Accusations, Associations and Applications (Part Two)
The wind trailing Harry had finally calmed by the time he stalked into the library. He was still riled up, but he had regained enough sense to speak with Madame Pince in a somewhat even tone. She had shown him the book that Hermione had been using prior to running off. Dangerous Magical Creatures. And it was missing a page from near the beginning. Harry stared down at the missing section with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. Hermione vandalized a book. The thought of such an event almost had Harry doubling over in laughter and shock.
At least he had somewhere to start now. Hagrid would be the next stop.
Harry had just walked out of the library and almost ran into Neville and McGonagall when he froze again. A soft beeping sounded from his left shirt sleeve and a red mark glowed faintly before dying down.
"Harry?" Neville asked cocking his head at the fading rune mark on Harry's robe. "What was that?"
"Someone's trying to get into my trunk," Harry said confused. His features twisted in rage a second later and he repeated, "Someone's trying to get into my trunk!" He took off down sprinting down the corridor. Neville and McGonagall shook off their surprise and ran after him a few moments later.
They had just managed to open the Fat Lady's portrait door when Harry whipped out his Ninja stone, activated it and flew up the stairs to his dormitory. As he threw open the door, he saw Ron Weasley sitting on the floor near Harry's open trunk with the Invisibility Cloak in his hands. Harry's world turned red and he lashed out. A kick to the redhead's hands saw the Cloak fly out and flutter to a heap on the floor. Harry didn't even notice the door to the dorm bang open again as he threw a punch into Ron's ribs. The boy cried out but Harry sent another punch into Ron, silencing him with a wheeze. He lost his hold on the Ninja stone and melted back into view but he didn't care. Harry grabbed Ron and tossed him to the wall. He tried to throw another punch into the whimpering boy but found his arms restrained as ropes wrapped around him. Neville caught him so he didn't fall and Fred and George ran into the room as well.
"You little git!" Harry yelled. The twins looked from Harry to Ron and back.
"Mr. Potter, would you care to explain?" McGonagall said lowering her wand.
"I saw the look he gave my Invisibility Cloak last year, Professor!" Harry spat out. "Fred and George were there! They saw it too. Ask them how Ron looked at it!" McGonagall glanced at the two older boys who looked guiltily at each other before turning back to her and slowly nodding. "It was the first time I ever got anything! I got worried he might try something so I warded my trunk. There's three layers. One in case someone tries to open it that sends an alert to the entwined rune on my robes and sounds a warning here as well. The second activates if they try again and it marks their head. See!" Harry jerked his chin towards Ron who had the word THIEF across his forehead as if written with a green Magic Marker. One of the twins snorted and nodded approvingly. McGonagall's eyes just narrowed. "The third layer knocks them back and gives a mild electric shock. You have to deliberately want to take something to keep going through all three!"
Harry spat at the redhead who had finally managed to stumble to his feet. "What? Got tired how thinking how the Heir of Slytherin had such nice things? You wanted to take some for yourself?"
"I heard Hermione was attacked!" Ron yelled back, his face darkening. "I wanted to follow you and get proof that you're the one hurting people! That Cloak's the best way to do it!"
"That's the only thing I have of my father you arse! You want to take the pictures of my parents as well?! How about my mother's notebooks?! Or maybe you're more interested in the rune case Shiva gave me? Or the etching set from Hermione? Well!? What else do you want you – "
"That's enough, Mr. Potter," McGonagall said forcefully. Unlike in the hospital wing earlier, Harry calmed down enough to simply glare at Ron. "Mr. Weasley. 25 points from Gryffindor and a week of detention served between myself and Mr. Filch. I am ashamed that you resort to petty theft of a family heirloom! Rest assured this will be brought up to your parents. Mr.'s Fred and George Weasley, please escort your brother to the hospital wing to ensure that any injuries he has are treated." Both twins nodded and moved to grab Ron's shoulders. Fred patted Harry on the back as they passed muttered a quiet, "sorry mate," to him. "Mr. Potter. I understand the stress you are currently under but this is not the way to deal with the situation. 15 points deducted for physical altercation. 5 points gained for a creative warding scheme." McGonagall sighed. "Miss Granger will be fine, Harry. She was petrified yes, but she is otherwise uninjured. You need to calm down so that you remain that way yourself. Mr. Longbottom, please ensure to take care of him in the meantime."
"So why are we going to Hagrid again?" Neville asked following Harry. It had been nearly a day until Harry was calm enough to go out and talk to the large man. Shiva had tried to speak with Harry a few times since then but he had simply stayed silent, standing vigil over Hermione.
"Hermione was looking up something about dangerous magical creatures. Who do we know who is the best source to get more information on that particular topic?" Harry said with raised eyebrows.
Neville chuckled. "Yeah. Good point." He stopped and squinted towards their friend's hut. "Hey, that's the Minister. And Aurors…what are they doing at Hagrid's?"
Harry's insides went cold. "Neville, activate your Ninja and listen at the window."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah." Harry grabbed his own rune stone and pushed the activator etching. Feeling the now familiar shiver of the camouflage and silencing wards wrapping around him, Harry hurried to kneel down by the window to Hagrid's hut. He saw a small shimmer in the air next to him and knew that Neville had arrived as well.
"Really, Minister, this is unnecessary." Dumbledore's voice drifted out to them from somewhere inside.
"Now, now, Albus, the attacks have yet to stop. The Ministry must be seen to be doing something!" Harry's eyes narrowed at the implications of that statement. He shifted so that he could watch the man in the lime green bowler hat. The Minister was standing behind a trio of Aurors talking with Dumbledore while Hagrid sobbed into a large handkerchief at his table.
"Hagrid does not even have a wand. And the last time he was accused, the creature he was found with was an acromantula. Acromantulas cannot petrify victims in any way, Cornelius."
One of the Aurors shifted her weight from foot to foot. Harry started as he recognized Tonks. Her hair wasn't pink anymore but instead was brown and mousy. He could barely recognize her without the wild hair or carefree expression. "He's right Minister Fudge. I looked it up. Acromantulas can kill no problem and they're smart as hell but…they couldn't be related to what's happening right now."
"Be that as it may I am the Minister, Auror, and I say what is and is not possible!" Harry snarled. This man was even worse than Ron. At least the idiot Weasley used some form of logic. "Now arrest him and bring him to Azkaban until this mess is all solved!"
"But what about a trial, Sir?" Tonks tried again. Dumbledore just sighed and shook his head. The old man – the Chief Warlock – didn't seem to be willing to do anything and Harry felt the wind picking up around him again.
"Rook," one of the other Aurors said to Tonks, "let it go. If you want to graduate just shut up and do what you're told."
"That doesn't seem – "
"It's al'righ'," Hagrid said with a final wheeze into his hanky. "I'll go, Tonksie. Jus' promise me you'll find who's doin' this and help those kids."
"We'll figure it out, Hagrid," Tonks said wilting even further. How dare they do that Tonks! To Hagrid! Harry felt a hand on his shoulder and turned back to the dim outline of Neville. His eyes widened as he noticed that he himself was visible again. With a start, Harry saw the small tornado that was whipping up by him and the sparks flying from the Ninja clutched in his hands. Harry hurriedly damped down on whatever wild magic he was sending off and the Ninja stopped sparking, the illusions and silencing wards snapping back into place around him. Breathing a sigh of relief and nodding thanks at Neville's outline, Harry turned back to the window.
"Enough of this. Arrest him. I have other meetings to get to," Fudge said with a twist of his hat. The small group stepped out with Hagrid in some sort of cuffs between them and Tonks trailing dejectedly behind. If being an Auror did that to her, he hoped she didn't end up graduating. Tonks should be fun and cheery not looking like Dudley had been jumping on her back. Within a minute everyone had left Hagrid's hut and Neville and Harry dropped the Ninja stones back into their belt holsters.
"What the hell is going on, Harry?" Neville stared where the group had disappeared to in the distance.
"I don't know. But now we really have to figure it out. The government obviously doesn't seem to want to solve anything." Harry's glare increased. Yet another strike against people with authority.