More Than Meets The Eye

DISCLAIMER: That part of this world and those characters you’ve seen before belong to their Creator: JKR. The rest is mine - although I cannot quit my day job as I make no $$$

A/N: I debated and debated about posting this now. But it seems that people have hissies if there’s a cliffy…

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE: MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 th , 1993 (DAY 4).

“Okay,” Ron said, “you all may think I’m thick, but…”

“May?” one of the twins asked.

“There’s no ‘may’ ‘bout it, Ronnikins.”

“We know you’re thick.”

“Har Har,” Ron rolled his eyes. “You lot still can’t beat me in chess even with a six piece advantage. But this ain’t chess. It’s politics stuff and… does Binns even teach this Hermione?”

“Why are you asking me?”

“Please! Everyone knows you’re the only one who doesn’t fall asleep in that class!”

“Lavender and Parvati don’t either,” Hermione replied.

“Or spend it whispering ‘bout what’s in Teen Witch Weekly, then,” Hannah said. “It’s really annoying.”

“Especially when you’re trying to sleep,” Ron agreed. “Can someone tell me what that stuff was?”

“Use small words,” Hermione suggested.

“Yeah,” Ron agree. “What she said.”

It was lunchtime and Harry and the others had decided they probably would not return for the afternoon session. It seemed all the real fun was over and all that was left seemed to be debates about the only one of the Manor Court’s recommendations that could be debated: compensation for Sirius for his improper stay in Azkaban. Once things had settled down, everything else had fallen into place. As it stood, the Ministry was now tasked with clearing Sirius’s name, restoring all his rights, titles and any properties that might have been transferred after his father died, and recalling the reward, the shoot to kill order and the dementors. Sirius had told them the money debates were neither important (Sirius didn’t really need the money) nor were they particularly interesting, especially after that morning. So Harry and his ladies had decided to act their ages, to the extent they ever had. They were now in the Dining Room of the Valley Guest house on the lake by the Quidditch Pitch. This was where a lot of young people were staying, most notably three of Ginny’s brothers and the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. Harry had been dreading this a little. He had gotten these people here by promising them they could use his pitch for a few practices and Oliver seemed a little too thrilled with the idea now that he had seen it.

“Well, I don’t understand the details,” Ginny said, “but I do think our Great Aunt Muriel would say he had a Senior Moment.”

“Maybe in part,” Ron nodded. “But why? Don’t you lot take this the wrong way, but who cares?”

“Remember what we told you ‘bout Ginny?” Harry said.

Ron nodded. “Something to do with that?”

“Among other things,” Hermione said. “Ginny was part of his great plans to control our Harry.”

“Who doesn’t like being controlled,” Luna added.

“Doesn’t like knowing he’s being controlled,” Daphne said with a smirk.

“Doesn’t like being controlled in ways he doesn’t want to be controlled,” Hannah concluded.

“You’re using small words,” Ron frowned, “but not making any sense.”

“Sorry,” several of them said.

“You know he wants control of my House,” Harry said.

Ron nodded.

“And he thinks I’m somehow important in dealing with Voldemort. That means I’m scary to him.”

“That doesn’t make any sense,” Ron said.

“Didn’t say it did,” Harry replied.

“We knew he was going to try to do something to try and keep things the way they were,” Hermione said. “He wants Harry to fit a role - well, more than one actually. For Harry to fit that role, certain things must… Well, Harry has to play along. Harry’s not playing along. Harry’s bonding with us, getting married, learning about his past and his family, these are things that Dumbledore knows he has done and it does not fit within the man’s plans at all. A Harry who knows about House Potter is not likely to be a follower type and certainly not of Dumbledore and his Greater Good, whatever that is.”

“We’re pretty certain Dumbledore has some kind of plan for me,” Harry said. “We also know enough to suspect that whatever his plan for me is, it’s not good for me at all. Placing me with the Dursleys was a part of that plan. He might’ve thought it was an important part and that it was working. He set things up so I knew nothing about magic and our world and, one might say, has set things up so that ordinarily I can’t learn much about it even if I want to and what I can learn is what he lets me learn. But, getting bonded and married and coming here and other things has allowed me to learn things he hoped I’d never learn…”

“Or at least that Harry would not learn until it was too late for him to do anything about it,” Ginny said. “That contract, had Harry not done what he did earlier this summer, would place Harry under Dumbledore’s control - or at least the control of Dumbledore’s followers - for the rest of Harry’s life.”

“You’re talking that Vassal thing,” Ron said.

Harry nodded. “When everyone thought my parents died, that was when he thought of that, we think. Until just before I came to Hogwarts, that was part of his plan. He’s got some kind of vision for how the world should be. Don’t know what it is. It’s not like he tells everyone. But to have that vision become reality, he needs to control the votes in the Wizengamot. House Potter has always stood in the way of that. So when all that was left was me, well he set things up so that I wouldn't… get any ideas; or at least not any that weren’t his to begin with. Then Voldemort started trying to come back. He truly thinks I had something to do with getting rid of him the last time…”

“You didn’t?”

“I can’t say that I did and neither can Dumbledore,” Harry replied. “My parents don’t even know what happened. It’s just as likely that Voldemort made a mistake or whatever my Mum did that night made what he did a big mistake.”

“More likely,” Hermione nodded. “Boy-Who-Lived nonsense aside, which is more likely? A fifteen month old baby defeats the most powerful dark Wizard anyone can think of and kills him, surviving the Killing Curse as well? Or his parents cast a very complicated and rare - probably House Potter protection magic on Harry that somehow reacted to the spell Voldemort used destroying him?”

“You put it like that,” Ron said. “I’d go with the spell backlash. That kinda thing’s known to happen.”

“But everyone, including Dumbledore, goes for the incredible rather than the explainable,” Hermione said. “Guess in a world where we can do the incredible with magic, explainable is… too mundane?”

“You put it like that… that makes sense, you know?” Ron replied.

“So, now Voldemort is trying to come back, and he like everyone else thinks I’m the one to stop him,” Harry continued. “But if I stop him… What if I had some ambitions? What if I wanted to be Chief Warlock or Minister?”

“Do you?”

“No. But if I stopped Voldemort, what’s to stop me? And if my idea of what things should be like is different from Dumbledore’s - and in this case it is - what’s to stop me from seeing his way scuppered? I’m too dangerous to be allowed to grow up any way other than his way. And it was working, too - his plan for me that is. It was working right up to the moment that I bonded with Hermione and Luna and then was able to learn about the contracts.”

“That still doesn’t explain what happened this morning,” Ron said after a moment where it looked like he was thinking.

“We figured he’d try something to get Harry back under some kind of control,” Daphne said. “He tried the day we got back to school…”

“According to McGonagall,” Hermione said. “He seemed fine with Neville’s situation. But he tried really hard to keep things the way they were with Harry. The only one who supported him was Snape, but not for the same reasons. McGonagall told me that it seemed as if he thought this bonding was much ado about nothing and since Harry’s Muggle Raised, he should not be allowed married quarters. Took most of the staff to get him to back off.”

“We figured he was going to make some kind of go at getting Harry’s emancipation repealed,” Daphne said. “After all, until Harry became emancipated Dumbledore was Harry’s magical guardian. But, this assumed that Sirius Black was not in the picture. As Harry’s godfather, Sirius is supposed to do that unless Harry’s parents' Wills say something different and he had those declared invalid ages ago. If Sirius is exonerated, Dumbledore can’t get control over him.”

“What about your parents, Harry?”

“Very few people know about them,” Harry said. “Their being alive is under a Fidelius Charm. Dumbledore has no clue that they’re out there. We didn’t think he’d make such an obvious go at Sirius, not after all that came out. We figured he’d wait, then cook up something ‘bout me being too immature to be emancipated and Sirius being unfit to be a Guardian after all those years in Azkaban. That might’ve worked too. That’s when we planned to bring in my parents. But…”

“He got desperate, it seems,” Daphne said. “Went straight at Sirius as soon as he could. So long as Sirius is still a fugitive, he can’t be a guardian. Well, I suppose he could be if Dumbledore let him as in if he was a good doggie and does what Dumbledore wants him to do. But instead we see what happened this morning.”

“But what does sensing do?” Ron asked.

“It’s called censure,” Hannah said. “It means he can no longer talk in the Wizengamot or talk to anyone about Wizengamot business including other members. Short of being kicked out of the Assembly altogether, it’s the worst thing that can happen to a Member. And they made it worse for Dumbledore by not sacking him as Chief Warlock. He still has to show up for all the meetings and do that stuff about letting them all know who’s talking and calling for votes, but he can’t put in his own ideas or opinions at all. He’s quite the politician. Very persuasive. But if he can’t talk, he can’t persuade which means he’s less than nothing there now.”

“So he really stepped in it then?”

“Basically. You saw what happened. He tried to block or delay anything to do with what we did the last three days and they censured him for being obstructive - as in being difficult. Once they did, they quickly ratified the findings and most of the recommendations of the Manor Court. They’re debating now about whether to give Sirius any money…”

“Which he could care less about,” Harry said. “He’s Lord Black now, which means money’s not a problem.”

“And the Wizengamot knows that. They’re debating whether to stick the Ministry with the bill or open an investigation to find out who did what to Sirius so they can stick those people with the bill. The import bit is Sirius Black’s a free man now and will be forever.”

“Didn’t give him a lifetime pass,” one of the Twins said. “Don’t think he can go out snuffing people just ‘cause of that.”

“You know what I mean.”

“So Dumbledore’s done then?” Ron asked.

“Doubt it,” Harry said.

“It’s not a permanent censure,” Hannah agreed. “Sounded like it only applies to this Special Session and such. But we got what we wanted for now.”

“That and if he does make another run at Harry, he’ll have to do it before the Wizengamot,” Daphne said. “That was something else they did when they voted to recognize House Potter’s authority, limited as it is. He can’t do anything to a recognized Head of House except before the full Wizengamot. Before, he could’ve just put it before the Underage Magic folks at the Ministry.”

“We still think he’ll have a go at my status and try to end Sirius’s Guardianship as well. And that’s when we’ll spring my parents on him,” Harry said.

Day 6

“UHG!” Harry said collapsing onto a couch. He was in one of the lounges in the “Clubhouse” by the Quidditch Pitch in the Valley.

“That was brilliant,” Ron said sitting in one of the chairs.

Harry rolled his eyes. “Remind me not to let Wood have unlimited access to this place with Time Compression.”

“Um…”

“Two days of practice,” Katie Bell groaned. “I agree with Harry.”

“But…”

“Were it up to Wood, we’d practice like the pros,” Alicia Spinet agreed. “Only time we’d not practice would be when we had a match. You’ll see, newbie. A little Quidditch is fun. All the time Quidditch? Not so much.”

“Careful,” Harry chided. “That’s Ron Weasley you’re talking to; our new Reserve Keeper. If he could eat, sleep and use the loo playing Quidditch he probably would.”

“Okay,” Ron complained, “I’m not that bad. Even I know there’s a limit. But I thought that was brilliant.”

“Not upset your sister made the team at reserve?”

“Would be if she were no good,” Ron said. “Never knew she could fly like that. Scary. She learned that here?”

“Bill and Charlie taught her.”

“Oh. Guess that makes sense. Those two are almost as sneaky ‘bout things as Fred and George. Percy’d be all on about her for so much as looking at one of Aunt Muriel’s brooms and… Well, I’d probably have said something stupid 'bout it. Not now 'though. She’s really good.”

“Must be a Weasley thing,” Angelina Johnson said.

“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?” Ron asked.

“Aside from your brother Percy, the lot of you’ve been real players given a chance. Bill was a chaser, you know. Charlie a Seeker and Captain and according to Wood until Harry came along no one was better. Fred and George are the best Beaters at school. You’re a right nightmare at Keeper - in a good way for us. Your little Sis could run with our Chaser Line and, if we didn’t already have Harry, she’d be no slouch at Seeker. What happened to Percy?”

Ron shrugged. “Guess he can’t fly straight with that Big Head of his. He’s not too bad, really. He just doesn’t like it the same as the rest of us.”

Ginny now sat down looking put out.

“You okay Gin?” Harry and Ron asked almost in unison.

“Brilliant,” she said almost sarcastically. “It was brilliant for the first three hours or so… afternoon before yesterday. Is it always like that?”

“Would be,” Fred said. “Think Wood’s trying to convince McGonagall it should be.”

“She won’t buy it,” George added having walked in with Fred and Ginny. “While she might want us to clean the Pitch with the other House Teams and put a permanent sticking charm once the Quidditch Cup is in her office, she’s always arguing with Wood about his practice schedules. We’re here to learn first. Quidditch is not why we’re at Hogwarts and any schedule that even looks like it’s Quidditch first and school and studies second… she’ll toss it.”

“Won’t stop Wood ‘though,” Fred said. “Our First Year we did okay, but aside from Wood and Carmichael, the whole team was newbies. Should’ve won it the last two.”

“We know it,” George said.

“Whole school does,” Fred agreed.

“‘Cept maybe the Slytherins.”

“This is Wood’s last year. He wants that Cup.”

“We do too. But he really wants that Cup.”

MONDAY, SEPTENBER 20 th , 1993.

“Why didn’t you do something?” Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic exclaimed.

“I’m sorry, Minister,” Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement replied, “and just what would you have be do?”

“I don’t know! Something! We look…”

“Incompetent? Petty and vindictive?”

“Not the image I intend!”

“Yet, even before this Manor Court thing, it was precisely the image you were projecting, Minister,” Amelia said. “You’re Senior Undersecretary nearly provokes a war with the Goblins and then you waltz in to Gringotts and make things worse…”

“You’re job was to support the Ministry! You let them get away with…”

“Proving your predecessor and her administration made a very big mistake. I kept you out of it which, having investigated this matter, is about all I could do, Minister. They mostly steered clear of what happened in Gringotts. Had they really gone there, it might be seen as a link. The Wizengamot might see you as part of a conspiracy to destroy or usurp an Ancient and Noble House as opposed to a fool who listens to the wrong people.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“You saved your career by doing as the Wizengamot required,” Amelia said ignoring the question. “With Sirius Black exonerated and that order and reward rescinded, House Potter is satisfied. Since we did not open any new doors for the Wizengamot, blame for this fiasco rests on former Minister Bagnold and a former holder of my Office, Barty Crouch. I can assure you, all I could really have done to refute the Manor’s evidence was call them to testify - which I was allowed to do if I wished.”

“And you didn’t!”

“The Former Head of my Department would have testified that he did exactly as the Manor said he has done or he would’ve been caught in a lie. Furthermore, it would’ve come out he had personal reasons to recklessly disregard the law. He was in the line of succession to become Head of House Black you know. Specifically, he was next in line, through a Cadet branch should Sirius Black not attain his Lordship. By throwing Black to the dogs, as it where, he believed he would secure that House for himself. Unfortunately he had not counted on two things. First off was the revelation that his son was a Death Eater. As you should be well aware, were it not for that little fact I would be talking to him right now and not you. Second, he failed to perceive just how ruthless the prior Lord Black could be. The former Lord Black asked for a trial for his grandson, Barty refused. He then demanded a trial and Barty and Bagnold managed to stop him in the Wizengamot. Barty’s line was promptly disinherited and House Black pushed for and received Crouch’s exile. This would have come out.”

“Yesterday’s news, Amelia…”

“Is it? You came into office and promoted the same Barty Crouch from his position effectively in exile as ambassador to the Tribes in New Guinea to his current position, did you not?”

The ambassadorship to New Guinea was actually more like House Arrest. The ambassador was expected to be “as if” at his post, as in out of the country, unless formally called to consultations. But the reality was few ambassadors ever took up residence in the embassy. After all, one never knew if they were invited to a “State Dinner” whether they were a guest or the main course. It was said that the natives were more civilized and far less inclined to eat foreign wizards for their magic. But no one had decided to test this theory.

“He’s an old friend… ,” Fudge said.

“A friend you would have been well advised not to acknowledge. He still covets your job and you promote him into a position where, should your leadership come into question, places him as a contender as your replacement.”

“As are you!”

“Except I have no such ambitions and most people know that. I am quite content with where I am. Besides, Crouch is from an old and ‘proper’ family and all I can claim was that I married into one.

“This is all academic,” Amelia continued. “I kept your involvement in this mess out of the papers, as it were. You’re actions will be seen as questionable but not culpable. After all everyone knew Black was guilty, didn’t they? You relied on what those who came before you did, didn’t you? You remain as Minister, don’t you? And now, you have an opportunity to secure that position.”

“Oh?”

“Your Senior Undersecretary is a large reason why you find yourself in the Cauldron, wouldn’t you say? She was the one who recommended your shoot to kill order, wasn’t she? She also recommended the very unpopular idea of posting dementors at Hogwarts, did she not? And she is the reason why the Ministry is in the Potion with the Goblins and the ICW. If you ask me, she seems to be setting you up, Minister. And her good friend Barty Crouch is in position to take over once you fall.” She then pushed some photographs towards the Minister.

“That bitch!”

“When I received notice of the Manor Court, naturally I had the allegations investigated. I found no evidence supporting the position you would have me support. But I also uncovered several plots that… well, it could well bring down the entire government were it to become public. My goal at that Court was to prevent any inquiry that truly would damage the Ministry. All I really had to do to succeed was to roll over, as it were, and let the world see the truth about Black, and yet not see the real truth I uncovered.”

“What now?”

Amelia pushed another paper to the Minister. “Umbridge has her own agenda. We think she is also… covetous of your job. If I were you, I’d give her the sack…”

“She… she knows things.”

“I’m sure she does.”

“She’s got dirt on just about everyone…”

“Which is less than everyone. She’s working for someone, Minister. I have evidence that she is, but do not know who that someone is. I can say she’s working against you and, quite possibly, against the interests of Greater Britannia. Crouch may be involved as well or he may just be a convenient opportunity for her and whomever she’s working with. Sign this order…”

Fudge looked at a document laid before him.

“What’s it do?”

“It authorizes DMLE to launch a clandestine investigation into the activities and suspected treasonous conduct of Madam Umbridge. It gives us rather broad authority in that regard. Moreover, this order does not officially exist. If she claims you or I were doing something nefarious, then this order will come into play. It lays out the evidence against her obtained to date, our suspicions and the legal justifications for our continued investigation. I am certain that the Wizengamot would be most unsympathetic were she to complain to them. It has other provisions that allow us to lean on the press so that she is denied that avenue. Whatever information she thinks she might have, it is useless if no one can hear it, don’t you think?”

“But…” he began as he signed the order.

“You are wondering how this will remain quiet?”

Fudge nodded.

“Even your penchant for being… gregarious and loquacious in the wrong context is of little concern. Right now, the only people who know of this are you, me and one other whom I trust. There is a way to keep it that way…”

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 th , 1993.

Hermione would be the first to say that “happily ever after” only happened in books about make believe. Harry had hoped that freeing Sirius Black would be as easy as it had appeared to be. The Special Session of the Wizengamot in the trunk had adopted and rarified the findings and recommendations of the Manor Court, and he hoped it would be that simple. Time Compression had ended and at first it had since the last thing the Wizengamot had done in their Special Session was pass a Resolution directing the Ministry to make whatever was needed happen. The dementors were gone from Hogwarts by the end of the real Saturday.

Hermione’s birthday the very next day was a bigger deal than it might have been as most of the entire school was in a celebratory frame of mind. But aside from her friends, most were celebrating the departure of the Dementors. The whole place just felt less oppressive once they had been removed. Her birthday was limited to her parents and House Potter and Longbottom, but that was fine with her. She particularly liked Harry’s present even though now it seemed he had a pattern. Like Ginny a month earlier and Luna a couple of weeks earlier, Harry had given her some jewelry as well, although he seemed to have a good idea what each of them would like. (Daphne was now really looking forward to her birthday in November.)

Malfoy seemed to be among the few who were rather put out about this turn of events. As Daphne had said, however, the git had a big mouth and couldn’t keep it shut. He was back in the hospital wing by Tuesday claiming that three Hufflepuffs and “gone all Muggle” on him. Aside from Snape, no one was willing to believe him, although in reality everyone did. He apparently had this “brilliant” idea about convincing some “gullible” First Year Muggle Born (more than one would be better) to “make friends” with the dementors and was put out that not only was his great plan not working at all, but now it was totally scuppered and when he made a comment about it to some older Hufflepuffs, they expressed their opinion as to him and his plan with their fists.

The Monday edition of the Daily Prophet was almost entirely about what had happened on Saturday. The front page announced that Sirius Black was innocent and mentioned the Manor Court below the fold. The whole paper spelled out everything that had happened including a short article about what had happened to Dumbledore at the beginning of the Special Session. For over a week, the paper continued to expand on the initial stories and the fallout. Fudge’s “shoot to kill” Order, which the paper now called both “morally repugnant” and “legally questionable” (whereas it had been praised when it was originally issued) and the huge reward for his capture had been repealed and there was an announcement that anyone attempting to harm Lord Black would be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Dumbledore’s Censure was also a front page article later in the week, although the paper was at a loss as to why he was so insistent on “continuing to torment an innocent man.”

Of course, the news about Harry’s new lifestyle came out as well. Thankfully, most of the school already knew as over one hundred students had been invited to the Estate for the Manor Court as had many of their families. Every possible guest room at Potter Farms had been filled, as had all similar rooms at Longbottom Farms where a temporary dedicated portal had been set up between Longbottom Farm and the still unnamed Tavern on the Square at Harry’s Elf Village so the Longbottom guests could attend the Court and later Special Session and all the guests could enjoy both Farms. Three campgrounds were also opened to handle the crowd: one was at the tropical beach, one was at the lake in the Valley and the third on the shores of the Great Lake.

The Prophet had been silent about all of this, but the “extravagant” lifestyle of Lords Longbottom and Potter and their new brides made the special editions of both Witch Weekly and Teen Witch Weekly later in the week. After all, how many other thirteen year olds had their own huge farms with lakes and trails, a large house (even though few had been invited there), guest houses that were more elegant than any inn in the country and facilities for other leisure-time activities? From Harry’s point of view he was glad that almost as much ink had been spilled gushing about his friend Neville as it had on him and it seemed from the articles in those two magazines the only difference had been what little extra they had devoted to the Manor Court.

Witch Weekly had a huge section on the now exonerated Lord Sirius Black. This one dealt almost entirely on the little information that was revealed at the outset of his testimony where he announced he was not married to prove he was lying. He had yet to tell anyone who the mystery wife was or anything much about her at all. Witch Weekly offered page after page of speculation about this development.

Sirius Black opened his eyes and saw a plain, white ceiling in front of him and was officially confused. He had no idea where he was. This wasn’t his room at the Estate as the color was all wrong. He could tell he was in a bed of some kind, so this ruled out both Azkaban and a Ministry holding cell, neither place known for such luxuries although as he recalled from his days as a Hit Wizard and Auror, at least the holding cells had hammocks instead of a stone slab. From the smell, if he had to guess, he was at St. Mungos. He wondered how he wound up here.

He had given things a week Outside to get settled. He figured by then he could get on with his business without worrying about getting hexed for his trouble and there were things he needed and wanted to do that could not be done from the Estate. His first stop had been the Ministry itself. Among other things, he needed to stop by Wizengamot Administrative Services regarding the House Black seat and the Archives office for a variety of reasons not in the least of which being they might have information that could help him find out about his wife. They had only been married about two months when he was sent away and she may well have moved on with her life, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want to know.

His last clear memory before opening his eyes here was that it was Monday morning and he was in the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic. He had only just arrived and was checking in at the security station. His last memory was pain just before everything went black. All he knew for certain was what it was not. He had not been hit by the Curtiatus Curse. But he had clearly been hit by something.

He turned his head to try and figure out where he was. He was clearly in St. Mungos or, if not, wherever he was looked like one of the rooms there. There was another bed in the room, but it was empty. He could see the door to the room was closed. There was a surprising lack of information.

“It’s good to see you’re awake, Cousin,” a female voice said. Sirius turned towards the window and saw a young woman seated in a chair with pink hair.

“D-Dora?”

“Looks like the mutt didn’t scramble all your eggs,” she snarked. “You have so few unscrambled ones left.”

“Why am I… why’re you here? Thought you were at the Academy.”

“Investigator Walters thought this’d be good training - watching a mutt, that is,” Dora said. “Apparently, this counts, not that I’m complaining. And before you ask, I am not here for any other official reason. In other words, once the Healers say you can leave, DMLE won’t be interested.”

“They interested now?”

“Only because you’re a victim of an assault and might know more about it than they do. Another reason I’m here is to get your statement.”

“Assault? Um… what day is it?”

“The day after yesterday, obviously,” Dora said cheekily. “And yesterday was when you were ‘allegedly’ assaulted.”

“Don’t think there was anything alleged about it,” Sirius said. “But can’t say I know much. I was checking in at the Ministry and got hit.”

“Darn it!” Dora said fishing through a bag. She pulled out a notebook and what looked like a Muggle pen. “Should’ve had the book out. So, checking in at the Ministry and it happened?” she added writing.

“Yeah.”

“Why were you there?”

“Business. Lots of things to do now that I’m allowed to. Wizengamot stuff. Some personal stuff as well.”

“That it?”

“Pretty much.”

Dora shrugged. “There were some who had hoped you might be looking into getting your old job back.”

“Hadn’t thought that far ahead, to be honest,” Sirius replied.

“Haven’t ruled it out?”

“Wasn’t even thinking about it. Guess I should’ve considering they had to pay me for all those years.” His compensation included over eleven and a half years of pay as a Basic Auror since the Ministry had neglected to terminate him properly.

“Payroll was right put out about that,” Dora nodded. “That came from their funds and the person who dropped the quaffle on that retired years ago. So, you didn’t see who did it?”

“No, and what did happen? Why am I here? This is St. Mungos, isn’t it?”

“Spell Damage Ward,” Dora nodded. “Short term care. You took a Bludgeoning Curse to the upper back, close range all though not straight on since your spine was not injured by it. Let’s see…” she flipped through a page on her notebook. “Four broken ribs. Punctured right lung. Right arm broken in four places. Bruised right Kidney. Contusions. Head injuries consistent with a violent fall. Loss of consciousness.”

“I get it.”

“Victim had no wand in his possession… ,” Dora continued.

“Didn’t have one on me. Was hoping to get my old one back, you know, and some of the other stuff they took from me when they tossed me in that place.” Sirius was not about to mention he had purchased a wand from a foreign vendor when he visited Gringotts.

Dora nodded. “Don’t count on Pettigrew’s money bag. They’re keeping that… and the money that was in it. Evidence, you know.”

Sirius nodded. Pettigrew was still at the Estate in stasis. DMLE was working at setting up his trial and Amelia Bones figured he’d be more secure there. Her concern was there might be some former colleagues of his out there who might not be all that pleased he had not stay dead. “I had my own as well and some other things.”

Dora nodded. “I was told to tell you that aside from Pettigrew’s pouch, you’ll get it all back once the Healers say you can be released. Healers say you were hit with a Bludgeoner. You have any reason to think otherwise?”

“No. Statement again?”

Dora nodded.

“Never saw a thing.”

“Moody’d have a field day about that.”

Sirius nodded. It was true. During that month at Longbottom Farm he had spent a lot of time talking with Dora and regaling her with stories about his time as a Hit Wizard on Mad-eye Moody’s team and at the Academy. Moody was always on about situational awareness and having eyes in the back of your head. It didn’t matter a wit to Moody that he was the only one with a magical eye that effectively gave him just that. Loss of situational awareness was why things went pear-shaped when he tried to catch Pettigrew and the price was almost a dozen years with the dementors. Now, once again, he had lost situational awareness.

“Did they get…?”

“The doer?”

“You’ve been hangin' out with Aurors, haven’t you?” Sirius teased. “You’re parents know they’re a bad influence on innocent, young minds, don’t they?”

“Yes,” Dora said. “To both questions, if you must ask. The doer was Mundegus Fletcher, age forty-seven. Record longer than my arm. He’s a sneak-thief mostly, burglary, pickpocket and the like and a known fence for stolen goods both his and just about anyone else as well. Never an assault before.”

“Dumbledore?”

“Man was on about him,” Dora said. “Kept saying he’s in tight with the old man. Didn’t seem to know that doesn’t mean much at all right now.”

“That’s not what I meant. I mean Fletcher does odd jobs for Dumbledore. They think he…?”

“Really?” she said making a note of this. “You think the Old Man tried to see to it you had an accident?”

Sirius nodded.

“Nah. Fletcher wasn’t told to do you. Bolt thought so as well. I was there for the interrogation - training, you know.”

“Bolt?”

“Senior Auror Shacklebolt. Back in your day, you never called Moody Mad-eye to his face and now we don’t call him Bolt to his. As for Fletcher, it seems he was freelance as it were. He saw you and fifty thousand Galleons. It seems he also hadn’t heard that the reward deal’s off as well. They got him in a holding cell for now. He’s not too happy seeing as DMLE wants to chuck him into Azkaban and his mate Dumbledore can’t spring him. But we can’t have people hexing Heads of Houses and such for kicks now, can we?”

“Why don’t I think it’s that simple?”

“Bolt would say ‘cause you were a good cop back in the day,” Dora said. “Fletcher is that simple and stupid, come to think of it. Nailed you in the back and you wound up here. But I’m not just here to take your statement as part of my training, Cousin. I’m part of your protection detail.”

“Okay… That’s unexpected.”

“Ever hear of a Rory Mulciber?”

“Name’s familiar. Think I snuffed a Mulciber mutt back during the War.”

Dora nodded. “Whole family of mutts. One of ‘em’s rotting in Azkaban. You got his son. This one’s a younger brother of the one you got. Was still in Hogwarts when you got sent away but it seems he’d'a been a Death Eater given a chance. He's… what’d'ya call a bloke who mops floors and cleans toilets?”

“Mr. Flitch?”

Dora laughed. “I forgot ‘bout him. Then again, did my best not to get noticed by the man when I was in school, unlike a certain cousin of mine. Nah. It’s what that Mulciber mutt was doing for a living. Worked here at St. Mungos and tried to off you last night. Fortunately, he’s a toilet cleaner for a reason. But it seems someone put him up to it as well. DMLE’s still giving him the full treatment. Seems a few of his brother’s former associates aren’t too happy you’re out and about.”

“Don’t see why they should care. It’s not like I killed them,” Sirius said.

“No, but you killed quite a few. They may have avoided the dementors ‘cause they were never found out or 'cause the imperius defense was raised and a lot of gold changed hands, but there are a fair few out there and some have tried to settle old scores. Auror’s put a detail on you after Fletcher took his shot. That Mulciber idiot made a go at you last night even with one of the Auror’s outside. Fortunately, the outside watch thought something was off. Now there’s an inside watch as well.”

“How’d he try and… you know?”

“Had a plant with him. Devil’s Snare. Ever hear of it?”

Sirius nodded. The idea of being strangled in his sleep in a hospital after all he had been through was not a pleasant one.

“Told the guard outside it was a gift from an admirer. Guard thought that was off and followed the mutt in after a few seconds. Saw him put it on the tray table beside your bed and… took all of a second for that thing to start to try to… Mutt was stunned and the plant was killed. Mutt’s trying to claim he didn’t know but none of the boys’re buying it. The Welcome Witch isn’t that stupid, for one. She’d’ve seen it right off if it came in through the public entrance - unless it was an inside job like it appears to be.”

Sirius snorted.

“What?” Dora asked.

“They say it’s good to die in you sleep,” Sirius said. “I’d'a hoped I’d be a lot older, ‘though.”

“Well, you haven’t snuffed it yet, Cousin,” Dora said.

“Seems like there’s a line to see it done. One of Dumbledore’s loyal followers and then one of…”

“Fletcher did it for the reward. He hasn’t spoken with Dumbledore recently. As for Mulciber, we’re not sure about that yet… Well, they might be by now. I was told he’d be swimming in veritiserum if he continued to be difficult. Still, I think if it was a Death Eater hit, they’d’ve used someone who had the skill to pull it off. And the Higher Ups think so as well. But they’re working under the assumption he’s working for someone else.”

“Can’t tell from where I’m sitting,” Sirius said. “Still, that plot’s not a Death Eater’s style.”

“That’s what the higher ups say. Then again, a Killing Curse in St. Mungos might attract more than the usual amount of attention, or so I’m told.”

“Still…”

“What?”

“I don’t think that Mulciber bloke just up and had a brilliant idea,” Sirius said. “You said I was brought in yesterday?”

“In the morning.”

“And he tried to off me last night?”

She nodded.

“Word’s out I was attacked?”

“Not that I’m aware.”

“So this toilet cleaner - to use your expression - just happens to show up at work with Devil’s Snare in his dinner pail? They sell it in the flower shop for all those people coming to see their relatives? Everybody does that, these days? Nice little Devil’s Snare to brighten their loved one’s room? I admit I’ve been out of it for years and have lost track of the current fads, but that's…”

“As I said, they think the mutt’s not running solo, but the problem is it’s not like many knew you were here last night.”

“So, why are you here guarding me? Why not Harry or someone else still in school?”

“Are you trying to be funny?”

“Maybe.”

“Well, I don’t think it’s all that funny, Cousin! There’re two Aurors outside the door and another in the Entryway,” Dora said trying not to sound insulted. “And I’m here ‘cause that’s what the Family wanted. But if you don’t, I can just…”

“I’m just being morose,” Sirius said. “Wake up, no idea how I got here and I learn one person tried to sell me for a reward and another to kill me in my sleep. I’m allowed to be a little brassed off. I am curious how it is an Auror Trainee pulled this assignment. Pretty cushy duty…”

“I said it’s what the Family wanted.”

“Um…”

“House Potter? None of them could be here this time of day, you know. There’s a couple who can’t be here just yet. Harry and his lot have classes and it is a weekday. Lupin’s teaching. My Mum and Dad have to work. So it’s me or some other Auror and the Family wanted one of us here when you woke up. My Mum contacted Madam Bones personally and told her about when you’d come around and here I am.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it.”

“I wasn’t given a choice. Orders, you know.”

“What? Didn’t want to see you ailing cousin?”

“Don’t want to think what the other trainee’s are going to say when I get back. They’re getting the full workout and I’m here taking it easy.”

“You’re right. They’re really going to like you.”

“Oh good, you’re up!” a voice called from the door. Sirius saw his Cousin Andi standing there. “This malcontent giving you trouble, Daughter?”

“Nothing I can’t handle, Mother.”

“Well, he is restrained,” Andi said.

“What?” Sirius asked.

“Ribs,” Andi said. “They take the longest to set with magic and we don’t want you making things worse. You did have a punctured lung after all.”

“So, you’re my Healer?”

“You sound disappointed. Should I feel insulted?”

“Sorry. Apparently I’m sounding what I don’t mean.”

“Well, to answer your question, no. I’m not your attending. I am, however, reporting on your condition… and behavior if I have to… to the Family. They want a full recovery.”

“After the trouble they went through to…”

“There’s that as well. But, I’m pretty sure I’ve found the Spell my dear sister must’ve used on the Longbottoms.”

“It was one of ours?”

Andi nodded. “Right nasty one. Worst part is, it’s entirely possible the victims have no clue. They’re trapped in a fantasy world in their own minds.”

“It can be countered, can’t it?”

Andi shrugged. “It can be broken. And it’s one of the family specials. Countercurse is easy enough. But I can’t do it.”

“Bella?”

“She could. She and one other person.”

“Who?”

“The Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Black.”

Sirius nodded. “They would want a special particularly difficult to counter.”

“So since Bella’s not likely to accommodate us, we need you healthy, Cousin. Still…”

“I sense there’s more.”

“There is. The problem with that spell is even if countered, the victim might not recover. They have to want to come back, for lack of a better term. If their fantasy life’s better than the one they left… ,” she shrugged.

“Harry would say we should try anyway.”

Andi nodded in agreement. “Nothing else has worked.”

“May I come in,” a deep voice asked, “or is Auror Black in no state for visitors?”

“My Cousin’s never considered in a state for visitors,” Dora said. “But he’s otherwise available, Senior Auror Robards.”

“Black, I guess I should say good to see you,” Robards said.

“Been a while, Robards,” Sirius said.

“I regret that like many others I failed to look for, much less uncover the truth all those years ago.”

“It was a time when we could not trust anyone, it seemed,” Sirius said.

“And what’s this about you being married?”

“Pretty much said all I can say on the stand. Haven’t seen or heard from her since the morning before it all went pear-shaped for me. And you, Gawain?”

“Could take hours to catch up, and I am on the clock as it were. Did he have anything we didn’t know before?” he said turning to Dora.

“No Sir,” she said.

“Didn’t think so, but you never know. Well, Sirius. Not free a week and you’ve already opened a can of worms.”

“Excuse me? Thought I did that ‘bout a month or so ago in Gringotts or two or so when I decided it was time to take a walk.”

Robards snorted. “Not what I meant, but good point. I’m here to tell you where we are.”

“St. Mungos, unless this is all a clever fake.”

“I meant with what’s happened. Forgot how you can be a… Never mind. I guess some things don’t change. Right then, you were told about Fletcher?”

“Yeah. Knew him back in the day. He was a part of Dumbledore’s organization. Dora said he did me in the Ministry for the reward.”

“Might be a fairly good thief,” Robards said, “but he’s pants as a bounty hunter. Then again, with his arrest record, he’s not that good a thief either. Only reason he’s not done time was ‘cause Dumbldore’s been around hauling his sorry carcass out of the fire again and again. But that’s a Snitch he won’t be catching this time. She tell you about last night?”

“Some borderline Squib upset that I offed his brother back in the War?”

“Can’t say if he knew that,” Robards said. “Not terribly bright, that one. Thinks the Dee Eees can still play and is trying for his Mark. Sang like a Phoenix he did. Seems a few of those who avoided Azkaban still play rough. Fingered the man who sent you the gift. You weren’t the first to almost not wake up with a Devil’s Snare ‘round his neck. Couple years ago Greg Akers met a similar fate here, 'cept he never woke up again.”

“Who?”

“Auror,” Robards said. “Younger than you. He was two years out of the Academy and was part of a team dealing with a smuggling ring with rather interesting and dark connection. Got injured when he tripped a ward he shouldn’t’ve tripped and wound up here with a Devil’s Snare neck tie. That time, we never caught the mutt who did it. Then again, this idiot Mulciber didn’t seem to think that an Auror outside the door was a problem. But he didn’t scheme up that bit.”

“Who did?”

“Ever hear of Warrington Wilkes?”

“Can’t say that I have.”

“Not surprising. He wasn’t a known Death Eater. His older brother was killed during the war. He’s an administrator here at St. Mungos or at least he was ‘til Mulciber fingered him today. Had some interesting plants hidden in his office. Can’t tell you more than that right now, but it seems we may be on to something thanks to you.”

“I’m glad my nearly snuffing it helped,” Sirius said sarcastically. “This group gonna walk?”

“Heard ‘bout the Imperius defense, I take it?”

Sirius nodded.

“That was years ago and its chief supporters were Bagnold and Dumbledore. Fudge might be inclined to support it. A few of his friends are members of the Imperius Club, as we call ‘em. But Fudge’s up to his neck in it 'cause of what happened at Gringotts and Dumbledore’s not about to make a noise after what happened after your trial. Bones is Head of DMLE and not that toady Ross who replaced Crouch. Madam Bones didn’t believe in that defense then and won’t let them even ask for it now. They’ll need a better one than that to avoid Azkaban.”

Sirius awoke not quite with a start. It turned out that Dora had been there for the family and to take his statement for DMLE, but her presence as a guard at his bedside was only for her shift. The “inside” guard would be one of the guards from outside who would be present whenever anyone else was in Sirius’s room with the exceptions of his attending Healer and Andi - and they had to take a certain potion to be allowed to enter without escort, one which would drop just about any know magical disguise. When he went to sleep, he had yet to meet whoever the attending Healer was. Andi had not told him who it was by name, only that she was confident in that Healer’s abilities. Sirius never thought to ask.

The room was darker for it was obviously night time, but there was light in the room from a pair of candles off to the side of his bed. His gaze was drawn to the light. The candles were on a small table. The chair that Dora had occupied earlier was next to the table and someone was sitting in it. That someone was obviously female, but also neither Dora nor Andi. She was wearing Healer robes and appeared to be asleep or at least dozing. Sirius thought he knew who she was, but it couldn’t be her. He was convinced it was a trick of the poor lighting and his faded memory.

He did not say anything. He dared not speak at all. He was certain this was a dream, a very vivid dream but a ream nonetheless. If it was, it was a pleasant one. He gazed at the woman.

She seemed to wake up with a bit of a start and then shake her head as if to clear it. There were some papers on the table and she seemed to return to reading them. Sirius tried to quietly shift but that apparently caught her attention and she turned towards him. It was definitely a dream, he thought. There was no way she could be here, was there? She smiled at him and rose from her seat. She walked over, sat beside him and took his hand in hers. It felt real. It seemed real.

“Connie?” he asked.

“Hello, Siri,” she said. There were unshed tears in her eyes.

“How… this is a dream, right?”

“It’s not a dream.”

“In my dreams, you always say that.”

She leaned over a bit and pinched him and he yelped. “Do I do that in your dreams?”

“That hurt!” he protested.

“Am I real?”

Sirius nodded. “But I don’t understand. It’s been…”

“Almost twelve years since my husband walked out the door to go to work and never came home,” she said. “I never believed anything about what they said happened, you know. That Sirius Black was someone else entirely. But…”

“Couldn’t really do anything to help.”

She shook her head. “Who would’ve believed me? No one knew we were married. I don’t think that would’ve changed anything if they had. They were convinced you were all that they said you were and I… I was not yet nineteen and had known you all of three months. But I knew what they said was all a lie and waited…”

“You… you did?”

“What else could I do? What else would I want to do?”

“You… you didn’t have to.”

“Are you saying I should not have?”

“N-no. But I could n-not ask that of you.”

She smiled at him. “I know,” she said softly. “You would never have asked me to wait like I have. It is the reason why I did.”

“I don't…”

“Do you honestly think I would’ve done better? Having found the best, why would I settle for less?”

“But I couldn't…”

“In my heart I knew you still cared for me, Siri. I knew if you could, you would come back to me.”

“I wanted to,” Sirius said. “All that time, in the few moments when I could think clearly, there was a part of me that wanted to. But I knew I couldn’t. Unless the truth came out, I could not leave that place for you. I would be a fugitive and outlaw and while I could accept that fate for me if necessary…”

“And you did.”

Sirius nodded. “Much as a part of me might have wanted to, I couldn’t ask you to become an outlaw too.”

“I know. It is why I waited. I am your wife, Sirius. That will never change and I have no intention of having another.”

“Surely there were others.”

“There were those who hoped to be, Siri. But there have been no others.”

“I… I don’t know what to say.”

“I only expect you to say one thing.”

“I still love you, Connie.”

She smiled. “That was the one thing, Siri. And I still love you too.”

“This bond is really something, isn’t it?”