Lightning Strikes Twice (Harry Potter)(Time Travel)

A/N: Here's the new Chapter! Which also means the next four chapters are up on my Patreon for early access as well as the chance to vote on the direction of the story!

Amelia and Harry finally meet properly~

-x-X-x-

“… You need to bring Harry Potter in for questioning.”

His options are both limited and not. He could have promised to bring her Peter Pettigrew, but that would mess up his plans for dealing with Voldemort at the end of the year instead. He might as well turn in Barty Crouch Jr. while he was at it, if that was the way he decided to go. But no… not yet. It wasn’t time just yet.

Likewise, he also could have brought her Sirius Black. But while Harry was confident in his abilities to secure Sirius’ safety even if the wanted fugitive turned himself over to the Ministry, there was always the chance of things going haywire. Fudge, or someone in his camp, would almost certainly try to have Sirius killed the moment that they found out that Amelia had him in her custody. And while Harry could most definitely stop such an attempt, even the act would make things all the more complicated.

Which left… himself. With Peter and Sirius out, it was just Harry Potter that was available for blowing the lid off this entire conspiracy. After all, it wasn’t as though he could count on Snape or Lupin to do it instead. Lupin was personally reliable but also a werewolf. Snape, meanwhile, was the man who’d lied to Fudge about what happened last year in the first place, all in an attempt to get Sirius killed.

No… Harry was the best option. Though Amelia doesn’t think so at first. The Director of the DMLE’s eyes widen at the name drop and she frowns in consternation.

“The Boy-Who-Lived? But he was only a babe when the crimes that Black was accused of took place. No… wait, you’re talking about last year, aren’t you?”

There’s the clever witch that Harry is enjoying getting to know. His smile hidden behind the shadows covering his visage, Harry dips his head.

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about. When the Minister usurped what should have been an Auror Investigation, sending soul-sucking jailers who’d already failed in their one job to a school filled with children, rather than the magical police trained for such things.”

From the angry scowl that spreads across Amelia’s face, it’s clear that she agrees with him wholeheartedly. Her teeth grind together and her knuckles go white from how tightly clenched her fist becomes in remembrance. It takes her a moment to calm down, but finally she begins to nod.

“You’re saying that Harry Potter knows something? Why didn’t he say anything last year then?”

“Because Cornelius Fudge didn’t want to hear school children tell him that he had been wrong and his heavy-handed actions with the Dementors were completely and utterly pointless. So instead he listened to the lies of Severus Snape, the Hogwarts Potions Master… and long time nemesis of Sirius Black.”

Amelia’s lips thin out at that and for a moment she almost looks to be reminiscing. Harry realizes then that her years at Hogwarts probably had some overlap with the Marauders and Severus Snape. She likely IS reminiscing and quite literally remembering the acrimonious relationship that Snape had with Sirius and James and the others.

Finally, she grimaces as something else occurs to her.

“Will he even talk to me? Due to his age, I’m not allowed to question him without the consent of him or his magical guardian… and I don’t even know who the latter is.”

At this point in time, Harry’s magical guardian is almost certainly Dumbledore. Not that the old man had ever bothered to tell HIM that. But regardless, it’s nothing to worry about because as Amelia said, they don’t need Dumbledore to sign off on a questioning if Harry himself signs off on it.

“Consider the situation for a moment, Madam Bones. In what world would a young orphaned wizard not hope to either clear his godfather’s name… or help catch the killer of his parents? He’ll consent. All you have to do is reach out.”

She hesitates for only a moment more before nodding finally.

“Alright. I will. Thank you for your assistance.”

Smirking from behind the shadowy veil, Harry nods his head in return.

“Anytime, Madam Bones. Anytime.”

Curiously, she almost seems to shiver a little bit at that. Harry’s not sure why, but he also doesn’t stick around much longer to investigate. After all, the DMLE’s Director looks ready to act upon his suggestion right then and there… and that means he’s needed back at Hogwarts as Harry Potter in order to be available when she comes calling.

-x-X-x-

“Mister Potter, you do not know me, but I’m Amelia Bones, Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Essentially, I’m in charge of the Wizarding World’s Aurors.”

The meeting had happened quite quickly. That very day, in fact. Amelia had shown up at Hogwarts with a group of Aurors in tow right at the start of dinner and wasted no time in asking Harry if he would answer some questions. She’d done so in front of everyone in the Great Hall, which had in turn led to Dumbledore trying to intervene… but before he could, Harry had given his consent right there on the spot.

This had then led into Dumbledore trying to insert McGonagall as Harry’s Head of House into the questioning, but Amelia had pushed back on that. Unless Harry asked for it, she said it wasn’t necessary and when they’d asked Harry what he thought, he’d said he didn’t feel like he was unsafe or anything. The Headmaster was so reluctant to admit that he was Harry’s magical guardian that he found himself completely forced out of the ensuing conversation. Just as Harry had planned.

Smiling softly, Harry gives Amelia a nod to show he understands.

“A pleasure to meet you, Director Bones.”

She returns the smile with one of her own.

“And you as well, Mister Potter. I won’t try to claim that you and you alone saved the Wizarding World at the age of one… but know that your parents’ sacrifice and the defeat of Voldemort saved countless lives.”

Harry hums for a moment before flashing a quick grin.

“I’m surprised you’re willing to say the name, Director. Many refuse to call him anything but by his hyphenated titles.”

Straightening up, Amelia rolls her shoulders.

“That is… not entirely their fault. Their insistence comes from a place of ignorance that has never been corrected. Back during the height of the war, the Dark Lord Voldemort put a magical curse called a Taboo on his name. Anyone heard to utter the name Voldemort risked not just their arrogance but also their location getting back to the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters.”

The older witch grimaces here, glancing off to the side for a moment.

“… We lost a great many brave wizards and witches to the Taboo before we realized what had happened. At which point, it quickly became easier to just call him You-Know-Who. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was a bit more of a mouthful in my opinion, but I suppose it got the point across to those aware of the Taboo. Naming him was quite literally a death sentence in those days.”

“But not anymore.”

Harry’s interjection causes Amelia to jolt free of her remembrance, causing her to look at him with a twinkle in her eye and a crooked smile on her lips.

“No, Mister Potter… not anymore. The Taboo was broken with Voldemort’s death. We can say his name as much as we like. Alas, the terror of those dark years is hard baked into the majority of the Magical World’s mind. Many still don’t know the Taboo was ever even a thing… only that so much as a mention of the Dark Lord’s name brought sorrow and despair down upon you.”

Nodding slowly, Harry stays quiet this time around, merely raising an eyebrow at Amelia. It takes a moment but the Director finally flushes, realizing they’ve gotten rather off track.

“Ahem, my apologies. Let us get to the crux of this matter, Mister Potter. I am here to question you about Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew and what you might know about the circumstances surrounding their altercation.”

Harry doesn’t hesitate. What would be the point, really?

“Sirius is innocent. Peter was my parents’ secret keeper and the one who betrayed them to Voldemort.”

Amelia’s eyes widen at the casual confidence with which Harry delivers this bombshell. To be fair, she’d likely already been leaning towards believing Sirius Black’s innocence. Or at least believing there was a conspiracy at the Ministry. Still, it’s obvious Harry has caught her off guard.

“You know this for a fact? Do you mind explaining how you know this? Did you speak with Sirius last year? Did he tell you all of this?”

Harry scoffs.

“I spoke with both of them, Director Bones. Sirius Black, my innocent godfather… and Peter Pettigrew, the Rat-Who-Lived. It was Peter who admitted it all to me. How he betrayed my parents to Voldemort. How he set Sirius up and exploded that street, killing all those muggles and cutting off his own fingers in order to fake his death.”

Leaning back in her chair, Amelia looks… flummoxed. But she’s a smart woman. She’s quick to connect the dots.

“… He escaped, didn’t he? And then Black escaped as well.”

There’s a note of frustration in her voice. She’s seeing the well of information drying up right before her eyes. Humming again, Harry nods… and then flicks his wand out of its holster and presses the tip to his forehead before the DMLE Director can do more than jolt in surprise.

“Perhaps you would like my memories of the entire night in question, Director. Though in turn, I would have to ask for immunity from all crimes within… for both me and my friend Hermione Granger.”

He’s already pulling out the strand of silver representing his memories of that night, even as Amelia’s eyes widen and then narrow in quick succession. She hastily pulls out a small vial from within her robes, something he knew she’d have on him. Still…

“Crimes?”

Smiling slightly, Harry bobs his head even as the silvery strand disconnects from his forehead. He doesn’t actually wait for her response… he puts the memories in the vial before they can dissipate and be lost.

“Everything we did, I swear was in pursuit of justice. True Justice, not just what the Minister of Magic believed justice to be. I like to think you would understand that more than most, Director Bones.”

Amelia’s nostrils flare and she looks at the vial in her grasp for a long moment. Harry isn’t too worried. This is, in and of itself, a leap of faith. Could Amelia nail him and Hermione to the wall for their illegal use of a Time Turner to save an escaped fugitive? Sure she could. But would she? Well, consider this a test to find out if she was truly the woman he thought she was.

“… I cannot offer immunity based solely on your word, Mister Potter.”

She still holds the vial between them, as if offering to let him take it back. But Harry just smiles and shrugs.

“Then peruse the contents for yourself Director Bones. And make your decision from there about what you’re going to do next.”

Amelia narrows her eyes at the ease with which he gives in. Still, she retracts her hand, officially accepting his memories of that fucked up night and the day that had followed. He expects her to end the questioning there and to take his memories back to the DMLE so she could use a pensieve to view them for herself.

Instead, she manages to surprise him yet again.

“Auror Tonks!”

At hearing her name called, a certain metamorphmagus pokes her head in from the hallway outside.

“Yes Madam Bones?”

Harry tries not to smile too hard at how young Nymphadora Tonks looks here. Of course, it’s easy to suppress said smile when he just remembers how she died in just a few more years. He wouldn’t let that happen this time around. No matter what it took.

“Procure a pensieve for me from the faculty, please.”

“A pensieve?”

Tonks’ eyes are wide at that request, making Amelia scowl briefly.

“Was I not clear, Auror Tonks?”

Flushing at the sharp reprimand, the young witch rapidly nods her head.

“Yes ma’am, I-I mean no ma’am… I’ll get right on that, ma’am!”

Hastily pulling back, Tonks disappears as Amelia just sighs and watches Harry. He doesn’t squirm, though he does have to hold back his annoyance at this turn of events. He really hadn’t expected the DMLE Director to stick around once he handed over his memories, but apparently he’d intrigued her enough that she wasn’t letting him out of her sight until she had all the answers she wanted.

He’s almost tempted to just tell her what the memories contain then and there after all, because he knows exactly what pensieve Tonks is going to wind up bringing back if she manages to get one at all… and if she DOES manage it, it will only be because of who she will bring back with the pensieve in the process. Alas, in for a penny, in for a pound Harry supposes.

Still, fifteen minutes of awkward silence pass before the door opens and it’s exactly as Harry expected. Tonks comes in carrying a very old, very intricate pensieve… and behind her comes its owner, one Albus Dumbledore. The Hogwarts Headmaster has a grandfatherly smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye as Amelia scowls at his presence. Before she can raise issue with him, Dumbledore lifts a weathered hand to forestall her objections.

“My apologies, Director… but seeing as young Nymphadora here needed the use of my pensieve, I only thought it appropriate that I accompany her to see if there were any other ways I could be of assistance. It is a particularly old pensieve after all, passed down through my family for generations. I’ll be happy to help you with its operation.”

Now both Amelia and Tonks are scowling at Dumbledore. The former for him clearly using this opportunity to put himself where he’s not wanted and the latter for using her first name. Anyone else and Tonks would get on them for calling her Nymphadora… but with Dumbledore, she just has to grimace and bear it.

Amelia Bones hesitates for a moment as she looks from Dumbledore to the pensieve and then glances over at Harry. Her lips thin out into a line and the older witch looks ready to throw down. Is she going to accept Dumbledore’s presence? Harry finds himself too curious to really intervene here. To be fair, he doesn’t see what else he can do in this case. This isn’t about him anymore, it’s about Dumbledore’s pensieve and Amelia’s desire to see Harry’s memories right here, right now.

Finally, the Director of the DMLE makes a call and opens her mouth to respond.

[X] Amelia threatens to use Harry's admission of guilt to bring him back to the Department if Dumbledore doesn't back off - 82%