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Chapter 26

Hermione felt the house shake from the sudden explosion, but knowing it would take far more than that to get through the wards on the house she ran to the window with Harry. Outside she saw a lone Death Eater casting Bombarda curses at the house. Before Hermione could even think about stopping him, Harry used his family gift to disappear and emerge right behind the terrorist, and she watched, unable to do anything, as Harry immediately aimed and cast a cutting hex at the back of the man's neck.

Then Harry was gone again, and Hermione didn't even notice immediately that he was standing next to her again looking out the window until he reached out to pull a curtain open more so he could watch the street better. Three more Death Eaters who had been watching from nearby semi-hidden spots dropped their Disillusionment charms and walked out into the open, gawking at the body of their comrade. Harry started to laugh, but it wasn't his regular laugh full of life, love, and fun. No, this one was cold, cruel, and mirthless, as if he found the Death Eaters pathetic. They had tried to lay a trap for him or anyone from his family who came running out of the door, but Harry had turned the ambush on them in seconds.

Then he disappeared again. Hermione turned to go make her way to the front door, but before she could make it even halfway to the stairs she felt her father's arms wrap around her and lift her up so that her feet couldn't reach the floor. She started to struggle, demanding to be let go, but her father only held on tighter.

Harry watched from his window as the three Death Eaters that were supposed to be there to ambush him or anyone else that had stepped out of his house appeared, gawking at the body of their fellow terrorist who had just achieved two of the three qualifications required to join the headless hunt: dead and beheaded, so all that was left to see was if whoever it was was going to come back as a ghost. Harry looked at how the three men were standing and stepped for the third time in under a minute. This time he wasn't just behind one of the men, but also using that Death Eater as a human shield. Another flick off his wand led to a second head falling away from its owner, and Harry stepped away again.

He didn't step back into the house this time, instead reappearing on the roof of the house and using the roof so that only his head was sticking up over the apex. This gave him a good view down into the street while leaving the Death Eaters with only a small target visible for them to spot in a place they weren't likely to look. Harry concentrated, transforming into his falcon form and flying around to see if he could see any more, but decided against it. His form was a matter of public record, so they would probably try to hex any bird out of the sky today. It was too much of a risk.

Harry watched the last two to see what they would do. They were now standing back to back and were pointing their wands down separate sides of the street. He had to admit that was a good way to stop him from appearing right behind them like he had with the first two. Harry considered his options and remembered the spell Azkaban's newest cat had tried to cast on him, the same spell with which the fools below him had targeted his house, and decided on a bit of poetic justice. "Bombarda!" The explosion curse hit the ground right between the two, and Harry stepped away again, reappearing in his living room.

"Get off me! Let me go!" Hermione yelled.

Harry, not knowing that it was her father Hermione was fighting with, whipped around and levelled his wand towards the were the sound of his girlfriend's distress was coming from. He almost cursed Dan, but he saw who it was holding Hermione just in time to stop himself from doing something that he would have regretted for the rest of his life.

"Harry!" Hermione called, and seeing his daughter was no longer trying to go outside Dan let her go. Hermione slammed into Harry, hugging him for a few seconds before ĺetting him go and then she started patting him down for injuries. "Harry, we need to get out of here."

"Safe now. They're dead," Harry said stiffly.

Sirius looked out the window and winced. "He's right, and trust me you don't want to look," the old marauder told everyone.

Dan, Emma, Daphne, and Hermione all looked at Harry, shocked. The only two who didn't were Sirius and Tracey. Harry didn't register that the rest were staring at him, though. He was just standing there as the realisation of what he had just done started to seep in. He had just killed people. Tracey, seeing what was happening to Harry, pulled him into a hug, sandwiching him between her and Hermione. "Thank you," she started crying. "If you hadn't stopped them, they would have done the same thing to everyone here that they did to my parents. Thank you Harry."

That seemed to break the tension for everyone in the room as they were all reminded of exactly what Death Eaters did when they attacked a home. Everyone, that is, except Harry, who was still just standing there staring forward. The problem currently running through his mind had nothing to do with how he killed those men. He had killed Quirrell his first year, he had killed the very life-like memory of Tom Riddle his second year, he had cast to kill LeStrange his third year, and he had cast to kill Voldemort his fourth. As far as he was concerned, killing those Death Eaters was justice. But that was the problem, wasn't this supposed to be hard? Wasn't killing people meant to make him feel like he had done something terrible? Yet he didn't. He felt more guilt over the distress seeing the mess he had left was going to cause people.

"Harry, are you alright?" Tracey asked him when she realised he still hadn't said anything.

That caused Hermione to stop burying her head in his chest and look him over, an expression of worry plain on her face. "I… I don't know."

Of course, that response had everyone panicking. Sirius started to hit Harry with diagnostic charms and Dan and Emma put their first aid training to use also looking for injuries. But the whole time, Harry just stood there. Hermione was the only one who seemed to understand Harry was referring to his mental state, and once the adults were finished checking him over and found him to be free of both injury and curse, she pulled him over to the stairs that lead up to the library. "Come on Harry, we'll talk up there. Just the two of us."

Harry didn't really agree, but he offered no resistance as she took him by the hand and led him up the spiral staircase. There was a sofa outside the warlock's office and Hermione had him sit there before she sat next to him.

Hermione took Harry's hand and held it in her lap with both of hers, both a gesture to offer him comfort and to reassure herself that he wasn't going anywhere. "OK Harry, it's just me now, so talk to me."

Harry nodded and told her. "I don't feel bad. I just killed four men, I didn't even hesitate, and now I don't even feel bad about it. That can't be normal."

Hermione was surprised. She had assumed that Harry's problem would be the realisation that he had killed people, but no, his problem was his tendency to see the worst in himself. She had to help him quickly, or he was going to start being all broody again. "Harry, firstly I'm not sure you can count those monsters out there as people. Don't forget there is a good chance that they are the ones who murdered Tracey's parents. They didn't deserve it, but they had their chance to move on and turn over a new leaf after the war ended. Yet as soon as they were given the opportunity, they went right back to attacking homes and killing innocent people. They are monsters and don't deserve a single tear shed for them.

"Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, I think you are in shock and you aren't feeling it yet. But I want you to remember you didn't do this. You were at home trying to enjoy Easter with your family. They are the ones who attacked our home, and you only acted to defend your family. The only reason I wasn't right there with you was because Daddy grabbed hold of me and held me back from joining you. Would you think less of me if I had killed those men to stop them from going after Mum, Dad, Sirius, Daphne and Tracey?" Hermione paused in her speech to give Harry a chance to answer.

"No, of course I wouldn't." Harry replied. Hermione had started speaking directly to his insecurities. Somehow she knew that he was starting to worry that he was some type of monster, that he was becoming like Voldemort, someone who thought nothing of killing. As Hermione continued to talk, he started to come around to what she was saying. It mattered that he wasn't the one to start the fight. It mattered that he was fighting not to kill people for being different from him, but so that he could defend people he loved. It mattered that if he had been less lethal, then those people would be right back out attacking innocent people as soon as they had the opportunity.

Harry and Hermione talked for half an hour as she helped keep him from falling into a depression over what he had done. He was just starting to feel better when Daphne came up the stairs. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but there are Aurors here demanding to see you, Harry." She sounded worried.

Harry let out a sigh and stood up. "Well it looks like it's time to face the music. Lead the way Daph."

Daphne bit her lip in indecision for a moment before nodding to herself and saying, "Harry, you should meet with them in your Warlock office. For one, it's the most formal and respectful way to meet them, but it will also reinforce the idea that they are speaking with the head of one of Magical Britain's oldest families."

Harry hadn't actually ever used that office. He had explored it once, but that was it. Using the office felt like he was taking on a role he wasn't actually ready for, something that he wasn't old enough for yet. Yes, he was the Warlock for House Potter, but he was also pretty much the only member of the House until he had offered Tracey a place. Not even Hermione or Fleur were part of his house yet. Yet Daphne had grown up as the Heiress of the House of Greengrass after her father, and because of that she knew the formality a lot better than he did. He trusted Daphne, so he nodded. "Okay. Can you please lead them, Sirius, Dan, and Emma up here then please?"

Daphne nodded at him and disappeared down the stairs to go escort the people he had asked for up here. "Hermione, you know they aren't going to let you stay in the room, right?" He asked when she stood up next to him.

"Doesn't mean I can't stay with you until they kick me out," she said as she followed him into the office.

The office only had three chairs, one behind the desk and two in front. There was room for more, but Harry assumed normally the Warlock would conjure more if they were needed. Unfortunately, conjuring wasn't a topic he would start studying until next year.

Harry sat down in his chair facing the door and waited. Hermione stood next to him, but instead of watching the door she looked out of the window behind him, watching the large apple tree at the bottom of what was soon to be her garden swaying in the breeze. A short few minutes later there was a knock on the office door, and Harry called for them to come in. The door opened and Sirius, the Grangers, and two people in scarlet Auror robes came in.

"Warlock Potter, we need to talk to you about the incident outside. Alone." The first Auror through the door, a youngish bloke with brown hair, said.

"No!" said Sirius and Emma almost exactly in time with each other. They shared a quick look and Emma gestured for Sirius to answer. "Harry is a minor and it's illegal for the DMLE to question him without his guardians. Mr. and Mrs. Granger are his guardians in the mundane world, and I am his magical guardian. The three of us will be staying."

"You'll do as you're tol-." The Auror tried to argue but he was cut off by his partner.

"Shut up rookie, before I write you up for ignoring a minor's rights." The second Auror was older and had a few scars, reminding Harry of Professor Moody but with a lot less of them. "I apologise for my partner here, he is new to this and the scene outside has disturbed him a little."

Harry wasn't so sure, he had heard enough of Dudley's TV to know about the good cop/bad cop routine, maybe this was something like that? Still, there wasn't much else Harry could do so he said, "That's quite alright, Auror…?" Harry waited for the man's name.

"Robards." He supplied.

"Auror Robards, why don't you and your partner take a seat? Sirius, could you please counter up a few more for everyone else." Harry said, indicating the two chairs in front of his desk.

Sirius, of course, could never be completely serious and conjured three very comfortable looking black leather armchairs for the rest of them and placed them behind the chairs the two Aurors were now sitting in.

"Girl, get out!" The younger Auror barked at Hermione.

"Mind your tone, Auror. That girl is the future lady of this house. You may have the authority to insist she leave, but you will address her respectfully or you will be the one who leaves," Harry snapped at the man.

"We are conducting an official investigation. I am more than prepared to arrest you for obstruction of justice," he shot back.

Unfortunately, Harry was still a bit riled up from the attack and his flight or fight reflex tended towards fight, so instead of being intimidated Harry countered with, "And I'm more than prepared to contact Director Bones and offer to give my statement to her and file a complaint about your uncouth behaviour at the same time." He then turned to Hermione. "Love, can you wait outside please?"

"Sure Harry." And with that Hermione shot the younger Auror a glare and walked out of the room.

"Now Warlock Potter, please tell us in your own words what happened." The older Auror asked, pulling out a parchment and a self-inking quill to take notes.

Harry gave the two Aurors the full truth of his side of the story, which had the predictable outcome of him getting arrested for killing four people. He may have had a legitimate and legal explanation for his actions, but no competent justice system was just going to take his word for it. At the very least, Harry was going to have to be taken to the DMLE and interviewed. The two aurors placed him in magic restraining handcuffs and secured his wand, then walked him outside the house's wards and Portkeyed him straight to a holding cell. It wasn't even an hour later when Harry was led to an interview room where four people were waiting for him. One was Sirius, one was a wizard in expensive looking robes that Harry expected was his law wizard, one was Director Bones, and the last was Auror Robards. Harry sat down next to Sirius and Director Bones read him his rights.

"You do not have to say anything, and you may not be magically compelled to speak or to speak only the truth, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention during questioning something which you later rely on during your trial before the Wizengamot. You may waive your right to magical compulsions to tell the truth at any time, but be warned that anything you do say may be given in evidence. Do you understand these rights as I have read them to you?" Director Bones finished.

Harry had been thinking about this for the past hour while he sat in his cell. "I do, Director, and I waive my right against magical compulsions to tell the truth. As long as I have your word that only you will ask me questions while under its influence, I would like to take Veritaserum."

Director Bones sighed in relief at hearing him requesting Veritaserum; in her experience, no one requested its use unless they were positive they hadn't done anything wrong. She quickly gave her word about being the only one to ask Harry questions and sent for a vial of Veritaserum. The potion tasted no different to water when the three drops were administered to Harry, and he felt a warm fuzziness envelop his mind. Director Bones then started asking Harry test questions: his name, his age, when they had first met, and finally, "Now tell me something you never want me to know."

Harry, under the effect of the potion, didn't even hesitate. "I occasionally masturbated while thinking of your niece Susan." A part of him knew he should be mortified at what he had just said, but he couldn't care at the moment.

Everyone else in the room apart from Director Bones couldn't help but laugh, while she just muttered to herself, "I'm never asking that question to any boys who are around Susan's age again."

What followed was a fairly standard interrogation. Harry was asked about where he was, what he was doing, what the four now very dead people had done, and what he thought their goal in attacking his house was. Harry answered all the questions truthfully, as he didn't have any choice in that at this point. The only point that the interview wasn't completely smooth was when Director Bones wanted to know how Harry had moved around so quickly. Sirius had silenced Harry as he was talking and told the DMLE, "Warlock Potter used Family magic that he was born with. As such, he cannot share it and it is his right to keep it as a family secret."

Director Bones was obviously not happy to not get an answer to her question but didn't press the matter. They went through the whole thing two more times, not because Director Bones didn't believe Harry since he couldn't knowingly speak a lie, however he could forget a detail or two and going through everything multiple times had the effect of helping people remember little details that they had forgotten the first time through.

After that, Harry was given the antidote to Veritaserum and was asked to speak an obvious lie to confirm he was free of the effects. Harry's reply of "Aurors wear green robes while on duty," was simple enough to confirm he was free of the effects. Now that Harry was in his own mind again, he was hit with the full realisation of what he had said to Director Bones at the start of his interview, and he hoped that no one in the room would ever speak of it ever again.

"Well Mr. Potter, your testimony under Veritaserum clearly puts those four men as the aggressors. It also matches up with what other witnesses say they saw, and the fact that the four of them were wearing Death Eater masks and robes support's your claims. That does mean your actions are considered self-defence and defence of your guests. However, there is going to need to be a full investigation. I am prepared to grant you bail until there is either a decision not to go forward or for you to stand trial."

Bail in the magical world was handled differently than the mundane world. Here you didn't need to go before a judge, it was the Director of the DMLE who made the call, and Harry wasn't expected to hand over sacks of gold that he would get back when he turned himself in. No, bail meant taking an Unbreakable Vow to make every reasonable effort to return to custody when informed it was time. There were about fifty clauses in the vow; for example, if he was injured he could temporarily ignore the summons as long as he checked himself into St. Mungo's, and he was in the clear if he was being held prisoner against his will. Of course, he would still need to present himself to the DMLE as soon as possible once such things were no longer in his way.

When they were done, Harry forced himself to ask a question he really wasn't sure he wanted an answer to, but he knew that he needed to. "What were their names?"

Director Bones flipped upon the folder of notes she had just slipped a copy of his interview into and said, "Their names were Wits Farslot, Grundolf Hersand, Wilber Wieselworth and Jackson Rawlings."

Just as Harry had been worried about, as soon as they had names they became people in his head. Now they weren't just faceless monsters, they probably had families that were going to hate Harry for what he did; maybe some of them would want revenge. As Harry thought over everything he could have done differently, such as stepping everyone up to Hogwarts, he wondered if maybe he would deserve it if they came after him. After all, they would have only destroyed the house, with things that could be replaced.

Another part of Harry was screaming at him that everything he had done was justified. Those Death Eaters may have only been able to destroy his house if they had enough time, but their goal was to kill him and his family. They would have done this to more people in the future if they had lived, people who wouldn't be as able to escape as he was. People like Tracey's parents, people like his parents. He may have killed four today, but he stopped them from killing hundreds in the future.

While his mind was whirling, Harry and Sirius followed Director Bones out of the interrogation room and into the main office of the DMLE. Harry was only half surprised to find that everyone else was sitting on a bench waiting for him, and as soon as he walked out and became visible to them Hermione jumped to her feet and tackled him into a hug. "Oh Harry, I was so worried, they wouldn't tell me anything. They're letting you go right? They have to, under the law, right? It's textbook self-defence." Hermione barely even stopped for a breath, not giving Harry a chance to answer.

Harry just wrapped his arms around her and held her as tight as he could without hurting her. Director Bones, however, did answer Hermione. "He is being released on bail until we determine whether it was self-defence or if there needs to be a trial."

Harry could feel Hermione relax at that. He didn't know, but she did, that the DMLE only ever released someone who had killed someone on bail if they were sure there was no danger to the public. That told Hermione that Director Bones believed that it was self-defence, but that there were still some bureaucratic hoops to jump through, legal I's to dot and T's to cross.

Harry and Mr. Granger had to sign a bunch of paperwork, but once it was done Harry was free to go. Sirius ended up needing to make a run to Diagon Alley to buy more Floo powder because everyone had forgotten to bring some when they rushed to the Ministry after Harry had left with Aurors, but he was back less than ten minutes later with a large pot of the green glittery powder.

By the time they left, It was too late for Harry and the girls to return to the school, so everyone Flooed to Sirius's London home, Grimmauld Place. Sirius had rooms already set up for everyone, given that Hermione's parents were living there now and that he was officially Tracey's guardian. Sirius said he would take care of informing Professor McGonagall about what had happened and that they probably wouldn't be back in school for a few days. The teens were all pretty firmly told to go to bed, and considering they were all exhausted from the emotional roller coaster there wasn't any argument from them.

A/N

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