Disclaimer: I do not own nor make money off of Harry Potter.
Chapter 5:
Albus Dumbledore greeted the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, who decided it was important to come to Hogwarts himself considering recent events. Peter Pettigrew had been carted away early today, and was in a holding cell at the Ministry. It had also come to his attention that after rigorous testing of all of the students and faculty and a through search of the school and its grounds that it was highly likely that the three missing students were the perpetrators of the Dark spell. What was so unsettling was that the savior of the wizarding world happens to be one of the very criminals that the Aurors were now combing the countryside for. Harry Potter the boy-who-lived was going to be sentenced to life imprisonment in Azkaban during his time in office. That would not look good on his record, not in this time of hope and prosperity; it would dampen the people's faith in the Ministry. Most wizards and witches did not even know of the spell the three students used and those who did know of it did not believe that it worked; considering the fact that not a soul had accomplished the jump successfully.
How was he supposed to arrest the boy on such an unusual and little known act, the Minister was annoyed to say the very least, and he knew that the great Albus Dumbledore knew where the children were residing. No one would believe him of course, so he would have to question the Headmaster alone. It was his very intention of laying the fault on the other two children and letting Harry go. It would not do to place such an important wizard in Azkaban, the people needed their heroes. He would just make up a story on how the other two had coerced Potter into the act; he being raised in the muggle world with no knowledge of magic did not understand the spell. He ignored the fact that Hermione Granger was muggle born, it was inconsequential and he would not be questioned on the matter.
"Albus such wonderful news, the capture of Pettigrew was a brilliant feat." Fudge smiled politely at the older wizard. "His trial should start in a few weeks and he shall be removed to Azkaban."
Albus frowned at the Minister; he had never trusted the man. "After a guilty verdict of course, surely if he is innocent he would be released." He knew that Wormtail was guilty, but felt the Fudge often lost site of justice and fairness.
"Of course of course. The Ministry is very fair in its trials; he will not have his rights squashed in any way." The Minister smirked.
"What of Sirius Black?" Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled.
"What of him?"
"Will he be given a fair trial? Surely you don't intend to keep the man imprisoned for the murder of a man who we know to be alive?"
Fudge flustered slightly at Dumbledore's accusations. "Of course not as I sad before the Ministry is fair, he shall be tried again."
Dumbledore looked over his half-moon glasses at the frumpy man in the bowler hat before him. "What does he have to be tried on Minister Fudge he has no other crime against him?"
"He is a Deatheater, you must agree that his betrayal of the Potters led to their deaths, we should imprison him for their murders." Fudge's face was turning a dark shade of red, his anger was rising. It would not due for the Minister to be questioned in such a manner and the whole conversation was irritating him.
"Voldemort killed James and Lily not Sirius." The Headmaster stated. "Regardless of that, Peter has confessed to me that he was the Potters secret keeper and had betrayed them."
"When? What right do you have to question a prisoner?" Fudge demanded.
Dumbledore shook his head. "That is not important, what is important is that an innocent man is still in Azkaban, and I am sure you will do everything in your power to release him and provide him with restitution." It was not a question but a statement. Dumbledore and Snape had used Veritaserum shortly after Lupin and the children left. He needed the facts on Peter's involvement in the Potter's death. His heart broke as the short wizard had confessed to selling out his best friends and framing Sirius. What hurt even more was Dumbledore's own role in sending the innocent man to prison, he had not even given a thought to Black being innocent, instead he had assumed he was just like his family. His testimony prevented Sirius was even getting a proper trial, and the young wizard had been chucked into a cell for the last ten years, with nothing but the Dementors to keep him company. "After the entire Ministry, by your own account, is fair." His eyes sparkled with mischief.
Fudge fumed at being goaded into agreeing to release Black, but seeing no other way out and still needing to question Dumbledore on Harry Potter's whereabouts, he swallowed his pride. "I shall see to it myself that Sirius Black is released and the proper apologies will be made." He did intend on letting The Daily Prophet know that the conviction had been based on Dumbledore's testimony, it would work well in his favor to keep the masses from celebrating the old wizard.
The Headmaster nodded. "That is very kind of the Minister. Now that the nasty business is out of the way, would you like a lemon drop, it is a delicious muggle candy?"
Fudge preened his feathers and smiled at the compliment. "Of course, thank you." He plopped the hard candy in his mouth, frowning at the immediate sour taste, his mouth feeling dry and wet at the same moment. He looked up at the smiling Headmaster, and tried to force a polite smile on his face as well. The room began to swim and he began to feel somewhat lightheaded, shaking his head and rubbing his eyes he looked back at Dumbledore.
"I am sorry I couldn't be any help Minister, I'm sure you understand. I am more than happy to give an interview on Black at The Daily Prophet, and will be in touch."
"Er…what?" Fudge blinked his eyes.
"I was just apologizing on not being able to help you find the missing students and you asked me to give an interview, which I accepted whole heartedly. Don't you remember?" Dumbledore's face had a look of concern on it.
Fudge shuffled through his muddled memories for a moment. Finally he recalled the memory of the discussion on the three missing children although he couldn't quite make out his words or properly see himself through the fog.
"The wizard flu is going around Minister, and you are looking awfully pale. I suggest you return home for some much needed rest."
"Er…I suppose you are right Headmaster…thank you." Unsteadily he rose to his feet and tipped his hat. "Keep me informed."
"I shall." Dumbledore smiled as he led the Minister out. He had no remorse for manipulating Fudge's memories, but he didn't have time to be questioned. It was necessary that he contacted the Grangers, muggles who were not likely to understand the situation, the Dursleys, who he suspected could care less, and the Weasleys, who had been respected Order members when the order had been necessary. It was going to be a hard conversation, one he never expected to have before. He could just owl the muggles, but for some reason felt it was necessary for him to make an appearance. The student's head of house could accompany to the respective homes. Minerva will not mind, but he suspected Severus may be upset about having to meet Harry's relatives. Still it was necessary.
Writing two quick notes on a couple pieces of scrap parchment he sent Faux off to find the Professors. He would need to get this over with quickly so that he could than visit Lupin and the children.
It didn't take very long for both Professors to arrive at his office. He greeted each of them in turn and explained their mission. Classes had just ended for the day so they were to leave immediately. After a few comments from the Slytherin the trio flooed to the Weasley's first. Dumbledore had regretted not sending an owl to worn the family of the situation. The boy's absence would have alerted his brothers who would have contacted their parents. What shocked him was that he had yet to hear from the boisterous mother, but suspected it had something to do with the slowness of their owl Errol.
Gracefully he stepped out of the floo to see a slightly frumpy older woman humming as she magically peeled potatoes and washed dishes. Her red hair fitted right in with the flushed face that suddenly looked up at the three Hogwarts Professors. "Molly." The Headmaster greeted kindly.
"Ginny dear go to your room." A short girl with long red hair peeked out from behind her mother. She looked at the people who stepped out of her fireplace questioningly and than back up at her mother. "Now Ginny." The stern voice in her mother's voice caused her to stand up straight and hurriedly take off to her room without a backward glance.
Watching the thin girl until she reached the top of the stairs, Molly Weasley turned back to her guest. "Would any of you like some tea?"
"Is Arthur here?" Dumbledore asked gently not wanting to send her into fits without her husband near by to calm her down. Molly's temper was well known and he did not wish for himself or his staff to be on the receiving end of it.
Molly lowered her eyes. "I expect him along any moment. Why?"
As if on queue the head of the Weasley family stepped out of the fireplace and into Severus Snape, causing the latter to stumble forward. "I'm so sorry; I hadn't expected anyone to be here." Helping the potions master to regain his balance he continued to apologize over the muttering of the greasy haired Slytherin's grumbling.
"It is fine Arthur, please have a seat." Albus Dumbledore motioned toward the dining room table, which had the tale-tale sign of age and years of abuse from the Weasley's seven children. "It is rude of us to just barge in, but I did not have time for normal pleasantries, so if Molly would join you, I would be more than happy to explain our apparent rudeness." His voice was considerate. After a moment the group was situated around the table, the Professors face was subdued and the Weasley's full of apprehension.
"Have either of you heard of the Aeternus Temporis spell?"
The couple blinked and shook their head in the negative.
"It is a dark spell, so dark and powerful that it has the ability to turn back the very fabrics of time to a point the caster desires. I have never heard of wizard powerful enough to invoke the spell successfully, all previous attempts have ended in the casters death." Dumbledore stopped momentarily and nodded at Professor McGonagall.
The prim witch pursed her lips frowned sympathetically. "The Ministry has been notified that the spell had been used through a time detector. The caster was eventually traced to Hogwarts once they realized it happened on the Hogwarts Express instead of the sheep field the train happened to be crossing through. If the perpetrator is caught it is an automatic life sentence." Her Scottish accent was warm and stern at the same time.
"You-Know-Who?" Arthur Weasley gulped.
"No. Ron Weasley and two others." Dumbledore stated.
Molly stood up abruptly. "Ron? Impossible…my Ron would never use a dark spell!" She threw her arms in the air in a fit. "The Ministry is wrong, their detector is wrong! Obviously you will rectify the situation Headmaster. Where is Ron, I'll just ask him, he would not lie to me…"
"Molly please…" Arthur stood up and gripped her wife's shoulders pushing her back into her chair. Working at the Ministry he had heard that the Aurors were at Hogwarts, and had been concerned. "Let Professor Dumbledore finish."
Visibly shaking fresh tears fell down her pale face. Arthur offered little comfort; he sat stiffly in the chair nest to her. Minerva on the other hand had sat next to Molly holding her hand tightly and rubbing her back with small circles.
"Ron and the other two casters are currently…missing. The trio suspected the Ministry was on to them and took off to try and escape." The older wizard regretfully stated.
"Who are they?" Molly asked her eyes flashing in anger. "Who manipulated my boy?"
Dumbledore sighed and his eyes grew tired. "I am afraid that manipulation is not the case, he returned on his own free will the same free will that he used to leave Hogwarts. Ron is a very loyal friend and his reasons for returning prove his loyalty to others. The other two people are a muggle-born witch Hermione Granger and none other than Harry Potter himself."
"Harry Potter? The boy-who-lived?" Molly gasped out. "Percy wrote me and said that he had been sorted into Slytherin, you must be mistaken, and Ron would never follow a Slytherin he is a Gryffindor. Besides I heard he was good friends with the Malfoys, and their boy has been nothing but dreadful to Ron."
At this Snape sneered at the bubbling woman. "Not all of Slytherin is evil, is it so hard to believe that a holier than thou Gryffindor use a dark spell?"
"Yes!" Molly stood up tipping her chair her fist clenched in anger.
"It's true Molly." Professor McGonagall tried to calm down the seething woman.
"How can this be? He is only eleven; surely he doesn't have the power to do such a spell." Arthur stated flabbergasted his hands running through his thinning hair. It was getting increasingly difficult for him to control his own emotions and temper.
"Obviously if they used a spell that brought him back in time he was not eleven, I see why none of your boys are in Ravenclaw not a one of your overly large brood appear to have your wits about you." Severus Snape snarled.
"Severus!" Minerva huffed. "Have you no decency, they are obviously in shock."
"All of you calm down I will explain what I know." The Headmaster raised her arms for quiet. "Now all of you must give me your wizard's oath to not tell another soul what I am about to reveal to you." He watched as every witch and wizard withdrew their wands and stated the oath causing the group to be bound to the secret. Even if they wanted to tell anyone about the secret they would be unable to recall it, not even under Veritaserum
"I had an opportunity to speak to the three children…no adults. They are all of age seventeen to be exact having returned to the past the summer before their seventh year." Dumbledore began to reveal the details of Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew. He did not mention anything about Lupin or his hand in helping the students escape. The Headmaster also avoided the few tidbits he caught about the future; instead he focused on how strong and capable the trio is. "They are very close Molly. The three are also very powerful wizards their power and conviction was so strong that the three made a seemingly impossible spell a reality."
"Peter? He was the traitor?" Arthur was shocked. "How? He was so quite, never in any trouble, how could he have been a follower of You-Know-Who? Are you sure?"
"Yes. He confessed it all to me and Severus yesterday under Veritaserum." Dumbledore dropped his head slightly. "We all have a right to feel betrayed by this, none more than Sirius Black, by not only Peter but by all of us, by the Order."
"Ron's rat, Scabbers was Peter?" Molly placed her hands in her lap her voice was somber. "Ron saved Sirius Black by returning…" She began to mumble all he new information seeping in.
"That is very accurate Molly. Ron, Harry, and Miss Granger did save Sirius. Although they have traded their own life, if caught they will go to Azkaban, time manipulation is not something to be ignored." Professor Dumbledore lectured. "If any of the children are captured by the Ministry there would be no hope of saving them."
