章 87: Chapter 087
After folding it he wrapped another sheet of parchment around it and wrote upon it, 'Madam Bones, would you mind making copies of the included statement and handing them to the journalists who'll be 'laying in ambush' for you out the main doors of the chamber? I'd rather not deal with them and be delayed long enough for Dumbledore to get hold of me (if he gets off, as I suspect he will) if it's all the same to you. HJP.'
Just before they rose to return Harry remembered something that had him curious. He turned to the non-chatty auror, the one who was closest to him, and asked, "Is there a Notice-Me-Not field over where Hermione and I are sitting? I only ask because I've noticed I'm not getting stared at, like usual."
Seemingly surprised by the question, the auror replied, "As a matter of fact, there is. It's there for your protection."
"I'm not complaining about it," he was quick to say. "If anything, I'm grateful. I just wondered."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
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Just after they walked in, Harry handed the parchment to the 'chatty' auror and asked him to hand it to Madam Bones before the trial restarted. He was happy to do so.
He momentarily wondered about the names of the aurors but realised they came and left so often he'd be constantly trying to learn and remember names, so ignored it for now. There were, after all, currently more important things to remember. He'd make an effort once they got to Hermione's home.
As Harry and Hermione sat there as Dumbledore was brought back in - and again was sat in the chair fully manacled - he watched as Madam Bones opened the parchment and read the statement.
He could see her eyes widen in enough surprise her monocle fell out to dangle on its chain.
Then she turned to stare in his general direction, paused a moment and nodded once. And then turned to look at Dumbledore with a smirk.
'Oops!' thought Harry. 'I may have just given Bonesy more ammunition to aim at Dumbledore. If that's the case I may have to rewrite what I want to inform the vultures about.'
However, she didn't immediately attack him with that information, as he thought she would.
After Ogden gave her the go ahead to continue she turned to Dumbledore and said, "Mister Dumbledore, I now turn your attention to the events of the 1991/92 school year.
"We already know a mountain troll was let loose in the castle on the evening of Hallowe'en that year and we have seen pensieve memories of both Quirinus Quirrell entering the Great Hall announcing its presence to one and all, plus the battle with it by Lord Potter, who ultimately defeated it.
"Who did you task with informing the DMLE of that event?"
"As it was only a minor issue... after all, no one was truly hurt by the event... after discussing it with staff it was decided there was no need to bother your busy aurors about its occurrence," replied Dumbledore, again adopting a friendly, though condescending, tone. He even chuckled a little. "I believe Professor Snape also made good use of the carcass in his potions classes."
"Really?" she asked. "A troll is considered a Class 2 dangerous creature. The law is clear that such incidences are mandatorily required to be reported to the DMLE. It is against the law not to. I also remind both you and the Members that, as Chief Warlock at the time, you were fully aware of that requirement.
"Which specific members of your staff informed you that you should not report the matter to the DMLE?"
"The discussion was just that, a discussion," he replied. "After all―"
"Mister Dumbledore," she cut in. "I asked you for the identity of the member of your staff whom you've already stated as testimony you discussed the matter with, informed you not to contact the DMLE. I would have that name, please."
"I believe it may have been young Quirinus... Professor Quirrell, I mean."
"I see," she said, clearly disbelieving him. "As Lord Potter was the slayer of the beast, how much did Hogwarts, through you or through any other avenue, pay Lord Potter for the carcass?"
"I believe young Harry―"
"Lord Potter!" she barked.
"Quite," he said. "I believe... Lord Potter... did not request payment for the carcass."
"Ah!" she said. "Well, since you claimed magical guardianship of the then under-aged Lord Potter, how much did you, as that magical guardian, claim from yourself, as representative of Hogwarts, for the carcass?"
"I felt that young... sorry, the then young Lord Potter would be quite happy to donate the proceeds of the carcass to the school, thereby assisting his fellow students. I know young Harry well enough to know he would have made such a modest commitment to the school."
As she looked at Harry for a moment, he shook his head with a frown on his face before she turned back.
"You are in error, Mister Dumbledore," she said. "I now currently sit in proxy for the Seat of Potter and have communicated with Lord Potter on this matter. He has informed me he most certainly would not have made such a modest commitment. At that time Lord Potter was unaware of the full holdings of the House of Potter, as his supposed magical guardian... you... had not informed him of them. Instead, he was only aware of his trust vault at the time.
"Therefore, Lord Potter will be requiring restitution from Hogwarts for the full value of the carcass. At the then rates for such a fine specimen, that value is thirteen thousand two hundred galleons.
"He expects payment, promptly. After all, you've had more than three years to make payment. Tarry not or he, through me, shall be expecting interest payments. Such interest payments will then be backdated to the 31st October 1991."
Dumbledore spluttered indignantly but couldn't say anything else.
"A Miss Hermione Granger, twelve years of age at the time, was also in the bathroom at that time. She was even there when the troll first entered. What counselling did you arrange with a qualified mind healer for both children - plus the rest of the student body, who were initially frightened by Mister Quirrell's announcement? After all, an eleven year old child had to fight a Class 2 magical creature without adult support in defence of his friend."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
"Both children were fine," he again chuckled. "They headed for their common room to join their friends and housemates to enjoy the rest of the feast."
"Mister Dumbledore," she snapped. "Again, I am finding myself truly disgusted with you finding it humorous that the children at Hogwarts were in danger. Need I remind you that my own niece, who was also a first year Hogwarts student at that time, was also present in the castle?"
"No, of course not, Amelia," he said, acting contrite. "My apologies."
"That's Madam Bones, to you, Prisoner Dumbledore!" she snapped.
"Again, my apologies," he said.
"'Again, my apologies'... who?" she asked.
"Madam Bones," he quickly amended.
She gave him another glare before looking back down at her notes. As she had learned in the morning session, Dumbledore quickly conformed when he was called 'Prisoner Dumbledore' instead of 'Mister Dumbledore'.
"I direct you back to my last question," she said. "I asked you which qualified mind-healer did the children see. I need that name, please."
With a disappointed sigh he said, "No one was harmed, Madam Bones. Therefore, I saw no need for one. Madam Pomfrey, our school healer, was available for those who felt they needed to see someone; as were their Heads of Houses."
"You saw no need?" she pressed.
"Yes. As I said, Am- Madam Bones."
"And when did you pick up your qualification as a mind healer?" she asked. "I have no record of it."
"I have been the Headmaster of―"
"I did not ask about how long you've been Headmaster, I asked you of when did you pick up your qualification as a mind healer. Please answer that question."
Another sigh. "I have not. However, I believe my tenure―"
"You have confirmed for us you are not a qualified mind healer," she interrupted. "That is all I asked. That being the case, Mister Dumbledore, you breached the rules of Hogwarts, plus the law of wizarding Britain, by not immediately bringing in a mind healer to address any latent issues surrounding mental trauma of all those children under your direct care - especially the then Mister Potter and Miss Granger."
Looking to the Members, she said, "I believe I have now proven the charge of Failure to Provide Proper Psychological Care for a Magical Minor - two hundred and eighty seven cases - in regards to that incident."
"Next," she said...
And on it went.
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