A/n: This was supposed to be 2 chapters but musey wanted to jump the story forward a bit so anything in this chapter may be expanded on later as a flashback. On the plus side, if I can get my head to stop pounding, you might get an actual 2 chapters today! Enjoy!
Oh! Almost forgot! Irritatedbookworm provided help on what to do with Zabini. I'm just sorry that musey refused to let me expand it into a proper full chapter.
*+ovo+*
Madam Bones practically stalked into the cell holding one Delores Umbridge, a vial of ministry veritaserum in her pocket and flanked by two senior aurors. She spat out a full body bind spell before the pink clad prisoner could start to berate her. A quick dosing of the woman with truth serum and they were ready.
"Testing, testing, the current Date is December 12th 1995. This is Senior Auror John Dwalish of the DMLE testing the dicta-quill for the Interrogation of Prisoner 49501, Delores Jane Umbridge, currently charged with aggravated assault on a minor and the accused use of a Class 5 Restricted Use Dark Artifact on said minor at a prior date. Due to certain interests in the case which potentially threaten the Wizarding World as a whole Ministry Certified Veritaserum is being used on the subject without prior consent by the subject. In attendance at this interrogation are myself, Madam Bones - Head of the DMLE, Senior Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt, Rookie Auror Nymphadora Tonks, and Senior Auror John Avery. Current division of those present two Aurors each support the Light or Dark Faction with Madam Bones being neutral. Said personal support may be used to note that this is intended as an impartial interrogation," Auror Dwalish announced, meeting his boss' eyes evenly as the recitation was listed down word perfect by the official recording quill. The quill would record every sound until it was shut off.
"Personal affiliations will be discussed at a later date," Madam Bones said sourly but nodded her acceptance of the situation. It wasn't like she hadn't known there were people for both Dumbledore and the Dark Lord in her department.
"Madam... what are we doing here?" Shacklebolt asked carefully.
"Hopefully preventing the Dark Lord from resuming his attempts to destroy the Ministry and accidentally reveal us to the muggles at large," Madam Bones told him frostily before turning to the dosed prisoner and starting.
Noting the glassy look in the eyes of the prisoner Madam Bones proceeded to ask the first question of the basic check. "What is your full, legal name?"
Umbridge gave her dull voiced reply with an obvious attempt to fight the potion. "Delores Jane Umbridge."
Auror Shcaklebolt briefly took over to finish up the confirmation questions before they properly started in on the interrogation.
"Did you use a blood quill on any students while serving in any capacity at Hogwarts?" Auror Dwalish asked in a quiet yet strong voice. He had noticed things were going too slow and they risked the first dose of Veritaserum wearing off.
"Yes," Umbridge admitted, clearly still fighting the effects of the potion.
"List to who and how many times this did occur first together and then individually," Auror Avery ordered harshly. When Umbridge didn't respond Dwalish reworded his colleague's order.
Who did you use the blood quill on and how many times each did they use it? Also do you know how many time total a student was required to use it under your care and if so how many times with all instances combined was it in use?" Dwalish asked the properly worded questions.
Umbridge fought the potion even harder and finally spat out, "Its recorded in the school detention log. I never bothered to count them all." before managing to shut up. It was clearly the truth but it gave little to no actual information.
"Did you or did you not force Harry Potter to use the blood quill and if so how often?" Madam Bones questioned, bile rising in her throat. This woman disgusted her already.
"As often as I could. He's a traitor to the wizarding world and should be tortured for information before being fed to the Dementors!" Umbridge spat hatefully. Her answer caused most of them to blanche.
"Oh hell," Dwalish whispered the only sound aside from the prisoner's heavy breathing and the scratching of the recording quill.
"Did you set the Dementors on Harry Potter during this past summer?" Avery demanded. He had been wondering about that farce of a case and her obvious hatred combined with her ministry position made it all suddenly click into place.
"Yes!" Umbridge hissed through clenched teeth.
"Madam Bones I am now obliged to tell you that if this is handled in any way that doesn't eventually result in Umbridge's death the Dark Lord will not react well. In fact he will ensure that it happens with the high possibility of collateral damage," Avery informed her stiffly. "He has claimed Mr. Potter on multiple levels and will happily kill anyone who brings harm to him or Potions Master Snape. A message was sent out to all marked and many unmarked supporters to inform them of this change in status in large part due to the previous open feud that transcended any war plans. The feud has since been dissolved and changed into an alliance. I am officially informing you of the matter as it obviously will play a part in this case."
"Noted," Madam Bones growled out unhappily. She resisted the urge to rub her forehead in an attempt to stave off the building headache. It wasn't like she hadn't suspected something like that with the various changes that had occurred since the Hogsmeade raid. It made handling anything that threatened Harry Potter an even more dangerous position than it had been before. The official arrest and recently hidden escape of Dumbledore did not help things!
The questioning proceeded in a similar manner with them needing to dose Umbridge an additional three times before they had managed to drag a decent amount of evidence and information from her. The break for lunch was a welcome distraction as Umbridge was escorted back to her cell. Further questioning would occur as time permitted that week but they had already gathered enough for a possible treason charge. They also established foregone guilty verdicts for multiple counts of attempted murder, multiple counts of torture, and multiple counts of child abuse.
Unfortunately for Madam Bones a very angry Zabini Head was waiting for her in her office after dealing with Delores... oh joy.
What followed was a three hour explanation of exactly how badly Heir Blaise Zabini had fucked up when he had killed Hedwig. When Lord Zabini left her office he was already mentally crafting an official apology letter which contained an offer of compensation. He was also including an inquiry as to whether or not the Family Lord, the Dark Lord, was currently entertaining marriage contracts for possible acceptance. After all the last time this had happened the Mage in question had decimated most of the magical mafia families in Italy, wiping out two completely. Lord Zabini simply hadn't had certain pieces of information yet that morning to make the connection and respond appropriately. Now that he knew... well his Heir was at risk from being disinherited and thrown out on the streets without a knut to his name.