The Marauders: Year Six #Wattys2017

The Truth Comes Out

The Truth Comes Out

Before all of that, minutes after Jasper Odair had been transported from the Ministry for Magic, Charlus Potter had used the floo network to Hogwarts castle and popped from Minerva McGonagall's hearth, stumbling over the rug in her office and falling into a chair before her desk. McGonagall, who had been peacefully drinking tea and sitting at the desk, reading, looked quite startled by his appearance. Soot clung all over the man from having moved so quickly through the network - a large splotch of it went across his nose.

She reached into her desk drawer and pulled out a handkerchief and held it out.

Charlus wiped the soot from his face. "Minnie, I need to see Edgar Odair. Right away. Before the post arrives with the Prophet and the news and --" he stared at her. His voice was shaking.

Minerva's voice trembled. "You don't mean to say that -- the Odair boy --?"

Charlus held the handkerchief to his face. "Bloody hell, Min. It was a steamroller. They didn't give a damn about justice - they didn't even listen. They didn't care about evidence or anything. Barty just plowed him down, like it wasn't a boy before him - like he was looking at You-Know-Who himself."

Minnie covered her mouth.

"I'm not finished fighting, I'm not. But... but Jasper asked me to talk to his brother and I intend to fulfill his wishes." Charlus looked at Minerva with pleading eyes.

"Of course," she replied. She clapped her hands and with a CRACK, a house elf in a pillowcase with the Hogwarts crest appeared before her on the desk. He stared at her with his wide eyes. "Mr. Lonny - please go and fetch Mr. Edgar Odair from the first year dorms in Gryffindor tower."

"Yes Headmistress," Lonny the elf answered, bowing, and with another CRACK, the elf was gone.

Minerva waved her wand and a second tea cup appeared, filled with red tea - Charlus's favorite - and a spinning silver spoon. He took the cup from the air and held it in his hand, the spoon clicking against the cup as it spun. Minnie stood up and went to the window, behind her, staring out the panes, across the courtyard below.

There was a knock on the door of the office and Minerva turned around. It was too quick for it to be Edgar Odair already... "Come in," she called.

The door opened and Professor Urquart entered, his eyes flickering. "Minerva, I've just received word from my contacts at the --" he stopped. "Oh." His eyes had landed on Charlus Potter. "I see you've already received word yourself from your own contacts at the Ministry. Hello Mr. Potter. It's been a fair time since I've seen you last."

"Indeed," Charlus answered, nodding.

"I've your son in my Defense Against the Dark Arts course," Professor Urquart said, "Moment he walked into the room, I said to myself -- that there, that is Fleamont Potter's son. Spitting image of you."

Charlus smiled, "Actually, I go by Charlus now, Elphie, if you don't mind.... And yes, I've heard that before about James, the poor lad." He smiled crookedly.

"There are worse things he could be, Mr. Potter," Professor Urquart answered.

Wanting to get back to the important topic at hand, Minnie cleared her throat, "Is there evidence, Charlus, against Jasper Odair?"

"Other than the wand's priori incantantum -- not a lot," Charlus replied. "Fabian Prewett was the lead investigator the night of the murder and he said when he arrived at the Odair house... well, the way the scene was there was just no telling who did what. But Barty Crouch pointed out the boy's a muggle-born. There were only two wizards on the premises at the time of the murder - Jasper and his brother Edgar..."