AN:/ Wow…this has been a record of insane delay, even for me… Truthfully this has been on my mind for a while but I kept getting side tracked by, well, a whole slew of other things that combined to be life for a while. All the same I've very much appreciated any and all patience, and also that there are some of you out there still reading this! Enough waiting though—on with the chapter!

Disclaimed: Obviously I don't own Harry Potter or anything associated. We'd legitimately still possibly be waiting for book 4 to come out if I did.

(Privet Drive, Little Whining, Surrey 1300hrs)

Petunia was trying her best to calm her rapidly beating heart as she closed the door behind the two female officers. She had to admit she didn't understand why one of them was dressed so casually—jeans and a jumper? It seemed rather ridiculous to her, but the other one was certainly in uniform and looked quite severe. What Petunia dreaded most was that something had happened to her dear Duddykins or to Vernon.

When the sterner looking officer turned to her, Petunia cleared her throat, "Can I get you anything to drink, officers?" she asked. Amelia, who was refraining from rolling her eyes, replied flatly.

"We're quite alright thank-you, Mrs. Dursley." Tonks held back the urge to scowl at the horse-like woman before her. This was the bitch who had hurt her Harry.

Petunia was wary but nodded, "We could move to the sitting room then." She murmured, Amelia nodded and allowed Petunia to lead them to the sitting room. Glancing around Amelia felt disgust fill her.

The room was full of photos of the Dursleys, more still with photos of an obese, blonde-haired lump of a boy. He looked the complete opposite of Harry, Amelia mused angrily, thinking of the tiny, dark haired boy lying small and broken in a white hospital cot. Looking around her didn't help any, it was obvious these…people…lived lives of luxury and yet from all that she had heard and seen Amelia knew Harry to have shown up to Hogwarts in rags.

Petunia sat but was surprised when the other women did not follow suit. Amelia internally grinned, they weren't here to take the subtle approach; this was a war mission. Take no prisoners. And Amelia was more than ready to see some bloodshed, after all her godson had already paid more than his fair share.

"Won't you sit?" Petunia finally asked, breaking the silence. Amelia shook her head.

"We prefer to stand, Mrs. Dursley." She said flatly.

Tonks almost thought that she should pity Mrs. Dursley for the trap the woman did not realize had already been released on her. Almost. Except Tonks knew what this woman had let happen to her Harry, maybe even done some of herself. There would be no good cop – bad cop in this. The Dursleys deserved to suffer.

Amelia let the silence linger a few moments more before finally speaking. "Mrs. Dursley, tell me about your family." She said finally, curious how the question would be answered. Amelia doubted very much that Harry would be mentioned, but she was curious.

"My family?" Petunia asked, confusion colouring her voice. "Well Vernon, my husband, has a rather important job working for a corporation as a salesman. Perhaps you've heard of it? He works for Grunnings." The pride in Petunia's voice made Tonks mildly ill, he was a drill salesman for fuck's sake. She made it sound like he worked for Queen Elizabeth II.

"Then there's Duddy of course," Tonks barely held in a snort. "He's going to Smeltings Academy, I'm sure you've heard of it, it's one of the most prestigious schools in England you know. He loves it there." Petunia rambled.

Amelia internally rolled her eyes. As Head of the DMLE she had to be aware of many things in the muggle world, one of which was the existing schools in England. They couldn't just have children who, for whatever reason, chose to go on to school other than Hogwarts, or any other magical school, going off casting magic willy-nilly in muggle schools. She was thus well aware that Smeltings was in fact far from prestigious. It was actually rather a bit of a shite hole in her mind; though that may have just been because she knew the sorts of children who tended to go there.

Tonks spoke then, "We were informed you also have a nephew under your care, Mrs. Dursley?" she prompted. Petunia's face immediately soured.

"Yes," she said tersely. "The boy is rather a menace… we had to send him to St. Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys, I'm afraid…" Amelia felt the need to strangle someone immediately. St. Brutus's?! That is where they planned to send her godson?!

Amelia had been to St. Brutus's once, and she would not hesitate to say it was essentially a torture chamber. The ministry holding cells were more pleasant than that place. The…instructors in that facility were cruel beyond measure. They would beat a boy for anything and everything. To them the students were not human beings just criminals. But Amelia had looked into some of those boys' eyes, and they still haunted her; those boys were not criminals. Not really. They were lost and confused, yes; perhaps they had even made the wrong choices, but it was that place that made them into criminals. Honestly she might choose to stay in some of the cells in Azkaban before going to that hell hole.

Petunia abruptly spoke again, "Is this about him? What has the little freak gone and done now?" The way she jumped on it, Tonks figured the woman still hadn't clued in they were on Harry's side… Did she think she could get Harry blamed for whatever she thought was wrong?

"No, ma'am." Tonks spoke gently. "We've never had a lick of trouble from your nephew. Rather, we're…concerned about him." Petunia's posture became increasingly rigid with every word Tonks spoke.

"Con-concerned officer?" Petunia asked.

Tonks nodded, pacing the living room slowly, grinning like a Cheshire cat. Amelia's presence alone kept a foreboding air in the room; Tonks just used it to her advantage. "Yes, you see… We had a few reports from the local primary school a few years back. Just little things, a teacher here and there concerned that your nephew seemed withdrawn. Unfortunately the reports got muddled up in the system for a while, you know how it is."

Tonks stopped and turned to face Petunia suddenly, "And now, stranger still, when we did some preliminary asking around the neighbourhood, no one had seen him in months. The last anyone saw him was toward the end of July… They all said they'd heard he was a criminal of some sort, and yet… none of them could give a single instance of when he had been in trouble with the law. Isn't that odd, Mrs. Dursley?"

Petunia squirmed a little in her seat but replied, "Erm, yes I suppose it might seem that way." Her voice was tight. Tonks resumed her pacing, grinning internally.

"Yes, we thought so too. So, Officer Bones and I decided to have a look into your nephew's files, see what we could find." Petunia was paling drastically as they spoke. It was clear she was terrified, and in Tonks' professional opinion she should be. After all, Madame Bones hadn't even really spoken yet, and if there was one thing Tonks had had reemphasized lately it was that you did not mess with the head of the DMLE.

"F-file?" Petunia stammered. "I, um, I didn't realize there was a file on the boy." Tonks grinned viciously this time as she turned to face Petunia.

"Well that's because there isn't—in your world." Petunia's eyes flew wide, and her mouth opened in silent horror.

Petunia shot off the couch. "You-you freaks! Get out of my house this instance! That boy has been nothing but trouble from the day he arrived on the door step!" she shrieked shrilly.

Amelia had had enough withdrawing her wand she pointed it at Petunia, right between the eyes. "I suggest you sit down Mrs. Dursley." She said bluntly, leaving no room for argument. The woman made a terrified, whimpering noise, eyes fixated on the shaft of wood staring her in the face. Petunia knew what damage magic could do—that horrible Snape boy had proven that time and time again.

Slowly Petunia lowered herself back onto the sofa. "Wh-what do you want from me?" she simpered, lower lip trembling in fear. Amelia barely contained a sneer. This woman looked at them as though they were about to harm an innocent. Somehow Amelia doubted very much that this woman was innocent of anything.

"We don't 'want' anything from you, per say. Rather, we want confirmation. So, for now the three of us are going to wait here for your husband to get home and then we're going to have a nice…chat." Amelia said simply, Petunia was certain she wanted no part of this "chat".

"You won't get away with this! We haven't done anything wrong and you're here harassing an innocent family of normal people you freaks!" Petunia snapped at them. Amelia raised an eyebrow.
"An innocent family? Now that doesn't sound right. After all, you tortured your own nephew for over a decade. That hardly sounds innocent to me." There was thinly veiled anger in Amelia's voice, and Tonks shuddered to think how thin the ice Petunia was standing on was.

"We didn't give that freak anything less than he deserved! He's just like his parents; just as strange, just as dangerous. We were just doing what we could to keep Duddy safe!" Petunia snapped. Tonks felt anger swell within her. How dare this woman. How dare she stand here and act as though what she had done to Harry was anything but cruelty beyond measure.

"Torturing anyone is always the worst sort of evil, ." Tonks said flatly, leveling Petunia with a hateful gaze.

"It wasn't torture!" Petunia snapped. "We were helping him! We were trying to make him normal—the little freak just couldn't handle it." There was no question now to Amelia and Tonks that Petunia Dursley was thoroughly deluded.

Amelia scowled; she'd had enough of this. " I'd advise you to remain silent until your husband returns or I will make you silent." Petunia paled and furled into herself, anger leaving her in the face of the formidable woman before her. Amelia's eyes were bright with injustice as she took in the heartless woman before her.

'This cow dares consider herself a mother,' Amelia thought bitterly. She loathed women like this, women who got to be moms but who did nothing to deserve the title. Amelia was a woman of action, and as such she had seen a great many women suffer in her short life.

At the age of thirty-two, Amelia had witnessed much more than some at the ages of seventy. She had fought in the last wizarding war, and suffered greatly for it. In the fighting though she had witness many tragedies. Amelia had been present in the battle that had seen Bellatrix Lestrange driven truly mad. Amelia shuddered still to think of the memory. She had never gone to school with Bellatrix, but Narcissa had still been present, although much older, when Amelia had started at Hogwarts.

Bellatrix Black was infamous amongst the Slytherins as one of the greatest duelist ever produced from Hogwarts, let alone Slytherin House. She had been the epitome of what a Slytherin should be, from what Amelia had been told.

A fierce warrior, Bellatrix had never taken anything lying down, but she had also been cunning enough to pick her battles. As Amelia understood it, people who crossed Bellatrix had a habit of falling inexplicably ill or disappearing for a time and coming back rather more disturbed. But the woman was also ambitious; she had fought her way to the top in the snake den and had reigned there for many years.

Yet what Amelia had seen on the battlefield that day had blown every rumoured story out of the water. It had been a harrowing battle to begin with but then…then Frank Longbottom had managed to land a hit on Bellatrix somehow…The hit wasn't fatal by any stretch, but it was.

The spell hadn't been lethal; it was some kind of hex designed to replicate a hard punch to the stomach—Frank had hoped to wind Bellatrix. What had happened instead was much more horrific. Bellatrix had staggered backwards from the blow, crumbling to the ground. The light side had been startled by the result, Amelia was about to ask Frank what it was when an agonized howl tore through the air, the likes of which Amelia had never heard.

When Bellatrix had stood again, there had been nothing but absolute fury and hatred in the woman's eyes. She looked like a demon and the onslaught of spells, all highly lethal which followed were proof of that. They had rapidly retreated, cracks of apparition sounding off left and right.

Amelia had been one of the last on the scene and had heard Bellatrix's agonized scream. "You killed my daughter you bastard!" Amelia had apparated away mere moments before the killing curse zinged through where she had just stood. The last remnants of Bella Black had died that day, and the monster of a woman known as Bellatrix Lestrange was born.

No. Amelia really hated women like Petunia Dursley, because even a crazed killed like Bellatrix had loved their child more than Petunia did. Amelia herself had long ago suffered a fate similar to Bellatrix's. She had not been pregnant, but she had once at least had the ability to become so. Barty Crouch Jr. had viciously taken that ability from her, and she had loathed him over any ever since.

And yet, here was Petunia Dursley, content to torture Amelia's godson for years as though it was nothing. It was a disgrace. Amelia had considered it a blessing to have Susan in her life, but it had come at far too great a cost. Her brother and his wife…Susan's unborn sibling…her parents…Too many lost too young.

Amelia had long suspected it had been that incident so long ago now that had ultimately led to the level of torture that Bellatrix cruelly imparted on the Longbottoms…Other avenues, namely Fudge and Dumbledore, had of course hushed up the whole incident. Couldn't have the light being seen killing an unborn baby. It made Amelia sick.

Bellatrix had been among the most notable but hardly the only mother Amelia had seen suffer either. Alice Longbottom and Lily Potter were of course well known, and they tore at Amelia's heart every day, but so too did her long-time friend Sarah Abbott. The witch, now a Healer for 's, had been hit by a curse that affected the bloodstream toward the end of the war, so there were too many risks involved for the woman to bear any more children. Mercifully Hannah had been born a few months before. Still, Sarah still grieved her inability to bear siblings for Hannah.

Amelia steeled herself as she brought herself back to the Dursley's living room. It wouldn't do to delve into past atrocities while on the job. Tonks was looking idly around the room, but Amelia could see the younger woman's wand still trained on Petunia. The woman in question was sitting on the chesterfield looking supremely nervous and jittery.

'Good.' Amelia thought. 'About time someone other than Harry had to be afraid in this house.'

Petunia simpered from the couch, "It's only one in the afternoon—you freaks will be here for ages waiting for Vernon. He has an important job he won't be home for hours." Tonks snorted at Petunia's declaration that Vernon's job was important. Her dad was a weatherman at one point and his job had been more important than Vernon Dursley's would ever be.

Smiling viciously at Petunia, Amelia said, "Then it's probably a good thing that we had a missive sent to him, explaining that he was required in his home as soon as possible, isn't it?" Petunia's face paled impossibly, as she appeared to have just swallowed a rather sour lemon.

"H-he's coming home ear-early?" She stumbled out alarmed. Amelia nodded, before making a show of looking at her watch.

"Yes I expect he'll be here any minute now as a matter of fact." The elder of the witches replied.

Amelia had been impressed by Tonks' suggestion that they ring Grunnings before going to the Dursley home so that Vernon would be sent their way. It was, Amelia supposed, an advantage of having a muggleborn father. Tonks was likely to think of muggle solutions to things as well as magical because she had exposure to both worlds. Amelia herself had often wondered if she wasn't missing something by not being fully versed in the muggle side of things.

She had been sure she was the first time Mad-Eye Moody had reported that his newest recruit had a habit of carrying something called a gun under the long jacket she wore. When Mad-Eye had explained what he understood a gun to be, Amelia had been astounded that no one else she knew of possessed one.

Before she could marvel anymore at the peculiarities of the usually bubbly metamorph, the door to the house burst open and a panting whale of a man stumbled in. Amelia had no choice but to presume this to be Vernon Dursley. Idly she noted she had underestimated just how disgustingly large the man was.

"Pet!" Vernon gasped out as he galumphed into the living room. Upon seeing Tonks and Amelia, and Tonks wand trained on his wife, his face rapidly turned a hideous purpled colour. "YOU!" he thundered, spittle flying from his mouth as he raised a shaking finger and pointed it accusingly at the pair.

"What are you freaks doing in my house?!" he demanded, taking a step forward. Amelia's wand, which had been pointing in Petunia's general direction, was almost immediately pointed between Vernon's eyes.

Smiling a sickeningly sweet smile Amelia closed her eyes and said in a too kind voice, "Mr. Dursley, how kind of you to join us. I suggest you join your wife having a seat on the chesterfield." There was no room for question.

Vernon shook with rage but when Amelia's eyes opened and levelled him with a steely gaze he was fast cowed and scuttled over to the chesterfield with Petunia, who was now trembling almost uncontrollably. She had apparently been counting on Vernon to save her.

'How unfortunate,' Amelia mused. 'That she would place her faith in a man no more virtuous than herself.' No sympathy rested in the woman's heart for them.

"So," she began. "It has come to my attention that you two thought it fine to torture your nephew." Amelia paced the length of the living room as she spoke.

"I'll make myself plain. I do not appreciate people who harm other people. Period. When people torture innocents…I am unpleasant. When people torture children…I become apoplectic." She paused. Turning to face them with frigid blue eyes, she spoke acidly.

"When people torture my godson…you won't want to know, but you're about to find out just how I get." Amelia all but hissed. Tonks would later swear the temperature in the room had dropped.

"G-godson?" Petunia stammered. "The boy doesn't have any god parents!" Tonks raised an eyebrow at that. What was it with these people and believing nothing they were being told.

A vindictive grin spread across Amelia's lips as she replied "Clearly you were misinformed. Harry has both godmother and godfather, his godfather just happens to be indisposed at the moment."

Vernon's nostrils flared and he shouted, "If you wanted the little freak where were you twelve bloody years ago when you freaks left him on our doorstep?! My family was besmirched by that freak and now you claim you wanted him?!"

Amelia withheld a wince at that statement. He wasn't wrong; she should have come looking for Harry long before now. 'Damn you Dumbledore.' She thought angrily.

Tonks jumped on him right away though, "Mr. Dursely I suggest you watch your mouth around your superiors." Vernon looked prepared to cut in there but Tonks narrowed her eyes at him. "Madame Bones is a better person than either of you can ever conceive of being. Our world was misled to believe that Harry was growing up in a warm loving household. Albus Dumbledore is at fault for that and will be facing the consequences."

Petunia made a squeak at that sentence. "D-Dumbledore? Wh-what's happened to him?" her voice shook as she spoke, and Tonks raised an eyebrow.

"That," Tonks drawled, "Would be the same thing that happens to all criminals. He was arrested and placed in a holding cell. His trial and sentence are still pending." Petunia's eyes widened, evidently she had not anticipated the "great" Albus Dumbledore capable of being arrested.

Vernon, it appeared, had finally lost any semblance of patience and had managed to squander whatever pitiful amounts of courage he had. He stood abruptly and roared at the women, "I will not have you freaks in my house! You are trespassing on the home of a respectable family and I will not have you and your freakishness upsetting my neighbourhood! GET OUT!" Spittle once more flew as his face grew a sickly shade of mauve.

Amelia had had enough. The Dursleys were about to learn just why Amelia Susan Bones had made the Head of Magical Law Enforcement so young. Because if was no longer 'Madame Bones' that they were dealing with. Now, now it was Amelia Bones. Godmother of Harry Potter, good friend of Lily and James Potter, slayer of many a Death Eater and other terrorist alike, and once the best duelist Britain had to offer.

"Silence!" she snapped, and Tonks and the Dursleys alike were startled as the house rattled. The temperature in the room truly did drop now, and Tonks swore she felt a magical aura fill the room. It was cold, angry. Tonks felt herself shift in response to it. No doubt her own appearance had darkened considerably.

Had Tonks had a mirror she would see that she currently resembled her Black heritage more than ever. Long dark hair cascaded down her back, and dark ebony eyes looked at the world past pale skin and a sharp jawline.

Petunia and Vernon had frozen, the magic rapidly flooding the room was undetectable to their Muggle senses, yet still they felt the weight of it. It held them in place, fixed to their spots in terror and dread.

Amelia's cold blue eyes regarded them with hatred, flicking her wand wordlessly Vernon abruptly keeled over in a body bind. Petunia shrieked, and Amelia flicked her hand in Petunia's direction, silencing the woman. Realizing her vocal chords had abruptly stopped working Petunia began clawing at her throat, terrified.

Stepping forward to tower over Vernon's lard, Amelia spoke. "Now then," she hissed. "Let's try this again."

Amelia bent forward so she was looking directly into Petunia's wide, terrified pale eyes. "You two are going to cooperate and wait here while Auror Tonks searches your house and documents all evidence against you. Then we're going to go to the Ministry of Magic and find you two very small, very dark, highly uncomfortable holding cells to stay in until I feel like...well, let's call it interviewing you, shall we." There was a cold sort of malicious smile on Amelia's face as she finished speaking.

"Of course," she drawled. "I'll be sure to spare you every consideration and comfort that you spared my godson you loathsome flobberworms." Amelia sneered, upper lip curling.

"Auror Tonks!" she barked, causing the woman in question to jolt.

"Yes Madame?" Tonks questioned.

"Search the house top to bottom for any and all evidence of these…plebeians against our boy or anything else illegal." Amelia commanded. Tonks vaguely nodded.

"Yes ma'am!" she affirmed, before quickly setting to her task.

Grinning viciously at the couple in front of her, Amelia spoke. "While Auror Tonks takes care of that, we're going to have a little…chat…about acceptable behaviour towards children."

Petunia's face paled drastically and she made to stand, Amelia was not having it though. A quick flick of her wrist found Petunia's wrists and ankles bound by thick black chord. The vicious smile did not leave Amelia's face as she stalked toward the horse-faced woman. An eagle prepped to snatch up its' unsuspecting prey off the ground.

"I'm going to make you relive every foul deed you ever did to that boy, Petunia." She hissed. "And then? Then you will remember every kindness Lily ever showed you, and how you spat on it." Staring right into Petunia's eyes, one word snarled its way past Amelia's lips.

"Legilimens"

Petunia let out a silent gasp as her eyes flew wide and rolled back into her head. Amelia was vicious in her assault on Petunia's mind. She needed knowledge of everything that had happened to Harry. That didn't mean she had to be nice about getting it.

Muggles didn't have mental shields for the most part. There had been a handful of exceptions; Amelia herself had met a few. The monarch for example had to be able to have mental shields, frequently being taught by a master legilimens in their youth. The members of her majesty's secret service were also usually trained in occlumency. Petunia Dursley née Evans had no such training.

Tearing into Petunia's mind, Amelia savagely wrenched forward every memory Petunia possessed of the cruelty they had imparted onto Harry. Amelia's rage was fueled farther as the onslaught of memories began.

An infant Harry haphazardly tossed into a cupboard under the stairs with no care. Harry being assaulted by a skillet for making too much noise. The smell of burnt flesh as Petunia all but cauterized the already open wounds on Harry arms against the flaming stove top. The distant memory of screams—Harry's screams, muffled by the door of the cupboard under the stairs.

Pushing farther still, Amelia was horrified to find something much more sinister. The images drawn forward would haunt her dreams for weeks she was sure; images of the slumped body of a tiny black haired boy hanging limply in a cupboard. She saw from Petunia's eyes, saw "her" hands close the shackles around the raven-haired boy's wrists, leaving him hanging and slamming the door shut. She saw the bruises and scars coating that body. She saw the bits and pieces of glass that often still protruded from the torso and limbs.

Rage, liquid hot molten rage, coursed through Amelia's veins. Anger swelled inside her but still she pushed further, pulling fourth every horrific thing Petunia Dursley had ever dared do to her godson. The pain, horror, shame and torment she had put him through. And then when it was all there in the one "lobby" of Petunia's mind, Amelia pulled forward something else.

She pulled forward Lily.

Curious to see if Petunia had ever truly cared for her sister at all; if Petunia could bear to see all she had done to Lily's baby boy all while having her sister see her. The answer was yes, and no. The moment Amelia had pulled forward the memories of Lily Evans, long, flaming hair dancing in the non-existent air and bright green eyes, wide and searching, in that moment Petunia screamed. In that moment something in the bitter, twisted heart of Petunia Dursley broke.

Amelia calmly left Petunia's mind moments later and gazed upon the tormented eyes of a woman no more virtuous than any other criminal Amelia had put away over the years, and was not at all surprised to find a sense of calm within herself. Amelia had the truth now. The truth and a newfound understanding of what drove Petunia Dursley to be the monster she now was.

Jealousy. Jealousy and hatred. Two very strong and in this case rather petty emotions. Petunia had long resented anyone who was superior to her in any way, and that very much included her sister. Instead of dealing with it, Petunia had allowed it to fester and had taken out her hatred of her sister on an innocent child. It was sickening…but not the first time Amelia had seen it. Death Eaters had been made out of festering jealousy and hatred, it was a dangerous combination.

Petunia was pale and whimpering now. One word formed on her shaking, pale lips "…Lily…" Amelia knew in that moment that Petunia still loved her sister. Petunia would not be able to handle seeing her sister's reaction to the horror that she had put her nephew through.

Leaving Petunia at the mercy of the memories haunting her for the moment, Amelia turned her sights on Vernon. It was time to see what she could do about this walrus of a man. This man who had so long tortured her godson with pleasure— retribution was due. And Amelia was a woman of the law; she would see that payment had.

Amelia knew more torture spells at this stage in her career than she had ever cared to know existed, but those were of no more use to her now than they ever had been. Muggles or not she was the Head of the DMLE, and that meant she could not go around torturing people simply because she wanted to. Vernon Dursley was a man who certainly deserved torture in his days, but at this stage she could not be the one to administer it.

Petunia had been easy, because Petunia Dursley for all her cruelty had mostly partaken in mental torment. She had psychologically and emotionally damaged Harry, and if Amelia's legillimancy had a similar affect, well she couldn't be blamed for getting the information she needed for a case. Vernon was different though, he had beaten Harry. Had caused blood to run freely from the boy's body and had relished in the power he felt from it. It was disgusting. But it was the reality of the matter.

Amelia looked down at the frozen lard lying on the ground and sneered. Thinking of all she knew about the man it dawned on her that perhaps there were other forms of torture that would hurt him almost as much as physically harming him. This family that had so valued their normalcy, their precious perfection, perhaps the real end to Vernon Dursley should be in having everyone they cared about see him as he truly was.

Nodding, satisfied with that idea, Amelia spoke to the man as she called on her magic to perform the desired task. "Well, Dursley, I think I've decided what you deserve." She sneered. "Everyone you care about, every person you've ever tried to impress, every person you've ever pandered to in the hopes of promotion—all of them will see you as you truly are now. They will see you as a small minded, simpering, hateful man who takes delight in the torture of innocent children. They will know about how you locked a boy in a cupboard under the stairs for 10 years, used him as a servant and beat him regularly within an inch of his life." With each word Amelia could see the fear dawning in the man's beady eyes.

"Tell me Vernon," she hissed softly. "Do you think they'll still like you when they know how you really are? When they know the sort of cruel, hateful, abusive freak you are? I sincerely doubt it, but I hope you enjoy being showered in it." Her voice was cold as her magic flared dark violet around her, sealing Vernon's fate.

All across Surrey various people abruptly froze as their minds wandered to Vernon Dursley and they felt outrage build in them. They thought of the disgusting lard of an abusive man and felt white hot anger in their chests. They thought of his poor, sweet green-eyed nephew, and were outraged about the abuse the boy had suffered at the hands of the man. They were revolted by the thought of Vernon Dursley.

The owner of Grunnings, a rather kindly older man, had only had the misfortune of meeting Vernon Dursley once. At the time he hadn't thought much of it, but now, now he thought of the grotesque man and recalled a strange cruelness about him, felt a niggling of dislike for the man grow into blatant disgust. Calling to his secretary he asked her to make a reminder for him to terminate Vernon Dursley's employment.

Amelia sneered down at the frozen man. Leaning closer to him she whispered darkly, "There may not be much I can do now, Dursley, but just wait. When you sit, shackled, before the wizarding court…Well, I'm going to take great joy in sending you and your ilk to every witch and wizards worst nightmares."

It was not enough, she knew. The raging fires inside of Amelia were in no way quenched by the site of Petunia, shaking and pale on the couch or Vernon's form crumpled on the ground. But it would have to do. No matter how much she wanted to cast the Cruciatus on them— and she had no doubts that she could—Amelia was the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. She could not lose her head right now.

Not if she wanted any hope of retaining custody of Harry.

Tonks came back then, hair black and eyes dark, taking in the sight before her. She decided not to ask what her boss had done to the woman shaking on the couch and the lard ball curled up on the floor. Instead she cleared her throat and reported the grotesque findings she now had.

"Madame Bones," she spoke formally. The woman in question turned from her handiwork to regard her. "You might want to look for yourself, but it appears as though the Dursleys have kept Harry in a room sealed with bars on the windows and a series of padlocks on the doors… There's a cat flap in the bottom of the door." Tonks spoke quietly, but her voice shook with barely concealed rage.

The expression on Madame Bones face was unreadable for a moment so Tonks pressed on. "The inside of the room contained sparse furnishings, and several blood splatters on the walls; angular pattern. Likely it sprayed outward from a striking wound." Tonks voice was flat because she was trying very hard to pretend she didn't know whose blood it was.

There was no mistaking the rage in Madame Bones features; it grew deeper, darker, with every word Tonks spoke. Nonetheless the older woman motioned for Tonks to continue. Taking a steadying breath the young auror pressed on.

"The cupboard under the stairs…" Tonks spoke, before trailing off as pain griped mercilessly at her young heart.

"The cupboard under the stairs has a pile of rags in it, and a moth-eaten mattress. Blood coats all the walls, and it smells of death. There are chains hanging from the ceiling…there's blood on them too." Tonks stopped talking at the look on Amelia's face.

The older woman was shaking with rage—Tonks was truthfully struggling to maintain any of her own composure, and she had had time to get herself back under control. Amelia was taking slow breaths, having closed her eyes. She was using every occlumency exercise she had ever learned to bring herself under control.

'Damn these sick bastards,' Amelia thought darkly. 'Damn them to the nth levels of hell and then further. May Morgana have no mercy on your inconceivably perverted souls.' She thought silently before turning back to the muggles.

"So," she hissed. "You think locking children in cupboards and beating them is funny? You think that it's okay to splatter the blood of innocents on the walls and shackle them up?!" the questions were rhetorical, but only Vernon was really aware enough to understand them. Petunia was still trapped in her own little hell.

"Well fine." Amelia hissed out. "You like cages and chains so much…you can have them." With a flick of her wand the two muggles were bound in chains. The chains were tight, giving no maneuverability and biting into the skin of the Dursleys arms and legs.

It wasn't enough. It was nowhere near enough to quell the rage in Amelia's heart, but it would have to do. If nothing else the cuffing of the Dursleys could be easily accepted as necessary.

Turning back to Tonks, Amelia saw the same rage she felt reflected in the younger woman's eyes. Black eyes, she noted with interest. Nymphadora Tonks was many things, but dark was never one of the words Amelia associated with her. However, Amelia had never seen Tonks resemble her Black heritage as much as she did now. The metamorph looked a fearsome force with her eyes black as pitch and her hair falling in long straight plaits of midnight. Her features were sharp, and her brow creased in anger. Pale skin served to emphasize the overall dark appearance.

"Auror Tonks, help me get these urchins out of here. We'll take them to a secure holding cell to wait trial." Amelia commanded softly. Tonks nodded stiffly, muttering a quick levicorpus at the two Dursleys.

Madame Bones said nothing about Tonks choice of spell to move the pair. She may not be able to exact revenge herself or allow her aurors to exact 'excessive'— she mentally snorted — violence against any accused, but that didn't mean a… unique method of transport was a problem.

As Tonks took the foul muggles outside Amelia took a moment to cast a few charms over the house. A muggle repelling ward to prevent anyone from disturbing the crime scene, and a special ward for Dudley that would alert Amelia when he arrived. Moreover the ward would compel Dudley to stay in the house until she arrived.

Looking down the hall from the doorway, Amelia saw the door to the cupboard under the stairs. She felt inexplicably compelled to open it. To look at the horror this house had wrought on her godson. A small part of Amelia screamed at her not to do it, but the larger curious part of her could not resist.

Squatting before it Amelia opened the door and muttered lumos. The sight that met her would haunt her for the remained of her days. It was so tiny… the blankets, if you could even call them that, that lay on the paper-thin excuse for a bed that filled the majority of the space were ragged and littered with holes. The material was worn thin but Amelia suspected it had already been so long before it had been given to Harry. The off-grey material was stained in various places with deep crimson patches and streaks.

The whole cupboard was. Tonks had not exaggerated in her assessment. There were streaks and blotches of dried blood caked to every surface of the cupboard. Amelia thought she spied profanities written in the dread substance. And then there were the chains. Oh Merlin the chains.

Aged shackles hung eerily from the ceiling of the tiny space, black and unforgiving. Detectable bits of blood were crusted onto them as well. The image all of tiny, weak wrists hanging in them; the cuffs bunching up harshly against the widest part of the hands, the wrists too small for them to grip came unbidden to Amelia's mind. They would cut the flesh unforgivingly and cause endless agony for the time they held the hands. Amelia saw again the image of a child hanging limply from those shackles. A small, pale child with messy black hair and bright green eyes, and it broke something in her. Magic oozed out of her and without her realizing it the house began to shake.

It was only when a shout came from behind her that Amelia was pulled from her thoughts. Turning she saw Tonks looking at her, worry and not a small amount of fear colouring her features. Amelia was more than faintly embarrassed by her loss of control but Tonks made no comment other than to ask if she was alright, and ready to go.

It was with newfound conviction that Amelia Bones and Nymphadora Tonks arrived at the ministry's maximum security cells. Tonks harshly released the spell on the muggles allowing them to crumple to the floor of the cell. They had specifically chosen tiny, dark cells. See how the muggles enjoyed it, being locked for days in a dark confined space. Neither woman felt any remorse at the sight.

'Soon.' Amelia reminded herself. 'Soon they will face justice and get what is coming to them. Then Harry will be free of them forever.' It wasn't enough, she knew. Amelia was certain no matter what she would never be satisfied with what happened to these monsters among men. They deserved so much worse than she could ever give them. But it would have to be enough.

For now it was time to move forward. She had Harry to worry about. Fixating on the past would not help him any more than spending an eternity dwelling on the loss of his birth parents would. Turning to Tonks, Amelia nodded. It was time to get the ball rolling and then get back to Harry.

Tonks took a final glance at the muggles they'd just brought in. Petunia Dursley was so pale her skin was approaching translucent; her eyes were wide with unknown horror and she was still shaking ever so slightly. Vernon by contrast was violet with rage. His fat face contorted in all forms of fury. Good. She hoped they rotted for a while before they stood trial. A trial they were bound to lose. Tonks just couldn't decide which was more unfair. That they got a trial… or that the trial meant the worst that could happen to them was the Dementor's Kiss.

It had never been said that Tonks was a hateful person. Nor would it be true if it was. But damn if she couldn't understand the feelings of rage that could drive her aunt…Bellatrix was cruel beyond measure, quite a difference from Andromeda or Tonks. In this moment though, looking at these vile people who had been so merciless towards Harry, Tonks wished she could be so cruel.

The spells never touched her lips…but she knew them. Andromeda hated the spells, but had taught them to her daughter all the same. Tonks knew them all. Spells that would turn a man's skin inside out, or erode all the organs inside a body slowly and painfully, or crush a heart slowly until it exploded. So many spells; all considered dark, and all cruel beyond measure. Tonks had been horrified by them when her mum had taught them too her, but now she itched to use them. Her fingers ached to grasp her dragon heartstring wand and cast at these belligerent fools.

It was with a shuddering breath that Tonks took forceful control of herself and rigidly followed her boss into the auror offices to the woman's office. As they went Tonks saw many eyes widen at the sight of her. She wanted to turn back to her usual appearance but couldn't yet; the encounter with the Dursleys had left her emotions raw. It would be likely another half hour before she could successfully maintain the morph she wanted.

Just Tonks' luck Yaxley caught sight of her. "Well, well, well," he drawled, stepping toward her. He clearly hadn't noticed, or perhaps hadn't cared that their boss was only a foot or so ahead. "The littlest Black is finally showing her true colours." He sneered.

Leaning toward her he snarled out, "Taking after darling aunty Bella now are you? You worthless piece of—"

Whatever Yaxley had been about to say was cut off by the icy voice of Amelia Bones behind him. "Watch your tongue auror." She bit out. Yaxley paled slightly hearing her voice.

"M-Madame Bones, what a surprise." He greeted, trying to sound as though he hadn't just been caught insulting Tonks.

Amelia arched an eyebrow. "I wouldn't say it's a surprise, Yaxley. Given I was coming in with Auror Tonks when you stopped her to insult her."

Yaxley tried not to gulp. He was royally fucked and he knew it, but damn if he was going down without a fight. "I didn't know you were in the habit of travelling with Black's, Madame Bones. Looking like she does now… It could well be Bellatrix Lestrange beside you! 'Sides, you know what they say, if there's something wrong with the bitch, there'll be something wrong with the pup—"

His sentence was cut off by a wand suddenly jabbing into his throat, "Don't you dare insult my mother!" Tonks ground out, eyes blazing. She would take a lot of bullshit but no one just got to insult her mother.

Stunned that Madame Bones had made no move to call off Tonks, Yaxley gritted out, "I didn't mean anything against Andromeda, I was referring to the aunt you currently resemble Bellatrix." He hissed the name; Tonks eyes widening at his form of address.

Tonks was still a long moment, the tip of her wand pressing into the tender column of Yaxley's throat. His blue eyes betrayed the hint of fear he felt, but Tonks was already emotionally wrecked. His fear meant nothing to her.

Finally Amelia spoke, "Stand down, Auror Tonks." She commanded. Tonks did not move for a moment so Amelia barked, "Auror Tonks!" Jerking, Tonks holstered her wand.

Amelia scowled, she may not want fighting amongst her ranks but Yaxley was out of line. Did that justify Tonks drawing her wand? It was a tough call for the woman, especially knowing how much Tonks had already been through. Taking a moment to collect her thoughts Amelia barked out.

"Yaxley I told you once already to mind your tone. Get out of here; I don't want you in this office for the rest of the week." Amelia's tone was cold, but Yaxley seemed stunned by her words.

"Madame Bones!" he exclaimed. "You can't mean to let this bitch get away with drawing her wand on me?!" Yaxley was flabbergasted.

Amelia scowled, "You're on thin ice already, Yaxley. Do not test me." The temperature in the room seemed to drop some as Amelia's patience, already worn to thin, started to give way. "No, Auror Tonks should not have drawn her wand on you, but given you have instigated every wrong I have seen here today I can't say that I blame her. Now leave!"

Yaxley scowled but turned to storm away, but not before muttering darkly, "Damn half breed bull dyke must be charming people now." Tonks stiffened at his words but, to the surprise of many silent witnesses, it was Amelia who responded.

"I would think you would know me better than to believe me able to be beguiled into anything, Yaxley." She spoked evenly, voice not unpleasant, yet somehow everyone felt fear as she spoke. "All the same I won't have you saying such things about your coworkers, especially unfounded. I'll see you next month Yaxley. When you return, at that time only, you're to report to Auror Shacklebolt. I'm sure he'll have some paperwork for you to file."

And with that Amelia turned wordlessly and continued on her original march to her office, "Come along, Auror Tonks. We've still got business to attend to." Tonks jumped a little, startled to be addressed.

"Yes Madame!" she responded, hurrying after the woman. Yaxley and the rest of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement were left stunned in their wake. After a long moment of tense silence Yaxley cursed loudly and slammed his fist into the filing cabinet nearest him. He did however take his leave. He had already gotten himself off-duty for the next 3 weeks. No need to further anger Madame Bones and risk his job.

Meanwhile inside her office, Amelia walked around her desk and sat down before speaking, "Have a seat Tonks." She gestured to the chair across from her. Tonks looked decidedly uncomfortable as she followed the instruction.

Amelia was unaccustomed to seeing the usually fiery young auror so nervous. Tonks was looking away from Amelia, and her hands were fidgeting in their place on her lap. Her hair was ever dark, as were her eyes; a sure sign that this was not the Nymphadora Tonks who Amelia usually dealt with.

After a long moment Amelia spoke, "Would you care for a cup of tea?" she asked pleasantly. Tonks head snapped up to look at her.

"A-a cup of tea, Madame?" Tonks asked, confusion colouring her tone. Amelia frowned slightly at Tonks reversion to formality.

"Yes Nymphadora, a cup of tea. Would you care for one? I find myself rather in need of one." Amelia said, hoping the blatant lack of formality might put the younger woman at ease. Tonks blinked once, slowly.

The young auror was having trouble processing what was going on. Finally she responded, "No thank-you, Madame. I'm-I'm quite alright." The words felt strange in Tonks' mouth. She was…unaccustomed to standing on this level of formality but felt it necessary.

Amelia was not at all reassured by the continued formality, but accepted the response at face value. Quietly she called a house elf and requested a cup of tea, receiving the beverage in question only moments later. Taking a sip of the dark drink—she had started taking her tea black shortly after joining the department—Amelia pondered the best way to approach this conversation.

Finally Amelia decided to give Tonks one last opportunity to come clean, as it were. "Tonks," Amelia spoke gently. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

This through the young auror for yet another loop; 'She sounds concerned,' Tonks thought stunned. 'But that can't be right. Madame Bones is my boss. Bosses aren't…they don't… fuck.' Tonks thought. She knew she had to answer, but by now she was in so deep she found herself at a loss for what to say.

Amelia took the silence for only a few moments before speaking. "Well, since you don't seem to be forthcoming with information, why don't I tell you what I think?" Amelia asked, although the question was obviously rhetorical.

"I think that for quite a while now various members of this department have been slighting you. I think they've lorded your relation to Bellatrix Lestrange over you. I think you've been unfairly treated in this office for years and yet you've stuck it out—and without complaint. A noble pursuit perhaps, but an unnecessary one. Am I right?" Amelia said. She was watching Tonks' reactions. Her every facial expression; with each passing one Amelia became more sure that she was right.

Sipping her tea once more, she looked at Tonks over the rim of the glass. The younger woman fidgeted under her scrutiny, so Amelia relented just a little. She wanted to know the truth, yes, but she didn't want to alienate the younger woman in the process.

A long silence passed between the pair. Finally a quiet, yes, broke the silence. Amelia thought for a moment she might've imagined the word when Tonks took a steadying breath and spoke again.

"Yes, your assessment is more or less correct, Madame." Tonks paused. "But it is a non-issue. I know my capabilities, and frankly I don't need the approval of bigots who will judge me as much on my genetics as my relations." The metamorph said with more conviction than she felt.

Amelia was surprised by Tonks' response, but only for a moment. For as long as the woman had been on the radar of the DMLE, Tonks had stood out as a force to be reckoned with. Nodding calmly Amelia spoke, "Be that as it may, it is still my business to know if my staff is being belligerent and harassing another staff member. If you were being harassed, I hoped you would have been comfortable enough to approach me about the issue."

This was, of course, a short-coming of her own Amelia was well aware of. She did well in her work, certainly, and was respected by her staff. However, that respect did not necessarily mean they were comfortable enough to approach her.

Tonks was frowning deeply, "I'm not a snitch, Madame. I can handle a few unkind comments. There is no need to bother senior management with petty issues." Amelia frowned at Tonks words. They sounded practiced. Someone had told Tonks that she was sure, and whoever it was Amelia was not happy with.

"It's not being a snitch to report harassment, Tonks." Amelia said kindly. "This department sees enough horror and cruelty in the field; I won't have it out of the field as well. There is no reason for anyone to be making snide remarks to each other here."

Searching Tonks face, Amelia looked for some sign the younger woman understood, that she was getting through to her. Finally Amelia went for the hard hitting question, "Are you going to tell me who it was?" Amelia asked carefully.

Tonks was silent a long moment. The silence raised the tension in the room until finally Tonks replied. "No, Madame. I'm afraid I'm not. You may punish me for my insubordination how you see fit, but I will not snitch on my coworkers."

Amelia's frown deepened. She had, on some level, expected this. But still, it was a bit of a surprise to be refused. She wondered how many others in the office would make the same choice given the circumstances… Amelia strongly suspected the number was pitifully low. The ministry was full of lowlifes. People fully prepared to sell out whoever they needed to in the hopes of gaining better positions or wealth.

It was clearer now than ever that Tonks was not among them. Now though, Amelia was faced with a decision. On a technical basis she could not allow insubordination to go unchecked… However, she also had no desire to punish Tonks. How to handle this… It had been a terribly long day; Amelia was not in the mood to be creative.

After another lengthy silence, a silence Amelia was certain had caused Tonks more undo stress, Amelia spoke. "You are, of course, aware that I cannot let your insubordination go unpunished?" Amelia asked gently.

Tonks nodded, "Yes Madame. As I said, I will take whatever punishment you deem necessary."

Smirking behind her tea, Amelia spoke, "Very well. Since you have left me with no choice in the matter… It is obvious to me, Auror Tonks that you do not trust me—" Amelia held up a hand to silence whatever denial Tonks was about to make.

"Do not try and tell me otherwise. You do not trust me sufficiently to tell me that my people are harassing you, nor do you trust me enough to disclose their identities to me. This is, of course, quite concerning to me. For this department to work trust is imperative. As a result I have decided as punishment for your insubordination you will be shadowing me, in a sense, until further notice." Amelia paused to watch Tonks reaction.

"You will retain your post at Hogwarts for the time being; however, whenever you are not at Hogwarts you will be with me. For the foreseeable future you will be reporting to me directly, with any and all matters. That includes any forms of "minor" discretions such as harassment issues. Is that clear?" Amelia asked.

Tonks, who had been fully prepared to be put off duty temporarily or worse, nodded dumbly. "Y-Yes Madame." She replied.

Amelia nearly rolled her eyes, "I have asked you more than once to address me as Amelia, Nymphadora." She noted archly.

Flushing Tonks murmured, "Sorry, Amelia." The older woman clucked her tongue softly. It wasn't perfect but it was a start.

"It's alright, Tonks." Amelia said quietly. Her face shifted rapidly to a more serious expression. "Now, we've got Albus to deal with certainly, but also the Dursleys now. I purpose we get the Dursleys well and thoroughly put away before we get Albus on trial. He will be decidedly more difficult to put away, and if he has any opportunity at all I fear he will try to prevent justice coming to the Dursleys. What do you think?"

Though momentarily stunned at being asked her opinion, Tonks cleared her throat and replied. "I, um, yes that seems like a prudent plan Mada—er, Amelia." Tonks barely caught herself but Amelia took it as a good sign.

Taking the lead Amelia began to lead Tonks through the painfully long process that would be arranging the Dursley trial without alerting every known facet of media in the wizarding world. This was not going to be easy, but between Amelia's experience and Tonks ability to change appearance… they just might pull it off.

AN:/ Well, that hopefully progressed us a little. The Dursleys are in custody now, further justice will soon be upon them. Now, I know a lot of you will be unhappy with the lack of suffering the Dursleys endured. I struggled with that a lot writing this chapter… Truthfully though I felt it important that Amelia, and by extension Tonks, stay within the realm of what was allowable given their jobs. Amelia is the Head of the DMLE. She can't just haul off and torture people even if she wants to. Would the wizarding world overlook it because the Dursleys are muggles and it was the Boy-Who-Lived they harmed? Probably. But people would use that against Amelia later undoubtedly.

Plus I consider Amelia to be a generally level-headed individual. She would not allow herself to lose control even though she desperately wants to. Anyway, I felt it was important. Likewise I felt it was important that this chapter mostly focus on the interactions with the Dursleys.

Next Time: Back over to Harry, but also time to crush the Dursleys with finality. There are still a lot of open doors that need closing, Dumbledore's as well. But Tonks and Amelia will undoubtedly be at the helm of it. Minerva will join them again soon too.

I make no promises of speed (ever) but I won't give up the story. Thank-you again to all of you who have stuck around with it.

Best,

GGUC