Chapter – 14: Outbursts and Replies

"Oh! My mistake. I am AadhiniDevi Akash Amaruthin. Business partners with these two and more likely an honorary Marauder" replied Devi.

"You have ladies in Marauders? We never know" said Fred.

"Now if the sweet reunion has happened can we discuss some important issues now" asked Minerva sternly.

"Yes Minnie" mock saluted the two black haired Marauders with fake sincerity in their faces. At that everyone roared in laughter and Minerva huffed in annoyance with tiny twitch of her lips.

"First of all the magic you did to repair Hogwarts had made every ward to built up again and we want to down some of it and put up some new ones too. For that I need Albus's help and your permission, Harry"

"My permission?" Harry blinked.

"Of course, yours Harry. You are the heir of Hogwarts. So I should ask your permission. As it would take time I advice you all to deal the other issues while we three discuss about the wards with the mighty Goblins here and previous Headmasters and Founders themselves."

"I'll continue from there, Minerva. Can we leave then?" Kingsley asked her for which she nodded.

Soon the Weasley clan with (honorary) Marauders and their family and Minister himself alongside the two Malfoys followed the Golden Trio to the Room of Requirements. As Harry started to pace before a wall, there was murmuring among the spirits. The murmurs become stunned silence as a door created out of nowhere. Everyone entered through the door to find a very spacious room with settees and sofas with table in centre and a warm fireplace.

"So this is the room that you used for that club isn't it?" Sirius asked. Harry nodded while James enquired "What club and what room is this?"

"This room is called Room of Requirements or Come and Go Room. This room will change into any place we wish it to be. We used this room for DA, a club we created to train in defence" Harry replied as a matter-of-fact.

"DA?" Lily intrigued.

"Dumbledore's Army" Ginny shrugged. "Thought it's a good name for the club"

"Um… Harry" Remus caught his attention and pointed to the five elves bowing their heads before all the twenty eight people in the room.

"Oh my! I'm sorry guys. Why don't you guys go back and continue the works you need to do?" Harry suggested. "And Kreacher, are you still in Grimmauld Place alone?"

"Yes, Young Master. Kreacher is going to work on the objects flew out to the backyard. The Ancient and Noble House of Black healed sir"

"Err… I didn't know. Well… Kreacher don't touch or go near the objects unless I say so. You can even stay at Hogwarts until we finish the job"

As soon as he said that, Kreacher asked "Can't Kreacher go and prepare Master, Young Master and his friends their rooms and dinner?"

"I don't know about staying there, Kreacher. But we will be there for dinner. If you need help ask Kathrina and Lyra. I'm sure they will help you"

To everyone's amusement, Kreacher well sort of danced on his toes and squeaked "Yes, Young master Harry" And all five elves disappeared from there.

"Reminds someone, isn't it?" he mused. For which Ron, Mione and Ginny answered with one name "Dobby"

"Oh Harry! I've forgot to tell. Dobby is alive" Hermione rambled.

"How is it possible? You saw him die, Mione" he whispered with tears. Before she could reply anything Ginny distracted him by reminding him why they came there.

"Thanks Ginny. So what do you want to talk about, Minister?" Harry asked him wiping away his tears.

"Call me Kingsley or King, Harry. And I brought Narcissa and Draco here. They want to apologize to you personally" Kingsley responded. Ron who is still wary about them tried to insist that they are pretending to be sorry but only to stop his rant as Harry and Ginny said that they believe them at the same time.

"You're bloody mental" Ron fumed.

"Ronald, language" shouted his mother and Hermione.

"Ron, try to be sensitive. If he wanted he could have bloody well kill me or worse. But he didn't. He even let other Slytherins who didn't follow Tom to help us" Ginny said coldly glaring at her brother.

"Ginny… what do you mean by…? trailed Ron.

"Mean by what, Ron? Kill me or worse? That I would be dead along with some others and be a ghost by now. Can your thick brain receive?" she asked him half way yelling.

"What?" cried Weasley men.

"Ginny, your mother and me said if there is any problem in here to contact us. We would have brought you home. Then why?" asked her. Ginny took a deep breath. "And to do what dad? To be huddled in a corner that I could have helped someone who was tortured if I'm here" she responded.

"Gin-Gin" Fred came forward and hugged her.

"It's okay, it's okay. Calm down, Gin-bug"

With some silent deep breathes, she regained her composure. "Sorry, what was we discussing again?" she asked as if she didn't burst out at all.

"You alright?" Fred asked her. She just smiled at him and nodded.

"Hah! So let's finish this topic soon. I know you are truly sorry for your actions in the past. And I forgive you for that. If I am guessing right, Harry is too" for which he nodded at her side. "Then for others, they will see the point soon. Any other issue, Kingsley?"

"Wow! For a moment I thought you to be my mother there" James whispered for which Ginny blushed red.

"Thanks for believing, Draco and Narcissa" Snape stated. All who never saw him thank before blinked at him. "You're welcome, Sir" Ginny responded.

"So then the next thing is we are going to try each prisoner about their crimes. Every case will be analysed again. And Sirius, you know what it means?" He nodded while Kingsley continued, "I had set up a team who I personally believe. Everyone was tried with Veritaserum and soon everyone who works in ministry will be too. Arthur, you should try tomorrow or day after that and Percy, you will be too after 's case"

As soon as he heard the word 'Veritaserum', Sirius paled white and started to shake in fear. James hugged him tight as he chanted "Not that potion" again and again. Everyone's concern seemed to rise in a alarming way at this. Devi kneeled before him and grabbed his hands in hers.

"Hey. Hey. Can you hear me, Sirius? The potion won't affect you. I found no traces of them left in your system. It wasn't deadly, Sirius. You can take it alright" But Sirius seems to be deaf at her sayings as he was still shaking quite violently in James arms.

"What do you mean by deadly, Devi? How can we Veritaserum be…?" Lily intrigued.

"It can be if overly fed by a person and never took antidote" James stated.

"But he didn't have a trial. Then how on the earth he gotten fed?" Kingsley frowned.

"Trial?" yelled James and Lily looking at each other in horror. Remus sighed. This seems to be getting harder now. He had to tell about Sirius's confinement. "Prongs, Lilyflower. Sirius… he… was in… Azkaban" They both stared at him as if he has three heads.

James gripped Sirius tighter and asked "What do you mean by he was in Azkaban?" in a deadly calm tone that makes nearly everyone in there to flinch away.

Lily patted James while asking "Why? For what reason?"

"For betraying you and killing 12 Muggles as well as Peter. But he is innocent. He was been framed" Remus hurried. There is silence as the spirits frowned in thinking.

"If there was no trial held, how did he got released?" James contemplated.

"He escaped" Severus replied.

"Escaped?" "From Azkaban?" responded both spirits with wide eyes.

"He escaped when he found about… Harry could be in… danger" Remus said as trying to explain the best. Their worried looks turned towards Harry.

"I am fine. Truly. I too thought he escaped to…uh… kill me but when they explained the truth to us, I believed them" with the half smile.

"That we got it but why Sirius freaks about the potion?" Lily is confused.

"I'll try to speak with him" James stated and called Sirius warmly.

"Sirius, brother. It's James. Your Prongs. Can you hear me?"

"Prongs" a muffled hoarse voice came from Sirius who is infact still shaking.

"It's okay, Pads. Calm down" he soothed him until he only heard occasional sniffle from Sirius.

"Paddy! Do you want to talk about it?" There is silence for some moments then came a reply

"I was captured and send to Azkaban. They didn't ask me about what happened. Barty Crouch thought trial for me is a waste of their time as I was captured red-handed. I was there for few days then they came. They said they are going to try me for some death eaters's name. I gave them the name of the rat. They thought I am losing my mind and left. But they came back the next day with some potion stocks. They fed me some first and I replied the same and about my innocence and his betrayal. Then they started to feed about two full vials of potions and asked me. I replied the same. The healer with them said it would be deadly for me to take a drop more from that portion. They claimed that dementors made me to imagine that I am innocent all that story I said"

"Who all present when you were… tried?" Kingsley interrupted a long silence. "The ministry healer Max, Aurors Richard and Marcus and the former minister"

"Former minister as in Fudge right" Remus asked hesitantly for which Sirius nodded. The other two Marauders made sounds which were like angry growling of their animal's side. Soon their respective ladies started to comfort them. There was silence all over again.

"You are not near… dementors… right?" questioned Regulus with an troubled look.

Sirius looks up at him and said "I was in the top security cell of Azkaban, Reg. Where did you think?" with a watery smile. Hearing that made every spirit to gasp in horror while others look at him with tear-filled eyes.

"Now I knew why I never allowed into Azkaban" muttered Tonks.

"Huh?" sounded Remus with a puzzled look.

"I never gotten allowed to escort criminals there even if I caught them. He doesn't want me to meet Sirius. That's it. I'm his cousin and not much of a fan of pureblood beliefs or not myself one"

"It was not deadly now, right Devi?" asked James which made Sirius to snap his head towards her.

"No. It's not. Not anymore" she replied while shaking her head. Sirius looked at her confused.

"There is no trace of any poisonous substances in your body. Even there will not be… uh… any scars or wounds in your body, if my test results are correct" As soon as she said it, he checked his right wrist where his tattoo of a stag, a dog and a wolf running under a full moon is and rubbed it. It is not rough or scarred as it should be but smooth and soft. He winced at the pain that shot out in the place.

"The place is still sore" he whispered.

"I'll prepare a salve for it. Don't stress over the places" she responded to him. He nodded back at her and saw that everyone is looking at him which made him feel uneasy.

"King, is there any other issue or shall we finish the meeting now?" asked James to distract everyone from Sirius. Kingsley nodded.

"Madam Bones is bringing the books you lend, James"

"She finished the new laws"

"Yes. But I am going to go through the laws along with some people. Then we can pass the revised version. And the last thing I have to tell is I couldn't convince the Goblin leader, Harry. He will soon owl you for a meeting. So be ready, you three"

The three however blanched at the thought.

"Bloody Hell" Ron whispered "We're dead"

"We'll help you three. We can tell you what will be expected and you'll be alright" said Bill. The trio sighed in relief and nodded at him.

"Lastly, Hermione I've got hold of Australian Wizarding government and they agreed to help find your parents. Once they find them, we will bring them back"

"Can't I go there to bring them back, Minister?" Hermione asked.

"Of course. I'll arrange for it" Kingsley responded.

"Thank you, Minister" Hermione smiled at him.

"Alright, we should get back to Minerva" he said and led them out. They found her entering the Great Hall with others after showing the goblins Hogwarts's border where the wards should be put upon.

"Do try to research about the wards that can detect the dark mark on the people" McGonagall seems to be discussing about the new wards that should be put upon.

"There are some research notes that both Dumbledore and I have done on the dark mark. It has been mentioned in my will. It would be an honour if your team analyse if it can help with this" Snape spoke. The goblins agreed to help them and gone to inform their leader about that discussion.

"Oh! Did you spoke about the other issues, Minister?" Minerva asked.

"We did. It went fine. Did Madam Bones come?" he asked her.

"Not yet to my knowledge. We shall wait till then. However I have some business in kitchens. Anyone feel accompanying me?" she asked while pointedly looking at Dumbledore, three Marauders and Weasley twins then turning around. They all started to follow which made the others to follow too. Once she reached the kitchens, she tickled the pear in the portrait which laughed and flung opened the entrance. They entered into see a lot of elves wearing some short of uniform with Hogwarts's symbol on it running here and there trying to help the injured elves. As soon as they saw the new arrivals they stood frozen. Slowly one elf came forward and bowed his head towards Harry and his sister, soon others followed the suit. Harry who had stunned by it regained his composure as Dobby hugged his legs tightly.

"Great Harry Potter sir is fine. Harry Potter defeated you-know-who again" he spoke

"Dobby?" Harry whispered with wide eyes. "How are you here?"

"Dobby survived by mate, sir. Mate sensed me dying. Mate it sacrifice for Dobby heal" Harry could hear almost everyone gasp.

"What mate?" he asked them.

"His life partner, Prongslette" said Sirius.

"Oh! Can I meet your mate, Dobby?" asked Harry. Everyone looked with pride by his action.

"No sir. Mate is in pain"

Seeing Harry's puzzled look, James explained "While in pain of sacrifice, Elf's magic will go haywire. No one can go nearby them. Only their mates can"