First of November, 1994, Wizengamot Chambers
Pandemonium. That was the first word that came to Albus mind when he entered the room. Nevertheless, that simple description was unable to portray the utter chaos that ruled the place. Most Wizengamot members were yelling at each other and even the most stoic people seemed to have lost their composure. The only calm persons were the ones the old headmaster wished to avoid at all costs.
Sirius Black, Lucius Malfoy, and Attorney Blair were conversing, somehow managing to ignore the ruckus that surrounded them. For a moment, he considered approaching them but discarded the idea - Sirius might still be angry and today he needed as little opposition as possible. In a corner of the room, he saw Madam Marchbanks and Augusta Longbottom enjoying a cup of tea, ignoring the riot. He took a deep breath and kept walking towards the podium, hoping that the Minister arrived soon, for his own peace of mind.
Dumbledore slumped into his seat; all his remaining energy left him and he doubted he could stand up. It was time to admit he made another mistake believing his age line would be enough. Why had he not accepted Filius offer again? ... Ah, of course, how could he forget? He rejected the man’s offer because he felt offended at the implication of his barrier not being powerful enough. Mmm, it seemed the pride that blinded him during his youth made an inconvenient appearance.
Never mind that, there was no reason to cry over spilt milk. It was time to plan. Albus admitted not being a decent headmaster over the past few years, but he changed. Being Hogwarts Headmaster helped him to keep his feet grounded on earth. All those children were the Magical World’s future, so he tried to impart his knowledge and beliefs on each new generation, in hopes of avoiding another Dark Lord. He needed to remain in the position, at least until Voldemort was defeated. Now, the problem centred on how to keep it.
Rita Skeeter wrote the facts based on her own perspective, polluting the population’s opinion about him. Nothing to do there. Albus couldn't deny any accusation and no one would hear his explanations either way. He almost groaned at the only idea that came to his mind, not wanting to use the few favours he had left. However, he couldn't think of other option. It was time to allow his inner politician to take control and use his greatest weapon: charisma.
The familiar sensation of dozens of eyes staring at him broke his train of thought. Of course, people would notice his presence when Amelia had yet to arrive. In the corner of his eye, he saw a group of people approaching his position and he prayed to all the deities that he could think of to avoid the confrontation. Much to his relief, his prayers were heard and the Minister entered, accompanied by young Marcus and Moody.
"Good morning! I apologize for my lateness, but there were important matters to take care of," Amelia greeted, putting an effective end to every conversation in the room.
"Meh, let’s make this quick because I still have paperwork to finish," Alastor grumbled loud enough for the whole room to hear.
"Before we begin the session," Madam Bones announced from her place on the podium. "I ask the Chief Warlock to be relieved from his duties during this meeting. It would be counterproductive to have the person responsible for this whole mess in the position."
"If I may, I suggest Madam Marchbanks as interim Chief Warlock," Malfoy announced.
Albus could only sigh at the terrible beginning this meeting was having. Madam Marchbanks was a ruthless woman who would kick him out as headmaster if she could. He contained another sigh when he noticed the number of people who raised their hands in agreement.
"Very well, Madam Marchbanks will be presiding over the meeting," he announced, wearing his grandfatherly persona, and walked to the seats reserved for Ministry workers. Albus decided it was better to give in before antagonizing anyone, he wasn't in a position to have enemies today.
"That done, let’s be brief and concise because I have many matters that need my attention, thanks to the carelessness of many of those present," Amelia stated. The members of the Wizengamot knew this was not going to be an easy day.
"First matter that you wish to discuss," Griselda Marchbanks asked, signalling Miss Blair to speak, much to the chagrin of the dark faction.
"As the representative of the House of Potter, I am announcing a demand against this body through the ICW for its negligence. Mister Potter is not pleased with the idea of being dragged into the ill-planned competition and wishes remuneration," the attorney declared, provoking surprise in most of the people in the room.
"That is understandable and he is within his rights to demand remuneration. However, I believe the price would be too hefty, not counting the fact that the public will not support us. There are high probabilities of us losing and the event turning into another international scandal," Lucius sighed. Murmurs broke out at his declaration and the man tried to contain a smirk.
"Indeed, that’s the reason he wished me to announce it, so that you have time to get ready for the public trial. Mister Potter is disappointed in how much our decisions have endangered his life," Andra told the people. Her stoic expression did nothing to reassure the tense people in the room.
"Is there any way to convince him to drop the demand?" begged a nervous Elmo Humpty.
"There could be, but the Wizengamot would need to make amends as soon as possible because I am already preparing the lawsuit."
"What demands does Mister Potter have?" asked a curious Augusta Longbottom.
"He wishes the destruction of the Goblet of Fire once the competition is over, for we don't know the consequences to the champions if we were to do it now," Miss Blair pronounced. "Also, my client doesn't feel safe around the ones who agreed on the Triwizard Tournament continuing despite the evidence of its dangerous nature. He wants a restraining order against each one of the members who agreed on the competition, including the Chief Warlock, along with a mark on their files regarding their irresponsibility. Reporter Skeeter is in contact with my client and we all know that she will paint this whole body as villains so, either way, he will have his demands."
"Both of them are doable, but don't you think the restraining order is excessive?" asked Albus, trying to show his best smile.
"Not at all. My client wants a special order against you, Mister Dumbledore, because last night you were amongst the ones who were pushing him to compete," Andra declared, making the man wince. "He also wishes an audit to be made of this body, the Ministry’s Department of International Magical Cooperation, and the Department of Magical Games and Sports. Of course, this is another sensible request that would be granted to him if a public trial was to take place."
"I believe it's in our best interests to comply with those requests. That way we will save ourselves the shame of a trial against the Saviour of magical Britain. We know that the public won't support us, so we will be taking the best part of the deal if we comply," Marcus Travers announced, his compelling tone ensuring most of the people in the room agreed with him.
"I suggest taking this a step further. Thanks to Mister Dumbledore’s scandal, we now are under scrutiny," Sirius announced, "the public doesn't trust him and that means they don't trust us. I know my godson no longer feels comfortable with him as headmaster of Hogwarts, and he will be speaking with Rita Skeeter in the near future. Therefore, I suggest replacing Albus Dumbledore as the headmaster of the school."
This suggestion was enough to earn a reaction. Hurried conversations broke out amongst the members, some for and others against it. There was no doubt in Albus' mind of what he needed to do. It was a simple but necessary sacrifice that would ensure people forgot about his terrible mistakes, but that didn't mean he had to enjoy it.
"I agree with you Sirius," Dumbledore stated, his words bringing an oppressive silence over the room. "However, all my mistakes were made as Chief Warlock, and I will respond to them as such. I, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, hereby resign from the honourable position I was given as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. My mistakes bring me immeasurable shame and I will reflect on my actions. I apologize to all of you and I will formally apologize to the population. However, I beg you not to replace me as headmaster. I have lived a long life and fought countless battles to protect the children. As you know, my brother is the only family I have left. Helping to mould the new generations has become my reason to live. I promise I will rectify my misdeeds."
Albus got the reaction he was striving for. Many of the people that had once admired him were looking at him with sympathy, forgetting and hopefully forgiving his shameful mistakes. However, Amelia didn't look impressed. For that matter, neither did any of his opposition, but he wasn't hoping for a miracle.
"Very well, Albus, you are relieved from your duties as Chief Warlock. However, your position as headmaster does not involve us, but the members of the Hogwarts board of governors," Griselda agreed. "Now, raise your wands if you agree on granting Mister Potter’s requests."
By the number of wands that were lit, it was easy to conclude that the decision had almost been a unanimous vote. Andra smirked at Marcus, who looked stoic as ever but nodded at the woman. The requests that seemed so simple on the surface were the perfect way of coaxing the people in the room. A mere restraining order wouldn't do much unless Andra Blair was the one to write it. The fools had just agreed on not getting closer than a mile to Harry Potter, and it would be such a shame if Rita managed to catch a whiff of the humiliating situation. Of course, there were also the diminutive technicalities that she would exploit to its full potential.
"I will speak to my client, but I promise nothing. Forcing him to compete was considered an attack on the last Potter and my client is forced to take action or many of the family's old enemies will confuse his passive nature with weakness," the attorney explained, looking as interested as a student in Binns' classes. "However, there may be a way to convince my client to change his mind. Mister Potter is a fierce supporter of creature rights. Gentle as he is, he believes in giving equal opportunities to every living being. If we abolish a few regulations that suppress other species, then he might be more willing to drop the international lawsuit." Her statement brought a new wave of chaos to the room. Gasps of surprise and mutters of disapproval were heard, but at the moment, she had the upper hand.
"You are suggesting we treat those beasts as people?!" Mister Parkinson yelled, losing any semblance of composure he had managed to maintain until that moment.
"Giving them actual rights won't affect us. Mister Potter is kind, but I doubt that granting requests that will be granted if a trial in the ICW takes place will be enough to convince him. He is an intelligent and quite cunning young man, so we need to offer more than he is asking to avoid international ridicule. Merlin knows we get enough as it is," Lucius commented, making more than one yell in indignation.
"Silence!" the Minister commanded. "Mister Malfoy is right, it won't affect us in the least. Besides, it is a change that should have taken place a long time ago."
"We also are in no position to deny it. An international lawsuit will ruin us. It is not far-fetched to think that the Wizengamot would be disbanded if we go against the darling of the magical people. Skeeter will rile them up and, in the best scenario, we will be sacked by the population, for this is not a dictatorship, but a semi-direct democracy," Mister Travers explained, interrupting the discussions from the dark faction. "I don't like it, but I choose the lesser evil."
"We need to decide which creature regulations will be nullified," Griselda announced.
"If you forgive my interruption, I'm sure Miss Blair is the most qualified for that task. If we sort those ourselves, we will spend the whole day here and I have urgent matters to sort regarding my godson and his emancipation. I believe we should give free rein to attorney Blair so she takes care of it, then she can present her proposal to the Minister," Sirius suggested, looking far too pleased for someone who had personified the walking misery less than a day before.
"That is not a wise or viable suggestion, Sirius," Dumbledore announced, unwilling to allow things to take that catastrophic turn. "The regulations were placed on creatures for a reason so we should be careful while examining them."
"I don't know how you manage to have enough time, but most of the people here are far too busy. The Minister has to deal with your scandal and many other things related to the Triwizard Tournament. If you had taken the time to go over that then maybe we wouldn't be having so much trouble now," Sirius retorted, giving a fake smile to the old man.
"I believe Lord Black’s suggestion has merit. Indeed, we all are busy people with little to no time on our hands. Besides, Miss Blair and Minister Bones are intelligent adults, they don't need fifty persons telling them what to do," Augusta said, interrupting an exchange she considered far too infantile.
"Who votes for allowing Attorney Blair, as representative of the House of Potter, to be in charge of the onerous task of determining the regulations that will be repealed?" Madam Marchbanks asked.
This time, the ones agreeing were a little more than the half, but it was enough. Andra contained the smirk that threatened to appear; she was sure that Harry would be pleased. After all, an end date hadn't been defined. Well, their foolishness would work to her advantage. It was good that Madam Bones gave Marcus the power to sort through minuscule details such as regulations and other procedures.
"Another matter that I wish to discuss is the Triwizard Tournament," Amelia announced, after nodding at her undersecretary. "The tasks will change."
"I understand the first task being changed - nesting dragons weren't a good idea - but the others are fine enough," Elphias Doge said, frowning at the woman.
"You agree with putting an eighteen-year-old part Veela underwater for more than an hour?" Madam Bones asked, raising an eyebrow. "A girl who also happens to be the youngest daughter of Mister Delacour, previous French Minister for Magic and perhaps one of the most influential persons in that country? I don't know about you, Mister Doge, but I would rather avoid a confrontation caused by endangering an international guest," the derision in her tone was not lost, but the truth in her words was enough to ensure the man remained silent.
"What do you suggest as the second task then?" Amycus Carrow snapped.
"Forgive my interruption, Minister, but as far as I am concerned, it's not within the Wizengamot’s duties to decide the tasks," Lucius Malfoy said before the woman could answer.
"Indeed. With the help of Mister Bagman and Mister Fawley, I will reorganize the Tournament. Of course, they will join me after their legal problems are sorted," Amelia said, far too cheerful for many people’s liking.
"Is that all? I still have an investigation to take care of and Amelia has a disaster to sort," barked an annoyed Moody, glaring at the few who wanted to continue the discussion. "Bah! I don't have time to waste."
"Although that was inappropriate, I agree with Auror Moody," Augusta announced.
"Very well, with no more matters to take care of, meeting adjourned. The new Chief Warlock will be announced next week," Griselda said.
Once the woman uttered her last word, the room was once again submerged into chaos. Many were trying to approach Miss Blair, but she was speaking with Moody and no one dared to interrupt. Albus decided to be the brave one and neared the pair with cautiousness, just in case the Auror got startled and began throwing curses.
"Ah, Andra, I wished to speak with you," he greeted.
"Is it about your trial? Do you need the assistance of a lawyer?" the woman asked, looking surprised.
"No, that isn't what I wish to discuss," Albus answered cordially. "I came to offer my assistance in helping you go through the regulations. You see, I helped many of them to be placed in the first place. My objective is the protection of the magical people and now I have quite a lot of free time."
"I thank you for the offer, though I am forced to reject it. At the moment, you still have legal issues to be sorted and I doubt my client will appreciate having me near to one of the people who endangered his life," the woman chirped, her smile was far too bright for Albus comfort.
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"Yeah, whatever. Let’s go to my office," Alastor muttered. "Most of the new recruits and my Aurors suffer from different conditions and I won't tolerate them being treated as second class citizens for that. Of course, now I have to deal with paperwork, but I don't think Kingsley will be able to survive if I dump the new batches on him... Meh, it’s not like I like sleeping either way," the grumbles of the man were lost to Andra, who simply followed him, forgetting she had left the headmaster speaking alone.
Alastor Moody approached her in order to try to intimidate her into submission so she abolished all the laws regarding werewolves and vampires. Too bad that Harry Potter had been the first to consider that. Now, though, she would take baby steps. Little by little, the laws would change and when people noticed, it would be too late.
She still remembered how different the magical world was less than five years ago. If someone told her that the magicals would be willing to modernize themselves, adopting some Muggle inventions and then improving them with magic, she would have taken them to Saint Mungo’s for treatment, or maybe cursed them, whatever crossed her mind first. It still was strange to see the number of people who used notebooks and pens or carried magical mirrors. To actually have restaurants instead of having to eat in the Leaky Cauldron. It was refreshing and she knew more changes would come. After all, Harry Potter wasn't someone who did things by halves.
She took a glimpse at the plans that the young boy had and the only thing she earned was a migraine. If it was any other person, then she would have believed those ambitious goals to be impossible. However, it was Harry Potter, the only survivor of the killing curse. Impossible was not a word that registered in the boy’s vocabulary. Either way, she preferred to concentrate on her duties as the legal representative of the last Potter... Not an easy job by any means.
Since she accepted the job, her life had been a whirlpool of events. From uncovering conspiracies to suing the legal body of Magical Britain - not easy, but extremely rewarding. However, she sometimes missed having free time, though her monthly paychecks made her forget all her worries. Perhaps she would take her parents on a vacation to one of those fantastic Muggle beaches.
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The members of the Court decided to have a tranquil lunch at their headquarters. The whole day they were subjected to the constant attention of the students, who apparently had nothing better to do than stare at the champions. Besides, they needed some privacy. Marcus called Harry early in the morning through his crystal, to inform him of the emergency Wizengamot meeting. It was convenient that his legal representative had already prepared his requests. Of course, they had been ready for a long time, but that was a minuscule detail. Now, the boy was waiting for Marcus to call and give him an update on what decisions were made.
"I can't believe the whole school has nothing better to do than stare at you," Draco complained, pointing at the four present champions.
"And I can't believe the teachers did nothing. I'm not even a champion, but classes were still unbearable," Terrence groused in agreement.
"At least you didn't have to deal with all the whining in your common room," Justin shrugged
"Whatever, what do we know about the other champions?" Blaise inquired.
"Iwan is a good person - pretty calm and quite clever. He liked the idea of knowing how he would deal with any possible challenge in the competition. He talked to me last night and asked me permission to put in his name," Viktor explained.
"I don't know Valerie that well, though she is good at charms... She doesn't like me and the feeling is reciprocated," Fleur stated.
"We have an hour to train before classes, come on," Daphne ordered, signalling the dummy area.
"I think Fleur and I will practice our illusions," Neville told the group, but looked at the French girl to see if she agreed. The blonde nodded and they walked towards the duelling area.
"I guess I'll start with the both of you," Harry sighed, looking at the two Hufflepuffs. "Cedric, begin meditating. Justin, try to relax and look at me. I'll try to show you how I transmit my intent to my magic," he ordered and both boys obeyed.
Harry took a deep breath and looked at the youngest Hufflepuff’s eyes. The boy allowed himself to examine the mental shields for a handful of seconds before invading his friend’s mind. The first thing he noticed was the utter disarray of memories and the jumble of clouds that piled in one place. He approached it with care and analyzed it... Apparently, those were the memories from Justin’s time at Hogwarts. The ones at the base looked almost grey compared to how colourful the ones at the top were. He decided to summon a recent memory of the boy casting a spell instead of taking the time-consuming task of looking at each one of the orbs. He mused about how strange it was to experience things from the perspective of another person, although what took most of his attention was the understanding of what was his friend’s problem.
In all his years practising magic, Harry never felt her so unresponsive. However, neither had he felt that kind of disregard towards his precious gift. For him magic was his constant companion and protector, Justin saw it as a tool that he had the right to wield. This ideology annoyed the last Potter more than expected, but he decided to show the ignorant boy one of his own memories. He chose a random one, where his magic resembled a second heart while casting a spell. Once he implanted the orb, he left his friend’s mind.
It was easy to notice Justin had seen the memory Harry left behind, for the Hufflepuff’s eyes widened and his breath quickened.
"What... What was that?" the agitated student asked.
"That was magic. You see her as a tool when she is not, so she takes retribution by not answering when you try to summon her," Harry explained.
"I had no idea..." Justin murmured. "It’s the first time that I've felt it- her."
"I guess it’s understandable, though now you need to work on that."
"I will," the Hufflepuff student promised and began meditating.
Harry sighed and glanced at a sleeping Luna before continuing his job with the other boy. The girl was far too tired these days; if this continued then he would take her to the healers. Although he wished to speak with her about the reason for her constant exhaustion, he had no idea how to breach the topic. Besides, he respected her privacy far too much to pry. He concentrated on Cedric, who was twitching far too much to be meditating.
"Okay, you can open your eyes now," the boy ordered the prefect. "Tell me, how much you advanced?"
"Not much. I'm trying to find my core but so far I've got nothing," Cedric sighed.
"Try to relax. I will show some memories of how my magic core feels and then you will try meditating once again," the young Slytherin said as he looked at the other boy’s eyes.
It was somewhat exasperating how easy it was to invade the older’s boy mind. While Harry was not expecting resistance, it was still disquieting to confirm how defenceless Cedric’s mind was. He decided to put his worries aside and looked around, surprised at the sight. Mind spaces tended to take the shape of the place the person was the most comfortable and familiar with. He was not expecting for the prefect to have adapted so well to the Court, but Diggory’s space was in the shape of the headquarters, though it lacked its usual organization.
Without wasting time, he summoned a memory. After seeing it, Harry was sure that the prefect didn't have the same problem as Justin. By any means, Cedric should have already been able to find his core... Unless... Was that even possible? Perhaps it was.
Harry never had problems with remaining still and his concentration was perfect, though he had met people who lacked his gift. During his school years, he met a few decent people who had more cognitive ability than most of his peers. One, in particular, stood out. Although he didn't remember her name, he remembered how curious the older girl was. Never paying attention and always doing three things at the same time, though she always managed to remember what she read with uncanny precision. Attention deficit with hyperactivity; that is how that girl named her situation.
While other people saw this as a disadvantage, he saw it as the gift it was. The girl multitasked as second nature while he had needed to train that ability for many years, and even at the moment, he had a hard time with it. What many called scatterbrain, he called sheer genius. She was able to think of many different things at the same time while ignoring the world that surrounded her, yet somehow being aware of her surroundings, as paradoxical as that sounded. That was the first person he had been jealous of. However, the medications she was forced to take dulled her abilities, to the point he had given her a Rubik’s Cube and asked her to stop consuming those things. How curious, he didn't remember with exactitude when she was moved to another class for her improved performance.
Anyway, that was perhaps Cedric’s case. The boy thought about a dozen different situations while casting any spell and, while he was able to feel his magic, remaining still for so long made him lose his thread. So, what could he do?
The idea knocked into him like a sledgehammer. Although it was an advanced piece of magic, it would be easier for the boy than it was for the others. If the prefect tried to use wandless magic while meditating, accessing his mind space and his magic core would be easier. If that didn't work then they would find another way.
"Cedric, I think I know what’s happening but I have a few questions. First," Harry told the fidgeting prefect, "do you have a hard time remaining still or paying attention during classes?"
"Most of the times. I had many detentions during my first year for that. I still have trouble paying attention, though I learnt how to pretend I do," the older boy shrugged.
"I noticed a while ago that you tend to play with your fingers, but I thought it was a nervous quirk... I'm no expert on this subject but I will do my best to explain. Have you ever heard of the term Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?"
"What is that and what does it have to do with meditation?" a confused prefect asked.
"I guess that’s a no, though I'm not surprised. It’s a muggle medical term. In essence, it’s a condition that affects a person’s ability to focus, pay attention or control their behaviour. According to them, it’s a disorder, but through my experience, I think of it as a gift," the younger boy explained.
"Is that it? All my life I thought I was wrong for not acting like everyone else," Cedric muttered, a grin slowly forming.
"I'll ask Miss Blair to find a psychologist or maybe it should be a psychiatrist? Never mind, I'll ask her to contact someone to diagnose you," Harry commented, musing about whether to find a way of introducing that particular branch of the Muggle world. "In the meantime, try to use wandless spells while trying to locate your core. I think it would be better if you began using the basic spells and then go up in difficulty."
"But wandless magic is supposed to be advanced and I'm not sure I have the reserves for that," the surprised prefect argued.
"That’s why you should begin with the basic ones. I believe you have more than enough magic to manage, so don't worry. Concentrate on your magic every time you try to cast a spell and get familiar with it. You can also begin thinking about the place where you feel the most comfortable; that’s generally the place your mindscape will resemble." Harry decided not to tell the older boy about how his mind palace looked - that way the Hufflepuff would have more practice.
As if on cue, that was the moment Marcus chose to call, putting an end to the conversation. The young boy signalled Cedric to begin his practice, which the boy did, albeit with a bit of reluctance. Harry could only smile at the somewhat childish tendencies the prefect showed from time to time. Wasting no more time, he answered the call.
"You won't believe what happened today," Marcus said instead of a greeting, and although Harry was unable to see the man, he could almost hear his smile, if such a thing was possible. "Dumbledore resigned from his position as Chief Warlock."
"Not as good as if he resigned as headmaster, but it’s something. Do you think the Board of Governors will fire him?"
"I don't think so. Even though I don't like the man, he’s clever. He admitted all of his mistakes, but he did so under the name of Chief Warlock."
"Which means they've already been accounted for under that title instead of headmaster," Harry sighed, feeling the strange need to pull his hair. "Never mind, what else happened?"
"Miss Blair had a field day. It was decided that she will go through the creature regulations and choose the ones to abolish in order to 'placate the saviour of the magical world'," the man puffed in amusement. "Well, it seems the fates are smiling on you because Madam Bones dumped anything that doesn't deal with major laws on me," he sighed.
"She’s training you to become the next Minister," the boy cooed to annoy his friend.
"That’s what she calls it, though I prefer the term slave driver."
"Anything about the Tournament?"
"Not much was said during the Wizengamot, the cowards didn't try to interfere after Lucius chastised them. However, we already have an idea about what the first task will be. Moody has been helping with the planning and I think you'll like it. There will be the physical part and I suggested an obstacle course. We'll make it more challenging, though we're not sure how. After that, we'll put something to block the path; we're still deciding between conjured walls or creating a rock wall. The last part will consist of challenging an animal in order to retrieve a golden sphere. The moronic planners purchased useless golden eggs and they were worth a pretty penny, enough to pay for the whole first task two times over, but of course, they didn't care," Marcus complained. "We'll auction the things off after the tournament. Anyhow, we're researching for a creature that offers enough challenge without being potentially lethal. I never imagined that would be a hard requirement, but apparently, it is."
"That doesn't sound hard, but I'll reserve my opinion until all the details are decided... Being busy is not an excuse to stop training," Harry reminded his friend.
"I know that. For your information, Fraus has been taking my place twice a week for work. Aunt Eleadora is a brutal teacher - effective, but frightening."
"We all know that. What happened to your elf?"
"Unlike others, I'm not a slave driver. Mipsy already helps me with my paperwork and we both know that Fraus enjoys tricking people," Marcus sighed.
"Anything new with your parents?"
"Not really. Father says that Voldemort is still in that baby body. I've seen his memories and the thing is disgusting. However, he’s not part of the inner circle so he isn't privy to Tom’s plans. Mother is as docile as ever; the loyalty potions Aunt Eleadora brews are way too potent. Most of the time, she’s the oblivious housewife, but I'm dosing her every two weeks because she’s developing immunity. If this continues she'll have to fall so ill that magic will be unable to avoid her tragic death," the man explained, keeping his tone as casual as if he was speaking about the weather.
"I'm sorry for putting you in that situation," Harry apologized in an earnest tone.
"Don't be, she was a terrible mother. Although, we'll have to do something about my father. I have to dose him every three weeks and cast the imperius twice a week, just in case. However, he has a few moments of clarity every now and then. Do you think it’s time to get rid of them? Neither of them is useful either way; we have Luna and she can give us a more accurate description of what Voldemort is doing."
"Don't sound too eager," Harry sighed.
"I'm not, though I won't deny that it has a little to do with petty revenge for all they put me through. If my parents were to suffer a terrible accident then I could appoint my own proxy for the Wizengamot, which is far more useful than having my father there," Marcus explained.
"If you think so, then I agree. Do you want me to take care of it?"
"I'll do it."
"Ask the help of Ares and Mars; they aren't the Head security elves for nothing. Don't forget neither should have any residue from the potions, so maybe it would be good to keep them in their house until they are clean," Harry suggested the man.
"Don't worry, I'll be careful," Marcus promised.
"Yes, yes, whatever you say... Luna has been asking for you so we will be waiting for you at the weekend."
"Did something happen?" asked a frantic voice.
"No, but she’s tired. Try to ask her about it; if this continues I will be taking her to Aunt Eleadora."
"Well then, take care of her."
"I will. See you on Saturday," Harry said as a farewell and cut the connection.
The boy took a moment to gather his bearings and looked at the two people practising near him. Justin was immersed in his meditation, and his magic was flowing as it never had before. Excellent. There had been much improvement in such a short time. When the young male looked at a pale Cedric, his palm itched with the desire to smack his own forehead. How could he be so oblivious? The Hufflepuff prefect was aware of many of the dealings the Court was involved in, but he wasn't informed of a few particular details. Such as the sudden illness that led Daphne’s father to an early grave, or that Adrian’s father was long gone and the boy’s elf was posing as the man, or that Marcus' parents had been under the influence of the imperius and loyalty potions for more than a year.
It seemed that the time to explain had arrived. If the reaction he received was not what he expected, then it was good that memory charms were created.
"Do you remember the massive breakout from Azkaban?" Harry began explaining.
"Of course I do, the Aurors are still looking for the Death Eaters," Cedric answered, not daring to look away from his hands.
"Marcus' parents received two at their house and were nursing them back to health. They even captured a healer that Marcus managed to rescue before they killed her," the boy began explaining, shocking the male in front of him. "We decided that they were close enough to Voldemort to be our spies, but not trusted enough so no one noticed the change in them. We indeed dosed them in loyalty potions and used the imperius."
"Why not give them to the DMLE?"
"Do you remember who the Minister was? Amelia and Fudge were in a cold war and Death Eaters controlled the Wizengamot. If she managed to get that kind of evidence then it would have simply disappeared and she would have either been fired or murdered," Harry shrugged. "Marcus decided he would join our efforts to protect the magical world, even if it meant going against his parents... You know how most of the members were called future Death Eaters because of their families. The thing is; they weren't that wrong."
"What do you mean?" asked a scandalized Cedric.
"What you heard. Theo’s father was amongst the fugitives. That man is part of Voldemort’s inner circle. He wouldn't give Theo a choice and would have forced him to take the Mark. Lucius would perhaps have done the same thing had Narcissa not grown a backbone and gone against him in order to protect Draco. He has changed quite a lot since then... Adrian’s father was one of the most loyal supporters of Voldemort, though he decided to change before losing his son. Terrence’s family... that’s complicated. His parents housed three fugitives and forced his eldest brother to take the Mark. His other brother fled the country when they tried to force him."
"What will happen to Terrence and Theo?" demanded a concerned prefect.
"Nothing. We altered their parents' memories for them to believe they sent their children to stay with distant relatives or to different schools. At the moment, they stay at my house during the summers and holidays. Flora and Hestia also live with me, but for different reasons," Harry said, thinking of the twins that no longer resembled the emotionless girls that they were a few years ago. "Amycus Carrow is their father and Alecto Carrow is their aunt. During the war, they were known for being sadists. During their first year, I decided to take them in. Their relatives' memories were also altered."
"Why not make it public?"
"Fudge. That man sold himself to the highest bidder. Besides, in the eyes of the law, I'm still a child and would have been unable to get their custody. At the moment, nobody knows or needs to know. They have other relatives that would fight to have them, though their intent has nothing to do with the slightest fondness."
"I understand," the older boy sighed. "You couldn't trust the government and took matters into your own hands. I don't like the methods, but I would do the same as Marcus if my parents were Death Eaters."
With that declaration, Cedric smiled at him and went back to his practice. Although the prefect seemed to have accepted the information rather well, the boy decided to keep an eye on him, just in case.
...The day had been far too eventful for Harry’s tastes.