Disciplinary Action
Summary: Ron used a confundus charm on a muggle in order to pass his driving test. He told Harry who did nothing about it. What happens when someone else finds out? Set just under a week after the epilogue.
Warnings: Canon pairings. Epilogue compliant. Not for Ron fans. Not an especially happy ending.
Of all the tasks that came with the title of Head Auror, drawing up the timetable for the weekend shifts was Harry Potter's least favourite. It was so much more complicated than planning the weekday rotas, and that was complicated enough. With the weekday rota he had to decide who would me manning the desks and who would be out on the streets. He had to decide who patrols where and who with, who was on morning, afternoon, evening and night and who was on standby as backup if needed. Then there were all the little changes that had to be made, like who would cover if someone was ill or on holiday or on maternity leave, as well as who got on well with who (for example, Lucretia Jones and Cameron Jackson were both excellent Aurors, but Harry learned a long time ago that it was a bad idea to get them working together).
For weekend rotas he also had to take into consideration things like who worked last weekend and who will send be the loudest howler for making their partner work three Saturdays in a row; Jake Marley's wife or Gideon Fowler's fiancée and the fact that Lucas Dixon's wife had given birth to twins three weeks ago.
Taking a quill, Harry underlined Rose Zeller's name on a piece of parchment with green ink. Auror Zeller had worked the last five Saturdays and four Sundays in a row. The green ink signified that no matter what scheduling conflicts may arise; Auror Zeller was having this weekend off!
There was a knock on the door to Harry's office and he called out "Come in."
The door opened and Auror Zeller herself walked in.
As Head Auror, Harry was not technically supposed to have favourites, but it was hard for him to not be especially fond of Rose Zeller. The way that the Auror Department worked was that you spend three years doing training at the Auror Academy and then joined the Aurors as someone's protégé for two years. A year after that, provided you were a good enough Auror, you could get assigned a protégé of your own.
Rose Zeller had been Harry's first protégé and they had been great friends ever since. Not only that, she also had Harry's eternal gratitude. When his close friend Hermione Granger-Weasley had gotten pregnant, she had become the target of a group who called themselves the Neo-Death Eaters – a gang of violent criminals determined to return the Wizarding World to what they saw as the glory days of Voldemort's rule. And what a target Hermione had presented to them – Harry Potter's best friend and the biggest Mud Blood around, they had been most keen to get to her and kill both her and her unborn child.
Harry had worked for months to track them down and had, along with his Auror Partner Susan Bones, led an assault on a Muggle warehouse on the outskirts of Manchester where the Neo-Death Eaters has established their base. They had caught a few members of the gang there but quickly learned that the group has been tipped off about the Aurors imminent arrival and had instead gone on the assault themselves, intending to take out Hermione while Harry was busy at their base.
By the time Harry and Susan had made it to St Mungo's, Rose had been the last line of defence between Ginny, Luna, the healer and the in-labour Hermione and at least ten members of the gang.
Once the fight was over, the ten members of the gang were down and out, Luna had a broken nose, Rose was fighting for her life and Hermione had given birth to a baby girl, who was promptly named Rose Weasley in honour of her defender.
Harry couldn't help but notice as Rose stepped in through the door that the Auror looked a little distressed, prompting him to ask "What's wrong?"
"Susan wants to see you," replied Rose. "She's pretty pissed at something."
Harry sighed and stood up from his desk. Susan Bones had been Harry's Auror partner since the first day they has stepped into the Auror Training Program, three months after The Battle for Hogwarts and the Defeat of Voldemort, and for the last three years they had been running the Ministry's Law Enforcement Department together, Harry as Head Auror and Susan as the slightly-higher ranked Head of Department. As such Harry knew that there were only a few things that got Susan annoyed enough to be referred to as "pretty pissed" – first was a criminal evading capture, second was an Auror misbehaving and third was the head of some other department being a total tosser.
As he left his office, Harry wondered what had occurred to get Susan riled up and how much paperwork he would have to do because of it.
He completely missed the sympathetic look Rose gave him as he headed off down the corridor.
Susan Bones had only one window in her office. It was enchanted by the magical maintenance department to provide a view of the outdoors, giving the impression that the Ministry was not, in fact, underground. Today the weather being shown consisted of dark clouds in the sky, howling winds and torrential rain pounding against the glass. The magical maintenance department always made the weather in the charmed windows as depressing as possible when they were angling for a pay rise.
On that particular day, however, Susan found the weather displayed to be quite symbolic, representative of the storm brewing within her.
She leaned against the window sill, her forehead resting against the cool glass as the sound of the wind and the rain filled her ears. She was dreading what was about to happen. She had always hoped that it would never come to this, but a line had been crossed and this time it was not something that she could just overlook.
She desperately hoped that her source was wrong and that he hadn't known about the incident… but then had been right about the breech…
A knock on the door drew her attention. It was a knock that she knew well as it was their secret knock, one that they had come up with together during their early days of the Auror Training Program. It told her exactly who it was and she called out "Come in, Harry."
The door opened and Harry Potter stepped into the room.
"Auror Zeller said that you wanted to speak with me?"
"Yes," she replied, her voice more terse than she wanted. "Take a seat Harry. We have something important to discuss."
"Alright," he replied, though he sounded slightly unsure. He took a seat and looked up at her.
The expression on her face was one that he was well familiar with, though he has never personally had it directed at him. It was the expression that she wore when interviewing a criminal and for the life of him he could not think of anything that he might have done to warring his being of the receiving end of such a look.
Susan sat down in the seat behind her desk and fixed Harry with a pointed look. "Three days ago I received a tip off about a potential breach in the statute of secrecy which occurred sometime in late August. Further investigation by Auror Zeller and I revealed that the event did in fact happen on the 28th August and involved the unjustifiable use of a confundus charm on a muggle."
"Really?" asked Harry. "Well, I hope you've arrested the person responsible."
Just then there was another knock on the door.
"I think I am about to," muttered Susan before she called out "Come in!"
Harry turned in his seat as the door opened to see Auror Zeller enter the room, followed by none other than Harry's best friend and brother-in-law Ronald Weasley.
"Harry, mate," said Ron upon spotting Harry sitting in the chair "You got any idea what this is about?"
Harry shrugged his shoulders and turned his attention back to Susan as she said "Have a seat, Mr Weasley."
As Ron sat in the seat next to Harry, Harry noticed that Auror Zeller had moved around the desk to stand at Susan's side.
Susan fixed the Head Auror with a stern glare and asked "Harry, can you honestly think of no reason why I have asked for Auror Weasley to be summoned to my office at this time?"
Harry tried to think of an answer but none was forthcoming. After a few moments, Susan got fed up with him waiting to supply him with an answer and pulled open a drawer on her desk. From within she took out a roll of parchment and slammed the drawer shut.
"This," she said, brandishing the roll of parchment at them "is a witness testimony alleging to have overheard one Ronald Bilius Weasley talking to Harry James Potter on Platform 9 ¾ shortly before 11am on the 1st September. Specifically the witness claims to have overheard Mr Weasley informing Mr Potter that he had used a confundus charm upon a muggle in order to pass a driving test."
Harry felt as though he had been punched in the stomach as the memory of that very confrontation came to the front of his mind:
"Parked all right then?" Ron asked Harry. "I did. Hermione didn't believe I could pass a Muggle driving test, did you? She thought I'd have to confund the examiner."
"No, I didn't," said Hermione, "I had complete faith in you."
"As a matter of fact, I did confund him," Ron whispered to Harry, as together they lifted Albus's trunk and owl onto the train. "I only forgot to look in the wing mirror, and let's face it; I can use a supersensory charm for that."
Ears burning red in anger, Ron rounded on Harry. "You blabbed?" he demanded, snapping Harry out of his memories.
"What?" asked Harry, "No. I never said a thing."
"So you knew but kept it quiet," said Susan. "Not exactly what I was hoping to hear from you Harry."
"Uh…" began Harry, but further words failed him.
Ron, apparently, had no such problems. Rounding on Susan he demanded "Well if it wasn't Harry, who was it? Who told you?"
"Not that the source is particularly relevant," replied Susan, "it was Draco Malfoy."
"Malfoy!" raged Ron. "What did you go listening to him for? He's a Slytherin! He's evil!"
"And yet your immediate rounding on Harry proves that Malfoy was telling the truth." interrupted Auror Zeller.
Ron's mouth did an excellent impression of that of a fish's as he struggled to find a comeback.
"Not only that," said Susan, continuing on from Auror Zeller's point, "We also conducted a thorough investigation before calling you in here. Expense receipts that you filed with the Ministry included the cost of driving lessons and the examination that followed. From there it was very easy to locate the examiner who had been confounded. A quick check of the man's own records provided us with copies of paperwork bearing your name and your signature. As Auror Zeller has already stated, your accusation of Harry just now just confirms your guilt. Be glad you are no longer an Auror or else I'd be firing your ass right now Weasley."
"But… but…" tried Ron.
"As it is, I am placing you under house arrest until such a time that a proper trial before the Wizengamot can be called for."
"What? That's ridiculous!" protested Ron before rounding on his friend. "Harry, do something!"
"Susan, a trial by Wizengamot does seem a bit harsh," began Harry before Susan cut him off by standing up and slamming her hands down on top of her desk, fixing Harry with a deadly glare.
"Don't you push me on this Potter! You're on thin ice as it is! I don't give a toss if this prick is your best friend or your worst enemy, he broke the International Statute of Secrecy without just cause and he isn't even slightly remorseful for it."
Harry backed down but Ron wasn't one for doing the same. "This is insane. It was just a confundus! Why are you getting so uptight?"
Susan's hands clenched into fists, her knuckles turning white as she fought to keep her temper from boiling over completely.
Harry finally decided that it would be best if he stepped into his role as Head Auror and made an effort to diffuse the situation somewhat.
"Auror Zeller, could you please escort Ron back to his house? Then make sure that he doesn't leave it while we make arrangements for a guard rotation."
"Good idea," said Susan. "Hermione must be getting worried sick."
Ron looked up at the mention of his wife's name. "Wait, what? Why's Hermione at home?"
Hermione Granger-Weasley was Deputy Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, making her Susan's ranking number two. Hermione assisted Susan with much of the administrative parts of the department whilst Harry, as Head Auror, was charged with overseeing much of the field work. Technically Harry was also ranking number two, though the official holder of the title was whoever was best placed in Susan's good books at the time.
Harry suspected that it would be a long time before he was back in Susan's good books!
"Hermione was aware of this case as it unfolded. Upon realising just how much trouble you and Harry are in she decided that she could not be here when I called you in," explained Susan. "I gave her the rest of the week off."
Harry suspected that it wasn't just out of kindness to Hermione that Susan had let her Deputy go home. Hermione very likely had a lot to say to Ron when he got home. This was probably also the reason why he was under house arrest instead of a Ministry holding cell- it would be more difficult for Hermione and his Ron's mother, Molly, to yell at him if he were locked up in the Ministry.
"Ron, just go, ok?" said Harry. "I'll be around later and we'll talk."
Harry didn't like the look that Ron sent his way but was relieved when the red head turned and followed Auror Zeller out of the room.
Once the door had closed behind them, Harry suddenly became aware that he was now alone with a very irate Susan who, from the look on her face, was not even close to being done with him yet.
After staring hard at him for almost a whole minute Susan got out of her chair and walked towards the window. Keeping her back to him, she began to speak.
"Do you remember when we first came to work at the Ministry, Harry? Do you remember that day when we were inducted into the Auror training program?"
Harry swallowed before replying "I remember."
And he did. That day was the First Day for many people; it was the day that he, Susan, Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas, Anthony Goldstein, Daphne Greengrass, Tracey Davis, Padma Patil, Wayne Hopkins and Oliver Rivers had all joined the Auror Corps, the day Hermione had joined the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, the day Megan Jones and Blaise Zabini had joined the Department for Magical Games and Sports, Morag MacDougal joined the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office, Lisa Turpin and Terry Boot had joined the Minister's Office as clerks and Su Li joined the Department for International Magical Co-operation.
Susan continued with her questions. "Do you remember how Kingsley met with us all after the lunch break, when he asked each of us why we wanted to work for the Ministry?"
"Yes," replied Harry.
"Do you remember what your reply was?"
Harry did not vocalise his answer this time. He knew exactly what he had said, but he found the words becoming lodged in his throat, unable to come out.
"What was it you said now…?" questioned Susan, though she was being rhetorical. "Oh yes, something about wanting to change the Ministry. You wanted to make it so that the Ministry employed and promoted people based on what they know rather than who they know. You said that half the reason why the Ministry fell so easily to Voldemort was it was filled with incompetents, who were unable to think for themselves, or people who cared more about the job title and the perks that went with it rather than for the job itself."
"That's what you and Hermione wanted, wasn't it? A Ministry that employed people based on their N.E.W.T scores rather than their surname. A Ministry that promoted people based on their skill and professionalism rather than as a favour for a friend. A Ministry that was run by the very best that Magical Britain had to offer.
"It was a good idea. No, it was a great idea. Your words impacted all of us that day and we all, every single one of us got behind you in that quest. Even Kingsley."
She turned away from the window and looked back to Harry before continuing. "Except it didn't work that way for long, did it? Six months after we graduated from the Academy, Ron Weasley saw the front page of the Daily Prophet where you and Neville were being praised for capturing Theodore Nott and he decided that he wanted a bit of that glory for himself."
Susan placed her hands on top of her desk and leaned in towards Harry. "I've seen Ron Weasley's scores from school, Harry. His application should have been tossed into the bin the moment it landed on Williamson's desk. But it wasn't, was it?"
Harry bowed his head slightly, no longer able to look Susan in the face as she went on.
"I was there that lunchtime in the Leaky Cauldron when Ron announced his plans. I heard you tell him how difficult it would be and yet despite your concerns you let him harangue you into writing him a letter of recommendation. And when that wasn't enough you went over Williamson's head directly to Rhobards. Against your better judgement and against what everyone had come to expect from you, you used your fame and the respect that others had for you to get Ron into the program.
"But it didn't stop there, did it? How many times over the next seven years did I and others who respected you have to watch as you outright failed to practice that which you preached? How many times did I try and talk you out of using your position to keep Ron in the Auror Force? How many times did you abuse your authority and the respect that others had for you in order to cover Ronald Weasley's backside?"
Harry didn't offer up an answer, even though he knew them. Several attempts were made while Ron was still in the training program to have him booted out and each time Harry stepped in to put in a good word or two. Numerous complaints were made about Ron, not only from members of the public but other Aurors and other Ministerial employees, yet each time Harry had gone out of his way to keep his friend's job secure.
"As an Auror, Ron was negligent, obtuse, unprofessional and downright irresponsible," continued Susan "And yet any time any effort was made to discipline him, along comes good old Harry to smooth things over."
"One of the happiest days of my life was when that knee injury convinced Ron to quit the Auror Corps and re-join George at the joke shop. We were finally getting rid of him and I wouldn't have to watch you crap all over your own philosophies just for his sake.
"I thought that that was the end of it – no more Harry Potter covering up for Ronald Weasley, something that, for the last eight years, I have believed to be true.
"And then Draco Malfoy reports an overheard conversation on Platform 9 ¾ which suggests that not only is Ron Weasley still traipsing through life doing what he wants with little regard for others, but also that Harry Potter is still covering his tracks. A little bit of digging and my worst fears are confirmed to be true. Ron Weasley breached the International Statute of Secrecy and Harry Potter kept it quiet."
Susan moved around the desk and sat down in her chair. "So now all that remains is to ascertain what else Harry Potter has been covering up."
"Nothing," replied Harry after several long moments. "There's nothing else."
"Do you really expect me to believe that?"
Harry looked up at her to see the disappointment on her face. Finally he shook his head. No, he didn't expect her to believe him.
Susan leaned forward in her chair and asked "Why do you do it Harry? Why do you cover up for him? Why do you jeopardise your reputation, your career, even your morals for him?"
"He is my friend." answered Harry, only for Susan to slam her hand down onto the desk angrily.
"That's not good enough!" she snapped.
Again Harry couldn't bring himself to look at her. An argument that had occurred many times over the last nineteen years was threatening to break out again. Susan had always made it clear that she was of the opinion that Ron was not actually Harry's friend but actually something more of a parasite, leeching off of Harry's fame and hard work while basking in the reflected glory of it all. It was also no secret that Susan thought the same regarding Hermione's marriage with Ron.
"I'm sorry Harry, but you have left me with no other option."
Harry lifted his head.
"You are suspended from the Auror Office pending an investigation into the extent to which you have covered up the illegal activities of Ron Weasley. I will warn you that refusal to cooperate with the investigation will result in a ticket to Azkaban."
Harry shuddered. While Azkaban was no longer guarded by the Dementors and the place had been cleaned up a bit, it still wasn't a pleasant place to be.
"I'll cooperate," he replied. "And I swallow as much veritaserum as you need me to."
"Good," said Susan. "I'll let you know when we want you in for questioning. Until then I suggest you go home and properly think on things."
Harry nodded and got up from the chair.
The Potter Cottage in Godric's Hollow was empty when Harry arrived there. He was dreading having to tell Ginny that he had been suspended from the Auror Office but her absence at least gave him some time to think on things.
He wasn't sure whether or not that was a bad thing or a good one.
Harry entered the sitting room and slung his duffel bag and his travelling cloak down onto the nearest armchair before collapsing face first onto the sofa. Burying his face into the cushions he yelled as loudly as he could, releasing some of his frustration.
The International Statute of Secrecy! Why hadn't that occurred to him when Ron was blathering on about confounding his driving examiner?
Of course he would have done something had he realised… wouldn't he?
But why hadn't he realised? Why did it not occur to him that Ron's little spell constituted something much more serious?
'Because you didn't want to…' said a small voice in the back of his mind.
Harry grunted and sat up.
'You ignored the truth because you didn't want to be the one who got him into trouble.'
Harry couldn't help but nod in agreement with himself; there was some truth to that.
'And now his actions have gone and gotten you both into trouble! Some friend he is!'
Harry shook his head and got up off of the sofa. Now was not the time to be doubting his friends!
'What few you have left!'
"Oh, shut up," Harry told himself scornfully.
He took a deep breath in and blew it out again before looking around the living room. Whenever Ginny went out for an unplanned reason she always left a little note lying around.
He spotted it – a folded up piece of parchment by a photograph on the mantelpiece.
He went to retrieve it, but as he picked up the parchment the photograph caught his eye. It was a group shot that had been taken on his first day at the Ministry. It had been taken to feature on the front pages of The Daily Prophet, the Quibbler, Witch Weekly and numerous other wizarding periodicals.
Harry himself was in the middle with Susan on his left and Hermione on his right. The row continued along to Susan's left with Neville, Dean and Tracey while to Hermione's right were Anthony, Padma and Daphne. The nine of them were seated while behind them stood Terry, Su, Wayne, Oliver, Megan, Blaise, Morag and Lisa.
All seventeen were smiling brightly for the camera. Throughout the previous year they had faced a good number of trails, sometimes together and sometimes separately, but they had opposed the evil that was Lord Voldemort and now they were signing up to work for the Ministry of Magic with the intention of helping Wizarding Britain rebuild itself for the better.
'The Hope for the Future' had been the headline that the Daily Prophet had gone with that day.
Of the ten aspiring Aurors within the photograph, it was only really Harry who was directly involved with the Auror Office anymore, as the Head of Office. Susan, being Harry's superior, was in charge of the entire Department of Magical Law Enforcement and rarely had time to deal with the younger Aurors. Neville had retired from the Auror ranks after seven years in order to pursue his real dream, that of Herbology Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a position he obtained after two years spent as Professor Sprout's assistant.
Dean, too, had left the Auror Office to pursue a dream – introducing the Muggle sport of football to the magical world. It had started as something to do on the weekends before really catching on with young wizards everywhere and before he knew it Dean was moving to the Department of Magical Games and Sports to set up and run a league. He had taken Wayne and Oliver with him.
The others were still in Law Enforcement but were no longer Aurors. Anthony had gotten married to Lisa and decided to switch from the Aurors to the comparatively more subdued Law Enforcement Patrol. They patrolled the streets more than Aurors and dealt with the smaller stuff. They were somewhat like the Community Support Officers that had risen in usage in the Muggle World in recent years.
Daphne had been lured in by the medical world and was now a Healer but rather than work for St Mungo's Hospital, she has a specific retainer to the DMLE. Basically if an Auror came back hurt she was first on the scene administering aid. Occasionally she went out on missions as a field medic but she was doing less of that as the years went by. Tracey meanwhile was also a healer, but unlike Daphne she had left the Ministry to work for St Mungo's. However she was still registered as a medic with the DMLE. This meant that if an Auror was sent to St Mungo's, they went to Tracey.
Padma, on the other hand, had been poached by Department of International Magical Cooperation to be a permanent bodyguard of the holders of the five British seats of the International Confederation of Wizards. She took the job because it allowed her to travel the world.
Susan's words came back to him; "Against your better judgement and against what everyone had come to expect from you, you used your fame and the respect that others had for you to get Ron into the program. But it didn't stop there, did it? How many times over the next seven years did I and others who respected you have to watch as you outright failed to practice that which you preached?"
A frown came to mar Harry's forehead. Had he let all those people down by doing so much for Ron?
"I've seen Ron Weasley's scores from school, Harry. His application should have been tossed into the bin the moment it landed on Williamson's desk. But it wasn't, was it?"
Harry closed his eyes as he placed the photograph back onto the mantelpiece.
"Your words impacted all of us that day and we all, every single one of us got behind you in that quest. Even Kingsley."
Harry heaved a heavy sigh and turned away from the mantelpiece before opening Ginny's note.
It simply read; Gone to Ron's. Get there ASAP.
"No prizes for guessing what this is about…" Harry muttered to himself under his breath before flinging the note aside and reaching for the floo powder.
Harry stepped out of the floo right into the middle of a blazing row.
"… wouldn't place you under house arrest for no reason!" Hermione was shouting at Ron, her anger clear on her face.
"There is no need to shout like that dear," said Ron's mother Molly in a placating tone. "I'm sure that it's all just a misunderstanding. Harry's probably at the Ministry right now sorting it all out as we speak."
"Fat chance!" snarled Ron. "The stupid git was in the Bones' office when I was in there. He just sat there and let the bitch do what she liked!"
"Is that what you think?" asked Harry, drawing attention to himself, his voice cold and harsh.
Ron rounded on Harry in a fury. "You! Why didn't you do anything?"
"I couldn't do anything, Ronald, because I don't get a say in this one."
"Like hell you don't! You just want me to take the fall for something Malfoy said! Ron Weasley gets shit on while Harry Potter comes out smelling of daisies!"
Harry rounded the table. Ginny tried to grab his arm and hold him back but he quickly pulled away from her grasp.
"What Malfoy said was true Ron, and you know it!"
"So what?" demanded Ron. "We're supposed to be mates! We cover each other's backs, especially when slimy Slytherins are involved."
Harry's clenched his fists several times as he took a couple of deep breaths to try and calm himself. When that didn't work he demanded "And when have you covered my back lately? After you left Susan told me some home truths. You remember all those times you got in trouble when you were an Auror? You know all those complaints that were continuously being made about you? Who was it who was covering your back then? Who was going around smoothing things out so you didn't end up unemployed? Me, that's who!"
"And a fat lot of good that did! I still ended up out of a job!"
Hermione stared at her husband in confusion. "You told me you were leaving because of that leg injury. You didn't want to risk ending up looking like Mad-Eye Moody."
Ron snorted. "Yeah, that's the reason I gave but that wasn't why I left. I was getting pushed out slowly. None of the good jobs were coming my way. No one ever put me up for promotion. I was getting pushed out so I left to save face!"
"Promotion?" said Harry. "You think you were ever entitled to a promotion? No one in their right mind would have given you a promotion!"
"You could have done something though," retorted Ron. "You could have put in a good word."
Harry was seething now and everyone else in the room could see it. Everyone, that is, except Ron.
"It was me putting in a good word for you that got you the job in the first place. Williamson wanted to dump your application into the bin after one look at it. The only reason he didn't was because I went over his head and talked to Rhobards. Once you were in and everyone could see what you were really like it was all I could do to keep you employed, let alone get you promoted."
"Yeah, right! You just couldn't be bothered! I know you didn't want me there either! If you did you'd have asked for me to be your protégé!"
"I already had a protégé," replied Harry. "Perhaps you remember her? She nearly died saving the lives of your wife and daughter!"
"Of course I bloody well remember her! She's the bitch who arrested me in the first place!"
"Auror Zeller was doing her job!" snapped Harry. "Which is what I should have been doing all along!"
There was a moment of silence as the two men stared at each other.
Ron broke first. "So that's it then? You think Bones is right, don't you?"
"Yes," replied Harry.
"Harry, dear," broke in Molly "Perhaps you could explain what it is that Ron has done?"
Harry looked at her, then at Ginny, then at Hermione before turning back to Ron.
"He broke the International Statute of Secrecy by using a confundus charm on a Muggle."
"Oh, Ron…" said Ginny in a sad and somewhat disappointed tone.
Molly rubbed her hands together nervously before saying "Well… Well, yes, that is quite a bad thing to have done. There's no way that they could not arrest you Ron… but I'm sure that you'll be able to help him out, won't you Harry?"
"Not likely," said Harry, not taking his eyes off of Ron. "You see, there is a reason that I was in Susan's office when Auror Zeller brought Ron in, and it wasn't to hear evidence against him."
All eyes were on Harry now as he continued. "You see, I knew what Ron had done. He told me while we were sending James, Albus and Rose off to Hogwarts. I, being the friend that Ron apparently no longer thinks I am, kept it all quiet. Susan, quite rightly, was not happy when she found out about this and as of-" he broke off to examine his watch "thirty-five minutes ago, I am suspended from my position as Head Auror pending an investigation into my actions."
"Wait, what does that mean, exactly?" asked Ginny.
"It means that I don't go into work while Susan examines just how many laws I have broken over the years backing up Ron."
"But surely apart from this you've only smoothed over a few bumps while Ron was still an Auror." said Molly.
"You are correct in that Molly, but as Susan says, I've covered for Ron so many times before, how can she believe that there aren't more occurrences?"
"So you've lost your job?" asked Hermione.
"Not yet," replied Harry. "It depends how well I cooperate with Susan's investigation. At the very least I'm likely to get demoted, but to be honest I'll be lucky to avoid a six month sentence to Azkaban."
Harry turned back to Ron. "So how's that for you? My sticking up for you has lost me everything I've worked for for the last nineteen years. That good enough for you or do you want my blood as well, parasite?"
Ron's temper looked like it was about to flare up again but at that moment Hermione turned and left the kitchen via the back door. Harry was fairly certain that heard her crying. Unable to look at Ron any more he followed his friend out into the garden.
Ron went to follow, but Molly grasped his shoulder firmly and pushed him down into the nearest dining chair. From the looks on her and Ginny's faces he was about to get a huge talking to from both his mother and his little sister.
"Stupid prat, abandoning me" the red head thought miserably in the moment before his mother started in on him.
It didn't take much effort to find Hermione. Harry just followed the sounds of her sniffling before locating her standing by the concrete coal bunker around the side of the house. Hermione rarely cried these days and Harry always found it to be a strange sight, even if she only had a slight flush to her cheeks and was dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief.
"Hermione?" he asked, tentatively.
"Why didn't you say anything Harry? Why didn't you tell me what he was like at work?"
"I thought you knew," said Harry. "Honestly, I can't really say that he was much different than he was at school – goofing off, distracting others, leaving all his paperwork to the last minute… coasting along on the successes of others…"
Hermione made a sound that might have been a hiccough or a laugh, Harry wasn't sure, but she turned to him hugged him. "I thought he would grow up one day…"
"It's probably my fault. All those times I covered for him, he never faced the consequences of his actions… or inaction as the case sometimes was. That he's convinced that his not getting promoted at the Ministry is my fault and not his just proves that he's never learned to accept the consequences of his actions…"
"Don't you blame yourself for the way he turned out," said Hermione. "I'm just as much at fault as you. Perhaps if I had refused to let him copy my homework a little more often…"
She broke off as the sound of laughter. Looking up they saw Lily and Hugo running around the garden, chasing several gnomes.
"I don't think I'll ever forgive George for introducing those things to our garden from The Burrow." said Hermione.
Harry grinned but then voiced an observation "When I arrived you were trying to get Ron to tell you why he was under house arrest, but Susan said you knew about it beforehand and that's why you were already at home."
Hermione nodded and replied "I was just trying to see if he would own up to what he did. It didn't work."
There were several pops of apparition and the gnomes scattered as three Aurors arrived at the foot of the garden. Lily and Hugo saw them but paid them no mind. Aurors were always visiting their respective homes because of the jobs of Lily's Daddy and Hugo's Mummy. With the gnomes hiding back in their burrows the two children made for the sand pit.
"So what happens now?" asked Hermione as they watched Auror Zeller enter the back garden through the side gate and walk towards the Aurors. Evidently she had stationed herself at the front door of the house.
"Well, I think it might be a good idea if you and Hugo came to stay with me, Ginny and Lily for a while…"
Hermione nodded in agreement.
"As for the bigger situation at hand, I suspect that Susan is going to hit Ron as hard as she can. What happens with him is purely a matter of whether she can make an Azkaban sentence stick and for how long. As for me, I wait until Susan calls me in and I cooperate fully with her investigation."
"And then…?"
"And then…" echoed Harry. "What will be, will be, I suppose."
After a few moments of silence, Hermione began to sing softly.
"When I was just a little girl
I asked my mother what will I be?
Will I be pretty will I be rich?
Here's what she said to me"
At that point Harry joined in.
"Que sera, sera
Whatever will be, will be
The future's not ours to see
Que sera, sera
What will be, will be…
Well, that's that one. And I can't really think of a better way to end it than that song. (To be honest, I've been looking for a way to end a fic with that song for some time now.)
I know that I've done the whole "Ron gets in trouble for confounding his driving instructor" bit before, but this was more to delve into what happens when Harry kept it a secret like he appears to do in canon, despite being Head Auror and JKR's insistence that Harry, Ron, Hermione and Kingsley worked revolutionise the Ministry and get rid of the old ways of doing things.
By the way, I do, in fact, know that in canon Hermione returned to Hogwarts for a year, I just forgot while writing that bit and don't want to change it!
Anyway, that's it for me on this one. Hope you enjoyed it!
Omake by elisa- didlittle
9 Sept 2017
Hermione and Ron's House
"So you've lost your job?" asked Hermione.
"Susan's like a small dog with a bone. She'll chew and chew and dig and dig until she convinces herself that this is some great right wing conspiracy. She'll tie up half of the Department with this case and either have me fired in disgrace or sent Azkaban. God, I hate Hufflepuffs. They take one small little offense and build it up in their minds till it's the Dumbledore Assassination. And they're so sanctimonious about it." Harry ranted.
"So what are you going to do?" Ginny asked.
"Same thing I always do. Take care of it. Make the problem disappear." Harry sighed.
"Harry..." Hermione said.
"I'm sorry, Hermione. I really am. But Susan just became a threat. And Ron just became a liabilty." Harry pulled out an old time turner from under his shirt. "Ten days ought to do it."
4 Sept 2017
Ministry of Magic Plenary Hall
The State Funeral was officious and stuffy, as all state affairs end up being. A Mexican standoff followed by a firefight on Platform 9 3/4 that left three people dead. Draco Malfoy pulled out his old Death Eater mask and screamed some drivel about Pureblood Supremacy and the return of the Dark Lord, then he started firing killing curses into the crowd. Malfoy was able to hit Director Bones in the back with a killing curse. Quickly, Harry erected several huge stone walls in front of the students and parents, and single handedly saved the lives of most of the civilians present. Ron leapt in front of deadly curses and heroically saved the life of the Minister's granddaughter, before he and Harry took Malfoy down in a hail of reductos. But when the smoke cleared, Ron sadly succumbed to his injuries and died right there on the Platform seconds later.
After many, many officious officials made their pointless speaches and got their photos in the Prophet, the Minister called Harry and Hermione up to the front of the Hall. Harry was awarded his third Order of Merlin, FC; Hermione received Ron's posthumous Order of Merlin as the grieving widow. As Ginny led a shell-shocked Hermione back to her seat, the Minister whispered in Harry's ear that the Ministry needed to appear strong and in control during this time of public panic. Harry was immediately appointed DMLE Director. A year later Harry would be elected Minister for Magic in the greatest landslide in seven centuries. The management team of Potter, Potter, Granger and Zeller would rule Wizarding Britain for the next 72 years until Headmaster Longbottom retired in 2090. Hermione always said she wanted to follow McG as Deputy Headmistress. And Lily Luna had been eyeing the Minister's chair since the first time Harry let her sit in it when she was 12.
And serendipitously following Bill's untimely death, Harry now had four wives to serve as Head of the various Houses. Seriously, Bill had Fleur for 93 years... he should've learned to share.
1 Sept 2090
Hogwarts, Headmaster's Office
"Hello, Susan."
The shade of Susan Bones, forever 38 years old, was spitting mad.
"You bastard!"
"You didn't really think I would let you ruin my life because Ron cheated on a driving exam, did you? Hell, half the muggles I know cheated on their driving exams."
"He cheated! He's a cheater! And you let him you filthy cheating cheater!"
"God, Susan, you're such an idiot Hufflepuff. All passion, no street smarts. I'm the Master of Death. I've personally put down 18 insurrections and Dark Movements in defense of King and Country. Whatever did you think would happen when you threatened me?"
"Headmistress Sprout will-"
"Sprout's dead, thank God. Look at the mess she made in the three years she sat in this office before I took care of her. Damn, it's gonna take me 50 years to undo the damage Sprout did to this school with her goody-goody nickpicking. I just thought I'd let you know that Lily's Minister now. I'm thinking of keeping it the family. Like, forever. Sorry about killing off your daughter, but you Bones's are just too annoying to keep around. Oh, don't look at me like that. You brought it all on yourself. Anyway, see you around, Suzy."
Harry dropped the Resurrection Stone in his pocket, and Susan Bones disappeared. Harry looked around Dumbledore's office... his office now. Four loving and loyal wives, a Potter-led era of peace and prosperity, and the Fall of Hufflepuffs everywhere. All was very well indeed.