The Third Choice of Harry Potter

Rita Skeeter crossed her ankles and smoothed her skirt down as she looked around the press gallery of the Wizengamot. When she had first been informed by Cuffe, editor of the Prophet, that they would only be publishing the truth unless clearly notated as an opinion, she’d been sceptical. Actually, if pressed she would have to admit to being down right livid at the restrictions being put on her journalistic style. Until it was pointed out that a job was better than no job and those were her options. And then she’d had the most fascinating conversation with Lord Harry Potter. Who had not only given her a list of names but had dropped enough details to really capture her dark hearts attention. All of it had to be proven before it would be printed but she wasn’t without skills to get what she needed. And her writing had, dare she admit it, actually improved. And the number of howlers she got in a day had decreased, which was a secondary consideration.

At the direction of the Lord, who she suspected (but as yet been unable to prove) owned the majority of the Prophet, she had written exposes on some surprising people. She hadn’t seen old Barty Crouch as being capable of breaking his son out of Azkaban. Nor had she considered how Umbridge had gotten her pink manicured claws into Fudge, until she’d unearthed the woman’s actual blood status. Her school marks had been well below average, which alone should have disqualified her for a Ministry job. But the real scoop had been the crumbs the boy had dropped about Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. About his connection with Gellert Grindlewald and his unproven role in his sisters death. Not to mention his obsession with essentially grooming Harry Potter for some as yet unrevealed purpose.

The articles printed the last few days had explored the relationship with his former lover, Grindlewald. And hadn’t Dumbledore kept that quiet. Names provided by Harry proven beyond value. Grindlewald’s great aunt and the next door neighbour to the Dumbledore family, Bathilda Bagshot, not only made an excellent cup of tea, but was quite the source. She’d given up enough for a book. Speaking at length of the growing relationship with Gellert, quite sad it hadn’t worked out according to the plan the young lovers had come up with for helping guide the wizarding world into the future. For the greater good apparently had always been Dumbledore’s idea. That particular edition of the Daily Prophet had been reprinted and sold out several times. Today’s full trial in the Wizengamot was going to make the next print run put even that to shame. She could feel it in her bones and she was rarely ever wrong.

Sirius Black walked into the members area of the Wizengamot with his cousin and lawyer Andromeda Tonks nee Black on his arm. Remus had been forced to sit in the public seating but it would help later when they compared notes to see what was about to happen from different points of the room.
Andi slapped his arm. ‘Stop fussing, you’re a bloody Black.’
‘This robe is itchy, I swear that elf used extra starch on it.’
‘Is it really, or is it the horrible fabric the ghastly thing is made of. And who picked purple.’ She muttered as she smiled at the people around her before shoving her cousin into his seat and taking the chair next to him. ‘Time to act like the pure blood your parents raised.’
He nodded and let the persona of Lord Black settle around him.

Amelia Bones, head of the DMLE and Regent of House Bones took her seat as a very dejected Cornelius Fudge entered the room. He didn’t look his usual self, perhaps losing his horrible toad like undersecretary was weighing him down. He hadn’t escaped the fallout of Umbridge lying to get her position and claiming she was a pure blood and it was threatening his role as Minister. He’d also been forced to arrange for a new Chef Warlock. She had to admire the appointment of the Dowager Lady Longbottom to the role. If it had been anyone other than Fudge she’d have thought the appointment quite brilliant. She suspected however it was a case of Augusta being someone it was recognised wouldn’t be bribed by either side. If only he’d picked that attitude up a little sooner, he’d probably hold on to his own role a bit longer.

Looking around the packed room Augusta Longbottom picked the gravel up and banged it. ‘It is now nine am. The doors will be shut and we will begin with today’s session of the Wizengamot and the questioning of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore.’ The gravel was banged as the main doors were closed and Dumbledore was escorted to the chair set there for those on trial. Chains snaked into place around the protesting wizard.

‘Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore you are accused of the willful neglect of the children in your care as headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Of the failure to notify the parents and guardians of the children in your care of the dangerous situation that arose within Hogwarts in direct opposition to the school charter. And for the degradation of the wards upon the school and castle. You will also be questioned regarding actions in the case of Sirius Black being sent to Azkaban with no trial despite your personal knowledge of the man’s innocence. Of illegally assuming custody of Harry James Potter upon his parents death, and directly contravening the recorded chain of guardianship of said child. Of kidnapping the Potter Heir and endangering his life.’ She looked to Amelia Bones. ‘Madam Bones if you will begin.’

Amelia rose to her feet and picked her wand up. ‘I will begin by activating the truth compulsion runes in the Wizengamot so that we might all have faith that the truth is spoken.’
If Harry had been present, he would have remarked on the elegance of her casting, and everyone felt the need to be honest settle over them. It was an uncomfortable feeling for some.
‘For the sake of the proceedings does the Chef Warlock accept that moving forward Dumbledore will be referred to as Dumbledore rather than repeating his entire name each time.’
‘Agreed.’
Turning to Dumbledore, Amelia gave him a small smile that did nothing to reassure him.
‘Do you have a lawyer to speak in your defense?’
‘No, I shall defend myself.’

‘Very well. Do you confirm that a mountain troll gained access to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry on the evening of 31 October 1991.’
‘That is correct.’
‘Who informed you of this?’
‘Professor Quirinus Quirrell, he is, was, the Defence against the Dark Arts professor.’
‘The fact your defence professor was unable to cope with a troll and fainted is what some would call a bit of a red flag.’ She looked down at her notes. ‘When the troll was announced, where did Quirrell say it was?’
‘The dungeons.’
‘And you chose what course of action?’
‘To send the children to their common rooms.’

Voices began to rise around the room.
‘Please explain for us where the common rooms are.’
‘Ravenclaw and Gryffindor are in the towers.’ He stopped speaking.
‘And Slytherin and Hufflepuff?’
‘The dungeons.’ He admitted after a long pause.

The room when crazy as witches and wizards rose from their seats shouting.
‘Silence.’ Augusta banged her gravel and glared at everyone still standing. ‘You will take your seats or be asked to leave.’ She pointed to Amelia. ‘Continue.’
‘At what point did you intend to inform the parents and guardians of the children that there was a troll in the school.’
‘I had no intention of doing that.’
Amelia waited for the noise to drop away. ‘Did you stop the children sending owls to their parents and guardians telling them of the troll.’
‘You know I did. But they still managed to get letters out.’

Augusta banged her gravel. ‘I will cast a silencing spell if you can not be quiet. If you are going to react like this at every revelation this is going to take much longer than it needs to.’

‘Do you know how the troll was able to get inside the castle?’
‘I suspect it was let in.’
‘And the wards that are supposed to stop that happening?’
‘I had.’ He paused and tried to fight responding but wasn’t able to. ‘I reduced the wards.’

A silencing spell was cast.

‘Why did you reduce the wards?’
‘I had to, to let Snape teach potions, and for some of the creatures on the grounds. And. I had to lower them so Quirrell could enter the castle while. Being possessed.’
‘You knew you had a professor who was possessed on staff.’
‘Of course I knew. I needed to draw Voldemort out and it was the best way. I just didn’t expect it to kill him so soon, I thought he’d make it to the end of the year.’

Amelia pinched the bridge of her nose and ignored the various reactions to the name Voldemort. ‘I’m sorry, are you saying you expected him to die?’
‘Yes, once he was possessed by Voldemort it was only a matter of time, I just needed him to hold out for longer so I could get Harry Potter in place.’
‘Why?’
‘To test him of course, and confirm Voldemort is still alive.’
‘Do you know it was Voldemort possessing Quirrell?’
‘I knew it was a dark spirit so I deducted it would be him. I was not allowed access to the body to check the magical signatures.’

Amelia considered his accusatory expression as a comment on her arresting him rather than leaving him in his fiefdom and tried not to role her eyes. She didn’t need her monocle falling out. ‘And why did you not take any action to help your professor who you knew was possessed?’
‘I needed Potter to stand against him.’
‘Is that why you had the Philosopher’s Stone at Hogwarts?’
‘Of course, I needed something that would be attractive enough to entice the spirit of Voldemort out.’
‘Are you completely mad?’
‘No, I don’t believe so.’

Amelia shook her head. She began to wonder if the old fool had been trying to set up a plea of diminished capacity or if he genuinely believed what he was spouting. ‘You deliberately weakened the school wards to allow the chance that it might be the spirit of Voldemort possessing Quirrell. So Harry Potter could face him. Endangering everyone to the point a troll was inside the castle, and you were going to send half the school to the dungeons where the troll was reported as being.’
‘Yes.’ Dumbledore was confused. ‘It was all perfectly reasonable and we were able to deal with the troll, no one was injured.’
‘And the owls not being able to get through to tell the parents?’
‘I control the wards, if I want to stop the mail I will. It’s for the greater good you know, children don’t know what is good for them.’
Amelia sighed, that answered that question and was enough to remove the headmaster and possibly send him to Azkaban. Witches and Wizards took a very dim view of anything that deliberately put their children in harms way. But she wasn’t finished.

‘Please explain why Sirius Black was sent to Azkaban without a trial.’
‘They were dark times my dear, and for the greater good some shortcuts were taken to see justice prevail.’
‘You knew he was not the Potter’s secret keeper.’
‘He is a Black. Their whole house is dark, it was only a matter of time before he gave in to that.’
In the members seats Andromeda had to sit on Sirius to stop him trying to climb over the railing to get to the man chained to the chair at the center of the room. She didn’t look to see how Remus was reacting, her attention focused on her cousin. Harry couldn’t afford for his guardian to be sent to Azkaban for real.

‘And kidnapping Harry Potter?’
‘It was not kidnapping and it was necessary.’
‘Were you placed in a position of authority to make that decision?’
‘I should have been. James was a spoiled child and should have respected his elders better. And Lily with her muggle ideas. No. The boy needed to be placed with his aunt and uncle and should be made to go back there.’
With a hand to her head she asked the question. ‘Why?’
‘The blood wards kept him safe from the Death Eaters of course.’
‘And the abuse?’
‘Children lie when they don’t get what they want.’

‘Are you saying Harry Potter hadn’t been kept in the cupboard under the stairs by his aunt and uncle.’
‘What are you basing your evidence on that he ever was.’
‘The police report that was completed along with the conviction and sentencing for child abuse and child endangerment of Petunia Evens Dursley and her husband Vernon Vincent Dursley.’ A report that had oddly enough, been published in the Daily Prophet, along with other evidence of Harry’s rather unfortunate childhood. It had accompanied a bleak interview of a child raised by muggles, treated like a slave and kept in a cupboard. She’d seen house elves with larger accommodations.
‘Along with reports of the auror’s who did a full investigation and there was only the faintest trace of any blood ward. And plenty of evidence of magical interference in the community. Several neighbours had been obliterated following reports of child abuse and endangerment.’

‘There is no way to prove I did that and anyway, it was for the greater good and he needs to go back.’
‘And the physical abuse? The neglect and starvation?’
‘Children lie.’
‘The healers report printed in the Daily Prophet would seem to indicate he was telling the truth. A report that was verified by Saint Mungo’s as being correct.’
‘Nonsense he’s the picture of health.’
‘That would be down to the healing regime he was on after he left his aunt and uncle. His school pictures, the only photos taken of him since his parents death, would indicate he wasn’t the picture of health until he got to Gringotts and asked for help and healing.’
‘What do the goblins know about healing wizards.’

Amelia looked around the room and wondered again if Dumbledore had actually lost his marbles. Except he had received the mandatory health scan when processed by her team that indicated he was in full health. Both physical and mentally. She considered the events of the last few days and had to marvel at the timing of the articles in the Daily Prophet combined with Dumbledore’s actions once on the stand. If this had happened a month ago, he’d probably have been able to twinkle his way out as a free man. Although the six years of Harry Potter’s primary school photos really did speak loudly to the condition the boy had been in because of Dumbledore. Now however, after what the headmaster had been saying, and his callous disregard for the children in his care. He’d be lucky to only get sentenced to Azkaban.

In the members section Lord Sirius Black rose to his feet and raised his wand. Augusta Longbottom lowered the silencing spell.
‘The Chef Warlock recognises Lord Black.’
‘Thank you Madam Chef Warlock. I have a question for Dumbledore.’
Augusta and Amelia exchanged a look and both women nodded with a shrug.
‘Why Harry Potter?’
‘What ever do you mean my dear boy?’
‘It’s Lord Black. Why are you focused on Harry Potter?’
Dumbledore looked pale and his cheeks flushed as he tried to stop himself from answering the question.

Amelia Bones looked to the wizard sitting in chains. ‘You can not fight the compulsion to speak the truth and answer questions asked, it is runic work as old as the building. Occlumency is not going to help you and resisting will have consequences.’
Dumbledore’s eyes grew stormy. The last thing he wanted was to announce the prophesy to the entire room, including the Potter brats guardian and the wizarding press. ‘It is imperative I not answer that question Madam Bones.’ He watched as she crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow at him. ‘I implore you not to ask that question. It is for the greater good, that is all you need to know.’
‘Why, exactly, are you so focused on Lord Harry Potter?’ She asked. Her eyes never leaving his.

Slumping in the chair he tried his grandfatherly look of disappointment but he could acknowledge it wasn’t as effective as it had been. ‘It is disadvantageous to the Light for me to do so.’
She stared at him. ‘Answer, the question.’
‘There is a prophesy that by his actions Voldemort identified Harry Potter as the other participant in events to come. Events he needs to be moulded for to save the wizarding world.’
Amelia took a few moments to compose her response. ‘You expect us to believe that all your actions are because of the interpretation of a prophesy that Harry Potter, an eleven year old child, is supposed to save the entire wizarding world from a grown arse adult wizard?’
‘Yes.’
‘And what qualification do you hold in the art of divination or the interpretation of prophesy that allows you to judge this?’
‘I am Albus Dumbledore, I don’t need qualifications to judge a prophesy that was given to me.’

Amelia knew she couldn’t ask for him to repeat the prophesy in the fullness of court room ten as prophesies were protected by old laws that governed that only those they were about could make that choice. And since it was such a vague area of magic and open to interpretation it wasn’t subject to the ruling of the Wizengamot. What was within the ruling of the Wizengamot was the determination if Dumbledore had proven or not the charges against him.

‘So in summation, do you confirm you directly endangered the students of Hogwarts?’
‘If you say so.’
‘Did you, in direct opposition of the Hogwarts Charter ignore the directive to advise parents and guardians of there being a troll in the school.’
He glared at her. ‘Yes.’
‘Did you block the children from sending owls to advise their parents and guardians about the troll.’
‘Yes.’
‘Did you act with deliberate intent to lower the wards protecting Hogwarts?’
‘Yes.’
‘Did you facilitate Sirius Black being sent to Azkaban knowing he was innocent and had not had a trial?’
‘Yes.’
‘Knowing you had no legal right to do so did you place Harry Potter with his muggle aunt and uncle?’
‘It was for the greater good, he must go back you know.’
She wondered what he could go back to, the Dursley’s house had been sold to defray legal costs and pay reparations, their son in care while they were in prison. ‘Yes or no, answer the question.’
‘Yes.’

Amelia nodded before addressing the Chef Warlock. ‘I believe this answers the charges raised against Dumbledore, that he did with willful intent, endanger the children in his care as Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. That he acted in excess of his role in preventing the children advising their parents and guardians of at least this matter and who knows what else he deemed unimportant to pass along. That he certainly exceeded his role regarding the guardianship and placement of Harry Potter, and in fact kidnapped the child. And is responsible for Sirius Black spending ten years in Azkaban as an innocent man. And his actions were done in the name of his version of the greater good, which, incidentally, was the catch cry made infamous by Gellert Grindelwald.’ She looked around the room and watched as that sunk in.

‘It is my position as the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement that the charges have been proven in questioning. That Dumbledore should be removed from his role as Headmaster of Hogwarts and that the Wizengamot should decide on his incarceration in Azkaban and if there are any further charges he should answer to.’

Augusta Longbottom never thought she would live to see the day those words were uttered in the Wizengamot. But they were out there and had been said. She banged her gravel and addressed the room. ‘It is the findings of the Chef Warlock that the charges against Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore will stand and be decided upon by the full Wizengamot. The date for this will be advised to the members and any further questions or matters not yet raised will be addressed at that point. It will be a closed session of the Wizengamot and Dumbledore will remain a guest of the DMLE until then.’

With a bang of the gravel Amelia removing the truth compulsion and Dumbledore was escorted in chains back to the cell he would call home for at least the next two weeks. The members of the press were frantically gathering their notes and planning articles for emergency editions of their publications. The public were silent for a moment before a wall of noise rose around the room. The mood of the witches and wizards present was one of disbelief and vindication depending on who had walked into the room convinced Dumbledore was innocent and who had been confident he was not.

Sirius Black looked to his cousin. ‘That went well.’
She grinned. ‘That was bloody amazing. I couldn’t believe Amelia threw in the reference to Grindlewald when the old fool started spouting about the greater good. I’d forgotten where I’d heard that.’
‘You know.’ Sirius began. ‘You have a point about Grindlewald, he isn’t taught in the History of Magic class at Hogwarts, is he.’
Andi shook her head. ‘I don’t believe so.’
‘And why not? Isn’t he part of our history? Would it not have helped stop the rise of, what did Harry call him, old Voldeshorts, if we had been better educated about the last self styled dark lord?’

Andi pulled her pen and notebook back out and quickly scribbled something before it vanished into her purse. ‘You might be on to something. And the latest articles from the Prophet did mention that Dumbledore was in a romance with Grindlewald.’
Sirius snorted. ‘That paper all but claimed Dumbledore was the one that came up with most of the ideas that Grindlewald went on to champion.’
‘Then perhaps we should invite Grindlewald’s aunt to tea and find out what she knows.’
‘How perfectly Slytherin of you Andi.’ He offered her his arm.
‘You know I’ll take that as a compliment.’
‘Harry is wearing me down, what can I say.’