LANDSLIDE, james potter [2]

Chapter Twenty-Five

The first really good news in a while came when it was revealed that Harry Potter got off on his hearing at the Ministry on whether or not his use of underage magic was justified self-defence or just him showing off and terrorizing muggles. As if, Lyra thought. 

Sadly, she hadn't been able to see him off before the hearing, helping play the perfect hostess for the Dark Lord or whatever she was supposed to call him these days. She didn't really know anymore. 

But she made sure she had gotten to Twelve Grimmauld Place when he got back, looking extremely happy with a slightly stressed-looking Arthur Weasley walking him through the doors of the old house. 

"I knew it!" Ron exclaimed the moment they revealed the good news, pumping his fist in the air in pure joy. He wouldn't be able to survive a year at Hogwarts without his best friend in the world. "You always get away with stuff!"

"They were bound to clear you, there was no case against you, none at all," Hermione said, as though she hadn't been nervously hyperventilating in the moments before Harry had returned, and she had the air knocked out of her in fear. 

"Everyone seems quite relieved, though, considering you all knew I'd get off," the Potter boy retorted, though smiling brightly. He had been the most nervous once he left, not knowing what he'd do with his life if he couldn't go to Hogwarts and be a great wizard. 

"He got off! He got off! He got off!" Ginny, Fred and George were dancing strangely, making Lyra think about how strange the youth had become. Then she thought about how old she sounded which was sort of depressing. She was closer to forty than she was to thirty after all. 

"That's enough, settle down!" Arthur yelled, trying to force himself not to smile, but he was in a good mood even if he had some serious news to say. "Listen, Lyra, Lucius Malfoy was at the Ministry-"

Lyra and Sirius exchanged glances at the mention of her sleazy husband, but Sirius did have a slightly stronger hatred for the man, so it was he who spoke up with a sharp poison in his voice. "What?"

Despite their father's serious words, three of the Weasley children still jumped around Harry, dancing together like a trinity of ginger lunatics. "He got off! He got off! He got off!"

"Be quiet you three!" Arthur commanded sternly, turning to Lyra, who looked annoyed at the reminder that she was married to Lucius. "Yes, we saw him talking to Fudge on Level Nine, then they went up to Fudge's office together. Dumbledore ought to know."

"Absolutely," Sirius agreed. "We'll tell him, don't worry."

"Lyra," Harry spoke up, looking at her as if he had an idea. "You know Malfoy better than anybody here. Do you think there's any way that he could be using the Imperius Curse on the Minister to make him do his bidding?"

"No way," the blonde woman scoffed. "He's a close family friend, he takes Lucius's advice to heart. He wouldn't be so dumb as to curse him and risk getting caught using an Unforgivable when he could use his influence in other ways."

"Oh, alright." The Potter boy looked down, disappointed. He had hoped Lucius Malfoy was dumber than he thought so he actually would get caught and that problem would be out of their lives forever. 

Arthur nodded, accepting her response. "Well, I'd better get going, there's a vomiting toilet waiting for me in Bethnal Green. Molly, I'll be late, I'm covering for Tonks, but Kingsley might be dropping in for dinner-"

The chorus of "He got off! He got off! He got off!" continued, which was getting a bit old as it had been going on for five minutes and it seemed like Ginny and George had gotten into a competition of who could get their voice more high-pitched. Surprisingly, George was winning.