Chapter 11

With a soft pop Tonks and Harry reappeared in the lobby of the Ministry of Magic. The lobby was somewhat quiet as they had arrived in the middle of the work day. Tonks gave Harry a grin and arm and arm guided him towards the security check in. Flashing her Auror badge she said to the guard, "Taking a witness up to the DMLE." Looking board the Wizard at the desk didn't even glance up from The Daily Prophet as Tonks and Harry went past the check in.

Heading towards the elevator the pair dodged witches and wizards and the various messages flying through the air.

With a ding the elevator doors opened and the duo entered the elevator alone. "So what am I doing here?" Harry asked. "What could Madam Bones want?"

"It will be ok Harry she just wanted to go over some of the things that you and Healer Tutsville talked about and some of the complications with your treatment. You know that the Unspeakables were called in to help with your scar?"

"Ya, the Healer mentioned that it took more than a few people to get me to where I am now. I really should thank her again because with each day I feel better. I have not had a headache since I woke up and I used to have them for days on end. I have also noticed that my magic seems, easier somehow. I picked up the Obliviate and Confundus charm quick. It used to take me quite awhile to learn new charms."

"Let's keep the magic over the summer quiet Harry, I don't want to get in trouble for teaching you those. And please don't mention any of Aunt Marge around here; it could really get me in trouble."

"I promise Tonks, not a word."

The elevator chimed and a voice spoke out "Level 2." The duo stepped off the lift and headed for Madam Bones office. Arriving at the office the secretary looked up from her desk, "Can I help you?"

"Auror Tonks and Harry Potter here to see Madam Bones." Tonks spoke out with her official voice.

"Just a moment Auror." Cliodna said giving Tonks a wink. Noticing the byplay Tonks staged whispered to Harry "We were in the same house at Hogwarts. It's good to keep it professional when at work."

Cliodna got up and knocked on Madam Bones door before stepping in. A moment later she walked to the conference room door and opened it. Gesturing to Tonks she said, "Auror, you and Mr. Potter will be in the conference room, Madam Bones will be just a few minutes."

As Tonks and Harry walked into the room the walls turned a deep red. Tonks looked abashed and pulled out her wand. "Why did the walls change color Tonks?" Harry asked.

"Just forgot to do something Harry." Tonks pointed her wand at Harry and cast a "Finite" at Harry's green shirt.

"What was that for?" Harry asked.

"Just wanted to make sure that we had this conversation at some time Mr. Potter. I asked Auror Tonks to get you back here so we could talk so I assume that she felt a Confundus charm or maybe a Trust me charm was needed to get you to comply." Madam Bones said while walking in the door.

Tonks was taking off a necklace that she had on and tapped it with her wand ending a second spell on the necklace. With the collapse of the second spell the walls of the room went back to normal.

"So you had two spells on me? What was the second one for Tonks?"

"We all knew that you were about to make a runner from … where we were … and the risk to yourself was just too great, someone had to keep an eye out for you. I figured that if you were going to run it would be best if you had someone around. The others thought it was a good idea so I had a Trust me charm on the necklace and a Confundus on the shirt I gave you. If it makes you feel any better I am not sure the Confundus was working at all. It was supposed to make you want to come here to talk to Madam Bones but I still had to convince you."

It was evident that Harry was pissed. As he pushed his chair away from the desk and started to stand.

"Where are you going Mr. Potter?" Madam Bones asked.

"I am leaving. I am done with this. I am not sure why every person I know feels like they can just use me."

"Quit acting like a child and sit down. There is much more to all of this then you understand. We need to work together on this Mr. Potter our world is in terrible danger I don't think that you truly understand what is at stake."

Being accused of acting like a child didn't win Madam Bones any points with Harry but he was interested to hear what such a threat was. Deciding to stay he slowly sank back into his seat. "So what is it that I don't understand Madam? I have been having run-ins with Voldemort for years what's different now?"

"This time the Muggles are the real threat." Harry was not expecting Madam Bones to say that. "Harry how much do you know about our world, the Magical world." Looking at him he gave a shrug and she continued on. "Right now in the United Kingdom there is about 100,000 magical users.

Harry not realizing the size of the magical world looked up "How can that be, there are what 400 kids in Hogwarts?"

"Actually there are 337 students in Hogwarts right now and the number has been slowly raising the last couple of years due to you vanquishing He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. After that Halloween, the birth rate has gone up every year increasing enrolment and should continue to do so for at least the next few years. But the vast majority of the magical users in the United Kingdom don't have the power levels that they would need to enter Hogwarts. Hogwarts is the premier magical school but not the only school and there are many apprentice programs throughout the kingdom. I am telling you this because I know that you were raised muggle."

"Really this is interesting and all but why are the muggles a worse threat than Voldemort?" Harry said.

"You have to understand that the muggles are not as helpless as many think that they are. The speed at which there technology is changing is dangerous for us. There are even reports that they have traveled to the Moon and that they have machines that take pictures of Earth from outer space. The latest rumor is that they can communicate instantly to anyone in the world but I have as yet to see any proof of this."

"There called mobile phones, you can get one anywhere." Harry said gruffly.

"Interesting… You must understand Mr. Potter the Statue of Secrecy is all that prevents the fall of our world. With the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and the indiscriminate killing that he and his followers committed last time in the muggle world. If the same thing happens this time, I am afraid that there are not enough Obliviators in the Wizarding world to prevent the muggles finding out about our world. If the general muggle population finds out about us the outcome will be devastating."

"Why can't you just hide behind muggle repelling charms or Fidelius charms." Harry asked.

"Mr. Potter in your short time in the Wizarding world you have had the benefit of being associated with many of the most powerful members of our society. For many in our world we tend to specialize in the areas of magic that we can perform. For the average witch or wizard, outside of law enforcement has never needed to cast a shielding charm. Just as most in law enforcement are not proficient in the construction of magical trunks or wands or any of the other items that are used in the magical world. The same is true for warding an area to repel muggles. The Ministry tends to contract out much of this work to the Goblins since there magic seems to be more adapt to area wide effects than a wizards. By using the Goblins in this way we also form common bonds with them to help in our relations. Our society has members at all levels for the items that we require such as farmers, woodsman and even potters, and iron mongers. We are getting off track here. The main goal, from my perspective, is to limit the exposure that the muggle world has with the magical world."

"Shouldn't your goal be finding and dealing with Voldemort and his followers? If they are gone it will keep the muggles from finding out and all of our problems are solved." Harry Said.

"The problem with that is that the people that you named as supporters are very influential people in our world. Even if it is proved that they are supporters many if not most people in the wizarding world agree with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named they may not agree with his methods but the influx of muggle born into our society is very dangerous for its continuation. Each new person that tries to live in both magical and muggle worlds just makes it that much more difficult for us to keep the secret. Even I wish that the muggle born were not allowed in. For each muggle born makes my job harder. We only have a few muggle experts in the Ministry and Arthur is over worked as it is."

Harry realized that Madam Bones was just like all of the other pure bloods that worked in the Ministry; she was completely ignorant of the muggle world and considered herself above the muggles. She was not concerned about the muggles that were killed but about the backlash that the killings would have on the wizarding world.

Harry could not believe what he was hearing. "Arthur Weasley is your muggle expert?" At Madam Bones nod. "Don't get me wrong the man has been very good to me but he knows almost nothing about the muggle world. Why don't you get some muggle born to work for you."

"Muggle born in the ministry, it will never happen Mr. Potter. We have tried in the past but it just never worked out. They just never fit in."

Harry stood "I will be going now. I can see talking to you was a waste of time."

"Wait, we have not even talked about charges against the Dursley's." Madam Bones said as she too stood.

"I don't care about the Dursley's do with them what you want. Good day."

At this Tonks stood also and started to follow Harry to the door.

"Leave me alone Tonks, I don't want to see you again." Harry said as he picked up his stride trying to move away from the Metamorph.

"Harry wait." Tonks tried but Harry would not even look at the Auror. Instead of taking the lift back to the Atrium Harry took the steps two at a time trying to get to some distance between him and the Auror.

Passing the Security check in point Harry looked back and saw that Tonks was right there. He thought of his Destination with Deliberation and Determination he popped away just as Tonks got an arm on him.

The two landed on the ground outside of Aunt Marge's cottage in lump. Again Harry let out a sigh as he tried to figure out where he stopped and Tonks started. In Tonks haste to catch up to Harry she didn't realize that he was about to Apparate away from the Ministry. It was only pure luck that she had not left parts of her scattered from the Atrium all the way to Aunt Marge's cottage.

"Damn it Tonks what have you done now. I guess spying and manipulation weren't enough, you had to go and get your hand wedged into my shoulder."

"Don't worry Harry I can fix this. I just need to get to my wand. A splinching is not that bad to fix, just a little disorientating." Letting her wand slip into her hand Tonks started the process of separating her left hand from Harry's shoulder.

For Harry it also gave him time to get his own wand out. Over the course of the last few days he has finally seen what living in a magical society means; might makes right. The wizarding world was superior to the muggles because they had the power. Wizards such as Dumbledore and Riddle could do what they pleased because they had power. Even the lesser Wizards and Witches could do what they want if they had the power of the Ministry of Magic behind them. Here is Tonks who should have her own power that is played like a puppet from two who are more powerful.

"Let's see what she will do for me." Harry mumbled.

With another swish of her wand Tonks separated her hand from where it became attached to Harry. "There we are love, no trouble at all." Tonks said as she was holding up her hand and flexing it to make sure it still worked. Without warning a spell impacted on her chest sending her flying backwards while at the same time sending her wand flying to Harry.

Skidding to a stop she looked up to see that Harry was holding her wand and was not looking to happy. "I am sorry about this Tonks, really I am, but I can't have you running around telling others where I am and what I am doing. I need someone that is on my side and with you reporting to Dumbledore and Bones I don't think that you can be it. I think it was a mistake to bring you along and now it is time to send you on your way."

"It's ok Harry I will go, just give me back my wand and you won't see me again. I promise." Tonks tried to talk her wand free from Harry but he continued to stalk towards her.

"It's not that simple Tonks; you know where I am at. And really what good would it be to just turn you lose to go back to your two masters, wouldn't it be better to just have one?" Pulling from what he had learned from the Black library Harry set to work. Who would have thought that Managing your muggles and charming new staff would have had any good ideas in it. Aiming his wand at the still back peddling Tonks Harry hissed out "Obliviate."

AN

I don't like this chapter but this is what you get. I have been fighting with it for some time and this is what I am sticking with. I have always wondered why madam bones in most fanfiction is portrayed as this savior for Harry. It seems that most of the people in the wizarding world from JKR books looked down on the muggles and I don't know why M. Bones would be any different, especially considering just who seems to get promoted in the MOM. I also have to think that if Mr. Weasley is one of the ministry muggle experts then the others in the MOM would know even less than he does about the muggle world considering just how bad the magical world seems to look down on muggles. With those two facts you have to conclude that few if any muggle bourns end up working in the ministry at all. Facts, Ha, this is fanfiction anything goes.

Thanks for reading.