Harry-Dementor

13- Plan C

It was a decidedly glum and concerned group of students who all crowded back into the Great Hall after the holidays. There was a surprising lack of chatter as the ramifications of the Azkaban breakout sunk in with everyone. "Hey…Harry?" Seamus asked, tentatively sitting on the other side of Ron at the table.

"Yeah, Seamus?" Harry raised an eyebrow, wondering what his dormmate who had ignored him since September wanted.

"Er…well, I figured, you know, since the dementors even mentioned You-Know-Who had returned and the Death Eaters escaped, well…you were probably telling the truth," he said sheepishly.

"You think?" Harry asked in a sarcastic drawl worthy of Snape himself. "Seamus, you've lived with me for almost five years. Why in Merlin's name would you believe I would have lied about Cedric's death? Do you only believe things if you see them in the paper, because I hate to tell you, most of what's in the Prophet is shite."

Seamus sighed and everyone around them avoided his eyes, not planning to help him one iota. "Yeah, Harry. I reckon you're right about that. I'm so sorry."

"See, that didn't hurt too badly, right?" Dean Thomas clapped his friend on his back. "Now that you've pulled your head out of your arse, at least we can go back to all hanging out in the dorm again…that is if Harry actually forgives you now…"

Everyone's eyes shot up to Harry questioningly, Seamus with a look of pleading in his. "Fine," Harry rolled his eyes but smiled at his dormmate. "You better be the first one believing me next time though," he added with a grin at the end.

"Definitely, mate!" Seamus exclaimed brightly. "You say the earth is flat, and I'll be right there drawing new maps for you!"

"I'll hold you to that," Harry chuckled as Dumbledore stood at the head table and a hush settled over the room.

"Welcome back everyone," Dumbledore said with much less of a jolly twinkle than usual. "I'm sure you've all heard the news by now…For once, the Daily Prophet has it right and there was indeed a mass breakout from the wizarding prison. Now, I'm sure you all…"

He never did get to say what they all did or did not know as the doors to the entrance hall dramatically slammed open and the High Inquisitor Dolores Umbridge entered flanked by Aurors Shacklebolt and Dawlish. Kingsley looked like he would rather be cursing Umbridge than following her though.

"Hem, hem," she coughed out, causing both Jamie and Harry's skin to crawl. "Albus Dumbledore, you are hereby relieved of your duties as the headmaster of Hogwarts and your titles pending an investigation into the incitement of panic and the suspicion of coercing the dementors away from Azkaban!"

"What in Merlin's name would lead anyone to believe the headmaster would have dealings with the dementors at all?!" Professor McGonagall stood and glared at the toad-woman with a look that would have made anyone else cower in fear.

Shacklebolt winced as he took a step backward. "It has come to the ministry's attention that Headmaster…" Umbridge coughed, and Kingsley rolled his eyes. "Former Headmaster Dumbledore was seen at the gates of Azkaban prison on Christmas Eve. Our source also reports that a dementor left with him at that time."

Harry felt like he would melt and leak through the floor at any time. How in the world did anyone see what happened? It hit him that obviously there were a few human guards at the prison, and one must be stationed at the gate he figured as he mentally kicked himself for the oversight. He looked up to the headmaster, wondering what he should do. He really didn't want to have to explain the dementor was him.

"Ah, that must be very confusing for the ministry, must it not?" Dumbledore mused, a smile crossing his face as he surreptitiously glanced to Harry. "First of all, even if I were talking with the dementors, it's not a crime to tell someone who is working on a defunct contract and whose employers aren't treating them well to seek better opportunities. I think most people view that as common sense. I hope we are teaching some levels of common sense here at the school…maybe in Defense Against the Dark Arts?" Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at the pink-clad professor as titters were heard throughout the room. "Secondly, the ministry was given fair warning through two major news outlets and a letter sent directly to them to staff the prison before the guards left. I don't see how that is my problem either. Lastly, I've been explaining very clearly the return of Lord Voldemort for months now. My goal is to raise awareness and action, not panic. I believe the ministry's inaction is a larger source of panic."