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Chapter 67
The train ride back to Hogwarts was different this time. There were six Aurors guarding the train and checking everyone who got on. Then when they got to the school everyone was checked off as they entered the school by even more guards. Some were scanning students and their luggage with something called a probity-probe while another seemed to be checking off their names with a copy of the marauders map. It seemed that with the break in at Ollivander's the powers that be were taking the security of the school seriously.
As Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Susan walked from the carnage to the school they could hear more than one student protesting that something that they were carrying wasn't a dark artefact. The protests landed on uncaring ears however and the items were confiscated with the Aurors either saying they would be sent home to their parents or that they would be sent to the D.M.L.E depending on if the item was illegal rather than just banned in the school.
"Considering what happened to Harry last term, how could any of them think that security wouldn't be tighter when we got back?" Asked Susan as they walked. Harry and Ron handling the charms to keep them dry from the rain while Hermione and Susan handled the charms for making the muddy trail they were following easy to walk on.
"Well to be fair it's not like security was ever a big thing before and plenty of things have happened. I mean as much as I like Sirius now, our entire third year we thought he was an escaped mass murderer. He broke into the school at least three times. And hardly anything was done about improving security." Hermione said.
"Yeah but wasn't that one of the reasons Dumbledore lost the job? So obviously when something is shown to be a problem now the new headmaster will need to fix it." Said Harry wondering how people couldn't see that.
"You're right Harry but people don't think like that. They think 'this is the way things are' and until someone forces them to see different they just keep on doing what they believe. And they believe they can bring whatever they like to school because nobody has ever stopped them." Ron explained.
"But weren't the curse breakers scanning for dark objects last term?" Harry asked.
"The things they are finding now are nothing like what was being scanned for. That would pick up really dangerous powerful artefacts. Most of the stuff they will be finding now will be stuff like hair brushes that bite the hand of anyone who isn't their owner. You wouldn't detect that until you were right up close with a delicate detector." Susan told him.
"Biting hair brushes?" Asked Harry.
Susan just shrugged. "Some girls like to borrow what isn't theirs."
They arrived at the main entrance to the castle and quickly got inside out of the rain. Susan gave Ron a peck on the cheek before telling him she had to go sit at the Hufflepuff table and Ron had a far away look while Harry and Hermione smiling guided him to his usual spot at the Gryffindor table.
It took a good twenty minutes for everyone to get in and for the few students who had stayed over Christmas to join them and when everyone was together Headmaster Greengrass stood up and addressed them all.
"Welcome back to a new term. Now I know speeches are normally kept for the start of year feast but considering that a lot of you just went through our updated security, I thought it best to explain everything that's happening."
"As you are all aware, last term a student snuck in a dark artefact and used it to attack another student. And over the break the escaped criminals from Azkaban stole a lot of unbonded wands from Diagon Alley. Considering that the student who attacked a fellow student is a part of the organisation the escaped criminals belong to, it has been determined that there is a chance they will try to enter the school."
"As such, in order to keep you all safe, new rules are now in effect. First of which is: every person, that's every person not just every student, will have themselves and their belongings scanned. We will also be scanning all incoming mail to check for any forbidden items. We will not be reading your mail, just checking any items you receive."
"We have also closed off all the secret passageways in and out of the castle we can find. There is a twenty galleon reward for anyone who informs me of a passageway in or out of the castle we have missed and it's an automatic fifty house point loss and a month of detention to any student who uses a passageway out of the castle without reporting it. And yes, we will know. We have a new way to monitor where everyone is in the castle and there will be eyes on it twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, as long as there are students in the school."
The idea that they would be watched twenty four hours a day got some students muttering but the headmaster continued. "All trips to Hogsmeade are cancelled, though we are in the middle of trying to sort out a system where you can still purchase items from the shops. We will also be having an event such as an informal dance or something one weekend a month to give you all an opportunity to let your hair down. We are not entirely sure what all the events will be, we will happily take suggestions, but if we can't arrange something else then a dance will be what we default to. Now let's eat because I don't know about you but I'm famished."
The fact that they wouldn't be allowed to go to Hogsmeade anymore was a blow to some but not many. Most students had pretty much given up on the idea when Voldemort broke the death eaters out of prison. The rest gave up on it when there was an attack last weekend. As long as they could still buy their sugar fix, new quills and ink as well as books the majority of the third years and up were happy. The idea of an in school event to replace the trips however caught everyone's attention. Especially the idea that they could suggest an event caught everyone's attention so much that most people barely noticed what they were eating. They were too busy discussing possibilities.
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After dinner Harry, Hermione, and Ron all went to see Charlus. Harry was the one who wanted to see his grandfather and Hermione and Ron weren't going to let him go anywhere alone. To be fair, after everything that had happened recently when one of them was alone Harry could understand why. He certainly wasn't going to let Hermione go anywhere alone after what happened in Myrtle's bathroom and he wasn't going to give Ron the chance to be on the receiving end of something if he could help it.
Charlus was in far better spirits than when Harry had seen him briefly over the holiday. "Ah Harry, I thought you'd come see me. Here, you can have this back as I promised. Just remember that it isn't the only one anymore." And he cheerfully gave Harry back the Marauders map.
"Oh is that what the headmaster meant when he said they had a new way to monitor everyone?" Asked Ron and Harry realised he had forgotten to tell Ron about grandfather Charlus taking the map after the new year.
"Yes Ron. I decided to show the original to headmaster Greengrass when we were discussing how to improve security here. He agreed with me that having a number of copies and having them watched twenty-four hours a day was the best solution." Charlus told him.
"I can see how that would be safer but I'm not sure I like the idea that someone could be watching me all the time like that. And how many Aurors does it take to watch constantly like that?" Ron asked.
Charlus got a look on his face that Harry was now recognising as his grandfather's 'I don't want to show my emotions' face and said. "The school house elves are monitoring them. Apparently it's a group of three in four hour shifts."
Harry understood now. His grandfather didn't like wizards relying on elves. Despite the whole slavery thing Charlus thought it made witches and wizards lazy. And if there was genuinely too much work for you to do you should employ people and stimulate the economy rather than use unpaid slave labour. That was why Potter Manor didn't have house elves. And considering Hermione strongly agreed with Harry's grandfather there probably wouldn't be for the next few generations. Especially as Harry agreed with them, particularly on the idea that it would make people lazy.
"So they are forcing the house elves to deal with the intruders?" Hermione asked, sounding disgusted.
"No, they are to report anyone sneaking into or out of the school to the Aurors now stationed at the school."
"I'm surprised the minister agreed to having Aurors stationed here. Isn't that what Dumbledore is supposed to be here for?" Asked Harry.
"Well technically the Aurors are under Dumbledore's supervision. But Dumbledore won't be here for much longer most likely. With his stunt on New Year's Eve, Dumbledore is going to be put on trial soon. The minister can't protect him from this because it's an international law. If the British ministry isn't seen to be trying the case the International Confederation can and will step in and do it themselves. And they will fine the British ministry while they do it. So Fudge is realising he just went all in on a senile old fool." Charlus told them.
"Yeah the International Confederation doesn't play around when it comes to keeping our world hidden. They let countries set their own laws and policies on it, but there are strict rules that must be followed. And while the law is lenient on minors losing control, people like Dumbledore who know better are held to a higher standard." Said Ron. Harry and Hermione had told him about the letter from Dumbledore on the train ride back and it was talking about that for so long that had Harry forgetting to tell Ron about the marauders map.
"The two of you will likely be called as witnesses. So I will keep you up to date on when everything is supposed to be happening. Now, it's getting close to curfew so you three need to get back to your common room." Charlus told them and the three teens said their goodnights and left for their common rooms and not long after that their beds.
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The second morning back after Christmas was rather memorable. The trio were sitting and eating their breakfast at the Hufflepuff table with Susan and Hannah. Ron had dragged Harry and Hermione along so he could sit with Susan. Everything was going pretty much as normal, they were eating the usual Hogwarts breakfast and complaining about homework when the morning mail arrived
At first it was just like every morning, the regular cacophony of owls flapping their wings and people calling to owls they recognised as family owls. Then things started to get unusually quiet. That was the first indicator that something wasn't normal and the group Harry was sitting with started to look around for what was different.
It didn't take them long to spot. There were currently more than a dozen Howlers circling their heads attached to owls looking for the recipients.
The noise as they went off was deafening, and that they were all going off at roughly the same time made it difficult to hear any one message clearly, but the tone of them all was pretty universal. Parents were angry that they got messages from the D.M.L.E about items their children had tried to bring to school. One Howler was even yelling about a fine they had received and that a family heirloom had been confiscated. The students who received the Howlers all looked rather embarrassed and most of them soon retreated from the hall and the public gaze as soon as they could.
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The rest of January was fairly quiet as far as life at Hogwarts went. That is to say, no one went a week without one of their classmates being sent to the hospital wing because of some mishap in class and there was the odd scuffle between students but there was nothing big happening, no trolls, no giant monsters, no soul sucking demons.
It wasn't the same outside of Hogwarts. Barely a day would pass without some story of death eater activity being displayed on the front page of the Prophet. Raids on muggle business, attacks on their homes, attacks on muggles themselves, and even threats delivered to the Minister of Magic. Ron was convinced that the raids on muggles were training missions for the death eaters as they recovered from dementor exposure and remastered their skills. Fun little morale boosters for the monsters to build their confidence.
Harry was starting to get frustrated with the lack of progress from the curse breakers. They had apparently managed to narrow down the location of where the horcrux was hidden to a small stretch of wall opposite a tapestry of a wizard trying to teach trolls how to ballet dance but they hadn't yet figured out how to open the secret rooms or passageway.
It was about halfway through the month when grandfather Charlus approached the trio after breakfast with a letter in his hand. "Hey Harry, Hermione, could the two of you come see me in my office right after class today? The Wizengamot has finally set the timetable for Dumbledore's trial for breaking the statute. I need to catch you up on the details and arrangements."
"Sure uncle Charlus we will be there." Hermione agreed for them.
"I still have trouble believing Dumbledore would be stupid enough to send Fawkes into a muggle home like that. Even if it was your home Hermione there is always the chance that there will be non magical guests." Ron said as Charlus walked away probably to go get his classroom ready for their first class.
"It's possible that Dumbledore thought Harry would be at Potter manor." Hermione mused.
"Well that's just stupid. For one both he and grandfather Charlus were here at the school. So why would I want to spend a load of time in such a big empty house? Secondly Dumbledore, like everyone else in this school, knows Hermione and I are dating. And it's normal to visit your partner's family for holidays. Even if he didn't know I was there it was an obvious possibility." Harry lambasted the former headmaster.
When Harry and Hermione checked in with Charlus at the end of the school day he told them of the arrangements. Unlike previously the trial was going to be on a Wednesday rather than the weekend. "I tried to get them to schedule it for the weekend because the two of you had school. Unfortunately there were too many members of the Wizengamot with prior engagements. However it will only be an afternoon sitting. So you will go to your first two classes, then instead of going to your next class you will go back to your dorms and change into something formal for the Wizengamot, you both have robes for that. Then you will join me in my office for an early lunch. After that we will floo to the Ministry. The two of you have been witnesses before so you know how that works. I won't be sitting with you this time as I'm far enough removed from the events I don't need to recuse myself. Sirius however was there and is also a witness so you will have him for company. Then hopefully it's back to school in time for dinner minus one Albus Dumbledore. Any questions?"
There was none, Harry and Hermione could unfortunately say that they had enough experience as witnesses that they knew what the day was going to be like. It was just a pity they couldn't be as confident in the result of the trial as they were in how it was going to progress. After a few minutes of talking about nothing of consequence and Harry asking for some clarification on a point of professor Potter's latest piece of homework Charlus walked the two teens back to their common room so they wouldn't need to walk through the school alone.
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Charlus settled into his chair in the Wizengamot. Harry and Hermione were sitting in another room with Sirius waiting to be called as witnesses and he was now in for a very boring time of sitting and doing nothing while the officials got a lot of information noted down for the official records. Considering that there were a trio of guests in the room from the International Confederation observing, the Wizengamot was going to make sure everything was done exactly by the book rather than using any time saving shortcuts the already long and arduous process would have.
For example the court scribe had to get three people to verbally agree on the day's date before he could put it on the document. It was an old throwback law that didn't need to be on the books anymore but with them being watched they were going to need to cross all the T's and dot all the I's
Charlus however could ignore most of that until the trial started. So he pulled out the eternal curse of the teaching profession. A stack of markings. He could use the time that they were doing bureaucratic nonsense to get a head start on the latest essays he had from his second year's. Luckily it was a lower year's work. If it was the N.E.W.T students even he would have to check points occasionally. He had gotten through maybe fifteen essays when he had to put it all away and focus on what was going on in front of him.
"Warlock Dumbledore, you are accused of breaking the Statute of Secrecy by sending an overtly magical creature to a muggle party. You have previously pleaded not guilty. Would you like to change your plea before we continue with this trial?" Augusta Longbottom who was acting in the role of Chief Warlock asked. She was sat up high in the middle podium directly in front of Dumbledore, his representative, and the head of the D.M.L.E Amelia Bones, who was acting as prosecutor for such a high profile case.
"No, I am quite happy with my plea. Thank you." Said Dumbledore.
"Very well, I declare this trial in session. Let us begin. Director Bones, the prosecution can begin making its case." Chief Warlock Longbottom passed the spotlight to the woman.
"Thank you Chief Warlock I will endeavour to be quick as the facts of the case are fairly straightforward. On the night of December thirty-first at some time between nine and ten o'clock in the evening, Albus Dumbledore used a phoenix to deliver a letter to one Harry Potter. Harry Potter at the time was at the home of his muggleborn girlfriend, one Hermione Granger. At her family home where they were hosting a New Year's Eve party for the friends and colleagues of Miss Granger's parents. Who naturally, being muggle, have friends and colleagues who are exclusively muggle." Director Bones stopped to take a sip of water before continuing.
"The phoenix in question teleported directly into the main room of the house with a lot of very flashy and obviously magical fire before delivering the letter and once more using its flame travel to leave. During this, twenty three muggles got a close up view of magic. Two of those as parents of the muggleborn Miss Granger are legally given leave to know of magic. That leaves twenty-one cases of breaching the Statute of Secrecy."
"Mr Potter, Miss Granger, and Warlock Black who was also there acted quickly to contain the breach and summoned aid from the Ministry to modify memory as per standard procedure."
"During this case I intend to prove not only that Warlock Dumbledore breached the Statute but that it was entirely reasonable for him to be fully aware that it was likely his actions would result in such a breach." Director Bones finished her opening statement.
"Okay Warlock Dumbledore, your opening statement." Chief Warlock Longbottom prompted.
Dumbledore stood up from his chair, one that Charlus only now realised that Dumbledore had transfigured into a big soft armchair, and spoke. "While it is imperative that our society holds one of our most important laws to the highest standards of justice, we must also carefully consider all the factors when deciding who the responsible parties are. I intend to demonstrate that I took all reasonable precautions and that the blame, if any needs to be assigned, belongs on the head of another." And with that maddeningly short statement Dumbledore sat back down.
Charlus was confused, how could Dumbledore try to blame this on someone else? The case was pretty clear cut as far as he could see. He would just have to wait and see where this was going.
Director Bones called Hermione as the first witness. That made sense to Charlus with Hermione being both under age and a muggleborn; her testimony would be the least regarded by some members of the Wizengamot. Best to get it out of the way and move on to Harry and Sirius who by virtue of being incredibly famous in Harry's case and the Warlock Black in Sirius's case would have both of their testimonies given more weight.
Bones questioned Hermione and Hermione gave a perfect recounting of the events from her point of view. But then Dumbledore got to cross examine. "Miss Granger you said that your parents were holding a party at their house, but that's not true is it?" Dumbledore asked, looking a little smug.
"That is one hundred percent the honest truth." Hermione asserted. "My parents hosted a New Years party for a group of people they knew."
"My apologies, I should have been clearer in my question. I am not questioning the existence of the party. I am referring to the fact that it is not your parents house. Didn't they sell the property in the first half of last year?" Dumbledore asked.
"Ah yeah they did." Hermione admitted a little confused at where this was going.
"And they sold it to Sirius Black am I right?" Dumbledore promoted.
"Yes they did. But they still live there." Hermione said.
"And it's true that you rent the house from Sirius black?" Dumbledore continued.
"Yes." Hermione went to say more but Dumbledore tried to talk over her Hermione though powered over Dumbledore. "When I referred to it as my parents house I was using the term not as a note on legal ownership but that they are the heads of the family in charge of the family home. Regardless of who owns it or who pays the rent it's still my parents who live in and run the home. So it's their home."
There were a few snickers in the courtroom over Dumbledore being talked over like that but Hermione had long ago lost respect for the old man.
"Whoever runs the home in practice. Legally the house is rented to you from the Black family. That legally defines it as a magical household does it not? A legal loophole that your family has used to have some pretty strong wards put in place and even a floo connection. Correct?"
Charlus could see a flash of worry go over Hermione's face as she and everyone else realised Dumbledore's strategy to deal with his predicament. Charlus could see it was a risky gamble, one that didn't have much chance of success. To Hermione however it would look like Dumbledore was setting either her or Sirius up to take the fall. And she was worried.
"Yes. It's considered a magical home." Hermione answered
"No further questions, Chief Warlock." Dumbledore said before sitting back in his tacky chair.
Hermione was dismissed and Director Bones called on Harry. The questions she asked Harry and the story Harry gave were almost identical to Hermione's. But where with Hermione Director Bones finished with just the recollection of the night in question, for Harry she had a few more questions.
"Mr Potter, how long have you been in a relationship with Miss Granger?"
"Well we have been close friends since Halloween… Ninety-one?" Harry quickly counted back the years in his head having not been thinking he would be asked this question. "Yeah ninety-one was our first year at Hogwarts. We became a couple around June of our third year so June ninety-four. We have been a couple ever since" Harry answered.
"And how open to the public was the knowledge you were dating?" The director asked.
"Well we didn't exactly put it on the front page of the Prophet or anything but we also didn't hide it. I know there was mention of it In the Prophet when we attended the Yule ball in our fourth year. There was a disagreement between then Professor Snape and I over his language over my girlfriend's conduct where I broke his nose. So that drew the attention of the press and had Hermione accused of slipping me a love potion in the national press. So most people know about it." Hardy explained.
"And specifically Albus Dumbledore, did he know you were a couple?" Bones prompted.
"Oh definitely. Dumbledore had to deal with the fallout of the fight between then Professor Snape and I. The reasoning behind my admittedly rather Gryffindor response, that I was defending my girlfriend from attacks on her character, were made very clear to the then headmaster. He is fully aware of my relationship." Harry explained using the big event rather than the tendency of people at Hogwarts to know everyone's business so that Dumbledore couldn't try to claim that the rumour just hadn't reached him.
"So would you consider it reasonable for Dumbledore to suspect that you could be in the company of muggles at the time he sent you the letter?"
"Objection. Calling the witnesses to speculate. On a matter they can know nothing of." Dumbledore called.
Before Madam Longbottom could rule Harry spoke up. "I actually have information that leads to a simple conclusion of the question."
"Okay I will allow the question but you will have to be careful Mr Potter and if I tell you to stop you must understand? Chief Warlock Longbottom decided.
"Yes ma'am. Sorry, yes Chief Warlock. Well the first thing I know is that my grandfather stayed in Hogwarts over the holiday as part of his job as a professor. Dumbledore was also at the school in his role as High Protector. Putting those two together Dumbledore would have known I was out of the castle away from my only living birth family. I think it's also fair to say most people tend to spend holidays like Yule and New Years with their family. So spending them with Hermione seems like an obvious expectation to me." Harry said. Charlus was proud of how Harry handled that question. His boy had handled it perfectly.
Charlus wasn't the only one happy, Director Bones was smiling at Harry as well. "Thank you Mr Potter. Chief Warlock I have no further questions at this time."
"Warlock Dumbledore, do you have any questions for Mr Potter?" The Chief Warlock asked.
"Not at this time. No." Answered Dumbledore.
"Then Mr Potter you are free to go and I'm calling a fifteen minute recess as I know just how many old bladders there are in this room. Fifteen minutes!" She called out the last bit and stood up, obviously needing the bathroom herself.
A/N
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