As Always I Own Nothing!
A huge thank you to my editor pazed!
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Chapter 18
When Shar opened the door she and her guests walked into pandemonium. "Move out of the way, he is coming with me!" said the man staring down at Lady Ako. "And as for you, you will answer for what you did," he said pointing at Harry.
Lady Ako moved to keep herself standing between the man and Harry. "And just what was it that my student did?" she asked. "From what I saw he avoided being grabbed by a man attempting to remove him from his guardian's room without any paperwork supporting said removal. You are the one that fell and hit your head."
"He broke my wand!" yelled the man.
She shook her head. "Harry was walking across the room, stepping on it was an accident. I am sure that he will be willing to replace it, and apologize." She glowered in Harry's direction. "Won't you Harry?"
He grimaced. "Yeah… I'm sorry. I'll replace it. Just please don't try and grab me." He offered the man his hand.
The man's face split in a grin as he took it, then he spoke a single word. "Apprehended." The pair of them seemed to shimmer then spin in tight circles and disappear.
"HARRY!" Shar screamed, running to the place he had been standing. She spun toward the female Auror. "YOU! Where did he take my SON?"
The men following her closed the door, and stepped forward. "I suggest you answer her!" said one of the men.
As soon as the spinning stopped Harry found himself lying on the floor. "What the hell?" He looked around at the room they had appeared in. Rows of cells were visible through a small window to his right, other than that the room was empty save for a single bench along the wall across from him. "Where the hell are we?" he asked.
Before the man could answer two men entered the room dressed in Auror uniforms, and his captor spoke to them. "I've got Potter, send word to the Wizengamot chambers that we will be there shortly." They nodded and stepped back into the hallway.
He grabbed the back of Harry's jacket and pulled him up. "Welcome to the DMLE holding area Mr. Potter." He growled as he planted his fist in Harry's gut. "That is for tripping me."
Harry bent over as the air rushed from him, only to have the man's knee ram into the same place. He leaned down and whispered in his ear. "That was for my wand…. Boy!" He smirked, as he stood. "Hope you said goodbye to them, if you ever see them again they won't recognize you!" He dragged Harry out the door and down the hall, laughing.
Harry had almost recovered from his gasping when they passed through a large set of wooden double doors, and into an auditorium sized room with a high vaulted ceiling. The walls were lined with bleacher type seating, scattered with a few people talking among themselves. Blinking his eyes clear of tears he looked up toward the far side of the room, his eyes passed over a chair sitting in the middle of the room, with chains and manacles dangling from it, and on till they came to rest on the face of Albus Dumbledore. Sitting patiently hands steepled in front of him his eyes firmly locked on Harry.
"I have brought Potter as requested," said Scrimgeour, slinging him around and into the chair, the chains sprang to life and lashed Harry into the ancient wooden seat.
"What the fuck?" Harry yelled as he struggled against the chains. He looked up a Dumbledore. "What the hell do you think you're doing old man?"
"What I am doing Mr. Potter is helping you realize your heritage, and returning you to your place in our world. You will be placed with a family chosen for you and will be attending Hogwarts, just as your parents wanted," he said leaning forward, and signaling someone off to the side.
There was a loud bang, and the room quieted. Then Dumbledore spoke, "Please be seated, a decision has been reached on the custody of Mr. Potter-"
"My custody?" Harry said with a laugh. "Where the hell were you when I was left with the fucking Dursleys? Oh, wait-" Dumbledore had drawn his wand and waved it in his direction, and his voice died away, as the silencing charm settled around him.
"As I was saying, Mr. Potter will be placed in the physical custody, when not in school, of the Weasleys. His magical guardianship will be placed with the headmaster of Hogwarts, as that is where he will be spending the majority of the year. The headmaster will also act in loco parentis during the school year. The payment for his attendance at Hogwarts had already been set aside in a trust vault as stipulated after his birth by James and Lily Potter, as well as suitable monies for a small allowance and school supplies so that will not be an issue. It is the decision of the Wizengamot that he will be taken to Ollivander's as soon as these proceedings are complete, a suitable wand obtained, and then he will be returned to Hogwarts immediately following. All other supplies will be gathered by Mrs. Weasley and sent to him as soon as possible. Madam Malken has agreed to visit him tonight and prepare his school robes, after he has been sorted into his house."
He took a breath, and looked down at a struggling, red faced Harry. "This is for the Greater Good Harry. It is what your parents would have wanted."
He continued, "An obliviator squad will be dispatched, and the memories of the muggles modified so they will accept his staying with his peop-"
The wooden doors burst open, Sirius flanked by two angry women stormed into the hall, they were followed by two men in muggle suits and Auror Tonks. "Dumbledore!" yelled Sirius. "What, in the name of Merlin, are you trying to do?"
"I am doing what is necessary!" he yelled back. "You won't listen to reason and are willing to let him return to the colonies! He needs to follow his parents' wishes and come to Hogwarts! He needs to be true to his heritage!"
"He needs to be with his family!" returned Shar. "How dare you kidnap him! What were you going to do next? Put him with another family that will treat him like the Dursleys?" Her eyes flickered down to a bound Harry, and moved toward him. "This is how you treat a child in your care? You chain him to a chair?" Tears filled her eyes. "What the hell is wrong with you people?" She started pulling on the chains, she glanced at the men. "Do something… Or I WILL!"
The man on the right stepped forward. He was a little on the short side and a little plump, but his suit was an impeccable herringbone in light grey a gold watch chain glinted as he walked. He adjusted his glasses, then spoke. "Chief Warlock Dumbledore, I suggest you release Mr. Potter, and allow him and his family to be on their way."
Albus's eyes narrowed, "And who may you be?" he asked.
"I am the Rt. Honorable Jeremy Johnson, it does not surprise me that you do not know me. Although you should. I was appointed by the Prime Minister as your contact within the non-magical government." The crowd erupted into murmurs, many could be heard in disbelief that a muggle was standing here in the Wizengamot.
He waited till Dumbledore regained control of the room. "Strange that you do not know me isn't it? As I have sent repeated requests to meet with you, and the Minister. I am better known by the head of the United Nations Magical community than by the community of my own Nation!" He turned to the Minister. "The Prime Minister asked me to pass along a message Minister Fudge, next time you want to drop by his office, make an appointment! The painting you use to deliver your messages has been removed! You are to use the contact information I will supply to make said appointment! If you try to visit as you did last time you will be considered hostile. Is that clear sir?"
Without waiting for an answer, he turned back to Dumbledore. "As for you, you will release Harry Potter to his family immediately!" He held up a hand to stop Albus from speaking. "He is a United States citizen! You are treading dangerously close to creating a international incident!"
He walked closer. "I have read Mr. Potter's file! And have spoken at length with some of the people involved! I also suggest you take a moment and look at your own morning paper! It arrived at my office just as I was leaving to meet with Lady Ako and her family to help sort out the issue with young Harry's passport." He reached into the pocket of his coat and withdrew the paper, and held it up so Dumbledore could read the front page.
Dumbledore Loses Wizarding Savior!
He opened it further and showed the other headlines:
Wizard Savior abused by relatives?
Harry Potter grows up in the Colonies a Muggle?
"The sordid details are right here, Mr. Dumbledore, even if Ms. Skeeter has a bit of an overly dramatic flair. Then I find that you, and the Minister have kidnapped the person in question? I didn't think I could be more appalled, but this?" He gestured to the still chained young man in the center of the room. "To find that you have a minor, one that has committed no crime, chained to a chair?" He looked around the room at the others. "Would you allow your child to be kidnapped, and bound like this?"
The minister stuttered out, "He was being disruptive, he-"
"He's fourteen! And has just been taken by force from his hotel room! Of course he is disruptive! I would be too!" said Johnson. "Release him immediately!"
He turned to the other man. "I am sorry you had to see a citizen of your nation treated like this Mr. Higgins." The forty something man inclined his head to him then came forward.
He was tall, over six feet, and had wide shoulders. He had a short military style haircut, and dark brown eyes. He spoke with an American accent. "I'm glad I did see it, it made my decision easier. My name is Phillip Higgins, I am an Attaché to the US Consulate here in London. My government has been informed about Mr. Potter's entry to the tournament, and they are less than pleased." The room erupted into noise.
It took several minutes till the Chief Warlock had the room quieted, his face looked pale and pinched. "The Statutes of Secrecy forb-"
"We never signed them, nor did we join your little club the IWC," he said cutting him off. "But we are members of the Magical United Nations," he smiled as he stalked forward, "and I work with their magical departments quite often." He looked around at the people in the room as the murmurs returned. "What, did you think yours was the only magical community in the world? That the IWC was the entirety of the international magical community?"
He turned back to Albus. "When Harry was first found, we followed UN protocols and contacted the British government. We also spoke with them about his abuse; they were the ones that arrested the Dursleys, the family he was left with. We, both governments, sent paperwork informing you of their imprisonment and the adoption of Mr. Potter. We never received a reply! On his ninth birthday his adoption was approved! Along with his citizenship! You have no further say in this young man's life, nor does your government!"
Lady Ako spoke as he finished. "Not only that but you have said many times yourself, this tournament is for those that are considered of age. Correct?" Albus nodded numbly, wondering what she was getting at. "Then Harry is considered of age as far as you and your government are concerned. This is therefore a case of kidnapping and false imprisonment, of a foreign national."
Dumbledore's mind was racing, was that true? Had they made the boy an adult? He did not think so but there was no way to be sure… He had to keep Harry here! "This is his home… he needs to stay here and learn to be a wizard! It was his parent-"
Shar spun on him her eyes seemed to glow with an inner fire. "But he wasn't important enough for anyone to look after? You dropped him off at his aunt's and never looked back! You put him there! You in your infinite wisdom, sitting on your thrones of power, condemned him to hell on earth! WHY?"
Albus faltered, and then answered. "H-he needed to grow up without the pressures and fame that we would put upon him. He needs to be a child, and growing up knowing our world would not allow that." he began, rubbing his throbbing arm.
"He needs to know the value of work, and that everything is not easy," he said, strength returning to his voice. "That is why I am doing this! You have let him become arrogant! Look at him!" The people on the floor tuned to face Harry, then back. "You have given him too much! Let him do as he will! He needs to be put with a respectable family that understands the realities of life and will teach him to work hard! He will come to Hogwarts, and learn to be a wizard! Just as his parents did! I will give him a purpose! Not some silly dream of racing muggle vehicles!"
Shar scoffed at him. "YOU will give him a purpose? You mean you want to choose his life for him and ram it down his throat! Where were you when he had the nightmares? Where were you when we visited the doctors? Are you the one that worries the entire time he is on the track racing? Are you the one who checks his homework every night? NO! You haven't done a damn thing but cause him pain! So who are you to take part in these decisions! Let him out of these damn chains!" she cried yanking on them.
He adopted a superior pose. "He will never learn magic living with mug-"
The side doors slammed open; through the door stomped Madam Bones and several others. "Dumbledore? Minister Fudge? What is the meaning of this? Why was the time for this meeting changed unexpectedly? It was bad enough that this emergency meeting was called but to hear of the time change and the reason for it from Sirius? That is inexcusable!" When she saw Harry her eyes darkened. "Why do you have Harry manacled? What are you thinking? Madam Longbottom, please see that he gets released," she said to an older woman with a stuffed vulture perched on her hat.
She turned to face the main dais. "You are willing to destroy his happiness after everything he has gone through? There is no telling what would happen if you took his family away from him!"
Dumbledore looked defiant. "It is for the Greater Good, that he his here! He must learn of his legacy, and be prepared for his future!"
She slowed her approach. "And what of the other children Albus? Will you and the Wizengamot make the decisions about their lives as well? Their careers? Where they will live? Their friends? Who they marry? The number of children they will have? Will you take those choices out of their and their families' hands as well?"
He looked shocked. "No of course not."
"So why take them from Harry?" she asked.
He stood a little straighter, "He needs guidance, and has no family to do so." he said matter-of-factly.
She turned her head to look at Shar and Lady Ako hugging the now standing young man. "Look at them Albus. Do you really believe he has no family?"
He didn't answer. "Albus, Minister, this is not the way to do things. You called this meeting at a time you knew many members would be hard pressed to arrive. You sent my Aurors out to retrieve a young man that had done nothing illegal without informing the head of their department, something we will be speaking about soon. For what? To make Harry hate you more than he did? It's his life, Albus!"
Harry had calmed some but wanted answers. "Why?" he asked as he looked at the old man standing next to the Minister. "Why am I so important to you? Why can't you people leave me alone? Haven't you done enough?" His voice caught as he spoke. "You were going to try to make my mother forget about me! Then what? What happens when the rest of my family comes looking for answers? Would you attack them as well?" He pushed his way out of Shar's arms. "Why? To keep me here in this backward ass place? To live a life you think my birth parents would have wanted for me? I'd rather think that they would be glad I found a family that wants me! That loves me! That has done their best to stand by me! Why is it so important to you what I do?"
Mr. Higgins took over from that point, as he stepped next to Harry. "All valid questions. Why is it so important that he come back Mr. Dumbledore?"
Albus looked weary. "He needs to learn to be a wizard. He needs to be at Hogwarts, he needs to be with others like himself. He needs to be a wizard, he needs to fulfill his destiny."
"Albus," Sirius said, looking at him sadly, "you can't force someone to be something they don't want to be." He placed his hand on his godson's shoulder. "Look at me, no matter what my mother did, I was not the man she wanted me to be. The first chance I got I ran away." He smiled down at the young man at his side. "I was lucky, Charles Potter took me in, and I had great friends, they became my family. Harry was lucky too." He looked at the two women on the other side of Harry. "He found his own family as well."
The Minister looked livid. "He can't be left with them! He does not even own a wand!"
Sirius shrugged, "I'm sure he can get one, and as for becoming a wizard, I will speak with his family about it. I am sure there are schools across the pond as well."
Mr. Higgins laughed, then said, "I'm sure he will have his choice, if that is what his family wants."
Sirius nodded. "I'll be going with them, at any rate." He turned back to the Minister. "The point of this meeting is moot, anyway. Harry is my responsibility, as his Godfather. This hearing should never have happened."
Fudge's face was beet red, as he spoke. "So, you are going to leave him with these…. muggles?" he spat.
"I am. And I am hoping they give me a chance to get to know them as well as Harry," he said.
Fudge fumed for a few moments. "Fine! If you and that little bastard don't want the Ministry's help! So be it!" He turned sharply and walked away, several others followed suit.
Dumbledore looked at Sirius sadness plain in his eyes. "You have no idea what you have done, Sirius." he said as he walked away.
Sirius looked at the young man wrapped in his mother's arms, a large smile on both their faces. A grin spread across his face. "Yeah, I do."
"You did a good thing Mr. Black," said Mr. Higgins from next to him. "I'd hate to think what would have happened if they had not backed down."
Sirius sighed, "It would have taken a little more time, and cost me a pile of Galleons for barristers but they would have lost anyway."
Mr. Higgins smiled. "That's not what I meant." He motioned to the pair of ladies. "Those two had no intention of leaving without Harry. When they informed the US government that Harry was here they also said their family was ready to storm in and take him back. It took a lot but they finally agreed to try a more… diplomatic solution first. This mess this morning was pushing things further than we anticipated."
"First?" He looked confused.
"Yeah, we told them we expected a challenge of his custody, we just thought it would take longer to prepare. Your people are lucky they listened to reason. His family would have torn this place apart to get to him," Mr. Higgins said, watching the reunited group. "then Hogwarts."
"What? How?" Sirius asked.
Mr. Higgins just smirked at him. "His family… well you will just need to see it to believe it." His smirk grew to a smile. "Now, shall we join them? Lady Ako said Harry wanted to speak with me, and then something about a stop they needed to make. Then all of you have a plane to catch."
Now, more answers will be forthcoming about Harry and Fairgrove! Be here in two weeks for some of the answers.
If you have questions feel free to ask.