Finding out the truth

Amelia Bones, Head of the DMLE of the British Ministry of Magic, was having dinner that night at her house with her niece and only family, Susan, when she heard a noise coming from the fireplace,

"Are we expecting company, Auntie?" Susan asked as both went to see who it was.

"Miss Tonks, what a surprise. I didn't know that you would come to dinner." Amelia said with sarcasm to the young Auror as she invited the witch to enter.

"Boss, we have a HUGE problem." Tonks said without preambles, ignoring the House owner's comment.

"How bad is it?" Amelia asked seriously.

"It's as huge as Hogwarts and the Ministry together." The Auror said very seriously.

"Please, continue having dinner alone, honey. I must attend this matter." Amelia told her niece, who nodded and returned to the living room as both older witches went to the library to speak.

… … … …

"Do you have something strong?" Tonks asked seriously as both sat down.

"Whiskey." Amelia said taking a bottle and filling a glass for the Auror.

"It'll be for you as soon as you hear what I have to say." Tonks said with a humorless chuckle before adding: "Let me tell you a little story I heard today."

"I'm all ears." Amelia said with a nod.

"In a little neighborhood of London, for the last few weeks there have been several robberies. So the police have been patrolling the street 24/7." Tonks started to tell.

"Some nights ago, one of the cars spotted a person walking around this neighborhood at almost 4.00 am, and decided to see what happened.

"This person kept walking for a few blocks, seemingly ignorant that the car was behind. Suddenly the person stopped and started to run with the police following.

"Instead of looking for a place to rob, this person went towards a house that was on fire. The 2 officers saw it and stopped in front of it at the time that this person broke the door with a kick and was about to enter." Here, Tonks took a sip of the whiskey and continued, as Amelia refilled it and filled one for herself.

"One of the officers went inside with the person while the other called the firemen. Inside the house, this person and the cop saw that the fire was on the first floor and heard several cries of kids so both went there.

"While they checked the rooms, they found that the owner's bedroom was on fire and they couldn't be saved so they tried to find the kids that cried. They were 2: a girl of 3 years and a boy a few months old.

"The cop got the girl and went out while the other person took the baby and did the same. Unfortunately, part of the ceiling fell before he could leave the room.

"As the way that was used to enter was blocked, this person had to use another one: the balcony. The person went out of it and jumped to the grass, rolling so the baby was protected by his body. The baby didn't get injured but his savior broke his left leg and dislocated his shoulder.

"The cop, the kids and this person were taken to the hospital, and till today only this person remains there as he is still unconscious."

"I have to say that it's a very interesting story, Tonks, but why does it matter?" Amelia asked arching an eyebrow.

"For 3 things:" Tonks said before she enumerated them:

"The first is that the date of this event was on August 2nd.

"The second thing is that it happened in Little Whinging.

"Ten Galleons if you can guess who rescued the baby and nowadays is hailed as a hero by the media."

Amelia's eyes went wide as she connected the dots and whispered: "You mean…"

"It was none other than Harry Potter." Tonks said with a nod and taking a sip of whiskey and serving one for her boss, who drank it along the previous one of a sip.

"Are you 100% sure of this?" Amelia asked very seriously.

Harry Potter had been missing since that day and was considered a fugitive at that moment. There was a warrant against him and the Aurors had orders to arrest him if he was seen.

The reason? On the afternoon of that day, the Ministry sensors had detected magic on that neighborhood and the teen had been identified as the caster.

A team of ministry workers had gone to his house to snap his wand, along with Albus Dumbledore, who tried to stop it in a desperate way.

All of them were informed by Petunia that the boy wasn't at home and that he probably ran away from their house. She also told them that neither she nor her family wanted anything else to do with him or 'his freaky kind.' Then she slammed the door.

A manhunt was launched to find the teen while the ministry pressed to have a hearing against him. During it, Fudge succeeded on Harry's expulsion and issued the warrant.

"I talked with the cop that called the firemen and checked some of the media articles, too," Tonks said with a nod, before showing her several articles from a few newspapers.

They detailed the heroic actions of the teen to save the baby's life. The story was pretty much the same what the young witch had just told her.

"Care to brief me about how you got this?" Amelia asked her seriously. She needed to know it, even if for her curiosity.

"It was a hunch. I felt that something was odd about the whole thing." Tonks said and she went on: "I mean who would leave without his things, no money or trying to make contact with his friends?

"And remembering advice someone gave me on my first day of training, I decided to see if the Muggle methods worked where the magic failed." Here, Tonks smiled at her boss, who had been the person who gave her that advice.

"I'll have to remember my own words in the future I guess, because I forgot to do that." Amelia said with an ironic smile.

"You'll have to remember to take the right pill next time, boss." Tonks said with a smile. Then she turned serious again and added: "And I'm afraid that this doesn't get any better. Can you guess why?"

"With Harry Potter in the Hospital, then who did magic?" Amelia asked, as realization hit her.

"That was the first thing that I wondered as soon as I found this out. And it took me a while to get the answer," the Auror said with a nod.

"Continue the report, please," Bones ordered the young witch, filling their glasses once more.

"If we keep in mind the Ministry reports, the only wizard that lives there is Harry Potter, right?" Tonks asked, and her boss nodded. Then she shouted: "WRONG! There is another one, someone that moved there about 3 weeks before the incident."

"And how is it that we didn't know about this?" Amelia asked arching an eyebrow.

"Bureaucracy," Tonks said giving her another paper.

It was an official notification to the MOM that a wizard had moved to live in a neighborhood in which Muggles lived as predominant citizens. The date of the notification was of a week before the incident and it informed that the paperwork had started and the Department would contact this wizard in a time no longer than two months. It also had several indications about how to proceed and what to do and not to do.

"With things like this, I remember why I hate the bureaucrats so much," Bones muttered as she kept reading the file and the name caught her attention: Jean Pierre Noctau, a retired French Auror. She looked at her guest and asked: "Did you…?"

"I talked to him and got his statement plus a memory of the event. And, Boss, if you think that till now the things were bad, they get MUCH worse," Tonks said, giving her a memory ball that she placed in a Pensive and entered to watch it.

When she left the Pensive, Tonks gave her a big glass of whiskey that was full almost to the top. Amelia took it, looked at it and smashed it against the wall.

"Tell me that I didn't see what I think," Amelia told the Auror, still seething with rage and trying to calm, while Tonks used her wand to repair the glass.

"You saw what you think: two dementors," Tonks said with a nod, as she had seen the memory at the old Auror's house. She took another parchment and gave it to her, adding, "Don't tell me that I didn't warn you about this getting worse."

Amelia read it and cursed even louder than before: it was a report presented to the Ministry of Magic about the incident with the dementors and the reply that said that the matter would be investigated immediately.

"Can you leave for 5 minutes please?" Amelia asked Tonks, who nodded and left right before she heard several things smashing against a wall.

"Officer Tonks, is everything alright?" Susan asked worriedly, as she heard some of things being broken.

"She needs five minutes to release some steam," The witch said before Amelia called her back.

"Is everything OK, Auntie?" Susan asked concerned.

"Go back to bed, Susan," Tonks suggested, as her Aunt was still too furious to answer her question.

The teen looked at her Aunt, who calmed herself enough to tell her niece that she was OK and wish her goodnight. Still unsure, but not wanting to disobey her, the Hufflepuff nodded to both and went to her room.

"Do you want me to return later?" Tonks asked seriously.

"I'm OK," Amelia assured her, before asking, "Any other surprises for me?"

"I have nothing that can be proved, but several ideas about who orchestrated this. Of course, they can be wrong," Tonks said seriously and choosing her words very carefully.

"As right now, I'm too angry to think clearly, I'll hear your ideas. Even, if they are wrong," the head of the DMLE said with sarcasm.

"Which is the rule number one to solve a murder?" Tonks asked with a smile, as Amelia had given that lesson to all the Auror trainees during their first months at the Academy.

"To find out who murdered someone, first learn who wins the most with that death and you'll have a nice suspect," Amelia said as she remembered that lesson from her own times as a trainee.

"Applied to this, who wins the most with Harry Potter expelled and / or arrested?" Tonks asked with a smile.

"Fudge and Umbridge," Amelia said, as both had made the campaign against the teen.

"Who can move dementors from Azkaban as they wish?"

"Fudge and Umbridge," Amelia repeated once more before adding, "and they can also make disappear or get lost those reports."

"If that doesn't make them look like nice suspects, you have to show me one," Tonks said before adding, "I came to see you because I have no idea about what to do with all of this and I couldn't think of no one else."

"Did you check Mr. Potter?" Amelia asked, as she thought about how to proceed from now on.

"He's at the Hospital. I paid a quick visit but didn't try to enter his room till I could talk to someone and know what to do. I didn't think it was safe to take the risk," Tonks informed her.

"If he's at the hospital, why doesn't his family know it? Shouldn't have they been informed immediately?" Bones asked, arching an eyebrow.

"The police officer explained it to me. When he was in the Ambulance, they told him that they would call his family and he asked them not to do it. Instead he asked for someone else, a person who hasn't been seen since that day: Hermione Granger. I suspect that she must be with him but couldn't confirm it. But what I can say is that she was contacted that night and went to the hospital," Tonks explained to her.

"Let's do this: tomorrow we go to the hospital and we check Mr. Potter and we see if we can talk with Miss Granger. After that, I start to work with all of this," Amelia said after thinking for a few minutes, and her guest nodded. Then she added, as both left the library and went to the fireplace, "Keep this quiet. I feel that the shit will be spread around very soon and very quickly. And we'd better be ready for it."

"Thanks, Boss, and sorry for ruining your dinner," Tonks said before she left.

Amelia went to bed thinking that the things were bad and would get worse very soon!

… … … …

The next morning, both witches arrived at the Hospital and asked about Harry's room. When they reached there, they saw a nurse getting Hermione out of it and a doctor rushing.

"Please, save him!" The brunette begged the woman before the nurse went back inside.

"Miss Granger?" Amelia asked the teen who looked at her confused. Then she introduced herself: "Amelia Bones, Head of the DMLE."

"Great, now you find him?" Hermione asked angrily, before shouting: "He suffers a heart attack and now the fucking ministry does its damn job two weeks late?"

"CLEAR!" A Doctor shouted as he used paddles on Harry's chest, trying to bring him back to life.

"This keeps getting worse!" Tonks muttered to herself.

"Come on, Harry, stay with us!" The doctor shouted to the teen as he used the paddles once more. "CLEAR!"

"Come on, Harry, don't do this! Stay with me! Don't leave me!" Hermione begged in a whisper as her eyes were full of tears, as the doctor used the paddles once more.

"GOT A PULSE!" A nurse shouted as the equipment started to show signs of life once more.

"Thank God!" Hermione said, closing her eyes as the doctors kept working with Harry.

Neither Tonks nor Amelia said a word and kept watching as the doctors worked on the teen for another 25 minutes before a nurse said:

"Doctor, he's awake!"

"Welcome back, sleeping beauty! You really scared us all!" The man said with a smile before adding: "Don't talk. We'll take off the tube in your throat soon, but for now you need it there."

Everyone saw Harry raising his good hand and making signals as asking something to write and the nurse gave him a paper and her pen. Shakily he wrote a word: 'Baby?'

"He's OK. He and his sister were discharged yesterday. You saved his life, young man," the nurse said before the doctor gave instructions and assured the teen he would pay him a visit later.

Once outside, the man went to Hermione and placed a hand on her shoulder. They talked in whispers and the teen nodded to what he said. She hugged him once he was done.

"Thanks, Uncle Jack." Hermione said before she entered the room.

"Doctor?" Amelia called him and the man turned to her and Tonks. She showed him a badge and asked, "how is he?"

"He's strong and young. He should make it, but I can't assure you of anything if he suffers a new heart attack like this. This was his second time," Jack said seriously. Then he continued, "the fact that he's awake, helps a lot but…"

"Thanks, Doctor. Can we see him?" Amelia asked seriously.

"If my niece allows you to do so, then you can. If she doesn't, you better leave the Hospital or you'll deal with security. Am I clear, ladies?" The man asked, without a hint of joking.

"Crystal clear." Both witches nodded seriously. Before any of them could add a word, the doctor was called and he left them.

Then Hermione left the room and went to Amelia. Then she said, folding her arms on her chest: "You have five minutes to convince me to let you see him. And you better start explaining why it took you so long to finally find him."

"I forgot my own advice," Amelia said before she motioned Tonks to explain it to the teen.

Hermione's face went from the pure anger to the disbelief with the story every few seconds. When it finished, she shook her head still trying to understand it all.

"Return tonight, as right now I couldn't have a civil talk with anyone without breaking the secrecy statute and cursing you two!" she said before she went back inside, and slammed the door.

"I can't blame her," Tonks said as both witches left the Hospital. Amelia didn't answer but she thought exactly the same.

… … … …

Once both returned to the DMLE, Amelia ordered her secretary to get the best investigator of the Department of Special Magical Crime Investigations, John Hall, and get him on her office ASAP.

"See if you can find Moody too," Bones said before they went into her office and locked the door.

About 15 minutes later, Alastor Moody knocked the door and entered to find both witches going through the reports once more. Before he could say a word, Hall entered too. Amelia created some chairs for both and they took seats wondering the reason of the call.

"This mustn't leave this place, am I clear?" Bones asked and they nodded. Then she announced, "We found Potter."

"Where?" The retired Auror asked seriously.

"He was unconscious at a hospital since the early morning of the same day of the damned incident!" Amelia shouted before giving the news articles to both men, who read it.

"Is this a joke?" Hall asked shocked with it. Amelia's face told him that it wasn't even remotely one. Then he asked, "How did we miss this?"

"And who did the magic?" Moody asked suddenly.

As all answer, Amelia gave them the rest of the reports and filled two large glasses of whiskey for both. Hall and Moody arched their eyebrows, but the witch pointed to the parchments that they read quickly.

"Merlin's balls!" Hall shouted as he finished it and drank the whiskey and Amelia refilled it.

"Is Potter still at the Hospital?" Moody asked as he drank his whiskey too. This was too much!

"He just woke up," Amelia said with a nod before she said to John, "I want YOU to investigate this from the top to bottom. . I want you to check every lead, report, paper and everything you can get your hands on! Am I fucking clear?"

"I'll start immediately." Hall said with a nod.

"You want me at the hospital?" Moody asked but Amelia shook her head.

"You call too much attention, Alastor," the old witch said before she took a folder from her desk and said to Tonks, "Auror Tonks, this complaint was filled against you after your last arrest. As the accusations on it are too serious, I'm suspending you till a proper investigation is done. Until further notice, you are forbidden to get in touch with the accused and to get near this office. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Madam," Tonks said with a nod and the three understood what Madam Bones had on mind: she would be assigned at the hospital for as long as Harry Potter was there and her mission would be hidden under the suspension. At the end, she would be cleared of everything and the investigation would be closed once for all.

"Mr. Hall, I'm assigning you to check the truth of this report and then to hand me a report with the fruits of it. Miss Tonks will be able to talk to you at any moment, right?" Amelia asked both, who nodded. Then she said, "You both are dismissed."

"Where do you need me?" Moody asked as both were alone.

"I need you to keep a close eye on Dumbledore. I don't need him messing with this. I don't know what game is that bastard playing, but I don't want him near!" Amelia said furious.

"What do you suspect?" Alastor asked seriously.

"If Tonks found this out in less than a day and following a hunch, how is it that Dumbledore couldn't do it in this time? And if he did, why didn't he do nothing and just let this continue?" Amelia asked seriously. Then she added: "Also see if you can find out if someone else has doubts about this story. Something tells me that Tonks isn't the only one that finds some holes on it."

"I'll do my best, but I have to be careful," Moody warned her and Amelia nodded. Then he asked, "Will there be any change about…?"

"At this moment, Harry Potter is still someone that cannot be contacted, so he's still a fugitive," Amelia said with a smile. Then she added, pointing to the folder that she put inside one of her desk's drawer, "You never saw this."

Alastor nodded and left without another word, as Amelia asked her secretary to bring her several aspirin and to make sure that no one bothered her for the rest of the day! She had several things to investigate too and those were the kind that John couldn't get access to.

… … … …

After leaving Amelia's office, Hall asked Tonks to follow him to his department saying that he needed to make the start of the investigation official and had to give her several parchments.

Once there, he took a folder and gave it to her and briefing on its contents. It was the same that Bones had said plus an order to be available at all the times to be interviewed or to leave an address in case she left the city.

"What hospital is he in?" John asked going to a drawer, opening it and taking a map. On it, there were several spots marked all around London. Then he explained her, "My department does a lot of undercover operations in the Muggle world. So we have several safe houses and use them depending of the case."

"Queen Victory Hospital." Tonks said and pointed it at the map.

John looked around it, trying to find an empty safe house as close to it as possible. He found one about three blocks away and took one of the keys and gave it to Tonks.

"The place is ready for living. There is always a good supply of canned and frozen food. It has several Muggle artifacts. I'll ask you to reduce the use of magic to the minimal. The MOM doesn't officially know of their existence," John said seriously, and Tonks promised to do so. Then he added, "Three pieces of advice:

"First, act angry and furious about being suspended. It won't raise suspicions.

"Second, tell everyone that you know that you are using that time to go on holiday and you won't be back till the investigation is over or until I call you."

"What's the third?" Tonks asked as both stood and went to the door.

"If you get tired of the Aurors, come to see me. My department always looks for new people and you did a hell of a job yesterday," John said with a smile before both left and Tonks looked furious as he had recommended her.

She still acted like that when arrived to Grimmauld Place and everyone knew that something was wrong as it was too early for her to return.

"I've been suspended till further notice," She announced before she explained: "The guy that I arrested last time filled a complaint against me and there will be an investigation about it. Until it's done, I'm suspended."

"What complaint? The arrest was clean!" Sirius shouted furious.

"I haven't been said. So, now that I have a few days off, I'll take some holiday time till Hall calls me for the interview or it's closed and the suspension is lifted," Tonks said with a shrug of her shoulders and headed to her room.

A few moments later, someone knocked the door and Remus entered to see her packing.

"What really happened?" The werewolf asked very seriously, as he didn't buy the suspension. When she was about to repeat it, he said, "I'm a werewolf, Tonks, and know when someone lies. And you are doing it right now. So, what's the truth?"

"I cannot tell you everything but it's HUGE. And please don't ask anything else," Tonks begged him. To her surprise, he didn't and accepted the explanation with a nod.

"You are not leaving town, I guess," Remus commented as she packed few clothes.

"The holidays are the cover but I'll be near." Tonks said as all answer. Then she asked, "Do you really think that he ran away?" She asked about Harry and Remus knew it, even if his name wasn't said.

"No, I think that he hasn't been in touch either because someone stops him or he can't at all," Remus said seriously. Then he asked: "Is this about him?"

"I neither confirm nor deny that," she replied seriously, and the former professor knew that it was all that she would say.

"Be careful, OK?" He asked before he left her alone. Even if he had lots of things to ask, he knew that she wouldn't answer them for her and his safety.

… … … …

Amelia Bones was still cursing herself the next morning. She had wanted to pay a visit to Harry Potter but her investigation had taken more time that she thought and it was too late when she left the building the previous night.

Now she was at Fudge's office, as the Minister shouted and demanded to her and Rufus Scrimgeour, the Chief of Aurors, for results about Harry Potter's search.

Then the door burst open and John Hall entered with three officers of the department. Percy Weasley was behind them, saying that he couldn't do that.

"Weasley, shut up or I'll have you arrested for obstruction of justice," Hall said to the redhead before he took a parchment and gave it to Fudge: "This is a search warrant for this office and Madam Umbridge's."

"FOR WHAT?" Fudge asked shouting furious as Delores checked the warrant and Amelia and Rufus both checked a copy.

"The charge is obstruction of an investigation," Hall said before he addressed everyone, "Leave immediately or I'll have Aurors escorting you outside." As soon as he said that, a team of Aurors appeared at the door.

"THIS IS RIDICULOUS!" The Minister shouted.

"I had enough evidence to get that warrant, Minister, so it's no joke," Hall said very seriously, before he added, "Leave now or you'll be escorted out in handcuffs!"

"THIS WON'T STAY LIKE THIS! I'M THE MINISTER!" Fudge shouted as he left his own office still furious. Umbridge and Percy left as well, still protesting. Rufus stood and left, all the time wondering what was going on there.

"I have found enough evidence to support what you told me, Amelia. And if you had any doubt, this situation stinks!" John said as serious as ever to Madam Bones.

"Let me know of what you find." Amelia said with a nod and left the Office, a moment before someone sealed the place and the four investigators got ready to work.

"Boss, what do we look for?" A witch, Sarah Jansen, asked. She was the second best investigator of the Department and was considered Hall's right hand. The other two officers were the third and fourth best investigators of the department and had been recruited by John himself. It was obvious that when he had to choose people for this, he went for his most trusted ones!

"The story behind Mr. Potter's incident has more holes than Gruyere cheese right now!" John said before he briefed them about what Tonks had found out.

"You must be fucking kidding me!" Sarah exclaimed in shock as she heard it all. Her two partners shared the same feelings.

"I wish I was, Sarah, I wish I was," John said with a sigh. Then he informed them, "The order to move the dementors came from this office. We look for evidence of that and of any other illegal activity. We'll check every single piece of paper on this place, even if it is only a little one. Clear?" John asked and the three nodded. Then he instructed, "Sarah, you and I will go through Fudge's Office. You two will go through Umbridge's and Weasley's desk."

The other three nodded and they started to work immediately: reading, cataloging and packing in boxes everything that was there.

About 20 minutes later, someone knocked the door and John went to open it: it was his boss and head of the department, Alexander Shutter, III. He entered and closed the door behind him, leaving Fudge and his goons outside.

"I hope you have good reasons for this, John," The man asked seriously. He would be retiring next year and didn't need scandals on his office, especially, if his best officers were involved in it.

Before John could answer, Sarah rushed to him and gave him a folder. Her smile told them that she had a jackpot!

And it was: it was the original file of the report that Noctau had presented to the ministry. John gave it to his boss who read it carefully. His eyes went wide as he realized what this meant!

"Does this look as a good reason to you, Alex?" John asked with a wide smile as Sarah went back to her job.

"Give me the whole story and don't save any goddamn detail!" Shutter demanded seriously.

Hall nodded and revealed him everything that Tonks had found out. He omitted one single detail: Harry's current location. His boss didn't ask for it, either.

As soon as he was done, the officer that checked Delores' office came with the second jackpot of the day: the written order to move the dementors and locate them at Privet Drive on August, 2nd, and it had the signatures of both the Minister and his Undersecretary.

"Do we go on or we stop here?" John asked Shutter with a smile. Although they had what they looked for, who knew what else could be found! And the warrant gave them the right to check EVERYTHING they wanted! Chances like that didn't come very often.

"Jansen!" Alexander shouted and Sarah went to him. Then he added, "Work on Umbridge's office from now on. I'll work with John at Fudge's!" Although he hadn't taken part on an investigation in more than ten years, he still could teach lessons to anyone! And this was an occasion that he wouldn't miss!

"Welcome aboard, Boss!" John smiled and both continued their job in silence.

… … … …

As Hall and his people worked, Amelia used the chance to check Harry Potter. She only hoped that she wouldn't get any other nasty surprise, but didn't put too much money on it.

She knocked the room's door and someone invited her in. Harry was on bed with Tonks and Hermione sitting near him. The three were watching a Muggle movie on the TV and laughing with it. There were a lot of gifts, 'get well soon' cards and other things near his bed, too.

"That was too funny!" Tonks said, as she dried her tears of laughter as the movie finished and they turned off the TV. She noticed Amelia and said: "Hi, boss. I thought that you would come yesterday."

"Don't ask, Tonks." Bones asked the Auror, who nodded without a word. Then she said to Harry, who didn't have the tube on his throat anymore: "You look much better, Mr. Potter."

"Thanks, Madam." He said with a hoarse voice.

"The doctors recommended that he talks as little as possible, so he communicates mostly with a notepad." Tonks informed her boss, who nodded and got the message: Don't make him talk too much.

"How is everything?" Hermione asked seriously.

"As we speak, Fudge's Office is being searched for any evidence on this case," Amelia explained them, saving the detail that John would not stop with that and would look for evidence of anything that was illegal.

"What does this mean for Harry's case?" The brunette asked.

"It would change everything and both the expulsion and arrest warrant would be withdrawn. He would be reinstalled as a student," Amelia said, as the teen took the pen and wrote something to her.

'And if I don't want to return?' The note said.

"You mean to the school or to the community?" Amelia asked, knowing that he had a valid point with his question. The teen shrugged his good shoulder as answer. She took a deep breath and said, "I have no idea. My advice is to get a lawyer ASAP. If you wish, I can recommend you a few that are very discreet and can handle this matter without any noise."

Harry and Hermione looked at each other and then he nodded. He wrote another note and gave it to her. It said, "Discretion is the key and he mustn't know where I am. NO ONE that is not completely necessary must do so.'

"I have someone in mind for that then. I'll contact him as soon as I leave," Bones assured them and the teens nodded in thanks. Then she checked her watch and said, "I must leave if I need to keep a low profile on this. I'll try to return as soon as possible but I can't say when. Tonks, I want to talk to you for a moment."

"Yes, Madam," the Auror nodded to her and both walked outside.

"Is everything in order here?" Amelia asked seriously.

"It is as much in order as possible considering everything," the young witch said with a nod.

"Are you staying somewhere close?" Amelia asked.

"It's an apartment a few blocks away from here. I leave the hospital late and return early," Tonks explained and her boss nodded, satisfied.

"Inform me if something happens immediately," Amelia ordered and she went back to the MOM.

… … … …

Once back in the building, she went straight to the minister's offices. She wasn't there to check the progress, as John wouldn't reveal a word till he was done, but to try to convince him to make his father accept Harry's case.

Stephen Hall was a well known lawyer in both communities. Even if he was retired nowadays, he returned to the courts from time to time. This seemed a good occasion for one of those returns!

She knocked the door, and it was opened by Alexander Shutter himself. His presence told her that John had found a jackpot as the man wasn't known to show up at any investigation without a reason.

"I need to talk to John, Alexander," Amelia said and he nodded and invited her in. Then she asked, "Did he…?"

"John gave me the most important details of the case except Mr. Potter's location. And I didn't ask, either," Alexander said as both entered back at Fudge's office where the man was finishing cataloging a parchment.

"What can I do for you, Amelia?" John asked as he boxed the paper.

"Mr. Potter needs a lawyer and needs someone very discreet. Do you think that your father can take the job?" Bones asked seriously.

"Is there any special detail that he must know?" John asked, promising to pass the message and ask him about it.

"Mr. Potter is considering the chance to leave the community. I don't know if in a temporary or a permanent way though. His job would be to make sure that no one stops him," Amelia informed both with a serious tone. She continued, "Also, Mr. Potter doesn't wish his current location is informed to no one else than the people that's strictly and completely necessary. And I'm afraid that your father wouldn't be considered one."

"I'll give you his answer tomorrow," Hall said with a nod, before Amelia left using the Office's fireplace so no one would know that he had been there. Neither man commented about what Amelia had said and went on with their task in silence.

… … … …

The situation continued being chaotic the whole day.

First, Fudge tried to stop the investigation upon himself and Umbridge claiming that it was out of place and they had immunity to that. It didn't work as both were informed that the Department of Special Magical Crime Investigations had as job to investigate EVERYONE, no matter the charge. They were also informed that they were the only department that answered to no one and had a budget of their own, so no one could press them with cuts.

Then Fudge tried to leave the country, invoking his right to take a holiday That failed for one reason: as he was under investigation, he had to be available to be interviewed all the time and had to remain at British soil.

The next problem for Amelia came from Rufus and Kingsley. Both demanded to know the reasons behind Tonks' suspension and when would it be investigated as the man that would do it, was now in Fudge's office going through the papers and would have no time for anything else till Merlin knew when!

"Shacklebolt, leave and close the door." Bones ordered the black officer, who nodded and did as ordered. Then she turned to Rufus and said: "What I'll reveal now, is known by less than ten people. That includes me, John Hall and his team, Alexander Shutter, Tonks herself and one more person of my complete trust. If this is known and you leaked it, I'll have your head and balls! Am I clear?" Amelia asked in a thunderous tone of voice that showed that it wasn't a bluff what she had threatened to do.

"Very clear," Rufus said with a serious nod.

"Harry Potter has been found and is nowadays in a hidden location. This place is known by me, Tonks, John and the other person I mentioned. And no, I won't tell it to you!" Amelia said before he asked it. Then she continued giving him a copy of what Tonks gave her a few days ago, minus the news articles. "Check this and you'll know what John is looking for at Fudge's Office!"

"Tell me that this is a joke!" The man shouted as he finished reading the papers. Amelia's face spoke for itself as the answer that he needed. Then he asked, "What is Tonks' role on this?"

"She came to see me with all of this because she couldn't trust anyone else and had no idea of what to do," Amelia informed him, before he took the folder and returned it to her desk's drawer. Then she continued, "She is with Mr. Potter at this moment and I suspended her to not raise questions of where she went every morning."

"You know that this will mean Fudge's fall, right?" Rufus asked, thinking about the political ramifications of the papers and accepting the explanation about the Auror's suspension.

"I do, Rufus. I'll contact some people at the Wizengamont to start to make some movements to choose the next Minister, but it had to be done in a lot of silence and with great discretion," Amelia said with a heavy sigh before adding, "Unless I tell you so, you never saw this and this chat never existed. Are we clear?"

"You need to find a way to calm the things about Tonks. I have several Aurors demanding an explanation and won't hold them for a long time," Rufus said seriously, promising to keep silence about the revelations.

"I'll ask John to assign someone to make a bogus investigation. That should give us a week if we are lucky," Amelia said with a nod.

"Let me know if I can help you," Rufus asked before leaving.

As soon as he left, Amelia went to talk again with John and explained him the situation. Hall and his boss agreed with the plan of the fake investigation.

"We need one of them. They are aware of what's going on and will give it some credibility to it," Amelia said pointing to the other investigators working at the place.

"SARAH" John shouted and the witch came immediately. He and Bones briefed her about the new problem.

"I need you to buy us a week on this matter. Stretch the investigation all the possible, but within reasonable timing," Amelia said seriously and Sarah assured her that she could do that easily. Then Amelia asked everyone, "Off the record, how is everything?"

"We have evidence enough to have both of them plus some members of the Wizengamont being sent to jail for a long while." Shutter said pointing to several boxes that were outside and had a label that read, 'Evidence'.

"When do you plan to press charges?" Amelia asked, needing to know how much time she had to make her own movement within the Wizengamont.

"How much time do you need?" Shutter asked, as he and the others realized the reason behind the question.

"Give me at least three days," Amelia said before telling Sarah, "Bring Tonks back for the interview in that time. If not, they'll demand someone else to do it and we can't afford that."

"I'll make it the day after tomorrow," Jansen said with a nod and the others agreed. Without another word, Amelia returned to her office and started to make the calls to the members of the Wizengamont to meet that night. She needed to move fast!

… … … …

The next day was as chaotic as that, but brought some good news.

The first was that Stephen Hall accepted the job and started to work in the shadows to make sure no one would stop Harry if he left.

The second was the success of Amelia's dinner. Her guests got the shock of their lives with the news and agreed to start to work to choose the next minister.

"Do you know where he is?" Augusta Longbottom asked her old friend, before Neville's grandmother returned home at the end of the meeting.

"Officially speaking, Augusta, Mr. Potter's location is still unknown," Amelia said very seriously.

"And if we talk off the record?" The old witch asked as serious as Bones.

"I'm one of the four people who have that knowledge. And it's one that cannot be shared except for those who are strictly and completely necessary. And sorry for this, but you are not one, Augusta," Amelia said very seriously and with a smile of apology.

"May I ask at least who the other three are?" Madam Longbottom asked, not offended at the very least for the lack of information.

"They are John Hall, Alastor Moody and the Auror who brought this to my attention." Amelia said as all answer and Augusta gave a nod in thanks and didn't ask anything else.

Fudge continued on his attempts to stop the investigation, but they failed as miserably as the day before.

Everyone also wondered what was it about but no one gave details. Only Shutter and the four highest officers of that department knew it and hadn't shared anything with anyone!

Sarah started to work in the 'investigation' about Tonks' incident and had sent her a message to show up at the department the next morning. John had revealed to her and Alex that the Auror was in one of their safe house but not in which.

That was what brought the young Auror back to Grimmauld that night. She went to inform everyone of the interview and see how everything there was.

"Tonks! I though that you were still on holidays!" Ginny exclaimed as she entered the kitchen where the redhead was with Ron and the twins. The youngest Weasley was reading a magazine while the fifth year read a book of potions and the twins were discussing some new products.

"I was called back to have my interview tomorrow, so I came here to sleep tonight and then I go back there," she explained them before asking, "Is there a meeting?"

"Yes, it's about the coward," Ron said with disdain, as he believed that Harry ran away because he was too scared. Actually Ginny, Tonks, Remus, the twins and, now, Moody believed that the story was different.

"Leave it," Ginny mouthed to the Auror as she and the twins rolled their eyes. Ron growled something, slammed the book closed and went upstairs.

"I'm taking a risk saying this, so don't spread it, OK?" Tonks asked, suddenly taking a decision and looking around to make sure that no one could hear her.

"We'll be as mute as the dead!" The three said at the same time.

"Harry's fine. And there will be big changes on his situation VERY soon. And please don't ask anything as I can't tell more than that!" Tonks said before any of them could ask a question.

"Does this change have anything to do with what happened at Fudge's Office?" Ginny asked, resisting the urge to ask more about her hero. Tonks nodded as all answer and ran her finger through her lips emulating a zip, to tell them that she would say nothing more and to not talk about it with no one.

"We have our mouths sealed!" The three redheads assured with a serious nod of head.

Tonks nodded to them in thanks and knocked the door of the meeting's room. A moment later, Remus opened the door and was surprised to see her there.

"I'm going to bed so can't stay," Tonks said as Dumbledore invited her to join them.

"The investigation is over?" Shacklebolt asked her, surprised that she was back so soon.

"I have my interview tomorrow. Jansen will make the investigation. She contacted me to make the appointment and to tell me that she would be in charge of it," Tonks explained everyone, before saying goodnight to everyone.

"I still think that she knows more than what she says," Sirius commented to Remus, who shrugged his shoulders as an answer.

The former teacher didn't agree with his best friend's decision to support Albus instead of Harry, but kept it to himself for now. The time would tell who was right and who wasn't. And he still had to worry about the full moon that would be in two days!

… … … …

Sarah and Tonks were meeting in an interview's room in the Department of Special Magical Crime Investigations. It looked a lot as the ones in a Muggle police station, with the difference that no one could see or hear what happened inside.

For the first ten minutes, the Auror explained everything about the arrest she had done and then Sarah moved to another matter: her investigation about Harry Potter and how she got the information.

"This is off the record and no one will ever know it. Shutter and John want to know it and that's why I ask," Sarah explained to her.

"I did the first and most logical thing when you search for a Muggle: go to the police station. I made a story about being a friend and that I was worried as he hadn't contacted me in a few days," Tonks started to say.

"The officer I talked to was the same that met him that night but had stayed to call the firemen as his partner went with him. He told me the whole story and told me in which hospital he was. He also told me why the Dursleys didn't know about it and who had been called instead.

"Then I went to the hospital and they confirmed that he was there. I decided to not pay a visit till I had all the facts and could talk to someone."

"The articles?" Sarah asked. She wasn't told who had been called instead of Harry's relatives and wouldn't ask either as it didn't matter.

"I went to the local library and checked newspapers of that week. I made photocopies of all the ones I considered important," Tonks said before she continued her tale:

"Then I went to Privet Drive and used a different approach. I said that I had a friend that had moved early that summer but didn't remember her address. That's how I reached to Noctau and he told me the story of what had happened. He also gave me the copies that I gave to Madam Bones.

"With all of what I learn, I had no idea about what to do or whom I could trust. So I went to the first and only person that I knew that could give me an advice: Amelia Bones." Tonks said before she finished saying: "You know the rest of the story."

"I still can't believe this. I thought that it was some kind of twisted and sick joke," Sarah admitted to Tonks who nodded in agreement. The Auror had thought the same at the beginning. Someone knocked the door and Jansen invited the person in.

"I can return later if you didn't finish," a young investigator said to Sarah, while looking at Tonks.

"We are done. We were just updating each other about our lives," Sarah said with a smile. She and Tonks had met at Hogwarts, though the investigator was three years older and had been at a different house than the Auror.

"Can you check this? I know that the answer is this thing but can't seem to put it together," The man said, showing her a piece of paper. It was some Muggle sales reports of a company that had businesses on both sides and was investigated for laundry and bribes.

"May I?" Tonks asked Sarah, who nodded and gave her some of the papers. She checked them till she found a name that was repeated several times, though it was a bit changed sometimes. She asked Sarah her part and checked them and found the same names.

"Did you see anything interesting?" Jansen asked seriously, as she and her workmate watched and waited in silence.

"Check this name. It appears several times," the Auror said showing it to both, and then pointed to the variations.

"Check that and contact the Muggle banks to get their financial reports. Tell Mills to help you," Sarah instructed the young man, who nodded in thanks and left immediately. Then Jansen told Tonks with a smile, "We always have free spots here if you need a change of airs."

"John Hall said the same. I'll think about it after this finishes," Tonks said with a nod and asked, "Are we done? I want to return to the hospital."

"I'll stretch this for a week. That's all the time I can buy you. I could add one or two more days after the Fudge's case is out of the bag, but don't expect any more," Sarah said seriously and Tonks nodded in understanding.

… … … …

Albus Dumbledore was a desperate man as he continued on his attempts to find Harry Potter, but always failed. Now he had to add another worry to his list: Hall's investigation and the possible outcome of it.

He didn't care if Fudge remained as minister, but was worried about who would take the office and if he could manipulate him to work in his favor.

Three days after the start of the investigation, an urgent meeting of the Wizengamont had been called and all the members were there to learn results of the investigation.

Alexander Shutter took the word and announced the charges against Fudge, Umbridge and several members of the Wizengamont. He showed the evidence that had been gathered to support those charges.

The chaos that followed that was HUGE! Several members shouted that it was not possible and this had to be a trick.

Shutter waited till the shouts ended and continued the show of the evidences and the reading of charges. In the meantime, Aurors arrested the soon-to-be-ex-Minister and Undersecretary plus the members of the Wizengamont.

While this happened, Dumbledore had one question in mind: how did this event change Harry's situation? And he tried to see how to use it at his convenience.

"Unless I heard this wrong, I have to presume that Mr. Potter was not the person that casted a spell on his neighborhood on August 2nd," Augusta said once Hall was finished and the silence fell on the room.

"We have proof that the spell casted that day was work of a retired Auror, Madam," Alexander said with a nod.

"The next obvious question then is: where is Mr. Potter nowadays?" Dumbledore asked with a smile.

"I'm afraid that I don't have that information at this moment," Shutter said.

"Is there someone who does?" Someone asked seriously.

"I couldn't say it for certain as no one claimed to do so," Alex said with a sigh.

The things moves fast after that: the arrest warrant against Harry was withdrawn and he was reinstalled as a student once more and the incident would be erased from his records.

They decided to meet the next day to choose the new minister and whoever wanted to run for the position had that day to make it known.

… … … …

Some people tried to convince Dumbledore, but he refused saying that he had a school to run ad had no time for anything else. Besides now he had another thing to worry: finding Harry Potter and he knew who would know where he was.

Although it was never revealed who brought the information, it was clear to him who did it: Tonks. And her suspension wasn't anything else than a lie to cover her new mission: watch and protect Harry. But the Auror was gone and no one knew where she stayed.

That night, Albus announced the news to the Order and the chaos and shouts started once more. Once everything was calmed, he shared his thoughts about Tonks and asked Kingsley to make discreet questions at the department to find out where she was hiding.

What everyone there missed, was Moody's calculated look as he would have to inform Amelia of these events and soon. They had to find a way to keep Tonks far from everyone. This was at least, till Potter could be moved from the hospital. Fortunately, no one connected his visit to Amelia with the investigation, so he was safe for the moment.

… … … …

The next day, Amelia had to deal with a lot of people trying to find Harry and she continued claiming that she had no idea of where he was. She had to be careful as Moody had owled her with the new developments and had sent a warning about Kingsley's new orders.

When the black Auror asked about Tonks, Amelia ordered him to sit and close the door. Once both were alone, she said, "Tell Dumbledore to not mess with me or I'll go after his head. And don't play with me or I'll have yours. Am I clear on this?" Bones asked seriously. Then she added: "Tell the Headmaster that if he wants the information, he should conduct a real investigation, just like the one that someone showed me."

"So it was Tonks," Kingsley said, not asking but stating.

"I think, Shacklebolt, that what you should wonder is not who did the investigating. You should wonder why it was brought to me and not to him," Amelia said seriously before adding in a threatening tone of voice, "Stay away from Tonks or say goodbye to your career. Are we clear?"

"Is that a threat?" The Auror asked seriously.

"It's advice that you should take to heart. And I don't give advice twice," Amelia stated with a smile, before she dismissed him. Before he left, she added, "Another piece of advice that I give you and this one is from a friend: Albus Dumbledore is not known for taking the blame for his mistakes and neither for taking too high risks. Before pledging total loyalty, think in your career."

"What do your suggest then?" Kingsley asked seriously.

"Play it safe and be sure to be on the right side when this is over. Because, Kingsley, the game is not over and sooner or later, the Headmaster will have to answer for a lot of matters," Amelia said as serious as ever.

"You know where he is, don't you?" Shacklebolt asked suddenly.

"I talk off the record here, clear?" Amelia asked and he nodded. Then she added: "There are five people who have that knowledge and I won't name the others. And his location is not as hard to find as everyone thinks. That is, of course, if you use the logic. Something we are not exactly known to do often."

"I still don't understand," Shacklebolt commented confused.

"You and everyone else don't get it," Amelia said with a humorless laugh, ending the meeting.

… … … …

Shacklebolt's news was really welcomed at the Order and less well liked Amelia's words towards Dumbledore.

"I won't take any other risk than the necessary. And I'm not stupid enough to go against Amelia Bones," Kingsley said seriously. For the moment, he would follow Amelia's advice: think on his career and play safe and not betraying her. If he survived the war, he wanted to remain as an Auror. And going against the head of the DMLE was not a good idea if you wanted that!

The meeting continued, and Kingsley tried to figure out what Bones had said about how to find Harry and that it wasn't supposed to be so hard.

"Is there anything on your mind?" Moody asked him when the meeting was over and both men sat to talk in private,

"It's just something Amelia told me," Kingsley said before he gave Alastor a brief summary of what he hadn't said at the meeting.

To his surprise, Moody laughed and Kingsley understood it: the retired Auror was one of the five that knew the secret.

"I was the third person at the MOM that knew it, right after Amelia and Hall. And she's the one that gave me the whole story here," Moody said when the black man asked him if he knew it.

"Who's the fifth then? Amelia said that five people knew it," Kingsley said suddenly.

"The other person besides Potter that is missing here: the girl Granger," Moody said and Kingsley nodded as now the things started to make sense.

Hermione had stayed at her home for a bit longer. They tried to retrieve her the same night of the incident at Privet Drive but she said that she had a family problem and would stay there till school started.

"How is it that Granger knows what happened to him but not his family?" Kingsley said really confused. Then he got an idea and asked, "He's in a hospital?" When Moody nodded, he continued talking, "Potter must have said her name as the person who had to be contacted in case of an emergency."

"From what I was said, he plainly rejected the idea of his relatives being informed," Moody said with a nod. Then he gave the black Auror a twisted smile and said: "You figured it out too. Congratulations."

"What's your game, Moody?" Kingsley asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Amelia asked me to keep an eye on the group and, most importantly, our leader. She doesn't understand what Albus is playing at. And quite frankly, neither do I," 'Mad-Eye' said with a heavy sigh, adding,: "Tonks bought herself a week on this matter with her suspension. We need to keep it like that. We are running out of time and we'll have to find a good way to get more of it. At least till Potter is moved. And no one is sure of when is that."

"What did he do?" Kingsley asked curious.

"He was a hero and we treated him like trash," the old Auror said before he left.

… … … …

The next day, the Wizengamont chose Pius Thicknesse as new Minister of Magic and the first thing he did was to order Amelia to hand any information that she or her Department had about Harry Potter's location. Also he ordered Hall to interrupt the investigation about Tonks' arrest and that she called back to work.

"I smell Dumbledore's hand on this," Shutter commented to both.

"You are not the only one," Amelia said with a sigh, as she thought on the other problem that she had in her hands: Kingsley knowing the secret, as he had told her that morning as soon as he had arrived. Then she asked John, "How more time can Sarah buy us?"

"The order is to call Tonks back today. We can say that we call her today and from there, everything depends on what good excuses she can think of to delay her return one or 2 days," Hall said seriously. Then he asked, "Is there any good news from that side?"

"Till yesterday, there was none," Amelia said shaking her head, before they heard a lot of noise outside her office and they went to see what happened.

"Hi, boss, how are you doing?" Tonks asked with a smile.

"I didn't expect too see you back so soon," Amelia said with sarcasm and inviting her to enter the Office.

Before Tonks could answer, the Minister, his Undersecretary and his assistant Percy Weasley, burst into the room and ignoring Amelia's secretary.

"May I help you, Minister?" Amelia asked with a fake smile, furious by the interruption.

"As Minister, I demand to talk with Auror Tonks," Thicknesse said seriously.

"And as her boss, first I'm the first to talk to her. As soon as I'm done, she'll talk to you. Now leave my office," Amelia said with a threatening tone of voice.

"Miss Tonks has vital information that I demand that she gives me immediately, Amelia!" Pius shouted furiously.

"And what information is that and why is it vital?" Amelia asked with a smile.

"Don't play fool with me! I'm the Minister!" Thicknesse shouted her furious

"I want to know why that information is so vital to you so suddenly!" Amelia shouted back.

"The Minister is worried about Mr. Potter and his safety!" the woman said angrily and Amelia laughed hard with that.

"This is not a joke!" Pius shouted before turning to Tonks and saying: "If you don't give that information, I'll have you arrested for treason and will make sure that your career is over forever!"

"YOU DON'T THREATEN SOMEONE FROM MY DEPARTMENT, THICKNESSE!" Amelia shouted as furious as the Minister now.

"I'M THE MINISTER AND I CAN DO THAT!" the man shouted to her.

"Madam, can I handle this on my own?" Tonks asked Bones before the Head of the DMLE shouted back something that wouldn't be so nice.

"Be my guest," Amelia said with a nod.

Tonks stood face to face with the Minister, and without saying a word, she kicked his balls in a so sudden movement that no one expected it. When the man fell to the floor getting a hold of his sexual toy, Tonks took her wand and pointed it to him.

"Listen to me, you little piece of useless shit! Threaten me once more and you'll need all the Aurors to stop me from making sure that you can't have children ever in your pathetic life! Am I clear?" Tonks asked with her eyes full of fury that caused Pius to almost wet himself. The Minister and his companions left immediately, making more threats that were ignored completely. Then she turned to Amelia and said, "I'm here to inform you that Mr. Potter decided to play a new round of 'hide and seek'. He disappeared this morning."

"Did he disappear or left on his own?" Amelia asked worriedly.

"The right term would be 'discharged after a miracle recovery,' or that is how it was explained to me," The Auror explained the trio.

When Shutter was about to ask a question, Amelia gave him a copy of all the articles that she had about Harry's heroic actions and served him a glass of whiskey that was emptied as soon as he finished reading them.

"I have a question," Tonks said and turned to John, "Is the offer from last week still up?"

Before he answered, Amelia hit the back of his head very hard. Tonks looked at her confused, while Shutter tried to hide a smile and his officer rubbed his head with the same smile.

"How many times have I told you to warn me before making an offer to one of my Officers to join your people?" Bones asked to John in a very angry and pissed off tone of voice.

"I think it has been after every time that I steal someone from you," Hall said with a smile, before adding, "And with her, it must have been about 20 times."

"WHEN WILL YOU LEARN THE LESSON?" Bones shouted him.

John smiled and answered her, "I will never learn, Amelia! You know it too well!"

"Get out of here you two!"Amelia ordered John and Alexander, who smiled and left with a nod to Tonks, who stopped them.

"I need to have a meeting with you three soon because this shit might get worse once more," the Auror said seriously.

Both men stopped smiling and turned their complete attention to her. Amelia's anger was gone too and now got ready for anything.

"Harry left me a package and I still haven't checked it. I have no idea what it has inside but I know that he contacted Gringotts yesterday and he cursed a lot when he received the answer last night." Tonks said, showing them a bag-pack.

"You still have the keys?" John asked and she nodded: "We meet there tonight and we go through everything."

"I'd better leave now," Tonks said, before taking an invisibility cloak and covering herself with it. John wrote a note, left it on her desk, gave a nod to the two heads and left the office with Tonks next to him.

"I presume this is one of your places." Amelia commented seeing that the note was an address. She knew of the safe Houses Shutter's Department had, as the Aurors had used some of them in the past. No one was completely sure of the exact number of these places and only Hall and Alexander had a list of all the places.

"Which place, Amelia?" The man asked with a smile before he left.

… … … …

The next day, Remus got a letter from Tonks that said only one phrase: 'Bring the dog.' Next to it, there was an address.

"Let's take a walk, Sirius," Remus said to his old friend, who arched an eyebrow at the suggestion. Then the werewolf whispered, "I explain it later."

The fugitive nodded and both left towards the place where they would meet Tonks. On the way, the former teacher told his friend about the note that he had received.

They reached to a house and rang the bell. A moment later, Amelia Bones opened the door and invited both in, after checking that they hadn't been followed.

"Change, Mr. Black, you are safe here," John Hall asked Sirius as the trio entered a living room and found Tonks and Alexander Shutter waiting for them.

"It's not a trap. There is a way to prove your innocence," Tonks assured her cousin, who changed back, still doubtful.

"Where is Harry?" Remus asked immediately.

"He decided to play 'hide and seek' again. And this time, officially, we have no idea of where he is." Amelia said seriously, before she showed them the articles about the teen's actions.

"Is this a joke?" Sirius asked in shock, as he and his friend finished reading them and finally understood why Harry hadn't answered any of the contacts that the order had tried to do with him.

"It's not even close to being one," John assured both men.

"This is fucking incredible!" Sirius shouted still shocked and trying to figure out how he had let Dumbledore convince him that his godson was a coward and had ran away.

"Welcome to the club," Moody said entering at that moment and joining the group. He announced to the two pranksters: "You two gentlemen have been declared traitors to the order and are wanted at this moment."

"And this keeps getting better," Amelia said with a sigh, as her day at the Ministry had been hectic. Thicknesse had declared Tonks as a criminal and now there was an arrest warrant against her. The Minister also tried to get Amelia suspended, but she had enough power at the Wizengamont to stop any attempt of that, but that wouldn't last forever and now had to think of a course of action and soon.

"Why did you call me?" Alastor asked Amelia and Hall.

"The day after tomorrow, Xeno Lovegood will print a special edition of the Quibbler with an exclusive and very long interview with Mr. Potter. He gave me a copy and asked if I wanted to make a statement," Bones explained them, giving a copy of the parchment Xeno had sent her that afternoon. Then she added, "And there is evidence to support every single one of his claims, by the way."

"Is this serious?" Remus asked, as he reached to the biggest and most important accusation done by the teen: Albus Dumbledore knowing the truth about who was his parents' secret keeper.

"The goblins unsealed James and Lilly Potter's last will under a request done by Harry. On it, both mentioned the change. And Dumbledore knew it, as he's one of the witnesses of the will and he was who made it legal," John said seriously to the trio, and giving them a copy of the document.

"I don't understand this," Sirius said shocked with the revelation.

"You'll do when you read who was supposed to get his custody and who wasn't," Tonks explained both.

It was very clear: neither the Dursleys nor Dumbledore were supposed to take care of their son. The list of people that should have taken his custody included: Remus, Amelia Bones, the Longbottom family and several other people. Another name that seemed to be missing on the list of allowed people was the Weasley Family.

"What the hell is going on here?" Remus asked shocked with the paper.

"Dumbledore needed a weak and easy to be manipulated Harry Potter. Keeping him there, he got his wish," Amelia explained.

"And where is Harry now?" Sirius asked desperately.

"That's the million dollar question. He was discharged yesterday and has been AWOL since then," Tonks explained to the two marauders and Moody. Then she added, "We were lucky to find him once. It will be a miracle if we do it again. Especially considering what he plans to do."

"And what is that?" Remus asked with fear of the answer.

"Mr. Potter has intentions of leaving the Wizarding Community and the country. And no one can stop him as Stephen Hall made sure of that, by asking for his emancipation," Amelia explained them.

"And from that parchment says, I wouldn't blame him for doing so," Tonks said to Sirius and Remus.

"What are the next steps, Amelia?" Moody asked, as Sirius was too shocked to think properly and looked as if someone had dropped a bomb on him and couldn't disarm it.

"We are getting more information to get an arrest warrant on Dumbledore. We should have it tomorrow or the day after. Once we do it, we'll launch the attack on him," Bones informed the retired Auror and the marauders. Then he told Sirius, "In the meantime, I want you to be somewhere where I can find you 24/7! Am I clear?"

"Can we stay here?" Remus asked before adding, "How safe is it?"

"It's one of our safe houses," Shutter said and the werewolf nodded. Even if the Department denied its existence forever, their safe houses were rumored to be nearly unplottable. All the wards that could be imagined were on them. In other words, they were safe for the moment.

"We'll meet again when we have the warrant. In the meantime, be careful," Amelia said to everyone seriously, before she left. Moody, Hall and Shutter followed her, each living with a difference of ten minutes between each.

"How angry with me is he?" Sirius asked his cousin.

"Harry left a few letters of goodbye to his friends. Your name is not on one, Sirius," Tonks said, before taking an envelope and giving it to Remus and saying, "He left this one for you. They are charmed so only someone who got another one can read it. And I won't tell anyone who the others are till I have the chance to deliver them." After those words, she headed to her bedroom and left the men alone.

Remus doubted between opening the letter there or to read it in private. He looked at his best friend who was crying as he realized that he had betrayed his Godson and there was no way that he could fix it.

"I'm sorry to tell you this, Sirius, but you ruined this on your own. Now deal with the consequences," Remus said seriously before he headed to one of the bedrooms and got ready to sleep. He decided to read his letter with the others who got one.

… … … …

Two days later, the attack was launched at Grimmauld Place. Tonks, Moody and Remus went there that night with the arrest warrant against Dumbledore, plus the copy of the Quibbler that had been printed that day.

But before that happened, the chaos exploded once more at the Ministry barely a few hours ago: Pius Thicknesse had tried to get the information from Amelia Bones and had tried to use the imperius curse on her. Bones had been able to duel him long enough till the backup arrived and now the former minister was on his way to Azkaban.

As soon as the incident finished, Amelia gave the order for the arrest and had added a charge against the headmaster: use of imperius as Thicknesse was under it and the evidence suggested that the aged wizard cast it.

The trio burst into the house that night and got everyone's attention with their entrance. Tonks ignored everyone and went straight to Dumbledore and took a parchment from her robes.

"Albus Dumbledore, by the power and authority from the Department of the Magical Law Enforcement, you are under arrest," the Auror said in her most serious tone of voice.

"WHAT'S THIS NONSENSE?" Molly shrieked, as Albus checked the parchment and paled.

When he was about to move his hand, Tonks' and Moody's wands were out immediately and pointed to his head.

"Let me remind you, sir, that as Aurors, we have permission to use anything that we consider necessary to make the arrest. That includes the unforgivable, so don't think of giving us a reason," Tonks said with a threatening tone of voice. Dumbledore sighed in defeat and offered his hands to her.

"What's going on here?" Arthur asked the trio, as shocked as everyone else, as Tonks put the handcuffs on Dumbledore.

"This should answer that," Remus said, as he took copies of the Quibbler and gave one to each member.

On the front page, there was a picture of Harry and Hermione. Under it, it read: 'Exclusive interview! The whole truth about Harry Potter!'

Then Tonks took a few envelopes and read the names written on them. He gave one to the twins, another for Ginny and three to Minerva McGonagall.

"Harry left these letters for you. They are his goodbyes," Tonks said to them, before she and Moody left the house with Dumbledore cuffed.

"He left only five letters?" Charlie asked confused.

"He left six. I have the last one." Remus said while the others read the magazine and left the letters for later.

'The story behind the hero: past, present and future of Harry Potter. Exclusive interview of the Quibbler by Xenophilus Lovegood.' That was the title of the main article that was six pages long and several pictures: a few of Harry and Hermione together, copies of the Muggle news articles describing his actions and at the end, an extract of his parent's last will that showed what would have happened with him upon their death,.

"Did Sirius read this?" Bill asked Remus, who nodded as answer, as all the members started to read the most important parts of the article.

"A few days ago, I got a letter with a proposition: an interview with the person that everyone looked for: Harry Potter. In his letter, he promised to tell me the truth about a lot of things and would show me evidence to prove all of his claims.

"Three days ago, I met him on a hidden location that was never revealed to me and I was taken there by a House Elf. In his letter, Mr. Potter had informed that this was a safety precaution as too many people were looking for him and he didn't want to be found.

"As soon as I arrived, I found Harry sat at a sofa and resting his left leg on a chair as he had a cast on it and his left arm was on a sling. He smiled and asked me to sit next to him.

"I apologize for not standing to greet you but the doctors have suggested that I stand as little as possible for a while," he said with a smile and shook my hand.

"Let me tell you, my dear readers, that I was shocked with this image and asked the first and most obvious question that came to my mind: what had happened to him?

"He gave me the copies of the news articles that had been printed on the Muggle newspapers two weeks ago and now are shown to you exclusively. He took a deep breath and told me the story on his own words:

"I had insomnia and couldn't sleep so I took a walk around the neighborhood. I had no idea of the time or at that moment, a police car was following me. (E.N.: The Police are the Muggle version of the Aurors),

"I remember smelling smoke and started to run towards the place and found a house on fire. I also heard shouts and cries and decided to break in, kicking the door. When I was about to get in, I suddenly saw a police officer next to me and had no idea of how it was possible that he was there, but decided to wonder about that later as the cries continued.

"We went to the first floor and started opening the doors. In one we found a couple that was already dead so we went to the next where were two kids: a girl of three years old and a baby. She was the one that cried and caught our attention.

"The police took the girl that was closer to us and I went for the baby, while they left the room. When I was about to follow them, a piece of the ceiling fell and stopped our exit. I started to think another way out when I saw the window and went to it.

"I opened it, and saw that the floor wasn't too far so I jumped, protecting the baby with my body and rolling to make sure that he wasn't hurt. But I got injured as my broke my leg and dislocated my shoulder." Here, Mr. Potter pointed to both his cast and his sling, before he went on:

"I have pieces of memories of what happened later: a couple of police and firemen running to me and trying to take the baby, then they put me on a stretcher and put me into an ambulance. Everyone was talking to me and then nothing else till I woke up a few days ago at the hospital." Here, he took a glass of water, while I processed all the information that he had just given me.

"How is it that no one knew about this? Your family thought that you had run away," I said confused.

"They are not my family. They are just my relatives. And the hate that we feel for each other is very mutual." Harry said very seriously and I had no doubt of his words.

"I can explain that," A brunette said, and letting me know that there was a third person at the room for the first time. She introduced herself as Hermione Granger and told me the rest of the story:

"When the police told him that his relatives would be informed immediately, he said no and asked them to call me instead. That's how a police officer came to see me at 5.00 am to tell me that my best friend was in a hospital after playing to be the hero."

'Then she told me about the time that he spent unconscious: her 'best friend' telling her that Harry had ran away and that he was a coward and then he became a fugitive for something that he couldn't have done in any way…

"Unless I had an evil twin hidden somewhere and no one told me about him before," Harry said with a smile and Miss Granger rolled her eyes as she continued:

"The next few days were like a nightmare: he remained unconscious and suffered two heart attacks on that time, but as you can see, the doctors saved him," The brunette teen said with a smile.

'I asked if she followed the news and she nodded, saying that she received the Prophet and letters everyday. And she described both as 'a load of dragon poop'. (I'm afraid that her choice of words was much stronger than that, but I had to make it sound less offensive.)'

"I wonder what she said," Fred commented to his twin with an evil smile.

"I can think of a few curses that she could have used," Ginny told her twin brothers and pranksters smiled and continued reading:

"Then she explained that someone finally got some sense and made a proper investigation to find him.

"At the same time that he suffered the second heart attack a few days ago, Amelia Bones and an Auror called Tonks showed up at the hospital. Let's say that I wasn't too happy at that moment and needed all my willpower to not send the secrecy statute straight to the hell and curse both from there to the school," Hermione explained to me.

(Once more I had to change her choice of words. Something that was needed to be done several times during the interview, I'm afraid.)'

"That's something you don't see everyday: Hermione cursing!" Ginny told the twins. The three redheads were the only ones that found some humor in the whole situation as the rest started to see that they had a BIG problem.

"Where is Harry now?" Fred asked Remus seriously.

"He and Hermione decided to play a new round of 'hide and seek'. No one believes that they'll be found a second time, unless they want to be," The werewolf said with a sigh.

"So in other words, you lost them again and now you have no goddamn fucking idea of where they might be. Is this correct?" Ginny asked her former teacher.

"Even if I would have used a less colorful choice of words, yes, you are correct," Remus nodded with a new sigh as Molly tried to lecture her child for her curses,

"Mom, with all the respect that you once deserved from me, let me remind you that you and the rest of the order were ready to send Harry to Hell and didn't even question a damn thing of what Dumbledore and fucking Ministry said. So, do everyone here a big favor, and SHUT THE HELL UP!" Ginny shouted to her mother, shocking everyone at the House, with Molly being the first and most surprised.

When Molly recovered and was about to slap her daughter, she found herself with Ginny's and the twins' wands pointed to her.

"TIME OUT! TIME OUT!" Remus shouted to the four before the situation was out of control. Bill and Charlie took their siblings away from their mother, while Arthur tried to control his wife.

"NO FUCKING TIME OUT THIS TIME, LUPIN! EVERYONE HERE HAS ACCUSED HARRY OF EVERYTHING YOU COULD THIMK ABOUT AND WE HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT BULLSHIT! NOW IT'S TIME YOU FEEL THAT!" Ginny shouted to Remus as loudly and as furiously as one her mother's howlers would be.

The silence that fell on the room after the accusation was deafening, as Ginny looked at everyone with a furious glare as inviting someone to give her a reason to fight and argue. When no one made a noise, the redhead took the Quibbler and continued reading, keeping her wand very close to her. The twins moved next to their sister and put their wands next to hers. The message was very obvious: mess with one and deal with the three.

The article continued:

'During about 30 minutes, both teens explained me what since Mr. Potter woke up till he was discharged and the news they received from Auror Tonks and the visits that Amelia Bones paid them.

"As you can imagine," Harry said, "we were not happy. The news started to be worse everyday and we knew that Tonks was risking her life and job for us. That's why we never told her that I was being discharged."

'I told them that too many things were confusing about the story but no one seemed to want real answers or look for them either.

"Why would they? The two most important people lied and everyone bought it as always. Everyone was happy with that." Harry said and I asked him to elaborate as it confused me.

"It's simple, Mr. Lovegood: Who told everyone that my parents wanted me with my relatives? Albus Dumbledore.

"Who allowed the books that were written about me? Once more, it was Albus Dumbledore.

"Who made the theories about what happened that night, even if no one could say it for sure? Do you want to take a guess?" He asked me with a smile.

"Albus Dumbledore?" I asked with another smile, as I started to see that there was a pattern that was not clear yet, but gave me a bad feeling.

"Indeed, it was Albus Dumbledore. The man that sealed my parents' will and took my magical custody." He said taking a parchment and handing it to me.

'(Picture #2 is a copy of the most important parts of the will. Mr. Potter permitted me print them so everyone could understand what the matter was.)

'When I read it, I got several shocks:

'The first was that it was informed that Sirius Black was never their secret keeper and that it was Peter Pettigrew instead. And Albus Dumbledore knew as his name and signature were at the end of the will.

'The second was that James and Lily Potter stated that young Harry WAS NOT supposed to be sent with her sister. Instead they named several people that had to take him in case of their death. (The list is shown at the picture #3)

'The next shock was that Dumbledore didn't have to get Harry's custody, as he did.

'My next question was the obvious: why?

"Because LV (Mr. Potter used the Dark Lord's name here and asked me to use those letters instead of the usual references as he explained that he hated them), didn't die that night and Albus Dumbledore knew it.

"The headmaster also knew that he would return someday or other and he needed someone to fight him. But what he didn't need was someone independent or someone that wouldn't follow him blindly.

"He knew that if I was raised by any of those people, I would be more confident and would have more freedom, he needed to make sure that it didn't happen," Harry explained to me."

"GOD MOTHER FUCKER SON OF A BITCH!" Charlie shouted as everyone read several stories of Harry's childhood that showed that his relatives were not people that loved him or cared about what happened to him.

"Nice choice of words, Chuck!" Ginny told her big brother with a smile.

"I TOLD YOU THAT I HATE THAT NAME!" The second oldest redhead shouted to his sister in a mock anger, but actually smiled.

"How many times have I told that I hate little Gin-Gin as you love to call me?" The girl asked with a twisted smile. The dragonkeeper stuck his tongue to her and Ginny did the same.

"And I thought that the twins were the immature of the seven of you," Remus commented to Bill.

"They are just the worst, but not the only ones that show it," the oldest Weasley said with a smile, as he stuck his tongue to the werewolf as well. Remus shook his head and did the same, before he continued with the article.

Harry and Hermione started then to talk about what had happened during the last four years and everyone saw two things in common: Dumbledore was the one in the middle of everything and the Headmaster being 'absent' when he should have been there to fix the problems and secure the students' lives.

"As you can imagine," the article continued, "it took me a while to recover from everything that they had said and to put my thoughts together.

"But I was about to get another shock when I asked what they were planning to do from now on.

"We decided to leave England and the magical community. We are not sure if it'll be permanently or just for a while," Harry said very seriously. Then he added, "I'm done with being treated as trash. I'm fed up with the people thinking that they know me or know what is best for me. I'm tired of people that call themselves my friends and that they care about me, but when I need them, they turn their backs or are the first to stab me. I'm done!"

"As I tried very hard to think of an argument to those words, I remembered his parents' last will and how it had been ignored. I also remembered the stories that I had heard and everything that had been happening lately. Then I realized that he had more right to send us to the hell than us to stop him.

"Then he explained that he was using this interview to reveal the whole truth and all the lies to everyone and also as a goodbye to some people that he wouldn't have the chance to see before leaving. I informed him that he was free to do that.

"I would have loved to have a long list of people to thank or say goodbye to, but it's too short," Harry said with a sad smile before he continued:

"To Auror Tonks, Madam Bones and whoever helped with the investigation, thanks for clearing my name and keeping the secret for as long as you could.

"To Katie, Angie and Alicia, my former quidditch teammates, I apologize for leaving you without a seeker and I thank you for those three wonderful years that we spent together at the team. And soon, you'll be receiving a gift from me.

"For those that I considered friend and didn't betray me, thanks for that." Then he explained that his last thanks were personal and that those people had received it.

"It became obvious that this was the end of the interview and I thanked both for this chat. Both smiled and thanked me for giving them the chance to tell their truth and we shook hands before the house elf took me back to home.

"Since the moment I returned and when I got this issue ready for print, I checked all the claims made by Mr. Potter and tried to get in touch with Amelia Bones to see if she wanted to make a statement.

"I was able to confirm almost all of his claims and the few ones that could not be checked were due to the little time I had had to investigate them and not for the lack of evidence. I'll try to do it for our next issue.

'The Head of the DMLE informed me that she was busy at the time being and thanked me for a copy of the interview and the evidence I handed to her and her Department. She promised me that we would have her statement for our one of our future editions.

"I would love to promise it for the next, but with the chaos that we've been having with former Minister Fudge and the evidence you handed to me, I'll be very busy for a while. As soon as I can make a statement, you'll be the first to get it," Madam Bones told me at the end of our meeting.

"Dear readers, this story is not done and it will be continued."

"Where is Sirius?" Fred asked Remus as everyone digested the article and the implications.

"He's hidden at a safe place. Amelia Bones wants him in a place where she can find him 24/7. It's the same place where Tonks has been hiding since she was 'suspended,'" the former teacher explained.

"I thought that 'Mad-Eye' was loyal to Dumbledore," Charlie said suddenly.

"He was the second person that Amelia informed about Harry's location. She asked him to keep an eye on us, but most importantly on the old bastard," the werewolf said, before adding, "Tonks went to see Amelia with the information and she called Moody and Hall. They were the only ones who knew where he was. That's, of course, till he left and told no one about it."

"Did you…?" Bill inquired, pointing to the letter.

"I decided to do it after finding out who else got one," Remus said nodding to Ginny, the twins and Minerva. Then he told them about the charms on them and that they were the only ones who could read them.

"Who goes first?" Ginny asked the others, unsure of who wanted to do it before the others.

"I think that each of us should read theirs in private and then decide if it should be shared," Minerva said to her three current and her former students. Then she added, "Besides, I think that the moods are too high and we should be calmed when we read them."

The twins and Ginny looked at each other, and they agreed with the idea. After the article and her fight with Molly, the things were not in good terms at the House.

"I agree with that idea too," Remus said with a nod and bid his goodbyes to everyone before leaving.

"I need to see what happens with Hogwarts," Minerva announced before she left.

"We talk in the morning," Ginny told her brothers before she went to her room.

"None of you have right to demand the letters!" The twins told everyone before leaving with their letters.

"They are right," Charlie sighed, getting no answer to that statement. Actually, no one could as they were right.