Chapter Text
"Minerva," Amelia frostily greeted, "You can either answer my questions truthfully or you I can use Veritaserum. I would like to remind you that the chair your sitting on is called our interrogation mood chair. If you lie it turns red, if you mix the truth with lies it turns pink, If you withhold something it turns blue, and if you tell the truth it turns white. Quite a nifty piece of rune and potion work if I do say so. If only I could get an agreement to use it during trials. Anyways this is how this is going to go. I will name a charge against you and you will answer all my questions about that charge. Do you understand?"
Minerva looked somberly around the room as she nodded.
"On October of 1981 you failed to report the kidnapping of one, Harry James Potter. Would you like to explain to us why you didn't report it?" Amelia asked.
Minerva looked at her bewildered, "What are you talking about? Harry wasn't kidnapped as far as I know."
"So you did not see Albus Dumbledore leave Harry Potter on a doorstep?" Amelia quirked a brow.
Minerva if anything looked even more confused," Yes, but he was just leaving him with his relatives."
Amelia's other eyebrow rose to imitate the other one, "Quite the terrible memory you have there. It's a wonder you can teach at all. Mean most people find it an honor to witness a Will for An Ancient and Noble Family, but not you apparently. It's seems you are incapable of remembering that the Potters' said that the Dursleys were to have no guardianship rights or even contact with Mr. Potter. Not only that they provided a list of guardians. So by not reporting that the Dumbledore had taken the child from his rightful guardians and that he was being left with the Dursleys; is a failing to report a kidnapping."
"But Albus said that is were he needed to go to be safe and not become arrogant." Minerva said shaking her head in both confusion and desperation.
Madam Bones lips pinched as she stared at the woman before finally talking, "It doesn't matter what he thought. He had absolutely no rights to Mr. Potter and you had a duty to him that you ignored. Now onto the next charge. Failing to report a case of child abuse. Did you know that Harry Potter was being abuse by his relatives?"
"No," Minerva stated furiously, "This is the first I have heard of it." The chair turned white.
Frowning Amelia tried to confirm, "So you had no idea that Mr. Potter's letter said his bedroom was 'The Cupboard Under the Stairs' ?"
"I have automated quills and parchment that writes the addresses and letters; while the letters than go into their own envelopes. I just don't have the time to read them."
I see, congratulations one of your charges has been dropped. Why is it that you did not do your duty as Deputy Headmistress and have a licensed representative visit Harry Potter?" Amelia asked.
Minerva shifted looking like she understood what she did wrong, but confused at why it mattered, "I was busy as was the rest of the representatives on the staff. Instead of calling the Ministry I sent Hagrid at the Headmaster's suggestion. What does it matter? Potter isn't a muggleborn."
"It matters because the law dictates that any magical that lives with muggles should have a representative and Mr. Potter was just that. Not only that but Potter had no clue of the magical world until Hagrid came. Mr. Potter wasn't given the Muggle raised pamphlet and wasn't told anything beyond the magical world existed and that he would be going to Hogwarts. Hagrid even used magic against a child because his father angered him. So would you like to explain why that child was even worth enough of your time to do your job?" Amelia spat.
Minerva looked down ashamed and didn't answer.
"Now onto your behavior once Mr. Potter got here. I could have ignored this charge if you had handled the crime, but you did nothing. So why is it that you didn't report to us that the students tried to break into Potter's trunk fifteen times?"
Minerva huffed shaking her head, "Surely you don't believe that exaggeration. My Gryffindors know better than to take property that isn't theirs."
"Do you know that all student trunks keep anyone below the age of twenty from getting in another's trunk unless there is a spoken permission. Not only that they record every attempt. The record is kept at the shop they buy the trunk from. Five attempts were made in the first week he was there and Mr. Potter didn't report those as he had no knowledge to them, but the shopkeeper sent a letter informing you as according to his regulations. After January it picked up again and there were even attempts to destroy the trunk. Mr. Podge has a record of sending you a letter again and Mr. Potter swears that he told you. With your own statement you admitted to it yourself. So why is it that you failed to do your job again and even committed a crime?" Amelia demanded.
Minerva frowned, "Mr. Podge obviously sent those letters at Potter's request as Albus said."
"I checked the record myself. There was no tampering or lying done on Mr. Podge's part. So-"
"But why would they try to steal his things. It makes no sense." Minerva interrupted her voice raising.
Amelia looked at her unimpressed while she spoke slowly as if she was talking to a dim-witted child. "Mr. Potter is famous. It is not unusual for people to steal things from them to be mementos or to sell. The second time was probably for the to him for breaking curfew. But I'll get back to that later. Why is it that you couldn't even be bothered to investigate the claim?"
"After Albus said that Mr. Podge was writing on the suggestion of Mr. Potter; I decided not to continue with what I thought was a farce." The chair turned white.
"If you receive no punishment from the Wizengamot; then I'll make sure to send a letter to the governors that your loyalty to Dumbledore makes you incapable of doing your job. Did you know that Mr. Potter was being attacked by other students over the last month?"
"He was attacked? What are you talking about?" Minerva questioned. Her chair was again white.
Amelia stared hard at her, "Mr. Potter was hit with three mild cutting curses that sent him to the hospital wing. Actually he ended up with broken bones eight times by bludgening curses, twice with blinding hexes, and ten times with minor hexes that caused him to get badly hurt. Like for instance he was hit with a tripping hex on a set of stairs. Mr. Potter was told by Madam Pomphrey that she would inform you. I take it she told you nothing of this?"
"No she didn't. I honestly didn't know. Please believe me that if I knew of this I would have seen them expelled. I didn't mean to fail him," Minerva was now weeping holding her head in her hands. Her chair was still a pristine white.
"I'm going to give you a little break. Take this time to think on what has been said here and come to terms with it. I will be back to question you further," Amelia said as she gathered her files and walked out.
Heading towards Dumbledore's cell to have him moved to an interrogation room; when Kingsley's patronus appeared before her.
"We've been attacked. Got past us. Send..."
Amelia paled. Quickly she ran into the room where the next shifts were at. "Go to the corridor immediately. They've been attacked. I'll get the healers. Go!"
The smell of burnt flesh and the groans of pain assaulted Amelia as she arrived with the healers. Michael Abbot seemed to have gotten the worse of it. His uniform was in burnt tatters though the flame resistant enchantment on the garb seemed to lessened the damage to him significantly. The burns all over the right side of his body were gruesome, but at least he wasn't dead and could be healed. Kierra Jackson had a broken piece of a statue going through her leg. Amelia could only pray that it wouldn't have to be amputated. Brian McKinley, Kingsley Shaklebolt,Vivian Williams thankfully seemed to have only have been knocked out from the force of the blast. Brian even seemed to be waking up already.
Shaking her head headed towards the door when an aide from the office called out her name, "What is it Devon? Better be important I need to check how the others are."
Devon, a tall young man with platinum hair and brown eyes, was gasping as he spoke," Mad-eye's message came in just as you were flooing away. His exact words were 'the perp is dead and the object is safe. Private debriefing needed.'"
Amelia nodded as her shoulders lost most of their tension. About to head to her Aurors she jumped throwing a shield up as door a little ways from her was thrown open.
Severus Snape came storming out his face livid, "Bones! Why was I accosted by your subordinates? Name one reason why I shouldn't press charges for illegal detainment and assault? I do not report to your office for routine questioning to prove that I'm not doing illegal activities for entertainment. "
Amelia sighed.