Percy got back to the Lodge and found Audrey and twins in the library playing a game of exploding snap.
Audrey looked up when Percy came into the room waving him over and pulling him to sit down next to her. "You never told me about this," she said indicating the game. "Isn't it mad? The cards explode! I mean it's great, but completely nuts you let kids play this."
Percy smiled at her enthusiasm, hugging her to him enjoying the feel of her in his arms, her warmth and the smell of her hair. He was relieved that she was still finding his world interesting and not frightening, that she was still herself, and still with him after everything. "Who's winning?" he asked.
"Not me," Audrey said with a small laugh. "I'm a little scared of getting singed to be fast enough."
"I'll join your team then," Percy said.
"Do you want a cuppa?" Audrey asked looking him over. "You look shattered."
"That would be welcome," Percy admitted. "I confess I'm feeling a little drained despite the Rockstar potion. Kingsley and I had to go to the Ministry with Bill to prepare for summoning the Wizengamot. Which reminds me I need to send off the messages."
Percy summoned his quill and parchment from his bag as Audrey called for an elf and asked for the tea.
"You'll be working tomorrow?" Audrey asked.
Percy nodded as he wrote out the message then duplicated it. From his bag, he pulled a small seal and wax. Folding each message up he applied the wax and seal. Audrey took the seal from him once he was finished turning it over in her hands
"This is a lovely thing," she said.
Percy shrugged. "Official summons to the Wizengamot must carry the correct seal. I have three for various reasons, all much alike."
"They still use them?"
"Yes, there's magic in the seal that reacts with the wax meaning that no one but the recipient can open it and it also informs the recipient that whatever is contained within is to be taken extremely seriously."
Audrey handed it back, and Percy slipped it back into his bag, he called for Stitches again.
Stitches appeared waiting politely.
"I apologise, but I need you to deliver some more messages for me please," Percy explained to the elf. Stitches nodded accepting the packet of folded parchments.
"If there is nobody home, please leave the message in the silver box with the Wizengamot symbol on it. You should find one at each property."
Stitches nodded and vanished.
"No owls?" George asked curiously.
"They take too long," Percy replied. "Stitches can deliver all of the summonses in less time than an owl can deliver one message."
The tea warmed Percy, and once Fred and George had set the cards back up, Percy joined them in playing a round. It was a bizarre end to the day but one that felt fitting. It was as he and Audrey settled in bed that Percy remembered Bill's request.
"Bill has asked to meet you properly. Him and Fleur. They would like to go out for a drink."
"Oh. OK, and how do you feel about that?" Audrey asked.
"I said yes as long as you were comfortable with it."
"I guess I've got no objections. Does Bill not support your parents though? Not that I mean to be rude but..."
Percy took her hand, rolling over to face her. "I know, they were inexcusably rude to you. I never want you to be afraid of being in a room of magical people."
"It wasn't your fault Percy," Audrey said. "And I wasn't hurt. A little shocked yes but I wasn't hurt. I think I will keep wearing that shield ring though. I know that Severus said that the ability to read minds wasn't common, but I think I'd rather be safe than sorry."
"Neither Fleur or Bill can do it," Percy reassured her. "They would just like to get to know you."
"OK well, we can manage a drink together I'm sure. Percy, what are you going to do about your family. I mean your Mum…"
Percy rubbed his face. "You'd left, I lost my temper a little. She accused you of being a Death Eater too."
"Oh," Audrey said.
"I told her it wasn't going to work reconnecting with them."
"But Bill?"
"Bill doesn't agree with her. Neither do the twins. They are my family, and I confess I do miss them. If it's possible…"
"Well then, we'll meet Bill and Fleur and see how we go. You've got Fred and George back, and I think after everything that has been said recently they aren't going to suddenly take your Mum's side."
"No, I suppose not."
"So, what are your plans for tomorrow? Can you tell me?"
"Statements for everyone that was there tonight. Kingsley and I dictated ours to an Auror while we were still sorting everything out tonight. It's a written record sealed with magic. Until the new Minister is elected, we will be gathering in as much information as we can. We need to weed out those that support the policies of Riddle and remove them from power."
"Will you be in any danger?"
"Probably not. If you want to go back to your flat, you can. You can probably go back to work on Monday."
"Will you stay here?"
"For now. With everyone using this as a base, as long as Minerva is alright with it."
"I'd like to stay with you, as well as everyone else. I am learning things here things about your society about how it all works."
"I will be away most of tomorrow, will you be alright?"
"Yes, I'm sure John or Helen will be about, I might take a walk into Inverness."
"Please don't go alone."
"You think I'm at risk?"
"I think I don't much care for the thought you might be."
"Well, I'll see if someone fancies it then if I decide to go."
Everyone attended breakfast. Percy was happy to sit and listen to the others discussing the events of the day before. When Harry and Hermione let slip the students of Hogwarts including his underage sister had been present Percy watched as Minerva and Severus took them to task. The news that the elder Greengrass daughter had attended the battle as a repayment of debt had his mind spinning as fast as it seemed the former spy's mind was.
When questioned on the likely scenarios resulting from the unexpected turn of events, Percy was unable to supply anything substantive. Without knowing how much Lord and Lady Greengrass were aware of they would be unable to calculate the effect of this shifted alliance.
Percy defended his wish to clean house and keep the Ministry as far away from corruption as possible when John questioned the likely hood of such were probable. Even after Helen had interrupted the conversation with a request to take the conversation form the breakfast table Percy was dissatisfied with the impression that John would remain so sceptical. It was truthfully understandable. Hermione was running afoul of the law, and Percy understood that Hermione and her parents had found the magical world to be failing in areas compared to their own.
The Marriage law was pointless, Percy knew that. It wasn't designed to widen the gene pool and encourage healthy bloodlines, and encourage assimilation and inclusion as the Ministry had promised when passing it. It was designed to punish, and degenerate, and it needed repealing, but in the light of the work in front of them, it would not be simple. If the Marriage Law had passed under Thickenesse's government, there was a chance that it could be repealed when Thickenesse was denounced for being a puppet of Tom Riddle.
But since it had passed under Scrimgeour, they would have to be careful how they repealed it. On paper, it went through the proper procedure. To denounce it as unlawful based on Wizengamot members being under the influence of Riddle would also mean that any number of other laws that were passed could be subject to the same circumstances. If it were deemed that Scrimgeour's tenure as Minister was subject to scrutiny, then Percy own actions would be called into question. It had been Scrimgeour that had given Percy the permission to utilise the Ministry wards. It had been Percy that had stymied large amounts of legislation seeing its day in the Wizengamot while Thickenesse was Minister. No matter that the legislation had been terrible, Percy knew that the Ministry would turn on him for using his position in such a way.
Minerva announced that Kingsley and his Aurors had arrived and were waiting. Percy excused himself and followed Severus out of the dining room and into the room where the interviews would be held.
"Percy, Severus, this is Auror Jones and Auror Abanathy they are here to take all the statements." Kingsley introduced the Aurors.
"Before we begin," Severus said pulling a folder tied with a ribbon from his pocket and enlarging it back to its original size. "This is information I copied while at several of the estates of Death Eaters. I am unaware of how much is out of date or irrelevant based on who fell last night, but it should certainly help in your endeavour to clean house." Severus tipped a nod at Percy.
Kingsley accepted the folder untying the ribbon and flicking through the top pages. As his gaze fell on some of the photographs he grimaced and snapped the folder shut.
"Thank you. We will do what we can to bring whatever appropriate charges against those involved can be done."
"You are seeing Narcissa today?"
"Yes. I've sent Tonks over this morning."
"Tonks is pregnant," Percy objected. "Shouldn't she be on maternity leave?"
"Not yet," Kingsley said. "And I promise you it was not my idea. Lupin didn't come home yesterday. I have no information as to his whereabouts or status at the moment, but Tonks has refused to stay home. The interview with Mrs Malfoy at least won't require her to be out in the field and subject to any retaliatory attacks."
"I didn't think the relationship between Mrs Tonks and Mrs Malfoy was on such good terms," Percy ventured.
"It isn't," Kingsley said drily. "But Tonks is a professional. Shall we begin? You've given me a lot to go through here Severus, but I'd like to hear what you have to say about your role for Albus. I fear that we are not yet out of the woods when it comes to him."
They sat and listened to Severus account of his role as a spy for the order. The Aurors had quills charmed to record everything on an increasingly long roll of parchment and diligently questioned their interviewee.
Once they were done Kingsley stood thanked Severus and informed Minerva that he would be unable to stay. Percy collected up his bag and made himself ready to leave with him.
They went to the Ministry and to Kingsley's office. There they spread the file out between them and started sorting through the information filtering out those who were already in custody or dead from those who would need to be apprehended.
Once the two piles were made up, they went through the pile of witches and wizards that would need to be apprehended and started writing up arrest warrants. Kingsley showed Percy the forms and how to fill them in, and they divided the pile between them. Percy placed his completed forms to one side so Kingsley could check and sign them before handing them over to his Aurors to enact.
"How many of the Wizengamot do we need to have?" Kingsley asked as they busily filled in the forms.
"The council has thirty seats occupied currently," Percy said. "You need at least twenty to elect a new Minister, and you'll need a majority ruling. The wider the margin, the better."
"How many do you think we'll have once they walk through that door?"
Percy flicked the end of his quill back and forth over his chin eyes narrowed in thought. "I think it's likely you'll have more sympathetic to Voldemort's cause than actual marked members, but I would be most surprised if not a single member bore the mark."
"If we have to arrest them, how do we go about electing new members?"
"If they are arrested and convicted of charges they are automatically stripped of their privileges. To elect a new member to the Wizengamot, the Wizengamot has two weeks to put forward their candidates, and then they hold a session to argue it all out. Once they have decided by majority the witch or wizard in question is officially invited to take a seat."
"What about the inherited seats?"
"They are as named. Scared twenty-eight or services to wizarding kind will get you one."
"The Weasleys?"
"Our family seat is inactive. My father has no wish take it up, and neither Bill or Charlie are interested either."
"What about you?"
"I've no real desire to sit on the Wizengamot. It excludes you from working in the Ministry in other capacities due to conflicts of interest. If I were to be offered it by my father, I would refuse it, and no one else in the family as of yet qualifies. The Potter seat is also inactive, if anyone has ever told Harry about his seat then he has clearly chosen not to take it up although he would be unable to do so yet due to his age. I rather thought the Shacklebolt seat was inactive due to your preference for your role as Head of the DMLE."
"It is," Kingsley answered. "I've no desire to sit in a chamber debating the finer points of legislation. But in saying that if we lose too many members, we may have to look at encouraging those inactive seats to be taken up."
They worked diligently until it was time to meet the Wizengamot in the chamber they had set up for the purpose. Kingsley gathered up the warrants handing them out to the Auror on duty with the instructions to follow them up as soon as possible.
Audrey decided that she would go out. After broaching the idea with the others in the house, John agreed that he would appreciate some fresh air and would accompany her. They spent the morning exploring Inverness and returned after lunch with a few shopping bags to mark the success of their venture.
Audrey joined the Grangers, Harry and Hermione in the library that evening to listen in on the meeting that was taking place at the Order's headquarters. Disbelief was her main thought as she and the others listened in. Harry paced along the rear wall, and Audrey watched as his agitation and temper caused the room to react to him. She wasn't sure if he was aware of what he was doing, but she hadn't realised that emotional distress would cause such a reaction. In fairness to Harry, it was must be hard to listen to a man you had previously thought was looking out for your welfare, to be denouncing you as dangerous. Helen went to Harry laying a calming hand on him, and Audrey noticed that all the effects his magic was seemingly having instantly halted under Helen's ministrations. She wondered if it was because Harry had no wish to hurt his future mother in law or that he was better able to control it when it was brought to his notice. Helen brought Harry back to the grouping of chairs.
"Sorry," he offered to her a touch sheepishly.
"Are you alright?" Audrey asked hesitantly. "I didn't know you could do that."
"Umm yeah, it's not supposed to. I'm meant to have better control, but," Harry gestured with a hand in the direction of the mirror.
Audrey nodded understandingly. "Yeah, I guess anyone would react the same way."
"Great," Harry replied still staring at the mirror unhappily.
The pop of apparition sounded from the hall. They heard Folly greeting whoever had returned then the door opened.
Percy came through looking surprised to see the expectant faces. "I wasn't expecting you all to be here," he said. "What's going on?"
Hermione moved from by Audrey to sit by Harry allowing Percy to take her place. He hugged Audrey with one arm, giving her a quick kiss hello before turning back to the room.
"We're listening in on an Order meeting," John said gesturing to the table. "The quill is recording everything. Albus seems to believe that Harry is the next Dark Lord. How was your day?"
Percy looked at John blankly for a moment but took in the mood in the room and nodded. "Kingsley was sworn in as the new Minister."
"Kingsley?" Harry responded. "But what about the DMLE and the Aurors? If he's no longer in charge."
Percy slumped back into the chair, an uncharacteristic gesture of tiredness from the usually prim and tidy man. He rested only a moment gathering himself and sat back up. As he started to form up his response, the noise of apparition came from the hall, and the door suddenly flung open. Minerva and Severus came into the room.
Severus took in the sight of them gathered around the table the quill still moving across the page. "You were listening in?" he asked as Minerva strode to the end of the room and began pacing angrily much as Harry had done.
"It's recording everything," Helen confirmed pointing at the quill. "Hermione turned off the sound once you left."
"That man," Minerva spat as she whirled and stalked back and forth across the floor.
Severus settled into a chair within the group drawing a surprised look from Helen. Folly brought a tray of butterbeer, a decanter of whisky, and an assortment of glasses before vanishing again. John handed the butterbeer to Harry and Hermione before offering one to Audrey who accepted with curious delight. Everyone else took whisky. Minerva waved her glass off.
"I am sorry," she said pausing in her pacing. "For telling them about the accident."
"It's fine," Harry said. "I mean if anything was going to derail him it should have been that. But instead obviously, I'm not me, I'm some soul possessed thing?!"
"Wouldn't we have noticed?" John interjected. "You know if you turned into a psychotic murdering Dark Wizard?"
"Well, you're only Muggles," Harry said bitterly. "So apparently no, you wouldn't."
"Harry," Hermione gently chide. "Dumbledore's wrong. We know he's wrong." She gestured around the room. "No one thinks you're not you except him."
Harry looked at her miserably. "Heir of Slytherin, Tri-Wizard championship, demented lying attention seeker."
Hermione faltered biting her lip. "Alright," she allowed. "You might have a point. The wizarding press isn't exactly known for its objective fact-checking reporting. But you weren't alone then, and you're not alone now. Kingsley is on our side, and he is now the Minister."
"He is?" Minerva said coming over to the group, finally sitting down and accepting her drink.
"Yes," Percy confirmed. "I've just got back myself." He was interrupted again by the entrance of Fred and George, who came into the room with none of their natural bounce and smiles.
"Sorry," Fred said looking at the group. "We came as soon as we could, but we wanted to stay and find out which way the wind was blowing so to speak."
"Sit down," Helen invited pouring them both drinks and passing them over. "Percy was just about to tell us about his day."
They accepted the drinks and slipped into chairs while Percy cleared his throat once more. "Kingsley has been sworn in as Minister. He's still at the Ministry with the Wizengamot selecting a new Chief Warlock. With Kingsley as Minister, it's unlikely that Albus will be invited to reprise the role. They are looking for one of the less extreme pureblood houses for a candidate to keep the balance. Perhaps an ally of the Greengrasses."
"Because of Daphne?" Harry asked.
"Yes," Percy replied. "It appears that the younger Miss Greengrass wrote to her parents once Daphne left with the rest of the Hogwarts contingent and confessed that Daphne had gone. Lord Greengrass approached Kingsley via message sent to the Ministry this morning. He hadn't been aware of her actions obviously but was happy to support his daughter. It helped we won, and certain pressures that had been brought to bear on him were no longer a consideration."
"Pressures?" Helen enquired.
"Talks of a marriage contract between the families of Greengrass and Malfoy. Factions were applying pressure on Lord Greengrass. Should Riddle have won, they would have had to capitulate to ensure the safety of both daughters."
"Jesus," Helen muttered. "That's horrible, no wonder she went to fight."
Percy shrugged. "It's a moot point now. Kingsley has selected his replacement in the DMLE and is going to be working very closely with them to make sure they round up everyone. Bill's ward is going to be on the Ministry building entrances on Monday morning." Percy turned to Severus. "Kingsley wanted me to tell you that especially, Sir, to avoid any potential embarrassment. It's going to remain in place until all Ministry personnel are located and have passed through it."
"You won't be able to try them again for the same crime, will you?" Audrey asked.
"No," Percy shook his head. "However, if new information has come to light then they will have to answer for that."
"So, we have a Minister who's not in Dumbledore's pocket and is committed to cleaning up the last of Riddle's followers. That's better than expected." John said optimistically.
"It's not going to be enough to stop Albus," Minerva said sourly. "How many of the Order believe him?" she asked turning to Fred and George.
"It's not all good news I'm afraid. I don't know what you heard after Minerva and Severus left?"
"I muted it," Hermione said. "It is hard to pick out individuals anyway."
"It did descend into a bit of a shouting match," George agreed. "The upshot is Tonks, Andromeda and Ted left first, on the premise of not harming the baby in any crossfire since that was where it looked to be heading. Tonks thinks Albus is nuts, Remus seems to have kept her in the loop a bit. She doesn't have the full story but enough not to listen to him. She'd like to see you, Harry. Bill and Fleur are with us I suppose you could say. But," Fred and George exchanged a look.
"What?" Harry asked resignedly.
"It's Mum. She, umm, well she thinks you need to be checked over." They looked unhappily at Harry. "It's not that we think she thinks you aren't you or anything. More that you might be, and living with Hermione's parents might mean that you aren't getting as much support as you could be."
Harry exchanged a look with Hermione. "She said I was in danger living with Muggles, didn't she? She believes Albus."
The twins looked miserable. "Yes," they admitted. "I'd like to say we tried to reason with Mum and she'll come around, but you know Mum."
"I'm a harlot and corrupting Harry, how could my parents do any less?" Hermione retorted tartly.
They looked away shamefaced.
"It's not your fault," Helen said into the uncomfortable silence. "Neither John or I am holding your parent's views against you."
They flashed her a grateful look, quickly glancing to Percy's side then back again.
"Oh, no," Audrey said catching the look. "Don't give me that. You've never treated me differently for being a Muggle don't start now."
Percy took her hand. "Thank you."
Audrey shrugged. "If she doesn't like Muggles, she doesn't like Muggles. It's not as if I'm in bad company is it."
"Well, thank you," John drawled amused. "We like you too."
Audrey flashed him a cheeky grin
"The problem," Hermione mused. "Is that Mrs Weasley is a fair reflection of the general wizarding public, she believes this about Harry because Dumbledore said so."
"So, we change the story," John said.
"How?" Minerva said. "Yes, we might curry a little positive publicity because of resolving the Dark Lord issue, but that isn't going to be enough to change the tide of this. Albus isn't listening."
"Then we should make sure no one listens to Albus," Helen said grimly.
"How? He's a beacon of the light. He's the moral standard for most of the population. There's a handful of us. We are ignorable. Kingsley's hands are all but tied, he'd risk his position as Minister before the nameplate on the door was changed if he came out against Albus."
"I was thinking of someone who more people listen to than Albus Dumbledore," Helen replied.
"Oh," Hermione said. "That might work."
"What might work?" Fred and George asked in unison.
"Rita Skeeter," Harry said a smile blooming on his face as he caught on to Helen's plan.
Percy looked around the room puzzled. "Her readership is very broad, but didn't she write most of the articles slandering you Harry?"
"I don't follow," Minerva said.
Severus sighed in exasperation. "Obviously, Minerva, your erstwhile students have dirt on Skeeter." He flicked a glance at Harry and Hermione. "I would judge the Princess of Gryffindor has dabbled in the art of blackmail once before and is looking to capitalise on the situation once again."
"Blackmail!" Minerva repeated shocked.
"She was a horror," Hermione defended. "She spent our fourth and fifth years printing every kind of rubbish imaginable. I simply asked for one fair and balanced article to be published in the Quibbler."
"Indeed," Severus drawled.
"You blackmailed someone?" Fred and George turned to Hermione looking delighted.
Hermione blushed and bit her lip. "It wasn't quite like that."
"Oh, no," Fred said. "Don't spoil it with how polite and nice you were about it. We're going to stick with holding her at wand point until she conceded to your demands."
Hermione laughed. "That's not how it went but if you prefer."
"So," Percy interrupted. "What are you thinking of offering her and in exchange for what?"
"Albus Dumbledore has led a long life," Helen replied. "One I am sure is not free from the youthful indiscretions that we all make. For the price of Harry and Hermione's exclusive story she might be induced to find out what Albus is hiding, and then, well the public has a right to know about those they use as moral compasses."
Minerva looked at the gimlet light in Helen's face. "Offer her mine as well."
"Pardon?" Helen said.
"I said, offer her my story as well. I presume there are details we can't share such as those in regards to the horcruxes since I can't see the Ministry wanting a rash of copycats. But Albus has been using Hogwarts for his ends for too long. Never mind the business with the Order. If there's a chance to put the record straight, then I want it done."
Helen nodded. "I'm sure that arrangments can be agreed. If we give her a week to start digging, she can use the information we supply to lay the groundwork before she goes after Albus. That way we aren't jumping on the bandwagon so to speak."
"You may have mine as well," Severus said.
"Severus?" Helen asked.
He waved a hand at her. "I am not so delicate as that Madam."
"Delicate? No. Private? Yes. Rita is a muckraker if you give her an angle she'll go after it. I wouldn't have thought that you'd want that." Helen cautioned.
"While there are elements that I would prefer left in the past, I can accept that there has been a larger question hanging over me since the first war, namely what induced me to spy for Albus. It will answer that question for good."
Helen nodded in understanding. "Very well, we'll offer her everything exclusively."
"Perhaps," Percy said. "You might wish to write up a contract stating the terms of your agreement. I'm quite sure the initial meeting will come off the back of the information you hold on her. Though, unless you want to risk her turning on you at a later date, there will need to be restrictions put in place as to how she can use the information."
There was a general nod of agreement and noise of approval at the sensible suggestion.
"Does your solicitor deal in contract law, Minerva?" John asked
Minerva shrugged in response. "I don't know if this is something he could do or not."
"We'll send an owl first thing then," John replied. "One to Rita as well, see if she's willing to come on board."
"I hardly think she'll refuse," Severus commented.
"No," John agreed. "I don't think she will either, but it's polite to ask."
"You're blackmailing her," Percy pointed out dryly.
"Politely," John protested. "We're blackmailing her politely."
Percy looked unconvinced but let it go. "Do you mind?" He pointed at the pile of parchment that lay on the table. "If you allow me to read through and make notes I can make sure Kingsley is aware of what has transpired first thing tomorrow. He'll need to know what we're up against, he might not be able to go on record, but he won't stand idly by either."
"If you could make a copy, you can keep it," John suggested.
Percy nodded casting a duplicating spell on the parchments and picking up the copy folding the sheets tucking them away into his robes.
"So, we have a plan," George said. "I have to say it feels a lot like before. I thought we might be past this after Friday."
"Dumbledore declared war when he named Harry the new Dark Lord," Helen said. "We're merely responding to his opening salvo. He's underestimated us before. You'd think he might have learnt something from last time."