"Neville how are you mate?" asked Harry.
"I'm fine. How's the new baby?"
"He's just fine," said Harry.
"Good. I'm actually calling because I need your help. I've met this great girl, Ellie Banks. She's muggle-born but has a good bit of magical family. Do you remember Nathaniel Banks? He was a sixth year student during our first year.
"Yeah, sort of," said Harry.
"Ellie is his cousin. Anyway, I took her to the Halloween Ball. Someone must have reported it to someone at the Ministry and now they are accusing me of breaking the Statute. It doesn't help that the picture was in the Daily Prophet."
"I thought they'd moved past that sort of thing," said Harry.
"Apparently not," said Neville.
"There's a hearing on November 15. I just need to keep Ellie safe until then."
"I've just got him down for a nap. Hopefully, he will sleep. Hey Neville," said Ginny.
"Hey Ginny."
"So, what do you need me to do?"
"Somehow, I need to keep Ellie safe for the next two weeks, without drawing too much attention. I know you are on paternity leave, but is there any way you can help? I figure that I can stay with her in the evenings. I need to figure out some way to keep her safe during the day."
"Have you told Ellie?" asked Ginny.
"Not yet."
"That should be your next call. She's got to know to keep her guard up," said Ginny.
"I know, but I just found out about half an hour ago. I wanted to have some sort of plan in place. I mean the Ministry could easily send someone to oblivate or put a Confundus charm on Ellie. I'm not about to let that happen."
"What you really need is a wizard to be with Ellie, preferable, one who can deal with the Ministry," said Ginny.
"Yes," said Neville.
"We'll do it," said Ginny.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that we will go to Hogsmeade. Harry, you can go to school with Ellie or something."
\"It's actually not a bad idea," said Harry. "Are you sure you are up to it."
"I don't want to put you out or anything- you did just have a baby," said Neville.
"It's not a problem," said Ginny. "From the sounds of it, all we must do is some basic surveillance work and keep idiots from the Ministry from interfering. Hogsmeade is lovely this time of year. Honestly, it would be nice to get away. Between the new baby and everyone wanting to visit us, we haven't gotten much rest. Harry is starting to go a little stir crazy. If you are serious about Ellie, I want to meet her."
"Are you sure? I don't want to pressure you or anything," said Neville.
"You aren't pressuring," said Ginny. "I'm offering."
"You're sure about this," said Harry.
"Yes, besides, it is your fault that we couldn't get away on that Baby moon. Come on, it is just for two weeks. Have you forgotten what we survived every year at Hogwarts? This is child's play."
"I'll also see what I can find out from the Ministry," said Harry.
"The one good thang is that Oak Grove is a muggle school. Hopefully, they won't try anything," said Neville.
"If they do, they will have to come through me." said Harry.
"You meant us," said Ginny.
"You are sure about this. I don't want to get into any trouble.
"Neville, I'm an Auror. If you think that I can't run a basic surveillance op, then it is time I switched careers. You also might want to put in a call to Draco. He's not the same person we went to school with. He's done a complete one eighty. He loves these kinds of cases."
"So, you two are friends now?"
"Yes," said Ginny. "Good friends."
"I really appreciate this," said Neville.
"If we can get our act together, we should be on the afternoon or evening train."
"No," said Ginny, "We'll use the Floo Network to get to the Three Broomsticks and be there this afternoon. It'll be easier for everyone.
"Great. Thanks," said Neville.
He picked up his phone and scrolled through until he found Colin Creevey's number.
"Colin, it's Neville Longbottom."
"It is good to hear from you."
"I need your help. You said your kids went to Oak Grove. Ellie teaches there.
"She does. She's actually a brilliant teacher. What is going on?"
"The Ministry is accusing me of breaking the Statute. There will be a hearing next week, but until then, I need to make sure that the Ministry doesn't do anything crazy. "
"What do you need me to do?"
"Could you put up extra protections at school? Harry will be up there tomorrow, and he and Ginny will help, but I need someone to check on things at the school.
"I can beef up the protections that are already around the school. I put them in myself as soon as I enrolled Jenny in school. If anyone with magical power enters the school, I have a sort of alarm set."
"That's fantastic. Harry is coming up tomorrow. Could the three of us meet sometime?"
"Why don't we meet before school Thursday? There's a coffee shop across the street," said Colin.
"Great. And thanks. I really appreciate your help," said Neville.
He quickly texted Ellie and she agreed to meet him for dinner at the Three Broomsticks.
He looked at the clock. He had fifteen minutes until second years came into the classroom. Fortunately, the lesson today required very little set up. He grabbed another handful of floo powder and called Draco.
"Neville, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I need your help. I need counsel for a hearing at the Ministry."
"What did you do?" asked a very surprised Draco.
"I'm accused of breaking the Statute of Secrecy, but I don't believe I did. I've met this girl- her name is Ellie Banks. She isn't magical, but a large portion of her family is. She doesn't have enough magic to do anything, but she can see the castle. She said she'd signed the modified Statute. I brought her to the Halloween Ball and someone reported it."
"Ellie Banks- that would be one the Bells-Banks Clans. My dad was good friends with Richard Flint, who married Mary Banks.
"Yes," said Neville. "In fact, I think he is her uncle."
"I'll bet she is nicer than her uncle, or at least I hope she is, for your sake. Richard Flint has always been sort of a jerk. His daughter, Tessa was the same way."
"That speaks volumes," said Neville.
"Here's the thing- how can I break the Statute if she already knew about magic and has signed the modified contract. Wouldn't that cover stuff like this?"
"For the most part, it does. The problem is that Hogwarts is a stronghold of Magic, just like the Ministry, and the rules are stricter. Did you get permission?"
"No," said Neville. "Well, Flitwick, and McGonagall knew, so did Evan and Seamus and Colleen Craft."
"But you didn't get official permission from the ministry?"
"No, I didn't think I needed it," said Neville. "I mean, come on, the number of people who have snuck in and out of Hogwarts over the years is quite high. I didn't think about it being a designated stronghold."
"I'll do some digging. I'm sure I can find the records of her signing the statute. Do you know if she has told anyone else about the castle?"
"No, I don't think so."
"Good. Make sure she doesn't. If she doesn't tell anyone, they can't get her for exposing magic to other muggles. It will help that her family- magical and muggle is well known to the Ministry."
"I still can't believe they are trying to nail us for this. They had no trouble taking money from her family to rebuild the school."
"It is kind of ironic," said Malfoy.
"Yes," said Neville. "Why are you smiling like that?"
"Because this case is going to be fun. Now, you just need to make sure that no one from the Ministry gets to Ellie before the hearing.
"I've got that covered. I'm staying with her at night. Harry and Ginny are coming up to help and Colin Creevey's kids attend the school where Ellie teaches."
"Would you both be free on Thursday afternoon?"
"Yes," said Neville.
"I'll come up to Hogsmeade and meet with you. I want to make sure everything is in order before the hearing."
"Great. One more thing- what is your fee?"
"I'll give you the friends and family discount- 200 Galleons."
"That's reasonable," said Neville.
"You bet it is. I normally charge at least five hundred."
"Thanks. See you Wednesday," said Neville.
Just as he finished the call, his class of second years streamed in the greenhouse.