SILENT [1] || HARRY POTTER ⚡️

forty ; letters

"The hearing's on my floor, in Amelia Bones's office. She's Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and she's the one who'll be questioning you."

"Amelia Bones is okay, Harry," said Tonks earnestly. "She's fair, she'll hear you out."

Harry nodded, still unable to think of anything to say.

"Don't lose your temper," said Sirius abruptly. "Be polite and stick to the facts."

Harry nodded again.

"The law's on your side," said Lupin quietly. "Even underage wizards are allowed to use magic in life-threatening situations."

Something very cold trickled down the back of Harry's neck; for a moment he thought someone was putting a Disillusionment Charm on him again, then he realized that Mrs. Weasley was attacking his hair with a wet comb. She pressed hard on the top of his head.

"Doesn't it ever lie flat?" she said desperately.

Harry shook his head, and Darcy chuckled. She remembered just moments before the Yule Ball began, she tried to fix Harry's hair and her Slytherin friend, Gemma Fawley.

Mr. Weasley checked his watch and looked up at Harry.

"I think we'll go now," he said. "We're a bit early, but I think you'll be better off there than hanging around here.

"Okay," said Harry automatically, dropping his toast and getting to his feet.

"You'll be all right, Harry," said Tonks, patting him on the arm.

"Good luck," said Lupin. "I'm sure it will be fine."

"And if it's not," said Sirius grimly, "I'll see to Amelia Bones for you. . ."

Ophelia glared at her brother, then turned her kind eyes to Harry.

"I'm sure Sirius won't see to Bones," said Jani for the first time. "You'll get off for sure."

Harry smiled weakly. Mrs. Weasley hugged him.

"We've all got our fingers crossed," she said.

"Right," said Harry.

Darcy stepped up to Harry, and hugged him too. "Hogwarts isn't gonna let you go, Harry. I'm sure..."

Harry nodded stiffly. "Well . . . see you later then." He followed Mr. Weasley upstairs and along the hall, unbolted the door and they stepped out into the cold, gray dawn.

. . .

"Use your legilimency!" said Ron, his voice impatient. "We've got to know, Darce! Has he been cleared?"

Darcy sighed in annoyance, throwing the book she had in her hands down. Her glare turned to Ron.

"I'm not going to use legilimency to get into his head," she snapped. "Besides, I can't control it all the time."

"You took bloody lesson with Snape for a year! You'd said you got it down!"

Darcy flushed.

It was true that she could control her legilimency, but when it came to Harry, it seemed that her mind wanted to just waddle into his mind. Since the last task in the Triwizard Tournament, things have slightly changed. Darcy was able to see Cedric Diggory get killed by Voldemort—for reasons unknown. Or, two weeks ago, when Darcy felt the righteous anger of Harry when he was expelled from Hogwarts. And it was an embarrassing reason to tell Ron that she couldn't control it around Harry.

"Of course, I have it controlled," said Darcy simply. "I'm just not going to go into his mind, Ron. It's common manners—would you like me to go into your mind?"