Touched by Death – Chapter 20 (To Be or Not To Be...)
Sirius didn't tell Harry or Marcus what he had been planning. Ever since Marcus' letter about Harry missing his memories, he been corresponding with a reporter. Sirius didn't like the woman very much, but she was very good at what she did. She seemed to hold a little respect for him, after all she had written an article about him being imprisoned without a trial. That had created a massive outrage with the public, on such a level that the Minster couldn't escape the backlash. The current minister may not have sentenced him, but he had tried to prevent the truth from coming out as did Dumbledore. There was a reason why Dumbledore wasn't Chief Warlock over Wizengamot or the Supreme Mugwump anymore. Madam Bones was mainly responsible for that, but Rita Skeeter's article helped push the issue. There had been an anonymous vote in Wizengamot, turns out they weren't happy that the man helped imprison an innocent man. It was even worse that it had been Lord Black. The Purebloods may not have been a big fan of Sirius, but it was the fact a Lord of an Ancient and Noble house didn't have a trial. It created an outcry that even Dumbledore and Fudge couldn't control. Dumbledore was slowly losing influence over the Wizarding World. And it was possible that Fudge could be sacked any day now.
Sirius had also been corresponding with Fasmork about possible charges against Gringotts. The biggest ones were theft and fraud. The fraud was about Dumbledore intentionally altering legal documents. The theft was about the thousands of missing galleons from the Potter vaults. The goblins could be very vicious when they found out you were stealing from them. Sirius had to wince when he heard the amount of interest they were adding plus the amount of galleons stolen. Gringotts was adding 15 percent interest, if it hadn't been repaid by the date they set. They would put claim over any vaults in their names and send in the charges to Madam Bones in DMLE. Depending on how severe the charges were, it could mean imprisonment in Azkaban. Usually they didn't trust wizards or witches to handle their affairs, but Sirius assured them she took it as seriously as Goblins did.
Sirius was still working to get Dumbledore sacked as Headmaster, which was proving to be insanely difficult. It wouldn't be solved by having Rita writing another article, because it would take a big push to pull this off. Sirius would need the help of the Board of Governors but do to that he needed to call emergency session.
Sirius didn't know if he ever would have used the information that Harry had confided in him about the Dursleys. He didn't think he really needed to, believing his punishment for those muggles was enough. But he still had gotten permission from Harry during the past summer. To ask if Harry would allow him to persecute his relatives. Harry didn't want to at the beginning, but his godson finally agreed to it if they performed a Wizards Oath.
So, that was the current path Sirius was taking. He had called an emergency session of Wizengamot. Nobody was happy about the requirement that everyone in session were to take a Wizards Oath. Everyone knew what that meant, something top sensitive was not to spread around. So that meant, there was not to be any reporters or gossip. The way a Wizards Oath worked, the magic would literally bind their tongue, so they wouldn't speak about the matter. If they got too close to reveal the matter, their magic would be snapped. No witch or wizard in their right mind would want to lose their magic. And if everything went right with this session to call action to the impressing matter. The Hogwarts Board of Governors would be called to perform the same Wizards Oath and decide if the Headmaster was to remain, be on probation, or be sacked.
It had been a few days after Harry and Marcus had gone to Gringotts when they saw the Prophet. Unluckily, Harry had been drinking pumpkin juice that went all over Neville. Neville had been, unfortunately, sitting across from Harry at the Gryffindor table.
Neville sputtered, not expecting to be suddenly covered in pumpkin juice. Dean and Seamus just howled in laughter.
Harry was immediately apologetic and stuttering out sorry's. Most of them went unheard.
Neville all of a sudden looked behind him, because his robes suddenly felt clean and dry. "Hi Marcus."
The Slytherin nodded, "Neville, Dean, Seamus." He smiled at Harry. "I see that you've read the Daily Prophet…"
Harry had shut up by that point and rolled his eyes, "now what would give you that idea…" he said dryly.
The other three Gryffindor's eyes went wide on the front-page article. Because on the front page were the words, "Hogwarts Headmaster on Probation!"
Harry grabbed the newspaper to quickly glance over it. "Proof of child endangerment?"
Seamus, Dean, and Neville shrugged, they weren't sure what proof they found. They didn't go much into detail, due to the restrictions of the Wizard Oath. Harry's eyes landed on Marcus in suspicion.
"Why do I have the feeling you were behind this?" Harry asked his boyfriend.
Marcus just smirked, "Well you don't if I did anything for that matter, but for once I can't claim rights to this. Sirius might know."
"Might be right about that…" Harry muttered to himself. "So, basically if Dumbledore steps out of line, he's sacked…"
Marcus nodded, "it's almost like a trial period. He's already on a thin line with the Board of Governors. So, they'll be looking for any way to get him out."
"He doesn't look pleased," Seamus noted.
All five of them had glanced at Dumbledore and Seamus was right. The old man looked enraged as he was holding the Prophet. None of the faculty was speaking to the Headmaster, no doubt wary if he may try to curse them in his anger. Or the fact that they had seen the article and weren't sure if it was true or not. But it remained the fact that Gringotts had given affirmation of the Headmaster tempering with their affairs. But they would not say a client's name, that would be breaking confidentiality. But they said that the Headmaster was being charged with theft and fraud, a matter that goblins took very seriously. Though Harry wasn't sure if part of the Headmaster's rage was anything to do with that the man couldn't' read his mind anymore.
"They didn't say how long he would be on probation, though," Harry pointed out.
Marcus shrugged, "probably a year or two. It all depends on the Board, for all we know it could be a permanent probation. With luck, the Headmaster would be gone before the year is out."
Dean, Seamus, and Neville looked confused and one of them asked, "How come you guys want Dumbledore gone so badly?"
The Slytherin looked at Harry surprised, "you didn't tell them yet?"
"It's not like I had much of a chance to," Harry huffed. He then looked at his friends, "I'll explain this later to you guys."
The three Gryffindors still looked confused, but they all nodded. It wasn't like they were like Ron and Hermione who would run to the very man that was trying to control him. And he knew they wouldn't demand for the truth. Harry just wish he found them and been friends with them instead of Ron and Hermione in his first year.
Marcus turned his attention to Harry once Dean, Seamus, and Neville turned back to their food and to look at the Prophet more closely. He placed a privacy ward around himself and Harry.
Harry gave the Slytherin a curious glance.
"Privacy ward," Marcus explained as he pulled a letter out of his robes. Sirius sent us a letter.
Harry and Marcus
I'm gonna guess by now that you've seen the Daily Prophet, as the front page is bound to catch your attention. It is true, Albus has been put on probation by the Board of Governors. I had called an emergency session at Wizengamot to bring the issue about the Dursleys. They took a Wizards Oath, so they can't speak unless they want to lose their magic and their tongue is bound. I am not the only one that wishes Dumbledore out of Hogwarts. I do not want that man around you, Harry and I know Marcus shares my opinion. The Goblins at Gringotts did offer their assistance and agreed to not mention your name. Bringing news about Gringotts. Dumbledore did not meet their deadline, so they are getting those galleons back by force. Turns out that he had a vault under the Order of the Phoenix. Every galleon, sickle, and knut was seized and returned to your trust vault. The goblins are also looking into the Hogwarts fund for students that can't pay the tuition and books. It looks like the old man was taking more than half into his personal accounts. There is a separate account opened so as soon as Dumbledore is sacked, they will return it to the fund and a letter will be sent to the new Headmaster/mistress explaining everything. And warning them that this will never happen again if they don't want the wrath of Gringotts on them.
Love you both and I will write soon. Hopefully I can pay another visit to the castle to see you both.
Sirius
Harry was gapping at the letter. "So, Dumbledore is going to be charged with everything?"
"Everything," Marcus confirmed. "I imagine it won't take too long for the man to be sacked."
"Who will be the new Headmaster?" the Gryffindor asked.
Marcus smirked, "I believe you mean, Headmistress."
Harry looked dumbfolded. "What?"
"Headmistress. The deputy to the Headmaster would take their place. Professor McGonagall is the Deputy Headmistress," Marcus explained.
"Ohh… I definitely would prefer her than having Dumbledore."
"Obviously…" Marcus drawled. That was when Marcus decided to break the ward. "I will talk to you tomorrow. I have a meeting with McGonagall in a bit. Something to do with the selection this week."
"Have fun," Harry smiled as Marcus leaned down to peck him on the lips.
"Yeah… whatever…"
Harry snickered at Marcus' disgruntled response. He knew that the Slytherin enjoyed being Headboy.
Now all that remained was the conversation with Seamus, Dean, and Neville. They weren't like Ron and Hermione, so Harry wanted to tell them what was going on. And apparently Marcus assumed that Harry had already done so.
Harry honestly felt excited as he sat at Gryffindor table with Seamus, Dean, and Neville. They were having the selection for the Triwizard Tournament in the Great Hall. The stone Goblet of Fire was in the center by the faculty table. There had been some space made so everyone had a walkway to the side door at the far end of the room. And you could clearly see the front of the hall to see what the Goblet of Fire would do.
Harry didn't pay much attention to what Dumbledore was talking about. It was pretty much the same stuff he spoke about before when talking about the tournament. Basically, that a champion was the be selected for each school…
Harry and his friends watched intently as the stone goblet's fire went from a royal blue to a crimson red. The goblet basically spat a piece of parchment out, no doubt it was the first selection. After it had spat it out, it returned to his royal blue color. Harry grinned when he heard that Krum had been the champion for Durmstrang, it was a little predictable.
The goblet was changing colors again to announce the Beauxbatons' champion. It was a blonde woman by the name of Fleur Delacour. Harry knew he hadn't heard of her before, which wasn't surprising since she went to school in France. He silently wondered if she could handle the tasks for the tournament. Harry's eyes went back to the goblet as it announced the Hogwarts Champion. It had the crimson color again as it spit out the parchment.
Harry's eyes went wide, as probably did the entire school, excluding Durmstrang and Beauxbatons. A Slytherin had been just chosen as the Hogwarts Champion. Harry honestly loved the fact that Slytherin was the one to be chosen for the champion. But he knew that everyone had expected it to be either from Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw. And if Marcus were to be looking at Harry, he knew that the Headboy would be sporting a gob smacked, stunned expression.
The 7th year in question that was picked as the Hogwarts Champion, was none other than Terrance Higgs. And Higgs looked to be just as shocked, no doubt not expecting his name to come out the Goblet of Fire.
Harry had seen Higgs around the school plenty to know him by face. It helped Harry on remembering him when he had been on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. He recalled that Higgs had been the Seeker during his first and second year until Malfoy replaced him. The Gryffindor wondered if the Slytherin Captain had regretted that decision. Malfoy had been a horrible seeker to begin with, all because his ego was hurt that his rival got to play as Seeker his first year. There was a curiosity if the reason that Malfoy was never booted from the team was because nobody wanted to hear him whine to his father.
Even after Harry had left the team, the Gryffindor saw the 7th year plenty in the hospital wing. Something to do with him always sustaining some type of Quidditch injury. Harry believed that Higgs probably moved from Seeker position to Chaser. Higgs was an alright bloke from what Marcus has said and recalled that Higgs had been one of the more decent Slytherins. He wasn't like the other Slytherin Quidditch players that played dirty during a match. Marcus had definitely been one of those that played dirty to the extreme when he was still on the Quidditch team.
Harry was slightly impressed though, Higgs had even earned the title for Quidditch Captain this year. That position tended to be fought over more than the position of prefect. And Higgs had gained both positions in the same year. The small Gryffindor wasn't surprised about the Quidditch injuries, he always saw Slytherin and Gryffindor in the Hospital Wing frequently because of some Quidditch related injury. But least some Slytherins didn't whine or protest that a Gryffindor had to treat their wounds or injuries.
The entire school watched as Terrance Higgs got over his momentary shock, shook the Headmaster's hand. Though the Slytherin had grimaced doing so, none of Slytherins were a fan of the old coot. That was when Harry watched green robes disappear down the hallway towards the far door. And for once Harry paid attention to what Dumbledore said next, because he suddenly noticed something glowing bright blue and it wasn't the Goblet of Fire.
Apparently, it was called the Triwizard Cup, and unlike the goblet it was glowing this bright light blue. It had handles on the side and the entire thing seemed to be glowing up with runes. It was a bit stunning to look at. The Gryffindor wondered if the Goblet of Fire and the Triwizard Cup shared the same runes.
Suddenly, Harry felt a nudge to his side. Seamus was trying to get his attention to look at the stone goblet. It had already returned back to its royal blue flames, but the flames were starting to go haywire. There was a small blast from it before it turned deep blood red and shot flames in the air, along with a slightly burnt piece of parchment. Harry shot Seamus a confused looked, he wasn't sure what was going on. Especially since the Goblet had already chosen three champions already.
When Dumbledore's voice rang out, Harry's face when deathly pale.
"Harry Potter!"