Chapter 28: The Trap is Sprung

"Y'know, that's not the most flattering picture of me," Harry commented flippantly to Tonks as they entered the Ministry, though he was careful to keep his voice down to avoid being overheard.

"It does seem to have a certain… 'run away screaming because he's a psychotic monster' air to it that you generally lack," Tonks agreed.

If the wanted poster they were observing was aware of them, it gave no indication. Instead, the moving picture continued to scream, almost frothing at the mouth, its eyes wide as it reached out as though straining to escape from the large sheet of paper it was printed on.

"I wonder how they got it. I'm quite certain that I've never acted like that."

"Human transfiguration might be an option, but making it look so much like you would require a true master. They did manage to get your blood. Maybe they found a hair as well for Polyjuice," the Auror suggested. "Or it might be possible to modify Polyjuice to work with blood instead."

"I bet that's what it was," Harry said. "And it was probably Snape who came up with the modified recipe," he theorized, only half-jokingly. "He'd probably love the opportunity to make me look bad like that."

Tonks chuckled. "We could ask," she pointed out slyly, but Harry shook his head.

"We'll have more important things to take up the time." He glanced at his watch. "Now, we have less than two hours 'til showtime. Let's get this application turned in then go find some good seats for the show."

Even as just an Auror Trainee, Tonks' presence allowed them to bypass much of the security, though Harry was sure that even without her aid he could have made it past the obviously inattentive guard. He'd removed the prosthetic scar from his forehead and taken a combination of disguising and aging potions, so the chances of anyone recognizing him were hovering between 'incredibly slim' and 'non-existent'.

Filing the paperwork with the clerk managing the desk in the appropriate department took just a few minutes, and then they were on their way back out.

"Do you really think they'll approve your application?" Tonks asked curiously.

Harry frowned in thought. "If they don't, it's not a problem. But if they haven't responded within thirty days, it's considered approved, though they can revoke the license after further review. And with all the chaos that will be happening in just a few hours, they might overlook a few things." Tonks glanced over at him, and he shrugged. "It might be a long shot, but there's no harm in trying. And if it works, that gives me some legal protection in the future."

"You don't think they'll take one glimpse of your name and throw it in the waste bin?"

"Already thought of that," Harry replied proudly. "I transfigured the application paperwork to have a different name. Bit more complicated than a simple charm, but it's also harder to detect. It should wear off in a day or so without leaving any trace to prove what I did."

"Well, look at you being all sneaky and clever," Tonks teased.

"Ah, yes," he said in a haughty voice, a smug smirk on his face. "Harry Potter, the Slytherin-est Gryffindor to every live."

For maximum publicity, the presentation would be taking place in Diagon Alley itself. A large stage had been erected in front of the Foundation building, with a podium at the front along with several chairs for those people who would be involved in the proceedings, as well as elevated seats for the Board of Directors further back.

The public seats in the audience were already mostly filled, though the presentation wasn't scheduled to begin for another half hour. Probably because of the 'rumor' that everyone attending in the seats will be invited to a social afterward with unlimited free desert and firewhiskey, Harry thought with a smile. That had been one of Connor's suggestions to ensure a good turnout, and it seemed that it was working.

"So, think we should try to get a seat, or should we go for the other option?" Tonks asked.

"And what is this other option?" Harry inquired suspiciously.

Tonks looked around consideringly. "I think we could get a good view from up there," she said pointing to a nearby three-story building.

Harry looked at the building, then back at her, confused. "What? From inside the building? Will they even let us in?"

"Not inside," Tonks said, rolling her eyes. "On top of it. You have your broom, right? We can fly up to the roof."

"Is that legal?" Harry fixed her with a gimlet eye. "Are you sure you aren't breaking some sort of Auror oath by encouraging me to do that?"

Tonks just laughed.

They ducked into an alley, then Harry retrieved his broom. "Hopefully, no one notices this is a Firebolt," he commented. "There aren't many of those in Britain right now, and it's pretty well known that Harry Potter has one of the only ones."

"Yeah, I saw that press release they sent out politely asking Hogwarts faculty to not break any more of their brooms," Tonks snickered as she climbed onto the broom behind him. "The most beautiful example of a passive-aggressive put-down I've seen in a long time."

Harry did his best to ignore the way that his exceptionally attractive companion was pressed right up against him as they flew to the roof, her arms wrapped around his chest and her breath hot against his ear. Though judging by the studiously innocent expression on her face when they dismounted, he hadn't been as successful in hiding his thoughts as he had hoped. She's not going to let this one go, is she, Harry realized with some despair.

"Thanks for letting me ride on your broomstick, Harry," Tonks said, looking as though butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. "It's very impressive how well you handle such a long, hard piece of wood." Just for added emphasis, she ran a finger up and down the Firebolt.

Is she using her abilities to make her eyes bigger so she looks more innocent? And I'm pretty sure her breasts weren't that size a minute ago. Harry fought down the urge to blush as he turned away, trying to ignore the guffaws behind him.

Harry carefully approached the edge of the roof and sat down, his legs dangling in the air. Soon, Tonks was seated beside him. To his surprise, the pink-haired woman retrieved something from her pocket. A tap from her wand revealed it to be a magical cooler holding food in stasis.

"So, I've got nachos, butterbeer, popcorn and hot dogs," she announced. "What do you want?"

"I don't care," Harry replied, not entirely honestly. I don't even want to know what she'd say if I went for the hot dogs. That would just be ammunition for far too many jokes.

"We can start with the nachos," Tonks decided as she handed him a paper plate covered with crisps and melted cheese. "and have the hot dogs afterward. We'll save the popcorn for the real show."

Looking at the food in front of him warily, Harry grabbed one of the crisps and took a hesitant bite. "Wow, this doesn't look like much, but it's really good."

"You've never had nachos before?" The tone was bad enough, but the horrified look on Tonks' face was just over the top.

"My relatives would never eat anything that's not traditional British food," Harry replied, rolling his eyes.

"You poor, deprived child." Tonks clucked sadly, then reached over and pulled Harry close to her, hugging him and pushing his head down so that he was staring right at her chest. "Don't worry, with the two of us, I'm sure that we can find all sorts of new, exciting experiences that will give your body the most incredible, exquisite… sensations."

"Are you trying to see if you can make me blush to death?" an exasperated Harry asked as he fought his way free from her grip.

"You know, most guys would be thrilled to have me flirting with them," Tonks said, her face snooty.

"Yeah, I'll leave that to Chad," the boy muttered. He'd seen the way those two were with each other.

With fifteen minutes before the program was scheduled to start, the reserved seats at the front of the audience began filling up. Harry watched intently as reporters from newspapers across Europe, and even some from America and Canada, began filing in. Despite the impressive turnout, it hadn't taken as much effort as expected to get this much press coverage. Many newspapers had already sent people to get a first-hand look at the riots and protests that had plagued magical Britain for the past few weeks, while others were at least reaching out for information via floo or mail. Dan, in his persona as Victor Grey, Chairman of the Foundation for the Future, had contacted them all and promised that today's presentation would make headlines across the world. Not surprisingly, the prospect of having their name on the byline of a front-page article brought the reporters in droves.

The press were not the only ones with reserved seats, however. Harry watched with mixed emotions as the Inquisitorial Squad from Hogwarts trooped out of the Foundation building and began to seat themselves just behind the reporters.

His eyes narrowed as he caught sight of a familiar figure with bright red hair. Though Percy had appeared horrified when Harry had been tortured by Umbridge, it seemed that he had gotten over his concerns. Or was he just to scared of the possible consequences if he tried to pull away from them now? Harry frowned at that thought.

"Whatcha thinkin' about?" Tonks asked through a mouthful of nachos, interrupting his mental debate.

"Percy Weasley," Harry replied absentmindedly.

"There's some really cute girls your age down there, and you're thinking of Percy Weasley?" Tonks raised an eyebrow speculatively, clearly struggling to keep the grin off her face. "Harry… is there something you want to tell me?"

Harry rolled his eyes, but made no other response, instead continuing to observe the Hogwarts students down below. And, of course, thanks to his companion's comment about the cute girls, his attention was constantly drawn back to Daphne Greengrass, looking particularly attractive with her long hair elaborately styled and a set of robes that fit her form exceptionally well.

The teen sighed. Luckily, the award ceremony would begin soon. Surely there would be a limit to how much teasing Tonks would be able to fit in before that.

"That's an interesting combination of condiments you put on your dog, Harry," Tonks said. He glanced over at her, immediately suspicious of the air of innocence she was once more exuding. "I don't suppose you'd let me have a taste of your wiener?"

"Dang it, Tonks!"

And finally, the presentation began.

A hush fell over the crowd as 'Victor Grey' walked out onto the stage, accompanied by Cornelius Fudge, Dolores Umbridge, and, of course, the man of the hour himself – Lucius Malfoy.

Dan stepped up to the podium, a broad smile on his face, while the others took their seats behind him. "I'd like to thank you all for coming today. This is a wonderful opportunity for all of us, and I can truly say that I hope today's presentation will be the start of something that continues on for many years as we work to build a better future." There was a brief swell of applause that quieted down as Dan raised his hand in acknowledgement.

"We'd like to thank the Ministry for their support here today, especially for the Aurors who are providing security. And we would like to especially acknowledge Dolores Umbridge, the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts, who is doing everything she can to take hold of the our foundering education system and steer it through the rough times that we are now facing."

Umbridge's toad-like face shown with glee at this praise. Harry noted with a touch of amusement that Dan had said she was trying to take control, not that she was actually doing anything good with the control she had, though it didn't appear anyone who wasn't already in the know had picked up on that.

"For any of you who do not know, I am Victor Grey, the chairman of the Foundation for the Future. And today, we are focusing on a man who has played a pivotal role in getting our society where it is today. A man who has touched many lives. A leader in our community. I am, of course, speaking of Lucius Malfoy." Another wave of applause sounded.

Harry looked at their target, who was smiling proudly at the support he was receiving. He has no idea. The thought almost made him giddy.

"Now, as you can see on the program we handed out, Minister Fudge is going to share a few words on his experiences with Lucius Malfoy. Minister?"

Fudge strode up to the podium, a pompous expression on his face as he looked out over the crowd. "I first met Lucius Malfoy had a fundraiser dinner for Saint Mungo's. Lucius had already made a very generous contribution, impressing many, but he didn't do it for the praise that it so rightfully garnered. He did it because it was the right thing to do, and as I have gotten to know him better over the years, I can say with complete confidence that that is just the sort of man that my good friend Lucius is."

Harry ignored the Minister's heavy-handed praise as he droned on, instead turning to Tonks. "He's really digging his own grave here, isn't he?"

"I wonder how quickly he'll try to backtrack when it's all done," Tonks laughed as she handed him a bag of popcorn.

Fifteen minutes later, Fudge finally finished what should have been about a two-minute speech.

"Thank you, Minister, for those words. It's good to know that you are so approving and supportive of such a distinguished citizen," Dan said as he stepped up next to the overweight politician, oozing false sincerity. "Mister Malfoy, would you care to join us?"

Cameras flashed as Malfoy stepped up, holding his walking stick and dressed in the finest robes money could buy.

"Now, before we proceed on to the actual presentation of the award, I would like to take just a moment to talk a little bit more about Mister Malfoy. I think the audience deserves a chance to get to know more about the real man behind the myth, and to learn why we chose him specifically."

Harry grinned as Dan reached over and tapped a rune on the podium. This is it. The shock and panic on the faces of Malfoy and Fudge was a delight to see as they realized they were being held immobile from the neck down.

"We have some questions for Malfoy, and I think that you all will find the answers to those questions to be illuminating," Dan said bluntly, dropping his veneer of refinement as he glared at the captive Death Eater.

"Minister Fudge is being held immobile and silenced; he will not be able to say anything, though he can hear everything," the chairman explained. "Mister Malfoy, on the other hand, can only hear what I say. The reason for this is that I'm going to interrogate him under veritaserum, and I don't want him responding to every question people may ask. So don't bother shouting out questions, he can't hear you. Instead, I would ask that you all be patient and listen closely." His smile turned distinctly predatory. "There's a lot of material that we need to cover, and veritaserum only lasts for about an hour, so we need to cover it all quickly."

Malcolm Prewett, in his guise as fellow board member Mister Malcolm, took a step forward and held up a large vial of veritaserum for the audience. Harry was pleased to note that Umbridge and the other board members were all clearly panicking, but also unable to move. The aurors to the sides of the stage were trying to break through the protective charms, though they weren't having any luck.

"Now, before we start the interrogation, I'd like to clarify a bit about the legal side of things. You see, it is illegal in magical Britain to use veritaserum on someone without their consent or a Wizengamot order, and any information gathered through an unauthorized interrogation is not permissible in court. So you may wonder what we are doing here."

Dan took a step away from the podium and raised a hand, looking almost like a professor lecturing his pupils. "Well, we set this up very carefully. You see, everyone on the stand is a member of the Foundation for the Future, and when they joined, they signed a contract. It is legally binding, but it's not magically binding, so none of them really paid as close attention as they should have when signing it, which allowed us to put some clauses in that I'm sure Malfoy and his ilk will not appreciate."

"Rather than boring you with all of the minute details, we've prepared a press release complete with all of the relevant clauses and bylaws for your review afterward, but I will touch on just a few of the highlights."

"First, is that in the Foundation's bylaws, it states that the chairman of the board of directors, that is to say, myself, may, with the approval of one member of the board, initiate an investigation into any of its members should sufficient cause be found to suspect that a member is acting in a manner that may bring the Foundation into disrepute." He looked over at Malfoy, his expression darkening. "As you will see, that certainly applies here today." He turned to look at Malcolm. "But just to make it all official, Mister Malcolm, I believe that it would be wise for us investigate the allegations against Lucius Malfoy of rape, murder, terrorism, and other such crimes."

"I agree," Malcolm said with a malicious grin.

"Well, that's covered," Dan said, turning back to the enraptured audience with a smile.

"Second, upon the conclusion of such an investigation, the most severe punishment that the Foundation can inflict upon an individual is to excommunicate them from our organization," he continued. "However, the findings of that investigation may be turned over to the Aurors for use in the prosecution of any crimes that may have been committed, even if those crimes were committed before the individual joined the Foundation for the Future."

"Third, non-harmful potions up to Class B may be used during the course of the investigation. Veritaserum, for your information, has been classified by the ministry as Class-B, non-harmful."

"And finally, if an individual is to be questioned against their will, the Minister for Magic and every member of the Board of Directors must be present or provide written acknowledgement and authorization for the interrogation. And as you can all see, our Minister and the board have kindly consented to join us today, fulfilling that clause."

Harry couldn't help the proud look on his face at the startled whispers this explanation produced. True, most of the details had been hammered out by Dan and Peter, but it had been his general idea to begin with.

"Now, some of these clauses are in the contract they signed upon joining the Foundation, and others are carefully hidden throughout the bylaws, but since the contract includes a provision stating that by signing, they agree to follow and adhere to all requirements, conditions and provisions set forth in the bylaws, by signing, every person that we will be interrogating here today has consented to be questioned under veritaserum, and agreed that any information we learn here today will be given to the Aurors for use in prosecuting them before the Wizengamot for their crimes."

"You can only interrogate a member of the Board of Directors with a three quarters majority vote of the board," Malfoy managed to gasp out.

"That's true, but you're not a member," Dan replied unconcernedly. "You were a member prior to our last meeting, and the plan was for you to take a seat on the board once more today, but, as you can clearly see on the program, the invitation to join the board is after the award has been presented, which we haven't gotten to yet. So, you're not a board member, and have no such protection." He shrugged. "Nice try, though."

Malfoy continued to struggle ineffectually, but it was futile. Malcolm administered the potion, and the questions began.

They only had a limited amount of time, so Harry, Peter and Dan had carefully evaluated Malfoy's crimes and listed the questions in a specific order for what they hoped would be maximum effectiveness. Naturally, they decided to start with a bang.

"Did you join the terrorist known as Lord Voldemort of your own free will?"

"Yes," came the monotone reply.

Whispers erupted from the audience, and Fudge looked at the man he had just praised, horrified.

"During your time in his service, did you commit any murders?"

"Yes," Malfoy said again.

"Do you recall how many people you have murdered or helped to murder?"

There was a brief pause. "No," was the answer.

"Did you kill or help to kill more than ten people?"

"Yes."

"More than twenty people?"

"Yes."

"Did you torture anyone?"

"Yes."

"Did you rape anyone?"

Again, the response was the same. "Yes."

By now, the cameras were flashing once more, and the reporters were hurriedly scribbling notes. Everyone else in the audience was whispering.

"Oh, look at my poor cousin down there," Tonks said, chortling gleefully.

Harry snickered as he looked over. She was right, Draco Malfoy looked like he was about to faint. Or maybe vomit. Too bad the protections don't let anybody leave the audience.

"We don't have time to try to determine every single one of Malfoy's victims, so we'll just ask about a few, very prominent cases," Dan stated, looking out over the gathered crowd before turning back to Malfoy. "Did you participate in the brutal rape, torture and murder of Marlene McKinnon?"

Harry heard Tonks suck in a breath at this question, though he wasn't surprised at her anger. He'd read the very sickening Auror report of what had been done to the poor woman. It was especially disturbing to think that she had been the same age as his parents.

"Yes" Malfoy admitted.

"Did you participate in the attack on the Bones family, which resulted in the deaths of Edgar and Camila Bones, as well as their three underage children?"

"Yes."

"Did you participate in the rape of Camila Bones or her thirteen-year-old daughter Adrienne?"

Harry leaned forward. This one they weren't quite as sure on. To gather the necessary information, they'd already interrogated a few of the 'lesser' exonerated Death Eaters such as Crabbe and Goyle, as well as the convicted Death Eaters who had been transferred to their prison, but no one could confirm Malfoy's participation in that disgusting act. That was why they had deliberately phrased the question with an 'or' instead of an 'and', hoping to maximize their chances.

"Yes," came the reply once more.

Having thoroughly proven the despicable nature of his crimes during the Blood War, the questions turned to more recent actions.

"During the summer of 1992, did you slip an enchanted diary to a young girl in Diagon Alley?"

"Yes," came the monotone reply.

"Who was that girl?"

"Ginevra Weasley."

"Who gave you that diary?"

"My master."

"Do you mean Lord Voldemort?"

"Yes"

"What was the purpose of the diary as you understand it?"

"It was enchanted to open the Chamber of Secrets, unleashing the monster within."

"Do you know what the monster was?"

"Yes."

"What was the monster in the Chamber of Secrets?"

"A basilisk."

Screams of shock sounded from the crowd down below. Harry was amused to see that many more people had joined the throng, no doubt called in by friends or relatives to witness the incredible sight.

Tonks leaned over. "No one seems to have noticed that we didn't ask if he knew at the time what the monster was, not that I think it would matter." Indeed, Malfoy hadn't known until just a few days ago, when 'Victor Grey' had shown him an old article from the New York Magical Times about the sale of the basilisk carcass, claiming that his 'sources' had learned that it had been killed at Hogwarts. Not that anyone needed to know that.

It was clear that many in the audience wished they could leap up on stage and murder Malfoy for his crimes that very minute, but Dan continued without stopping.

"What role did you play in the death of Sirius Black?"

"I bribed one guard to starve him, and blackmailed another."

"To the best of your knowledge, was Sirius Black a Death Eater?"

"No."

"The Black inheritance was given to you, as part of the Inheritance Safeguard Act, on the grounds that he was a Death Eater and you were not. This was clearly a lie. Did you have any legal grounds for claiming the Black inheritance?"

"No."

"How did you arrange to be awarded the inheritance?"

"I bribed Fudge," Malfoy said, and Harry had to laugh at the panicked look on the Minister's face.

"How much did you pay him?"

"Five thousand galleons," came the reply.

"Fudge should have asked for more," Tonks commented. "According to my Mum's estimate, that's less than a tenth of a percent."

"Do you know who would have inherited had you not intervened?" Dan continued.

"Yes."

Harry tensed. This is it.

"Who would have inherited?"

"Harry Potter."

"Are you aware that Harry Potter has grounds to call for fiscal retribution against House Malfoy for your theft of his rightful inheritance?"

"Yes," Malfoy said again, and Harry pumped a fist in victory.

"Yes," he whispered triumphantly.

"Quit stealing Malfoy's lines," Tonks said, nudging him with her elbow.

Harry rolled his eyes, but was too pleased with Malfoy's admission to care about the Auror's teasing. Lucius Malfoy would be in prison for the rest of his life thanks to the crimes he had confessed to here today, but Harry knew Draco would always be a thorn in his side. Lucius agreeing that Harry had justification to inflict the archaic financial penalty would likely cripple House Malfoy monetarily for years to come. Once again, it had taken some careful preparation to ensure the man would answer correctly, but the payoff was immensely satisfying.

"Were you concerned before now of such a possibility?"

"No."

"If Potter had tried to call for fiscal retribution, how would you have responded?"

"I would have bribed Fudge to shut the case down, then arranged for Potter to be killed."

Somehow, Fudge's face managed to pale even further. Given the confession about the Black inheritance, no one had any doubts that he would have done so, and it was clear that the rotund man knew it.

"Have you ever exerted unlawful influence in the Auror department, either through bribes, blackmail, or any other means to prevent a crime from being properly investigated or prosecuted?"

"Yes."

"Have you ever exerted unlawful influence in the Auror department to sabotage an Auror's career?

"Yes," the man admitted once again.

"Which Auror or Auror-in-Training have you done the most to sabotage in recent years?"

Harry glanced over at Tonks, who was now looking confused by this line of questioning.

"Nymphadora Tonks."

Tonks looked over at Harry, and he smiled at her startled expression. "Come on, you don't think I want to be the only one known for being screwed over by Malfoy, do you?"

"Thanks, Harry," she said with genuine emotion.

"Why her?" Dan continued.

"I was concerned that she could be a potential claimant for the Black inheritance once Sirius Black was dead."

"How did you sabotage her career?"

"I bribed two of the trainers to falsely report her performance so she would be scored lower than the other trainees. I also blackmailed an archivist to remove evidence on a crime she had assisted in processing so that she would be blamed for the criminal going free, resulting in a permanent mark on her record."

Tonks obviously knew exactly what he was talking about. "I knew I submitted that spell report!" the young woman exclaimed. "That bastard!"

"Have you sabotaged any other Auror's careers?"

"Yes."

"Which other Aurors have you sabotaged?

"Kingsley Shacklebolt, Gawain Robards, and Eldrin Proudfoot."

The questions continued for quite some time, but eventually the hour was up.

"As you can tell, there are a wide range of serious crimes that need to be investigated and prosecuted," Dan said. "And, unfortunately, it's not just Lucius Malfoy who is guilty. We're going to continue interrogating the members of the board, as well as the High Inquisitor, Dolores Umbridge."

Harry smirked as Umbridge turned pale and seemed to be trying to protest, though nobody could hear her.

"As Malfoy said, a member of the Board of Directors cannot be interrogated without a three quarters majority vote of the board. However, as you can probably imagine, we put a little loophole in there. The chairman of the board may, with the support of one member of the board, challenge the position of any board member, calling for the rest of the board to vote on whether or not they should permitted to retain their seat. Naturally, anyone whose position has been called into question does not get to cast their vote in that decision. For someone to be removed from the board requires at least an eighty percent majority." He looked back at Malcolm. "So, Mister Malcolm, I have cause to believe that, given their close association with Lucius Malfoy and the facts we have learned today, every member of the board except for you and I are not deserving of their position, and thus, call for a vote on whether or not they should retain their seats."

"I agree," his partner replied promptly.

"Since anyone whose seat has been called into question does not get a vote, that means it's just you and I. All in favor of them being removed from the board?" Both hands were raised. "Then it's unanimous. They are no longer board members, and thus, have no protection from the same procedures we used to interrogate Malfoy." Even from the roof above, Harry could see that Dan and Malcolm were grinning as the captive board members struggled.

They didn't spend as long on the rest of the interrogations, just enough to show that they, too, had committed similar crimes. Some protested, but there was nothing they could do, bound as they were.

Not surprisingly, Umbridge's confession that she had arranged for the potion explosion over the summer as an attempt on Harry's life, then aided in Fudge's attempt to have him convicted unfairly brought howls of derision from the audience. And that was nothing compared to when Umbridge admitted that she had used the Cruciatus Curse on Harry, and that Pansy had lied about the attempted rape.

"I wonder if Pansy has finally started to realize just how much she screwed up," Harry said with a smile as he looked at the horrified girl down in the audience now glancing around fearfully as the other members of the Inquisitorial Squad were doing their best to distance themselves from her.

When Agamemnon Nott tried to avoid the interrogation by resigning from the Foundation, Dan happily explained that they would be pleased to no longer have him as a member, and that after he had completed and submitted form 27-B as stated in the bylaws, they would process his removal from the organization. Until that time, however, he was considered a full-fledged member, with all the privileges and obligations that held.

Hours passed, but no one complained – at least, no one who hadn't been revealed as a criminal. And finally, it was over.

"Thank you all for coming here today. I hope that it was as exciting of an experience for all of you as it was for me. We will be handing these people over to the Aurors to be prosecuted for their crimes."

A loud wave of laughter engulfed the crowd as both Cornelius Fudge and Lucius Malfoy lost control of their bladders. Tonks almost choked, butterbeer shooting out of her nose. "I can't believe he actually did it," she muttered.

"What?"

"Chad. He was talking about putting a prank spell on the stage to make them pee their pants. I can't believe he actually went through with it."

Harry certainly wasn't going to complain. Turning Malfoy into an object of scorn rather than fear would do a great deal to damage the pureblood agenda going forward. And, of course, it would give him something to taunt Draco over. Not that he would ever do such a thing.

Dan, of course, had not paused despite the minor distraction. "And since, as we took great pains to amply demonstrate, our actions here today were perfectly legal, if these criminals are not punished to the full extent of the law, it will serve as proof that the Wizengamot and Aurors are corrupt as well." He glanced off to the side, where the Aurors were still waiting, though they had stopped attempting to break through the barrier. "I hope you will all be watching the events of the next few days very closely. I assure you, my compatriots and I will be."

With that, he tapped a rune on the podium, and everyone could see the protections deactivate, though everyone on stage was still held immobile.

Aurors rushed onto the platform, though it was clear they weren't certain who they should be arresting.

"Mister Scrimgeour," Malcolm called out. "It appears that your Aurors could use some clarification on their orders."

The head of the DMLE was obviously furious, though his rage seemed to be directed mostly at Fudge and Umbridge. "Arrest the criminals," he commanded with a snarl. "Mister Grey and Mister Malcolm are free to go, with our thanks for their assistance in these matters."

Harry could only smile as Dan and Malcom walked calmly off the stage, leaving utter bedlam in their wake.