Chapter 8—By Order of the Ministry
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After a good meal and a night's rest the group port-keyed to Nick's Place. Daphne sent off a letter with Hedwick to her parents and the Flamel's started my training program. Seems that if you don't know how things are put together you can't make it right with my type of magic. It's like you never saw an egg before and was shown a picture and told to make an egg with magic. Yes you would have an egg but the inside would be empty as you didn't know enough about the item.
Another problem was my magic, it could not be shown for what it was or I would probably get lynched, when people can't understand something they fear it. The answered was a wand that I could wave around but was just for show. However you couldn't just show it. I should wave it like it was doing the spell so all the movements had to be memorized and practiced even though the wand had nothing to do with the resulting magic. I got my wand via a walk with Daphne in the forest when I spied a piece of wood laying on a rock, it was already dried and ready to work into a fake wand. Using my magic I made all thirteen inches a carved work of art while Daphne drew runes in the sand for me to copy to the wand. I then used magic to lacquer the wand till it looked as if it was covered in glass. When done it was the most beautiful wand you could find but it really was only a dead stick and just as effective.
Training was now in Nick's area and he was going to teach me how to 'apperate'. The one time I completed it I said, nope, not happening and called in a Flamel house elf. Who said that I could not do elf popping because you had to think to make it work? I wondered if we were just called stupid. House elves don't lie but understanding them is a special work of its own. I asked the elf to explain and it was really simple, it was what I was doing with my magic if you can classify my magic. The snapping of the fingers was their way of making the final "GO!" and was not necessary. I was popping around the next day.
I thought I was going to die of boredom in my house in Knockturn Alley. I really wanted some action in my life. Since that thought and that day I have not had much peace. Hedwick flew in moments later with a letter and I just knew, "here we go again."
It was from KnifeTooth stating that I had an appointment with Amelia Bones the Head of the DMLE. While it was to be informal, the appointment was mandatory. I wonder if now the Ministry wants to manipulate me like Dumbledork tries.
/Scene Break/
I made the informal mandatory appointment, arriving was fun for me and scared the hell out of Amelia and SharpTooth. Apparition is not impossible in Gringotts but I popped into SharpTooth office with a tiny 'pop'.
"How the in Merlin's name did you do that". Amelia yelled.
"Oh I am the boy who has no magic remember so I have to make it up as I go" and I started chuckling. "So what do you need Madam?"
"Oh, yes, the Minister has asked that you turn yourself in to the Ministry to clear all the charges. He says that all of this is a misunderstanding and that it will only take a few minutes to clear up the legal aspects." Amelia stated.
"And I can trust him?" I was not sure on this point; Amelia did not look sure either.
"Lord Potter all I can say is that is what he said, he is known to change his mind." Amelia just shrugged her shoulder.
"Sure why not, I need to tell him that my Grandfather is innocent anyhow."
"You have me confused, who is your Grandfather? I thought you only have a muggle Aunt?" Amelia looks as confused as she sounded.
"More of Dumbdum's finagling, Sirius Black was never the secret keeper, and I have letters and documents in my vault that attests to that fact." I knew this would make them all happy.
"But who was the secret keeper." Amelia gasped.
"Why Peter Pettigrew"
"Oh and SharpKnife would you look after my wand, I wouldn't want it to get lost in the Ministry." I was leaning to trust Amelia but Fudge was an unknown.
We had not stepped two feet from Gringotts when ten Aurors approached and stated that I was under arrest.
"Stand down you fools; Lord Potter is coming with me to the Ministry of his own volition!" Amelia looked pissed.
"Sorry Madam the arrest warrant was signed by Minister Fudge and Albus Dumbledore his magical guardian and Chief Warlock." The leader stated.
"I see they grow them dumb all over the magical community." I laughed as I knew that I could wipe the street with this group. Amelia didn't look happy at her Aurors.
They rushed up and slapped magical suppression cuffs on me and search for a wand, I was not sure I wanted to laugh in their face or get angry and slap the dung out of their dumb asses.
"I am sorry Lord Potter this is a double cross and I must apologize. Fudge is going to hear about this, he doesn't have the authority to bypass me for a warrant."
She turned to the Aurors and started yelling, "You jackasses have earned yourself beach time for disobeying me and following Fudge. Have you also forgotten the protical for arresting a Lord of an Ancient House." Amelia was defiantly mad.
"Just relax Madam Bones I don't hold you responsible and I will be out of their clutches very shortly." I was going to 'pop' but I wanted to see just how far they plan on taking this."
/Scene Break/
Ministry Atrium:
The place was full of people as I was dragged through the 'floe' and standing tall and proud was Dumbeldork and a fat Fudge.
"Throw the truant in the cells we will deal with him later." Fudge ordered.
"So this is the way a Lord of an Ancient House is treated by this Ministry. Oh! I see you have Dumbledore acting as my guardian so he can empty my vaults and filling the Minister's fat wallet with bribes even though I an emancipated Lord. I make you a promise that I will help Voldemort overthrow this corrupt regime if this is how you treat Heads of Houses."
While they were throwing silencing spells at me but they didn't seem to take effect so they dragged me out and threw me in a holding cell. I started laughing at that point. It took a minute to find some wood among all this stone and steel bars. I fashioned something resembling a wand and now I was ready. The suppression cuff I imagined on Fudge, and the bars of the cell I imagined in front of the elevators. That should cause some confusion. I 'popped' to the board showing where everything is located in the Ministry and 'popped' to Amelia's office. I interrupted an argument between Amelia and Dumbledore. Dumbdumb found himself in a holding cell as I imagined him and I had a chat with Amelia. Legally I was stuck in Hogwarts until I turned seventeen or completed my OWLs. The rest she was going to take care of and she would notify SharpTooth when I could show my face. I thanked her but then the screaming started.
She opened the door to find Fudge screaming about the handcuffs that were suddenly secured to his wrists and an Auror yelling about a prison break by one of the prisoners. When Amelia quit laughing she turned and found her office empty of one Harry Potter.
/Scene Break/
SharpTooth's office:
"Thanks SharpTooth for holding my wand, it was a trap by Fudge and Dumbledore. How much of the Dailey Profit do I own?"
"Fourth nine percent at last tally why?"
"Buy up some more I want fifty-one percent and control of the Profit and again thanks. I'm off to make headlines." I 'popped' to Diagon Alley to ask for directions to the Dailey Profit. Entering the Dailey Profits I laid out some facts as to how I, as lord was treated, how Dumbdumb wanted into my vaults and had been helped himself. They got huffy about that time so I said it's not nice to report badly on someone who holds fifty-one percent of the shares of the Dailey Profit. I also told them that they were to quit helping Fudge and report the real facts like Sirius Black was innocent. and left. It would be interesting to see what they ended up doing.
I stopped at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor for something to go before heading for my house and a good nights sleep. I would be heading to Nick's in the morning. This was not my day, as I stepped onto Diagon Alley from the Ice cream parlor about twenty Deatheaters port-keyed in by the Magical Menagerie. They were headed my direction. It appeared they were there just for the fun of it and were throwing 'Avada Kedavra' all over the place along with blasting and exploding curses.
Its funny what you can think of when you have more important things to do, it popped into my head that I had better study up on wards, as in anti-port-key and 'apperation' wards and my ice cream was melting.
Well if I can't enjoy my pint of ice cream maybe a hundred pints of frozen solid ice cream would be enjoyed by the Deatheaters. I threw the pint into the air, pulled my phony wand and snapped my fingers while waving the stupid wand. On the finger snap a hundred pints of frozen solid ice cream appeared and zoomed at the Deatheaters at accelerating speed. That snapping of the fingers was kind of catchy thing to do and I wondered if I would pick it up as a habit.
/Scene Break/
Voldemort's secret lair at Riddle Manor:
Six Deatheaters port-keyed in the room covered with melting ice cream and dripping on the moth-eaten carpet.
"Report" ordered Voldemort.
"We were doing as you ordered my-lord when we see all these things coming at us and we activated our port-key. Voldemort ripped open his mind and saw what happened but he also saw, "POTTER!"
/Scene Break/
Hogwarts, Headmasters office:
A tired and exhausted Headmaster returned to his office. He had been trying to get control of Harry but before he could be the good guy, Potter starts running his mouth in public and then pulls off a prison break. Then the little snot 'apperated' into Amelia's office and banishes him to a cell where it took them three hours to find him. He stepped into his office from the 'floe' slipping he fell on his bum. Taking in his majestic office he found it was now covered in ice cream causing him to cringed. That is what he slipped on, but there was his beautiful desk dripping as was Fawkes in ice cream. Fawkes was making the best of it and was picking out the fruit from the mess.
The Headmaster headed to breakfast still thinking of who did that to him. The elves had finally cleaned up the mess and he got some sleep. His morning was further ruined by the Dailey Profit's article on how he was dipping into his charges vaults and how they treated a Lord of an Ancient and Noble house. Fudge was calling for an investigation and shoveling all the blame at him the Chief Warlock.
/Scene Break/
Arriving at Nick's place I had a story to tell.
"That was some excellent reaction; you didn't haul off and kill them all, you used your head. The Profit reported that most Deatheaters were just out cold and are now in Azkaban."
"No I don't think I killed any one but it dawned on me that I have other issues. I have to watch out for collateral damage. I took out some windows behind the Deatheaters. Those windows could have been innocent people. This was a big problem as most spells were fired off until they hit something. So killing off all the Deatheater in the street was great but was it worth the destroyed building behind them or a half-dozen innocent people?
"Daddy signed the marriage contract so I am all yours dear." Daphne plopped herself in my lap and put her arms around my neck. That stopped my thinking about other things other than Daphne.
"We are going to have some stories for the kids, two meetings and three dates and you asked me to marry you." She planted a big kiss on me and I decided that to my dying day I would never say what I was thinking that day. I was totally happy with her and the way things worked out and I planned to keep it that way.
"So when are we getting married Harry?" Daphne asked and Penny fell out of her chair laughing.
"Err." I responded and Nick fell out of his chair laughing.
"Whenever you desire my love" I figured that would be a safe answer.
I did not know that the word immediately was involving so much planning to happen immediately. Daphne was on a mission to arrange everything from her dress to my suit to her parents to where and who to invite. I meanwhile got to hide by working with Nick and sometimes Penny on wards and other important training. Penny was Daphne's assistant at the organizing. I found out later that besides loving the hell out of her she was a pureblood and with that education she knew things that I had no idea to even ask about. Besides I was happy as the kissing and groping had increased.
Then the trouble started, Nick and Penny decided it was time for "The Talk".
We walked out of that with red faces and a need to sit down and talk. We did sit and talk and realized that it was one thing to get married but the sex and babies. It was easy to say lets have babies but it was something that scared the hell out of me. Then there was sex, yea I want but then my mind kicks in and says I know nothing and, and, and. We finally agreed marriage yes but we would get to the rest of it by joint consent at a slow pace. The slow pace speeds up as Daphne stated that we would need an elf so that required a trip to Knockturn Alley. Then Amelia requested a meeting at Gringotts.
We bought a young female elf called Mopsy and got her into my house to acquaint herself and we would call her to Nick's later. We were walking to Gringotts when four people started shooting spells. One had pink hair, one was really tall with dark skin, one was dressed in shabby robes the last was the weirdest, he had an eye that was artificial and was swiveling around and a wooden leg, and he was the most dangerous.
If we had to draw our wands first we would have been stunned. I threw up a powerful shield as I drew my wand. I got two banished to the top of the Leaky Cauldron and finally I got the other two banished. Old peg leg was fast for an old cripple. If I thought that we were finished I was wrong, as the pink haired gal and peg leg 'apperated' right back and threw some more spells. They made a mistake in concentrating on me as Daphne stunned the girl and I stunned peg leg. This time I banished them to the Great Hall at Hogwarts. They were probably Dumbdumb's people so let him clean up the mess.
Amelia was waiting in SharpTooth's office.
"Afternoon Harry and you are?"
"Daphne" She was not going to give anyone anything to cause troubles for her family.
"Amelia, what has brought you to see me?" I asked.
"Simply put Fudge wants you off his back and the Profit of course. So he has drafted this pardon for all alleged crimes and hopes not to see you ever again." Amelia laughed.
"Meaning what?" SharpTooth asked.
"You're free of any charges and no one is to bother you unless you break the law. You however must return to Hogwart until you pass your OWLs."
"Why do I smell Dumbledore in this?" I laughed. "Sure why not I want to make his life hell anyway and there are always old friends that we can look up."
Daphne gave me a strange look, "You don't mean Ron and company?"
"Oh yes I do and Snape, yes a very good time with old friends." I was happily thinking of all the people who were going to have problems.
I leaned over and whispered in Daphne's ear, "Are you still having problems finding someone to marry us?" She nodded. "How about Amelia, she has the authority!"
Daphne said aloud, "Yes that's a fabulous idea."
So we asked Amelia and she said yes. She asked if her niece could attend and we said yes but we wanted to keep it quiet for awhile. Amelia agreed and the date and time was exchanged. I actually remembered Susan when she showed up; she was the one with the larger chest.
/Scene Break/
Earlier at Hogwarts Great Hall:
MadEye Moody and Nymphadora Tonks were unceremoniously dumped on the head table at Hogwarts. There were enough students in the Hall to start a large rumor which swept Hogwarts in less than an hour.
"Albus that Potter is dangerous, very dangerous he took all four of us on and won." MadEye growled.
"Not here Alistair lets take this to my office." Dumbdumb was too late the rumor grew.
"MadEye I think he threw up that first shield with wand-less magic." Tonks added.
"You may be right Tonks; I haven't felt a banishing charm that strong for a long time."
It was about then that the legend of Harry Potter exploded. Especially when the Dailey Profit announced that the legend was returning to Hogwarts to take his Owls.
/Scene Break/
Headmaster's office:
"Listen up you three the rumors of Potter coming back are true so you three need to pick up where we left off. Ginny get that love potion, Ron get back in his good graces and Hermione start steering him again. I will start your pay on September 1st.