Chapter 39

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

"Professor."

"Yes, Miss Pertwee?"

"What's your minimum OWL level for NEWT students?" My fifth years and I were reviewing for their OWL exams which were scheduled for the next week. I wanted to assure Sally Pertwee that she had no worries about being accepted as one of my newt students, but Neville mentioned to me that pointing out to one's best students that they were, in fact, one's best students was in bad form for a professor. I just answered her question.

"Any student of 'acceptable' level or higher is welcome in my NEWT class. If the score is below and 'A', I'll consider the request on a case to case basis."

"That's very generous, Professor, most of the other professors only take 'E's or 'O's."

"All right Miss Pertwee, try the incantation one more time."

"Yes, Professor."

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Monday, June 11, 2012

"Dammit Minerva," I grumbled, pacing around her office, waiting for Ron and Harry to Arrive to escort me to the Ministry for the trials of Umbridge an Nott. "I should be with my students right now, not dealing with this crap." I'd received an owl from Harry asking that I be ready in the afternoon, to be escorted to London.

Minerva just gave me a look.

"All right, I know, they want my testimony, but I don't have to like it."

"No," she agreed, "you don't have to like it."

We were interrupted by the distinct sound of Harry's arrival by the floo. "Hello all," he said with a smile. "Are you ready to go, Glinda?" He stepped out of the fireplace and Ron joined us a moment after.

He nodded a greeting to Mcgonagall and I, then to Harry. "Everything is all set at the Ministry."

"Excellent, Ron." Harry turned to me. "Sorry about the extra security, but we felt it necessary. I'm ashamed to say that Umbridge and Nott do have sympathizers out there, and you are their prime target now. Von Lunde has been tried for conspiracy, and he's been handed over to Viktor Krum and his associates to face charges in the international court. Lestrange was sent back to Azkaban the minute he violated his release agreement. He'll most likely die in the prison infirmary."

"I say good riddance to the lot of them," Minerva stated.

"How long is this business going to take?" I asked.

"The trial starts tomorrow morning," Harry explained. "You'll be called either tomorrow afternoon, or Wednesday morning. Unless you want to stay for the complete sentencing, we can have you back here by Wednesday night."

"You can owl me with the sentence?" I asked.

"One of us will," Ron assured me.

"My fifth years have their owls on Friday. I have to be back for them."

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We flooed directly to Harry's office at the Ministry. I was surprised to see Charlie waiting with the two Aurors who were to be my escort for the trial. "I thought you were needed at the Reservation?"

I asked, hugging him.

"Sam and Tony assured me that they had everything under control, and to get my stupid arse to London to be where you needed me." He kissed me, and then turned to his brother and Harry. "I'm apparating her straight to my apartment, I'll bring her in tomorrow morning." He shouldered the overnight bag I was carrying and grabbed my hand.

"Wait a sec there," Ron said to his brother.

"What?" Charlie growled at him, he'd definitely been spending too much time with the dragons.

Between his work at the ministry and the reservation, and the fact the NEWTs and OWLs were fast approaching, we hadn't seen each other in over a month.

"We need prepare Glinda for her statement," Harry said. "You can have her in a little while."

"Define 'a little while'?" he frowned, as Ron and one of Harry's assistants escorted him out of the office.

"This is Kevin Entwhistle," Harry introduced me to a suited bespectacled gentleman. "He's a barrister with MLE, he's here to help prep you for your statement.

We shook hands. "Please," he said, "call me Kevin."

"Nice to meet you Kevin, it's Glinda." The three of us sat down at Harrys big table. Some one had been nice enough to leave me a chilled six-pack of Coke, from the stack of papers I saw Kevin leaf through, I had a feeling I was going to need it. After about three hours Kevin declared me ready. Charlie and I apparated straight to his apartment, we had Changs deliver dinner, and 'celebrated' our unexpected reunion till I finally passed out around midnight.

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After a breakfast of scones and coffee at the bakery down the street, Charlie and I apparated to Harry's office at the Ministry. My two escorts were waiting for us. Charlie was sent to the viewer's gallery and I was sent to a waiting room with Ron, Harry and the other witnesses. After reading old copies of Witch Weekly, that were left in the room, for about three hours, I was called into the Wizengamot to make my statement.

"State your full name, birth place and date, for the court records." The bailiff stated as he escorted me to the witness chair. Nott and Umbridge were shackled to chairs in one corner of the room, gaurded by several burly looking hit wizards. The Minister was seated at the head of the council table.

I sat down and raised my hand as Kevin had instructed me to do the night before. "Glinda Leanna Goode, born on Quantico Marine Base, Quantico, Virginia, USA on 14 February, 1969."

"Your occupation?"

"Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, at the Hogwarts School of Wizardry and Witchcraft."

"Please describe in your own words the events of 16 December, 2011."

"At approximately 17:30 hours on 16 December, I received a written communication from Dolores Umbridge and Theodore Nott, stating that they had kidnaped Victoire Weasley and Theodore Lupin. The message stated that I was to surrender myself at the Shreaking Shack, to them within thirty minutes or they would harm the children. In preparation for this, I armed myself with a second wand hidden in a concealed pouch on my leg, and a two way mirror for communication. The mate to the mirror is in the possession of Mister Charles Weasley. I was escorted to the shack by Mr Weasley and Auror Potter. Auror Potter and I arranged for me to signal when the situation in the shack was such that Auror Potter could send in a rescue team safely. When I arrived Mister Nott was waiting to take possession of my wand and force me into the shack with himself, Miss Umbridge, and the children.

Mister Nott ordered me to contact Auror Potter with a demand for 50,000 galleons and an open ended portkey to Germany. After confirmation of the delivery of their demands from Auror Potter , Miss Umbridge attempted to cast an unforgivable curse on me. I was able to deflect the curse with a disarming spell and a body bind jinx. Mister Nott then attempted to disarm me, he wasn't successful."

"Where was Monique Jeunoit during all this?"

"I was informed by Mister Nott that Miss Juenoit had been the victim of a fatal apparation accident. In the corner of the room in the shack was what appeared to be female human remains, minus a head." I felt the gallery cringe.

"You did not use a cruciatis curse on either Nott or Umbridge?" I heard a question shouted from the gallery.

"No," I stated, confused, and insulted that anyone would even ask.

Kingsley held up a hand. "Please, do not answer any more unauthorized questions from the gallery, Professor."

"Yes, Minister." I hoped that the questioning would be over soon. I felt my defenses go up, I grasped at my wand in my pocket.

"You are dismissed Professor."

"Thank you, Minister."

The bailiff escorted me to the door, and Alex Harkness was waiting to escort me to the viewers' gallery. Charlie had saved a seat for me. "You all set, Glinda?" Alex asked.

"Sure," I said.

We watched the hearing until Kingsley dismissed the gallery for a lunch break. Charlie was going to escort me back to the floo in Harry's office, so I could return to my students, when I heard a noise coming from behind us. "Avada-" a raspy voice shouted, and I cast a disarming incantation in at the caster. An alarm sounded, and three hit wizards appeared.

"What the bloody hell was that?" one of them shouted.

"Someone just tried to cast a killing curse, at Professor Goode," Charlie stated, angrily.

"Bullocks, where is he?"

"He should still be in the body bind I cast at him, gentlemen," I stated. They followed where I pointed and came up with a familiar looking older looking man, in a long black cloak.

"Merlin's beard," another of the hit wizards said, "It's Lucius Malfoy."

"I do what I do to protect the pure blood wizards and witches of Britain from the mongrel taint."

Malfoy spat, "this creature should not even be allowed to exist."

"She's not a creature, you insane old bastard," Charlie said, all trace of his normal patient good humor lost. He looked ready to kill as he pulled his wand out.

I stayed Charlie's hand, "he's not worth it," I said, "we're better than that."

I heard Harry and Ron come up from behind us. "Get him out of here," Harry ordered the hit wizards. "Glin," he turned to me. "I am so sorry this happened."

"That's all right, Harry," I assured him. "No harm, no foul."

Charlie pulled me into his arms protectively. "We're getting her back to Hogwarts, now."

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Wednesday, June 19, 2012

There was an owl from Harry waiting for me at breakfast:

"Dear Glinda, I just wanted to let you know that Theodore Nott and Dolores Umbridge were both handed life sentences this morning. Because, it is technically his first offense Nott may be paroled in thirty years. Umbridge, however will never be released. Lucius Malfoy will be tried for attempting an unforgivable curse on July third. As I know that you and Charlie will be in the States at that time, I have arranged to visit Hogwarts on Thursday with an Unspeakable to take your statement to be read to the Wizengamot. Sincerely, Harry. PS, Charlie threatened to hang me up by my toenails if I were to get you involved in another trial."

Authors note: In the next chapter they head for America. Enjoy! Thank you for your patience.