I neither own nor profit from the world of Harry Potter.

Also : I have taken a bit of time to make a reasonably comprehensive plan and write a bunch of chapters in advance, but life keeps getting busier... I have a full time job, demanding exams, and I've just started seeing somebody. For this reason I'm not going to commit to a posting schedule, but I absolutely do intend to finish this (and if I ever do abandon it I'll let you know).

:)

Andromeda Tonks, nee Black, lived a comfortable life worlds away from the one in which she had been brought up. The house was large, with an extensive garden that Minerva assumed was still full of potions ingredients and magical creatures. Inside it was neat but cosy. With a pang, Minerva thought of Grimmauld Place. Why could Sirius not have stayed here?

Ted retuned with the bottle of wine and glasses and set them down on the table. He grinned at her.

"Anything else you want Professor? I'm sure we have a tin of shortbread somewhere." She narrowed her eyes and he held his hands up. "I'm off out" he said. "Got an appointment with a few pints at the local." He lowered his voice. "Listen professor. We both know that Andy doesn't trust Albus an inch, but Dora talks to me, probably more than she should. Let me know if there's anything I can do for the order."

Minerva's eyebrows rose. "I'm sure we can think of something, thank you Ted, though I do suggest that you tell your wife."

"There were footsteps coming downstairs. Ted winked at her, and picked up his coat. "See you Minnie!" He said.

"She narrowed her eyes at him. "Sirius was bad enough, Edward, and if you think you can take up where he and James left off-!"

"Andromeda appeared at the top of the stairs, the formal robes simple, yet a contrast to Ted's Muggle shirt and trousers.

"He laughed, raising his hands in surrender. "And get set the number of lines they had to write out? I think I'll pass, professor!"

"She flinched at the mention of lines, and Andromeda noticed. "Is everything alright Minerva?" She asked. "Your owl was unexpected, though of course welcome."

"Minerva smiled tightly. Amelia had cautioned the staff against mentioning the blood quill to anybody not involved in the investigation. "I am well thank you Andromeda. I am grateful that we could meet tonight."

"Andromeda bowed her head. "I confess that I am intrigued - and not unhappy that Nymphadora has left school. Your owl gave me an unfortunate flashback." Her voice was dry and Ted chuckled, presumably remembering the unusual number of scrapes that his daughter had found herself in. He gave his wife a kiss on her cheek and slipped out with a bow, leaving the two witches alone.

"Andromeda gestured to an armchair and both of them sat, a flick of the hostess' wand making the wine pour itself into two crystal glasses.

"Are you well Andromeda?" Minerva asked. The younger witch looked as collected as ever, but there was a hint of tiredness around the eyes that spoke of sleepless nights.

"My only daughter is running around fighting Death Eaters on the orders of a chaotic and incompetent ministry and my husband only survived the last war because I used blood magic of the kind that the so-called Light refuses, hypocritically, to outwardly contemplate." Minerva grimaced, thinking of the wards around the Dursley home. Andromeda seemed to misread her expression. "You know as well as I do that Molly Prewett's clock is made with the kind of family magic - blood magic - that she would have me, an ex-Black, condemned for."

Minerva nodded tiredly. "Self-rightiousness is certainly unsociable, though I do not doubt that many of the Black family's uses of Blood Magic have been used with far less alturistic intention."

Andromeda sipped her wine and Minerva sighed. She might be the first to criticise her own family, but Andromeda had been brought up a Black. Blacks did not allow criticism of their own - Sirius had very much been the exception rather than the rule.

She decided to get straight to the point. "Albus is stepping down as Chief Warlock." She said baldly, and hid her amusement at seeing the usually composed Andromeda almost choke on her wine. The other woman patted her mouth with a pale handkerchief before fixing Minerva with a pointed stare.

"Why?"

"There has been discussion amongst the staff, in consultation primarily with Amelia Bones, and Dumbledore has recognised that he perhaps has more pressing items on his agenda." Said Minerva carefully. She knew that she could not reveal the details of a criminal investigation, but she also knew that Andromeda was too sharp to be satisfied with any less. Indeed, she would have made a poor successor if she had.

"He's been ousted?" Andromeda almost looked smug.

"He has agreed."

"Who is to replace him? Madame Bones would be a strong choice, but I was under the impression that she enjoyed her work too much to want to take on additional duties?"

"We thought you might throw your hat - so to speak - into the ring."

"Andromeda's brows rose and she leaned back, setting her glass on a side-table and observing Minerva.

"Me?"

Minerva leant forward. "Amelia agrees with me. We want somebody who understands the values and worlds of the Purebloods, but who does not sympathise with Voldemort. There are very few people, as I'm sure you realise, who would not be considered unforgivably partisan."

"You know that I won't be formally allied with Albus Dumbledore."

"We don't expect you to be. I'm going to ask Augusta to reform the old Longbottom alliance. She'll be the counter to Lucius Malfoy's bloc, but Andromeda we need a proper Wizengamot. One that everybody respects. Who better to preside over it than yourself, with ties and disagreements with both sides?"

"Surely the Pure-bloods will consider the reformation of the Longbottom Alliance, as well as a 'Muggle-lover' such as myself, as a clear takeover of the chamber by Dumbledore?"

"They will see it as a show of strength by those who oppose Voldemort." Minerva said tartly. "But Albus himself will have no more power than they, and your dislike of the Headmaster is widely noted. Augusta, too, has never bent her will, though she has been recently been a staunch supporter of the Headmaster, it is true." She finished her wine. "I would argue though, that that loyalty could be considered as much Harry's as Albus', and the child at least is blameless of Albus' crimes, except perhaps for a general prejudice of Slytherins."

Andromeda sighed. "May I think on it? I should discuss this with Ted at least. I'm not convinced that making a public figure of myself - of my family - is a good idea right now."

"You know that the war will come anyway, and that the our best chance - the best chance for your family - is if we can cut off the funding and political power sooner rather than later?"

"It's a war being fought by children!"

Minerva flinched back. "What exactly do you mean?"

"I visited Sirius, Minerva, last year. Dora knew that he was innocent and he - Merlin, what that prison did to him. But he told me about Harry, you know. Albus has been pulling and pushing at him, at all of them. Their little Marauders - where are they now? The McKinnons? The Prewetts? Albus Dumbledore recruited in a school, don't try to deny it."

"Political tensions spill over and children take notice, you know that! You-Know-Who was recruiting too, of course the older children joined up. I tried to dissuade as many of them as possible, but the truth is we needed them Andromeda. The Death Eaters held so much power, and they were of age!"

"So nobody could have stopped six underage children fighting death eaters at the ministry this summer? And your excuse is that You-Know-Who was recruiting in the school? Then who should have stopped him but Albus Dumbledore? Did he ever check students for Dark Marks? I know for a fact that Severus Snape and little Reggie were inducted as soon as they became of age!"

Minerva looked slightly ashamed. "That has not happened, no."

"What about reaching out to the Slytherins then? Of course we are more likely to have familial connections to Blood Supremacists - so why ostracise us further? Why allow antiquated traditions like arranged marriages or disinheritance to run rampant, as though change is impossible?"

Minerva bristled slightly. "It has been a trying few years, Andromeda. I appreciate your concerns and I will raise them at the school - but honestly it is difficult enough preventing serious injury between Slytherins and Gryffindors most of the time, particularly in this political climate."

Andromeda smirked suddenly. "I seem to remember sending a number of Gryffindors to the hospital wing myself."

"Not that you were ever caught."

Andromeda smiled.

"What did you mean about arranged marriages?" Asked Minerva. "You escaped yours well enough."

"I wasn't talking about myself." She said coolly. "The point stands though. I will discuss the position with Ted when he returns and I will owl you tomorrow with my decision. I won't deny that it is a tempting offer, particularly if it does not come with a leash held by the Headmaster."

Minerva shook her head. "It does not." She sensed that she had been dismissed. "I look forward to hearing from you, Madame Tonks."

Andromeda bowed formally, then took the older witch's hand as they stood. "It feels" she said "as though you are stepping up your involvement somewhat at the school." Minerva said nothing. "Perhaps with some sense in charge we may have a chance in this war."

"I hope that we may soon have strong leadership in all areas of public life, Andromeda."

"Augusta, you say? She has always had strong opinions."

"Until tomorrow."

"Goodnight."

That meeting had been several days before. Now it was late in the day and Minerva had at last returned to her office. She had spent the morning interviewing new History of Magic teachers. Given that the majority of Hogwarts-educated witches and wizards had been taught by Binns, many of the candidates were graduates of either international or alternative schools, and thus unfamiliar to Minerva.

She had been unexpectedly impressed by their calibre. Hogwarts had long attracted the majority of traditional pure-bloods, and the hiring biases at the ministry meant that it was Hogwarts students who were best represented within the wizarding community. Indeed, there had long been a narrative that the alternative schools fostered some kind of unpatriotic or substandard education, which explained the recourse of many of them to private or foreign employment. For the first time, Minerva questioned this assumption.

The best of them had been a young man educated in Manchester. He was probably in his late twenties and had no teaching experience outside of private tutoring, but he had been engaging and knowledgeable, and had already prepared an outline of lesson plans. They were a mixture of magical and muggle, and ran from an overview of more ancient communities to the start of the last Wizarding War.

"I don't think it would be wise to teach an ongoing war as history." He had said. "I imagine that studying the lead up may allow for organic discussion or contemporary issues, but I am wary of confronting the issue directly as though objectivity were a possibility."

"Don't worry, Mr Southall." Minerva had said dryly. "I daresay the war will make it into your classroom whether you want it to or not." She looked down his proposed timetable. "Particularly if you ask the fifth year Slytherins to consider the factors exploring the relative lack of innovation in magical versus non-magical communities since 1830."

"My classroom?" He had asked cheekily. "Do I have the job then?"

And he was hired.

Lunch had followed, and that had taken place at a small restaurant in Hogsmead. Augusta Longbottom and Harold Abbot had met her there to discuss the resurgent political alliance. Minerva had, to no great surprise, found her old friend keen to take up the political burden. The last years had seen the Longbottom family retreat into itself. Augusta was actually the second youngest active member of her house, and all of her energy for some years had been spent looking after her family. Not only did Neville and his parents require constant care, particularly when Neville was younger, but her own siblings and elderly relatives were close to insane themselves, and far less tractable. But the involvement of Neville in the fight at the Department of Mysteries earlier that summer had left Augusta simultaneously proud of her grandson and scared for him. The estates, she determined, were wealthy enough that carers could be brought in to deal with her relatives and Augusta could take back the political leadership that her husband and then her son had occupied.

"We've had a very positive response from the old families, as well as some newer Wizengamot members that we have reached out to." Augusta had said, looking sideways at Minerva. "Many of them feel, somewhat suddenly, that somebody should stand up to the ministry, and that they want in." She paused. "A number have even hinted at corruption and illegalities."

Harold's fists had clenched, but, like Augusta, he was unable to speak of the investigation into Umbridge. Each person interviewed, along with their families, had had to sign a standard document prepared by Amelia's department, and while the consequences of the contract were far less severe than, say, an unbreakable vow, the courts would be notified of any breaches of confidentiality or sharing of information.

"I think we were all getting somewhat impatient regardless." He ground out. "After little Ced was killed last year, and the ruckus at the Ministry? The ministry stalled for a year over the return of You-Know-Who, and booting out Fudge hardly fixes the problem."

"We're meeting officially tonight." Said Augusta. "We need to clarify our positions on various issues. I imagine that the gist will be the same as it used to be, with an added emphasis on taking a strong stance on domestic terrorism, but we want to be sure about our policy suggestions on more gritty issues too – including muggle relations, dangerous creatures, and business rates. It is better to be consistent and united from the start."

Minerva nodded. "Dangerous creatures?"

"The old alliance took a fairly conservative stance on creature rights. House-elves and Werewolves were there to be controlled or used, and often put down." Augusta looked uncomfortable. "While I still find myself to be more old fashioned than Neville, he has been persuasive this summer. I understand that Remus Lupin taught him several years ago, and while I would have complained to yourself or to Albus had I known of his affliction, there are few professors about whom Neville is more complementary."

"Hannah too. She was devastated when he left, and had a massive row with her mother about warding the house with silver and crucifixes."

Minerva smiled. "I confess that, had I not visited eleven-year-old Remus myself many times after the full moon, I might never have changed my mind about werewolves."

"We're less sure about the house eves." Harold said. "I understand that a muggle-born girl at the school has been campaigning for their freedom, but I don't think she appreciates the way that house-elf bonding works, or the impact that separation from wizarding society might have for house elf magic."

"I agree." Said Minerva. "The campaign was the talk of the staffroom for some time. We thought it might prove a learning curve. Miss Granger is infrequently wrong, but every precocious child must fail at something."

"I have had a look through our laws however" said Amelia "and there are no protections in place for house elves facing abuse or for those who wish to seek new or alternative employment. Nor are there any records of any elves being consulted regarding their rights or wants. My feeling is that Department as a whole should be revamped: our dealings with the centaurs, for example, are atrocious."

"Hogwarts would certainly appreciate that. You have no idea how difficult it was for Albus to reclaim Dolores from the herd in the forest, and I understand that they are furious even at Hagrid."

"We'll certainly take that into account."

The meeting had continued, with largely administrative matters. Minerva herself was not going to get involved with politics directly, but she appreciated that the members of the prospective alliance had between them a number of children at Hogwarts, and that they would likely need reassurance that measures were being put in place to better protect them going forward.

After leaving the restaurant, the true work of the day had begun. Severus had provided her with a list of Gryffindors along with times and locations of Gryffindors to visit. Although Remus would be taking over her duties as Head of House from the beginning of the new school year, Minerva knew that she owed it to her students and their parents to explain why the school - and she - had failed them.

First on the list today had been little Elliot Jones. He had been a strong student from the beginning, showing promise particularly in Herbology and Charms, but had a bad habit of getting into fights - the physical as much as the magical. Minerva had had to speak with him about it.

She winced as she remembered the meeting with his mother. His siblings - only one of whom had showed any signs of magical ability so far - had been sent out to play in the park opposite the house, and she and the mind-healer, a young woman named Sian, had sat with Elliot and his mother in the front room.

While the mother had been distraught, Elliot had been sullen. Minerva had checked, and found that Elliot had only had one such detention, but it seemed to have made an impression.

"It was just about stupid name calling." He had said to his mother. She had asked why he had been given a detention in the first place. "Don't worry about it."

Minerva had taken Elliot aside and had set up some basic safety wards for his home. He had nearly cried with relief.

And that had just been the first visit. Minerva wasn't sure which kind were worse, if she was honest. Families like Elliot's were bewildered and upset, but generally didn't understand what had happened, and their children were unaware exactly how illegal Umbridge's actions had been. They were also generally kept in the dark about quite how much danger they themselves were in, and quite frankly she couldn't blame the children for hiding how helpless they truly were.

She had started to set up a modified version of the trace around most of the homes, explaining what she was doing to the children. If any magic were detected in the vicinity the Order should know. A fourth year boy who had acted out increasingly during the year, though not usually in Umbridge's lessons, had sobbed. It had not really occurred to Minerva how much her students were affected by the outbreak of war. There had been a number of older students - muggle-born and otherwise - who had come for her or Filius for advice the previous year regarding warding and protection, but they had mostly been students who were likely to join the order and who were of-age. She had assumed, clearly wrongly, that younger children would be left out of the conflict, and would barely notice it over their studies.

The other families were the wizarding families, and they generally understood quite how bad the situation at Hogwarts had got. Filius had privately alerted her of two Ravenclaw parents who were considering making claims against the school, and expected more. Between the two of them they hoped that the criminal trial and culpability of the Ministry would redirect their ire, but she was sure that a number of them would want a personal update.

And on that subject, there was a knock at the door.

A flick of her wand saw it open to admit Amelia and the other Heads of Houses.

"No Albus?" She asked curiously.

"Albus will attend the trial as a member of the Wizengamot if he is not questioned in person." Said Amelia. "It would be wise, he thought, if he were not cognizant of additional facts ahead of time."

Severus sneered. "Dumbledore doesn't want facts ahead of time? He's embarrassed. Of course he doesn't want to hear about the consequences of his inaction!"

Minerva winced. There was probably truth to that. The five of them arranged themselves comfortably around the fire and helped themselves to tea and shortbread.

"Severus, please would you begin." Said Amelia. She had a small dictation quill that she set upon a parchment on a coffee table beside her. Severus eyed it warily. "Don't worry, it will not be used in court without my - and your - permission."

Severus scowled. "We have managed to speak to all of the non-Gryffindors." He said. "And of the Gryffindors, we have visited around eighty percent and have timetabled home visits for all but Potter."

"Why the delay?" Asked Flitwick. "Other than Mr Potter, that is?"

"Some students are abroad, particularly those with muggle familes." Said Minerva. "Additionally, I can only visit so many families each day, and Umbridge targeted Gryfindors, it seems."

"It is difficult not to." Muttered Severus, to outraged glares. "Ignore that, I suppose. Therefore, against excluding Mr Potter, we have spoken to those students for whom the punishment was most... prolonged. Given the similarities of the testimonies gathered I feel that we are unlikely to gain any more significant evidence for the trial, though we should certainly talk with every family before school starts."

"Good." Said Amelia briskly. "I'd like to personally thank Pomona for visiting my brother. He floo-called me immediately, and while he certainly wishes to press charges against somebody, he understands that the children were unable to alert you to the problem, and that your hands were thus tied. He said that Susan broke down when she realised that nobody else had known about it."

"She thought that it was sanctioned?" gasped Pomona. "That we were allowing it?"

"We have allowed a lot." Squeaked Filius. "These are dark times, and we certainly gave the children no confidence that we could stand up to the Ministry last year, or to Umbridge. They must have believed that it was ordered and that we obeyed."

Amelia nodded. "The personal reassurance will do as much good as the mind-healer, I think. Moving on, we would like the testimonies of a selection of children at the trial. These can be written, viewed in a pensive, kept anonymous, or be made in person."

"I have a number of candidates." Said Minerva. "Most of my older students, once they had taken Severus' potion and could talk freely about their experiences, expressed a desire for revenge. Lee Jordan in particular would make a strong witness, and he experienced prolonged exposure to the quill. Alicia Spinett, Angelina Johnson, the Weasley twins... all have now graduated and could appear in person."

Pomona spoke. "I agree that Lee Jordan would be an excellent witness, and I think all who want to tell their story should be allowed to." She paused. "I have a thirteen year old with a mother in the ministry. She doesn't want her child to appear but she wants the testimony out there."

Severus looked thoughtful. "One of the few Slytherins to be punished was little Astoria Greengrass. Her father was livid, and was prepared to challenge either Fudge, Albus or Dumbledore to a duel over his daughter's spilled blood. I imagine that he is angry enough to share her testimony, and many of the Pure-bloods would be far more outraged by a Greengrass in Slytherin being tortured than a litany of muggle-borns and brash fully-grown Gryffindors."

"Speak with him again please Severus." Amelia said. "And please could all of you request that any students who wish to testify meet with me before the trial, in the presence of yourselves or another guardian if the child is underage. The trial date is set for the 28th August, and it is due to be closed to all parties not directly involved, with the exception of a selection of carefully vetted reporters."

There were a few more details of the trial to go through, as well as the slim possibility that any of them would be called to testify, and Minerva briefly alerted her colleagues to the urgent need for them to provide children at the school with some form of protection for their families.

"They must be terrified." She said, quietly. "Too young to protect their loved ones, yet old enough to have seen a student die during a school competition, and to know the possibilities."

Amelia agreed. "I might see if Arthur Weasey's department can do something about it." She said. "They'd be ideally placed to interact with the families, and frankly it would be better if the auror or hitwizard departments were alerted to any disturbances. We can't have you personally responsible for all of the students' families, and we'd like to know where the Death Eaters are anyway."

Minerva nodded, relieved, and noticed with no small happiness that all the tea had been drunk, and Amelia was packing up her bag. "If that's all?" She asked. "Only it's been a long day."

Flitwick patted her elbow on his way out. "We're all learning, Minerva. Take heart." Her colleague was infrequently introspective and the lack of levity in his voice was unusual. It crept back in though. "Recognising that there's a problem is the first step, as they say!"