Chapter 3

Improper Use of Magic

Harry nibbled on his chocolate, it was rather more bitter than he preferred but it was helping to chase away the remnants of cold that the demontors had left. He was grateful to have it.

Dudley seemed to be perking up a bit as well, though more slowly than Harry. He sprawled in his chair and groaned, holding his head with one beefy while the other nervously rubbed at the fabric of his trousers.

Harry shifted and leaned forward to set his chocolate aside on the coffee table, well out of reach of Dudley, when his eyes fell on the Ministry letter again. His stomach twisted as he reached for it, dread settling heavily in his gut.

He tore the heavy envelope open and plucked out the letter folded inside.

Mr. Potter:

The Improper Use of Magic Office has received intelligence that you performed the Patronus Charm in a Muggle area and in the presence of a Muggle at approximately 9:13pm this evening.

Due to the defensive nature of your charm, in accordance with section 14b of the International Confederation of Wizard's Statute of Secrecy, we regret to inform you that your presence is required at a disciplinary hearing at the Ministry of Magic at 9 in the morning, on August 12th, inquiry pending.

At the time of your hearing, your continued enrollment at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry will be reviewed and any disciplinary measures deemed appropriate will be levied. Please arrive promptly, with your wand.

Any further use of underage magic will result in your immediate expulsion from Hogwarts and the destruction of your wand.

Sincerely,

Mafalda Hopkirk.

Harry blinked. He hadn't been expelled? The tension in his stomach lessened slightly. A disciplinary hearing couldn't be so horrible, could it? Dumbledore would never allow him to be expelled- not with Voldemort back.

The thought bolstered his spirits more than the chocolate had.

He breathed a sigh of relief and noticed Mrs. Figg watching him closely, her face streaked with soot from the fireplace. He wordlessly handed her the letter. She read it quickly and sucked in a sharp breath.

"You are exceedingly lucky, Mr. Potter." Mrs. Figg handed the letter back to him and stood up. "Though this hearing could be a nasty thing- if you want an old woman's advice, you should seek legal counsel before this hearing. The wizarding world is a bit up in arms at the moment and you have enemies in the Ministry-"

"Fudge, you mean." Harry stated. Mrs. Figg inclined her head.

"Among others. You may be too famous to expel outright, especially after your tournament win, but that doesn't mean that you are beyond the Ministry's reach. Dragging you through the mud has been Fudge's favorite activity for the past month," She gestured to the numerous copies of the Daily Prophet that covered the table in front of Harry. "There are those who would call you an attention seeker-"

"I've been called worse-" Harry began hotly.

"I'm sure, Dearie. But think a moment would you? Use your head- You'll not get anywhere if half the Wizarding World thinks that you are an attention seeking brat! And that's how Fudge will spin this- no offense dear, but you really haven't the foggiest idea how the legal system works in the Wizarding World. You need representation." Mrs. Figg said the last bit firmly, meeting Harry's eyes with a scowl.

"I- you're right," Harry admitted, "I don't know any lawyers. I didn't know that the Wizarding world had lawyers, let alone how to go about hiring one."

"No, I don't suppose that you would, Dear," Mrs. Figg softened and patted his hand sympathetically. "I'll speak to Albus and I'll ask around. I've still got a few friends from when I was young. Not many like to keep in touch with an old squib, mind, but the ones who do are the ones worth knowing."

Mrs. Figg patted Harry's hand again and tottered back over to the fireplace, tossing a pinch of floo powder once again and kneeling to stick her head into the hearth calling out an unfamiliar name. Harry watched for a moment, and then directed his attention to Dudley.

The large boy was still slumped in the arm chair, but he seemed to be dozing. Every few moments he would snort and jump, waking up momentarily. In any other situation, Harry would have found it immensely funny, but with all the excitement of the evening, Harry was too tired to find much humor in it.

A loud knock startled Harry out of his musing. A quick glance at Mrs. Figg confirmed that her head was still in the fireplace, so Harry stood, stretched, and made his way to answer the incessant knocking.

He peered out the window next to the door and a tired smile split his face. He turned the deadbolt and yanked the door open to reveal a very haggard looking werewolf standing on the stoop, wringing his hands.

"HARRY-" Remus Lupin moved to embrace Harry, but stopped himself quickly. He looked Harry up and down with a wary glint in his eye before asking, "What shape does my boggart take?"

"What? A moon- professor, what's going on -" Harry was silenced as Remus pulled him into a rough hug.

Harry was rather taken aback, Remus was rarely so forward- in the past he had clapped Harry on the back, or patted his arm when he had done well or was in need of comforting. Now he was being held at arm's length and looked over with a critical eye.

"Thank Merlin you're alright, Harry. Everyone's quite worked up- someone saw the Ministry missive go out, and we can't find Mundungus- the whole thing is rather a mess. But at least you are safe- Arabella?"

The tall man leaned around Harry to call out into the house. No answer came, so Harry beckoned him inside and lead the way to the parlor. Dudley snorted himself awake upon their entrance and squeaked when he saw Remus' imposing frame in the doorway.

Mrs. Figg was just pulling back from the hearth, dusting soot from the shoulders of her floral dressing gown. She jumped up in surprise when she saw Lupin.

"Remus - oh it's awful! To think, if Harry didn't know that spell- and Mundungus! I'll kill him when I get my hands on him!" She wrung her bony hands until Lupin reached out and gently pulled them apart.

"You may have to wait in line - Molly is through the roof, and everyone else is worried about Harry as well. That's why I'm here actually- I'm to collect him and take him back to Headquarters. Obviously Little Whinging isn't as safe as we thought-"

Mrs. Figg cut Lupin off with an angry snort.

"I should think not! Dementors, Remus! Here! I'd have never imagined it! What is the Ministry coming to? They can't even control their own prison guards!" She sat down with a huff and crossed her arms tightly over her chest. "I'll be leaving once you've taken the boy- I'll talk to Albus and find something else a bit safer for an old squib- this can't have been a coincidence! The only wizard in the city and they happen upon him? When Mundungus is nowhere to be found? Hmpf!"

"It's something we shall have to address, Bella," Lupin agreed. He turned to Harry with a raised brow. "Are you ready? We need to return to Headquarters- Sirius is climbing the walls, any longer and I'm not sure there will be a building to return to!"

Harry perked up at that. He was going to see Sirius!

"I've got to get my things- we are just down the street from the Dursley's-"

"No time, I'm afraid. We will send someone for them in the morning. You have your wand? Yes- good!" Lupin rounded on Dudley who had managed to do an exemplary job of silently cowering as far back in his armchair as his girth would allow. "You can make it home safely?" Dudley gave a shaky nod and scrambled to his feet before shuffling out the door with his back to the room and his hands over his bottom.

Lupin stood at the window and watched him scurry down the street with a small frown twisting his features. He dropped the lacy curtain after a few moments and gestured Harry to the front door where he offered him a scrap of parchment.

Harry took it with a quizzical look at his old professor and eyed the note, written in a flamboyant magenta ink:

The Headquarters for The Order of the Phoenix can be found at Number 12 Grimmauld Place.

Harry had barely finished reading the short missive when Lupin tapped it with his wand and the parchment disintegrated in his hands.

"Bella, someone- probably Bill- will be by tomorrow morning, no later than 9, to collect Harry's things and to update you," He hesitated a moment before hugging the old woman gently. "Thank you so much for finding Harry- the Order is grateful- I am grateful."

Lupin beamed at the woman. She did not grin back as he seemed to be expecting her to.

"Oh yes, a good thing I was here! I'll be waiting on whoever it is that comes to collect his things- and I'll be returning to headquarters with them!" She kept grumbling as Remus steered Harry toward the door with a tight grip on his shoulder.

"I shall see you boys when I arrive at Headquarters tomorrow!" She called as the crossed the threshold and Remus whisked them away with a loud crack!