章 1562: 24
Chapter 24: Damage Control Part 1Notes:
Hello everyone.
We finally reached it, the moment you've all probably been waiting for. The timeline is blown and now it's time for Damage Control. Can our heroes change things for the better or will everything end way worse than in the last timeline. We shall see.
Until then, have fun reading!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
"I didn't want to do this, old man, but now I'm out of options."
Everyone was staring at him, but Harry was hesitant. He really didn't want to say it, Salazar had warned him. If he'd do that, then things could go so much worse in the long term. But now he had openly battled Riddle with advanced magic, taken the Elder Wand from Dumbledore and made his titles public knowledge. It was over. He brought himself to do it, lifted his wand - well, Ignotus Peverell's wand, if we want to be precise - and pointed it at the small pendant on the necklace around his neck.
"Oh come on, fuck it. Damage Control!"
All the pendants started to heat up and glow, a fact that made Albus Dumbledore hesitate in summoning his wand. Currently it was already levitating on the second floor, but then he decided to stash it up there and wait how that would play out. Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, Minerva, Remus, Severus and Amelia Bones seemed to work together, since they were all wearing the same pendant. Filius was apparently working with them too, and Bathsheda had joined them during the fight with Tom. Add the amount of aurors and Fawkes' apparent unwillingness to teleport him away - he had tried that silently, but the bird hadn't responded - and it was quite clear that he would lose. Especially without the Elder Wand.
"Sectumsempra!"
Everyone turned to Severus, who had cast that spell. The potions master started screaming right away, just managing to stop the wound from bleeding with the counter curse before he fainted. He had severed his left arm, at least from the elbow downwards. Minerva was the first one to react to that, vanishing the severed arm before looking after the man, at least until Poppy, who had entered together with the aurors, took her place.
"Why did Professor Snape do that?"
Minerva looked around, searching for the person who had said that.
"Well, Miss Dunbar, he cut off his Dark Mark, severing the connection with Voldemort once and for all. But we'll answer your questions later, we all have things to do."
Minnie summoned her version of the dossier - Amelia's and hers were still linked after all - and handed it to the head of the DMLE, who in turn opened it and handed out several orders plus the necessary legal documents for that.
"Adams! Here, you'll take that file, go back to the ministry, take a team of aurors and arrest Fudge, Hopkirk, Crouch Sr. and Macnair. Selwyn, you'll take two teams and go after Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Nott and Parkinson. Officially we're taking them in because of corruption and fraud, Chieftain Ragnok has handed us the evidence for that, but search everything for dark artefacts. Fisher, you'll head to Crouch Manor and look for Barty Jr., we have evidence Sr. took him out of Azkaban and is holding him under the Imperius. He's already convicted, just throw him back into Azkaban for the time being."
While her troops looked awfully stunned and surprised, both by the detailed and condemning files as well as by the straightforwardness of Lady Bones, she continued handing out orders.
"Let's go! NOW! All other aurors with me. Remus, the rat!"
Remus now seemed to have all his energy back, jumped up and aimed his wand at Scabbers. Well, it did look an awful lot like he'd be aiming it at Ronald, so all the Weasleys as well as the remaining supporters of Ron (McLaggen and friends, Seamus and a few others) jumped up and pointed their wands at the DADA professor. All but the twins at least.
"Why do you…"
"...want to hurt our brother…"
"...oh, favourite professor of ours?"
Harry, who right now hated the twin speech, yelled across the room.
"Gred, Forge, I suggest you let Mr. Moony handle his business. It's not about Ronald, but rather the animagus you all call a pet, Wormtail."
When Harry mentioned Remus' marauder nickname, their faces lit up and they put their wands down. Percy too, he respected Lupin, as well as Mr. - no, Lord Potter, and Scabbers had been alive for quite a long time to be honest.
The rat, realising that its cover was blown, tried running, but Percy and Remus both managed to cast the animagus revealing charm at him.
"Is that…Peter Pettigrew?"
"Yes, it is, Jameson. Take him into custody. Minerva, could you hand him the paperwork, please? And then, Jameson, you and your partner get Sirius Black out of Azkaban. No holding cell for him, but my office. As you can see, he's obviously innocent, and there you have the Potters' secret keeper. Lord Black will know what to do, we spoke to him. And now it's your turn, old man."
With all the remaining aurors by her side, she was now standing in front of the High Table. All the other teachers had already left the table and were calming the students, when Amy Bones addressed the man, who was still the headmaster of Hogwarts.
"Mr. Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, you are under arrest for several hundred cases of child endangerment, violating and illegally sealing the Potter wills, wrongfully assuming the title of Lord Potter's magical guardian, violation the duties of such a guardian, wrongful imprisonment and perjury in regards to Lord Black's case, illegal usage of mind manipulation charms in at least twenty-four cases, fifteen of those on minors, aiding a person to commit love potioning and line theft, illegal legilimency, blackmail and several other charges. By the authority granted to me through the ministry of magic I hereby suspend you from your position as headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and name the deputy headmistress the acting headmistress. I do hope we don't have do fight you, Mr. Dumbledore."
While the great hall was silent once again, this time not out of fear but surprise, Dumbledore tried his best with wandless magic, but ten aurors, including Amelia, was too much for him. That his stupid bird wouldn't come….
With magic-surpressing handcuffs she walked him out of there. Shortly before leaving the hall she turned to a female auror on her left, Emma Smith.
"Would you please take Gryffindor first-year Ginevra Weasley into custody and go search her trunk. She and her mother have tried love-potioning Lord Potter on several occasions and she should still have some illegal potions in her trunk. We'll take Molly Weasley into custody shortly and give Arthur a purging potion."
Over a third of the students were able to hear that, and everyone now glared at Ginny. Percy even went that far and took her wand from her, threatening to put her in a body-bind if she didn't comply.
Percy was, after all, the smart and ambitious Weasley. If Dumbledore did all of that - and he didn't doubt it - and if his mother really used love potions, then they would both go down. He would help clear the name of all the innocent Weasleys, maybe even try allying with Bones so he could pursue a career in her department. Not as an auror, but as a prosecutor or something like that. The whole thing here, apparently a long-planned mission, had been quite impressive.
Once Amelia Bones had left the great hall and Ginny had been taken away, Minerva walked up to the High Table and addressed the students.
"Dear students, many of you might be afraid or confused, or even both. At that point in time I can tell you that we knew that Tom Riddle, also known as Voldemort (several students shrieked), was possessing someone and using the basilisk. We didn't know whom, so we could just try to find out who the victim was. The death of Roger Davies is horrible and makes me want to go back and change all we did, even though that would have ended worse. The showdown with Riddle, and no, he's still out there, led to another event that had been carefully planned. With the help of Lord Potter and Miss Granger we, meaning Amelia Bones, Professors Lupin, Snape and Flitwick, as well as Regent Longbottom and Lord Greengrass we've been compiling dossiers to bring down several corrupt officials, death eaters and former headmaster Dumbledore and his associates. Please, you all go back into your common rooms, aside from those who need medical assistance. All the heads of houses will come and look after you, they will talk to you. Things will change at Hogwarts from now on."
She sat down, but then immediately got up again.
"For the time being this is temporary, but once the board officially names me headmistress those changes will become permanent. Severus Snape and Filius Flitwick share the duties of deputy headmaster, and Remus Lupin is the new Head of Gryffindor House. You're all dismissed."
Then she looked at Professor Sinistra, who immediately got the hint and walked up to her.
"Yes, headmistress?"
"I assume Severus will be out of commission for a few days, please take up his duties as Head of Slytherin house. Those students need someone now."
"Sure. Let me just say, that position suits you, Minerva."
"Thank you, Aurora. Let's hope we'll change Hogwarts for the better."
Senior Auror Felix Adams, a muggleborn that had climbed the ranks of the DMLE pretty fast despite his blood status, had been reading the paperwork Lady Bones had given him on his way to Professor McGonagall's floo, and he was surprised and shocked. Sure, corruption was present in the ministry, everyone knew that, but getting evidence was nearly impossible. And now it was his job to arrest the elite of the ministry.
He flooed back to Lady Bones' office, stepped out of her door and stood in the offices of the DMLE. In a room, nearly half the size of the Great Hall, there were around fifty aurors sitting on their desk.
"Everyone! Listen up! Everyone on standby, we have several missions, all top secret, ordered by Lady Bones. For all of those we have irrefutable proof. I need a team, NOW!"
The first ten aurors that came up to him were chosen, one of them Mad-Eye Moody.
"So, Adams, what's that secret mission of yours?"
Adams handed Moody the file, and the elderly auror skimmed over the pages.
"That's…how did Bones get that stuff. Arresting the minister, Hopkirk, Crouch and Macnair, suspending Umbridge. Is she crazy?"
"Oh, you have no idea what happened at Hogwarts. Selwyn is gonna go after those "imperiused" Death Eaters, including Malfoy. Fisher is heading to Crouch Manor to arrest Barty Jr., the old Crouch had him freed apparently. And Jameson took in Pettigrew, who had been hiding as an animagus. Black's innocent and is in on the whole mission, just like Snape, McGonagall, Lupin, Flitwick and somehow Harry Potter. They have help from the Goblin king too."
"Wait, what? Junior and Pettigrew are alive, Black innocent and she'll charge Lucius Malfoy? And what was that with Snape?"
"Oh, he's in on it too. They fought against a manifestation of you-know-who and he then cut off his arm to sever the connection. Oh, and Bones is arresting Dumbledore."
Auror Adams led the team out of very surprised Aurors, including a shocked Moody, through the ministry. First one on their list would be Hopkirk.
Thankfully that woman was alone in her office, so there was no danger of rumors starting to spread. They used a standard holding cell portkey to get her out of the office unseen. Same happened with Macnair, though he did fight back, but Moody stunned him easily.
The Head of the Department of International Magical Co-operation was very surprised when the auror team walked into his department. He was about to ask what that was all about, when Moody spoke up.
"Your son, Barty? Your god-damn son?"
Every single member of the department stopped whatever they were doing and looked up. It was some kind of a policy that no-one mentioned Barty Jr. to their boss. The whole situation was very strange, they had no idea what was going on. But their boss apparently did.
"Amelia does know how to do her job, doesn't she? Alright, I'll come quiet. I've been dreading that day since I freed him."
"Good choice, Lord Crouch. Trainee Tonks, take his wand and use the floo in his office to bring him to holding, but separate from the others. We'll use the floo too, then Fudge won't see us coming. Oh, and: By authority granted to me through the Head of the DMLE I put this department into lockdown until we have arrested the minister and un-sealed the doors again. All communications are blocked and the anti-apparition and anti-patronus wards are activated."
Moody, realising that he had mentioned the upcoming arrest of the minister, had activated an old protocol to seal off a department. Then he led the troop to Crouch's fireplace, used his auror authentication to override the lockdown for them, sent Tonks through and then gestured to Adams to go ahead into the minister's office.
Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic, shrieked when the floo in Cornelius' office activated and a team of aurors came through.
"This is outrageous. You can't just walk into the Minister's office. I am the Seni…"
Adams silenced her, and then walked up to Fudge, who slowly started to look scared. He knew that Amelia Bones was ruthless and he had committed more than enough crimes to get tossed into Azkaban, but he had never thought that this day would come.
"Cornelius Oswald Fudge, you are under arrest for several dozen cases of accepting bribes and corruption. The goblins decided that they would provide us with financial statements. You're not the only one to lose their position today."
Now, while he put magic-surpressing cuffs on the minister, Moody lifted the silencing charm on Umbridge to inform her about her suspension. But the pink toad was quicker.
"You can't do that, auror! You are committing treason and will be punished for that. All of you will be punished for that. Oh, you know what? As the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister I assume the position of interim Minister of Magic and order the release of Mr. Fudge and suspend all of you!"
"Nah, you won't, Umbridge. You know damn well that you have no right to the interim minister position. Besides, I was about to tell you that you're suspended until Lady Bones can review your actions. On a personal note: I think you should pack your things, you won't survive this day politically."
Moody showed her and Fudge a copy of the legal documents for their actions and Fudge conceded. This was bulletproof, so now he should try saving his skin. He could still give up others, couldn't he?
"Alright, I see that all those charges are legitimate and I confess to all of them. I will repeat that confession in front of the wizengamot in exchange for a lesser sentence, so other arrests can be made. Please tell me who is now the interim minister, I presume it's Barty as the department head with seniority or Albus as Chief Warlock?"
Adams and Moody laughed, causing Fudge to look confused. Adams explained it to him.
"Neither of them will be interim minister, Mr. Fudge. Crouch was arrested for freeing his son out of Azkaban and staging his death just a few minutes ago. And Lady Bones is currently arresting the Chief Warlock for…let me think, what were the charges. Ah, yes: several hundred cases of child endangerment, violating and illegally sealing the Potter wills, wrongfully assuming the title of Lord Potter's magical guardian, violation the duties of such a guardian, wrongful imprisonment and perjury in regards to Lord Black's case, illegal usage of mind manipulation charms in at least twenty-four cases, fifteen of those on minors, aiding a person to commit love potioning and line theft, illegal legilimency, blackmail and several other charges. By the end of the day there will be half a dozen Lords arrested for fraud, bribery, blackmail and being Death Eaters, Lord Sirius Black will be free and Peter Pettigrew behind bars. Lady Bones outplayed every single one of you. Oh, and now she's the highest ranking department head, so she's the interim minister. And since Regent Longbottom and Lord Greengrass were in on it, I presume one of those will be Chief Warlock by the end of the week."
At least for the time being, Cornelius Fudge gave up. Maybe they would miss someone who owed him a favour (unlikely, since those were mainly those charged for bribing), but for now everything was over. He should have taken out Amelia Bones a long time ago.
Dolores Umbridge was furious. Once she got home, now barred from entering the ministry on her own, she tried floo-calling all her allies, but they were all gone or in no position to help. Lord Malfoy was in custody, so were Crabbe and Goyle, Parkinson too. Any other supporters she had were not a member of the Wizengamot or a high-ranking ministry member.
Most of the Death Eaters had resisted arrest, Lord Parkinson had even managed to get away. There were seven fatalities at the end of the day, but the positive thing was that they found enough dark artefacts and evidence to make the conviction pretty certain.
After the arrest of Albus Dumbledore, Amelia Bones immediately went to the Burrow, together with Alastor Moody (with whom she had had a very long discussion about how crazy she was, but on the other hand how fabulous her dossiers were. Amy thought that he really enjoyed arresting the Minister). Even though they would be able to simply enter and arrest, they knocked politely. Arthur was home after all, it had gotten late by now (dinner at Hogwarts had started at around six, the horcrux incident had happened shortly after that. The battle and the first phases of damage control were over by eight thirty. Now only Molly Weasley and the conversation with Sirius was due to happen).
Luckily it was Arthur, who opened the door, and after stating that they'd like to come in to discuss some work-related issues, he let them in.
"Molly, dear! We're having guests, Lady Bones and Mad-Eye are here!"
Molly Weasley was not too happy to hear that, but came down into the living room either way. Once she had entered, Amy pointed her wand at her while Alastor held back Arthur.
"Molly Weasley, you're under arrest for the production of illegal potions, attempted potioning, potioning and attempted line theft. Other charges may be brought forward too. Hand over your wand and don't try resisting."
Arthur was shocked to hear that, and now, despite the potions in his system, his old, fiery self was showing. Loudly he demanded to find out what was going on.
"I, as the Lord Weasley, demand that you tell me what you are charging the Lady of my family with, Lady Bones. Otherwise I would have to take measures against that."
"Ah, it seems like the potions are wearing off. Your wife is potioning you, Arthur. She had tried the same with Lord Potter with the assistance of your daughter."
Molly, with her usual and unbearably loud voice, yelled at Amelia.
"Little Harry is no Lord, Bones. And you have no proof for any of that. Albus will end your career."
"Oh, I highly doubt that, Mrs. Weasley. First of all, Lord Potter, has claimed his ring, as well as the Lordships and rings for Peverell, Gryffindor, Slytherin and Ravenclaw as well as Heir Black, so it's going to be attempted line theft in six cases, second of all, I do have more than enough proof to throw you into Azkaban, and lastly, former headmaster Albus Dumbledore is also in a holding cell awaiting trial, both as your co-conspirator and several other charges."
Then, while Amy disarmed Molly and cuffed her, Alastor was calming Arthur, telling him that he'd get a purging potion at St. Mungo's.
Lord Nathaniel Parkinson had somehow managed to apparate out of his Manor, and that despite the fact that the aurors had put up anti-apparition wards. Thankfully one of his ancestors had warded the office so that he'd have about twenty seconds between the wards coming up and the additional wards in his office failing. If he wouldn't have been in there to check for something instead of at the dinner table, then he'd be in ministry custody too. His contacts at Knockturn Alley told him what had happened. Some said even Dumbledore was in custody, just like the minister. Amelia Bones was a horrible woman. He should have killed her.
But now he had to flee. Not just the London area, but the British Isles. After sneaking on a muggle boat (he hated muggles, but was smart enough to know that they were advanced in certain areas) to France, he touched his dark mark. Nathaniel needed the help and guidance of his master. He knew that the Dark Lord was still out there, but where?
A small shock went through his body as he pressed the tattoo. His Lord was out there and gave him a sign. He was in… Albania? Why the hell was the Dark Lord in Albania?
But at least he had a place to go now.
Back at Hogwarts, all the students were by now in their common rooms and talking. Their professors were - and that was (to such a degree) a new thing - giving them the opportunity to chat with them, they calmed them. Up until now, psychological help had never been a thing at Hogwarts. That would probably change under Headmistress McGonagall.
The opinions on the evenings' happenings were differing from house to house. All the professors informed the students on the charges that were brought up against Dumbledore. While most believed them, the majority of Gryffindor house was still ready to follow the (former) headmaster blindly. The Slytherins were a completely different case, since some of their fathers would get arrested and their families were still supporting the Dark Lord (who had returned and been defeated this evening). But overall people hoped that McGonagall would do the job quite well.
After a while, Remus told Hermione and Harry that they should head to the Headmistress to check in with her. On their way out they looked around, seeing all the supporting looks they got, but also some of those that were hostile, but Remus was already working on preventing that.
The gargoyle simply responded to "we're here to see the headmistress, please" and let them enter, before they then knocked on Minnie's door.
Since Minerva was certain that she would stay headmistress, he had already started throwing out all the nonsense that Dumbledore had kept here. The pictures of the old headmasters were loudly complaining about her actions, but some of them had already accepted Minnie's claims of Dumbledore's crimes.
The office was now looking much warmer, in addition to all the existing paintings she had added some personal photographs, including ones from this summer at Potter Manor. Two big couches, both brown (none of the house colours) and a coffee table had been put into the room. The book shelves were much less stuffed, many of those books that had been removed from the library were now back there. Overall, the room was much warmer and friendlier, less obscure than before.
"Ah, Harry, Hermione. Take a seat. How do you like my new office?"
She offered the two of them tea and joined them on the couch to give them a status report.
"Well, it seems like Miss Davis will be fine in a few weeks, but should see a mind healer. Miss Greengrass hadn't left her side until now, they have a lot of things to discuss. Severus will be okay too, Poppy has confirmed that the connection to Tom is completely gone. And before you ask, I had no idea that he'd do that."
"That's great. And what about Amelia's part of damage control? How's that going?"
Mione was curious as always, and Minnie gladly satisfied this curiosity.
"We lost seven aurors, but everyone except Lord Parkinson has been arrested. The raids were successful too. Junior is back in Azkaban, Arthur Weasley is undergoing a purging potion at St. Mungo's, and Bill is looking after him. A member of the Wizarding Child Services is looking after Ginny. Haven't heard anything about Sirius yet, but Amelia has only returned from the Weasleys a short while ago. She's probably meeting with him right now."
A short while back, auror Peter Jameson and his partner, Frederick Fawley, had taken a portkey to Azkaban. Before that they had locked up Peter Pettigrew in an animagus-proof holding cell, which was very confusing. Everyone had thought that Peter had died and Black had been the secret keeper, but apparently Sirius Black had been framed. Now it was their job to free him and bring him into Director Bones' office. Not even a holding cell, but her office. Obviously there was something huge going on.
Jameson had expected a madman, probably laughing just as badly as Black's cousin Lestrange, but that was totally wrong. The warden had been a bit surprised when they told him that they were here to see Sirius Black.
His partner, Auror Fawley (member of the Fawley family, part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight) then addressed Black in a manner that Jameson hadn't expected.
"Lord Black?"
A croaking voice came out of the cell, asking "yes?"
"I'm Auror Fawley, Scion of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Fawley. My partner and I are here to escort you into the offices of Lady Bones. We have arrested Peter Pettigrew earlier today and it seems that you will be a free man soon, my Lord."
They heard Sirius jump up out of joy, all the weakness in his voice now gone, Fawley thought he was actually sounding sincere and happy, despite having been in Azkaban for so long.
"Finally! Thank you, Auror Fawley. To both of you."
Then Jameson turned around and called for the warden.
"Yes, Auror Jameson?"
"We're here to take Mr. - Lord Black with us. New information has come forward, he's an innocent man. Here are the orders from Lady Bones?"
"You're here to…what? He's innocent? You better have the right documents for that…Damn, Pettigrew? Is that file correct? You've got to be joking.
But it seems like everything's in order. Why haven't the minister or the Chief Warlock signed that though? Not that it would make it invalid, it's just…unusual. And nothing from Crouch Sr., even though he was DMLE head back then. That's all quite…unusual."
Fawley laughed.
"Oh, you have no idea. Fudge and Dumbledore should soon be under arrest too. Those are gonna be interesting trials. Crouch Sr. too, by the way. And you should prepare a cell for Barty Jr., Auror Fisher should bring him in soon."
"Fudge, Dumbledore and Crouch? What the hell is Bones doing? And…what? Junior? Please, don't answer that, the more you say, the stranger it gets."
While he unlocked Sirius' cell, he was mumbling a lot about the news he had gotten. Seemed like they had caused the warden quite the headache.
Since they hadn't gotten any other orders, the two aurors spent the next few hours in Lady Bones office, waiting for her return. Until then they looked out for Black, giving him something to eat and drink, casting a few cleaning charms (after over a decade of Azkaban one was quite dirty) and then offering him some fresh clothing. Nothing special, just some spare robes they had at hand.
Thanks to Harry's letter and visit, the man had regained most of his sanity and now he even looked acceptable. Sure, his hair was a bit wild and his beard not trimmed, the robes he wore were not really worthy for a Black, but it was acceptable.
And then, finally, the door opened, and a woman, which Sirius hadn't seen in ages, walked in. With great enthusiasm, he greeted her.
"Amy! Finally! Good seeing you. How are you doing?"
Notes:
So, I hope that this chapter does satisfy all of you. I personally am pretty happy with it.
Please let me know in the comments below what your opinion is. See ya all next week.
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