Disclaimer: Ah, the beach is lovely, don't you think? It'd be better with a nice, hot Detective Inspector that needed to be slathered with sunscreen but you can't have everything can you? Anyway, still looking for Eros, between bouts of sunbathing, and still not rich.

A/N: I'm not really liking where this story is headed but I'll live with it. It shouldn't be too hard to get it back on track though so…yeah, we'll see what happens.

At Hogwarts

Chapter Four: The Trial of Dumbledore

Chapter Summary: I think the title explains everything, don't you?

Sherlock gripped John's hand in a white-knuckled squeeze and he stared in shock at the ghosts filling the room. He'd thought that Harry and Luna had been having them on when they'd said there were ghosts in the castle. He knew they weren't being malicious about it but Harry and Luna did have the air of jokers at times.

One of the ghosts, his chest covered in silver blood, floated to the portrait of the dead headmaster and stood in front of it. "You are charged with crimes against a magical child, Mr. Dumbledore. These charges are numerous and grievous. Do you deny them?"

Blue eyes glared at and through the ghost of the Bloody Baron. "Of course I deny them!" Dumbledore shouted. "Everything I have ever done has been for the good of our world!"

"Look," Harry suddenly said with a sigh. "I don't care about all the stuff he did to me as a kid. He's dead now and can't cause any more harm. I just want to know where the Philosopher's Stone is so that it can be disposed of safely." He moved to stand beside the Bloody Baron and stared into the ghosts eyes.

The Baron glared for a moment and then nodded with a heavy sigh. "You are far too nice, little lion cub. That is why Alistar decided to follow your wishes the day of your Sorting."

Harry gave the ghost a sly grin. "Are you sure it wasn't because I was too sneaky even for the snakes?"

The ghost gave out a hard laugh and patted Harry's head. "You may believe that if you wish, little lion, but we all know the truth."

"Amusing as this is," came a soft voice from one of the female ghosts. "Do you not thing we should get on with things?"

"Yes, of course, Lady Helena," the Bloody Baron nodded and then turned back to the portrait. "Where is the stone, Albus?"

The elderly headmaster only glared back at him.

"Albus," the ghost said warningly. "Do not force me to compel you to tell the truth. It will not be pretty."

The old man gave a sniff and turned his back on the room. All of the ghosts gave out sighs of frustration. "Very well," said the one in the ruff and tights. "On your head be it."

As one the four intoned: "Where is the stone, Albus?" A wave of wind buffeted around the room and flapped at the curtains and papers and rattled the paintings against the wall. Against his will the old headmaster was forced around to face the room. The Baron pressed his face into the portrait for a moment and then eased back out. The wind settled.

The Baron turned to Harry. "It is within the Heart," he said. "You will find it within the Heart of the Castle. Hogwarts will show you the way, little lion, but only you. Much damage may be inflicted from within the Heart."

Harry gave him a startled look. "None of us would damage Hogwarts, Baron," he protested.

The ghost smirked. "Of course you wouldn't, not intentionally, little lion, but we would rather not take the chance of unintentional harm."

"Oh," Harry nodded deflated. "Where do I go to start, Baron?"

"You cannot!" Dumbledore shouted. "You will not take the stone from this castle, Potter! It must be protected!"

The two men, one solid and the other only mist, glared at him. "Go now, little lion," the ghost said. "Crispin will guide you."

Harry nodded and strode to the door. "Thank you, Baron." He laid a hand on the handle and then looked back over his shoulder. "Keep an eye on them, Lunalove." Then he disappeared down the stairs without waiting for a reply.

"Of course, Harrymine," Luna said distractedly out the window. "I always do." The ghosts faded away.

"I'm not sure asking her that was a good idea," Flynn muttered. "She doesn't seem to be paying much attention."

Sherlock glared at him for the slight to his blond friend. "She's paying enough attention to keep the cat from strangling you," he spat out.

The younger man started and stared around the room. "What cat? I don't see a cat. Has magic made it invisible? And a cat can't strangle someone. Suffocate, yes, possibly but they don't have hands to strangle…er, do they?"

John laid a comforting hand on Sherlock's arm even as the dark haired man rolled his eyes. John sighed and turned to Flynn. "Sometimes they do," he said simply. "Especially when they're shape changers."

The man's eyes widened. "Really? One of you is a shape changer? Fascinating! Can you show me? I'd really like to see it."

Luna laughed and turned to face them. "John and Sherlock can't change forms, silly. Professor McGonagall can though, only into a house cat though. Not like Harry."

The older woman that had been identified as McGonagall finally stood up and then sat back behind the desk. "Whatever do you mean, Miss…Mrs. Potter? Harry is not an animagus. He has not registered with the ministry and I know that Harry would not break such a law."

Luna laughed again though it didn't have the same amusement. "Why would Harry register with the ministry, Professor. So that he can let the whole of our world know his only form of escape?"

McGonagall turned wide light green eyes on her. "Pardon? What would he need to escape from? He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is gone, Luna."

Luna hummed and glanced out the window again seemingly becoming entranced by the sunlight.

"Are there Light Warblers here?" Sherlock asked, excited. Luna shook her head. "Bored." Sherlock announced and stared at John expectantly.

John shifted in his seat uncomfortably. "What?" He finally asked.

"Entertain me, John," Sherlock ordered. "I can't do any experiments. There are no cases to solve and I'm bored. Entertain me."

"I am not a toy, Sherlock." John told him repressively. "I was not put on this earth solely to entertain you."

"Oooo, I know," Luna yelled excitedly. "There's a game that Harry knows that we can play." She twirled her hair around a finger.

"Well," Sherlock asked her impatiently. "What is the game, Luna?" He leaned forward to stare at her.

"What game, Sherlock?" Luna asked him innocently. "Did you want to play a game? I know lots of games, you know. Harry taught me a few too. His games are fun."

McGonagall let out a snort. "I do not think any of us need to hear about any games that Mr. Potter might have taught you. You bedroom games are of no concern to us."

Luna's eyes widened. "You play games in your bedroom, Professor? Wow! I am impressed. Though I can't imagine it would be very comfortable to have the board on the bed would it? Though maybe it's not board games that you play. Hide and Seek, maybe? But there's not all that many places to hide in a bedroom."

McGonagall gaped at her. Flynn snickered. John coughed to cover his own laugh and Sherlock tugged on John's hand and leaned closer to him. "I'm not bored now, John."

"Why are you all still here?" Harry asked from the doorway. "It must be nearly dinner by now."

"You've only been gone a few minutes, Harrymine," Luna informed him sunnily. "Though it always feels like forever when you're not with me."

Harry's eyes widened. "Really? I feel like I've been gone for hours. Interesting. The Heart must manipulate time in some way."

"We could go back and find out," Sherlock offered in a bland voice that did nothing to hide his eagerness from John or Luna.

"It's a thought," Harry admitted after some consideration. "But not today. Come along, we've things to do." He waved John and Sherlock towards the door. "You as well, Carson."

"Me?" Flynn squeaked. He cleared his throat. "I mean why me? What do you need me for?"

Harry cocked his head at the other man. "Mostly because it'll drive Dumbledore spare." He admitted with a cocky grin.

"You cannot give him the stone, Harry, my boy," Dumbledore fumed. "He is a Muggle and will never be able to understand it or protect it from the dangers that surround it."

"What's a Muggle?" Flynn asked John in a whisper.

"Later," John whispered back.

Harry glared at the portrait and then took Luna's hand in his own and waved the men in front of him towards the door. "The Stone is no longer your concern." He said in a steely voice.

The five trooped out of the room to the cries from the portrait and the calls of Professor McGonagall.