Chapter 14
Chapter 15 of 18
flaminia_xHarry is asked to investigate a series of suspicious attacks, but soon the suspicion is turned toward Harry himself. Can he clear his name?
November 9, 2007 was my liberation day.
I woke up in the same cramped, aching position I had slept in since being locked here in this cell and wished not for the first time that they would just hurry up and try me, because bloody hell, even Azkaban would be more comfortable.
Stretching, I relaxed and tried to work out the kinks in my neck while I took a piss, no longer perturbed about the idea of the one creepy guard watching. Let him watch, I yawned to myself. Isn't bothering me any. But I had barely pulled up my trousers before I heard a herd of shoes stomping down the hallway, a dozen voices or more babbling in tandem.
I stiffened. This must be it, then; they're coming to take me to trial, I thought. Hastily, I ran my fingers through my dirty hair and wiped the lenses of my glasses clean on the tail of my shirt. Very well, so be it. I stood, ramrod straight, and faced my fate.
But instead of a bevy of Aurors coming to take me away at wandpoint, I saw Ron walking with Auror Robards and a handful of others. In the back, I saw a flash of bright pink hair. My heart skipped a beat or four.
“Well, Auror Potter,” Robards said gruffly as he opened the gate. “I'm … pleased to say that you've been exonerated of all charges. You're free to go.” He stepped to one side, expecting me to walk out. But instead, I stared at him, my jaw gaping slightly.
“Excuse me?” I mumbled.
“You're, ah, free to go, Potter,” he said again. “With my apologies for your time incarcerated. You are restored to your position as an Auror, and you will be compensated for your time.”
“That's it? That's all I get?” I said. A cold fury built up inside of me. “That's not good enough, sir.”
“What more do you want?” Robards asked softly. “Potter, believe me, I am sorry that you have been unjustly accused and imprisoned, but as an Auror, even you have to understand that all the evidence pointed to you. The minute we knew otherwise, we acted on it, and it is my pleasure to inform you that the perpetrator has been brought to justice. I am not sorry, however, for doing my job, however difficult it was to believe that you might be guilty of these heinous crimes. And believe you me, it was extremely difficult to think such a thing of you. But I did my job to the best of my abilities, and you know it.” He spoke with conviction, his voice unwavering.
The anger inside of me evaporated. I knew he was right. I wouldn't have believed it of him, either, but if the evidence had pointed at him, I knew I would have acted the same way. “Apology accepted,” I said and extended my hand. Surprised, he took it and then swiftly walked away.
“Ron,” I said, catching his eye. “Hermione, thank you so much. I'm sure you two are responsible for this.”
“And me,” Tonks said, walking up. My heart skipped a beat for the second time today, but for totally different reasons. She looked beautiful, dressed in her official Auror robes, with only a few scrapes and bruises still visible on her face.
“And you,” I whispered.
“Wotcher, Harry,” she whispered back, then winked. With a smile, she stepped aside, saying, “I think someone else wants to say hello, too.”
“Hi, Uncle Harry!” a small voice piped from behind her robes. Teddy peeked out, his bright pink hair gleaming in the harsh light of the hallway.
Tears came to my eyes as I knelt down. “Hiya, Teddy,” I said, opening my arms. “How about a hug for your favorite godfather?”
“Awww, in public?” he griped, but when I grabbed him and tousled his hair, he giggled. It was beautiful.
“Look, can we all go somewhere? I've got a lot of questions,” I said, looking up at the three of them.
“And do we have a lot to tell you,” Ron said with a smile. “Your place?”
Story Actions
To follow, favorite, like, and more either log in or create an account.
Leave a Review
Log in to leave a review.
Latest 25 Reviews for The Set-Up
20 Reviews | 8.65/10 Average
Now that was just downright mean to stop there!!!!! I anxiously await MORE!
Response from flaminia_x (Author of The Set-Up)
Hahaha - chapters in queue, I promise! Thanks for reading!! :)
Ah, so the Black family fortune makes an appearance, if only in Robards' speculation. I was wondering about that portkey as well. Could it have been activated remotely once Remus was murdered, so it wouldn't act as a portkey until the right moment? What if Harry hadn't looked in the box to find it? Although it rattled - presumably to catch his attention at the right time . . . And Ron is finally and firmly on Harry's side! Yay!
Response from flaminia_x (Author of The Set-Up)
Yay indeed! As if one could doubt Ron's loyalty, though! Perish the thought! I do think the answers to your speculations will surface soon enough ... stay tuned! Thanks for reading and commenting!! It's greatly appreciated!
Oh, poor Remus. You never actually said why he and Tonks had a fallout.I wonder ... just for how long had that portkey been in this box? I mean, Remus was dead just for less than an hour, and the portkey brought Harry to the place of the murder.I noticed Hermione's absence in this fic. Not that I suspect her, but I just noticed it.
Response from flaminia_x (Author of The Set-Up)
Ooh, I love seeing guesses and speculations and seeing what folks notice!! I can't wait to hear your reactions to the upcoming chapters!!
Poor Remus! Although there went my primary suspect. I am enjoying the buildup of suspense and have no idea at this point how you will get Harry out of this. (Unless you plan to go the route of "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd!)
Response from flaminia_x (Author of The Set-Up)
Oh, I'm glad you're enjoying it! I do hope the ending lives up to your expectations! :)
Oh poor Remus. Things aren't looking good for Harry, too many coincidences.
Response from flaminia_x (Author of The Set-Up)
Poor Remus indeed! I do like him, but ... alas. Stay tuned to see what happens with Harry!
Oh no, poor Tonks! Very suspenseful chapter, looking forward to the next one.
Response from flaminia_x (Author of The Set-Up)
Thanks! Should be up soon - keep your eyes peeled! Glad you're liking it thus far!
Since I love to speculate, I have lots of questions. (Not that I expect answers that would give anything away!)First of all, where is Remus? Shouldn't he have come to see his son?Teddy was poisoned by an unknown poison, and coincidentally, his cousin Draco was working with theoretical potions. Is that important? Draco would certainly have recognized if one of his theories/potions had been used or mis-used, or might have recognized what Teddy was poisoned with. And with Draco out of the way, does Tonks by any chance become the Black/Malfoy family heir?"One day, all you have will be mine." Odd wording - one day. Someone planning far off in the future? What will Tonks have "one day?" What does she have besides Teddy? And is it important that Harry spent a lot of time with Tonks after her mother died? Is someone jealous? Does that person hate Harry enough to frame him? To quote The Grinch, I have been puzzling and puzzling til my puzzler is sore.I eagerly await the next installment!
Response from flaminia_x (Author of The Set-Up)
Ooh, I love speculation! I am glad you're picking up on some of these things - perhaps they'll be answered in the future chapters! I'm terribly sorry your puzzler is sore, though! Hopefully the rest of the story will un-hurt your puzzler! :)
I like the way the mystery is developing - although, poor Teddy! Hmm, I wonder if there is a connection between the cases . . . looking forward to more!
Response from flaminia_x (Author of The Set-Up)
Oh, glad you're looking forward to the next chapters! All forthcoming. :) Poor Teddy indeed. Stay tuned!
wow, the story is developing really well!i'm curious to see if there's a connection between the 2 cases... ooh, can't wait for the next chapter! =)
Response from flaminia_x (Author of The Set-Up)
Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying the plot development! Keep your eyes peeled for the next chapter!
Interesting...I wonder where this is going?
Response from flaminia_x (Author of The Set-Up)
I know it's a bit of a teaser prologue, but much more to come! Thanks for reading!
This continues to be quite intriguing! I have been speculating on what connection there could be between the two cases, and can only come up with Andromeda Black Tonks, which seems awfully far-fetched. So will speculate some more . . . . .
Response from flaminia_x (Author of The Set-Up)
I don't know whether to hope that you figure it out or that I fool you completely!! I'm so glad you are continuing to read and I can't wait to hear what you think about it when all is said and done! :)
too abrupt. needs one chapter before this poetic ending... very well-written and original though!
Response from flaminia_x (Author of The Set-Up)
Sorry you didn't care for the pacing at the end, but glad you enjoyed the rest of it!! Thanks for the review!
Nice start! I like the "hard-boiled detective" flavor, and look forward to more.
Response from flaminia_x (Author of The Set-Up)
Yay, hard-boiled! Thanks! I'm definitely aiming for the film noir feel, so I am glad that was the vibe you got from it. Plenty more coming - can't wait to see what you think!
Great start on this story. My first thought was why would Draco be in a car? Glad the investigators thought that too. Is this being told through Harry?
Response from flaminia_x (Author of The Set-Up)
Thanks for reading! Glad you're enjoying it so far! Yes, everything is from Harry's point of view - sort of a film noir story (or at least I hope so). Keep reading - more chapters to be posted soon! Can't wait to hear what you think!
I bit of Raymond Chandler going on here. I always enjoy an original take on the potterverse.
Response from flaminia_x (Author of The Set-Up)
Why thanks! So glad you think I've got a bit of something new here. Can't wait to see what you think as the story develops! :)
It's a little hard to believe that Lucius killed his own son and grandson just so Narcissa could inherit money. But if he is the culprit, how did he get through Harry's wards????
Response from flaminia_x (Author of The Set-Up)
Such good questions!! :)
Hmmm, how long has that porkey been among the papers?I wonder if someone polyjuiced as Harry would get through the wards?The mystery deepens. Looking foward to more!!!!!(Chapters 8 & 9 seem to be out of order.)
Response from flaminia_x (Author of The Set-Up)
Oh bless you for noticing! They had gotten submitted backwards and I hadn't realized they had also been posted backwards. It's fixed now! Also, love your ideas! I love to see readers' guesses about what's going on! Keep reading - all questions will be answered, I hope!!
A classical theme - suspended detective investigates, but not after having wallowed appropriately in his grief / guilt / whatever. Funny to see Harry act the part.So the pen was a portkey? But your description doesn't quite match up - "... yanked into myself." HmmmmI briefly thought that one of the persons the wards was set to, had come back from the future to assault Tonks. But what reason would any of them have for doing it?
Response from flaminia_x (Author of The Set-Up)
Well, I think being yanked into oneself is sort of like Portkeying - at least in the sense that it creates a horrific vertigo or sense of disorientation, and being yanked at the navel by a big hook, as the books say. I love the idea about the future person ... we'll see if you're right and what happens in the upcoming chapters!
Well, well - friendship is growing into more here. I still can't see any connection between the two cases - apart from Tonks and Draco being related. Maybe Narcissa doesn't want to see her sister's lineage going on when her own had been destroyed? That still wouldn't explain Draco's death (assuming he is really dead), though.
Response from flaminia_x (Author of The Set-Up)
Ooh, I do love guesses! It's interesting to see what readers think or guess or pick up on, because as the author I had a certain plot in mind, so I'm anxious to see whether anyone figures it out, or if they didn't, what they thought might have happened instead! You have very interesting ideas, and that's all I'll say! ;)
Lots of cigarettes in this story so far - well, hard-boiled detectives always seemed to smoke in the film noir genre.(I just wonder - I can't recall that in canon a single cigarette was mentioned ...)A very interesting set up. So far I have not enough clues to guess anything, so I#ll continue reading :-)
Response from flaminia_x (Author of The Set-Up)
Haha - thanks! Glad you're enjoying it thus far, and yes, more shall be revealed later on. I don't really think Harry's a smoker, but I can picture it, and I was definitely pulling out lots of film noir tropes, so it just seemed that cigarettes were necessary for that feel. Hope you enjoy the rest of it!