Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

...

Harry sucked in deep breathes of air that he didn't particularly need but it was good to do so just to keep up appearances. Susan had left a little earlier, proclaiming that she would go to the kitchens and get the three of them something to drink after their session and the tough ways in which Amelia had been instructing them. Given that Amelia was the head of the DMLE, it wasn't surprising to see how strict her training regime was. It was also somewhat refreshing to see that she hadn't gone easy on her niece.

A difference between home life and work life was important in the Bones household it seemed.

"You can stop with the labored breathing, it's unbefitting of you Harry," declared Amelia as she crossed her arms over her chest, clearly unimpressed by his display.

"Is it that easy to tell?" asked Harry as he immediately returned to peak condition, dropping the act.

"I deal with grown adults sometimes doing their best to get out of training, I'm used to seeing people try to skip the harder tasks. That does beg the question as to what you would consider a harder task," queried Amelia, her right hand reaching down to where her wand was located on her hip.

"Come now Amelia, I'm a teenager chasing goals far too lofty for me," said Harry as he arched his back, stretching it out before rolling his shoulders. "Adrenaline and over confidence flood my body and without a stable adult figure in my life, how am I to know what I am and am not capable of?"

"Well there's one way that we could find out," said Amelia with a wily smirk across her face.

"The head of the DMLE versus a third year student, doesn't really feel like a fair fight, nor does it feel like one that should happen. I mean what would people say if they were to see you knocking me down over and over again off of a hunch," said Harry with a casual shrug. As he started walking towards the exit, he called out over his shoulder, "I wouldn't think that the head of the DMLE would be wanting such a thing on her name."

Harry raised an eyebrow as the door in front of him slammed shut, the force from the wind reaching him from dozens of feet away. "I think this is a little more than a hunch," said Amelia.

"Oh, what makes you say that?" asked Harry, not turning around to look at Amelia.

"Christmas holidays of your first year, when we met you didn't speak like a child, especially one who was surrounded by authority figures. I can exclude myself as I was more of your host than someone in a position of power, but when the Minister of Magic and his undersecretary arrived, you actively rebutted with the man who holds the highest seat of power in Magical Britain. All while doing so wearing my niece's dress."

Harry slowly turned to face Amelia, not surprised to see that she held her wand pointed at him. He made no sudden movements while waiting for her to continue. "Excluding that incident, there were the topics of conversation that you and I shared, the first of which revolved Veela. You spoke not as someone who had merely read a textbook and come to a conclusion based on the writings. I believe that you have had first hand experiences with Veela, an impossibility given your previous living accommodations. The way you spoke, it wasn't with any hint of uncertainty or disillusionment. You believed every word that you said because you know it to be truth and certainly not something that you would find in Hogwarts library."

"Your writings that evening stirred up more queries," continued Amelia. "You were a child not yet twelve years of age but you were writing about topics that men twice your age would never even consider. The writing as well was far more advanced than a child your age should consider and with a touch of refinement could very well have been presented to the Wizengamot and while you would face resistance, I believe what you said afterwards paints you in a darker light. 'I need connections.' That is not something that a child would be saying. A child would be saying how they would want to make friends or allies. Connections make it sound like you're seeking people solely for your own benefit and a certain Dark Wizard you're familiar with also had his fair share of connections."

"Now you're grasping at straws," said Harry.

"You're not denying it," stated Amelia.

"I'm waiting for the end beforehand."

"Even these actions, your levelheadedness is not what would be expected in such a situation. Given your previous living conditions, I fathom to think that you are only capable of such things due to the behavior of your blood relatives. The abrupt nature of the man who called himself your uncle would force you into a position where you would be forced to behave to avoid any potential conflict. Soon after I had taken you from my home, you had listened to my tirade in regards to Gilderoy Lockhart and without so much as a second thought, took my word for gospel and consequently concocted a plan to take Gilderoy down a notch."

"Good times."

"Quiet," commanded Amelia. "While my views on the man may have been hampered by my experiences with him, that was still no reason as to publicly embarrass him. Yet you did so without hesitation and with precision in your tactics. Before that thought had even crossed your mind, you had managed to get Sirius Black, one of the most famous criminals of the past decade, released from prison on a technicality which should never have been accessible to you."

"It was the right result in the end though wasn't it?"

"That is beside the point. Then there is the matter where you so casually dropped the knowledge of His' Horcrux on me! Two of them at that! One of them was a diary that you stabbed with a basilisk fang. How you managed to get such an item in the first place is beyond my comprehension but once I got over the initial shock I began to get curious. It seemed awfully convenient that one major piece of information you were able to gather just so happened to be that the item was called a Horcrux, an item made of the darkest magic possible. It is also rather convenient that you actually knew how to destroy such an item, one which you somehow managed to get in possession of. Piece by piece, I began to get more and more concerned about who it was that was living under my roof. The most concerning part is that you didn't just stumble upon such items, you felt them and that worries me greatly."

"With all that said and done, what do you plan to do Amelia?" asked Harry, having listened to everything the older woman had had to say. He had to admit that, on the surface, everything he had done and said had made sense. The main issue being though was why he knew and said what he had, regardless if it was the truth or not. For most people they wouldn't have really considered much more after that, especially given how big the news was. Given that Amelia was the head of the DMLE, to hear that she had delved deeper into his words was not particularly surprising if moderately annoying.

"Harry Potter," said Amelia, the grip on her wand tightening. "You are to come with me to the Ministry of Magic where you will consume Veritasium and tell me truthfully everything that you know."

Harry let out a sigh at her words. "You're worried about Susan, aren't you."

It wasn't a question.

"I wouldn't be doing this if I wasn't," admitted Amelia, a touch of pain in her voice.

"Sadly Amelia, I don't particularly want to go to the Ministry. I'm sorry."

"So am I," declared Amelia before she cast her spell, only for Harry to whip his wand out and deflect it into the nearby wall. "So you won't come quietly then."

"I'd rather not go at all, so you'll have to excuse me defending myself," said Harry as he braced himself for what was to come. Combatting Amelia Bones in a one on one fight had not particularly been on his morning's horoscope.

"Well, I guess I'll find out some of your secrets one way or another," said Amelia. "Turns out that it will be the Head of the DMLE versus a third year student after all, if that's what you really are. Now, show me just who or what you truly are Harry Potter."

...

"Miss Bones, a moment of your time if I may."

"Of course Professor Dumbledore," responded Susan, adjusting her grip on the glasses and pitcher that she was carrying. "How can I help?"

"I was merely wondering whether you could accompany me for a while, it does get rather lonely wondering the halls alone and I could use the company," mused Dumbledore.

"Oh, I'm sorry Professor Dumbledore but I have to get this to my aunt and Harry," said Susan.

"I assure you that the two of them can wait a while longer. Your aunt did inform me in advance of her arrival and that there was something she wished to discuss with Harry in private. I'm sure that if your aunt wishes to speak to Harry in such a way then it would be best to give them some space," said Dumbledore. "I'm sure that it won't be too long."

"Well...if you say so Professor," said Susan, a little dejected. At the same time though, Susan knew just what it was that the two of them were likely discussing. She could still recall eavesdropping on Harry and Amelia, having expected to hear something completely different and nowhere near as terrifying. If her aunt wished to speak with Harry privately, undoubtedly it had to do with some manner of progress that she had made while the two of them had been at Hogwarts.

Given her aunt's protective nature, it was understandable why she would be left out of the conversation.

"Something troubles you Miss Bones?" While it may have sounded like a question, it was abundantly clear that it was not.

"It's just..." started Susan before she stopped herself, unsure of how she could continue what she had started.

"Walk with me," gestured Albus as he began to move, Susan quickly finding herself walking by his side. "Miss Bones, sometimes in life we find ourselves in situations where, while we know what is ongoing, we find ourselves powerless to do anything against it. Take our good friend Dolores Umbridge. It was well and truly within my power to have had her removed from the premises within the first couple days of being here. To have done so would have made the Ministry more suspicious and could have had worse ramifications. Thus, I found it best to allow her to make a fool of herself and leave on her own accord."

"So, she's leaving then?" asked Susan.

"It would seem that Miss Umbridge's time with us will be coming to a close soon. The Minister sent me a letter apologizing for her behavior and to tell me that her views did not match those of the Ministry as a whole. It was rather entertaining seeing him try to keep his hands clean of her mess but I find that there has been no harm done as a whole. Hogwarts has not suffered too greatly by her presence."

Susan couldn't particularly say the same, knowing that many groups had been unable to properly operate while Dolores had been present on the grounds. The Potter Fan Club was only just starting to organize their next meeting and that was only coming about because of the stag Patronus threw everything into a loop. Triple M were the only ones who had been willing to throw down their hand but they had been saved once more by the Patronus.

Potter Club had managed to meet up and that was mostly because Dolores had been thrown into such a frenzy that it had been rather easy to organize something without her paying the slightest bit of attention. The cracks had started to form and it would only be a matter of days before other groups decided that they were safe to meet up, even quicker were word of Umbridge's departure were to spread.

The student body wouldn't likely go all out straight away however. While Umbridge may not be there, there were still a lot of students who had some familiar attachment to the Ministry in one form or another. One foot too far out of place could cause a repeat scenario, potentially by somebody who was a bit more competent in their job. It was an unlikely scenario but one that they couldn't particularly dismiss.

"I hope you don't mind my ramblings," said Dumbledore, breaking Susan out of her train of thought. "Or were you contemplating when you would be able to meet up with students from other houses when you next group up with whichever extracurricular activity you may be a part of?"

"A little bit," said Susan, unable to keep a small smile off her face.

"Well, so long as you and the rest of the student body enjoy yourselves, I see no harm in putting an end to any gathering as of the moment and I know the faculty agrees with me."

"Even Snape?" asked Susan, having expected at least one ney sayer amongst the Professors.

"Surprisingly so, though whether that is his amusement from what the students produce or for how Dolores has suffered, I could not tell you," said Albus, more than a little amused at the statement he was making. "Now, I'm sure enough time has passed, shall we go and see how thirsty Amelia and Harry are?"

For a moment, Susan recalled the fact that she was still carrying the drinks that she had earlier gotten hold of. Given the Headmaster an affirmative nod, the two of them made their way to where Amelia and Harry were having their discussion.

...

Amelia Bones was not one for showing weakness in a battle, such a display would only grant her enemies a psychological advantage. It was to her dismay however that Harry was keeping her surprisingly on her toes.

She hadn't particularly known what to expect when challenging Harry to a duel. Given the fact that he had hunted down and destroyed more than a single Horcrux meant that he wouldn't have the skill set of an average third year student. Given what he had learnt on a theoretical basis, Amelia had assumed that he would have a good all round skill set.

What she hadn't expected was for the boy to be capable of feats that would put most of her Aurors to shame. His creativity had forced her to keep on her toes and try her best to come up with unorthodox strategies to deal with the force of nature that was Harry Potter. Case in point, the shield she had to conjure overhead a number of summoned birds attempted to divebomb her, exploding out of existence when they crashed into her shield.

She had seen this play before however, knowing full well that Harry would now target her legs while her focus was above. The same trick would not work on her twice however as she braced herself to counter his follow up attack.

Unfortunately, it seemed as if Harry had already foreseen this outcome and had bidded his time, whipping his wand around in an intricate fashion as a several balls of fire danced around his body before forming together in the shape of a horse. The creature of flames reared on it's hind legs before charging forth at breakneck speed.

Amelia's first two counterspells crashed into the animal, doing little more than to irritate it before her third attack destroyed the steed, sending embers flying in all directions. As with every other time Harry had cast a spell however, he hadn't simply waited and watched his creation in action but was already halfway through preparing his next move.

Oh the things this boy could teach her task force.

Amelia did her best to try to catch Harry off guard, casting a stunning charm while his guard was down. It did manage to force him to break whatever spell it was that he had been preparing to cast as he blocked the spell, taking a step back in the process.

There was a lull over the battlefield, neither combatant moving from their spot as they surveyed one another. "I will say this again, just who are you Harry Potter?" asked Amelia, annoyed by how casual Harry looked in the situation.

"Can't you tell that I'm just a regular third year student?" asked Harry mockingly.

"Bullshit!" cursed Amelia as she sent a swift spell at him, only for him to knock it aside with little effort. "Half the spells you've cast today are not in the curriculum in the slightest and if I am to believe that you've spent all this time training for a fight that shouldn't be yours then you are a liar."

"It's not that I've spent most of my time training," said Harry. "I play Quidditch as well you know."

"Then why are you so nonchalant about all this," said Amelia as she indicated the destruction that the two of them had reigned down upon the room. Glass had been shattered, the tables that had been moved to the side were in ruins and the ground had been cracked and damaged beyond belief. "Why is it that you're so keen on keeping your secrets when I could be helping you?"

A handful of seconds passed before Harry lowered his wand arm, Amelia doing the same. Using his spare hand he ran his fingers through his hair while contemplating her words. "So this was all a test then, to see whether you think I'm strong enough to keep on my mission?"

"Harry," said Amelia softly, all menace gone from her voice. "You mean the world to Susan and in turn, to me. You've brought so much joy into our life and I am eternally grateful. However, both Susan and I know what loss is, painfully so. If we were to lose you, I fear that Susan may never recover from it."

"Well, now you're making me seem like an ass," chuckled Harry sheepishly. As he contemplated his options. Given that he only had the two pieces of Tom's soul left to go, he could go about doing this by himself as he had been while having some fun along the way. The issue with those two pieces of soul were that one was in the ring and the other was in Helga Hufflepuff's cup.

Gaining access to Bellatrix' vault would be an absolute nightmare and having the backing of the DMLE was not a bad option in regards to dealing with the Goblins. Without the looming threat of Tom hanging over the world, there was a possibility that Dumbledore wouldn't go searching for and consequently finding the ring, meaning that was a wild goose chase waiting to happen. Then there were the extras, including Wormtail still being out there somewhere. While he had personally dealt with the decrepit form that had been Voldemort along with his pet snake, it wasn't to say that he had still managed to find a way to revive.

There was only so much he could do from Hogwarts after all.

"If...and this is a big if, I tell you everything I'm only going to say it once and I'm going to need more than yourself here. I'll send some owls, get in contact with a few people and I can catch all of you up to speed. If you believe me or not afterwards, I don't particularly care but it will bring everything into light. Does that sound like a plan?"

Amelia gave a gentle nod. "I can agree with that."

"What about you Dumbledore?" asked Harry as he looked over his shoulder. "You want in on that conversation?"

"It seems like it'll be rather worthwhile," said the Headmaster, surveying the damage that had been caused to the room.

Susan meanwhile was standing there in a case of absolute shock and horror. "I was gone for fifteen minutes!" she finally screeched. "What happened?"

"A misunderstanding," said Harry, downplaying the entire situation.

"Harry, if you don't tell me what happened," growled Susan ominously.

"Oh my would you look at the time, I simply must be going," stated Harry as he essentially ran out of the room, Susan quickly turning and giving chase but not before putting down the glassware she had carted from the kitchens.

"Get back here Harry!" she shouted, sprinting after the Gryffindor boy.

Once the two of them were well and truly out of sight, Albus turned his attention to Amelia who was already starting to mend what she could. "Did you get what you were after?" he asked.

"Hardly," scoffed Amelia. "He treats everything like it's a joke, including the fight."

"From what the other Professors have told me, that's not particularly surprising."

"But he's talking about things which are so Dark that they should be erased from history," said Amelia, glaring at the Headmaster. "Very few wizards would be willing to even think of the topics but he discusses it like he's talking about an advertisement in the paper. Something isn't right and I hope that he's willing to open up."

"I'm sure he will Amelia," said Dumbledore before pulling out his own wand. "Would you like a hand cleaning up? The two of you made a rather big mess after all."

"Just shut up and help," grumbled Amelia as she got back to work, Albus coming to her aide shortly after.

...

Hope you enjoyed.