A/N: Harry Potter is not mine; this is a story from a fan
A/N: I want to thank everyone for their reviews
A/N: I know my grammar of the English language is not the best there is. Perhaps it is the worst, so I want to again say sorry for the mistakes. I'm thinking about a beta but I'm not sure yet. I am translating my Dutch version on request, but English is not my native language. So I do not mind if someone says that my grammar is not good, but that is not helping me. Someone told me that professor Sprout was actually Professor Sprout, with a capital P. Now that's helping. Little things like that. Thanks and have fun with the story.
A/N: as I said, this is a whole new chapter. This is not in the Dutch version, if it was it would be H 17/5.
Hivedragon has pointed out to me that nobody from the Muggles did anything for Harry. Not the police or his school nobody. And it was something he was right about. With this chapter I hope to tell you why the Muggles have done nothing for Harry.
Thanks Hivedragon: this chapter is for everyone but especially for you.
(BSC 1) C20 Amelia is looking for an answer.
The night before.
Slowly, everybody let go of each other and looked at each other shyly. Harry stood up from the bed and went back to his own bed. He had not said another word from the moment they escaped from the dream state that Bella was in. His friends all looked at him a little strangely when he stepped from the bed.
Minerva quickly put a hand on his shoulder, and asked how he was doing. Harry did not look at her, and he also did not say anything. Slowly he lay down on his own bed and closed his eyes.
That it was very strange was saying it lightly.
Bella got up and walked over to Harry, she laid herself next to him, and within a minute they both fell asleep again.
Minerva looked questioningly at Poppy Pomfrey and pointed her finger at Harry. "Poppy, please tell me what's going on with him.
It did not feel like he was ignoring me, but it also did not feel like he was really awake".
Minerva did not really ask the question, she was more articulating her thoughts.
Poppy who was already standing next to Harry was waving her wand back and forth above Harry.
"You are not going to believe this, he is still in his magical sleep he just never came out of it". Told a very surprised Poppy, to all the others who were still in the infirmary? Arabella pointed to Bella and Poppy told her she had just fallen asleep. "The child is exhausted and that everything will be okay" she reassured Arabella.
*#*
It was eight o'clock in the morning when Amelia walked into the neighbourhood of little Whinging. With a look of a routine Auror, Amelia looked around and took in everything she saw. At Number seven she saw a couple of cats sitting in different places. That was the only house that was different from the others, and not surprisingly it was the home of Arabella Figg, and Amelia smiled at the cats. Arabella had told her that some of her cats were watching the Dursleys for her.
Each house seemed to have the same car and grass length, it was almost creepy. Although as head of the DMLE she had often had to deal with Muggles but this was new to her. Never before had she been influenced by her feelings, the way she was now. She felt through her magic that there was something different about number four than all the other houses in the street.
The magical defensive wards on this house were the worst she had ever seen. It was a form of blood magic that only worked on hate or love. And it was clear that this ward was created for love. The downside of course was that if there is no love then the wards will not work, and in the case of Harry Potter there had never been a great deal of love. Yet these magical wards were still here and have been here for over ten years, and the reason for this was none other than Harry Potter himself. The thought of Harry Potter brought her back to the night before.
*#*
It was eight o'clock in the evening when Amelia walked into the infirmary at Hogwarts with a camera in her hand. The patient for whom she came was lying in the middle of the infirmary on a bed. Harry Potter the boy who lived, had more scars than Mad-Eye Moody. And that was nothing to be proud of.
The only thing that Amelia was happy about was that she was alone in the infirmary with Poppy and Minerva. Bella and the others were sent away for some sandwiches in the great hall, so that they had an hour alone with Harry Potter, Harry Potter who was still being held in his magical sleep and would be held in that sleep until the next morning. So now there was time enough to do one thing for the case of Harry Potter, and that was taking pictures of what had happened to Harry. So on this night she was going to do it together with Minerva and Poppy. It was also one of the things where no one was looking forward to. But it was something that had to be done.
At the moment that all three of them stood at the bedside of Harry Potter, They All sighed deeply. Poppy Vanished the blanket and pyjamas away from Harry. Minerva waved her wand and said "Wingardium Leviosa". An unconscious Harry floated up and was now slowly turning around. Amelia had her camera already in hand and began to take pictures of all the scars, she saw.
In her job as an Auror and now as head of the DMLE, she had already been through a lot. But even the sight of Harry made her stomach turn around. With every photo she took, she had to swallow hard at the sight of the scars. In her mind she wanted one thing and one thing only that was to hang the offender from the highest tree. But knew from experience that this is only the beginning of misery she had to face.
After about thirty minutes they were finished and put Harry back in his bed. From the corner of her eye she saw Minerva who had tears streaming down her cheeks. She saw the same thing happened to Poppy. For Amelia it was the sign to also let go of her personal defenses, she no longer had to be the strongest, and for once in her life she let herself go. The biggest question she had was how this could have happened. Here on the bed lay their hero. Through him they have had ten years of peace in the wizarding world. Sure it could always be better, but it was ten years without war, without fear, without looking over your shoulder.
And now after all those photos Amelia's work really began. And one thing was sure it would be well into the night before she would be ready, and early in the morning when she would start again.
*#*
At eleven o'clock in the evening she came walking into her office in the ministry. With a sigh, she slumped down in her chair and looked at the file she had in her hands. All she could find about the Boy who lived, she now had in her hands. Anyone else would have been happy with every bit of information they could find about their hero. But for Amelia it was a huge disappointment when she opened the file.
Inside the file were two small pieces of parchment.
And the only thing that was on those pieces was that all information was forbidden for anyone on behalf of the Wizengamot. It was one of the walls she came across in her journey to find information. No one in any department knew anything or could say anything about the Boy Who Lived. No, the only advantage Amelia had, had been Arabella Figg.
Arabella Figg was the only person who could tell her anything about the life of Harry and it was something that she never wanted to know. In her hands she now held the little red book, she knew that Augusta had already read it, and now she was the second one who was going to read it
Standing in the doorway was a black man. It was her chief Auror who had been working for her for many years. "come in Kingsley" Amelia said.
Kingsley Shacklebolt was an Auror who had started a year after the war. It was for him the first time he saw his boss, a normally strong and firm but fair woman crying over a little red book she had in her hand. It was a way he had never seen her before. He therefore did not know what he could do about it.
"Kingsley Shacklebolt tell me, what do you know about the boy who lived?" Amelia asked suddenly.
Kingsley Shacklebolt looked at his boss when he heard that question and was now thinking hard. He was in his sixth year at Hogwarts when the war came to an end. His father and mother were in hiding like so many others. Something every half-breed, Muggle or Muggelborn did when they had a child who was in Hogwarts. And Hogwarts was the only safe place all across England.
The father of Kingsley Shacklebolt was a half-breed but his mother was a Muggle and that was a death sentence as far as Voldemort was of opinion, just because of that he was not worthy enough to be a wizard and it was something that every student knew that was staying at Hogwarts during the war.
"Boss, I do not know much of the war itself, but I thank him every single night when I crawl into bed next to my wife. Without that boy, I might not be here and my parents certainly would not be here. I cannot imagine what would have happened without that boy, who knows how many more would have died. And just like me, I think that a lot of wizards and witches feel the same way about this" Kingsley said.
Amelia nodded and opened the little red book. It was a copy that would disappear after a week but it was good enough for Amelia. Minerva had given her the book just before she went to her office that night. Without saying anything else, she read several passages from the book out loud. She flipped by and read yet another piece out loud to Kingsley. After about fifteen of those pieces she looked at Kingsley Shacklebolt who sat with an open mouth, and was just looking at her.
"Boss, I'm sorry to say it, but what sick mind gets it into his head to write something like that" Kingsley said bewildered.
Amelia sighed again and shook her head. "No Kingsley this has nothing to do with a sick mind. If it is up to me this is the last little red book that is ever written about this subject" Amelia told him seriously.
Kingsley Shacklebolt looked to Amelia and tried to say something but could not really find the words. So with one last effort, he said. "Are you telling me that that is all true, everything that is in that book is true? That there really is a monster like that, that would do something like that to a child. That there really are children out there, who had experienced those dreadful things" Kingsley stuttered in disbelief?
Amelia pinched the bridge of her nose with two fingers and shook her head again."There are no children Kingsley is just one child, and it's all true what I've read, every little part of it".
Kingsley just looked at her and was now shaking his head too. The things he had heard his boss say were things which were almost unbelievable. And to assume that it was about one child only was quite bad in his book alone. "Boss, am I right when I say, I do not want to know the child who is involved".
Amelia nodded and threw some photos to Kingsley to look at. Kingsley whistled and gulped loudly at the sight of the scars which were shown on the photographs. "That Kingsley Shacklebolt, are four of I do not know how many scars that our hero has".
Kingsley jumped from his chair, his wand in his hand and a look of rage and pure hatred in his eyes.
"Sit down Kingsley, Harry is safe now, for the first time in his life he is safe, at least I hope he is safe," the doubt that Amelia had was clearly audible to Kingsley, but he said nothing about it.
While Kingsley took his place again, he looked again at the pictures in his hands. He now knew who the boy was and could not believe it but knew it was true. "What can I do for Harry?" Kingsley immediately asked.
Amelia smiled but the smile did not reach her eyes. Sorry, Kingsley but there's nothing you can do for Harry. This is a matter that I'm going to do alone and by myself as much as possible. The only thing I want from you is a sympathetic ear if I need it" said Amelia.
Kingsley nodded and walked out of the office.
*#*
It was almost half past eight in the morning and Amelia looked from out of the window at number seven to the house at number four. In about fifteen minutes she would go to the house and see what she could find about the life that Harry had had while he was living there. She wanted to do everything to keep it secret for as long as possible for everyone. Because the less people knew about it the better it was. Only the adults and the children in the infirmary were allowed to know what she would find out today.
If she would go public with this then it would not end well for a lot of people. In the first place there would be a riot between the magical population and the ministry. And secondly she did not want anyone to go away freely. She came to the conclusion that this was far more than just child abuse alone.
A door opened at number four and a whale of a man came out. Amelia knew immediately that it was the so-called uncle, from Harry. As always, he was on time to go to work. But what was different this time than usual was that Petunia went with him. It did gave Amelia the freedom to take an unseen look at the house. It also meant that the so-called aunt and uncle could go on without knowing what was happening around Harry.
About ten minutes later Amelia went under an invisibility cloak to the back door of the house at number four. With the Alohomora spell she went inside and looked around. The first thing she did was to go to the mantle above the electric heater. All she saw were pictures of a family of three people. Well, she could not really call it people, they were more two walruses and an eel with a horse face.
Although she knew that there would not be any photos with Harry on it, she still wanted to know what was on the pictures. She could not believe that three people could hide a boy who was abused for ten years without anyone knowing it. Especially when you know that Harry had to work in the garden and had to go to school. Two places where everyone could see him and talk to him.
She had seen the blood ward on the outside of the house. It was a ward that would keep everyone outside that wanted to hurt the family. And without much information she knew immediately that it was Albus Dumbledore, who had placed the blood ward. Amelia also wondered why the defense was focused on the family and not on Harry. Harry After all was at Hogwarts so the ward was no longer necessary at this time.
And now she stood at the mantelpiece which was full of pictures. The first thing she noticed was that there was a camouflage spell on the mantelpiece. With a better look at the mantelpiece she saw that it was an anti-Muggle camouflage. One that showed muggles something that was not really there. Probably all of them were pictures with a smiling Harry on it.
Slowly she walked into the hallway and saw another anti Muggle camouflage spell. This one was placed on the cupboard under the stairs. It immediately told her that Albus knew where the boy had slept all these years. And on opening the cupboard she had to make every effort not to throw up. The first thing that came into her nose was a metallic smell of dried blood. But also the smell of a bottle filled with urine. It was exactly the things she had been warned about, but experiencing it was pretty heavy, even for an experienced Auror as Amelia.
So the first thing she thought about was why these muggles had not cleaned up that mess. Harry had been on school long enough to undo all the evidence of abuse. Certainly enough time to get rid of the evidence for the Muggle police.
With a few quick pictures Amelia went upstairs to the room that Harry had gotten when he had received his letter to Hogwarts. Again, the difference was overwhelming. One had everything a child of eleven could ever want even to an exaggerated shape, while the other room had the bare essentials. A bed that was just big enough for a six or seven year old child. A small table and a small chair, even those things were for a child of five and certainly not for a boy of eleven.
After an hour Amelia had seen enough and went to the following address of that day. With her wand in her hand she transformed her robe to that of a Muggle commissioner with badge and all. And she disapparated towards the police station of Little Whinging.
With her identification, she could go straight to the ward where she wanted to be. She did not speak to anyone; the file from Harry Potter would be enough for her. And with a little point me the way spell on her wand she had found the file that was just all about Harry in no time at all. She copied the file and looked at it quickly. Almost every year a policeman and a policewoman were sent to the house and every time there was nothing to report, according to the file everything had always seemed in order. Sighing, she reduced the file and went to her next location.
In the hospital of Little Whinging she soon found out that it would be a different story there. Wherever she looked, and with whomever she spoke, there was no trace of Harry Potter. According to the archive there has never been a Harry Potter in Little Whinging. Like everything was removed in a magical way, a nurse had told her sarcastically when Amelia continued to ask about it. That there was no documentation was something that was not right according to Amelia, especially after she had seen the scars on his back and legs, which were scars that definitely had to been treated in a hospital.
With a knot in her stomach, she went to her last location. Fortunately for her the last location was only a few blocks away so she could think calmly about what she had learned. while she was walking to that location. The little red book what she had had in her possession for the last few hours has been etched into her memory. If she had not seen the amount of Scars on the body of Harry, she would never have believed that little red book. And that Harry was not known at the hospital was a disappointment for her, but it had yelled Albus Dumbledore. He had been here and she was sure of it. Only one file in that place and she would have had a case against anyone who knew about the abuse, just one damn file.
In the distance she saw the last address of the morning, before she had to return to Hogwarts. Upon opening the large doors at the front of the building, she was for the first time in her life at a primary school for Muggles. The only thing she was still hoping was that someone inside could tell her how bad it had been for Harry Potter in his younger years. The first thing she did was go to the principal office at the school. There she was told that Harry Potter had been a problem child in the time he had been there. But the problem was not with him, but because of him. It was also something a teacher could tell her better than the principal.
Amelia had the opportunity to talk with the teacher during the break, and ask her the question of who Harry Potter really was according to her. It was a question that would give her more information than she had wanted. "Good day, my name is Amelia Bones and I am the head of the child protection services here in Little Whinging. I'm here to ask you a few questions about Harry Potter a former pupil of yours". Amelia was still busy with her question but already saw the relief appear in the eyes of the teacher, and she knew she was on the right track.
"My God thank you, finally someone who wants to listen to me," the teacher said relieved.
Amelia looked at her and nodded. "I have a lot of questions for you but would prefer that you first tell your story about Harry Potter. Maybe all of my questions are than answered by the time you're done with the story" Amelia told her in a soft voice.
The teacher nodded and let out a sigh. "Harry Potter came to our school, and from the first day I knew he was different from the other kids".
At these words Amelia immediately sat up straighter and began to think. All the alarm bells went off in her head. The last thing she wanted to hear was that Harry Potter would have had strange powers. If that were so then she would have to Obliviate a lot of memories of that day. With a sigh, she kept her mouth shut and listened further.
"No, it was already clear to me on the first day that Harry Potter was different than the others," the teacher continued. "He came in all alone and far away from the others. He immediately looked at all the exits as if he was searching for a way out when something would go wrong, he looked scared but also very aware of his surroundings".
Amelia heard it and immediately thought that Harry might make a good Auror when he was older. The taking in of his surroundings at entering a room was one of the main things she looked for in a new Auror. Only the thoughts of why Harry did it, was not something she wanted in an auror.
"When I touched him on the shoulder to bring him back to the classroom, he drew back anxiously" the teacher went on. "It was one of the first signs we look at when we suspect that children are being abused. In the two weeks that followed, it was clear to me that Harry was abused when he was at home. And not only by his aunt and uncle but also his cousin, it was every day the same thing for Harry.
Here at school we had to do everything to get Harry away from that house. We asked everyone to help us, we asked the police, the hospital, everyone when we had brought him there. But whatever they did, they always came back saying that Harry was okay and that there was nothing to worry about. Everything was in good condition and Harry was cared for with love and kindness".
So someone had removed the information from hospital archives Amelia thought. And immediately wrote it in her notebook that was lying on her lap.
They told us that there were photos of fishing trips and trips to amusement parks on the mantelpiece, with the two boys laughing and enjoying themselves. But every time I asked if they had done something fun during the weekend. Dudley Dursley then always told us that he had gone fishing or he had gone to the movies. Harry then told the class that he had been with a woman where he just looked at photo albums full of cats, and it was always like that he was always with that woman".
Amelia listened and wrote down everything. So the little red book was true, and everything Arabella had told her was true. So the question was who put the spell on the house. Sure she immediately thought of Albus, but she did not have the evidence for it. And that story about the woman with the cats brought her straight to Arabella. Subconsciously, the teacher had already answered her questions but her story was not finished yet.
"Year after year it was the same for Harry. His cousin had built up a group of friends and every break they had he was looking for Harry. If he had caught Harry than he and his friends were beating him. Sure I have had talks with his aunt and uncle and told them what their son did to Harry, but it was always the fault of Harry and never Dudley. And the next day Harry always came to school with new bruises. So I had to stop doing that for the welfare of Harry. Everything we did for Harry only made it worse for him and after a while we did not do anything anymore.
The only thing I could do was keep an eye on Harry, and help him with whatever I could. Every time Harry wanted to make a friend, Dudley Dursley made certain that within an hour they no longer wanted to be friends with Harry. And when they did, then Dudley Dursley and his buddies struck them several times. When I told this to his parents, Harry came back to school with bruises all over his body. It was his and always his fault that their son was in trouble.
Often I gave Harry detentions so he could stay inside. It was in these moments that I saw him coming out of his shell. I also noticed that Harry was very smart but never showed it in his assignments. Harry was always slightly worse than Dudley, and I'm sure he had done this deliberately, likely to escape punishment when he was at home".
Everything the teacher said was not new to Amelia, she had heard it all before from Arabella But that she thought that Harry was smart was no surprise. Her niece Susan had told her they already did their homework together. And in the contact she had with Minerva about Susan, she already knew that the group would be top of the list as the best students of the school and their years. Again Amelia listened as the teacher continued.
"The last two years had a little happiness for Harry. It was mid-year when we got a new girl in class. Why she did what she did, I do not know but she immediately wanted to sit with Harry. And in the months after she came to this school they came more and more together. Both kept their relationship hidden from the others, but I've seen those two exchanging notes with each other.
Harry was always very sweet, and the girl made sure he continued to be sweet. If it was not for her than Harry would have been a hand full of problems, and that thanks to his aunt and uncle. I always hoped they would go to another school together. But when I heard that Harry had to go to a school for young criminals, I knew that he will end up somewhere in a prison. After all he has endured no one can remain so sweet, even Harry the sweet boy that he was". The teacher thought and then Said. If I have my wish than Harry will be with that girl, you could see that they were made for each other, and also that he is far, far away from his aunt and uncle". The teacher frowned a bit and then said. "Her name was Bella if I remember correctly, the little girl was named Bella."
Amelia saw that the teacher was fighting back tears, so with a little compassion Amelia told that all was well with Harry. Sure, he was lying in the infirmary at Hogwarts but that was better than the cupboard under the stairs. She also told her that Harry was now in a boarding school for gifted children in Scotland, he was there with her niece and Bella. She also promised to do everything to keep Harry away from his aunt and uncle. And that the cat lady had told her about Harry and that was why she was there.
The teacher beamed a little at these words and thanked her sincerely, and asked if Amelia wanted to convey her greetings and well wishes to Harry
All the questions that Amelia had, had been answered and that was a relief for Amelia. All she had seen that morning was clear enough, and it had told her that there was more to the life of Harry Potter than they knew. Everything his aunt and uncle had done to him was not without help. And it was clear to Amelia that it was Albus Dumbledore who had helped them with the cover up of the papers and the memories of the muggles. His magical impression was left behind everywhere. The biggest problem for Amelia was now proving it all and the muggles were no help there. They had, after all, no rights in the magical world, and thus could not testify on behalf of Harry Potter.
With a small farewell she went away from that school and disapparated to another school in Scotland.