The Power He Knows Not - Muggle Style
By ChupacabraTamer
All characters belong to JKR. Thank you for letting us play in your sand box.
Warning: The interrogations are coming up. These will be bad to if you don't want to hear some of the depraved practices of the death eaters and others I would suggest not reading this chapter. I did tone it down to a large degree but… There is your warning. Read at your own risk and don't blame me.
Chapter 15 – Interrogations and revelations
"Lord Black has agreed to allow you to ask any questions regarding Voldermort and the Potters."
Scrimgeour spent twenty minutes questioning Sirius. He even asked questions that only an Auror would know and he answered them correctly. He nodded to Hermione and she released Sirius. Scrimgeour offered Sirius his hand.
"My apologies Lord Black. I will do everything in my power to see that your name is cleared when I return. Now let's go have a conversation with your death eaters.
As they walked the short distance to the cell holding Lucius Harry turned to Hermione. "Are you sure you want to hear this? I'm kind of worried about hearing it myself and.. well." Harry stumbled with his words.
"I think what Harry is trying to say is he would like to save you from hearing the utter depravity that is Lucius's world." Sirius said.
Hermione thought for a couple of steps. "Thank you. If you are all going to hear this then I can too. As I said before this is war. I might need to know this so that I can justify my actions in the future." she could see Sirius about to say something "I can always walk away if it gets to much for me."
Sirius and Harry thought for the last few steps to the cell holding the blond ponce.
"Do you think we should allow Draco to listen in to his fathers depravity?" Hermione asked with her signature smirk. This caused Sirius to bark out a laugh and the other to look surprised.
"You know maybe that would be a good thing. Let's let little Dracie see what a depraved sod his father truly is. Maybe it will spare the world from Draco growing up the same way." Sirius said.
Hermione activated Dracos cell so he was awake but couldn't move. After a few minutes he stopped yelling 'Wait until my father hears of this.' along with other threats and a few 'mudbloods' tossed in here and there.
Sirius stepped up and filled his vision. "Listen up Draco. You always threaten wait till my father hears about this. Well we are going to give you a unique opportunity to hear exactly what your father has been up to. We are going to question him under a very strong veritaserum in a minute. You will get to hear every single answer he gives. I will even allow you to see him as he provides the answers. I swear that the answers he gives will be his own. I will also make sure that he doesn't know you are watching or listening." Sirius said. Draco looked a little pale. He wasn't sure if he could trust the mass murderer but he did want to hear. He just nodded and went silent.
Sirius nodded to Hermione and she adjusted the cells so Draco could see and hear Lucius but couldn't be heard or seen. She then revived Lucius and activated the truth Rune. She watched as the arrogant blonds eyes opened and upon seeing her and Harry first he started yelling for someone to arrest them. He then tried to move and screamed like a little baby as he realized both his arms were broken. Hermione got a feral smile.
"Hurts don't it." she said. Lucius's eyes honed in on the young girl.
"You lousy mudblood. I will break your arms and legs and offer you to the dark lord as a play thing. When he is done with you I'm sure the wolfs will like toying with you until you break. When I get out of here you will be the first to go with all your little mudblood friends." Lucius started to rant.
Harry had heard enough and stepped in front of her filling Lucius's field of vision.
"Ahh. Lucy. You don't love me any more. I thought I was your number one? Gee, What ever am I going to do?" Harry taunted.
"Potter. Let me out of here immediately. I'm going to kill you slowly, unlike your pathetic parents who died like pigs." Lucius was ranting. He didn't see Hermione reach around Harry and push a Rune Harry knew would end the rant. Lucius went rigid and tried to scream. Five seconds later she let go of the Rune and the pompous man slumped panting from the pain. He was held up by the magic field so he couldn't move which was good as her would have fallen to his knees after that.
"Direct your vitriol at anyone of us and you will get more of that. I've heard from the creator that it was tested on people who had suffered under Riddles crucio and they say this one is worse. So truthfully. Is it worse?" Hermione asked in a sweet voice.
The blond was whimpering in the cell unable to move. He finally looked up with more hatred in his eyes than before. "Yes, it is worse. Maybe I can show you when I get out of here." He said but with less attitude.
"No thank you. However while we are chatting here we have some questions."
"Were you under the imperious when you took the dark mark?" "No. That's stupid. No one can be forced to take the mark. It must be willingly accepted or it will not work."
"Is that all you needed to do?" "No. You need to earn it. It involves killing at least one mudblood or blood traitor and at least a handful of muggles. You do need to torture them before you kill them. The dark lord especially likes reliving the memories of the torture."
"What did you do to earn your dark mark?" "I led the team that tortured the McKinnon family. It was glorious, the screams of the family. The little bint Marlene kept calling out for Sirius to save her as they tortured her body and mind for an hour before we had to leave. We were sure to end all of them just before we left. We arranged them in the formal dining room all sitting around their table."
Hermione looked green and about to spew. Harry's eyes had turned very dark but was distracted by Sirius who was being held back by William and Rufus.
"Sirius. SIRIUS." Harry shouted getting his attention. "Not now. I want him to suffer longer than a few seconds. Think about that but don't end him before we get more information."
Sirius stopped struggling but the two men didn't let him go. Sirius agreed finally however reluctantly.
"Was that all you needed to do to earn your mark?" "No. I led a team of werewolves to a small muggle town and trapped all of the villagers in their houses. While they were frantically calling for help I went around and used Fiendfyre to burn each house to the ground while the rest of the town watch and waited their turn. If they tried to leave the wolfs would attack. It was glorious. The screams of the living were almost as arousing as those of the dying."
That was it for Hermione. She stepped away and spewed all over Dracos cell wall. When she finished she looked at Draco and could see the horror in his eyes. Switching on his cell so only he could hear. "So are you horrified at me spewing or what a piece of shit thing you have for a father that he thinks this is arousing?"
Draco tried to speak but only managed to vomit all over his door wall. When he was done he looked at Hermione. "I had no idea. How could anyone…." His voice trailed off.
"That is what he is planning on you doing in a couple of years. I know you hate me but could you do that to Tracey and her parents? Seems like a good initiation for you." Hermione taunted. She knew he didn't really like Tracey but he didn't hate her like he did herself. She watched his face contort and he spewed again. She turned off his cell and left him gagging on the smell.
"Is Voldermort back?" "Yes. Potter helped him return with his blood in the graveyard. You idiots. Potter and Dumbledore have been telling the truth the whole time."
"Were you there in that graveyard?" "Yes. I came when my master called me like any good servant."
"What's your role?" "I'm the financier. The Malfoy and Black money are going to finance the war. Stupid Black doesn't even realize we are stealing his money. If the Goblins found out several of us would never be able to bank there again."
"Where is your lord staying?" "With a trusted servant. You will never find him."
"Who is the secret keeper?" "AHHhhhhh."
"Are you the secret keeper?" "No."
"Don't push anymore on that question." William said. He didn't want the man to die before they got more information.
"Can Black recover his money?" She could see him struggling not to answer "Yes. Just telling the Goblins will have them hunting down every knut and taking huge penalties from the guilty parties."
"I thought the Ancient house of Malfoy was rich. Why use Black money?" "Not after the last war. The Malfoys would not have recovered for another twenty to thirty years from the last one. This war would have bankrupt us. We needed the Black money."
"Who is stealing from Black?" "Malfoys, Carows, RockWood, Fudge and more. Those are the ones that are taking the most from his vaults."
"Fudge? How and does he know?" "He knows all the bribes I use around the ministry are from the Black vaults. He gets an evil smile every time I offer him another ten thousand galleons and says 'Thank you Mr. Black'. Why do you think it's impossible for Black to get a trial? Fudge knows the money dries up if Black is freed."
"How much money have you used to bribe Ministry workers?" "I have a ledger in the bottom of my cane. The password is 'Purity'. At last count it was over ten million galleons. Worth every knut of Blacks money." He managed to sneer slightly.
"Who killed Diggery?" "I'm told it was Petigrew. Petigrew is still alive. I saw him just this morning."
"How can we find him?" "He never leaves the manor without our lord or being the rat animagus. I would doubt you will ever catch him. He has a higher survival instinct than a cockroach. I'd kill him myself if the dark lord hadn't forbade any of us from touching him."
They continued getting more details but after that it was just to get names of death eaters and locations if they were in hiding. It was fortunate that Lucius was the secret keeper of the safe houses locations so they had the secret. They had him write it down several times on parchment so they could pass it out as needed.
The last question "Is Snape a willing death eater?" "The dark lord thinks so but I'm not sure. I don't trust him. I made the mistake of mentioning my concerns to the dark lord and paid for it dearly." They all saw Lucius shudder and knew how he paid for it.
Hermione put Lucius back in stasis and double checked that his cell was locked and only to her and Harry. As much as she would like to let Sirius have at the blond ponce she didn't want Lucius dead yet.
Sirius turned on Draco. "Did you enjoy hearing everything your father has done?"
Draco was whiter than usual and just shook his head no. "I had no idea. He's a monster. I can't believe my mother would let him do all that and in our basement too." Draco was crying silent tears. "How could he do that to her and her family? They helped me. I was lost, cold and scared. We were only seven."
Sirius remember that part of Lucius's rant about muggles. It sickened him too.
"That was before his dark lord returned. He had no reason to do that except for his own sick desires." Sirius said.
"I know. I… Can you please obliviate me?" Draco pleaded.
"Sorry. That would be a crime." Rufus said. Nodding to Hermione she returned Draco to stasis.
"I don't know about you three but Hermione and I need a break. We are going to the beach to wash away today. You can go on without us or wait until tomorrow." Harry took Hermiones hand as they left the three older men in the wallet. "Except Dumbledore. I want to be there as I have questions for him."
Later they were lounging on Fleurs family private beach. They had made it here in little time and not spoken a single word. Dobby had setup the tent and provided them with fizzy drinks. The chairs were low to the ground and put where their feet would be washed by the gentle wave lapping at the beach.
"Hermione I'm sorry." Harry started.
"Don't you dare. I made my choice to stay. I'm not" she started and paused.
"I guess I'm not surprised and I'm overwhelmed at the same time. The sad thing is he thinks this is ok. How can anyone think like that?" Hermione finished.
"I don't know. It does give me a certain resolve to complete what we have started. There is no way I'm leaving even one of those monsters free or alive. I won't become like them. I won't enjoy it but I will do what is necessary." Harry said.
Dobby heard them talking and popped in with a calming draught for each of them. He also laced it with a mild sleeping draught. They needed some sleep. The sleeping draught would ensure they only had pleasant dreams for the night. He watched as they both took it and in minutes they nodded off.
Tinkie arrived to help Dobby put them in bed and offered to take the first watch as she sat in the rocker softly humming a tune that Dobby didn't recognize. He popped away. He would return later so Tinkie could do some work. Dobby needed to do extra work after hearing what his bad old master had done.
The next morning the teen couple arrived to find a somewhat beleaguered group around the table. "Good morning everyone." Harry and Hermione both said.
There was a few head nods and waves and a half hearted 'morning' but that was it. Sirius, William, and Daniel had finished questioning all of their guests in the wallet leaving Snape and Dumbledore for this morning.
"Rough evening?" Harry asked.
"Yes. It was enlightening. After you left we retrieved Lucius's bribe journal from his cane and Rufus and I have copies and we put the original back in the cane. It's disgusting how many people had been accepting bribes from him and others. Rufus was totally gobsmacked at the number of people he personally knew that were on Lucius's take. From Fudge all the way to several janitorial workers." William said.
"Janitors? Why?" Hermione asked.
"Access. They would give Lucius access to peoples offices after hours so he could read their files and leave behind recording spells. We did go back and question Lucius again about the illegal listening and he was annoyed that he could never get a listening spell to work in Amelias office." Sirius said with a smile.
"Deloris was on a totally different level than that of a death eater." Daniel said taking the quaffle or the ball in his case. "That woman wasn't a death eater which almost makes her worse. Everything she did was for her own gain. Um…" At this point he paused and looked at Sirius. Sirius nodded ok.
"Daddy. What did she do?" Hermione asked.
"She is the one that sent Dementors to Harrys relatives house. She was hoping to have Harry kissed or if he used magic she was going to use that to expel him and snap his wand. She had bribed Hopkirk in the underage magic department to stay late so she could send owls immediately if it happened. Deloris also had Hopkirk point a magic detection beacon at your neighborhood so if you did so much as a lumos they could get you." Daniel said.
"Rufus asks us to release her with the transcripts when we release him. He wants her kissed and with her testimony he can get Fudge out of office. He said Amelia would work with him and using the list from Lucius they could clean out the ministry within six months or less." William said.
"Tempting but that would change our plans considerably." Harry said. He knew he needed to fill Hermione in on the possible plans he had for ending this war soon. He was just nervous about the idea. "I will have to talk with Rufus but I think Hermione and I need to have a talk first."
"Something we haven't talked about before?" she asked. Harry nodded.
Tinkie had put their breakfasts in front of them and they ate mostly in silence. Everyone was lost in their thoughts as the events of the previous day set in.
Later while walking Harry offered his ideas to Hermione of how to finish this war within the next month or less. She listened to his complete ideas and considered them all.
"I see you have given this a lot of thought. I agree that one of the suggestions seems." she paused thinking how to word her response "Almost cruel in a way and not in another. It would be permanent."
"That is what I was thinking. Do you have any objections to me offering these up to the group as my suggestions and see what they think?" Harry asked.
"Yes, I do have a problem with that." she snapped back.
"Oh. I just thought." he began.
"This is our suggestions not yours. I'm with you one hundred percent all the way. I have no problem with any of your suggestions. I think the permanent one is probably the best solution but I can understand not wanting to lead with that one." she said pulling him by their joined hands into a classic Hermy hug. She could feel him relax into her hug and return it.
"Then together. Let's go see if they are all still around." Harry said.
By the time they returned to the defacto meeting room the rest of the group had joined and it was almost lunch time. The room fell silent when they walked in. This always made Harry uncomfortable as it reminded him of all the times at Hogwarts where the entire school would stop and stare at Harry.
Turning to Hermione "Do I have something on my face?" She laughed.
"No. But nice move." She said. His words causing everyone to stop staring.
"OK. What has been going around while we've been gone?" Hermione asked.
Fred ponied up with the information. "We were discussing the transcripts and how much all these people really hate you. It's not normal? Do you think they are under a spell or potion?"
"Some of them have justifiable reasons for hating me. Lucius for one. Draco too but that is more a school rivalry fueled by his fathers bile. The rest I'm not sure. Maybe I represent the possibility that their lord is not infallible. If it was Fudge I would say it was trying to kill the messenger." Harry summed up the possibilities.
"I have few ideas on how to end this. It's pretty drastic but I'm tired of my life being a shit show" Harry said. He could see Hermione wanting to admonish him for his language but she didn't.
"I'm the newest to the show and I would totally agree with your assessment of your life Harry. Let's end this. Whatever you need I'm in." William said. The rest of the table agreed. Harry spent the next half hour outlining his ideas. They all offered suggestions and Hermione was writing so fast Harry was afraid her quill would ignite from the friction, which caused him to chuckle.
Seeing Harry chuckling she rounded on him with a truly McGonagall stare. He relented.
"I was just wondering if your quill is fireproof?" Harry said. She looked at him wondering where is head was then she looked at the length of her notes and chuckled.
"I send them out each month for an update on their fireproofing."
After the chuckling died down Harry continued.
"I think we need to find out what Snape and Dumbledore have to say for themselves before we decide but I'm leaning to the permanent solution. If not immediately soon after." Harry said. The table all nodded and understood.
"I'm ok with that and I will do whatever you want to accomplish that end. I will even do the final solution if that would help." William said.
"Thank you William. I appreciate your" Harry looked at everyone around the table in their eyes "that is everyones help and support.
Harry and the smaller group left the rest to attend to their tasks as his group headed to the wallet and the secret underground holding cell.
"I never asked. What did you do with Rufus?" Harry finally asked
"He opted to go back in the cell so that he wouldn't notice the time passage. We did offer to release him but not Deloris right away. He wanted to see Snape and Dumbledores interrogation. We did offer to expand the cell so he could sleep but he didn't want to wait." Sirius said. "He is so disgusted with the state of the Ministry right now he's about ready to quit and join us."
"He did make us an offer I think we should take him up on." William said. "He offered to contact Amelia Bones and suggest that she joins us for the final interrogations. He is willing to go to her and offer her a memory of Lucius's confession to get her to join us." William held up his hands to Harry incoming objections. "He will inform her that she will need to undergo the same interrogation as he did. He believes that she would be willing."
Harry looked at Hermione then to Sirius and Daniel. They nodded or shrugged.
"Harry. It would be a huge help if she were with us." Sirius said.
"What about my idea? Do you really thing she will go along with it?" Harry said.
"Let's ask Rufus first. Then we can decide. It sounded like Amelia is as frustrated with the Ministry as we are." Sirius said.
Opening Rufus's cell the mans eyes popped open. Looking at the group all dressed in different clothes he decided to ask. "How long was I out?"
"Just over night. It's about noon the day after the incident in Hogsmeade." Harry said..
"Impressive. I've been under before for injuries but I always have some sense of time passing. In here it was like you just closed the door seconds ago. Truly impressive." He complimented Hermione. She blushed at his praise but said nothing. "Well, have you discussed my idea with Harry and Hermione?" he asked looking at Sirius.
"We have. There is a slight glitch in your idea." Sirius said.
"Ahh. Thought there might be. Which glitch is it?"
"We don't want to spend the next six months waiting to get back to our lives. We have a way that we could end this sooner." Harry said.
"Sooner? That would be nice. I'm guessing there is part of it I won't like?" Rufus said.
"If we discuss any more you will need to agree to stay with us until it's over and you will not have a say in the final decision. Sorry but these are non negotiable." Harry said. Rufus was quiet for a little while as he thought. Harry and the group knew this was a huge decision for him and didn't press the man.
"Can I listen to Snape and Dumbledore and decide after them?" Rufus asked.
"I can agree with that. Let's go wake up another death eater. I've been looking forward to this for a long time." Harry said as they all moved down the hall to Snapes cell. Sirius took up the rear making sure he had space to deal with Rufus if he decided to make a move. He had agreed yesterday but Sirius wasn't taking any chances.
"What's going on here. I demand to be released immediately." Snape sneered at the group. Locking eyes on Harry in the front. Harry nodded to Hermione who stepped forward.
"Snape." She started.
"That's professor Snape to you. You insufferable know-it-all. Twenty points from Gryffindor for kidnapping a professor." His sneer deepened.
She smiled sweetly. "Twenty points from Slytheryn for having a git as a head of house. Plus we are not in England. We are not in school. You have never acted like a professor. So. Snape you." She was cut off again.
"You filthy little mudblood I will rip…" Was all he got out before Hermione touched the Rune and he convulsed in pain and screamed out. Two seconds later she released the Rune.
"Lucius agreed that this causes more pain than your dark lord. I was hoping for a reason to have you test it for me. So do you agree?" Hermione very nicely asked like she was asking if the treacle was as good as yesterdays. Snape was panting from the pain and slowly regaining his breath.
"Yes." was all he said.
"Good. Now that we have that part of the program out of the way. You will be answering a few of our questions fully and adding in any details you can remember. Should I doubt your answers in any way I will" she reached for the Rune to see him flinch. "Encourage you to be more forth coming. Are we clear?"
"Yes."
"Are you a death eater?" "Yes"
"Did you become one willingly?" "Yes"
"Why is Dumbledore protecting you?" He strained against telling but couldn't fight it. "I was the reason Lily was targeted. I wanted Dumbledore to save her."
"Not James or Harry" Sirius asked "No. James deserved to die and Harry would be just like him. Better to rid the world of all Potters. Then I could have Lily for myself."
Before anyone could stop him Harry was holding down the Rune for pain. Snape was shaking in his cell. It took Sirius and Daniel to pull Harry off the Rune and hold him back.
"I should kill you right here with my bare hands you piece of shite. I have to listen to my mother begging for her life every time I get near a dementor thanks to you." Harry screamed. Sirius nodded to Hermione and she put Snape back to sleep. This gave Harry time to calm down. Sirius took Harry a little ways away from the rest.
"I'm with you. It would be very satisfying to strangle the life out of him. However. You stopped me from doing that to Lucius yesterday and we got a lot of useful information. Do you think maybe we can do the same with Snape?" Sirius asked quietly. He watched as his godson struggled with that thought. He understood the rage and call for immediate action. It's what landed him in Azkaban for twelve years. Harry slowly got his breathing under control and his fists unclenched. Sirius saw blood dripping from Harrys palms where his nails had dug in. Pulling his wand he healed his godsons hands.
"I'm under control now. Let's go get all the information we can. Maybe Hermione has another Rune up her sleeve. I'll ask." Harry finally said. Sirius pitied the fool that crossed Harry in the next twenty four hours.
Returning Harry nodded to Hermione and she woke the slimy git back up. Harry stayed back for fear he might just kill the man. As much as he really wanted to it would be more important to get the information.
"If Dumbledore didn't save Lily why are you working for him?" "I don't."
"Who do you work for?" "Me. I've always worked for me. I took the dark mark because it would help me. I told the old fool I wanted to repent because that helped me too."
"Dumbledore always says you have his complete confidence. Why?" "I managed to plant a seed of trust towards me in his subconscious years ago. He has never questioned it. The fool."
"So you are basically a double spy. Selling information to each side for your own good?" "Yes. It's worked great for me so far."
"What is your role in Voldermorts group?" "I'm the spy in Dumbledores ranks. I'm also the potion master."
"Tell us every piece of information you have ever passed to Voldermort?"
That one took a while. He had been passing information about the school, the weaknesses in the wards, any and all information he had about Harry and Harrys closest friends. He had also passed information about all the muggle born and if they would be worth exploiting and how best to do that. He had a surprising amount of information.
"How did you gather all that information about the students?" "I used legilimency on them. None of the muggle borns know what it feels like so they just think they are getting a headache or the fumes from the class is bothering them."
Harry could see Sirius and William looking murderously at Snape. Harry pressed on.
"Do you know what his plans are for this year?" "He's waiting to gather more followers and to gain more power. After he frees his death eaters from Azkaban and gets the dementors to join us, he will take over the Ministry and soon after that Hogwarts. His hopes is that Fudge will get Dumbledore sacked and he can move one of his lackeys into Hogwarts."
"Where is he living right now?" "I can't say. I would hate for the albino peacocks to be harmed if you go barging in like the stupid Gryffindor that you are."
Harry looked confused but Sirius didn't. He realized Snape was giving them the answer in a way that wouldn't break his vow.
"He's using a Fidelius charm?" "Yes."
"Is there anything else we should know that would help us eliminate Voldermort and all the death eaters" "Yes. The dark mark draws power from the branded ones. If Voldermort needs more power he can draw from all of his followers until they are dead if he wants."
"Is there anyway to remove the dark mark?" "Not that I know of. Voldermort uses Parsel magic so no one would have a clue. Maybe Potter could but not without learning curse breaking first."
"If we managed to torture Voldermort would he pull from the dark mark?" "Maybe. He could also pass it on to his followers. While only feeling a mild effect of it himself."
Hermione spoke up "That is heinous. Why did you agree to take the dark mark if it did all that?" "No one knew until they were marked. Then it was to late and we couldn't speak of it."
"Why can you speak of it now?" "I'm feeling the pain from the dark mark with everything I say. I've learned to block most of it."
It was only then that Hermione noticed that Snapes hand was twitching with each answer. She reached up and put him back in stasis.
They all stood there looking at the vile man for several minutes.
"We still don't know where Voldermort is staying." Harry groused.
"Actually we do know." Rufus said.
They all looked at Rufus waiting for him to continue.
"There is a certain blond death eater that likes to brag about his albino peacocks and how difficult and expensive they are to keep." Rufus said.
Harry started laughing. So we know where they are even though it is under Fidelius. That's rich. Any way we can use that information?" Harry asked the group.
William and Daniel shared a silent conversation with each other than Daniel spoke up.
"We can locate it and with the help of the devil twins should be able to wallet everyone in the property. It would help if once we locate it we can lock it down so no one can leave during our attack." Daniel said.
The magicals looked at the two of them in awe. It was Sirius and Rufus's turn to share the silent conversation. This was DMLE secret but under the circumstances Sirius didn't have a problem sharing.
"The DMLE can lock down the Floo network before a raid. We" he pointed to Rufus "Can erect anti-apparition and anti portkey wards. That would lock everyone down to the grounds. They could run out but I really doubt that anyone can outrun the devil twins inventions or our sniper squad."
"I'm liking this idea a lot. Let's have a little chat with our last guest." Harry said.
They revived Dumbledore and he gave his most sincere grandfatherly look with a twinkle. "Harry my boy I'm so disappointed in your actions. It would seem that associating with escape convicts see you going down a dark path."
"Stuff your sanctimonious crap Dumbledore." Sirius said "It's too bad that only death eaters are worthy of being given second chances. Whereas innocent victims are sent to jail without a trial."
"You …" Dumbledore faltered and stopped.
"Yes. You were going to say I was guilty? How would that be possible when you know for a fact I'm not." Sirius said.
"Did Sirius kill Petigrew?" "No. He was framed by Petigrew."
"Why did you leave him in prison?" "I needed Harry at the Dursleys. They needed to abuse him and make him feel like he wasn't worth anything. It was for the greater good."
Hermiones hand flashed out and she pushed the Rune and Dumbledore went rigid as the pain wreaked his body. Harry gently pulled her hand away from the Rune. They all watched as Dumbledore took large gasping breathes trying to recover from the experience.
"I see Harry is taking you down that path with him." Dumbledore said looking at Hermione. She reached for the Rune but Harrys seeker reflexes caught her before she would reach it.
"I would recommend you remove comments about anyone going dark and that greater good crap if you want to survive this interrogation." Harry said "Considering you just admitted to us that you are guilty of intentionally sending a child into an abusive home repeatedly." It's not like anyone will believe you are the guardian of the light or anything you say is for the greater good."
Dumbledore remained silent.
"You will answer all questions we ask and you will provide copious details. You've been avoiding answering questions for years. Now you have no choice." Harry said.
"Why did you send Harry to the Dursleys" "He needed to be weak and ignorant when he returned to the Wizarding world." They all watched as he tried to stop talking. "Being ignorant of our world would allow me to manipulate him so I could move him into Voldermorts path. Once Voldermort killed Harry I would be able to kill Voldermort and be the savior of the Wizarding world again."
The fury was evident in everyones eyes as they absorbed his words. It was a full minute before even Rufus could speak.
"Why does it need to be you to kill Voldermort?" "That way no one will ever question my recommendations for the Wizarding World. They will all bow to my superior intellect and do what I tell them. Having killed the second dark lord no one will question me."
"So you know best for everyone in Wizarding England?" "England and the entire International Confederacy of Wizards."
They decided to change tactics. This path was driving them all spare. It was like listening to Voldermort or Grindelwald all over.
"Why have Harry killed first? Why not kill Voldermort first and leave Harry out of it?" "The prophecy must be fulfilled first." Again the struggle and Dumbledore lost sooner this time. "There was a prophecy that says neither can live while the other survives. Harry must die first before I can remove Voldermort."
"Remove Voldermort? Not kill him?" "He deserves a chance to see the errors of his ways and choose the path of light."
"What about Harry? You would sacrifice an innocent for a mass murderer. The man that killed his parents just so the murder could have a second chance?" "It's for the greater good. Some.."
That was as far as he got before the Rune was pushed again. It was Daniel this time that needed to be pried off the Rune. Daniel was panting as hard as Dumbledore. "That no good sociopath, you touch my future son-in-law again and I will end you myself with my bare hands. That thing needs to be removed from contact with everyone." He panted. They could see that he was trying to control himself at great pains.
"Did you know that Lucius was bribing many people in the Ministry including Fudge?" "Yes. It was necessary to get Voldermort a body again so." Hermione cut off the sound from the cell until he finished.
"Did you know Lucius was a willing death eater?" "Yes of course. You can't be forced to take the dark mark"
"Are you a death eater?" "No."
"How many people have you killed?" "None."
"What about Grindelwald?" "He's not dead. He's in prison in Nurmengard. The prison he made for his prisoners."
"How many people had to die for the greater good" "forty two. At least those are the ones that I put in harms way. There were more but not of my doing."
"Does Voldermort know the prophecy?" "Not all of it. Just the first part. If he had known all of it he would stop at nothing to kill Harry. I made sure that Severus only knew and told Voldermort the first part. It was either Harry or Neville as both they and their parents fit the prophecy. I was hoping that he'd choose the Potters as they were the more difficult to remove. Severus passed on that the Longbottom parents were Harrys guardians so they attacked them next. They did a better job than I ever could have managed."
Hermione was shaking she was so furious at the man she looked up to. She put him back into stasis and stepped away.
"If we continue and I had to listen to any more of his greater good crap I was going to strangle him with his own beard." Hermione said while trying to get her rage under control. Harry went to hug her and Sirius and Daniel joined in the hug comforting the teens. Not that each one of the men were not ready to off the old puppet master.
"I don't know what you are proposing to end this sooner but I think that would be the best thing. I'm guessing it's something like what you did in Hogsmeade? If so there is no way Amelia would allow that to happen." Rufus said.
"Would she go along if she ended up in your position?" Harry asked. Harry had discussed this possibility with Sirius. It would be good to have her on their side for the next round of interrogations. Sirius wasn't sure she would agree but if she was walletted with the rest she would either agree or wait it out with the rest of the innocence captured.
"She might if that was the only choice. I would have her give an oath to not interfere and that she didn't get to help decide their fates. That will be the hard one for her to swallow. It might be better to catch and release her if that happens. She's too much of a rule follower. If she didn't agree with your method of ending this she would feel obligated to bring you all in and let the Wizengamot decide your fate." Rufus said.
Harry chuckled a little and Hermione knew why. "Yes. I was like that. The difference is I'm fighting for my life here. Screw the rules if they don't help keep me and mine alive. Plus the rule makers are mostly under the influence of Voldermort. So this doesn't count." She huffed a little and looked at Harry and then her father. Both of them were smirking at her. "Oh. Shut up you two."
That was it and all of them except Rufus started laughing.
"If we release you with Deloris will you come after us or pass on anything you learned here?" Sirius asked.
Rufus actually took time to think about this and how he would handle it. Legally he should report to Amelia everything that happened and his impressions. He knew Harry would be the target of an investigation at minimum. If he told Amelia about the group and their tools she would sign arrest warrants for them immediately. They would all have to leave England permanently.
"Harry you do realize when this is all over you will most likely have to leave England forever. Sirius will most likely get exonerated with the transcripts, even if the people are never seen again. But after your professors saw you take the people from Hogsmeade there is no way you will not have to answer for at least kidnapping." Rufus said.
"I think I have an idea to get that one cleared also. So back to our question. In or out." Harry said.
As they walked him back to his cell he was thinking. He didn't want to end up on the run for doing what is right. They stopped outside his cell and waited. Having made up his mind he shook Harrys hand.
"Thank you Mr. Potter."
A/N: This was a rough chapter. I know many writers say that but after writing Lucius interrogation I had to close my computer and walk away for a couple of days. I tried to tone it down some but he is the perfect personification of evil.