The Potter Timeline
Chapter 65 - Developments Stunning and Puzzling
Despite Professor Dumbledore's admonition, that the teenagers were to put their actual schoolwork first, curiosity got the best of Harry and Hermione. The pair set aside their exam preparations to translate the tale in Beedle's book. They simply couldn't resist.
They split the tale, which wasn't terribly long anyway, in half. Hermione translated the first half, Harry translated the last. But the work wasn't as straightforward as they might have thought. They discovered that Beedle wrote his tales using an antiquated form of the Younger Futhark branch of Scandinavian runes, many of whose letters were either not listed in their syllabary or were written in an archaic style. But with some guesswork, the two were able to fill in the blanks and produce what they believed Beedle had written.
After three quarters of an hour, Hermione finished and sat back to review her translation. Harry took another ten minutes to finish his. He then laid down his quill and looked up at her.
"Okay, done...I think," he uttered, "I'm curious now how this story actually begins."
Hermione nodded.
"Some of the wording was strange, honestly. But I think I figured out what Beedle was trying to say," she said while staring at her parchment.
"Alright, let's hear it," Harry said.
Hermione took her parchment and began reading.
"There were once three brothers who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight..."
The story then described the brothers happening upon an uncrossable river and using magic to construct a bridge over it. As they crossed the bridge, they were confronted by the hooded spectre of death. Death, feeling cheated of three victims, feigned congratulations to the brothers for escaping him. Then, in an attempt to deceive them, he offered each of them a prize.
The first brother, a rather arrogant and raucous fellow, requested a wand that could not be beaten in a duel. Death floated over to an Elder tree near the river and pulled a branch from it, fashioning it into a wand. He handed this to the brother who seemed very pleased and was eager to put his "invincible" wand to use.
The second brother requested a way to bring people back from the dead, thus undoing Death's own deeds. Death floated down to the river and retrieved a smooth stone from it, handing it to the wizard.
The third brother, suspicious of all this goodwill from the spectre of Death, requested something entirely different: something that would render him invisible to Death itself. Death, most reluctantly, handed the brother his own cloak of invisibility. The spectre then bid them pass and the three brothers continued their journey, cheerily discussing this strange, but incredible encounter...
Hermione finished and looked at Harry. Both of them thought over this part of the tale.
"So, that's how they got the three objects. And what stood out to me was the object given to the youngest brother: an invisibility cloak," Harry said.
Hermione nodded.
"And since Dumbledore said that you and him possess objects of great importance, he must believe your invisibility cloak is the one referred to in the story."
"That's what I was thinking too," he replied, "I wonder how my dad came into possession of it, then. How did my family obtain such a thing?"
Hermione bit her lip and shook her head.
"We'll have to ask the professor. Maybe he knows as it was in his possession before giving it to you."
Harry nodded. But then he thought of the other objects.
"That means, then, the Gaunt Ring, or rather the stone in the ring, is the stone to bring back the dead, the...resurrection stone, I guess you could call it. No wonder the headmaster's face went pale when he saw it."
"Right. Which then leaves the wand made of Elder..." Hermione added, "...which must be his wand."
Harry nodded. He always noticed that Dumbledore's wand, the few times he saw it, had an appearance different from other wands, even the numerous ones he was shown by Ollivander over two years ago. Harry went on.
"Okay. So, let's say the professor indeed has the stone from the story and the wand, and that my invisibility cloak is the one given to the third brother. What then? What does Dumbledore plan to do with all of them and how, as he himself put it, can they be a potential weapon?"
"I'm not sure, Harry, unless..." Hermione replied with a furrowed brow before she gasped, her face registering shock and her eyes going wide again, giving Harry a frightful look.
"Unless what?!" Harry asked, on pins and needles now at her expression.
The girl hesitated to respond at first. But then she swallowed hard before looking at Harry with worry.
"Harry," she said more softly, "you remember how Dumbledore didn't want to tell us about the ring during our conversation in his office?"
"Yes."
"But instead, he told us he would have Professor Flitwick give you dueling lessons twice a week."
Harry shrugged.
"So?"
Hermione's face soured.
"Well...if I had to guess...I'd say Dumbledore intends on you...dueling him, and...beating him in order to take possession of the Elder wand."
All the color left Harry's face as he sat frozen, gawking at Hermione.
"WHAT?!" he uttered incredulously.
"SHHH!" Hermione replied with a fierce look, reminding him they were in the library.
Harry fell back in his chair in total shock, still gawking at his friend.
"HOW IN BLAZES AM I SUPPOSED TO DO THAT?" he uttered more quietly, but still just as strongly, "HE'S ONLY THE MOST POWERFUL WIZARD IN THE WORLD! I'M JUST A...KID!"
Suddenly, the loud clearing of a throat sounded behind them. They turned to find Madam Pince glaring at them with arms crossed.
They both threw the witch an apologetic look.
"Sorry, madam. We'll be more quiet," Hermione uttered meekly.
Pince frowned, shook her head, then disappeared behind the bookshelves. Harry sat forward again, placing his elbows on the table and his face in his hands. He couldn't believe this! A duel with Professor Albus Dumbledore? This seemed impossible! Hermione leaned toward Harry and grabbed his sleeve.
"Harry!" she uttered fiercely, but quietly through gritted teeth, "I seriously doubt Professor Dumbledore is expecting you to duel him tomorrow! It could be years before this even happens! He'll no doubt give you plenty of time to practice! Stop panicking!"
Harry sat up straight and frowned, nodding at her.
"You're right. Sorry," he said while taking her hand, "it's just...mindblowing to even contemplate such a thing. I mean, the possibility I'll have to fight Voldemort someday is bad enough. But this..."
Hermione's face softened as she affectionately squeezed his hand.
"I know, Harry. But I'm confident you'll be able to do it when the time comes, if this is indeed what the headmaster is intending."
Harry nodded once more. But then his brow furrowed at something else.
"Hang on! If the Elder wand is supposed to be unbeatable, how am I supposed to beat Dumbledore wielding an unbeatable wand?!" Harry uttered while throwing his hands up.
This scenario was becoming crazier by the moment. But Hermione's own brow furrowed.
"That's a good question," she replied, "what happens in the story to the brother who received the wand?"
Harry picked up his parchment and read it outloud.
"In due course the brothers separated, each to his own destination..."
The eldest brother went to a far-off village where got into a quarrel with another wizard with whom he had a grudge. With the Elder wand, he easily beat the wizard and left him dead. After the brother spent a night of drinking and boasting about his new invincibility, a crafty wizard listening to all this snuck into the brother's room and stole the Elder wand, cutting the sleeping brother's throat to boot. So, Death claimed the first brother for his own...
"That's a rather gruesome end," Hermione replied with a sour look, "what happens to the other brothers?"
Harry continued.
The second brother went home and, turning the stone over three times in his hand, used it to bring back his dead love from the grave - the girl he intended to marry but who was taken before her time. But when the girl appeared, she existed only as a pale phantom, sad and mournful, her presence in the world of the living a torture to both her and the brother. The wizard, in great agony and despair, killed himself in order to be with his love forever. Thus, Death claimed this brother as well.
The youngest brother, wisest of the three, was able to evade the spectre of Death for nearly his entire life, thanks to the cloak of invisibility. But finally, recognizing the inevitable, he gave the cloak to his son and upon passing away, cheerily joined Death like an old friend...
Harry set the parchment on the table and the pair sat in silence for a moment, pondering all this.
"So, according to Beedle's tale, then, the oldest brother wasn't actually killed in a duel while using the Elder wand," Hermione commented, "we at least know, then, that merely possessing the wand doesn't make you invincible."
"Well, that's comforting to know," Harry said with sarcasm, "I wonder how Dumbledore got the wand, then, and from who?"
"No idea," Hermione replied, "that's another question we'll have to ask him. But we do know the significance of the Gaunt Ring now."
Harry looked at his parchment and frowned.
"Right," he said rather somberly, "how about we get back to our regular studying? I really don't want to think about this right now."
Hermione chuckled.
"Alright."
But the thought of a potential duel with Dumbledore would linger in Harry's mind in the days to come. His supposed destiny seemed to become more daunting the more he learned about it. He wondered if his older self in that other reality or timeline, or whatever it was, had to go through all this as well. Whatever the case, being the chosen one wasn't as glorious as it sounded. It was downright frightening.
~HP~
After lunch, the pair headed for Gryffindor Tower to return their satchels so they could take a walk around the Black Lake on this beautiful Sunday.
As they moved in the direction of Tower Hall, they heard a voice coming from the ancillary corridor just ahead. When they reached the corridor, they both stopped to see who was talking. It was Hagrid's assistant, Stan Shunpike.
The thin young man was standing still, wand in one hand, a parcel of some sort in the other while staring at the wall, mumbling to himself.
"Welcome to the Knight Bus...emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard...my name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this evening..."
He uttered these words in a slow, monotone droll as though he was in a trance. Harry and Hermione exchanged puzzled looks. After staring at the wall another moment, Shunpike mumbled again.
"Welcome to the Knight Bus...emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard...my name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this eve-"
He suddenly stopped and his mouth fell open. This was even more puzzling. But then, the young man blinked several times and shook his head as though snapping out of it. He turned and saw the two teenagers staring at him.
""Choo lookin' at?!" he barked at them with a furrowed brow.
The two swallowed hard, still mystified by this bizarre spectacle.
"Um...nothing," Harry muttered.
He looked at Hermione who was motioning the two of them back down the hall. As they walked away, Harry glanced back at Hagrid's assistant only to find the wizard giving him a strange smirk.
"That was weird," Hermione said.
"Yeah," Harry replied with a sour look, "wonder what's gotten into him?"
After dropping off their satchels and leaving Gryffindor Tower, the teenagers headed outside. They had gotten nearly a quarter of the way around the lake when they suddenly froze. There, up in the air around twenty meters from their position, sat three Dementors staring down at them. Hermione gasped, took Harry's hand, and moved closer to him. Harry frowned.
"We forgot about the Dementors. Perhaps we should head back," he said. Hermione nodded.
They began moving along the edge of the water, keeping their eyes fixed on the creatures hovering ghost-like in the atmosphere. But then Harry's brow furrowed.
"That's odd," he said, "they're not trying to attack us."
"I know, even though we're alone," she replied. But then Harry remembered.
"You know, yesterday, when I was at Quidditch practice, three Dementors did the same thing at the pitch. They just floated in the distance, watching me, but didn't try to attack then either."
"Perhaps Dumbledore threatened them, considering the few times they did come after us," Hermione said.
"Perhaps so. But I don't want to chance it either. Let's get back inside," he told her.
She nodded and the pair scurried back to the main entrance and went inside.
Deciding to spend the remainder of the afternoon relaxing in the Gryffindor common room, they headed in that direction. But in the process, they came across another strange incident.
"That's for Peterson and your cheek, you bloody brat!" someone shouted.
"Yeah, go and cry to your father now!" another added.
The voices were up ahead, coming from the hallway leading to the main floor classrooms. Harry and Hermione exchanged concerned looks and sprinted toward it. When they turned the corner, they were both taken aback.
Three advanced-year Slytherin boys stood over a student crumpled up on the floor, groaning at their feet. A flash of anger hit Harry.
"HEY!" he shouted at the teens.
The three spun around and threw surprised looks at him before bolting to the end of the hallway and disappearing from sight, leaving the student on the floor. Harry and Hermione rushed to the student's side. But when they saw who it was, they were stunned.
Draco Malfoy!
The blond lay there, wincing in pain while holding his side, appearing on the edge of passing out. Blood was dripping from both his nose and mouth and he had several bruises around his face. The three Slytherins had given the thirteen-year-old a real beating. Draco wasn't faking this time.
The two knelt down to examine him closer and Harry grimaced. Despite Malfoy being his sworn enemy and the bane of his existence at Hogwarts, he couldn't just leave him like this.
"Help me, Hermione," he told her. She nodded.
They both gently turned Malfoy onto his back and he let out another grunt, his face contorting in pain. They each took one of his arms.
"Malfoy, can you stand?" Harry asked him.
But Draco didn't respond. He merely groaned again. The teens slowly lifted him up, each placing one of his arms across their shoulders. The Slytherin didn't resist this as he stood on his feet in between them. They then proceeded to take him to Madam Pomfrey. It was slow going at first, but Malfoy seemed to regain a bit of strength as they headed up the stairs.
"Where are you...taking me?" Draco asked at one point, his eyes still closed as he seemed to have a hard time breathing, like a rib had been cracked. Harry knew exactly what that felt like after taking a bludger to his ribs during his first year.
"To the hospital wing," Harry told him.
As they reached the third floor and proceeded toward the double doors leading into the medical hall, Draco seemed to drift in and out of consciousness. But as soon as they entered the hall, he regained enough strength to stand on his own.
"LET GO OF ME!" he shouted angrily at Harry and Hermione, violently removing his arms from their shoulders.
The two stood back from him, staring at him wide-eyed. But then, the blond bowled over in pain once more as though he might faint at any moment.
"Oh, dear!" Madam Pomfrey uttered as she rushed to Malfoy's side after seeing the three teens enter her domain. She placed an arm around the boy and helped him to a bed.
"What happened?" she asked, looking back at Harry and Hermione.
"He was in a row with some other students," Harry told her. The witch had Draco lay down and immediately began tending the wounds on his face.
Harry and Hermione exchanged frowns and departed the hospital wing, Hermione taking Harry's hand.
"Draco really is having a bad year," Harry said. Hermione nodded.
"Definitely. If his own House mates are going to this length, it's gotten very bad indeed."
"The next time we run into Terence or Rory, let's see if they can tell us what's going on."
~HP~
The following morning, the third-years took their transfiguration exam on animagi. The classroom was silent while the students scratched answers on their parchments to McGonagall's questions as the witch in emerald robes sat quietly at her desk absorbed in paperwork. Harry and Hermione noted that among the third-year Slytherins, Draco was not present.
When they finished their exams, the two handed their papers to the professor and were about to leave. But McGonagall stopped them.
"Come by my office before you go to lunch today," she told them quietly but firmly, "I need to speak with you both.
They nodded then exchanged puzzled glances as they exited the classroom. What was this going to be about?
In Snape's class, their exam was combination of written questions as well as a practical portion: concocting a sleeping draught useful for insomniacs. Prior to the exam, Hermione found this same brew in the Advanced Potion-Making book Snape had given them. And next to the recipe, which included two blobs of Flobberworm mucus (to the disgust of the Patils and Lavender Brown), the Half-Blood Prince had scribbled a note:
~ per P. Slughorn: add 1 teaspoon of powdered asphodel and a pinch of wormwood to concoct the "Draught of Living Death"
Snape's harsh words, that he would "hold them to a higher standard", came to mind, so they decided to use this version which they memorized just in case. When they added the extra ingredients, however, their potion turned a blue-green color in each of their cauldrons. Hermione threw a surreptitious glance at Dean's cauldron next to hers and Harry did the same to Terry Boot's next to him. Their classmates' concoctions were purplish. This concerned them, whether they had read the messy handwritten note in the book correctly or not.
As the students worked on this practical part of the exam, Snape strolled around the room examining each pupil's cauldron, giving some a nod of approval, some, like poor Neville, a deep frown. Snape then passed in front of Harry and Hermione. He stared at them momentarily before leaning over their cauldrons, narrowing his gaze at the boiling liquids and even taking a sniff from each. He then stood back. They both swallowed hard, wondering what he would do. He nodded at them...approvingly - they had done what he expected of them. As the raven-haired man moved on, the teens exchanged grins in relief.
And despite the presence of the other Slytherins, Draco was not in this class either.
The two left the dungeons after and headed for McGonagall's study. When they arrived, the door was open and they found the witch sitting at her desk.
"Professor," Harry stated.
She looked up and motioned them inside.
"Harry, if you'd be so kind as to shut the door, I don't want any passersby overhearing this conversation," she said quietly.
Harry nodded and closed the door. The teenagers exchanged curious looks - this definitely sounded intriguing. He and Hermione sat down in the chairs before her desk with rapt attention. The witch clasped her hands and leaned forward.
"Madam Pomfrey informed me that the two of you helped Mr. Malfoy to the hospital wing yesterday."
"Yes, ma'am," Harry answered.
"Can you tell me what happened?"
The teens looked at one another before Harry answered again.
"We were walking down the main corridor when we heard voices up ahead. When we turned the corner, we saw three Slytherin students standing over Draco who was lying on the floor."
"Did you recognize any of them?" she asked.
"Their faces looked familiar," Hermione answered, "but we don't know any of their names, though they appeared to be sixth or seventh years, by the looks of it."
The professor nodded.
"I see," she replied, "I'll inform Professor Snape of this, then. Maybe he can discover the culprits of this deed. However, I've no doubt that whatever occurred, Mr. Malfoy provoked it. But this time, he's paid dearly for it, I'm afraid."
"Is he alright, professor?" Hermione asked. McGonagall pursed her lips.
"He received a broken nose, a busted lip, and a few fractured ribs. His attackers were rather vicious, by the appearance of things. Madam Pomfrey patched him up best as possible but he was sent home to recover, per the request of Draco's mother once she was informed of what happened.
As for you two, I'm proud of you for helping a fellow pupil in dire need, especially one who has been rather vicious toward you both over the past two years. That shows not just greatness of mind, but goodness of heart as well. You both do Gryffindor, and indeed this entire school, great honor by your example."
The cheeks on both on both of them went pink. But then McGonagall gazed at them very sternly.
"Now, I'm going to tell you something that I want kept strictly confidential...for now. No doubt this news will eventually leak out to the entire school population, but I don't want any wild rumors flying around until everything is settled. Is that clear?"
The pair nodded.
"Yes, ma'am," they both replied, now on pins and needles at this intriguing statement.
McGonagall sat back and retrieved a parchment from off of her desk.
"Professor Dumbledore received this letter via owl early this morning. As he is still away, engaged in Wizengamot business at the Ministry, he authorized me to open it and inform him of its contents. Upon doing so, he then requested that I share the information with the two of you."
McGonagall stared intently at the teens.
"Keep in mind that we normally do not share private information about students, as such information is priviledged. But in this case, the headmaster wanted the pair of you to know the contents of this letter, though he did not inform me as to why."
The pair nodded.
"What does is say, professor?" Harry asked.
"It is a letter from Narcissa Malfoy, Draco's mother, who has informed the headmaster that in consulting with Lucius in Azkaban, they have decided to withdraw Draco from Hogwarts school...immediately."
Harry and Hermione gawked at the professor then one another.
"Really?!" Harry asked.
"Yes, Harry. As the pair of you have no doubt have noticed, Draco has been particularly ill-mannered since returning to Hogwarts. From what we understand, he's been handling his father's imprisonment very badly. Professor Snape informed us that Mr. Malfoy has been getting into more and more arguments and fights with his fellow Slytherins, becoming a nuissance to the entire House. He even managed to alienate his two best friends, Mr. Crabbe and Mr. Goyle, not to mention that his academic performance has deteriorated. This latest row with his fellow Slytherins was apparently the last straw."
This was astonishing news, though not entirely surprising either, considering what the Slytherin Seeker and Beater had told Harry and Hermione already.
"What are they going to do with him?" Hermione asked.
"Once Draco has recovered from his injuries, they are sending him to Durmstrang Institute."
The teens gawked at the professor again. This was equally astonishing! She continued.
"I'm not sure if the pair of you are familiar with this school in the north of Europe, but it could be considered the wizarding equivalent of a muggle military academy, and a particularly harsh one, at that."
"Why Durmstrang?" Harry asked, knowing Malfoy's vain nature and his feigned toughness which always seemed to conceal an inner cowardice.
"Being familiar that school and Headmaster Karkaroff, I can guess two particular reasons. One being the Malfoys' hope that Durmstrang's environment and strict academic regimen will whip Draco into shape. And I can tell you with certainty, it will either whip him into shape...or it will break him.
The second reason, I would imagine, is because Durmstrang's curriculum is more focused on the Dark Arts than what we teach here at Hogwarts. It may come as no surprise, then, that the school has a reputation for turning out dark wizards. And since the Malfoys' are known to have an inclination toward the dark side of magic, I imagine Lucius would prefer his son continue his education there.
How it will all turn out, and how Draco will ultimately fare remains to be seen. But at the least, you and your fellow pupils will no longer have to deal with him or his odious, interfering father. At least not here at Hogwarts. That should provide some relief for us all, in fact."
Harry and Hermione threw amazed looks at one another. This news was surprising but at the same time welcoming. Harry could just imagine what classes will be like without the arrogant git spewing insults at him and his classmates or trying to one-up any student he felt threatened by. McGonagall continued.
"Now, as I said before, I want you to keep this information strictly between yourselves for now. Understood?"
"Yes, ma'am," they replied with a nod.
They got up from their chairs and were about to leave.
"One last thing before you go," the professor said.
They stopped and looked at her.
"I suppose you've heard the news about Peter Pettigrew."
The teens looked at each other wide-eyed, then back at her.
"Yes, ma'am, we have," Hermione replied.
McGonagall frowned as she crossed her arms, leaning on her desk.
"Quite astonishing, I must say. I imagine that's what tied Professor Dumbledore up at the Ministry this entire time. Well, Merlin knows how this is going to turn out, what with Sirius Black still supposedly on the loose. But hopefully, they'll find him and clear everything up. I'm honestly fed up with these Dementors and the constant droning about Black in the faculty lounge. It would be nice to have a normal school once again, wouldn't you agree?"
Harry and Hermione nodded with a smirk.
"Well, good day to you both," she finished with a smile.
"Good day, professor," Harry replied.
They left her office and headed for lunch in the Great Hall.
"I must confess, Harry," Hermione stated as she dug a fork into her steaming Cornish beef pasty.
"What's that?" Harry asked before tucking into his plate of bangers and mash.
"While I feel somewhat sad for Draco, with everything that's happened to him, I'm also feeling...really good. Especially for your sake, as much grief as he's given you in the past."
Harry smiled at her.
"So am I, as I'm sure you can imagine. Understatement of the year, really. Though it's still hard to believe. But I'm also hoping..." he said while taking her free hand affectionately, "...that we'll never hear the word 'mudblood' uttered in the halls of Hogwarts again."
Hermione smiled as she threw him those soft eyes, gently caressing his hand with her thumb. She then looked up with a bright expression.
"It does seem strange, though, doesn't it, everything that's happened over just these first few weeks of term? So much it seems...dizzying."
"I know. But with this development with Draco, and if Sirius is cleared of guilt and everything settles down again, maybe we can finally have that quiet school year we've been wanting for two solid years now."
Hermione laughed, Harry smiling in return. They then cheerily resumed their meals.
~HP~
The next day, Tuesday, the third-years were working in groups to denude Puffapods in Professor Sprout's class. As they did so, the students were trying heed Sprout's warning not to drop any of the seeds clinging to the bulbous pink flowers as they would explode into pink blooms with a pop. Harry, Hermione, and Mandy Brocklehurst had teamed up to work on one of the plants, trying to be careful not to lose any of the seeds in the process.
In the midst of this, the door to the greenhouse opened and in walked Professor Lupin, to Harry and Hermione's surprise. He smiled at them and they returned the same. He then shouted to Sprout from the opposite side of the greenhouse.
"Professor?" he uttered.
"Yes, professor?" Sprout shouted back, putting a hand to her ear to hear him better.
"Might I have a word with..." he shouted back but then grimaced.
He marched toward Sprout between the aisles of plants and Herbology students. He then leaned close to speak more privately with her. She smiled and nodded back. Lupin turned and headed toward Harry and Hermione. Sprout turned to scold Ron Weasley and his Hufflepuff pals who were joking and teasing one another while dropping exploding seeds all over the floor.
Remus came up to the teenagers who stopped what they were doing.
"Harry, I need you to come with me...now," he said with a serious look.
Harry nodded.
"Okay," he replied with look at Hermione.
She gave him a slight smile before resuming her work with Mandy. Harry removed his frock and exited the greenhouse with Lupin.
"Where are we going, professor?" Harry asked as they trudged up the grassy hill toward the castle.
"The Great Hall, Harry. The time has come," he stated with a certain look.
But Harry was puzzled by what he meant and looked at him with furrowed brow. Lupin smiled.
"Our...friends are back and have requested to speak to you."
Harry now understood and nodded. Remus' reference must be to the Ministry Aurors. This had him curious. Why were they here and why did they want to see him?
When the two entered the Great Hall, it was empty, save for a group of people gathered at the center between the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw tables. Sure enough, there were three Aurors, one of them the head Auror, Kingsley Shacklebolt, who stood head and shoulders above the others. And standing in between the other two was...Sirius! He wore the same clothes they last saw him in at the Shrieking Shack, except for one thing.
His hands were now in manacles.
While Harry and the rest of the Order were expecting Sirius to turn himself into the Ministry, this sight was still alarming.
Next to the Aurors stood Professor McGonagall with arms crossed and a perturbed look on her face as she glared at Harry. Behind her stood Hagrid and his assistant Stan. The half-giant also gave Harry a displeased look. Harry swallowed hard at this. But as he approached, his godfather threw him a smile and a wink.
"Am I to understand that you too knew this man was at Hogwarts this entire time, Harry?!" McGonagall threw at him.
Harry nodded as his cheeks burned.
"Yes...ma'am," he replied meekly.
She shook her head and frowned deeply at him. Harry then gazed at Sirius.
"Fear not, my boy," Black said, seeing the concern on Harry's face, "this is what we planned, remember. I'll be alright. In fact, I'm relishing this - the chance to finally prove my innocence, you know. And I'm glad my godson will be there to see it!"
Harry's brow furrowed.
"What?" he uttered with a glance at Lupin who returned a very serious look.
The head Auror stepped forward and held out a sheet of parchment.
"Harry Potter," he said with that deep, grave voice of his, "this is a summons from the Wizengamot."
Harry looked up at Kingsley and felt that same intimidating aura from the man he had felt in the Room of Requirement. He then took the parchment from the wizard's hand and read it.
Mr. Harry Potter,
You are hereby required to appear at the Wizengamot as a material witness during the interrogation of Mr. Peter Pettigrew and Mr. Sirius Black.
Proceedings will be held in Courtroom 7, Level 10 of the Ministry of Magic, at 9 a.m. this Wednesday, the 15th of September.
Should you fail to appear before the court, you will be charged with contempt which may result in fines and/or imprisonment (Section 3, Paragraph 11, Wizengamot Statutes and Procedures).
Any questions you have with regard to this summons may be directed by owl to Amelia Bones, Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
Sincerely,
Elias Babcock
Court Secretary
Wizengamot Administration Services
Harry gulped. He wasn't expecting this at all.
It would be his first time visiting the Ministry of Magic as well as the fearful Wizengamot. The thought filled him with curiosity but also...dread.
But how it would go, and what the fate of his godfather would turn out to be, remained to be seen...