Competition/Challenge Block:
Written for/Stacked with: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Interlude); Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition (Season 7); Monthly Challenges for All (Year 2)
House/Team: Ravenclaw (Hogwarts); Wigtown Wanderers (QL)
Role/Position: Prefect (Hogwarts); Keeper (QL)
QL Prompt: Department of Magical Law Enforcement: Write about the consequences of breaking a rule or law.
Other Hogwarts Challenges: Insane Prompt Challenge [845] (Boss); 365 Prompts [163] (Severe)

Bingo: Summer 3C (Growth)
Representation: Amelia Bones; Arthur Weasley; Consequences of One's Actions
Bonus Challenges: Second Verse (Middle Name; Unwanted Advice; Ladylike - Stern; Not a Lamp; White Dress); Chorus (Bee Haven)
Tertiary Bonus Challenges: Oust (O3)

Word Count: 1,384 words (per Google Docs)
Beta(s): Bailey, Jet, Ciara

The Problem with Flying Cars

"Mr. Weasley, are you aware of the severe problem this flying motorcar of yours has caused the Ministry?" Amelia Bones inquired, sorting through a few pages of parchment in front of her while Arthur stood behind the chair in front of her desk. Her transcriber sat quietly in the corner behind him, the sound of the Quick Quotes Quill jotting down the private hearing as it unfolded while he bore witness to it to fortify the records.

Arthur swallowed hard, fumbling with the worn hat he shifted absentmindedly in his hands as he digested the question. "I—uh, do dearly apologize for this misunderstanding—"

"Misunderstanding?" Amelia questioned, looking up at him through her spectacles. "I hardly find this a misunderstanding, Mr. Weasley. Being the Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office does not allow you the privilege to harbor confiscated enchanted Muggle objects outside of Ministry grounds or security vaults."

He opened his mouth to protest, but her quick hand rose to silence him as she looked back through the parchment. "There are no records of you recovering this Ford Anglia from anyone or from Ministry secured property. Where and when did you acquire this contraption?"

"I bought it myself," Arthur replied rather quickly.

Amelia looked up again, raising a curious brow at him and the answer given. "Was this object purchased with the ability to fly?"

"Er—uh, no."

"I see." Amelia wrote down a few notes in a small black book on the edge of her desk. "What was the purpose of purchasing and enhancing the motorcar?"

Arthur took a deep breath and started to take a seat before he paused. "May I?"

She gestured with her hand but did not look up. "Please do."

He took a seat and continued to fidget with his hat. "You see, I never intended to operate the car with all of these enhancements, Madam Bones. My original purpose for it was to transport my family to and from Muggle London without the overwhelming hassle of Flooing, organizing a Portkey, Apparating, or paying for the Knight Bus. Three of these methods are quite costly after a time, and Apparating my family is quite risky in and of itself, you see."

"Mr. Weasley, owning the contraption isn't what is illegal here. It is the obvious enchantments placed on the car, as well as multiple Muggle eye witnesses seeing it flying above the treeline, among other things, that are the primary concerns at hand. Do you understand?"

"I do," he stammered out, swallowing. "However, the laws do state that it is not illegal to enchant Muggle objects so long as there is no intent to utilize them. It is, after all, a part of my job to test magic on Muggle things so we can study and observe how they respond and behave. It is how a lot of my recent cases have been solved, as you are well aware of I'm sure."

Amelia clasped her hands together and rested them on the parchment, giving Arthur full eye contact now as he pleaded his case. He faltered some and trailed off, trying to remember what he was wanting to say.

"What I mean to say is, I never intended to use the Ford Anglia after the enchantments were cast. They were going to be promptly removed once I was finished with my observations and submitted my notes on the experiment."

The witch took a deep breath, her calculated gaze unwavering as she processed the information. "I admire your dedication to your work, Mr. Weasley. I wish to believe that you never had any intentions of utilizing the motorcar with these enchantments. However, we cannot overlook the cases presented to us in which the vehicle was seen airborne, regardless of who was flying it. We also cannot ignore the other peculiar qualities it exhibited in a public Muggle space, either. This shows irresponsibility on your part for not properly securing your experiments to prevent theft."

She pulled a piece of parchment from the far side of her desk and adjusted her spectacles as she read. "You are being charged with two separate counts of Misuse of Muggle Objects and violating the Statute of Secrecy respectively, considering a total of sixteen Muggles and one Squib witnessed the contraption in the air on two separate occasions."

"Pardon?"

"Because three of the Muggles, as well as the Squib, are aware that magic exists, those reports are being dropped. However, I won't disregard the other Muggle sighting from the evening of August third. Also, we certainly cannot neglect the fact that twelve more Muggles either witnessed the Ford Anglia or observed its strange ability to hold more people and luggage than it should have been capable of while at Kings Cross Station."

"Oh…"

Amelia eyed Arthur suspiciously, knowing that he was withholding information in regards to using extendable charms on the car as well. "Were the contraption's abilities to fly and become invisible the only enchantments you placed on it?"

Arthur fidgeted even more, the sweat started to slowly bead on his brow line. He knew lying would bring harsher repercussions, and she was giving him the opportunity to be honest.

"There were, ah, some extension charms used on it as well… You know, large brood plus one and all," he half-whispered.

She let out a quiet hum of approval, her eyes flitting to what she jotted down in her book before she resumed skimming the parchment in front of her.

"Do you know where this Ford Anglia is now?"

"I do not," Arthur said quickly. "My son said it drove into the woods at the school."

"On its own?"

"I, uh, believe so."

"So it is lost," Amelia said, adding it to her notes.

"Mr. Weasley, based on what was reviewed here today, you have admitted to placing advanced enchantments on a Muggle motorcar to give it the ability to fly, become invisible, and enlarge the space within it as a means of experimentation as to how the contraption would respond to magic. You have also admitted to knowingly using and operating it with said enchantments still active, therefore validating all the cases presented to me."

She looked up at Arthur then, folding her hands back together in front of her. "And if what you say about the Anglia becoming sentient, then I am afraid you will have to be placed under temporary suspension with pay as well as pay any incurring fines as they are presented until the contraption is properly recovered. We will review your status once this is accomplished and move forward with the proper protocols then."

Flustered, Arthur cut in. "Excuse me, Madam Bones, I don't mean to sound condescending, but the law states—"

Amelia raised her hand. "The law you are referring to only protects you to an extent. You may have had no intention of using the Muggle object, however you fully admitted that you have done so at least once as well as failed to secure potentially dangerous enchanted items properly to avoid them from being stolen and prevent these cases from happening."

"My own children took it, but they brought it back."

"It does not matter who took it, Mr. Weasley. It is a risk and safety hazard, as well as a violation of the Statute of Secrecy." She leaned forward some, her sharp expression softening ever so slightly. "Trust me, Mr. Weasley, a suspension is the best I can do for you until the recovery of the contraption is completed and any further investigation is finalized. I could easily have your job, but you've been one of the best wizards we've had handling that department, and trust me when I say that it is certainly a very difficult position to keep filled."

Arthur swallowed, relieved but thoroughly understanding the warning by giving quick, jerking nods. "Of course. Thank you."

"Some advice for the future, Mr. Weasley. Be less reckless with your off-duty experiments, and stop doing them outside of Ministry property entirely."

Amelia stood and held out her hand across her desk. Arthur took it and gave it a firm shake, silently thankful all he got was a slap on the wrist. He left her office resolving to never tinker with another Muggle object again—or at least until his suspension was over, that is.