Harry Potter

The Aftermath

Chapter 6

Allies?

December 18, 2017

Marie walked into Hogsmead quietly she was too well known in Diagon Alley to do any shopping there, she kept getting strange looks anytime she came out of her home, so she chose to get a few things here then return home before going into London. She was going into the office today to formally make her request up the chain of command which unfortunately would begin with Cornelius Fudge. She knew she would eventually have to go above his head but she had to start with her department head first.

The villagers here in Hogsmead remembering the four of the Muraders, James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, their two girl companions Lily and Marie during their final year at Hogwarts were very weary of Marie now. She noticed those same looks that she got in Diagon Alley here now, she made no eye contact as she went to the few shops she needed bought her few items then left each store locking up after she had gone to keep her from returning.

After a while the looks were getting to Marie her once tall and regal walk was slowly becoming uncomfortable her shoulders were hunched slightly as she watched the ground in front of her not willing to make eye contact with any of these accusing eyes. Realizing what she was doing, letting these people adjust her demeanor, she stopped as she thought of all the fun they had here when they were in school. She stood back up straight and raised her head to look at these people with their accusing looks.

Remus had been watching Marie tall and proud then the longer she was here in the village she was almost cowering to these people, she had stood up for him, she had fought for him, she had became his friend and learned to become an Anamegus just for him, she had fought against Death Eaters and Voldemort. This wasn't her he was about to step out to go to her when she stopped in the middle of the street. He watched her as she stood up tall again and looked straight ahead showing how strong she was and that this wasn't going to break her their opinions didn't matter at all to her.

Even this far away Remus was impressed with his friend she was strong, uncompromising, and impressive. "Get out of here you Death Eater Lover we don't want your kind here." he heard from one of the villagers as Marie had started walking again.

"Fiance to that mass murder Sirius Black, traitor to us all and to his friends yet you fight for him!" another villager shouted out to Marie as she passed by him gritting her teeth refusing to answer their calls.

"Death Eaters aren't welcome here so keep going." another villager said gaining courage from the other two now more were throwing insults at her. Marie refused to show that they were getting to her as she just kept walking to the outskirts of the village.

Remus made his way around the crowd angrily he knew how it felt to be treated this way, outcast and hated by most for no reason. Her reactions to him the night James and Lily were murdered had proven to him then that she wasn't his enemy and knew nothing of Sirius' betrayal. He had just made it to the front of the crowd when Marie suddenly stopped and spun around at the edge of the village.

Marie determined to look these people in the eye just before she disaparated to go back to Diagon alley was surprised to see Remus at the front of the group heckling her out of the Village. "Remus..." she said with hurt obviously in her voice as teared built up in her eyes. To her perspective he was part of the group heckling her.

"Marie..." Remus said as he just stood there and locked eyes with her he could see the hurt and it was tearing him apart. "I was..."

Marie swallowed hard trying not to cry in front of these people unwilling to give them the satisfaction. "Good bye." she said cutting off Remus' statements cause it was obvious to her that their friendship was now over as the tears she was fighting back spilled forth and she spun on her heal and was gone with a pop.

~*~*~*~ A couple of weeks Later ~*~*~*~

Marie had naturally put in her formal written request with Cornelius Fudge, then went up the chain all the way to Minister Millicent Bagnold. She had tried writing to the Daily Profit and every other publication news paper or magazine around to try and get the media to shine some light on the life sentence to Azkaban with out a trial for Sirius Black.

Cornelius had grown tired of Marie and was now assigning her any duty that would keep her out of the office. At the moment she was escorting prisoners who had been transferred out of Azkaban with Dementors as guards to give testimony in front of the entire Wizengamot down on the tenth level of the Ministry of Magic.

Marie naturally had to use her Patronus which just happened to be a dog and was very welcomed by the criminals she was escorting into the court room. "Sit." said said pointing her wand at Lucius Malfoy as her Patronus sat down beside her feet keeping the Dementors at bay. Once he sat she let the magic of the chair imprison him there.

"Lucius Malfoy you have been brought before this court to explain your actions during the war against He who must not be named." Barty Crouch Sr. said as he stared down at Malfoy after Marie had stepped off to the side.

'This is a total waste of time... he's a Death Eater just throw him into Azkaban for life at least you would have gotten one of them right...' Marie thought angrily as she leaned against the wall and crossed her arms while holding her wand ready just in case anything stupid happened with the prisoner.

"I only followed the Dark Lord under the Imperius Curse. I was forced into his service unwillingly." Lucius Malfoy replied with his most horrified sorry look he could muster.

Marie snorted and shook her head no one was going to believe this nonsense surely. Lucius was just trying to get out of being punished for his awful behavior. He wasn't sorry, he was just sorry he had gotten caught.

"Very well Malfoy you are released to the confines of your home while a special Ministry task force investigates your claim. You are to remain there until they determine your innocence or guilt. If they deem you are lying be warned Malfoy the punishment will be most severe a life sentence to Azkaban Prison." Crouch Sr. said then waved his hand dismissively.

Marie looked up at Crouch shocked and utterly flabbergasted by that announcement. "Get up and go out side." she said as she forced Malfoy up and out into the hallway with her partner who was assigned to watch the door. "I'll be a minute..." she said then returned into the court room determined to be heard.

"What's this where is the next prisoner?" Crouch asked confused seeing Marie coming in alone and seeming agitated.

"I have a question. Since we are giving all this Death Eater trash trials why has Sirius Black been denied one?" Marie asked curiously of the entire courtroom as she looked around at everyone.

"Ah yes the Black lover." Crouch said as he leaned forward slightly and glared at Marie. "Black murdered 13 people in cold blood with witnesses. Enough is enough drop this matter he has been sentenced to Azkaban Prison for life." he said agitated by her presumption that bringing this up here and now would make any difference.

"Now's not the time Miss Willis." Dumbledore said politely as he sat in his seat in front of Alaster Moody one of the best Aurors in the business along side Frank and Alice Longbottom, James Potter, Sirius Black and herself.

"Shut it Dumbledore." Marie said as she glared over at him causing an audible intake of breath from everyone in the room. "If you would have helped me in the beginning like I asked I wouldn't be forced to ask this in front of the whole Wizengamot." she said then turned back to Crouch.

"You will show respect to the members of this court." Crouch said angrily as he stood up leaning on the desk in front of him.

"Give Sirius his right's to a trial and I will. Until then the lot of you can piss off." Marie said just as angrily as she glared back at Crouch.

"You have gone too far Miss Willis, you are an Auror of this Ministry!" Crouch said as he shook his quill at her.

"Yeah well so was Sirius I don't see this Ministry striving to show him any somnolence of respect by giving him the right to his trial and the ability to give us his testimony but these Death Eaters you set free. Just like that one. I recognize his voice he was a Death Eater! He killed witches, wizards, muggles, and he tortured the same. He loved what he did but this court lets him go home. Why cause he's pure blood, he's rich, because he powerful or maybe it's all three? Sirius is a pure blood and is powerful, but he's not rich see he worked here for this Ministry as an Auror he volunteered as a member of the Order of the Phoenix fighting against Voldemort. That man you just let leave here was a follower of Voldemort!" Marie said pointing back to the door where Lucius Malfoy had been taken out into the hallway through.

"We have no proof that he did that willingly." Crouch said defensively as he sat back down in his seat still glaring at Marie.

"You don't have any proof that Sirius did it either! Yet here we are Malfoy free and Sirius in prison for life without a trial! How ridiculous the lot of you are. Can you not see how wrong this is?" Marie said as she looked around at everyone.

"You don't understand the situation. Bring in the next prisoner." Crouch said as he leaned against his desk dipping his quill into the ink. Then looked up sharply at Marie's almost wild laughter.

"The next bloody Death Eater can wait to get set free." Marie said once her laughter subsided and she glared over at Dumbledore who remained silent watching her over his half moon glasses. "As I told Dumbledore weeks ago. He and this Ministry doesn't understand the situation! You don't understand Sirius at all, you've not tried to find out the truth! I've lost my best friend Lily, her husband James, their son Harry was orphaned, my friend Remus treats me like a traitor, Peter is dead or has faked his death and the damn rat is hiding, my fiance is in prison without a trial or investigation, my parents and siblings were murdered, and I can't even un-board my house because I get attacked by common witches and wizards believing this Ministry and the nonsense they spread through the Daily Profit against me an Auror of this Ministry. No Crouch I understand perfectly that this government that we fought to protect and keep in place is corrupt and useless." she said angrily as she returned her gaze back to crouch.

"Auror Marie Willis as the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement I hereby inform you of your termination from this Ministry in that role." Crouch said as he glared at Marie he was tired of her constant pushing for Sirius Black to get a trial and this explosion here in the court rooms was too much.

Marie laughed again almost doubling over. Once she caught her breath she looked up at Crouch and smirked at him. "You think me loosing this job is going to make me shut up? You think me loosing this job will break me some how? This corrupt government doesn't deserve me as an Auror!" she said seriously as she glared up at Crouch angrily. "You fire me when I tell you I've been attacked while trying to take down the boards around my house you have no concern for those of us out of the front lines. The lot of you can go to hell! And when the Dark Lord raises again... oh yes he will be back there is no way a baby could defeat him when this entire Ministry and Order of the Phoenix couldn't... He's got to be out there some where wounded... when he raises to power again don't any of you come knocking on my door to protect you cause I'm just going to shut my door in your face while laughing. I'll not fight for this Ministry as it stands again nor you Dumbledore one who would turn so quickly against us knowing we were out of the country on a mission for you and had no contact with Death Eaters. In fact Dumbledore what makes you defend Severus Snape so viciously? What did that slimy Death Eater give you that was worth more than our service anyway?" she said angrily turning back to glare at Dumbledore again.

"As I have previously testified to this court that prior to the Dark Lords down fall Severus Snape turned spy for us giving us valuable information." Dumbledore said as he stood up tall and dignified.

"A Death Eater for years turns spy for what a few months is worth more that those of us who fought against Voldemort for three years on the side of this Ministry and your own Order." Marie said then laughed as she turned to walk away to leave the court room she obviously wasn't going to get anywhere with these people.

"Marie Willis, you are going to be placed under house arrest as a team of Auror's investigates you under charges of being a Death Eater and follower of Voldemort along side Sirius Black." Crouch said as he smirked at her when she turned around and glared at him.

"I'm no Death Eater you bastard! And neither is Sirius! Investigate the both of us all you want you'll find no alignment with Voldemort. You'll find that we fought for this Ministry always trying to keep it in power. The the whole lot of you can just fuck off!" Marie said then stormed out of the court room to go up and gather her things from her office.

Marie made it up to level two of the Ministry of Magic quickly and grabbed her bag out of her desk she knew this was coming she wasn't surprised by it. Recently she had been given jobs that would keep her out of the Minister's path they were intentionally keeping her at a distance from the Minister her outburst down in the courtroom had just quickened the separation between her and her job here at the Ministry. She picked up all her personal belongings including anything left in the office of Sirius' and put it into the bag. Once finished she stormed out of the office heading down to the main hall to go home to find several Aurors coming towards her from her left. She ignored them and made her way straight down the hall to the elevators then went straight up to the main level of the Ministry. Once to the entrance way she disaperated back to Diagon Alley.

Marie had been home for a few minutes when one of her charms went off signaling her that some one was approaching her home. She went to the front door with her wand in hand and opened the door quickly pointing her wand out at the intruder. "Can I help you?" she asked angrily noticing that this had been one of her coworkers from the Magical Law Enforcement unit.

"I'm here to guard you and make sure you stay here Miss Willis. I'm sorry." a young man said as he looked at her sympathetically he had also been in the Order with her.

"It's not your fault Frank... hows Alice and Neville?" Marie asked curiously as she lowered her wand and smiled sadly at him.

"She's doing great so is our son, thanks for asking. I'll be relieved tonight by someone." Frank said as he looked at her sadly.

"I know how it works." Marie said sadly then turned to go back inside.

"Why haven't you unboarded your house Marie?" Frank asked curiously as he looked at her confused.

"Them." Marie said sadly as she pointed at the glaring people staring at her and her home with several objects ready to throw. "They attack me anytime I leave my home. It's been this way since the first printing of Sirius' arrest." she said then turned to go back into the safety of her own home again.

"Away with you! This is Ministry business." Frank said as he squared off at the people hanging around glaring at him and Marie though he was sure it was only him because he was between her and them.

"About time the Ministry does something about our resident Death Eater!" one of them yelled as the group began to disperse.

"I'm no Death Eater Frank." Marie said sadly as she was shutting the door.

"I know Marie you lost a lot and fought hard for the Order and the Ministry. I find it hard to believe Sirius was capable of this." Frank said with a sigh as he glanced back at her.

"He didn't we were out of the country on a mission for Dumbledore when James and Lily were betrayed and killed." Marie said as she looked at him thankful that someone was willing to listen to her.

"Then Dumbledore can..." Frank started then was cut off.

"I tried he refused to help me. All I asked was for him to convince the Ministry Sirius deserved a trial to prove his innocence. We were dropped like sacks of garbage no longer needed. Of all people he defends strongly Severas Snape who was a Death Eater and fought us many times." Marie said as she glared out at the word lost in thought.

"He did turn spy for us or so Dumbledore said." Frank said tentatively.

"That doesn't forgive his crimes." Marie said with a frown before finally closing the door.

~*~*~*~ Later that Night ~*~*~*~

Marie's charms had gone off as a warning to someone approaching the home. She pulled her wand out and slowly made her way over to the door. A knock came and she opened the door with her wand up "Oh Frank hello Alice." she said pleasantly as she lowered her wand and stepped back since this obviously wasn't a Ministry visit there were dressed in their normal attire instead of the Ministry robes.

"Hello Marie thought you would like a little company." Alice said with a soft smile as they came into the house so the door could be closed quickly. "I heard about your troubles dear are you alright?" she asked curiously.

"Of course I'm not alright, who could be in this situation?" Marie said sadly as she walked into the kitchen and began putting together some tea then some left over biscuits from dinner. She returned with a small tray and sat that down on the coffee table then she motioned to the couch for the two of them to sit down while she took a chair across from them and beside the fire place.

"Would you like me to take the boards down tomorrow Marie I'd be happy to do it?" Frank asked curiously as he gave her a soft smile.

"Thanks but no, it reminds me to stay on my guard. I've tried several times to take them down but I guess it's just not meant to be. If you take it down now I'll just be constantly fixing windows." Marie said with a shrug as she glanced over at windows sadly.

"But you'd be much happier with daylight coming in, that and maybe the locals would eventually see this house as a normal house again." Alice said as she watched Marie.

"Normal house again? This won't be a normal house again Alice, Sirius is gone." Marie said as she looked over at Alice sharply with tears building in her eyes.

"Oh Marie it's been months since his capture, it's time to move on dear you have a life to live he wouldn't want you shriveling from society like you have done." Alice said softly as she sat her tea cup back down on the coffee table.

"Sorry." Marie said as she stood up suddenly and jerked Frank up off the couch then pushed him over towards the door with her wand pointed at him. "Now Alice I have imprisoned him and you will never see him again could you move on?" she asked as she turned back to Alice.

"Marie, he's done nothing to you stop this." Alice said as she jumped up from the couch with her hand dragging her own wand out.

"Do you see now Alice, do you understand now if even only a fraction of what I feel. Sirius is innocent of betraying James and Lily I know that for a fact. Will the government we fought for to keep in place take that into consideration no." Marie said as she dropped her wand back down to her side. "Sorry Frank I wasn't going to hurt you." she said sadly as she looked back over at him letting a couple tears fall down her face then she wiped her cheeks to dry them before sitting back down.

"But what of Pettigrew? And how did He Who Shall Not Be Named find the Potters?" Frank asked curiously as he walked over and sat back down motioning for his wife to do the same.

"I don't know about Peter, Sirius may have actually went there to kill him." Marie said sadly as she looked down at her wand in her lap. "As for Voldemort finding them, the only explanation I have is that Peter was the real secret keeper. We went to check on him the Wednesday before and he wasn't home, we left for our mission. The only thing on Sirius' mind during our mission was where was Peter, why wasn't he home, and we have to finish this and get back fast. We came back late evening on the 31st from our mission and went straight to Peter's house because Sirius had to know where Peter was. He still wasn't home we rushed to James and Lily's to find them dead, Sirius sent me to check on Remus and he went after Peter. He found him the next day, Peters is either truly dead or has faked his death, framing Sirius, and is in hiding." she said as she looked up at them wondering if they believed her or if they would wash their hands of the mess like everyone else had.

"Peter wasn't very smart but he did gravitate towards the powerful." Frank said thoughtfully as he stared over at the wall thinking.

"Exactly I don't understand how he got into Gryffindor he had none of the traits of a Gryffindor. He gravitated to James and Sirius because they were powerful and fun. But with James going into hiding from Voldemort Peter may have saw that as an admission of some one more powerful." Marie said as she looked at them hopefully perhaps she did have allies.

"Sirius did come from a dark family though." Alice said then bit her lip as she thought back on some of the pranks she would over hear James and Sirius talking about.

"Sirius hated the lot of them, he ran away at the age of 16 the Potters took him in naturally. He hated their pure blood mania and their love of the dark arts." Marie said looking over at Alice.

"That's true I never saw him or herd of him using anything dark. Some of his pranks went a little too far for my taste." Frank said as he looked over at Alice curiously.

"I'm telling you he didn't betray James, his loyalty to him would have never allowed it. Besides he was with me out of the country, we had no dealings with Death Eaters." Marie said pleadingly as she leaned up on the edge of her seat.

Alice and Frank looked at each other for a moment then nodded. "Alright Marie we will see what we can do to help get Sirius at least a trail, no promises they may just ignore us like they did you." Alice said as she looked over at Marie with a soft smile.

"You have no idea what that means to me and to Sirius I'm sure." Marie said with a huge smile on her face as she jumped up and went over and hugged Alice.

"It's no problem dear. But we do need to be getting back to Neville." Alice said as she pulled back from the embrace with another smile.

"Oh that's right Neville is the same age as little Harry. How is he doing?" Marie said as she stood back so that Alice and Frank could get up to leave.

"Oh he's wonderful no signs of magic yet though." Alice said looking over at Marie as she put her arm around her husband lovingly.

"Ah he's still young maybe it's not been big enough to notice yet. Little Harry will be a seeker one day I'm sure, he's good on his little broom...which is now gone too." Marie said happily then turned sad again realizing the gift from Sirius was most likely destroyed in the boy's room.

"There are other brooms, he'll be alright I know Dumbledore himself put the boy in a safe place." Alice said softly as she reached out and grabbed Marie's hand and squeezed it lightly.

"I miss my lil Harry, his playful giggle, his energy... I've got a picture of him over here." Marie said with a sad smile then walked over to the mantle over the fire place and picked up a moving picture of Harry zooming around on his little toy broom in front of her and Sirius. "James never was a great picture taker." she said and laughed lightly as she watched Harry zoom by every once in a while he would actually stop so the person looking at the picture could see him then he would take off again.

"He seemed to be having fun." Frank said as he laughed lightly. "Time for us to be heading home now see you later Marie." he said as he turned to walk towards the door.

"Thanks again be safe going home." Marie said as she walked them to the door she let them out with a wave then shut the door as the Ministry guard stationed on her front door step glared at her daring her to step out of the house. She reset up her charms, locked the door, put Harry's picture back in it's place, then went up to bed deciding to clean up the coffee table in the morning.