Don't Look Back In Anger (Completed)

Chapter 10: The Wizengamot

Cornelius sat in the Wizengamot chair reserved for the Minister of Magic, wondering how much longer he would get to keep it. The seat next to him was empty and Cornelius was sorrier than he could say about that fact. Had Dolores been sitting there, he would have gladly wrapped his hands around that pudgy neck of hers and strangled the stupid witch. What in the name of Merlin was going on in that sick thing Dolores called a mind when she thought killing Harry Potter would possibly help their position.

His thoughts returned at once to the current proceedings, drawn there by something unexpected he just heard mentioned - could he possibly save himself here?

The prison governor was finishing giving evidence to the Wizengamot when he found himself being interrupted by the Minister of Magic.

"Did you say Dolores Umbridge left with you-know-who and his death eaters?"

"Yes, Minister, and she carried the dark mark. The sleeve o' her robe was torn, leavin' it clearly visible."

Cornelius felt the first surge of hope run through him. He could sell the entire incident as a plot by you-know-who to get at the boy-who-lived, with the Dark Lord's loyal servant, Dolores Umbridge, manipulating the situation to see Harry killed. Once more Cornelius glanced over to the other empty Wizengamot seat, this one really had him worried. With his good friend Lucius in the chamber, Cornelius just might be able to pull his great escape off. Without his support though, his survival as Minister of Magic would be at best a coin toss. Where was Lucius?

As the prison governor left the chamber, Amelia Bones took to the floor. She was well aware Fudge was trying to keep the facts of this situation quiet, or at least put his own spin on them. Voldemort emptying Azkaban at dawn blew that option right out the water, and forced this emergency Wizengamot meeting. Amelia intended that everything else would be dragged into the open here, and Fudge's part in this entire fiasco should see him kicked out the ministry - if not heading for a cell while charges were brought against him.

"We've just heard how the Dark Lord himself led the attack on Azkaban in the early hours of this morning. What you may not know was that he had a busy night. The Dark Lord also led the attack on my home. Only having a portkey made by Chief Warlock Dumbledore got my niece and I out of a situation that would have otherwise seen the Bones family wiped out by these scum."

Amelia needed a drink of water to steady herself after saying that, only she knew just how close the Bones family had been to that terrible outcome. Had the death eaters gotten their hands on her, Amelia wasn't certain Susan would have used the portkey to leave their home. It was time though for the fightback to start, and there was no time like the present.

"Earlier on in the evening there was a death eater attack on St Mungo's, their target being the kissed body of Harry Potter. The Chief Warlock and I were visiting the hospital and responded to the attack. Eight death eaters were being held back by the two aurors I'd placed there on protection detail. Only one of the eight death eaters escaped - and not without leaving a piece of themselves behind."

Amelia had them hanging off her every word, and she was only getting started. "The muggle home of Miss Granger, Mister Potter's girlfriend, was then attacked and burned to the ground. Thankfully Miss Granger is a very intelligent witch and anticipated this action. Her family were nowhere near their home - rather they remain safe at an undisclosed location. The Weasley home was also targeted and destroyed. Arthur Weasley not only managed to get his family out of their burning home unharmed, he captured one of the attacking death eaters who broke into his home too. Since the remaining seven death eaters who attacked St Mungo's aren't fit to face trial at the moment - two of them are actually dead - we will try the death eater Arthur captured here today."