Anthony Goldstein barreled out of the visitors entrance to the Ministry of Magic shaking water from his highly polished loafers with a moue of disgust. He had used the public entrance from London to avoid being in two inconveniently close places at once, a necessary evil when taking liberties with time itself, but all necessity aside he still despised flushing himself down a loo to enter a building.
He noted with satisfaction that Draco's estimate of the time had been astonishingly accurate, and Longbottom and Zabini were nearly to the entrance to the lifts that now only travelled to the Ministry holding cells. Even Kingsley wasn't fool enough to try taking them direct to Azkaban. He couldn't see who the Aurors escorting the two were, though he rather thought it was likely to be Dawlish and probably some green recruit who was thoroughly brainwashed just the way they liked them nowadays. Instead of trying to catch their attention he pointed his wand at his throat and murmured a low Sonorous.
"Mr Zabini, Mr. Longbottom!" The volume made half the hall flinch and cast him vile looks before they internalized who he had been shouting for, then heads began to turn. He saw one of the Aurors, the younger one, mouth something that looked like profanity under his breath, but Dawlish simply kept his head down and was pulling for all he could on Blaise, who used his not-inconsiderable size to become a mostly immovable object when he caught sight of Anthony. The crowd parted easily for him as he dashed toward the foursome, people already beginning to murmur and speculate about why a former war hero and a barely neutral were being arrested together. He puffed up to them and pulled to a halt, casting a smile at both men.
"I'm glad I arrived in time, Auror Dawlish, what is the meaning of this?" Dawlish scowled, but failed to notice that Anthony had kept a milder form of the Sonorous over himself and had surreptitiously cast it across the rest of the group as well. Come what may there were going to be plenty of witnesses to this conversation.
"Get out of the way, you little pantywaist Kike," Dawlish spat. "This is Ministry business, none of your nevermind." The other Auror had the grace to wince and look askance at Dawlish choice of words, but saw no way to avoid casting his support with his superior.
"Out of the path, Goldstein, this lot are headed for Azkaban soon enough."
"Not before a hearing they certainly are not," he said coolly. "And as their solicitor I bloody well will be told what they are charged with."
"You can't be their solicitor, we just Floo'ed in from Hogwarts, you couldn't have even known they were coming here. "
"I'm on retainer by a sympathetic party, and I have sources everywhere. Now give over, what's the charges?"
"Treason, collusion and various other crimes against the Ministry. Those there are Kissing offences, they're not going out of bail, they'd disappear themselves in two minutes."
"That's not for you to decide, Auror Dawlish, that's for the Wizengamot to say," Goldstein snapped. "And I'm damned if I believe you have one shred of evidence to hold up such ludicrous claims. I demand my client's bail hearing be held immediately, and be heard by no less than a half session of the Wizengamot."
"You can demand in one hand and shit in the other and see what fills up first," Dawlish snapped, then suddenly the buzz of a muffliato descended on the small crowd.
"Dawlish, what the hell were you thinking, you dolt, you can't say tripe like that aloud!" Anthony turned and his eyebrows climbed nearly to his hairline in surprise.
"Auror Potter, I heard you were taking a sabbatical for your health." He fought the urge to step back at the visage the man projected. He'd not been any closer than half a block to Potter since they graduated Hogwarts, but the changes in the other man were more than unnerving. It wasn't the grey streaking his temples prematurely, or even the weird prickling of swirling magic that seemed barely contained under the former hero's skin, there was something that just looked off about Harry Potter, something that seemed hot and cold a slithery and wild just under the surface, and it made you feel if you looked to long into the red flecked green eyes that you might just start screaming and never stop. Anthony knew that look, he'd seen it a lot during the war, it was the look of a man who had gone absolutely mad, and was convinced he was sane.
"I think if you'll read the applicable statutes, Auror Potter, everything I have demanded on behalf of my clients are rights granted to them by both Queen and country and by magical decree of the Wizengamot and the International Confederacy. " Potter didn't even glance at the sheaf of papers that had just appeared in his case by virtue of the same spellwork that made the Vanishing Cabinets function at one time. Merlin but efficient secretaries were lovely things.
"I'll just bet they are, Goldstein, you always were a bookish little prig, every "I" dotted and "t" crossed too I'm sure." He leaned closer and narrowed his eyes.
"I'm going to tell you once, you don't want this case. Reputation is everything in your business and I'm sure you don't want a shingle hanging out there that reminds people that you represent traitors and Death Eater sympathizers."
"Death Eater sympathizers? You are joking, right? That's absurd! Longbottom is a bloody hero! He stood up to Voldemort in front of the whole school and the entire Order of the Phoenix and basically told him to get stuffed."
"Time's change, and so do associations. You've been keeping some bad company, boys, dangerous company. That was a mistake." Blaise cast a hate filled glance his way and shook his head.
"The only mistake we ever made was trusting in you, Potter. You're little better than Voldemort himself these days, using intimidation and lies to get people you don't agree with out of your way."
"Why you…"
"Ah, ah, ah, temper temper. Merlins pants, Potter, it seems no matter how much time goes by you still have that filthy temper to contend with. I recommend therapy, it helps so many."
"Malfoy." The word was spat with such dripping hatred that Anthony flinched before he could catch himself.
"Anthony, kindly take Blaise and Longbottom here back home; it seems that our estimable Auror's have forgotten to avail themselves of things such as warrants, the reading of rights and all the other trappings of civilization. According to all records they have simply been asked to appear of their own will to answer some questions. I think an exercise in that will to leave is in order."
"You cannot…" started Dawlish, but suddenly his mouth was moving but no sound accompanied it.
"Anthony, now, go." Hermione's voice was tense enough that the solicitor nodded and grabbed each of the men by the arm, quick marching them into the Floo. Dawlish watched them go, rage filling his expression, hands tight on his wand, but unmoving.
"We'll have them back in a day, you know that. And this time there won't be any of the little technicalities you so love to hide behind," Harry spat, red sparks dripping from his wand, scorching the stone floor beside him. Hermione's jaw dropped.
"Little technicalities? What, like basic rights? Like the law? What in Merlins name are you thinking?"
"Shut up!" she flinched back at the shout, and the atrium began to slowly empty. "You have no right to even speak to me! You whore yourself to Snape, and to Malfoy, you break my best friends heart, you betray us, and you think you can even look me in the face? You should have been executed right next to Lucius and Dolohov, you traitorous bitch!"
"You will not speak to my fiancé that way, Potter. She is the bravest witch I know, and is easily worth a hundred of your sort." Draco leaned forward and looked directly into the shorter mans eyes. "Your time is running out, Potter, yours and Shackelbolt's and the rest of the so called Order who decided to step in after Voldemort left the void of power. You landed on Wizarding Britain like vultures on carrion, and you've been feasting on it to your own good for far too long."
"Don't you dare threaten me Malfoy. I could kill you where you stand for menacing an Auror."
"That's bollocks and you know it. And you know there are dozens of witnesses so you don't bloody dare. Besides, you know I'm not talking about physical retaliation. Oh no, the elections are coming up, Potter, and they'll be here sooner than you think. We will do this the right way, the normal way. We will vote you down in the Ministry, in the Wizengamot and in the ICW. We will remake this world in a reasonable image where no one needs to be afraid of the government. We will finally have the peace that you promised instead of the terror and intimidation that you delivered. And when we do, I guarantee you will be left in the cold, looking in." The last was hissed right in the shorter mans face before he pulled back with a snarl.
"Come on, love, we have work to do, and no more time to waste."