"Sir," Hermione replied. "While we are in your company in search of the Horcrux, we will obey your instructions with anything that pertains to our safety or the search, the agreement is only until we return from the search."
"A simple yes would have sufficed," Dumbledore replied.
"No sir, it wouldn't have," Hermione returned.
"I'm sorry you feel that way, Mrs. Potter," Dumbledore said. "Now please wait inside the house while Tonks and I make sure there are no Death Eaters nearby. We do not want a repeat of the events the last time you were escorted to the Ministry though I am quite certain that even if there were any nearby, there would be no problems."
"Why?" Hermione asked.
"Because you'll be with me," Dumbledore replied as if it was obvious.
"Interesting," Harry said a minute later.
"What?" Hermione asked.
"When I came out, Dumbledore was staring at me, not looking around for possible dangers," Harry replied.
"Why?"
"Arrogance I guess. He truly believes no one will dare try to attack while he is around," Harry said. "He basically said the same thing he said to you last time when I went with him to convince Slughorn."
...
"Dumbledore, you may wait outside," Madam Bones said a bit later when they arrived at her office. "Or go on to the courtroom. I will personally escort Harry and Hermione shortly before the trial is to begin."
Dumbledore gave a significant glance toward Harry and Hermione and then with a nod. "Of course Amelia. It will be a busy day for the Wizengamot."
Amelia stared at the door for several long seconds after the Headmaster had left before turning back to the other people in her office. That's when she noticed Tonk's puffy eyes. "Tonks...are you okay?"
"Yes Ma'am," Tonks replied. "I'm fine."
"You sure don't look fine," Madam Bones replied. "Do you need the day off?"
"No ma'am."
"Very well. For now please wait outside the office." Amelia said. "I have several things I wish to discuss with Mr. Potter and Miss Granger."
"She knows," Hermione spoke up. "We had an incident a couple of days ago and that Harry and I are married came out. Dumbledore knows as well as the Weasleys."
"Incident?" Madam Bones asked. "Anything I need to be aware of?"
Harry glanced at Hermione. "Do we tell her?"
"I don't know."
"Ma'am, actually I should tell you," Tonks spoke up as she glanced guiltily at Harry and Hermione.
"You know what happened? Was it illegal?"
"Yes ma'am, I believe so but it's complicated because if I report the person who committed the crime, then I'd have to also report the Potters for possible entrapment."
"What?"
"There was a person who attempted to use an illegal potion on Mr. Potter...eh...and the Potters admitted to knowing about it."
"Ah...Miss Weasley and her brother?"
"You knew?" Tonks asked with a bit of relief.
"Yes," Madam Bones lied as she glanced at Harry and Hermione. "The Potters informed me at an earlier time that they suspected something might happen. I'll take it from here. Now Tonks, I do need to discuss a few matters with the Potters that you cannot be privy too."
"Yes ma'am," Tonks replied and left the room.
"Now...would you like to tell me the story of Mister and Miss Weasley?" Bones asked. "What did they do this time?" Amelia had learned of the jealousy potion usage in the previous timeline when they had brought up Miranda.
"She tried to seduce Harry with some combination of lust, love and jealousy potion a couple days ago," Hermione explained. "We knew she'd brewed them and wanted to have her caught in the act by her parents to prevent it from becoming a ministry matter. She's being a lot more aggressive this time around."
"What really is the problem is that Dumbledore has convinced the Weasleys that it was just an act of infatuation," Harry said, "but we think...we think that she might have issues."
"Issues?"
"Ma'am, did you ever hear about the Basilisk at Hogwarts?"
"BASILISK?" Madam Bones exclaimed in astonishment. "AT HOGWARTS? When?"
"Surely you knew about students being petrified at Hogwarts in our second year?" Hermione said. "I mean Susan was there."
"Of course, some dark curse left by Voldemort according to Dumbledore. Are you saying it was a Basilisk?"
"Yes," Harry replied and explained the events of their second year. "I ended up killing it to save Ginny Weasley's life."
"You...you killed a Basilisk? How? Wait, if I remember correctly, roosters are effective against them."
"No...all the roosters at Hogwarts had been killed, but there was a bird involved," Harry chuckled. "Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix helped. He clawed the Basilisk's eyes out and then I got lucky with a sword."
"A sword? Now you're joking right?" Madam Bones asked. "I mean why would you have a sword?" She paused as her eyes flew open wide. "Wait...your second year? That's when Dumbledore told the Wizengamot the Sword of Gryffindor had been discovered while ridding the curse from Hogwarts. That's not...I mean you..."
"I pulled it out of the Sorting Hat," Harry explained. Seeing the disbelief in the head of the DMLE's eyes, he quickly added. "I can show it to you in a memory if you have the Pensieve handy. The Basilisk I mean and the sword."
"You're serious aren't you? You killed a Basilisk with the Sword of Gryffindor?"
Harry nodded then said, "But that's not the point. I brought the Basilisk up because of Ginny Weasley. She was there...unconscious when I killed the Basilisk. What I presume Dumbledore also didn't mention was the Ginny had been slipped one of Voldemort's horcruxes by Lucius Malfoy. She didn't know it of course. It was a diary and she wrote in it. Over the year, the horcrux, or Riddle's soul took her over. It was her, acting under the influence of Riddle who killed the roosters and let the Basilisk out," Harry explained what Ginny had said and the suspicions that the Weasleys were convinced by Dumbledore not to seek care for her both after the third year and after this latest potions incident.
....
Join my P*atreon to enjoy 60+ advanced chapters.
Link: p*atreon.com/ScarletRosee (Remove the *)
Free members can get 2+ advanced chapters FOR FREE.