Harry-Dementor

24- New Tides

Dumbledore really was brilliant, steamrolling over all Minister Fudge's protests, objections, and questions about what had happened. It helped that the ministry had been vehemently stating all year that Voldemort hadn't returned, only to be proven that he was a few weeks before, then being handed a dead dark lord and almost his entire organization on a silver platter. Madam Bones was the harder one to convince since Fudge had almost immediately decided to take the win for himself and his new election campaign.

"Albus," the head of the DMLE sighed and shook her head. "This just doesn't make any sense. You say that Mr. Draco Malfoy and Mr. Harry Potter were staying the weekend at Longbottom Manor, which was under a Fidelus Charm, when somehow You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters got past that charm and decided to attack. Now let me get this right," she consulted her notes again. "They sent a patronus message to Professor Severus Snape and Mr. Remus Lupin, who are apparently friends now, as soon as they realized the danger..." she raised a disbelieving eyebrow. "The two men flooed in and joined in the defense with Madam Augusta Longbottom, Mr. Algernon Longbottom, and the children."

All three teens scoffed at being called children but were smart enough not to say anything. "That sounds correct to me," Augusta Longbottom looked at the woman sternly. Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Tonks both looked on in confusion at the situation. As members of the Order, they knew something else was going on, but it seemed neither could figure it out either.

"Right...so," Madam Bones shook her head and went back to her notes. "The Death Eaters fought their way into the house where they unfortunately killed Mr. Algernon Longbottom who luckily killed Bellatrix Lestrange with some unknown curse before his death. Then Mr. Draco Malfoy, who is apparently an eros, fired on all the Death Eaters we found who were unresponsive but had arrows in them. And he is certain he can remove the charm?"

"Of course, Madam Bones," Draco nodded at the question he'd already been asked a few times. "As soon as you would like me to. I recommend they are secure in custody first though if they aren't already."

"So, none of our underage teens are responsible for any deaths except that of You-Know-Who, who Mr. Potter somehow killed," the head of the DMLE looked at him questioningly.

"I got him with a very lucky bombarda, then an incendio," Harry lied, glancing at Dumbledore who had assured him it would hold up. "He was going to kill Draco and Neville."

"Yes, and Professor Snape killed Lucius Malfoy who was cursing his own son, and Mr. Lupin took out the Death Eaters that looked like they were attacked by an animal," Madam Bones continued reading her notes. It wasn't a stretch for Remus to take responsibility for anyone attacked by Hestia or Graham. "That still doesn't explain what happened to Peter Pettigrew who's still unconscious and suffering from dementor exposure or Walden McNair who we found to inexplicably not have a soul."

"Well, we all know the dementors have been wandering around collecting the convicts who were broken out of Azkaban..." Harry supplied sheepishly. "I think I saw one out of the corner of my eye in all the chaos."

No one in the room looked like they believed him. "Can you tell us why the three of you decided to have a sleepover tonight of all nights?" Kingsley questioned the group since it was quite strange that Draco would be in company with the other two.

"Er, I asked them over," Neville supplied tentatively. "We're all in Remedial Potions together and got close over the year."

At the mention of Remedial Potions, Madam Bones's head shot up and she looked at the three questioningly before turning her gaze to both Snape and Lupin. "Yes, I think that does explain the situation," she said slowly as Snape gave her an almost imperceptible nod. "Yes, I think that explains everything just nicely."