As part of my birthday celebrations, as a special treat I'm having a multiple update session today. I'm going to publish chapters for five stories including one new story and the last ever chapter of another story. Exciting time, because I finally get to mark a multi-chapter story (ie not a one-shot) down as completed. Five stories, including this one: By the way I've had readers asking more about Tales of Symphonia, if you want to give that franchise a try, you may be interested in my new Harry Potter crossover. Give it a try.

Where everything leads to and from

Harry slept in that morning and woke up late. Even then he spent over an hour lazily lying in amongst the sheets and enjoying the comforting feeling that came with it. During the month before Albania, whilst settling in, he'd taken a few trips to Carlisle and bought brand new pillows and a duvet to replace the old ragged ones that were probably older than he was. It had taken a few uncomfortable bus rides to carry the large items, along with everything else that had to be bought in this house, but now it definitely felt like a home.

It was nearly noon when Harry wandered downstairs to find Dobby sweeping the floor in the ballroom.

"Ah Harry Potter sir." He said cheerfully "Dobby shall prepare some breakfast for you…"

"That's alright, I'll do it myself." Said Harry. "Where are the newspapers from while I was away?"

"Dobby placed them in the study adjacent to the library." Said the Elf. "Are you sure Dobby can't get you your breakfast?"

"Yeah just keep doing what you're doing, I don't even know what I want yet."

In the end Harry settled for cereal. He hurriedly ate up the contents of his bowl and then went to the study. Harry had no idea what his Grandparents used this room for because, with the exception of the desk and the cabinets, everything had been cleared out. Harry assumed that his Dad had cleaned them out after they died. Harry had turned it into his own personal workspace. All his notes and all his research on Voldemort's past life were stored in here.

Harry found the stack of newspapers on one of the cabinets. As well as the Daily Prophet, Harry had ordered copies of other magazines, and a copy of the weekly newsletter from the Wizarding Wireless Network that detailed events from during the week.

The Daily Prophet was still printing what Harry would call Fudge's delusions. It claimed that an attack in Diagon Alley was the work of a gang of thugs, not Death Eaters and it claimed the murder of an MP in the Muggle government as nothing to do with the magical world and dismissed it as "The act of a mad Muggle".

One look at the Wireless newsletter showed a completely different picture. Not only did the newsletter state clearly that "There was no doubt the assailants were Death Eaters" but it had an interview with three specialists in Law Enforcement and Security that stated, in their expert opinions, that the assailants that attacked Diagon Alley were clearly trained in a form of combat similar to those used by Death Eaters during the previous war including the use of curses that were consistent with several incidents that occurred during the last three years of that conflict. The newsletter also stated that the murder of the MP was obviously committed using magical means and claimed to have a source inside the DMLE stating that witnesses saw someone in Death Eater clothing attack the man and another inside St Mungos that claimed autopsy reports showed a 77% likelihood of death by Killing Curse.

It was worrying that the Prophet was still publishing information that denied the return of Voldemort, but Harry suspected that fewer people were reading the paper. An analysis showed that this edition of the Prophet was now only 20 pages long. The editions from a month ago were 40 pages. Harry also noted a considerable reduction in adverts. This suggested to him, and was confirmed after reading an economics magazine, that the Prophet was losing support from advertisers and customers.

But it was news from the last few days that got Harry most interested. The Wizarding Media clearly got wind of Harry's presence in Albania. Many magazines sported a picture of Harry with Elira on his broom, along with the Albanian Militia escorting the Dementors to the Milita Outpost in Yormgen.

All of the news items featuring him, including the Prophet of course, speculated on what he was doing there. The Prophet had three different issues claiming three different things. The one from two days ago claimed he had run off scared from Britain, claiming it was only a matter of time before he was arrested and thrown into prison for sedition against the British Ministry. The one from yesterday claimed that he was in Albania secretly recruiting vigilantes and thugs to launch a coup against Minister Fudge and today's edition suggested that Harry had personally "Kidnapped" two Dementors and used them to provoke a war between Britain and Albania.

Thankfully other news articles went with more educated assumptions. However none of them were able to guess what Harry was doing in Albania. Most concluded the reasons why were "known only to Potter" but Witch Weekly for some reason assumed he was visiting friends on holiday sighting the obvious friendship between himself and the eight-year-old girl in the picture, but for some reason naming Elira as Valery Smyth.

ORACLE2PHOENIX

Dumbledore was a very worried man. He had spent the last month trying to find Harry Potter, no one knew where he was. Then two days ago the media reported Harry was in Albania. This raised a number of questions. Not just, what was Harry doing there but how did he get there.

The ministry was closely monitoring international travel, in light of the State of Emergency. Harry shouldn't have been able to travel through the Department of Magical Transport without the Ministry, the Order and the Death Eaters knowing about it. But Madam Bones was clearly surprised when the news came that day and from what Severus had reported the Death Eaters were surprised as well.

Dumbledore could think of no reason for Harry to travel out of Britain except to flee the war, and despite his recent uncertainties regarding Harry, Dumbledore was absolutely positive Harry was not going to run away, not after making so much progress at the Ministry.

It had been Dumbledore's estimates that Fudge would last at best until the end of August before he was forced completely from office. That had been a week ago. Dumbledore knew that the only bodies that could have ordered Dementors to launch an attack were the Office of the Minster for Magic, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and the Wizarding Incarceration and Offender Monitoring Authority (Who were responsible for Azkaban). No one in the DMLE could get that order to the Dementors without Madam Bones' finding out and the Incarceration Authority didn't have a motive for sending Dementors after Harry. Albus also had the Order watching them in case the Dementors got involved with Voldemort or vice versa. The Office of the Minister was currently being heavily scrutinised by the criminal investigation, but Dumbledore knew that there were those who had the knowledge and skills to have an order like this discretely processed without detection from the DMLE.

Madam Bones' workload had just tripled. Now on top of investigations into Death Eater attacks and the Minister she had to launch another investigation into Azkaban to find out where the order came from and she also had to appease some very angry Albanians who were calling for blood. The Dementors had evidently attacked a number of Albanian Muggles, but it was the attack on the eight-year-old girl that, quite rightly, had the Albanians angered.

Dumbledore's main concern right now was not the Albanians or the Ministry but Harry Potter. Dumbledore didn't know what the young wizard was up to but he had to capture the boy. Harry had yet to re-enter Privet Drive since last year and if he didn't return there in the next eight days, a year after he had left them, then the blood wards would collapse and there would be nothing Dumbledore could do to revive them. The Order's priority at this stage was to set up watchers at every non-magical route into Britain and Ireland. It could be done, but it would take several days to cover them all. In the meantime, Dumbledore sent a message to young Charlie Weasley in Romania asking him to go to Albania and try and find Harry. If necessary Dumbledore would give the young man Portkey that would lead straight back to Privet Drive. In the meantime he had to consult with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.

ORACLE2PHOENIX

"Little Hangleton is a small village in Warwickshire." Said Harry. "I would like to go there, and I would like you to be nearby, but out of sight of the Muggles. Can you do that?"

"Of course Harry Potter sir." Said Dobby.

ORACLE2PHOENIX

Madam Bones ordered a complete and thorough investigation into why two Dementors went all the way to Albania. She was prepared to throw every available resource, and some unavailable resources too, in order to find out why this happened when the case solved itself.

When Percy Weasley came rushing in, it was obvious after just a few seconds this was going to be yet another long and thankless task that was going add to her ever growing list of problems.

She had gathered and called together a special taskforce comprising of Law Officers and Aurors and put her Head Auror, Rufus Scrimgeour, in charge of finding out what the hell had happened. She was just in the process of speaking to the assembled, when a pair of officials from the Incarceration Authority came in.

"I'm sorry to interrupt Madam Bones, we spoke on the Floo." Said one of them.

"William Thompson, correct?" said Madam Bones.

"Yes mam."

"Did you find the order from who sent the Dementors?"

"No me mam, but my colleague here, Brian… he found something."

Madam Bones looked surprised, she did not expect results so soon.

"What is it?"

Brian looked a bit nervous being scrutinized by everyone present. He was an intern, fresh out of Hogwarts he only expected to and, up until this morning, only had to do mindless paperwork.

"Umm well you see… whenever an order for using Dementors comes through, a copy is given to our monitoring station in order to keep track of how many Dementors are outside of Azkaban. Normally these copies are thrown away once the Dementors are back in Azkaban but…"

"These Dementors didn't go back to Azkaban." Said Madam Bones, she had recently received word that they were being escorted by Russian Special Forces to the Siberian Starvation Ground.

"No mam. The order was still in a file, along with several others that were being prepared to be thrown out. I brought it with me."

The man reached into his robes and pulled out a single sheet of parchment and gave it to Madam Bones. It took one look for everything to fall into place.

"Rufus." Said Bones. "Get me a phial of Veritaserum, two members of the Wizengamot and set up a maximum security prison cell."

The Head Auror nodded and went off to give orders to his department.

"You four with me." Said Madam Bones pointing to some of her most loyal law officers.

ORACLE2PHOENIX

Harry and Dobby had materialised on a footpath outside the village of Little Hangleton.

"Dobby doesn't detect any other magical beings sir." Said the Elf.

"Alright, let me know if you do." Said Harry "I want to…" he focused on a large manor on a hill next to the village.

"Is something wrong Harry Potter sir?"

"No… it's just that house looks familiar. In fact… this general area looks familiar. As if I've been here before. Never mind, let's go."

Harry walked into the village. Dobby had managed to disillusion himself and was walking out of the way whilst being careful not to have any unsuspecting Muggles crashing into him. Harry had no idea what he was looking for in this village but he would guess that if Voldemort had been here then there would be some indication. He had plenty of opportunities to access the same records Harry had accessed in Hogwarts, so it was possible Voldemort found his mother's family.

Little Hangleton was a scenic English village, highly remote and with very short roads most of the population, as far as Harry could tell, were elderly.

He found he was drawing more than a few looks as he passed through the village, it was rather disconcerting, especially since Harry was hiding from the Wizarding World right now. Dobby said he would warn him if anyone magical came anywhere nearby but with all these people looking at him he couldn't help feel a tad paranoid that one of them was a wizard in disguise.

Suddenly Harry felt Dobby tugging on his arm. The Elf was trying to lead him somewhere. Was there a wizard in the village, had Dobby sensed an enemy?

Harry found himself being dragged. Yet Dobby wasn't trying to pull Harry back up the village path where they could teleport back to Cumberland nor was he going for a nearby close where they could vanish when none of the Muggles were watching. He was dragging him through the village.

When they got to the other side of the village, having just passed a sign that said Greater Hangleton 6 miles, Dobby clarified his reasoning.

"Dobby detects magic sir, it is heavily concealed and hard to spot, but Dobby can see it."

"Where?" whispered Harry.

"Just ahead sir. Just a little inside the woods."

"The woods?" Harry groaned. "What is it with wizards and forests?"

"There sir?"

Harry looked where Dobby was pointing. He saw nothing. There was just an oval shaped clearing amongst the trees.

"Where's the magic Dobby?" asked Harry.

"Sir cannot see it?" said Dobby, then he realised "These be heavy Wizarding enchantments, designed to hide house from other wizards. Dobby is not a wizard. Sir take Dobby's hand?"

Harry took in what Dobby said, there was something going on that Harry couldn't sense, but his friend could. Harry took Elf's hand.

The second he did it seemed to form into existence: the house, or what was left of it. The building was in a state of severe disrepair, from the look of things it had once been a three room bungalow or something but now there was wildlife growing on it and holes in all the walls and the roof.

Dobby released Harry's hand, but the House remained visible.

"Dobby is casting his influence wider so Harry Potter is protected by it. This house has powerful protections against wizards, but not House-Elves. Do not step to far away from Dobby. The magic will attack you."

Harry nodded. He wondered why Voldemort never stopped to consider House-Elf Magic, out of all of his enemies there had to be some with loyal elves willing to protect them in a place like this. Whatever this place was.

Then Harry noticed a sign on the door, which was now lying in the doorway.

"The most Ancient and Noble House of Gaunt." Harry read. "Dobby that's Voldemort's Mother's family."

Dobby nodded "It seems sir has made good progress in finding out more about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

"Maybe, but I don't know what these enchantments are for. I mean did Voldemort ever come here?"

"Dobby thinks so sir, these enchantments are remarkably hard to put up and maintain for a long period of time, few wizards could manage it."

"I guess." Said Harry. "Is it safe to go in?"

Dobby looked awkward. "It is very dangerous, be careful sir, and stay close to Dobby."

"Alright, you lead the way." Said Harry.

Dobby snapped his fingers and the door to the house was flung off what was left of its hinges and landed to the side on the overgrown grass.

"Touch nothing sir. This place is heavily fortified with Dark Magic." Said Dobby.

"Ok."

The two of them cautiously entered the house, Dobby kept on snapping his fingers and looking around with paranoia. It was like he was expecting the walls come to life and start attacking.

"In there." Dobby pointed towards the kitchen unit, or what was left of it. The sink had turned dark brown after years of rust and all but one of the cupboards had rotted away with the elements.

That one cupboard however looked as good as new.

"This is magically protected. There is an item inside." Said Dobby.

"Can you break through the magic?" said Harry.

"No. But Dobby can transport the item outside."

Harry looked confused "But the defences…"

"Are designed to protect against Wizards, not House-Elves." Said Dobby.

Harry shook his head, by all accounts this should have been a much harder job, but Voldemort had completely overlooked defending this place from House-Elves.

With a snap of Dobby's fingers, a ring appeared on the floor.

"What is that?" said Harry.

"It is very old." Said Dobby "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has put a lot of magical curses on this item that is designed to kill, but there is older magic in it, centred on the stone."

Harry looked at the stone, it was an emblem of a triangle, surrounding a circle both of which were vertically bisected by a single line.

"Can you remove the dangerous magic?" said Harry.

"Dobby can do sir, but it would take Dobby nearly a week to do so, and Dobby would still not be able to remove some of the enchantments or destroy the ring. It is indestructible." Said the House-Elf.

Harry looked troubled at that, "We can't stay here a week, is it safe to take back to the House?"

Dobby nodded. "With Sir's permission Dobby can use one of the jars in the Potions Lab to contain it."

"Great do it." Said Harry happily.

With a snap of his fingers, Dobby summoned a glass jar from the Potions Lab back at the House in Cumberland. With another snap of his fingers, Dobby had the ring float of the ground and safely into the jar. Then he sealed it.

"Dobby suggests we leave here and then Dobby can take the ring and put it in the safe back at the house. Does Harry Potter still wish to look around this area?"

"Yeah, there's no telling what else is here." Said Harry. "We might also get a lead on what else Voldemort's been up to."

Dobby nodded. Once they were back outside the boundaries of the Gaunt Shack, Dobby teleported away with the ring and came back a minute later.

ORACLE2PHOENIX

"I'm telling you Professor, I don't know what Harry's doing in Albania." Said Hermione. "He shouldn't even be able to get there, he doesn't have a passport."

"What's a passport?" said Ron.

"It's a document Muggles use to monitor people travelling internationally. Every country issues one, including Britain." Said Hermione.

"Oh? We just register with the Ministry and use their facilities to travel abroad. Do you have a passport?" asked Ron.

"No, my parents quite often take me to Europe, but because I'm still legally a child I can travel on their passports, I'll have to get my own after my next Birthday."

"Miss Granger." Said Professor Dumbledore "Are you sure Harry has never been abroad?"

"Of course." Said Hermione.

"Harry has never even mentioned leaving the country once to us." Said Ron. "In fact the only times we've even mentioned other countries is when we're talking about Quidditch, or the other schools that visited us this year."

"Has he mentioned anything to you recently?"

"No." said Hermione sadly. "We've barely talked since the Third Task, something happened to him in that Graveyard. What did you do to him sir?"

The question was not unkind or accusing, it was more pleading. But Dumbledore was still surprised.

"What do you mean Miss Granger?"

"Harry said he learnt something in the Graveyard, something that he was still coming to terms with, but he also said that he cannot trust you for some reason. What have you done to him?" said Hermione.

Dumbledore frowned, what had he done? Dumbledore could think of many things he'd done to Harry that could turn the boy's opinion of him sour, but Harry should not really be aware of any of these things. Did Harry perhaps blame him for what he had gone through during this tournament?

"I think Harry is confused." Said Dumbledore. "He went through a really traumatic experience in the Graveyard, perhaps Madam Pomfrey can shed some light on what his mental health was like."

ORACLE2PHOENIX

"What is the meaning of this." Said Fudge angrily as Amelia and her officers barged in. "This has gone on long enough, I demand that you end this ridiculous investigation of yours, release Nott from the cells and to stop hounding poor Lucius."

Madam Bones was really getting irritated. But now she was in a position to do something about it.

"Where is Delores Umbridge?"

Umbridge emerged from her office a few doors down.

"What is it Amelia?" she said in a very sickly sweet voice.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to come with us, as of this moment you are under arrest."

"I object to this." shouted Fudge "I am innocent of all crimes, my staff are innocent too, we are not a corrupt body, no matter what delusions you are under Amelia."

"This is not related to the investigation into your department Minister." Said Bones, as her Law Officers moved to detain Umbridge.

Or at least not directly related. Even if the Minister and the rest of Umbridge's immediate colleagues had nothing to do with what happened. This would give Amelia the ammunition she needed to finally remove the Minister and his staff.

ORACLE2PHOENIX

"Harry Potter sir, why are you going in there?"

Harry had been walking along a pavement in Little Hangleton when he had suddenly stopped still outside a gate situated between two hedges, then he had started walking inside. It was just as deserted as it first appeared 5 or 6 weeks ago, but Harry could still hear the mocking laughter, and the bragging and all the great plans that were to come in the future.

"It was here." Said Harry as he walked further in. He was looking particularly at the tombstone with the name Tom Riddle on it. "Sorry Dobby it's just, this is where it happened. This is where Cedric was killed and Voldemort…"

"Dobby is sorry sir…" whined the elf, realising how much this troubled Harry.

"Voldemort's family came from here." Said Harry. "Both Muggle and Magical. I suppose it explains how his parents met. Died in 1943? I wonder how?"

Then Harry remembered. "…but I vowed to find him… I revenged myself upon him, that fool who gave me his name… Tom Riddle…"

"So you killed your father and your grandparents out of spite." Said Harry. He was beginning to wonder if it was going to be possible to fully understand Voldemort. Harry hated his relatives, he hated Malfoy to but could he kill them, in cold blood?

Harry shuddered. At the rate things were going, he or Voldemort were going to have to kill one another. Voldemort was not the type to surrender or repent his ways, the man had spent nearly 14 years existing as a wraith and stubbornly hiding from everyone, both friend and foe. Would Harry have to kill him? Couldn't he simply go to prison, no, Voldemort was too dangerous to live. But could Harry kill him in cold blood, could he just seek him out and assassinate him?

"Harry Potter sir?" said Dobby.

"Sorry Dobby, Sorry." Said Harry "Look it's nearly lunch time, I'm going to go to that pub we passed earlier and see if any of the locals are up for talking."

"Oh course sir, Dobby will keep an eye out for you sir."

ORACLE2PHOENIX

"This is an outrage." Screamed Umbridge as the Law officers asked for her wand. "I will not hand my wand to you. I am Senior Undersecretary…."

"We know who you are?" barked the Law Officers irritably "Now you have one more chance, give me your wand or we'll escort you to the cells under a stunner."

"You wouldn't dare I will have your job and…"

Whatever else she was going to 'have' was not communicated, as the Law Officer cast a stunner then another charm allowing him to make Umbridge's unconscious form hover the way he wanted it to go.

"Let me make this clear." Said Madam Bones to the staff. "The Minister here may have described the Dementor presence in Albania as a minor indiscretion, but the Albanians are considering it an act of war. If I suspect anyone else here of being involved I will arrest them and make sure that the Albanians are suitably appeased."

Bones oversaw the escort of Umbridge from her Office to the Law Office.

ORACLE2PHOENIX

Harry felt disgusted. It had not taken very much effort at all to talk to the locals in the village. It must be the nature of living in small and isolated areas, people get bored. Elira was bored but all she did was unwisely follow Harry into a forest. Apparently the only interesting thing that ever happened in this little village was the Riddle Murders, and even now people still gossiped about them to every stranger that passed through the bar doors.

Harry took a while to remember Frank Bryce. Dumbledore had mentioned him having gone missing in the town where Voldemort's family had come from. It turns out that many people here thought he was the one who committed the murders of the Riddles. Maybe it was because Harry knew who really killed the Riddles, but he felt absolutely disgusted sitting in the pub listening to people badmouth a dead man who was innocent of the crimes he was accused of.

Harry didn't order much more than a glass of coke. He and Dobby returned to Cumberland and had lunch there.

Harry had just mentioned about how nice it was to eat in civilized company when an owl came in through this window. It dropped a note then left.

Dear Mr Potter

If you get this, for the love of Merlin contact me immediately.

Madam Bones

Harry shrugged, finished up his lunch and then proceeded to call Madam Bones using the Floo connection.

ORACLE2PHOENIX

When Harry's head emerged from the fire, no one was immediately visible in the office.

"Hello!" called out Harry "Hello!"

He was just contemplating the withdrawal of his head when the door opened and a young girl in her 20s poked her head in.

"Who are you and why are you calling the DMLE?" she asked.

"Harry Potter, Madam Bones sent me a letter asking me to get in touch."

The girls eyes widened, Harry assumed that she was only just recognising his head in the fire.

"Of course Mr Potter. Please just wait one second."

The girl disappeared, Harry waited a few minutes when Madam Bones came in looking distinctly exhausted.

"Are you alright?" said Harry "You look like you could do with your bed."

Madam Bones glared at the fireplace. "I am like this Mr Potter, because you have probably multiplied my work load about a hundred times since we first met. The Minister here is incompetent, the new Head of the Department for International Magical Cooperation is only just managing to get things back together after the Crouch chaos, I have to lead an investigation into the corruption inside the entire ministry AND provide leadership for a war AND somehow convince the Albanians not to start a war of their own with us."

"Ah sorry." Said Harry.

"What the hell were you doing in Albania?"

"Research." Said Harry vaguely.

"Research into what." Demanded Madam Bones.

"Just this and that." Said Harry, "Is that all you wanted to know?"

"No it is not." Shouted Madam Bones. "I want to know what the hell two of our Dementors were doing on foreign soil."

"I can't give you all the answers but since I was there I'd assume someone inside the Ministry sent them after me. Unless of course Voldemort has convinced them to join his forces."

"As far as I can tell he has not." Said Madam Bones "I think I have found the person who ordered the attack, she resisted arrest and is currently being prepped for Veritaserum questioning."

"You can do that?" said Harry.

"Only for certain circumstances. Since the Albanians are treating this as an act of war, no one will be able to stop me. What the hell were you doing over there, and don't say research?"

"Just this and that." Said Harry. "I can't tell you everything I'm doing, I'm an underage wizard and I've got both Death Eaters and Dumbledore out looking for me. My secrets are the only things keeping me safe right now."

Madam Bones growled in frustration.

"Look is there anything I can do to help?" said Harry.

"Not really." Said Madam Bones. "Is there anything you can tell me about what you're doing?"

"I seek the death of Voldemort." Said Harry "I can't tell you more than that, except to say I've made some progress. Both here and in Albania. Can I ask you something?"

"That depends." Said Bones.

"What will happen to the person you've arrested if they're found guilty."

"That is a slightly difficult question to answer. Much of which will depend on the Albanians, I for one am very eager to avoid a war with them, even if it means extraditing the woman I arrested."

"Alright." Said Harry.

"Why do you ask?"

"The Dementors may have come after me, but they also went after Elira."

"Elira?"

"The girl in picture with me escorting the Dementors in the Prophet. She's 8-years-old and she was less than five seconds away of losing her soul and not getting it back. I promised her father that I would make sure she got justice for whoever sent the creatures to Albania. Can you please let me know what you find out?"

Madam Bones nodded. "Who was that girl, I was not aware you had contact with anyone outside this country."

"Elira?" Harry giggled "Just a nosy little girl who doesn't know she shouldn't follow older boys into the forest. She is very sweet though, and her father is very kind."

"I see." Said Madam Bones, smiling almost. "Well for all the extra work you've given me, it seems I will be able to finally get Fudge out of Office."

"Really? You mean soon?"

"Yes. Then I can finally focus my attention on your Godfather."

"On Sirius? Did he ever get back to you?"

"He did. Unfortunately, for reasons I cannot fathom. Dumbledore is blocking my every attempt to get your Godfather his trial, he's calling in all kinds of favours in the Wizengamot and the Ministry to do so, favours I didn't know he had.. Unfortunately with my other priorities I can't keep my eyes on the proceedings long enough to keep the old… man from interfering. Yesterday he had the audacity to say that he would allow Sirius a trial if I told him where you were. When the Ministry is sorted out there is going to have to be a huge shift in the way things work around here. It shouldn't be this difficult to get one man a trial."

Harry frowned. "What is Dumbledore's problem?"

"I don't know. I've had a trusted Law Officer discreetly look into Dumbledore's affairs with you and it's full of anomalies. He personally oversaw your custody being given to your relatives in Surrey. Now while this is not illegal, he didn't consult with either my Department or the Department of Child Welfare. He used his own standing on the Wizengamot to send you there without interference from any other legal body. He also had your parents will sealed the day after your parents were killed."

"My parent's will?" said Harry.

"Yes. I suspect that your relatives were not the first choice for your guardianship."

"They weren't, Sirius was but he went to prison so…"

"Mr Potter, when your parents died we were at war, people were dying all the time, I find it unlikely they would have named only one person as a guardian."

"Well what does the will say?" said Harry.

"I don't know, because it's sealed I do not have the authority to ask for it without a warrant and because there is no indication of criminal activity I can't get one. However, now that you are fifteen, you can submit a request to the Wizarding Bureau of Legal Records through my department and gain access. You'll need to come in though, it can't be done by mail."

"I'll do that, after Fudge is gone and it's safer. By the way do the DMLE have records on arrests?"

"Yes, but if you wish to access one that is less than fifty years old…"

"I don't this happened in 1943."

"1943?" said Madam Bones.

"Yeah. Three Muggles were murdered, I think Voldemort was responsible. If he was, a Muggle man who died last year spent the last fifty years of his life being falsely accused for the crime. I just spent the day in the village in question." Said Harry

Madam Bones raised an eyebrow. "I will do what I can to get you that information. It is possible that the Ministry authorities did investigate it but decided not to pass information to the Muggles. My department before the First War had a lot of faults."

"Thank you." Said Harry.

"What can you tell me about the case?"

"The three people were all members of the Riddle family in Little Hangleton. They were all murdered in 1943, during the Summer."

"Riddle?" said Madam Bones.

"Voldemort's father and his family." Said Harry "His mother's family also lived nearby."

"It seems you really have been busy." Said Madam Bones. "Can you Floo contact me on Monday morning? I have a number of things I want to discuss with you."

"Sure." Said Harry.

ORACLE2PHOENIX

It turned out the weekend was quite eventful. Early on Saturday a long-eared owl arrived, carrying an envelope and a package. Harry opened the envelope to find a letter and another smaller envelope inside.

Dear Harry

I was asked to pass this letter and package on to you. Daddy has just finished getting the wards at our house upgraded so it is now safe. I hope your search for answers is going well. I saw the picture of you in Albania, your new friend looks really cute. I hope you're doing alright, feel free to contact me if you need help.

Yours

Luna Lovegood

Harry put down Luna's letter and then opened the next envelope.

Dear Harry

I have no idea what is going on but you're really beginning to scare a lot of people here. From what your friends have said, you don't trust them because they trust Dumbledore. I love you no matter what Harry, I promised your parents I would look after you but what is going on? I tried contacting the DMLE like you said but Dumbledore says they're dragging their feet.

Thing is I get the feeling he's holding something back. Something happened between the two of you and he doesn't seem to know what. He keeps on saying it's imperative that you return to your relatives, while I would normally agree with him I have to say that your going off the grid seems to tell me that the protections you get at Privet Drive are not worth it the effort.

Dumbledore probably didn't tell you anything but there are blood wards on Privet Drive that are based on your mother's blood, according to Dumbledore, if you don't return there by the end of next week, they'll expire beyond repair. But if you really don't want to go back, I won't force you. The fact that you've run away and hidden yourself without telling anyone obviously indicates how serious you are about staying away, if you are really as serious as you seem to be then I won't force you back, regardless of Dumbledore's opinions on the matter.

He doesn't know I'm writing this, we really need to talk. Something has obviously happened which has blown everything out of proportion for you and I need to know where everything stands. What they hell were you doing in Albania? I know you Harry, you're not one to run away from problems but what has the war in Britain got to do with a country that's several thousand miles away?

The package I've sent contains a Mirror, I have one as well. All you need to do is say Sirius Black and it will allow us to communicate between each other. James and I used to use them back at school when we were in separate detentions.

Please use it to get in contact with me. Everyone is really worried about you, especially Ron and Hermione.

Sirius

Harry was furious. The DMLE wasn't dragging its feet, Dumbledore was the one doing all the stalling. He tore the box open and picked up the mirror.

"Sirius Black." He said out loud.

For a few minutes there was nothing. Then.

"Harry. Harry." Sirius' face appeared on the screen.

"Sirius." Said Harry, happy to see his Godfather's face.

"Harry. Where are you it is imperative we meet, you must get back to your Aunt and Uncle immediately." Said Sirius.

Harry blinked, that was a little contradictory to what the letter said. "Sirius what's going on?"

"Harry you trust me right?"

"Of course but…"

"You must get back to Privet Drive this instant. This won't make sense but there are means to protect you there and if you don't get there soon, they will be gone forever."

Harry frowned. "What is going on Sirius, your letter…" then he stopped, a thought occurring.

"Harry?"

"Sirius don't you remember what you said to me at the end of Third Year, when you rode away on Buckbeak. I could always stay at your secret hideout. You promised. You said that I could always go and stay there for as long as I like."

"Harry things are a little different now, there is a war on. Regardless of your feelings for your relatives, the hideout is not sufficient enough to ensure your safety."

"Yeah because it doesn't exist, you never said that at the end of Third Year." Said Harry.

Sirius looked shocked.

"That's you Dumbledore isn't it?"

The look on his face betrayed him. "Harry… Please!"

"Mirror off." Said Harry.

The face of Sirius Black vanished, but Harry was never been talking to him in the first place. It was obvious that Dumbledore must have found out about Sirius' attempt to contact Harry and stolen the Mirror as well as some hair from Sirius to mix with Polyjuice Potion.

Harry mouthed off so much profanity that Dobby came in and forcibly sat him down.

"Harry Potter must not let his frustrations get the better of him like that." Said Dobby.

Harry took several deep calming breaths that might have worked, but suddenly the Mirror began to shake and vibrate, indicating someone was trying to call him.

"That old Bastard is trying to call me again." Said Harry.

Dobby snapped his fingers and the Mirror vanished.

"Dobby has placed it in a box in the cupboard with cleaning supplies." Said the Elf.

"Not the safe?" said Harry.

"There is still a chance someone could see from the other side." Said Dobby. "Dobby doesn't think Professor Dumbledore should be able to see the item we is keeping in there."

"This ring?" said Harry in understanding. "Alright, good thinking. Sorry about that."

"Dobby has heard worse sir, Dobby has worked for the Malfoy family."

Harry tried to laugh at that but he couldn't find the energy. It had been over a month since he'd seen anyone else from school and he was really beginning to miss having someone around to talk to. When he was in Albania it was nice to be able to interact with Elira, but she was eight years old and the two of them could not communicate outside of crude sign language unless Loran was around. But there wasn't a lot he could do.

Even if he could now trust Ron and Hermione, it now seemed they were beyond his contact, as was Ginny and he had no idea how to find Neville.

Then he looked at Luna's letter and the owl that had brought it. He then looked at the Clock, it was still early. He sent Luna a letter asking if she wanted to meet up tomorrow.

ORACLE2PHOENIX

Later that evening, Harry switched on the Wireless News, where he caught the drama that had unfolded in the Wizengamot that day.

ORACLE2PHOENIX

"Order, order." Said Professor Dumbledore. "I hereby call this Emergency Session of the Wizengamot to order. The Wizengamot now recognises Madam Amelia Susan Bones, Order of Merlin Second Class, Vice Chairman of the Wizengamot, Head of the Emergency War Council and Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

"Thank you Chief Warlock." Said Madam Bones.

"Honourable Members of the Wizengamot. Today I wish to speak in regards to the on-going investigation into the Office for the Minister for Magic and the wider Ministry as well. However before I do so, I shall be speaking in relation to the recent incident involving Harry Potter and the discovery of two Dementors of Azkaban in Albania. An investigation into the Wizarding Incarceration and Offender Monitoring Authority has revealed that the Dementors were sent to attack Harry Potter on orders from the Office of the Minister for Magic."

"Lies." Shouted an official from Fudge's office.

"Silence." Called Dumbledore in a commanding voice. "Madam Bones, please continue."

"Evidence found in the Office responsible for monitoring Dementors showed that a single official in that department, acting out of no cause other than her own, issued the order and attempted to cover up her involvement and was only unsuccessful because of a clerical error in Incarceration Office. I have since had Delores Umbridge, the woman in question, arrested and detained, and she has been interviewed under the Veritiserum."

"That's barbaric." Shouted Fudge in fury. He was really desperate now, more so than he had been since the end of the Triwizard Tournament.

"The interview was conducted under the Emergency Powers prerogative, on the grounds that we were approaching a state of conflict with the Magical community in Albania. It was witnessed by two members of the Wizengamot. Could those two please now confirm?"

An elderly man stood up "I Tiberius Ogden herby confirm that I witnessed the Veriteserum interview of Delores Umbridge."

"I Augusta Longbottom herby confirm that I witnessed the Veriteserum interview of Delores Umbridge."

Madam Bones then walked from her stand to the Pensieve and deposited a memory.

"This is the contents of that interview." She said.

"State you title, name and occupation for the record please." Said Rufus Scrimgeour.

"Madam Delores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister for Magic." Said Umbridge in an emotionless voice.

"Did you order two Dementors to seek out and perform the Dementors Kiss on Harry James Potter?"

"Yes." Said Umbridge

"Did you take steps that you believed at the time would have been successful in covering this up?" said Scrimgeour.

"Yes." Said Umbridge.

"For what purpose did you commit these crimes?"

"Potter is a danger to the Minister and by extension the Ministry and by further extension the Wizarding World. His selfish actions are leading to the destruction of Cornelius' career and reputation which by extension threaten my career and reputation. I need a Minister that is easy to manipulate and with that Blood-Traitor Bones around, the chances of finding such a replacement are near impossible, especially with my own actions under criminal investigation. Unfortunately Bones knows the Patronus Charm so I couldn't send the Dementors after her. It's just a shame Potter knows it, had I known that I would have looked at other methods."

"Just for the record, are you saying you have desires to have Madam Bones…"

"Taken care of? Yes. By Death or Soul Sucking it doesn't matter so long as it's done. She's been a threat to my perfect little world for too long now. I am considering sending Dementors after her niece and her sister."

"I see." Said Scrimgeour, he was barely keeping his temper in check. "Do you have anything further you wish to add."

"Yes. If Bones gets her way, then our society is doomed. It's bad enough that Mudbloods are tolerated in our society but at the rate things are going, Werewolves will soon be treated as human beings and purity of blood will become irrelevant."

The memory ended. Some people were shocked, but most really weren't all that surprised. Umbridge was one of the most difficult people in the Ministry and many were aware of her less than desirable points of view. Madam Bones continued speaking.

"As a result of these findings it is now clear to me and my Department that Delores Umbridge is responsible for the Dementor attack on Harry Potter and Elira Topali in Albania. Therefore I would like to grant a request from the Albanian Ministry of Magic to have her extradited for War Crimes. However, as Delores Umbridge has made threats against me and my family, I now have a personal involvement in this case and my ability to make that decision impartially has been compromised. Therefore the request must be approved by a Wizengamot vote of at least 67%. The Albanians have insisted on charging Ms Umbridge with War Crimes but have agreed not to apply the Death Penalty should she be found guilty. Her trial will be set up and conducted by the International Confederation of Wizards in an undisclosed site in Germany and the Prosecution will be led by the Albanian Wizarding Militia and the Defence will be formed at a later date at Ms Umbridge's convenience should extradition be approved."

"Very well." Said Dumbledore. "The Wizengamot shall now debate the extradition of Delores Umbridge."

The Debate didn't last long. Fudge was now so deeply in shock that he missed all but the first few minutes of the session. A few of his colleagues attempted to speak in Defence of Umbridge, but their hearts weren't in it.

The motion to extradite Umbridge passed with an approval of 92% even those who secretly supported Voldemort did not want to risk war with Albania, because it could easily backfire on them.

"Even though he did not order this action, it is clear to me that the Minister is not fit to run office, especially if he employs people like Delores Umbridge." Said Madam Bones. "I hereby move for a vote of no confidence in Cornelius Fudge."

This was a very risky move. If Bones lost the vote then her whole investigation could become compromised and she would very likely lose her job and her Order of Merlin.

"Minister Fudge." Said Dumbledore. "Do you wish to say anything in your Defence?"

Fudge was nonresponsive at this stage and merely sat with his arms hugging himself.

"In order to find the Minister unfit for office, a 70% approval is needed." Said Dumbledore. "If more than 50% approve then the investigation into the Office of the Minister for Magic is to continue for a period not exceeding two weeks after which another vote shall be cast. Please submit your votes."

After a minute of chaos the verdict was reached.

"Minister Fudge has failed the vote of no confidence." Said Dumbledore. "Those with no confidence stand at 81%, those with confidence stand at 2% and those who abstain stand at 17%. As we are in a state of war, the Head of the War Council shall assume the role as Acting Minister until a time when a new Minster can be formally declared. I hereby declare Madam Amelia Bones: Acting Minister for the Magical Realms of Great Britain and Ireland."

"I Amelia Bones hereby accept the duties and responsibilities as Acting Head of State for our Magical Realms." Said Madam Bones.

ORACLE2PHOENIX

"We at the Wizarding Wireless News network offer our complete and utter congratulations to Acting Minister Bones and call upon the people of Wizarding Britain to support her in the difficult times faced by our society."

Harry switched the Wireless off a few minutes before Luna's letter came back.

Yes Harry I would love to spend the day with you tomorrow.

Luna

I love my reviews, really I do. But if you expect me to send replies (which I do as often as I can without forgetting) then you need to first Log in before you review and second enable private messages. The last time I updated this story was a bit chaotic for me so I'm sorry if I didn't get to everyone.

Anyhow, hope you all liked this, I know some of you are glad to get out of Albania but a few of you (and I count myself amongst you) are missing Elira. I'll probably bring her back in some form or another before this story has its last chapter but it won't be for a while and the nature of this story will likely have changed considerably by then.

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