Long Live The Queen

 

 Story: Long Live The Queen
 Storylink: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11500936/1/
 Category: Harry Potter
 Genre: Harry P., Sirius B.
 Author: offsides
 Authorlink: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/4284976/
 Last updated: 10/27/2016
 Words: 174577
 Rating: K+
 Status: Complete
 Content: Chapter 1 to 44 of 44 chapters
 Source: FanFiction.net

 Summary: With Harry Potter's hearing for Underage Use of Magic looming, and Sirius Black hunted for a crime he didn't commit and was never tried for, Harry reaches out to Her Majesty the Queen for help, with unexpected results. No ships. AU starting Ch 6-9 OotP, No HBP, No DH, No Horcruxes. COMPLETE *Chapter 1*: Tense Subjects

 *Chapter 2*: Percy's Choice

 *Chapter 3*: A 2 Act Play

 *Chapter 4*: In For a Knut, In For a Sovereign

 *Chapter 5*: Family Ties

 *Chapter 6*: Opening Moves

 *Chapter 7*: An Offer They Can't Refuse

 *Chapter 8*: The Great Escape

 *Chapter 9*: Where's Harry?

 *Chapter 10*: Buckingham Palace

 *Chapter 11*: Sirius Questions

 *Chapter 12*: Sir Harry James Potter

 *Chapter 13*: Charter School

 	Originally Posted 12/4/15, last revised 10/27/16.
	Disclaimer:I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.
	Chapter 13: Charter School
	After giving everyone a few minutes to look over the documents, the Chief Wizard cleared his throat and got everyone's attention. "Since you raised the Wizarding Charter in your requests to Her Majesty, I think we should begin by looking at that. The current Charter was enacted at the same time as the Bill of Rights, while incorporating into it the earlier version of the Charter signed by King James I in 1617. That Charter unified the Wizarding populations of Scotland with those of England and Wales, who had already been unified several centuries earlier. It also granted provisional autonomy to the Magical world, provided that certain major laws were adhered to. This originally included the Magna Carta, and in the amended version the Habeas Corpus Act and the Bill of Rights were added. It also contains a provision to follow any law that the Crown submitted to, and was ratified by, the Wizengamot."
	"Have there been any further laws ratified by the Wizengamot?" asked Harry.
	"Not that I know of, though it's possible that they're listed separately from the Charter you provided. In any event, you listed clause 29 of the Magna Carta, which is indeed still valid in the Muggle world, and should also be in the Magical one. Just to confirm, Mister Black, you did not receive a trial in which you were found guilty of the charges against you?"
	"Not that I remember," said Sirius. "From what I overheard while I was in Azkaban, the head of the DMLE at the time, Barty Crouch, pushed for me to be sent there without a trial and that's what they did."
	"Are you saying that the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement explicitly deprived you of a trial before sending you to prison for life?!" asked the Chief Wizard incredulously.
	"That's my understanding," replied Sirius. "Unfortunately, you can't ask him yourself, as he was killed earlier this year. Killed by his own son, who he'd broken out of Azkaban despite having been convicted of being a Death Eater, unlike me." The last was said with a growl, and Harry gave Sirius a one-armed hug to calm him down.
	"I see," said the Chief Wizard, writing a few more notes. "Do you know of anyone else who was sent to Azkaban without a trial?"
	"Not that I'm aware of," said Sirius, but Harry interrupted him.
	"Hagrid," said Harry. "Second year, Minister Fudge sent Hagrid to Azkaban after the Chamber of Secrets had been opened. He said something about the Ministry having to be seen doing something, and if it turned out to not be Hagrid they'd apologize later." Harry looked at Sirius. "I had no idea about you back then, and by the time we'd discussed your situation Hagrid was already back. The Minister just took him away, without any mention of a trial."
	"That's," the Chief Wizard paused before continuing, "disturbing. Have you witnessed any other questionable decisions by the Minister?"
	Harry snorted. "I'm not sure I've witnessed any unquestionable decisions by the Minister. Third year, after Sirius and Remus captured Peter Pettigrew, things went all pear-shaped because Remus forgot to drink his potion." Seeing the confused look on the Chief Wizard's face, he said, "Remus Lupin is my honorary uncle, and a good friend of Sirius and my parents. He was the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor that year, and he's also a werewolf. Pettigrew was captured on the night of the full moon, and Remus got caught up in that and forgot to take his Wolfsbane Potion. When he transformed, Pettigrew escaped, and Sirius held Remus off until he ran away. Unfortunately, after that Sirius got recaptured by Snape.
	"Snape is supposed to be the Potions professor at Hogwarts, but mostly he just yells at everyone who's not a Slytherin, and especially me. Anyway, he captured Sirius and claimed that I and my friends who had seen Pettigrew were Confunded, just so that he could get revenge against Sirius for some childhood rivalry. Not that he saw anything, since he was unconscious for most of it anyway. Still, based on his testimony Fudge refused to listen to us and sent for a dementor to administer the Kiss to Sirius. Fortunately, one of my friends and I got some help and were able to free Sirius before that happened, and he's been on the run ever since."
	The Chief Wizard made a few more notes. "That's not the most damning of decisions under the circumstances, though I agree it was a bit rushed. Anything else."
	Sirius looked unhappy with the Chief Wizard's statement, but held his tongue for the time being.
	"Well, there were several incidents with dementors during third year," said Harry. "The first one was on the Hogwarts Express, before we even got to school. The train was stopped and searched by dementors; I don't know what would have happened had Remus not been in our compartment to cast a Patronus and drive them away. After we got to Hogwarts, we found out that Fudge had the dementors surrounding the school, hoping to catch Sirius. They weren't supposed to enter the grounds, but during the first Quidditch match they all came into the stadium and..."
	Harry gave a little involuntary shudder, and Sirius patted him on the shoulder. "It's okay, Harry, it's long past."
	The Queen's wizards were staring at Harry in disbelief. "There were dementors on the school grounds?" asked the Chief Wizard incredulously.
	Harry nodded, then pulled himself back together. "I don't remember it, but I fell off my broom when I blacked out. Dumbledore chased off the dementors, but that was the only time so far I've not gotten the snitch. It was after that incident that I asked Remus to teach me how to do a Patronus."
	The Chief Wizard shook his head. "Dare I ask if that's everything?"
	"Nope," said Harry. "There's what happened at the end of the Triwizard Tournament. After Voldemort's resurrection, Fudge brought a dementor into the castle and it Kissed Barty Crouch junior before he even questioned him, and Fudge called it 'no loss.' This despite the fact that Barty was supposed to have been dead and had spent the past year teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts while masquerading as someone else. He then tried to claim I was disturbed because of all the lies printed about me in the Prophet, and refused to believe that I had seen Voldemort come back. At one point, he said something like, 'He just can't be back,' before threatening Dumbledore not to work against him.
	"Ever since, he's been allowing the Daily Prophet to print stories about Dumbledore and myself, trying to discredit us. All while people who I saw and heard Voldemort call by name continue to have the Minister's support." Harry paused for a moment, then added, "That's everything I can think of."
	The Chief Wizard was scribbling furiously now, and did so for half a minute after Harry finished. Looking at Sirius, he asked, "Anything to add, Mister Black?"
	"Not that I can think of, other than that Harry should probably give you the names of all the Death Eaters that responded to Voldemort's summons."
	Nodding, the Chief Wizard said to Harry, "If you could write them down please, that would be helpful. Do you know if any of them were tried after the first war ended?"
	"There were a few Death Eaters in Azkaban," said Sirius, "but I don't know what happened to the ones who didn't get sent there."
	"I don't think they were tried," said Harry, "or if they were they never got questioned under Veritaserum. Most of them claimed to be under the Imperius Curse, and/or bribed their way out. The only ones I know of who didn't were Snape, who Dumbledore vouched for, and Karkaroff, who named names and was given a lighter sentence."
	The Chief Wizard, indeed all of the Crown Wizards, were shaking their heads at this. "I'd ask if there was anything else, but I think we have enough information to provide a recommendation to Her Majesty, and we also have other things to discuss. Now that we've discussed the Wizarding Charter, and Wizarding Britain's shortcomings related to it, let's look at the Wizengamot Charter.
	"First, I want to give you some background on the Wizengamot and the origins of the Wizengamot Charter. If you look at the very first paragraph, it states, paraphrased into modern English, that the Charter incorporates in its entirety the earlier Oath of Magical Fealty taken by members of the Wizard's Council, which was the predecessor to the Wizengamot and the Ministry of Magic. While we do not have copies of that document here, I can tell you approximately what it says since it's one of the documents I found when looking for the Wizarding Charter, and because it was based at least partially on a similar non-Magical oath.
	"The Oath of Fealty was taken by the King's closest advisers pledging their loyalty to the King, usually in exchange for protection and various favors. The Oath of Magical Fealty was similar, except that it contained a couple of magically binding components. First, those who took the oath could not take any direct action to harm the King. Given that the King was usually a Muggle, this was necessary to protect the King, and in exchange the wizards were granted the protection of the Crown. It wouldn't and didn't protect individuals against being tried for witchcraft, but it limited that to local authorities rather than throughout the realm.
	"Second, and perhaps more importantly, it created a sort of bi-directional power sharing agreement between the King and those in the Wizard's Council. While not autonomous per se, the Council was granted the power to govern Magical England as it saw fit unless the King personally told them otherwise. While the Wizengamot chamber did not exist at the time, the Magics of the Oath should have transferred to it when the Charter was established."
	"Okay," said Harry, "So you're saying that if the Queen shows up she can tell them what to do?"
	"Yes and no," replied the Chief Wizard. "The Wizengamot Charter was amended during the Interregnum to suspend the Oath of Magical Fealty under the autonomy of the Wizarding Charter. Since there was no King to tell them otherwise, the Oath was held in abeyance, and when the Monarchy was restored it was never challenged. However, that suspension is tied to the Wizarding Charter, something that Her Majesty is considering revoking depending on what she learns this evening. Should that Charter be revoked, the Oath of Magical Fealty would once again be enforced."
	"So you're saying that if the Queen revokes the Wizarding Charter, she can force the Wizengamot to change the laws?" Sirius grinned. "Wouldn't that be a kick in the pants for the pureblood supremacists!"
	The Chief Wizard grinned back predatorily. "Actually, I suspect that if she were to appear inside the Wizengamot chambers, she could command them to do just about anything, so long as it didn't violate the protections granted in return for fealty. You said that there were a number of people who escaped punishment after the last war by claiming that they were under the Imperius Curse at the time. I don't think they could get away with that in front of Her Majesty, nor would she allow it. In fact, despite not being Magical herself, I believe Her Majesty could use the Wizengamot members' own Magic to enforce the Oath."
	Sirius let out a whistle. "Wow. That's pretty heavy. What do you think she'll do?"
	"That remains to be seen, though in light of our discussions this evening I am going to recommend that she revokes the Wizarding Charter. While I have some misgivings about having to suddenly take over the Wizarding world on a moment's notice, I cannot condone the direction that those in charge have continued to follow over the past ten years. I've long suspected that Wizarding Britain was in violation of the Charter, but between my limited interaction with it and the restrictions placed on me by the Charter, I haven't been able to do anything to prove it. You, on the other hand, have no such restrictions, and voluntarily came to us with this information."
	Harry looked at Sirius nervously.
	"I already told you that I have no regrets about this," said Sirius, patting him on the shoulder. "It's not your fault that Fudge and his supporters have messed things up so badly. You're just the messenger; if the house of cards collapses on itself because you sneezed, that's their fault not yours. They should have built it better."
	"But what about my friends, what if it affects them?"
	"If they're truly your friends, they'll forgive you. Otherwise, they aren't your friends. Besides," Sirius grinned, "people are already blaming you for everything. At least this time it will be for something you actually did!"
	Harry gave Sirius a look, but he couldn't help smiling. "Okay, you do have a point." Turning to the Chief Wizard, he asked, "What about the protections on the Wizengamot chamber itself? Do you think they're still in existence?"
	"They should be," said the Chief Wizard. "If I'm reading the Charter correctly, the various protections on the chamber are tied directly to the Charter itself. There's actually quite a bit more than just the trial protections, though those are definitely the most immediately relevant. It also indicates that there are wards on the chamber allowing the wizard in charge of the Wizengamot to lock down the chamber, denying both physical access in and out, as well as the use of any magic other than that enforced by the chamber's wards.
	"I can only assume that at some point they were needed to keep the members from killing each other during heated debates, or perhaps to force an agreement before allowing people to leave. Both of those could prove quite useful should Her Majesty stage a visit." The Chief Wizard glanced at his watch before nodding to himself. "I'm sure there's more to discuss, but it's already after nine, and Her Majesty wanted us back by half-past. Let's speak with her and we'll go from there."
	After a brief break to freshen up, Harry and Sirius were led back to the Queen's study. The Chief Wizard was joined by his senior assistant this time, while the two underlings went off to research whatever it was that they had been asked to investigate. The Queen welcomed them back with a smile, as she stood behind her desk.
	"Welcome back, Charles, Sir Harry, Mister Black," she said, looking at each of them in turn. Looking at the last of their party she added, "Mister Halford."
	There was a chorus of "Your Majesty," as they all responded in turn.
	"Please, sit," said the Queen, taking her own seat behind her desk. Looking at her Chief Wizard, she inquired, "I trust you had a productive discussion in my absence?"
	"Yes, Ma'am," said the Chief Wizard. "Do you want the details first, or just my conclusions?"
	"I believe that a summary of the details would be best, followed by your conclusions."
	"Of course," he nodded. "We have evidence of at least two people being placed in prison for indefinite periods of time without receiving a trial. In one case the prisoner was released after a few months; in the other case, that of Mister Black, he escaped after approximately twelve years. We also have evidence that the current Minister of Magic is either grossly incompetent or actively conspiring to prevent an honest investigation into both Mister Black's situation, as well as the alleged return of the so-called 'Dark Lord.' "
	"He did return!" interjected Harry, but stopped when the Queen held up her hand.
	"I know that you believe that, Sir Harry, and I myself am inclined to believe you as well, but until we see concrete evidence we cannot consider it more than an allegation. However, unlike your Minister of Magic, I intend to have the matter investigated thoroughly before reaching a conclusion."
	Harry nodded and subsided, satisfied that he wasn't just being brushed aside.
	The Queen nodded to the Chief Wizard, who continued, "Finally, we have allegations that a number of alleged supporters of the so-called 'Dark Lord' either bribed their way out of justice, or received cursory trials that were not aimed at uncovering the truth, and that they have resumed aiding and abetting the so-called 'Dark Lord.' "
	Looking at the others, he asked, "Did I miss anything?"
	Harry and Sirius thought for a moment, then shook their heads. "That's the big stuff," said Sirius.
	Turning back to the Queen, he said. "Based on the allegations and evidence I've seen so far, it is my opinion that the Ministry of Magic and the Wizengamot are in direct violation of the Wizarding Charter of Great Britain, and that should you choose to do so there are multiple grounds for revoking it."
	"And what do you think I should choose to do?" asked the Queen, suddenly sounding dangerous.
	The Chief Wizard didn't seem fazed by the Queen's shift in tone, and simply answered, "It is my opinion, were I in your position, that I would revoke the Charter and institute a temporary government to maintain necessary services while the current system is overhauled and a new Charter established. I acknowledge that my opinion may be biased against the current system, given my own experiences with it, but I have tried to take an objective point of view before rendering my opinion."
	The Queen stared at him for a good long minute, with neither of them flinching. Finally, she nodded, and said, "Thank you for your honesty, Charles. I believe you may be correct, but I'm going to get another opinion before I make my decision. In any case, please prepare a plan of action should the Charter be revoked, as I am sure we will need to act quickly if that happens."
	"Yes, Your Majesty." He rose and went over to his assistant, and the two of them began conferring quietly.
	"Sir Harry," said the Queen, looking first at him and then at Sirius. "Mister Black. You have heard the assessment of Mister Adlington. I would now like to know what you think. You may speak freely without fear, I wish to know the unvarnished truth of the situation."
	Harry and Sirius looked at each other, both daring the other to go first. Finally, Harry shrugged, and turned back to the Queen. "I honestly don't know, Ma'am. I've only known about the Magical world for a little over four years, and I really don't know that much about it outside of Hogwarts and a few other things. I'll admit that my experiences haven't been the best at times, but at other times it's been wonderful. However, with Voldemort's return, if the Ministry doesn't do something about him I'm afraid that there's going to be a lot of trouble. Especially for the Muggleborn, given the purebloods' hatred of them."
	"I know it's difficult for those born outside of the Magical world once they leave school, as I've heard about it from all of my court wizards over the years. Is it really that bad for them?" asked the Queen.
	"It's probably worse," said Harry, looking pensive. "There's a word, it's used by the bigots to describe the Muggleborn. I've seen how much it can hurt their feelings, but I'll say it so you know. Mudbloods," he said, nearly spitting out the word. "That's what the bigoted purebloods call the Muggleborn. They probably wouldn't mind if the Muggleborn all just up and died, and there's definitely at least a few of them who would like to help make it happen. If Voldemort takes over, that's probably what will happen."
	The Queen was taken aback by the vehemence of Harry's words, and looked towards Sirius for confirmation. "Do you agree, Mister Black."
	"Unfortunately I do, Ma'am," he said. "Only they won't limit it to just the Muggleborn, they'll also go after Muggles too. Probably starting with the parents of Muggleborn, but it won't stop there. Many of them see Muggles as nothing more than cattle, to be slaughtered at their leisure after torturing them for their entertainment. I know there were a lot of disappearances covered up during the last war, but if Voldemort takes over the Ministry I expect there to be a lot more this time around."
	"And how do you feel about revoking the Charter, Mister Black?" she asked.
	"I have mixed feelings about it," said Sirius, looking thoughtful. "I grew up and spent my entire life in the Wizarding world, and to see it torn down, especially because of something I set in motion, is very difficult for me. But at the same time, the more closely I look at it, the more I think that there's no way to fix it within the current system. It's time for a fresh start, and revoking the Charter could be just the thing to make it happen."
	"I see," said the Queen. She was about to continue when there was a knock at the door. Looking over a her Chief Wizard, he nodded to her and she pushed the button on her phone to unlock the door.
	Her steward entered followed by one of the two research assistants from the earlier discussions. "Pardon me, Ma'am, but Mister Graham has some information for Mister Adlington."
	The Queen nodded, and the assistant bowed to her before bringing a couple of folders over to the Chief Wizard. The Chief Wizard took them and gave each a cursory glance, before thanking and dismissing Mister Graham. After the assistant and the steward had left, the Chief Wizard turned to the Queen and said, "If I may have a moment of your time, Ma'am?"
	"Certainly," said the Queen. "Sir Harry, Mister Black, if you'll excuse us for a moment." Looking at the Chief Wizard for a moment, she turned to his assistant. "Mister Halford, please escort our guests to freshen up, then return. I believe we will be finished by then."
	The assistant wizard bowed slightly and said, "Ma'am." Harry and Sirius stood and did the same, before following him out into the hallway, glad to stretch their legs for a moment.
 *Chapter 14*: Pardonnez-Moi?

 *Chapter 15*: Preparations

 	Originally Posted 12/18/15, last revised 10/27/16.
	Disclaimer:I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.
	Chapter 15: Preparations

	Insistent knocking on the door woke Harry from the most wonderful dream. As he heard someone calling for him, he realized that he was in an unfamiliar bed, and that it was more comfortable than anything he had ever slept in. As consciousness unwillingly returned to him, he heard someone shout through the door, "Sir Harry, you must get up! Her Majesty is expecting you in half an hour!"
	"Sir Harry," he thought. "Her Majesty." His eyes went wide and he bolted out of bed, his mind screaming, "It wasn't a dream!" He called out, "Just a minute!" before checking to make sure he was at least decent. Realizing that he was still wearing the same clothes as the day before, he made his way to the door and opened it.
	A very relieved assistant to the Chief Wizard was standing outside the door, looking somewhat frazzled. "Thank goodness," he said. "You need to be ready in less than twenty minutes. It won't do to be late for Her Majesty. Here," he said, handing Harry a bag. "Mister Black asked me to give you your clean clothes for today. If you hurry, you should have time for a quick shower first. Please be ready by twenty past and I'll escort you to Her Majesty."
	"Thank you," said Harry, taking the bag as he suppressed a small yawn. Despite getting some of the best sleep he'd ever had, it was still only six hours or so. "Excuse me," he said when he finished yawning, closed the door, and started to get ready.
	Fifteen minutes later, Harry and Sirius were standing in the Hall with two soldiers, waiting for their escort to take them to the Queen. Sirius was lamenting about having to get out of such a wonderful bed, and while Harry certainly agreed with him he didn't feel the need to do more than just nod on occasion. After a moment, the assistant (Mister Halford, Harry's brain finally reminded him) returned and led them to the Queen's study. He knocked, and after a moment they were let in to find Her Majesty back behind her desk, looking almost as though she hadn't left. The Chief Wizard was there as well, along with two older looking soldiers standing at ease, with a small continental breakfast buffet behind them.
	It took Harry a moment, but he realized that one of the two soldiers was the same as the leader of the group that originally brought them into the palace. He wondered what that meant, but also remembered that at least one of those men had a wand, so he assumed that these were members of the Magical Mystery Tour.
	Harry and Sirius stood in front of the chairs they had used the night before and bowed their heads slightly, saying, "Good morning, Your Majesty," as Mister Halford did the same.
	"Good morning, Sir Harry, Mister Black, Mister Halford," said the Queen. "Thank you for joining us so promptly. In addition to Mister Adlington, we have Major French and Captain Lee, both from the Magical Military Squad. Please, take some breakfast and have a seat, we have much to discuss before you have to depart."
	Harry and Sirius shook hands with the soldiers, then collected a few things to eat. Once everyone had some breakfast, they took their seats.
	"Last night, you gave me a great deal of information about the Magical world, much of which I had never heard before. I have heard some about the discrimination against those not born to Magical parents, but coming entirely from those who claimed to be discriminated against, it was impossible to get a truly objective picture. No offense, Charles," she said as an aside, looking at her Chief Wizard.
	"None taken, Ma'am," he replied, looking studiously neutral.
	"Still, prior to our conversation last night, there was not any reason to be seriously concerned about it, especially as it relates to the non-Magical world. You gave me much to think about last night, for good and for ill."
	"My apologies," Harry began, but she waved him off.
	"No apologies necessary, Sir Harry." She gave him a little grin and added, "No one ever said that being Queen was easy."
	Harry nodded, then smiled when he saw that the Chief Wizard and both soldiers were smiling at her pronouncement.
	The Queen held the grin for a few seconds, then her face turned serous. "I have given much thought to this matter since last night, and I have come to the conclusion that I have no choice but to take action," she said. "However, I do not believe that it would be appropriate for me to simply revoke the Charter here and now."
	"Your Majesty?" inquired the Chief Wizard.
	"I believe," she continued, "that it would send a much more effective message if the Charter were to be revoked in the Wizengamot chamber, by a member of the Magical world." She fixed her eyes on Harry, and for a moment he felt like she was looking through him. "Sir Harry, we would like you to be the arbiter in this matter; you shall be the one who will decide if it is appropriate to revoke the Charter or not."
	Harry had to swallow hard to avoid choking on the food in his mouth, and nearly dropped the plate with the rest of his breakfast. "Me? But why, Ma'am?" he asked.
	The Queen's expression softened slightly, and she said, smiling, "Because it is you who has been held up as the savior of the Magical world, and it is you who has been wronged the most by them as well. It would be fitting for you to be the one to prove them both right and wrong at the same time."
	Harry looked confused and a little embarrassed. "Begging your pardon, Ma'am, I'm nobody special."
	The Queen gave him a big smile. "Ah, but you are, Sir Harry. The fact that I gave you that honor alone proves it." Harry started to protest, but the Queen held up a hand to silence him. "Sir Harry, there are many things in life that need to be earned before receiving them can actually mean anything. Some of the most important are trust and respect. The same is also true for their opposites as well. You have already earned my respect, for making hard choices instead of easy ones. And you have earned my trust as well, to a certain extent. The Magical world, on the other hand, has earned neither, and in fact has earned at least some of the opposites.
	"However, though it may be my right to revoke the Charter, it is not my world that will be most affected. You are the one who will have to live in this new world, knowing that either directly or indirectly it was your actions that brought about the change. And so it is to you that I entrust the final decision as to whether the Magical world can be reformed within the current structure, or whether it needs to be torn down and rebuilt from the ground up. I am placing this trust in you, and I will support your decision as best I can whichever way you choose."
	Everyone stared at the Queen in shock, especially Harry. As one, they all had some variant of the same thought go through their heads: "She's placing the future of Magical Britain in the hands of a fifteen year old boy?"
	After a moment of shocked silence, the Chief Wizard spoke up. "Do you think that is wise, Your Majesty?"
	The Queen responded, though she continued to look Harry in the eye. "Wise? Perhaps not. But I do believe it is the right thing to do. Sir Harry has been a victim of the preconceived notions of the Magical world almost his entire life. Today I am giving him a chance to take control of his own life in a manner that cannot be ignored by those who seek to control him."
	"Sir Harry," she said as she softened her focus, "will you accept this task?"
	Harry's mind was spinning. He knew the Queen had some level of trust in him, as she had given him back his wand last night. But this? She was giving him the power to either bring the Magical world back under the Queen's control, or keep her out of it. And she specifically wanted him to do it for himself, and not for her. He felt the room start to spin, and thought he was about to fall out of his chair, when he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder. Turning his head slowly, he saw that Sirius was looking at him worriedly, while helping to steady him.
	"Are you okay, pup?" he asked. "How can I help?"
	Harry tried to focus on Sirius's face, and took a few deep breaths to try and pull himself together. "You'll come with me?" he asked.
	Sirius nodded. "I'll stay by your side as long as you'll have me, and even then you'll have to hex me to make me leave."
	Harry put his hand on Sirius's and smiled. "Thanks," he said softly. Then looking at the Chief Wizard, with a stronger voice he said, "Mister Adlington, would you please accompany me to the Wizengamot chambers for my trial?"
	The Chief Wizard looked surprised, then slowly grinned. "It would be my pleasure, Sir Harry." Turning to the Queen, "If I may, Ma'am?"
	Harry turned to the Queen in time to see her nod at her Chief Wizard, then look back at him. "Your Majesty," he said, "I am humbled by your trust in me, and accept the task you have placed before me. I will do my best to live up to your expectations."
	"I know you will, Sir Harry," she replied. "Otherwise I wouldn't have asked you." Her expression took on a regal intensity that she'd only displayed previously when she knighted Harry, and she stood behind her desk. "Sir Harry James Potter," she intoned solemnly, "we charge you with the following Royal Command: You are to present yourself before the Wizengamot for trial. Using your own judgment to determine the appropriate time, you yourself shall revoke the Charter in my name. Do you understand these instructions?"
	Harry stood and bowed, a little deeper than he had previously. "I hear and accept my Queen's command." He then blushed a little, as the Queen gave him a look that made him think she was trying not to laugh at him. "Yes, I understand," he said quietly, sitting back down and trying to hide his embarrassment.
	The Queen picked up a fountain pen and scribbled something on a piece of paper on her desk, then took her Royal Seal and stamped it. Picking it up, she held it out for someone to take. "Sir Harry, this document bearing our signature and seal grants you the authority to revoke the Wizarding Charter in our name. If anyone questions it, inform them that they will answer to us."
	"Yes, Ma'am," said Harry as he stood again and went over to her desk and collected the document.
	Turning to Sirius as Harry returned to his seat, she said, "Mister Black, while I will not make it a Royal Command, I ask that you look after your godson and assist him in making the decision when the time comes."
	"Of course, Your Majesty," answered Sirius seriously.
	"Charles," she said, smiling as she turned to her Chief Wizard. "I know that this is not something you ever expected to have to do, but it is also something I expect you have been preparing for nonetheless. Once the Charter has been revoked, assuming Sir Harry revokes it, you shall act as my proxy and take control of the Wizengamot chambers in whatever manner you see fit. You will then notify me immediately, and make preparations for my arrival to oversee some changes personally. I have cleared my schedule this morning, and expect I will arrive within half an hour of hearing from you."
	"Yes, Ma'am," said the Chief Wizard. "I assume that is why you asked Major French and his adjutant to join us?"
	"Correct," she said. "I expect they will insist on securing the area before I arrive, so I thought it prudent to include them now."
	Looking at the Major, the Chief Wizard asked, "How do you want to handle this?"
	"What exactly is the situation we're going to be coming into?" asked the Major. "I didn't get a very detailed briefing last night."
	The next forty-five minutes were spent filling in the Major and Captain on what was happening today, as well as some of the background surrounding the players involved. Eventually it was agreed that in addition to the Chief Wizard, Captain Lee and two other soldiers who were also wizards would accompany Harry and Sirius to the Ministry. Captain Lee and one of the other wizards would escort them down to the courtroom, scouting along the way. Captain Lee would remain outside the courtroom awaiting word that the Charter had been revoked, while the other wizard would return to the Crown Ambassador's office. The third member of the team would remain in the office just in case, waiting to return to Buckingham with any news.
	Should the Charter be revoked, a dozen fully armed soldiers would come through and secure the passage to the Wizengamot chambers, before the Queen herself would be permitted to make her way to the Ministry and down to the Wizengamot. Their biggest concern was the Queen's safety inside the chamber itself, but it was hoped that the defensive wards worked the way they thought, and all magic could be suppressed once the Chief Wizard took control of the wards.
	After confirming the plan, they all took their leave of the Queen to take care of any last-minute business before Flooing to the Ambassador's office. As they stood to go, she said, "Good luck, Sir Harry. I look forward to seeing you again regardless of your decision later this morning. Remember, I will support whichever choice you make as best I can."
	Harry bowed and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty," before leaving to meet his destiny.
	Albus Dumbledore stepped out of the Floo in the Ministry atrium just before half past seven. He wished he'd seen Madam Pomfrey for a headache potion before he left, but was running late since he wanted to ensure he arrived before Harry. He hadn't gotten much sleep, and what he had gotten was very troubled by the implications of what he'd learned yesterday.
	Of course, the Order meeting last night hadn't helped either, though to be honest he'd had this headache since yesterday afternoon. And it had only been getting worse ever since. As expected, the meeting hadn't gone well; between Molly lamenting about Harry in general, and several other members blowing up about the implications regarding the Charter, things had devolved into mostly shouting within minutes. That the shouting had lasted well over two hours without coming up with any solutions had him eventually sending everyone home, simply telling them to "be prepared for anything."
	He would have been happy if that was the end of it, but Severus had been waiting for him when he returned to Hogwarts. Dumbledore had hoped to avoid telling Severus about what had happened, but excluding him from the meeting had merely piqued his curiosity. He then had to listen to Severus rant about Potter and Black for nearly another hour before he could beg off as needing sleep.
	He wished he was still Chief Warlock, as that would at least give him some possibility at changing the direction things appeared to be going. Still, while stripped of his official powers outside of Hogwarts, he wielded a lot of influence in some circles and hoped it would help this time as well.
	Looking around the atrium of the Ministry, he realized that he'd never told Mrs. Figg about the change of time, and that she wouldn't be arriving for another hour, assuming she was on time. He hoped that her testimony was either not needed, or that the trial would last until she arrived, as there was no time to go get her now. Not if he wanted to talk to Harry before the trial started.
	He made his way down to courtroom ten and checked his watch. It was now twenty minutes before eight, and Arthur had said that the hearing was to begin at eight instead of nine. Not seeing anyone outside of the courtroom, he opened the door and entered.
	Harry stepped out of the Floo and promptly fell into Sirius's arms. "I love you, pup," he said grinning, "but not like that."
	Harry straightened himself up then smacked his godfather on the arm. "Love you too, dad," he said.
	Sirius froze for a second, then the grin turned into a giant smile. Pulling Harry back into a hug, he said, "Thanks, Harry, I can't wait for you to be able to call me that for real." They remained that way for a few more seconds, before they were interrupted by the Chief Wizard.
	"Aren't you forgetting something, Mister Black?" the Chief Wizard asked.
	Sirius let go of Harry and turned to the Chief Wizard, looking confused until he saw the Chief Wizard holding out his wand.
	"Thank you," said Sirius, taking his wand and returning it to his sleeve..
	"I assume you still want to avoid being seen until the right time?" asked the Chief Wizard.
	Sirius nodded, then turned to Harry. "Let me have the backpack, I need your cloak."
	Harry handed Sirius the pack, who started digging through it. As Sirius was pulling out the cloak, Harry asked, "What about your hair?"
	"Good point," said Sirius, pulling out the last potions bottle. He drank it down, returning his hair to its normal color, then turned to the Chief Wizard. "I'll be right next to Harry, and poke him if there's a problem. Let's go." With that he put on the cloak and disappeared.
	The soldiers accompanying them gasped when Sirius disappeared, but the Chief Wizard shushed them. "Keep it to yourselves," he said, "think of it as operational security."
	The soldiers nodded, then one of them moved to the door, tapped it with his wand, and stuck his ear against it. After a moment, he said, "Sounds clear," and slowly opened the door. After verifying that there wasn't anybody in the hall, he exited the Ambassador's office, followed by Harry, Sirius, the Chief Wizard and Captain Lee.
	It was early enough that this part of the Ministry was mostly deserted. They waited around the corner from the lifts while Sirius called for it under his cloak. The first lift wasn't empty, but the second one was, and they took it hoping it would stay that way. Their luck held, and they were deposited on level nine before walking down to level ten and the courtrooms.
 *Chapter 16*: Into the Breach

 *Chapter 17*: Long Live the Queen

 	Originally Posted 1/8/16, last revised 10/27/16.
	Disclaimer:I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.
	Chapter 17: Long Live the Queen
	"By the authority of Her Majesty The Queen, the Wizarding Charter of Great Britain is hereby REVOKED!"
	There was a loud "CRACK" sound and the seal of the Ministry mounted on the wall split in half and crashed to the floor, while the Chief Warlock's gavel flew out of his hands towards the Chief Wizard.
	Minister Fudge had been shocked when Percy Weasley had stood up and claimed the position of adviser to the defense for Harry Potter. He had been incensed when he had been defied, and Weasley had resigned from the Ministry. And he had been startled when the interloper from the Queen had set off the cannon blast and gotten everyone to be quiet.
	When Potter had declared the Wizarding Charter revoked, Fudge was confused. After all, the Charter was granted in perpetuity, wasn't it? But when the seal of the Ministry broke and crashed to the floor and his gavel flew away, Fudge realized that whatever he had previously believed, Potter had done just what he'd said. He started to panic, before the realization of exactly how bad this would look in the press hit him, and he did the only thing his brain was left capable of doing. He fainted.
	When Percy Weasley had come to Harry Potter's defense, Albus Dumbledore had been both surprised and pleased. Surprised because Percy had made it quite clear that he was siding with the Minister and not Dumbledore regarding Voldemort's return; and pleased because he had always known Percy was sorted into Gryffindor for a reason, even if it took until now for Percy to realize it.
	The Minister's reaction didn't surprise him, nor had Umbridge's to be frank. When the entire Wizengamot had begun shouting after Percy's reminder that conviction came after trial, he tried to step in and help restore order. Unfortunately, not being a part of the Wizengamot anymore, nobody paid any attention to him other than to tell him to stay out of it.
	He was just as surprised as everyone else when the Queen's wizard had set off a cannon blast charm, silencing the room and drawing all eyes to him and Mister Potter.
	When Harry had lifted a piece of paper and placed his wand to it, Dumbledore's eyes had gone wide. He'd raised his hand to stop Harry, but it was too late.
	"By the authority of Her Majesty The Queen, the Wizarding Charter of Great Britain is hereby REVOKED!" came the voice of Harry Potter, and as if to answer it there was a loud "CRACK," followed by a crash behind Dumbledore's back. He didn't need to look to know what had happened; he knew the Ministry seal was the only thing on the wall, or at least it had been.
	Dumbledore looked at Harry who returned his gaze with a hard intensity, before turning away and ignoring him. He hung his head, then slowly moved back to the spectator's gallery. He knew then that whatever else happened, Harry was no longer under his control in any way. He just hoped that it wouldn't doom them all.
	When the Ministry seal on the back wall broke with a loud "CRACK," Fudge's gavel suddenly flew from his hand and into that of the Chief Wizard, who felt the wards shift to him. The Chief Wizard looked back towards the door, saw that it was ajar with Captain Lee looking in, and shouted, "GO!". He then ordered the wards to lock down the chamber, both sealing everyone in and preventing all spells from being cast.
	There was the sound of a loud bell, along with the sound of the door slamming shut from where Captain Lee had been holding it open. The noise level in the room was starting to increase again, as Minister Fudge suddenly collapsed and the Aurors rushed to check on him. There were shouts of dismay as diagnostic charms failed, and they were unable to magically revive him as well.
	Turning to Harry, the Chief Wizard said, "Well done, Sir Harry. I have taken control of the wards, and sent Captain Lee to inform Her Majesty. I believe I can handle things from here, at least until she arrives."
	"Thank you," said Harry, looking and sounding tired. He turned and walked over to Sirius, sitting down next to him and relaxing into the chair as Sirius gave Harry a one-armed hug.
	The Chief Wizard then turned back to the members of the Wizengamot, who were now starting to shout again, and tried to get their attention. He was about to fire off another cannon blast when Madam Bones silenced them with a shrill whistle followed by slamming her hand down on the scribe's table.
	"Mister Adlington," she said, removing her fingers from her mouth, "may I assume that you have taken control of the wards, and are preventing the use of Magic in the chamber at this time?"
	"Yes, Madam Bones," he replied, as a number of members of the Wizengamot gasped. "Allow me to address the entire Wizengamot and I believe you will have most of your questions answered."
	Madam Bones nodded, and was about to address her Aurors when a shrill voice shouted, "You can't do that! And what have you done to the Minister?!"
	The Chief Wizard turned to see Madam Umbridge standing, her face full of fury, pointing her wand at him. "I demand that you release us at once! Aurors, arrest that man!"
	The Aurors turned to look first at Madam Umbridge, then Madam Bones, who just shook her head slightly. "I'm sorry, Madam," said one of the Aurors, "but I'm afraid I can't do that right now."
	Madam Umbridge's face turned even darker, and she shouted at the Auror, "I'll have your job for disobeying me! I'm the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic!"
	The Auror just ignored her, and continued to make sure that the Minister was comfortable having determined that he just fainted in all likelihood.
	"Madam Umbridge," said the Chief Wizard, "please put your wand away. I'd hate to have to take it away from you and deprive Her Majesty of that pleasure." Turning to the assembled Wizengamot, he continued, "The Wizarding Charter is no more, thus the Ministry no longer holds any authority unless Her Majesty chooses to grant it." He grinned and added, "To paraphrase, The Ministry is defunct, long live the Queen!"
	There was a murmur of, "Long live the Queen," in response, coming from several of the people in the chamber, which caused the Chief Wizard to raise one eyebrow. "Now," he continued, "in accordance to paragraph one of the Wizengamot Charter, I am invoking the Oath of Magical Fealty in the name of Her Majesty The Queen. Please take your seats and be quiet while we await Her Majesty's arrival."
	The membership of the Wizengamot all started talking at once, either asking questions or shouting at the Chief Wizard. He gave them a few seconds, then barked out a gruff, "NOW!" Immediately the members of the Wizengamot, along with Madams Umbridge and Bones, shut up and took their seats. A moment later their faces all showed some variety of fear, as they realized that they had been magically forced to do so. Several of them tried to shout, but while they could open their mouths no sound came out.
	Madam Umbridge looked like her head was about to explode; her face was purple with rage, but no matter what she did she couldn't stand nor did any sound come out. Raising his wand, the Chief Wizard said to her, "Madam Umbridge, please calm yourself. You're going to hurt yourself if you don't."
	Rather than calming down. Madam Umbridge pointed her wand at him and tried to shout something. While nothing came out of her wand, the Chief Wizard pointed his wand at her and calmly said, "Stupefy." The assembled Wizengamot were surprised that the spell worked; Madam Umbridge was too, for the split second before the spell hit her and caused her to slump in her chair and drop her wand.
	Turning to Madam Bones, the Chief Wizard said, "Madam Bones, it appears that you, at least, are willing to discuss this calmly. If I release you will you conduct yourself appropriately?" At her nod, he continued, "Very good. Madam Bones, you may speak and move about the chamber freely." Turning to the assembled Wizengamot, he added, "Members of the Wizengamot, you may speak amongst yourselves quietly, but anyone who raises their voice will be silenced again. If you have any questions for me, please raise your hand and I will get to you in a few minutes."
	While he was addressing the Wizengamot, Madam Bones had gone over to confer first with her Aurors, and then Percy Weasley. After speaking to Percy for a moment, she turned to the Chief Wizard and asked, "May I ask what your plans are now?"
	"Certainly, Madam Bones," he said. Raising his voice and looking at the seated Wizengamot, he added, "The rest of you might want to listen, since this will affect you all," before turning back to Madam Bones. "In a half hour or less, I expect Her Majesty The Queen to arrive to personally oversee some immediate changes to the governance of Wizarding Britain. Am I correct in assuming that you are at least aware of the severity of the situation you face right now?"
	Madam Bones nodded, her face grave. "I have unfortunately been aware of it for some time."
	This caused the Chief Wizard to raise one eyebrow, and ask, "If that's the case, then why didn't you prevent things from going this far?"
	Madam Bones looked embarrassed for a moment, before answering, "I was unfortunately in a position where I couldn't do much directly without compromising my ability to do anything. While I was able to quietly direct enforcement either towards or away from certain things, if I made too many waves I would have simply been replaced by someone who was more inclined to toe the line. I intend to offer my apologies to Her Majesty that it was clearly not enough."
	To say the the Chief Wizard was surprised would be an understatement. Still, his job was to prepare the chamber for Her Majesty's arrival, and he still had a lot to do. "I suggest you tell that to Her Majesty when she arrives," he said. "Though I will be honest with you that I'm not sure she will believe you, given your role here today."
	"I was unaware of the exact nature of the proceedings, nor that there had been an attempt to prevent Mister Potter from arriving in time. And once I became aware of them, it was too late to stop them." She gave a dark look in Fudge's direction.
	"In that case, I suggest you speak to Messieurs Potter and Black, so you can be made aware of their situations. In the meantime I will address the Wizengamot's questions before Her Majesty arrives."
	Madam Bones nodded, then headed over to talk to Harry and Sirius while the Chief Wizard turned back to the Wizengamot. Seeing a few raised hands, he said, "Alright, before the Queen arrives, let me instruct you on how to address her and then I'll answer your questions."
	When their group had arrived at courtroom ten, Captain Lee had sent his subordinate back to the Crown Ambassador's office as planned, while he remained outside. After a few moments, he heard a knock on the door, and opened it slightly so that he could see inside. He watched as the Chief Wizard was disallowed as adviser for the defense, and the chaos that followed. Finally, he received the signal he was waiting for, when the Chief Wizard turned towards him and shouted, "GO!"
	Not waiting for anything further, he turned and quickly made for the stairs that would lead to the lifts. As he climbed them, he saw a blond haired man in fine robes waiting at the top, holding a cane in his right hand. As he approached the man, who had been facing away from the stairs, he drew his wand behind his back.
	The man turned, regarding Captain Lee with disdain, and sneered, "And just who might you be?"
	Captain Lee didn't answer. Instead, he advanced on the man faster than his target expected, grabbed his right wrist with his free hand, and poked him in the ribs with his wand. "The question, isn't who am I, it's who are you," he said dangerously.
	"Get your hands off of me," said the blond man. "Don't you know who I am?"
	"Obviously not, or I wouldn't have asked," replied Captain Lee, tightening his grip on the man's wrist. "You have three seconds to tell me your name or else. One..."
	"Or else what?" sneered the man, but that was all he said.
	"Stupefy," said Captain Lee, who then caught the man before he fell. "Stupid pureblood," he muttered under his breath. Looking around, he saw no place to hide the body until he came back, so he decided to take it with him. He summoned the lift, then cast first Incarcerous and then Mobilicorpus on the body and brought it along.
	Luckily for him the lift was empty when it arrived, and after putting the stunned body in the corner he quickly Disillusioned it in case anyone else entered the elevator. It was a good thing he did, since several people got on the lift in the atrium, most of whom gave him odd looks. Fortunately they all exited on level six, at the Department of Magical Transportation, leaving him alone to complete his journey.
	Upon reaching level five, Captain Lee again cast Mobilicorpus and levitated the body around the corner to the Ambassador's office. It wasn't until he got close to the door that it appeared, which he was glad for since he didn't know how to alert the others that he was there if it didn't. He knocked on the door, and after a moment opened it and entered.
	"God save the Queen," he said quietly, as the other two soldiers stood in defensive positions with their wands drawn.
	They both waited until the door was closed, then repeated the phrase. Captain Lee canceled the Disillusionment Charm and looked at the others. "I found him skulking about by the lifts on level nine, and he promptly challenged me. I'm not sure who he is, but he's definitely a pureblood snob." This last got some chuckles from the other two; as Muggleborns who had left the Wizarding world, none of them had much liking for purebloods.
	Turning to the soldier who had originally stayed behind, he said, "Sergeant Collins, please return to the palace and send the advance guard through, then inform Her Majesty that the Wizarding Charter has been revoked. When Her Majesty is ready to come through, I want the remainder of X Troop and all of Zed Troop to accompany her, yourself included. Also, please ask Mister Halford to come through and bring a supply of Veritaserum. We'll need it to interrogate the prisoner."
	The Sergeant saluted and replied, "Yes, sir," before Flooing back to the palace. Captain Lee then looked at the other soldier and said, "Leftenant Whitehouse, when the advance guard arrives, I want you to take them and secure levels nine and ten. Don't try to enter the Department of Mysteries, just seal the door and post at least four guards, two and two. I'm not expecting the Unspeakables to try anything, but better safe than sorry. I will wait here for Her Majesty before escorting her down; we'll have enough forces here to secure the path to the lifts without you."
	Lieutenant Whitehouse nodded. "What about him?" he asked.
	"I doubt we'll get anything useful out of him without Veritaserum," said Captain Lee, "although..." He held up a hand, then said, "Let's check his arms. A skulking pureblood makes me think he's at least a possible Death Eater. And if he is, I'm sure Her Majesty will be interested in asking him a few questions herself." He grinned at the Lieutenant, who returned it.
	After determining that there was, indeed, the Dark Mark on the prisoner's forearm, they did a complete search of the body before re-stunning and binding him. While they didn't find anything on his person, they did locate his wand inside the handle of his cane, and moved the entire assembly to the far corner just in case.
	Five minutes later, the Floo activated and eleven armed soldiers came through. Four of them immediately drew wands, while the remaining members pulled what looked like miniature submachine guns out of pockets, only to have them instantly enlarge back to full size. Once armed, they all drew themselves to attention and saluted Captain Lee.
	Captain Lee returned the salute, then looked to the soldier who had remained with him. " Leftenant Whitehouse will lead you down to the courtrooms. You are to secure the area by the lifts, the door to the Department of Mysteries, and the route to courtroom ten. Do NOT enter the Department of Mysteries, just secure the door in case anyone comes out. Anyone in or entering the secured area is to be detained and secured until Her Majesty has passed. The same goes for anyone who tries to prevent you from reaching level nine. Once Her Majesty is safely in the Wizengamot chamber we will determine what to do with anyone so detained. Any questions?"
	There was a chorus of "No, sir," along with a few head shakes. "Very well," said Captain Lee. "Get to it. God save the Queen!"
	A dozen voices echoed, "God save the Queen!" before Lieutenant Whitehouse let the group carefully out to the lifts.
	Not wanting to take chances, Captain Lee stunned his prisoner one more time as the Floo activated again signaling the imminent arrival of the Queen. A dozen more soldiers exited the Floo before a somewhat frazzled Assistant Chief Wizard, who immediately cast a cushioning charm in front of the Floo. The reason for it became immediately apparent, as before he could say anything Her Majesty stepped out of the Floo holding onto the arm of Sergeant Collins, and nearly fell before Mister Halford carefully grabbed her arm and steadied her.
	There was a collective holding of breath by everyone present, until the Queen looked around and smiled before saying, "A most unusual mode of travel. I daresay I'll be glad when I don't have to do it again." Looking at Captain Lee, she said, "Captain, please prepare your troops."
	As everybody resumed breathing, Captain Lee gave the Queen a nodding bow before looking at the soldiers who were present, even as a few more came through the Floo. "Goodman, Richards, Martin, Lloyd, secure the area in front of the lifts and summon one. If it's not empty, clear it and detain the occupants. Vicent, McGee, Hughes, Willis, secure the corridor between here and the lifts. The lifts are to the right at the end of the hall that way," pointing to the right of the door. "The rest of us will form up surrounding Her Majesty to act as a human shield. Wands and weapons ready, but remember that everyone we encounter will have a wand, so shields are critical if anything happens. Once the lift arrives and is secured, Her Majesty will ride down with Mister Halford and as many of us as will fit. I want everyone else except for the two teams securing this floor to take a second lift down if necessary."
	Looking at the prisoner lying in the corner, he pointed to him and added, "McSherry, grab the prisoner and bring him with you. You'll come down in a second lift after Her Majesty has done so. Goodman, Lloyd, take the lift down with McSherry and the prisoner, then come back up once he's got assistance from someone downstairs. And if he so much as twitches, stun him again for good measure."
	He turned to the Queen as everyone readied themselves and the two advance teams exited the now cramped office. "With your permission, Your Majesty, Mister Halford will act as your personal escort, with the rest of us around you. Should anything happen, he will be responsible for getting you back here and through the Floo to Buckingham. Agreed, Mister Halford?"
	"Yes, Captain," said Mister Halford, though he didn't look like he was totally certain. Turning to the Queen, he added, "If that's alright with you, Ma'am."
	The Queen looked at Captain Lee, nodded, then looked at Mister Halford. "Yes, Mister Halford, that's quite alright." Turning back to Captain Lee, she said, "I believe it's time to make my presence known. Please muster your troops so we can proceed."
	"Yes, Ma'am," said Captain Lee with a small bow. Turning to the assembled soldiers, he said, "Alright troops, form up on Her Majesty and let's move out!"
	Whether it was by luck, or some Magical recognition of the Queen, nobody was present in either the hallways or the lifts taking them down to level nine. As they exited the lift, Captain Lee nodded to one of the soldiers standing guard on level nine and quietly barked, "Status report!"
	"All secure, sir," responded the soldier. "It's almost too quiet, if you know what I mean."
	"Understood," said Captain Lee. Turning around, he said, "Keep your eyes peeled, everyone. This way to the courtroom, Ma'am."
	At the Queen's nod, he led them down the stairs and towards the courtroom. However, when they arrived he found that the doors were sealed. Captain Lee knocked on the doors, but there was no response. After a minute, the Queen looked to Mister Halford and said, "Would you be so kind as to act in Black Rod's stead?"
	Mister Halford gave the Queen a look of confusion, before realization set in. "Of course, Your Majesty," he replied, then stepped forward. Using his wand, he tapped sharply on the door three times and waited.
	Minister Fudge had come around while waiting for the Queen to arrive, and after having been told unequivocally to sit down and keep his mouth shut, he had done just that. Madam Bones had spoken with Harry and Sirius long enough to get the basic facts of their stories, and then had gone to speak with Percy Weasley to try and confirm what she could since she couldn't do anything more for the time being.
	The Chief Wizard had fielded a few questions from the Wizengamot, but quickly stopped answering them when it became clear that every answer was that they would have to wait for Her Majesty to answer them. When that happened, he turned around to find Albus Dumbledore waiting to speak to him.
	"Ah, Mister Adlington," he began, "it's nice to see you're doing well, even if it's not under the best of circumstances."
	The Chief Wizard looked at Dumbledore and asked, "Is there something you want, Mister Dumbledore?" He emphasized the title, causing Dumbledore to frown slightly.
	"I was wondering if you could tell me what the Queen plans to do with the Wizarding world," said Dumbledore. "After all, I am..."
	The Chief Wizard cut him off, saying, "No, Mister Dumbledore, right now you're simply a spectator, nothing more. Her Majesty's plans are not mine to tell a the moment, you'll just have to wait like everyone else for her to arrive."
	"I see," said Dumbledore. "In that case, might I speak with her once she arrives?"
	"I'll be happy to let her know," replied the Chief Wizard. "I'm sure she'll inform you when she has some time to speak with you."
	"It really is important that I speak to her immediately," implored Dumbledore. "There are things that I'm sure..."
	Suddenly, there came three sharp knocks on the door, despite the chamber being sealed. The Chief Wizard looked distracted for a moment, then said to Dumbledore, "I'm sorry, I have business to attend to. Please return to the gallery until you are called for." He turned away from Dumbledore dismissively, and gestured with his wand. The doors to the chamber unsealed and several soldiers entered, taking up defensive positions.
	Seeing this, Dumbledore backed away and returned to the gallery looking concerned.
	After the first soldiers had taken up their positions, Captain Lee followed them, and addressed the Chief Wizard. "Is the chamber secure?" he asked.
	The Chief Wizard nodded. "Yes, Captain," he replied, "All magic has been suppressed in preparation for Her Majesty's arrival. Shall I announce her?"
	Captain Lee nodded, then turned back to bring in the Queen. The Chief Wizard turned to the assembled Wizengamot and announced, "Presenting Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith."
	As he announced the Queen, she strode into the chamber and walked up to the front, where she looked over those assembled. A few members of the Wizengamot, along with Madam Bones, Harry, and Sirius stood and bowed. Several other members of the Wizengamot looked on with disdain, while the rest seemed uncertain what they should be doing. And Fudge looked like someone had just slapped him with a fish.
	The Queen gave a brief smile, but it was clear from the rest of her facial expression that it wasn't a nice one. "We have heard many things about how our Magical realm has been governed lately," she intoned, "and we are most displeased."
 *Chapter 18*: Trials and Tribulations

 	Originally Posted 1/15/16, last revised 10/27/16.
	Disclaimer:I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.
	Chapter 18: Trials and Tribulations
	"We have heard many things about how our Magical realm has been governed lately, and we are most displeased." The Queen looked around at the members of the Wizengamot, taking note of the few who were still standing, before she looked back at her Chief Wizard. "Thank you for your efforts this morning. Is there anything I should be aware of before I start making changes?"
	The Chief Wizard nodded in the direction of Percy Weasley and Madam Bones. "Mister Percy Weasley unexpectedly resigned his position with the ministry in order to attempt to provide Sir Harry with defense counsel after I was disqualified. The Minister attempted to forbid him from doing so, but Mister Weasley insisted on following his conscience. Sir Harry revoked the charter after it became clear that the Minister had no intentions of allowing him any sort of representation, as well as predetermining the outcome of the trial. Also Madam Amelia Bones claims that she has tried to curb the worst of the offenses against Your Majesty, but was unable to do much due to the tenuousness of her position. I informed her that she would have to speak to you directly if she wanted to convince you of that."
	The Queen nodded and said, "Thank you, Charles. I shall keep those things in mind."
	At this point Dumbledore stood up and looked at the Chief Wizard expectantly. The Queen ignored him, simply giving her Chief Wizard a querying look.
	"That's Albus Dumbledore, who we've discussed previously. He requested to speak to you as soon as you arrived, and I told him I would mention it to you."
	"Very well," said the Queen dismissively. "Now that you have done so, let us return to the business at hand." The Queen looked back at the Wizengamot and pointed at Umbridge, who was still slumped in her chair. "And who is that over there?"
	"That is the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister, one Dolores Jane Umbridge. I had to stun her to get her to stop ranting and raving about how we couldn't do what we were doing. Shall I revive her?"
	The Queen gave a predatory grin. "Yes, I believe so. It will be very instructive to her to witness the upcoming proceedings."
	"Yes, Ma'am," said the Chief Wizard. He pointed his wand at Umbridge and said, "Rennervate."
	Umbridge woke up, and blinked several times before focusing on the Chief Wizard. She opened her mouth to speak, but before anything came out the Queen addressed her. "Madam Umbridge!" snapped the Queen, "do not speak until spoken to! Do you understand?"
	Umbridge turned to look at the Queen, her eyes going wide. She looked like she wanted to say something else, but all that came out was a meek, "Yes, Ma'am."
	The Queen ignored the improper address and said, "Good. You would do well to pay close attention to what is about to happen, and keep it in mind before you say anything." Her gaze became even harder, and she barked out, "Where is the Minister of Magic?!"
	Fudge winced at the angry tone of her voice, then stepped forward. "I am the Minister of Magic," he began to say before he was cut off by the Queen.
	"Not anymore!" she snapped imperiously. "Cornelius Fudge, you're fired!" Turning to Captain Lee, she said, "Please take the former Minister of Magic into custody until suitable trial can be arranged."
	"B-but, you can't," sputtered Fudge, before he withered under Her Majesty's glare.
	"Are you challenging my authority again?" she asked dangerously. Fudge opened his mouth, but his brain finally got the better of him and he shut it just as quickly and simply shook his head. "Good," she said. "Captain, if you will keep Mister Fudge in the gallery in case he is needed for the remaining proceedings?"
	"Yes, Ma'am," said Captain Lee. He then went over to Fudge and pulled him off to the side, where several soldiers searched him and confiscated his wand before sitting him down in the gallery under guard.
	"Now," said the Queen, turning back to the Wizengamot, "We believe we have several trials to conduct here before we continue. We do not mean show trials, we mean real ones. Evidence will be given and just verdicts will be returned. Do we make ourself clear?"
	There was a chorus of, "Yes, Your Majesty," from the Wizengamot, though many of the members didn't look happy about it.
	The Queen nodded, then said, "Sir Harry James Potter, please step forward."
	There was a collective murmur from the Wizengamot, which stopped when the Queen glared at them. Harry approached the Queen from where he had been standing next to Sirius, bowed slightly, and said, "Your Majesty."
	"Thank you, Sir Harry, for your loyal service this morning," said the Queen. "I believe that the original trial was to be yours, correct?" Harry nodded, and she continued, "Very well. Madam Bones, as the current head of Magical Law Enforcement, please state the charges."
	Nobody in the room missed the emphasis on the word current, but to her credit Madam Bones simply nodded and said, "Yes, Your Majesty. The charges against the accused are as follows: That he did knowingly, deliberately, and in full awareness of the illegality of his actions, having received a previous written warning from the Ministry of Magic on a similar charge, produce a Patronus Charm in a Muggle-inhabited area, in the presence of a Muggle, on the second of August at twenty-three minutes past nine, which constitutes an offense under paragraph C of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, and also under section thirteen of the International Confederation of Wizards' Statute of Secrecy."
	"Thank you, Madam Bones," said the Queen. Turning to Harry, she asked, "Sir Harry, did you produce a Patronus Charm as stated in the charges?"
	Harry looked at the queen worriedly, then relaxed as he saw her nod and give him a brief smile. "Yes, Ma'am, I did cast a Patronus Charm."
	"And what was the reason for casting said charm?" asked the Queen.
	"There were two dementors attacking my cousin and me," answered Harry. There was a quiet murmur throughout the Wizengamot, and Madam Umbridge looked like she wanted to say something but couldn't.
	The Queen notice Umbridge, and asked her, "Do you have something to say, Madam Umbridge?"
	Umbridge opened her mouth to say something, then closed it again. After a moment, she shook her head.
	The Queen narrowed her eyes, then spoke to Umbridge in a dangerous tone. "Madam Umbridge, we command you to answer the following question truthfully and completely: Do you know anything about dementors in Little Whinging, Surrey, on the night of the second of August?"
	Umbridge squirmed in her chair, clearly not wanting to speak, but unable to resist the direct command of the Sovereign. "Yes, Ma'am," she said through clenched teeth, "I sent them."
	The entire Wizengamot exploded with noise, as did nearly everyone else present. This went on for a few seconds before the Queen barked, "SILENCE!" and everyone stopped. Her face turning cold, she asked menacingly, "Madam Umbridge, are we to understand that you sent those creatures to attack Sir Harry in an area where innocent civilians could have been hurt as well?"
	The Chief Wizard, his assistant, and several of the soldiers cringed, recognizing how furious the Queen was. Madam Umbridge looked scared at first, then puffed herself up and said, "Someone had to do something! Potter was challenging the Ministry and destabilizing society! Everyone was talking about how to silence him, but only I was willing to act. It had to be done." The last was said as Umbridge crossed her arms and nodded her head forcefully.
	Over in the Gallery, Fudge looked stunned at first, and then dropped his head to his chest. He had no idea Umbridge was so ruthless, and knew it would only reflect poorly on him when his trial came.
	The Queen took a moment to compose herself, as she was clearly incensed by Umbridge's admission. Finally, she looked at the members of the Wizengamot and said, "Members of the Wizengamot, we believe there is more than enough evidence to render a verdict. Madam Bones, if you will call for one?"
	"Those in favor of clearing the accused of all charges?" said Madam Bones. The assembled Wizengamot all raised their hands as one, even those who Fudge had clearly expected to vote for conviction. The only one present who didn't raise her hand was Madam Umbridge, but she was ignored. "And those in favor of conviction?"
	Umbridge started to raise her hand, but stopped when glared at by the Queen. Madam Bones nodded, then said, "The verdict is unanimous. Cleared on all charges."
	"Thank you Madam Bones," said the Queen. "Now, before we continue, we believe we have the matter of Madam Umbridge's confession to deal with."
	Umbridge looked like she'd been poleaxed. "M-my confession?" she asked plaintively.
	"If I may, Your Majesty?" asked Madam Bones. Receiving a nod from the Queen, she addressed Umbridge saying, "Did you, or did you not, just admit to sending dementors after Harry Potter in Little Whinging, Surrey, on the second of August?"
	Umbridge squirmed, then dropped her head. She mumbled something that sounded like an affirmative answer, though it could have been anything.
	"I'll take that as a yes," said Madam Bones. "Dolores Jane Umbridge, you are hereby charged with the attempted murder of Harry James Potter and at least one Muggle through improper use of dementors. How do you plead?"
	But before Umbridge could answer, the Queen spoke up. "Madam Bones," she said sternly, "We do not believe that the Ministry is the appropriate venue to charge Madam Umbridge. Additionally, since the attack occurred in a Muggle neighborhood, we feel that she should face our justice system, and not just yours."
	"What!" shouted Umbridge. "No! You can't!"
	The Queen rounded on Umbridge and glared at her. "We can, and we will," she stated imperiously.
	"I refuse!" yelled Umbridge. "You're nothing but a Muggle! You can't do this to me!" Suddenly she drew her wand and pointed it at the Queen.
	Before anyone could do anything, Harry jumped between the Queen and Umbridge and cast "Expelliarmus" at Umbridge as she shouted, "Reducto!"
	Umbridge's wand sailed out of her hand, much to the surprise of Harry and everyone else. He reflexively reached out and grabbed it, then looked speculatively at his wand. As he turned to the Queen, several soldiers rushed Umbridge and tackled her to the floor before securing her both magically and via handcuffs.
	The Queen smiled at Harry, taking Umbridge's wand as he offered it to her. "Thank you, Sir Harry, we appreciate your loyalty." Turning to face a now secured Umbridge, her face took on a frightening mien. "Dolores Jane Umbridge, we charge you with treason against the Crown. You shall be held for trial at the time and place of our choosing." Umbridge's face paled as she was picked up to carry her away, and the Queen gave her a nasty smirk. "And by the way, you're fired too."
	While the soldiers securing Umbridge carried her over towards Fudge , the Queen held out her wand towards her Chief Wizard. "Please secure this, Charles," she said.
	The Chief Wizard nodded and took the wand, placing it in the pocket of his robes.
	When the soldiers carrying Umbridge dumped her on the floor next to where Fudge was sitting, he nearly jumped to move down one seat away from her. Whether it was out of fear of guilt by association, or just fear of Umbridge herself, it was clear that the former Senior Undersecretary no longer had the backing of the former Minister.
	After Madam Umbridge had been unceremoniously dumped in the gallery, the Queen turned to Madam Bones and asked, "Are you prepared to hear testimony in the case of Sirius Orion Black?"
	Madam Bones looked uncertain, and sounded as much as well when she responded. "I don't know, Ma'am. Nobody expected him to show up, and I don't even know if there's a case file to work from. What are your expectations for a trial?"
	The Queen smiled, this time a much friendlier smile than she had given Umbridge earlier. "We believe that if you were to start with questioning Mister Black under Veritaserum, you would find that little else is required."
	Madam Bones narrowed her eyes slightly, before they went wide with understanding. "You've already questioned him, haven't you? You're expecting the outcome to go a certain way."
	The Queen nodded. "He has been questioned, and we have already rendered our own judgment in this matter. However, we believe it would be beneficial to have his case officially tried in order to ensure that the public accepts the outcome."
	Madam Bones looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded. "I can see that," she said. "Very well. Members of the Wizengamot," she said, turning to them, "we will now hear evidence in the case of Sirius Orion Black with regards to the events of the 31st of October, 1981. Please keep in mind that anything you have previously heard about this case cannot be used to render judgment; only the evidence presented here matters. Please raise your hand if you have any questions."
	Nobody raised their hand, so Madam Bones turned to where Sirius was standing on the far side of the gallery. "Sirius Orion Black," she called out. "Please come forth for trial before the Wizengamot."
	Sirius walked to the middle of the room, bowed slightly to the Queen, and sat in the witness chair. "Madam Bones," he said, "I formally request that I be questioned under Veritaserum. I believe that Mister Halford there," he pointed to a wizard standing next to the Chief Wizard, "has a supply of it for just this purpose."
	Madam Bones raised an eyebrow, then looked over towards the man Sirius had pointed out. "Mister Halford, please come forth," she said.
	He looked up, then excused himself from the Chief Wizard before walking over to Madam Bones. "Yes, Madam Bones?"
	"Please identify yourself for the record," she said.
	"Andrew Halford, Assistant Chief Wizard to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth," he replied.
	"I see," said Madam Bones. "And do you have, as Her Majesty stated, a supply of Veritaserum on hand?"
	Mister Halford reached into his pocked and pulled out a vial of clear liquid. "I do," he said.
	Madam Bones frowned. "With all due respect, Mister Halford, how are we to know for certain that this is indeed Veritaserum?"
	He pulled out his wand, held it up, and said, "I, Andrew Halford, swear on my magic that this vial contains properly brewed Veritaserum. So mote it be." There was a brief flash, and then he said, "Lumos," before quickly saying, "Nox," after his wand lit up. "Is that satisfactory?" he asked.
	Madam Bones nodded. "Yes, I think so. May I please have the vial to dose Mister Black myself?"
	Mister Halford held out the vial and said, "Please don't spill it. We will have more need of it later."
	Madam Bones stopped for a moment and looked at the Queen, who merely returned her gaze impassively. She then took the vial and went over to Sirius, who opened his mouth to be dosed.
	After dosing Sirius with the Veritaserum and ensuring that it was working, Madam Bones quickly and efficiently established that that Sirius was not responsible for betraying the Potters, nor for the supposed death of Peter Pettigrew or the 12 Muggles. There was some noise from the Wizengamot as previously "known" facts were proven to be false, but nobody questioned the new information too loudly. It wasn't until Sirius was asked how he escaped from Azkaban that any real uproar occurred, but that was mostly from the Aurors who took offense to Sirius's ease of eluding the guards.
	In the end, Sirius was cleared on all charges including the escape from Azkaban since he shouldn't have been there in the first place. He also was credited for time served for being an unregistered Animagus, and ordered to register himself as soon as possible. Given the current state of the Ministry, it was acknowledged that this might not be for a while.
	With both Harry and Sirius cleared of all charges, the two of them retreated to a corner and hugged, allowing the stress of their situations to finally melt away. There was still work to be done, and things to be sorted, but with Sirius's exoneration it just didn't feel that urgent. Besides, they were both emotionally exhausted, and so took the opportunity to recharge while talking quietly about the future.
	Once Sirius's trial was over, the Queen called her Chief Wizard over and said, "I have a question about the Oath of Magical Fealty. If I were to ask those who were bound to it to be judged by their own magics, would that work?"
	The Chief Wizard frowned for a moment, then said, "Hmm..." He ruminated on the question for a minute while the Queen waited, before saying, "I don't know, Ma'am, though I think it might work. Unfortunately, the only way I can think of to find out for certain would be to try it and see." Looking down he realized he was still holding Fudge's gavel, and held it out to the Queen. "This is the Chief Warlock's gavel, and it came to me when I took control of the wards. But perhaps it should be you who holds it, at least while you are here."
	"Thank you, Charles," she replied as she took the gavel from him. "That is exactly what I will do. Please adjust the wards to allow anyone to light up their wand."
	The Chief Wizard concentrated for a moment, then nodded to the Queen.
	Turning to the Wizengamot, the Queen raised her voice and said, "Ladies and gentlemen of the Wizengamot. May we have your attention please?" Waiting a moment while they did just that, she continued, "As we said when we arrived, we are most displeased with the way Magical Britain has been run under your watch. While we know that some of you may have done your best to see that just rule was applied, many of you clearly have not or things would not be as they are. Therefore, we charge each and every one of you with treason against the Crown."
	There were gasps from the entirety of the Wizengamot, along with Madam Bones, the Aurors, Percy, Fudge, Umbridge and Sirius.
	The Queen ignored the gasps, and continued speaking, raising the gavel in one hand as she did. "We invoke the Oath of Magical Fealty and command your Magic to judge each of you on your own merits as to whether or not you have satisfied your oath. May those who have not done so have their Magics desert them. So mote it be!"
	There was a bright flash from the head of the gavel, followed by a number of cries from the Wizengamot as everyone tried to light up their wands. A bit less than half of them did so successfully, while many people sagged in their chairs as they attempted to light their wands and failed. And one older gentleman gasped and fell over, clutching his chest.
	Madam Bones and the Aurors rushed over to him, as did the Chief Wizard. While they were unable to do any magic, the Chief Wizard performed a couple of diagnostic spells before shaking his head. "He's gone," he said quietly. "I suspect his body was too old to survive without his magic."
	The Aurors started to protest, but Madam Bones stopped them. With a hard look on her face she said, "I may not agree with Her Majesty's method, but she clearly has the authority or their Magic would not have responded." Turning to the Queen, she said, "Your Majesty, I regret to inform you that Mister McLaggen here has passed away of old age due to the loss of his magic. May we treat the body with proper respect?"
	The Queen nodded. "Please do, Madam Bones. While we are not happy with those who betrayed us, we will allow you to treat his body in accordance with your customs." She waited until Madam Bones and the two Aurors had moved the body to the back of the gallery before addressing the remaining members of the Wizengamot. "We are pleased to see that there are a number of you who still retain your magic, and thus have been found not guilty of treason. We acknowledge your innocence and grant you pardon for anything you may have done against us prior to this moment. You have been granted a second chance; see that you do not squander it.
	"For those of you who have lost your magic, you have been found guilty of treason against the Crown." The Queen stopped, thinking for a moment, before looking over to where Umbridge was being guarded. "Charles," she called to her Chief Wizard, "please give Madam Umbridge her wand. We wish to see if she still retains her Magic or not."
	The Chief Wizard nodded, then took Umbridge's wand and went to hand it to her. Umbridge's eyes were wide with fear, clearly terrified at the possible loss of her Magic. He nearly had to force the wand into her hand, and twice she nearly dropped it before he simply closed his hand around hers until it was secure. "Please, Madam Umbridge," he said, "cast Lumos."
	Umbridge shook her head, but the Chief Wizard just glared at her and repeated his request. She took a shaky breath, and stuttered, "L-l-lumos." When nothing happened, she closed her eyes, took another breath, and steadied herself before repeating more clearly, "Lumos." She opened her eyes to see the tip of her wand dark, and her face fell. She sniffled a couple of times before giving out a great wailing, "Nooooooo!" as she dropped her wand on the floor.
	The Chief Wizard picked up her wand, pocketed it, then looked at the Queen. He realized that there was no way he would be able to be heard over Umbridge's wailing, so he pointed his wand at her and said, "Silencio." Once the sound of Umbridge's voice was no longer heard, he turned back to the Queen and said, "It appears that Madam Umbridge has lost her Magic as well, presumably due to her attempted regicide."
	The Queen nodded. "As we said before, those of you who have lost their Magic, including Madam Umbridge, have been found guilty of treason against the Crown. There is only one penalty for treason , and that is death by hanging." There was a great cry from the Wizengamot, as several members began wailing, and others shouted various things ranging from pleas for mercy to invectives towards the Queen. "However," she said, raising her voice and holding out her hand palm forward, causing some of those shouting to subside. "However," she repeated, "with the exception of Madam Umbridge we will exercise the royal prerogative of mercy and withdraw the death sentence. Instead, you shall remain in custody until such time as we decide to have you released. In the case of Madam Umbridge, we shall reserve my final decision for now, but grant a stay of execution until that decision is made."
	The volume of the Wizengamot rose again, as the Queen turned away from them. "Captain Lee," she called. He came over to her and she said, "Please investigate each and every member of the Wizengamot and determine if they still have their magic or not. Those who do not are to be taken into custody until it can be determined how to deal with them."
	"Yes, Ma'am," he replied, then turned to organize his men to handle it.
 *Chapter 19*: Meet the New Boss

 	Originally Posted 1/22/16, last revised 10/27/16.
	Disclaimer:I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.
	Chapter 19: Meet the New Boss
	It took nearly a half hour to process the remaining forty-nine members of the Wizengamot, determining who was and wasn't guilty of treason and securing those who were. Of the original fifty who were present for the trial, only twenty-two of them retained their Magic, and thus were allowed to remain in their seats. At first the Queen had merely watched the proceedings, but after a couple minutes she had gone over to Harry and asked to speak with him.
	"Sir Harry," she began, "I would like to thank you again for your service today. While being granted a knighthood does not actually require it, you have demonstrated yet again why you deserve it."
	"Thank you, Your Majesty," said Harry, blushing at the compliment.
	Ignoring his embarrassment, she continued, "I would like to ask your opinion of this morning's proceedings before I arrived, and those members of the Ministry who were involved in it. Especially Madam Bones and Mister Weasley."
	Harry nodded. "My original hearing was supposed to be with Madam Bones in her office. I've been told that she's strict but fair, and that she would hear me out before passing judgment. She didn't say much during the so-called-trial, but she did overrule the Minister trying to prevent me from asking Mister Adlington to be my adviser, and later started yelling at him for calling for my conviction before any evidence was given. I don't know anything else about her, but she seems like a decent person."
	The Queen nodded. "And Mister Weasley?"
	"Percy is, well, Percy. He's one of my best mate's older brothers, and he's always been a bit of a stiff. Like he's more concerned with what the rules say than whether or not they make any sense. He hasn't been talking to his own family for a few weeks now because he sided with the Ministry's official position that Voldemort wasn't back, while the rest of the family sided with me. I'm not sure he's ever really liked me, since he was a Prefect at school my first three years and I had a tendency to break the rules on occasion." Harry looked away from the Queen, not wanting her to know just how often those occasions were.
	"Yet he came to your defense, according to Charles, did he not?" she asked.
	"He did, much to my astonishment. After disqualifying Mister Adlington, Fudge told me to 'sit down so they could get on with my conviction.' I was preparing to revoke the Charter when Percy announced himself as my adviser; I don't know who was more surprised, me, Fudge or Percy."
	"He was surprised at himself?" the Queen asked amusedly.
	"I think so, at least at first. I know I was; he'd never given any indication that he was likely to do something like that in the past. When Fudge forbid him from assisting me, he said his conscience wouldn't permit him to do that, and quit his job so Fudge would have no say in his actions. I still don't understand why he did that, but I certainly appreciate it. I think his parents would approve as well, even if they aren't on speaking terms right now."
	The Queen nodded thoughtfully. "So would you say that Mister Weasley is both honest and a stickler for the rules? And courageous enough to stand up for what he believes is right?"
	Harry nodded. "Yes, Ma'am, I'd say that's exactly what he is. He was a Gryffindor like me, and the primary trait we're sorted for is courage. I'd never really seen it in Percy before, but it took a lot to stand up to Fudge like that."
	"Thank you, Sir Harry, you've given me a number of things to think about. I believe I may have a job for Mister Weasley, once we deal with a few more things here today. Please excuse me for now, I wish to speak to Madam Bones about some things before we continue."
	"Of course, Your Majesty," replied Harry, and they went their separate ways. Harry went to talk to Percy, while the Queen called first to her Chief Wizard, and then to Madam Bones, both of whom excused themselves and went over to her.
	After speaking with Her Majesty, Harry went over to Percy who was now sitting back at the scribe's table looking rather lost. He looked up at Harry's approach and gave him a nod, but then went back to staring straight ahead.
	"Thank you," said Harry, causing Percy to look up at him.
	"What for?" asked Percy rather flatly.
	"For standing up for me," replied Harry. "For trying to ensure that they followed the rules, even though I know you don't like me very much. For putting your life, or at least your lifestyle, on the line to try and get me a fair trial. You didn't have to do that, but you did." He paused, looking Percy in they eyes before continuing, "Thanks, I owe you one."
	Percy briefly gave a wan smile, then said, "You're welcome, though I guess you didn't really need my help after all, given what happened next."
	Harry looked thoughtful, then said, "Maybe, maybe not. But that doesn't mean I don't appreciate it. You had no idea what was coming, yet you still stood up for what you believed in." Percy looked at him questioningly, but didn't say anything so Harry continued. "I was still preparing myself for revoking the Charter when you stood up and announced yourself on my behalf. Up until then I still had some lingering doubts about what I was about to do, but when you were willing to quit your job just to make sure I had a proper adviser, I knew it was the only option. That took a lot of guts, Percy; you've proven yourself to be a true Gryffindor today."
	Percy stared at Harry for a moment, then nodded. "I guess I did, didn't I. Thanks, I needed that. Now I just need to muster that courage and figure out what to do now that I don't have a job anymore. For all I know there isn't even a Ministry anymore."
	Harry smiled. "Look, I know we haven't really gotten along, and we may never be friends, but I want you to know I really respect you for what you did today. When this is over, if there's any way I can help, don't hesitate to ask." He stuck out his hand, and after a moment Percy stood up and shook it.
	"Thank you," said Percy, a little hesitantly. "It's hard for us Weasleys to accept help, but after today I'm starting to think that maybe I need to reevaluate all of my beliefs. I think maybe I should start by talking to my father, once all this is over."
	"I think he'd like that, Percy. Good luck." They shook hands one more time before Harry went back over to talk with Sirius, and Percy sat back down at the scribe's table to think.
	The Chief Wizard and Madam Bones approached the Queen, each giving a small bow and saying, "Your Majesty."
	The Queen looked first to her Chief Wizard, and then Madam Bones. "Madam Bones," she began, "my Chief Wizard tells me that you have been trying to uphold the Charter as best you can, despite the political maneuvering of the Minister and other parties. While your actions here today have shown that this may be true, we hope you'll understand if we don't take just your word for it."
	"Of course, Your Majesty," replied Madam Bones. "After what I witnessed personally this morning, I'm surprised you're even giving me a chance, in all honesty."
	"Your actions, along with Sir Harry's impression of you, have convinced us that we should at least learn more before taking any action one way or another," said the Queen. "Tell me, what do you think about the fate of the members of the Wizengamot who have lost their Magic?"
	Madam Bones was silent for a minute, knowing that her answer to this question would likely decide her own fate, or at least her job prospects. "I have mixed feelings," she finally answered. "On the one hand, the loss of one's Magic is just about the most serious penalty that could have happened to them, and many of them will have no idea how to live in our world without it, assuming their own families even acknowledge them anymore. And they definitely will have no idea how to live in your world. Plus, it's quite possible that many of them had no idea that their Wizengamot oath would make them beholden to you.
	"However, I also cannot fault your calling them on their oath, given that it was their own Magic that judged them, and penalized them according to their own individual actions. And while they may not have known what that oath entailed, they should have, and failing to learn what the oath meant before swearing it is nobody's fault but their own. I will say that I appreciate your granting mercy on them with regards to their death sentences; while I understand that's what the law calls for, I do not believe that any of them personally committed any offenses that rise to that level, even if they created an environment where others could do so."
	The Queen nodded, taking in everything Madam Bones said before responding. "We appreciate and agree with almost everything you said, Madam Bones, and we won't fault you for the one thing we disagree with since it's something that everybody will have to learn. Namely, that there is no 'our world' and 'your world' anymore. There is only one world, and we will all have to live in it together, even if certain parts are hidden from view."
	"I'm not sure that's such a good idea, Ma'am," said Madam Bones.
	"Why not?" asked the Queen, keeping her tone light.
	"Historically there have been great difficulties with our two worlds' interaction, with both sides acting against the other out of fear and prejudice. Additionally, because wizards can do things that Muggles cannot, there have been problems with jealousy, as well as wizards taking advantage of Muggles in various ways." Madam Bones looked thoughtful, then added, "There's also the simple problem of those who have Magic simply cannot 'give' any of it to those who don't, making it harder for both sides to relate to each other at times."
	"All valid points," said the Queen, "which is why we are not proposing that we simply integrate the two worlds outright. However, it occurs to me that there needs to be much closer ties between the worlds for a number of reasons. First and foremost, at least here in Great Britain, they both fall under our rule in some form or another. Secondly, while neither side is truly aware of the other, there is still a considerable amount of interaction between them whether they know it or not. And finally, much of the reason for fear and prejudice is because neither side really knows anything about the other. Do you disagree?"
	Madam Bones thought carefully about what the Queen had said. Was it really that simple? That not knowing about each other was the root cause of many of the problems? She wasn't sure she completely agreed, but she didn't completely disagree either. "No, Ma'am," she finally answered. "I'm not entirely sure about it, but I can't find fault in your ideas either. Perhaps if they were investigated carefully before anything was actually done?"
	The Queen smiled. "Yes," she thought, "I think I can work with this woman, at least for now." She looked at her Chief Wizard and said, "Do you believe you can work with Madam Bones on these issues, Charles?" The Chief Wizard nodded, and she turned back to Madam Bones. "Madam Bones, we believe that your suggestion has merit, and will be asking you to work with Mister Adlington to further investigate the issues and ultimately implement the appropriate changes. However, before we get to that there is one more matter that we wish to discuss with you.
	"While you have shown yourself to be someone that we are willing to work with, there is still the matter of how to deal with the fact that you were a significant official in a Ministry of Magic that as a whole tended to ignore the Wizarding Charter. We find ourself with a dilemma; how to trust that you or anyone else in a position of authority has truly not been working against the spirit, if not the letter, of the Charter. After all, anyone who has been working against the Crown is also most likely guilty of treason, just as the members of the Wizengamot were. Do you understand my concerns?"
	"Yes, Ma'am," said Madam Bones, trying not to sound worried. "You wish to be sure that anyone in a position of authority has not been and will not be working against you, as well as properly punishing those who were."
	The Queen's face brightened. "Yes," she said, "that's exactly what we mean. We don't wish to simply charge everyone with treason without a good reason, but we also don't want to simply take everyone's word for it."
	"If I may," interjected the Chief Wizard, "perhaps a Magical oath from the department heads that they did not act against the Wizarding Charter? Anyone unwilling to take the oath could be held for trial, while anyone to does take it could be judged by the results."
	"Would you be willing to make that oath," the Queen asked Madam Bones.
	Madam Bones made a face, clearly considering the wording of the oath and its potential consequences. "I would be willing to make an oath, but I think there needs to be a change to the wording. Rather than simply not acting against the Charter, I would be willing to swear that I did not knowingly and indifferently act against it. After all, it's not only possible but in all honesty likely that I did act against it, but only either without knowing I was, or because it was the best I could do at the time."
	The Queen nodded. "Your suggestion has merit. We do not want to punish people who were simply acting out of ignorance, though going forward they will have to learn and follow the law. Please work with Charles to draft the exact wording, and then we shall proceed with you taking the oath before we address the remaining members of the Wizengamot."
	"Yes, Ma'am," they chorused, before going over to the scribe's table to get the wording sorted.
	It only took them ten minutes to get the wording exact, since they already had the basis for it. By the time they were finished, all of the members of the Wizengamot had been sorted, with those who had lost their magic being moved to the gallery under guard. They showed the proposed oath to the Queen, who gave her approval after looking it over. She then turned towards the remaining members of the Wizengamot, who appeared to be waiting for her as they quieted down almost immediately.
	"Members of the Wizengamot, those of you who remain have already had your actions judged by Magic, and have found to have acted in an acceptable manner. We now give you the task of witnessing what is to be the first of many others being judged for their actions. Every single department head will be given the same choice: to take the oath Madam Bones is about to take, or to be held for trial on charges of treason. Anyone who refuses will be given a fair trial, and will be convicted or acquitted based on the evidence presented at that trial. Anyone who does take the oath will be judged on the result of that oath. In any event, those found guilty will be punished based on the severity of their actions, again based on the evidence presented. Are there any questions before Madam Bones takes her oath?"
	Nobody said anything, so she turned to Madam Bones and said, "Your oath, Madam..."
	Madam Bones stepped forward, then raised her wand and stated, "I, Amelia Susan Bones, swear on my magic that while employed by the Ministry of Magic I did not, knowingly and indifferently, act against the principles of the Wizarding Charter. So mote it be! Lumos." The tip of her wand lit up, before she extinguished it and looked at the Queen expectantly.
	"Thank you, Madam Bones," said the Queen, taking on a more formal air. "Of all the people in positions of responsibility in the Ministry we have seen thus far today, you have shown the most integrity and willingness to work with us rather than against us. We accept your oath as proof that you have done your best to follow our laws and thank you for your loyal service. As a reward for that service we ask you to take the position of Governor General of the Magical Kingdom of Great Britain, and to work with our representatives to bring about positive changes in our Magical realm."
	Madam Bones stared at the Queen in shock, then looked at the Chief Wizard before blurting out, "Did you know this was coming?"
	The Chief Wizard chuckled, then replied, "I had a suspicion, but no proof."
	Madam Bones gave him a half glare, before turning back to the Queen and bowing deeper than she had previously. "I'm honored, Your Majesty. I accept the position in the hopes that I will be able to leave this world a better place than I found it."
	The Queen nodded and said, "Thank you, Madam Bones. May we realize your hopes by working together. To help that process along, we would like to appoint someone to assist you with some of the more time-consuming tasks that need to be done. Percy Weasley, come forth!"
	If Madam Bones was shocked, Percy looked like he had no idea how to react. Eventually he stood, pointing to himself and asked, "Me?"
	"Yes, you, young man," replied the Queen. "We have it on good authority that you have a fondness for the rules."
	Percy stared blankly for a moment, missing the slight grin on her face, before shaking his head to clear it. "Yes, Your Majesty," he said, finally walking towards her and bowing.
	"While not a department head, we believe this task is important enough that we would ask you to take the oath voluntarily, with no repercussions should you choose not to. Are you willing to do so?"
	Percy stood up straighter and said, "I would be honored to take that oath, Ma'am." The Chief Wizard brought over the paper with the oath written on it, and Percy studied it for a moment before raising his wand. "I, Percy Ignatius Weasley, swear on my magic that while employed by the Ministry of Magic I did not, knowingly and indifferently, act against the principles of the Wizarding Charter. So mote it be!" He lit and then extinguished his wand, before turning to the Queen expectantly.
	"Thank you, Mister Weasley," she said. "On the recommendation of Sir Harry, we offer you the position of Solicitor General of the Magical Kingdom of Great Britain. Your task will be to document all of the laws of Magical Britain, compare them to the laws of non-Magical Britain, and prepare a report of the differences and what needs to be done about them. We expect that some laws will make sense, some will need to be modified, and some will simply need to be repealed. You will report to Governor General Bones, and through her to us. Do you accept this task?"
	"I-I," he stammered, before swallowing hard. "I am honored to accept, Your Majesty," he finally said, bowing deeply as Madam Bones had. "Thank you for giving me this opportunity."
	"You're most welcome, young man. If you need any assistance, make sure you ask Governor General Bones or Mister Adlington," she replied.
	"I will, Ma'am, and thank you again," he said, clearly overwhelmed by the Queen's generosity. An amused Madam Bones led him back to his seat while his head was clearly spinning, trying to get it wrapped around everything that had happened this morning. He had no idea how difficult the job would be, but right now he really didn't care; in the span of an hour he had gone from quitting his job at the Ministry, in a way that would probably see him blacklisted no less, to having been given a new job directly by the Queen. And he had no doubts that the latter was as much due to Harry Potter as the former. He definitely needed to reconsider his opinion of Harry, or at least his attitude towards him.
	As Madam Bones was helping Percy over to his seat, the Queen motioned to Captain Lee who came over and bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty?" he asked.
	"I believe you have a prisoner to be questioned," she replied.
	"Yes, Ma'am, I do"
	"I believe that now would be a good time to do that, while everyone is still present. The answers we receive may go a long way to securing further cooperation from those who remain in positions of authority."
	"Yes, Ma'am. I'll have him brought in right away." At the Queen's dismissal, he went over to another soldier and spoke to him briefly, sending him to go get the prisoner.
	"Madam Bones," the Queen called out. Waiting a moment until Madam Bones had come back over to her, she continued in a quieter voice, "We have two things to discuss with you. First, Captain Lee is bringing in someone who was taken into custody while he secured the route for our arrival. He has requested that the prisoner be questioned under Veritaserum, though we don't know the exact reasons for it. However, we consider it sufficient that he believes it is necessary, and so we are approving it. Second, once that has been concluded, you will need to determine the loyalty of your own employees first, and then bring the department heads here so that they may be given the option of taking the oath or not."
	Madam Bones nodded. "Your Majesty, may I make the same offer regarding the oath to my staff that you made to Mister Weasley? I will need to investigate further anyone who refuses, but taking that oath will go a long way towards determining who I should or shouldn't trust."
	"Do you have any other ways to determine the loyalty of those who refuse?" asked the Queen.
	"If needed, I can question them under Veritaserum as long as two senior Aurors approve the questions beforehand," replied Madam Bones. At the Queen's questioning look, she added, "It's a way of preventing abusive questioning, while still allowing those who are suspected of impropriety to be questioned if the evidence is sufficient. In this case, so long as I keep the questions on point, I think I can get sanction from anyone whose loyalty doesn't lie elsewhere."
	"Very well," said the Queen. "We approve of your plan. Please speak with Captain Lee and Mister Adlington so you can assist with questioning the prisoner."
	"Thank you, Your Majesty," said Madam Bones. She waited to be dismissed, before heading over to the Chief Wizard. Just as she approached him, the door opened and a soldier walked in carrying someone over his shoulder. She watched as he was brought in, but couldn't see who it was until the soldier turned away from her to speak with Captain Lee.
	"Bloody hell," she swore under her breath when she realized who it was.
	The Chief Wizard looked up at her, then over to where she was looking, before asking, "I take it you recognize him?"
	"I certainly do. That's Lucius Malfoy," she said. "I've long suspected he's been bribing the Minister, but I haven't been able to even investigate it. Not to mention the fact that he got away with claiming he was under the Imperius curse during the last war."
	At this point Captain Lee came over to them, leading the soldier carrying Malfoy. "Madam Bones, Mister Adlington," he said. "I found this gentleman," he coughed as he said the last word, "skulking around the lifts when I went to inform Her Majesty that the Charter had been revoked. He chose to challenge me when I approached." He grinned sardonically and added, "He lost."
	Madam Bones couldn't help but chuckle softly. Lucius Malfoy was known to be big on words, but she always suspected that he wouldn't fare well in a stand up fight. "I look forward to questioning him," she said.
	"Indeed?" asked Captain Lee. "Do you know who he is? He refused to give me his name, so I stunned him to be questioned later. He might have had a good reason for being there, but the presence of the Dark Mark on his arm makes me think otherwise."
	"The Dark Mark is back?" asked Madam Bones. "I seem to recall it had faded when he claimed he was under the Imperius curse to escape punishment."
	Captain Lee looked around and spotted the prisoner's chair in front of the Wizengamot. "Can we put him in that?" he asked, pointing to the chair. "Then you can see for yourself."
	Madam Bones nodded, and they all moved over to assist McSherry with placing his burden in the chair. As he was arranged in the chair, his bare left forearm showed the Dark Mark, visible for all to see. As others in the room noticed Malfoy being placed in the prisoner's chair, there were quiet murmurs around the chamber, but no outcry like before.
	"So it is back," said Madam Bones, before she looked at the Chief Wizard and said, "I believe you should be able to secure him to the chair with your control over the wards."
	The Chief Wizard concentrated for a moment, before the chains hanging from the chair secured Malfoy to it. Once Malfoy was secured, he called for Mister Halford to bring the Veritaserum to question the prisoner.
 *Chapter 20*: The Times They Are a-Changin

 *Chapter 21*: Ruminations

 	Originally Posted 2/19/16, last revised 10/27/16.
	Disclaimer:I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.
	Chapter 21: Ruminations

	Albus Dumbledore sat in the observers' gallery, watching the proceedings and thinking on both what he'd seen, as well as what he'd been told to expect after things were finished here. He knew from the start that today wasn't likely to go his way, but when he first arrived at the Ministry he had no idea exactly how far from it things were going to go.
	It had started with the Minister's refusal to stop the sham that was Harry Potter's trial, not that he had expected him to stop it. But when Harry had arrived and refused to even discuss his defense, he knew it would only go downhill from there. His shock at seeing Sirius Black in the courtroom was only compounded by Sirius's open presentation as Harry's adviser, followed by concrete proof that Sirius had never gotten a trial. At that point he knew he had lost control of Harry, but he had still had hopes that he'd be able to influence things his way; after all, it was for the greater good.
	With the arrival of the Queen's Chief Wizard, and the subsequent revocation of the Wizarding Charter, that last vestige of hope was lost. Worse yet, the arrival of the Queen herself, with first his snubbing, and later dressing down, had shown everyone just how little influence he retained in the new regime. Now, as he watched yet more changes being made right before his eyes, he considered his remaining options as well as his original plans.
	Madam Bones was currently going through the department and sub-department heads, asking for their oath and taking those who wouldn't or couldn't into custody. She'd already cleared out the Auror corps, which resulted in a few surprises but no major revelations. There were half a dozen Aurors waiting to be questioned under Veritaserum, along with two who were being held for further investigation after being questioned, but the remainder of them had either taken the oath successfully or had sufficiently passed questioning to be retained on active duty.
	There were also two Death Eaters who worked in the Ministry currently in custody, bound and stunned, awaiting transferal to Her Majesty's custody. Yaxley had been taken by surprise during the cleanup of the DMLE, and the presence of the Dark Mark had been confirmed here in the courtroom for all to see. Macnair had actually put up a fight, according to the team sent to capture him, but they had anticipated it and there were only minor injuries reported. He too had had the Dark Mark confirmed in the courtroom, and the entire Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures had been placed on lockdown until everyone in it had been cleared. As it was, the head of the department had yet to report for work, meaning everyone else was stuck there waiting for him.
	He looked up from his contemplation after hearing a familiar voice and saw Arthur Weasley speaking to Madam, make that Governor General Bones. After a moment, Mister Weasley raised his wand and took the oath that everyone had been asked to take, then proved its validity by lighting his wand. Governor General Bones nodded and thanked him, and he turned to move away before spotting Dumbledore sitting in the gallery.
	Mister Weasley approached Dumbledore with a concerned look on his face, and asked, "Albus, are you alright? You don't look well."
	Dumbledore gave a wan smile and replied, "No, Arthur, I probably don't. And I honestly don't know if I'm alright or not. I feel like everything I've worked towards for so long has come crashing down, and I don't know what I can do about it."
	Mister Weasley nodded, not knowing what to say to that. "Well, I've been told that I need to wait a few before I can return to my office. Can you tell me what happened with Harry? And how is it that the Wizarding Charter was revoked? Madam Bones told me not to worry about it for now, but I need to tell Molly and the children something when I get home."
	Albus nodded. "Harry was cleared of all charges, as was Sirius. But before that happened it was clear that Fudge was trying to force a guilty verdict before even holding a trial. In fact, it was that action which resulted in Harry revoking the Charter."
	"Harry?" exclaimed Mister Weasley, "but how is that possible?"
	"I believe that the Queen had previously given him the authority to revoke it in her name. I don't think he really wanted to, but after Percy came to his defense, and even quit the Ministry after Fudge ordered him to stop, I guess he felt he had no choice."
	"Percy came to Harry's defense?"
	"Yes, he did. You should be proud of your son, he stood up for what was right, rather than what was easy..." Dumbledore trailed off, his mind suddenly whirling about many different things.
	Mister Weasley looked around the courtroom, finally spotting Percy on the far side talking to a couple of Aurors. Not realizing that Dumbledore was already lost in his own thoughts, he excused himself to go speak to his son.
	Percy Weasley was busy, but happy. While not part of his official job at this point, he had retaken the position of scribe while Aurors who had not taken the oath were being questioned under Veritaserum. Much to his relief, most of those questioned had not revealed any significant misdeeds, and with one exception everyone had cooperated without needing to draw wands. The one time it had happened, he'd ducked behind his table, only to emerge embarrassedly after it was over. He was currently finishing up annotating the latest Auror's transcript when he saw his father approaching.
	"Hello, Percy," said Mister Weasley. "I hear you've had an exciting day."
	Percy gave a little smile, which his father returned. "You could say that, though I think the word I'd choose is unbelievable." He paused for a moment, then continued. "Thank you for our discussion earlier this week. I know we haven't seen eye-to-eye lately, but you helped me understand that I needed to look at things from a different perspective."
	"I'm proud of you, son," said Mister Weasley, putting an arm around Percy's shoulders. "I know it must have been hard, but from what I heard you did the right thing. I know things will be hard without a job, so if you need to you're always welcome to move back home with your mother and I."
	Percy gave his father a confused look for a moment, then broke into a big smile. "Ah, about that. Yes, I did quit my job, but I've already gotten a new one. From the Queen herself, in fact."
	Mister Weasley stared at his middle son dumbfoundedly, his mouth flapping up and down making unintelligible noises. Finally he was able to say, "What?" before his words failed again.
	"After the Charter was revoked," said Percy, "Harry apparently talked to the Queen about me, and put in a good word. She offered me the job of researching and reconciling Wizarding and Muggle law, and preparing a detailed report for her on what's different and what needs to be changed in some way or another. It's going to be a lot of work, but I'm up for the challenge, and when I'm done I can probably get any job in the new Ministry I want."
	"Wow," said Mister Weasley, drawing Percy into a hug. "I know I already said it, but I'm very proud of you, son. And I know your mother will be as well."
	An embarrassed Percy returned the hug and replied, "Thank you. Now, since I can't really get started until the rest of this is done, I need to get back to acting as scribe so we can finish clearing the last of the Aurors." He pulled away gently, and Mister Weasley let him go.
	"Alright, Percy, good luck. And please, once things get settled a little, come home for dinner. Just send us an owl so we know when to expect you."
	Percy nodded. "I will, Dad. Say hi to Mum and everyone else for me."
	Mister Weasley nodded and patted Percy on the shoulder, then turned and walked away while Percy went back to his papers.
	Albus Dumbledore's thoughts were whirling. As crazy as today had been, it was nothing compared to the self-analysis he was performing after talking to Mister Weasley. He'd always chosen the right path over the easy one, hadn't he? While he had always advocated it, he'd never really assessed his own behavior to determine whether he'd actually followed his own advice. Now, after being treated by the Queen like a first year caught out of bounds after curfew, he was taking a look at his own behavior for the first time since dealing with the death of his sister.
	"You have held multiple positions of power in the Magical world for many years," the Queen had said, "and yet you have done nothing with them to improve your world." Was that really true? Wasn't he the Leader of the Light? Hadn't he worked for the greater good and kept the Darkness at bay? Only he knew that Voldemort would return, and that only Harry Potter would be able to permanently defeat him. And it was only after Voldemort's final defeat that things could really change. Wasn't it?
	As the thoughts went round and round his head, one thing slowly became clear to him. Even if he had been right before, even if he'd done the best he could for the world around him, that world was different now. And while he had never been completely in charge, the influence he used to wield was mostly, if not completely gone. If Albus Dumbledore was to remain relevant in the new Magical Britain, he was going to have to find a new way of influencing people and events. The question was, would anybody listen to him?
	He didn't have an answer to that, and as his mind continued to whirl he knew that if one came he might not like what he found. As a thought exercise he tried to focus on something, anything really, that he could follow a specific line of reasoning from start to finish and see where he might be able to salvage something, but there was too much going on. Eventually he had to fall back to using Occlumency to try and clear his mind just to settle things down, but even then it was going to take time to make some headway.
	Dumbledore's thoughts were interrupted by a commotion in the entrance to the courtroom. Two Aurors were carrying a woman in between them, while she was shouting at them to put her down and other invectives. A third Auror followed a couple strides behind, out of arm's reach, carrying a wand that was probably hers. As they approached Governor General Bones, he recognized her as Madam Edgecombe from the Floo Network office, who was also the mother of one of his students.
	Madam Bones looked up from the Auror questioning transcript she was reading and took in the sight before her. "Auror Savage," she intoned, "please explain."
	Before the Auror could say anything, Madam Edgecombe launched into a tirade about being accosted in the Floo Regulation office and ordered to disrobe.
	Madam Bones let her ramble for a moment before holding up a hand and saying, "Enough. You will get a chance to speak once I determine what's happening. Auror Savage, report."
	"Yes, Ma'am. We were checking everyone in the Department of Magical Transportation for Dark Marks when Madam Edgecombe refused to comply. Since we didn't have any female Aurors with us, and given the level of protest she raised, we decided to simply bring her down here on suspicion of possessing the Dark Mark and having you explain things to her."
	Madam Edgecombe began to splutter, and was again silenced by a look from Madam Bones. "Madam Edgecombe, you have a simple choice. You can either bare your forearms and let us see whether or not you have a Dark Mark, or I will simply order your sleeves removed to achieve the same result. Which will it be?" asked Madam Bones.
	"You can't do this to me," shouted Madam Edgecombe, "I know my rights as a pureblood!"
	Madam Bones gave a hard-edged smile, and said, "Things have changed, Madam. By order of Her Majesty the Queen, everyone entering or present in the Ministry is to be checked for the Dark Mark. As Governor General of Magical Britain, it is my job to enforce Her Majesty's orders. Now bare your forearms, or I'll do it for you!"
	Madam Edgecombe's face fell as Madam Bones explained the new state of affairs, then turned fearful as she was again ordered to bare her forearms. She tried to fight once more, but Madam Bones was having none of it. Pulling her wand, she pointed it at Madam Edgecombe and said, "Stupefy."
	Madam Edgecombe slumped, unconscious, and the Aurors took the time to check her forearms. When they did so, the reason for her reluctance to show them was clear, as the Dark Mark showed clearly on her left forearm. They then cut her left sleeve off to prevent any questions about its presence, before binding her both magically and physically. The were about to take her over to where Yaxley and Macnair were being kept, but Madam Bones stopped them.
	"Rennervate," she said, waking Madam Edgecombe back up. Madam Edgecombe's eyes went wide as she realized her Dark Mark was exposed, and that while no longer stunned she was thoroughly restrained. "Madam Edgecombe," said Madam Bones, "as you are in possession of the Dark Mark, you are hereby charged with treason and sedition against the Crown. You will be remanded to the custody of Her Majesty's Magical Military Squad for interrogation, after which your fate will be determined by Her Majesty's courts. I would advise you to cooperate as fully as possible, as the penalty for treason is death by hanging." Turning to the Aurors holding her, she added, "Put her with the other traitors," before turning her back.
	As Madam Edgecombe was re-stunned and placed with the other two prisoners in possession of the Dark Mark, Dumbledore shuddered and decided that he did not want to get on Governor General Bones's bad side either.
	It was nearly noon when Her Majesty and company returned to Buckingham Palace via the Floo from the Crown Ambassador's office. The first thing the Queen did was declare that there had to be a better way to get to and from the Ministry; Harry couldn't help but agree with her, but the Crown Wizards who were waiting for them apologetically stated that there unfortunately wasn't. After asking them to investigate the possibilities, she turned to Captain Lee and said, "Captain, I need you to take care of three things for me right away."
	"Yes, Ma'am," replied Captain Lee, giving a nodded bow.
	"First, have your men find a place where Madam Umbridge can be quietly kept in isolation for a few weeks. I want to give her an opportunity to think about her crimes before I give her a final chance at repentance. She is to be fed appropriately but plainly, and other than the times she is fed or taken for showers and exercise, she is to have no interaction with anyone. You may keep her stunned until you place her into her cell, but afterwards no magic is to be performed around her. Am I clear?"
	"Yes, Ma'am," he responded. "I know just the place."
	"Good. Second, I want you to take Mister Malfoy and give him a full military interrogation. Double check what we already know, and find out anything else you can. Make a note of whether or not he cooperates, and let him know what awaits him for certain if he doesn't. Also, be prepared to do the same with any other prisoners that Madam Bones sends to us. If you need Magical assistance with the interrogation, the Crown Wizards will be at your disposal."
	"Yes, Ma'am."
	"Finally, I want to see you and Major French in my study at three o'clock this afternoon to discuss how to deal with this terrorist organization and eliminate the threat to the realm. I do not expect to have an answer by then, just a discussion of what we can and should do."
	"We'll be there, Ma'am. May I dismiss my men to return to their duties?"
	"Yes, Captain, and thank you all for your service this morning."
	Captain Lee gave a slightly deeper bow, then turned to his men. "Lansdell, Penfold, bring the prisoners and place them in the holding cells while we organize transport for prisoner number one. Prisoner number two is to be watched at all times by at least one Wizard. I want everyone else in the briefing room in ten, make that fifteen minutes. Dismissed!"
	The soldiers moved out one and two at a time, until only Captain Lee was left. He turned back to the Queen and said, "By your leave, Ma'am?"
	"Of course, Captain. I will see you this afternoon at three."
	"Yes, Ma'am," said Captain Lee. He then gave another small bow before turning and leaving as well.
	The Queen watched them go, then turned to Harry and Sirius and softened her expression. "Sir Harry," she said, "I would be pleased to have you and your godfather join me for lunch. While we have discussed much about the situation with the Magical world, I would like to get to know my newest knight a little better without the urgency of your trial hurrying us along."
	"Thank you, Ma'am" said Harry, looking over at Sirius. Getting a nod in response, he continued, "We would be honored to join you."
	"Very good," replied the Queen. Looking over at one of the Crown Wizards, she asked, "Will you please escort Sir Harry and Mister Black to freshen up, and then bring them to my private dining room." Addressing the other, she added, "Please summon my steward."
	Both wizards chorused, "Yes, Ma'am." The one she addressed second picked up the phone to call for a steward, while the first said, "If you'll follow me, please," and led Harry and Sirius out of the Crown Wizards' office.
	Harry and Sirius ate a quiet lunch with the Queen, with Her Majesty asking questions about their lives and Harry and Sirius doing their best to answer them. It was hard for Harry to open up about his time at the Dursley's, but Her Majesty seemed to know when to push and when to back off, and he found himself relaxing a little and telling her more than he expected. In many ways, she reminded him of how he had first thought of Dumbledore; she was a famous, powerful person who could also be a kind grandparent when she wanted to be.
	As he was answering a question about his schooling before Hogwarts, admitting that he had lowered his performance to avoid getting better grades than Dudley, he realized that he was telling the Queen things that he'd never even told Sirius. He looked at his godfather, who was watching him with sadness in his eyes. As he finished his story, Sirius gave him a wan smile, and he felt his own eyes tearing up.
	"I'm sorry I never told you," said Harry.
	Sirius shook his head. "It's OK, we'll have plenty of time to talk about the past. I'm just glad you're getting it off your chest."
	The sat there for a few seconds, looking at each other and thinking about future conversations, before the Queen cleared her throat to get their attention.
	"Mister Black," she said, "If I remember correctly, last night you requested to formally adopt Sir Harry in the non-Magical world, yes?"
	Sirius nodded at her, then looked at Harry. "Assuming you still want to, pup?"
	Harry nodded then looked at the Queen. "Yes, I'd like that very much."
	The Queen smiled, saying, "That answers my next question, thank you. While I cannot simply make it happen, I would be happy to assist in that process in any way that I can. If nothing else, I can put you in touch with an excellent solicitor with experience in adoption cases and provide a reference if needed." The last was said with a slight smirk, causing Harry and Sirius to chuckle.
	"Yes, please," answered Sirius. "I wouldn't have the foggiest idea of what to do, I just know I don't want anything to prevent Harry and I from being together as a family."
	Harry just nodded, tears of happiness dripping slowly down his face as he was overcome by emotion. He had only vaguely remembered the conversation from last night because he had been so tired, but now it came back to him clearly. Sirius planned to adopt him in both worlds, and one way or another they were going to be a family.
	The Queen nodded, and they finished their meal in silence, each just enjoying the knowledge that things were going to work out for them.
 *Chapter 22*: What Title to Use?

 	Originally Posted 3/4/16, last revised 10/27/16.
	Disclaimer:I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.
	Chapter 22: What Title to Use?

	After lunch, the Queen dismissed Harry and Sirius, asking them to come back for the three o'clock meeting with Major French and Captain Lee. They had returned to their rooms where they'd each taken a brief nap, enjoying the comfort of the beds for a second time.
	They'd had to get back up all too soon, but both felt refreshed and ready to face the coming discussion. Neither was certain exactly how the MMS would handle Voldemort, but they knew it was likely to be something they weren't expecting. The were escorted back to the Queen's Study shortly before three, and were joined by the two soldiers a minute later. At exactly three, the steward knocked on the door, and when it opened he announced the Queen's guests and led them in.
	After the initial pleasantries, the Queen got down to business, addressing Major French. "Major, as I'm sure you've been briefed already, there is a Magical terrorist group operating on British soil. The last time they did so they engaged in open warfare against British subjects, both Magical and non-Magical. This is not acceptable, and I expect you to deal with them post-haste. This is now a Ministry of Defence operation, and I expect you to use all available resources to eliminate the threat. Have I made myself sufficiently clear?"
	The Major nodded and said, "Yes, Ma'am. We will do our best to eliminate the threat as soon as possible. If I may ask a few questions about our remit?"
	"You may," she said.
	"Are there any Magical resources we can call upon to assist with any operations we undertake, or is the Magical Military Squad the only source of wizards I may call upon?"
	"I will make the Crown Wizards available to you if they can be of assistance, but other than that I do not think there are sufficient resources from the former Ministry of Magic to supplement your forces. I will ask, but plan for now as though the answer is no."
	"Thank you, that will make planning clearer. Are we required to take these terrorists alive, or are we permitted to eliminate them?"
	"Anyone who surrenders or otherwise voluntarily gives themselves up is to be treated as a prisoner and charged with treason and sedition. Anyone engaging in hostile activity is to be considered an unlawful combatant and may be treated accordingly. Additionally, anyone in possession of the Dark Mark should be assumed to be armed and dangerous, as well as having a history of committing violent offenses. I will not order you to take any particular action when dealing with them, but I do not expect many of them to give up easily, if at all."
	Major French and Captain Lee both nodded, as did Harry and Sirius after a minute.
	"I believe we have an understanding, Your Majesty," said the Major. "Do we have any ideas where this organization is based at this time? I know the one prisoner you interrogated already was unable to provide that information."
	"Not that I am aware of, unless Sir Harry or Mister Black have any suggestions," said the Queen.
	The Major looked at Harry and Sirius, who thought for a moment. "I don't know if he's staying there, but he pointed out his father's house in the distance after he was resurrected in the graveyard. But I only know his name, Tom Riddle, and nothing else."
	"What about Snape?" asked Sirius.
	"Of course!" said Harry, snapping his fingers. "Malfoy said Snape was thought to have been a traitor, but that implies he's not actually, or possibly is a double agent."
	"Do you know where to find this Snape," asked the Major.
	"He's probably at Hogwarts," replied Sirius. "Between his teaching and spying for the Order, Dumbledore likes to keep him close. Plus, if he's really working for Dumbledore he might be just who you need to infiltrate Voldemort's camp."
	Both the Major and Captain Lee chuckled at this. The Queen said, "May I ask what's so funny?"
	At Her Majesty's inquiry, both soldiers stopped and Major French said, "We have no intention of infiltrating his operation unless we absolutely have to. We just need to know where it is, and then we'll move against them hard and fast."
	"Understandable," she said. "What about the potential for civilian casualties?"
	"That's why we need to find their base fast. If we can find it soon enough, we can get Sport and Social, I mean SAS, to clear out the civilians quietly before we strike. But that assumes we can find them in time to move non-Magical troops in to assist. Otherwise, we'll just have to go in quickly and hope for the best."
	"Well, I'd say Snape's your best chance to find him quickly," said Sirius. "He'll probably be summoned to give Dumbledore's side of things as soon as Voldemort hears about what's happened to the Ministry."
	"Then I think we need to get him and interrogate him right away," said the Major. "In the meantime, I'll see if we can get SAS on alert to help us, along with out friends in the RAF."
	"The RAF?" asked the Queen worriedly. "You're not thinking of bombing them, I hope."
	"Not exactly, Ma'am," replied Captain Lee. "We need to take out their wards, and we've come up with a way to do it using physics. We use inert training bombs with special runes painted on them as wardbusters. There's no explosives involved, and it should only take one or two to do the job. Once the wards are down, we can go it and do our thing as needed."
	"As long as there's no danger to the public," she said, not sounding convinced.
	"We won't use them if there is," said Major French. "But I'd rather have them on standby than not have them available when we need them."
	"Very well. And once the wards are down?"
	"We treat them like any other terrorist group. We go in hard and fast, and anything that isn't actively surrendering gets taken down. The only difference is that the targets are using wands instead of guns. While we've never actually had to do it, this is what we've all been trained for, and now it's time to put that training to good use."
	Captain Lee was just nodding in agreement, while Harry and Sirius both looked unsure of what to say. Her Majesty looked thoughtful for a moment, then gave a sharp nod. "Indeed it is, Major. Please keep me informed of any progress you make towards resolving this issue, but I won't take up any more of your time, nor do I need to know any operational details. I will inform the Prime Minister that he is to provide full support to your operation, and will make sure that both the Defence Minister and the Home Secretary are informed as well within the bounds of the Statute of Secrecy. If you need SAS support, you'll get it."
	"Thank you, Ma'am", he replied. "Is there anything else you wish to discuss before we move out?"
	"No, I don't think so." She turned to Harry and Sirius. "Sir Harry, Mister Black, I would ask that you remain here at Buckingham Palace until this operation is complete. Both for your safety, as well as for your knowledge of the enemy. I will make sure you have access to anything you need, and that you're not too bored." The last was said with a grin, which Harry and Sirius returned.
	"Thank you, Ma'am", said Sirius. "Perhaps you can have someone assist me with the paperwork needed to adopt Harry while we're waiting?"
	"I believe I can do that, yes," she said, and pushed a button on her phone. "Major, Captain, please provide a daily summary briefing for my morning reports, and if you need to speak with me let my scheduler know. I'll make her aware that you have priority."
	"Yes, Ma'am, thank you, Ma'am" said the Major.
	The door buzzed and the Queen pushed the button to unlock it. A steward entered and bowed, saying, "Ma'am?"
	"Sir Harry and Mister Black will be remaining here at Buckingham for a few days while some matters are sorted out. Please escort them to a small conference room, then notify Mister Adlington's office where they are in case they need to speak to them. Also, please ensure that their accommodations are maintained until they leave."
	"Yes, Ma'am. Anything else?" asked the steward.
	"While I know this goes without saying, I will stress the need for discretion regarding their presence here until I say otherwise," said the Queen seriously.
	"I understand, Ma'am. It won't be a problem."
	"Thank you," replied the Queen. She turned to Harry and Sirius, saying, "I will send a message to Mister Adlington's office requesting that they provide you with the necessary paperwork and someone to assist you if needed."
	"Thank you, Ma'am," chorused Harry and Sirius, who then grinned at each other.
	"You're most welcome," she replied, clearly dismissing them. She then turned to the soldiers and said, "Major, Captain, I look forward to your report in the morning, and leave you to your duties."
	Both stood and saluted, saying, "Yes, Ma'am," before turning and departing. Harry and Sirius also stood, bowed and said, "Ma'am", before turning and following the steward out.
	Once she was alone, the Queen allowed herself to relax a little and spend a minute collecting her thoughts before she turned to see what she could accomplish before tea time. As much as she agreed with the necessity of everything that was happening, she wished she could have pawned some of it off onto Prince Charles to deal with.
	Unfortunately, between his own personal issues regarding his separation from Diana, combined with the events surrounding the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, he was just too visible right now to disappear for a couple of days to deal with this. While she, too, had a rather high profile, her schedule had allowed her to disappear for a morning, as well as scheduling a few unplanned meetings without upsetting too many people. Perhaps it was for the best that Charles was in the spotlight right now, it kept a lot of eyes off of her so long as she wasn't too blatant about things.
	As five o'clock approached, Madam Bones was gratified to see that the list of people who still needed to be cleared was rapidly dwindling to nothing, and that there hadn't been any more Death Eaters found among the Ministry employees and visitors. They had finally administered the oath to all of the department heads, and were nearly finished searching all of the active employees for the Dark Mark. In addition to three department heads who had refused to take the oath, they had arrested five others who had resisted the search for the Dark Mark, not including the three Death Eaters and two Aurors who had proven to be untrustworthy under Veritaserum.
	Of those five employees, at least one of them would likely be released without a trial; rumor had it that they were an unexposed werewolf, but under the new rules she didn't think that would be considered a crime by itself. They would certainly be investigated, but unless they had done something else worthy of being tried, she had more important things to worry about. Plus, given Her Majesty's emphasis on removing inequality, she suspected that more than just werewolves would be seeing their rights increased in short order.
	Her thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of a soldier she hadn't seen before. He walked over to her and saluted, saying, "Major French sends his compliments, Ma'am," before holding out a folded letter.
	She took the paper and looked him over briefly, noting the name on his uniform before replying, "Thank you, Leftenant Flinn. Do you require a response?"
	"No, Ma'am, but I do need to speak to Leftenant Whitehouse," he said.
	"Very well, you may continue your duties," she said, dismissing him before she opened the letter and read it. After reviewing it twice, she folded it back up and looked around the chamber, spotting her target in a corner of the gallery. Raising her voice in his direction, she stated, "Albus Dumbledore, please come here."
	Dumbledore looked up at the mention of his name, then shook his head as though to clear it before standing and making his way down to the floor. He approached Governor General Bones cautiously, noting the serious expression on her face. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, he said, "Yes, Governor General, how may I be of assistance?"
	"Albus," she said, softening her expression slightly, "We've known each other long enough that you may still call me Amelia, as long as you don't make me come down on you in an official capacity."
	Dumbledore nodded, slightly relieved, then said, "Thank you, Amelia, though I fear I may do that even unintentionally."
	Madam Bones smiled and said, "Then you should listen to me very carefully so that you understand your instructions and carry them out appropriately." She hardened her expression again as she finished, causing Dumbledore's eyebrows to raise as he nodded. "I'm glad we understand each other, Albus. The MMS has requested that Professor Snape be given to them right away so that they can question him about the so-called Dark Lord. You are to return to Hogwarts with an escort as soon as they are ready, and once there you are to summon Snape immediately to be handed over to them."
	Dumbledore started to open his mouth to say something, but Madam Bones headed him off with a look and a sharp, "Don't interrupt, Albus, or do I have to call you Mister Dumbledore?" He closed his mouth and shook his head, motioning for her to continue.
	"Thank you," she continued. "As you know, Snape has been named as having the Dark Mark, and everyone in possession if it is to be arrested and tried. I have been given assurances that if Professor Snape cooperates fully, the charges will be reduced at the very least if not dropped completely. It has also been implied that if he resists they will not hesitate to take him down hard, so I suggest you convince him to cooperate, at least with being taken into custody." She motioned for him to speak, indicating she was done for now.
	"Professor Snape has my complete trust..." Dumbledore started.
	"And that is irrelevant, Mister Dumbledore," interjected Madam Bones. "Regardless of whether or not you trust him, Her Majesty does not trust you. And while I may personally have some faith in you, as Her Majesty's appointed administrator of Magical Britain I have no choice but to put that faith aside and follow her example. The orders issued to the MMS are very clear; Snape is to be taken into custody using any means necessary to do so. I suggest you think about what that includes, both for yourself and your associate. Now, so you understand your instructions so far?"
	Dumbledore stared at her for a moment, feeling her Occlumency shields preventing even the lightest of surface scans. Realizing he would get nothing more from her, he blinked before she did, then nodded. "Yes, Amelia, I understand," he said, sounding slightly defeated.
	"Good," she said. "Now, Albus, I have something else to ask of you. This is not something that Her Majesty has requested, but something that I am requesting from you. I'd prefer you to do it as a favor to me, but if needed I'll make it an order as Governor General."
	"I'll try, Amelia," he replied.
	"When you get back to Hogwarts, please don't send out messages to everyone about what happened. I know it's going to get out quickly, but I want to be the one to send the official message, and if you send something out people are not likely to listen to anyone else. I'll let you know when it's okay to do so in a couple of days, but I need time to consolidate things before peoples' loyalties get any more divided than they already will be. Can you do that for me, Albus?"
	Dumbledore looked at her, trying to read her without Legilimency. After a moment he nodded, saying, "I'll give you a couple days, Amelia, but I really do have things that need to be discussed with others about what has happened here. Not to mention Hogwarts business to conduct."
	"I understand, Albus," she said. "I'll try to make it that fast, but it may be a little longer. Please try to work with me on this; if you can, it will also look good to Her Majesty when she comes to talk to you as well."
	Dumbledore nodded, understanding the implied threat as well as the request. "Alright, Amelia, I suppose I should prepare to return to Hogwarts and speak to Professor Snape. If I may?"
	"Just remember what I said. It's in his best interest to cooperate fully, just as it's in yours to do the same. Now let me see if we can finish here in time for most people to go home for dinner," and she turned back to her papers, dismissing him.
	Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, found himself in an unusual position. He had just returned to the castle via Portkey with a half-dozen members of the MMS, and while they were in his office he very much was not the one in charge. For starters, immediately upon arrival he had been told to sit in one of the guest chairs while the soldiers searched his office for anything they deemed dangerous. When asked what they meant, the only answer he got was, "Please be quiet and let us work," before being mostly ignored until the finished. And once that was done he was ordered to summon Professor Snape before he did anything else. While he was now back behind his desk in his own chair, he couldn't help shake the feeling that he was just a figurehead for the soldiers who were spread around his office watching both him and the door very carefully.
	He was about to offer them a lemon drop when there was a knock at his door. "Come in!" he called, sitting back in his chair and trying to look like he was in charge.
	Professor Snape entered the office, his cloak billowing behind him, and said, "You summoned me Headmaster?" It was only after he said it that he noticed the soldiers around the room, now pointing both wands and Muggle weapons at him.
	"Severus Snape," said one of the soldiers, "you have been named as having the Dark Mark. Please expose your forearms so that we may determine if this is true or not."
	Snape scowled, and began to reply when Dumbledore raised his hand and cut him off. "Please, Severus, I suggest you do cooperate with them. Things have changed radically since this morning, and I no longer wield the influence that I used to."
	"But..." said Snape, before he was cut off again.
	"No, Severus, I cannot help you anymore." At Snape's angry look, he added, "It's not that I don't wish to, but that I truly cannot. I was, however, assured that if you cooperate it will be given serious consideration towards your disposition."
	Snape stared at Dumbledore for a moment, who lowered his own Occlumency shields just enough to show the conversation with Governor General Bones. After a moment, he looked at the soldier who had spoken and said, "What do you want me to do?"
	"Please roll up your sleeves so we can confirm the presence or absence of the Dark Mark. After that, we'll let you know," said the soldier, whose name tag read Flinn.
	Severus slowly rolled up his right sleeve, showing a blank arm, before rolling up his left and revealing the Dark Mark.
	"Thank you," said Flinn. "Now that we have determined that you do indeed carry the Dark Mark, Severus Snape, by order of Her Majesty the Queen, you are under arrest for treason and sedition against the crown. Please hand over your wand carefully so that we may take you into custody."
	Snape gave Dumbledore a look of betrayal, and received a look of sadness back. He slowly pulled his wand and handed it to the soldier, as two others came up to him and secured his hands behind his back.
	"Severus," said Dumbledore, "I'm sorry. I had no choice in the matter. This was the only way I could ensure your life would be spared. Please, I beg you to cooperate with them; they are in charge of dealing with Voldemort now."
	Snape searched Dumbledore's face for deception, but was unable to find any. He knew it was still possible he had been betrayed by the Headmaster, but slowly understood that he felt like this was the only option. He looked back at the soldier to whom he had given his wand and reiterated, "What do you want me to do?"
	Flinn waited until he was fully secured before answering, "You will be taken to a secure facility where you will be thoroughly interrogated under Veritaserum about your role regarding the so-called Dark Lord. Assuming your answers check out, you will be given an opportunity to cooperate in assisting with eliminating the threat to Great Britain. Once the threat has been dealt with, you will be tried for any and all charges that are determined to be appropriate, taking into consideration the level of assistance and cooperation you provide. You should probably be aware that if you do not cooperate and are found guilty of treason, the penalty is death by hanging."
	Snape looked sharply at Dumbledore, who nodded sadly. He held Dumbledore's gaze for a moment before looking back at the soldier and said, "If cooperation means the destruction of the Dark Lord, then I will happily do whatever is necessary to do so."
	"Thank you, Mister Snape," said Flinn, "I hope you do." Turning to Dumbledore he said, "Headmaster, thank you for your cooperation. I will remind you that you are to remain on the school grounds until such time as Her Majesty comes to speak with you personally, and that you are to cooperate with all of the soldiers who will be staying here to ensure your compliance. If you need to contact Her Majesty before she contacts you, you may do so either through them or preferably through Governor General Bones. Do you understand your instructions?"
	"Yes, Leftenant, I understand," said Dumbledore, sounding rather tired.
	"Good. Please find temporary quarters for them while they are here, and others will be sent to relieve them in a day or two." Turning to Snape, he said, "Come, Mister Snape, the clock is ticking." Taking Snape's arm, he led him out of the Headmaster's office, escorted by one of the other soldiers who had been carrying a rifle. The walked out of the castle and to the edge of the wards before Portkeying away.
 *Chapter 23*: The Words of the Prophet

 	Originally Posted 3/18/16, last revised 10/27/16.
	Disclaimer:I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.
	Chapter 23: The Words of the Prophet

	Severus Snape Apparated to just outside the wards surrounding the Dark Lord's headquarters, as he had done several times recently. Unlike previous times, he didn't immediately walk towards the property; instead he reached into his pocket and pulled out the strange box-shaped device he had been given and looked at it carefully. After orienting it properly, he pulled the three tabs he had been instructed to, and saw several small red lights start blinking. After a moment, one of them turned green, the sign he had been instructed to watch for.
	Looking around, he saw several bushes just outside the ward line. He walked towards them and tossed the box into one of the bushes as he headed towards the house. He was pretty sure he knew why he'd been summoned; this morning's Prophet article was making waves everywhere, and the Dark Lord would want to know what Dumbledore was doing about it. He just hoped he'd he'd be able to convince Voldemort that things were the way he'd been instructed to portray them.
	Daily Prophet - Friday, 13 August, 1995

	SHAKEUP AT THE MINISTRY
Barnabas Cuffe, Editor

	Yesterday morning, even before the Ministry of Magic officially opened for business at 9am, an extraordinary series of events took place in Courtroom Ten, located deep in the bowels of the Ministry. While we have been unable to obtain many details from first hand sources other than the press release printed below, we do know that it all began at 8am with the unprecedented trial of Harry Potter for violating the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, held before the entire Wizengamot, something which has never been done before.
	What followed can only be described as having turned Magical Britain on its head. Rather than attempt to explain everything that has happened, we are simply printing the press release provided by Governor General Amelia Bones, the woman who is now in charge of affairs at the Ministry of Magic. Analysis and more information will follow in the coming days as we obtain it.
	Ministry of Magic Press Release
Office of Governor General Amelia Bones
	This morning, as a result of actions taken by former Minister of Magic Cornelius Oswald Fudge in an attempt to violate the rights of a citizen of Magical Britain, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II ordered that the Wizarding Charter of Great Britain be revoked. As a result, Her Majesty has retaken control of Magical Britain and made a number of changes to the way we are governed, with more changes to come. Before I detail the changes that have already happened and are expected to happen in the future, I want to reassure the people of Magical Britain that for the most part day-to-day life will NOT be changing anytime soon, if at all.
	First, the day-to-day management of Magical Britain will remain the purview of the Ministry of Magic, and that citizens of Magical Britain will continue to live, work and play as they have. Should anything change, it will be announced publicly (like this press release) and if at all possible in advance to provide ample time for everyone to be notified. If advance notice is not possible (like with today's changes), there will be a grace period for minor infractions of at least one week to allow people to learn of the changes and adjust accordingly. Until further notice, all Ministry-related activities will continue with business as usual except as listed below.
	Second, while Her Majesty is very displeased with the way the Ministry of Magic has been operating, she wishes to assure the people of Magical Britain that she considers them to be her subjects just as much as the people of non-Magical Britain, and that her goal in taking control of the Ministry is to ensure that ALL of her subjects enjoy the same safety and freedom regardless of whether they are Magical or not. While there will be changes to ensure that equal rights are granted to all of the citizens of her Realms, she does not intend to make changes simply for the sake of change, and where possible will take into account the wishes of the people before doing so.
	And lastly, while Her Majesty is not a Witch or even a Squib, she has no intention of eliminating the Statute of Secrecy now or for the foreseeable future. While she wishes to encourage better relations between Magical and non-Magical Britain, she understands the need for caution and slow, deliberate action in doing so. This also means that she will not tolerate any reckless or abusive behavior towards non-Magical Britain, and that penalties for violating the rules for interacting with non-Magicals will be strictly enforced going forward.
	As to the changes, the following events occurred earlier today in Courtroom Ten, and as a result of those events the following changes have happened:
	1. The Wizarding Charter of Great Britain has been revoked. As a result, Magical Britain is now beholden to Her Majesty the Queen, within the limits of certain non-Magical documents such as the Magna Carta which were in effect at the time the Wizarding Charter was first ratified in 1613. Therefore, until such time as a new Charter is issued, Her Majesty holds near absolute authority over the citizens of Magical Britain.
	2. Harry James Potter has been cleared of all charges.
	3. Sirius Orion Black has been cleared of all charges relating to the deaths of James and Lily Potter, Peter Pettigrew, and twelve Muggles. Additionally, as it has been determined that he never received a trial before being placed in Azkaban prison, he has been cleared of the charge of escape as he should not have been held there in the first place. He has been found guilty of being an unregistered Animagus, been credited for the time he already spent in Azkaban, and is required to register with the Ministry within the next thirty days. Compensation for his unjust imprisonment will be determined at a later date.
	4. The former Minister of Magic, Cornelius Oswald Fudge has been fired by Her Majesty and arrested pending trial on multiple charges to be determined later, but including Malfeasance in Public Office. Mister Fudge was also relieved of his position as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot at the same time, a position he had just recently taken over after removing Albus Dumbledore.
	5. Former Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic Dolores Jane Umbridge has been arrested after attempting to assassinate Her Majesty The Queen, an action that resulted in the loss of her Magic for violating the Oath of Magical Fealty, which she bound herself to as part of her oath of office to the Ministry of Magic. Due to the loss of her Magic, she is considered to have been found guilty of Treason against the Crown, and has been taken away to face the Queen's justice. Per British Law, Madam Umbridge faces execution by hanging should Her Majesty choose not to invoke the Royal Prerogative of Mercy; for now, Her Majesty has decided to determine Madam Umbridge's exact punishment at a later time.
	6. All fifty members of the Wizengamot were charged with Treason against the Crown, and judged by their own magic as to whether they had violated the Oath of Magical Fealty, which is also part of the Wizengamot oath, while performing their duties. Of the fifty members, twenty-eight of them lost their magic, and were deemed to have been found guilty for the same reason as Madam Umbridge. The remaining twenty-two were found not guilty, and additionally received a blanket pardon for any actions they had taken prior to being judged.
	Twenty-seven of the twenty eight members of the Wizengamot who lost their Magic are being held at Her Majesty's pleasure. Having been found guilty of Treason, they also faced the possibility of execution by hanging. However, Her Majesty immediately invoked the Royal Prerogative of Mercy for them, commuting their sentence to imprisonment until she chooses to have them released.
	Unfortunately, William McLaggen, aged 114, perished after the loss of his Magic due to old age. Her Majesty and the Ministry would like to express their condolences to the family of Mister McLaggen on his passing. While Her Majesty was most displeased with the members of the Wizengamot who lost their Magic, his death was an unexpected consequence of his actions and not Her Majesty's intent.
	7. Until such time as additional members of the Wizengamot can be appointed, it will serve as an advisory body bearing witness to the changes mandated by Her Majesty and providing non-binding input as to how to best implement those changes.
	8. Following the firing of former Minister Fudge and the removal of over half of the Wizengamot, Her Majesty requested that I, and eventually all of the department heads, take an oath to demonstrate our loyalty to the Crown and the principles of the Wizarding Charter. Anyone refusing to take the oath was taken into custody and will be charged with Treason against the Crown. They will receive a fair trial once the reorganization of the Ministry is complete, and will be punished appropriately should they be found guilty. The text of the oath is as follows:
	I, [name], swear on my magic that while employed by the Ministry of Magic I did not, knowingly and indifferently, act against the principles of the Wizarding Charter.
	After giving my oath, Her Majesty then appointed me, Amelia Susan Bones, as Governor General of the Magical Kingdom of Great Britain. While my position is similar to that of the Minister of Magic, I am duty bound to report to Her Majesty and act on her behalf rather than holding a position of ultimate authority. Additionally, I will be working with Her Majesty's Chief Wizard, Mister Charles Adlington, to bring about the changes that Her Majesty requires that we make.
	9. As part of the changes to be made, Mister Percy Weasley was appointed as Solicitor General of the Magical Kingdom of Great Britain after he took the same oath that I did. His task is to compile a list of all the laws of both Magical and non-Magical Britain and provide a report on how they differ and how best to reconcile them. Based on his report, I will be working with the Wizengamot to update the laws of Magical Britain to meet Her Majesty's requirements while also meeting the needs of the people.
	Also, as a result of today's changes and until such time as things settle down, additional security measures will be employed at the Ministry of Magic and are applicable to everyone, employees and visitors alike. Due to their sensitive nature, the exact measures in use will not be disclosed at this time. However, I would like to assure everyone that they will be minimally invasive and are designed purely to minimize the risk to everyone from potentially subversive elements within Magical Britain. It is my hope that these measures can be reduced or eliminated quickly as everyone becomes accustomed to the new paradigm.
	I know that this is a massive change, and that change can be difficult, but I firmly believe that Her Majesty wishes to find ways for us to coexist peacefully by embracing the things we have in common rather than assailing our differences. I also invite you all to peacefully communicate any and all concerns you have regarding this transition so that they can be addressed appropriately. To that end, I will be setting up an owl post address tomorrow for "Ministry Transition Inquiries", and we will compile the questions and publish answers via press release on a bi-weekly basis, if not more frequently. Additionally, the entire list of questions and answers will be available at the Ministry on request in person.
	Thank you for your patience and willingness to work with me and the rest of the restructured Ministry of Magic to make Magical Britain a better place for everyone.
	(signed) Amelia Susan Bones
Governor General of Her Majesty's Magical Kingdom of Great Britain

	As you can see, there have been many changes in one day, and many questions raised as well. How did the Queen get involved, and who was it that actually revoked the Charter on her behalf? Who are the members of the Wizengamot who lost their Magic? Why was Sirius Black involved, and how was he sent to Azkaban without a trial? What's going to happen next?
	We at the Daily Prophet will be working tirelessly to answer those questions and more starting even before this issue goes to press, and will continue to cover this story for as long as it takes to get answers.
	Who is Queen Elizabeth II? A biography of the Muggle Queen, p.8. What is the Wizarding Charter, and how does it's revocation affect me? Details p.3. Biographies of Harry Potter, Sirius Black, Amelia Bones, Percy Weasley, Cornelius Fudge and Dolores Umbridge starting on p.11.
	Tom Marvolo Riddle, also known as the Dark Lord Voldemort, was not happy. Even without knowing the details behind this morning's Prophet article, it was clear that there was a new player in the battle for control of the Ministry. And knowing nothing of them, he had no idea how this would affect his attempts to take over now that he had a body to work with. He'd already summoned his various spies, and was waiting to see who responded.
	He was just starting to get impatient when the wards indicated the arrival of one of his Death Eaters. After a minute, Severus Snape entered and bowed, kissing the hem of his robes. "What news do you bring, Severus? There is clearly more going on than what was listed in this morning's Prophet."
	"Of course, my Lord," Snape replied, keeping his tone even. "I do not know all of the facts, just what I was able to get from Dumbledore."
	"Do not give me excuses, Severus..." said Voldemort, his tone turning dangerous.
	"My apologies, my Lord," said Snape, "but it appears that Dumbledore has been pushed to the side, and has little to no influence with the Muggle Queen. When I left Hogwarts, he had been placed under house arrest under armed guard, with orders to not contact anyone outside of the castle."
	Voldemort stared at Snape for a moment, who held the Dark Lord's gaze while letting him see the image of Dumbledore in his office with the members of the MMS holding their weapons. He nodded after a moment and said, "Continue, Severus. What else have you learned."
	Severus nodded, then said, "Everyone in the ministry is being checked for the Dark Mark, and anyone found to have one is being arrested. I was not informed by Dumbledore of who all had been found, but I know Macnair was mentioned as having put up a fight before being captured. Also, in addition to the Aurors, there are currently magical soldiers defending the Ministry, at least for the next few days. I think you should probably assume that anyone else you had in the Ministry is probably compromised, if not captured."
	"Yes, that would probably be wise," said Voldemort. "Thank you for passing on that information Severus," he added, drawing his wand. "Crucio." He only held the spell briefly, as he couldn't really fault Snape for the information, but even unavoidable failure must be punished.
	When he recovered from the effects of the spell, Snape said, "Thank you, my Lord. May I ask what you plan to do about this?"
	Voldemort stared at him again, with Snape again letting him see what he wanted. "Yes, you understand," he said. "With the Ministry in disarray, now would be a good time to attack. But as you said, they also have extra forces with which to fight back, at least for a few days. Tell me, Severus, what would you do?"
	Severus didn't flinch at the question, knowing that any sign of fear would be taken as possible disloyalty. After a moment, he said, "I would want to know when the soldiers were leaving, and strike shortly afterwards. The Ministry will take quite some time to get organized, but I doubt they'll be able to keep Muggle soldiers in place very long, perhaps a few days at most. If you strike shortly after they depart, you can probably take control before they can get reinforcements to return."
	"A sensible suggestion, Severus," said Voldemort. "Tell me, how do you suggest we learn when the soldiers will be departing if all of our spies in the Ministry are no longer reliable, and neither is Dumbledore from what you've told me."
	"I do not know, my Lord," said Severus, trying to hide his worry. While he had been coached on how to answer many questions when he agreed to cooperate with the military, neither he nor they had thought of this one.
	Voldemort considered for a moment, then nodded. "Had you been lying to me, you would have known pain. But I believe you, Severus. Never fear, I have an idea of how to get that information another way, and no I won't tell you. Tell me, Severus, what do you think of this Muggle Queen taking over the Ministry?"
	"I do not know enough to form a detailed opinion, my Lord, but I do know that it cannot be tolerated," said Snape. "Even if she were not a Muggle, she has held no authority over the Magical world for centuries; I see no reason for her to start now. However, as a Muggle, her holding power over anyone Magical is an abomination. I see this as further proof that your cause is the only way to save the Magical world."
	Voldemort's attempt to probe Snape was much stronger this time, but again he only saw what Snape wanted him to. After a moment he nodded, letting the probe withdraw. "I do believe you are correct, Severus. I will learn when the Ministry's defenses are no longer supplemented and then we will strike, taking our rightful place in control of Magical Britain. You may go, Severus, but I expect you to contact me immediately with any new information you learn. I will summon you again when it is time to take over the Ministry."
	"Yes, my Lord," said Snape, bowing again before withdrawing.
	When Snape arrived back at the gates to Hogwarts he had been greeted by Captain Lee and two other soldiers. They had immediately taken him back to wherever he had been taken for his interrogation, where they led him into a room with nothing but a table and a few chairs. Fortunately for him, he wasn't restrained this time, and as he sat down he allowed himself to relax slightly, as the effects of his brief Cruciatus exposure began to overwhelm his tolerances.
	"Are you alright?" asked Captain Lee. "Do you need medical assistance?"
	Snape began to shake his head but thought better of it. While he certainly had felt threatened by their demeanor during his interrogation, he had otherwise been treated very well considering the reason he was taken into custody in the first place. "Perhaps," he finally answered. "Do you have anything to help with the effects of the Cruciatus Curse?"
	Captain Lee looked at him carefully, noticing as he did the mild tremors evident in Snape's hands. "I think we can help you with that." He turned to one of the other soldiers in the room and said, "Penfold, please stop into the infirmary and ask for something to help with Cruciatus exposure that won't knock Mister Snape for a loop. I need him coherent for the debriefing, and then he can get some sleep."
	Penfold saluted and said, "Yes, sir!" before turning and leaving to carry out the request.
	Captain Lee turned back to Snape and asked, "Can I get you anything to eat or drink?"
	Snape thought for a moment before replying, "Just some water for now, thank you."
	One of the other soldiers pulled a bottle of water out of a small refrigerator in the corner and handed it to Snape. He realized he'd missed it when he first arrived, but he certainly appreciated it. As he took a drink, once he'd figured out how to open it, Captain Lee started the debriefing.
	"First of all," he said, "were you able to deploy the device the way we asked you to?"
	"I believe so," said Snape, after he swallowed. "I removed the small tabs per your instructions and several red lights started blinking. When the first one turned green and stopped blinking, I tossed it into a bush just outside the ward line. Now that I've returned, will you tell me what exactly it was?"
	Captain Lee nodded. "In simplest terms, it's a magic-resistent GPS locator."
	Snape stared at him in confusion. After a moment, he said, "Can you please repeat that in terms I would understand?"
	Captain Lee chuckled this time, and was joined by the other soldiers in the room. "It's an electronic device that sends out a signal and tells us where it is. Within the next half hour at most, we should have a near exact location for your so-called Dark Lord."
	Now Snape looked perplexed. "But magic and electronics don't mix. Just Apparating with it should have destroyed it!"
	"Ordinarily, you're correct," said Captain Lee. But we've had a number of years to figure out how to prevent that from happening. As it is, we still can't make them work together at the same time, but by isolating certain parts of it while exposed to high levels of magic, we're able to make it work again once the exposure has been reduced. That's why you had to pull those tabs to make it work; you removed the insulators preventing the circuits from closing, which essentially rendered the device inert while they were there. Once you pulled them out, everything was reconnected and the device powered on automatically."
	Snape raised one eyebrow and deadpanned, "Fascinating."
	Captain Lee gave him a look for a moment, then shrugged. "Now that I've answered your question, tell me about your meeting with Voldemort."
	"It went pretty much as expected, I believe," answered Snape. "I think I've convinced him to wait until he learns that you're leaving the Ministry before attacking, though I don't know how he's going to find out. He said he has a plan, but would not tell me about it. He did ask me how I would find out that information, and I honestly answered that I did not know. Fortunately for me he believed me, or I doubt I would have made it back in one piece, if at all. In any event, he seems pleased that Dumbledore has been pushed to the side, and is quite upset that his attempts to infiltrate the Ministry have been compromised. Once he learns that the Ministry is no longer defended by your soldiers, I believe he will make an attempt to take it over outright rather than via subterfuge, if only to prove that he is more powerful than a Muggle, even if she is the Queen."
	Captain Lee nodded, considering what was and wasn't said. "And you, Mister Snape? What is your opinion of the Queen?"
	Snape considered his answer for a moment before saying, "Honestly, if she can eliminate the Dark Lord, and I can find some place to live in peace when it's over, I don't think I care one way or another. I've been trapped by the possibility of his return for nearly fourteen years, and the only thing worse is that he's actually back. In any event, you've given me an option that I never expected."
	Captain Lee's response was interrupted by Penfold returning with a small bottle and a paper cup. "Here you go, sir," he said to Snape. "The healer said to take the potion first, then the pills. They'll work together better than either one separately, especially if you get some sleep while they work."
	Snape looked at the potion, recognizing it as a mild pain reliever, then drank it in one gulp. He eyed the pills carefully, but decided that his treatment had been such that the healer was probably correct. After a moment figuring out how to take them, he swallowed them as well before finishing his water.
	"Is there anything else you think we should know about your meeting right now?" asked Captain Lee when Snape finished taking his medicine.
	"I don't believe so," replied Snape, looking slightly better for the pain potion. He then yawned and said, "I think I'd like that nap now."
	Captain Lee nodded and stood. "I think we can find you some place to do that. You'll be confined to quarters since you're still technically a prisoner, but I think you've shown enough cooperation that we can skip the brig."
	"How generous," Snape deadpanned, but he stood and followed the soldier anyway.
 *Chapter 24*: Exothaumic Reactions

 *Chapter 25*: The Calm Before the Storm

 *Chapter 26*: Divined Intervention

 	Originally Posted 5/6/16, last revised 10/27/16.
	Disclaimer:I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.
	The text of the prophecy is taken from Chapter 37 of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling, modified slightly for my purposes.
	Chapter 26: Divined Intervention
	Peter Pettigrew, better known as Wormtail, scuttled along the wall down an empty corridor in the Ministry of Magic, wishing for not the first time that there were more shadows to hide in. His mission was simple: infiltrate the Ministry, find out when the Muggle soldiers were leaving, and return to the Dark Lord with that information or die trying. Well, that last bit wasn't officially part of his mission, but the implication was clear. If he returned without the information, the Dark Lord would most assuredly kill him for failing; and if he didn't return at all, the Dark Lord would hunt him down and kill him if he wasn't dead already.
	He actually thought he preferred the idea of being found and killed by the Muggles to that of dying at the Dark Lord's hand. It would most likely be less painful, and almost certainly less humiliating. Still, he was too much of a coward to simply reveal himself and let them arrest him, and so he continued to prowl the Ministry hoping to hear something he could take back to his master without reprisal. Not that he expected to learn much at the present hour, being nearly five in the morning, but there was no point in leaving the Ministry before he had something to report and he didn't dare sleep for fear of being caught.
	Hearing footsteps approaching, he ducked into the alcove of a closed doorway, where he could hopefully hide in the slight shadow it cast. He still hadn't heard anything more concrete than "soon," and couldn't risk being seen even if he wasn't recognized. What he was unaware of was the fact that his presence in the Ministry had been known since he arrived the day before, though it had only been recently that his identity had been confirmed when someone spotted him visually. Thus he had no reason to suspect that anything he heard was not the truth.
	"I can't wait to go home on Monday," said one of the two soldiers who came down the hall. "Doing patrol duty is bad enough, but getting stuck with the graveyard shift is the worst."
	"You don't have to tell me twice," replied his partner. "I still don't see why we're even patrolling these corridors overnight, it's not like there's anyone here who hasn't been thoroughly screened at the security checkpoint."
	They moved past the doorway where Wormtail crouched, seemingly unaware of his presence. Wormtail didn't dare move, despite having finally heard what he'd come to find out.
	"Eh," said the first soldier, "what can you do. Orders are orders. Still, it'll be nice to stand down and get some R&R Monday night."
	"True that," said the second, as they reached the end of the corridor and turned left down the next one.
	The second they were out of sight, Wormtail streaked back the way they had come from, heading for the lifts to get him out of there. As he did so, he failed to notice one of the soldiers sticking a head back around the corner, watching him go for a second before pulling back out of sight. It only took a few minutes for Wormtail to escape the Ministry, using the employee Floo to escape into Muggle London, where he changed back to his human form before Apparating himself back to the Dark Lord's lair.
	"Do ya think he bought it?" whispered the soldier who hadn't looked around the corner after a minute.
	"Hook, line and sinker," whispered his partner, who then signaled to continue their patrol. It wouldn't do to drop appearances until Pettigrew was out of the building, just in case he actually noticed something was amiss.
	Less than fifteen minutes later they were called back to their command post, located just outside the former Minister's office. "The wards tripped five minutes ago, and our spotters confirmed it," said the watch commander. "Pettigrew has left the building, and did so shortly after you spotted him. Good work you two, now go get your things ready to pull out once the Aurors arrive in the morning."
	The two soldiers saluted, then left to follow their orders. They'd be leaving soon, but rest would have to wait.
	The MMS surveillance team watching the south side of the Riddle house spotted Pettigrew's arrival back in Little Hangleton, confirming that he had returned to his master with the information that had been fed to him. Not that he had any idea they were there; he was just glad to have escaped the Ministry, knowing that if he was caught there he was as good as dead. Of course, he might be dead anyway, but he hoped that the Dark Lord would be kind to him when he brought his information.
	Pettigrew entered the Dark Lord's "throne room" with trepidation, though he did his best not to show it. As always, the Dark Lord sat there impassively, waiting for Wormtail as though he had nothing else to do.
	"Ah, Wormtail," said Voldemort as Pettigrew knelt and bowed before him. "I was beginning to wonder if you had decided to try and flee from my service."
	"No, master," groveled Pettigrew, "I would never do that. You know I am only loyal to you."
	"I can smell your lie, Wormtail, but I will let it go until I hear what you have to say. Now, tell me what you have learned, and why it took so long to return."
	"Y-yes, my Lord," said Pettigrew, "you told me not to return until I had learned the information you wanted. I was unable to do so until just now, and I returned with it right away. The Muggles patrolling the Ministry are much less talkative than the usual Wizards."
	"You try my patience, Wormtail," intoned Voldemort dangerously.
	"S-sorry, my Lord. Tomorrow," said Pettigrew, "that is Monday morning, they plan to hand over control to the Aurors and withdraw. The Ministry will be closed today so they can do some sort of final security check before then."
	"And how did you learn of this if the Muggles have been so quiet about things?"
	"Two soldiers were complaining to each other about having to patrol in the middle of the night, and one of them said they were happy to be going home Monday."
	Voldemort thought for a moment, then nodded. "You have done well, Wormtail, and shall be rewarded." Pettigrew looked up at Voldemort with hope in his eyes just in time to hear, "Crucio," before his world exploded in pain and he curled up on the ground. Voldemort held the curse just a little bit longer than strictly necessary, before releasing Pettigrew and saying, "Go, Wormtail, get out of my sight until I summon you again. I must think about this news."
	After a moment, Pettigrew was able to pick himself up and bowed, saying, "Yes, my Lord," before withdrawing to the safety of his room.
	When Amelia Bones arrived at her office at eight o'clock Sunday morning, she was surprised to see that it was already occupied. While the guard stationed outside the office let her know her visitor had been cleared, her apprehension level wasn't appreciably reduced when she realized who it was that was waiting for her.
	"Amelia, we have a problem," he said, as he stood and motioned for her to close the door.
	"You're not helping any, Croaker," she replied, as she nodded to her escorts and they stepped out and closed the door.
	"I'd tell you I was sorry," Croaker said, as he pulled his wand and started casting privacy spells.
	"But you aren't," interjected Amelia. "You never are."
	Acknowledging the truth of her statement, he finished casting his spells and waited for her to sit before retaking his seat. "From what I understand, the Muggle forces are planning on attacking Voldemort sometime in the next day or two, is that correct?"
	Amelia gave him a hard look, then realized that if anyone in the Ministry could have figured out what was going on, it was him. Croaker had been the Head Unspeakable since before she had started in the Ministry, and his reputation preceded him. "I can't give you any details, but that's a reasonable assumption," she said after a moment.
	"In that case," said Croaker, his face turning deadly serious, "we need to find Mister Potter right away and find out what this says." He held up a silvery box, roughly six inches on a side, then opened it to show her what was inside.
	"A prophecy orb? What does that have to do with Mister Potter?" asked Amelia, as she suddenly felt fear in the pit of her stomach.
	"After the events of this past Thursday, I've been working to ensure that anything in the Department of Mysteries that might be important to Voldemort has been secured. Yesterday, I came across this; the tag reads, 'S.P.T. to A.P.W.B.D., Dark Lord and question mark Harry Potter.'"
	Amelia sat back in her chair and blew out a long breath. "You're right, we do need to know what that says right away. I don't have direct access to Mister Potter, but I believe I know who does. Wait here, I'll send a message and hopefully get them here shortly." At Croaker's nod she stood and waited for him to take down the privacy wards, then stepped out to speak to her Auror guards. She needed to get a message to Mister Adlington right away.
	Twenty minutes later, Charles Adlington was sitting in the Governor General's office nursing a headache. He had little experience with prophecies, but most of what he knew was that they never worked out exactly the way you expected them to. After hearing that only Harry Potter or Voldemort would be able to activate the prophecy orb, he'd rubbed his temples and said, "Hasn't enough been put on that boy's shoulders already?" which had gotten a sympathetic nod from Madam Bones but a snort from Croaker.
	"Tell me, Mister Adlington, did it occur to you that all of those things might be the result of the prophecy, and not the other way around? I suspect that once we know what this says we'll have a better idea of how to take some of that weight off of his shoulders, even if we have to pile more on to begin with."
	The Chief Wizard frowned, then considered that for a moment before reluctantly agreeing. "I need to speak to Sir Harry before we do anything more, and I suspect Her Majesty will also want to be involved. After all, anything that prevents her from exercising her rightful rule will be of utmost concern to her."
	Now it was Croaker's turn to be reluctant, but after a moment he nodded. Now was not the time to maintain secrecy for form's sake, even if it was a very old habit. "Either they can come here, or I can bring the orb to them. But I suggest we do this as quickly as possible in case it affects other plans."
	The Chief Wizard turned to Amelia with a concerned look, but before he could ask she simply said, "Croaker has more connections than anyone else in the Ministry, except perhaps Dumbledore before he was removed. I don't know how much he knows and how much is just guesses, but he won't say anything to anyone, that's just his way. I suspect agreeing to reveal as much as he has already was not easy for him."
	Croaker gave another nod of acknowledgment, and the Chief Wizard relaxed slightly. "Give me an hour to figure out who needs to go where, and either we'll come here or send word of how to come to us."
	"I will remain here waiting," said Croaker, who took down the privacy wards then relaxed into his chair.
	Amelia gave him a look, which he ignored, before giving up and nodding. "We," she said, stressing the word, "will be here waiting."
	The Chief Wizard gave a brief chuckle, then left to return to the palace.
	The Queen was not pleased to have her morning disrupted, but fortunately being Sunday she was able to make excuses and change her plans. Although skeptical at the concept of prophecy, she understood that there was power in belief, and that at the very least it needed to be investigated. Not wanting to cause any undue delays, she summoned not only Harry and Sirius, but also Major French and Captain Lee, then sent the Chief Wizard to retrieve Croaker and the prophecy.
	Major French had been unable to break away from his SAS liaison duties and get to the palace quickly, but Captain Lee arrived outside the Queen's study just as Harry and Sirius did. "What happened?" he asked, slightly out of breath.
	"We don't know," replied Sirius, with Harry nodding, "we just got told to show up right away and here we are."
	A moment later they were admitted to the Queen's study, where she sat behind her desk looking pensive. Once introductions and pleasantries had been exchanged and the steward departed, she motioned them to sit. Once they were all seated, she asked, "Can any of you tell me anything about prophecy? It appears that there is one that could impact our plans."
	Captain Lee shook his head, and Harry replied, "Isn't Divination a rather woolly subject?"
	But Sirius looked stricken and whispered, "Is that what they were guarding? Merlin! How could I have forgotten about that?"
	They all looked at him but it was Harry who spoke first. "What is it Sirius, what did you forget?"
	"The prophecy," he said quietly. "I had forgotten that it was a prophecy that prompted your parents into hiding. That's why Voldemort was targeting your family, and so they hid behind the Fidelius Charm." Sirius slumped in his chair. "I'm sorry, Harry, I had totally forgotten about it!"
	Harry gave his godfather a hug and said, "That's okay, Sirius, you've had more important things on your mind. Now, what did it say?"
	"That's just it, I don't think I ever knew. They just told me that it existed and was why they needed to go into hiding, but not any of the details. Probably so that nobody could get it out of me if I was captured."
	"A wise precaution," said Captain Lee. He then turned to the Queen and added, "If the so-called Dark Lord believes in this prophecy, that at least makes it tactically relevant. Hopefully it will work in our favor, but until we know the details there's no telling what impact it will have."
	"I agree," she said, "which is why I have sent Charles to retrieve a Mister Croaker to bring it here where we can all listen to it and decide what to do."
	At the mention of Croaker's name, Sirius blanched and asked, "Croaker?"
	"I believe that was the name Charles gave me. Is there something I should know about him?"
	"I've only heard rumors, Ma'am, but if they're true he's the Head Unspeakable." At her questioning look, he added, "Officially they're in charge of Magical research for the Ministry, but nobody who's not one of them actually knows what they really do, and there's a lot of rumors about what that could be. Everything from mad experimentation to being elite Hit Wizards, but nobody's ever been able to get them to confirm or deny any of them."
	"Hence the name, Unspeakable," sad the Queen, grinning slightly. "Perhaps they are the Magical equivalent of MI-5 or MI-6."
	Captain Lee nodded, and added, "While I don't have any more information than Mister Black, I would certainly agree that they probably fill at least some of the same roles."
	"Then let us hope that he has some useful information for us when he arrives," said the Queen, something they all agreed with.
	Ten minutes later, there was a small commotion outside the door. Captain Lee drew his wand, but before he could investigate it the Queen's phone lit up. She pressed the button, and the Chief Wizard stepped in. "My apologies, Your Majesty, there was a minor disagreement about who would be permitted in your presence. Governor General Bones insisted on accompanying Mister Croaker, and her protective escorts are reluctant to leave her unattended."
	"An admirable sentiment, but while I feel comfortable with the Governor General's presence, I would prefer my own security to hers."
	"Of course, Ma'am," replied the Chief Wizard. "Governor General Bones understands as well, and is currently making the situation clear to her escorts. Do you wish to have any additional security present before I bring in Mister Croaker and Governor General Bones?"
	The Queen looked at Captain Lee, who shook his head. "I do not believe that additional personnel are needed," he said. "With your permission, I'll keep my wand drawn and my service weapon ready."
	"Permission granted," said the Queen, and Captain Lee stepped to the side and took up a defensive position. Turning back to her Chief Wizard, she said, "Please show Governor General Bones and Mister Croaker in."
	Nodding, the Chief Wizard went back to the door and stepped out for a moment before returning followed by Madam Bones and Croaker, both of whom had apparently changed into more mundane clothing. "Your Majesty," said the Chief Wizard, "Governor General Amelia Bones of the Magical Kingdom of Great Britain, and Mister Saul Croaker, Head Unspeakable."
	Both Madam Bones and Croaker bowed and said, "Your Majesty."
	"Thank you for coming. This is Sir Harry Potter and Mister Sirius Black," she said pointing to them, "and Captain Lee of the Magical Military Squad. Now, please take a seat," said the Queen, not taking her eyes off Croaker. After they were seated, she hardened her gaze at the Unspeakable and said pointedly, "Mister Croaker, our time is limited so please share with us everything you know about this prophecy."
	Croaker gulped as he felt the force of will behind her statement, and nodded in acknowledgment. Deciding that Muggle or not, this was one person he had no desire to cross, he opened the box he had been carrying. "Your Majesty, this is a prophecy orb. They are created magically whenever a true prophecy is given within the Magical Kingdom of Great Britain, and contain a complete copy of said prophecy. Each orb is automatically identified by the initials of the seer who gave the prophecy and the person or persons to whom the prophecy was given, as well as anyone named in the prophecy. Once the orb is created, the Keeper of the Hall of Prophecies is notified, who will listen to the prophecy to attempt to determine who the prophecy is about. Depending on the exact wording, the people the prophecy is about may be unknown at the time the prophecy is spoken, or the prophecy may have the ability to refer to more than one person; in those cases, the best guess is made about who the prophecy is about and cataloged as well. Other than the Keeper, who is Magically sworn to secrecy, the prophecy orb is protected so that only the subjects of the prophecy may take it to be listened to.
	"This prophecy, Your Majesty, was identified as 'S.P.T. to A.P.W.B.D., Dark Lord and question mark Harry Potter.'"
	Harry gasped, as did Madam Bones, but Sirius let out a growl until Harry put a hand on his shoulder. "What is it, Sirius?" asked Harry.
	"A.P.W.B.D.," said Sirius. "Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Whatever this prophecy says, it was made to Dumbledore. I take it he never told you about it?"
	"No, he didn't," replied Harry. "So I guess we'd better hear it so we know what's going on."
	Croaker nodded and held out the box to Harry. "Try to take the orb," he said. "If it feels wrong, let go right away, and we'll know it's not actually about you."
	Harry stood and went over to the box, then picked up the orb with both hands. It felt slightly warm to the touch, but otherwise there was no reaction. "Well, I guess that proves it's about me," he said, not sounding happy as he returned to his seat.
	"Now, to play it," Croaker started to say, before he stopped. "I'm sorry, you'll need your wand to play it, but I'm guessing it was confiscated before you entered." He looked towards the Queen and asked, "Would it be possible for Mister Potter to have his wand?"
	The Queen grinned at him and replied, "There's no need, Mister Croaker. Sir Harry is permitted to carry his wand in our presence. We won't have one of our personal Knights going unarmed."
	For the first time in many years, Saul Croaker was at a loss for words, as he watched Sir Harry James Potter produce his wand and show it to the Head Unspeakable. Shaking his head slightly, he pulled himself together and instructed Harry how to play the recording in the orb. "Hold the orb out in one hand, and tap the top of the orb with your wand. When you do that, the speaker will be projected above the orb and speak the prophecy. If you want to pause it, tap the orb while the recording is playing, and tap it again to resume. If you want to hear it again, just tap the orb again once it's finished."
	Harry nodded, then held out the prophecy orb and his wand. Just before he tapped the orb, he looked to Sirius who nodded and gave him a wan smile. Summoning his Gryffindor courage he tapped the orb, all the while dreading what he might hear.
	A pearly-white figure with hugely magnified eyes rose into the air and began to speak. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. … Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies … and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will know power the Dark Lord knows not … and either must die at the word of the other for neither can live while the other survives. … The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies. …"
	Harry let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding, while Sirius carefully engulfed him in a hug. "You okay, pup?" he asked.
	Harry considered the question, then shook his head. "No, I'm not," he said. "Why is it always me that has to take care of things?" he asked plaintively.
	Sirius started to say, "I don't know," but Croaker interrupted him. "I'm not sure that's the only possible interpretation, Mister Potter. Would you please play the prophecy again? I'd like to verify that I've transcribed it properly, and then I'll give you my opinion."
	Sirius gave Harry another hug, then encouraged him to play it again. He did so, and saw Croaker make a few more notes and then nod to himself when it finished.
	"If I may, Mister Potter, I believe I understand what you're concerned about, and may have a possible solution," said Croaker. At Harry's nod to continue, he said, "First off, I believe you're concerned about the part that says 'neither can live while the other survives,' correct?" Getting another nod, he continued, "I think that you probably already knew that part, even if you didn't realize it was part of a prophecy. Voldemort will not rest until he has killed you, whether it's because you are the only one to have defeated him before, or because he somehow knows at least part of the prophecy. And as long as he's trying to kill you, you cannot live your life as you see fit. Thus, the only possible solution is that one of you dies, and you are wondering how you can be the one who doesn't given who you are and who he is, yes?"
	Harry nodded. "How am I, a barely fifth year student, supposed to kill Voldemort?"
	The Queen echoed Harry and said, "Yes, Mister Croaker, how can you propose that a fifteen year-old boy kill anyone, let alone the so-called Dark Lord?"
	"He doesn't have to," said Croaker, and even Madam Bones looked at him funny. Shrugging inwardly, he said, "Let's look at the first part of that same sentence. It says that 'either must die at the word of the other.' Not the hand, not the wand, not any physical act, but the word."
	"And he tried to kill me by casting a spell, which involves saying words!" interjected Harry, getting upset.
	"That's true," said Croaker, as Sirius tried to calm Harry down, "and had he succeeded I suspect that the prophecy would have been fulfilled. However, due to something that I suspect your mother did, the spell failed to kill you, and ultimately he was the one who was affected. I believe that the power of the prophecy is how he survived in the first place; not because of anything he did himself, but because his original defeat was at the hands of Lily Potter and not the words of her son. Otherwise the orb would no longer be active as the prophecy would have already been fulfilled. Still, I believe that there's another possible way to fulfill the prophecy without having to face him directly. I believe that if Voldemort were to die because you told someone to kill him, that would also satisfy the prophecy. If you were to 'give the word,' so to speak."
	Harry looked at Croaker in disbelief. "So while I don't have to kill Voldemort myself, I have to tell someone to kill him?" Harry hid his face in his hands as he said, "That's not really making me feel much better."
	Sirius hugged Harry as the others looked on in awkward silence for a moment. Finally, the Queen spoke up and said, "Mister Croaker, are you certain that this prophecy is true? Does it require that Sir Harry be the one to kill the so-called Dark Lord?"
	Croaker shrugged. "Nothing is certain with prophecy, Ma'am. Only in hindsight can one ever truly know what a prophecy meant. However, based on what has happened previously, plus the fact that I suspect that Voldemort believes it to be true, makes me believe that until Mister Potter's words lead directly to his death, Voldemort will not be permanently defeated. "
	The Queen studied Croaker's face for a moment, then turned to Harry. "Sir Harry, please look at us." Harry lifted his head out of his hands and looked at the Queen, a few tears visible on his cheeks. "We cannot and will not ask you to do this. We have already placed too much of a burden on you than is reasonable, and find ourselves unwilling to do so again. However, should you choose to accept this burden, we will provide our full support both to see your task accomplished and to assist you with dealing with the aftermath."
	Harry looked at the Queen with mixed emotions. While he was grateful for her support, he couldn't believe that she was giving him permission to order someone killed. Finally he looked at Croaker and asked, "How am I supposed to tell someone to kill someone else?"
	Croaker had no answer, but Captain Lee spoke up. "It's never easy to give an order like that, son. It shouldn't be. Taking someone's life is not something you can undo, and should never be done without careful thought if possible. But look at the alternative. How many people will die if Voldemort isn't put down? Heck, if I understand the prophecy, until you fulfill it, you're never going to be certain he's not going to come back and try to kill you. I know this isn't an easy choice to make, but it seems to me that even if it's preemptive, you'd still be acting in self-defense. While you should always look for other ways to resolve the situation, sometimes there's no other way to protect yourself and those you care about."
	"Sir Harry, you are the one who must live with your decision, and so we leave it up to you. Would you perhaps like a few minutes to think things over?" asked the Queen.
	Harry thought for a minute and nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty, thank you." Turning to Sirius, he asked, "Will you come with me?"
	"Of course," Sirius replied. "Anywhere, anytime."
	"Thanks," said Harry, and the two of them excused themselves to return to his room to talk privately.
	While Harry and Sirius were out of the room, Madam Bones brought up her ideas for dealing with Britain's werewolves to get the Queen's opinion. After having the issue explained, along with the proposed solution, the Queen turned to Croaker and asked his opinion.
	"Personally, I think it's a great idea," he said, much to everyone's surprise. "But I'm probably not a good gauge of public opinion."
	"And why not," asked the Queen.
	"Because I know more about werewolves than most people alive, let alone British wizards. As an Unspeakable, I've both studied lycanthropy a bit myself and seen the results of other Unspeakables' research. People fear what they don't know, and while I have a healthy respect for the potential danger they pose, I don't fear them in general. The Governor General's proposal, at least for those werewolves that went along with it, would go a long way towards removing that danger. As long as they're contained while under the influence of the moon, there's no reason not to treat them as people the rest of the time."
	The Queen nodded. While she hadn't been expecting that response, she thought it was well reasoned. "And what do you suggest we do about the werewolves who don't agree to cooperate? How do you prevent them from causing trouble?"
	Croaker looked the Queen straight in the eye and said, "You treat them the same as a vicious dog that can't be tamed and put them down." Both Madam Bones and the Chief Wizard gasped, while Captain Lee just nodded and the Queen raised an eyebrow. "Werewolves are just like any other wild animal outside of the fact that they can infect others. As long as they behave and leave humans alone, they can live as they like. But if they become a threat to society, there's no choice but to euthanize them. It's really not that much different from the choice Mister Potter is having to make if you think about it."
	The Queen nodded slowly, as did Madam Bones and the Chief Wizard after a moment. "Thank you for your frank assessment, Mister Croaker," said the Queen. "Perhaps you could continue to advise Governor General Bones as she works through this and other issues?"
	"Of course, Your Majesty," he said, and Madam Bones gave him a grateful smile.
	Before he could say anything else, the phone buzzed and the Queen held up a hand before letting the steward in. Harry and Sirius followed, and after bowing politely the steward excused himself.
	"Welcome back, Sir Harry, Mister Black," said the Queen.
	If anyone noticed that Harry's eyes were red, nobody commented on it. Harry appeared to pull himself together, then stepped forward with his head held high. "Your Majesty," he started, with a slight catch in his voice, "as difficult as it was, I've made a decision." The Queen nodded, but said nothing so he continued. "After careful consideration, it is clear that Voldemort will remain a threat to not only myself, but to all of Magical Britain and even into the non-Magical world until the prophecy is fulfilled. I have no delusions that I will be able to kill him myself, therefore I have no choice but to ask that you instruct your troops that he is not to be taken alive even if he attempts to surrender. Fortunately, given my experiences with him, Voldemort will never surrender, even if he attempts to flee." Harry stood at attention for several seconds more, then slumped and looked over at Croaker, saying, "I hope that was enough to satisfy the prophecy."
	Croaker nodded and said, "I hope so too, Mister Potter."
	"As do we," said the Queen, as Harry and Sirius sat down, hugging each other. "That was a very hard and very brave thing that you did, Sir Harry, and one that we hope you never have to do again." Turning to Captain Lee, she put on her business face and said, "Captain Lee, this order is off the record, as we believe it technically violates your Code of Conduct, but given the situation we feel it is the the only option. If you wish to object to the order we ask that you do so now."
	Captain Lee shook his head. "As long as it's what was just discussed, I have no objections nor do I believe my subordinates will either."
	"Very well. Captain Lee, you and your team are hereby ordered to kill the so-called Dark Lord who calls himself Voldemort. Under no circumstances is he to be allowed to escape or to be left alive, even in the unlikely event that he surrenders. This order applies ONLY to the so-called Dark Lord, and not to any of his followers. They are to be allowed to surrender and treated accordingly if they do. Is that clear?"
	"Yes Ma'am," said Captain Lee, saluting.
	"Good. Governor General Bones, Mister Croaker, thank you for bringing this issue to our attention so that it could be dealt with immediately. Also, we remind everyone that what was discussed here regarding Sir Harry will not leave this room, are we clear?" After getting agreement from everyone, she said, "In that case, we must be getting on with our day. Governor General Bones, please continue with your werewolf plans, we look forward to hearing how they work."
	"Yes, Ma'am," said Madam Bones, before they were all led out by the Chief Wizard.
	Outside the Queen's study, Sirius grabbed Madam Bones and asked worriedly, "What did the Queen mean by werewolf plans?"
	Madam Bones waved off her Auror guards who were about to jump on him, then looked at Sirius and smiled, remembering that his good friend Remus Lupin was also a werewolf. "Relax, Mister Black, your friend Mister Lupin has nothing to worry about. In fact, he might well be interested in joining the pilot program. I'm instituting a test program to grant werewolves more rights and protection from discrimination in exchange for submitting to some method of ensuring they are kept safe and away from people during the full moon. It was just announced in this morning's Prophet, and I intend to work with a small group of werewolves to develop the program and see if we can make it work. If it does, we'll look into expanding it to everyone, but not for a few years in all likelihood."
	Sirius considered what she'd said, then nodded. "I'll let him know when I see him, assuming he hasn't heard about it already. I think he'd probably be a good person to ask about how to do that given his experiences at Hogwarts."
	"Then I look forward to speaking with him," she said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I really need to get back to the Ministry and the things I already had planned for today."
	They said their goodbyes and the Chief Wizard escorted the Ministry personnel back to his office where they could Floo to the Ministry.
	"Good luck," said Sirius to Captain Lee, extending a hand.
	"Thanks," said Captain Lee shaking it. He then held out a hand for Harry, who shook it reluctantly. "For what it's worth, I think you made the right choice in there, Sir Harry."
	"Thanks," mumbled Harry, not sure what else to say.
	Captain Lee nodded and excused himself to return to their base, leaving Harry and Sirius to be escorted back to their rooms.
 *Chapter 27*: Ready, Aim

 	Originally Posted 5/13/16, last revised 10/27/16.
	Disclaimer:I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.
	Chapter 27: Ready, Aim...
	When Captain Lee returned to the MMS base, his first stop was to inform Major French of what had transpired in the meeting with the Queen. After a brief discussion, they agreed to limit the knowledge of Her Majesty's off-the-record order to just the members of the sniper teams, since once the expected shooting started the rest of the assault force would have higher priorities anyway.
	After that, Captain Lee called the sniper teams in to brief them on the situation. Once the three teams were gathered in a small briefing room, he cast a privacy ward and began. "Gentlemen, this briefing is off the record. If any of you have any concerns about that, please speak up now."
	While not common, everyone present had enough experience to understand what that meant. After a moment, Lieutenant Foot raised a hand and asked, "Is there any risk of collateral damage?"
	Captain Lee shook his head. "No more than the original mission. However, Her Majesty's order is controversial at best, and so it must remain unofficial." Getting a nod from the Lieutenant, he continued. "While your existing orders concerning targets taking offensive actions remain the same, Her Majesty has ordered that the so-called Dark Lord be terminated with extreme prejudice. You are to wait until the start of hostilities before doing so if possible, but in the unlikely event that he surrenders, you'll need to find a way to take him out anyway."
	The three sniper teams thought for a moment before nodding, with one of the spotters adding, "Good riddance to bad rubbish."
	Captain Lee gave a wry grin, silently agreeing. Even without the prophecy he wouldn't have had a problem with the order. Voldemort had proven himself too dangerous, and caused too much damage already, to risk taking him alive. "Thank you, gentlemen, I know I can count on you to both carry out this task and keep it quiet. Once we leave this room, this conversation never happened. Are there any questions?"
	This time everyone shook their heads. "Very well, dismissed," said Captain Lee, taking down the privacy ward. As they left, he mentally let out the breath he'd been virtually holding since the briefing started. That prophecy had worried him, but he knew his men would see that Sir Harry's word was carried out. Perhaps he could get Croaker to verify that the prophecy had been fulfilled once the shooting stopped. After a moment's consideration, he decided to send a note to the Governor General requesting Croaker's presence during the assault as an observer.
	When Madam Bones arrived back at the Ministry, she was pleased to see that the Aurors had started searching the building without her, but dismayed at the slow pace they were making. Croaker volunteered several Unspeakables to assist with the search, which she had reluctantly accepted only after getting him to promise that they wouldn't try to confiscate anything they found for the Department of Mysteries.
	After checking in with the various groups around the building, she joined the group that was searching the offices of the former Minister and his immediate staff. She had just arrived when she heard someone shout, "Bloody hell!" and ran towards the voice, her escorts shouting after her as they followed.
	She arrived at former Undersecretary Umbridge's office at the same time as several other Aurors, all of whom had their wands drawn. Fortunately none of them had pointed them at the Governor General, who quickly took charge of the situation and barked, "Everyone, be quiet! Parker, report!"
	Parker, the Auror who had shouted, was standing behind Umbridge's desk holding an open quill case, looking in it with horror on his face. After a second he looked up at Madam Bones and said, "Blood Quills, at least a dozen of them!"
	Madam Bones steeled her facial expression before her anger could show. Now was not the time to react, but simply catalog and secure them so they could get through the entire Ministry. Besides, it was unlikely that Umbridge would be punished any worse than she already was going to be for attempting to kill the Queen. "Alright people, show's over," she said, looking at the shocked faces of several Aurors. "As disgusted as I am at finding them in Madam Umbridge's possession, we've still got a job to do. Parker, document and secure them, and I'll add my personal seal to it. Then I'll join you and Jones to keep searching this office until we're sure there's nothing left hiding here. Everyone else get back to work!"
	There was a chorus of, "Yes, Ma'am" from the various Aurors before they returned to their tasks. By the time they had cleared Umbridge's office nearly an hour later, they had located three more items that were clearly illegal, plus a couple more that would have to be tested before their exact nature and status could be determined.
	After personally seeing all of the confiscated items properly secured as evidence, Madam Bones returned to her office just in time for one of the Crown Wizards to arrive with a note from Captain Lee. After reading his request, she decided that in addition to Croaker, she would send two Aurors to help identify anyone who was captured or killed, since the Death Eaters would most likely be unfamiliar to the soldiers of the MMS. The note had said that someone would be sent to collect Croaker that afternoon, so she figured she could have the Aurors ready and if there was a problem they just wouldn't go.
	After writing her request and giving it to the Crown Wizard, she summoned Croaker and two of her more level-headed Aurors, Shacklebolt and Jones. While there was still a part of her that wasn't entirely comfortable with the MMS killing Wizards, she couldn't argue with the long-term effectiveness of permanently taking care of the Death Eaters. Still, there were many in her department who wouldn't be able to remain passive if they were there, which limited her options. Jones was young, and so might be a little unpredictable, but had also shown a penchant for keeping her head. And Shacklebolt was both solid as a rock and serene as a moonlit pool unless angered; as long as he was warned in advance, he'd be able to keep them both under control.
	While she waited for them to arrive, she looked over the latest round of questions from the public. Most of them fell into two categories: simple, easy answers, and things that were still undefined and could not be answered yet. There were a few that didn't fit either category, and those were the ones she had chosen to look over personally. Even if she didn't have the entire answer, she needed to know what the public was thinking, and this was a good way to do so.
	Madam Edgecombe sat at a table, staring at the paper in front of her. It was a legal agreement eliminating the death penalty for her in exchange for what was probably a suicide mission. Yes, they would give her a Portkey to escape with, but there was no guarantee it would work before the wards came down, and she might not live long enough after they did to use it. Still, it was a chance, and that was better than she had any reason to hope for twenty-four hours ago.
	"So, Madam Edgecombe, do we have a deal?" asked Captain Lee, sitting across from her.
	She looked up at the soldier, then picked up the agreement and read it one more time. It galled her that she was having to admit (at least on paper) that what she had done was wrong, but she knew enough about the legal system to know that this was the way things were done. She could still refuse to go along with it, and take her chances that she might be spared anyway, but her solicitor had made it clear that she didn't think she would be that lucky.
	Coming to the conclusion that she had very little choice left, she nodded, then picked up the quill and signed it before slumping in her chair. She was doomed without it, and having made the agreement, her life was forfeit if somehow the Dark Lord survived or found out. Still, it would be better to die at the hands of the Dark Lord than those of the Muggles.
	"Thank, you," said Captain Lee. "In a few hours, you will be given a letter to take to your so-called Dark Lord. At some point beforehand, you will be Obliviated of your knowledge of this agreement in case he tries to read your mind. You will be given a Portkey that takes you directly back to your cell; just before your departure you will be given instructions on what to do. Failure to follow instructions will result in you being treated just like any other Death Eater who doesn't surrender. Do you understand what that means?"
	Madam Edgecombe nodded. "It means I probably wouldn't live to see my daughter again," she said.
	"I'm glad we understand each other," replied Captain Lee. "Play by the rules and I'll make sure you see her again if at all possible." Turning to the solicitor, he said, "Miss Evans, thank you again for your assistance. I'll leave you to speak with your client further if you wish, otherwise I'll escort you out."
	"Thank you," said the solicitor, Miss Evans. "I would like to discuss a few things with my client before I leave."
	"Very well," said Captain Lee as he rose. "Is it alright if the guards remain in here, or do you wish to have privacy?"
	Miss Evans shrugged, then looked at Madam Edgecombe who nodded. "I think we'd prefer some privacy, if you could?"
	Captain Lee nodded, then turned to the two guards standing near the door. "Vicent, Lloyd, please remain outside the door until Miss Evans calls for you. Madam Edgecombe is to remain here until we're ready for her. I'll have dinner sent when it's ready, as well as making sure someone comes to escort her to the loo. If you need anything, just let me know."
	"Sir!" they both said, saluting, then the three of them exited the room. The two guards took up positions on either side of the door, while Captain Lee went to double-check the final preparations for the assault on Voldemort.
	The briefing room at the MMS base was filled to capacity and then some. With the exception of twelve members actively engaged elsewhere, every active member of the MMS was in the room. There were four members who remained behind at the Ministry to provide the appearance of not having left, four keeping an eye on the Riddle house, and four others who were guarding the prisoners and would remain behind to keep an eye on them.
	In addition to the members of the MMS, there were half a dozen Crown Wizards present, along with a pair of Ministry Aurors and an Unspeakable. The latter three were here as observers only; they wouldn't be taking part in the operation directly, but were there to help identify the Death Eaters once the Riddle house was secured. The Unspeakable also had another job, verifying that Voldemort was truly gone, but it wouldn't be mentioned publicly. The Crown Wizards were not expected to take part in the anticipated fight, but were tasked with getting the anti-Apparition and anti-Portkey wards up seconds after the existing wards came down, and would help guard the perimeter afterwards.
	Major French and Captain Lee stood at the front of the room, where an overhead map of the Riddle house and its surroundings was projected onto a screen for all to see. While individual teams had already been briefed on their specific additional mission goals, this was the final briefing for the entire group to make sure everyone was on the same page. "Our time is short, so let's get to this," said the Major once everyone arrived. "In less than an hour you will all be Portkeying to your staging areas outside of the target's view and then taking your places. We don't know when the so-called Dark Lord will summon his followers, but we need to be ready to hit them shortly after they've arrived. Best estimate as to the numbers is somewhere between twenty and thirty.
	"Prisoners are to be taken if possible, but only if it's safe to do so and they surrender unconditionally. They get one chance to give themselves up; after that, any hostile action and I want them taken down. I want everyone coming home again, as does Her Majesty. These terrorists have a history of showing no mercy, so don't take any unnecessary chances. Understood?"
	There was a chorus of, "Yes, Sir!" from the assembled soldiers, along with nods from the Crown Wizards and Unspeakable. The Aurors looked uncomfortable, but didn't say anything.
	Captain Lee stepped forward and pointed to the house with a laser pointer. "We only have a basic layout of the house, as our sources have only been in a small part of it. What we do know is that our primary target is usually found in the larger room here," he pointed towards the back of the house, on the north side, "which is at the end of the hallway directly opposite the front doors. We will have air assets, call sign Mystery Flight, waiting for our call with a pair of wardbuster LGBs. Laser designation and sniper teams will be here and here," he pointed to a pair of locations just outside the south side of the wards.
	"You have large trees for cover, so you should be able to set up the designator without being too obvious. Your targets are low stone walls approximately fifteen yards in front of the house; we want to take the wards down, but not the house itself, since that will make the task of ensuring everyone is accounted for more difficult. Leftenant Flinn, your team will take the western location, your call sign is Lucifer One. Leftenant Whitehouse, your team will take the eastern location, your call sign is Lucifer Two. Get set up, but don't illuminate the targets until instructed. Leftenant Foot, your sniper team will set up on the north side of the house, with the call sign Lucifer Three, even though you won't be designating.
	"Once the Death Eaters arrive, we will be sending one of our captured prisoners into the house with a message telling them to exit the house and surrender, or we will be coming in. This will be delivered shortly before Mystery Flight takes down the wards. The prisoner is to be treated the same as any other Death Eater encountered at the target location; if she doesn't surrender she is to be taken down just like any other hostile. As soon as the wards come down, the warding team is to raise the new ones. The wardstones are already in place, in these locations," he used the laser pointer to point out six spots around the house, "and are fully charged so you should just need to trigger the activation rune. Teams 2 and 4 unfortunately do not have any significant cover, so you'll need to wait nearby and get into position as the wardbusters are falling. You'll have additional support when you do so from Alpha and Delta teams just in case, but once the wards are up I want you getting back under cover right away."
	The Crown Wizards all nodded in agreement. While they had no objections to helping out with this mission, combat duty wasn't something they had signed up for, unlike the members of the MMS.
	"Once the wards are up we give everyone in the house one minute to exit and surrender," continued Captain Lee. "After that, Bravo and Charlie teams will take point on breaching the house, with Alpha and Delta teams providing cover and perimeter control on the south side of the house, supported by Lucifer One and Two. Echo team will provide perimeter control on the north side, along with Lucifer Three. I will have overall command of the mission, call sign Aslan, and will be set up here," he pointed to a spot on the eastern side of the house atop a small hill. "Sergeant Richards, your signal team will set up with me, and will also coordinate with Mystery Flight. Your call sign for this mission is Sergeant Pepper." This drew laughter from most of the assembled soldiers, as well as a couple of the Crown Wizards.
	"Auror Shacklebolt, Auror Jones, Unspeakable Croaker, you'll be with me. While I don't expect you to take part in the assault, I would appreciate you providing support for the signal team if necessary. Also, please do not attempt to approach the house until you're given the all-clear, so that there aren't any misunderstandings."
	Both Aurors nodded their understanding, while Croaker remained impassive. Captain Lee turned back to the entire assembly. "Assuming things go as we expect, the so-called Dark Lord will summon his followers sometime after dark tonight. It could be as long as early morning, but we don't think he's patient enough to do that. Are there any questions?"
	He had been expecting to get at least something from the Aurors, but neither one seemed eager to speak up, and everyone else already knew what was expected of them. "No, very good. I want to reiterate what the Major said about coming home. I want to see each and every one of you here for the debriefing; keep yourselves alive, keep your teammates alive, and take care of business. God save the Queen!"
	"God save the Queen!" roared the assembled soldiers, shocking the Aurors and surprising even the Crown Wizards with its intensity, before they all stood and went to complete their final preparations for the operation.
	Captain Lee turned to Major French and said, "I hope to god we all come back. Nothing ever goes exactly as planned."
	"I know," replied the Major, "and so do I. I need to leave shortly myself; I'll be stationed at the SAS command post on the outskirts of Little Hangleton. If things go pear-shaped, to hell with the Statute of Secrecy, call me and we'll be there in minutes."
	"Thanks," said Captain Lee, "let's hope it doesn't come to that."
	"Agreed." The Major held out his hand, and Captain Lee shook it. "Good luck, my friend. Listen to your own advice and bring our boys home alive."
	"Yes, Sir!" saluted Captain Lee, then left to complete his own preparations, while the Major did the same.
	As the MMS covertly set up outside the Riddle house and hunkered down to wait for things to happen, inside the house Voldemort was getting impatient. He knew the transition was officially not happening until the morning, but after today's Prophet article he was concerned that he might lose the support of the werewolves if the announced trial program to make them an accepted part of society got too much support. He'd nearly summoned his Death Eaters just as soon as he read about it, but realized that once he did he'd be committed to attacking the ministry right away, as he would appear weak if he were to summon them just to rant about the newspaper, of all things. He'd planned on attacking in the early morning anyway, before the Muggles had officially left, just to prove that he was more powerful than they were, but with the announced security sweep having the full contingent of Aurors and the Muggle soldiers inside the Ministry it would be foolish not to wait until at least nightfall.
	About two hours later he noticed it was dark, checked the time again, and decided he'd call his supporters a bit earlier than he had originally planned. He summoned Wormtail, and a moment later his cowardly but mostly loyal minion appeared and knelt before him.
	"What can I do for you, my Lord?" asked Wormtail.
	"Give me your arm, Wormtail. It's time to teach those Muggle-loving fools in the Ministry that Lord Voldemort will not bow down to them, ever."
	"Y-yes, m-master," stuttered Wormtail as he stood and held out his left arm, trembling. Voldemort touched his finger to the Dark Mark as he had in the graveyard, and Wormtail gave a howl of pain just like he had back then. Voldemort released him and he stumbled back, the pain overwhelming his sense of balance for a moment.
	"Soon, Wormtail," said Voldemort sounding satisfied, "very soon, indeed. We shall take over the Ministry, and should the Muggles interfere we shall deal with them too. Not that they won't feel our wrath eventually, but first we must clean up the Magical world before we can deal with the Muggles properly." He sat back and waited, knowing his summons would be answered shortly.
	Ten minutes later his Death Eaters were assembled in front of him, all except for the four who had apparently been captured at the Ministry, and the one whose information he wanted the most. "Where is Severus?" he asked dangerously.
	The assembled Death Eaters looked around, and one or two of them began to fidget. "My Lord," one of them began to say, then stopped as Voldemort turned to look at him.
	"Speak up already," demanded Voldemort, his wand pointed at the speaker but holding his curse for the time being.
	"My Lord," repeated the Death Eater, "I heard he had been captured. Someone saw him taken by Muggle soldiers from the front gates of Hogwarts. I thought you had been told."
	"No," intoned Voldemort, "I was not. Crucio," he said offhandedly, and the Death Eater fell to the floor in agony. He held the spell for a few seconds then released it, not wanting to damage his minion's ability to fight too much, but needing to maintain discipline nonetheless. "The next time one of you hears something like this, you will inform me immediately, even if you think someone else has already done so. Or you will suffer far worse for your failure."
	"Y-yes, my L-Lord," gasped the Death Eater as he tried to rise from the floor.
	"And when was Severus captured? Do you know?"
	Shaking his head the Death Eater said, "A couple days ago, perhaps? I don't know for certain, as I only heard this morning. That's why I thought you knew."
	Voldemort frowned. "Could Severus have already been captured when I first summoned him?" he thought. "Could he have possibly betrayed me?" He didn't know what to think, other than that he had a bad feeling all of a sudden. His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of another Death Eater, though this one was not garbed in the traditional robes and mask, and so was easily identified right away. "Madam Edgecombe, how nice of you to join us," he said dangerously. "Now give me one good reason not to kill you where you stand for failing to respond to my previous summons," he said, pointing his wand at her.
	"My apologies, my Lord," she said, kneeling before him and kissing his robes. "I was held captive under anti-Apparition wards by both Muggles and Wizards, and was only able to respond because they sent me to deliver this." She held out an envelope without looking up, not wanting to see the death she knew was likely coming for her any second.
	She was surprised to feel the envelope taken from her hand instead, before Voldemort replied, "Then we shall see what they say first, and then I will deal with you."
	Ten minutes earlier Madam Edgecombe had been sitting in her cell, waiting for the Dark Lord to summon her. She didn't know how long she had been waiting, as her memory seemed like it was a bit of a blur. She suspected she'd been Obliviated, but when she asked she got no answer at all. All she knew was that the soldiers guarding her wanted to know when she felt the summons from the Dark Mark, and so she sat there, waiting.
	Suddenly she hissed and grabbed her arm, before saying, "He's summoning me, now." Normally she would have told them to go to hell, but they had promised to let her go if she delivered a letter to her master, and so she did what they asked, all the while looking for a way to escape when the time came. Even if she died at the hands of her master, it was better than dying at the hands of a Muggle.
	One of the soldiers came over to her cell, while the other kept his weapon pointed at her. She knew better than to try and take them on though; while she was happy to participate in Muggle-baiting raids with the Death Eaters, she knew she was no fighter, and two-on-one was odds she was unwilling to risk if she could avoid it. She was taken out of her cell, and into another featureless room where a third soldier was waiting.
	"Madam Edgecombe, this is your one and only chance to avoid the gallows," said the soldier who was waiting for her. "We will give you your wand and a letter, which you are to take to your master. If you wish to live, when the time is right simply drop your wand, get down on the ground and say, 'I surrender.' If you do that, you will be taken prisoner and your cooperation will be taken into account at your trial. Do you understand?"
	"Yes," she said nodding. Not that she planned on giving up that easily, but at least it was an option she hadn't had before.
	He held out her wand and an envelope. "Don't think of trying anything with your wand," he said. "If you do I promise you won't survive to make it to the gallows."
	She shook her head and took the offered items. "I don't like the odds, so I'll behave," she said, then looked at the envelope. It was plain and unaddressed, but the intent was clear. "Can I go now?"
	The soldier nodded. "You may Apparate out from this room. I suggest you go directly to your master, or he may not be as forgiving as we are."
	Madam Edgecombe gulped, not disagreeing in the slightest. Taking her wand she spun on the spot, Apparating to the site of her master's call.
	Voldemort read the letter, not knowing if he should laugh or scream. It was addressed to him personally, and it was clear from the contents that his current location was no longer a secret.
	15th August, 1995
2000 hours
	To the so-called Dark Lord Voldemort, AKA Tom Riddle,
	You, and your followers, have been declared enemy combatants by Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the Magical Kingdom of Great Britain Queen, Defender of the Faith. The house you currently occupy is surrounded by Her Majesty's forces, and you are being given this one opportunity to surrender or you will be subjected to an armed assault. In the next couple of minutes, the wards surrounding the house you currently inhabit will be forcefully brought down. When that happens, you have exactly one minute to exit the house, throw down your wands and surrender. Failure to do so will subject you to potentially lethal force.
	Any hostile actions taken before the wards come down, or before the grace period expires, will also be met with immediate force. Again, you have one minute from when the wards come down.
	Her Majesty's Magical Military Force

	The bad feeling intensified, and he wondered for the first time if he had possibly underestimated the Muggles. Realizing that his Death Eaters were waiting on him, he decided it would look better if he laughed, so he did so, a long sinister laugh.
	The Death Eaters looked curious and concerned, with several of them asking, "What is it, my Lord?"
	After a moment, Voldemort stopped laughing and said, "The Muggles wish for us to surrender. They claim to be able to take down the wards, and if we do not surrender they will attack." Voldemort's face turned hard, then furious, as he crumpled the letter in his hand. "How dare they make demands of me, Lord Voldemort! We shall show them that they made a mistake threatening me and my Death Eaters, one they shall not live to make again!"
	All the Death Eaters except Madam Edgecombe cheered, not knowing what was heading their way from above.
	Fifteen thousand feet above Yorkshire Dales National Park, Mystery Flight, a pair of RAF Tornado GR.1s circled, waiting for the call to drop their bombs. While none of the crew members were aware of the special nature of the weapons they carried, they did know that this was a very special, and very black, operation. Special and black enough that when it was over they'd probably never be able to talk about it again while they lived, even to each other. Even so, the pilots were discussing the possible nature of the mission when the radio crackled.
	"Mystery Flight, this is Sergeant Pepper. Stand by for target designation," came the voice of their ground controller.
	"Mystery One copies," replied the lead pilot.
	"Mystery Two copies," parroted his wingman.
	A few seconds later, Sergeant Pepper was heard again. "Mystery flight, targets are illuminated from the south. Request as close to simultaneous impact as possible, as timing is critical. Stand by for thirty second release countdown on my mark." There was a brief pause, followed by, "Mark!"
	As the bombers lined up for their final runs, the navigators in the back seat acquired the laser designators used by the ground forces and locked the bombs on them.
	"Mystery One has lock," came the voice of the lead navigator.
	"Mystery Two has lock," echoed the second navigator.
	"Sergeant Pepper copies. Weapons free," said the ground controller.
	Coordinating their actions, the two navigators released their bombs within a half second of each other, which was as good as they were going to get. "Sergeant Pepper, bombs away. Mystery flight returning to base," the lead pilot radioed as he turned his aircraft towards home.
	"Copy that, Mystery flight. Thank you, and good night."
	The bombers didn't stick around to see if their bombs hit; they had strict orders to leave the area as soon as they dropped their bombs, and they were following them to the letter. After all, the less they knew, the less they could accidentally reveal later on.
	Outside the wards surrounding the Riddle house, the MMS's earpieces all came to life as Captain Lee broadcast to everyone. "Wardbusters in twenty seconds, keep your heads down. Let's all do our jobs and go home. Aslan out."
	Fifteen seconds later the wardbusters hit, and all hell broke loose.
 *Chapter 28*: Fire!

 	Originally Posted 5/27/16, last revised 10/27/16.
	Disclaimer:I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.
	Chapter 28: Fire!
	Dropped from a height of fifteen thousand feet, the laser guided 2000 pound bombs struck the ground in front of the Riddle house like a proverbial, and literal, ton of bricks. Even without their usual high explosive contents, they plowed into the ground and threw up dirt and debris for nearly a hundred yards, and leaving craters almost ten yards in diameter. The front of the Riddle house was covered in dirt, every window was broken, and the doors were hanging askew on their hinges. But for all the physical results caused by the bombs' impact, the effects on the wards was much more devastating.
	Traveling at nearly three hundred meters per second, the wardbusters struck the wards with the force of over a thousand Wizards all casting at the same time. While it's possible they could have survived an attack like that if they had been the best Goblin wards money could buy, these were not, and thus they did not. The wards imploded spectacularly, causing a bright flash that was visible several miles away, along with a massive boom that joined with the bombs' impact and shook the house for several seconds. Major French would later report that it in fact looked and sounded like a lightning strike from where he was stationed with the SAS, but he knew for a fact that the skies in the area were clear when it happened.
	Inside the Riddle house, chaos reigned as most of the Death Eaters were thrown off their feet while Voldemort was nearly toppled off of his throne. Seconds later he felt new wards being raised, and the unease he had felt earlier turned into the first inklings of fear he'd felt in a very long time. Anti-Apparition wards were up, and he'd be willing to bet there were anti-Portkey wards up as well, trapping them in the house. He couldn't see them from inside his throne room, but he was pretty sure that the Muggles had indeed surrounded them as they'd said in the letter.
	"So," he said, once the shaking stopped and the Death Eaters started to recover. "The Muggles think they can attack us. How pitiful." He rose from his throne and said, "Let us go show them what real Wizards are capable of doing." He hoped his bravado was enough to inspire his forces to fight, while the tightness in the pit of his stomach only got worse. If they were truly trapped, and things were as bad as he worried they might be, he would probably have to sacrifice most if not all of his minions to buy time to escape.
	Turning to Madam Edgecombe, he pointed his wand and said, "You will lead us out of the house. If you try to run away, I'll kill you myself. Come my Death Eaters, let us deal with these Muggles and then go take care of the Ministry." Pushing Madam Edgecombe ahead of him, Voldemort strode out of his throne room towards the front of the house, not waiting to see who was following him.
	When they reached the front hall, he took note of the poor condition of the doors and stopped. He then turned halfway back towards his followers, noting with satisfaction that they had all joined him, and commanded, "I want their leader taken alive, so that I may question him. Other than that, take no prisoners. Remember, these are Muggles, and you are pure-blooded wizards. There can be only one possible outcome of this fight. Now, kill them all!" He blew the remains of the doors out with a blasting curse and strode forwards, beckoning his troops to follow him.
	The Death Eaters cheered, all but Madam Edgecombe, who was unceremoniously shoved out the door at the front of the charging pack. She was pushed to the side by the more swiftly moving people behind her, and was thus saved from the first volley of gunfire that cut down the leading wave of Death Eaters. As she stumbled to the ground, she had a perfect view of Voldemort as he raised his wand, said, "Avada Kedav-," and then his head exploded.
	Realizing this was her chance to escape, she threw her wand to the side, lay on the ground and shouted, "I surrender!" This grabbed the attention of several other Death Eaters, but before they could react she disappeared with the telltale sign of a Portkey activation, preventing them from doing anything to her.
	Seeing their Lord and master cut down enraged the remaining Death Eaters. They all started sending out their strongest spells, but none more wildly than Thorfinn Rowle. He ran forward towards the nearest advancing group of soldiers, firing spells so rapidly it was nearly impossible to tell where one ended and the next began. It was only a few seconds before he was cut down, but he left a wake of destruction that rallied the surviving Death Eaters briefly before they, too, were taken out by the combined gunfire of the assault teams and their sniper cover.
	In the end, the battle took less than two minutes, but for those that survived it was the longest two minutes of their lives. Of the Death Eaters who had answered Voldemort's summons, not including Madam Edgecombe, all but one had been cut down in the fighting. The only survivor, Peter Pettigrew, had cowardly tried to stay back and avoid the fighting, but had gotten tagged by a stray bullet in the leg. When the MMS assault team found him up against the doorway to the house a couple minutes later, he was already showing signs of shock from the blood loss.
	"I've got a survivor!" shouted the soldier who found him, calling for one of his medical trained colleagues.
	"No!" grunted Peter, his breath short. "Please, don't. Just let me die, it's what I deserve."
	The soldier looked at him, confused, as he tried to assess the wound.
	"If I live, I'll just hang," gasped Peter, his voice growing hoarse. "This way is better. For everyone."
	As the two soldiers tried to stop the bleeding, Peter Pettigrew took his last breath. As the blackness claimed him, his last thought was of astonishment that he didn't feel afraid anymore.
	While things were settling down at the front of the Riddle House, the MMS teams guarding the back of the house remained alert in case anyone had remained in the house and tried to sneak out the back. They had just heard the report of Pettigrew's death from his injuries when Lieutenant Foot, one of the spotters for the sniper team known as Lucifer Three, spotted movement near the base of the house. Calling it out to the rest of his team, all three of them (two spotters and one sniper) focused on the motion.
	After a moment, they realized it was a dark green snake, and a rather large one at that. It appeared to be over ten feet long, at least ten inches thick, and certainly didn't look like anything native to the British Isles. After a moment it became clear it was attempting to flee the house stealthily, though for what reason they didn't know. Just in case, Lieutenant Foot decided to call it in.
	"Aslan, this is Lucifer Three. We have a very large snake exiting the house and attempting to leave the grounds. It does not appear to be native, but I don't know if it relates to the target subjects or not, although it does seem to be rather cautious."
	"Say again, Lucifer Three? You said a large snake?" came the response.
	"Affirmative." He took a closer look and added, "Looks like some sort of Viper or other venomous snake, but I've never seen one that big."
	"Wait one," came the voice of Captain Lee. Then, after a moment, "Sources indicate it may have been the primary target's pet. Consider it very dangerous and take it out."
	"Lucifer Three copies, eliminate the snake. Out." Turning to his sniper, Lieutenant Foot said, "You heard the man, neutralize the snake."
	"Roger," said the sniper, who took careful aim and fired. A half second later the snake twitched violently and then lay still.
	"Looks like a good shot," said Lieutenant Foot, I'll have Echo team confirm it once the house is secure.
	Fifteen minutes later two members of Echo team put two more bullets in the snake from several yards away, just to be sure, but the snake didn't move and a couple minutes later they confirmed it was indeed dead, the last casualty of the battle.
	Major French sat in front of Her Majesty's desk along with Charles Adlington, Sirius Black and Harry Potter early Monday morning, waiting for the Queen to finish reading the summary of the after-action report he had given her. In total, they had lost two men, along with a third who was severely injured and would require several months of recovery even with Magical assistance. Beyond that there had been a large number of minor injuries, but nothing that couldn't be easily healed Magically or even non-Magically.
	The Queen looked up from the report, looked at the Major, and said, "Thirty two terrorists and one snake killed at the cost of two of our soldiers dead and one seriously wounded, is that correct?"
	Harry gasped at the mention of the two dead soldiers, and Sirius put his arm around him while the Major ignored him and replied, "Yes Ma'am. Plus a number of minor injuries that should be healed within the next few days."
	"Tell me, Major, do you consider this to be an acceptable level of losses?"
	Harry stared at the Queen in shock at the question, but the Major didn't hesitate to answer. "No, Ma'am, I do not. Even a single loss is more than I wanted, but there are no guarantees on the battlefield. As it was, my men did exactly what they were supposed to do to protect themselves as best they could, but two of them got hit by lucky shots."
	"Or unlucky ones," he thought to himself; the first had been a stray killing curse that made it through from the initial volley after Voldemort was killed, as there had just been too many to block them all. And the second had been tagged in the neck with a cutting curse from Thorfinn Rowle, just as he was taken down. Enraged as he'd been, his victim had nearly been decapitated, and had bled out before they could even try and save him.
	The Queen nodded, accepting the Major's unstated apology and acknowledging the realities of war.
	At this point Harry couldn't contain himself any longer and started crying softly. "I'm sorry," he sobbed, "I didn't mean for anyone to die..."
	Sirius pulled him into a full hug, while both the Queen and Major French looked at him unsure of what to say. After a moment, Harry pulled himself together and looked at the Queen. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, this is all my fault."
	Before Harry could say anything more, or Sirius could tell him otherwise, the Queen said, "Nonsense, Sir Harry," as she rose and came around her desk. Bending down in front of him she looked him in the eye and said, "Just how, young man, is any of this your fault? Did you cause the so-called Dark Lord to try to take over the Magical World? Did you cause his followers to not surrender peacefully when given a chance? The only people at fault are the so-called Dark Lord and his followers. It is unfortunate that others died to make sure we were all safe, but they knew the risks going into it and accepted them. Now it is time for you to accept that even if your actions may have set things in motion, you are not responsible for anyone's deaths."
	"What about Voldemort?" asked Harry. "I all but told you to kill him."
	"No matter what you said, it is I who ultimately gave the order, Sir Harry. If anything, you're responsible for saving lives, by preventing Voldemort and his followers from taking any more than they already have. Do you understand?" The Queen held his gaze sternly, but also with a kindness that indicated her concern for him.
	Harry looked at her, trying to reconcile the image of the Queen acting and sounding more like he would have expected out of Professor McGonagall, then nodded. He still didn't like that any of the soldiers died fighting Voldemort, but he could see her point. And now that he thought about it, Voldemort and his Death Eaters being dead probably had saved countless lives, both Magical and otherwise, that they would have destroyed had they been able to pick up their activities.
	Sniffling a bit he nodded and said, "I don't like it, Your Majesty, but I understand." Turning to the Major he added, "And for what it's worth I'm sorry for your losses."
	Major French nodded, and said, "Thank you, I'll pass that along."
	Sirius waited until the Queen had returned to her seat before asking, "So where do we go from here?"
	After answering a few more questions from Her Majesty about the operation and its aftermath, Major French was excused and the remaining wizards discussed how to handle delivering the news of Voldemort's death to the Magical World. It was too late to get the story in the morning's paper; even if it was still before breakfast time, the majority of the copies would already have been printed, and people were already getting up for their day. After some discussion Sirius suggested that they simply have Mister Adlington and Governor General Bones give a joint press conference over the Wizarding Wireless Network, which caused the Queen to look puzzled and Mister Adlington to look sheepish.
	"I had forgotten that Wizards had developed their own Magical radio," he said, when the Queen had inquired what Sirius was talking about. "Yes, that will do nicely. We can have a formal press release printed in tomorrow's paper, but this will get the message out fairly widely right away. With your permission, Your Majesty, I'll go prepare the press release and then go see Governor General Bones about making this happen."
	The Queen nodded, then said, "Before you go, Charles, there is one other item to discuss. Now that the current crisis is over, I would like to speak to Mister Dumbledore as quickly as possible so we can deal with that side of things as well. My schedule is full today and tomorrow, but I believe Wednesday morning is open. I would also like to address the entire staff before speaking further with the Headmaster alone."
	"Of course, Ma'am, I'll see to it that everything is prepared. Is eight o'clock too early for you?"
	"That would be acceptable, Charles, thank you." After Mister Adlington had left, she put on her "business face" and addressed Harry and Sirius. "Sir Harry, Mister Black, we thank you for putting your lives on hold to assist with this matter. Please enjoy two more days of our hospitality while things settle down. We would like to ensure that there are no immediate problems once the so-called Dark Lord's demise is announced. Additionally, we would like to speak with Mister Dumbledore about your situation before he has a chance to speak to you, and this will ensure that we do so. We hope this won't be too much of an inconvenience."
	"No, Your Majesty," they both replied, before Sirius continued. "You have been most kind to accommodate us for so long, and we appreciate your care in dealing with us. Thank you, and we will happily accede to your wishes."
	"Well spoken, Mister Black," replied the Queen, letting her face relax. "Tell me, have you ever considered a career in politics?"
	Sirius's look could best be described as, "Who, me?" as he shook his head. "No, Ma'am, I haven't. But in any event, I think my career right now is going to revolve around taking care of Harry and doing whatever I need to to formally adopt him. Between that and learning how to live as a free man again, I think I'll have my hands full."
	"Hmm," she hummed, then nodded. "I see you're taking my previous caution seriously. Good, you do that. But if you ever change your mind, speak to Mister Adlington's office. I'll make sure you have their contact information before you depart."
	"Thank you, Ma'am," said Sirius, not knowing what else to say. He stifled a yawn, noticing that Harry was doing the same only less successfully. "I think, given the time, that perhaps we should go back to bed for a while. Is there anything else we can do for Your Majesty?"
	"No, I think we've done everything we can until the press conference and its fallout. Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of going back to bed, but I appreciate the sentiment." Sirius opened his mouth to say something, but the Queen waved him off. "Go, get some sleep, I won't hold it against you," she said with a tired smile. She pushed a button on her phone to summon a steward, and waited until Harry and Sirius had left before preparing herself for the day ahead.
	Amelia Bones had been annoyed to be awoken shortly before six in the morning by an urgent Floo call, but when she learned why, the annoyance had been replaced by elation. Now, shortly before nine o'clock on a Monday morning, she was about to give the most important press conference of her life. Thinking back on everything that had happened over the past five days, she was amazed at how much had been accomplished in so little time. But perhaps that was just one more thing pointing to how badly Wizarding society had stagnated in Great Britain.
	Of course, there would be many who decried the deaths of so many prominent purebloods, but after being briefed on how things had happened, even she could see that the result could be laid squarely on the shoulders of the deceased. Still, the Aurors would be out in force for the next few days, making sure that nobody got any strange ideas about taking their anger out on anyone else.
	She looked up as Charles Adlington entered her office, escorted by two soldiers and Aurors Shacklebolt and Jones. "Ready to make the big announcement, Governor General?" he asked.
	She had attempted to argue that he should be making the announcement, or perhaps one of the members of the Military, but he had successfully convinced her that more people would take it rationally if the official announcement came from her. He would be there to answer any questions she could not, or that needed further clarification, but the announcement that Voldemort was dead rested entirely on her head.
	Standing, she replied, "Not really, Mister Adlington, but there's no time like the present." She allowed the Aurors to lead them out of her office and down to the Atrium, where the press would be gathered along with a broadcast team from the Wizarding Wireless Network News. When they arrived, several members of the press started shouting out questions before she even reached the podium, but she just ignored them and waited until everyone quieted down.
	"Members of the press," she began, "citizens of Magical Britain, and everyone who can hear my voice or read about this in the papers, I stand before you to announce that the so-called Dark Lord Voldemort is dead." There was a collective gasp at her mention of Voldemort's name, and she had to wait several seconds for everyone to recover before she could continue, repeating, "Again, Voldemort is dead. He, along with nearly all of his followers who had gathered in preparation for an attack on the Ministry, were killed last night by forces of Her Majesty's Magical Military Squad after refusing to surrender and attacking said forces. While it is possible that there may still be one or two of his followers at large, we believe that between the five people who were taken into custody before the operation, six of his followers who are already serving life sentences in Azkaban, and the thirty two who were killed, including Voldemort, that this consists of everyone currently loyal to him.
	"While I do not have the names of all of the people who were killed at this time, we will release them as a whole once we have confirmed all of their identities. I can tell you that every one of those killed in the operation, with the exception of Voldemort himself, had the Dark Mark on their person indicating that they were a dedicated follower of Voldemort and were subject to detention and prosecution by order of the Queen. I can also tell you that in response to a message sent to Voldemort and his forces ordering them to surrender or face hostile action, the entire group responded violently rather than obeying the lawful orders given to them, forcing the Magical Military Squad to respond in kind.
	"While we at the Ministry are saddened to hear about the loss of life of any Wizards, given the threat and past actions of Voldemort and his followers, we categorically place all of the blame for that loss of life entirely on those Wizards who chose to fight rather than surrendering to the rightful authorities. I would also like to remind everyone that violent acts in response to this operation will not be tolerated, and will see swift action on the part of the Aurors."
	Madam Bones looked around at the press, taking in the shocked looks on many of their faces, before opening up the floor. "Are there any questions?" she asked.
	After a moment, Barnabas Cuffe raised a hand and asked, "Governor General, you said that thirty-two Wizards were killed, including V-V-V-You-Know-Who. How many non-Wizards were killed or injured?"
	Madam Bones gave him a hard look, trying to determine why he was asking the question, but before she could answer Mister Adlington stepped forward and asked, "If I may, Governor General?" She nodded, and he continued, "For those of you who don't know who I am, I'm Charles Adlington, Chief Wizard to Her Majesty the Queen. The losses sustained by Her Majesty's Magical Military Squad consisted of two deaths, one serious injury, and numerous minor injuries. While those killed were both non-Magical, I am unaware as to whether either of them were what you call Squibs, or if they were entirely non-Magical. The one serious injury was to a Wizard; from what I understand there was significant soft tissue damage, which even the best Magical healers can only do so much with. However, I have been assured he should make a complete recovery given several months of proper treatment."
	"Are you trying to tell me," Cuffe asked in disbelief, "that the most dangerous Dark Lord this century and thirty-one of his followers, all very dangerous Wizards themselves, were all killed with only the loss of two lives and one serious injury? How is that possible?"
	"Because non-Magical weapons are superior," muttered one of the soldiers under his breath, earning him a glare from Madam Bones.
	Mister Adlington ignored the soldier and smiled, and not a very nice smile either. "It's possible because we in the non-Magical world have not been content to let things stay the same for the past two hundred years or more. Had we not cared about collateral damage or being able to identify Voldemort and all of his followers, we could have easily killed them all and destroyed the house they were in without risking any of our forces, and that would have taken but a fraction of the power we could have brought to bear if needed. The non-Magicals may not have the ability to use Magic like we can, but they have come up with many different ways to accomplish things as well or better than we do with Magic. Fortunately for everyone, those methods are not limited to just killing people, even if that was showcased by this operation. I would be happy to find someone in my office to assist you with researching what the non-Magical world is truly capable of accomplishing these days should you wish it; Governor General Bones knows how to contact me should you need to."
	Cuffe looked like he wanted to ask more questions, but was also clearly having trouble digesting the answer he'd been given. In the meantime, Rita Skeeter jumped in and asked, "You said that five people were taken into custody before the operation. Who are they, and what's going to happen to them?"
	Mister Adlington stepped back and let Madam Bones speak. They had discussed this earlier, and agreed that now was the time to officially announce the names of the Death Eaters in custody. "The Death Eaters in custody," said Madam Bones, "are Martha Edgecombe, Walden Macnair, Lucius Malfoy, Severus Snape, and John Yaxley. The are currently charged with treason and sedition against Her Majesty's rightful government, with the possibility of additional charges being brought once the investigation is complete. However, should they be found guilty, then barring Her Majesty exercising her Royal Prerogative of Mercy, they face death by hanging."
	She was interrupted by several gasps, and at least one person shouting, "But they're purebloods!", which left her shaking her head.
	"It doesn't matter what their blood status is, they stand accused of committing serious crimes, and will receive trials based on evidence and not bribes. This holds true for each and every member of British Magical society; it is Her Majesty's wish that everyone be treated equally based solely on the merits of their behavior, regardless of their parentage. Being a pureblood will no longer protect you from repercussion should you engage in illegal behavior towards non-Magicals or wizards and witches born to non-Magical parents. Likewise, any illegal behavior against purebloods will not be tolerated either, and will be punished the exact same way. Any law which says otherwise is currently suspended, and will be repealed forthwith once the Wizengamot has been reconstituted properly. Is any of that unclear?"
	There was a general murmur of negative responses, and she was pleased to see a nod of approval from Mister Adlington. "Now, are there any more questions regarding the defeat of Voldemort?"
	"How can you be certain he's gone for good, given that he's returned once already?" asked one of the other reporters.
	"Nobody alive was present when Voldemort was first defeated," answered Madam Bones, "other than a fifteen month-old Harry Potter, and as far as I am aware he doesn't know how Voldemort survived back then either. Therefore, we cannot say for certain what happened that allowed him to return. However, I am assured that his death was witnessed by multiple people, including one of the Ministry Unspeakables, and that there is no indication that he has any way of returning a second time."
	At this, the other of the two soldiers who had accompanied Mister Adlington stepped forward and said, "I was there, and nobody whose head explodes like that is anything but dead. Whatever may have happened before, I don't think it happened again."
	This caused another pause as the press considered the implications of what the soldier had said, and Madam Bones took advantage of it to wrap things up. "The Ministry will release additional information once we have it, including the names of all of the Death Eaters killed along with Voldemort. Any further questions, either for the Ministry or Mister Adlington's office, can be sent directly to the Governor General's office; depending on the situation you may not get a response directly, but will have your answers published in the regular press releases we have been sending out. Thank you all for your time this morning, and try not to celebrate too hard like we all did fourteen years ago."
	With that she turned from the podium and headed back into the Ministry, followed by Mister Adlington, the two soldiers, and her Auror escort.
	Over the course of the day, the people of Magical Britain celebrated to various degrees as they heard about the demise of Voldemort. While some decried the death of his followers, others were more inclined to say, "Good riddance to bad rubbish," and be glad that it was over an done with.
	At Grimmauld Place, Molly Weasley was both relieved to hear that Voldemort was defeated, and worried about the fact that so many purebloods had been killed by the Muggle soldiers. Not that she was particularly upset about Death eaters being killed, but the idea of Muggles killing Wizards didn't sit very well with her either. Plus, there was still no sign of Harry , and there was no telling what kind of trouble Sirius Black was getting him into. Still, the ultimate defeat of Voldemort was too momentous of an occasion to not celebrate, so she gave the kids the day off and even let the twins indulge in a few pranks, much to everyone's delight.
	Unlike at Grimmauld Place, the news of the Dark Lord's defeat was not taken well at Malfoy Manor, where several Death Eater families had gathered to support each other. While most were in mourning, fearing the worst given that everyone who had answered the Dark Lord's summons had supposedly perished, the actual residents of the house were in totally different moods. Narcissa Malfoy, the Lady of the house, put on a stoic face in public, playing the part of the grieving wife of a soon to be condemned prisoner and doing her best to comfort her guests who had lost even more.
	But privately she was thrilled at the death of the Dark Lord, even if her husband was also caught up in the purge. Her greatest fear, one that seemed to get closer to reality every passing day, was that her son, her only child, Draco, would join the Dark Lord. Whether voluntarily or by force, she knew that he would likely not survive in the Dark Lord's service very long as he'd inherited neither his father's cunning nor her subtlety, and would likely earn the Dark Lord's ire rather quickly. That, she knew, was something that was neither healthy nor promoted a long life expectancy.
	Draco, on the other hand, was furious. His entire power base, the few times he'd willingly admitted it to himself, revolved around his father's influence, money and power, and now it was all gone. Even if the Ministry didn't take what was left of the Malfoy fortune away, very few people, if any, would be susceptible to its influence in the immediate future, and he himself held very little power now that his father was incarcerated. With the Dark Lord's return a the beginning of the summer, he'd had hopes that he could eventually gain his own personal power through serving the Dark Lord, but now that hope had been dashed as well.
	The only consolation, he thought to himself, was that the majority of his peers were in similar if not worse situations. While he doubted there was much hope, his father was still alive, while theirs were all probably dead. Not that it made much of a difference, considering his father's likely fate, but there was always a chance things would work out better than expected.
	He wanted to rage at the filthy Muggles who had brought this upon his family, but he realized he knew next to nothing about them or how they got involved. Then he remembered the original Ministry press release, and how it all apparently started with Potter's trial. That had to be it; it was all Potter's fault. Somehow, someday, Draco was sure he'd find a way to make that scarhead pay for ruining his dreams.
 *Chapter 29*: Royal Inspection

 	Originally Posted 6/10/16, last revised 10/27/16.
	Disclaimer:I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.
	Chapter 29: Royal Inspection
	Just after eight o'clock Wednesday morning, Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth arrived via Portkey at the gates of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After she recovered, she found herself once again thinking that Magical transportation left much to be desired. It didn't help that there were three people holding her up, as being unfamiliar with Portkey travel she had naturally lost her balance upon arrival. Once she was settled, she thanked her escorts and looked over the castle in the distance.
	To say that Hogwarts was an impressive structure would be a massive understatement. Despite having lived in castles all her life, the Queen felt herself a little envious of the people who got to spend their childhoods here, the structure was that impressive. She was interrupted from her musings by her Chief Wizard, who asked, "Impressive sight, isn't it?"
	"Yes, quite," she replied. "I was just thinking how lucky the children who get to be schooled here are to experience something like that." She looked down at the bracelet she was wearing that allowed her to see the castle. "Thank you for the bracelet, Charles. I think I would have been disappointed to have missed this."
	"You're welcome, Ma'am, but you couldn't have entered the castle grounds without it. I'm glad to know it's working though."
	"Yes, well, let's not keep our hosts waiting, shall we. We have much to discuss before returning home."
	"Of course, Your Majesty. Please, let me help you into the carriage for the ride up to the front door."
	They rode in silence, the Queen, her Chief Wizard, and a half-dozen members of the MMS, pulled by a carriage drawn by skeletal winged horses. When they reached the front door, they were greeted by two more members of the MMS, who waited until the Queen had disembarked before bowing.
	"Your Majesty," said the more senior of the two. "We have done as you requested and not informed the Headmaster of your arrival, though I suspect he knows anyway due to the wards. Most of the professors are in the Great Hall, having breakfast. If you'll follow me?"
	"Lead on, Sergeant," said the Queen, following him into the castle itself.
	When they reached the Great Hall, two soldiers opened the doors and the Chief Wizard entered first, turning to the assembled professors and announcing the Queen. "Presenting Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the Magical Kingdom of Great Britain Queen, Defender of the Faith."
	Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the Second, strode into the Great Hall like she owned it and addressed the Headmaster. "Headmaster Dumbledore, when we last spoke to you we said that there were more pressing issues to deal with before we addressed your failings to our Magical Realm. Those issues have now been dealt with, and now the time has come to deal with you. There will be a time for you to speak in your own defense, but first you will listen. Do we make ourself clear?"
	The assembled professors, especially McGonagall and Hagrid stared at her in disbelief. Didn't she know who she was addressing, and where she was standing? McGonagall made to say something but Dumbledore stopped her as he rose to address the Queen. "No, Minerva, I will handle this," he said. Turning back to the Queen he continued, "I understand, Your Majesty. However, I believe it would be best if we were to continue this conversation in a more private setting..."
	"In a moment, Headmaster," said the Queen cutting him off. "Before we do so, we wish to address several failings that are specifically related to Hogwarts, which we believe will be beneficial for all of its professors to hear and not just you. Please, be seated until we conclude this part of our discussion."
	Dumbledore looked like he wanted to protest, but the look on the Queen's face left no room to do so. He merely nodded and sat, getting a second set of astonished looks from the assembled professors.
	"Headmaster, Professors of Hogwarts, we stand before you not with accusations, not with rumors, but with facts. You. Have. Failed. You have failed many, if not all, of the Magical youth of Great Britain, and you have done so for many, many years. When we were a young girl, we became the Crown Princess after our father ascended the throne following the unexpected abdication of his brother. We learned of the Magical world shortly after our father's ascension, both because of the fact that we were next in line to the throne, and because there were a number of Magical children who wrote us to congratulate us or otherwise correspond with a Princess who was around their age."
	She tilted her head for a moment, looking towards the professors' table, then smiled. "In fact, now that we think about it, we believe we may have even received at least one letter from one of you. Minerva McGonagall is not a very common name, nor one we are likely to forget." McGonagall's eyes went wide in amazement, and then she blushed slightly as she realized that she'd been publicly outed for writing the now Queen while she was in school.
	"In any event," the Queen continued after a moment, "after the war the Magical world withdrew, and direct correspondence ceased even before we ascended the throne, other than the occasional missive sent to us by the Prime Minister regarding a conversation he'd had with his Magical counterpart. But we've kept tabs on things through the Crown Wizards' office, mostly hearing about how those who were not born to Magical parents were ostracized from society once they left school, something that continues to this day.
	"And that is why we say you have failed. Fifty years ago, the greatest confrontation in human history came to an end, and with it the idea of racial purity was dealt a fatal blow. Granted, it is an ongoing process that continues even now, and with varying degrees of success, but we are trying to improve things for everyone wherever we can, regardless of the circumstances of their birth. You, on the other hand, have done nothing to end the bigotry aimed at denigrating and pushing out those who were born to non-Magical parents. Absolutely nothing."
	Dumbledore made to say something, but the Queen ignored him and kept going. "From what we have learned, Hogwarts is separated into four houses, each of which instill and reinforce their own core set of values into their members. These houses are supposed to represent the innate strengths of their members, with children being placed into the house that will best foster those strengths and help them reach their potential. Yet one of these houses is nearly, if not completely, closed to not only those who were born to non-Magical parents, but even most of those who were born to only one Magical parent as well! And this house, which implicitly if not explicitly excludes those born of non-Magical parents, also looks down upon them and works to ensure that their opportunities post-Hogwarts are limited as much as possible.
	"Tell us, Headmaster Dumbledore, are we wrong? We would very much like to hear your answer to that."
	Dumbledore opened his mouth to respond, only to shut it yet again, this time of his own volition. He had no response, at least none that would answer the question based on what she had said. He had tried to ensure that the Muggleborn were given equal opportunities while in Hogwarts, and to stem the worst of the bigotry in the school, but the problems persisted. Finally, he answered the only way he could, saying, "No, Your Majesty, I cannot disagree with your statements. Perhaps some of the details, but unfortunately not the conclusions."
	The Queen held his gaze for a moment, before slowly looking at all of the Professors in attendance. None of them looked happy, though some looked more thoughtful than others. "Do you want to know why you have failed, Headmaster?" Getting a weak nod, she continued, "It is because you failed to address the cause. While we are sure you've tried to address at least some of the symptoms of the problem, you can't cure a disease by just treating the symptoms. That changes today, right now in fact. Tell us, Headmaster, how many other teachers and staff members are missing from breakfast today?" She nodded at the two empty seats on one side of the table.
	Dumbledore glanced at where she was looking, then answered, "Professor Trelawney, the Divination teacher, rarely dines with us, and I have not yet found a replacement for Professor Snape, who taught Potions. Also, Professor Binns, who is a ghost, does not leave his classroom. Other than that, Madam Pomfrey, the school nurse, is on vacation, as is Mister Filch, the caretaker."
	"So," said the Queen, "If we are counting correctly, you have a total of fifteen adult wizards and one ghost in charge of several hundred Magical children, living here without any direct parental supervision for nearly ten months out of the year. Is that correct?"
	Dumbledore didn't like where this was heading, but he had to try and defend the way things had been done. "Actually, Your Majesty, there are quite a number of ghosts in the castle, as well as all of the portraits that hang on the walls. They do their best to keep an eye out for trouble, and inform myself or one of the other Professors in the event of a problem."
	"And can ghosts and portraits do anything other than report that there's trouble?"
	Dumbledore shook his head, knowing he had lost this round.
	"No wonder you've not been able to do anything. We are astonished that you manage to maintain any level of control over the students, having to watch them with so little help! That is something that will have to change, and soon." The Queen surveyed the Professors again, before adding. "While we do not expect that things will be able to be changed in time for this school year, we can assure you that this will be the last year that any of you teach under the current structure. Whether or not you remain here teaching at all will depend on your willingness to work with those appointed to reform the system into something that meets both the needs of Magical Britain and the requirements of the Department of Education."
	"But, Your Majesty, Hogwarts doesn't have the funding to increase its teaching staff!" exclaimed Dumbledore.
	"The British Ministry of Magic is not what you have dealt with before. Educating our Magical youth properly," she said, emphasizing the word 'properly', "is one of its most important responsibilities. While we insist that the laws be changed to ensure equal opportunity to all of our Magical subjects, it is only by changing the attitudes of our Magical children that the attitudes of the society as a whole will be changed. Thus it is here that those changes must begin, and so it is here that we will have to invest in the future we wish to achieve."
	The Queen was pleased to see that at least a couple of the Professors, including McGonagall, were nodding at this last part. "Now, Headmaster, we believe we have much more to discuss that does not involve Hogwarts or the rest of the Professors. Let us find a quiet room to continue this discussion ourselves and let everyone else get on with their day."
	At least one of the Professors looked a little disappointed that the rest of the conversation would be private, but nobody said anything as Dumbledore rose and excused himself, leading them out of the Great Hall and towards his office.
	Turning a corner as they neared the Headmaster's office, the Queen stopped short as two ghosts floated across the hall chatting with each other. While she had been informed of the likelihood of encountering ghosts in Hogwarts, it was still a disconcerting experience to say the least. This was made even more so when the ghosts stopped and turned to look at the new arrivals, then immediately bent one knee and bowed to the Queen.
	"Your Majesty, welcome to Hogwarts," said one of the ghosts, a tall gentleman in a great ruffed shirt. "You honor us with your presence."
	After a second the Queen recovered her aplomb, and replied, "Thank you, good sir. Unfortunately, we have much to do and must be on our way."
	"Of course, Your Majesty," replied the ghost, bowing again, before he and his companion 'stood' and floated the rest of the way across the hall and through the wall.
	The Queen took a few seconds to collect herself, then turned to Dumbledore who looked slightly pensive. "Let us continue on, Headmaster. While I do not believe my health will suffer any for that encounter, I believe it would be best to avoid any more for now."
	Dumbledore couldn't help but give a small smile, then nodded and led them on to his office. He wasn't sure whether it was a good thing or a bad thing, but he knew that all the ghosts would know about Her Majesty's presence very quickly, and at least some of them would likely wish to see her for themselves. Mostly he worried about Peeves, and what that troublemaker was likely to do to a Muggle in the castle, Queen or not.
	When they reached his office, Dumbledore conjured comfortable chairs for the Queen and her Chief Wizard before taking his own behind his desk. As he sat, he couldn't shake the feeling that despite being the one sitting behind the desk, he was the one who was getting called on the carpet, as it were.
	"Mister Dumbledore," the Queen said, reinforcing his feeling, "as we said before, the more pressing issues from earlier have been dealt with. Namely, as you may have already heard, the so-called Dark Lord Voldemort is dead, along with his followers."
	Dumbledore shook his head, sadly. "I was very dismayed to hear about the loss of so many Wizards' lives, Your Majesty. I'm sure that at least some of them would have changed their ways if only they were given another chance."
	"You are being naive, Mister Dumbledore, and that's being generous," retorted the Queen. "Before the assault began, they were hand delivered a message giving them an opportunity to surrender. In response, each and every one of those wizards who were killed chose to attack the soldiers rather than doing so. Had they surrendered instead, they would have been treated reasonably and received fair trials after being thoroughly investigated. Regardless of their reasons for not surrendering, they made the choice to not follow directions, and thus it is on their head that the consequences of those actions rest. Is that clear?"
	"Yes, Your Majesty, I understand. But I'm afraid that this may not be the last we see of Voldemort. He was said to have been defeated once before, and yet he returned."
	"Oh, he's not coming back," said one of the soldiers, laughing. "Nobody survives a head-shot like that!"
	"That's enough, Sergeant," said the Queen reproachfully. Turning back to Dumbledore, she continued, "But he is essentially correct. Unless there's something you haven't told us that would allow him to do it again."
	Dumbledore fidgeted in his seat, causing the Queen's countenance to grow stormy. "Mister Dumbledore, you will tell us what you know RIGHT NOW, or we shall have you arrested for treason and treated the same as the criminals who were arrested at the Ministry. Speak!"
	Dumbledore looked shocked, but hesitated to answer. Seeing his reluctance to cooperate, the Queen turned to the soldier who had spoken earlier. "Sergeant, please take Mister Dumbledore into custody and take him to your holding facility. We want him interrogated thoroughly until you know everything he is unwilling to tell us."
	Dumbledore blanched and quickly said, "That won't be necessary, Your Majesty, I'll tell you what you want to know." The Queen held up a hand to the soldier, stopping his advance, then motioned to Dumbledore to continue. "Fifteen years ago," he said, "a prophecy was made foretelling the birth of the one who would defeat Voldemort. I believe that Harry Potter is the boy whose birth was prophesied, and more importantly that he is the only one who can defeat Voldemort."
	The Queen glared at Dumbledore and said, "Yes, we know." At Dumbledore's shocked look, she continued, "We learned about it Sunday morning, including the fact that it was originally made to you. Tell us, why are you only telling us about this now? And more importantly, why did you not do anything to prepare the boy for the task you believed his future to hold? We have heard the prophecy already, but please tell us what you remember it to be."
	Dumbledore sighed, then closed his eyes, remembering. After a moment, he opened them again, staring off into space, and began to recite. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. … Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies … and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will know power the Dark Lord knows not … and either must die at the word of the other for neither can live while the other survives. … The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies. …"
	Dumbledore sagged in his chair and looked at the Queen, who simply nodded. "That's the whole thing. Harry Potter was one of two boys born at the end of July, a couple months after the prophecy was made, to parents who had survived encounters with Voldemort three times. When Voldemort tried to kill him as a small child, he marked Harry with the scar on his forehead, marking him as the true child of the prophecy. So you see, Harry must face Voldemort himself."
	The Queen's expression darkened further and she leaned in towards Dumbledore, who unconsciously leaned back away from her. "And how, pray tell, was he supposed to defeat this so-called Dark Lord if he never received any training or preparation. Or, perhaps, were you attempting to ensure that Voldemort killed him this time, and that someone else, perhaps yourself, would then be able to defeat Voldemort once Sir Harry was dead?" The last part was said in a dangerous tone that made even the members of the MMS cringe.
	Dumbledore paled at the Queen's implication, realizing his actions could be interpreted that way, and quickly raised his hands and shook his head. "No, no! That was never my intention! I just wanted him to have a normal childhood before having so many responsibilities dumped on him! Yes, I considered the possibility that if Harry failed that someone else might be able to defeat Voldemort afterwards, but I always hoped Harry would emerge victorious!"
	Between his immediate reaction, and the look of genuine horror on his face, the Queen was inclined to believe him, but she still pressed on. "We fail to understand how you could believe that he had a happy childhood, since from what little we have learned directly from Sir Harry, as well as from a cursory investigation, he was never welcomed in the home you placed him in. On top of that, it's clear that he has had the weight of the Magical world placed on his shoulders several times while here at school, something you must have known about. After all those things, claiming to want him to have a normal childhood sounds like a pile of rubbish to us. But that is a different matter, one we intend to discuss today as well, but not until we deal with other things. So what is the real reason you've refused to train Sir Harry for his eventual confrontation?"
	Dumbledore looked as though he wanted to deflate even more, but given his current posture he really had nowhere to go. "I don't know for certain..." he began, but the Queen cut him off.
	"We do not care about certainties, Mister Dumbledore, we care about your reasons. If you have speculation, you may certainly label them as such, but you will tell us them right now!"
	"Yes, Your Majesty," said Dumbledore quietly. "I am not completely certain of this, but I have a strong suspicion as to the method he used to survive based on the events that happened at the end of Harry's second year. I believe that Voldemort split his soul, probably multiple times, and stored the pieces in vessels called Horcruxes. One of these vessels, a diary, was used during Harry's second year to possess a first year student and nearly resulted in Voldemort's rebirth at that time. Fortunately, Harry was able to destroy it, and with it the part of Voldemort's soul that it contained. The reason I believe he has made more than one is that had he only made the single one, he should have passed on immediately once it was destroyed, yet he did not."
	The Queen looked to her Chief Wizard and said, "Charles, as soon as we leave Hogwarts I want you to find out everything possible about these Horcruxes and determine if Mister Dumbledore is correct. I also want you to find Mister Croaker and get his opinion on Mister Dumbledore's theory right away. Since he was present during the operation, he may also be able to either confirm or deny whether there is any possibility that this is true."
	"Yes, Ma'am," said the Chief Wizard, making a few notes. He then looked at Dumbledore and asked, "What can you tell me about Horcruxes, Headmaster?"
	Dumbledore looked uncomfortable, but only hesitated for a second before the Queen's glare prompted him to speak. He spent the next ten minutes explaining about Horcruxes, and why he thought Voldemort had created them. When he finished, the Chief Wizard asked, "Do you still have the diary? I'd like to have Croaker and possibly a few other people look it over for clues if possible."
	Dumbledore nodded, replying, "I do. I'll have to retrieve it from where I keep it safe, but I'll do so before you leave."
	The Queen's expression relaxed a little, and she gave Dumbledore a brief smile. "Thank you, Mister Dumbledore, we appreciate you cooperating with us. Now, while we understand that the question of these Horcruxes is yet to be decided, you should be happy to learn that barring new evidence Mister Croaker is convinced that Voldemort is dead, for several reasons. First of all, having heard the prophecy, Sir Harry took the difficult step of explicitly asking us to ensure that the so-called Dark Lord Voldemort was killed during the operation to neutralize him and his followers. According to Mister Croaker, and our own Chief Wizard agrees, that certainly qualifies as 'at the word of the other.' Also, while present during the battle between the MMS and Voldemort, Mister Croaker saw no evidence that a spirit departed the body when he was killed, something Sir Harry mentioned happening previously. And finally, after the battle was over and everything else settled, Mister Croaker checked the prophecy sphere he had shown us and said that it no longer appears to be active."
	Dumbledore did a double take at that last revelation, and once again slumped in his chair. "The prophecy has been fulfilled? But I was certain..."
	The Queen smiled, as Dumbledore trailed off, his train of thought finally derailed completely. "So you see, Mister Dumbledore, while Harry Potter may not have been the one to strike the final blow that ended the life of the so-called Dark Lord Voldemort, the chain of events that led to that blow were all started by his own words. Regardless of how you believed the prophecy was to be fulfilled, it has been fulfilled."
	"But what about the power the Dark Lord knows not?" asked Dumbledore. "I was certain it was Harry's ability to love that was going to bring about Voldemort's downfall!"
	The Queen stared at Dumbledore incredulously, then started to laugh. It grew into a full belly laugh for a moment before she pulled herself together and saw him staring back at her in confusion. "We're not sure where you got that ridiculous idea Headmaster, or perhaps which drugs influenced it, but we assure you that while wars may have been started by the power of love, they have never been ended by it."
	"But," said Dumbledore, spluttering. "But, what else could that power be? Despite their similar backgrounds, the one major difference between Harry and Voldemort is his ability to love!"
	"Mister Dumbledore," she replied sounding like a grandmother humoring her grandchild, "you seem to have fallen into the trap of forgetting that there are different kinds of power. You wizards may work with all sorts of different things that we non-Magicals do not, but that doesn't mean we don't have power. Or, as in our case, are considered a power unto ourself. And we can assure you that while Voldemort may have known of us, based on his activities he did not recognize us as holding any real power, a mistake he is no longer capable of making again."
	Dumbledore thought about everything the Queen had said, and what the text of the prophecy said, and reached the inescapable conclusion that Her Majesty was right. It had happened in a manner that was totally unexpected, even inconceivable prior to a few days ago, and so he had never really considered any alternatives. Now, once again, the Muggle Queen was telling him that his thinking had been wrong, and this time he had to admit she made a very strong argument. How was it possible that he, Albus Dumbledore, had been so wrong? As the realization came to him, he slumped and gave a big sigh. "I'm sorry Your Majesty, but that's quite a revelation. I think, perhaps, that a shock of this magnitude calls for a drink. Would you care for something?"
	The Queen considered her answer for a moment. Not that she would have had one herself, but given what she'd laid on him, and what she intended to hit him with next, she decided that letting him have one might work to her favor. "No thank you, Headmaster, but please, help yourself," she said.
	Dumbledore nodded and got himself a shot of firewhisky, which he downed in one gulp. After the burning in his throat settled, he sat back down and looked at the Queen. "I don't suppose that 's everything you wish to discuss with me, Your Majesty," he said, sounding somewhat deflated.
	The Queen gave a predatory smile and shook her head. "Hardly, Mister Dumbledore, we're afraid we've barely scratched the surface. You see, while we haven't had any direct dealings with the Magical world prior to this past week, we've heard much about it through Charles, here, and what he's gotten from all of the Wizards he's dealt with. And if our interpretation of what we've heard is correct, your so-called leadership of the Magical world has been primarily to sit on your behind and do nothing."
	"I beg to differ, Your Majesty," interrupted Dumbledore, before the Queen held up a hand and stopped him.
	"Shall we give you a list?" she asked rhetorically, before doing just that. "As we stated before in the Great Hall, you've been Headmaster for forty years, and Chief Warlock for nearly the same amount of time, and yet you've done nothing to fight for what you claim to stand for. We've already mentioned you not trying to change the attitudes of the children you teach, but you've also done nothing to change the laws regarding how they are treated. Tell us, Headmaster, just what happens to those born to non-Magical parents once they leave Hogwarts? Where do they live, work, and so forth?"
	Dumbledore made to answer, then stopped. He thought for a minute and realized that while he'd seen a few Muggleborn graduates over the years, for the most part he only heard from them again if their children came to Hogwarts. "I... I can't say that I know, Your Majesty. I don't recall seeing many of them once they leave after seventh year."
	"And do you know why?" she asked. Giving him a moment to answer, she continued when he didn't, "Well we do. Or more specifically, Charles and his staff do, and they related it to me." Turning to her Chief Wizard, she said, "Charles, if you would please enlighten the Headmaster?"
	"Ma'am," he said, nodding to the Queen before turning to Dumbledore. "While our records only go back about fifty years, I can say with certainty that at least eighty percent of all Hogwarts graduates with two non-Magical parents leave Magical Britain within two years of graduating. Some of them get tutored before going to University, while others find jobs that don't require formal education, including a number of them entering Her Majesty's armed forces. We suspect that number to be in excess of ninety percent, as we know of at least a few wizards and witches who have left Britain altogether, but because of our enforced separation until recently we have not been able to ascertain exact numbers, and in any case the trends are statistically strong enough that we don't need to refine them. However, while we have only circumstantial evidence to support it, we believe that everyone who graduates from Hogwarts without at least one Magical parent leaves the Magical world within five years unless they get married to someone who does have a Magical parent."
	Dumbledore was stunned. While he knew that many Muggleborn preferred to go back to the Muggle world, he had no idea that it was essentially all of them. "But," he stammered, "but why would they do that?"
	The Chief Wizard started to answer, but the Queen held up a hand. "The answer to that should be obvious to you, Headmaster, given all the positions you held until recently. Tell us, how many members of the Wizengamot have been born to non-Magical parents? How many high level Ministry employees? How many Hogwarts professors?"
	Dumbledore blinked, then thought about it for a moment. Eventually he came to the conclusion that the answer was the same for all three questions: none. He could not think of a single Muggleborn to ever hold any of those positions. Shaking his head slowly, he answered, "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but I can't think of any."
	"Because there haven't been any for hundreds of years, at least not in the Wizengamot or the Ministry. While we cannot speak for certain about Hogwarts, we asked our Chief Wizard to investigate the first two and what we found was rather disturbing. Did you know, former Chief Warlock, that since the founding of the Ministry there have only been two members of the Wizengamot who were born to even one non-Magical parent? And that they were already sitting on the Wizengamot when the Ministry was founded and could not be removed? Since then, only those with two Magical parents, and mostly those with all Magical grandparents, have been chosen to serve on the Wizengamot.
	"But even worse is the employment policy of the Ministry; while apparently not written down anywhere, the de facto policy for advancement is that no 'Muggleborn'," the Queen emphasized her distaste at the term, "shall be promoted if there's a 'half-blood' available to do the job, and no 'half-blood' shall be promoted if there's a 'pure-blood' to do the job. It doesn't matter who is the most qualified or has the most seniority, only those deemed as being 'pure-bloods' will ever rise to the top of the ministry. While we admit we can understand how that policy may have been socially acceptable when the Ministry was first founded three hundred years ago, even we accept that times have changed such that this is not longer so." She motioned to the Chief Wizard, who picked up the discussion.
	Mister Adlington nodded, then said, "Even if the policy was occasionally overlooked by certain department heads, it still meant that those born to non-Magical parents could never rise beyond entry-level positions with the Ministry, let alone be in a position to make significant policy changes. When I spoke to Governor General Bones, she admitted that while she tried to promote people based on their competence and not their blood status, she would occasionally have to do otherwise to avoid starting a political fight she felt she could not win.
	"Outside of the Ministry, we found it wasn't much better. While entry level shop positions were available, most of the shops that would hire those with non-Magical parents admitted to feeling pressure to favor those with Magical parentage over those without. Many of them told of encouraging their employees to move on when a 'half-blood' or especially a 'pure-blood' expressed an interest in working for them, and some would let them go outright. The only place we found that seemed a bit more accepting of those born to non-Magical parents were the Quidditch teams, but even they acknowledged that very few managed careers longer than a few years due to the pressures they faced. Also, the longer they stayed in the Magical world the harder their transition back to the non-Magical one became, leading many to retire earlier than usual in order to make the rest of their lives easier."
	Dumbledore was speechless. He truly had no idea that things were so heavily arrayed against those without Magical blood.
	"So tell me, Headmaster," asked the Queen, "what would you do if you were newly graduated and found that most of your opportunities existed only so long as someone whose parentage was 'better' than yours didn't want your job?"
	Dumbledore reached for the firewhisky again, but stopped before he actually picked up the bottle. As much as he wished he could ignore what the Queen was telling him, now was not the time. Pulling his hand back, he said, "I had no idea, Your Majesty," then raised a hand to prevent her from chastising him yet again before he finished. "I had no idea," he repeated, "but I should have. I should have seen all of the things you've said, and I have no excuse for not doing so. At best I can plead the mistakes of an old man, but that would be less than completely honest, as these things have been going on since I was young."
	The Queen looked at Dumbledore trying to read him, and to her surprise saw nothing but an old man who was worried that she might be right. As gratified as she was to see that she was starting to get through to him, there was much more to discuss, and things would only get more unpleasant as they went.
 *Chapter 30*: Return to Grimmauld Place

 	Originally Posted 6/24/16, last revised 10/27/16.
	Disclaimer:I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.
	Chapter 30: Return to Grimmauld Place
	The Sirius Black who stepped out of the Floo at 12 Grimmauld Place was not the same as the one who had snuck out the door nearly a week ago. Before, he had been a wanted man, reluctantly hiding in his old family home and even then not really accepting that it was now his. Now he was a free man, publicly exonerated and no longer trapped behind the wards that hid his house from the world. Additionally, now that he had a reason to do so, he had accepted that he truly was the Head of the The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, and it was time to start acting like it.
	He had come through the Floo as quietly as possible, so as to not alert the inhabitants of the house that he was here, if possible. Luck was in his favor as nobody was in the parlor, though he could hear people moving around upstairs. "Probably doing more cleaning," he thought to himself, "not that they should have to." He collected himself for a moment, then nodded to himself before saying, quietly, "Kreacher!"
	The old house-elf popped before him and grumbled, "What does Master want with Kreacher?"
	Sirius put on a stern face and said, "Look at me Kreacher, and tell me what you see."
	The house-elf glanced at Sirius before saying, "I see Mistress's disappointment of a son..."
	"Silence!" snapped Sirius quietly. "Look at me," he said again, emphasizing the first word, "and tell me what you see."
	This time Kreacher looked up at Sirius and stared at him hard for a moment, before his eyes went wide and he stood a little straighter. "Master has returned to the House of Black," he said, his voice showing a touch of awe. "What can Kreacher do for Master Black?"
	Sirius nodded, then said, "I have come to reclaim the House of Black, but first you must understand that things are going to be different than before. There will be no more talk of blood traitors, Mudbloods, or anything like that. The House of Black is a proud House, and will not go around insulting people unless I say they deserve it. Do you understand?"
	Kreacher didn't look entirely happy, but nodded anyway. "Kreacher understands, no insulting people unless given permission."
	Sirius smiled. "Good. Now, I want you to go pack up all of the belongings of Mister and Missus Weasley, as well as their two youngest children, then bring their trunks down here." He held up a hand as Kreacher started to move, causing the house-elf to stop. "You are to pack their things carefully and appropriately so that nothing is damaged or otherwise disturbed. Also, you are not to touch anything belonging to Miss Granger or the twins, as they are welcome to stay for the time being. Once you have finished packing their things, start cleaning the house properly the way it should be."
	Kreacher nodded, then popped away. Sirius regretted having to have Kreacher pack Ron and Ginny's things, but as they were underage he had no way of preventing Molly from taking them with her when she left, and he had no intention of letting her stay here any longer than today. If he had thought they could get along in the same house with him being in charge he might have considered it, but Molly Weasley had never met a house she didn't think was hers.
	Having started the process of reclaiming his house, he moved on to the next phase, one that was sure to get everyone's attention. But before he did so he pulled out his wand and cast a couple of spells first, not wanting to ruin the next surprise too soon. He then walked out of the parlor and up the stairs to the landing where his mother's portrait hung behind a heavy curtain. Steeling himself for the confrontation ahead, he reached for the curtain and pulled it aside in a single, sharp motion.
	"YOU!" shouted the portrait, "Shame of my flesh! What do..." she started before being cut off by Sirius.
	"SILENCE!" he bellowed, and for the first time in his memory she was silent, with a shocked look on her face and her mouth open in mid-rant. Taking a moment to savor the look on his mother's face, he continued in a quiet voice, "I am Sirius Orion Black, Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, and you will treat me as such. For starters, you will not raise your voice above this level again unless you are calling for someone's attention in another part of the house, am I clear?"
	His mother nodded, still apparently unable to speak, and in the silence he heard the sounds of people coming down to see what was happening. "Now, there will be changes around here now that I am the Head of the House. For starters, you are to remain silent and in your frame for the next twenty-four hours, listening and learning. After that, you and I will have a discussion of your future behavior, as well as whether or not you will be permitted to remain here on the stairs or will be relocated into a dark room facing a wall, sealed into your frame forever. I suggest you think about which outcome you prefer and how to make it happen."
	His mother's portrait stared at him, wondering where this version of her son had come from. Ironically, Missus Weasley was standing at the top of the stairway mirroring the look, her children and Hermione standing behind her with various expressions on their faces.
	Sirius turned to regard them, but before he could say anything Missus Weasley recovered and started in on him. "Sirius Black, you've got a lot of nerve showing your face here. Where's Harry? And just what did you think you were doing helping him run off? Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused? Why I ought to..."
	Sirius was about to interrupt her when Kreacher appeared, gave Missus Weasley an indignant look, then turned to Sirius looking somewhat pleased. "Kreacher has done what Master Black has asked," he said, raising his voice to ensure he was heard by everyone. "The Weasleys' trunks are in the parlor."
	Sirius nodded and said, "Thank you Kreacher."
	Kreacher nodded and popped away, as Missus Weasley's rant came to a halt as she realized what had been said. Her confused look turned stern and she started in on Sirius again. "What do you mean our trunks are in the parlor. Sirius Black, just what do you think you're doing?"
	Sirius just looked at her for a moment, letting her stew. He was just about to say something when she lost her patience and shouted, "Answer me, why are you throwing us out of our house?"
	Sirius raised an eyebrow and said in a dangerous tone, "Your house? This has never been, and will never be your house. This is my house. You were permitted to stay here because of the threat posed by Voldemort, but that is no longer a problem. You don't have to leave right this minute, but I expect you to be gone after dinner tonight."
	Missus Weasley stared at him in disbelief, before turning to her children and saying, "Well, it's clear that we're not wanted here. Come along children, we're leaving now." Turning back to Sirius, she added, "After all the work I did to clean this house, I'd think you'd be a little more grateful we were staying here."
	As she started down the stairs, Sirius held up a hand and stopped her. "Fred, George, as you're of age already you're welcome to stay for a couple of days if you like. You too, Hermione; I'll be happy to clear it with your parents once we've sorted things out here." He then looked apologetically at Ron and Ginny, saying, "I'd be happy to let you stay as well, but since you're underage I can't prevent your mother from insisting on taking you elsewhere. However," he looked at Missus Weasley before adding, "I hope you can stay through dinner. Harry should be here shortly, and I know he really wants to see all of you before you go."
	Missus Weasley looked like she wanted to tear into Sirius again when he started inviting people to stay, but held her tongue when she heard Harry was coming back too. Finally, she asked in a somewhat restrained voice, "Why are you doing this, Sirius?"
	Sirius looked at Missus Weasley thoughtfully before answering. "For two reasons, Molly. First, this is my house, and as the Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black I need to lay claim to it. If I thought I could do that with you still being here, I'd let you stay. Unfortunately, I don't think that's possible; you will lay claim to whatever house you are living in whether it's yours or not. Frankly, the rest of your family would otherwise be welcome to stay, but I don't expect them to make you leave by yourself."
	Missus Weasley scowled at him, and he continued before she could open her mouth and interrupt.
	"The second reason is that as much as Harry wants to see you all, he also needs to be able to have time without being crowded or having to explain himself. And as good intentioned as you all are, there's too many people in the house right now for that to happen. I'm not the only one who's changed since we left here last week; it's going to take some time for you all to adjust, but I do know he doesn't want to lose your friendship."
	Missus Weasley looked like she didn't know what to say, but Hermione certainly did. "What do you mean he's changed?"
	Sirius smiled wanly and said, "He grew up. I know he's always been a bit more mature than most boys his age, well, at least sometimes, but it's more than that now. A few things have happened that you may not have heard yet. First of all, he's not just Harry anymore, he's Sir Harry James Potter, Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order." Hermione's hand went to her mouth, which hung open loosely in surprise. "Also, while I know he's had a lot of things piled on him over the years, and may not have always handled it well, that's no longer the case. When it came time to deal with Fudge the Queen gave him the responsibility for deciding whether or not to revoke the Wizarding Charter; when she did so, he could have reacted like the boy of fifteen he is and thrown a tantrum or moped or done any number of other things, but he didn't. He considered it carefully, then accepted the responsibility like a man before carrying out his duties without letting his emotions get in the way.
	"I've never been prouder of him than when he realized that there was no other way to get things done, then did what he had to do with his head held high. And then, after the dust had settled, he picked himself up and did what he could to help both Madam Bones and Percy get the chances they've been given. He may have walked into the Wizengamot chamber as a boy, but he walked out a man."
	Missus Weasley looked torn between being indignant at Sirius's claim that a fifteen year-old Harry could be a man and pride in what he'd done, even if she didn't fully agree with how he'd gone about it. The twins were nodding sagely, their heads bobbing up and down in alternate rhythms, which put the lie to the seriousness on their faces. And the other three looked thoughtful, trying to figure out what this would mean to their relationships with him.
	Strangely, it was Ron who broke the silence by calmly saying, "Well, I guess the only thing to do is talk to him when he gets here and figure out what's what." Seeing the confused looks from the rest of his family members and Hermione, he said, "What? If Harry can grow up a lot, why can't I grow up a little?"
	This broke the tension, causing Sirius and the twins to laugh heartily, and drawing a few giggles from Ginny and Hermione. Even Missus Weasley had to grin at that one, knowing how much she'd wished her youngest son would grow up someday soon.
	Eventually everyone calmed down and Missus Weasley turned back to Sirius. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again, and after another moment gave a big sigh. "I suppose you do have a point about this being your house, Sirius, though I wish you'd just come and talked to me about it instead." Sirius made to respond, but she shook her head and continued, "It doesn't matter now; you've made your position very clear, and there's nothing I can do about it. And as much as I'd rather just leave now, I do want to see Harry, and I don't want to keep him from seeing the rest of my family either. We'll have to see about staying for dinner, but we won't leave before Harry returns."
	She then turned to the twins and said, sternly, "Even though you're of age, I don't want to hear about you getting into any trouble after we leave. And I expect you home no later than the day after tomorrow!"
	"Yes, Mum," chorused the twins, before flashing a grin a Sirius.
	"Hermione, dear," said Missus Weasley, "you're welcome to come to the Burrow at any time. Just Floo call us to make sure somebody's home first, alright?"
	"Thanks, Missus Weasley," replied Hermione.
	"Now, since we won't be doing anymore cleaning today, I want everyone to go wash up before Harry gets here." She clapped her hands twice, and the children scattered to clean up. Turning back to Sirius, she asked, "If we stay for dinner, would it be alright if I helped cook?"
	Sirius smiled genuinely. "Molly, I know I said that this is my house, and it is, but any time you want to cook a meal in my kitchen I'm not likely to say no," he said with a chuckle. "Besides, while I trust Kreacher to start cleaning the house properly, I'm not quite ready to try his cooking, let alone trust it."
	Missus Weasley gave a smile back and nodded, saying, "I think that's probably a good idea."
	When Harry stepped out of the Floo at Grimmauld Place it was quiet. Too quiet. He'd expected to hear shouting about Sirius's return, or at least be mobbed by everyone welcoming him back, but instead the room was empty and he heard nothing. He quietly moved to the doorway and carefully stuck his head around the corner. As he did so, he suddenly heard voices, albeit rather muffled. "Silencing ward," he thought to himself. "Thanks, Sirius."
	He crept slowly towards the stairs, and just as he reached the bottom stair the voices became loud and clear. "Do you think we should ask Dumbledore to come for dinner?" asked Missus Weasley.
	Harry grinned at Sirius's reply of, "I don't think he'll be able to make it, Molly." Harry knew that right now Her Majesty was at Hogwarts, giving the Headmaster a rather large piece of her mind. He suspected that even if Dumbledore's house arrest was lifted, he wasn't going to be interested in going anywhere this evening.
	"Well what about the rest of the Order?" she asked.
	"Why don't we wait until Harry gets here, and you can ask him if he wants to invite anyone else for dinner. After all, you're talking about throwing a party for him, not for everyone else."
	Sirius's comment seemed like as good a cue as any, so he stepped up onto the landing and turned up the stairs saying, "Hi everyone, did you miss me?"
	There was a chorus of, "Harry!", and everyone started to move down the stairs at once. Sirius looked torn between getting in their way and ducking for his life, but before he could do anything Harry held up a hand and said, "STOP!" causing everyone to come to a halt. "I'm very happy to see you all, and I'm glad you're happy to see me, but I'm not really interested in being trampled to death, nor would I appreciate anything happening to my godfather, especially now. So please, calm down, count to ten, then walk down the stairs normally. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere other than back to the parlor to wait for you." Saying thus, he turned and walked back to the parlor, realizing that the silencing wards had either fallen or been taken down.
	A few seconds later there was a steady stream of Weasleys pouring into the parlor, all heading for Harry at a fast walk. He gave them a look, and everyone slowed down, albeit not a lot. The first to reach him was Ron, his longer strides helping him beat his mother and sister. He stopped in front of Harry with a questioning look, then stuck out his hand. "Welcome back, Harry," he said, "I'm Ron, Ron Weasley," then flashed a grin.
	Harry shook his hand and formally replied, "Harry Potter." Then he grinned back and asked, "What's with the formal introduction?"
	Ron gave a chuckle and replied, "Apparently we've both done some growing up lately, so I figured I'd save you the trouble of asking who I was." Seeing the astounded look on Harry's face, he added, "Yeah, I know, who'd have thought it. Still cheering for the Cannons though."
	Harry laughed and pulled Ron into a brief hug, saying, "Thanks, mate. We good?"
	Ron nodded as Harry released him. "Yeah, we're good. Welcome back." He gave Harry another back-slapping hug, then stepped back to let someone else in.
	That someone else was Hermione, who had moved past the other Weasleys while he was talking to Ron, and pulled him into a big hug. "Oh, Harry, I'm sorry!" she said with a little sob.
	Harry tried to pull back but she wouldn't let up, so he just asked, "You're sorry? What for?"
	"It's all my fault you had to revoke the Charter," she said. "If only I had thought of the possibility before you wrote the Queen. I should have known she wouldn't have let this go, and now with everything that's happened..."
	She trailed off as Harry shushed her. "Don't be ridiculous, Hermione. You can't think of everything all the time. Besides, Sirius warned me of the possibility before we left, and even if I had known in advance I don't think I would have done anything differently. It may not have worked out exactly the way I originally anticipated, but overall I think the end result was for the best. Especially since Voldemort is now gone."
	Hermione looked up at him pensively. "You really mean that? You would still have done it even if you knew what was going to happen?"
	"Yes, Hermione, I would," he said. "That's not to say that I don't wish a few things happened a little differently, but overall I think this was just what Magical Britain needed in the long run."
	Hermione nodded and gave him a little smile before pulling him into one more quick hug. As she stepped back, Missus Weasley asked, "If I may ask, Harry, what do you wish had happened differently?"
	Harry looked at Ginny, who had been about to take Hermione's place, and held up one finger. "How about I explain things after everyone gets their welcome back hugs out of the way? I don't think Ginny wants to wait."
	Missus Weasley smiled, then replied, "Go ahead, Harry. Make my little girl happy."
	"Not as happy as you think," he said to himself, as he let Ginny pull him into a big hug.
	After a moment Ginny said, "I'm so glad you're alright, Harry!" She pulled him tighter for a moment, then pulled back and looked up, clearly aiming to kiss him.
	Much to her surprise, Harry put up a hand between them and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Ginny, but I'm not interested in you like that, at least not right now."
	There was a chorus of gasps, and Ginny pulled back a little and looked shocked. "But... but I thought you liked it when I kissed you before you left!"
	Harry pulled her back into a hug, and said, "Oh, Ginny, I did like it. After all, what boy wouldn't like a kiss from a cute girl. But I'm looking for more than just being cute. Besides, as I'm sure Sirius has already told you, I'm not the same person as I was before I left." He released Ginny from the hug and gently held her out to arm's length, but didn't let go of her shoulders. "I also seem to remember you admitting that you weren't over your crush on me, and while I'm honored that you feel that way, I need something different. I need someone who is interested in me, Harry, and just Harry. Not the Boy-Who-Lived, not the Boy-Who-Toppled-The-Ministry, not the Knight Commander of the Victorian Order; just plain old Harry Potter who admittedly feels a lot older than fifteen."
	Ginny's eyes were brimming with tears as she realized that even if she was only a year younger than he was, right now that gap felt awfully big. She tried to give him a smile, but it was more like a grimace. "So where does that leave me now?" she asked.
	"Right now?" he replied. "Right now you're Ginny Weasley, sister of my best mate who I hope is still willing to be friends for now. As to the future?" He shrugged. "Who knows what will happen in a few years. Maybe we'll just be friends, maybe we'll become something more, right now it's not important. But what is important is that you don't try to force things. I don't have enough friends as is, and I'd hate to lose one, OK?"
	Ginny did manage a weak smile this time, and said, "OK, Harry, I understand." She sniffed once, then got a determined look on her face. "Just remember that we Weasleys are a stubborn bunch, and we don't give up easily!"
	Harry chuckled and nodded. "Just don't cut off your nose to spite your face."
	Now Ginny looked confused. Harry opened his mouth to explain, then looked over at Hermione and said, "Can you explain it, Hermione? I think Missus Weasley's getting impatient."
	Hermione smiled and grabbed Ginny's arm, pulling her out of the way as Missus Weasley swooped in for a hug. Once again Harry put his hand out, stopping her, but only for a second. He spread his arms and simply said, "Gently," in a firm tone, then allowed Missus Weasley to give him a hug. She clearly took his word to heart, as he didn't push her away before she let go. As she took a step back, Harry gave her a smile and said, "Thanks."
	"I'm glad you're back, Harry, safe and sound," she said. "Please don't worry me like that again. You know you could have come to me for help if you needed it."
	"Missus Weasley," he said, "I really appreciate everything you've done for me, and I know you mean well, but sometimes your wishes and my wishes aren't the same. And while I do look at you as the closest to a mother figure I've ever been able to remember, you're not my guardian, Sirius is."
	Missus Weasley started to huff, but stopped when she saw Harry's steely glare. She started to open her mouth, but stopped when she saw Harry shake his head slowly, just barely moving it left and right.
	"Blimey!" said Ron under his breath. "He just stared down mum!"
	Ginny and the twins just stared in shock, while even Hermione and Sirius had slightly awed expressions on their faces.
	Harry paid no attention to Ron or anyone else for that matter, as he held Missus Weasley's gaze and spoke in a soft, even tone. "Sirius is my godfather, my rightful Magical guardian, and once we have time to do all the required work will be my adoptive father in both the Magical and non-Magical worlds. I know you may not agree, but this is not up for discussion. Understood?"
	Missus Weasley swallowed hard, then nodded, finally realizing exactly what Sirius had meant about Harry no longer being a boy.
	"Good," said Harry, relaxing back into a smile. "Now what's this about a party in my honor?"
	After taking a moment to collect herself, Missus Weasley replied, "Just a little celebration about your return, dear. Sirius said I could make dinner tonight, and I wanted to do something special for you. Do you want to invite anyone else?"
	Harry thought for a moment before answering, "Remus, assuming he's available, and Sirius's cousin, what's her name." He looked at Sirius, who said, "Tonks," before turning back to Missus Weasley. "Tonks. If she's going to be my cousin too, I'd like to get to know her better, but that's all, at least for tonight." He sighed before continuing, "I have a feeling I'm going to be answering questions about this past week for the rest of my life, aren't I?"
	Everybody nodded and gave some form of affirmative answer, causing Harry to groan and hide his face in his hands even though he was clearly smiling. "Thanks, Missus Weasley, I'm looking forward to your cooking. Food at the palace was good, but it just wasn't the same."
	Missus Weasley smiled and said, "Thank you, dear. Now let me get out of the way so Fred and George can do their thing." She gave him one last quick hug, before stepping back and walking to the doorway.
	Fred and George approached Harry slowly, and he tensed slightly expecting them to try and hug him from both sides. Instead, to his surprise, they dropped to their knees and began bowing to him, chanting, "We're not worthy! We're not worthy!"
	After a few seconds Harry reached down and grabbed them both and pulled them up, saying, "Give it a rest, you two."
	The twins looked up, saw the smile on Harry's face, and promptly pounced on him. This time he was caught unawares, and found himself crushed between the twins for a few seconds before they released him and took a step back. "Thank you Harry," said Fred.
	"For giving us," continued George.
	"Hours and hours," said Fred.
	"Of great fun," finished George.
	"Um, you're welcome," said Harry confusedly, "but what did I do?"
	"The Daily Prophet articles!" they both said, then dissolved into gales of laughter and fell back to the floor, clearly remembering something from them that tickled their fancy.
	Harry looked down at them, then shook his head. "I didn't think they were that funny," he said to himself, before looking up at the assembled crowd. "Now, I know you all have questions, but answers like these shouldn't be given on an empty stomach. So, what's for lunch?" Harry smiled as everyone else laughed (the twins were still rolling on the floor), then proceeded to the kitchen for lunch and questions.
	Shortly before lunchtime Minerva McGonagall found herself giving a tour of Hogwarts to Her Majesty the Queen, something she never expected to be doing. Not just because the Queen was a Muggle, but because when she had written to the then Crown Princess as a child, she had received a form letter response, and assumed that would be the last time she ever interacted with the now Queen. Instead, in addition to giving a walking tour of the castle, the Queen had just surprised her with an unexpected request.
	"Professor McGonagall," said the Queen as they were finishing up the tour, "we were hoping you would be willing to correspond with us periodically about the goings-on here at Hogwarts."
	McGonagall thought about it for a moment before cautiously asking, "Are you asking me to spy on the Headmaster, Your Majesty?"
	The Queen chuckled before responding, "No, Professor, we have our own people to do that." McGonagall looked surprised, then smiled in response, so the Queen continued, "No, what we are asking for is your own unfiltered opinion as to how things are going given the changes that have been, and will be, imposed on both the school itself as well as Magical Britain as a whole. We know that change is hard, and many of these changes are inevitable, but for at least some of them it may be possible to adjust the speed at which they are made in order to both ease the burden on those affected, as well as increasing the level of acceptance."
	"So you just want me to tell you what is and isn't working here at Hogwarts?" asked McGonagall, not fully understanding the request.
	"Yes and no," said the Queen. "While we certainly won't object to you reporting the facts, we are more interested in your opinions, concerns and observations. Things that you may not have hard evidence to back up, but your years as a professor tell you are important. It doesn't have to be enough to act on right away, but anything you feel we should be aware of as possibly needing more attention. Our intention is to make life better for all of Magical Britain, but we know that some people may feel that the opposite is happening. If there are things we can do to assuage those feelings without compromising our values, we wish to make things as comfortable as possible. As both Deputy Headmistress and a professor of one of the core subjects, you know these students as a whole better than probably anyone else, and so we ask that you use that knowledge to help us make things work better.
	This time McGonagall nodded, though she still thought about it for a minute while they continued to walk. Finally she said, "I believe I understand your request better. You wish to ensure the best possible outcome with all the changes that are happening, and while your people can assess the results of those changes, they don't have the inside knowledge to understand how the process is working."
	The Queen smiled. "That is exactly what we are asking for. If the process isn't working, the results will not be what we desire. Therefore, the sooner we fix the process, the better the results will be."
	"A wise strategy, Your Majesty," replied McGonagall. "Perhaps I will see if the other head of houses, at least those who are still here, would be willing to provide their input as well."
	"That would be most welcome. Please send your reports to the Crown Wizards' office so that they can handle them for us. If you could send them at least monthly, we would greatly appreciate it."
	"I'll do my best," said McGonagall as they reached the doors to the Great Hall. "Will you be joining us for lunch?"
	"Unfortunately not," said the Queen, "while we are curious about the food here, we have other engagements we must attend to, and we do believe our chief of security would not appreciate us eating food that he had not ensured the safety of. Please remind the Headmaster when you next see him that we await his response, he'll know what we're talking about."
	"I will, Your Majesty. Thank you for coming to Hogwarts, I hope your visit was enjoyable."
	The Queen frowned for a second, then relaxed. "It was not the most pleasant of visits, but it was necessary. We did, however, enjoy this tour very much, thank you. Perhaps we can do it again someday."
	"It would be my pleasure," replied McGonagall. Bowing slightly she said, "Good day, Your Majesty."
	"Thank you, and to you too," said the Queen, and she started to turn towards the main doors as indicated by her escort. Then she stopped, turned back, and added, "Oh, Minerva?" Professor McGonagall stopped her turn towards the Great Hall and turned back to the Queen, slightly shocked by the use of her first name. "I know you received a form letter response, but I wanted to thank you for your kind note all those years ago. Knowing what I now know of the Magical world, I appreciate your kind words back then even more."
	McGonagall blushed again, then nodded, not trusting her words as she was reminded of her eleven year-old self for the second time today.
	The Queen smiled once more, nodded, then turned and left Hogwarts. Whether anyone realized it at the time, it was a very different place now than it had been when she arrived, mere hours ago.
 *Chapter 31*: Hogwarts Introspection

 *Chapter 32*: The Dog Days of Summer

 *Chapter 33*: Oh Oh the Summer Knights

 	Originally Posted 8/5/16, last revised 10/27/16.
	Disclaimer:I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.
	Chapter 33: Oh Oh the Summer Knights
	Harry and Sirius decided to make a day of visiting Windsor, and also used it as an opportunity for Sirius to spend some time in the non-Magical world. They declined the Chief Wizard's offer of a Portkey and instead took the tube to Paddington station, where they took the train to Windsor. Both of them marveled how it was so much like the Hogwarts Express, yet so different at the same time.
	They spent several hours wandering around Windsor, and even took the palace tour, enjoying an opportunity to see all the history and experience things from the 'outside', as it were. The afternoon was spent just enjoying the time outside and continuing to build the bond between them as they talked about everything and nothing at the same time, just learning how to be father and son. Finally, as four o'clock approached, they made their way to the address the Chief Wizard had given them as a rendezvous point.
	Knocking on the door, they were admitted by one of the members of the Crown Wizard's office they'd seen in passing, but hadn't actually met before. She introduced herself as Amanda Cooper, and informed them that the Chief Wizard would be arriving shortly to take them to the castle.
	A moment later he did so, walking in from the next room. "Sir Harry, Mister Black, a pleasure to see you again," he said, extending a hand to them.
	"Likewise," replied Sirius, who shook his hand before stepping aside for Harry to do the same.
	"Did you enjoy your day out?" asked the Chief Wizard once pleasantries were dealt with.
	"Very much," said Harry, and Sirius nodded in agreement. "It was nice to see a bit more of this castle than the small area we had been restricted to at Buckingham."
	"I'm sure. The history of Windsor is quite fascinating." Checking his watch the Chief Wizard added, "However, we don't want to keep Her Majesty waiting, so if you'll please grab on?" He extended a small piece of rope, which Harry and Sirius assumed was a Portkey. They did so, and Harry felt the now familiar, if unpleasant, sensation of being whisked away by Portkey.
	It was a very short trip, which everyone was thankful for, and they found themselves back inside Windsor castle, albeit in a location they had not seen earlier in the day. After giving everyone a moment to recover, the Chief Wizard said, "This way, please," and led them further into the castle.
	"Sir Harry, Mister Black, thank you for coming," said the Queen after they had been formally introduced. "Charles, I'll send word when we're done, but I'd like to speak to them in private."
	The Chief Wizard nodded and said, "As you wish, Ma'am," before excusing himself. He wasn't worried about leaving the Queen alone with two wizards; Sirius's wand had been locked up before they were taken to the Queen, and Sir Harry had, albeit unknown to him yet, been granted at least as much authority to defend the Queen as he had. "I just hope he takes the news of this responsibility as well as he took the last one," he thought as he returned to his office.
	After the Chief Wizard left, the Queen sat at a small table laden with what was probably the most extravagant tea Harry and Sirius had ever seen, yet was deemed informal by royal standards. She motioned for them to join her, and they made small-talk for a few moments as the tea was poured before the stewards retreated.
	"Thank you again for coming," she said, "I have several things I wish to speak to you about, but felt that an informal setting would be best. But before we get to them, how are you doing, especially you, Sir Harry?"
	Harry and Sirius looked at each other briefly, astonished that the Queen was so concerned about them that she invited them to tea to ask. It was clear from her tone, as well as the informal styling of her speech, that she was speaking as herself, and not the Royal Personage. Harry looked back at her and replied, "I'm doing OK, Ma'am, thank you. I still worry about the future, and occasionally worry if I made the right choices, but overall I feel like I did the right thing."
	"I'm glad," said the Queen. "You were placed in a very difficult situation for anyone to handle, let alone one as young as you, and if I may say so I believe you handled yourself and the situation as well as could be expected of anyone."
	"Thank you, Ma'am," said Harry, blushing slightly.
	"And thank you, Ma'am, for helping both myself and my son," said Sirius. He and Harry were still getting used to using that word, but after the Magical adoption was complete calling Harry his godson had started feeling awkward, and after discussing it they agreed to see how it felt to just call Harry his son.
	The Queen smiled at Sirius calling Harry his son, and said, "I see you're taking your parental responsibilities seriously, and I approve."
	Both Harry and Sirius smiled at that comment, but it was Harry who responded. "I'm not sure I'll ever really call him my dad, but in every way that matters he really is my father now. So thank you again for making that possible."
	"You're most welcome, young man, and I think that's as good a segue as I'm likely to get into the first topic I wanted to speak to you about." She shifted slightly in her seat, her bearing becoming more businesslike before she continued. "Sir Harry, after hearing about your previous home life from you, as well as having someone take a brief look in on your home, we are convinced that your previous guardians at the very least skirted the laws regarding child welfare, if not breaking them altogether. While we understand that you do not wish to return to that part of your life, the abuse of children is not something we are wiling to tolerate under any circumstances. Therefore, we intend to have your aunt and uncle thoroughly investigated and charged with anything that is found to be amiss."
	Harry froze, an unreadable look on his face. On one hand he was happy to hear that something might happen to the Dursleys to punish them for their treatment of him, but on the other hand he really didn't want to have anything to do with them anymore, and this was likely to drag him into things. Finally he responded, "I, I'm not sure what to say to that. I'd really rather not have to deal with them again, if that's possible."
	Sirius put a hand on his shoulder and said, "You won't, Harry, I'll make sure of it." He turned to the Queen and said, "While I don't know exactly how the non-Magical world deals with this kind of thing, I don't want my son getting dragged into it under any circumstances. He's just gotten free of them, and he doesn't need to go back there again."
	The Queen nodded, privately smiling at Sirius's defense of his now son. "Then that is what we will try to ensure, if at all possible. While we cannot guarantee it, we will do our best to see that it happens." Both Harry and Sirius nodded in thanks, and the Queen softened her expression before she continued. "Sir Harry, I know you indicated that you didn't really get along with your cousin, but you also said things had improved a little recently. Perhaps, as a gesture of goodwill, you would consider writing him and giving him a way of contacting you in the future?"
	Harry's head snapped back at her in surprise, and before he could really think he blurted out, "There's no way I'm telling Dudley where I'm living now, he'd just tell his parents!"
	Sirius's hand returned to Harry's shoulder to try and calm him down, while the Queen nodded in understanding. "I understand, and completely agree. However, you have several other options, where he could send you a letter to be forwarded to you. My first suggestion would be to use the Royal Victorian Order; letters addressed to your name can be sent to the secretary of the order, who can then forward them on to you. You just need to make sure they have your proper contact information, something we can rectify once your father has an appropriate address. Alternately any letters could then be forwarded to the Crown Wizards' office, who could have them delivered to you. Or, if you'd prefer something else, I'm sure we could arrange for something."
	Harry considered it for a moment, then realized that this was an opportunity to both try and keep some sort of connection with the last of his blood family, as well as giving his uncle and especially his aunt a nice going-away present, Marauder style. Nodding, he said, "I take it you're offering to have it delivered as well?"
	The Queen nodded. "If you'd like, I can have it delivered shortly before the investigators arrive to search your relatives' house. I believe that next Saturday morning will be the most inconvenient time for them to deal with this whole situation. Plus, I believe you'll already be off to school for the year, so they won't be able to contact you even if they wanted to."
	The slightly malicious smirk on her face was infectious, and both Harry and Sirius mirrored it before they all chuckled softly. Thinking that the Queen really did understand where he was coming from, Harry had to agree that the day Dudley was set to go to Smeltings Academy really would be the most inconvenient time for his aunt and uncle. "What about Dudley?" asked Harry after he realized it would most likely mean nobody would be able to take him to school.
	"I'll make sure someone is aware of his school situation and they'll figure out what to do with him. But I think this lesson is one that would best be delivered to the whole family, would it not?"
	Harry considered for a moment before agreeing that yes it would. "Alright, let's do that. If I write a letter and send it here, can the Crown Wizards' office have it delivered to Dudley that morning?"
	"Yes. Please have him send any letters to you to the Secretary of the Royal Victorian Order, Buckingham Palace. I will have them redirect anything to the Crown Wizards' Office for now, until you provide them with an alternate address."
	Harry nodded, and the Queen gave him a moment before shifting back to her more formal mien. "Now, Sir Harry, on to the next order of business which concerns your schooling. As you know, we spoke to your Headmaster last week, and there will be a number of changes made to your school. A few of them should be immediate, while others will happen either over the course of the school year or in the coming years. For starters, there will be several observers placed in the school to both investigate how well things are currently being done, as well as reporting back to us as to whether or not our required changes are being properly implemented. Also, while most of these changes don't affect you directly, there is one that we wish you to be aware of right away.
	"Unless it directly pertains to something involving yourself and your involvement in the school, the Headmaster is not permitted to speak to you, or even inform you of the matter, without at least your father's consent in writing. Mister Black, should you wish to be present when the Headmaster speaks with your son, that is absolutely your right. We have informed him that if you request to be present and he is unwilling to do so, he may not speak to your son at all. Hopefully this will prevent him from overstepping his bounds with regards to Sir Harry's life. Obviously, anything specifically school-related is exempt from these requirements, and they fall under his legitimate authority as the Headmaster. But if you feel that the Headmaster has overstepped those boundaries, please do let us know."
	"Thank you," said both Harry and Sirius, who grinned at each other afterwards. "As long as it's school-related, I won't have a problem with it," said Harry, and Sirius nodded his agreement.
	"Good," said the Queen, relaxing once more, "I think that's all that needs to be said about that. Now, there is one final thing to discuss and I must apologize to you, Sir Harry, for doing something by accident, though I do not regret having done so. While I know this is supposed to be an informal tea, this last issue cannot be kept informal."
	Harry gave the Queen a concerned look, while she took on her most formal bearing yet. "Apparently, when we knighted you, we did more than grant you membership in the Royal Victorian Order. We also named you our personal Magical Knight."
	Sirius's eyes went wide as he realized what she must be saying, though Harry just looked confused.
	"I don't understand, Ma'am," said Harry after a moment.
	She smiled at him softly before answering. "It means that not only did we give you a knighthood in title, but we gave you one in fact. Do you remember when you came to our defense in the Wizengamot chamber and disarmed that awful woman, Umbridge? The Chief Wizard had already locked down the wards in the chamber, and nobody but him should have been able to use any Magic at all. Yet you were able to disarm her despite that restriction."
	Harry gaped at that revelation, wondering how he'd done that while still not entirely understanding the implications. "But, how?"
	"Mister Croaker believes, and our Chief Wizard agrees, that by knighting you with your wand, and by granting you the right to carry it in our presence, that we Magically placed you in our personal service. Therefore the wards of the chamber, which were also controlled by someone in our personal service, recognized that you were allowed to use Magic to defend us. It also means several rather important things you will need to keep in mind going forward.
	"First and foremost, unless and until we rescind your position, you are able to act as our Magical representative in any matters that do not require our direct intervention or oversight. While we do not expect you to act in this manner, we do want you to consider your authority should you find yourself in a position to potentially do so. However, if you wish to act in an official manner, you must clearly state you are doing so, as well as reporting it to the Crown Wizards' office as soon as possible to ensure that nothing further needs to be done regarding your actions."
	Harry's jaw dropped again, falling even further if that was possible. The Queen had granted him that level of authority, and by accident? He wasn't sure this was such a good idea, and said so. "I'm humbled by your generosity, Ma'am, but are you sure giving me that much power is a good idea?"
	The Queen looked at him thoughtfully, then gave a little smile as she relaxed. "Your response tells me that I made a good choice, even if I didn't realize I was doing it at the time. Your reticence to use the power I granted you is a sign you will use it wisely and not frivolously. I am not asking you to use it often, if ever. I merely ask that you remember that you have it, and should you see a situation where there is no better way to resolve it that you're not afraid of using it. It is my sincere hope that you don't have to use it, but I would be foolish to take it away from someone whose judgment has proven to be sound, at least until the current situation has stabilized."
	Harry considered it for a moment, then sighed. "I think I understand, Ma'am, it just feels like something else to have to deal with."
	"I understand, Sir Harry, which is why I've asked you to let it be for now, and will not be making any public announcement about it. Do not think about it, just know you can call on it should the situation ever require it."
	Harry nodded. "Thank you, you said there were several things I needed to keep in mind?"
	The Queen resumed her more formal attitude and replied, "Yes, there are. The next thing you need to understand is that everything you do can reflect on our reputation. This is perhaps even more important than the authority you have been granted, as it is not limited to when you exercise that authority. That's not to say that you cannot be the fifteen year-old boy that you are, just that you need to remember that any major negative actions will possibly reflect badly on us. Fortunately, I do not believe that you are likely to do anything that we need to worry about, though please do keep this in mind should you ever exercise the powers we just spoke about."
	"I will," said Harry. He then looked at Sirius and asked, "What about him? Does he reflect on you as well since he's my father?"
	"Perhaps, but again we would not dwell on it. Unless you do something sufficiently bad as to cause headlines, we do not think it will be an issue."
	"Phew," said Sirius, making a big show of wiping his forehead. "Thank goodness for that!"
	The Queen chuckled, while Harry just gave him a look.
	"The last thing," she said, "is one that we hope will not come up often, but which you do need to keep in mind. Because of your position, should anyone say or do anything against our interests, you do have an obligation to not ignore it. While you are not necessarily required to take direct action immediately, failure to act in the interests of the crown will reflect badly on both yourself and us. Therefore we ask that you at the very least inform us of anything you see or hear that might warrant action on your part, even if you feel that taking direct action is not warranted. That way, we can ensure that action is taken should it be required. Will you do this for us, Sir Harry?"
	This time Harry didn't have to think about it for more than a couple seconds, and he replied, "Of course, Ma'am." He didn't think he could just ignore anything he saw or heard that was against the Queen, and was glad he had a way of dealing with it without having to intervene directly.
	"Very well," she said. "And you, Mister Black, do you have any questions about your son's responsibilities?"
	Sirius considered the question for a moment, then answered, "Just one, Ma'am. When Harry returns to school, there are likely to be many children of families who have been negatively affected by his actions and the subsequent results. Given that he holds status as one of your official representatives, how do you expect him to handle any issues that arise from dealing with these children?"
	"An astute question," replied the Queen, nodding at him. "We, for one, do not expect him to handle them at all. The Headmaster has been told, and has promised to instruct the rest of the staff, that bullying and other inappropriate behavior by anyone in the school, be it student, staff or someone else, is not to be tolerated. While we are certain that Sir Harry will defend himself if needed, we also expect that the faculty and staff will work to prevent that need from arising. What we do ask is that you, Sir Harry, do what you can to assist those who are willing to accept the changes but are having difficulties with them. Anyone who can be turned into at least a neutral party, if not an ally, should be assisted whenever possible to keep them from becoming a problem later."
	"Fair enough," said Sirius. He then asked Harry, "Sound reasonable to you?"
	"If someone really wants to change and asks me for help, sure. But I'm still going to be wary of them until they've demonstrated they can be trusted."
	The Queen couldn't argue with that, and said so. She then explained the new rules she had insisted Dumbledore implement regarding discipline, especially bringing in Aurors to investigate anything that escalated beyond simple confrontations, and both Harry and Sirius agreed that it was probably a good idea. Finally, as their time together wound down, she made one final request. "Sir Harry, we have only one other thing to ask of you, though this is more for yourself than it is for us. You have demonstrated to us that you have a good soul, and that you are a good judge of what is right and just. We ask that you keep fighting injustice where you see it, whether in your school or anywhere else. Do not shy away from it, though you may have to pick and choose your battles, but always fight for what is right. Even if you do nothing else, if you do that you will not just meet but exceed any definition of a good life."
	"I will, I promise," said Harry, slightly overwhelmed by her words.
	The Queen pushed a button and a steward entered bowing. "Please inform Minster Adlington that our guests are ready to depart," she said. The steward bowed again, then departed to carry out the request.
	The Queen dropped her formal bearing and stood, prompting Harry and Sirius to do so as well. "Thank you again for coming. I know this was perhaps a bit more than you expected, but I was honestly unaware of the Magical Knight issue until after the invitation had already been sent. Mostly I just wanted to get to know you without the whole situation in the Magical world hanging over our heads, and I feel that I have."
	Her face shifted slightly, and Harry immediately sensed her becoming more formal again. "While we do not expect we will meet again often, nor do we anticipate needing either of your direct service in the future, we hope you will not be afraid to contact us again should you find yourselves in another difficult position like before. It is not often that we find the time or circumstances to interact directly with people who are just our subjects, but we relish the opportunity when it arises. We hope you have enjoyed our tea as much as we have, and wish you well on your journey home."
	Harry and Sirius bowed to the Queen and replied, "Thank you, Ma'am", as the Chief Wizard entered the room.
	They all turned to face him, and the Queen said, "Thank you, Charles, your timing is excellent as usual. Please see that Sir Harry and Mister Black reach their destination safely, and we will see you at our next scheduled meeting."
	"Of course, Your Majesty," replied the Chief Wizard, before leading Harry and Sirius out of the room and back the way they had come.
	After retrieving his wand, Sirius, along with Harry and the Chief Wizard, Portkeyed back to the house they had originally come from. When they arrived, the Chief Wizard asked if they could stay for a few minutes to discuss some things from their meeting with the Queen. After they agreed, the Chief Wizard led them into another room where they all could sit on comfortable couches.
	"Just to check my assumptions, did Her Majesty talk to you about your Magical Knighthood?" asked the Chief Wizard.
	Sirius looked concerned, but decided to wait and see what else there was to learn. Harry nodded, but didn't say anything.
	"I take it you're not too comfortable with it, Sir Harry?"
	"No, sir," he replied. In reality he wasn't even sure he completely understood it, but he knew enough to realize that it could end up being very complicated if he wasn't careful.
	"Perhaps I can help. First of all, unless you say something about it, the fact that you hold this position will not be mentioned to anyone. Should someone make an inquiry to our office we will have to acknowledge it, of course, but other than that we have no plans to inform anyone. In this way you can remain unknown until the time and place of your choosing. Of course, I can see from the look on your face that you doubt this will last very long."
	Harry realized that the Chief Wizard was right; he was feeling rather doubtful that he'd be able to keep it to himself very long, and realized it showed on his face. "Given the way certain people have acted towards or around me in the past, I find it very unlikely that I won't have to use my position fairly soon."
	"Hmm," said the Chief Wizard, considering the situation. "I'm sorry to hear that, but perhaps you'll luck out and things will be different this year." Seeing the doubtful look on Harry's face, and Sirius's too for that matter, he added, "We can always hope, right?" This drew chuckles, and he was glad they could still laugh about the situation. "In any event, whether or not you use your authority is entirely up to you, but should you use it we will need to know about it as soon as possible. To expedite that process, I'd like to give you this." He held out a small jewelry box, which Harry took.
	Opening the box, Harry saw it was a small necklace on a gold chain. "What is it?" he asked, as he took it out.
	"It's a signaling necklace. If you need to contact us right away, just press your wand to it and say, 'God Save the Queen.' When you do, my office will be notified immediately, as well as being able to use the necklace as a homing signal to find you quickly. You can also use it in the event of any sort of emergency where you need help; just keep your wand on the pendant after the activation phrase and anything you say afterwards will be transmitted to the watch desk. They won't be able to communicate back to you, but they'll be able to hear whatever is going on around you as well."
	"That's pretty useful," said Sirius, "I wonder why nobody in the Magical world ever thought about doing something like that?"
	"It's actually based on a non-Magical device used to get emergency help for the elderly or other people who have physical disabilities. Except in their case they just have to push a button rather than using a wand. One word of advice, Harry," he looked half serious and half like he was trying to not laugh. "Whatever you do, don't ever use it and say the phrase, 'I've fallen and I can't get up,' or you'll never hear the end of it."
	Both Harry and Sirius looked confused, but decided to let it go. "Thanks," said Harry, "I think this will make things a little easier. Will it still work inside Hogwarts?"
	"It should, but if you could test it that would probably be a good idea. Just activate it and say that you're testing to make sure it works from inside Hogwarts. If it does, we'll send you an owl; if you haven't heard from us by the next day send us an owl to let us know it didn't work and we'll figure out something else."
	"Okay, I'll do that." said Harry, putting the necklace on so he could get used to it. "Was there anything else?"
	"Just one thing, but I cannot stress how important it is even if I don't want you to obsess over it."
	"That's not really helping," observed Sirius, which Harry agreed to immediately.
	"I know, but there's really no good way to say it otherwise. You need to remember that once your position becomes known, absolutely everything you do, and quite possibly everything you've ever done, will be scrutinized as something that could potentially be used against the Queen. That's not to say that anything will ever actually come of that scrutiny, or even that improper behavior on your part will actually impact Her Majesty in any significant manner, but it can, and there will be people out there who will try.
	"I don't want this to make you look over your shoulder all the time, nor should you have to consider every possible ramification before you do anything, Sir Harry. You're still a teenager going to school, and we want you to be able to act like one. Just try to ensure that you consider things before taking any major steps that could be controversial, and be doubly careful of what you say or do should you invoke the authority Her Majesty has entrusted you with. Beyond that, it is my hope, and Her Majesty's, that you will be able to have a fairly normal life at least until you complete your schooling."
	Harry nodded. "I understand," he said, "and I even don't have a problem with it, I just wish it was someone else who had to deal with it, not me."
	The Chief Wizard nodded, then stood. He extended a hand to Harry and said, "You're a much wiser fifteen year-old than I ever was, Sir Harry, and it's been both a pleasure and an honor to work with you. Let me say that I hope that I only ever see you again on pleasant occasions, but even if not I look forward to seeing you again sometime."
	Harry stood and shook his hand. "Thank you," he said, "I'll say the same thing for you. Thank you again for all of your help, especially when we first showed up and you treated us fairly despite Sirius's reputation."
	Sirius, now also standing, agreed and said, "Yes, thank you. For everything." He shook hands with the Chief Wizard as well, who led them to the front door.
	"Should you need anything," said the Chief Wizard, "Don't hesitate to send me either an owl or a letter by post. I can't promise we'll be able to help with everything, but my office can certainly try. Enjoy the rest of your day."
	After thanking him one last time, Harry and Sirius left the house and finished their tour of Windsor. After taking the train back to London, they tried a curry restaurant for dinner which Harry enjoyed and Sirius thought was too spicy. They brought the leftovers home for Kreacher to try, and Harry had a good laugh when he not only enjoyed it greatly, but teased Sirius about his low spice tolerance and said he'd have to work on it when Harry was away.
	The next day, Harry got a note from Ron saying that he'd finished his homework, and asking if Harry could come visit for a day or two. After talking it over with Sirius, he agreed to go to the Burrow the next day and would spend the night, coming back after dinner the following day. Sirius was also invited for dinner as a peace offering from Missus Weasley who had (barely) acknowledged the fact that he was right about her having taken over his home.
	Time at the Burrow was unexpectedly relaxed, with everyone having fun and not having to worry about Voldemort or his followers for a change. Missus Weasley was also pleasantly relaxed and for once didn't make them do chores beyond normal daily tasks, which Harry didn't mind helping out with. The only dim spot in his visit was that Ginny had basically ignored him outside of mealtimes, but he understood it. Hermione had explained that Ginny was still unhappy about his rejection of her, and had confessed to the older girl that she was worried about making a scene and driving him away further.
	Harry had wanted to say something, but couldn't figure out what to say that wouldn't also send signals that he didn't really mean. Hermione told him to just leave it and let her figure it out on her own, and not feeling like he had any friendships to lose he followed Hermione's advice and just let it go. It still felt weird hanging out at the Burrow and having Ginny ignore him, but at least she said goodbye when he and Sirius left Friday night to return to their home.
	Harry and Sirius spent the weekend getting Harry's things organized for the term at Hogwarts, as well as discussing a few different areas Sirius was considering looking for houses. While doing so, Sirius decided he needed to learn how to drive a car, since that was how most people got around in the non-Magical world. While he had his motorcycle, it was a bit too noticeable for someone trying to keep a low profile, not to mention all the not-so-legal Magical enhancements on it.
	The other thing Harry did was sit down and, with Sirius's support, wrote a letter to his cousin Dudley. After talking it over, he'd decided to play it straight with his cousin, and simply let the facts speak for themselves rather than being over the top about it. Even without showcasing his new status, he was pretty sure at least his aunt would recognize the name and device of the Royal Victorian Order, as well as the title before and initials after his name. While a small part of him wished he could be a fly on the wall when the letter was delivered, he had no desire to ever return to number 4 Privet Drive under any circumstances.
	Ron and Hermione came over for the day on Monday, two days before the Express, and the three of them spent the day exploring non-Magical London. This was primarily to give Ron a taste of it, since he'd never really spent much time there, but they all had a lot of fun shopping and eating. Between Harry and Hermione they'd managed to keep him out of trouble, though there was an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet that was rather annoyed at him.
	The day before the Express, Harry and Sirius had lunch with Tonks and her parents, Andromeda and Ted, who Harry had not yet met. After a brief teary-eyed reunion where Tonks's Mum had profusely thanked Sirius for his offer, they tabled the subject and just took time to get to know one another. Before they departed, Sirius agreed to have dinner at the elder Tonks's place later in the week to discuss undoing the process of disowning Andromeda, which was more complicated and involved than adopting a new member of the family.
	For the rest of the day, Harry and Sirius just hung out enjoying each others' company, and even spent some time with Kreacher who had somehow become more endeared with Sirius the more he'd been willing to banter with his house-elf. Kreacher, in turn, made a going-away feast for Harry, and after some cajoling even sat with them to eat, though he insisted on serving everyone and doing anything anyone needed himself.
	The day of the Express started early with a letter from the Chief Wizard informing Harry that most of the Death Eater trials had been held over the previous two days, along with the outcomes of said trials. The information was going to be given to the paper late that afternoon, so that it wouldn't appear until tomorrow's Prophet, but the Chief Wizard wanted Harry to know what was coming the first morning back at Hogwarts. After sharing the news with Sirius and the two of them having some breakfast with Kreacher, Harry and Sirius made their way to Platform 9 ¾ to meet the Express.
	Not wanting to be mobbed, they had arrived early and gotten Harry's things into the very last compartment on the train before most of the crowd arrived. After stowing Harry's trunk, Sirius quickly taught him a minor alarm ward, which he could put up in the hallway to let him know if anyone approached. It wasn't anything fancy; it would just ring in his ears like a doorbell if anyone crossed it. While this wouldn't prevent people from looking for him, it would let him know they were coming just in case.
	They said their goodbyes in the compartment and then Sirius went back to the platform to just watch the parents and children as they arrived. He wasn't expecting trouble, but he was going to stick around until the Express departed, just in case something happened. He also would direct Harry's friends to his compartment, assuming he saw them in time. The only thing of note that happened was the Weasleys arriving at the last minute as usual, and Sirius helped get them all on the train just as the whistle was blowing for final call. Ron joined Harry and Hermione stopped in to leave her trunk before heading for the prefects' meeting, while the twins and Ginny headed off to look for their friends. After they had left Harry put up the alarm ward and settled in for the long ride, wondering what he'd find when they reached their destination.
 *Chapter 34*: Going Off the Rails on a Crazy Train

 *Chapter 35*: Epilogue 1: The Dursleys

 *Chapter 36*: Epilogue 2: The Queen's Justice

 *Chapter 37*: Epilogue 3: Severus Snape

 *Chapter 38*: Epilogue 4: Sirius Black

 *Chapter 39*: Epilogue 5: The Ministry of Magic (P1)

 	Originally Posted 9/5/16, last revised 10/27/16.
	Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.
	Epilogue 5: The Ministry of Magic (Part 1)
	The first couple of months after the revocation of the Wizarding Charter had been fairly chaotic for the people working in the Ministry, especially those at the top, but in hindsight it had been a much smoother transition than anyone had expected. There had certainly been a number of incidents with unhappy citizens getting unruly and having to be taken in by the Aurors, but the vast majority of them had been confined to unhappy individuals, and most of those had also involved generous quantities of firewhisky or other intoxicants. After that things had mostly settled down as it became obvious that things were not going to return to their previous state, and most people started trying to make the best of the new paradigm.
	There had only been four significant incidents where sizable groups of people had become unruly, and each time they had successfully been controlled without widespread violence. The first had taken place when the death sentences had been announced, which the Ministry had at least been prepared for. The idea of non-Magicals imposing the ultimate penalty on Wizards would probably always be controversial in some circles, and certainly made many people uncomfortable. Those who responded with violence had been limited to people who resisted the Aurors who were trying to settle them down, and ultimately had resulted in a number of minor injuries but nothing worse. In keeping with trying to set strong but fair punishments, the perpetrators all spent a few days in jail followed by community service along with a mandatory education program to teach them more about the non-Magical world.
	Near the end of November, Percy Weasley released his preliminary report reconciling the laws of Magical Britain with those of non-Magical Britain. The biggest surprise was that while there were plenty of laws that needed to be repealed, very few of those that remained needed significant changes to them. While there were certainly additional laws needed to cover various things like discrimination and various modern things that Magical society hadn't caught up to yet, most of the ones that weren't aimed at maintaining the pure-blood supremacy over other Magicals were fairly reasonable, if perhaps in need of some modernization. It was this report, combined with the further reforms within the ministry that led to the second and third incidents, and the events surrounding them.
	Once Governor General Bones and the remaining Wizengamot members who were advising her had a handle on the legal situation, they determined that the existing laws were sufficient to give the former Minister a trial. This was held publicly in the Wizengamot chamber, which had to be enlarged just to hold enough people to avoid additional riots. Each day of the trial there was a lottery to see who would be able to sit in the spectators' gallery. While this didn't make everyone happy, there was a general feeling that it was at least fairer than just being first come, first served. This was further reinforced by the fact that on the second day several journalists were excluded from the gallery, having failed to arrive early enough to reserve press seats and then not being picked by the lottery.
	The trial itself lasted nearly the first two weeks of December, during which many people testified about various things Fudge had said or done during his time as Minister. Much of this testimony was the variety that was subject to interpretation, and could have gone either way, but there were three people whose testimony gave sufficient context to convince the jury to convict: Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter, and Lucius Malfoy.
	While reluctant to testify, Dumbledore had agreed to it only after being threatened with an investigation into his own activities as Chief Warlock and Headmaster of Hogwarts. He knew he was already on thin ice with the Queen, and that his tenure as Headmaster was likely coming to a close, and worried that he might find himself not only losing his job, but also whatever he had left of his reputation and even his freedom. Still, he limited his testimony to the direct facts, refusing to speculate on Fudge's motives, while at the same time not leaving much wiggle room for Fudge's barrister to exploit.
	Harry was called to testify the fifth day of the trial, and after overcoming his reluctance to speak publicly, he didn't hold anything back. He'd spent the previous day working with Sirius's Magical solicitor to go over what he would say, and in the end he said it all. Starting with his first experience with the Minister taking Hagrid away to Azkaban because the Ministry had "to be seen to be doing something," he then explained about the Minister's refusal to even consider the possibility of Sirius's innocence at the end of third year, which nearly saw his godfather Kissed. Next, he recounted the Minister's reaction to Harry saying Voldemort was back, along with having Barty Crouch Jr. Kissed before he could be interrogated while calling it, "No loss." Finally, he explained about his trial and the events that led to the revocation of the Wizarding Charter that had led to this trial in the first place. By the time he stepped down, it was clear to all that even under the best of interpretations, Fudge's actions were highly questionable.
	But it was the final witness that removed any question about Fudge's guilt. Lucius Malfoy, under very heavy guard, was brought in to testify as to the various times he had influenced the Minister in one way or another. Rather than having Malfoy testify directly, the transcripts of his interrogations that had been reduced to only those events relevant to Fudge's trial were introduced as evidence. Fudge's barrister was then permitted to cross-examine Malfoy in an attempt to discredit those transcripts. It unfortunately backfired when Malfoy, in a fit of pique, admonished Fudge for being so stupid as to get caught. Nothing he said after that made any difference in anyone's opinion, and he was quickly excused. What nobody at the trial realized at that time was that it would be the last time Lucius Malfoy would be seen alive in Wizarding Britain.
	It was the morning of the second-to-last day of the trial, the day Fudge himself was set to take the witness chair in his own defense, that the news broke about the hanging of the convicted Death Eaters, along with former Senior Undersecretary Umbridge. This caused the first of two incidents during that one week, and many of the same people who were upset about their initial conviction and sentencing chose to vent their displeasure again with the same results as before. There were even a few minor incidents of people attempting to disrupt the trial, but they were also dealt with quickly, and received similar sentences of community service and education when they were eventually tried themselves.
	This event also led to some serious concerns about Fudge's possible penalty, as it was looking more and more like he was going to be convicted of at least something when the trial concluded. However, their concerns were assuaged quickly, as shortly after the Death Eaters were hung, the Queen announced a moratorium on the death penalty. She also announced that she was beginning the process to have it repealed altogether, which went a long way to calming some of the unspoken fears that had been raised by the executions. It was this last step, the elimination of the death penalty combined with the effective removal of the dementors from Azkaban that led to a shocking reversal from Fudge.
	Rather than testifying in his own defense, he had his barrister broker an agreement that he would plead guilty to about half the charges in exchange for limits on the maximum sentence he could get. It took nearly a day and a half of wrangling, but in the end, Fudge publicly admitted guilt to multiple counts of misfeasance in public office, receiving bribes, and perverting the course of justice. In exchange for his guilty plea, he was sentenced to a minimum of five, and maximum of fifteen years in Azkaban, along with a hefty fine totalling nearly all of his assets.
	After the guilty plea and sentence was announced, there were large demonstrations in the Ministry atrium and Diagon Alley, as many people disagreed with some part of the result or another. While the demonstrations were mostly peaceful, there were occasional clashes between supporters of Fudge who felt the trial and/or sentence was too harsh, and those who felt that the former Minister had gotten off lightly for everything he'd done. In the end the only arrests were actually of people who had drunk too much and gotten rowdy, rather than just demonstrating, and they were all given reasonable fines and a night in a cell to sleep it off.
	The fourth and final incident was the most violent, but in the end it had far-reaching positive consequences that nobody could have foreseen. It all started with the Ministry's pilot program to protect werewolves and the public from each other by securing werewolves during the full moon in exchange for giving them the same rights as Wizards during the rest of the month. While it took several months to get the major details worked out, once they were announced the program proved so popular among the werewolves that it could not be expanded quickly enough to secure all of the volunteers each month. Combined with the fact that many wizards were slow to accept the idea of werewolf rights and it inevitably led to a confrontation on the steps of the Ministry between a couple dozen members of each side just after the first full moon of the new year.
	Before the Aurors could sufficiently intervene to break things up, seven werewolves and three wizards had been seriously injured, along with numerous lesser injuries on both sides. Amazingly, it had been the werewolves who showed more restraint in dealing with their foes than the wizards, and while two of them had ultimately been sentenced to several months in prison, they had both pled guilty rather than forcing a trial. On the Wizarding side, six people were awaiting trial on battery charges, while two more were being held for attempted murder; the latter two having cast cutting curses at their opponents' necks, and only luck and a thick skin had saved the victims.
	The fact that the wizards had been determined to be the attackers, along with the werewolves who were charged with crimes taking responsibility for them immediately, started the process of changing the minds of all but the most recalcitrant members of the Magical community. But it was what unexpectedly happened after the next full moon that really swayed public opinion towards the new Werewolf Protection Act.
	When it became clear that the Ministry was serious about helping werewolves out in exchange for nothing more than ensuring that they were prevented from spreading their curse during the full moon, the packs in Great Britain realized that this was what they had all been wanting: a chance to be a part of normal society rather than being ostracized. While they were still cautious, as was reasonable, they had all sent representatives to enroll in the pilot program, and then sent more when it became clear that the early representatives were not just participants, but also were helping to shape things to work better for the werewolves. By the end of the year, the packs had nearly unanimously voted to support the new Ministry initiative, and those who voted against it mostly did so to try and slow things down rather than actually opposing them. With one exception: Fenrir Greyback.
	Greyback was a proponent of forcing the Ministry into submission rather than working with them, and nobody who knew him was surprised when he spoke passionately (and violently) against cooperation with them. Greyback had always been a fan of violence for the sake of violence, not to mention having a nearly incurable lust for turning others into werewolves to further increase the strength of the pack. For years he had ruled not just his own pack but many of the others, daring anyone to oppose him and putting them down violently when they did. But now, with their ultimate objective not just within reach but actively being promoted, members of every pack were openly defying him in sufficient numbers that he couldn't just kill them off to cow the rest into submission.
	Faced with the near-certainty of losing what little grasp he still retained of his position as alpha, and emboldened by the confrontation between werewolves and wizards that had just recently occurred, he attacked and kidnapped several of the more prominent participants in the Ministry's pilot program, hoping that the Ministry's promised response of hunting down program violators would convince the rest of the pack that the Ministry couldn't be trusted. Instead, the packs took it as the ultimate proof that Greyback was refusing to put the good of the pack before his own desires, and banded together to do something about it.
	Daily Prophet – Wednesday 7 February, 1996

	GREYBACK DEAD - BODY DUMPED IN MINISTRY LOBBY
Barnabas Cuffe, Editor
	In a shocking turn of events, the body of Fenrir Greyback, the notorious werewolf and supporter of the late You-Know-Who, was dumped in the lobby of the Ministry of Magic sometime before 6am yesterday morning. Along with the body was a note, which we have been granted permission to reprint for the most part below:
	To the Ministry of Magic and the wizards of Great Britain,
	For many years, we have struggled to be accepted on even the fringes of Magical society, a struggle that seemed to be impossible to win without much violence and bloodshed. When the new Werewolf Protection Act was announced, we were skeptical and sent a handful of representatives to investigate, preparing for the worst. Instead, we found a Ministry that was not only willing to help us, but asked us to help them find a way to make things work for everyone while keeping the public safe. As a result, we came to realize that the Ministry's offering not only gave us what we had been struggling for, but did so in a way that would not require violence to accomplish. While there certainly have been individual werewolves who reveled in violence, the majority of the packs do not, and so we did what we could to help this program flourish. After all, despite our affliction some of us do have families, and want nothing more than to see our children grow up in safety and prosperity.
	Unfortunately, the pack Alpha, Fenrir Greyback, didn't see things the same way, and tried to convince us to abandon the program. When this failed, he kidnapped several members of the pilot program just before they were to report for the full moon, in the hopes that the Ministry's response would cause fear and anger among the packs and force them to see things his way. In doing so, he not only endangered the pack, but the entire werewolf population of Great Britain, while showing that his only loyalty is to himself and not his pack. This is not something we could accept.
	After the full moon, we, the elders of the packs of Great Britain, [met] and rendered judgment: for placing his own lust for violence over the safety of the pack, Fenrir Greyback was named traitor and expelled from all packs in Great Britain. When informed of the packs' judgment, he responded with violence, which was unfortunately expected, and so he was put down to ensure the safety of the packs. This same fate awaits any werewolf who chooses violence over peace, belligerence over cooperation, or otherwise risks the safety of the packs.
	We know that if we do not police our own, the Ministry will do it for us. Thus we, the combined members of the werewolf packs of Great Britain, present you with the body of the notorious criminal Fenrir Greyback as proof of our intentions. May his passing bring a measure of peace to those whose lives have been impacted by his malevolent behavior, and allow us to move forward into a new era of cooperation and accord.
	The letter was signed by the elders of each werewolf pack in Great Britain, along with the names of several members of the Ministry's pilot program. At the request of the Ministry due to the ongoing investigation, we will not publish the names, nor the location at which they met. However an unnamed Ministry official stated that they do not believe any charges will stem from this incident, given Greyback's reputation for violence and prior activities for which the Ministry was never able to capture him.
	Regardless of how or why it happened, we at the Prophet are glad that this menace is no longer free to prey on the innocent, and we thank the werewolf packs of Great Britain for doing us all a service. We hope that this spirit of cooperation continues and that the benefits of the Werewolf Protection Act will soon be available to all who want them.
	With the death and public repudiation of Greyback the general opinion of werewolves in Wizarding Britain shifted from suspicious and mildly hostile, at best, to cautiously optimistic. There were still plenty of complaints along the lines of "First Muggleborn, now werewolves. Who's next? House-elves?" But in general they rarely encountered werewolves, and those who did deal with weres began to look past the condition and see the people behind them. The fact that many werewolves had begun their lives as pure- or half-blood wizards may have played a small part in their acceptance, but if so nobody talked about it.
 *Chapter 40*: Epilogue 6: Albus Dumbledore

 	Originally Posted 9/7/16, last revised 10/27/16.
	Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.
	Epilogue 6: Albus Dumbledore
	Albus Dumbledore sat behind his desk as Headmaster for the very last time. School had been out for a week now, and today would be the day he stepped down and handed the reins of his beloved Hogwarts to someone else. The fact that he still didn't know who that someone else was bothered him, but he'd had to live with that for nearly a year now, so he'd at least gotten used to being bothered by it.
	The one thing he did know was that it wouldn't be his choice of successor; Minerva McGonagall had made it clear on several occasions that while she would be honored to take over as Headmistress, she had been told that it wasn't going to be her who replaced him. While she hadn't said it outright, she had hinted several times that she did know who it was going to be, but she wasn't telling anyone. And while not knowing was killing him inside, he knew better than to pry any further. A year ago he wouldn't have had any second thoughts about doing so, but after his total dismantling at the hands of Her Majesty he had finally learned his lesson.
	It had been a rather hard lesson to learn, but in the end the overwhelming amount of evidence presented to him had finally overcome his own mental inertia. The fact that he had been so wrong, about so many things, still weighed on him though he was slowly learning to let them go. His interpretation of the prophecy; his placement of Harry with his relatives; his treatment of Harry, along with many other students over the years; his failure to try to push a friendlier agenda towards non-Magicals (not Muggles - he was still getting used to that one too). All things that he had resisted admitting to himself, but in hindsight were true.
	And then there was his greatest mistake, one he'd never fully admitted to anyone lest he be damned even more than he was. He had been certain the Voldemort had made Horcruxes, up until the moment when the Queen had told him the the prophecy had been fulfilled. Even then, it wasn't until Mister Adlington had provided him with Croaker's explanation for the diary that he was willing to let it go, despite his relief in being able to do so. But the worst part was that he had begun to wonder if Harry's scar might also be a Horcrux, and that the only way to defeat Voldemort forever would have been for Harry to die. No, he would never admit it to anyone else, even as he could finally admit to himself how glad he was to be wrong in this case.
	Shaking himself from his reverie, he took one last look around the Headmaster's office, taking in the portraits and other things that would remain after he left. He'd still get to see them on occasion, as he was remaining on staff as Professor Emeritus, but all of the things that had made this his office were now gone, never to return. "Perhaps it's for the best," he mused, but didn't get any further as there was a knock at the door.
	"Enter," he called out, as he sat back and watched the door in anticipation.
	The door opened to reveal Professor McGonagall, followed by a rather familiar face. While not someone he could call a friend, he'd seen them quite a bit over the past year as changes were made to Magical Britain, including Hogwarts.
	"Headmaster Dumbledore," said McGonagall, "may I present the new Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Sir Charles Adlington."
	Dumbledore raised one eyebrow as he stood and extended a hand. "Welcome, Sir Charles, I must admit you're not who I expected. Congratulations on your appointment as Headmaster, and if I may add, your recent knighthood." He knew it had to be recent, as he'd last seen him three weeks ago and there had been no mention of "Sir" at the time.
	"Thank you, Professor," replied Sir Charles. "I must admit I was surprised by both, though I've known about the former for a few months now. And while I think we both agree it's time for a change here, I'm very glad you've agreed to stay on both to mentor me and to teach. As much as we may disagree on politics, I've never questioned your wealth of knowledge or skill as a teacher. I think it's safe to say that as long as you keep the politics to a minimum, you're welcome to keep teaching as long as you like."
	Dumbledore nodded and said, "Thank you," accepting the both compliment and warning for what they were. "Please, have a seat, we have much to discuss so I can hand control over to you properly. Minerva, will you be retaining Deputy Headmistress duties?"
	McGonagall looked at Sir Charles, who nodded and said, "I have no problem with that. If you wish to give them up, I'll try to find someone else. Otherwise, they're still yours."
	"Thank you," she said, "I think I'd like that. It will also give the students some more continuity, given all the other changes that are happening here."
	"An excellent point, Minerva," said Dumbledore, "and one I agree with. Since you will be continuing as Deputy Headmistress, I think you should remain here both to witness the changeover and to help me in case I miss anything."
	At Sir Charles's agreement, they both took seats opposite Dumbledore's desk. She was surprised when he conjured a third chair in front of the desk and sat there, rather than returning to behind it, but didn't say anything.
	"Sir Charles," said Dumbledore, "may I ask you a question before we begin the transition?" When Sir Charles nodded, Dumbledore continued, "Why did you accept the appointment as Headmaster? I would think it's a step down from being Her Majesty's Chief Wizard."
	McGonagall looked concerned at Dumbledore's question, but Sir Charles just smiled. "It is, in some ways, but in others it's quite a step up. And I understand your concern, Albus; you want to make sure I'm here for the children and not just for myself. Am I right?"
	Dumbledore nodded. He knew it had the potential to be taken the wrong way, and was glad to see that Sir Charles hadn't.
	"It's a fair question," said Sir Charles, "and one that even I'm not one hundred percent clear on the answer. At its simplest, it just felt right. I've spent the better part of the last year helping Governor General Bones get Magical Britain back on track politically, and while I'm thrilled that I got to be a part of it, I'm also tired of dealing with it. There's something exhausting about dealing with grown men and women who act like children any time you bring up something they don't want to deal with. Something I'm sure you've dealt with for longer than I have, come to think of it."
	Dumbledore chuckled, thinking back to his time in politics. "Yes, I have, though I have to admit you've probably pushed them a lot harder than I ever did."
	Sir Charles nodded to acknowledge Dumbledore's admission, but didn't mention it further. "Anyways, when Her Majesty first approached me about taking over as Headmaster, I wasn't sure I wanted it. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that while I'd still be dealing with people acting like children, at least these would be actual children. Plus, this would give me a chance to try and guide them to be adults who won't act like children under similar circumstances when they grow up. My other concern was whether Andrew was ready to take over as Chief Wizard, but Her Majesty convinced me to give him the chance if he wanted it, and he did. I think the fact that there are now much closer ties to the Magical World gave him the confidence that he'd be able to get help if he needed it."
	Dumbledore smiled and nodded. "Thank you for indulging an old man's curiosity. And for what it's worth, I think Her Majesty has made a good choice. Even if you decide this isn't the place for you in the long term, right now I think you're just what Hogwarts needs to help teach our Magical children about our new world. Shall we get down to business?"
	"I think that's all we have time for today, but we can pick up this discussion next week. Enjoy your weekend!" said Albus Dumbledore, Professor Emeritus, to his seventh-year Alchemy class. He was rewarded with several moans of, "Aww..." before someone lamented, "just as it was getting good!" He chuckled at his students' interest, and replied, "Have patience, Mister Belby, I promise that there will be plenty of time throughout the year to explore both the subject at hand and these side stories you seem to enjoy so much. Now, off with you all or you'll be late for your next class!"
	He waited patiently as the students left his last class of the week, sitting back down behind his desk as the door to the classroom closed. "What a difference a year makes," he thought to himself, reflecting on the changes in his life. A year ago he'd still been Headmaster, but in many ways in name only. There were changes being forced upon both him and Hogwarts by the newly reestablished Queen, and while he had grudgingly accepted them, he still hadn't truly embraced them at the time.
	Now, however, he was no longer Headmaster, and while he was still getting used to the changes, the fact that they were no longer his problem had been truly freeing with regards to accepting them. Or, he mused to himself, perhaps the fact that he wasn't in charge any more made it easy to just let go and not worry about them. Either way, stepping down as Headmaster had allowed him to rediscover the joy of teaching, and after only four weeks of classes he was certain he had made the right decision.
	When he was first asked to step down, he had assumed that Minerva would be promoted in his place, as she had been his deputy for many years. Thus he had been surprised and dismayed to find out that she was not even in consideration, even if she herself had accepted it gracefully. That surprise had turned to shock when he was first asked to stay on as Professor Emeritus; he had reasonably assumed that he was being forced out, and would not be allowed to remain at Hogwarts after he had stepped down. But after some discussion, he had agreed to remain and teach N.E.W.T. Transfiguration, along with a new Alchemy elective for which there was no N.E.W.T. test yet. At the same time, he would be available to the new Headmaster should they have any questions, passing on his institutional knowledge as it came up.
	The one thing that had been made very clear to him was that he would have no say in setting policy, enforcing discipline outside of his classes, or in any way making decisions about what happened at the school. He'd been worried it would be hard at first, but between his Emeritus status and not being invited to most of the staff meetings had made it much easier than he'd expected. And so, he'd effectively been pushed off to the side, allowed to do nothing but teach and interact with the students in public settings.
	Fortunately, to his immense joy, he'd found that teaching more than filled the void he'd experienced when he first stepped down. In his role as Headmaster, not to mention the Chief Warlock and Supreme Mugwump positions he'd held for many years after the defeat of Grindelwald, he'd rarely had much interaction with the students outside of disciplinary situations, and he'd forgotten how much fun it was to just teach young minds eager to learn. And so he'd quickly embraced it, his few classes quickly becoming a favorite among his students. And now, less than a month later, he could honestly say to anyone, himself included, that he was happier than he'd ever expected he would be.
	He was interrupted from his thoughts by a knock on the door, before it opened and the new Headmaster came in. "Good afternoon, Headmaster," he said as he organized the few scattered papers on his desk. "What can I do for you?"
	"Good afternoon, Albus," responded Sir Charles. "I figured I'd see how your classes were going, now that you have almost a month under your belt. From what I've heard, they certainly seem to be going well."
	"I was just thinking about that, and I can honestly say that I had forgotten how much I enjoyed teaching rather than administrating. It really is a privilege to shape young minds towards their future."
	Sir Charles gave him a pointed look and said, "I do hope you're sticking to the class material, and not venturing into areas we'd agreed to avoid."
	Dumbledore raised his hands in surrender. "No, nothing like that. I'm talking about how the children in my classes are here because they want to be. They want to learn the subjects I'm teaching, rather than having to learn it because it's core curriculum. I will admit to going off on the occasional tangent here and there, but it's all related to the topic at hand, and in some cases makes the subject that much more interesting for all of us. Why, we just had a most enjoyable discussion about how Golpalott discovered his laws this last period, to the point that several students were disappointed when the period was over. I'm sure some more difficult topics will come up at some point or another, but I have no intention of raising them myself. The past four weeks has shown me that despite all the changes over the past year, there's still a place for me at Hogwarts if I want it, and I most certainly do."
	Sir Charles relaxed and nodded. From what he'd heard, Dumbledore's classes were possibly the most well liked by any of the sixth and seventh years, and he really did have a wealth of knowledge to share with those interested in the subjects he taught. "I'm glad to hear it," he said when Dumbledore finished speaking. "I will admit to having had my concerns about you remaining in the castle, but thus far they've been proven unfounded."
	"Truthfully, I shared those concerns, but not anymore. Between the steps you've taken to minimize my ability to overstep my authority, and my newly rediscovered love of teaching, I think I'm learning to just let it go and not worry about all the changes that are happening around me. I may never truly embrace them, but I think I can at least keep out of the way and let them happen."
	Sir Charles smiled, and said, "And I would be more than satisfied with that. Change is hard, and the older we get the harder it is to change. The fact that you're willing to try is good enough for me, and Her Majesty. I wasn't going to even raise this for another month or so, but given your attitude I think I'm willing to take the chance and do it a bit sooner. I still think it best for you to skip the bi-weekly staff meetings in general, but I'd like you to come once a month as an observer and share your insight on the students in your classes if appropriate. Let's start with the meeting on the 12th, and every four weeks thereafter. Will that work for you?"
	Dumbledore nodded, his eyes shining as he was unable to come up with any words to express his surprise and gratitude. He finally stood and extended his hand to Sir Charles. "I'd like that very much, Headmaster. Thank you."
	Sir Charles shook Dumbledore's hand and smiled. Maybe you couldn't teach an old dog new tricks, but if you could convince the old dog to teach others, he wouldn't mind them so much.
 *Chapter 41*: Epilogue 7: The Ministry of Magic (P2)

 	Originally Posted 9/9/16, last revised 10/27/16.
	Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.
	Epilogue 7: The Ministry of Magic (Part 2)
	Wednesday, 1 October, 1997
	It had been over two years since Her Majesty the Queen had graced the halls of the Ministry of Magic, but this time her presence was both expected and welcome. Over the past year the Crown Wizards' office, along with Governor General Bones and the partially reconstituted Wizengamot, had been working on a new Wizarding Charter and the time had come to make it official. While it would not completely go into effect until the new year, once signed Magical Britain could begin the process of rebuilding the Ministry and the Wizengamot in preparation for when it did. If nothing else, elections would need to be held, for both the new Minister and to fill the remaining seats on the Wizengamot. But first, the Charter had to be signed, and for that there was to be an elaborate ceremony in the Wizengamot Chambers where the previous Charter had been revoked.
	In the days prior to the ceremony, the entire Ministry had undergone a security sweep in a manner similar to when the Queen had first taken over the Wizarding Britain, but this time the sole focus was on ensuring that Her Majesty would be safe during her visit. Now, accompanied by a squad of MMS soldiers, and knowing that there were several others spread throughout the building, she made her way from the Crown Ambassador's office down to the chamber where once again her Chief Wizard had taken control of the wards. But whereas her previous visit had been met by disbelief and anger, she now entered to polite applause, though some of it was clearly less enthusiastic than others.
	The chamber was full, and contained what was probably the widest variety of attendees it had ever held. In addition to the current members of the Wizengamot, there were representatives of every department in the Ministry including a large Auror contingent providing security. Assisting the Aurors were a group from the MMS along with a smaller number of Crown Wizards, including the relatively new Chief Wizard, Andrew Halford. Filling the gallery were a dozen or so members of the press, as well as several hundred lucky members of the public who had won seats for the ceremony in a lottery similar to the one used for Fudge's trial.
	But the most astonishing group were the representatives of other Magical species, who were seated in a VIP section on the far side of the Wizengamot seats. Present for the ceremony were the Assistant Director of Gringotts and his assistant, four Elder members of the werewolf packs, and two house-elves. Of the latter, one wore the house-elf uniform that had been instituted for the house-elves at Hogwarts, while the other wore a more traditional tea-cozy, albeit a fresh clean one. These represented the groups to whom the Governor General, at the behest of the Queen, had already begun improving relations with in some way or another. And while there was by no means universal agreement on doing so, the Queen had invited their representatives to witness the signing of the Charter, and so they were here.
	After settling everyone down, Governor General Bones gave a brief welcome speech before turning the floor over to the Queen. Standing in front of the assembled members of the Ministry, the press, and the public, she inwardly nodded to herself and began to speak. "Citizens of the United Magical Kingdom of Great Britain, today marks a great day in our history, a day we, but especially you, have worked towards for the past two years. When we first learned of the true state of our Magical realm, we were very disappointed to hear of the great injustices that pervaded its society. Though there was much wonder to behold in it, there was also great strife and inequality, much of which was entrenched in its institutions. It was because of these great injustices that we were forced to act, and reclaim our authority by revoking the Wizarding Charter of Great Britain and taking direct control over our Magical government.
	"Since that day, we, along with our duly appointed representatives, have worked to right the wrongs, remedy the injustices, and build the foundation for a better Magical society for all. Today we are happy to say that not only have our goals for the past two years been achieved, but they have been well and truly exceeded beyond all expectations. While there is still much to do, you, the people of Magical Britain, have embraced many of the changes that have been asked of you and given us great hope for the future of all our subjects whether they be Magical or not. As a reward for your accomplishments, we are proud to offer a new Wizarding Charter that will return much of the autonomy to Magical Britain while ensuring that we do not drift apart as people or societies, and that the previous problems cannot happen again.
	"As a part of those measures, there will be three groups working to ensure that the lines of communication between the Magical and non-Magical worlds remain open. First, we are officially reopening the Crown Ambassador's office; the ambassador and their staff will be available to everyone, be they Ministry workers or members of the public, and will also help to facilitate coordination of governmental resources between the two sides. They will be aided by the former Muggle Liaison Office, which will be renamed the Non-Magical Liaison Office in accordance with our directives. Second, the Minister of Magic will report to the non-Magical Prime Minister on a regular basis, and a sub-department under the Minister will be responsible for coordinating intelligence briefings on both sides so that neither side is kept unaware of what is happening. Finally, the Governor General's office will remain in place, and take on a role similar to that held in our other territories. They will report directly to us, and will speak for us in all matters unless we choose to make our own voice heard directly.
	"We know that change is hard, and we appreciate all that you have already done, and will continue to do, to make Magical Britain a better place. It is in recognition of your hard work and dedication to embracing our rule that we grant you, the people of the United Magical Kingdom of Great Britain, the Wizarding Charter of 1997!" The applause from the crowd started slowly, then picked up steam as the majority of the people joined in.
	After a moment to let it die down, the Queen walked over to the table that was set up nearby and sat, before picking up the quill that had been placed there and using it to sign the new Charter. After a moment she stood back up and handed the quill to Governor General Bones, who sat and signed the Charter as a witness for Magical Britain. There was then a brief procession as the current remaining members of the Wizengamot signed the document as well, each witnessing it to add further acceptance by the populace. Once everyone had signed it, Governor General Bones tapped it with her wand twice, creating two copies. She rolled up the original, which she handed to the Queen, then gave one copy to the head of the goblin delegation to be stored in the Ministry vault, and kept one for herself.
	Bowing to the Queen, Governor General Bones said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your generosity." The Queen simply nodded in response, then motioned for Governor General Bones to address the crowd.
	Bowing again, she turned to the crowd and announced, "While the new Charter will not take full effect until the first of January, 1998, we have almost three months to start the process of holding to its requirements. The first, and foremost of them being the election of a new Minister of Magic, as well as filling the remaining twenty-eight seats on the Wizengamot. Elections will be held ten weeks from today, and every citizen of Magical Britain who has reached the age of majority will be permitted to vote. Anyone wishing to run for either office must file the required paperwork with the Ministry Election Office no later than seven weeks from today. Copies of the Charter, along with the rules for both becoming a candidate and how to campaign, will be published in tomorrow's Prophet, which will be made freely available for everyone. Additional copies of all official documents can be obtained from either the Election Office or the Ministry Archives, also starting tomorrow.
	"I along with several members of the Wizengamot and the Crown Wizard's office will be available to the press for questions once Her Majesty has departed. I ask that you all remain seated until she has done so, so that we can avoid any accidents." Turning back to the Queen, she bowed, and most of the VIPs did so as well.
	The Queen nodded, acknowledging their bows, before gathering herself and turning to her entourage. They began the process of leading her out and back to the Crown Ambassador's office, and from there to the Palace. She never set foot in the Ministry of Magic again, but if you asked the people who worked there, her presence was felt, in one way or another, from that day forward.
	Six weeks later, having been convinced by a great number of people both inside the Ministry and out, Madam Bones announced her candidacy for the position of Minister of Magic. Upon doing so it became clear that her election was all but assured, as no other candidate came close to reaching a consensus vote. There were a few newcomers to the public eye who tossed their name into the ring on a lark, but all but one of the remaining candidates came from one of two camps: The old-school purebloods who wanted to find ways to put things back to being as close to the way they were as possible, and more moderate businessmen who were finding the new economic climate more to their liking, but had no real experience with public service.
	The final candidate and only real opposition came from within the Ministry, as one of her Senior Aurors and more recently the head of the DMLE, Rufus Scrimgeour, had announced his candidacy early on. In fact, it was not wanting to run against him that initially stayed her hand in jumping in herself, but over the previous month she had been told by many people that they would prefer her over him, at least at the top. Scrimgeour was a good Auror, and a competent administrator, but even she had to admit that he lacked some of the softer qualities needed in dealing with politics. She had no doubt he would have been an acceptable Minister, but he would have likely engaged in verbal combat with the Wizengamot rather than working with them and convincing them of his arguments.
	The only problem with running for the Minister's office was that she had to step down from the Governor General's post before officially filing the paperwork. She delayed doing so until just before the deadline in order to give Her Majesty a chance to appoint a replacement, but even then a single week wasn't very long. The solution, it turned out, was both elegant and controversial at the same time. Major French had already announced his intention to retire from the British Army at the end of the year, and thus was already transitioning leadership of the MMS to the newly promoted Major Lee. After some discussion, despite not being a wizard himself, he agreed to take the position as a stepping stone to his retirement until a proper long-term replacement could be decided on.
	There was a brief kerfuffle over his appointment in the press, but things settled down when Madam Bones pointed out that the newly signed Charter explicitly stated that the Queen could appoint anyone she chose, as well as the fact that as her direct representative any actions against him might be seen as an attack on the Queen. The latter was hammered home by articles reminding Magical Britain of what had happened to Umbridge for her attack on the Queen, as well as stationing a rotating guard of the MMS to protect him. That the MMS gave a very public, and very well press-covered demonstration of exactly what they were capable of may have also influenced some of the more vocal opponents, though nobody admitted it publicly. Governor General French, in turn, did his best to keep a low profile, letting the wheels of government keep turning and only putting in his two cents when asked, or if he thought of something during his morning briefings. After all, his job would become mostly ceremonial in just over six weeks, and barring any unexpected major events, things could mostly run themselves without him rocking the boat.
	On the evening of New Year's Day, 1998, Amelia Bones sat behind her new desk in the Minister of Magic's office for the first time, thinking back on everything that had led up to her being there. Less than two and a half years earlier, she had been the hamstrung head of the DMLE, trying to determine if there was any truth to the rumors that Voldemort had somehow returned, and having to do so clandestinely in order to not arouse the ire of then Minister Cornelius Fudge. Now, she was in the position he had once occupied while he was sitting in prison, serving a five-to-fifteen year sentence for corruption and misconduct in public office.
	It had all begun with the trial of Harry Potter, and the subsequent revocation of the Wizarding Charter, something she hadn't even know was possible. And then, to the shock of everyone, the Queen, a non-Magical, had appeared and taken control of everything. But the end result was better than anything she had even imagined possible, and she was proud of her part in making it happen.
	Despite being a pureblood herself, she had never bought into the bigotry many of her peers embraced, and it had worked in her favor when the revolution came. The Wizengamot, once a pureblood institution dedicated to keeping all others out, was now composed of a mix of all types, including many who had been elected rather than appointed or inheriting their seats. The Ministry of Magic, which had once done everything it could to advance purebloods above all others regardless of their capabilities, was now a relatively even playing field. There were still a few places where nepotism could be found, but now it was based on individual relationships, rather than institutional practices, and there were also safeguards in place to ensure anyone who proved incapable of doing their job could, and would, be removed. First-generation wizards and witches were still rare, but this had more to do with the fact that most of those who were old enough to work in the Ministry had already given up on it, and there had only been two graduating classes from Hogwarts since the rules had changed. Still, the Ministry had started recruiting first-generation seventh-years, and it was expected that the numbers would naturally increase as time went on.
	There had also been great strides in making things better for people outside of the Ministry. First-generation Magicals were now welcomed into the community as soon as they were old enough to keep its secrets. No more getting your Hogwarts letter and having to guess your way through the rest of the process; now, entire families of first-gen wizards and witches were given orientation tours months or even years before their children would go off to school. The fact that this brought in more commerce and boosted the economy had significantly helped the acceptance of these newcomers, as they helped reduce the impact of the new laws requiring shops to charge the same no matter who was buying.
	The werewolves were now also beginning to be accepted into society as a whole. While there was still some fear among the general populace, the program of providing werewolves with Wolfsbane Potion and a secure location on the nights of the full moon had proven to be wildly successful. In addition to nearly all of the known werewolf population of Britain participating in the program in some way or another, several other countries had begun adopting it as well, with the early results proving just as positive. In fact, there were less than a dozen known cases of new werewolves being turned in the last two years, and at least two of them could be attributed to the late Fenrir Greyback shortly before his death at the hands of his own brethren.
	But the biggest change had been the overall tone of life in Magical Britain. Prior to the Crown taking over, life had gone on with business as usual, but there was an undercurrent of unhappiness and worry towards the future. The haves had, and the have-nots didn't, and with very few exceptions there wasn't much of an opportunity to change that. Now, business was booming, people were more optimistic about the future, and most importantly they saw the new Ministry as a leader rather than an impediment, or worse, an overlord. While things still took time to change, change was now possible, and despite the uncertainty it carried people were starting to think of change as a potentially good thing rather than a bad thing.
	She was interrupted from her reflections by a knock on her door frame, as her successor as Governor General surprised her by sticking his head into her office. "Good evening, Minister Bones, I do hope you aren't planning to stay too late tonight."
	"And good evening to you, Governor General French," she replied. "No, I'm mostly just taking in the office now that it's officially mine. If I may ask, what are you doing here?"
	The former commander of the MMS nodded with an understanding smile and said, "I can understand. I did the same thing when I first took my last post. But enough woolgathering, I have a message for you from Her Majesty that I wanted to deliver personally, and I had a feeling I might just find you here."
	Madam Bones sat up, uncertain of what was coming. "Very well, please continue."
	"Her Majesty wishes for me to extend her congratulations on your inauguration as Minister of Magic for the United Magical Kingdom of Great Britain, and that she expects you will do a better job of it than your predecessor, given your recent track record."
	Madam Bones smiled and nodded despite understanding the implied warning from the Queen. "Please extend my thanks to Her Majesty, and inform her that I intend to do just that," she replied. She then stood, looking around the office once more before heading towards the door. "And with that, Governor General, I believe it's time to go back home and celebrate the new year some more."
	The Governor General nodded, saying "A capital idea, Minister. Good night."
	"Good night," replied Amelia, before heading off to the Minister's private lift while the Governor General turned and walked the other direction towards his office and his own private Floo connection.
 *Chapter 42*: Epilogue 8: Harry & Hogwarts

 *Chapter 43*: Afterword & Acknowledgments

 *Chapter 44*: FAQ