"Hello, Amelia," said Ted. Turning a little to Hermione, he introduced the Longbottoms to her.
"Hello, Lord and Lady Longbottom," she softly said, dipping a little into a wizarding curtsey
"Enough of that... Hermione," said Alice. "I may call you Hermione, yes?"
"Yes..." she replied, hesitating.
"Alice," said Alice, walking towards her and bringing, by half-dragging, Frank with her. "And the big lug next to me is Frank. You and Harry have earned the right."
Hermione blushed and said, "Ummm... That was Harry―"
"Nonsense," said Alice, wrapping the girl in a hug. "We ladies know very well the men would be lost if we weren't there to show them the way."
Frank gave a slight snort of amusement as he stepped in to hug her himself. "It's Frank," he firmly said.
"She right," said Harry. "I was being straight with you when I said I know I wouldn't have stood a chance during the first three years of Hogwarts if you weren't there with and for me."
Again, Hermione blushed at the praise.
"Well," laughed Alice, stepping forward to hug him. "At least you know that much. It's a good start."
Once everyone settled down again, sitting before Bones's desk in a somewhat haphazard curved line. Bones looked around and shook her head. She quietly said, "This is somewhat surreal."
Sirius snickered back.
"Oh," she suddenly said. "That reminds me..." She turned to look at the two teens and almost formally said, "On behalf of the Ministry of Magic and on behalf of the Noble and Ancient House of Bones, I offer my congratulations... you two... on your betrothal. I'm sorry I hadn't remembered to voice that before now."
Harry grinned and said, "Thank you. And your mind's been on other matters, of late."
Hermione blushed and quietly replied a moment later, "Thank you."
Bones gave a nod back and said, "Well, Lord Potter; I believe the muggle phrase is... 'You've pulled another cat out of your hat'?"
"Rabbit," said Hermione. "But, the context is right."
"Rabbit, then," she nodded back. "I wonder what's next in your repertoire."
Harry just smiled back. He actually didn't really know.
"Alright," said Ted. "We don't have much time. How are we going to do this?"
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Albus Dumbledore rose and had breakfast with the rest of the school before retiring to his office. Once inside he warded the office apartment set to a high degree before going to his apartment and changing.
He changed into one of his remaining finest set of robes, this one was in fuchsia with orange trim, and readied himself for a day at the Ministry.
The wards he had caused to be erected would state for the castle's wards - and, therefore, for Marchbanks - that he was in his apartment, apparently taking a nap for a couple hours; before then showing him in his office, sitting at his desk and working.
Once set, he fortified himself for his soon-to-be meeting with young Harry in the Wizengamot chambers before the trial could even start, took a pinch of floo powder and tossed it into the fireplace. It was quite obvious young Harry would be there for the trial of his godfather.
"Ministry of Magic," he firmly said, before stepping in.
Barely a moment later he found himself stepping out... right into the Headmistress's office.
"Hello, Albus," she said to the now very shocked man. "You didn't think I would figure out what you were planning to do? Tsk tsk tsk!"
"Errr..." he stuttered, flummoxed he'd been so easily foiled. He'd forgotten the internal floo system could be redirected by the Headmaster or -mistress. Obviously, though, Marchbanks hadn't.
"Griselda," he calmly replied.
"Headmistress Marchbanks!" she snapped. "Alllll-beee."
Dumbledore scowled and quietly snapped, "Quite."
"Now," she said, sitting up a little straighter and pulling a file from her desk drawer before placing it in her desk. "That'll be yet another very naughty thing you tried I'm adding to your developing list of black marks against you.
"You have been told repeatedly you weren't to leave the castle during school hours without prior permission from me. And, yet, here we are again.
"You can consider yourself in 'detention', Professor Dumbledore. Go back to your office apartment, take down those silly wards you put up to make me think you were still there and stay there until I call for you. A house elf will be taking you lunch. Expect to be released some time before dinner.
"Use the time, wisely. I'll soon be asking staff for accelerated teaching programmes for each of their classes to make up for the time the students have been away.
"You are dismissed."
Dumbledore spun on his foot and stalked from the room without a word. This time, like the previous time, he closed the door himself.
Just before he left, though, Marchbanks tagged him with a tracker from behind. If Dumbledore found it, so be it. She didn't really care. But, it would lead him to a wrong conclusion, she was sure.
Once she was sure Dumbledore was gone, she cancelled the redirection on his floo and then had it deactivated completely.
With a nod to herself for a job well done, she gathered what she needed for the rapidly approaching Wizengamot meeting, activated her own floo and stepped through.
Because she knew none of the other professors would aid him, the only way out for the old man now was walking out through the front gate.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Just before the start of the hour of 8.00am - an hour earlier than normal due to the following general meeting - everyone involved in what was soon to happen from Harry's 'side' were in place.
The Longbottoms were sitting under DMLE-approved glamours next to Hermione and closest to the stairs leading down onto the floor. Harry, Ted and Sirius were on the main floor already and ready to go. Bones had gone into the back area to be with the other Members. And Andi had turned up, not seen the Longbottoms because the glamours were already in place, gave Ted a quick kiss on the cheek and ducked back to join the Members. She looked almost giddy with excitement, for which Ted had to quietly, but firmly, tell her to quickly get under control.
As the clock struck two minutes to the hour, the members all filed in and took their Seats. Augusta Longbottom had the Chief Adjudicator's seat.
As soon as the clock struck the hour, the old dragon banged her gavel once and said, "Yesterday, I had cause to be placed upon the agenda for today, the forced questioning of the young Lord Potter, regarding the whereabouts of my missing son and his wife. We will be starting with that first."
Bones immediately snapped out, "Point of Order, Chief Adjudicator. That matter was immediately stripped from the agenda within minutes of it appearing there, as it is not a matter for this body to discuss."
Snapping to stare at Bones as soon as she'd said, 'Point of order', Longbottom snapped back, "Overruled! We will be questioning―"
"Point of Order, Regent Longbottom!" yelled Bones. "This body is currently sitting in judicial review on a single matter! Now is not the time―
"It bloody well is if I decide it is!" Longbottom yelled back. "I am the Chief Adjudicator and if I decide it will be, then it bloody well will be!"
Bones quickly stood to her feet and said, "I, Amelia Susan Bones, Regent of the Noble and Ancient House of Bones, Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and Acting Madam Minister of Magic, hereby call for a vote of no confidence in the Longbottom regent in her role as Chief Adjudicator for this trial. She has already demonstrated a direct bias against the wizard speaking as counsel for the Defendant of the case. As such, I call for the immediate vote!"
Longbottom surged to her feet and whirled to face Bones, her wand already in her hand and spitting sparks from the tip. "You... you―"
"Say it, and you'll be arrested on the spot!" snapped Bones.
The aurors were already moving to intercede.
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