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If This Is How You Treat Your Heroes...	By : SpeedyTomato Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Lucius Views: 96985 -:- Recommendations : 12 -:- Currently Reading : 15
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and make no form of profit off this story

Chapter List
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Chapter 27

Beta'd by the most wonderful, amazing and stupendous Tenchi. Woman, you are the best and love you for all you do for me!

With help from Lynn who works with me when it comes to flow, continuity and other issues

Settling into his chair at the head of the table, Wolfgang smoothed down his beard then looked around. “Let's jump right in, shall we?” Seeing nods and hearing affirmations, he pressed on, “First of all, I want to say that Lucius won't be here. I think the reason is obvious; he's picking up his son. That comes first, I think we'll all agree, especially with what's going on. He left his proxy vote on what we're going to discuss and try to work with. Any objection there?” Hearing a unanimous negative, he pressed on, “Good. Let's get to it. What I have here was brought up to me by Wienstein. It wasn't, by any means, a direct order from the Minister of Magic's office, I want that clear, though it was a strongly worded suggestion. However, because of what it is, I think it's one we need to take.” Looking around, he said, “Its three-fold. One, he suggests we put something in place to handle accusations of sexual improprieties by staff. Second is that we do background checks on employees. Finally, we come in with rules governing teacher's behavior.” Folding his hands on the table, he looked around then said, “I think, honestly, these are areas we do need to do something with. The current situation tells us all that so much of this could have been avoided, and the lives of some of our students not been affected, if we had. Discussion on these points?”
“I don't see where we even need to discuss this,” Beatrice said bluntly. “We're the ones that were negligent in not putting this in place before now. All of us knew that vile man's reputation and how he treated students. We overlooked it, assuming Albus knew what he was doing in hiring him. We knew Muggle schools have had these problems for years, but assumed that we were better than they were and it wouldn't happen to us. That was an arrogant point of view that is now biting us, hard. Then we assumed that we could trust Albus when it came to hiring who he wanted and didn't need to check backgrounds. We all know by now what an erroneous assumption that was. And, in the end, the only ones that have truly suffered for this were our students. I'm quite frankly surprised that we haven't been sued. And if someone takes it in their head to do that, we're in trouble because we have no leg to stand on.”
“I don't think we'll ever know the true extent of victims when it comes to Snape. The courts aren't apt to release that because of laws pertaining to the protection of the victims of sexual assaults,” Anastasia said softly. “We are all hearing rumblings, of course, and that the number is higher than the two we know of, but I wouldn't hazard to guess how many there might be in the end. If we go by what we are aware of and say, on average, there were two a year for as long as he taught, the number is sickening.”
“Very true,” Wolfgang breathed, nodding, looking dour.
“I can almost guarantee this creature was not the only one to ever use his position of authority over those underage to extract sexual favors,” Algernon added softly. “We've just not heard of them. No, its past time we stop worrying about the mundane and focus on this. It needs fixed. And it's up to us to do it. The reputation of one of the finest learning institutions in the world has been besmirched and we have to repair that.”
After hearing everyone agreeing, Regina added, “And we need something written into the charter that prevents the Ministry from getting its fingers back in Hogwarts. What happened with Fudge and Umbridge should never have taken place. It just compounded already bad matters to make them worse. We can't allow that to happen again. Tending to Hogwarts is our responsibility, not the Ministry's.”
Dolph added, “And take the appointing of teachers to us, not the Headmaster or Headmistress. That will completely stop the foolishness that went on with Albus and his agenda. The cock-up caused by his machinations and Machiavellian nature is going to haunt us for years. No, it's time we put a stop to this mess. These children, though we don't interact with most of them, if we do at all, are our responsibility in the end. We are more than just a governing board and we need to remember that. In the end, so much of went on can be laid at our feet because it was our responsibility to oversee so much and we just didn't, thinking it was in capable hands. That has to stop.”
“We also need to start mandatory physicals for all students. Some of this could have been detected by those,” Diane said, looking around. “That comes with protecting our students as well. Plenty of Muggle schools do this, especially the private ones. I don't see why we can't also. If someone had done this with Mr. Potter, the poor young man wouldn't have had to suffer so long. Plus, it can help when children are being abused at home. We're required to report that as well. I don't see how this is intrusive and can only help.”
Nodding to that, Wolfgang looked around and said, “Good points, all of them. I think that all of what was suggested needs implemented as well.” Making notes on a parchment by his elbow, he said, “Let's start with discussion in the order they came and go from there to vote. When we finish, I want this to go to the papers. I want it clear to everyone out there that we're done playing and our time of just letting the foolishness go on is over. We need all parents to know that we are taking a firm stand and will now be an active part of what goes on at Hogwarts.” Seeing nods, he pressed on with the first part, laying out what he thought might work. As he did that, though, he couldn't help but think that an institution that had been around for so long had a smear on its reputation that it might never remove. And all of them seated around this table allowed it to happen.

“Alright, let's get right to this,” Wienstein told Amelia and Angus, looking between the two. “Before I get with the both of you for an update, I want to pass along that the Hogwarts board has passed several resolutions to ensure such a debacle never takes place again. For once, it was completely unanimous, on all points. Those will come out in the papers.” Handing copies of the resolutions passed to the two, he said, “I just want you aware of what they did, though it won't affect much. However, I did already give my consent to the Board that the DMLE will do all background checks for them. I didn't assume that would be a hardship for you, Amelia.”
“It won't be. We'll be glad to take it on, actually,” Amelia told him, pleased with what she read and what they put in place. “Tell them to contact me when it comes to that. I assume, with all that's going on now, they're going to need something in place quickly. The faster we get the names, the better we can work with it. I'll get with a couple of retired Aurors I trust to have them do it. That way my current staff isn't pulled off needed areas. At least for the time being.”
“That's fine and I'll pass it along,” Wienstein nodded, pleased. “With the staffing shortage they have, you're probably going to have several to look into before school starts again.” Seeing her nod, he pressed on, “Now, what are we working with when it comes to this nightmare? I know we have part of it handled. However, I'm hearing there are several possible spanners that may come to bite us.”
“There are,” Angus sighed, shaking his head. “And most of them involve Albus.” Seeing wary looks shot in his direction, he began filling them in on his meeting with Cuthbert. When he finished, he pressed on, “The appointment is set up for this afternoon. I'm going to wait to see what's said there. If they say he's sane, we press on. In that scenario I'm going to do something no one is going to be happy with; make the trial in a closed courtroom.”
Drumming his fingers on the desk, Wienstein didn't look happy. Before he started snarling, though, he wanted to understand the reasoning. “Explain to me why you want to do that?”
“First and foremost, most of this involves Mr. Potter. Despite the emancipation, he's underage. That alone would warrant it. We might be able to fudge that because of the emancipation. However, the other reason is more pressing. From what Cuthbert told me, Albus wants to defend himself and his agenda isn't proving himself innocent. He's going to use it as a forum for his theory on He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. The minute he starts with that, and he's smart enough to manage without getting it tossed out as it can relate to so much of what he did, we have big problems. I do not want to give him unlimited access to press coverage to expound on this theory. It would cause a mass panic among the public. Many wouldn't believe it, we know that, but you all know him. He can convince plenty. I don't want to give him that chance.” Stopping, he looked at the new Minister and waited.
Looking down at his desk and rubbing his forehead, a pinched look on his face, Wienstein muttered, “Merlin's beard.” Shaking his head, he sighed, “I understand and I won't object. We do not need to have his insane ramblings out there in the public. And if we have to bring Snape in and he questions him, then the man backs him up, we have worse problems. However, I want whatever verdict they reach publicized. As you've said the cases you've charged already are a dead certain lock for conviction, that shouldn't have a problem.”
“They are,” Angus told him with a firm nod. “I won't charge anything here I don't think I can't clearly prove. We don't need him getting off or raising doubt in so many's mind we're prosecuting just to look good.”
“Understood,” Wienstein said. Pressing on, he asked, “Now, what will you do if he's found to have some kind of a mental problem?”
“I'm going to be honest, that's what I hope comes of this,” Angus said, looking between him and Amelia. “If that happens, we have plenty to work with. Because of the amount of magic Albus knows, and what we all know he's capable of, I can push to have him housed in the medical wing of Azkaban with magic dampening spells put on him until he's fit for trial. With his age, I doubt that's going to happen. I have a feeling, if there is something proven wrong with him it's going to be age related. That means he won't ever get out. It's a form of justice we might not ever get any other way, no matter what we can charge.”
“It's bad to say, but I have a feeling that's the only way to get the justice that's needed in this case,” Amelia said, looking between the two men. Shaking her head, she added, “All we've found so far sounds so nuts that it has me wondering if there isn't a mental disorder of some kind going on with him. He's charismatic, we all know that, thus able to get followers. That's happened plenty of times in history, as all of us are well aware. Because, honestly, I don't see him letting this go once he gets released. Mr. Potter isn't going to be safe from Albus when that man is free. He's just going to pick right back up where he left off when he’s released.”
“Very true,” Angus sighed. “Let's see what the Mind Healer has to say when he's done. I'll then go from there.” Seeing Wienstein nod, Angus pressed on, grinning slightly for the first time, “And I have something to help with the Prophet. Its editor quit today. He came to me. Renfield is willing to give up everything on Winston. And I mean everything. He won't divulge anything about sources, of course, but he's willing to give up plenty. What he has we can actually use, I don't know. However, this is good. And we can all use it to our advantage! Once we're done here, I'll bring him down to Amelia to work with. She knows what she needs to get out of him. If he can give us some to add to what we have, we've nailed Winston. It won't be enough to warrant jail time, of course, but I bet he's going to have to sell the Prophet. He has to be scrambling by now. I got word earlier that he fired Winchell and Skeeter. That tells me he's scared. Let's see what we can get. Because if he gives up something that shows collusion with Fudge, it's more charges I can level in that direction.”
Pleased with this, Wienstein said, “Keep me posted on that. I want to know. Maybe, if it comes out right, you'll have something to work with that will help. I hate the idea that the oldest British daily paper might go under because of foolish choices, but we can't let this go on either.”
“If it works out right, we might be able to persuade Winston it's in his best interests to sell the Prophet,” Angus told him. “We won't make it a formal requirement, but we can work with this. If he does that, the Prophet may survive. What I keep hearing now is that if it keeps going this way, it's not going to last much longer. For the most part, the public has lost all faith in the Prophet. A new owner that takes it in a new direction might be for the best.”
“See what you can do,” Wienstein told him firmly. “Just don't manipulate. What we need is a free, healthy market for our papers. The Seer has a right to exist. The same with the Prophet. Competition is healthy and only benefits all. We need that again.” Pressing on, he asked, “Any news on the Peter Pettigrew front? I know I made it clear that he's now our most wanted criminal when I announced Sirius Black's pardon.”
“We've gotten a couple of tips,” Amelia told him. “And they look like good ones. However, they are from Albania. I've turned it over to their DMLE to look into. It relates to that missing woman, Bertha Jorkins. Of course, as always in such cases, we've gotten a bunch that are just obviously false from delusional people. Anything that looks like it might be real we're checking into. In this case, we just need to let it play out and see where it goes. If we get a firm lead, I'll let you know.”
Pleased with that, Wienstein said, “Tell them if they need to go through me for anything, to let me know. We'll give them every bit of help we can manage.” Jumping to the next topic, he asked, “Anything coming of the leaks and who is doing what there? From all I've heard, most of the Ministry is now close-mouthed on everything because of this mess.”
“We've got it shored up, I think,” Amelia said. “So far, what we've learned is being handled in house. I think that's for the best. I'm also making it damned clear that any leak from here on out will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I'm done playing and I think everyone knows it. Rufus, Wallias and I are going to sit down when all the most pressing matters are tended to and come up with new regulations for that as well as policies on how to deal with such things. It's my thought to shore up problems areas and make sure the Aurors toe a line that's more firmly drawn. There is no way I want this nightmare to happen ever again.”
“If you need my help to push something through the Wizengamot to do that, let me know,” the Minster told her firmly. “On my end, I'm going to do the same. Legal is going to sit down with me in the next couple of days about new regulations to ensure this nightmare doesn't happen again. No, we want to ensure that no one pulls such stunts again. The influence, contacts and people willing to help Albus in the Ministry tells me that we have major problems we need to have fixed, in all departments. If it involves confidentiality clauses in contracts, we'll go that route. I may not end up being Minister for long, but I want to be one that it was clear wanted to fix the problems then took steps to do so.” He was now pleased with what was going on. It didn't fix all the problems they were now dealing with, but it was a good step in that direction. That's all he wanted for his tenure as Minister.

Leaning against the wall in the compartment he shared with those he normally did on the train ride to and from Hogwarts, Draco had tuned out the conversation going on around him. Instead, he was just staring out the window at the passing scenery. His mind was on what was coming when he got home.
Part of what was coming he wanted to know about. He would get answers to so many questions he had on this mess. There was so much he wanted to know about, all the way from what was in the paper about Potter to what was coming from the mess. He also wanted to know how it was going to affect him, personally, and other areas of his life. However, there were parts he wasn't looking forward to. The big one there was facing Tom. That—it wasn't going to be pretty and he knew it.
For as long as he could remember one of his biggest goals in life was to become a Death Eater, like his father and grandfather before him. He had made it clear that was something he wanted more than anything in the world. All along he knew there were problems with it anyway. Tom made it clear he was reluctant to do that because of the man's relationship with his mother. Draco knew that marriage was eventually coming for the two, which meant that Tom would be his step-father. He didn't have a problem with that, honestly. Tom made his mother very happy and the man adored her. That's all that mattered to him. Because of that, Tom made it clear that he was reluctant to give him the mark he so craved. He didn't want Draco to become a wedge in the relationship with his mother as some of what he might be ordered to do would upset Narcissa. Draco understood that, he really did, but still wanted it more than anything for a multitude of reasons. Now, though, he had probably hurt his own chances at getting that mark.
Shutting his eyes and leaning his head against the glass of the window, he gave an internal sigh. What he did with Potter and the squad—yeah, that was going to bite him in the arse, hard. And it might be the reason he wouldn't get the one thing he wanted more than anything in the world. The fact that he ignored what he was told by his father and Tom, both, would be seen as disobeying an order. Tom did not tolerate that from his followers. He expected loyalty, something he fully had from Draco's end, but also obedience. That is where he had screwed up, big time. And if it was as his father insinuated, and Tom was protecting Potter, he had done even worse than disobeying orders. He had turned on someone that Tom protected. No, that wouldn't end well.
Sighing internally, he wondered what was coming when it came to Tom. No, the man wouldn't hurt him, he knew that. However, he could feel his dream being stripped away. That he didn't like. Even worse was the fact that he was the one that did it and only had himself to blame. For once, he couldn't lay that at anyone else's feet. He had made choices that were now going to bite him. That felt horrible. And, for the first time in life, this was something his father couldn't get him out of. No, his father wouldn't step in when it came to this and he would have to handle it on his own. That he didn't know how to take, but had to deal with as well.
Opening his eyes, he once more watched the scenery pass by. As he thought about all that went on in just a week's time, he wondered what he would be facing when he went back to school. The upheaval this caused was going to affect so much that he pondered just what would change when it came to the school because of it. He knew plenty was coming. Hopefully, he would get some answers over break so he wouldn't be so blindsided. It was just the idea that he didn't deal well with change. His world had always been so stable and he knew what he could get away with. Now that was changing. And he didn't know if he could adjust. He would though, because he had to. That's all there was to it.
Straightening up, Draco made the vow that he would adjust. No, he had screwed up. It was time he learned from his mistakes and pressed on. A whole new world was coming and he planned to fit in. It would just take work was all. That he didn't have a problem with. Tom's vision was bound to come and he wanted to be there for it. So, it was time to put the past where it belonged, adapt accordingly and move forwards. After all, he would be the step-son of the person that was the power behind the Ministry and it was time he acted like it.
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If This Is How You Treat Your Heroes...