Close Or Far From The Law

Chapter 17 : 16. Panic & Birthday

Harry was still at the breakfast table with his friends, commenting on a newspaper article about what wizards had gotten the most for Christmas presents – yes, they talked about that sort of thing sometimes. – when the doors to the Great Hall burst open. In a reflex, he grabbed his magic wand under the long wooden table only to stop when he saw Rufus Scrimgeour, his lawyer and the slightly panicked Aurors. What were they doing there? On the front page of the Daily Prophet on December 22, it had been said that Sirius Black had surrendered and Harry assumed the man had planned to cooperate, not give him trouble. Didn't that put his lawyer in trouble, too? It rushed at him and seemed... to examine him with its gaze? Perplexed, Harry tried to question him with a look as Dumbledore spoke.

-Come, come, hello gentlemen. May I know what you are doing here?

Harry glanced at his friends who were as confused as he was. He was certain they hadn't done anything stupid that would involve the law. Well, yes, he did one, but it was basic, he did it against his will and he couldn't even talk about it. Would his godfather have seen him in the company of Voldemort? He must have had a hard time imagining it as Scrimgeour analyzed his best friend carefully.

-Director. We came to Ron Weasley for his pet rat.

-… What ?

Hermione patted the redhead on the back to help him breathe, he had just choked on a mouthful of toast. Since his friend wasn't in a position to ask questions, Harry intervened.

-Excuse me, sir, but we didn't think that Scabbers' disappearance could interest the Aurors and the justice…

-Disappearance ?!

Scrimgeour seemed furious and overwhelmed by events. He quickly turned to his Aurors and yelled at them.

-What are you waiting for to search the castle?

-Rufus, if I may, you have no right to search Hogwarts without explaining to me the reasons. This would be a serious breach of the system.

Dumbledore had stood up as had Professor McGonagall and neither had a benevolent look on their faces at the moment. And Ron was coughing again, his piece of toast spat out on the edge of his plate. Hermione always tried to help him by whispering things to him in a low voice. Harry didn't know whether to intervene again or not, especially if the adults around them started arguing. This was not how he had planned to spend his day, thank you. And his lawyer who looked at him with concern. It definitely didn't bode well. Scrimgeour glared at them all.

-Come, it would be better to talk about it elsewhere! Mr. Potter and his friends also accompany us.

Harry stood up after another look at Graves who nodded, assuring him that he was staying with him. Good because it would be nice to have a real explanation and not a vociferous head of Auror. Ron and Hermione got up in turn, Ron still had tears in his eyes and he was massaging his throat. There might be a trip to the infirmary to do... In any case, escorted by the Aurors, his lawyer's teacher, they left under the noses of the other students who were already gossiping behind their backs even before they are not outside the room. Harry felt the stress building. Could we really put him under arrest? He began to play with his left wrist, more precisely with his bracelet that no one could see. The contact of the cold metal reassured him a little but not much. He couldn't rely on Voldemort, he knew that. So what ?

-There we are, we can finally talk. Everything is fine, Mr. Potter, you and your friends have done nothing wrong. Sit down, please.

Harry realized that they had arrived in one of the meeting rooms and happily sat down. Anyway, if he was screwed, he wouldn't be able to say anything so what's the point of stressing?