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CHAPTER TWENTY: One Slip

James, Rose and Scorpius entered the herbology lab to find their target pottering around some of the plants. "Mr. Smith?"James asked.

Zacharias turned to face them. "You're Harry Potter's son, aren't you? And Ron and Hermione's daughter and Draco's boy. Knew all your parents, of course."

"Yes, I know,"James confirmed.

"We want to talk to you about Harriet Kenwood,"Rose said, wanting to get down to business.

Zacharias' demeanour, never entirely approachable, seemed to become even less encouraging. "What do you want to know?"

"What were you working on together?"James asked.

Zacharias sighed. "I explained all this to your father."

"Rose's mother has been affected by this,"Scorpius pointed out. "We need to know."

"I knew nothing about the memory restore spells she was working on, I just provided ingredients."

"How far advanced were these spells?"James asked.

"Not very advanced at all."

"So you weren't ready to try them out?"

Zacharias shook his head forcefully. "No, definitely not. She never even had any contact with any of the patients."

"He's lying,"Scorpius said.

Zacharias glared at him. "I am not! Maybe she went near one of the patients but if she did I wasn't with her. I've never even spoken to him."

"Him?"Rose repeated.

Zacharias' eyes widened as he realised what he'd just said. Then he ran for the door. "Petrificus totalus!" James snapped, freezing him in his tracks.

"How did you know?"Rose asked Scorpius.

Scorpius shrugged. "I just guessed."

James glanced back at them. "Get Professor Longbottom."

The three teens had wanted to stay once Harry arrived but he had shooed them out. Despite this, the lab was still pretty crowded. Zacharias was seated in a chair, isolated, with Harry, Ron, Neville and Ernie standing in front of him. Slughorn was hanging back by the door, his position as headmaster meaning he felt he needed to be present, but not too keen on being involved in whatever was about to transpire.

"Explain to us what you know, Zacharias,"Harry instructed.

"I don't know anything!"Zacharias protested. "Those kids got it wrong."

"Give it up, Smith,"Ron sighed. "You're not leaving until you tell us."

Zacharias shrank back slightly. "Look, you've no right to keep me here. You've no proof I've done anything wrong. Ernie, help me here."

Ernie looked at him in disgust. "I'm ashamed we were in the same house."

"I always thought they sorted him wrong,"Neville agreed. "What do you think, Harry? Give him some veritaserum to sort him out?"

"Not really reliable." Harry stroked his wand thoughtfully. "There's other spells that work just as well."

Slughorn was becoming increasingly uncomfortable at what was going on in his school. "Harry, I really think this should be conducted at the Ministry, by the Auror Department."

Harry didn't take his eyes off Zacharias. "If you're not happy, Professor, leave. There are too many old Voldemort sympathisers at the Ministry to risk it."

"You-Know-Who?"Zacharias asked. "I've got nothing to do with him!"

Zacharias' statement was met with silence as the four looked at him, trying to guage his honesty. "You know what?"Ron said at last. "I believe him."

"First thing he's said I do believe,"Neville agreed.

"Then what are you to do with, Zacharias?"Harry asked. "Did you erase Hermione's memory?"

"No!"Zacharias insisted. "I'd never do that. I didn't want anything to do with any of it but he threatened me. Said he'd do to me what he'd done to Harriet if I didn't keep quiet and help him."

"So there is a him now?"Ernie asked.

"His name, Zacharias,"Harry snapped. "I want his name. Who's behind all this?"

Zacharias strained, as if filled with mental anguish at the thought of revealing the secret he'd kept for so long. Then he gave them the name.

"Lockhart."