A/N: Thanks to eliizilla for taking some time to read through this chapter
TEN
Ministry of Magic Atrium
London, England
Harry nodded and politely inclined his head towards the Director of the Magical Law Enforcement, and at the same time, he watched, from the corner of his eye, as Minister Fudge left the room with the small party of Wizengamot members who have followed his lead in the vote.
Harry does not know if they are trying to avoid being seen in the place where they were defeated one moment longer than necessary, or if they are trying to get their faces away from the cameras, as Al had claimed they would do after the hearing. If it was the latter, then it was a failure, because they left together, while those that voted for Harry remained in the chambers. By observing those who are left, one can easily deduce who those who are gone are.
Those that were fortunate enough to watch the spectacle are also beginning to file out of the chambers, including the local reporters, whom Harry suspected would be making their way to the private offices of Fudge.
On the corner of his eye, Harry saw Professor Dumbledore approach him and Al. The headmaster of Hogwarts was joined a few moments later by the Weasley's who are among the audience, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ron, Ginny, and the twins. Harry noted that Ginny was carrying a flask and the boy-who-lived already knows what that flask contains.
Unnoticed by the approaching Weasley-Dumbledore party, Harry noted Hec and his partner, Andrew, took position, flanking the only exit available to the members of the public. Harry noted that both Hec and William are carrying identical suitcases as the one that Al was carrying, so he was sure that both men are also armed.
Meanwhile, Hermione and her bodyguards also made their way to regroup with Harry. Unlike the Weasley-Dumbledore party, they had chosen to use the staircase that would bring them to the side of Harry instead of the staircase that would lead to the only exit.
Due to this fact, Hermione and her bodyguards reached Harry first. The first thing that Hermione did was to throw herself at Harry. Harry caught her in his arms and they shared an embrace.
Al, who stood beside Harry and also had his attention towards the approaching probable-hostiles, noted the look of jealousy that was written in the face of both Ginny and Ron. While the battle-wizard cannot be sure for certain why the two children are showing jealousy over something that Hermione and Harry had once done, in front of the Great Hall, no less, he suspected that it had something to do with their, Ginny and Ron's, plans for the young couple that he, Al, now serves.
At the same time, Al noted the glee on the faces of the Weasley twins. Al was already aware that the twins are never going to betray Harry. Their loyalty to the Potter Heir, Al knows, is second only to Hermione among those who are at Hogwarts.
Mrs. Weasley was almost the same color as Dumbledore when Hermione and Harry shared the embrace, in fact, Al noted, the headmaster and the Weasley matriarch looked more like a couple than Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, which prompted Al to look at Mr. Weasley.
Part of the reason that he looked at Arthur Weasley was the fact that he cannot believe that someone like him could be party to the treachery that is being planned by his family members. Al had believed the statements of Sirius and Remus that Arthur Weasley is a harmless man who would never harm a fly. Harry and Hermione assured Al of the same thing when they talked about their potential adversaries.
When Al saw Mr. Weasley, he almost whipped his suitcase and mowed down the probable-hostiles on approach. The first thing that Al noted was the glassy-eyes of his subject, and the second was the tell-tale smell of a powerful love potion present on his breath. It was obvious that the man was under the control of the imperius curse, and is also suffering from being potioned up. Unfortunately, Al cannot tell what the potion is without getting a sample of it.
Ginny watched the actions of Hermione and Harry with cold anger in her eyes. To her, the only one who could embrace Harry like that is her.
Ron, on the other hand, was thinking a bit more. The youngest Weasley male never saw Hermione in the same way that Ginny saw, or rather, imagined, Harry. If he can help it, he would rather use the love potion on someone else, but his mother had insisted on netting Hermione first. He was jealous of the embrace not because he likes Hermione, but because Hermione and Harry are showing too much affection, and that, in turn, would damage the chances of his family getting the Potter gold.
"Hey mate" Ron said. He and his companions stopped within touching distance of Harry and Hermione. Both Harry and Hermione ignored them while Al pretended to tie his shoes.
"Harry?" Ginny asked. Harry and Hermione broke their embrace, but they did not let go of each others hands.
"Let's go get some fresh air" Harry suggested to Hermione. He, however, and as planned, did it in such a way that while he only suggested it to Hermione, everyone accepted the invitation.
Al nodded he led the way back to the lifts, but only for Harry and Hermione. Francesca and Marcus brought up the rear, where the Weasley's found themselves in, while Hec and Andrew took the front, though no one among those that are not aware of their identities know that.
Dumbledore fell in beside Harry and had pestered the young man, to no avail, till they reach the atrium where reports were waiting for them.
Dumbledore decided to do something about that, not because he had Harry's best interest at heart, but rather, because he was afraid that someone might ask a question that would embarrass the headmaster of Hogwarts, "Ladies and gentlemen" the headmaster said, "Harry is not going to be answering questions today"
"On the contrary, headmaster" Harry said, he looked coldly at his headmaster and smirked, "Harry would be answering some questions today"
Dumbledore was surprised that Harry rebuffed him, but he quickly recovered, "Harry" he said in his best grandfatherly voice that always worked on Harry, "I do not think that that would be for the best"
Harry nodded, which made the headmaster think that he had managed to convince Harry, but then Harry said, "Headmaster, what I do outside Hogwarts is not up to you, and even if you think that it is not the best for me, why should I listen?" it was a rhetorical question, because Harry continued, "You thought that it was best for me to go to the Dursley's where I was abused for ten years, so forgive me if I do not share your opinion that that what you do is best for me"
Al smiled as he watched the reporters take down their notes. So far, everything was going according to plan.
"Harry" Dumbledore said, he maintained his façade even if deep inside, he wants to shout at the boy, "I only have your best interest at heart"
"Right old man" Harry said, "So tell me, headmaster, was having a broom closet under the stairs for ten years as my room the best for me?"
A collective gasp was heard among the assembled reporters. Al had no doubt that they would now consider the incompetence of the Ministry as nothing more but the appetizer.
Ginny decided to move on her own, she stepped forward and offered Harry the flask that she was holding. In her best caring voice, Ginny handed Harry the flask and asked, "Harry, would you like a drink?" For some reason, she ignored Hermione, who was still holding hands with Harry as she offered her flask to him.
Harry nodded, though he did not smile when he took the flask from Ginny, he did noticed the smile on the face of the girl. However, instead of drinking from the flask, Harry handed the flask to Dumbledore and said, "Headmaster, I think that the heat is making you sweat, here, I would be kind enough to share this with you"
Dumbledore smiled at Harry and refused the offer, "Young Ginevra gave you the flask Harry, it is yours" he replied.
"I insist" Harry replied, but when it was clear that Dumbledore would not be persuaded, Harry just nodded. He looked at Hermione, they are still holding hands, much to the irritation of Ginny and Ron, and then back at the headmaster, and said, "If my headmaster would not share a drink with me, then perhaps, one of our reporters can" he offered the drink to a random reporter, only to be stopped by Ginny.
"Harry, I made that drink for you" she said.
Harry appeared confused, "Made it for me?" he asked, and when Ginny nodded, Harry asked, "What's in it?" Harry, and the reporters, watched as Ginny's face became redder than her hair. Without knowing, she made the reports suspicious about what really is in the flask.
"Mr. Potter, do you think that its love potion?" someone asked. Dumbledore looked at the assembled crowd of reports to identify which among them shouted that. The headmaster intended to remind the reporter of what he is suggesting, but failed to find the reporter. He cannot afford to have that question answered since it might result to someone demanding that the flask be tested. Dumbledore knew that the love potion meant for Harry was in that flask.
Al smiled at the obvious discomfort of the headmaster and the obvious attempt of the headmaster to find whoever it was that shouted that. Unfortunately for the headmaster, he would not be able to find the person who shouted that, unless of course, the headmaster knows what a tape recorder is.
Al decided to jump into the fray at that moment and open their second offensive for this morning, "Ladies and gentlemen" Al said, "Need I remind you that love potions are not allowed in any country? Besides, I do not think that it would work on my client anyway"
"But Al, we need to know if there really is a love potion in that flask?" a reporter asked, "A simple detection charm should be more than enough"
Al looked at Harry, who nodded, "I think that I should be the one to handle this" he said, Harry handed him the flask, while Al retrieved his wand. As Al had expected, Ginny attempted to retrieve the flask. Al took the opportunity to do some further testing on his suspicions. He allowed Ginny to crash into him and at the same time, he made a show of casting the spell, but because the younger Weasley crashed into him, the spell, instead of hitting the flask, hit Mr. Weasley instead.
Mr. Weasley glowed pink when the spell hit him, making him positive for love potions. Reporters immediately began snapping pictures when they did so.
"What the hell was that for girl?" Al asked. He looked at Ginny and saw that she had managed to knock out the flask and break it, spilling the contents on the stone floor of the atrium. That made the liquid impervious to love potion detection spells.
"Why is Mr. Weasley glowing Al?" Harry asked, he did not even need to act surprised, because he is surprised. To the best of his knowledge, Al did not talk about this when he, Al, discussed the plan. A quick glance towards Hermione, who shook her head in the negative, confirmed that Al did not talk about this at all.
"Harry, Mr. Weasley is showing positive for love potions" Al explained, and then he shook his head, "Although for the love of me, I do not know why"
The damage done, Dumbledore could do nothing to protect the behind of his most loyal supporter. So instead of attempting to cover this up, which, the old man knows is doomed since the number of reporters in the atrium who have witnessed it are in the hundreds, he suggested, "Perhaps, we should take Arthur to St. Mungo's to determine how this happened"
Harry and Hermione wanted to protest, but a quick glance at Al, who told them without words to let it go, stopped their protest even before they can say anything.
"Perhaps, Ms. Granger and yourself can accompany us?" Dumbledore asked in a pleasant voice, "After all, are you not concerned about Arthur's condition?"
"We would drop by soon enough" Harry replied. He did not even looked at the headmaster when he said that, and then he quickly added, "At this point, I think that the healers would still take some time to diagnose him, so we would just waste our time there"
"I agree with Harry, headmaster" Hermione replied before Dumbledore can say anything, "Besides, Mr. Weasley already has his family with him, I think Harry needs me here"
Harry turned towards Hermione and smiled at her, "I would always need you" he replied in a sweet voice. They held themselves, however, and did not kiss. It, however, did not matter, since their lips are about only five inches away from each other. To the media, that was as good as a kiss.
Al smiled at the quick reaction of Harry and Hermione. Although this was not part of the plan since Al did not expect someone else to be actually dosed up, his two charges easily took control of the situation and turned it to their advantage. Harry and Hermione might not announce their current relationship, but the battle wizard has no doubt that the writers in gossip magazines would be gossiping about them.
Harry and Hermione noted the reaction of various people to their closeness. The two youngest Weasley's were green with jealousy, while their mother was red with anger. The Weasley twins are obviously pleased with this new development, but at the same time, they are worried about their father. Dumbledore looked as if someone kicked his favorite cat.
"Headmaster" Al said after a few moments, "I think that you should worry more about Mr. Weasley right now" he motioned to Mr. Weasley, who looked weak and about to collapse before adding, "whatever it was that he consumed, it reacted badly to the detection spell"
Dumbledore nodded, "Yes" he replied, he glared at Molly who was still red-faced with anger, before he turned back towards Harry and said, "Harry, as soon as you are able, please contact me, there are some things that we need to discuss."
Harry merely nodded. Dumbledore took that to mean that Harry would contact him, but in truth, the boy-who-lived has no plans of contacting the old man. A few moments later, Dumbledore and the Weasley's disappeared from the floor, presumably, on their way to St. Mungo's, though Al would not out it past Molly Weasley and Dumbledore to head straight home and attempt to diagnose the problem themselves.
"I apologize for that" Al said as soon as the unfortunates were out of the way, he sighed for show and then looked at the reporters in front of him, "I think it would be better if we do this as calmly and as orderly as possible, and Harry does not have a lot of time, so we can only entertain" he looked at Harry who mouthed a figure, and then back at the assembled media, "five questions"
Most of the reporters among the assembled know that Anton Rosseu only allow five questions when he is interviewed, so it was not a surprise when that figure came.
"Mr. Potter, Chicago Tribunal" the reporter introduced himself before asking his question, "What do you think about the charges leveled, and dismissed, against you?"
"Obviously, the ministry is out of control" Harry replied, he kept himself strictly in the script as he added, "They complain that I am an attention-seeking brat, and yet, they leveled these charges against me, did they not imagine, at least, that doing so would mean that the attention would again be on me?" it was a rhetorical question, "In any case, I do not need any more attention that I am getting right now, I have a madman who is after me because I killed him when I was a baby, which also made me famous, and I won the Tri-Wizard tournament, which again made me famous" he smiled, "Right now, the only attention I want to have on me is the attention of my loving girlfriend" at that, Hermione stepped beside Harry and smiled at the crowd as the two of them again held hands.
"Anton has said that you would be filing cases against your non-magical guardians and against Professor Dumbledore. May we know how you are treated there?" the reporter asked, and then he added, "I am from Wizard Times Magazine"
"Please forgive me for not answering that question sir" Harry replied, "I do not wish to speak about my past life with the family of my mother's sister, so please" the reporter nodded, "However, you can be rest assured that Al would be filing these cases"
"We are also filing a case against the British magical government as to the incarceration of an apparently innocent man" Al said, he took all the attention towards him, "Sirius Black"
"But Anton, Black reportedly killed thirteen people" a reporter complained, "How can you claim that he is apparently innocent"
Al smiled, "Innocent until proven guilty, Matt" he replied, "Sirius Black has never been charged with murder, never been charged with theft, hell, the guy probably has never even been charged with underage magic, but even if that is the case, they threw him in a jail cell for thirteen years" he smiled and added, "the man cannot even be charged with escaping from prison, because, British Magical Law has no law that states that you are a criminal if you managed to break out of Azkaban"
"What was that?" someone asked before he can stop himself.
"That is the fourth question, ladies and gentlemen" Al replied, "Only one more question after I answer this one." He paused to allow what he had just said to sink in, and then added, "It's true, there is no law that states that escaping from Azkaban is a crime, probably because no one has done it before, so…." Al trailed off.
No one wanted to ask the last question, mostly because no one is sure if his or her question would be the right one. Finally, after a few moments, one man did ask a question, "Would Mr. Potter be returning to Hogwarts in line with the charges that he is filing against the headmaster of that school?"
Al looked at Harry, and then motioned for him to answer the question. It was, after all, not a decision that is based on Al, but rather, based on Harry. Harry looked at Hermione, who shrugged, mentally telling her that she does not care whether or not they are returning, and then back at the assembled reporters, "Unfortunately, we, that is to say, me and Hermione, my girlfriend, are yet to take our OWL's, so we have to attend school, though we are both not sure if it would be at Hogwarts, or if it would be somewhere else"
"No more questions" Al said, ending the press conference.
Potter Island
BIOT
It was evening on the island when Harry, Hermione and their escorts returned to the island. Dan, Emma, Sirius and Remus were waiting for them when they materialized in the living room of the manor house in the island, and none of them could mistake the grin of triumph in the faces of the new arrivals.
"I take it that everything went according to plan then?" Dan asked.
Al nodded and smiled, "Even better" he replied, he and his fellow bodyguards, all of whom were carrying steel suitcases, placed their suitcases on the surface in front of them and then opened it, "Idiots cannot even tell that we were carrying small arms in the center of their government" he smiled, "The guard thought that it was some sort of water container"
Al watched as Dan's mouth opened, "You brought an MP-5 in a hearing?" and when Al nodded, Dan added, "Not only that, the guards saw the weapon, but did not say anything about it"
"I told you that they are idiots" Al replied, he looked at Hec, Francesca, Marcus and Andrew, before saying, "We'll do the debrief tomorrow, for today, why don't you guys get some rest?" he asked, though it was clear to the four that it was not a question, it was an order, and the four of them nodded before they filed out of the house.
Harry and Hermione thanked each one of their companions as they filed out of the house and then they looked at Al. Both are wearing an expression on their face that clearly stated that they want answers now. Al smiled at them both and nodded, "Why don't we meet at the dining room in ten minutes?" he suggested.