Harry didn't get into too much trouble for ditching his protection. Once it was explained that there was a possibility that the Wizengamot would order Harry placed in protective custody, robbing him of his magic and possibly even his life (as it wasn't uncommon for the body to go into shock and die if it lost its magic), everyone seemed to understand. It helped that Harry had hidden in the library, a place that was monitored by a member of staff who could intervene if something had happened. What Harry did get into trouble for was misusing the furniture in the library, as Madam Pince had taken exception to him lying on the library tables. His punishment was a night of detention scraping the gum off the bottom of all the library desks. It wasn't one of Harry's better detentions, but he'd do it again over any detention he had had with Snape.
The final for the chess tournament was that week, so both Harry and Hermione went to support Ron. Their friend actually made it all the way to the final round, but lost to a witch from Durmstrang. He was obviously disappointed he lost, but was delighted at getting second place which came with a trophy and a cash prize. They handed out the trophies at dinner that same evening, with third place going to another Hogwarts wizard. With Ron's success on the Quidditch pitch as well as in the chess tournament, a few of the witches in the school were starting to pay serious attention to him. Ron was loving it; breaking up with Lavender had been a blow to his ego, and having other witches show interest in him had done a wonder for that same ego.
The weeks started to tick by with very little happening from the perspective of the students. The bodyguards were still rotating out every few days, but Harry, Hermione, and even to a lesser extent Charlus and Ron had just learned to live with it. The Easter break was approaching and almost every student signed up to go home, for the most part because they hadn't gotten to see their parents at Christmas. Harry thought he was going to stay, because obviously Grandfather Charlus would be here over the break to watch over the other students who stayed. But apparently his grandfather had signed not only him, but Hermione and Ron as well to go home for the break.
It was when he was told this that Harry realised that his grandfather was up to something. He tried to ask, but grandfather Charlus refused to tell him, saying that he would tell everyone what was going on once they were away from the school. Harry spoke with both Ron and Hermione, but none of them had any idea what was going on.
-ϟϟϟ-
Because of all the security around Harry, he was not allowed to go home on the train; as such, neither were Hermione or Ron. As it made no sense for the Weasleys to go home two different ways, they were joined by the twins and Ginny. They instead all Floo'ed directly from Charlus's office to Potter Manor. Neither Hermione or any of the Weasleys were surprised to find that their parents were there waiting for them, but while Harry could see Mr. and Mrs. Weasley Floo'ing to Potter Manor just to greet their children, it was a lot harder for the Grangers to stop by.
In fact, the only way the Grangers could have gotten here was if Sirius had brought them, but it also made it more awkward to take them home with Hermione. If it was just her, Sirius could have side-alonged her straight home, but now it was probably going to need a Floo trip and a few side-alongs to get all the Grangers home. That told Harry that something more was going on, and that it was going to take less effort to tell them all at once than separately.
Of course, the adults decided that they weren't going to just come out and say what was going on. No, they all had to go to the kitchen and sit around for ten minutes talking about absolutely trivial things while drinking tea. The only adults who weren't there were the Aurors, who were doing a sweep of the manor after coming with them from the school. Now Harry could understand Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Granger asking Charlus about how their kids were doing in potions, but talking about how Charlus is finding life in the castle, or how well Mrs. Weasley's latest chicken casserole had worked out, was tantamount to torture for the teens, especially the trio who had been waiting days to learn what the hell was happening.
Eventually, the adults decided to stop teasing the teens and tell them what was happening, leaving it up to Charlus to do the explaining. "We guess you are all wondering why you were told that you were to leave the castle these holidays, and why I'm not at the school watching over the students who stayed. The truth is that I and a few parents are rather dissatisfied with the headmaster's actions of the last few years. Everything from hiding the philosopher's stone in school to putting a Veela child in the custody of merpeople. In the next hour up at the castle, someone from the Ministry should be arriving to inform Albus that he is the subject of legal proceedings in regards to those issues and more."
Mrs Weasley took over. "While Charlus isn't the only one behind what's about to happen to Dumbledore, he is the one Dumbledore is going to see as being responsible. So we wanted all of you out of the castle while this was going on, in case he tried to retaliate and one of you got caught up in it."
Harry was surprised. He knew his grandfather wasn't happy with Dumbledore, but so much had been happening and he hadn't heard a word of it. "Why didn't you tell us anything about this sooner?" he asked his grandfather.
"Because I didn't want you and your friends talking about it in Hogwarts. With all the students, paintings, ghosts, and staff, it's practically impossible to guarantee a secret conversation in Hogwarts and I wanted Dumbledore blindsided by this. It is not only me who is going after him. The Delacours are suing for what he did to little Gabrielle, and the Changs as well as while their daughter agreed to it, they were never asked and she is under age. Add to that everything he failed to do when he claimed guardianship of Harry in the magical world, and we are going to hit him with everything all at the same time. We will have every case heard in the Wizengamot one after the other, burning through his reputation and goodwill, with case after case getting worse for him," Charlus said, sounding quite vindictive.
-ϟϟϟ-
Dumbledore watched as the messenger from the Ministry left through the Floo. Normally such correspondence were just owled, but someone, probably Charlus bloody Potter, had paid to have a wizard deliver them. He looked at the documents again, and then in fit of pique through them across the room.
Charlus Potter had been nothing but a thorn in his side ever since he had returned. Why couldn't the man just accept that he had a good reason for everything he was doing? It wasn't like Dumbledore could explain it to the man. Who would accept that, because their grandson was cursed to keep the world safe, the boy would have to die? Not Charlus, that's for bloody sure. The man was just the type to let the whole world burn if it meant keeping those he loved safe. Worse, the whole family still had enough of the Peverell tendency to charge at anything that stood in their way, even death itself if the legends were true.
Dumbledore grabbed a lemon drop from the bowl on his desk and popped it into his mouth. This situation was going to take some very careful thought and planning. The biggest problem was that all the charges against him were true, he had done everything he was accused of. So, his goal here was to see what charges could be refuted, what charges he could buy off with his political capital, and which ones he would have to take on the chin.
He also had to consider what concessions he would have to give and what he could do to mitigate them. After having already read all the documents, Dumbledore was positive that there was a good chance he was going to lose Hogwarts, at least for the time being. He needed someone to hold the spot until he could take it back. His first thought was McGonagall, but Minevra had sided with the elder Potter far too much recently and he wasn't sure he could trust her to lead by his example while he was temporarily away from the castle.
-ϟϟϟ-
Harry was quite happy with the arrangements for the holiday. They had two weeks away from the school, and Ron and Hermione would be over most days as the adults really wanted Harry to continue to train for the tournament. Charlus and Sirius would mostly be busy, but Lupin had agreed to come and teach them.
The big surprise was they were all going to spend the long Easter weekend at the Burrow. And by all they meant all, even Hermione's parents. The only thing that they wouldn't be doing was sleeping there. While it was possible to squeeze Harry and Hermione in with Ron and Ginny, squeezing in the Doctors Granger, Sirius, and Charlus as well was just impossible. The solution was that the Grangers would join Charlus Harry, Charlus, and Sirius at the manor, but they would all Floo over for breakfast and would be at the Burrow at least until after dinner, until they had to Floo back to Potter Manor to sleep.
Harry wondered how it had all happened, especially the Grangers getting invited, but it seemed that Mrs. Weasley was ever so happy to have the guests, and he could imagine just how much Mr. Weasley was looking forward to showing off his collection of plugs and asking about rubber ducks. Harry himself was looking forward to being able to have a pickup Quidditch game at the Burrow. With his prep for the final task, classes, and now being followed by two Aurors who got nervous when he was so exposed,he hadn't had much of an opportunity to fly for a few months now and he was missing it.
Charlus was spending most of the week in a meeting room at the manor, with all types of people coming in and out. Harry was only slightly surprised when he found Cho Chang along with Fleur Delacour and her sister Gabrielle in the games room when he, Ron, and Hermione were taking a break from their training. The three girls had quickly explained that their parents were meeting with 'Warlock Potter' and the law witch who was handing their cases, so they had been shown where they could wait. Harry immediately started playing host and offered them drinks and snacks, but they all refused.
Gabrielle had quickly recognised Harry and thanked him, with her sister acting as interpreter. It was obvious that the girl had developed a crush on him, but it was so innocent and cute Harry couldn't help but smile at the little witch. Before long the trio had to get back to their training. Fleur was surprised that Harry was training for the third task so much already, as she was only twice a week at the moment. Harry had bitten back his comment about that being why he, the youngest champion, was winning, but unfortunately Ron wasn't quite so tactful.
The mood immediately became tense as a champion and the girlfriend of a champion both bristled at the statement. Luckily, they could both see that Harry was upset with Ron for saying it, and both girls had enough self control not to pick a fight while they were guests in Harry's house. Hermione, seeing everything, did the best thing she possibly could and removed Ron from the situation by saying she was off to grab a quick drink and a snack, as she knew Ron would follow her, giving Harry a chance to apologise.
"Sorry about Ron. He sometimes doesn't think before he speaks. I promise you his intention was to show support for me, his best friend, not to put down anyone else."
"But zee rude boy is right, non?" Fleur said, sounding annoyed though not necessarily at Harry or Ron. "You are training constantly like ze demon. And it 'as paid off. You killed ze dragon, saved my sister from ze merpeople, and chased off ze shark. It was all you and you did it because you put the work in. I think if Beauxbatons is to stand any chance then I need to, as the English say, 'step up.'"
"Don't be too hard on yourself," Harry said. "I have been working under the assumption that someone was using the tournament to kill me ever since Halloween. It's kind of a strong motivation to put my all into training."
"How did you manage to not go crazy at the idea that someone wants to kill you? I'm sure I would have locked myself in my room for a week." Fleur asked, sounding genuinely curious.
Cho let out a mirthless laugh. "Potter is well used to something trying to kill him. What's this, the third attempt to kill you in four years?"
Harry thought about it for a second "let's see. The broom incident, the time in the Forbidden Forest, and when Quirrell tried to kill me were all in first year. Second year was the basilisk, and the Dementor who tried to eat my soul was third year, when I also thought Sirius was trying to kill me but he wasn't. Professor Lupin was trying to save me but forgot his Wolfsbane so he didn't mean it, and then the horde of Dementors. The death eater at the World Cup, and the tournament that has a dragon and a shark." Harry was counting them off on his fingers as he spoke. "So ten, in the last four years," he shrugged. Cho and Fleur both looked shocked, and Gabrielle was looking at the two girls wondering what Harry could have said to make them react like that.
"Is zat normal at 'ogwarts?" Fleur asked cautiously.
Cho shook her head. "No, absolutely not. For most of us it's just a school. It's Potter and his friends who go looking for trouble."
The muscles in Harry's jaw clenched. "It's more like trouble won't leave me and my friends alone. I wasn't looking for trouble when someone tried to jinx my broom in the middle of a Quidditch match. I was in detention doing as I was told when I was attacked in the Forbidden Forest. I was sitting in a train compartment with my friends when the Dementor attacked me."
The three girls were a little taken aback by the anger in Harry's voice. Gabrielle had no clue what was going on and looked a little scared, which more than anything else got Harry to calm down quickly. He flashed the girl a smile and gave her a quick apology for starting her, which her sister translated for her. Luckily Lupin appeared at that moment and told him it was time to get back to training. Harry said his goodbyes, feeling awkward that the reason he had stayed was to apologise for Ron, but then he had ended up blowing up at Cho himself.
-ϟϟϟ-
The day after Harry had run into Cho and the Delacour girls, Dumbledore was walking around Hogwarts musing to himself about his strategy for the upcoming cases in front of the Wizengamot. More specifically, he was working on his contingency plans at the moment. He needed to work out who he wanted to take the role as Head temporary if he lost his position. As he walked down the Transfiguration corridor, he was reconsidering his position on Minerva. Sure the two of them hadn't seen eye to eye that much this year, but she had a long history of following lead. She had also done a perfectly wonderful job two years ago when Malfoy had convinced the board to suspend him.
Dumbledore had almost finished thinking himself around to it when the door to Professor McGonagall's office opened and the witch in question stepped out with a wide smile on her face, followed by none other than Charlus Potter who also had a happy look on his face. The two looked like they had just been sharing a joke. Then Charlus looked down the corridor and spotted Albus walking towards them, and his expression switched to one of guilt. He then whispered something to Minerva and she too looked at him with a guilty expression on her face for a moment.
"Ah…ah good afternoon Albus," Minevra stuttered.
"Dumbledore." Charlus nodded. The old hand at the political game had schooled his expression quickly and now just looked normal instead of guilty.
"Minerva, Charlus. I'm rather surprised to see you here today Charlus, I was under the impression you were taking the holiday off," Dumbledore probed for information.
"Oh, I just had a little business to discuss with Minerva so I popped in for a few hours. I was just about to make my way to my office, pick up a pile of marking I forgot, and Floo home." It was a skillful evasion, but Dumbledore caught it. Charlus didn't want to say what he was talking with Minerva about, so it was obvious he was hiding something, and it didn't take a genius to work out what. Charlus was angling to make Minerva the new headmistress, and Minevra was conspiring behind his back to steal his position.
"Ah, the endless marking. If there is one part about being a teacher I don't miss, it's the endless marking," Dumbledore admitted, and the other two nodded. It was just a fact of being a teacher at their level, marking of assignments and homework was a never-ending struggle that you could never beat, only ever fight to keep manageable.
Dumbledore bid the two professors farewell and continued with his walk and plotting. Now he not only needed to come up with a new candidate to replace him, but he also needed to prepare his arguments as to why Minerva wasn't suitable for the position, now that he knew what his opponent was planning.
As Dumbledore walked away, Charlus turned back to Minerva smiling and said, "Damn, that was awkward."
"Well then you shouldn't have been making all those jokes at Albus's expense then, should you?" The Transfiguration professor said, her own smile back on her lips.
"It's not my fault that the man is nuttier than a sack of peanuts. If he didn't want people to make jokes about him then perhaps he shouldn't act so different."
"That's true enough. His wardrobe alone would be enough to get him made fun of. And what are the chances he would be walking outside my office right as we were leaving after your bad jokes?" She asked rhetorically.
The question may have been rhetorical, but Charlus knew the answer to be one hundred percent. He orchestrated the whole thing with the Marauders' Map in a pile of paperwork that he had been carrying. He had waited until Dumbledore was walking down the corridor to have them leave. He wanted Dumbledore to think that Charlus was going to try and install Minerva as headmistress, and he would then be so busy preparing counters to her that he would be blindsided by Charlus's actual choice.
It was a lesson he had learnt from his wife long ago. "Make them see what you want them to see, and then they won't be prepared for the truth." He had perfected it during his lifetime in politics, and he was going to use every trick in the book to get at the people who had hurt his family. Dumbledore was just the first of the big players on his list.
-ϟϟϟ-
Easter at the Burrow was brilliant. Mr. Weasley had applied to the Ministry for an underage magic waver for the long weekend for educational purposes, which was the same way that Lupin could train Harry and his friends while they were at the manor. To cover the educational requirements, Mrs. Weasley spent a couple of hours each day 'teaching' the teens a few charms that were used in the kitchen. In reality, the teens spent the first two days of the holiday making homemade chocolate eggs and cakes for Easter Sunday.
It was a lot of fun, and according to Mrs Weasley was surprisingly good at helping you visualise what you were doing. The decorations on the chocolate eggs and cakes got more and more elaborate as the lessons passed. By the end of it, Hermione's eggs had an intricate paisley pattern made of white chocolate on dark chocolate eggs.
Mrs. Weasley also taught them the basics of a number of spells that normally wouldn't be taught in Hogwarts until their sixth year. She taught them to duplicate food and drinks. To save money, the Weasley matriarch had bought only three bars of muggle chocolate: one dark chocolate, one white chocolate, and one milk chocolate. She then taught the teens how to duplicate them. They needed muggle chocolate because magical chocolate makers charmed their products to be unduplicatable to protect their business. Mrs. Weasley had done the same with all the other backing supplies.
By the time the baking and egg making was done, five of the six teens had the duplication spell and the refilling spells down solid. The only one who didn't was Ginny, who struggled with the admittedly N.E.W.T.-level Transfiguration spells. Harry suspected that the only reason he and Ron could do it was because of all the training they did together for the tournament. Hermione was just amazing at learning spells, so he wasn't surprised she had caught on to them so quickly after they were explained to her.
After that there was flying, chess, delicious food, and of course good company. The Weasleys as always were brilliant hosts. There was some trepidation from the adult Grangers after they had stepped out of the house their first visit. Having arrived by Floo, they hadn't seen the Weasleys' home from the outside yet, and once they had they were nervous to go back in. Harry and Hermione had to explain to the Weasleys that to people who didn't understand magic and how it worked, the house looked in danger of collapsing at any moment.
Then they had to explain things like permanent sticking charms and unbreakable charms to the Grangers to get them to understand that magical construction followed different rules than mundane construction. Though privately, now that it had been pointed out, Harry just hoped no-one was powerful enough to cast a large enough Finite Incantatem at the house, as if the magic holding it up went away then the house would quickly come crashing down.
Easter Sunday was a blast. Mrs. Weasley had made chocolate eggs for everyone the size of dragon eggs that were filled with rich silky caramel, and the teens handed out the eggs they had made for everyone. Dan and Emma had gifts for everyone as well, getting everyone a Cadbury's easter egg. Harry was surprised that the dentists would join in with all the sugar, but they then also gave everyone a full teeth cleaning kit that had two tubes of toothpaste, a new toothbrush, dental floss, and a bottle of mouthwash. For the adults they had a few bottles of what was apparently a good wine.
After a dinner of roast lamb, the twins (with the blessing of their father) took over the entertainment. Apparently they had been developing their own brand of magical fireworks. According to the twins they weren't much yet, but they were as good as a professional mundane fireworks display. Harry could sort of see why the twins didn't think they had much to brag about, they were comparing themselves to things like the fireworks that had made giant battling mascots in the sky over the Quidditch World Cup campgrounds. However, considering the twins were not even yet seventeen, it showed that they were quite talented and driven to have gotten this far already.
-ϟϟϟ-
The Monday the day after Easter Sunday was a recognised holiday in Britain, and that had carried over to the magical world, which was the only reason they had to wait until Tuesday for the case against Dumbledore to be heard by the Wizengamot. Harry had asked his grandfather if he could go and watch, but the old man had put his foot down and ordered Harry to focus on trying for the final task of the tournament.
"The tournament is your top priority. It is the last opportunity for He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to take advantage of the tournament and take you. I will deal with Dumbledore, you just need to focus on your job in all of this, and that job is to survive." He pulled Harry into a hug. "You are the only member of my blood family that I have left, if something happens to you it will destroy me. So please do everything you can to be prepared for whatever is going to be thrown at you. Once we know what the task is, I will work with people to find a way to keep you safe, but until then I will work on removing another threat from our lives. Okay?" He held Harry a little tighter as he spoke.
Harry was trying to hide that his grandfather had actually brought a tear to his eye. He just wasn't used to anyone but Hermione showing such affection. "Sure thing, gramps. I'll do my best."