chapter 18
FRIDAY, MARCH 31st, 1995 - THE SOUTH WING, POTTER APARTMENTS.
Augusta Longbottom was seventy-six years old. Born Augusta Caldwell in 1918 she was a distant relation of the duelist although she did not know that and no relation whatsoever to Laura, at least not within the last ten generations or more. By all rights she and her husband Devon Longbottom should be celebrating their fiftieth wedding anniversary this coming summer. She was from an ancient Pureblood line, although one which was Pureblood more by accident than design. Her Caldwell line could trace their magic back unbroken for a thousand years. Ancient Lines were those that could trace their magic back unbroken to the founding of Hogwarts and had sent generations of their children to the venerable school. But the Caldwell's were not of a Noble line. The Ancient and Noble lines were also descended from nobility. They had been Earls or Barons or such and served the Muggle Kings at least until around the Twelfth Century.
Devon Longbottom was the Heir Apparent of such a line when he started courting Augusta not long after she attained her Potions Mastery. They had known each other in school, but had not dated at that time. He had a younger brother called Algie. That was not his real first name and no one really knew what it had been except Devon and his parents. Devon and Augusta married in 1944 when she was twenty-six. However, for many years they were unable to have a child. She suffered no less than five miscarriages, which was practically unheard of in the magical world and suggestive of a curse of some sort. Algie had also married and lost his wife in child birth losing his child as well. Again, that was practically unheard of.
Augusta finally gave birth to a son in 1956 who they named Frank. Frank married his wife Alice Owens just after they completed Auror training in 1977. They had been classmates in school and through training. She was also a Pureblood from and Ancient line through her mother's family. Her mother had been a Black, although from a disowned line. It should have been a nice life for Augusta and her family. They were well placed in society and quite wealthy. But the War changed everything. The War destroyed so many lives and families needlessly and tragically. Led by fanatical Purebloods who wanted a Pureblood dominated world, it had actually gone a long way towards destroying everything in Augusta's opinion. About one fifth of the Pureblood lines that were known to exist in 1970 were gone by 1982. Many others that were left were but shadows of themselves and it was not just because most of the Death Eaters were from those families. The Purebloods who stood against them were targeted for elimination.
She had little use for Death Eaters and those who agreed with them. The Death Eaters had all but wiped out House Longbottom. They had killed her husband and all but killed her son and daughter-in-law. Her own Caldwell family had fared better, but only because they had fled the country altogether.
She had little use for the Ministry of Magic. They had done nothing for far too long. True, beginning around 1974, it seemed they had a new Minister for Magic every couple of months and with that a new policy. Some were assassinated, many ousted on votes of "No Confidence" and at least two chucked into Azkaban for being Death Eaters. They seemed far too concerned about not offending Pureblood sensibilities than dealing with the Death Eaters who were no better than rabid dogs and deserved no better in her opinion. While they dithered, the very Purebloods they tried not to offend were being slaughtered along with everyone else it seemed.
She had no use for Albus Dumbledore. As far as she was concerned, he was and always had been little more than a school teacher and should have stuck to that. While his Order of the Phoenix had been formed because their government was not dealing with the problem, in her opinion it was unable to do anything either. It had convinced some people that the Death Eaters were evil and probably stopped some from joining. But it was too weak and too weakly led to make a difference. How many died because Albus was unwilling to kill the enemy? In her mind, Albus was the reason why her son and daughter-in-law now lived in the Long Term Care Ward at St. Mungo's. He had been the one to convince Frank not to name her as Secret Keeper when Fabian Prewett had been murdered. The person he had suggested was one of the four who attacked her family in November 1981! The only reason her grandson Neville was alive is he had been with her that day and not with his parents.
Her own Caldwell family had never returned after it was over. While she was addressed as Madam Longbottom, Augusta could put on airs and demand to be called as Dowager or Regent Longbottom, although she rarely did. Neville was all that was left of an Ancient and Noble House and she was his Magical and Custodial Guardian. She was a mother again at the age of 63. In many ways, he was really all she had left and she knew she had been overprotective of the boy. She knew he was magical, but he was also the most laid back and easy going little boy she had ever been around. He never got upset and seldom got scared and certainly not enough for a burst of accidental magic (save the time Algie chucked the poor lad out a third story window for which the Granduncle would spend six weeks in St. Mungo's for the hexing he received.)
Augusta Longbottom had not seen her grandson since September 1st. He looked different. He was well dressed, but that was not it. He might have grown an inch or so, but that was not it either. He had certainly become more muscular, but again that was not it. It was his face, or more accurately the expression that was new. He smiled more, seemed more open than she remembered and far more confident. He was looking more and more like a young man and Head of an honorable family and less like the shy and forgetful (yet loveable) little boy she had placed on the train over three years ago.
He had told her that this place was part of Hogwarts. She found that impossible to believe. It looked nothing like what she remembered and certainly not like a castle. It was more like a very new Manor of some kind but when he brought her to a balcony on the Fourth Floor and she looked around, she recognized the surrounding countryside. She could clearly see Hogsmeade, the valley, the Black Lake and mountains, the forest and the walls of the castle itself. She tried to get him to explain and glared at him when he refused and told her it would all be made clear "later." That glare had always worked in the past. This time – well at least he flinched a little, but he said nothing except they would be having dinner in the House "downstairs."
She found the affair to be very informal by her standards. Then again, it was not as if she had taught her charge much about such things. She had not entertained since before her husband's murder which was before Neville had even been born and she had not seen it as necessary to teach such things to Neville as a young lad. As she recalled, Frank had taken no interest in such things until he was approaching his majority and even then not so much. The hosting of a traditional dinner was, after all, the province of the Hostess be it the wife or mother or some other and the Elves. Still, she was planning to teach him the customs and traditions of such things because one day he would be the Head of an Ancient and Noble House.
The guests mingled in the large sitting room of House Potter as it was called. Apparently the apartments where Neville stayed was House Longbottom. Augusta wondered about this. She seriously doubted Dumbledore would have encouraged such pretensions. And yet, aside from the obvious comfort and space, neither Neville nor his friend acted pretentious at all. The whole situation was confusing. Were they at Longbottom Manor, Neville would be in for a right scolding. They were not and there were others present. Neville promised her it would all be explained and she held her tongue for now.
Neville had five other guests with him only two of whom she knew and only one of whom she had ever met. She knew Amelia Bones, of course. Madam Bones was in addition to being the Head of DMLE the proxy holder in the Wizengamot for the House Bones votes. The two had worked together in that body on many occasions. The young lady with Madam Bones was her niece Susan, the last of that bloodline and Ancient and Noble House. Augusta had heard about the girl both from Madam Bones and from Neville as Neville had considered her a friend of sorts practically since First Year and had mentioned her in letters and in conversation. Augusta knew there was a Line Continuation Contract between the families but had never told Neville this. Still, it was good to learn that the two knew each other and seemed to like each other given that in all probability they would be bound one day.
She had also heard of the other young woman in Neville's party. Neville counted Lisa Turpin as a friend as well at least since Second Year. Augusta was pleased he had friends outside of his own house, although wondered what it meant that they were both girls. She really did not want the lad to grow up to be a rake. She knew little about the girl's family. Her parents were both Half-Bloods and "Turpin" was actually a name from a non-magical line that had gained its magic some five generations ago. Al Turpin was a Healer at St. Mungo's. His wife Cynthia was his Assistant.
Harry Potter would not have been what Augusta expected had it not been for Neville's descriptions of the real person. The Harry Potter of the public's imagination and of the press's reporting simply did not exist in this young man at all. She expected a degree of arrogance and bravado yet found nothing more than a quiet confidence. He seemed more interested in what others had to say than about telling of his own exploits. He was even reticent to discuss the first two Tasks which had left the boy in First Place in the Tournament despite his youth and lack of training in comparison with the other Champions. The closest he came to bragging was when he said that he somehow managed to muddle through it so far and had a lot of help from his friends in doing so essentially giving them as much if not more credit for his success thus far than he was willing to give himself. While many would relish his fame especially at his age, it was clear he loathed it. Of the Potter's she had met, Harry was the least arrogant and most down to earth. It was perhaps a blessing in a way that he was the last, Augusta thought. Should his line continue with him as the example…
Of young Harry's guests, the only one Augusta knew or had even met before was Andromeda Tonks. She had been a Black before she married her Husband Ted and therefore was a distant relation. Ted was a Muggle Born and they eloped while still in school voiding an important marriage contract between her family and House Malfoy. Ted was now a successful Healer and Andy was Potions Mistress for St. Mungo's whereas her former betrothed was a loathsome social climber of the worst sort. Augusta believed this was the far better match, but Andy's parents had not and disowned her as had most the Blacks of that generation. Oddly, Arcturus Black never did and he was the Head of that Ancient and Noble House. In the end, only his word could truly cut her off.
With Andy and her husband was their daughter Nymphadora. The young woman had been in her final year at Hogwarts the same year Neville had started and had just completed Auror training. Andy's daughter remained in the line of succession and should her daughter have a son, that boy could be the next Lord Black. Augusta knew the Malfoy's believed that their son Draco was next in line, but that proved how little they knew about Ancient and Noble Houses. Draco was the son of Andy's younger sister. The line passed to the closest male descendant which would be determined through Andy's line should a son be born to her daughter before Draco turned twenty-five.
All of that assumed there were no senior lines remaining with superior claims. In actuality, there were two that survived that had not been disowned by a prior Head of House. They were the surviving males of Andy and Narcissa's generation. One was by law and custom Head of House, although as a fugitive and murderer Sirius Black would probably never come into his birthright. The other shared the same Great-Grandfather with Andy and Narcissa and was in this room. Harry Potter the Heir Apparent to the Ancient and Noble House of Potter was also de facto Heir Apparent to the Ancient and Noble House of Black behind Sirius Black, although Augusta doubted he would accept both titles as that carried with it the responsibility to produce and heir for both lines which usually meant the need for multiple wives.
Augusta also met Hermione Granger whom Neville had spoken most highly of in the past and considered his friend. This Augusta relayed to the young woman, along with Neville's opinion that she and Harry had been "an item" for a few years now but just hadn't figured that out yet. Hermione blushed. Oddly the two adults with her seemed unsurprised. The woman told Augusta that she and her husband were of the same opinion. Augusta was surprised to learn that the two were Hermione's parents. She knew the girl was Muggle Born. But as far as she could recall no Muggle parent had ever been to Hogwarts in ages. When she was in school, some did venture to the school and were allowed to see it. The story was early in Dumbledore's tenure as Headmaster a Muggle parent had complained about the "primitive" conditions of the school itself and he had changed the policy which Augusta always thought was at best petty on his part and certainly short sighted. The Grangers seemed more than pleased with their accommodations although they conceded getting used to all the magic might take a bit of time.
Augusta had never met Marilyn Abbott before or her daughter Hannah however she knew who they were. It was hard not to given that Hannah was the last of an Ancient and Noble House just as Harry, Neville and Susan were. During the War, the remaining Ancient and Noble lines dropped from nine to eight with the demise of the McMillan Line and four other lines nearly disappeared as well. The other lines were the Blacks, Averys, Selwyns and Dumbledores and the latter of the four would not survive much longer as only Albus and his brother Albeforth remained and neither had ever had children that anyone knew of. Three of those lines had Death Eater connections and while they suffered losses, they were not on the verge of dying off. Given the political pull those Houses had, Augusta was certain Voldemort was trying to rid Britain of the Houses that could stop his plans if they ever had a majority working together. Oddly, Dumbledore had managed to convince House Potter to side with him in preventing such a majority from forming for either side. He convinced Harry's grandfather that with the Death Eaters about, harsh action by the Houses would be counterproductive and neither side should gain an advantage within the nobility. Augusta had learned this when she was present for an argument between Dumbledore and her husband not long before her husband was killed.
The presence of the Abbott and Bones families got her thinking. She felt it was highly probable the Abbotts had a similar Line Continuation Contract with House Potter. Two other girls and their parents were present, one as Neville's guests and the others as Harry's. Perhaps they would be announcing the necessary betrothals to continue both lines?
There were two other men present. One was introduced as Professor Remus Lupin. Neville had spoke highly of him last year and was very disappointed that he would not return to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts this year.
"I'll never understand why Dumbledore let you go," Augusta said to him.
"Actually I resigned," Remus said.
"Oh. Well I guess that makes more sense. Not everyone enjoys teaching."
"Oh no! I did enjoy it."
"This had nothing to do with your being a werewolf?"
Remus blinked.
"It seems it wasn't that big a secret," she continued. "I knew by the Christmas holidays."
"Umm…"
"Neville always complained when you missed your classes because he hated your substitute. It doesn't take a genius to figure out it happened at the full moon. That leaves us with but one conclusion. I never understood that attitude. I mean you're only a potential danger a few hours a month between moonrise and sunrise. As long as you're responsible about it – and I've known people with your condition who are – I don't see the issue. Let me guess. Some politically connected Slytherin complained and Dumbledore refused to stand up to them?"
"I'm sure it's not that."
"Don't be so sure when it comes to that man. Giving him the benefit of the doubt he does mean well about most things, but he lacks the backbone to do anything about his good intentions really." She then went on a twenty minute rant about Dumbledore and his good intentions and how he always backed away from doing something about it if it meant resistance. "To this day," she concluded, "I am forced to wonder how many people died needlessly in the War because he refused to allow us to take the steps necessary to end the war when we could have! That man is far more concerned with his bloody honors and positions and keeping them than he is about actually taking a risk and using those positions to make this world a better place! He's all talk – which is often fine. But there comes a time when talk is cheap and action is required and he has no stomach for that!"
"I'm sure you're mistaken."
"Are you? Do you know that a bill was introduced in the Wizengamot in 1974 after the Death Eaters killed the Minister for Magic that might have ended the war quickly – a Bill substantially similar to the Emergency Act of 1979 that started to have an effect when implemented? Do you know that he stalled it for five years? He opposed it because it allowed our side to kill Death Eaters and to treat them as War Prisoners and not criminals – that means we could toss them in Prison without a trial just for being marked or were caught red handed at the scene of an attack! The Bill allowed us to impoverish their families and deny them government services and protections! In 1970 there were 80,000 magicals in Britain. After the war there were less than 50,000. Those who were not killed by Death Eaters fled before them! Dumbledore considered fighting back, meeting force with force, too harsh! How many more of us had to flee or die before he would see sense? We passed that bill over his objections when his coalition with the Death Eater votes collapsed after You-Know-Who killed a few prominent ones in a fit of rage! If something like that ever happens again, I intend to move for his immediate removal as Chief Warlock! We can't afford to play nice as our world is crashing down around us, but that's what he would have us do!"
Remus said nothing. The man next to him spoke. "I agree with you in principal, Madam Longbottom. But for myself, I do have issue with the 'chuck 'em in Azkaban and forget about 'em' bit."
"Oh?"
"I'm Sirius Black," he said with a smile.
Augusta was not certain which was more of a shock: that the most wanted man in the magical world was standing before her or that she seemed to be the only one in the room who did not know. The Head of DMLE and the Auror knew and he was still a free man!
The Dining Room in the House Potter Apartments was actually fairly large. It was laid out to accommodate up to forty diners and various seating arrangements; magic having the ability to alter the number and shape of the table or tables in the room to suit the House needs. On this evening, the table would seat eighteen and it was round. Hermione felt this would better facilitate discussion and also not require anyone to sit at the head or foot of the table. The guests mostly took random seats around the table. There were four exceptions. Hermione sat across from Harry and Neville across from Susan. There were menus at all of the places and as the guests finished making their orders, Harry rose.
"It will be a little while before the appetizers," he said. "We said we would explain all of this to you tonight and we shall; or I should say Hermione shall as this Wing is her idea and what led to this Wing was her project, although she had a lot of help. I will only say two things. First, the ultimate question is why? Finally, the answer is because Dumbledore cannot be trusted. Hermione?"
Harry sat as several voices spoke at once and Hermione stood. "This project began when Harry's name came out of the Goblet of Fire. I knew he had not wanted to have any part of this silly tournament! I also knew he was not ready for it, certainly not as ready as the others. He needed help and I wanted to know why this happened. I found out I was not alone in this. Every student here tonight is a part of this project in his or her own way.
"This Wing was an abandoned wing of the school. According to Hogwarts: A History it used to house classrooms and extra dormitories back when this school had around a thousand students. It was not been used except on rare occasion since the 1400's. Professor McGonagall gave Harry and me permission to use any unused part of the castle to train him for the tournament…"
"A whole wing?" Amelia Bones asked.
"It was within the rather broadly worded permission," Hermione said, "and we are using it for its intended purpose; but in the course of trying to figure out how Harry got into this mess in the first place and whether we could get him out of it … let's just say for now this goes well beyond some silly tournament and this Wing is to prepare for the well beyond as well. We will begin almost at the beginning. There was a beginning which led to here, but first we see how it led to here."
Hermione began with the events in October 1981 ending in the arrest and imprisonment of Sirius Black on November 1st 1981. Fortunately, few noted her introduction as everyone believed that was the beginning of the Harry Potter story at least to the extent that they knew of it. Needless to say, there were questions.
"Dumbledore recommended Pettigrew?" Amelia asked.
Sirius shrugged. "He wanted an Order member. The rat was one of his options. Lily and James wanted each other figuring it would be hard to snuff the Secret Keeper if he or she was under the Fidelius Charm. Dumbledore was opposed as it made access to 'reliable' members all but impossible."
"Said the same thing to me when I asked to replace Fabian Prewett," Augusta said. "He recommended the bastard who led the Death Eaters to my son and daughter-in-law!"
"Didn't he know they were Death Eater spies?" Nymphadora Tonks asked.
"Probably not," Amelia Bones replied. "The spies were usually … well, there's magic that can hide certain thought from all but a deliberate interrogation. That and he had ways of hiding the Dark Mark as well. Wouldn't do much good for a spy to have a brand such as that on their arm as a dead giveaway. The Marks could only be revealed by killing the marked person or, as we found later, when You-Know-Who snuffed it."
"You were thrown in prison for twelve years without a trial?" Rose Granger asked. Sirius merely shrugged.
"He was incarcerated under the Emergency Acts then in effect," Amelia Bones explained. "Two off duty Aurors witnessed the altercation in the Muggle market. They saw Mr. Black accosted and accused by another wizard – Peter Pettigrew – and spell fire and the resulting explosion. Twelve Muggles were dead and Pettigrew was believed to have been blown to pieces and Mr. Black remained. He was incarcerated for Death Eater activities, not for being a Death Eater or even the deaths that occurred."
"It similar to being a prisoner of war," Hermione elaborated. "He was stuck there without recourse until the Ministry declared the War over."
"And even then," Amelia continued, "his incarceration had to be appealed. He had a year to do so and did not. He's told me that he wasn't exactly in his right mind at the time and given the nature of that prison that's not surprising. But there were others who could have appealed on his behalf and they did not either."
"Who?" several voices asked.
"His family, for one," Amelia said.
"That wasn't going to happen," Sirius grumbled. "My father was already dead. It seems my mother was pleased as punch that I proved to be the good Pureblood bigoted bastard she had hoped I would become and felt I should be honored to rot in prison for the Cause. My Grandfather… Don't get me wrong. He was a dyed in the wool Pureblood bigot. But he was also the Head of an Ancient and Noble House and I was the Heir Apparent after father died. When the Death Eaters began targeting the other Ancient and Noble Houses, my father, brother and I were forbidden from having anything to do with them. Regulus was his mother's son and joined up and was promptly disowned by Grandfather as was Narcissa Malfoy and her descendants and Bellatrix Lestrange and hers to the fifth generation once he learned that they or their husbands had taken the Mark. Don't think they knew that. I know 'cause Granddad was one of the only ones who came to see me. He did not disown me as he saw I never took the Mark, but the political situation was such he could not appeal my incarceration either. With many other Death Eaters getting off on flimsy excuses, the Ministry was not about to check on those of us who they had caught and imprisoned. This was after my time to appeal on my own behalf had expired."
After a few moments silence, Amelia continued. "The law also allowed the Head of DMLE to investigate the incarceration and the Head of the Wizengamot or Minister for Magic to demand an investigation."
"If there had been an appeal, what would have happened?" Rose Granger asked.
"DMLE would have had to conduct a full investigation. The Head would have to decide whether there was sufficient evidence of real criminal activity to submit the case to a full trial and, if there was not, was required to set the prisoner free. Otherwise, the case would go to trial."
"And Sirius would have been acquitted," Harry noted.
"From what I've learned recently, that is probably what would have happened. But Barty Crouch was Head of DMLE then and was not about to cut any suspected Death Eater any breaks nor second guess himself. He was ousted from the job when it turned out that his son was a Death Eater and had continued to act as such after You-Know-Who vanished. Crouch was replaced by Dedalus Diggle, a Dumbledore crony who hadn't been an Auror since well before the war and who, in my opinion, was spineless. I replaced him when Mr. Black escaped and began looking into his case then and noted discrepancies. But I could not appeal his incarceration as he was … well … no longer incarcerated.
"As for the Minister for Magic, Bagnold was almost as rabid a Death Eater hater as Crouch. Fudge could care less, at least until Mr. Black escaped and now I doubt he'd give Mr. Black a chance. Black is to be executed upon capture at least if Fudge has any say about it and for now he does. Now why Dumbledore never looked into it is another thing altogether. Then again, the Head of the Wizengamot would need some cause to do so."
"That law seems rather – er – extreme," Rose Granger said.
"Arguably most of the Emergency Act was," Amelia nodded. "We were losing the war and falling into slavery and darkness. We had been treating Death Eaters as criminals and individual ones at that and not as an enemy force bent on our destruction. You cannot fight a war the same way you deal with criminals! Those laws did not turn the tide, but they stopped the slide. At the time the War ended, it had become a stalemate. It was still bloody and the losses continued to mount, but now the enemy was losing their people as well."
After a pause, Rose Granger asked: "How did you escape?"
"Why did you escape?" Amelia added quickly.
"As to the how," Sirius began. He then stood and turned into a huge, black dog long enough for everyone to notice before changing back. "I'm an unregistered Animagus," he said. "James Potter, Peter Pettigrew and I became such while we were still in school. Probably the only real crime I ever committed, although 'bout all DMLE can really do to me is make me register and pay a fine, seeing as I never used my ability to do anything criminal."
"Aside from escaping prison," Robert began.
"Actually, that was not a crime," Amelia said. "No one had ever done it before so no one thought to make it a crime to do so. Why didn't you escape sooner?"
"No reason really," Sirius said. "As the dog, I found the dementors had little effect on me although it was still right depressing. I could sense when they were about and would turn into the dog. That and having a fur coat was a good idea as that place is bloody cold regardless. When the human guards were about, I'd turn back into me. But I really had not thought of busting out.
"Then one day Minister Fudge came around for an inspection or some such and said a few words to me from beyond the bars of my cell. I think he was a little shocked to see I wasn't a total nut case. I saw he had a copy of the Daily Prophet and asked him if I could have it. It was the only way to find out what was going on outside really and I do enjoy the crosswords. That issue was why I escaped.
"On the front page was a picture of the Weasley family. It seems they had won a Sweepstakes and were touring Egypt. The article said the youngest five were still at Hogwarts and there on the shoulder of one of them was none other than the rat Peter Pettigrew. The man I trusted and who betrayed us all was with the Weasley boy and he was in school with Harry! I had promised myself I'd kill the rat one day if I could and the murdering bastard was near my Godson! So, one night when a guard left my cell door ajar – they did that from time to time as we prisoners really were not a flight risk – I became the dog and got out. The dementors never noticed me at all and … well, there really is nothing but them between you and the outside. Course, I had to swim for it and it took days to recover from that, but…"
Hermione then began to detail Harry's life up until the past few months. Dumbledore had left him with his maternal Aunt where he had suffered years of abuse and neglect, the full extent of which even she did not know. She did emphasize that this was not normal behavior. Had the Muggle authorities learned of it, Harry would have been removed from that home at the very least. In all probability, Harry's Cousin Dudley may have been as well and his Aunt and Uncle charged as criminals.
As their guests ate their appetizers, salads and soups, Hermione went through Harry's first three years at school. It was not so much a description of classes or day-to-day life, except when complaining about the first two years of Defense classes, rather it was their extra-curricular adventures. Some of the events were told in far greater detail than the Grangers had heard before. Hermione could not explain why the "official" school version was so terse, but explained that she had not told it in detail because she was afraid her parents might pull her out of school. They probably would have back then, they admitted. They were less inclined to do so now seeing as she seemed more than up for those kinds of challenges, but they reserved the right to change their minds.
The first shocking revelation was that Voldemort might not truly be dead and that he had somehow possessed a teacher first year and a student second year. Everyone who had not heard the tales wondered why Dumbledore would even think of hiding an object as valuable or as coveted as the Philosopher's Stone in a school, much less guard it with traps that a handful of First Years could break with some ease. They also wondered why he took no action regarding Quirrel. After all, in hindsight it was obvious Snape suspected the man and everyone agreed with Hermione it was unlikely Snape kept his suspicions to himself. As for second year, they wondered why there did not seem to be a major investigation, although could not fault Dumbledore for the final attack as he was suspended from the school at that time.
"How big was that thing?" Sirius asked regarding the basilisk Harry had killed with a sword in the end.
Harry shrugged. "Never bothered to measure it. It was bloody huge. The thing was thicker than I was tall at the time and reared up to more than twice my height I guess. Fifty feet? Maybe bigger?"
"Why didn't Dumbledore deal with it or one of the other Professors?" Rose Granger asked.
Harry shrugged. "Never asked. As far as we knew they didn't know what it was, although even if they did they didn't know where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets was and could not access it even if they did. I could, but that's because I'm a parselmouth."
There were some gasps from the older magical families, although all the students had known this since Second Year.
"As was his father," Remus said. "That talent runs in his family."
"Although it's not one they advertise for obvious reasons," Sirius concluded.
"Might be obvious to you," Robert Granger said, "but some of us know little about your world."
"The talent is often associated with Dark Magic," Hermione said. "Truth is it's nothing of the sort. The opinion is based upon the fact that Salazar Slytherin was believed to have gone dark and Voldemort had that talent as well."
For the most part, Third Year turned out to be the least exciting. Hermione spoke of the dementors, her Time Turner and Harry learning the Patronus Charm. The later was met with disbelief by all the magical adults save Remus and Sirius so a demonstration was in order. Not long after Harry's stag was prancing around the table it was followed by an otter, a swan, a badger, a hawk and finally a massive bear from Neville.
"He's taught us as well," Neville said looking at his Gran.
"But that can take months to learn," Ted Tonks said. "Even then many can't do that even as fully trained witches and wizards!"
Neville shrugged. "Aside from the wand issue, I had it down in a few weeks…"
"That's not your father's wand," Augusta noted.
Neville shrugged. "Dad's wand never really was a match for me. I got this one a couple of days ago."
"But family wands usually…" Augusta began.
Neville nodded. "Usually, but not always. Even then, a wand that is matched to you first is always better than any other or so we've been told by a couple of wandmakers."
"I … I'm sorry, Neville dear. I didn't know."
Neville shrugged. "Neither did I, really. Aside from you the whole family thought I was borderline so when I was I thought so too. Apparently it was just the wand, not me."
There was no need to go over the true story of Sirius Black again. This version focused only on the day he and Buckbeak the hippogriff escaped from Hogwarts. Amelia Bones had already noted that the Minister for Magic wanted him dead. What puzzled everyone was why Dumbledore had assisted in the escape.
"For better or for worse," Augusta Longbottom said, "the man had no stomach for nor would condone killing under any circumstances."
"That's certainly part of it," Hermione agreed. "But there is more."
Hermione then told the gathering about Harry's surprise entry into the Tournament. He had not placed his name in the Goblet of Fire nor asked anyone to do it for him, and yet he was named a Champion. He told the Heads of the three schools, the other Champions, Professors Snape and McGonagall and Barty Crouch and Ludo Bagman from the Ministry that he did not want to compete, but was told he had to.
"That's rubbish!" Amelia said.
"Mr. Crouch said it was a magically binding contract," Hermione replied with a slight smirk. "Since no one told him otherwise, he reluctantly agreed."
"Still! He's underage! Even if he had put his name in the Goblet, it could not form a magically binding contract! The magic and law only recognize one such contract an underage witch or wizard can consent to and that one's not it! The only way he could be made to compete is if his Magical Guardian consented on his behalf!"
"Indeed," Hermione drawled. "At first, we believed his reluctant acceptance was enough. But we later – as in within the last couple of days – learned that we were mistaken. He's in the tournament only because his Magical Guardian consented on his behalf."
"Who?" Sirius asked.
"I'll give you a hint," Hermione said. "It had to be someone in that room at the time."
"Dumbledore!"
"Right in one," Hermione said. "We confirmed that at Gringotts yesterday. He's been acting as Harry's Magical Guardian since November 1st, 1981 and is recorded as such with the bank."
"Was he designated as such?" Amelia asked.
Hermione shook her head. "Not by Harry's parents and there's no Will – or at least no one's tried to execute a Will."
"But there is one!" Sirius protested. "I was designated as Executor! There's a copy in my vault and I know James and Lily designated backups given the times!"
"No Will has been submitted to Gringotts, the Ministry or the Wizengamot," Hermione said. "It is possible that, like you, any others may have been unable to do so for one reason or another. It is also possible they were prevented from doing so, although we doubt that was the case as, while someone might prevent them from filing with the Ministry and Wizengamot, doing so with the Goblins is another matter. It is also possible that one or more of the backups chose not to. We can't say. Not without seeing the Will itself and knowing its contents." She glared at Sirius.
"Aside from witnessing the signing and knowing I was named executor, I don't know the contents," Sirius said. "There's a copy in my vault that was magically sealed as per custom. I could not know the contents until I presented it for filing. As Harry's Godfather, I wouldn't be surprised if I had been named as his Magical Guardian. Naturally, given my past and current legal status, I can neither access the Will, nor fully act in that capacity."
"You did sign my Hogsmeade permission slip," Harry offered.
"Which suggests that you are or should be Harry's Magical Guardian and Dumbledore knows it," Hermione added. "It suggests that but does not prove it."
"Why would he do that?" Rose Granger asked. "Why would he become Harry's Magical Guardian? How could he?"
"As for the how," Hermione said, "as there was no Will filed and Harry had no immediate magical relations, he was technically an orphan in the magical world and a Ward of the Wizengamot. As Chief Warlock, he had the authority to assign Harry a Magical Guardian. As for the why… The why begins with a prophecy made just a few months or so before Harry and Neville were born."
As the main courses were served, Hermione told them the prophecy and all the possible interpretations. She also told them that it was probable that Voldemort at least was aware of the first part of it and Dumbledore knew it all as it had been made to him. Finally, she told them what they thought Dumbledore believed it meant; that Harry was the One destined to defeat Voldemort but that he was destined to die.
"Obviously," she said having thoroughly explained what it could and could not mean, "he is mistaken."
"And what makes you think he believes that Harry must die?" Sirius asked.
"Several things, most of which we've gone over. Ask yourself this: if Harry is the One, why is he denied the training he might need to succeed? Do you really think getting no better than any other student his age will prepare him? Voldemort has already made two attempts at a return since Harry started school. Is it safe to assume Voldemort will wait long enough for Harry to reach a sufficient level of skill on his own? For whatever reason – and the evidence supports both benign, mistaken reasons and malicious ones – Dumbledore has done nothing to prepare Harry for what lies ahead, assuming the One is Harry. Dumbledore's done even less for Neville who might also be the One. While we believe it is probable that Harry is the One following Voldemort's failed attack on him as a baby, unlike Dumbledore we are not betting everything on that assumption."
"Still," Robert Granger noted, "nothing you've said leads to the conclusion that Dumbledore believes the One has to die."
Hermione nodded. "That is true. But this leads to that conclusion." Images of the betrothal contract between the Weasleys and Harry's Magical Guardian for the marriage between Ginny and Harry appeared about the room so that everyone could see them clearly.
"That bastard!" Sirius growled.
"What?" Robert asked. "Surely that's not enforceable."
"It is absolute between the signatories," Sirius said. "They agreed that Harry must marry Ginny by his sixteenth birthday! As both of them will still be minors, they can't refuse! The contract further suggests that Ginny will be pregnant as soon as possible and as often as possible until a healthy Heir to House Potter is born. I've only read about these things. Near as I can recall, there hasn't been one in ages, but they are legal! The only reason you'd use one is to continue a line when you believe the bridegroom does not have long to live for some reason!"
"He's correct," Amelia added. "There's no way out of it."
"Why have we done this?" Harry asked rhetorically, "Hopefully you are beginning to see that when it comes to me in particular, but also Neville and maybe even all of us, Dumbledore cannot be trusted. We add to it that he's Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and a very powerful, one man political party in and of himself and the options for regaining even some control of my life are very limited."
"I don't know," Remus began.
"Moony," Sirius said, "I believe him."
"You would," Remus began. "He could have done something about you either before or after you escaped and has not. But I don't see him as trying to control Harry."
"Oh?" Harry said. "So Dumbledore has told you why he's done what we know he's done?"
"Um … no, not really," Remus said. "I asked about your life before I met you and he assured me it was fine."
"If by being beaten, starved, used as a slave and robbed is fine," Hermione said, "then he was right! The Dursleys received a thousand pounds a month from Harry's vault per Dumbledore's instructions. Did Harry receive any benefit? He slept in a cupboard under a stair for ten years! He never had new clothes before or was ever taken shopping! He never received a gift or present from anyone! He has no memory of a kind word, a hug, a kiss or anything prior to coming to Hogwarts! He now has a tiny bedroom at that place, but it has several locks on the door, bars on the window – or at least it had bars at one point – and a cat flap on the door to pass food to him! If that's Dumbledore's definition of fine, I'd really like to see what he thinks was worse short of Azkaban itself! As Harry's magical guardian, by law he was to take a personal interest in Harry's upbringing and to make sure Harry was being properly cared for! There is nothing that suggests he did anything of the sort since dropping Harry off at that hell hole!"
"Dumbledore has told me next to nothing," Harry said. "I never even heard of him until I got my Hogwarts letter. I never knew about magic before then. He has told me that he believes Voldemort somehow survived that night and is trying to come back, although that was after I figured that out on my own. He told me he thinks my mother's sacrifice might have had something to do with what happened that night and that he believes that sacrifice protects me which is why he insists on my returning to the Dursleys even though he knows I'd rather never go back again. He thinks I have some kind of connection to Voldemort which explains my ability to talk to snakes – which we now know is a bunch of bunk as that ability is a Potter trait.
"But the prophecy? He hasn't even mentioned there might be one, much less what it is! He allows me to spend time with the Weasleys, but has never mentioned my betrothal to Ginny – and neither have her parents! If my life is in such danger, don't you think I should be learning how to protect myself? Muggles would do that for their kids – well, excluding my relatives. He has utterly failed me as my Guardian and I doubt he has any excuse!"
"Dumbledore's always been…" Remus began but stopped. There was now doubt in his voice.
"Been what?" Harry said. "Open? Forthcoming with any relevant information? My parents were placed under the fidelius charm – as were Neville's within days of Neville's and my birth; before the announcement was made in the Daily Prophet. Did he tell you why?"
"He said Voldemort was targeting your parents," Remus said and Sirius nodded.
"Nothing about me, right?"
"No," Sirius said. "It did make sense though. Your parents had been a pain in his arse."
"And yet you were named my Godfather the day I was born," Harry continued. "By custom that meant that you would most likely act as my Magical Guardian if my parents died. My Grandfather was still alive but was already in failing health so we don't think he would have been available. Dumbledore did know that, didn't he?"
"He did," Sirius agreed.
"Does anyone think it appropriate for him to withhold information about a threat to me from the person most likely to be in charge of me should anything happen to my parents? We don't even know if my parents knew for certain!"
"Assuming you're correct," Remus said.
"We have all of this well documented," Hermione replied. "We have a convincing paper trail! We have records from the Ministry of Magic, Gringotts and even Dumbledore's private files; certifications, family journals from four Ancient and Noble Houses and the trial transcript from the Lestrange Trial and more! We can trace everything almost by the day from the day of the Prophecy to today!
"The Prophecy was made in June of 1980. The Potters and Longbottoms were placed under the Fidelius Charms in the first week of August, just after Harry and Neville was born and Dumbledore cast both of the Charms. Fabian Prewett was killed on October 28th, 1981 and we know Dumbledore immediately had the Longbottom Secret Keeper changed to another Order member – who happened to be a Death Eater spy and then recommended a similar change with the Potters and another Death Eater spy became Secret Keeper. The Potters were murdered within forty-eight hours of that recommendation! We know from testimony that Voldemort was after BOTH families that night. The Longbottoms were spared only because of what happened at the Potters.
"We know that Dumbledore assumed the duties as Harry's magical guardian first thing the next morning: November 1st 1981. His papers are on file with the Ministry! This was before Sirius was even arrested! He didn't even wait to see if there was a Will! Even if there wasn't, Sirius was not the only person with a superior claim to Dumbledore to act as Harry's Magical Guardian. Two of those with superior claims later challenged him and he denied their claims outright and then had the Wizengamot declare Harry a legal orphan and his charge! All of this is documented and we have the records! As for what happened after, we have the witnesses!"
"Where did you get those?" Amelia asked.
"The journals from the personal elves of the Heirs," Hermione said. "Admittedly, we only got the Longbottom and Potter Journals yesterday. Some of our friends got the Ministry documents just after Christmas. As for Dumbledore's records…"
"You think you Marauders are the only lot capable of being sneaky?" Harry asked. "Ginny nicked them from Dumbledore's office ages ago!"
"I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation," Remus said weakly.
"Is there?" Hermione returned. "I'd love to hear it!"
"And I doubt Dumbledore is going to tell us what he's on about just 'cause we ask," Harry said. "Been asking him since First Year and he either avoids the question altogether or says that he may tell me when I'm older – probably when it's too late. No one has provided a reasonable explanation for any of this except that Dumbledore believes that bloody prophecy and believes I have to be some kind of martyr. I need not tell you that a martyr does not have much in the way of prospects. You add to it he's too bloody powerful and well entrenched and we can't even hope to resolve this through ordinary channels."
"So what are we going to do?" Rose Granger asked.
"Wrong tense," Hermione said. "We've already done it. Dumbledore's out of the picture and won't get back in unless he tells us everything from this day forward!"
"What have you done?"
"You're just kids!" Remus added.
"Don't worry," Hermione smiled. "Our solution to all of this, while quite unorthodox, was quite legal."
A/N: Yes! Yes! I know! The BIG REVEAL hasn't happened yet! (And some of this is repetitive). NEXT CHAPTER! (and I can say that 'cause I'm already on Chapter 29, and all Chapter 19 needs is a final edit). I needed to truly introduce House Longbottom at one point and this seemed logical. I always saw Augusta as somewhat of a forceful personality, but one who did care about her Grandson deeply. I believe that had Neville actually been a Squib, she would not have kicked him to the curb. I also saw her as very independent, and not a blind toadie. In OotP, she believes Dumbledore about Voldemort and she would here. But there's a difference between believes and believes in.
Hermione's strategy should seem obvious. She wants to develop deed sympathy for the protagonist (Harry and to a lesser extent Neville) and their supporters before she kicks the adults all in the mouth. She doesn't want her parents to hate her or Harry, although knows damn well they might. But it's hard to hate someone you feel sorry for… at least for long…