Previously: It's time for the trial and the Minister of Magic's case is falling apart rapidly. It doesn't help that his incompetence shows clearly. Thankfully, Harry had some help in his case from two extra sources, Dobby the house elf and Sebastian Michaelis, head butler of the Phantomhive estate. Hey, some people recognized that one! What fun!

Black Knight

His Knight, Stirring Storms

In its essence, Plan B was quite simple. Harry and Salazar would exit the courtroom after the crowd, so as not to lose each other. This was to be expected. The moment the Minister took his leave, the rest of the Wizengamot began the frenzied rush out the large double doors. Harry did not follow until the last of them exited and their footsteps faded down the corridor. After the pair left, shadowed by two Aurors, the doors closed and they were (almost) alone in the dark, cold corridor. This is where the Plan really starts because Harry has to evade not only the two Aurors ensuring he doesn't wander off, but also the Dumbledore supporter waiting to rescue him from Salazar upstairs.

But it's always best to take life one step at a time. So, Harry and Salazar began the trek down the hallway when Harry spotted the perfect place to put the plan into motion.

"Hold on, Sebastian. I have to use the bathroom."

"As you wish, my Lord," Sebastian replied with a low bow. "Shall I wait here for your return?"

Harry nodded. "I'll only be a minute," he informed the silent Aurors and then entered the bathroom. A quick wordless silencing spell ensured that the Aurors wouldn't hear the next bit. "SKITTERY!"

A small pop and a sigh announced the arrival of Harry's trusty house elf. "Skittery doesn't want to waste his breath anymore, but Skittery hopes Master Jus' Harry be listening now. Skittery hears Master with no yelling."

"Right you are. That's why I'm not yelling anymore."

Skittery shook his head sorrowfully, his ears flapping against his head. "How can Skittery be helping Master Jus' Harry today?"

"It's time to put Plan B into action. Do you remember what you need to do?"

"Skittery be remembering, Master Jus' Harry." With that Skittery snapped his fingers and an illusion of Harry stood in his place. Skittery stepped passed his Master, opened the door, and closed it behind him. Sebastian fell into step behind the disguised house elf and they silently approached the lifts with their Auror guards following closely. Together they entered the next lift and it slid shut with a chime after the small group.

With a grin and a spring in his step, Harry left the bathroom and glanced at the dark door leading into the unknown depths of the Department of Mysteries. Harry only knew this after a quick comment from Salazar earlier in the morning. He also knew that his role in the plan was to go straight up to Madame Bones and file the report but he was oh so curious. And Harry Potter was not known to deny his curiosity. So, with another guilty shift of his gaze towards the lifts he opened the door and entered the forbidden place.

It didn't take more than a snap of 'Harry's' fingers for spells to start flying randomly in the Atrium. Specifically, a spell flying in from the elevators collided with the Fountain of Magical Brethren and turned the left side of the golden house elf's head into dust. Water continued to bubble through the side of its mouth where the pipe was fractured. With that, the already strained wizards had an outlet to express their concerns. They raised their wands towards the perceived threat. Supposedly, this threat was Sebastian Michaelis (though only those present for the trial knew his name) who was engaging Auror Tonks in a duel.

The stage set, 'Harry' made his way through the spell-fire and only occasionally had to dodge a stray spell, one a sickly shade of green. He glanced at the blonde who sent that particular spell and flicked the hand shielded from the blonde's view to the side. The wizard didn't have a chance to avoid the invisible shield which sent him sailing into the arms of the golden witch. Both the blonde and the statue of the witch crumbled into the fountain under the impact. 'Harry' continued to make his way to safety.

Across the hall, Tonks was playing her part well. Perhaps that's because she didn't realize she was part of the play.

"HARRY! GO! I'LL HOLD OFF THIS GUY." She sent a chain of spells at Sebastian who easily ducked around them. "MR. WEASLEY IS WAITING FOR YOU BY THE FLOOPORT! HURRY! IMPEDIMENTA!" The yelled spell sailed right through Sebastian leaving the gaping, young Auror lost momentarily before she snapped back into action. "Unbelievable, the coward! Just go, Harry. I have you covered!" She ran towards 'Harry' and covered him on his dash to the designated area.

Deciding it was in his best interest to allow 'Harry' to escape, but would be a terrible bore if it happened too easily, Sebastian emerged from the shadows, steps even and suit unruffled.

"Unfortunately, Ms. Tonks, the young Lord will be returning home with me. We are already behind schedule and I haven't even begun lunch." With that declaration, a strange one too many in the Atrium who heard it (now mostly Aurors and some talented duelers), a trigger-happy participant let loose a powerful spell. Sebastian shifted his head and allowed the mustard yellow spell to zoom just over his left ear. "That wasn't very nice, was it?" he stated, with a tsk and a wagging finger. Then a devious smile spread across the demon's lips and sharp teeth made their appearance. "Perhaps you've forgotten your mother's lessons on proper etiquette? Shall I remind you?"

With inhuman speed that no wizard could register, he moved across the hall. Then the offending wizard flew across the hall, slammed into the far wall, and crumbled to the shiny granite floor unconscious. Tonks's eyes widened as she saw the imprint of his body left behind on the wall. Dust settled over his shoulders and then…chaos erupted.

The spell fire on Sebastian intensified and Sebastian dashed and wove between individual spells converging on him. 'Harry' used Sebastian's distraction to make a break for the red head running towards him, hand outstretched. Obviously, Sebastian saw the threat this posed and changed direction quickly. He ran up a wall that sprouted from the ground, dodged the column of fire from a conjured dragon, snapped the neck of a lion just as it launched itself at him with its claws bared, and punched through another wall that sprang from the end of another wand. He had to give it to these wizards, they were getting creative in their desperation.

It was all for naught, in the end. 'Harry' took Mr. Weasley's hand and they disappeared with a pop of Disapparation. Without breaking stride or saying another word, Sebastian melted into the shadows and disappeared. It was time to see what his young charge was doing in the Department of Mysteries.

Sebastian left the wizards remaining in the Atrium in shock. Some were very visibly shaking. Others were whispering to each other in urgent voices, and still others were staring at the damage in horror. One such person, a janitor by the name of Reginald Cattermole, was on his knees, hands in the air as he asked "WHY?! WHY MUST YOU ALL BE SO CRUEL?! YOU WILL ALL SUFFER MY WRATH!" His co-workers in the Magical Maintenance Department agreed and for the next two months, a violent thunderstorm rapped against the Ministry worker's windows.

Just as Tonks was instructing 'Harry' to meet Mr. Weasley, Harry stepped through the first door in the Department of Mysteries and promptly fell into a deep pit. After a minute or so of falling, Harry turned onto his back and lounged on the rushing air. "This feels a little familiar," Harry said to himself. "I wonder if there'll be suspicious snacks down there. That's if there's a there and I'm not always here. Oh look, an umbrella. That should be useful." He grabbed the random rain gear and opened it then gently floated to the ground.

"I wonder which door to take," he said to himself. Harry closed the umbrella and approached one before bending down to look through the keyhole. "How dull, it's just a hallway with…tanks full of brains. Ew."

Harry moved to the next door and pressed his ear to the door. The sound of ticking reached his ear which was interesting so he opened the door and entered what he mentally dubbed the Temple of Time. Gold sand trickled in their hourglasses, sundials lined the walls, model solar systems spun in sync, cuckoo clocks trilled the new hour, and little people danced between the clock doors. Harry passed a display of time turners and snagged one in his hand. He stared at it fondly. "Hello, my pretty. Why don't we be friends forever?" He nodded at its answer and tucked it into his cloak pocket then resumed his journey through the Temple of Time.

The door at the other side of the Temple brought him into a room filled with rows upon rows of snow globes. Under each souvenir were two or three names. He supposed one was the maker, the other the giver, and the third the recipient. They were all identical otherwise but it seemed a lot of people hadn't received theirs yet. Harry explored the rows and suddenly he grinned. "Will you look at that?! Professor Dumbledore got me a Christmas present! Should I take it now? The DoM looks like they're behind on the orders so it might save them some time. Yeah, I'll do that! I'll have to get the Head Master a gift though. Maybe a fluffy pair of socks."

It was probably an impulsive idea, and those usually ended badly for Harry, but he grabbed the snow globe anyway. The moment his hands closed around the glowing ball, the fog inside cleared to show an image of his Divination teacher and her raspy voice echoed in his head. "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 have power the Dark Lord knows not…and either must die at the hand 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…"

"Well, aren't you a bundle of sunshine?" Harry snapped dryly. "I suppose this is why my parents died then?"

"Yes, my Lord."

Harry turned to see Salazar standing just behind him. "You knew the contents of this prophecy?" Salazar nodded. "Would you have told me?"

"When you were ready to hear it, yes."

Harry looked down at the snow globe in his hand and replaced it on the shelf. "That's a terrible Christmas present," he murmured. Raising his voice to be heard, he addressed Salazar. "I know I don't really have the right to order you around…at all. But in the future, I'd appreciate some honestly. If there's something else that affects me, tell me. I hate being left in the dark."

"As you wish, my Lord," Salazar answered bowing low. "Would you like to pay Madame Bones a visit now?"

"Yes, I suppose this little adventure is over. Let's go." Harry led the way out of the Snow Globe Storage, back through the Temple of Time (this time shrinking a solar system model and slipping it into his robes) and into the Rabbit Hole. "How do we leave this place? – Oh."

His question was answered as the doors on the walls spun in a manner reminiscent of a tire and stopped again with a door directly in front of him. With a shrug, he swung it open and strode through to find himself back in that dark corridor once more. The pair moved to the lifts and Salazar summoned one with a click of the button. Harry entered ahead of Salazar.

The door slid open again revealing an annoyed Salazar and an overly-pleased Harry. Harry snickered as Salazar escaped into the hallway and set off in a seemingly random direction. Of course, to Salazar it wasn't random ergo, Harry wasn't surprised when they stopped in front of a door bearing a bronze plaque with the occupant's information.

204

Amelia Susan Bones

Department of Magical Law Enforcement

Head Auror

Salazar turned to his charge and quickly adjusted the teen's tie before knocking twice on the door.

"Enter," Madame Bones called through the door.

Harry pushed open the door and entered ahead of Salazar who followed him dutifully. "Good morning, Madame Bones."

"Mister Potter, I was under the impression you escaped –" she trailed off when her gaze fell onto the quiet butler. "Mister Michaelis," she finished. "You two caused quite a stir."

"I'm afraid I missed it. Was it a good show?"

"Thrilling," Madame Bones answered sarcastically. "What can I do for you, Mr. Potter?"

"I'd like to press criminal charges against the Ministry of Magic."

Madame Bones adjusted the gold monocle over her eye and nodded. "I see and what exactly is the Ministry of Magic guilty of?"

"On 2 August, 1996, two Dementors accosted my cousin and I on our way home from Magnolia Park, Little Whinging, Surrey. I didn't press charges immediately because I had no evidence that the Ministry of Magic was involved. However, during the trial this morning, the Minister made it clear that the Dementors are under the full control of the Ministry."

"This is a very serious allegation, Mr. Potter. It will also be difficult to prove and try in the current political atmosphere. Are you certain you wish to proceed with the charges?"

"Madame Bones, the Minister all but admitted his part in an assassination attempt and he clearly doesn't care about any casualties left in wake of his fear-mongering."

"Strange, the Ministry has credited the same behavior to you."

Harry narrowed his eyes at the comment. "I have kept up with the news, so I'm aware of the Ministry's smear campaign. I find it interesting that they're allowed to print such libel, especially when I have yet to be questioned about the events surrounding the final task."

"You weren't questioned, Mr. Potter?"

"No, I wasn't. The only testimony I gave was the very night it happened, and I might add that I was in no state to be questioned about anything."

"Are you denying He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's return?"

"Wouldn't it be easier to refer to him as Tom Riddle? All this nonsense with his name is pitiful. Also, no. Tom Riddle is most certainly walking and talking once more."

Madame Bones frowned sternly at him. "So you are saying that You-Know-Who miraculously returned from the dead, killed an innocent boy, and released you to tell the world about his return?"

"Don't be ridiculous," Harry scoffed. "He fully intended to kill me that night but I managed to escape. And, perhaps, Riddle was never dead to begin with. His body was never found. It was just accepted that he was dead."

"I find that hard to believe, Mr. Potter."

"Madame Bones, there are unicorns, dragons, and moving paintings. I've held conversations with ghosts, completed business transactions with goblins, outwitted a werewolf, watched a human turn into a cat, heard a mermaid's song, and have my mail delivered by an owl. There is very little in this world that I find hard to believe. In fact, I was thinking of chasing down the end of the rainbow for that pot of gold. And I swear I saw a man holding a genie lamp in the elevator on my way down here." The dark haired teenager took a deep breath and tried to contain his mounting excitement. Until recently, he hadn't really appreciated how wonderful magic was. "Is it so hard to believe that one person can keep themselves from dying when the one struck by a spell which has a 0% survival rate is standing before you?"

The Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement opened her mouth for a moment to speak but closed it again the next. She stared through her window which was showing the displeasure of the Magical Maintenance Department. Already a powerful thunderstorm was brewing in the distance, rain splattering against the panes. Finally she addressed the quiet teen. "You make a valid point. It does sound spectacular when placed from the perspective of someone unfamiliar with the magical world, which you were Mr. Potter. So perhaps it's time someone told you about another time in our recent history."

She cleared her throat. "Only fourteen years ago, we were in the middle of a civil war which grew more horrifying with every passing day. Friends and family disappearing with no trace, neighbors found dead in their homes often with the Dark Mark hovering above their home, not knowing who you can trust, and deadly duels breaking out in the streets. The Ministry was placed in a rough position, attempting to keep the peace between two extremes and ultimately, failing. And then, quite suddenly, the cause of the problems disappears and peace returns. We do not want a repeat of those terrible years."

"I understand, Madame Bones, really I do. But burying your head under the sand isn't going to make the problem go away." Harry turned towards Salazar who remained silent, but Harry collected himself once more. "At any rate, we've wandered from our original business. The charges I'm pressing against the Ministry. I will not retract them."

"Very well, Mr. Potter. I will file them. An Auror will be sent to your residence within the week for your full testimony and if all is well, your trial date. Have a good day."

"Likewise, Madame Bones." The teenager gave a shallow bow before making his way to the door.

"Oh, and Mr. Potter? The Auror will also bring a bill for the damages your tomfoolery caused today."

Harry nodded, the door closed behind Salazar and the pair made their way down to the Atrium where the Flooport waited. Of course, he could have simply summoned Skittery but he needed the house elf where he was. The lift opened onto the Atrium with a ding and Harry gaped at the atrocious golden statue. Then he snickered.

"I guess Skittery took offense to his portrayal?"

"Indeed."

"I have to say," Harry continued. "The Atrium is much improved." A janitor, still repairing the damage to the floor, glowered at him as he passed and Harry waved cheerfully. When the janitor's glare intensified Harry held his hands up in surrender. "Come on, you have to admit the thing was unrealistic, hideous, obnoxious, and totally offensive to the magical brethren! What goblin has ever come in and said, 'Merlin! That's how I greet wizards every day!'?"

The janitor turned away without replying.

"That's what I thought." Harry approached an open fireplace, grabbed a handful of Floopowder which Salazar provided and tossed it into the fireplace as he stepped in. "The Leaky Cauldron!" he called out. In the spinning vortex of green flames, the Ministry of Magic disappeared and then he was spit out onto the rug of the Leaky Cauldron.

He left the Leaky Cauldron at a leisurely pace, waving to the old innkeeper as he passed. He emerged into the midday sunshine brightening the bustling Charing Cross Road. In front of him, Salazar waited holding the door of a limo open for Harry to climb into. Harry grinned and ducked into the vehicle.