Chapter 114: 114 The Aftermath

Bokuboy

Albus Dumbledore felt himself being shaken slightly. He thought that was odd, because he was supposed to be alone in his cell. Perhaps I am dreaming? He asked himself. Not hearing anything about the wizarding world during his imprisonment had worn on his mind even more than the Dementors did.

“He's waking!” A man's voice exclaimed.

“Huh?” Albus asked eloquently and opened his eyes.

“My Lord! Welcome back!” A man wearing a mask and a cloak said and bowed deeply. Four others did the same and Albus stared at them.

“What... what's going on?” Albus asked.

“We have worked hard to return you to the wizarding world, My Lord.” The man in front said. “It has been touch and go the last few weeks; but, we finally achieved it. You have been restored.”

Albus was concerned over this man's words. Restored? What does he mean? He asked himself and sat up. He felt a little weary and looked around the small room he was in. “Where am I?”

“A safe house that we use for recovering Azkaban escapees.” The man said and snapped his fingers. “A mirror for our lord! He must see his recovery is complete!”

One of the others handed him a hand mirror that the man in front enlarged and handed over.

“We hope you are pleased, My Lord.” He said and watched Albus raise the mirror.

“NOOOOO!” Albus yelled and dropped the mirror. It shattered on the stone floor.

“My Lord, what is it?” The man asked, concerned. “Did we not do well?”

“NOOOOO!” Albus yelled and fell back on the bed and covered his face with his hands.

“Perhaps we should leave him alone until he feels better.” One of them suggested and the men in masks and cloaks left the small room and shut the door.

Once they were outside and the door was locked and spelled silent, the men started laughing.

“Did you see his face! He was terrified!” The man who had the mirror said and took off the mask. Theodore Nott's father kept laughing and took off his cloak as well.

“It was quite enjoyable.” Lucius Malfoy said and took off his own mask. His face was slightly sallow and his skin lighter than normal. “I need to rest again.”

“Yes, my husband.” Narcissa said and took his arm to lead him back to his recovery bed.

“How long are we going to leave him looking like the dark lord?” Pansy Parkinson's father asked.

“Is there a time limit for our fun?” Lucius asked and the men shook their heads. “Then we leave him as he is. When those of us that need to recover are better, we shall give the wizarding world a dark lord to rally against. Their own.”

They all laughed and Narcissa took her husband to his room. She hadn't seen him this happy in a long time and was pleased that he was coming along well with the treatments they had devised, even without Severus' help.

Lucius laid down on the bed and Narcissa laid down with him. “Severus refused again?”

“Yes, dear. He was quite adamant that he is out.” Narcissa said.

“Then he will need to be dealt with.” Lucius said.

“He's our son's godfather.” Narcissa said.

“If he has turned his back on our cause, we will have to change that.”

Narcissa sighed. “He's not a fighter, dear. You know that.”

“He is either with us or against us.” Lucius said. “Have you told Bellatrix yet?”

“No, because she'll defy me and try to leave to gut him.” Narcissa said.

Lucius nodded. “Make sure to give her extra attention and more food. We need her healthy to be effective. When the real dark lord returns, he will want his most loyal ready and waiting.”

Narcissa nodded and hugged him. She would do as he asked, because she always would.

*

Life at Hogwarts didn't change, even with the threat of new death eater attacks looming over everyone. Harry enjoyed his classes, spending time with his friends, and learning more magic. He was a little surprised that Padma started hanging around her sister a lot more, since they hadn't done that a lot before.

Harry was even more surprised when Pavarti presented him with what she called a traditional gift from her society, in the common room after supper. It was a very nice painting that she had painted herself of the view from her bedroom window back in India. He wasn't much of an art person; but, he knew that it took talent and a lot of work to do something like this.

“Wow, Pavarti. This is really great! Thank you.” Harry said as he stared at it.

“You're welcome, Harry.” Pavarti said with a blush, then she stepped forward and placed a kiss on his cheek. “You're a great friend and I don't think I've said that to you before.”

“She's said it to everyone else, though.” Padma said with a laugh and her sister blushed a little more.

“I think we can all agree that Harry's a great friend.” Neville said and Lavender nodded.

“Geez, guys! I'm gonna blush!” Harry said and they all laughed. “I'm going to put this in my trunk for now and I'll hang it up at my apartment when I go back there.”

“You're really going to hang it up?” Pavarti asked, surprised.

“Yeah. I've got some room on the walls in the living room.” Harry said and then smiled. “I can even hang it across from the painting of myself and Sirius, so they can see what a great job you did, too.”

Pavarti blushed again and nodded, quite happy that he accepted her gift so well.

“It will also let them see something besides the blank wall across from them.” Luna said with a big smile.

Harry laughed and put an arm around her. “I guess Pavarti did reveal my lack of decoration.”

“You know what that means! An Art Party!” Lavender said loudly and the others laughed.

“I'm not going hang just anything up, you know!” Harry said as they all scrambled to get things to work with.

“You're gonna have to now, mate.” Ron said with a laugh, then grabbed some parchment himself and stuck his tongue out the side of his mouth and started drawing.

“Thanks a lot, Lavender.” Harry said, sarcastically.

“You're welcome!” Lavender said, quite unrepentant.

“You can help me with mine when you come back down.” Luna said.

Harry nodded, thanked Pavarti again, then went up to his dorm room to shrink the painting and put it on a shelf until he went home for the holidays. He would have to come up with something good to thank her for it and he also had to get everyone Christmas presents. He sighed as he thought about staying home for the first time in a couple of years, because he was going to miss the train trip.

He really enjoyed getting out and seeing everything and spending all that time with Amelia and Susan. He also wondered what they were going to do at home for that time, since they had always taken train trips. He grabbed some parchment and things himself and went back down to the common room with everyone else.

“You have some of the best ideas.” Luna said as he sat down beside her.

“I learned from the best.” Harry said and kissed her on the lips. “I'll just be a minute writing it out.”

“I know.” Luna said and went back to work on her drawing.

Harry did up a letter to Amelia and also to Susan. They hadn't spent as much time hanging out as either of them wanted, so he wanted to make sure she knew what was going on and what he was asking. He also wrote out a letter to Sirius and Ela to ask permission for them to come over and he would pay for everything.

He made envelopes for the letters and tucked them into his robes, then watched as Luna drew the outline for a weird looking creature. “If I remember correctly, that's a Blibbering Humdinger.”

Luna caught her breath and turned her head to stare at him. “H-Harry, you...”

“I'm always listening to you.” Harry said and Luna put her quill down to hug him tightly. “I thought you would try for the Snorkack, though.”

“Daddy had an artist do one, so it's been done before.” Luna said and then kissed her boyfriend heatedly. She broke the snog after a minute and saw Harry's goofy smile. She felt very happy that he still looked like that each time, even though they kissed all the time. She let him go and went back to her drawing.

Harry stayed right there by her side and helped her remember the description she had told him. He noticed the dreamy smile she had the whole time and he knew that she was very happy that he remembered. It gave him a satisfied feeling deep inside that he was being a good boyfriend and he promised himself that he wouldn't take their time together for granted.

Curfew soon approached and everyone packed up their things, fully prepared to continue the next day. They were all going to give Harry something they each drew for him.

Harry and Luna went up to his dorm room, in full view of everyone, and entered his bed. No one commented anymore about it, not even the prefects, because they knew that nothing was going on. They were only kids, after all.

Little did they realize that Luna had a much different view of 'nothing happening' than normal people did. She changed into her nightgown and climbed into bed with Harry, who wore his pyjamas, then they laid on their sides and hugged each other. Luna cuddled in close to stare into his emerald green eyes for several moments, then she started to snog him slowly and tenderly.

Harry knew that she liked it when he was touching her, so he slid a hand down to her butt and rested it there. Luna let out a happy little moan when he did and her kissing became a bit more passionate. They had done this a lot in broom closets all over the school; but, this was the first time they had done it this heavily before going to bed.

“I love you so much.” Luna whispered and kissed him again.

“I love you, too.” Harry said and he wiggled his fingers on her butt.

“Mmm.” Luna moaned and they kept kissing for quite some time. She wasn't ready for more than that, even though she really wanted to be. Feeling frustrated was a new feeling for her and she wasn't sure how to handle it.

Harry felt her stiffen slightly and broke to kiss. “What is it?”

Luna let out a soft sigh. “I want you to grab my boobies and I don't have any for you to grab.”

“Luna...”

“Lavender lets Neville grab hers.” Luna said and saw Harry's surprise. “They're growing and tender, so he rubs them for her.”

Harry laid there and thought about that. “Does it work?”

Luna nodded. “Neville blushes and Lavender looks really happy afterwards.”

Harry thought about Susan and her chest. “I bet Susan wishes she had someone to do that for her.”

“She's growing, too?” Luna asked and he nodded. “I feel bad for her. If I feel like this and I don't have boobies yet, what is she feeling having them and no one to help?”

Harry looked down at Luna and back at her face. “You're getting some there.”

Luna shook her head. “I'm no different than I was during the summer.”

“Yes, you are.” Harry said and she raised her eyebrows. “You're my girlfriend now.”

Luna smiled. “Harry, that won't speed up my boobs growing.”

“Why not? You said I need to feel them.” Harry said. “Maybe with the both of us wishing for it, they'll start before you know it.”

Luna caught her breath. “You want them to grow, too?”

Harry nodded. “I once fell asleep on Amelia and rested my face on her chest. Hearing her laugh and feeling her move was really nice.”

Luna rolled onto her back and pat her chest. “It might not feel the same, since she's a lot older than me.”

Harry carefully rested his head on her chest and he heard her heart beating fast. “Are you okay?”

Luna put her arms around him and pet his hair. “Yes.”

“Your heart is racing.” Harry said.

“You're using me like a pillow and we haven't done this before.” Luna said and felt him put an arm over her belly.

“If I'm too heavy, let me know and I'll move.” Harry said.

I would never say that! Luna thought and laughed.

Harry heard it through her chest and he liked the sound, just like he liked it when Amelia did it. “You're the best, Luna. Thank you for trying this.”

“Anytime, Harry.” Luna said.

Harry nodded and his ear rubbed her chest a little. Luna made a little sound that he hadn't heard before and he was sure she liked it. He didn't nod again, though. Just like with Amelia, they were going to sleep and not doing anything else. He drifted off to sleep like that and didn't notice Luna's slightly red face.

Luna had felt a tingle right on her left pointy bit and she was sure that Harry's ear had done it. She didn't think ears had that kind of power and she debated if it was all ears or just Harry's ear. It took her an hour to finally decide that it was Harry's ear, because she wouldn't want any other ear this close to her. She fell asleep with the resolve that only Harry's ear would ever get to touch her so.

*

Time passed again and the Christmas break soon arrived. The castle was left nearly completely empty this time. Even most of the teachers had left for the holidays, Severus Snape included. There was a reason for that. He knew that if he stayed in the castle that the Order of the Phoenix would be after him. He wasn't sure why they refused to accept his adamant denial that he wasn't involved and wouldn't be.

The problem he now had was that he would be returning to his home in Spinner's End. He knew that the inner circle of the dark lord's death eaters had his address there and he fully expected to be ambushed. He was fully prepared for it, though. Different potions tucked into his pockets and two spare wands were hidden in his robes and boots. They were also spelled with anti-summoning charms.

Severus apparated to the end of the street where it was safe to do so. It was out of sight and also outside the protections of his home. Without a thought, he immediately tossed a vial towards the tree nearby and cast a silence charm. A man hidden under an invisibility cloak yanked it off and screamed silently. The acid dissolved both the cloak and part of the man's face. A quick stunner felled the man that Severus didn't recognize and the man died silently.

Severus walked down the street, noting the subtle changes, because things never changed at Spinner's End. He cast revealing charms and broke their disillusionment charms, then he tossed different potions at each of them.

Wrongly brewed Boil Cure potions made two of the men scream with pain as their faces and hands grew giant boils. A Draught of Living Death ended the existence of another as he fell face down in a puddle of water. A Shrinking Solution tossed onto another man's head ended his life.

“You always were cautious.” A woman's voice commented as Severus approached his home. She ended her disillusionment and Narcissa stood on his porch.

“I see.” Severus said and sighed. “You shouldn't have come here.”

“Lucius tasked me with this.” Narcissa said.

“No, he's killed you and your sister.” Severus said and heard a cackling laugh. His home's door opened and Bellatrix stepped out to stand behind Narcissa. She was skinny and pale and didn't look healthy at all, despite being out of prison for so long.

“If you meant the meagre wards on this place, you're far from good enough to take us.” Bellatrix said.

“I'm not going to fight you.” Severus said and waved his wand at the hidden potions lab in the basement. The spell wouldn't have worked with the wards intact. “I'm not going to save you, either.”

“What do you mea-AAAARRRRHHHHHH!” Narcissa screamed as the entire house blew up around her. Bellatrix died immediately, her frail body giving Narcissa some protection. They landed at Severus' feet and he kicked Bellatrix's body off of Narcissa.

Severus knelt by her face and she was crying in pain. “Did you think I wouldn't feel you severing the magical godfather tie I had to Draco?”

“Severus... you... why...”

“The dark lord is dead. Harry Potter killed him.” Severus said loudly, making sure the people he didn't kill would return to tell the others. “I am marked as cattle no longer and my oaths based on the dark mark are completed.”

“Lucius will... kill... you.” Narcissa breathed and tried to catch her escaping breath.

“No, he can't. He's still weak from prison and I can remove him at any time I wish.” Severus said. “I knew you were all coming here for me and prepared for it.”

“Make... pay.” Narcissa closed her eyes.

“Why? I've done nothing.” Severus said and levitated the bodies of the people he killed over to the raging fire that used to be his home. “Robbers and thieves came to loot an old rundown house. They damaged the gas line and boom, no more robbers.”

“Your... family home... gone.” Narcissa said as she was levitated up.

“I hate this place. I always have. I've only used it as a convenient place to stay when I'm not in the castle.”

“Tricked... us.” Narcissa said as her head dropped.

“Of course. Knowledge freely given is easy to use to advantage, which I have used against you.” Severus said. “Goodbye, Narcissa. Say hello to the dark lord when you meet him.”

With a flick of his wand, Narcissa was flung into the fire. She didn't have the strength to scream anymore and then died when Bellatrix's body was tossed on top of her.

Severus waved his wand at the flames and increased their intensity, then he dropped the silence spell as he stepped back between two other houses.

Almost immediately, people from the nearby houses were shouting in alarm and running over to look at the flaming wreckage. No one tried to put the flames out and no one went back home to call the fire department in the next town. They would never get there in time anyway.

When the house finally finished burning down, they saw the bodies. Two women screamed and then someone ran to their home to call the police.

Severus cast a summoning charm on the wands the bodies had and nothing came to him, which meant that they had burned up in the fire. He nodded at the scene and disillusioned himself as he snuck around the houses to go back to the apparition point. When he reached there, he walked calmly down the street, as if he had just arrived. His neighbours recognized him and quickly informed him of the situation.

Severus played his part well, even when the police showed up half an hour later. The neighbours told the police what happened and that Severus hadn't shown up there until the fire had gone out. He had house insurance and the police would investigate the bodies found. When asked if he recognized any of them, Severus raised his eyebrows at the officer.

“Yes, right. You weren't here.” He said and wrote it down. “Where can we contact you later about the details of the case?”

Severus pointed to the ruined house. “Everything I had was in there.”

“You don't have anywhere to go?” A woman asked.

Severus shook his head. He wasn't surprised when none of them offered to let him stay with them for a day or two. “I will try and find some money somewhere and then hope to find a cheap room to stay in.”

His words made a lot of them feel bad, especially since he lost everything, and they quickly pooled some money for him. Even a couple of the officers threw in a few pounds each.

“Thank you.” Severus said as he accepted the money, then he walked back towards the apparition point. He ignored the people looking at him with sad eyes and took the corner to get out of sight. He apparated away and went to the Leaky Cauldron. He rented a cheap room for the night and ignored the bartender's nosy questions. The last thing he needed was for anyone to know his business.

Half an hour later, Severus wasn't surprised when a knock sounded from his room's door. What did surprise him was who it was. He opened the door and looked at Kingsley's blank face.

“Shacklebolt.” Severus said, his own face blank. “Does Madam Bones know you're here?”

Kingsley glanced to the right and to the left. “No.”

“Then I must assume this isn't official business.” Severus said and started to close the door.

Kingsley took a step forward and stopped the door from closing. “We need to talk.”

“No, you need to leave.” Severus said.

“You have to help us.” Kingsley said. “Let me in and I'll explain.”

Severus shook his head. “I gave you my answer. Once by not responding and once by letter. You clearly did not take my refusal to heart.”

Kingsley used his wand to push Severus back and stepped into the room as the door closed behind him. “You don't realize how important it is that...”

“I know exactly what it means to put my life on the line every day, you ignorant fool.” Severus snapped. “Unlike you, I no longer have anyone to help me if I do end up in a compromised position.”

“We would help you when we can. I can assure you that...”

“...Madam Bones will not protect a former spy returning to his spying ways, even if she had any idea that you are undermining her authority by trying to coerce me into doing your dirty work.”

“It's not like that.” Kingsley said.

“No? Then tell me. What exactly it is that you want me to do? Spell it out for me and I will consider your words very carefully.”

Kingsley took a deep breath and raised his wand again. “Swear that you will not tell anyone what I am about to reveal to you.”

“I refuse to make a vow to stop myself from saving myself.” Severus said.

“You only need to agree to never tell anyone.” Kingsley said.

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Severus glared at the man and sighed. “Very well. I swear that I will not utter a word to anyone about whatever you tell me during this coerced meeting that I didn't agree to and you are forcing upon me.”

Kingsley sighed in relief at the brief flash of magic and put his wand away. “Thank you. This is what we have planned out for you and for everyone else in the know...”

Severus listened intensely and memorized everything, making sure to hear what was being said and not being said. At no point was he promised amnesty or even leniency when the death eaters were caught. If he was anywhere near them when he betrayed them, he would be taken as a death eater as well.

Kingsley also told him that he wouldn't be allowed to betray the Order of the Phoenix or tell the death eaters about the plans, or he would be abandoned and left to fend for himself. From both sides.

Severus stood there when Kingsley was done talking and thought about it all. “Is that all?”

“Yes.” Kingsley said.

“Who are you going to visit next?” Severus asked.

“You don't need to know that part.” Kingsley said.

“So, I can only know my own role and those of the key players, and only when you deem that it won't endanger anyone but myself?” Severus asked for clarification.

“I wouldn't have put it like that; but, essentially yes.” Kingsley said.

“And both Minerva and Mad Eye agreed to this?” Severus asked.

“Mad Eye has. I haven't visited Minerva yet. She is at Hogwarts until the day after Yule.”

“And you don't want to be conspicuous about meeting with her at the castle, in case anyone makes note of you appearing there.” Severus said and Kingsley nodded. “Very well. I will sleep here for tonight and will think over what you have told me.”

“When can we expect an answer?” Kingsley asked.

“You will hear about it as soon as possible.” Severus said.

Kingsley sighed in relief and nodded. “Thank you, Severus. You won't regret this.”

“I already do.” Severus said and waved at the door. “Get out.”

Kingsley nodded and left.

Severus didn't wait for him to get far before he followed and stood at the bottom of the stairs as he heard Kingsley's destination at the floo. He held in his own relieved sigh and went over to the fireplace.

“Do you fancy a bit of supper, Professor?” Tom asked from behind the bar end closest to the fireplace.

“No, and I will be returning soon to ask you some very pointed questions about how an Auror knew exactly where I was and what room I was in, when I haven't told anyone and no one else was here to see me arrive.” Severus said.

Tom's eyes widened and he started to sweat.

Severus gave him a glare and pointed to the other end of the bar. “Stop eavesdropping to hear where I'm going!”

Tom jumped slightly and scampered to the other end of the bar with a worried look on his face.

Snape used some floo powder and whispered his destination. He knew exactly where he needed to go and he hoped beyond all reason that she agreed to see him. He appeared in the large fireplace in the Ministry's Atrium and and walked over to the guard waiting by the check-in station.

“Is Madam Bones in?” Severus asked as he handed over his wand.

“She's in her office and swamped with work.” The guard said and checked the wand, handed Severus a ticket and his wand back, and waved him through.

Severus went to the elevator and rode it down to the floor that the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was on. He went right over to the office and ignored the secretary. She had barely opened her mouth to protest when he knocked on the door.

“Come!” Amelia's voice snapped.

Severus opened the door without wincing at the biting tone of the woman's voice and stepped inside as he shut the door behind him.

“Professor Snape? What are you doing here?” Amelia's harsh tone evaporated at the highly unexpected visitor.

“I have some vital information about your hunt for the escaped death eaters.” Severus said.

Amelia jumped to her feet. “Please tell me you know where they are!”

“Unfortunately, I do not.” Severus said and Amelia sighed as she sat again. “I also cannot confirm that nearly a dozen of them may or may not have assaulted my home at Spinner's End and burned it to the ground.”

Amelia gasped and jumped to her feet again. “Severus!”

“I cannot in good conscience tell you that most of those involved are dead.” Severus said and then smiled a little. “Narcissa and Bellatrix may or may not have been among them when they may have burned up in the fire. The clearly muggle fire.”

“Sweet Merlin.” Amelia whispered and sat down again with shock on her face. “Merlin.” She wiped at her face and then gave him a sorrowful look. “Why are you telling me... not telling me this?”

“I would have kept quiet, as I have since the dark lord was vanquished all those years ago.” Severus said and pulled out a clear vial, then used his wand to pull out the memory he needed. “I was just visited by one of your senior Aurors and threatened no less than six times after being forced to have a meeting with him against my will.”

Amelia let out a groan of pain and rubbed her forehead as Severus placed the vial on her desk. “I don't want to know who, do I?”

“I didn't want to know... and I am quite happy that my previous oaths have been invalidated with Dumbledore's conviction and incarceration.” Severus said. “However, I am not allowed to tell you anything about it and swore to the same.”

Amelia looked at the vial of memory. “You are a smart man.”

“Much smarter than a very tall black man that is defying you and trying to coerce me into breaking the law.” Severus said. “I assume you can view that to see what I mean?”

Amelia nodded. She knew exactly where she could go to watch it. “You know you're making my job much harder.”

Severus couldn't stop his smile. “I am only revealing what you've been unable to see hidden in front of you.”

Amelia sighed and picked up the vial. “I hope you are going to refuse whatever he asked you to do.”

“I already have, twice.” Severus said and conjured a copy of the letter. “I sent that to Narcissa as well.”

Amelia read it and she shook her head. “I didn't read that.”

Severus smiled as the letter faded from her hand. “I've never had a propensity for transfiguration.”

Amelia huffed and smiled. “All right, I understand. I'll see what I can do to ease whatever pressure has been placed on you.”

“I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron.” Severus said and went to the door. “Room Six, not that Tom kept that a secret for more than a few minutes.”

“Please don't main or kill him. He is a valuable resource of information.”

“I will do nothing except emphasize that reporting my whereabouts to those he knows are up to no good, is a mistake he won't be repeating more than once.”

Amelia thought about that. “What are you going to do?”

“I was thinking something that removes his voice for a week. Or two.” Snape said and smiled at her, then let his blank face return and left her office.

Amelia watched him leave and then went to her door to talk to her secretary. “I'm stepping out for half an hour.”

“Yes, ma'am. I'll let anyone looking for you know.”

Amelia nodded to her and closed and locked her door, then went to her floo. “Hogwarts headmaster's office.” She said as she added some floo powder and stepped through.

Minerva wasn't there, so Amelia went to the cabinet with the pensieve inside and opened it. The water was clear, meaning no one had left anything inside, and she poured in the memory that Severus gave her. She entered the pensieve and was shocked when she saw Severus arrive at Spinner's End and followed him as he was constantly attacked and dealt with the threat.

“Sweet Merlin!” Amelia gasped as Severus blew up his own house and killed Bellatrix. The conversation with Narcissa was enlightening, to say the least. That Snape then tossed all the dead bodies into the fire and made sure the wands were destroyed gave her a shiver down her spine. She was also glad that ruthless man was trying very hard to remain neutral.

The memory shifted to the room at the Leaky Cauldron and Amelia felt anger as Kingsley, one of the people she trusted with her life, demanded that Severus risk his life and commit crimes for the Order of the Phoenix. The not so subtle threats weren't even thinly veiled as Kingsley told Snape that he would be sacrificed if he betrayed them or actually worked with the death eaters against the Order of the Phoenix.

Amelia also learned several very concerning names that were current members of that secret vigilante organization that had gotten her brother and his wife killed, as well as her parents. Hestia Jones, Emmeline Vance, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Mad Eye Moody, and his protege Nymphadora Tonks. Not to mention Kingsley himself and a known criminal, Mundungus Fletcher.

The worst offender in her mind was Minerva McGonagall, since she had thought the older woman had given up on helping Albus Dumbledore manipulating everyone. Amelia remembered her mentioning the Order the last time she saw her, only she thought Minerva was only getting them motivated, not that she was a part of the whole thing or was behind it.

Amelia caught her breath when she remembered Minera's problems with her memory and forgetting things. She would need to take steps to give Minera the help she needs and also to remove her from any apparent influence she may be under. It wasn't until she saw Snape follow Kingsley and heard her Auror whisper, 'The Burrow', that she realized the entire family might be in the Order.

She couldn't have them influence so many departments in the Ministry, no matter how good their intentions were. She exited the pensieve and put the memory back in the vial before she closed the cabinet.

“Amelia?” Minerva asked as she entered the office. “What are you doing here?”

“I had a memory I needed to view.” Amelia said and walked over to her. “How are you feeling? Did you check with Thorfinn about Albus?”

“What? Why would I do that? Albus is in prison.” Minerva said with a smile. “I think you've been getting into the tonic a bit much, Amelia.”

Amelia sighed and took out a piece of paper and wrote on it. She handed it to Minerva and the older woman gasped, then went to her desk and opened the top drawer. There was another piece of paper, with the same sentence and 'check with Thorfinn' on it. 'Confirmed forgetful curse. Caster: Kingsley Shacklebolt' was written under that.

Minerva sat, her strength leaving her. “No, I... oh, no.”

Amelia looked into the drawer and scowled. “I can't believe that...”

The floo flared to life and Amelia immediately jumped to the side to hide from sight and disillusioned herself. Her years of being a paranoid Auror had always held her in good stead.

“Minerva? Are you alone?” Kingsley's voice asked.

“Yes.” Minerva said without looking at the fire.

“We're coming through.” Kingsley said, which proved that what he told Severus about not meeting Minerva until after the Yule holiday was a ruse. With her under a curse to forget anything to do with Albus and possibly the Order, they could meet at any time and Minerva would never remember it. Kingsley, Bill Weasley, Arthur Weasley, and Molly Weasley stepped out of the fireplace, one after the other.

“The others are going to be delayed for a few minutes. It took me this long to let them all know about Severus agreeing to work for us.” Kingsley said.

“Not with us?” Minerva asked, still without looking at him.

“No, he can't know that we're concentrating on finding Albus before searching for the death eaters.” Bill said. “I've paid one of the goblins at the bank to monitor his accounts and to let me know if anyone accesses them.”

“What did you pay them with?” Minerva asked.

“You approved the transfer of funds from the Hogwarts accounts, just like Albus ordered you to do.” Kingsley said and Minerva sucked in a sharp breath. That was apparently the phrase to use to make her forget.

A bright flash of light blinded everyone and then they were all taken down with silent stunning spells. They were bound in magical ropes and disarmed of their wands and then any magical devices. Amelia moved them off to the side and cast disillusionment on them to hide them from the others coming through.

None of them even asked to come through and just came in a steady stream. There were a lot more than the ones Kingsley had told Snape about, confirming Snape's statement about him not being important enough to know everything.

Amelia quickly stunned them and pulled them aside as each one appeared. Some came out a little quickly, meaning they were coming from the same location, so their shock at seeing the person in front of them on the floor gave her enough time to stun them, too.

This went on for nearly ten minutes until the very last ones out of the fireplace were Mad Eye Moody and Nymphadora Tonks. Moody came first and jumped aside at the spellfire coming his way and his magical eye found Amelia through her disillusionment spell.

“Amelia! What are you doing?” Mad Eye asked as he aimed his wand at her and Nymphadora came out of the fireplace.

“I am arresting members of an illegal vigilante organization that's committing blatant crimes against wizardkind.” Amelia spat as she dropped the disillusionment. “Just like you should be doing, old friend.”

Mad Eye sighed. “Amelia, there are things you don't know...”

“Why don't you tell me all about how Albus recruited you all to break the law and coerce an innocent man into spying and doing your dirty work for you, just so you can all claim your hands are clean and then let him take the fall for it all.” Amelia said. “Go ahead, Alastor. Tell me.”

“That's not how it is, Amelia.” Mad Eye said and stood up. He didn't lower his wand, though.

“Mad Eye? What do I do?” Nymphadora asked.

“Stand down, Auror trainee.” Amelia ordered in her command voice. “If you raise your wand against the head of the DMLE, your career will be over before it starts.”

Nymphadora gasped and looked at Mad Eye, who still had his wand pointed at Amelia.

“Aye, lass.” Mad Eye said. “I'll be drummed out by the end of the day...”

“Go ahead and finish that statement, old friend.” Amelia said with a scowl. “...if Amelia remembers it.”

Mad Eye let his eye swirl around and focused on the people bound and hidden. “You've gotten us all.”

“Have I?” Amelia asked. “Or just the ones that could make it to this emergency meeting?”

Mad Eye sighed and lowered his wand. He knew when he was beaten.

“Tell me everything, you old fool.” Amelia said and didn't lower her wand. “Tell me about cursing an old woman into forgetting that she's helping you all rob a school full of children to fund your illegal organization.”

Mad Eye said down on the chair in front of Minerva's desk. “It wasn't supposed to happen like that. Albus always funded us...”

“...with Harry Potter's inherited wealth and any other money he could steal from innocent children that he didn't care about, because they didn't matter to the greater good!” Amelia spat. It had all come out in the trial against Albus. “Keep going!”

“We are trying to fight against the forces of darkness. The dark lord will return. When he does...”

Amelia barked a harsh laugh. “You'll what? Do nothing? Gather intelligence that you never share with the Aurors or myself? What good will that do? WHAT GOOD WILL THAT DO?!?”

Moody rubbed the good side of his face with a mangled hand. “Amelia, Albus assured us that...”

“He is a convicted criminal that abused and robbed a baby! Then he let Harry be TORTURED for TEN YEARS by HIS OWN RELATIVES!” Amelia nearly screamed at him. “Tell me how you can even stand to be around that man! HOW? HOW CAN YOU CHOOSE HIS EVIL OVER GOOD? HOW?”

Mad Eye groaned, because he wasn't sure what to say to her to calm her down. She was overreacting, especially since the boy turned out fine. He wasn't going to say that, though. He hadn't survived this long by being stupid.

“He meant well.” Mad Eye said.

“So did Voldemort.” Amelia said and he looked shocked. “He hated the system that left him in a muggle orphanage, even though he was magical. He wanted to make all of wizardkind pay for how he was treated and abused by muggles... almost exactly like Harry had been.”

Mad Eye focused both eyes on her face.

“How dare you sit there and tell me that Albus meant well, when he specifically had a hand in making Tom Riddle into the evil he became and almost turned the wizarding world's savior into a carbon copy? On purpose?” Amelia asked.

Moody stayed silent and didn't respond.

“Right, you can't. Your words are as hollow as Albus' were when he said my brother's murder by death eaters was valuable to the wizarding world. He completely ignored Edgar's wife and my parents. Also my cousins.” Amelia said. “So, tell me again. Why are you committing so many crimes and encouraging so many others to commit even more crimes, including future Aurors, when there is no evidence that Voldemort is going to return, except for the ravings of a convicted child torturer?”

Mad Eye rubbed his face again. “I can't explain, Amelia. I am under oaths to not reveal anything.”

Amelia smiled. “Yes, you are. You are also violating your oaths to me, the department, and the Ministry to uphold the law.”

“I will do what I have to do in order to save the wizarding world from itself.” Mad Eye said.

“That's not your job.” Amelia said. “That's not even my job, and I'm the head of the DMLE. We enforce the law. We DO NOT break it whenever we want and also make others break it, too!”

Mad Eye sighed. “You would understand if I could only tell you... something.”

“Like what?” Amelia asked and then decided to reveal a little unknown fact. “Do you mean Albus actually told you something about Tom Riddle's horcruxes?”

Mad Eye sucked in a sharp breath and Nymphadora's face paled.

“I'll take that as a yes.” Amelia said with satisfaction. “Does that lift any of your oaths to the old man?”

Mad Eye worked through his head and then sighed with a shake of his head.

“Well, I guess this conversation is at an end.” Amelia said and cast magical ropes around him.

Mad Eye fell to the floor and Nymphadora gasped.

Amelia cast it on her, too.

“What did I do?” Nymphadora asked after she fell to the floor as well.

“You lost your job, is what you did.” Amelia said and waved at the pile of people. “So did Kingsley and the rest of those idiots.”

“But... we only...”

“Broke the law and tried to force a man to commit crimes with death eaters, to get in their good graces, then betray them to you... only for information on their movements and them looking for Riddle. You weren't even going to arrest them, because the spy's word isn't enough evidence to do so.” Amelia said and bent at the waist to glare at the young woman. “I'll ask you the same question I asked Moody. What good would that do, especially if you never tell me?”

Nymphadora couldn't respond, because she finally realized that Amelia was right. It wouldn't do any good at all, because by the time Snape gave them any information, the crimes would have already happened. They couldn't arrest anyone on just his word, which they wouldn't trust anyway, because he was a spy.

She rested her head on the floor and tears came to her eyes as she mourned her lost career. She thought she was doing things for the greater good of the wizarding world, saving it from a great evil. All she was really doing was a whole lot of nothing, except for making more evil for others to fight.

“I'm... I'm sorry.” Nymphadora whispered and started to cry. “I'm sorry.”

“So am I.” Amelia said and stunned her. She looked at Moody and shook her head. “Now I'm wondering how long you'll live under viritaserum.”

“Maybe a minute... a minute and a half at most.” Mad Eye said. “If you're careful of what you ask.”

Amelia nodded and stunned him as well. She went to the floo and went back to her office to get some other Aurors that she trusted, then had them bring everyone through her floo to be put into individual holding cells. None of them questioned why several of their Aurors, including Senior Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt, was one of the prisoners.

*

Harry loved staying over at Ela's home. Not only did he get hugs at random times from her, and her restored fingers run through his hair at other times, he also would get in tickle fights that he had come to enjoy very much, thanks to Luna. Of course, Luna was right there with him.

Her father was off again to Switzerland on the search for a Fizzing Whisbee, the original creature that the toy called a Fanged Frisbee was created to resemble. Harry had expressed his worry over this, especially if they were vampiric and wanted to suck on Xenophilus' blood. Luna had hugged him to her chest and whispered that she loved him even more because he was so concerned over her father.

Neither Ela nor Sirius tried to stop them from sleeping in the same bed together. They thought it was cute seeing them all cuddled up like that, not realizing that Harry's hands cupped the cheeks of Luna's butt and Luna's hands were buried inside Harry's pyjama top and hugged his chest.

*

No one suspected that Amelia had caught most of the members of the Order of the Phoenix that day and interrogated them to find out the remaining members and arrested them as well. The best part was that she had gained a lot of new information about the death eaters and their movements. She sent trusted Aurors out to search and track them down.

With that information combined with Sirius' older information, they made several arrests and discovered that the death eaters were recruiting again. That made Amelia call an emergency Wizengamut meeting to demand more funding and to inform the ruling body of the government of the latest developments.

The new minister tried to block her, so she arrested him for interfering with her department. It was something the Wizengamut had voted into effect when Fudge had been ousted as minister. No minister would be above the law, especially if they tried to stop that law from being applied.

Amelia questioned him under viritaserum and he admitted to cultivating Fudge's old techniques. He was ousted immediately and a temporary Minister Of Magic was appointed. Augusta Longbottom. She stated as a matter of fact that she would do the job until a new minister could be elected. By universal agreement of everyone in the Wizengamut, the election would happen three years hence.

“You suckered me, you bastards.” Augusta said in a calm voice, which made them all laugh. They wouldn't accept her resignation, either. She had the job now and was stuck with it.

Amelia got her funding approved. The Aurors committing crimes were tried, fined, and fired. The order members were tried and a few of them were sent to prison for a while, especially the older members that had been committing crimes for years.

Not surprisingly, Amelia was a very skilled interrogator and Alastor Moody lasted nearly fifteen minutes before one of the vows he took caused him to have a heart attack. Amelia was ready for it and had two skilled healers there to revive him. When he woke up after a quick Ennervate, he sang like a bird. Apparently, dying from a vow, broke its hold. He gave them tons of information that they never suspected he had.

It led to more arrests, a lot more fines, and criminals that were hiding in plain sight were discovered. Mad Eye's magical eye had given him a lot of material to disclose, now that he wasn't restricted from telling anyone about it. He cursed Albus Dumbledore for making him take that particular vow, because he didn't want whatever Alastor saw inside the castle to come to anyone's attention.

Mad Eye didn't realize it stopped him from telling anyone about whatever he saw and not just what was inside Hogwarts. Now he knew and he told Amelia everything. He also took a plea deal instead of standing trial and would stay in a holding cell at the Ministry for a year, so he could still be useful to the Auror department and the Head of the DMLE. Amelia was perfectly fine with that.

When Amelia was done with all her work, she sent a discreet letter by house elf to Sirius. She told him that an anonymous source informed her that both Narcissa Malfoy and Bellatrix Black were dead. Sirius celebrated like it was the best Christmas present he had ever had... until Ela informed him that she was pregnant.

Sirius let out a loud happy shout about being a father, thanked her profusely, then fainted.

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