I own nothing to do with the Harry Potter World, except seven well read books all paid for.

Chapter16

Fallout.

The fallout of Harry and Ginny walking out of the Wizengamot was swift. The Daily Prophet condemned them, making no effort to hold back their language describing them as rude, arrogant, insolent and unhelpful. Harry didn't really think he could argue with the last two, but didn't care one way or another. The upshot of it all was that there was now going to be a full investigation headed by Umbridge. The first time he read that his guts had squeezed into a painful knot. Two days later though he realised that it was almost inevitable that they would use her. She wouldn't be worried about inconvenient facts getting in the way of what they required.

The other non surprise was how selective the Prophet had been in it's reporting of the hearing. The Editor was the only person from the press who had witnessed what had happened, meaning Cuffe was up to his neck in it, whatever it was, along with Cresswell, Umbridge, and probably Wriggleswort, but none of them could be sure of him. He wasn't the brightest spark under the sun.

"Should we run this like a proper meeting?" Hermione asked settling down in one of the chairs that the Room of Requirement had provided, along with a long highly polished table for them all to sit round.

"If you want to Hermione," Harry said.

"I know there are only six of us but it may speed things up if we do."

"However you want to do it," Ginny said although her expression told Harry that she didn't care one way or another.

"We should take a vote on it then." Five hands were raised. "Five in favour one against."

"I'm not against," Neville said. "I just have no idea what I'm doing here."

"Can't break up the dream team Neville," Ron said cheerfully. He had picked up the six Butterbeers that Dobby had provided, and handed them around the table.

"I thought you three, sorry four, were the dream team."

"Don't be silly two of us would be dead without you, and without Luna we wouldn't have been able to lead Riddle and his supporters into a trap," Harry said.

"That's not true Harry you didn't need me, you could have found a way to trap him without me," Luna said.

"And I still don't understand what I'm doing here," Neville said.

"We want you to know what's going on, as there's a good chance you might get dragged into this mess," Harry said. Neville shrugged and leant back in his chair, sipping his Butterbeer.

"I know why I'm here, if that helps," Luna said. Harry could see that Hermione was struggling not to say 'not really' but she managed to control herself.

"We need to vote on a Chairperson, so we don't wander off the topic," she said.

"It's you Hermione. We all know that," Harry said. No one disagreed.

"Alright then we've all read the slander that the Prophet had written, and we all know how we are…"

"Point of order Chairperson," Ron said a mischievous grin on his face.

"What!"

"I thought I should point out that slander is spoken, whereas libel is written."

"Ron take this seriously," Hermione said an edge to her voice. She chose to ignore the smirks from everyone else. "As I was saying we all know how we're going to respond to this libel, but we need to second guess what they'll do after that."

"You've lost me again," Neville said looking round at everybody else.

"Didn't you tell him Ron," Harry said.

"You said you were going to," Ron said back.

"You two are hopeless," Hermione said raising her eyes to the ceiling.

"Some things never change do they Ginny," Luna said making them both smile.

"Alright I'll do it now," Hermione said. "Harry and Ginny were summoned to see the Wizengamot. The letter was phrased in such a way that if they didn't come voluntarily, other means would be found. The Quibbler will be publishing that in their next edition."

"That's this weekend," Luna whispered loudly in Neville's ear so everybody heard her.

"The Quibbler will also be printing nearly the entire transcript of the hearing."

"You said nearly the entire transcript. What bits are you leaving out?" Neville asked.

"Well there's a bit of swearing, and a private chat between Harry, Ginny and their legal council that really doesn't need to be aired."

"I still say you should cut out that second class mush Harry said to Ginny," Ron said his face looking like he'd chewed a lemon.

"Certainly not," Ginny said. "Besides Teenage Witch Weekly has agreed to publish the whole thing as well as the Quibbler, and they loved that bit. I still think you should keep the 'toad face' crack in though."

"It cheapens and demeans the whole thing," Hermione said.

"She was provoked," Harry said standing up for his wife.

"The Quibbler will also be publishing the full Auror report of Harry and Ron capturing that mad witch in Diagon alley.

"It's going to be the biggest issue of the Quibbler ever," Luna said. "Daddy's very excited by it all. He's always believed that the Ministry was corrupt and should be removed."

"Hold on Luna we're not trying to remove the Ministry," Harry said wanting to stop Luna from going on one of her weird anti Ministry rants.

"We've no plans yet Harry," Ginny said firmly.

"Look this is meant to be a proper meeting. All remarks should be addressed through the chair," Hermione said, "and this is getting us off the point. We need to discuss how we think the Ministry is going to react, as well as the general public."

"I suspect that most of the public will end up binning it," Harry said.

"Oh look cheerful Harry is back to haunt us again," Ginny said ruffling his hair. "He's so much fun when he's like this. I suggest we just ignore him, as he's channelling his inner Moaning Myrtle at the moment." Harry looked at Ginny with pursed lips.

"We shouldn't worry what the public thinks," Ron said. "The Ministry's, or should I say Cresswell and Umbridge's, reactions are going to be more important. My best guess is a sudden flurry of Ministerial decrees banning stuff."

"Like what?" Neville asked.

"Well judging by past experience they'll ban the Quibbler, and any other publication that prints the transcript," Harry said. "Does your dad understand that?" Harry said looking at Luna.

"Oh you don't need to worry about Daddy. He's been expecting to be banned for years. The Quibbler will just go underground. Everything is all set up," Luna answered with fanactical glint in her eyes that quite unnerved Harry.

"Look if it does come to the Quibbler being banned I'd want to help. Money, somewhere to print, whatever you need let me or Ginny know," Harry said.

"Thank you Harry that's very kind, but we're very well prepared, and our readers pay their subscriptions annually."

"I hope you won't be angry Harry, but I wrote to Cho Chang," Hermione said. Harry shrugged his shoulders puzzled why he should be. He felt Ginny's emotions flare up for a moment, but they subsided just as quickly.

"Why on Earth did you do that?" Ron said.

"Well the Quibbler s fine and all, but it still doesn't have a very large readership. It's a niche publication," Hermione answered diplomatically. Harry could tell it had taken a huge effort to even halfway praise the magazine. Luna was wearing a bright smile. "I asked Cho to send us a list of Prophet Subscribers."

"Hermione she could be sacked for that," Ron said, "maybe even jailed."

"I know, and I said it was up to her, and that I knew it would be risky."

"So what did she say?" Harry asked.

"She hasn't replied as such," Hermione then reached into her bag, pulled out a thick bundle of parchment and thumped it onto the table. "This list of names and addresses turned up though, without any covering letter. It's the past and present membership."

"Well she may have leaked like a hosepipe, but she was in Ravenclaw for a reason, no-one will be able to prove anything," Ginny said.

"You want Daddy to send a copy of the Quibbler to all these people," Luna said looking shocked, and then disappointed. "I don't think many of those people will pay for a copy."

"Well I was hoping that it could be a one off free issue, or something," Hermione said suddenly looking uncomfortable at Luna's reaction.

"Yea you could offer a discount on a years subscription," Ron added.

"I don't think Daddy could afford to print and deliver that many," Luna said gazing at the block of parchment her head tilted to one side.

"I can provide the money for that," Harry said.

"I don't know Harry, Daddy has his pride, and anyway we could never get enough owls to deliver them even if we printed them all."

"All right I'll make it a loan, to be paid back whenever. There's no need to deliver all of them at once, take a few days or weeks if you need to," Harry said although Luna still didn't look convinced. "Just so long as everybody knows what an awful rag the Daily Prophet is." Luna's eyes lit up at that thought, and Harry knew he had convinced her, and if she was convinced then her father was sure to follow.

"Ok Harry I'll write Daddy a letter, and see what he says."

"Great let me know before you send it. I'll arrange a banker's draft to send with it. What's next on the agenda then?"

"Well we don't really have an agenda," Hermione said with a pained look.

"Oh ok then. I shouldn't have to say this, but I will anyway. Cho's part in this should never be mentioned outside of this group. We may have need of her in the future, and I don't want her in trouble on account of us," Harry said.

"You mean treat her like a spy," Ron said, making Harry nod in agreement. "Then we better give her a code name."

"I've got one," Ginny said grinning. "How about Teardrop?"

"We can't call her that she'd hex us, me, into the middle of next week," Harry said exasperated.

"She doesn't have to know. This is just for the six of us," Ginny folded her arms in defiance daring Harry to disagree with her. He looked around the table and could see that he wasn't going to get any support.

"Alright Teardrop it is," he said resigned. Ron made a noise like a whip cracking. Harry glared back at him to no avail as Ron's grin grew broader.

"Do we have anymore spies?" Neville asked.

"Percy Weasley," Harry said.

"I thought he was a bit of a prat," Neville said. "No offence," he added quickly looking at Ron and Ginny."

"None taken," Ron and Ginny said together.

"Code name Prat then," Harry said before Ginny could name him. "I've got an idea for a spy network, but I'm not sure it will work."

"Well don't keep us in suspense what's your idea," Hermione said when Harry paused, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Dobby gave me the idea sort of. He told us that there were a lot of Elves without homes and work, because of the confiscation of Death Eater assets. No one wants to employ them because of their backgrounds, and…"

"That is just typical of the attitude of…"

"Hermione," Harry said raising his voice to stem the flood of vitriol that was about to overwhelm them. "Can we stick to the subject, please?"

"Sorry, but…" Hermione caught herself when Ron placed his hand on her arm.

"That's alright Hermione we all know how you feel, and I hope this might be a solution for them, as well as for us. I thought we could set up a cleaning and catering business with the Elves doing all the work," Hermione's face flared up in anger again, "and owning most of the company." Harry added quickly.

"What you mean they would hire themselves out by the day, and for special events," Ron said surprisingly quick on the up take.

"Something like that, Dobby and Winky already do that with your mum and dad Hermione. I don't see why it shouldn't work."

"I don't know Harry," Ginny said. "They like to belong to a home, and they hate the idea of being paid. Remember what Winky was like before she came to you."

"No Ginny, Harry's right," Hermione said an excited look on her face.

"That'll be a first," Harry muttered under his breath.

"If the Elves are loyal to the Company they'll feel like they belong, and it'll be the Company that earns the money not them, so they won't mind." Hermione's mind was now in top gear. "They'll be free without really knowing it, and because they've bonded with the Company no-one will be able to enslave them again. It would be best if they had a house of their own to work from. That'll make the bond much more effective."

"They already have one Hermione, the Shrieking Shack. I want you and Remus to have five percent of the Company each and it'll be up to the two of you to work out the details."

"Harry I don't want to have five percent. I'll do it for nothing."

"You can't Hermione it needs a Wizard or Witch to handle the business details, like registering the Company, paying taxes, and dealing with the Goblins. The Goblins would eat them alive otherwise, and I can't think of two people who would look after their interests better than you two. There's an added bonus in that Remus would be working for himself, and he'd never have to worry about Werewolf prejudices ever again."

"How is this going to help you with your trouble with the Ministry?" Neville asked. "Not that I don't think this all a good idea. In fact I think Gran would be interested in hiring an Elf herself every so often."

"Yea I was wondering that too," Ron added scratching his chin thoughtfully.

"I thought if we could get an Elf working in the right place they might hear something of interest."

"And because Wizards and Witches never pay them any attention they won't worry about being overheard by them," Ginny finished for him.

"But they won't tell us anything, "Ron said, "House Elves don't give away their Masters secrets. Dobby still refuses to talk about the Malfoys all these years later."

"Normally you'd be right but their loyalties will be to the Company so they can tell Remus or Hermione," Harry said. There was silence as everybody thought about Harry's plan. The idea had rattled around in his head for weeks now and he couldn't find fault with it except for no one wanting the House Elves services. That seemed a slim chance, as on the whole Wizards and Witches were basically lazy about domestic chores, despite their ability to do magic. Mrs Weasley was an exception to the rule.

"Even if they won't pass on secrets we should do it anyway," Hermione said eventually.

"Fine we'll leave that for now, anything else?" Harry said.

"Why?" Luna stated simple.

"Why what Luna?" Harry said.

"Why are they trying to put you and Ginny in prison?"

"They hate us," Harry answered.

"Hate's a strong word Harry. That can't be the only reason. They're going to a lot of trouble there has to be more."

"I have to agree with Luna. There has to be more to this," Hermione said. "I don't believe those three have the ability to blow up buildings, never mind the brains to plan this."

"So you reckon there's a mystery person out for revenge," Ron said.

"But there isn't anybody left to want revenge. They're all dead or in prison," Harry said not realising he was raising his voice, but he was getting frustrated with the whole turn of events.

"Are we sure of that?" Ginny asked. "It wouldn't be the first time that somebody slipped the net, and the Ministry covered it up."

"The Auror's are in control of the prisons now, Shacklebolt would tell us if he knew there was somebody out there after us."

"If we find out who bought the Prophet," Luna said, "I'm sure we'll find the person behind everything else." A frown crossed Harry face as he realised that Luna had hit the nail on the head. Somehow this had all started at the same time as the Daily Prophet changed hands.

"That's not as easy as it sounds. I should have another word with Shacklebolt, and see if he's made any progress in finding out. I don't hold out much hope though. Whoever is behind this has gone to great lengths to remain hidden."

"Do you think there are spies at Hogwarts?" Neville asked. "Working for them I mean.

"Probably Neville, but it could be anyone. That's why we have to keep everything secret, so no talking about this in public," Hermione said.

"The first suspects have to be the new Professors," Harry said.

"Look out Professor Neville you're under suspicion," Ron said causing a flash of alarm on Neville's face until he realised that Ron was joking.

"So Professor Rossi and Professor Urquhart might be working for the other side," Harry said. "I don't know a lot about Rossi, except she knows her potions, is easy on the eye, and Ginny thinks she has a thing for me." Harry winked at Ginny who just scowled back at him.

"She gives me the creeps. She always seems to be lurking about."

"Come on Gin its just coincidence."

"No it's not we bump into her more often than all the other teachers combined," Harry had had this argument many times before, and he really didn't want to get into it again, especially with the others present. It didn't matter what he said, Ginny always took the opposite view.

"Alright then why don't you ask her if she's following us? See if you can confirm your irrational views," Harry snapped hoping to end the argument.

"Right I will," she said her face turning red. "And you can have a word with Urquhart."

"Fine, if that's what you want you go ahead and make a fool of yourself." He could feel the anger rising up inside him, but this time he didn't want to suppress it as he had in the past. He wanted to let it out. He couldn't remember the last time he had got really angry.

"Stop it the pair of you," Hermione said, "you can't go accusing people of being in some conspiracy without proof."

"Well what do you suggest? I'm not going to let these bastards walk all over me and Ginny. All I bloody want to do is finish school in peace without being threatened, by a bunch of…" Harry never finished his sentence when he saw Ginny's face screwed up in pain clutching her forearm. Immediately his anger vanished to be replaced immediately by a wave of guilt in causing her pain. "Ginny I'm sorry."

"Well done Harry you've finally lost your temper," Ginny answered between taking deep breaths. "Took you long enough, it's been months." Harry reached over and began to rub her arm for her, hoping to remove the pain himself, and some of his anguish.

"I'm so sorry Gin I hate seeing you in pain. It's my fault." Images of Voldemort making her scream and writhe on agony from the Cruciatus curse filled his mind. They were as fresh as the day he had been forced to watch helplessly. He closed his eyes desperately wishing the scenes away.

"Hey look at me Harry," a quiet voice said beside him. "I'm alright you took me by surprise that's all. If anything I should apologise to you for all the pain I've caused you in the last six months when I've lost it." Ginny's expression was now one of concern and compassion, but not pain.

"You don't need to apologies." He lifted his hand and stroked her cheek making Ginny shiver. Someone coughed loudly making Harry remember that they weren't alone.

"Maybe we should call it a day," Hermione said looking embarrassed.

"No, no lets finish, sorry about that," Harry said. The others all looked as uncomfortable as Hermione did witnessing such a personnel moment. "I'll have a word with Urquhart; see if I can't glean something from him. After all he bound to knows about explosives, and as the DADA teacher he has to be the number one suspect."

"Unless the curse has really been broken," Ron said.

"I want to ask him something anyway."

"I'll have a word with Rossi, unless you don't want me to Harry," Ginny said.

"Have a go if you want, but how are you going to do it?"

"I thought I'd show her the Half Blood Prince book, and then see if I can steer the conversation round to our troubles."

"You both need to be discreet about this," Hermione said biting her bottom lip.

"I can do discreet," Ginny replied. Harry didn't say anything people had always accused him of acting before thinking.

XXXXX

Getting Urquhart to agree to see him hadn't been difficult. Setting a time suitable for both of them had proved more problematically. That was why five days later, on a snow swept Sunday evening, Harry found himself knocking on the door of the DADA office door. Instead of hearing the Professor call him in it was opened by Sean Palladino.

"Go on in he's expecting you."

"Thanks," Harry replied not sure where he exactly stood with the Slytherin Prefect these days. Palladino smiled weakly nodded his head, and walked off in the direction of the Dungeons. Harry closed the door behind him, and surreptitiously cast a privacy charm on the door. He didn't want anything to be overheard, by anyone.

"Thanks for taking the time to see me sir," Harry said as he sat down on the other side of the desk.

"I made the offer a long time ago Harry. You don't mind if I call you Harry?" he asked.

"No sir," Harry replied.

"Good I want to be as informal as possible so feel free to call me Roman."

"Thank you sir," Urquhart just gave a wry smile back.

"I understand your reluctance to get involved with new people Harry. Looking in from the outside yours has been a difficult life, with plenty of ups and downs. I've been there just as you have, although I have to admit not to the same intensity."

"I don't know if that's true Sir," Harry said making Urquhart's eyebrows rise in surprise. "I've had a look at your file. I'm impressed." It never did any harm to butter the man up.

"How did you get to see my file?" Harry had never seen him looked so shocked. His usual demeanour was one of calm and total self control.

"I know someone, who knows someone," Harry said. "It took awhile but I was determined to know as much about you as I could."

"Assess the threat before it threatens you, very sensible," Urquhart said. "I admire your caution, although it saddens me that you have to think like this at such a young age. You know some powerful people Harry to get access to my file. Not even I've had that privilege."

"Maybe I'll let you see it one day, and you can tell me how much of it is true."

"Is it secure?"

"Only two people on the planet know how to access it, and I'm one of them."

"And the other one?"

"I trust with my life. I give you my word that no-one else will see it"

"I'll accept your word Harry. If someone else saw it they'll only make ridiculous judgements about me."

"That I can relate to," Harry said with feeling. "The man I read about in the file I could trust, but I have one major problem doing that."

"What's that?" Urquhart leant forwards.

"I'm being accused of crimes that you could commit with your eyes shut. It appears that Muggle explosives are being used to blow up parts of Hogsmeade and Diagon alley." Harry locked onto Urquhart's eyes tempted to use Legilimency, but he might be detected if he knew Occlumency, and he really wanted to trust the man. Invading his mind would be a major breach of that trust.

"Ah I see," Urquhart said. "That piece of information has been kept out of the papers. I'm not sure how I can convince you that it has nothing to do with me, as you said I'm more than qualified. I could state the obvious and say that plenty of other Wizards could have done it. Knowing how to handle explosives isn't that hard to learn. You just have to treat them with respect." Harry wanted to believe him, and as far as he could tell he wasn't lying. The only trouble was his file said that the Professor had been trained to resist interrogation by experts, and nothing short of Veritaserum, which he didn't have, would prove whether he was lying or not.

"So do you want to admit that you're doing this?"

"No not today Harry, but tell me why they think it's you?"

"Oh some made up nonsense that none of my properties have been destroyed therefore it must be me. It's not like the properties aren't rebuilt in a matter of days, but whoever is doing this made a mistake and killed an old witch."

"If it was a mistake."

"What do you mean?"

"It seems obvious to me Harry that someone is out to ruin your reputation."

"That's been tried before."

"And they want revenge."

"I'm sure you're right Professor, and I've discussed this with my friends. The only trouble is that there's no one left to want it. They're either dead or in prison."

"There are always friends and relatives. From what I can gather many have been stripped of their wealth. Wealth that their families have had for generations. That makes the loss much harder to bear. They know nothing else."

"Well they can just go out and get a job!" Harry said without a hint of sympathy. "That's what everybody else does."

"Most of these people would prefer to starve than work for somebody else. Revenge can be a much more palatable and easy option."

"So you're saying that there could be hundreds of people out there wanting our blood."

"I'm afraid so. You have, after all, been attacked once already. I'd image if you weren't here at Hogwarts, temporarily out of reach of the general public. That you would have been attacked more often.

"Gee thanks for making my day Professor."

"I don't think for a moment that all the people wanting revenge will attempt to act on it. You do have a fearsome reputation of your own, and they want to get revenge, not commit suicide or risk imprisonment."

"You mean they're cowards."

"Coward is a strong word Harry. They want to live and be free more than they want revenge. That's probably a better way to put it. Your problem is with those who think the opposite."

"Well the odd nutter we can probably deal with. It's who's pulling the Wizengamot's strings that worries me."

"But they don't have a case against you."

"That's not going to stop them trying. The Wizengamot is rotten to the core, but I'm not going to take it lying down." Harry gritted his teeth together trying to suppress the anger he was feeling again, after all these months of being strangely calm and relaxed. It felt new and uncontrollable. If it came down to a choice between his and Ginny's freedom, and the freewill of the Wizengamot he knew who would lose. If he had to find some grubby little secret on all fifty members he'd do it.

That was an idea. He felt no loyalty to the Wizarding World. It had proved itself shallow and inconsistent over the years. He would have to contact Rita Skeeter she was bound to know some buried skeletons.

"I'm sure you won't Harry. I wish there was some way for me to help you, and prove that I'm not one of those out to get you."

"Why do you care what I think of you?" A sardonic smile appeared on Urquhart's face at Harry's question.

"I want your respect Harry. Your opinion of me matters, and there are precious few that I would say that about." Harry was stumped on how to reply to that. No one, as far as he was concerned, had ever really cared what his opinion was on anything, at least not on important matters outside of Quidditch.

"But you barely know me."

"I like to think that my army career made me a good judge of character Harry. I've served with many kinds, heroes, psychos, shirkers, leaders and followers."

"So which one of those do you think I am?" Harry asked. He had found Urquhart to be one of the best DADA teachers they had had. Granted that wasn't saying much with some of the Professors they had been forced to endure. Remus was still the benchmark, and Urquhart was he had to admit right up there with him if not better. Snape had a deeper knowledge and love of the subject, but couldn't teach worth a damn, at least not to Harry. He was intrigued, and not a little anxious about how he was going to answer.

"Interesting, you really don't know do you?" Urquhart said staring straight at Harry. "I don't think any of your friends would argue with me when I say that you're a natural gifted leader, and one of the greatest heroes that I have every met, never mind read about."

Harry was again dumbfounded. Sure people had called him a hero before. He had thousands of letters back home calling him that, but those people didn't know him, not the real him so what did they know. They didn't understand the fear and desperation he had gone through. Then the thought struck him that he valued Urquhart's opinion of him. The reports in his file had been a little dry, but reading between the lines his deeds had been spectacular. Even if he had used magic to help him out on occasion. He knew what it was to put his life on the line. There was still one thing that bothered him though, and it was the other reason he had come to talk with him.

"You don't think I'm a psychotic killer then." Urquhart's eyes widened in surprise.

"What on earth makes you say that?" Harry paused it had been bothering him ever since Hermione had broken down, and cried on his shoulder over the two Death Eaters she had killed.

"Because I have no feelings for the people I've killed. Doesn't that make me a cold blooded killer?" Urquhart leant back in his chair his elbows on the arms, and his fingers entwined in front of him. His eyes never left Harry's.

"No not necessarily. Tell me what you felt at the time."

"Well nothing specifically. They were trying to kill me or my friends. I wasn't going to let that happen."

"So you didn't feel any joy or happiness then?"

"No!"

"Then you're not a Psycho." Harry felt a weight lift off his chest that he hadn't realised was there. "I can explain if you want?"

"Please!"

"Many years ago the leaders of a Muggle army discovered that most of their soldiers never actually fired their weapons at the enemy. Most of those that did fired without aiming, and a great many didn't even bother pulling the trigger. For example after the Battle of Bull Run a musket was found that had been loaded twenty three times, but not fired once. Don't think that this nameless soldier was a coward shirking his duty. He had stood alongside his comrades in the thick of the fighting, shells and musket balls whizzing past him, yet he had never fired his weapon."

"But that doesn't make sense," Harry said.

"Well it does, and it doesn't," Urquhart continued. "It's a common misconception that all humans are beasts and natural born killers. We're not. In fact it's very difficult to get one average person to kill another. It goes everything that most of us believe in. Modern armies are such that face to face fighting is actually rare, and it takes a lot of training and conditioning to get soldiers to do it."

"Then why do people kill each other?"

"Because there are always exceptions to every rule. One way is to have a belief that the ones you are fighting are less human than yourself and don't deserve to live. That way you can con yourself that you're not killing real people. The Death Eaters are a prime example of this. History is littered with other examples of this, mostly religious. Anyway to cut a long story short the Muggle researchers found that only two percent of the population were capable of killing others without any lasting psychological effect. One of these consisted of psychotics. They were happy to fight, and in fact enjoyed the whole thing."

"What about the other one percent?" Harry asked leaning forward in his chair.

"Well I guess the group name for them would be heroes. I believe that's the group you belong in Harry. In fact I know it is." Harry sat in silence as he let the whole concept sink in. He really wanted to believe the Professor it would remove the nagging doubts he had about himself, and for that matter Ginny. They'd both had nightmares, but they had never been about the lives they had taken.

"I don't see myself as a hero Professor."

"Heroes rarely do. That privilege is left up to the rest of us. Look I've given you enough to think about for one night. Harry if you ever want to talk again, my door is open, and if you can think of a way for me to help just ask."

"Thank you Sir," Harry stood up and started to head towards the door, but stopped just before reaching it, returning to stand in front of the desk. "There is one thing you might be able to help with if you're willing, although I'd understand if you don't want to, as it may conflict with your Head of House duties."

"You can but try me Harry." Harry drew in a breath wondering if he was about to make a mistake.

"I'd like you to dig up any dirt you could find about any current member of the Wizengamot, and pass it on to me or Ginny." Urquhart's eyes blinked in surprise.

"You intend to blackmail the Wizengamot."

"If I need to. It's clear that's what someone else is doing to them, so why not me?"

"I don't know anything about them Harry. I've not been an active part of the Wizarding World for years. I don't think I can be of much help to you, after all I'm not sure I could but a few of them."

"I wasn't suggesting that you would Professor, but I'm sure many of the members of your House know a great deal of things about a great deal of people, and who to ask if they don't."

"Bloody Hell Harry you're not asking for much are you. I need to think about this Harry before I make a decision."

"That's fine Sir. Like I said before I'm not going to take this lying down. If they want a fight I'll give them one."