Chapter 26
Amelia Bones had been having a perfectly relaxing day.
She hadn't had any murders, attempted murders, kidnappings, or r*pes since Voldemort had died. The most taxing thing that had happened since the end of the war was the Quidditch Cup. She still had yet to find the man who had cast the Dark Mark, but she had a hunch the man would be impossible to find.
And it was so rare to have a relaxing day; she wanted to enjoy it.
There was a sudden commotion outside her door and shouts of surprise. Amelia sighed; there went her relaxing day.
The door banged open and Scrimgeour exclaimed, "It's Peter Pettigrew!"
"What?!" Amelia charged out of her office, abandoning her coffee and sandwich.
Sure enough, the tiny, mouse-like man that had betrayed the Potters was attempting to flee, surrounded by Aurors. Amelia Stunned Pettigrew.
"Why didn't you do that immediately?" she snapped at Kingsley Shacklebolt, who was the most competent of them.
Kingsley frowned worriedly. "I don't know."
"Suspended for today," Amelia decided, not because she was punishing the man, but because Kingsley was far too close to Dumbledore. Kingsley knew she was telling him, subtly, to get his magic checked.
"I'll check in tomorrow, unless it's an emergency," he agreed calmly, and Amelia had to stifle a blush. Kingsley smiled slightly at her before leaving.
"Travers, Scrimgeour, take Pettigrew to the interrogation room. Owl Potions Master Snape for Veritaserum."
Twenty minutes later, Pettigrew was staring intently at the opposite wall, dosed heavily with the truth serum. Travers, Scrimgeour, the Minister, Lucius Malfoy, and Dolores Umbridge were seated or standing at various points in the room. Amelia herself was questioning.
"What is your name?" Amelia said firmly.
"Peter Archibald Pettigrew," Peter said tonelessly.
"What is your date of birth?"
"September 9, 1950."
"Standard questions answered correctly, you may proceed," Travers stated. Amelia shot him an irritated look, and he blushed; that would only have been said if Travers or Scrimgeour had been asking the questions.
"Were you the Potter's Secret Keeper?" Amelia asked.
"Yes."
"Did you tell Voldemort-" she ignored the twitches from Travers and Malfoy, and the shriek from the Minister "-where the Potters were hidden?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"The Dark Lord believed the false prophecy that Headmaster Dumbledore made up," Peter said listlessly, earning a shocked look from Malfoy, "and was determined to remove the Potter boy, his only obstacle between him and the task Lady Magic gave him."
Amelia's eyes widened. Voldemort was a true Dark Lord?! Albus had said-
"False prophecy?" Umbridge asked sweetly, eyes glittering. "Why would Dumbledore create a false prophecy?"
"Headmaster Dumbledore was furious that the Dark Lord didn't react to his threats; he wanted the Dark Lord to be like Grindelwald, chaotic and murder-happy," Peter said blankly. "He created the false prophecy and attempted to turn Harry into a weapon."
"What?!" Malfoy hissed. "He harmed a-"
"What did he do to Heir Black, to turn him into a weapon?" Amelia interjected.
"He sent him to his Muggle relatives, who hate magic, and placed Hate Wards on the house so that the muggles would abuse Harry," Peter answered. "He wanted Harry weak and trusting of the first person to treat him kindly."
Malfoy and Travers snarled in fury, and the Minister went pale.
"He put compulsions and blocks on Harry, just in case the Hate Wards didn't work."
Amelia swelled in fury. "On his magic?"
"Yes."
She took a breath; questions now, arrest Dumbledore later. "Where have you been since you killed the twelve Muggles?"
"For ten years, I was Percy Weasley's rat, Scabbers," Peter said. "Percy gave me to Ronald Weasley for Ron's first year at Hogwarts, because Headmaster Dumbledore suggested that Molly get him an owl. I was Ron's rat for three years, and then Sirius escaped Azkaban and tried to kill me. Harry stopped him, said he didn't think his dad's best friends would want them to become killers. I escaped when Remus transformed into a werewolf. Dumbledore suggested I find the Dark Lord's wraith and help him return."
"What?" Fudge exclaimed. "But that's impossible, You-Know-Who is dead!"
"Is Voldemort dead?" Amelia worded it as a question, sending Fudge an irritated look.
"No," Peter said blankly. "I found his wraith in the Albanian forest, and I created a homunculus for his wraith to possess. I have been staying with him since the beginning of this summer, helping him with his plan to return to full glory."
"How does he plan to do that?" Amelia prompted.
"He will not tell me the full plan. He only mentioned he would be using Harry Potter. Barty Crouch Junior is helping him spy on him at school; he's polyjuiced as Alastor Moody."
Gasps.
"Have you spoken to Dumbledore since he told you to find Voldemort's wraith?" Amelia asked.
"Yes. Once after I found the Dark Lord's wraith, once after I found Bertha Jorkins and led her to the Dark Lord, once after I brought the Dark Lord to Barty Crouch Senior's house, where Barty Crouch Junior was under the Imperious Curse, and once after the Dark Lord decided to have Barty Polyjuice as Mad-Eye Moody."
"What do you mean, Dumbledore knows Moody is an imposter and hasn't done anything about it?!" Amelia demanded.
"The Headmaster wants to bring the Dark Lord back, so he and Harry can fight. Harry is a Horcrux, he is supposed to be killed by the Dark Lord, and then Headmaster Dumbledore will kill the Dark Lord in 'revenge.'"
Travers and Malfoy paled. They obviously knew what a Horcrux was. Amelia knew what it was as well, and she was astounded a true Dark Lord like Voldemort would ever do something as despicable as make a Horcrux.
"This is ludicrous!" Fudge exclaimed. "You-Know-Who cannot be alive!"
Amelia glared at the man, then paused. Voldemort was a true Dark Lord, which meant that he would benefit from Fudge -- a coward who was easily bribable -- staying Minister, as opposed to a stronger, Lighter wizard taking his place. She grimaced faintly; actually, Umbridge was set to take his place, which was even worse.
"We will, obviously, investigate Pettigrew's claims, Minister," she said coolly. "A reminder that Veritaserum only brings out what someone believes is the truth. There is a high possibility that Dumbledore has Confunded Pettigrew, and perhaps Crouch Junior, into believing that Voldemort is back." She turned to Pettigrew, ignoring the calculating looks from Malfoy and Travers. "What do you know about Crouch Junior?"
"He is good with children, he has always wanted one of his own but never got the opportunity," Pettigrew said blankly. "He is innocent of Cruciating the Longbottoms, as he was on a date with Regulus Black at the time." Umbridge wrinkled her nose, and Amelia almost cursed her. "He has never used any illegal spells or potions. His only job was to babysit the Death Eaters' children when they went on raids."
"Why did he agree to impersonate Moody, then?" Amelia questioned.
"He loves teaching," Pettigrew said absently. "He wanted them to learn about Dark magic as well as Light. He provides an unbiased view of all magic."
"Do you think he has been Confunded by Dumbledore, as well?" Fudge demanded.
"He has not been Confunded-"
"Minister, a reminder of what Veritaserum does," Amelia said exasperatedly. "Especially when you ask someone's opinion rather than facts! Has Dumbledore done anything to Crouch Junior?"
"I don't know. It's likely."
Amelia pursed her lips. "Travers, bring in Crouch Junior. Do not let Dumbledore catch wind of this." She turned to Scrimgeour. "Fetch as many Aurors as you can. We're arresting Dumbledore."
-------
He was just finishing up the paperwork for Dumbledore's arrest when Kingsley burst into his office, a mixture of furious and panicky, with the goblin king in tow.
"Take a seat," Amsel sighed, standing up. "Well met, sir goblin. Tea?"
"Well met, fluid wixen. Yes, thank you," King Hackblade responded. "Black, no milk or sugar."
Kingsley shook his head, pale. "Amsel or Amelia?"
"Amsel." He handed the tea to Hackblade. "I'm adding more crimes to Dumbledore's charges, aren't I?" he asked wryly.
The Auror wordlessly handed Amsel a paper which he recognized as a Magical Aura Test. He put on his reading glasses.
Magical Aura Test for K. S.:
Magic: Dark (blocked)
Core Level: 15/20
Creature: None
Soulmate: Amelia Bones, aliases Amsel Bones (human) (blocked)
Abilities:
Shadow Magic (blocked)
Dueling
Potions
Animagus (black jaguar) (blocked)
Occlumency
Legilimency
Compulsions (August 10, 1981; applied monthly)
Loyalty (keyed to Albus Percival Wolfric Brian Dumbledore)
Loyalty (keyed to Order of the Pheonix)
Distrust (keyed to Severus Tobias Snape) (failed)
Amsel was furious. "You got it all removed, didn't you?" he demanded.
Kingsley smiled weakly, reaching out to take his free hand. Amsel blushed.
Hackblade cleared his throat. "I apologize for interrupting, but Dumbledore has also been stealing from several of our clients, including Had- Harrison James Potter."
Amsel gave the goblin a sharp look, catching the near mistake. He would ask about it later. "Who else has he been stealing from?"
Hackblade smiled nastily. "The Hogwarts staff."