Draco looked at Hermione as they listened to the conversation Ron had with his dad, "Why aren't you staying?"
"Ron and Harry have always been a bit closer than I have been with them. Harry will feel more comfortable to talk to Ron than he will with me and him being able to do that is more important than me wanting to be with him. Not only that Neville is going to be swarmed by everyone and demanding information and I want to make sure he doesn't get overwhelmed. Then there is Madam Longbottom. I've heard stories of her behavior to Neville and I want to try to keep her from disparaging him."
Draco stared at her shocked. He hadn't realized how perceptive she was of her friends. He wondered how much it hurt her that she wasn't as close to Pot- Harry as Ron was. He grimaced at the thought of Augusta. She was a scary and cold woman. He didn't envy Neville in the least.
"My name is Clara Higgins and Madam Bones has put me in charge of the second part of your interrogation," Clara announced as she sat across from the subdued woman. Clara was a petite woman with black hair and hazel eyes.
Clara read through Madam Bones notes quickly catching on that they were just perusing the charges for now and that extensive questioning would be for later, "Mrs. McGonagall, why didn't you report the attempted assassination on Mr. Potter when his broom was cursed mid-match?"
"Albus said he had already sent the report. Since he reported it I no longer needed to because it would be redundant," Mrs. McGonagall answered massaging her eyelids.
Clara nodded ticking the charge off, "Is this also why you didn't report how a troll was set loose and nearly killed Miss Granger?"
"Yes," McGonagall nodded tiredly, "Though my report would have said it was more of a child endangerment than an attempted murder."
"Why did you send four first years into the Forest? Seventh years aren't even allowed without two professors. And why after something that killed unicorns? That would have to be a dangerous creature to be able to kill a unicorn let alone have enough evil in it to kill one?" Clara asked her voice hard.
McGonagall sighed holding her head in her hands, "I just wanted to teach them a lesson. I wanted Harry to not end up like a bully like his father. I wanted him to know the dangers of breaking a curfew made for his protection. As for not reporting them missing I didn't know they were. I just didn't want to bother to go look for them and assumed they were skiving."
"So how long do you think Madam Bones will last before she storms out?" Kingsley suggested to Brian.
"Why would she storm out?"
Kingsley shook his head in amusement, "Obviously you haven't ever had to have a conversation with the man before. It's not odd to see aurors drawing straws so they don't have to talk to him. He may be an amazing figure but I swear the man could never answer a question straight if his life depended on it. So I'm betting fifteen minutes. What's yours?"
Brian shook his head bewildered but answered, "I don't see Madam losing her temper that quick. Forty minutes."
"Put me down a galleon that she storms out in the next five minutes," Lauren Florent shouted from the offices.
Suddenly the door opened slowly and Madam Bones elegantly walked out. Her calm collected manner shattered as soon as the door closed. Swearing she walked by them and into the training room. Mysterious booms and crashes could be heard.
Pomphrey smiled as she finished packing. Shrinking it she placed it in her pocket and head out of her quarters. She already had her portkey for China ready so all she needed to do was get out of the wards. Walking out she paled as she saw two aurors heading for her. Wand in hand she sent numbing charm at one and bone densing spell at the other. She was past them in seconds. Smiling when she saw the Entrance hall she didn't expect the stunning spell at her back.
Lucius Malfoy frowned at the MediWitch. He had heard the two aurors ask Flitwick her where about. When she had jogged past he knew that it couldn't be good. Hopefully this would endear him to the Potter child and keep his family safe.