame Miss Bones, wipe her when I expel her, and get my plans back on track."
More worrying, however, is the fact that Harry has such power at his age should be impossible. To break the shield created by the elder wand shouldn't be possible, but to do it without a wand can't be. I already bound is core after the incident with Voldemort. Could the bindings have loosened? In any case, they will have to be reapplied over the summer. Yes, yes this will work. No eleven years olds will ruin the plan of the greatest wizard in history."
News spread the next day that Ron Weasley had been arrested. Malfoy was fuming, but knew better than to try and get revenge without any help. At least I have potions with mom first thing this morning, Malfoy thought; she'll show that lying bastard.
As Harry and friends talked and laughed through breakfast, Hedwig brought a letter to Harry.
Mr. Potter,
Ron Weasley's trial is set for November twenty-first. I would like for you and your friends to be there as witnesses. Dumbledore has no authority to stop you. Professor Snape can make the necessary arrangements. I look forward to seeing you before the trial.
Amelia Bones
Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement
After Harry told them what Amelia had said, they finished breakfast, adding one more thing to talk to Snape about after potions.
As they entered the Dungeons, smiling as Snape was sitting behind the desk and Malfoy was late again. As they sat, Malfoy walked in smirking, until he saw Snape and paled. "You're late Mr. Malfoy, Detention tonight. Now sit down and get out your book. Since you are late, do the work without a partner. Now, today we will be making a simple potion to promote healing. Turn to page 37 and begin.
After class, where Harry had once again aced the potion, Harry and Susan went to speak with Snape. Daphne went ahead to Herbology to tell Professor Sprout. "Professor, we received a letter from Auntie this morning. She wants the two of us and Daphne at Ron's trial on the twenty first as witnesses. She mentioned that you would be able to get us out of class for the day?" Snape took out a piece of parchment, wrote out a couple of notices. "Of course, I'll file the paperwork. Give these to you teachers, and I'll take care of everything else. Harry, I will be sending you a new Nimbus two-thousand. You will find it in your room tonight. Is that all?"
Harry spoke up, "Sir, Yesterday, during the incident with Ms. Malfoy, I lost control of myself and…" showing the shattered pieces of what was once a Holly and Phoenix tail feather wand. It had broken in four pieces, only held together by a strand of feather. "Is there any way to fix it?" Snape took the pieces of wand grimly, "I doubt it, once a wand is broken, and it is unlikely to be able to be fixed. I will inform the other professors that you will be unable to perform magic until after Christmas. With your grades, it shouldn't be a problem. You are spending Christmas with the Greengrass Family?" Harry nodded. "Then I will send Cyrus an owl asking him to take you to Ollivander's. Have a good day."
Harry spent the rest of the week helping his friends with their spells, exchanging letter with friends of his parents, and practicing his new favorite thing about Hogwarts: Quidditch. Marcus spent the first day explaining the rules to Harry. After that, the team had run drills and mock games. Finally, the day of the first game had arrived.
That morning, Harry and the team talked over the game plan. "You'll be fine, Harry" Susan said smiling. Daphne walked over, yawning, "After all the practicing you've been doing, this should be easy. That reminds me. You guys had better win. I've got ten Galleons on a Slytherin victory." Marcus started to laugh, "Hear that? We've gotta win now. Can't let lee Jordan steal money from a fine upstanding Slytherin, can we?" After finishing their breakfast, the team left for the pitch.
As the sounds of the school marching to the field filled the changing room, Flint cast a silencing charm on the room. "Alright, get ready. Harry, be careful. The chasers are more experienced then us, so we have to catch the snitch early. Let's go. Don't forget that the twins are the opponents. I wouldn't count on them to not hit a Bludger at your head, so watch out."
As the Team flew off, The Slytherin crowd exploded into cheering. Madam Hooch started the game and Flint grabbed the Quaffle. Harry flew to the center of the field and began searching for the snitch. He spent fifteen minutes searching and dodging Bludgers, until he saw the snitch and took off after it. The score was forty-ten Slytherin. If Harry caught the snitch now, they would win. Just as he was about within reach of the snitch, the Gryffindor seeker right on his tail, when his broom started jerking about randomly, knocking the Gryffindor seeker from his broom. Harry tightened his grip on his broom, clinging for dear life. The jerking slowed down and Harry regained some control, and flew around trying to find out what had happened. As he flew over the Teachers' box, he noticed professor Snape chanting. Seeing him motion toward Quirrell, Harry figured out what had happened. Quirrell had tried to kill him!
Realizing that the jerking was getting worse, Harry knew that he didn't have long. Seeing the snitch floating just above Flitwick's head, Harry decided to dive-bomb the teachers. Going full speed down toward the teachers, Harry grabbed the snitch and "accidently" kicked Quirrell in the face. As the cheers erupted around the field, Harry landed before the broom started acting up again. The team landed around him, concerned looks on their faces. "Later." Harry said before they could ask anything. Harry explained what had happened as everyone was getting changed. Flint was livid, "Fred, George, give him hell. I don't want him to be here for the next game." The Twins grinned, "Sir, yes sir."
Even though they were the opposition, Harry invited Fred and George to the celebratory party. After going around and personally apologized to all the player that they knocked off their brooms, Fred and George left for about ten minutes, before returning leading an army of small creatures with bat ears and Harry learned were called house elves, all carrying food, drink and even a few bottles of fire whiskey that was quickly "confiscated" by the perfects and upperclassmen. As the party got underway, Snape entered the common room. "Mr. Potter, Could you and your friends come with me please?"
Harry, Daphne, and Susan followed silently behind Snape. They past Snape's office and enter an empty classroom across from the potions lab. Motioning them in, Snape turned and began casting charms on the door to prevent eavesdroppers. After he'd finished, he turned back to the group, "I'm sure that you have questions, however please wait until I've finished. Now, first of all, as I told Harry earlier this year, the headmaster has placed a very dangerous item in the third floor corridor, and I believe that Professor Quirrell is attempting to steal it. For whatever reason, he believes that Harry is a threat to that and attempted to kill him is afternoon, during the match. I was able to counter enough for Harry to end it and get back to the ground; however I fear he might try it again. For the remainder of the season I will be refereeing all of the Slytherin matches to ensure that doesn't happen.
More importantly, Harry, the headmaster has some plan for you, and I believe that he intends to drag all of your friends into it. He ordered me to brew a loyalty potion, and I doubt that he has your best intention at heart." Taking out a vial of sea green liquid, Snape handed it to Harry. "This is an antidote to the loyalty potion. If Dumbledore attempts to talk to you, request that I be present, and that goes for all of you. If he calls you, Harry, take that potion before doing anything else. I will try and sort out this mess over the break, and will call a meeting with this group again at the beginning of the New Year. If anyone asks, tell them that this is a group of talented first years that I am helping with more advanced coursework. If you learn anything, please let me know. That is all." As they rose and opened the door, Snape called out, "Harry," when he turned, Snape continued, "Although he and I were never on the best of terms, I am sure that he would have been proud of how well you flew today."
Over the next two weeks, despite not have a wand, Harry continued to be at the top of his class. The teachers had been grading him on how well he was able to assist his friends in learning the spell. Several of the teachers had suggested that Harry consider teaching after graduation. This anger Malfoy to no end, "How can he get the top score when he can't even do the spell? For all we know, his friends were able to cast it before he helped them. Let's see him cast it." Malfoy said with a smug look on his face.
Professor Flitwick turned towards Harry, who asks Susan to borrow her wand. He spun the wand and said the charm, "Tempus!" and not only did it create the time out of smoke, but the smoke started to change color. "Anything else? Or are you going to demand that I loss points because I used a more complex version of the spell?" Harry said handing the wand back, before turning and walking over to Neville, who was easily the worst student in the class, "Try it Neville." When Neville tried and failed to cast the spell. Harry kept smiling, then knelt down next to him and gave him a few tips. Neville tried again and this time it worked, but only lasted for a sec, much to Malfoy's shock. "That was great Neville, keep at it and you'll do fine." Harry said encouragingly as he sat back down in his seat. By the end of the class Malfoy was the only one that couldn't do the charm, and he never questioned Harry grades again.
On the twentieth of November, Harry was in Herbology when one of the school house elves entered the greenhouse. "Excuse me, Mistress Sprout, Master Dumbledore asked that Mister Potter see him immediately." And without waiting for an answer, it disappeared. Professor Sprout turned to Harry and shooed him off to see the headmaster.
As Harry left the greenhouse, he immediately drank the potion and went to the school. Instead of going straight for the headmaster's office, he turned and entered the dungeons. Knocking on the potions classroom, he waited. When Snape opened the door, Harry said, "Dumbledore." Snape turns to the class and waves his wand, vanishing the potions of the entire class. "The rest of the class will be study hall. Homework will be an essay on the use and history of this potion, two feet long, to be turned in tomorrow." Snape walked out of the room just as the class began to complain. "Potion?" Snape asked as they walked. "Already taken, Sir."
When they reached the fourth floor, they stopped in front of a statue of a gargoyle. Before Harry could ask, Snape said, "Gummy Flobberworms". The gargoyle sprang aside and revealed a staircase behind it. Snape and Harry climbed the staircase and enter the door, finding Dumbledore sitting next to Professor McGonagall, who had a clipboard. Harry sat in the chair while Snape waved his wand and conjured one next to him.
Dumbledore smiled, "Harry, thank you for coming. Severus, did you have business with me?" "No, Headmaster, however I felt that if one of my student was needed by the headmaster, I might need to be present." McGonagall made a quick note on her clipboard as Dumbledore continued, "Very well, now than Harry, as you requested the other day, I have asked professor McGonagall to be here. Now, I have noticed that you haven't shown up to any of the detention I assigned you. What reason do you have?" he asked smiling. Harry remained calm and answered, "Well, Sir, the headmaster doesn't have the ability to punish the heir to any of the founders. Since I am heir to three of the four, you cannot act against me."
Dumbledore's smile faded for a split second, but he regained his composure and replies, "of course, but Harry, can't you see that your actions could adversely affect the rest of the school. If they believe that the boy who lived is getting special treatment, the students will lose faith in the discipline system of our school, the parents would panic and the school would be closed. Can you understand?" Harry nods, "I understand Sir, however I don't believe that I did anything wrong. If I thought that I did I would have attended, however, I will not go to a detention that I don't believe that I deserve."
Dumbledore was unable to keep his smile after that last comment, so he decided to continue on with the real reason that he called Harry in. "Enough of that talk for now, can I get you anything to drink?" Harry was taken aback by this sudden change in conversation, and responded, "Um-Coca-Cola, please." Dumbledore waved his wand and a bottle appeared. "Severus, Minerva?" Snape answered first, "Firewhiskey." and Professor McGonagall responded, "No, thank you Albus."
After everyone finished their drinks, Dumbledore starts, "Harry tomorrow is Mister Weasley's trial. Now that you have had some time to think it over, surely you can see that it was a harmless joke. Please, don't try and ruin this young man's life over a foolish act that he tried to when embarrassed in front of all of his friends." Harry thought for a moment, it was clear that Harry would never let this slide. The fact that he asked Harry at all proves that he just tried to spike the drink with loyalty potion. Rather than give away that it didn't work, Harry decided to make him think that he'd won. "I think that I will tell Madam Bones that tomorrow."
Dumbledore's smile widened, "I am glad that you see it my way. Severus, you have been having meetings with Harry and his small group of friends. Might I ask what they have been about?" Snape didn't miss a beat, "They are all far ahead of their peers and I believed that it would be best to give them more appropriate education. Dumbledore, you of all people should understand why I'm doing this. How many students have we seen come through this school, whose talents have been wasted because they grew lazy from the coursework? I don't want this group to join them." McGonagall nodded in understanding. "I understand, thank you. That will be all." Dumbledore dismissed them.
On their way to the Great Hall, Snape pulled Harry aside, "You didn't actually buy any of that did you?" he asked with any almost scared look. Harry started to chuckle, "Of course not. I just thought that if he didn't know that I wasn't affected, than there was no reason to let him know about that." Snape laughed, "The hat placed you well. You even had me fooled. Forget being a teacher, you should be a politician."
Following breakfast the next morning, Harry, Susan, and Daphne met Professor McGonagall in the main hall. "We will be leaving in just a minute; we are waiting on one more person. There he is." Harry turned and saw Malfoy walking towards them. When he saw them, he moved so that Professor McGonagall was between them. The group moved to McGonagall's office and flooed to the Ministry of Magic. Madam Bones was waiting for them in the Atrium. "Professor, good morning. What is he doing here?" She asks, indicating Malfoy. Before they could answer, someone said, "Draco, over here! Let's go." A tall man was long blonde hair, probably Malfoy's father, and a slightly shorter man was short red hair next to him. "He was called as a witness for the defense." McGonagall answered, "I have to return, can I ask you to take care of them, Amelia?" "Of course, they'll be back by dinner." With that, McGonagall returned to school as Amelia led her three witnesses to the courtroom.
"This will be a short court trial, which means that there will be five lords in the room. Myself, Minister Fudge, and three others. Usually Dumbledore would be one of the judges, but I asserted that he is biased to this case and had him removed. After both sides have presented their case, each judge will make a ruling and the verdict will be by majority. All you need to do I take the stand and tell your story, than answer any questions the judges might have. Would you all be willing to consent to veritaserum?" seeing all of them nod, she smiled, "Then we should have no trouble getting a guilty verdict."
The court began at noon, with the defense making its case first. After explaining almost exactly what Dumbledore had said the day before, Mr. Weasley, who is defending his son, calls Draco Malfoy as a witness. Malfoy refuses veritaserum, and then proceeds to lie through his teeth. Madam Longbottom catches him in a lie about what Ron was saying before Harry's counter attack and when he steps down, Harry is confident that they have gotten a guilty verdict when Madam Bones call each of them and administers the veritaserum; they make it through the questioning without any problem. After they leave the courtroom, they all know that the verdict is guilty. When everyone is leaving the courtroom, Harry could tell that something was wrong. Amelia looked furious, and Ron was walking away, laughing with Malfoy.
Harry ran up to Amelia and asked, "What the hell just happened, how the hell could they have ruled that he is innocent?" Amelia looked and said sadly, "Lucius Malfoy was one of the judges, so I always knew that they would get that vote, but I would guess that Malfoy bought out the other two. Madam Longbottom and I voted to convict but they won three to two. And the court overruled Ron being expelled. He'll be back at school next week and there is nothing we can do about. I'd better get you back to school. Next time, try and get one of the teachers to see it. Without a better witness, we don't have a chance."
