Delores Umbridge was in shock. Her mouth hung open and her eyes were open wide. Finally as the Aurors moved to her side and the chains released her, she came to her senses. "NO! NO! YOU CAN'T DO THAT! I AM A PUREBLOOD WITCH OF THE HIGHEST..." The rest was lost as the Aurors jostled her out of the courtroom.
"Well," Harry said with a smile. "That might just be the best birthday present I've ever received."
"Oh...that will be your birthday won't it?" Hermione asked. "I've got to start thinking of a present for you..."
"That concludes this trial," Dumbledore said. "Wizengamot members, I remind you that you will need to be back here by two for the trial of Peter Pettigrew." When he left his seat, he strolled toward Harry and Hermione. "Well, was that the punishment you desired?"
"I think that Madam Bones had the correct line of thought. I do believe that Umbridge would be a prime candidate for Voldemort," Harry replied.
"So you believe everyone who might be recruited by Voldemort should be put to death?" Dumbledore asked.
"A general statement from a specific example Headmaster? You should know better," Hermione said. "The specific person killed several people and tried to kill many others including Harry. Someone who was supposed to be being protected by you and your Order at the time. That specific person deserves the fate that awaits her. Do you know of others who have committed the same crimes?"
"Yet, everyone deserves a chance at remorse," Dumbledore continued. "A chance to regret the choices they have made."
"If that chance does not endanger other, innocent people, possibly," Harry replied. "As for Umbridge, she has twenty-nine days to find her remorse. Maybe if you have her write 'I shall not murder or torture people' several hundred thousand times it might help."
"I see that you fail to see the seriousness of what has happened," Dumbledore said. "But someday I fear you shall. Now, do I have an appointment with Madam Bones?"
"Yes; she'll let you use the Pensieve in her office after Pettigrew's trial," Hermione replied. "She is adamant that if you try to take it or disable it, she will have you arrested."
"I have no plans for anything like that," Dumbledore replied.
Harry, Hermione, Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Luna, Neville, Xenophilius and Augusta Longbottom were invited to have lunch in the Ministry dining room as the guest of the Minister of Magic.
The adults were at one end and the teens at the other. The groups were soon into their own conversations.
"Well she's going through the veil," Hermione said.
"Good riddance," Neville replied. "So she won't have a chance to do what she did last time."
"No...but as we were walking up here," Harry said, "I thought about how we should have linked her to Malfoy's bribes. I mean we have the memories of Lucius telling me who he bribed and could have got that confession out of her as well."
"What good would that have done?" Luna asked.
"The Ministry could have locked down the Malfoy accounts leaving Draco and his mother penniless," Hermione explained.
"Hey speaking of the Malfoys," Neville said. "Did you hear that Draco is missing?"
"What?" Harry exclaimed. "What do you mean missing?"
"I don't know," Neville replied. "We..." He put his hand on Luna's and smiled at her, "were at St. Mungos last week and...and we heard Draco's mother talking to someone. She told someone named Andy that Draco was missing and she was worried since he blamed what happened to his father on you."
Harry glanced at Hermione as he touched his left forearm and she nodded. "Who is this Andy person?" He asked Neville.
"I don't know. I couldn't see them," Neville admitted.
"Draco's mum wanted her to tell her daughter," Luna added.
"Her? Andy was a woman? Of course, Andi...Andromeda," Hermione exclaimed. "Andromeda Tonks."
"I thought Andromeda didn't get along with Narcissa," Harry said.
"They are sisters. Narcissa just lost her sister and her husband," Hermione replied. "We can ask Tonks," Harry and Hermione both glanced down the table at the Auror. She was glancing at Remus who was ignoring her.
"Tonks?" Hermione said.
"Yeah?"
"Is your mother seeing Mrs. Malfoy?"
Tonks nodded. "Mum went to St. Mungos to see if she could help. I mean she is her sister."
"I thought she hated Narcissa?"
"Bellatrix she hated, but," Tonks shrugged. "Mum says Narcissa is hurting and she is her sister."
"What's this about..." Harry started.
"About your new job?" Hermione cut her husband off. "Are you enjoying it?"
Tonks looked at Remus and then back at the Potters. She shrugged. "Barely got my feet wet yet."
"Why'd you stop me?" Harry asked Hermione.
"And bring out that Draco is missing, in the Ministry?" Hermione asked. "We have a good idea of what Draco is doing and what he will be doing. If he is arrested then we lose possible information we can use."
"Think he'll be trying to kill Dumbledore again?"
"We'll see," Hermione replied then out loud so Neville and could hear. "What are we going to do about those two?" She indicated Tonks and Remus.
"I don't know," Harry replied. He lowered his voice to barely a whisper so only Neville and Luna could hear him. "We're concerned about Draco. We think he's off getting his mark. We'll need to keep an eye on him if he comes back to Hogwarts."
"Let us know what you need," Neville replied.
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