ᵖʳᵒᵘᵈ ᵖᵃʳᵉⁿᵗˢ ; ʰᵃʳᵐⁱᵒⁿᵉ

Chapter Twenty

Chapter 20 - Family Ties

Dobby had forewarned Poppy that Harry was injured so she was awaiting his arrival. Unfortunately, since Joan had heard the elf's warning too, nothing and no one could move her from the terrace as she desperately waited on Harry and Hermione returning. The Institute's emergency portkeys were all interlinked so Harry's master command saw everyone appear on the terrace, including the four who'd been shopping in Diagon Alley.

The second she spotted a bloody Harry, there was no holding a sobbing Joan back as she rushed forward and attached herself to Harry's leg like a limpet. Ron and Millie immediately moved to help support Harry as Hermione knelt and tried in vain to comfort a distressed four year old.

"Harry's going to be fine, sweetie. Madam Pomfrey is used to fixing him right up."

Poppy was giving Harry some more blood replenishing potion to drink while carrying out a preliminary examination."I need to get him lying down, Hermione. Like, right now."

Taking that as his cue, Dobby appeared and popped Poppy and Harry away, with Joan still attached to his leg. A stunned Hermione barely had time to notice her mum being comforted by her dad, while Sirius was doing the same for Francesca, before Dobby returned and popped her away too.

Remus called for some brandy while it fell to Neville to tell everyone what had happened today.

-oOoOo-

Cornelius was hitting the brandy too. It was practically flowing in his office as Dolores, Amelia and Augusta all partook of a tipple as well. The brandy wasn't comforting Dolores in any way however.

"All that pure-blood linage being destroyed, it's not right."

Augusta just had a stellar day in the Wizengamot Chamber, she had no intention of listening to this toad croak her bigoted beliefs over their achievements.

"Rather than sitting there lamenting over rapists and murderers meeting their lawful end today, how about showing some sympathy for their poor victims who were certainly shown no mercy. Our country took a great stride forward today, and will continue to do so with the further trials already scheduled to take place."

Dolores appeared as if she was about to object before Amelia cut her off. "You sat in that chamber today, and listened to the same horrors as we did. Do you think any of those people were undeserving of the judgement their Wizengamot meted out?"

There was no arguing against that point, but it was another matter Cornelius thought should take precedence here. "What of Potter's threat to bankrupt the country. Do we think he can do it, and can we do anything about it?"

Amelia knew more of what was happening with Harry than Augusta did so tried to answer without breaking any confidences. "Although he's deadly serious about the Institute, Harry's main aim has always been to see Voldemort gone. He wants to live as normal a life as possible - get married and have kids - but knows he can't until that threat is completely removed. He and his godfather will take down the entire country if we stand in his way of completing that goal - something you experienced first-hand today."

A shocked Cornelius needed three attempts at responding to that. "How could he possibly think we were helping you-know-who?"

Not for the first time, Augusta wondered how this wizard ever became Minister. "By refusing to deal with Death Eaters at the very heart of our government, the Ministry of Magic might as well have just stood up and declared itself for Voldemort. The more Death Eaters we can deal with now, the less support Voldemort will have when he returns. This should have been done over a decade ago but Albus was preaching forgiveness, second chances and the healing of our society. You heard those monsters today, they haven't changed and deserved none of that consideration. The only way to heal here is by cutting the infection out to stop it spreading."