AN: I hope you like this. I had the most fun writing the Flamel scene.

Dudley woke up and nervously walked around the lounge that the oddly dressed woman had sent him to after he had answered some questions. He didn't know why his family was arrested for teaching the freak his place. Dad always said that freaks needed a good smacking around to make them normal acceptable members of society. He could definitely agree after that big hairy man had given him a tail when he hadn't even done anything!

Getting tired of walking he sat down and crossed his arms. This was so boring! The freaks wouldn't give him more than three meals and two snacks! He needed way more than that. Where was a computer he could play on anyway. He really felt like blowing up some aliens. These weirdos didn't even have a tv.

Petunia's lips were pinched as she tried to see through the bars to know what was going on. This was all that freak and headmaster's fault. She knew she should have drowned that child when she had the chance. Why weren't they telling her anything. It had been a day since she had been kidnapped by these people and unjustly questioned. She deserved an answer from these freaks.

Vernon slept arms bound across his stomach and to his sides reminiscent of a straitjacket. In his dreams he visualized punching out all of the freaks without them stopping him this time. He dreamed of beating the freakishness out of them and being knighted by the queen for his service.

Harry was running. Trees around him were a blur and the stars in sky were winking out one by one. Harry looked behind him seeing nothing. He knew he was there though. Seeing movement to the side of him he looked towards it and changed direction. He had to get away. The bad man was coming and if he caught him he knew he would die. The bad man was going to get him. The bad man was going to get him.


Harry jolted upward at Ron shout. Looking at him he saw that he was laying beside him hugging him looking scared. Mr. Weasley had his arms wrapped around his shoulders and was brushing his hair with his hands. It felt soothing and safe. Confused he asked, "What happened?"

Arthur's arms tightened slightly and when he spoke his voice was calm and warm, "You had a nightmare, Harry. Do you want to talk about the bad man, Harry?"

Suddenly everything came back. Images of his dream filled his mind. Running, forests, and shadows that followed him. Suddenly the memories off that night were pushed to the forefront of his mind. Next thing he knew it all came pouring out of him to Mr. Weasley and The fear he hid when Hagrid said that whatever killed the unicorns was more dangerous than a werewolf on a full moon. The fear he felt when they were told that they were gong to be looking for this being and how it increased when they were told that they were going to separate. He told Mr. Weasley about how guilty he felt at his own relief that he wasn't going alone with Fang. About how he felt like shadows were following him. The terror that Neville and even Malfoy may be in danger. His anger at Draco. The horror of seeing such a pure creature slaughtered on the ground. The pain in his scar and the terror that enveloped him as a shadowy glided towards them. Then how he felt his skin ripping apart. The feel of his warm blood sliding down his skin. The detachment as he lifted a blood covered hand to his face. Then the relief when he heard the whistling of an arrow that almost hit the the man. How the last thing he saw was himself being lifted into the arms of a centaur with a kind face.

Harry suddenly heard sniffling coming from Ron. Ron suddenly buried his face into his chest sobbing, "I almost lost you. You could have died. Your my best friend. I can't lose you."

Amelia sighed as she got back from Hogwarts. She hadn't felt this tired since the first days as Head Auror; when she was handling the after affects of the war. Her days hadn't been this busy since then. Hell, it had only been twenty-four hours and yet if felt like weeks. First she got a call from a frantic Malfoy heir about Harry Potter nearly being killed. Then she arrived only to find out that Hagrid had endangered children the same age as her little Susan. They told her how McGonagall had ordered the detention for being out after curfew. The it seems the Granger girl just couldn't hold it in any longer and she sobbingly told her of how everyone was attacking her friend and that someone was after the Philosopher stone. Then a healer's aide had run in to tell her that while Harry was still in intensive care that they had found signs of abuse. What a morning.

Her original reasons for going to Gringotts had actually been to find out Mr. Potter's residence. That seemed to be the only thing the Goblins didn't do. The evidence they had collected against Dumbledore was astounding. At first she had been angered that they hadn't reported it only to be told that they had originally. Seems Crouch Sr. hadn't found a broken will important and didn't want people finding out his mistake of not giving Black a trial.

After that had been interrogation after interrogation. Auror after auror being sent injured to St. Mungos and countless secrets exposed that seemed impossible to have been hidden. Then finally when she was home asleep after such a hectic day; Nicolas Flamel penetrated her ward undetected. Waking up to his Aguamenti had not been fun. Though his desperate face and demands for his stone had quickly quieted her anger. Moody's paranoid demands of Flamel and her had eased her stress a bit. Though at least she was finally home and could get some sleep before tomorrow. Though it seemed she would be adding attempted murder and another theft charge to Dumbledore's growing list.

Nicolas laid next to his wife clutching her to his chest. He had given her the elixir a few minutes ago and could only hope that he was in time. He had also taken a dose since he himself had been the feeling the beginnings of deterioration for a week now. Suddenly he broke into happy sobs as his wife's breath finally even out from the barely there wobbling it had been for the last two days.

Her color was quickly returning and then suddenly her eyes fluttered open, "Nic? What''s going on? I thought... I thought that I would... Why am I not dead?"

Instead of answering Nicolas kissed his wife pouring all his love, relief, and desperation into it. Rolling on top of her he peppered her forever young face with kisses. Stopping he held her face with one hand and dug the other into strawberry blond curls. Looking into her violet eyes he just stared crying. Idly he wondered if he had cried more this time or the time when he had created the stone in the first place to save his wife from the plague.

He was jolted out of his dark memories by Perenelle's hand brushing his tears away. Her smile was quirked and her gaze loving, "Nic love, would you mind filling me in? I know it's been a trying couple of months but I know something amazing has happened. I haven't felt this good in months."

"He nearly killed you, Ren. He stole the stone and I nearly lost you. This was even worse than when... I couldn't figure out how to do it again. I couldn't save you this time. Then I felt myself wasting away and I felt relieved, because it wouldn't take long for me to join you. But it wasn't enough. You wouldn't wake up and it was so hard knowing that I wouldn't see those beautiful eyes again. I wouldn't hear that laugh. I wouldn't hear another sarcastic insult when I left a mess. I couldn't tell you I love you again. He nearly took you from me and I never even suspected. The damn bastard even comforted me and all this time..." Nicolas stopped looking up his face both pained and furious.

"Who darling?" Perenelle asked running her fingers in his hair comfortingly. Her other hand moved to his jaw and her thumb soothingly ran over his bottom lip.

Nicolas looked back down into her face his eyes were filled with betrayal, "Dumbledore. Albus did this to you. Ren, he took it to use it as some kind of chest move to draw out Voldemort and test the Potter child. He nearly killed us as some kind of pawn that was no longer needed. I just... I will make him pay for the Ren-heart. He will regret the day he tried to mess with those far more experienced than him. I promise he will not get away with this."

Perenelle looked shocked her mouth opened almost as if she was silently screaming. Finally she seemed to truly understand what she was being told and her face turned sad and loving again. Leaning up she kissed him sweetly before replying her mouth only breaths away from his, "You will not make him pay, Nic. We will make him pay. Don't let my illness even for a second let you think that I'm going to let you do anything without me. Just because I've been laying on this bed for weeks does not mean that I've suddenly grown feeble-minded. Now kiss me you fool and we'll talk on this later."

Amelia groaned as her wand went off. Sighing she got up and got ready. An hour later she was walking into her office. Sitting down she went to organizing everything. The Dursleys, Minerva, Arrabella, and Hagrid had been interrogated. Dumbledore's had been put on hold last night and Alastor was meant to continue it as soon as he got in. Pomfrey was the only one left. She was just glad that she didn't have to deal with the students who attacked Harry. The Hogwarts teachers had agreed to find out themselves and punish them accordingly. The ones who hadn't done more then a few minor hexes and such were suspended. Others depending on severity were facing expulsion or would be sent to her to be handled. They were supposed to begin today.

Shaking herself out of her thoughts she began organizing in what order she was going to do the trials. Any students would go first, then the Dursleys, then Hagrid, McGonagall, Pomfrey depending on what she said, Arrabella would then go, and she was going to save Dumbledore for last. The longer he was separated from his magic the less of a chance he had of escaping and the more people could hear of his crimes and give him more than a slap on the wrist. Finishing the last of her current paperwork she stood and headed towards Moody as he entered HQ.

Soon they were discussing everything that was going on.

"So let me get this straight. You had bank account statements, testimony, paper trails, and medical proof as evidence against Albus and you barely got a moderate truth serum. Arrabella had a paper trail, bank statement, medical proof, and she attacked an auror and you couldn't get any serum for her. But little old Pomfrey who you only had testimony, an attempt to flee, and a broken oath on somehow warranted Veritaserum. How in the blazes does that work?" Moody asked Amelia shaking his head in disbelief.

Amelia rolled her eyes and went to the interrogation room containing Pomfrey. Entering she watched as the woman fidgeted. Walking over she doused Pomfrey and sat down.

Sighing she looked at the woman as her eyes glazed, "What is your name?"

"Hera Athena Vance"

Amelia nearly dropped her files. Clearing her throat and staring at the woman bewildered she asked, "Who are you?"

"Hera Athena Vance"

"Where is Alicia Poppy Pomfrey?"


Amelia stared shaking her head disbelieving. Dead? Realizing that she was letting her emotions interfer with what she was doing she blanked out her face and cleared her mind. Now that she had gathered herself she continued, "When did she die?"

"Twenty years ago."

Amelia was slightly horrified that it seems that she had never known the real Pomfrey. "How did she die?"

"She committed suicide by biting through her tongue."

Amelia did drop her files this time. Picking them up she reprimanded herself for not having better control. Looking up she started again, "Why did she commit suicide?"

"She finally gave up hope that no one would find her and save her. She wanted her freedom and took it the only way she could."

"What happened to her?"

"She had just joined the Hogwarts staff and refused to follow Albus's suggestions. First year Slytherin student Bellatrix Black had been raped by Seventh year Gryffindor student Bartemius Crouch. He had obliviated her of the event so she found out when she ended up pregnant. Pomfrey wanted to report it, but Albus told her not to because she had no proof that it was rape. That for all she knew Bellatrix Black could have wanted it and was crying rape because she was pregnant and wouldn't be able to marry well because of it. Pomfrey said that the girl was eleven and a minor and she was going to make sure whether he like it or not that Crouch was punished and that Bellatrix's reputation was saved. He stunned her and had me take her place. She was used so that I could use her hair in a polyjuice potion. Thankfully she didn't give up until she had noticably started aging. So I just used glamours and slowly changed them until I could go without them."

Amelia felt almost sick. Bellatrix was raped at eleven. No wonder she joined the Death Eaters she probably wanted revenge. Merlin an eleven year old. The girl had to have just started her menustration cycle. It should have killed her or badly damaged her body. That could explain how in years of marriage she never had a child.

"What happened to Bellatrix Black after you took Pomfrey's place?"

"She was withdrawn from Hogwarts for the year under the guise of a bad illness. Crouch hastily had an arranged marriage with a barren woman and Bellatrix had her uterus and such transferred to the woman. I think they named the kid after his father. Bellatrix was warned to be quiet and eventually married a man who was born infertile so that she didn't rob a line of an heir."

"Why did you accept to become someone else?"

"My Medi-Witch license had been revoked because they caught me experimenting with some healing charms on some patients in the permanent ward. I don't know why they were so bothered it wasn't like those patients would be leaving anyways. I was on the streets healing people on Knockturn for knuts and sickles. If I was lucky someone would come that had done something illegal that backfired who could pay a pretty penny. It was a new start."