Chapter 39: Smooth Criminal

After their meeting with the goblins, Harry and Grangers made their way home. Helen announcing she would be cooking her world-famous spaghetti.

"She makes the sauce from scratch," Hermione beamed wistfully. "There's nothing like it."

That night, Harry sat down to a plate of noodles covered in the most aromatic red sauce he had ever experienced. He ate his first bite and his eyes widened.

"This is amazing!" Harry heaped praise on Helen. "Can you teach me how to do this?"

"I think that can be arranged," Helen smiled at the boy, noticing just how much he had grown. "Tomorrow, we're going to have to go shopping for our trip. Might as well make it a full trip, seeing as you've outgrown your current wardrobe, Harry."

"I'm sorry," Harry hung his head.

"Harry," Helen reached across the table and covered his hand with hers. "That's a good thing. A boy your age should outgrow his clothes. Just means we'll have to make a full trip of it."

"Okay," Harry relaxed but still wasn't comfortable with anyone spending money on him. Dinner passed pleasantly and Harry collected the dishes, communicating his wishes to help clean.

While Harry was cleaning from dinner, Helen was outside of her daughter's room with two bowls.

"Can I come in?" Helen didn't have to wait long as the door was yanked open and the bowl snatched from her hand. "I'll take that as a yes."

Hermione's eyes rolled back into her head as she experienced the sweet treat.

"So how was the term?" Helen asked tentatively. She was curious how her daughter was pondering the events she endured.

"It was fine," Hermione shrugged her shoulders. "Odd as it sounds, losing the ability see for a week was probably my highlight. It brought Harry and me even closer together."

"You've moved past a crush, haven't you?"

"I… fancy him, mum," Hermione seemed to fight the words as they fell from her mouth. "I fancy my best friend and he has no idea."

"Have you thought about telling him?"

"Yeah 'oh by the way, Harry, I have a huge crush on you,'" Hermione rolled her eyes. "I'm sure that would just scare him away."

"It might…" Helen said cautiously. "Or it might get him to realize things he's not quite aware of himself. I've seen the way he looks at you since we came back. He's realizing things but hasn't quite figured out what they mean yet. Enough of Harry for the moment. How are you holding up? Being petrified must have been terrifying."

"I'm doing fine," Hermione shrugged. "I don't remember a lot of it. I just woke up two weeks later. Probably a good thing the first thing I saw was Harry because I would have been worried about what would have happened to him. Honestly, I had it easy. Harry had it truly rough. The entire student body seemed to think he was out to attack them. It can't be hard having a stadium full of students boo you."

"But he had you," Helen said. "Harry sent a letter to tell us you were petrified. He said the school was forgiving him but it meant nothing. He apologized to us for not being there for you and felt guilty until your dad talked some sense into him.

"The sense I got from his letter was he'd rather had the school hate him if it meant you were there with him. I have to admit, I like him a lot too and I'm rooting for him to figure it out quickly."

"But he doesn't even see me as anything but a friend," Hermione threw herself to lay back on the bed. "How can I fancy a boy who doesn't even know I'm a girl."

"Well he's probably become pretty aware of it right about now," Helen pointed down. "We're going to have to spend some time away from the boys tomorrow. You've outgrown your clothes too, in more ways than one. I notice the difference and I'm sure Harry will soon as well.

"Give it a little time but also don't give it too much," Helen continued over her daughter's protests. "You deserve happiness and if he's not going to notice, then you owe it to yourself to move on to someone who will love and appreciate you."

"I will, mum," Hermione leaned over and was wrapped in the tight embrace of her mother. "I love you, mum."

"I love you too, Winter," Helen collected the dishes and headed downstairs.

"We have a problem," Helen announced once she entered the living room. Richard was on the sofa reading.

"What problem would that be, beautiful?" Richard gave her his best roguish smile.

"Hermione is head over heels for Harry."

"Tell me something I don't know. What's the issue with that? I thought you liked Harry?"

"I like him a lot and I like them even more. But Harry can't even see Hermione as anything beyond a friend."

"Don't worry. Harry's starting to figure things out. I've noticed him taking a couple long looks at Hermione and I know you have too. I'll probably talk to him this summer about everything. Ugh I thought I escaped this when we had a daughter. That meant you got to give her the Talk."

"Well good thing Harry looks up to you," Helen slid into his lap on the sofa and wrapped her arms around him. "Just don't teach him too much. Can't have him using your same tricks on Hermione; she'll be helpless against them."

Helen finished with the smile the Richard had seen so many times. Without warning, Helen squealed as he picked her up and carried her upstairs.

"I love you, Mrs. Granger."

"I love you, Mr. Granger," Helen laughed as Richard kicked their door closed.

The next morning, Harry woke up early and snuck downstairs to cook breakfast. He wanted to do something unusual and decided on crepes. He looked through the kitchen but couldn't find one ingredient that he needed.

"Blast!" Harry said. "I need a little bit of butter."

"Harry Potter needs butter?" Dobby popped in, holding a block of butter.

"Dobby!" Harry started at the small creature's entrance. "I was just talking to myself. I didn't realize you were listening."

"Dobby's always listening, waiting to see how he may help," Dobby tapped Harry on the arm with the block of butter again. "Can Dobby cook instead? Dobby enjoyed cooking very much."

"Thank you, Dobby but not today," Harry smiled. "I want to make breakfast for the Grangers. Funny, usually Richard is downstairs by now."

"You called?" Richard entered the kitchen with his hair mussed and a big smile on his face.

"Oh I'm just making breakfast and was surprised you weren't up yet," Harry was a little concerned.

"Just thought I'd sleep in today," Richard sat down at one of the stools positioned around the kitchen island and looked over his shoulder to see a similarly pleased look on his wife except her hair wasn't as messy. In fact, he thought she never looked more beautiful.

"Good morning, Harry," Helen said as she hugged her husband from behind. "What are you making?"

"I was just going to make some crepes, I hope that's okay. I've only cooked them once, when Dudley wanted something special for his birthday and Petunia," Harry came to a stop. It was still sinking in that Petunia was dead.

"That sounds wonderful," Helen brought him out of his reverie. "Can I help in any way?"

"I think if I need anything, Dobby will step in. He's really good as responding when I need something."

"Do you mind we watch?" Richard inquired.

"Feel free," Harry went to work mixing the ingredients. Every time he finished with one, the remaining ingredient was whisked away by Dobby. Before long, Helen and Richard had a fresh crepe with strawberries in it. Helen went to reach for the syrup when Dobby put a different bottle into reach.

"Real maple syrup?" Helen looked down in surprise. "Where'd you find that?"

"A house elf never reveals their secrets," Dobby said. "Master Draco always preferred it."

"Thank you, Dobby," Helen smiled warmly.

"What are you thanking Dobby for?" Hermione yawned as she walked into the kitchen.

"He just found us real maple syrup to go with the crepes Harry made."

"Crepes?" Hermione latched onto that single word. Before she could ask, Harry was putting a crepe onto a plate, pushing it toward her. Hermione let a small, shrill sound escape before she dug with gusto.

"I see it's terrible," Harry joked. "Thank you for being polite and finishing it all the same."

"This is incredible," Hermione's eyes widened as she enjoyed her breakfast. "You're making one for you, aren't you?"

"I don't think I have eno-" Harry started to say before a plate appeared before him.

"-ough." Harry looked down to see Dobby retreating. "Thank you, Dobby. Actually, I feel bad. I should have made one for you."

"You don't need to be doing that," Dobby bowed. "Dobby will make his breakfast after."

"Nu-uh," Harry shook his head. "You are part of the family. Whenever possible, I'd like you to join us for meals."

Hermione beamed, first at the Harry choice of the word family and then his consideration that Dobby join them. What she didn't expect was for Dobby to start crying.

"What did I say?" Harry looked to the Grangers for help. They looked back with equal confusion, making Harry kneel down to Dobby's level.

"Nobody treated Dobby like this. Mistress Cissy tried to but nobody ever treated Dobby like he was family. I wished so much to one day to find someone who would treat me like family."

"I know how you feel," Harry tried to help the elf collect himself. Next thing he knew Dobby threw his whole body into him. "There, there. You're fine now. Would you like to join us for breakfast?"

Dobby calmed down and snapped, creating space for two more people to sit at the island.

"You can do magic here?" Harry asked. "We're not going to get a warning from the Ministry, are we?"

"No," Dobby shook his head, making his ears wobble in the process. "Elves can mask their magic when they want so it won't register with the ministry. Plus the wards here will prevent them from detecting anything but the most powerful spells. While the ministry would prefer you not do magic, they cannot do anything to detect you doing so, as long as you're careful."

"I can do magic?" Hermione asked, warring between excitement at the possibility and her natural inclination to follow the rules.

"Yes, mistress Hermione," Dobby stumbled through her name but the fact he even got through her name showed how far Dobby had come in just a few weeks. "Just minor spells that they won't detect."

Any further questioning was forestalled when the doorbell rang.

"Who could that be this early?" Richard asked. "I'll check it. Everyone else hang back."

"Dobby," Harry nodded and the elf disappeared. He popped in with Harry's and Hermione's wands before popping out again. Harry heard voices and then footsteps. Richard walked back into the kitchen with Amelia Bones in tone.

"Madam Bones," Harry was not expecting to see her again so soon. "This is unexpected."

"I came to pass some news," she pulled a paper out. "Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban last night."

"Who is that?" Richard asked. Harry and Hermione knew but neither elder Granger did. Harry's entire presence darkened.

"He's the man who betrayed my parents," Harry growled. "My parents were kept hidden through a specific charm, called a Fidelius Charm. It works by storing the secret within a living vessel. According to Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore- who performed the charm himself- Sirius was the Secret-Keeper. They tracked him down the day after my parents died. He blew up a street to kill a man by the name of Peter Pettigrew, who was another of my parents' friends. He's been in Azkaban since."

Dobby popped in with a pot of tea, a cup already poured for Harry. Harry sat down heavily and his head in his hands with his elbows propped onto the table.

"We talked to a few inmates," Amelia said. "He was heard saying 'he's at Hogwarts' over and over again. Dobby, do you have any insights into any Death Eater activity? Despite his protestations, I know what Lucius Malfoy was."

"No, miss," Dobby hung his head. "Dobby wasn't born until right before He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named fell. Even if I did, I am forbidden from sharing any of my master's secrets."

"Werewolves weren't enough," Harry said, heavily. Hermione came around to him and laid a hand on his shoulder, gently massaging some of the tension out. "I had to have another person out for my blood."

"I'm sorry to keep passing you unfortunate news," Amelia hated giving him bad news. "We'll be posting security at the school and you already have Tonks watching you but it would be best to be constantly vigilant."

Amelia rolled her eyes inwardly as apparently her mentor's words had rooted themselves so deep, she was now saying them to others.

"Thank you, Auntie Amelia," Harry finally looked up. "Maybe next time we see one another, it'll be for a happy reason."

Across town, Fudge was in a similar state as he read the article again. He had hoped to keep the breakout quiet a short while longer. The door to his office opened and Lucius Malfoy walked in.

"Lucius!" Fudge smiled brightly. "My most trusted advisor! How are you today?"

"Better than you, I'd imagine," Malfoy held up the paper. "Nasty business, Black escaping. Though, I guess it was bound to happen. He wasn't the Dark Lord's right hand man for nothing."

Lucius walked in, letting the door close behind him.

"What have you brought me today?" Fudge leaned forward a little. Malfoy's visits were always profitable; he hoped this one was just as profitable. Like always, Lucius pointed to his money bag. Fudge took the hint and erected privacy wards around the office. They weren't cheap to install but they were worth every knut.

"Of course he'll go after Harry Potter," Lucius walked toward the desk, nonchalantly looking around the office. "Losing his master to Potter must have been the thing to make him snap."

"Yes," Fudge nodded blankly. "Of course he will. The paper hasn't reported it but he was saying 'he's at Hogwarts.' Amelia Bones is already on it. She's going to position Aurors around the castle and Hogsmeade village."

"Aurors won't stop him though," Malfoy said. "Remember what Black did to Pettigrew?"

"Madam Bones has trained them well," Fudge reasoned. "Pettigrew was not someone comfortable with dueling; he never stood a chance."

Lucius continued to walk around the office until he was at the front of Fudge's desk.

"Are you sure?" He made sure to jingle the coins in his pocket as he leaned forward, placing a single arm on the desk with the free to dive into his coin purse. "Are you sure the Aurors can successfully take down You-Know-Who's right hand man?"

Lucius withdrew a coin and threw it on the desk in front of the Minister, adding a little power to ensure the sound of gold hitting the desk was unmistakable. Like a trained dog, Fudge registered the sound and looked to the desk.

"Of course," Fudge's speech became slower as his eyes glazed over, greedily staring at the coin. "The Aurors are well trained. But there's so few of them."

"What about using the Dementors," Malfoy's voice became silkier as he punctuated every sentence with another coin. "They kept him at bay for 12 years. They should be the ones used to bring him in."

"I don't know," Fudge said which was Malfoy's cue to add more coins. "They are the best equipped to do the job. But assigning them to guard the castle won't be easy. Dumbledore can't stand the creatures. They will keep everyone safe, though."

"Yes they will," Lucius started throwing more coins. "You will be praised for your innovative solution and leadership during this crisis. Saving Harry Potter from Sirius Black? You will be revered, above Dumbledore even. Your name will live on."

More coins were added to the stack.

"Yes," Fudge's eyes took on a hard glint as his smile grew. "Yes! Harry Potter must be protected! And the Dementors are the ones to do it!"

Lucius moved back from the desk as Fudge hastily bagged the coins, dropped the privacy wards and pressed a rune on his desk. His assistant stepped into the office.

"Weatherby!" Fudge snapped out orders. "Get me some 104-DEM forms. I will need to reassign some Dementors to aid in the search for Sirius Black."

"How many sir?" The assistant looked poised to move, ready to impress the Minister.

"200 should do. We can't leave anything up to chance! They will recapture Black and keep the students safe!"

Lucius walked out of the office with a barely restrained smile. Oh Cornelius, he thought wickedly to himself, a few coins and you're putty in my hands. And with the warding around his office, no one will know I was ever involved. Cackling inwardly, he moved to his second target.

He knocked at the office a few doors down. Hearing a cheery "enter," he walked into the office. He had never met the Undersecretary before, he only knew her by reputation. Apparently, she had amassed quite the reputation after graduation. What his spies did not inform him was her favorite color. Malfoy blinked multiple times to clear the pink haze from his vision.

"Good morning, Senior Undersecretary Umbridge," Lucius smiled and greeted her. He didn't bring any bribe money for this; it wouldn't have worked and he had far better bait anyway.

"Mister Malfoy," Umbridge gave him a sickly-sweet smile, layered with an even sweeter voice. Malfoy knew it was an act but went with it anyway. "How may I help you today?"

"I was actually coming to offer a mutually beneficial arrangement," Lucius mimed flicking dirt off his jet black robes. "Tell me: what did you think of Lily Potter."

"Oh she was a hero," Umbridge forced a smile. "Giving her life for her son. Why, how noble could one witch get."

"I think you misunderstand me," Malfoy pressed. "What do you really think of Lily Evans- oh I'm sorry- Potter. You went to school together?"

"Yes and you'd know that, considering you were a few years ahead of the both of us," Umbridge dropped her smile a little.

"Yes that's correct," Malfoy acted like he just remembered. "I remember you having a bit of a rivalry with her, if my memory serves."

"Oh well that's all in the past. She was a very talented student after all," Malfoy noticed a pink twinge to her jowly cheeks.

"Yes. Such a bright student, top of her class every year. Especially impressive considering her upbringing, being a muggleborn and all."

"Her grades were impressive, especially for a Mud-muggleborn," Umbridge caught herself but Malfoy just kept pressing.

"Then she caught the eye of James Potter. All the girls had a crush on him, if I'm told correctly. I was graduated at the time but word is he was a real charmer. Tall, popular, intelligent, Quidditch star, not to mention rich, if I remember correctly."

"Many of the girls wanted him, yes" Umbridge's voice was so tense, he knew he almost had her. "There was quite the furor when he and the Mu- when he and Lily started dating. Head Boy and Head Girl, oh they were so cute."

"And then they had Harry," Umbridge flinched at the name. "The Boy-Who-Lived. The one who saved us all. Champion of the Light, beacon of hope to the muggleborns, ray of sunshine to the light faction. My if he had not stopped You-Know-Who when he did, who knows where we would be?"

"Yes that little shi- the Boy-Who-Lived- gave us a second chance," Sweetness was dripping from her voice as her eyes hardened.

"And what a second chance. Muggleborns are moving into the Ministry at a surprising rate. They're teaching us all so many wonderful things about progress, equality and… values."

"Those Mudbloods are infecting us!" Umbridge finally lost her cool. "Telling us we need to conform and progress. They hold Lily Evans up as a shining example of what their… kind can do."

Umbridge finished her rant by spitting, as if the very words were toxic.

"Yes it must be so terrible, working in a building infested and yet instead of an exterminator, they invite more of them in," Malfoy let his smile drop. "What if there was a way to strike back? Both at Lily Evans and the mudbloods."

"I'm listening," Umbridge leaned in, resting her chin on her folded hands, hunger in her eyes.

"Sirius Black has escaped, as I'm sure you have heard. The minister is rumored to be tasking the Dementors with finding him."

"A wise precaution. Dementors are the only tool to capture a Dark Wizard like Black."

"What if we repurposed some of them? I am in need of some information and I believe Harry Potter is the key to unlocking it. As I am no longer a member of the Board of Governors, thanks to Potter," Lucius rankled. "I will need to use an intermediary. A third year would be defenseless against them. It would only be too easy to have them bring Potter to me."

"Hmm," Umbridge thought hard. "What you suggest has merit but how would that look for us? Surely Dementors kidnapping the Boy-Who-Lived would create less a news storm and more a news maelstrom and we would be at the center of it."

"Oh but who knows what dark magic Black was capable of?" Lucius smiled wickedly. "We could lay the blame with him. Any sign of magic would lead back to Black and Black alone.

"I know you hated Lily Evans in school. I also know you have some control over the Dementors." Umbridge nodded aggressively as Lucius spoke. "I need the Dementors to bring Potter to me. Unharmed. It is a specific request but one I know you can make."

Lucius decided to play his ace, the one piece of bait he knew Umbridge couldn't resist taking.

"Oh and there's one more thing: he is close to a girl, named Granger. She is just like Lily: a brainy, upstart mudblood who is seducing the Heir of one of Britain's oldest houses. You missed your opportunity for revenge on Lily. How would you like to have another chance at knocking down a mudblood who doesn't know her proper place?"

"How would one go about doing that?"

"I'm not sure I'm creative enough to think of a way," Lucius grinned in victory as he stood. Umbridge was hooked now. "However you want to do it is up to you but I'm just saying that a Dementor's Kiss is absolutely the worst way to go, especially after prolonged exposure.

Umbridge smiled an evil smile and worked on retasking the Dementors to their new task.

(A/N: It was only a matter of time before putting those two together. I always pictured Malfoy manipulating Fudge with more than just gold, very similar to Jafar using hypnosis on the Sultan in Aladdin. His playbook is misdirection and laced magic on top of it. It would stoke the Minister's ego and hide his involvement. As for Umbridge, he's using her bigotry and sharpening it into a weapon. His involvement will never be public, nor would you be able to get anything to stick to him. He loves using intermediaries to do his dirty work while he reaps the rewards. There's a little/lot of that in this chapter.

Oh and yes, Lucius now has offered up Hermione as a prize to two different parties, I am very well aware of that.

Updated with an edit after a comment that any spellcasting inside the Minister's office would be picked up. This also better highlights the corruption of Fudge. Thanks to demonboy121986 for helping me edit it to work better.

A line from Dobby also added to address whether he can share any of Malfoy's secrets. He can't, just like Winky couldn't in GoF

A quick thank you to Lowten for correcting sticks of butter into blocks.)