Albus was shown straight in to see Cornelius, and of course Umbridge was there too.
"What can I help you with Albus?"
"I need to stop putting compulsion charms on people."
The silence that comment produced was deafening. An embarrassed Albus then tried again.
"Sorry, I don't know what came over me there. I need to stop putting compulsion charms on people."
This time Albus felt the compulsion charm, but couldn't for the life of him think who could have cast it on him. If not cast on him, then how? Albus ran his hands up and down his robes, discovering the scrolls he didn't remember putting in his pocket.
He removed the scrolls, placing both on Cornelius' desk before taking a few paces away from them. Albus was relieved to feel the compulsion leave him, but the scrolls weren't quite finished with their task yet. The combined resources of the new Potter Institute had been involved in producing these, they now entered their final phase - public humiliation.
They became howlers, passing on an incredibly loud verbal message from Minerva McGonagall that could be heard throughout the Ministry.
"YOU WHISKERED OLD WANKER, WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO CAST COMPULSION CHARMS ON ANYONE YOU WISH TO? IS IT ANY WONDER HOGWARTS STAFF ARE LEAVING THE CASTLE IN THEIR DROVES, WE ALL NEEDED TO GET AWAY FROM YOU."
Long before the message had finished playing, the Minister's Protection Detail had the door open and their wands drawn - thus allowing even more people to hear what would be all around the building anyway before the day was out. Minerva's Scots brogue was well known to the witches and wizards of Britain, her hard earned reputation for honesty and fair-play was also a known character trait of hers. Minerva's words would be believed by most - if not all.
That his skullduggery been discovered shocked Albus almost as much as the modified howler. That this skullduggery had then been broadcast to the country's centre of magical government ensured the entire country would know in a matter of days. Albus was now all out of options.
"Cornelius, I need your help."
....
While Harry was getting ready to head off on their mission, he felt surprise coming from Hermione via their bond. Her mother had entered Hermione's room, and they both thought she was there to try and talk her daughter out of going. Hermione's surprise changed to a completely different set of emotions when her mother, right out of the blue, hugged her daughter. There were tears, there was laughter, Hermione was clinging tightly to her mother, and once more Harry found himself being swamped by his betrothed's emotions.
That these were positive emotions left Harry with the opportunity to try combatting this debilitating side-effect of their bond, rather than having to spring to Hermione's aid. He tried concentrating on the meeting they'd eventually held yesterday with the team of four who would accompany them back to Britain today for their mission.
flashback
After Bill's bombshell about rituals, they had searched Tom's memories and were pretty sure which one he would try. It would take too long to fabricate a believable excuse as to exactly how they came about that information, especially since Bill and Amelia were two very smart people - and they were already scheduled to be visiting Little Hangleton tomorrow. On this day for revealing the truth, Harry and Hermione told Amelia and Bill just about everything.
As the curse breaker and auror were digesting all that new information, Harry then informed all four of them what ritual they thought Riddle would use. Harry's suggestion of vanishing Tom's father's bones to prevent this happening immediately set Sirius off.
"If you empty that grave, Wormtail will stop the ritual - and then we're no better off. What we want to do is replace those bones with something that really screws up the ritual - and hopefully Voldemort's new body too."
This idea of possibly weakening a reborn Voldemort appealed to all of them, with Remus asking Sirius just what he was suggesting.
"Can you imagine replacing those bones with, say a transfigured dead squirrel? If that bastard took on any of the animal's traits, he would be finished with his pure-blood followers. Bow to Squirrelmort, the only dark lord in history with a bushy tail."
.....
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