Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Preventative Measures	By : SpeedyTomato Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male Views: 151582 -:- Recommendations : 8 -:- Currently Reading : 30
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and make no money off this work in perversion

Chapter List
- 16
- 17
- 18
Chapter 17

Beta'd by the amazing Tenchi. Thanks, woman, you're the best!

Just a reminder of what's on my profile; reviews complaining or whinging about the lack 'o sex in stories will get deleted. If you want a smut-filled romp, you need to find another story to read.

Looking around at those seated at the table in Grimmauld Place, eying Sirius warily as he appeared furious over something, Minerva asked, “Where's Harry?” Her concern was, of course, him trying to listen in like the others had done in the past.
“He's up in Sirius' room. Don't worry, he's not going to come down,” Remus said softly.
Though upset about what she heard from her husband before they came to the meeting, something she was still trying to digest, Molly was talking to Tonks about Ron getting the Prefect's badge this year.
Listening in, brow furrowed, Minerva shot Albus a startled glance over that. “Ron received the badge?” She asked, wondering what was going on as she knew Harry was supposed to get it from what Albus had told her.
“He did,” Molly told her proudly, assuming Albus just hadn't told her yet. “That's all of them so far, but Fred and George.” However, seeing the bewildered glance between Albus and Minerva, she wondered what was going on and glanced to her husband.
Unable to help himself, knowing a good opportunity to tweak the Weasleys when he saw one, Severus said, tone dry, as he folded his arms over his chest, “The only reason your son received the badge was Harry rejected it.”
“Harry rejected it?” Minerva asked, eyes widening, glancing at Albus once more. Seeing the man look slightly crestfallen, rubbing his eyes, she looked back to Severus.
“He did,” Severus told her firmly. “When he saw that in his Hogwarts letter, he asked how to reject it, so I walked him through the procedure.”
Sighing, Albus shook his head. Looking around the table, seeing all those he wanted there accounted for he said, “I think we should start. I'll open by saying this isn't a normal meeting about Voldemort. Another problem arose today that I think we need to handle. That's Harry.” Hearing murmurs and curious questions, he held up his hand and pressed on. “Court today, though it ended favorably, brought up many things I think I can safely say stunned both Arthur and myself. I'm sure the rest of you would be as well.” Glancing at Arthur, who was staring at the table, hands clasped, he then said, voice soft, “There are issues here we need to deal with and try to figure out a way to work around them. I fear that we have a huge problem when it comes to protecting Harry.”
“What exactly did they bring up?” Minerva asked, slightly off-kilter and not understanding. As far as she knew, the only thing that would be dealt with was the topic of him using his Patronus. “You said it was an open and shut case, Albus, one that you could easily handle.”
“Harry took the step of getting his solicitor involved in the matter,” Albus told everyone, shaking his head. “In doing that, many things that were far afield from the question of underage magic came into play. I believe we learned much we didn't know.”
Glancing at Remus then Snape, both of whom nodded, Sirius snarled, “No, Albus, you knew. You just didn't want to hear it or for other people to learn you knew. All that happened is you got slapped with it.” Clutching his beer bottle, he glared, hard, at the old goat.
Looking at Sirius, seeing the expression there, Albus soothed, “Sirius, you weren't there, so I'm sure you don't know all that the hearing covered. Harry may have told you some, but plenty else ended up being brought up.”
Clearing his throat, Remus said, softly, looking around, “I think there is something we need to make clear here, Albus.” Seeing the man nod and motion for him to go on, Remus pressed forward, “We saw what happened. That is Severus, Sirius and I. We asked to view the memory, something Harry allowed.” Stopping, he waited for the fallout from that.
Eyes widening, Albus looked at him then to the other two, both of whom where nodding. “Oh,” was all he said.
Clarifying, Remus said, “The only things we didn't see were those memories that he had the spell up around the chair for. Thankfully, we didn't have to view those awful things.” Stopping, he looked down and shook his head.
“We know not only what he said, but asked Mr. Potter about some of it. What came out was the complete and utter truth, he confirmed that. I will also point out it's patently obvious to anyone that saw it that Mr. Potter fought the Veritaserum with everything he had so he didn't have to reveal some of what he did.” Severus said, tone level, but with a bite to it.
“They questioned Harry under Veritaserum?” Minerva asked, looking around, confused, apprehensive about that as some of what Harry knew could get many people in trouble.
“At his solicitor's request, yes,” Remus nodded. “They also used a viewing Pensieve. There is very little doubt here that what came out was the unvarnished truth.” Stopping, he glanced at Albus then added, quietly, “And that most of what he said was something a few people knew as he proved that.”
“Why on earth would they do that for something simple like underage magic?” Minerva asked, bewildered, shaking her head.
“Because what is there involves a great deal more than just the underage use of magic and a Ministry plot,” Severus told her, eyes locked on Albus, a sneer on his face. “His solicitor brought up many things we need to deal with, quickly.”
“Before Harry's solicitor does,” Remus added, quietly, looking around.
“I think someone here needs to explain just what you mean by all that,” Moody gruffed, taking a sip from his flask and looking around. “Why on earth would his solicitor need to become involved here? If he won the case, that should end it.”
“Oh, it's not the end,” Sirius snarled, glaring at Albus. “Is it Albus?”
Looking at Sirius, then glancing to the faces of Severus and Remus, Albus said, quietly, “No, it's not. Which means we now have a situation, on many fronts, we have to deal with. Not the least of which is working with a young man who is very angry, the Dursleys, preparing for a Ministry investigation into not only why the Dementor was there, but what happened in the cemetery last year and some other circumstances.”
“The Dursleys are easy to deal with,” Sirius told him, eyes flinty. “He's not going back. That's simple.” Stopping, he waited.
“No, Harry can't go back there,” Arthur said, shaking his head, looking around. “I don't care about the Blood Wards or whatever, he can't go back. And I think, honestly, that the biggest thing we need to do is not worry about anything with the Ministry, but focus on a young man who trusts almost none of us and prove to him we are trustworthy. Some of us—we're never going to manage that. The trust is gone forever. Others may have a shot.” Looking at Remus, Severus and a right irate Sirius, he said, “There are three here he does. Let them work with Harry and go from there. To protect him, we need him to trust us and what we say. He doesn't do that. Which puts us in a very awkward position.” Stopping, he looked back at Albus and waited.
Glancing, first, at the trio of Severus, Remus and Sirius, then over to the Weasleys, all of whom looked either furious or upset, Minerva then looked at Albus, who appeared crestfallen, rubbing his eyes. A glance around the table at the others there showed the rest were as confused as she was about whatever happened in court. Shaking her head, she said, tone firm, the one she used for students that didn't want to listen, “I think all of us need filled in as to just what happened. We can't work with a situation we don't understand. Harry—I don't understand what you mean. He's not a problem and never has been. Why there is this concern is beyond me.”
“You don't understand because he doesn't trust you and won't let you close, thus not revealing some of what the problems are,” Severus told her baldly. Stopping, he looked at Albus then added, “Anyone that follows or spouts a version of the 'Albus knows best' line is someone Mr. Potter will never trust.”
“Why in Merlin's name is that?” Kinglsey asked, completely confused. “Albus wouldn't do anything to harm Harry and only has his best interests at heart. He has to know that. He may not understand why Albus does some of it, but it's for the right reasons.”
“Really?” Sirius asked, tone deadly as he glared at Albus. “You think so, Kingsley?”
“Please, Sirius, calm down,” Arthur said, slightly panicked, figuring where this was going. Looking at Molly, seeing a similar look there, he glanced at Severus and Remus. Neither of the two seemed inclined to say a word, content to let Sirius go on.
“Sirius, you know how bad this situation is. Harry just doesn't have a grasp of how grave it is or what it was like in the last war,” Kingsley soothed, hoping to calm the man down.
“Oh, I think Harry has a damned good grasp of many things, more than what any of us sitting at this table did,” Sirius shot right back. Eyes locked on Albus, he said, “Because my godson got a firsthand look at just how bad the situation is and his place in the scheme of things.”
“Sirius, I don't think this is helping,” Albus said, holding up a placating hand.
Feeling Remus nudge him, knowing that was the signal to press on, Sirius snarled, “I don't give a shite what you think, Albus!” Rising slightly, he shouted, “You all want to know what's going on? I'll tell you! Harry hates Albus. Hates him! Hates him as much as he hates He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named! He said that, bluntly, in court and enumerated the reasons for it. Top on the list? Harry told Albus, himself, plainly, that Vernon was raping him. What did Albus do? Paid Vernon to keep on doing it! From Harry's own damned vaults! And 'talked to Vernon' about it, which resulted in retaliation! And that's just one of the reasons! Don't tell me my godson doesn't have a grasp of anything!”
Going with what they worked out a head of time, Severus and Remus stood, taking hold of Sirius and forcing him to sit down. Holding him, they waited, loving the uproar that caused.
Stunned, ignoring the uproar around her, Minerva looked from an infuriated Sirius to an ancient looking Albus, who had his eyes locked on the table. Sputtering, she said, “Albus would never do that, Sirius! You know better! Why you would even accuse him of such a thing is beyond me!”
“He did, Minerva,” Arthur said quietly, looking down at the table, hands clasped. “That came out in court today. There is no doubt as Harry pulled, and we saw, the memory of the conversation with Albus at the end of his first year. What happened because of that—I can't even begin to tell you how bad it was. I'll have nightmares about that memory for the rest of my life.”
“No!” Minerva said, looking around then focusing on Albus, who was rubbing his eyes with a trembling hand. “You didn't!”
“He did,” Sirius snarled, glaring at the man. “Harry did exactly what he should have done; he told. He told not only Muggles, but Albus. What happened? Nothing! My godson was being sexually abused from the time he was six or seven years old, did what he should then ended up being put right back with the evil son of a bitch because of the Blood Wards. And not only that, but that 'not most loving of families' shite? Petunia knew because she walked in on Vernon raping him once. She did nothing either. No one did anything for him. No one! Merlin! He didn't even bother to tell someone how badly Vernon had hurt him the last time! He bled for over a week from it and told no one because no one ever did anything.” Looking at the Weasleys, seeing Arthur looking down, face pale, and Molly shaking, looking ill, he said, “This is what Ron and the twins rescued Harry from. He was with the Weasleys and still didn't tell them.” Stopping, he leveled his gaze at Minerva then added, “He said, in court, under the serum, he doesn’t trust you either.” Looking around, he snarled, “Why should he trust anyone? Tell me that? We've done nothing to protect him. I don't blame him one damned bit.” Quietly, he added, using a line he had before, “I had an out in school; James. No one said a word to me about it when I went home with him. Harry? He has a parole officer named Albus Dumbledore that dictates when he can leave a home where he's abused and who can step in to help him when Albus feels they can. Yeah, he should trust all of us.”
Sputtering, looking around, Minerva said, “Oh, this is bad!”
“You have no idea,” Severus told her, glare firmly in place, looking around. “That Dementor attack—Vernon threatened to assault him again over it. Mr. Potter made it clear that this happens quite often.” Eyes shifting to the Weasleys, liking how pale they were, he added, “And if he wants to go do something? Like the Quidditch World Cup? Vernon tries to extort him into having intercourse so he can go. This is what Albus has left him to. After telling that one time, he hasn't said a word to anyone. He trusts next to no one, especially most sitting at this table. I can name off those he trusts. Three of us are here. Four are students. There are, possibly, a couple more. That's the extent.” Lifting his eyes, he glared at Albus then sneered, “You're done with him. He hates you. I guarantee there is nothing you say to him he's ever going to believe. And anyone that follows your line of thinking, he's not going to trust either. He wants no part of any of this and wants out.” Smirking, he added, smoothly, “And everything he said in court, and those memories, went to Madam Bones.” That's where he stopped, waiting.
Smoothing a hand over his head, Kingsley looked around, wide-eyed, then said, “We have problems.”
“You have no idea,” Remus told him softly. Quietly, he added, “Harry is not Lily or James, as I've told so many of you. There is very little forgiveness in Harry for anything. You get a chance and if you blow it, you're done. That's where he is with so many. He also doesn't allow most people close. If you're attached to Albus and firmly follow him, it's doubtful he's going to trust you. The problems here are just—numerous. He doesn't feel safe in school. Home? That's obvious. Harry is an angry, troubled young man who almost everyone at this table has ignored the signs from. And I don't believe Severus or Sirius will deny that.”
“He is,” Severus confirmed with a nod. “He needs help and be around ones he does trust, not pulled into a mess or forced to deal with what we are. Yet, that keeps happening.”
Sirius added, quietly, though tone lethal, “And I guarantee that one hint of someone trying to manipulate him into getting back into his good graces is going to unleash hell. There are already plans in place to help him, ones he's going to let happen. We're working with it the best we can. What we don't need is help from anyone trying to yank him around.”
Holding up a hand, Moody said, “If Amelia Bones is involved, we have a massive problem. We need to start taking steps to work with this. Harry needs somewhere safe to go and we cannot even mention sending him back to the Dursleys.” Looking across the table at Arthur and Molly, he said, “I think we need to send him to live with you. That's a very good option. I know it may put more strain on you, what with another mouth to feed, but he'll be safe there.”
Before Molly could open her mouth, Arthur said, quietly, “No.” Seeing the wide-eyed look from his wife, whose mouth dropped open at that, and sputtering from around the table, Arthur shook his head. Raising his chin, he said, “No. Harry made it clear in court that he doesn't trust us. On the ride back here, I talked to him. What I managed was to get him to allow us a chance to prove that he can trust us. That's all. I'm not going to blow that the same day he gave us the chance by agreeing to this. We'll work on that issue with him as we can, but I will not agree to this now.” Looking at Albus, he said, firmly, “Harry will come first. Before any planning, plotting or whatever. What is best for him is all that is going to matter. And we will take into account how he feels on the issue. If that contradicts what others want, so be it.” Stopping, he waited, though resolute in his firmness to stand by that.
Putting a hand on her husband's arm, Molly let out a ragged sigh then nodded. “I agree with Arthur. At the beginning of next summer, we'll offer that to him. It'll be his choice. Just let him stay here this summer. We'll work with him while he's here.”
At that point, Remus wanted to kiss Arthur for what he said. Not only did the man mean it, it helped more than he would ever know. Looking around, he said, shaking his head, “None of you have any idea what is really going on. Albus, you need to stay out of it. Harry—I don't think any of you realize what he's like. He has a solicitor for a reason. And the man is good.” Stopping, he shot Severus a look then said, “I would suggest that none of you start planning anything when it comes to Harry because he's going to trump everything you try.”
“Remus, I think you need to explain,” Minerva said, folding her hands and resting them on the table. She was off-kilter, no doubt there, having been blindsided in a way she hadn't thought possible. Now she didn't know what to do here or how to work with a situation that she had been blind to. On top of that, she was kicking herself for not noticing signs that there was something wrong. As Harry's head of house, she should have and would now be second guessing everything for quite some time to come.
Looking around, Sirius pulled out the mass of parchments Harry received from his solicitor. “These came this afternoon for Harry. He let us look at them after he read through them. I'll add here that he was grinning when he did.”
Eying what Sirius was holding, Kingsley asked, tone wary, “What are those? They look official, like they are from the Ministry.”
“They are,” Snape said smugly, crossing his arms over his chest. “Mr. Potter is not a typical teenager that knows nothing. Amos Carthwaight's reputation is well-earned and deserved, as I'm sure all of you know. He's about to prove it again.”
Clearing his throat, Albus asked, almost afraid of what he would hear, “What is in them? I think this is something we need to know so we can work with what is here and know what we're dealing with.” Honestly, he felt he had to know at this point so he could prepare for what was coming. Too much was riding on Harry for another blindsiding attack he didn't expect.
“First, I'm making it damned clear Harry knows I have them and planned to tell you. I asked permission to use them. Second, they are legal documents so there is no way to copy them.” Seeing nods, he tossed the first one out there, “That's a variance for him to do magic outside of school. His solicitor pressed the issue to keep him safe. So, the Trace is gone.” That was the easiest of the lot and one that didn't raise much of anything. What he had hoped. Looking around, he tossed the second one out there then said, “That's to prosecute Petunia and Vernon for sexual assault.” Stopping, he waited, lifting his chin.
Picking up the two parchments, Albus read over them, looking dejected. These he understood and they wouldn't affect much. It just meant that Harry knew more about the legal system than he thought, something that had him wary. “These are easy enough to handle and will actually make things easier I think. Vernon and Petunia—they will have to deal with the situation on their own.” Tossing the parchments back on the table, he waited to see what else was there.
Looking at Albus, Sirius pulled the next one out and tossed it down then said, tone taking on more of a bite, “This is the notice of a formal investigation by the DMLE into why you and Poppy failed to notify the DMLE about the abuse when Harry told you. His solicitor also mentioned a civil suit against you, personally, Poppy and the Hogwarts Board of Governors for failure to report as is the law.” Stopping, he waited.
Seeing Albus go pale as he read through the brief, Minerva looked at the three at the other end of the table then glanced around before looking back at Sirius and said, softly, “You're joking. He wouldn't!”
“He would and is,” Severus told her smoothly, glaring at Albus. “The law is on the books for a reason, Minerva. You know that. Blood Wards are not an allowable exception. You and I, both, have had to report these cases. We know the consequences if we don't.” Looking at Albus, who appeared worried, he added, tone a river of acid, “This makes me wonder just how many cases we've brought to your attention haven't been handled correctly, Albus! I'm sure that's going to come up as well. And if Mr. Potter goes after the Board of Governors with a suit, all of us are in trouble as we will end up being drawn in and questioned about every case we've ever reported to ensure compliance with the law.”
Taking the document from Albus when he finished, Moody shook his head. “Oh, this isn't good. If they involved the DMLE, charges will come. It'll be just a slap on the wrist, but it'll come.”
Looking at the irate Sirius, who was glaring at him, Albus sighed, “I did what I felt was best at the time. I thought talking to Vernon, letting him know someone knew what he was doing, would be enough to back him off. It appears it was one of my bigger mistakes.” Shaking his head, he said, “I felt I had no other option.”
“Yeah, we get it,” Sirius snarled. “It's easy to make those choices when you're not the eleven year old boy being held down on the bed and buggered until you bled, isn't it, Albus? And you gave him more money for doing it. That was a real smart choice.”
“That wasn't helpful, Sirius,” Minerva said, quietly. “I'm sure Albus feels guilty enough over an error in judgment.”
“He can never feel guilty enough,” Severus snapped, glaring at her. “I don't care about Blood Wards. Once a molester, always a molester! There are reasons these laws are in place. You know that. Mr. Potter is not an exception! I cannot even begin to fathom how bad it was to live with this kind of horror, not knowing when it might happen again. Let alone feeling afraid to go to sleep at night for fear of waking up with that—creature looming over you. Then to have to put up with being extorted and threatened with it for years after it stopped. There is no sympathy here!”
“Minerva, I understand what you're trying to say,” Remus sighed, holding out a placating hand. “You need to look at it from Harry's perspective, though. He's told us, plainly, since coming here that it's the first time he's actually been able to sleep because he's not worried about what he might wake up to. With Arthur and Molly—the fear was a different kind. The same at school. He's lived with this terror since he was six or seven. I think that Sirius has a reason to say what he did, the same with Severus. And I understand why they are looking into charges. If Harry's solicitor didn't push for them, I'm sure Madam Bones would have. Either way, they are coming.” Looking at Albus, who was stroking his beard and staring at the table, he said, softly, “I think Albus needs to hear, bluntly, just what his actions caused for the young man upstairs. Sirius may have put it in a way the rest of us wouldn't, but it's the truth. Albus didn't have to suffer through this or deal with what Harry still is over the nightmare he lived with.”
Looking around, Tonks then looked at Kingsley, who was shaking his head. “Oh, this is bad. It's going to end up revealed as well. They won't publish Harry's name, but they will make it public when charges come.”
“Which is a whole other set of problems,” Arthur mumbled, rubbing his eyes under his glasses. “Right now, we don't need to focus on that.” Looking at Sirius, and the papers he still had, he asked, “What else is there?”
“Oh, we aren't even close to being done,” Sirius told him, still glaring at Albus. Though part of this was for show, to get what they wanted, it felt damned good to do so and he would continue. Holding up the next one, he said, “This is for the DMLE investigation into the embezzlement from his vaults to pay the Dursleys the stipend and a civil suit to get every bit of the money back, with interest.” Tossing it on the table, he snarled, “The Ministry pays that, Albus! Why did you take it from Harry's vaults?”
Hand trembling, Albus read through the document and shook his head. Tossing it down on the table, he sighed. “You need to understand I was trying to protect Harry. If the government paid the stipend, people could trace it and find him. With so many Death Eaters and sympathizers, not to mention the press, looking for him, it was the best way I knew to keep him safe.”
“Albus, while I get your reasoning here, this is the one that's going to bite you the biggest,” Moody sighed, looking at the parchment. “Anything dealing with the vaults of a minor and taking money from them is going to cause serious legal problems. I'm going to suggest that you pay it all back, fast, and settle so if charges come, they won't smack you hard with them.”

“Oh, Merlin,” Minerva sighed, shaking her head and looking down. “This—Albus, this one is bad.”
“I'll get a solicitor this week and handle it,” Albus sighed, shaking his head. Looking at the last few briefs Sirius was holding, almost afraid of what they were, he asked, “What else?”
“These three are, somewhat, related,” Sirius said, holding them up. “One is the official DMLE investigation into where Lily and James' wills are as no one can find them, an official filing requesting supervised emancipation for Harry and an official presentation to Madam Bones for homeschooling rather than him going back to Hogwarts.” Tossing them on the table, he looked around and said, “That should, more than anything, tell everyone here just how little Harry trusts anyone. And how serious he is about what he said at that hearing. Any doubts on it are gone with those.” Sitting there, he waited for the reaction, glowering around the table.
Brow furrowed, reading through the documents, Albus asked, tone distracted, “As they obscure the names with the emancipation brief; do you know the names of the two, as it appears there is more than one listed?”
“We do,” Severus said smoothly, looking smug, lifting his chin.
Looking up, Albus inquired, “Who are they?”
“Severus and myself,” Remus said quietly. “We'll be getting the official notice tomorrow, I believe. The hearing is in a week or so.”
That actually pleased Albus and he nodded. If it were Severus and Remus, he could work with the situation.
“If Carthwaight managed a hearing, they'll get it,” Moody schooled, looking around. “To my thinking, this is good option. Remus and Severus will be good with Harry if he trusts them. We don't have to worry about where the lad goes then.”
“That I do agree with,” Minerva nodded, glancing at the faces around the table. “The problem comes from Severus dealing with his other role in this mess.”
“I can handle the Dark Lord end,” Severus told her firmly. “He will actually like it as it'll give me some information he thinks he can use. He can't, we know that, but it'll look good from my end.” This was something Lucius came up with and he could work with it easily.
Tossing the papers back on the table, Albus nodded, “Yes, this will work well. I'm concerned about the homeschooling, though. It's just the notice for it and hasn't been filed. Harry needs to be in school, I think we all agree there.”
“I don't,” Sirius told him firmly. Shaking his head, he said, “Harry doesn't want to go back. He's made that clear. If he's forced, he's going to do something drastic. That plan of withdrawing next year he mentioned is something he's dead arse serious about, Albus. He's not playing here. Snape and Remus will tell you he's done and fed up.”

“Sirius is right,” Remus confirmed, looking around. “He's made it crystal clear to all of us he doesn't want to go back. With all that's happened, not to mention what he keeps getting dragged into, he wants no part of Hogwarts. If his solicitor has this drawn up, he's going to get it, one way or another. It's just the degree of a fight it's going to take. And the more someone fights him, the angrier he's going to get. With where the situation is now, that's probably not a good thing.”
Minerva looked at the table and shook her head. Sighing, she rubbed her eyes then asked, “Do you know if there is a chance at pushing that through or not? Did he say or is there another leaning that tells you? If Amos Carthwaight presented it to Madam Bones, my thought is it will work.”
“From what we saw of the letter that came with the briefs, he'll get it if it's filed,” Remus said, looking at her. Looking around, he added, “Carthwaight is not someone I think anyone should play with. The man's letter to Harry made it clear he's right furious.”
Holding up his hand, pleased that the opening finally came, Severus said, “I have a suggestion here.”
Hoping like hell Severus would have something to help this nightmare, Albus asked, “What's that, Severus?”
“We all know by now what hell is coming at school this fall because of Umbridge. Despite the slap he received in court today, Fudge is not going to back off. That hearing won't be publicized because Mr. Potter is a minor. So, what else that came up won't get out there, despite the fact that the DMLE is now investigating it and has the memories. With that coming, we know Mr. Potter will be a target. I don't think anyone will argue that. I say we leapfrog whatever Carthwaight can do and get him out, now. Homeschooling is not a bad option here. Black and Lupin are more than capable of taking on most topics. I'll be around if the emancipation plays out. With everyone in and out of this house all the time, he can get the education he needs. He may actually do better than at school because he won't have to worry about all the other trash that goes on.” Stopping, he looked around then added, softly, “In this case, it's going to show that, for once, we really are trying to do right by him. Plus, he will get to know everyone in a way he couldn't otherwise. That will give him the base for the trust you all need to build with him. It's also going to take pressure off all of us trying to protect him. If he's here, he isn't in danger.” Stopping, he waited.
“I think that's a good idea,” Arthur added softly. “Harry will miss the interaction you get when you go to school, but with the situation being what it is, this is a better option. Let him build trust with those of us he can. We can help with whatever he needs. Molly is available most days and can come over. The same with so many others. We can also work with him on dealing with so much that happened. That he needs, desperately.” Looking around, he added, quietly, “For those of you that didn't see what happened in that hearing, you have no idea how bad this is. He's an angry young man who has every right to feel that way. If Dolores Umbridge goes after him, what will happen will be worse. Let's stave it off and give him a chance.”
Thinking that over, though not liking the idea, Albus said, “We could do this, yes. The problem arises that if we do it from our end, we need a signature of someone on the Board of Governors. I'm not sure how I would manage to do that without going into too much detail. That I don't want to do. Some may come, with what we just saw, but I don't want all of it revealed for various reasons.”
“We can get one. Or I can,” Severus said. Clasping his hands on the table, he looked around then said, “Lucius Malfoy.” Hearing protests, he held up a hand and explained, “The man was at the hearing. He knows just what was said there. If you think he's not going to tell the Dark Lord, you're delusional. If I go to him with the form, he'll sign it because it'll give him information that will put him in favor, something no one else has. I can easily push him to sign it.”
“What in Merlin's name was Lucius Malfoy doing at that hearing?” Tonks asked, puzzled. “Anything for minors is a closed hearing.”
Sighing, Albus ran through what happened then added, “Even Amos couldn't manage to have him removed. It's something on Fudge's end. And Severus is right; Lucius will tell Voldemort.” Looking at the man in black, he asked, “You can get him to sign?”
“I can, easily,” Severus confirmed with a nod while chuckling internally at the irony there.
Looking at Severus, Minerva thought it over then gave a slow nod. “I say this is a chance we take. Get him out. Dolores—that's bad and we already know it. We don't need anything to make something already horrible even worse.”
Sighing, Albus gave a slow nod. “Yes, it's an option we need to take. I'll have the form delivered here shortly and sign it. Severus can then take it to Lucius. That may help matters. As Severus, if it plays out, will have a supervisory position, he can check Harry's work each week as required.” He hoped, somewhere, that this helped his place with the young man now upstairs. No, he wasn't going to count on it, but he hoped.
“I'm confused here,” Molly said, looking around after dropping the briefs on the table. “Why are they looking for James and Lily's wills? Those are easy enough to find since they've been enacted.”
“No one knows if they have been,” Remus explained quietly. Taking the cover letter that came with everything, he tossed it out on the table then said, shaking his head, “Carthwaight can't find them to see if they were properly enacted and all provisions fulfilled. After the filing of them, something they can confirm, they seem to have vanished.” Sighing, he said, “Lily and James, both, talked about several people who would take Harry if the worst happened. They never once mentioned Petunia. Even Rufus, from what that letter said, mentioned others.”
Reading through that letter, Albus shook his head. This just kept getting worse as it stretched on. And everything needed dealt with. Sighing, he tossed it aside then leaned forward, elbows braced against the table, hands clasped, “I think we have everything pertaining to Harry dealt with. At least I hope so. It's not a solution, I know this, but it's a start.”
“I think that's everything,” Remus said, sighing, pleased that worked.
Glaring at the old man, Sirius said, “We do. I'll talk to him when I get upstairs. Just keep in mind that he wants nothing to do with you, Albus. And you're not real high up on my list of favorite people right now.”
Taking that for the warning it was, Albus nodded, sighing himself. Pressing on, he said, “We also have to prepare for what may come from the Ministry to grow worse. What Harry gave up in court directly contradicts what Cornelius is saying. He's going to fight that every step of the way.”

“If those memories went to Madam Bones and the DMLE is investigating, it's going to come out, one way or another,” Kingsley said, looking around. “Fudge won't like it, but Rufus and Madam Bones don't play with him and he knows it. Let me and Tonks see what we can manage here to help. It probably won't be much, but we can do something. If nothing else, someone, somewhere, can leak this to one of the papers other than the Prophet. That will cause a firestorm.”
Liking that, Albus nodded then delved into the rest, hoping it was easier than what he just dealt with. Along with that, he made a mental note to get with Severus over the issues and see what they could manage.
- 16
- 17
- 18
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Preventative Measures