To Ride the Carousel Again

Chapter 23

Once again, no witty disclaimer.

It all belongs to JK Rowling who can disburse rights as she pleases.

Apologies for lateness, but my computer has been in the shop for over three weeks. i.e. no editing, no writin' no nuthin' got done.

AND I am days away from starting the annual thousand-mile drive north to "home". As this traveling affects my muse very negatively, there will not be another chapter published until late May.

Also, if you wrote a review and I have not PM'd a thank you or answers, gimme an electronic nudge. With the above troubles, I'm way behind.

/*

Approx 5,200+ words. (Rushed editing. Alix, you get a free field day about my grammar.)

/*

As the pair rode the circular staircase down, Harry developed a case of the shakes. "I pulled it off. I actually escaped without having my memory changed (1) or letting the Twinkly Eyed Bastard rummage around in my mind." He thought.

"Assistant Headmistress McGonagall, please make the arrangements I've requested in this letter. I refuse to spend another wasted time period with the current Hogwarts potions instructor."

Right then, the other three students who had waited for Harry in the third-floor corridor approached.

McGonagall took a quick read of the letter. Only one eyebrow rose. Apparently, the letter was not shocking enough to merit two eyebrows.

She looked at Harry and nodded slightly. "I'll leave you with your friends. I'm sure they can safely return you to your common room."

And with a further sweeping look at them all, she pivoted on her heel and strode away.

"What was that all about, Harry?" Neville asked.

"Not here," Harry replied. "The walls have ears."

/*

Monday, September 21, 1992.

/*

The day was going about as Harry had expected. The four students had quickly eaten breakfast as early as possible before returning back to their common rooms to dress and prepare for their trip to the Ministry.

Yesterday had been a whirlwind of interruptions to Harry's time.

First had been the meeting in Dumbledore's office. Then a search was made of Gryffindor house by McGonagall and the prefects looking for evidence of the rat being stolen or of its demise. As he was being closely watched by Professor McGonagall, Prefect Percy was particularly diligent as he started his Head Boy campaign early.

McGonagall was knowledgeable enough to recognize the features of Harry's new trunk and had him open all the compartments for her inspection. With everyone concentrating on the floor, as they were looking for a rat, no one caught the faint magical emanations from the Invisibility Cloak partially wrapped cage with a Sticking Charm attached to the underside of the overhead canopy at the foot of Harry's bed. The partially closed bed curtains provided some additional discouragement to amateurs poking around.

Last night, Harry had been too busy to catch Hermione up on all that was going to happen today. Susan and Neville had assured him last night they had suitable robes for the occasion.

As the three entered the common room after dinner, the noise level dropped as they garnered the attention of their housemates there. It was becoming felt that whenever they showed up, something interesting followed.

Harry did not fail to deliver. He had gone over to Parvati and asked if she could find the time early tomorrow to 'prepare' Hermione. Harry had to suppress his laughter with the 'Christmas has come early' look the South Asian girl had given him. Hermione had assured him that Lavender would either not interfere, or would be helpful as she was trying to make amends for her thoroughly embarrassing botched attempt at getting Harry to 'notice' her a few days ago.

Hermione was about to break out in a panic attack of her own. Didn't Harry know what he was consigning her to? Trapped for hours of torture by girlie, fashioned obsessed, boy obsessed pre-teens? She desperately tried to save herself by saying she had nothing to wear. With a small smirk, he reached into his backpack and produced the package Hedwig had delivered from Madame Malkin's, and told her she should try the robe on to make sure it fit.

Hermione throttled her urge to hex him with pain. Parvati snatched the package from him, and with her fellow partner in torture, practically picked Hermione up by her elbows and hauled her upstairs.

"You know mate, after that look she gave you, I don't know if you're a very brave Gryffindor, or a very stupid Gryffindor. If she doesn't cool down, her hexes will be more powerful than Ron's were. And she won't miss," Neville stated.

"I only have to survive the night," he replied airily. "In the morning she will be too busy being prepared. Those two will put her in a body bind if she tries to leave before they are through."

"Anybody know when Madame Pomfrey will let Ron leave the infirmary?" Harry casually asked.

Lots of Gryffindor's looked at each other, and with no one knowing the answer, all the replies were negative or shrugs or a combination of the two.

/*

Harry trooped up with the other boys and let everyone see him prepare for bed. Except after putting on his nearly new red and gold pajamas, Harry took a short trip into his trunk to check that, as he said loud enough for everyone to hear, "no one had messed with his stuff," during the search.

Grabbing the two potion vials labeled as something else yet of similar in colour from his standard first trunk compartment, he slipped them into a pocket and climbed up and into bed. Since he did not want anyone discovering what he was doing, he set his bed curtain Sticky Charm on where the curtain met the bed post, and set Silencing and Alert charms on the curtains.

Setting his wand alarm, he lit his wand and settled in to read the old fourth year DADA book. He felt that by not using his fourth-year spells, he was losing them. He was looking forward to seeing what type of spell practice areas that odd room could do that the house elves had shown him.

He was still reading when his wand vibrated. He Finite'd the Sticking Charm on the cage, unwrapped the cloak, and soon had a sleeping rat on his back and went through a repeat of last night, except this time he used two drops.

He shuddered to think how bad it would be to have The Rat wake up early. Stuffing Pettigrew back into his cage and sticking it to the underside of his canopy again, Harry pulled his blankets up and after a while managed to fall asleep.

/*

Harry's nerves shot him awake as soon as his wand vibrated under his pillow. He quickly showered, dropped his used towel where it could be easily seen, dressed, and headed for the Great Hall. There were only three or four others there as he quickly and quietly made four bacon and toast sandwiches and wrapped them in several napkins. He quickly walked back to his dorm room and quietly let himself into his trunks' study compartment.

The others would be up and about soon and Harry wanted them to leave without realizing he had returned to the dorm. Later, he climbed up the ladder and cautiously opened his trunk and peered around.

He saw nobody as he eased himself out and over to the washroom. No one there either.

Good. He quickly eased open the bed curtains and unstuck the cage, and just as rapidly had the cage down in his study. Piece of parchment from one of the desks was turned into what he was beginning to think of as his signature transfiguration and a silver and acromantula silk bag sat on the desk.

This one was a bit different though. He had given the bag a zipper and he examined it closely before testing it by opening and zipping closed the bag several times. Satisfied, he grabbed The Rat from the cage and carefully stuffed him into the bag.

An Unbreakable Charm on the zip and Harry figured Pettigrew was not escaping this time.

/*

Harry was sitting in the common room, dressed in sharp pressed pants, white shirt, red tie and polished shoes, working hard at not wrinkling his "Look how important I am" robe. He had double checked his mental list of items he wanted to take to the Wizengamot. (He was too worried that a snooping Dumbles or an elf might find a written list.) The last thing he had done was blood-lock his trunk. With Harry being gone for most of the day, he was trying hard to keep his secrets from Olde Fumbles or a vindictive Ron.

Neville had just left him. He was off to the Hufflepuff common room entrance to be Heiress Bones' escort out of the castle.

Harry was half expecting the headmaster to show up and order him not to go to the Wizengamot meeting today.

Catching movement out of the corner of his eye, he swiveled his head to look just as Hermione started her descent of the girl's dormitory steps.

Harry was stunned speechless. Which was good as his jaw had dropped so far, he could not have talked anyway.

The two that followed her started grinning like maniacs at his reaction.

"Well, Miss Patil, I do believe we can consider our results to be a success," Lavender said with a huge smirk.

"I do believe you are correct, Miss Brown," Parvati managed to say with a straight face.

Harry didn't care. He did not register what the pair were saying. His higher brain functions were losing the fight against his lower ones.

"She looks even more beautiful than I remember from the Yule Ball. And that was only six months ago," was the thought whizzing around in his head.

As Hermione approached closer, the nervous look on her face morphed into a small grin as she took in Harry's response to her appearance. Head up, she glided towards him, carrying herself like a society princess. Five years of dance lessons and Susan's recent deportment instructions combined to allow her to not seem to walk if she worked at it.

As she came to a stop in front of him, his brain re-engaged and he closely examined her. Her robe was a slightly lighter blue than his, and was fitted just right. She did not look like a child trying to dress as an adult woman, she looked like a girl on the cusp of blossoming into young womanhood. The several shadings of blue trim on the sleeves and robe hem accented the look.

Her hair was merely curly and controlled in a robe matching snood. Harry had to almost stare to see that she had just a bit of make-up applied and her lips had a neutral gloss on them.

He wanted to kiss her right then just to feel what those lips would feel like.

"Down boy. She may have turned thirteen, but you're fifteen. Besides that's your sister you're staring at. Keep your hormonal lips to yourself."

"Yeah, but I don't want to," a voice whispered from the back of his mind.

Running on Auto-Point-Me, Harry turned and offered his elbow. As they walked out of the doorway, he heard Parvati say just loud enough for him to hear, "Find a beaters bat somewhere, Lord Potter. When some of your berk classmates see her, you're going to need one."

Harry could not pull himself together enough to make conversation, so the trip to the castle Entrance Hall was made in silence. They could see Neville and Susan waiting for them at the doorway, and Harry had beginning to think he was out free, when Dumbledore stepped out of the shadows and accosted them.

"Harry, m'boy. You know this is foolishness. The Wizengamot will certainly vote to remove you from having taken the Potter Lordship. Especially when they find that all this was done without your magical guardian's permission."

Hermione could not keep a gasp of surprise from escaping her.

The twinkly eyed wizard held out his hand with a parchment scroll in it. "I have here a nice letter for you to sign saying that you have put becoming Lord Potter in abeyance, and therefore have no need to appear before the Wizengamot. Being the Chief Warlock, I can make sure that no one causes any trouble over your decision and this bit of foolishness will soon be forgotten."

Dumbledore was giving him that 'I'm so-o-o disappointed in you Harry' look and tone of voice. And since he had used it for years, usually after Harry had done something that was not on the headmaster's approved list. Now that he understood how Dumbledore used that vocal manipulation, he was well versed in receiving it, and tired of hearing it.

With a weary sigh Harry began. "According to the Hogwarts library, a summons to appear before the Wizengamot cannot be legally refused. The Department of Magical Law Enforcement would be sent to arrest me. And I certainly do not have the power to flout the laws of Magical Britannia without paying a price. Are you certain you have that much power, Headmaster?"

"Yes, Harry. I believe I do," came the swift reply.

Harry sighed again. "I however, do not want to risk my future by believing you do. I and my advisors will be leaving now in obedience to the laws of the land."

Harry started to brush past the old man when with the speed of a striking cobra, Dumbledore's hand harshly grasped his shoulder. "I cannot allow you to leave the castle, Harry."

Harry twisted his shoulder out of the old wizards clutch. "Tell me Headmaster, when did this castle become a prison instead of a school? Or is this building a prison only for those named Potter? Does this mean I now am imprisoned here at school ten months a year followed by two months of being a prisoner at Number Four, Privet Drive? And the only break in my sentence is two trips on the Hogwarts express and one day in Diagon Alley per year?"

Harry was hunched over, almost on the edge of tears. More than four years of frustration with the old man's treatment of him exploded. "Tell me, am I speaking now to the Hogwarts Headmaster, or the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot or the Chief Gaoler of my own personal Azkaban? My understanding is that the headmaster cannot bar me from leaving, and he cannot bar me from taking any advisors I request. The Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot should know what you want me to do is illegal."

Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling madly. Harry was reaching to activate his glasses mirror shields with his left hand, his Lord Potter ring was practically burning his finger off. He could feel his brain being rubbed the wrong way. His right hand was falling into position to catch his wand as it ejected out of his holster when the tableau was abruptly broken.

A powerful voice suddenly swept over the three. "Headmaster Dumbledore! You had best not be interfering with my client's plans to travel to the Ministry this morning. You know it is a prisonable offence to be convicted of interfering with someone traveling to appear in front of the Wizengamot."

An almost out of breath Solicitor Tonks rapidly strode through the doorway of the Entrance Hall, travel cloak flaring and boot heels clacking firmly on the Hall's stone flooring. Now that everyone's attention had been diverted, they could see breathless Neville bent over with his hands on his knees struggling to catch his breath after having run to the gate to let Mrs. Tonks enter the castle.

Harry did not even try to hide his look of relief as his wooly-headedness disappeared. He took in the picture. It looked like Neville had hurried down to open the gate for his solicitor. She, in turn, had wasted no time in getting to where she could confront the old bastard, and Susan had stayed within earshot so as to provide a witness to the machinations of the headmaster. And there was someone else back down by the gate.

Apparently, he now had friends and allies who were competent and were willing to stand with him as much as Ron and Hermione had in the past. "Well, Hermione anyway. But I'm still holding out hope for Ron," was a thought that whipped through his mind.

He was yanked back to reality as Solicitor Tonks held out her hand to shake his. He started to do so automatically when he realized she was offering her left hand and her right was being held down by her side. Harry now noticed the wand tip poking out of her sleeve, which meant her wand was already in her hand. He also noticed her body was covering the almost hidden wand from Dumbledore's sight.

"Lord Potter, it would be best to be on our way. The Wizengamot will not accept any excuses if we are late. Especially since you are a person of high-profile interest today."

She swiveled her head just a bit so as to look at Dumbledore directly. "Isn't that correct, Chief Warlock?"

Dumbledore was struggling to return to his genial grandfatherly persona. "That is correct, Mrs. Tonks. Off you go Harry. I will see you again at the Ministry.

Harry had to fight to keep a smirk off his face as he gave Dumbledore a firm nod, extended his arm to a shaking Hermione, and stepped out of the doorway. Solicitor Tonks and Heiress Bones followed, providing cover in case the Dumbledore did something exceedingly stupid.

As the group neared Neville, Harry placed a firm hand on the heavily breathing boy's shoulder. "Thank you, Heir Longbottom. Without your quick action I think there would have been trouble. Dumbledore just about lost his mind."

Susan just hugged both Harry and Hermione simultaneously. She had a mild case of tremors also.

As they all started off again, Hermione's nerves started crashing. "I don't believe we did that. I don't believe he did that. He's the Chief Warlock, he knows the law. Why did he even think about telling us not to go? And trying to keep us prisoner? What was . . ."

At that point, Harry placed his forefinger across her lips. She was working herself up into a rant and babbling.

"It's done, Hermione. We won't have to deal with him today. We just let Solicitor Tonks do all the talking." With a cheeky grin, he looked at the mentioned woman. "After all, I'm paying good galleons for her to keep beasts like Dumbledore at bay."

"For that remark, Lord Potter, I'll plan on adding some creative charges to my bill."

Reaching the gate, Harry recognized the older woman there as the receptionist for Mrs. Tonks firm. She was introduced as Mrs. Woolspin, and was introduced to everyone.

Harry had been doing some thinking about how they were going to travel to the Ministry. In his previous second year, he had traveled by floo and bollixed the destination and ended up in Knockturn Alley. He did not want to have a repeat trip there.

"Um, Mrs. Tonks, you wrote me that we were going to use something called a floo to go to the Ministry. Is there something special we have to do to travel that way? Am I the only one here who has not used this floo thing?"

The woman was so surprised by Harry's question that she stopped walking. She could not keep the surprise out of her voice as she said, "Are you telling me you've never used the floo system to travel anywhere before?"

Harry nodded.

At that point, Hermione raised her hand and said, "I've read about the floo system, but never used it."

Mrs. Tonks hauled in her surprise and proceeded to give a mini-clinic as the group resumed walking. She was talking to the non-Purebloods as Susan and Neville had traveled by floo since they became too large to be carried during the trip.

Solicitor Tonks' explanation took the rest of the walk down to the pub, which engaged everyone's interest, which delayed everyone's onset of nerves.

With hearts lightened, the group entered the Three Broomsticks. At the fireplace she explained that public floo's usually charges five knuts per person. Since they had a six people here, the 'fare' was thirty knuts plus her demonstration trip, or just over a sickle.

She demonstrated by placing a sickle and some knuts in a jar on the mantle, grabbing a pinch of powder from the bowl next to it, and throwing in a pinch of powder into the fireplace. The flames turned green and with a clear voice, she said, "The Leakey Cauldron," and stepped into the flames and whirled away.

Neville and Susan, being old hands at this way of travel waited impatiently until a few seconds later, the woman gracefully stepped back out of the fireplace and waved her wand over her clothes removing any ash and soot.

"Do you two understand?" she said. "Before you step into the green flames clearly announce your destination as 'The Ministry for Magic, floo number seventeen'. Any questions?"

The four children shook their heads, Harry and Hermione without the same assurance as the other two. she continued, "Heiress Bones will go first, Mrs Woolspin second, Miss. Granger, then Lord Potter and Heir Longbottom and myself last. Miss Bones, you might prepare to keep Miss Granger and Lord Potter from falling as they pop out of the fireplace."

Harry watched the first three as they whirled away. With the incentive of what happened three years ago, this time he spoke very clearly, before he stepped into the fireplace.

Harry had closed his eyes as he whirled past other fireplaces. He had a moment to hope he was at the right place as he was ejected from the floo system and crashed into something after flying through the air. At least whatever he hit was soft. Unfortunately, the loud "Oof" in his ear told him he had crashed into somebody. Not the floor.

He succeeded in twisting under whomever he had cannoned into, and hit the floor first so that it was his turn to grunt "Oof" as whomever he was wrapped around landed on him as they slid across a smooth floor.

He opened his eyes to stare at the now somewhat worse for wear elaborite braid of auburn hair a couple of inches from his nose. Harry did not know which one of them was clinging tighter to the other.

Susan raised her head up and bright blue eyes stared into striking green eyes from a distance of six inches. He could see when her brain restarted and she became aware that she was stretched out on top of Harry in a most compromising position.

The whole almost teenage boy/teenage girl embracing each other closely moment was somewhat ruined as Neville managed to trip on a case of invisible nerves and ended up almost face planting into the already horizontal pair.

"Susan Amelia Bones, what do you think you are doing?" came a voice from up by Harry's head.

Susan froze. The only thing she moved was her head as it rose and she looked up at someone. She "Eep"ed and started to try to leverage herself up and away from Harry. Simultaneously, Harry tried to squirm out from beneath the developing girl causing arms to become entwined and hampering their efforts to separate.

After what seemed a long struggle against wayward robes and strangling cloaks, Harry managed to find his footing and with an extended hand, he helped first Susan then Neville to their feet.

The pair were met with stoney looks from a trio they had slid close to at the end of the short hallway. They were all dress in uniform robes of a dull red colour.

The other three companions they had cannoned by were only partially succeeding in quelling their mirth.

After what seemed to be an eternity, the other three caught up with Neville, Susan and Harry. The older looking woman with a monocle in her left eye, watched Susan constantly, hardly flicking her eye to the boys, and never changed her dour facial expression.

Solicitor Tonks started with the introductions. "Lord Potter, this is Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Amelia Bones, with Auror Jones and Auror Hammer. (2) Madam Bones, please be known to Lord Harry Potter, Heir Neville Longbottom, Miss Hermione Granger and of course your niece, and Mrs. Woolspin from my office

She continued on. "Although I am surprised you are meeting us here, might we know the reason?"

The tall, powerful looking woman switched her attention from Harry to Madam Tonks. "Lord Potter sent me a letter requesting in the strongest possible terms that I attend the Wizengamot meeting today and I bring Aurors to make an arrest."

Ignoring Mrs. Tonks raised eyebrows, the aurors eye shifted back to Harry. And her demeanor darkened. "Lord Potter, I would like to know what game you are playing here."

Harry refused to be intimidated by this imposing woman. "I am not playing games. I have information proving an innocent man has been sent to prison. Unfortunately, this evidence will show the Ministry to be incompetent fools. I desperately need to unveil this evidence in public where there will be no chance of it being ignored or swept under the rug."

"I can understand your reluctance, although any reports you received from Heiress Bones," at which point Harry turned and bowed to Susan, "will, I hope, have given her opinion that I am not a liar or attention seeker."

Harry abruptly decided to change his plans. "Madame, perhaps a very private word can convince you of my sincerity. Perhaps you could join me over there, and put up a privacy ward? I really, really do not want anyone else to hear this information."

Harry figured everyone except Solicitor Tonks would flip out if he just told them what he knew.

Harry turned and walked five steps to his right, and turned back to the department Head with a look of inquiry on his face.

Her security aurors started forward, but she stopped them with a hand wave. She then looked at her niece and cocked her head. In return she got a small nod.

With that, she turned and paced over to Harry while drawing her wand. She had half expected him to flinch when she did that. Waving her wand in a motion that resembled what the Greengrass heiress had done, she then tucked her wand up her sleeve.

"Well, Lord Potter?"

Harry slowly reached into his robe, conscious that her bodyguards were on a hair trigger. He brought out a copy of the page of his parents will where they wrote about Peter Pettigrew being their secret keeper, not Sirius Black, and handed it to her.

He thought it would have been comical any other time as the woman was so startled by what she read, that her monocle popped off her eye to dangle from a golden chain.

"I have other bits and pieces that would not be admissible in a court of law. However, they should be enough to get him a trial."

"Trial? He was found guilty of leading He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to your parent's house and then when Pettigrew tried to arrest him, he killed Pettigrew and twelve muggles in an explosion."

"Did he? Madame Bones, what I want is to keep my Oath Sworn Godfather from being killed because there are several very powerful men who would see it as in their interest that Sirius Black never leave Azkaban alive."

Harry paused for a moment. "If you can find me a record of his trial before the Wizengamot eleven years ago, I will donate one thousand galleons to be used by your department for equipment, uniforms and training."

Harry stared up into her face and put every bit of earnestness he could into saying, "I'm asking you to take my word that my sworn Godfather never had a trial and ask you to have someone trusted ready to go to Azkaban so as not to give this man's enemies time to arrange to have him assassinated."

Madame Bones stared at Harry for several long moments. "Very well, Lord Potter. I shall have someone go to the island to retrieve Black. I shall also look at his trial records. And lastly, I am looking forward to wisely spending what will be your generous donation to my department."

"I shall present my evidence at the end of today's session," Harry said not trying to keep the relief out of his voice.

With that she raised her wand and with a tinkle, the privacy ward went away.

/*

Harry found himself sitting in a sinfully comfortable dark brown dragon hide chair behind an enormous dark wood desk in what Andromeda Tonks told him was the hereditary Potter Wizengamot members office. She had led them there after their meeting with Madame Bones. The group was snacking on various little sandwiches and fresh fruits.

Harry was munching away with his friends, but feeling embarrassed. After they had arrived, he had produced his saved sandwiches from breakfast. His friends were reaching to take up his offer when Mrs. Woolspin talked for the first time.

"Lord Potter, you are now considered a guest of the Ministry. Let me show you one of the perks."

She then called for a Ministry elf, and with a 'pop' a female elf wearing a tea towel with the Ministry herald on it appeared. "Standard Lord of the Wizengamot breakfast for four please, elf."

With a 'pop' the elf was gone only to return floating a tray onto the low-lying coffee table in the conversation nook of the office. Mrs. Woolspin explained the foods were all made for easy, neat eating that did not require utensils.

"However, Lord Potter, if you are attached to your bacon butties, I'm sure the elves can warm them up for you." Butter would not have melted in her mouth.

Harry managed to mutter that it was no problem, although to him the waste of food was almost a mortal sin to someone who had been forced to do without for most of their life.

"Lord Potter, please forgive my assistants somewhat quirky sense of humor. She's been a bit odd since Grindelwald's War," Mrs. Tonks said with a flicked smirk. "At the same time, as your Solicitor, I would have appreciated some advance warning that you were going to first contact the head of the DMLE, and then manage to exacerbate her frustration with your actions."

Harry considered her request for a few moments, then smirked. "Nope. If you know the reputation of my father and godfather, consider this my first prank. Besides, this way you will have no ethics conflicts, Solicitor Tonks."

/*

A/N:

BTW, we are channeling the Richard Harris looking Dumbledore in this story.

One: Harry forgot that Erzelkendis had made him immune to Obliviation spells as he was sending him back to his life.

Two: A net worn on the back of one's head to control their hair. Turns out there are a couple of other definitions in the dictionary, but this one was what I imagined as I was writing.

Three: Just had to do it. No Nonsense, Down to Earth, Senior Auror Connie Hammer is almost a staple of HP fanfiction and several authors have used her. I have no idea who created her, but kudos.