Harry Potter Short Stories

Choices 4: Trials and tribulations

Minerva McGonagall had the headache from hell but this time it was not due to the hangovers she had been regularly suffering due to everything going on this year. She was told by Poppy it was due to the extra stress of "the situation" and she was living on headache potions which she had had to order from an apothecary because the Infirmary was out and Snape wasn't available to brew any due to the ongoing trials and many other things.

Narcissa Malfoy had to purchase many potions besides the headache and calming draughts she had been living on. All things considered Harry Potter – or Lord Seven – was being a good boy and a veritable angel compared to her own son. He still wasn't speaking to her but if she admitted it, she was glad as all he would be doing would be to whine, complain, curse out Harry, whine some more, nag her to "do something" and "get Father out of jail" since Lucius had been called to trial.

Despite putting up a fight Lucius had finally been dosed with Veritaserum and asked certain interesting questions. Much like Ginny Weasley had been blamed for causing the disaster at the Yule Ball, Lucius would be blamed for ratting out his fellow Death Eaters even more than Igor Karkaroff had done. Lucius had been forced to admit that he had willing joined the Death Eaters and had not been Imperiused just like all of the others who pled the Imperius defense.Impossible as it seemed, as a favor to Narcissa Lord Seven had used his influence to get Lucius a special trial which would be postponed until after the "Dumbledore business" was finished. He would be kept in a Ministry holding cell and get to have "decent treatment" like good food, books to read and visits by Narcissa only. It was more than he deserved but Narcissa was thankful for this kindness even if her husband and son were not.

Narcissa knew Harry well enough by now to know he really wasn't doing this as a favor to Narcissa and definitely not to gain Lucius or Draco's favor or support. He knew he wouldn't get it and that both wizards would gladly kill him (after long, slow, horrible torture) if given the chance. No Harry had some devious plan which would benefit him and not the male Malfoys.It took her a while to find out that to be given the perks he was receiving Lucius had to give testimony at Dumbledore's trial. She didn't know what it was only that Harry said it would be very interesting and helpful in the case against Dumbledore. Apparently Snape was getting the same deal so Narcissa knew it must have something to do with Voldemort/Death Eaters.Harry wouldn't tell her any more as it was none of her concern and he couldn't risk her being compromised by being magically attacked by someone to find out what she knew such as her baby boy. He did warn her that Draco was pissing him off and if the ponce didn't stop doing and saying all of those nasty things...well Draco might be joining Lucius and getting a room at the "Ministry Hilton" (whatever that meant).

Harry had mentioned to Narcissa that with the exception of Draco shooting off his big mouth, the school was fairly quiet now that all Weasleys and other troublemakers were not in attendance. Dumbledore had been arrested along with Snape and the Ministry had brought in a few temporary replacements to teach Potions and fill the positions of Deputy Head and Headmaster. Lord Falmouth, the senior member of the Board of Governors was the acting Headmaster and Wilmot Grabbleforth of the Ministry Finance Section was filling in as Deputy Head and would be carefully investigating the school records, procedures and most especially, the finances of Hogwarts.

Fudge was extremely worried because Grabbleforth was disgustingly honest and had that rare and dangerous quality among Ministry workers known as integrity. He was comfortably wealthy and wouldn't take bribes and Fudge had been trying to get rid of him for years without success. Due to the seriousness of the situation, two Goblins had been assigned to assist him in financial matters and again much to Fudge's and definitely Dumbledore's distress, these Goblins would not overlook anything as they were under the most sacred of oaths and could not be bribed.'What was the world coming to when people wouldn't take a good bribe or two to keep things normal and running smoothly' Fudge thought to himself. What about tradition and the status quo? The Ministry of Magic was designed to work a certain way and had in the centuries since it had been founded. It had been the same for Hogwarts for the last 150 years, especially the last 50 when Dumbledore became Headmaster. Now the delicate balance of checks and balances were in great danger – of being honestly checked and balanced – and Fudge feared the end of an era and the ruination of his career.