Arc 3, Part 2, Ch 2

Dinner had been a quiet affair. Harry was apprehensive about the upcoming process of fixing some of his injuries as well as the interview with Madam Bones and the mind healer. He'd played a couple of games of Exploding Snap with Sirius and then napped again before dinner. After he'd finished, Madam Pomfrey came over with the infamous bottle of Skele-Gro.

"Tonight, we're going to start with your left wrist. What I'm going to do is put a dressing on it before I vanish the bones, then I'll stick it to your pajama top so that you can't move it, but you'll still be able to get up and use the restroom as needed."

"Thanks! That was one of the problems when Lockhart vanished the bones – I couldn't get up while they were growing back. This should be a lot easier!"

"Why don't you take care of any necessary activities and then we'll begin?"

Harry went to the loo and took care of the necessary activities including brushing his teeth, then came back and settled into bed.

The first thing Madam Pomfrey did was to roll his sleeve above his elbow, then she said "Ferula" and moved her wand up and down his arm below his elbow, wrapping it in a splint of bandages.

"Now, I'm going to vanish the bones first then I'll stick your arm to your pajamas. Are you ready?"

"Yes ma'am," Harry replied.

Madam Pomfrey muttered, "Evanesco Osseus". Harry suddenly had no feeling below his elbow. She then moved his arm so it was at a right angle to his chest, just like it was in a sling. Then she muttered, "Agglutino" and his arm was now stuck to his pajamas. She then measured out a dose of Skele-Gro and had Harry drink it. Harry made a face because he knew this potion tasted nasty!

"This should take 4-6 hours to complete the repair as the area isn't as extensive as your entire arm was last year. Please keep movement to a minimum. It would be best if you tried to get some rest, but you may read if you'd like. If you'd like something to drink, you may summon a Hogwarts elf to assist you."

"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey," Harry said sincerely.

Harry spent about an hour reading his Charms book before putting it away for the night. The pain was getting to the point where trying to remember what he was reading was pointless. He then asked Dobby to bring him a snack. Dobby brought him a steaming mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows and a variety of cookies – all things he could easily pick up with one hand. It wasn't long after that he fell into an uneasy sleep.

When he next woke up, Sirius was sitting next to his bed reading the Daily Prophet and sipping on a cup of tea. Harry's arm was out of its casing. He moved it around testing it as if he'd never seen a hand before.

"How does it feel, pup?" asked Sirius.

"Seems fine. A little weak, though. I think I need to train it how to be a proper wrist and hand again. I had some problems with my arm last year. Took a week or so to get it back into full use, which was a real problem trying to do my schoolwork."

"How about some breakfast then, and then you can clean up? I think Madam Bones will be here about nine."

"Sounds good!" Harry called Dobby and asked for some breakfast. The little elf brought enough for both him and Sirius as well as a few others who might drop by. Once he was finished, Madam Pomfrey checked his wrist and hand for movement and strength and gave him a ball to squeeze to build up some strength in his hand, then sent him off to the showers with fresh pajamas.

Harry had barely been back in his bed ten minutes when Madam Bones, Alastor Moody, and another person walked into the hospital wing.

"Hello Harry," Madam Bones said, "let me introduce you to Master Auror Alastor Moody and Wizarding Child Services caseworker Candace Williams. How about we go into the other room so we won't be disturbed?"

"Sounds good to me," Harry replied. Sirius watched them go to the other room and wished he could be there to support Harry, but some things you just have to do alone.

Once everyone had a seat, Madam Bones went over the process, "The first thing I want us to go through is the night when you met Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew. I've already talked to the others who were there so I think I have a good idea of what happened, but I'd like to hear your version of things. Once we're through that, I want to talk to you more about your home situation. That's what Ms. Williams is here for. I also have some questions from your health report that I'd like you to clarify for me. Anytime you feel like you need a break or don't want to discuss something, just let me know. I know you've had a difficult couple of days, but I need this information to clear your godfather. Are you fine with this or do you have any questions?"

"Yes ma'am, I'm fine with it and I don't have any other questions."

"Alright, I see Alastor's set up the DictaQuill, so let's get started. First, I'd like you to tell me the events of June 9 from the time you left the castle until you returned."

Harry took a deep breath, then went into the story of Buckbeak and how they'd gone to Hagrid's hut to give him support. He told about finding Scabbers in Hagrid's hut and then Padfoot dragging Ron under the Whomping Willow. He talked about learning that Sirius wasn't after him, but after the rat. He explained about Sirius and Remus turning the rat into a man and the man was Peter Pettigrew. He told as much of Pettigrew's confession as he remembered. Then he told about them all heading back to the castle and Remus transforming. Then he talked about the dementors swarming and trying to cast his patronus but couldn't. The next thing he remembered was awakening in the hospital wing and the Minister planning to have Sirius Kissed.

The next part of the story was about Hermione and him going back in time to save Sirius and Buckbeak. When he got to the part about the dementors he said he thought it was his dad who had cast the patronus, but it had actually been him in the alternate timeline.

Here Madam Bones stopped him, "You can cast a fully corporeal patronus?"

"Yes ma'am"

"Half of my Aurors can't cast a patronus son, so I'd really like to see this if you could show us," asked Moody.

Lily faded into view, "Not today, Alastor. Harry's still on restriction from the use of magic. Perhaps next week."

Once the three adults picked their jaws up off the ground from seeing the ghost of Lily Potter, Madam Bones agreed. Lily took up a position beside her son.

"Tell her the next part, dear. I know you don't want to, but you need to."

Harry nodded and took another deep breath. He felt the love from his mother strengthen him. He talked about ditching Hermione on the Astronomy tower and heading down to the third floor. He kept it very short, just mentioning he wrote some letters and a quick will, then went to the Chamber of Secrets.

"How did you know where the Chamber of Secrets was? This castle has been searched numerous times and nobody has ever found it," said Madam Bones.

"Oh, that's easy. Ron and I found it last year when the basilisk was running loose and had taken Ron's little sister."

"THERE WAS A BASILISK IN THIS SCHOOL," Amelia shouted.

Harry ducked down as if trying to dodge an expected blow.

"I'm sorry, Harry, I didn't mean to startle you. I was unaware that there was a basilisk in the school last year."

"Well, that's what was petrifying all of those people."

"Petrifying which people?" asked Alastor.

Harry went into a very brief explanation of the Chamber incident and Amelia was already seeing red. She made notes to get a more complete story later and then go after Lucius Malfoy for all she could throw at him.

Harry then made a quick mention of stabbing his scar with the basilisk fang and then waking up, again, in the hospital wing.

Amelia said, "Thank you, Harry, for your explanation of the events as you went through them. I think I have enough information to get Sirius a trial and get you a true guardian. Now, let's turn to your current home situation."

Harry paled at the thought of discussing his time at the Dursleys but knew he had to get through it. He'd brought it up, so he couldn't avoid it.

Madam Williams spoke for the first time, "Can you tell us how you came to be at the Dursleys?"

"From what I have pieced together, Hagrid brought me to Dumbledore who was waiting for him at Privet Drive. Dumbledore left me on the front stoop like a bottle of milk with a note for Aunt Petunia."

The three adults in the room were horrified by that revelation but were able to school their features not to show it. Leaving a toddler out in the elements in November wasn't a good thing at all. Dumbledore would be answering for that one, for certain.

Amelia asked, "Please describe your life with them, briefly."

"Until I got my Hogwarts letter, my room was the cupboard under the stairs. As soon as I could hold a duster, I had to dust everything. When I was about five, I started learning to cook. By the time I was seven, I was in charge of breakfast and dinner every day. Aunt Petunia would give me the menu and I'd be expected to cook it. By the time I was eight, I was doing all of the outside lawn and garden work. When I wasn't at school or working around the house, I was in my cupboard."

Candace asked, "What was your favorite meal to cook?"

"I really didn't have one. Just because I cooked it didn't mean I got to eat it."

Amelia asked, "Can you elaborate on that, please?"

"Most of the time there wasn't enough left over for me to eat. Uncle Vernon and Dudley ate enough for four people, so what I got were scraps at best. I learned how to sneak bits while I was cooking, but if I was caught, then I could expect a beating. Many times, Aunt Petunia would give me a piece of bread with some cheese and send me to my cupboard while they ate."

Amelia followed up with, "How often were you beaten, and by whom?"

"Mostly Uncle Vernon, although Aunt Petunia tried to hit me with a frying pan a couple of times. After she hit me the first time, I learned to duck quickly. Mostly she just yelled at me. Then there was Dudley and his gang. Their favorite game was "Harry Hunting." They'd chase me around the neighborhood and then once they caught me, they'd beat me up."

Candace asked, "What prompted Vernon to beat you?"

Harry gave a cynical laugh, "He didn't need a reason. My existence was enough. His breakfast was too hot, it was too cold. I didn't cook the roast done enough or it was too done. I did better at school than Dudley. He had a bad day at the office. He didn't really need a reason, ma'am."

Candace asked, "Once you started Hogwarts, why didn't you tell someone about your situation?"

Harry gave that cynical laugh again, "I asked the headmaster my first year if I could stay at the castle over the summer. He told me that I had to go back to my family because of some blood wards or something like that."

Amelia asked, "What about Professor McGonagall? She's your head of house?"

"Anytime I've come to her about anything, she's told me to mind my own business. After she sent us for a detention in the Forbidden Forest at midnight, I knew she really didn't care about the students. Sure, we were out after curfew, but she never asked us why. Then she took fifty points from Hermione, Neville, and me while only taking twenty from Malfoy. Why would I think she'd do anything for me?"

Alastor spoke up, "The lad's got a good point. It seems like all of the adults in the castle have let you down, son. We're here now listening to you and we hear what you're saying."

Candace asked, "Harry, do you know who your magical guardian is?"

"I was told it was Professor Dumbledore, but he's never told me himself, nor has he done anything for me. The first time I saw him was at my sorting."

Amelia spoke, "The first thing that I will do when I go back to the Ministry is officially changing your magical guardianship. I have talked with Sirius and he recommended Andromeda and Ted Tonks. Andromeda is his cousin and Ted is a muggleborn. They have a daughter who graduated two years ago and is currently in training to become an Auror. I've asked them to come and meet you first before making it official. If you don't feel comfortable with them, then I'll go to Plan B. Until I can get your parents' wills unsealed and find out who you should have gone to besides Sirius, I think this is our best option. Don't think you have to do this just because I recommended it. Andromeda is a senior Healer at St. Mungo's and Ted is a solicitor on both the magical and muggle side. Even if they don't become your temporary guardians, I think Ted will be a great help to you as we prosecute the Dursleys. Your thoughts?"

Harry did pause for a moment. They weren't outright saying he had to go live with the Tonks. But Sirius thought it would be a good place for him for now, and they did have a daughter, even if she was older. Even if he didn't decide to live with them, they'd be good to know.

"I'd like to meet them first if that's OK."

Candace replied, "That's perfectly acceptable. You are old enough to make these types of decisions for yourself. We want you to tell us if you don't think it will work out, but we also want you to give it a try. Can you do that, Harry?"

"Yes ma'am."

Amelia asked, "Harry, is there anything more you want to tell us about the Dursleys? I know you've said they're verbally and physically abusive. Did they do anything else to you?"

"I don't know what you mean. What else is there?"

Amelia gently asked, "Did any of them touch you inappropriately or make you do anything of a sexual nature?"

Harry turned bright red, "Oh no ma'am. Vernon didn't like to touch me at all. That's why he mostly used a belt or something when he beat me. He didn't want to be contaminated by the Freak. He did try to drown me that one time, but that's the worst thing he did."

The three adults gave a quiet sigh. Well, that was something that went right."

"I'd like to ask you one more thing, Harry," said Amelia, "you said there was a basilisk in the school last year. Could you explain that to me?"

Harry went through the explanation of the petrifications and how everybody thought it was him that opened the Chamber of Secrets because he was a parselmouth. He told about Hermione figuring out it was a basilisk that was moving through the pipes. How Hagrid had been accused before of opening the Chamber and Fudge arresting him so he could be seen 'doing something.' He told of his adventure in the Forbidden Forest and his encounter with the acromantula. He talked about Moaning Myrtle and how she was killed the last time it was opened. Then he explained about Ron's sister getting taken into the Chamber and them going after her but also dragging Lockhart along with them. He told them about the shade of Tom Riddle and him really being Voldemort and how he'd set the basilisk on Harry. Harry told about the chase, the Sorting Hat, the Sword of Gryffindor, and finally killing the basilisk. Then he talked about shoving the basilisk fang through the diary and the shade of Tom Riddle exploding. When he was through, all three adults were amazed.

"Would you be willing to take us to the Chamber at some point, Harry? I'd like to certify your kill so that you can get the goblins in here to render it for you. A basilisk that old has got to be worth a fortune," said Amelia.

"Sure, whenever you want to go, I'm fine with it. But I'd make sure you wore something you didn't mind getting dirty because it's filthy going down that hole!"

The adults chuckled at the remark.

"Well, Harry, thank you for your time this morning. You've given us a lot to look into. I promise you that we will investigate and you will not be ignored. I hope you will trust us to help you out," said Amelia.

"Yes ma'am. Thank you all for believing me."