"You saw what he did with the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Statute yesterday, didn't you?"
After both Longbottoms grinned and nodded back, Frank asked,
"Were there ever anti-house elf apparation wards up anywhere? Including the cells?"
"Nope!" she emphatically replied.
"So, all those folks we used to arrest and bring back here―" he began.
"Could have simply called their house elves, if they had them, to apparate them directly back out again," she finished. "Yep."
Alice asked, "What about Azkaban?"
Bones stared at her for a long moment in horror before she replied, "Well... shit!"
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
As soon as Marchbanks was assured Dumbledore was out of the castle - and, therefore, out of the way - the Ward Masters from the Ministry came in.
They immediately set to work analysing the wards. It took them time, but they eventually had them all.
For what was listed at the Ministry for the wards on the castle and lands surrounding it, there were quite a few significant changes. Those added included:
◊ - A general secrecy charm ward that subtly blocked staff and students from talking about any event out of the ordinary;
◊ - A loyalty ward to instill loyalty towards the Headmaster or Headmistress of the time;
◊ - An enhancement ward designed to cause aggravation between the Houses of Gryffindor and Slytherin;
◊ - An avoidance ward directed at one individual - like Potter - that would cause a general desire to stay clear of a person (who is also likely to be the person);
◊ - An almost hidden link to an artefact that was currently off the school grounds and located in the direction of London that was linked to a location ward keyed to all those on the grounds; and
◊ - A magical power tap that was keyed to one individual - likely, Dumbledore.
Wards that were in place, but deactivated, included:
◊ - A monitoring ward designed to monitor bullying;
◊ - An intent based ward designed to suppress bullying;
◊ - A monitoring and recording ward against dangerous artefacts;
◊ - A monitoring and recording ward against the use of dark magic; and
◊ - A monitoring and recording ward designed to block sexual assault by stunning all involved until woken by someone carrying a DMLE badge.
When Marchbanks was given the report she was, of course, furious.
"How soon can you rectify all this?" she demanded of the Team Lead.
"With control of the wards and we can drop the full ward scheme for the time, it can be done in mere minutes," he replied. "However, it's going to take about an hour to prep. I'd rather have everything in place and ready, before I drop the wards.
"Without doing that it's likely going to take us weeks. And that's beside it putting things at risk with a ward cascade failure.
"If we do the lot together... when they drop, they'll all drop. That includes the muggle notice-me-not and avoidance wards. Then we bring the whole lot back up, together, as an integral set. It'll also mean that if anyone wants to change anything by doing what Dumble― by whoever did all this did, they'll have to take everything down again to do it. The other way, that protection won't be there.
"However, I'd also like your permission to add to the wards if we're going to go that far."
Marchbanks frowned and asked, "What additions?"
The Team Lead handed her a short list:
◊ - A combined monitoring and notification ward for under-aged magic used outside of dormitories, the Great Hall and classrooms - such monitoring will immediately be entered into a book designed to accept them;
◊ - A dark mark notification ward keyed to the Head, the Deputy and the four Heads of Houses;
◊ - Redoing the hidden location charm ward and keying it to an automated map of the school - such map to be provided ASAP; and
◊ - The location charm will also be tied in with the other notification charms.
Marchbanks read through it and asked, "When you say 'mere minutes', how long are we talking about here?"
"Three, maybe four," he immediately replied.
Surprised, she said, "I was expecting you to tell me about ten times that amount."
He just smiled. "That's what the prep work is for."
Nodding, she asked, "If I was to include these four you suggest we add, how much preparation time do you need, then?"
"One hour fifteen," he promptly replied. "I've never seen that location ward before and I want to study it. Whoever did it was bloody brilliant. I want to analyse it because I think the Minister should be made aware of it and what it could mean for the Ministry. I'm thinking it could be useful for places like Diagon Alley, Saint Mungo's and places like that."
She didn't even hesitate. "Do it. You have my authorisation. Come and see me when you need control of the wards and I'll hand them over to you. I'll be here in my office.
"I'll also be needing a full written report of what was there that should not have been; what wasn't there that should have been, or was deactivated; and what you've added. I'll need it for both my records and for the Acting Madam Minister."
"Yes, Ma'am," he replied. "However, that report would have been provided, anyway."
With a slight bow of respect he left.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After leaving the office of Madam Bones - with the woman frustrated and trying to figure out a way to engineer stopping house elves side-along apparating people through the wards of everywhere, without letting the 'secret' out it was possible first - the Longbottoms began the process of getting their lives back in order in official records.
Bones suggested only one true stop was needed and that was the Minister's Administration Office one floor below her own. She even gave them both her written authorisation to put 'her' staff in that office to work on getting it all sorted out for them.
"Officially, you're still employees," she'd told them. "You were never stood down as aurors. As such, I'm authorising my staff in the Minister's Office to reactivate everything for you, as it should never have been deactivated in the first place."
After Frank handed over the note from Bones to the senior Office staffer, he read it and said, "We'll get right on that. It should all be done before close of business, today. I'll send an owl when it's done, so you won't have to worry about it."
After thanking the man, that allowed them to head directly to Gringotts. They needed to find out just what his mother, as regent, had done with the accounts.
As they walked in, they were immediately greeted by the concierge goblin available for the Seven. He gave a short abbreviated bow to them both and said, "Lord Longbottom, Lady Longbottom; on behalf of Axe Lord Ragnok, we at Gringotts rejoice at your recovery. May your enemies once again tremble in fear of your presence and gold overflow your vaults."
"Thank you," said Frank. "If the Longbottom Account Manager is free, whoever that is these days, please inform him we seek a meeting with some level of urgency."
"Account Manager Irontongs expects your presence, this day, and has cleared his schedule for you," replied the goblin. "Please follow me."
When the goblin immediately spun on his heel and began to stalk deeper into the bank, the two Longbottoms followed.
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