A/N: Head's up - mayhem ahead. Just a bit!
Chapter 12 - Fallout - Part II
They each received their Summons to Appear from the Ministry right as the entire school was passing through the corridors, heading for the day's final classes.
Harry's message was all too familiar, styled as a Ministry-issued magical scroll which popped into the air, right in front of his face, as he gathered with his classmates outside of the DADA classroom. It made a zipping and snapping sound as it rapidly unrolled itself right in front of Harry's face. An unnaturally friendly female voice dictated, loudly, what ought to have been a private message for Harry.
Mr. Harry James Potter, you are requested to appear at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, at four o'clock today. Please bring your wand and present yourself to the reception desk in the Atrium for further instructions. Wishing you a pleasant afternoon.
ZIP! The scroll rerolled itself and zzzzztt disappeared from sight.
Harry blinked. It was almost three o'clock now. What is this all about? And of course all of his fellow fifth years wanted to know as well.
0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0
Messages from Snape and Malfoy confirmed that they had also been called, which Harry read on the coin as Remus came outside to greet the students and announce that he'd been summoned to make a statement about the previous day's events, and that Professor Hooch was going to cover for him this afternoon.
"Is that what this is?" Harry asked the DADA professor when the rest of the class had filed in to wait for their substitute professor to arrive.
"What else could they possibly want?" Remus replied. They both checked the coin and saw that Snape had recommended travel by floo to Headquarters and use of the Night Bus from there. "We'd better hustle to the Headmistress' Office."
0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0
When the four of them were assembled in the parlor at Grimauld Place, Harry was shaking with nerves. He did not want to do this. "It's pretty odd that we weren't interviewed already, isn't it?" he asked. "And why weren't any of the aurors quoted in the paper earlier?" he asked the group. It was right about then that he realized Snape hadn't dropped the arm he'd put around him for the floo ride, and for the moment, that was just fine with Harry.
"It does indeed seem that proper legal procedure is not being followed here, doesn't it?" Malfoy had concurred. He swept a look around at each of them. "Allow me five minutes. I will go to the Manor, and send an owl to make sure we have representation secured, in case it comes to that." He paused to make sure all were agreed that he should, then repeated "I'll only be five minutes," and disappeared into the flames.
"Get yourself calm, Harry," Snape advised. He gave Harry a squeeze and then released him.
Harry nodded and centered his focus. "I haven't any coin for the bus ride," he said as Lucius stepped back out of the fireplace.
Lucius silently handed each of them a small bag of money. "For incidentals, just in case. We should be set."
0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0
Normally, Harry would be excited to ride the Night Bus again. But he had to constantly stay focused on centering himself, otherwise the harsh nerves kicked back in. They'd exited his godfather's house and crossed the street, and were now standing on the curb.
Remus looked at each of them. "Ready?" At their nods, he held up his wand. Within no more than three seconds, a loud Crack! rented the air of the quiet afternoon, and the purple, triple-decker wizarding rapid transit bus screeched to a halt right in front of Remus' wand. Remus led them on board, saying over his shoulder, "I recommend we stay on the bottom deck," as he climbed the stairs. Harry followed, then Snape, then Malfoy. They looked around, and the magical interior seemed to rearrange itself and the back corner of the space now had four new seats. Harry smiled slightly, still marveling at the unfolding mysteries of the magical world.
Harry followed Remus' path, weaving and side-stepping through a group of five people who were caught up in an intense debate about muggle politics. Odd, that, he thought to himself. The bus started moving and Harry struggled to maintain his balance as he was forced to step over the outstretched legs of a wizard who was watching Harry with a satisfied grin, as if he was enjoying being rude and forcing someone to struggle on the Night Bus.
"Tenebris!" Someone suddenly yelled, and the entire interior of the bus went into inky black darkness.
Harry tripped over those outstretched legs and fell hard. Someone stepped on his hand, and someone else kicked the side of his head and knocked his glasses off. He couldn't see a thing, and not just because of the absence of light. Screams from the people who'd been seated in the front section of this lower level made Harry's heart leap. A woman wailed in pain and then went silent. Harry heard Remus cast, "Claritas maximus!" and a pocket of bright light burst into view. But for Harry, it was all a blur. Two hands caught him under each armpit and hoisted him to his feet, propelling him backward to lean against the interior wall of the bus.
"Stay here and shield yourself," Snape rasped in his ear.
The bus reeled crazily around. Harry struggled to keep his balance as he shook his sore hand and rubbed at his newly bruised temple. He heard Snape and Malfoy both yell that same spell of Claritas maximus which managed to get some more light into the interior. There was a lot of random screaming and Harry could make out tips of wands, flashing with hexes and curses. Bugger! He griped in his head. Can it never just be a normal time?
He quickly centered himself and brought the tingling to his hands. With his left hand, he cast his full bodied Protego, and with his right… well it was about time he tried to do something about this blurry vision, wasn't it? He held his right hand over his eyes and thought about perfect vision, which was tricky while his left hand was still streaming magic for his shield. Something happened, because when he lowered his right hand, he could indeed see better, but only when he looked straight ahead, as if he was peering through a short tunnel. Oy!
ZIP! a shard of magic got past Harry's shield. It felt like a punch in the stomach, and forced the breath out of him with a huumph! He bent forward to struggle to drag air into his lungs. Directly ahead of him, he could clearly see Lucius Malfoy snarl out a fierce, "Calcitrare!" while he whipped his wand arm as if backhanding with a bludger bat. A wizard just outside of Harry's tunneled view went flying across his perfect view, as if he'd been heartily kicked. Malfoy looked sharply at Harry to make sure he was alright before turning just in time to shield against a flare of angry red magic from a curse that seemed lethal.
Harry felt a burning in his scar. What? His heart leapt in fear as he looked wildly around for the cause. It was then that he realized several windows directly across were now broken and gaping, and the interior of the bus was expanding rapidly, moving everybody farther apart from each other. And it was quite cold. There was virulent wand battle in progress, and there were five assailants against the four of them. Remus was under assault by two wizards who were quite powerful, and looked like they could overtake him. They were edging towards those broken windows. Harry had to turn his head again to find Snape, who battled a strangely familiar looking witch. He recognized her when she cackled her trademark laughter. Belatrix LeStrange! Harry acted without thinking and thrust his right palm out, silently casting what he thought was the same punching hex Remus had used against Crabbe Sr. the previous day. It hit Madame LeStrange, and sent her flying, right out that open window!
The burning in his scar disappeared.
Snape, in the meantime had disarmed and petrified one of the wizards tangled with Remus, leaving the wan Marauder to bring his wand arm up, and around in a narrow arc, as he cast a hex that blew a blast of icy blue magic into the face of his assailant, removing the wizard's eyebrows as it paralyzed first his face within a frozen blue sheen and quickly spread down his body.
The Night Bus screeched to a halt. Harry lost his footing and stumbled to his knees.
"That will be quite enough, gentlemen," a very tall wizard in Ministry auror robes announced as he casted a series of spells in rapid succession.
And Harry, Remus, Severus, and Lucius each found himself in Ministry custody.
0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0
THE DAILY PROPHET - EVENING EDITION
TERROR ON THE NIGHTBUS!
by Simon Ogden
7 Jan, 1996 - The now infamous Harry Potter was arrested, along with two Hogwarts professors and a Ministry official recently posted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for instigating a magical ambush on a party of wizards traveling together on the Night Bus. Statements from witnesses assert that the four suspects entered the Night Bus from a central London residential location with wands out, exhibiting loud and raucous behavior, and looking for trouble.
"'At's right, every one o'em was just itching to start something," Lester Grisham declared. "Tried it with me, they did, but I was havin' none of it."
The victims of the assault asked not to be named for their own safety. "It's just out of control. First these claims to have confronted He Who Must Not Be Named, and walking away afterward completely unscathed! And now this lot is just gallivanting around London, assaulting whomever they choose! No. No. I don't trust the Ministry to handle these criminals properly," one anonymous victim declared. "No doubt they'll be right back at the school in no time. Parents should beware of what their children are being exposed to in those classrooms!"
0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0
Harry was in a state of abject fear. He was riding in a wizarding paddywagon, like a dangerous criminal, with his father's best friend, his potions professor, and the father of Harry's arch rival. They'd all been stripped of their wands, and were shackled in wrist and ankle restraints.
"Be very careful what you say," Malfoy had warned them all as they'd been loaded inside this odd vehicle to transport them for whatever was going to follow. He waited until Harry looked at him. "Remember this statement, Harry, when you are taken for questioning. You will say, 'I demand to meet with my solicitor, the goblin Roarshirack.' It is your right. They must allow you legal representation."
Harry nodded quickly, thinking time for communication was running out.
0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0
Three hours later, Harry sat back to slump against the sterile cement wall. The large cell was circular, with slatted wooden benches all around. He didn't meet the eyes of the older wizards, but rather kept his own focused on the cold stone floor. He'd never recovered his glasses... No one had informed them of their rights. Nothing had been explained. They'd just been thrust in this room and had been waiting, mostly in silence ever since.
Every previous conclusion Harry had ever made about the wizarding world being a hateful place that he'd do well to get very far away from had been triggered tonight. His stomach growled, reminding him that he'd missed dinner, and life was going on for the normal people with normal lives at Hogwarts. Twenty-three more days, and then I'll get as far away from all of this shite as I possibly can, assuming I'm not rotting in Azkeban.
He clenched his fists in rage. Every one of us could have been killed! An innocent bystander had almost been killed! I hope she survived…. Not to mention how all of the rest of the riders had just been through a nightmare! All because a group of Voldemort wannabe followers were angry that their chance to hurt anyone they wished, and with impunity, had been squelched. By me.
Harry still had his tunnel vision, and that was irking him as well. He felt like he had a periscope over his eyes.
"Mr. Potter." Snape was sitting directly across from Harry, watching him. Monitoring him was more like it. "Those letters that I saw the other night," he paused when Harry's eyes snapped up to meet his, "without divulging detail, were they by chance going to be delivered to a muggle who is representing your legal interests?"
Harry sat up straight. He didn't want to answer that question. He couldn't give anything away to Snape or anyone else who might not want him to gain control of his own life. His expression was clearly concerning to the potions master. Harry didn't look at Remus or Malfoy.
Severus spoke very carefully when he registered the fear in Harry's reaction. "It has occurred to me that when you are allowed to have contact the goblin Roarshirak you should give him the muggle's name, so that they can work in congruence on your behalf." He watched in confusion as Harry's eyes filled and he looked away, blinking rapidly. Whatever the boy is hiding, he's desperate to accomplish the associated goal. After the way Harry had comported himself in tonight's events, as well as the destruction of the Dark Lord, Severus had only intended to offer assistance in navigating his way out of this current mess. Albus would not be able to be much help, given his own outlaw standing with the Ministry. "The goblins have a means to work with muggles that somehow distorts their identity, but can indeed traverse the legal systems of both worlds."
Harry huffed a relieved exhale without intending to. He was in so far over his head right now, and imagined this type of situation was exactly why adults would say it's too much for him to manage. But which adults could actually help him now? These ones in the cell with him? They've got their own arses to save!
"What was it that I said about you, in that letter I wrote?" Severus pushed. He looked upward, as if he was searching his memory, and tapped his chin with his index finger.
"That I was your favorite student?" Harry's voice was tight, but he already recognized Snape's humor.
"And what world, exactly, would we be living in, for this to be the case?"
"Maybe the perfect world," Harry said flippantly. Snape was assessing him with that narrow stare of his.
"But I also think you are wonderful, do I not?" Lucius wanted to know. "I'd apparently go to great lengths for you."
"And you have," Harry added. He felt a sort of emotional flatness, and was not threatened by either Slytherin wizard's comments. He didn't think they'd meant him to be.
Lucius tried to needle, since Harry was responding without hostility. "Why would you have written those letters, Harry?"
"Why not?" Harry asked, still flippant. "Perhaps I was simply projecting?" He'd gotten that particular insight from Hermione when they'd been tucked away at a back table in the library, on Halloween. After the showdown on the Nightbus tonight, she may have had something there…
"You have been reminding me of your mother these last several days," Snape shocked Harry by admitting.
Harry gaped at him. Part of him already knew what was about to be revealed: that Snape had been in love with his mum. Why else would he have been such a bastard to Harry all this time? But another part of him also knew it was not that simple. "Why don't any of you ever talk about them with me?" He looked over at Remus for a moment, to include him in the question. He had no idea what Malfoy knew of his parents' lives. But Snape's experiences, just from those memories in his pensieve, added a whole new dimension to what Harry knew of them. "I don't remember anything. And the only real connection I have had to my parents is the priore incantatum at the graveyard, or whenever Dementors attack me, and I hear my mother's screams." Snape's expression shifted at that. He looked deeply pained to hear such a revelation.
"You have seen snippets of my childhood." It was a statement from Snape that didn't require Harry's confirmation, but it definitely got his attention. "I had no good moments in the home that I grew up in. Your mother was the only good thing about my life, and I didn't meet her until we were nine years old. We grew up in neighboring towns that flanked a large park, and we met and played in that park most days. I knew the moment I saw her that she was a witch. But she had not yet discovered this for herself. I'd finally found a time and place to share and explore my own abilities with a friendly soul. Every moment that I got to spend with her was a treasure. When we arrived at Hogwarts and were sorted into rivaling Houses, we made great efforts to stay close friends. We studied together, sat together in common classes, and were fairly successful at maintaining our close bond for a time. Naturally, the Gryffindor boys in her year found this to be unacceptable and attempted to dissuade her from being friends with me. And when they couldn't convince her, they came after me." He paused, eyes on Harry. "James Potter was everything I was not. He was loved and doted on by his parents, he had money for nice things, and he was talented and charming."
"Not from what I saw," Harry interjected quietly. "Sorry to interrupt you, sir, but it's bugged me so much. Why does everyone but you say that he was so great?"
"He was a gifted young wizard, Harry. He had a presence about him," Remus interjected, also quietly. "James could be quite full of himself, but in most instances it was an attempt to entertain, or win people over. He brought the fun to every occasion, and was well liked, even when we were first years. But he considered Severus a rival. He'd had his eye on your mother since our first trip on the Hogwart's Express, but she'd not been impressed. James never gave up, and for years only seemed to be an annoyance to her. By third year, she and I had become close friends and that began to open a door for James. He was finally earning her friendship in fifth year, but all along, Severus had been a force to be reckoned with. Severus was brilliant and top of the class for our year. When you're fifteen and desperately in love with a witch who's finally starting to notice that you're not a complete ponce, you aren't at your best when your rival for her affection shows up." Remus smiled sadly at Severus. "Lily loved you, Severus. She was terrified for you and where your interests were turning."
Severus nodded and stayed silent, his expression showing very clearly that he was struggling with long held wounds and miserable emotions. He avoided eye contact with Harry now. The way the boy had been looking at him, now without glasses, had been gutting because his eyes were so much like his mother's.
"It was my fault that you lost her," Lucius finally interjected. "I saw your potential, and had enjoyed befriending you and playing mentor. I wanted to impress the group that would eventually become the elites of the Dark Lord's financiers. I knew that by bringing a young, very lost and angry wizard, who was as smart and capable as Severus to the fold, I would secure my place of stature as Tom Riddle strove to rise to power. I was arrogant and shallow, and a complete fool who thought that being powerful at any cost would guarantee me a fantastic life." He looked at Harry. "I deeply admire your clarity, Harry, on what is right and wrong. You are miles ahead of most of your peers. Most young people gravitate toward whomever has the most power and influence."
Harry stared at Malfoy in surprise, but he actually agreed with the sentiments. "I don't know why I have that clarity," he said.
"We're quite lucky that you do," Lucius said firmly.
"Harry Potter, step over to the door to be processed and interviewed." A volume-enhanced voice blared into the cell, causing every one of them to jump, startled.
"Harry," Lucius said firmly, as Harry got to his feet, shaking with fear, and barely registering that the others had stood up as well. "You say nothing except to request your solicitor. Say nothing more until he arrives. Follow his advice and instruction from that point. It will be alright."
Harry gulped hard and nodded, keeping his eyes on the door.
When it opened for the terrified teen to pass through, Severus had to stop himself from chasing after him. "I. do. not. like. this."
0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0
Harry knew something was very wrong when wrist and ankle restraints were magically re-applied to him as soon as he was over the threshold of the cell's doorway. And he knew he was pretty much powerless to do anything about it, as he was forced to hobble down a long, long corridor and into a chamber that had a row of five people seated on one side of a long table. He was expected to stand several feet in front, facing them. Minister Fudge was in the center of the group, but Harry did not look to see if he could recognize anyone else.
"The prisoner will only speak answers to the questions that are put to him," Cornelius Fudge declared, as a charmed quill quickly recorded his words.
Prisoner? Harry's stomach was so badly knotted he feared he might just vomit hard enough to splatter the Minister's shoes.
"Let the record show that Harry James Potter was arrested on 7, January, 1996, for assault, use of underage magic, delinquency of a minor, and public disturbance," Fudge declared, while the quill scratched furiously away on the parchment. "The prisoner will acknowledge these charges for the record."
"I demand to meet with my solicitor, the goblin Roarshirack," Harry said in a cracking voice. He gulped. None of this was even remotely true! He forced himself to stay in the moment and pay attention to all that was being said.
"You are a minor, Mr. Potter," Fudge said coldly. "The law does not recognize your demands."
"The law guarantees me a solicitor," Harry said emphatically. He was shaking from head to toe in fear, but he persevered, despite the way Fudge's nose was twitching in rage. "I demand representation by my solicitor, the goblin Roarshirack. He can be contacted at Gringott's."
"It is after hours," an odd looking wizard with long, lank black hair and dressed in a set of animal skin robes, responded in a nasally, oily voice to Harry.
"I know my rights," Harry lied desperately. He literally hoped to Merlin he was right about what he was saying. "I'll wait for my attorney's assistance to respond to your interrogation."
"We don't need your permission to conduct our investigation," Fudge informed Harry. He had Harry's wand, and held it pointed out over their heads. "Priore incantatum."
"You cannot cast that spell without a warrant, or without my permission!" Harry yelled. He didn't really worry that they'd find fault with anything he'd done with it. But he remembered Dumbledore explaining Priore incantatum, and its uses, and the laws surrounding those uses. His rights were once again being violated.
The quill continued to scribble while everyone's eyes were riveted to the spell reversal from Harry's wand, and no one responded to Harry's distress at all. It was right about then that he realized he hadn't really used his wand much since returning to school, so after the few Evanesco's from Transfiguration today, and dozen or so Dentes meos spells to defang the geraniums earlier, and the Incendio to Voldemort's snapped wand, Harry hadn't cast more than a couple of Lumos spells since the incident at the Department of Mysteries. For the first time in a long time, he was glad he'd not succeeded in fully casting the Crucio on Belatrix LeStrange in the Atrium. But mostly he was glad that his idea of "battle" had been to constantly cast Expelliarmus while he and his friends had fought with the Dark Lord's minions on that fateful day.
The panel of wizards grew bored with his wand fairly quickly. Now what?
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! They all jumped at the sound of loud pounding on the door. Harry turned as it swung open and a goblin entered, looking absolutely hostile.
"Why has my client not been given the opportunity to consult with me?" Roarshirack demanded. He walked in a wobbly totter, was barely tall enough to see over the table, and he was easily the most powerful force in the room. "And why have you been interrogating him without following the proper procedure for questioning a minor? I demand a private chamber to confer with my client, as is guaranteed by law."
0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0
Less than thirty minutes later, the four wizards were returning to Hogwarts once again. Arthur Weasley had borrowed a car from the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office surplus storage unit, and was driving them back to Headquarters.
Within the interior of the car, the silence seemed to amplify the pall of violation the four wizards were feeling. Severus kept a very close watch on Harry's emotional state and had taken the seat beside the rattled teenager. He was feeling quite affected by all that they'd been through together, and how much fear Harry had been constantly processing for days on end now. He truly wanted to comfort the boy.
"You are still young, Harry," Severus said to him quietly. "Right at the age between childhood and adulthood, and it's alright to be that child sometimes. This has been quite terrifying."
"It's never been alright for me to be a child." Harry said in a strained whisper.
Severus circled his arm around Harry's shoulders. "Why is that?" he asked softly, but he already knew what the answer was.
"Because when I'm a child, people abuse their power over me."
