Aftermath of Murder
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; Headmaster Albus Dumbledore’s Office, Saturday, June 24, 1995
”Harry, this isn’t normally done with students; in fact, there are very stringent regulations about what we’re proposing,” Albus Dumbledore was gently saying to Harry Potter, after rescuing him from Barty Crouch, Jr. (alias “Alastor Moody”).
The Headmaster had also extricated the real Moody from the man’s own trunk, in which the younger Crouch had imprisoned the ex-Auror, sending him to be checked out by the Hogwarts Head Nurse, Medi-Witch Poppy Pomfrey.
”I’m so very sorry I didn’t believe you when your name came forth from the Goblet. Please forgive me, and know we believe you now,” the Headmaster continued.
”Do we really have to do this now, Albus?” asked Minerva McGonagall, the Gryffindor student’s Head of House.
”I’m afraid so, Minerva; time is of the essence,” came the reply. “We do, however, need to wait for Arthur, Severus and Cornelius to return.” Dumbledore felt certain that Minister of Magic Fudge would be the hardest to convince that the Dark Lord had been resurrected in the graveyard that night, for the man staunchly refused to believe such a thing was possible.
Dumbledore also knew that his Potions Master, a Death Eater-turned-spy, would be none too happy to see the revival of his evil former master. Still, that also needed to happen, he knew.
As for Arthur Weasley…,
Albus knew that if Arthur hadn’t been in the process of raising seven kids, the redhead would’ve adopted Harry as soon as the boy’s godfather, Sirius Black, had been thrown into Azkaban.
~~~~~
Just at that moment, the aforementioned trio of Wizards entered the Headmaster’s office. ”He’s not back!” Fudge could be heard arguing with the others, even as the spiral staircase was taking them to the Headmaster’s office.
”Yes, he is!” proclaimed Arthur. “Just because he’s only 14 doesn’t mean that Harry imagined this! Besides, you heard what Crouch, Jr. said in the Hospital Wing, even before Pomfrey gave him the Veritaserum antidote. We need to make plans immediately, before anyone else besides Cedric Diggory dies!”
”But…how…?”
”I have my suspicions,” interjected Severus Snape…who proceeded to roll up his left sleeve, knowing that the current Minister of Magic likely didn’t know what his predecessor had learned years ago. Fudge nearly fainted at the sight of the Dark Mark (it had turned black at Voldemort’s summons). The man’s reaction to the sight caused Arthur to grin.
”Gentlemen, please be seated,” instructed Dumbledore. “Arthur, how is Amos?”
”As well as can be expected, Headmaster,” Weasley said formally, not wanting Fudge to know of his affiliation with the older Wizard. “The nurse gave him some Dreamless Sleep—she sent some for Harry, too—and she’ll have Mind Healers tend to him and his family, plus anyone here who wishes to see someone. It was hard for him to hear how his son died….”
”That was actually Pettigrew, Sir…,” Harry now spoke up, “…just before the ritual….” He missed seeing the pain on Minerva’s face, that one of her former students had turned to the Dark Side.
~~~~~
The door opened again, to reveal the actual Alastor Moody. “I’m surprised Poppy released you so quickly!” McGonagall wryly remarked.
“Just seeing Auror Shacklebolt put anti-Magic shackles on that slimy piece of…scum…did wonders for me!” Moody crowed. “He’s got lots to answer for…including patricide, and attempted murder of a Triwizard Champion.” He then formally introduced himself to, and shook hands with, a grateful Harry Potter.
”Of course, we had to dispense of the Dementors who were trying to claim him,” Snape was saying. He ignored Harry’s resulting shudder. In an unexpectedly softer tone—certainly one Harry had never heard before—Severus now asked, “Have plans been made concerning the Dark Lord…?”
”He is NOT back!!” roared Fudge, with more than a little bit of fear in his voice. Harry sat up, ready to refute the man’s claim…but someone else beat him to it.
”OH, YES, HE IS!!” came the equally strident retort from the normally mild-mannered Arthur Weasley. “Headmaster,” he continued, looking at Albus, isn’t there a way we can convince Minister Fudge…?”
~~~~~
At this last exchange, a shaggy black dog emerged from its hiding place behind the Headmaster’s desk. It stretched almost lazily, then walked over to Harry, and lay at the boy’s feet, practically snarling at Cornelius. That, combined with the soft trill from Fawkes, calmed Harry immensely.
”We were just about to begin reviewing tonight’s events,” answered Dumbledore calmly, summoning his Pensieve. As the object settled into place, Albus said, “Engorgio!” At that, the Pensieve’s diameter nearly doubled.
”Once Harry has provided the memory we all need to see…,” he continued, looking around the room…and seeing Fudge’s fear, Arthur’s steely determination, and the other varied expressions, “…we shall decide on a course of action.”
”Dumbledore, there are laws….” desperately spouted Cornelius….
”…there are also exceptions, Minister,” interrupted Arthur firmly. “Look them up Monday, if you wish. For now, though, we need to know what happened after the Third Task.” It was becoming increasingly difficult for the Weasley patriarch not to shake Cornelius until the Minister’s teeth rattled.
Arthur saw the look from Fudge that plainly said, “You’ll be lucky to have a job, come Monday,” yet the Head of Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Department refused to relent. The other adults saw that look, too…but they all knew that Albus would take care of Arthur.
As the others gathered around the Pensieve (Arthur positioned himself so that—if needed—he could shove his boss’s face into the device!), Severus and Minerva flanked Harry. “We don’t need you to ‘join’ us, Potter,” said McGonagall. “Just relax….”
Harry felt his wand being raised to his temple, and heard Severus’s whisper, “I’m sorry that this won’t be easy, but try to focus for a moment on what happened, then speak the incantation, ’Memoriam eliciunt’*. Your wand will provide us with what we need. Afterward, the nurse sent you something to help you sleep….”