My Family Are Professionals

Gabriel Truman had no better solution. He accepted Albert's suggestion; being expelled from Hogwarts was an outcome he could not accept under any circumstances.

After finishing the letter, Truman watched the owl fly away, then turned to Albert and asked, "Will this really work?"

"The school was probably startled too. I don't think they'd casually expel a student without at least finding out what happened." Albert comforted him. The freckled boy finally calmed down a little; rather, Albert's composure had rubbed off on him.

"Could I borrow that letter and take a look?" Albert asked.

"Oh, here. What a disaster out of nowhere." Truman gave a bitter smile. "During the summer after my first year, I was warned by the Ministry of Magic for using magic in front of my family."

He handed the letter to Albert and explained, "Hogwarts students aren't allowed to use magic outside school."

"But why wasn't Albert warned after using magic?" Nia asked, confused.

"Probably because he hasn't started school yet." Truman was not entirely sure either.

"There must be some loophole." Albert began reading the Parchment:

Dear Mr. Truman: We have received information that, at 10:40 this morning, you cast a Levitation Charm in a Muggle residential area in the presence of a Muggle.

Seeing this, Albert's feelings became complicated. He knew exactly who the Muggle referred to was. After taking a deep breath and sorting through his tangled emotions, he continued reading.

This act constitutes a serious violation of the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Wizards Act. You have therefore been expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The Ministry of Magic will soon send a representative to your residence to destroy your wand.

As you have previously received a formal warning for violating Article Thirteen of the International Confederation of Wizards' Secrecy Statute, we regret to inform you that you must report to the Ministry of Magic for a hearing before 10:00 a.m. on August 17.

We hope you take good care of yourself.

Yours sincerely, Mafalda Hopkirk, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Ministry of Magic.

"I suggest that once this is settled, you apply to the Ministry of Magic for compensation for emotional distress." Albert's family were all lawyers, so he had picked up a thing or two about exploiting legal loopholes.

Truman was a little dumbfounded. He had not even figured out what was going on, and Albert was already telling him to seek compensation from the Ministry of Magic?

"I'd bet the Ministry has some way of monitoring this area, but they can't tell who actually used the magic." Albert continued. "My sister and I only came here a few days ago to spend the summer. Since you happened to run into us, the Ministry assumed you were the one who cast the Levitation Charm and prepared to expel you. In fact, this was a serious mistake on their part. And that letter gave you quite a scare, didn't it? You nearly lost control just now. They absolutely have to compensate you for emotional distress."

"Exactly, exactly. Asking for emotional distress compensation is perfectly reasonable," Nia echoed.

"My family are all lawyers, so I know more about this than you do." Albert continued to egg him on. "Someone will definitely come later, or at least send a letter. First, clear your name. Then accuse the Ministry of Magic over their mistake and demand compensation for the fright they caused you. Ask them for a hundred Galleons."

"Isn't that too much?" Truman was startled by Albert's outrageous demand.

"That makes it easier to bargain." Albert answered without hesitation. "At the very least, fifty Galleons isn't unreasonable. If it's less than that, don't take it, or they'll think they can fob children off. Adults are always like that—they think children are easy to deal with."

"If the Ministry of Magic refuses to pay, I can write a letter for you and have the Daily Prophet expose the matter anonymously. I believe they'll be willing to pay you fifty Galleons. But when you get the money, you'll need to give me half as payment for writing the letter." Albert's words made Truman think this kid was just so... so formidable.

At Hogwarts, in the headmaster's office, Dumbledore had just received a notice from the Ministry of Magic informing him that Gabriel Truman had been expelled by the Ministry for using a Levitation Charm in front of a Muggle.

This was not good news. Truman had a prior record; during the summer after his first year, he had been warned by the Ministry of Magic for using magic in front of his family.

Just as Dumbledore was preparing to go to the Ministry of Magic to confirm the situation, a letter delivered by an owl left him especially surprised.

The letter stated that Truman had nothing to do with the incident. He had merely run into an incoming student in the park who was practicing the Levitation Charm, and the Muggle in question was that student's younger sister.

It did not seem like a lie, because the letter included another letter whose sender was Albert Anderson.

In his letter, Albert expressed regret for bringing such undeserved trouble upon Truman and said that he could testify for him if necessary.

Dumbledore searched his memories and found the name. He was indeed a first-year student, from a Muggle family.

Dumbledore could not help but breathe a sigh of relief. He felt that this was most likely what had happened. Expelling a student was certainly not something he, as headmaster, wished to see.

Dumbledore immediately went to the Ministry of Magic and discussed the letters and the matter with the people from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. The situation was not serious enough to require a hearing. If it was merely an accident, the Ministry of Magic could become a laughingstock over it.

After all, both Dumbledore and the Ministry officials knew about the loopholes in the Trace.

The truth was much as Albert had guessed. The Ministry had sent someone over, and he also met Dumbledore. The old man smiled as he watched the two children talking in the park.

"It seems this was a misunderstanding," Dumbledore said with a smile to the Ministry employee beside him.

"I suppose you must be Headmaster Dumbledore." Albert studied Dumbledore, extended his hand, and shook his. "You look just like your Chocolate Frog card."

"Mr. Albert?" Dumbledore studied Albert and said with a smile, "We received your letter, my boy. Could you give me your wand for a moment?"

"Oh, of course." Albert knew what Dumbledore wanted to do, so he handed him the wand.

Sure enough, after using it, the headmaster detected the magic that had been cast over the past few days.

He looked at Albert in surprise, astonished that the boy had mastered five spells in just a few days.

"Truman just corrected my hand movements for the Levitation Charm. I only just learned that spell," Albert explained.

"Where is your wand?" the wizard from the Ministry of Magic asked Truman.

"I didn't bring it. It's at home. If you need to inspect it, you can come back with me to get it." Truman was entirely justified; he was not afraid of an inspection anyway.

"It seems this was a misunderstanding, Nott," Dumbledore said with a smile.

"Yes, I think so too." Nott nodded. "I suppose I'll need to write a new report."