That evening Madam Bones was much later in returning home than she usually was.
"Are you alright, Auntie?" Susan asked from where she was already sat at the dinner table beside Harry. Madam Bones shook her head and turned to Harry "Dumbledore has begun openly searching for you, Harry."
"You mean he wasn't already?" asked Harry.
"No. Well, he was looking for you, but he was doing it quietly. It seems that he has now decided to let the Ministry know that he cannot locate you. The Minister and I spent most of the morning arguing with him on the matter."
Harry paled slightly and asked "He knows I'm here?"
"No," answered Madam Bones "Though he might suspect it. We simply informed him that you have been moved to a new location due to concerns about your safety."
Harry snorted "I'll bet that went down well. That man has always insisted that my relatives' home is the safest place for me."
Madam Bones gave him a nod and replied "He did spend an hour trying to argue that point. Then he changed tactics and tried to insist that it was best that you go and stay with the Weasley family."
Harry chuckled and commented "The usual plan B for my summers. I take it you refused?"
"I did, and he didn't go much on that," said Madam Bones.
"I'll bet he used every angle to try and "insist" that I be moved there," said Harry.
"Oh, of course he did. He wouldn't be Albus Dumbledore if he didn't play every angle he could think of."
"Did he use the "grandfather" act?" asked Harry.
"That was act 1, actually," replied Madam Bones "Which he followed up with the "Head of the Wizengamot" bit, closely followed by the "defeater of Grindelwald" piece. Then he went for the "I know things that you don't but I cannot tell them to you" part. Finally he tried for the "in loco parentis" act."
Harry frowned and asked ""In parentis?" What does that mean?"
loco
"It means "in place of the parent,"" replied Madam Bones "It refers to the legal responsibility of a person or organisation to take on some of the responsibilities of a parent should the need arise. Schools and their staff often come under this, and have to act in a way that suits the best interests of the students. It can also give a person the right to act as a parent to someone without adoption. A godparent could come under this, should a biological or adoptive parent be absent."
Harry didn't like the sound of that "So basically it gives Dumbledore the right to treat me however he wants?"
"No," replied Madam Bones "It only gives him the right to act in your best interest while you are under his care. In other words, he has the responsibility to make sure that well cared for and well provided for when he is in his care while you are at Hogwarts. All staff at Hogwarts act in loco parentis to all of the students. However all of them, Dumbledore included, do not have the right to use this power once you are outside of Hogwarts. They can try and do what is best for you by calling you in during term time to discuss any issues you may have outside the castle, and they have a certain amount of responsibility to contact the necessary parties outside the school to try and resolve a situation, but none of them has the right to tell you were to go and what to do outside of the school terms, excluding homework, of course."
"So Dumbledore has no right to demand that I stay with the Dursleys or the Weasleys?"
"He does not."
"Even though he has clearly has done so on multiple occasions in the past?"
"It is not for him to make that decision for you."
"Interesting.
So
who
can
act in
loco parentis for me?" Harry asked.
"Well, your Aunt Petunia, obviously," replied Madam Bones "Even if she has done everything she could to deny you. Her husband as well, I suppose. Were Sirius Black not a wanted man, he would be another, as he was your godfather. At the moment, as you are staying with me, I can act in such a manner."
Harry nodded thoughtfully and said "Well, I suppose that makes sense. Fudge did pretty much appoint you to look after me."
Susan, who had remained quiet so far, had a scowl on her face as she said "Aunty, if Dumbledore ever tries to pull that stuff again, point out to him that if he really were able to act as such out of school then he hasn't been doing his job properly. He's told Harry nothing about his family." Madam Bones nodded, a thoughtful expression on her face "Yes that is a problem. Harry, if you'd like, I could try and source some books on the history of your family. I'm afraid that most of those belonging to your parents seem to have disappeared, but the Abbotts will have books detailing their family history like we have. I'm sure that we can gain a good amount of information for you."
Susan looked to her aunt and asked "But wouldn't those books have been moved to Gringotts or something? You know, for safekeeping?"
"It was Gringotts that first reported the books as being missing," replied Madam Bones before turning to Harry "Part of the clean-up that took place after Voldemort came for you as a baby included a team of Goblins coming over to remove all valuables to the Potter family vaults. They would take things like money, jewellery and other items of good monetary value, such as paintings or statues. They also take things important to the family, such as books on the family's history. In this way it is all much easier to distribute when the wills are read. Unfortunately someone got to those books first."
Harry frowned again and said "I don't know much about that night, but one thing I do know is that Hagrid was the first on sight. He told me he pulled be from the wreckage and took me to my relatives. All on Dumbledore's orders, of course."
"Dumbledore has always been a suspect," commented Madam Bones "but we've always lacked the necessary evidence to carry out a search of his home or his quarters at Hogwarts."
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