My Time

Chapter 47

"Alright, is it just me or was that…" Auror Brown said with a shudder, finding the entire thing completely strange. Although, strange wasn't the word he actually wanted to use, there were surely other words better used for this particularly unsettling situation.

"Absolutely terrifying? Yes," the male custodian agreed fully, "Here's his information, there's already been a copy filed. Given his name, there's better not be any corners cut, Minister's orders."

Someone with the Peverell name coming in? You bet your backside the Minister took an interest. A very special interest, which had been conveyed by a simple yet effective drop of the Minister's name and it being on his orders.

"Why does the Minister care?" Auror Longbottom asked, as he stalked into the room confidently. Blonde hair and dark eyed, plucking the apple from a desk that was definitely not his and bit down on it with satisfaction, leaning against the table, awaiting Scott's answer.

The custodian – Scott Tuft – stared at Longbottom, "He's a Peverell, not just any Peverell, Lord Peverell."

Longbottom swallowed down the apple, "Oh come on, he's not from any direct line…probably a pathetic squib line." Rolling his eyes, as he took another bite, his prejudice showing through.

"Would you stop eating my lunch?" the exasperated voice of Wilhelmina Wood snipped, snatching the half-eaten apple from Longbottom. How many times was it now that she'd told him to stop? Sighing tiredly, she dropped it in the bin at her feet, no matter what she said, he was going to continue doing it. It was her own fault for leaving it there, thank Merlin she'd already eaten her sandwich or she'd have likely been without that.

"You can get something else to eat, I do important work," the Auror said, giving her a dubious look, wondering if she actually did anything.

"Yes, and it's because of me you aren't bound to your desk for more than half your shift." Wilhelmina shot back, unafraid to speak up for herself, or to defend others. Snatching the snack back, she'd brought in for herself before Longbottom managed to steal that too. He was even searching under her paperwork. Giving him a pointed look, "Go to the cafeteria if you are hungry." Pointing towards the direction of it with a glower on her face.

"He is Lord Peverell, by the way," the custodian commented idly, righting his fiancé's paperwork that Longbottom so carelessly messed up. It was all in order for a reason, so she knew what was urgent and what wasn't. "Did you not notice the Lordship ring?"

Longbottom frowned, stomach squirming in concern and worry. "It's the real deal?" it wouldn't be the first time a wizard had 'claimed' to come from a certainly family. The thing was, the Muggle world didn't hold to the same standards when it came to family coat of arms (permission from Lord of the family for any creations) so they could be created. Naturally, one good look at it would have everyone knowing whether it was the real deal or not.

"Is what the real deal?" the Head of the Auror office, Theseus Scamander asked, as he wandered passed the desk. "And why are you lot dallying around here?" speaking directly to the Aurors.

"Is he really Lord Peverell?" Longbottom asked, anxiety carefully hidden. Yet, no he couldn't be. He knew the Potters were the only branch that resulted from the Peverell family, they'd been allies for over a century now. They knew a lot about each other's families.

"Yes," Theseus commented, staring Longbottom down, "I want your reports on my desk in half an hour." He unlike his brother, was not afraid to make eye contact with anyone, never mind his subordinates.

"I have a break…" Longbottom protested, straightening up, the anxiety beginning to turn into worry and fear. It was a tight ball in the pit of his stomach, and he honestly felt so much dread it was a miracle he was still standing.

The two aurors behind Longbottom – who had been entirely silent – began to sense this was going to go wrong. Clearly there was something more going on than just arresting someone.

"Later!" Theseus stated firmly, he didn't need to raise his voice, he commanded respect wherever he went. "Get to it, I want it on my desk in half an hour!"

"Yes, Sir," the Aurors respectfully replied, they did respect Theseus a great deal, they couldn't have asked for a better boss. Who better than to have one who actually served? One who understood the stress of being an Auror sometimes.

"Do you need a report from me, Sir?" Tuft questioned, returning to his desk, which was on the corner right next to the two rows on either side of cells.

"No, I want to see Peverell's information, and make sure it's right." Theseus commented, hand out waiting expectantly.

"Lawyers," Wilhelmina mouthed to them with a grim look on her features. It was the only thing that lit fire under the asses of the heads of the departments. The thought of being sued always made them ensure it was all done legally to ensure they couldn't be sued.

Longbottom winced, "Merlin, no, I can't get another black mark on my name…or I face disciplinary action." But this was all to aid Albus Dumbledore, so it would end well.

He was a hero and they would receive a medal for bravery for sure.

"This is showing he hasn't said anything, not even a request for a lawyer, is this correct?" Theseus demanded of the group, having read everything that had been written down. As another Auror made his appearance, he was a member of the group that had went to apprehend Lord Peverell. He was a probationary Auror, and wasn't stupid enough to speak out of turn on a job to a superior.

"Yes, Sir," Auror Longbottom replied evenly.

"His betrothed Heir Orion Black has presumably already hired one," the probationary Auror Jenkins told them. "Here I was told to hand deliver this to you by your betrothed." Augusta was absolutely a terrifying woman, so much so that she even kept her betrothed in line.

"Surprised they aren't already here," Wilhelmina Wood commented seriously. She continued working diligently, and not because someone higher up was there, but because she wanted to. Wilhelmina was very well liked, popular, and diligent at her work, and more importantly determined and ambitious.

Longbottom winced at the thunderous look on Theseus' face as soon as the Black name came up.

"Direct any lawyer that shows up directly to me." Theseus demanded, he needed to get this under control immediately. "Longbottom, I want you in my office ASAP get the report done first." With that Theseus stalked away, looking positively thunderous.

"Half an hour, Sir," Longbottom straightened, his father had died in the line of duty, his mother had retired when she got pregnant with him, or rather gave birth. She rode the desk until she went into labour, it was a family tradition. Longbottom's were always Aurors. His grandmother though was a herbologist, and he smiled thinking about her.

"Best get going," Wood urged him, plucking the fudge into her mouth, yum, that was delicious. She had such a weakness for fudge of any kind, she bought one pack from Honeydukes every week.

Longbottom grunted in frustration, clutching the letter from Augusta, his betrothed. A good strong pureblood witch, one strong and stubborn enough to stand up to him. She always made everything somehow seem better, except when she was pissed at him. "Shut the hell up and get on with your work." He sniped at her a little bitterly.

"Watch it Longbottom." Tuft warned the wizard, his fiancée could defend herself, he knew, but he wasn't going to allow it either way. "It's no way to talk to a Lady, how do you think your betrothed would handle that?"

Longbottom just scowled and stomped away, frustration eating away at him. said frustration was just hiding away the anxiety and fear of this outcome.

"What were you saying earlier, Brown? About 'it just being you'?" Tuft queried, nabbing a quill and parchment and throwing a red apple at his fiancée who caught it with a wicked grin and a saucy wink in thanks.

"Peverell, he's terrifying," Brown said, "When he was brought in, he didn't fight, didn't yell, didn't ask questions or demand a lawyer. If anything, he seemed…well…"

"Seemed what?" Tuft asked interested.

"Amused." Auror Brown confessed, his long brown hair tied up to the point it looked painful. "Seriously he seemed highly amused." Accepting the orange from Tuft and begun peeling it.

"How do you mean amused?" Wilhelmina asked befuddled, "Why would anyone being arrested be amused?"

"Don't know, but he just seemed wholly amused by the entire process." Brown shook his head entirely baffled.

"Well, the Black's do have fabulous lawyers, only the best would do." Wilhelmina conceded, "I mean honestly? I'd be the same if I had the might of the Black name behind me." Not that the Wood name was to be sneered at, they either went into politics or Quidditch, or both (Quidditch had a shelf life after all) there was never any in-between when it came to her family.

"It's a good point," one of the two Aurors that had remained silent throughout the entire conversation. He didn't make conversations unless he had something productive to add. "I wouldn't want to be Theseus, having to deal with whoever the Black's hire. Nor do I want to be any of the Aurors if they didn't go by the book."

"Why wouldn't they have?" Brown asked defensively.

"Because I know Longbottom, he shoots first asks questions never." Wilhelmina said, before the Auror could even reply, even she knew that about Longbottom. He was a complete hothead, and had been called up because of it quite a few times.

"We better get our reports written up," the second Auror said, jerking his head, gesturing for his colleague to follow him. "Talk to you later."

"By the way," Wilhelmina called out, waiting until they stopped, and glanced back in silent query, "Do yourselves a favour and tell the complete truth, don't try to cover for him or make it sound less bad. These lawyers are going to go all the way, and if you're not careful, you'll be blamed since you're junior Aurors. I have a feeling it will go all the way to the Wizengamot."

"Wouldn't be the first time," Scott Tuft warned, before he got back to his work. "They did have a point though; he really did seem amused by it all."

"I wish I had been here to see it," she grouched, and she couldn't even ask him for the memory of it. Even the mere mention of it would cause an outbreak of bright blue spots and quite severe pain that wouldn't fade without the countercharm which only the head of the DMLE, Ex-Auror Theseus Scamander. And it would result in immediate dismissal.

"Yes, it's definitely unmissable." Scott said, "Although I wish I had missed it." He whispered to himself. He didn't think he'd ever get that stare out of his mind.

Merlin he was just as terrifying as the Blacks themselves were.

Flashback

When the wards went off indicating the Aurors had used a Portkey to transport a suspect, he glanced up to see who it was. He expected the shouting, demanding, fighting, but nothing. It was calm, the feeling like it was just a calm before the storm raged on in seconds.

Yet the calm remained, and it was disconcerting.

The brought forth the suspect, Aurors ready for anything yet the wizard walked forth calmly. Taking no offence if he was treated a little roughly, by being shoved towards his desk. That subtle smirk never left his lips, as his green eyes bored into his.

Scott felt like he got the chills just staring at him. "Um, name?"

"Hadrian Peverell." Longbottom said smugly, as the others who had been part of the Peverell 'capture' dispersed.

Scott glanced at the prisoner who, after clearing his throat corrected Longbottom's mistake. "Lord Hayden Ignotus Haidar Peverell, first name spelt H. A. Y. D. E. N." noticing the butchering of his name on the paperwork and Longbottom's own pronunciation.

"Date of birth?" Scott asked, shrinking in his seat against his wishes. He'd always thought certain people were intimidating, Dumbledore for one, some of the senior Aurors, but this? Peverell himself was absolutely terrifying. The magic rolling of him was suffocating.

Hayden told him coolly, unafraid of what was happening. "And I suggest you remove your hand from my arm. Immediately."

"Or what?" Longbottom scoffed; it was purely reflexive, irate at being spoken back to like he was nothing. He was a Longbottom damn it! His father and his grandfather had been Aurors before him.

Hayden just stared straight ahead amused, inwardly he felt a pang. Damn, he thought to himself, wondering if Frank Longbottom was like that too. Then again, they'd put his parents on a pedestal, made them out to be goodness themselves when the reality was, they were all too human. Would Neville have ended up prejudice just like his grandfather? Hayden felt a little pang of guilt for being glad that Neville hadn't had such an upbringing, because he adored the Neville, he knew…and it made him feel sick. The Neville he knew…had been abused, the wizarding world might not see it as abuse but it is.

He hated that there was enough of 'Neville' showing through on that smug face. Although, it had stopped him reacting as violently as he wanted to. He might be a wizard but he'd grown up Muggle, although it had been quick to learn to want to fight with magic unlike Hermione.

Reminded of magic, he flexed his wrists, disliking feeling his magic bound. It was there under the surface; he did wonder if they'd been tested to see if they could be broken. He didn't attempt to do so, that was the sort of news he didn't need getting out, if he survived it that is.

"Have you ever been arrested before?" Scott Tuft asked, unable to meet the wizards' eye, fear crawling up his spine. Merlin, how many more questions did he have to ask before he was gone?

"No," Hayden stated, his green eyes becoming even greener almost to the point of looking poisonous.

"W-wand?" Scott asked.

Longbottom smacked the evidence bag the wand had been put in onto the table. Hayden stared straight ahead, but his eyes narrowed and nostrils flared. He had no right treating anyone's wand that way, if it snapped…well, that would be newsworthy. The last thing the Ministry needed was its citizens fearing the Ministry in dread of their wands being snapped.

"Is your wand registered?" Scott proceeded to ask; terror barely masked.

Longbottom snorted, "How about, no?" he said derisively.

"No, I moved here from America not that long ago." Hayden continued unamused. "I haven't been to the Ministry yet, I didn't plan to until I was able to take my O.W.L's and N.E.W.T's."

"Pathetic," Longbottom scoffed, figuring he was right, from a pathetic squib line and attempting to look like a big man with a stolen wand.

"Do you understand why you've been arrested and your rights?" Scott proceeded to ask.

"No." Hayden stated bluntly.

Scott froze, glancing at Longbottom in disbelief, "Which one of my questions is the no answer to?" hoping it was just his rights, after all if he was raised in America, he may not know the laws here.

"Both, I was read my rights but they failed to tell me why exactly I was under arrest." Hayden informed the custodian.

He stared at him dumbfounded, before blinking and turning to stare at Longbottom. One eyebrow was raised in silent demand, before he got the bosses involved.

"Wand theft," Longbottom declared, you'd have thought he said 'Murder' the way he spat it out. However, the charges were just as severe. Wands were a wizard's lifeline. They were connected to a Wizards core. If it broke? It would affect them, deeply. Such things only happen to wizards with life sentences.

Scott then asked, "Do you understand your rights?"

"Yes," Hayden replied amusedly.

"Cell four is available." Scott told the Auror, "Call out if you need anything." He told the young wizard. As amused as he looked, as terrifying as he appeared, and his crimes aside, he was only human. This could all be a mistake, and if it was, well, he didn't deserve to be treated harshly.

Scott summoned everything from Hayden's pockets. Removing anything that could be dangerous or used to hurt himself. It all floated towards the bag in his hand and all fitted in snugly. It was set aside as Scott nodded for Longbottom to have him situated.

Scott watched him move, still amused as he willingly went, removing his boots as he went before the cell door slammed shut. "You didn't tell him why he was being arrested?"

"Course I did," Longbottom lied, "The others can tell you." He'd make sure of it; nobody would listen to the upstart.

Plus, he'd recovered Dumbledore's wand, they'd be too busy celebrating to care.

End Flashback

A/N 1 - ugh so when I was walking the dog this morning with the leash lashed to my wrist, the little booger decided to rush around the corner and I the fruitcake followed, Loki was going too fast, and my hand smacked into the lamppost and now I have purple knuckles and look like I've been in a fight. ouch! bit swollen but it doesn't hurt when I move my hand only my fingers.

A/n 2 – Well, there we go! Hmm, what would the process be for being arrested I wonder? Ironic asking here I know, my sister and brother-in-law are both police officers and I've watched enough telly to think I've got it down 😊 although, I am curious to whether to have Hayden 'let out' personally by the Ministry before being questioned when they realize what's happening or whether he would be questioned first and his lawyer involved…hmm as for what will happen with Longbottom…let off with a warning allowing Harry to starkly see the Ministry for how dangerously close it was to being as corrupted as he remembers and sues Longbottom and the Ministry for a wrongful arrest? It does seem to be the only thing that gets through to folks. I'm really looking forward to bringing in a lot of new people but don't worry the Black's will remain central 😉 R&R please