Interventions
Rumors of what happened in the dungeons spread more quickly and grew more outrageous over the two days following the assaults. Depending on whichever grapevine one believed, Luna had either been bitten a ravenous Cerberus, petrified by a Basilisk, attacked by Dementors, assaulted by Professor Snape's wards, cursed by a professor or chased to exhaustion by a werewolf. Harry was surprised to note that all of those things had apparently happened to students at Hogwarts in recent years. It's crazy that people continually let their children return.
Once Luna's assailants somehow ended up in the hospital wing, a small panic broke out. Harry had never seen so many children huddled together in groups or crying silently if they were left alone anywhere. Everyone seemed afraid of a something attacking students. It did not help that the professors seemed to be agitated and confused as well. Dumbledore's reassuring speech at breakfast that morning did the opposite of extinguishing the fears.
It also didn't help that Harry had magically vanished the mouths, genitals and limbs of the assailants with a niffy curse from Voldemort's books before he electrified them. It took an additional three days before Harry's name was mentioned as a possible assailant. Apparently, friends of the attackers visited them after their mouths had been regrown.
Harry was currently being verbally confronted at breakfast by a group of furious Gryffindors, who demanded that he be made to pay for sending two of their own to the hospital wing.
Harry merely tuned out their angry ramblings. He was used to such provocation at Sirkin. He barely batted an eye at them while buttering his toast, naturally only infuriating them more. It was the silver-haired Luna who saved him this time, in her own unique and unorthodox way.
As the group hovered angrily at the Slytherin table, she promptly and silently maneuvered her way through them and plopped into the seat next to Harry.
"I wouldn't eat that if I were you." She said, pointing absently to the toast Harry was about to eat. "It only makes the wrackspurts more confused."
Draco, who sat at Harry's side, grimaced at her presence. "And what are wrackspurts, Lovegood?" He bit out her last name as if it were a curse.
"Oh, they are invisible little creatures who float in through your ears and make your brain go fuzzy." She said as if discussing the weather. "I've noticed that there is a rather large gathering here. You would do well not to confuse them more."
Harry blinked, not at all surprised by the odd observation. After discussing what he had encountered in the dungeons and what retribution had been made with Draco in the Slytherin common room yesterday, the blond loudly mentioned the girl's name, and everyone present felt inclined to share their opinion of the girl's sanity, or lack thereof. Based on their rather bias and extreme opinions, Harry decided that he liked the rather eccentric girl even more.
He quickly came to resent her widely used nickname "Looney" and made it clearly known that the girl was under the protection of the House of Potter along with Hermione and Neville, who Harry had spoken to the day after the attack.
He was not, however prepared for the goblets of pumpkin juice that she nonchalantly enchanted to drench him, Draco and the group of Gryffindors standing behind them ("pumpkin juice keeps the wrackspurts calm").
As many around them in the Great Hall snickered, Harry gave a rather hearty belly laugh, as he figured out that she was merely distracting the Gryffindors without openly attacking them. The tension in the hall lessened considerably as the disgruntled group departed, discourage and dowsed in the sticky juice.
"Luna, you are brilliant." He whispered gratefully, his magic removing the substance from his person.
The girl merely smiled and ate her porridge. Draco stared at the two of them dumbfounded until Harry told him what believed she had done through their bond. Draco was still upset about the juice that previously covered his tailored robes.
During his free double period following breakfast, Harry considered going back to his room and flipping through his potions textbook in preparation for the tricky Pepper-Up Potion. Draco's memories had some prior knowledge of the potion, as Professor Snape had given him extra tutelage in Potions every summer since he was a child, but the knowledge only covered the rudimentary level of brewing the potion. Harry wanted to brew a rather excellent sample and considered asking the potions-savvy blonde through their bond for some tips, but decided to test his luck with his special book instead.
He was sure that the blond would not be in the mood to help him regardless. Draco had grumbled under his breath for the rest of breakfast and finally excused himself to gather his supplies for Ancient Runes. The blond really did not know how to respond to the girl's methods.
After finding a rather comfortable spot in the rather empty library, he opened the book. To his amusement, the first section showed exactly what he wanted: The Ins and Outs of the Cauldron: Tips for Potion Mastery by Praestius Fusil.
Harry wanted to jump for joy, and released a breath he did not know he had been holding. He had figured out the book.
It did offer want he needed and wanted to know, sometimes even if he did not yet know he needed or would want to know something.
The tips on potionery concisely covered the three important phases of brewing: choosing the right ingredients, the preparation, and the brewing. He learned by comparing that which Draco had learned from his godfather that the book followed a more creative approach to brewing than the rigid form that Professor Snape adhered to. If one shredded pixy wings, rather than dicing them as the instructions for the Pepper-Up Potion generally asked, the potion would have the same consistency and would be slightly stronger than the normal potion but would take a bit longer to brew.
Harry quickly took out a notepad and made a list of deviations and their effects. This will be an interesting lesson!
As he finished notating the best way to cut Ashwinder spleen and made to close the book, he noticed the book title for the next section.
His gasp echoed loudly around him. Magiks Darkest by unknown.
The book was referenced in most, if not all, of the dark books that Harry had stolen from Voldemort. He bit his lip. The clock on the wall by the entrance to the library showed that he had less than thirty minutes left before the bell rang. Will Magiks Darkest remain in the book if I don't read it now?
He did not want to take the chance at reading what was perhaps the fundamental text in Dark Magik. And there has to be a reason for it to appear now of all times!
After a moment of hesitation, he decided to test the sentiency of the book.
"What do you want to show me?" He whispered uncertainly. "What is the most important information for me to know?"
For a few moments, the only sounds that Harry heard were the occasion rustle of a nearby reader and his own breathing.
Just as he decided to give up, the book began to glow. The pages suddenly turned on their own accord.
Harry read the first sentence of the chapter and was hooked. "Horcruxes are among the vilest, dangerous and difficult magikal creations known to man…"
He barely made it to Potions before the final bell rung. Why in bloody hell do I need to know that?
Despite his intention to create a potent and excellent potion, he settled on following the instructions on the board and in their book mechanically. Harry's mind wandered elsewhere during the entire lesson.
Who would want to split their soul?
The book described the process of creating a Horcrux as fatally painful and risky. One false inflection of a syllable could instantly kill the practitioner, or lead to a catastrophic explosion. A powerful Russian mage apparently attempted to create a Horcrux during a ritual in 1908 and caused a large explosion above the Podkamennaya Tunguska River, in Russia. That was the last recorded attempt at Ritual of Immortality.
Then there's the whole sacrifice of a pure, human soul bit. Harry had nearly thrown up as the book went into detailed suggestions as to how to kill the victim in order to render the soul accessible for the ritual to work.
The sheer number of questions that flew through his mind was numbing. He was so distracted that he nearly poked Draco with his potion's knife, which was covered in Ashwinder bits.
"Pay attention, Potter!" Snape murmured leaning over a cauldron behind them. Harry rolled his eyes as Draco jumped at the sudden suggestion, noticing the knife that was dangerously close to giving him a painful five-day rash.
The opening of the classroom door caused everyone to pause. The stern faced McGonagall stood in the doorway.
"Professor Snape," she said in her brisk, bitchy tone. "Headmaster Dumbledore requests Mister Potter's presence immediately."
Snape barely nodded an acknowledgment before he continued hovering over cauldrons that were emitting weird smells or hissing dangerously. Many of the other students began whispering to each other.
The last thing Harry wanted to do was go anywhere with the woman who seemed to want nothing more than his head. It was obvious that she was there to take him to his judgment for allegedly attacking her students.
"Is it not customary for the Head of House to accompany a student to such a hearing?" Draco drawled from beside Harry, clearly on the same page of thought.
Were it not for a bit of quick thinking from his Head of House, he was sure that the woman would have expelled Draco then and there.
"As I am in the middle of teaching a class with volatile elements," He gave the red-headed Gryffindor (a Ronald Weasley) a look of pure detest, one which was returned fully, "it would be irresponsible for me to leave abruptly. I will join you momentarily."
Harry stilled uncertainly. His mind flew through several ways of escaping the situation.
"You will come with me to the Headmaster's Office," she growled, reading his face. Many of the students in the class began to speak more loudly at the unusual coldness of the Headmistress. She gestured angrily to Professor Snape. "He will not get away with attacking two of my students!"
Harry calmly gathered his things. "I request the presence of my guardians and Luna Lovegood to confirm the attack against her." He conveyed the message to Draco mentally to contact both Marner and Lady Malfoy as soon as he could. He had a feeling that his request would not be met.
The woman seemed taken aback for a moment.
"Mr. Roberts and Mr. Vanes did not mention Ms. Lovegood having a part in this."
Of course they didn't, but I definitely left it in the report I sent you.
Harry bit the inside of his lip as he considered how much he should disclose in such a public setting. "It's not surprising since revealing that they, two nearly adult men, attacked a 14 year-old girl in the dungeons couldn't possible leave them in a good light."
The stern woman narrowed her eyes at him, assessing the truthfulness of his statements, while he crossed the room to meet her and left the classroom. He didn't need to think of an escape when he had a good action plan forming in his mind.
The walk to the Headmaster's office was long and allowed Harry to build up his plan. As a thought suddenly came to him, he stopped and turned to the professor. "Professor, did you expect me to be a member of your house when I arrived?"
A look a complete surprise flashed across the woman's face before she answered surly. "Mr. Potter, I don't see how that is of any importance here."
"It does, however, answer my questions on why you are so unfair to me." He said looking away from her. "It does not, however, explain why you as Headmistress and Head of Gryffindor have done nothing to assist students like Neville Longbottom, Hermione Granger, and Luna Lovegood, who are all ridiculed and isolated within their own houses."
Her sharp intake of breath at his blunt description of her ineptitudes drew Harry's attention back to the red-faced professor.
"I will have you know, Mr. Potter, that I care for all of the students here-."
"Except the Slytherins." Harry interjected calmly.
"Ten points for your disrespect of a professor and a week of detention!" She growled.
I just used Snape's office to Floo my mother and brother. They said they will meet you in Dumbles' office. His Floo isn't allowing anyone access for some reason. Draco's voice filled his head.
Thanks blondie! You're awesome!
A mental sigh was all the answer he received to the blonde's new nickname.
He turned his attention back to Professor McGonagall, who appeared unsettled by his indifference to her punishment.
"I accept the point deduction and the detention." He said with a small smile. "I do hope, however, that you will take my words into consideration. I was obliged to place all three of them within the protection of my House."
The implications of Harry being legally allowed to take any action physical or legal to protect the three students dawned on her. Both Neville and Hermione had accepted the proposition immediately, and reported having fewer issues in their house since then.
A slightly nagging feeling encouraged him make the decision to reveal the magnitude of the situation at hand. "Luna was sexually assaulted by your students." Her shriek of outrage spurred Harry on; he assumed she had not believed the report he sent to her. "Had I not arrived when I did, or incapacitated them…" He let the implication speak for itself.
The rest of the walk to the Headmaster's Office went by much more quickly than Harry expected. As they reached the gargoyle that guarded the spiral staircase, the professor extended a hand blocking halting his steps.
"I will get to the bottom of this Potter," she said with fierce eyes. "If it turns out that you have not been truthful, I will take this matter up with the Board of Governors and personally petition for your expulsion."
Harry was not in the least surprised by her statement. "I accept that. Despite having told the truth, I think I would be more comfortable at another learning institution. The Astraia Akadimía in Greece offers more in-depth, modernised and intensive courses at a more reasonable price." He smiled victoriously as the woman paled and reddened at the insinuation that Hogwarts lagged behind its peers.
"Indeed." She then gave the password to the statues ("Cauldron Cakes") and led Harry up to two majestic doors.
Harry could hear a rather heated discussion take place inside and wondered who all were present for his impromptu meeting with the headmaster.
"Come in," called the headmaster. Professor McGonagall pushed open the doors.
Harry, who had been expecting a rather eccentric office to match the eccentric man's personality, was not disappointed. His research on Dumbledore, however, indicated that the man's Hogwarts office was considered his main seat of power. He held offices in several other locations, but many of those, one critic noted, were used to intimidate foreign political enemies, not to impress school children and their parents.
The office had a comfortable, inviting atmosphere. At least a hundred portraits of headmasters past hung on the walls, silently observing and conversing with one another. Silver trinkets that rattled, emitted small puffs of smoke were arranged on small tables, and rows and rows of books lined the walls. On a slightly raised platform at the end of the room, a large gem-embedded stand stood imperiously next to the man's rather large desk with a large fireplace concluding the picture.
Harry snorted mentally. The man probably did impress the lucky and unlucky students, who ended up in his office. Harry merely rolled his eyes.
"Ah Harry, my boy!" The old man said cheerfully. "I'm happy that you made it."
A witty response on the abrupt summons almost flew from Harry's lips, when he noticed the black-haired man leaning causally on the desk.
"Headmaster. Lord Black." He acknowledged, smiling inwardly at the man's flinch.
"Please call me Sirius, Harry." He took a step in Harry's direction. "I-."
"It is customary for non-affiliated parties," he received another flinch, "to be present for such private matters?" He thanked Draco's parents for teaching the blond eloquence. He was not sure he would he been able to phrase what he wanted to say so exactly and politely.
The headmaster frowned slightly, as if disturbed by Harry's cold shouldering.
"We decided that such a serious manner should involve an adult to represent all parties." He said a grandfatherly way that had the hairs bristling all of Harry's body.
"I see." Harry said slowly. "Then I guess I should wait until Lady Malfoy arrives. I will wait outside."
He briefly saw the look of disbelief that passed from McGonagall to Dumbledore before he turned and slowly made his way to the door.
"I'm telling you, Albus. That wench has him bewitched to dislike us. Why else would be not be interested in talking to me and you."
"Sirius, please!" The elderly wizard stated firmly. "The boy is-."
"No, Albus. You fix this. The muggles pushed him, you isolated him, and now that blonde tramp is bewitching-."
Harry turned at the door with a loud swish of robe (Ah, so that's how Snape does that. The hands have to be in the pockets).
"Headmaster, I'm not sure where you've been receiving your information, but I have not been 'boy' for nearly a decade. When my relatives met their end, and I took care of those who insinuated the same, my 'boyhood' days ended. Please, take note of that."
"MR. POTTER!" The banshee screamed from where he left her in the middle of the room. "You WILL respect the Headmaster! How DA-."
"As for my association with Lady Malfoy," Harry continued in a dangerously low and piercing voice, "she was and remains the only adult in your world who did not ignore me, infantilise me, or attack me upon sight." All of the adults in the room paled. "For that and many other reasons, I am grateful to have her assistance."
"Thank you for your support, Harry!" Lady Malfoy said striding into the room with a grace that only she could manage. "Headmaster, how do you justify having a judicial hearing without inviting legal guardians and appropriate Head of House?"
Dumbledore stood slowly, staring down his rather long nose at the woman. "Lady Malfoy, a pleasure as always." Harry didn't need Draco's political training to hear the sarcasm in those words.
"Surely, but that is unfortunately not an adequate answer to my question." She tutted. "Luckily I was able to arrange for the appropriate people to be here, despite the lack of official summons by owl or procedural fire calls."
Loud footsteps echoed from the spiraling staircase. Harry watched in astonishment as nearly a dozen people and one goblin entered the room. Lady Longbottom and Draco leading the way, whispering to one another, looking determined and upset.
He saw the Headmaster pale at the rather large audience. He opened his arms and welcomed everyone to his office, though the warm smile did not quite meet his ears.
"HARRY!" Two strong arms suddenly embraced Harry.
Harry turned and was promptly hugged again by a very healthy-looking, energetic Marner. Something deep inside of him quivered happily to see a familiar face. He hugged the man back with equal force.
"Marner! What are you doing here?" He nodded his greetings to Marcius Malfoy, who stood at a respectable distance to the reunion.
"Harry, you won't believe how many times I've tried to contact you by bird ("owl", Marcius corrected with a grin), whatever. I'm sure that there's some sort of force field that keeps returning our letters." He gave Harry one last squeeze before ruffling his hair.
Harry then found himself attacked by Luna's arms for a few seconds. She garnered a few queer looks before she began wandering around looking at the room.
"For someone who has been only recently introduced to our world, that was very accurately put," said a woman with a monocle in official-looking, purple robes, who Harry did not know and could not identify. "Headmaster Dumbledore, there are some rather grievous allegations processed this morning in the DMLE."
The elderly man suddenly looked his years. Speaking in a voice that clearly showed disapproval, the Headmaster smiled and conjured plush chairs for all of the visitors.
"I hope I can be helpful with your investigation."
The official-looking woman's lips twitched. "I should hope so. They are charges against you." She gestured to a black man in similar robes who pulled out a rather long piece of parchment. The headmaster's face fell.
"The charges against Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore are as follows: two charges of interfering in House of Potter/Malfoy relations; three charges of inhibiting contact between guardians and their charges, seven charges of interfering with Goblin Business with the Head of the House of Potter/Malfoy; two counts of sequestering a Head of House against his will; three cases of interfering with on-going DMLE investigations. Your hearing will be tomorrow at noon before the Wizengamot." He handed the headmaster the parchment, which flashed gold when it entered his hands.
"I see." The headmaster stroked his rather long beard. "Ingenious really. But since most of these charges take a business day of processing-."
"I filed most of them yesterday at the urging of my son. You might have blocked the owl posts, but Malfoy Family magic always allows for alternative methods of communication between mother and child," Lady Malfoy said brightly. The pale wizard nodded.
You never told me that! Harry said to Draco.
I wanted to surprise you. I'm happy that you didn't catch on. There is a reason why I never mentioned the missing post over the past weet. Harry could only nod.
"I filed a charge this morning," Lady Longbottom said curtly, "one charge of denying a Litigator access to their client. If I remember correctly, it was you, Albus, who propositioned for that amendment to the Wizengamot Charter of Rights."
Harry made a mental note to read said document and to never cross Lady Longbottom. Draco nodded at him in agreement.
"Lord Potter." The goblin Grindclaw approached him swiftly. Harry smiled and kneeled to shake the goblin's hand. Several wizards gasped behind him, some in disgust. Harry ignored their ignorance.
"Grindclaw. Magik's blessings to you!" He smiled. It occurred to him that the goblin was wearing each of his Houses' crests upon his rather officious suit. Harry decided that he would take some time in the summer to look into his Family matters more deeply. "And please call me Harry."
"Magik's blessing to you as well, Lo-Harry." The grim goblin smiled, a rather scary sight. He handed Harry a stack of documents and letters. "There were the past correspondences that were sent to you and returned unopened, a summary of your accounts as well as pertinent documents pertaining to your estates and clarifications from me." He turned to throw a rather nasty look at Lord Black and Dumbledore.
"Apparently, someone bribed my secretary to not inform me of the matter. His fate has been decided internally, and mark my words, we shall get to he bottom of this debacle." Harry realized then why Goblins were considered some of the dangerous beings as well as the most appropriate beings to handle financial matters, thorough but ruthless.
"I thank you, Grindclaw, for your thoroughness. May our coffers overwhelm our enemies." Harry said, beginning to feel the pain in his kneecap and the strain on his leg muscles.
The atmosphere changed dramatically at his small but significant change in the Old Blessing from "your" to "our". The Goblin and everyone else present understood the indication that the Goblin and Lord of two Ancient and Noble Houses were working together not one for the other but mutally.
The brightness of the Goblin's eyes increased and he shook Harry's energetically. "May my service to the House of Potter strike fear and terror in the hearts and vaults of our enemies." He turned and, after a brief gesture to Professor Flitwick, who had arrived with Luna, he departed.
"That was beautiful, my boy!" The headmaster said. "It warms my heart to see such cordial Goblin-Wizard relations."
Harry shrunk the paperwork and placed it in his pocket. He was going to be in for a long night.
"Indeed, Headmaster? Maybe if more recognized and highly-regarded wizards took it upon themselves to show the Goblins more respect, Goblin-Wizard relations perhaps would not suffer as they do." Harry said with an accusing glare. "And once more, Headmaster Dumbledore. I am not your "boy". You might have controlled many events in my life, as one would a chess piece, but you have not earn the right to speak to me in a familiar manner."
"Ten points from Slytherin! You will respect the Headmaster." McGonagall all but growled.
"I do respect his positions," Harry said softly, "however, he had not earned my respect. Quite the opposite in fact."
As the woman opened her mouth to remove more points from Slytherin, the tiny Professor Flitwick intervened angrily. "Minerva, enough! Your qualms with Mr. Potter's Sorting have gone too far. I refuse to see a Head of House and a Headmistress stoop to such a low level of professionalism merely because she did not get son of her best and brightest students in her House."
The old cat looked as though he had struck her physically. The officious woman with the monocle withdrew a new piece of parchment from her pocket and continued taking notes. Apparently she and the other two wizards with her had been taking notes the entire time.
The headmaster watched with a benign twinkle as his frustrated college angrily aired his administration's ineptitude. "Filius, is that perhaps a bit harsh? Minerva ha-."
"No, Albus. I've watched patiently for took long. Severus has out of control for over ten years with the House Point System. This year has seen an increase in bullying that neither you nor Minerva seems to care to address. Minvera had taken it upon herself to single out and bully a student as well." He shook his head in disappointed. "This cannot continue. I will be filing a report with the Board of Governors and will include the recent case."
"Perhaps this would be a good time to address the most recent, most grievous case," the woman with the monocle stated, punctuating some notes she had taken with a flourish. "I assume that all of the accused and their Heads of House are present."
"No, madame." She turned to Harry, examining him briefly. "I was denied both my Head of House and guardian's presence by Headmaster Dumbledore and Headmistress McGonagall."
She nodded, notated something and turned to one of her colleges. "I'm assuming that Mr. Potter is in Slytherin House and that Potions Master Snape is currently in class, please tell him his presence and a vial of Veritaserum are requested, and that you will monitor his class until he returns." The man nodded and quickly left.
She's definitely a woman in power. Harry said to Draco.
There are few women in high position in the Ministry. Madame Bones is currently the highest ranking over of the most overwhelmingly patriarchal departments, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
Harry nodded in thanks for the information before turning back to the matter at hand. He looked at Luna, silently asking for her permission to openly discuss the issue, to which she nodded in acceptance and began admiring a silver trinket on a nearby table.
"Madam, I would like to officially give my account of the attempted rape of Luna Lovegood. Would the potion or an oath be recommended?"
The woman's monocle nearly fell out. "RAPE?" She stormed up to Headmaster Dumbledore's desk angrily. "Where were you going to inform the DMLE, Albus? In your yearly report!?"
"These were mere rumors and allegation until yesterday evening." He said trying to placate the fuming woman. "I had no-."
"My sources tell me otherwise." Lady Longbottom interrupted primly. She removed a bit of parchment from her pocket. "My grandson, friend of Lord Potter's, wrote me but four days ago concerning the attempted rape. He states that Lord Potter filed an official report to both the Headmistress and Headmaster with Neville present as he sent the owls."
"I never received an owl from the boy!" Professor McGonagall declared. Professor Flitwick hissed at her angrily.
"Are you calling my grandson, Heir of the House of Longbottom, the son of Alice and Frank Longbottom a liar, Minny?" The prim woman spat.
The black-haired woman backpedaled unsuccessfully. "I meant, I never receiv-." She chocked slightly as understanding flashed across her eyes and turned to face the headmaster, furious. "You redirected my mail as well!"
"There were no signs of rape. Ms. Lovegood spent the night in the Hospital Wing and Madame Pomfrey was not able to determine any signs of assault." Headmaster said quite evenly to an audience stricken with disbelief. "I decided it was not worth ruining the lives the youngsters because of a simple episode of roughhousing."
Even Harry was dumb-stuck. "What century do you live in?" Harry asked abruptly. "Since when was an attempted rape the same as roughhousing? Or is that logic only meant for Gryffindor perpetrators?"
"Gryfindors? I thought Harry was the rapist?" Lord Black sputtered, interrupting the disgusted silence that reigned in the office.
"No, Harry was my savior." Luna said airily, picking up the sleeping Sorting Hat. Harry could only say, "What?"
Lord Black's eyes widened, realising that girl who greeted Harry with a huge was the victim of the attempted sexual assault. He turned to the headmaster, sputtering in rage. "Albus, you had me believe that Harry was responsible for the-. You. I thought that the Malfoys and Slytherins were influencing him to beat up and take advantage of young girls. You told me my presence was needed to bring him 'back on track'. You-. I-." He shook his head as the headmaster began to give an excuse.
The man did not wait for a response. He throw grabbed some Floo power and disappeared from the office.
The rather abrupt department was followed by the arrival of Professor Snape with a vial of clear potion, and the two assailants trailing behind him. They paled at the sight of Madame Bones, the Aurors, Harry and Luna.
"Since I am already late, I took it upon to bring retrieve the other two students at the center of this issue." Snape drawled. He gave Lady Malfoy, Lady Longbottom and Madame Bones a nod of greeting before handing over the vial to the black man in what Harry assumed were Auror official robes.
Headmaster Dumbledore's last attempt to interfere with the proceedings was rendered futile with one strong look from Madame Bones.
With Professor Snape, Marner and Lady Malfoy's given consent for the use of Veritaserum and Lady Longbottom proofing of the questions, Harry's part in the brief interrogation was over fairly quickly. He sat between Marner and Lady Malfoy in the chairs that the headmaster conjured and listened as the two assailants protested the use of the truth serum.
"I give permission." McGonagall said suddenly and quietly. "You two have brought shame over our House and over Hogwarts. I wash my hands of you."
Dumbledore sighed loudly at the statement, gaining a glare for most of the rooms occupants (and some of the portraits, which Draco pointed out to Harry over their bond). He gave a motion with his hand to signify his permission.
"We need verbal consent from you, Albus." Madame Bones said, rolling her eyes
Harry could barely restrain his rage as the two boys, one right after the other, confessed under influence of the truth serum that they felt well within their rights as pureblooded males to take advantage of Luna. They both expressed their hatred of Harry ("half-blood bastard") for claiming the "pretty" girl under his House's protection and for acting in her honor.
During the questioning, Flitwick had whispered small words of encouragement to Luna, who had understandably gone paler than usual. Harry knew he would be returning her hug fully when all of this was over.
Luna shyly offered to give a statement as well, but Madame Bones decided that it would not be necessary as she had enough evidence to expel them. Both boys began crying immediately.
As the two both were given the antidote, Madame Bones waved her waved at them. Magical handcuffs made of light manifested, and the black Auror created a link from his wand to the handcuffs. "Albus, I'm assuming that your Floo will allow us passage now?"
A bit of red tinged the man's cheeks, "It was precaution during dangerous times, Amelia, I assure you." He waved his wand at the fireplace. The woman snorted.
"Lord Black had no problems with it, but every single individual who made the trek up to this office commented on being blocked. I don't see the logic in barring the Director of the DMLE and Augusta Longbottom from your Floo."
"Unless, there was something that needed to be hidden." Lady Longbottom said roughly. "I will be at your hearing tomorrow. Do not think for a second that Floo barring and Owl redirection won't be included in the charges. I expect those changes to be made and will have Lord Potter sent an owl every night with the magical signature from random acquaintances of mine to ensure he is getting his mail, if I must."
She removed a rather large and hideous hat from her pocket and made her way to the Floo.
"That will not be necessary, Augusta." The headmaster said weary.
The woman ignored him and exchanged words quickly with Madame Bones and Lady Malfoy before turning to Harry. "I officially offer thanks on behalf of the Ancient and Noble House of Longbottom for renewing your House Protection, Lord Potter."
"It was my pleasure." Harry smiled uncertainly as she left. Renewing?
Yes, I forgot to mention that to you. I recently looked up House Alliances and saw that the Potter and Longbottom Houses have often offered one another House Protection when they did not have any children to secure their longstanding alliance through marriage. Draco said. I'll share the book with you when Greenegrass gives it back to me. She's trying to find a loophole to void her marriage contract to Nott.
Harry shook his head. He would never understand the pureblood ways no matter how much information he had on them. A hand on his shoulder distracted him from the emotional scene that two cowards were trying to cause.
Marner looked at him with serious eyes. "Hey, you might want to reign in your magic aura stuff. I'm getting tingly all over, and not in a good way."
Harry did just that. He had not noticed his magic rising to the surface over the course of the interrogation.
As the black Auror, Kingsley snapped the wands the two boys, the portraits on the walls applauded loudly. Madame Bones and Professor Flitwick were arguing in whispered tones with the headmaster. After Kingsley entered the Floo with the two would-be rapists at wand-point, McGonagall approached Harry slowly.
Harry waited patiently for the apology that was bound to come, but he was beginning to get a bit drained and hungry.
She gave a deep sigh. "Mr. Potter, I apologize for my actions towards you. I-. My actions toward you have not been professional in the least."
Damn right. Draco growled over their bond.
Harry nodded, not really accepting or rejecting her apology. "Regardless, professor, I hope that the issues that I've been confronted constantly with since my arrival will cease."
"Ms. Lovegood and the House of Lovegood would have no claim to retribution or compensation due to the laws of the Wizengamot, if you hadn't placed her under the protection of the House of Potter-." She saw the look of exasperation that began to grow on his face. "All of which I am sure you somehow know."
"Professor?" Harry asked as she seemed to lose concentration on the monologue she started and began to stare off into the empty corridor.
She started. "My apologies Mr. Potter. This is not the first case of injustice that I've encountered during my many years of tenure here and mostly likely will not be the last."
"I will do everything in my power to protect her and her integrity." Harry said meaning every word. His own experiences flashing unceremoniously before his eyes subconsciously triggered his magic, which swirled around him like a protective lioness. "I do not take kindly to assault or abuse of any kind, and I will cut down those who attack the innocent or those within my protection."
Her eyes softened slightly. "Were things really that bad for Ms. Granger and Mr. Longbottom?" A nod from Harry caused her to sigh. "I must call a House meeting for tonight, excuse me."
Harry's stomach growled loudly as Draco and Lady Malfoy ended their small discussion and approached him.
"I think we can all use a bit of refreshment. Lunch at Three Broomsticks Inn?" Lady Malfoy suggested.
"That works marvelously. Marner and I have something we want to discuss with Draco and Harry, and the Inn's private rooms are practically spy-proof with a few extra charms." Marcius replied.
"We've been on the move for a while trying to figure some things out." Marner answered Harry's curious look mystifyingly. "Careful," he said as Harry opened his mouth to ask a question. "The walls have ears." He looked over at the nearby portraits, who were all feigning, badly, sleep.
The group decided not to disturb Madame Bones and Professor Flitwick as they apparently gave the headmaster a double dressing down.
Harry and Draco's curiosity grew as the seconds ticked by. As they reached the Inn and were led to empty, spacious room (Lady Malfoy went to order lunch for them), Marcius casted a quick spell with his wand, surprising the two. They had been under the impression that his wand had been taken and lost before his detainment.
They shared a look between them, one that did not need to be translated over the bond. Something big was going on.
Marner looked to Marcius for confirmation that they could not be overheard. "What do you two know about Horcruxes?"
Harry promptly choked on air.