Author's Note: I am sorry this is late, but things are nuts at work and I just haven't been finding time to write. This hasn't been into my beta's hands, so I claim all mistakes as my own. I know it's short too. Sorry. MNF
Chapter 34:
Sound and Fury
Sunday 4 February 1996
Harry sat quietly contemplating what the paper was implying. Hermione was livid and banging her hand on the table about the unfairness. She was certain they'd need to employ Harry's solicitor, or perhaps the Goblins would do that on his behalf. She was attacking this as another cause to crusade for.
Sirius was swearing a blue streak. He'd had it with the Prophet and was more than willing to make their lives a living hell. Harry listened to his Pater for a minutes, impressed with the variety of swears Sirius knew. Heck, he even threw in a few from other languages that Harry wasn't entirely certain what they meant. Old age and marriage had done nothing to cool his fiery temper.
Remus wasn't prone to angry fits the way Sirius and Hermione were. The girl reminded the former professor so strongly of Lily it was uncanny. She didn't have her red hair, but the two women shared something much deeper – the need to champion the underdog. Remus looked over to Harry, rather anxiously. The boy was turning pale and perhaps a tad grey. The man reached for the hand towel and dampened it before walking to his as-close-as-blood nephew.
Harry found his thoughts weren't on what either Sirius or Hermione were saying, but rather on how whoever reported had come upon the information. He was sure it wasn't Dr Phillip selling his story, he would have done that last summer if he was only in it for money. No, Dr Phillip cared and was cautious that Harry's information was held in the strictest of confidences. Anyway, how was this any different than his second year when he was the "Heir of Slytherin" or last year when people claimed he'd cheated to be part of that horrid tournament. Then it dawned on Harry, what was different.
Neville.
In the past it was only his name and his image that was disparaged. Now it was Neville's too. Harry's stomach rolled and it was only the forcing of the gastric juices back down his throat that kept his meagre breakfast from coming up. His head suddenly was pounding, and he felt dizzy, and he was unbelievably cold. Somebody was yelling out in alert, but Harry couldn't tell who it was.
"Harry?" a voice called from far away. "Harry, come back."
Something cool was put on the back of his neck and as much as Harry wanted to flick it away, he couldn't make his arms work. "Son, come on, come back to us." It felt like it took forever before Harry was able to turn his head and saw Sirius staring at him with unease. "There you are."
"Neville," Harry meekly said, his head still spinning.
"Not your problem, son." Sirius said firmly. "You get to trust Augusta, Remus, Amy and me to solve the issue. No one is going to vilify my boy and his best mate."
Harry wasn't sure what he was feeling, but it was so different than anything he remembered in his life. Someone was going to protect him. His pater, uncle and girlfriend were all willing to stand not just beside him but in front of him. Harry struggled to focus, tried to look at Sirius, but it was too hard, and his world turned black.
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Several hours later, the family sat together in the library discussing their problem with the press.
"The boys are not going dark," Amelia said with impassioned fervour, although hers was a steely intensity rather than explosions of vehemence. "That is not something which would ever happen and if anyone tries to claim they are then I will intervene and remind them that intentionally passing information they know to be untrue is slander, which is a punishable crime. Additionally, I shall be reminding Mister Cuffe that whomever this 'secret source' is, they violated healer/patient confidentiality by listening in on a private conversation. He will give me her name, lest he find himself in prison for the same crime and impeding an investigation."
"I love when you get all legal," Sirius said before kissing her nose.
"My life is falling apart, and the old dog is flirting," Harry whispered to Hermione with a smirk on his face. Hermione had not left his side since his 'attack' that morning. The pair were dressed in their warmest woollens and had spent the hours lounging by the fire, Remus hovering like a mother hen.
"At least you're interacting with me now," Hermione said softly. "You truly frightened me earlier."
"Sorry," Harry mumbled.
"You had a panic attack, there's nothing to be sorry about. That said, I think you need to mention it to Dr Phillip when you see him next."
"He's coming here tomorrow," Harry said. "He's Flooing here from the Leaky Cauldron, with a stopover at Grimmauld Place. Sirius doesn't trust that he isn't being followed. Then again, yelling "Doghouse Layover" doesn't exactly give anything away."
"That's true, although I feel sorry for anyone who attempts to come through the Floo here who isn't on Sirius's list. He told me about some of the charms, including being bounced to Grimmauld for an indefinite stay. Mrs Black shrieking at you for hours would be enough to make anyone regret their decision."
"Have the lovebirds ended their conversation?" Sirius asked Harry and Hermione, causing the girl to blush.
"Yes, well we turned away from the discussion when you kissed your wife on the nose," Harry retorted. Sirius wasn't sure what to say to that, so he shook his head and muttered: "Fine, fine." Hermione and Amy laughed at their men.
"Harry, I'm going to send a pair of Aurors who are in the know – Tonks and Shacklebolt – over to Dr Phillip's office tomorrow to check for listening spells and any sort of charms that might have been put on his coat. Then he's going to take them to the area where you'd stopped to sit and talk to see if they can get a signature from the magical residue. It's a long shot, but we can try."
"Thanks, Amy," Harry said. "We always stop in the same place, and it's popular with others who walk that path."
"I understand, but we can try. They're two of my best. I'm also going to have Tonks follow you again when you're out in public."
"That's okay," Harry said with a nodding of his head to emphasize the point. "For someone so clumsy, she's great when she's in disguise."
"To be honest, if it wasn't for her skills in Transfiguration and her ability to move among the non-magical, she might not have passed through the DMLE Academy. We would have been out one of the best minds I have and an outstanding Auror in the evidence collection area."
"So, back to how we're going to tackle this issue of the press," Sirius said, turning the conversation back to the matter at hand. "I'm prepared to storm the Weekly Prophet offices and take Cuffe down."
"Sirius, while that is kind of you to offer, I do not think that making a bigger spectacle will work in our favour," Augusta said. "What we need is an alternative press to combat the rumours. Anyone know of another paper?"
"Well, it's more of a periodical," Hermione said, "but a classmate's father runs a paper."
"Who?" said Harry.
"Luna, Luna Lovegood. She lives in Ottery St. Catchpole, not far from the Weasleys. It was Ginny who introduced me. She wrote a piece on Cedric for the first issue back."
"That makes me not want to ask her, honestly, making money off his memory," Harry vented.
"Harry, it wasn't like that. Luna knew Cedric her whole life, the family was friendly with hers and when her mother was killed, Cedric helped her grieve. She loved him like a big brother."
"Oh, er, I didn't realize." Harry said, while sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.
"It's okay," Hermione said, taking his hand away from said neck and holding it between hers.
"Isn't that the paper that reports on some rather fanciful creatures?" Remus asked, remembering Luna from her first year. His take on her was that her somewhat scattered affect veiled a brilliant mind underneath.
"It does, but Luna really believes in conservation of magical plants and animals, and she puts her efforts to gain rights for sentient creatures," Neville added.
"So, sounds like we have a press contact, albeit a somewhat odd one," Remus summed up. "Are you suggesting that we put out an alternative story of Harry and his magic?"
"No, I'm suggesting that Luna and her father's paper get an exclusive on the lives of the country's youngest Lords and that all future articles regarding Harry and Neville will be through contract with…what's the name of the paper?" Gran asked.
"The Quibbler," Hermione offered.
"The Quibbler. After a decent amount of penance, invite the Prophet to an interview, but make them understand it must be within our guidelines."
"You, Dowager Lady Longbottom, play hard ball," Sirius said with an air of being impressed.
"You don't think I was able to get to where I am by being soft? I had to fight off my dear husband's brother to take the seat in the Wizengamot. I know how to get what I want. Right now, I want my grandson and adopted grandson's good name restored."
The discussion was interrupted by Kingsley entering the library.
"King, I told you I had to deal with family this afternoon," Amy said exasperatedly. "Couldn't you deal with whatever it is you're carrying in your hand?"
"No," he said and thrust a letter at her. Amy hastily read the mail and then her hand dropped into her lap and she suddenly looked deflated. Sirius took the letter from her and read it.
"They can't do that, can they? We have a contract!" He was so upset he stood and began pacing.
"Pater, Amy, what's going on?" Harry asked.
"It would seem that the elections held two weeks ago are having unexpected, and long-lasting affects," Amy sad sadly. "Our next set of wands was to come in from Egypt and Turkey, but they have decided against it due to so many dark families being selected for the Wizengamot."
"So, there aren't going to be any more wands on the twentieth?" Harry asked. "But that was the first true sale for the general populous."
"Yes, it was to be," Kingsley said softly. "Ollivander won't be done with his first batch until mid-March. We could ask New Zealand to send some, since they sent their Aurors when we were in need."
"I'm afraid to ask," Amy admitted. "I was worried something like this might happen. I hope we don't have a riot when the announcement is made."
"Call out the full corps," Sirius said. "I'll be there to watch your back."
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The following day, Amy, Sirius, the new Chief Warlock, Daniel Greengrass, and Rufus Scrimgeour as the Head of the DMLE were on the dais in the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic building, with a complete wizarding press corps before them.
"I'm going to read a statement and then I will take a few questions regarding the statement. If anyone asks a question of a personal nature, the session will immediately end.
"Correspondence reached me yesterday from our friends in Turkey and Egypt, who were to bring our next batch of wands for sales to the general public. In their joint missive, the countries stated they would not be coming to sell wands later this month." Amy stopped as a murmur grew within the large room. She heard a few people yell out regarding the unfairness of it.
"You're right, it isn't fair. However, these countries are not coming because of our dark past and our continuation of dark ways. The reason for their refusal to sell wands to us is because we elected new members to the Wizengamot who are from know Death Eater families. Yes, we have many more light members than we used to, but we are still replete with families who would like nothing more than to kill those who are first generation magicals or the non-magical.
"We must do more to prove we are a country that is moving on from the years of Tom Riddle's reign of terror. I will take a few questions." Every press person raised their hand. "You in the brown dress."
"Do you think this has to do with your husband's adoptive son turning dark himself?" Amy stood, her face awash with anger.
"Harry is not turning dark. This press conference is at an end."
