Chapter 1
Notes:
I did some editing but didn't change the contents. Just spelling and grammar stuff.
Chapter Text
Sitting at the Gryffindor table, Harry was happy. He was home! At least 9 months of plenty of food and no beatings!
The little ones had just been sorted, and wow, were they little (and wet?)! Not that he was much taller, but still!
Where was he? Oh yes, he was happy. Even if his body still ached, after some nasty beatings he had received from Uncle Vernon this summer. It could only get better now with time, rest, and food. It would be perfect if his Godfather Sirius were declared innocent, too! He just didn't get, what the problem was? Dumbledor was the Chief Warlock of the wizarding court thingy, was he not? Surely, he could get the ball rolling? He was all-powerful after all, Hermione said so!
Next to Harry, Ron Weasley his best friend, sat and scowled. He was so hungry! Internally he chanted food, food, food, food, food...
Whereas Hermione on Harry's other side studied the staff table and wondered who the Defence teacher would be this year. Surely Professor Dumbledore had found someone amazing!
Just as Professor McGonagall picked up the little stool, where the sorting hat sat on top, the door banged open. There – within the false thunderstorm the ceiling created – as a mirror to the outside conditions – stood a most scary man. Scary and full of scars. Was that what the word scary came from? Harry thought, distracted. And the man had a peg leg and a false eye and wow! A pirate? Where was the parrot?
Then, just as Dumbledore started to introduce the man, the doors of the Great Hall slammed shut!
“ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!” Rang through all present children and adults. Harry could not use another word to describe it. It sounded like deep bells – that could talk. – The sound travelled through his whole body, leaving a vibrating feeling in his belly and bones.
“THE HALL IS LOCKED DOWN. THE GOBLINS ARE INFORMED. THE HAT WILL TALK FOR ME.”
Phew! Harry thought. Thank God! That 'voice' is quite uncomfortable!
Dumbledore then waved his wand, and the thunderstorm became much tamer and quieter. “Hat! What is this, who was that?”
The hat, still on the stool in McGonagall's hands, answered “what do you mean, 'who was that'? That was Hogwarts, you imbecile!”
As thanks, the shocked McGonagall nearly dropped the hat.
Some students snickered (e.g., Harry, Ron). Somewhere outraged that their Headmaster had been insulted (Hermione)!
The hat went on, “And she has had it with you and your ways. She will not allow another plot of yours to play out in her Halls, with her students in danger. This polyjuiced man was the last straw!”
In an immediate reaction, the scary, scarred pirate, who stood next to the staff table close to Professor McGonagall by now pulled out his wand and – was promptly stunned by a spell coming from the ceiling. Like a lightning strike. Huh?
As they all sat there, stunned with only the headmaster having risen from his 'throne', the hat said, “Now, before the goblins arrive, you all will be scanned for potions, spells, mind magic, and general health. A preliminary report will be written about you, to start them off.”
Astonished whispers could be heard from all tables.
“No! I forbid it! Only I can order that! I am the headmaster!” Dumbledore bellowed, not nice and grandfatherly at all anymore.
The astonished whispers grew, but the students were reassured as well, their great Headmaster had it covered.
“Hogwarts doesn't care for your histrionics; she cares for her students! As you fail in that regard, as do many others, she had to take over. Now be quiet and sit down!”
No one had ever heard the hat talk resolutely like that.
“You cannot talk to the headmaster like that!” Hermione shrieked from the Gryffindor table.
“Watch me, girly! – Now all be quiet, the first one who says something will be stunned as well. – You may put my stool down now, dearie!” the last was said to McGonagall, who quickly complied and nearly ran to her seat at the staff table.
The hat went on, “Now, a beam of green magic in form of a curtain will move over all of you. You will not feel a thing. It is just a Healer's scan. A very throughout one. – Then a report will appear in front of each of you. Only you and an ICW-certified Healer can read it.”
Dumbledore opened his mouth “Mada –” And was struck down by a stunning spell from the ceiling as well. The headmaster slumped forward, sitting down on his throne involuntarily, his upper body lying on the table and his plate, and his cutlery.
“He was warned. – So, let’s begin! The scan will start at the entrance doors and move over all of you kids to the staff table. This is absolutely painless. So, please stay seated for the duration, or we have to do the scan individually, in front of the rest. Thank you!”
Then it came, like out of a Star Trek movie, some muggle-born thought. Slowly it went over all of them. When the green ‘beam-curtain’ had passed, an envelope was dropped in front of each person. Some fluttered some dropped down heavily, probably filled with more results?
Harry received quite the package! He looked to the other envelopes in his vicinity. No one had one as thick as him. Darn! Not normal once again! But seeing the other kids looking at their results, he opened his envelope as well.
The first thing, which jumped to his eyes was a big fat 3. Huh? Then came personal information like:
'Preliminary health scan of Henry (Harry) James Ralston Potter – Date of scan: September 1, 1994'
– Henry Ralston? What? No way! Is that true? – Harry thought, confused.
'Birthday; July 31, 1980
Physical age: 14' – you don't say!
Place of birth: Potter manor, near Godric's Hollow' – huh? a manor?
Harry was reeling from the information he had not known about himself! Those should be the most basic facts to him about his own person!
'Height: 4'10''
Weight: 4st 5lb – malnutrition' – huh? I gained so much already? Thanks, Mrs. Weasley!
Next to him, Hermione was ranting about not being fifteen already. Huh? Harry thought distractedly but continued to read his own results.
'Overview:
Physical health: 3 what's with those numbers?
Mental health: 3 meaning?
Health of mind: 3 (compromised) huh?
Additional issues: 3 (foreign entity) Huh?
Advice: See Healer within the week!'
Harry didn't know what to make of all of this. (Soon he would turn into an owl, with all the 'huhs'!) And he wouldn't go to Madame Pomfrey, that was for sure! She only scolded, did the most urgent, but ignored anything else. And she always kept him in the Hospital wing unnecessarily!
His eyes fell on the last little list on the first page of his results, there was an explanation of the numbers at last!
'0 no issues
1 minor issues
2 some issues
3 major issues
4 immediate attention necessary!'
So, he had major issues in ALL those categories! Damn! He cussed in his mind. Hermione couldn't scold him in here at least! He hoped! But I am alright! Right? I am!
He turned to the next page
'Physical health'
Here, all his issues were listed, all his badly healed broken bones, all the beatings and resulting tissue damages, his malnutrition, his eyesight, (oh? it could be corrected? Yes!), missed vaccinations, muggle and magical, his many scars... the scar on his forehead housed an 'entity' it seemed! what the...?
He quickly turned the pages to:
'Mental health'
First listed here was ‘abuse' what? No! No way! It wasn't... or was it? Nonono! Harry skipped the listed abuses his relatives had dished out. He didn't want to deal with that right now, or ever! – He moved to the next point. Oh, seeing his teacher die at his hands, was bad. No kidding, he still had nightmares! Being thrown into a new world, without introduction... ok, but Hagrid did his best! The celebrity status and its expectations, Dementors and resulting soul damage, no adult support – ever, the basilisk, nearly dying... the list went on. Wow, that is a lot of stuff!
Better move on! Man, this whole thing was a book! Someone should put a binding on it! He turned the pages to 'health of mind' And started to read about potions in his system, compliance, loyalty... and spells –
BAM! The doors were thrown open again a huge group of goblins in armour and humans in green robes came marching in. The doors closed behind them again with a loud snap. That door is getting quite the workout, Harry thought, distracted.
A heavily armed Goblin in an elaborate, silvery shining armour boomed, “We have been called for aid! From Hogwarts herself. And we answered! The olde treaties with the founders still stand! – There seem to be numerous issues, with a great many things! The wards, intruders, the finances, and most importantly, the health of the students and the staff. We will take over now, to address all the issues.” He added with authority.
Just then, a high and indignant voice called out from the Gryffindor table “I have to pee!” Quiet sniggering could be heard, but some students nodded.
Another voice, a little deeper said “I am hungry!”
The goblin in front grinned toothily. “Right! First things first! – Hogwarts, please add doors to bathrooms for boys and girls each and one for female and male adult humans each, and one for goblins. No one leaves until the ICW emergency team of Healers has had a first look at the situation. And until we have taken all possible criminals into custody.”
Next to the main doors, two doors appeared with 'Boys' or 'Girls' written on them. Some children, from all the tables, rushed to them. All could enter.
But the attention moved to the next happenings in the Hall, as three more doors appeared at convenient places as well, but no one seemed in need of those right now.
“Good, now for food. As you eat, the ICW Healers here will collect your preliminary scan results from everyone. They will sort through them and decide on a course of action. – House elves please serve the feast!”
And with that, the food appeared! So, it wasn't Dumbledore, like he let them assume, who was responsible for bringing the food to the tables! It was house elves!
Hermione's indignant ranting was drowned by many hungry and excitedly talking children.
Harry and Ron were happily eating. At last! thought Harry. Food! thought Ron.
It was delicious!
“Thanks, house elves” Harry called out. Hermione huffed arms crossed stubbornly, not taking anything. Many other students did as Harry did and called out their thanks. Often with quite full mouths.
Exited, high-pitched squeaking could be heard, coming from the floor of all things. Harry grinned. He elbowed Hermione gently. “You will make them happy if you eat and enjoy! Come on! Don't make them sad by ignoring their hard work!” At last, he never had that problem with the Dursleys! They ate everything. Without thanking me, though...
Hermione huffed, murmured something about 'slave labour', but started eating, at last a little.
Just then an accented voice said behind them “Your results, please.” Turning they noticed one of the green-robed wizards standing behind them, holding out his hand. All, close by, handed over their pages. He raised an eyebrow at Harry's big stack of parchment, but didn't say anything, thankfully! And just as Hermione opened her mouth, to barrage him with questions, he moved on, to collect more results.
Harry looked around, to see what was happening. Some of the Healers had set up shop in one corner of the Hall at some new, maybe conjured tables. They were obviously sorting the results with magic. They had five stacks of Parchment before them, differing in height. They seemed to sort those stacks again in some indiscernible fashion.
One Healer seemed to look at a report, he was sorting. He cast some spell, which seemed to show him the direction, and sprinted(!) to one of the Slytherin first years. There he bundled up the little boy and gently carried him behind some privacy partitions, they seemed to have implemented there. Huh?
One other Healer, looked through the stacks before he got up and marched to the boss-goblin (as Harry had named him in his head). The Healer gestured wildly in the direction of the staff table and the boss-goblin nodded and said something back. The Healer then nodded in understanding and went back to his task.
“What do you think, that was about?” Harry asked.
“Huh?” Ron looked up from his plate, mouth quite full. “Whawd?”
“Never mind.” Harry waved him off. “Nothing.”
“Did you see the crest on the healer’s clothes? The one that got our results? That was the emblem of the ICW! They must have come all the way from Geneva! How did they get here so fast? He had an accent, right? But I couldn't place it! Where do you think he originally came from? I mean, the ICW has employees all over the world, right? Do you think, he was Russian? ...” Harry tuned out Hermione's rambling, never-ending questions. She wasn't really interested in his answers right now. She was too excited. He grinned fondly and nodded along. That was all she needed, it seemed.
Before them, the food had turned into mountains of sweets. Ron and others called out another heartfelt thanks to the invisible elves and went to work. The floor squeaked excitedly again.
Then, close to the staff table, there was a commotion around the stunned scarred guy. “Barty Crouch Jr!” was yelled by... someone. The students looked at one another in question a shrugged, confused
“Albus! Did you know?” screamed McGonagall, then noticing Dumbledore's still stunned form, slumped at the staff table. “I wish I could enervate you!” She stared accusingly at the ceiling that didn't stun her at least. They had tried to wake the headmaster up but had only been able to remove the dishes under him, to make him more comfortable.
Meanwhile, the goblins were waving their hands and binding the – not so scarred anymore – man heavily in chains. He looked totally different, as far as Harry could glimpse for a second. Too many people stood in the way! Again, he wished he were taller.
One goblin exclaimed, picked something up, and rushed to the Healer's station. An envelope! Right! The strange wizard had been scanned as well!
“Doesn't Percy work for someone named Crouch?” Harry remembered.
“You are right! His Boss' name was Barty Crouch as well! Wasn't he the guy who freed his poor elf at the World Cup?” Hermione asked big-eyed.
“Yes, that was his name! But I don't think that's him over there” Harry pointed in the direction of the formerly like-a-pirate-looking man.
“Maybe, Percy's Boss is the senior?” Hermione speculated.
Harry nodded, “Maybe. But strange!”
Everyone nearby nodded.
Somewhere another student was rushed behind the partition.
“What's with all the Slytherins being rushed off?” Ron groused, amazingly aware of his surroundings. At last, in regard to Slytherins. So, he understood what Harry had asked before. Maybe his food-addled brain needed time to process information while gobbling? Harry thought a little uncharitably.
They probably are '4s', needing immediate medical attention. Harry realized sadly. But he didn't voice it aloud, knowing that Ron or Hermione would blur out something insensitive. Not that they didn't mean well, they just didn't know. He was simply happy, that he was a '3' and hoped the Healers would be a little more discreet with his information!
He then wondered if many of the abused children – there had to be some, after all – went to Slytherin? Probably, he thought, one has to learn to survive and that's a Slytherin-trait...
Just then, one of the Healers, a blond, resolute woman clapped her hands, to get everyone's attention and – when having it – said in an accented voice (Canadian, Harry learned later) “Alright, children. Off to bed with you! Have a good first night's sleep! Be here at 10 am at the latest. – Luckily, it is a Saturday, so we will have two days to sort you out.” Some students groaned at that, especially the older ones.
She laughed, having teenage kids at home herself, she said “you will survive! Remember, 10 tomorrow morning!”
The boss-goblin stood before the staff table and spoke. “Please know, that due to safety reasons, the owl mail is halted till Monday, September 4th. – Hogwarts, please let the students go to their dorms.”
As they all trooped out the door, one Healer stood there and cast drying charms on the still damp first years, muttering to himself. “What is the staff thinking? Irresponsible Lot! All of them!” But since he was speaking in Spanish, no one understood. They were chatting excitedly with one another or were following the others half asleep. Most of the first years would have no recollection of how they got to their dorms and into bed, the next morning, they had been so tired.
Chapter Text
After the students were gone and Barty Crouch was whisked off to somewhere by some of the goblin guards, Minerva McGonagall marched to Chief Bonebreaker (Harry's boss-goblin) and demanded that Albus Dumbledore had to be enervated and be seen to by a Healer! Now!
The goblin nodded and gestured to a Healer. “Make that one comfortable, until Hogwarts deems to wake him. It probably will be some time.” He gestured to Dumbledore.
The Healer nodded in affirmation and waved her wand at Dumbledore. His body rose and hovered and followed the Healer, who walked off with him.
“But why? And where is she bringing Albus?” Minerva fretted.
“To the healing wing, would be my guess. And 'why'? Because he is responsible for most of this huge pile of dragon shit!” Bonebreaker barked angrily.
“Language!” McGonagall barked right back, the teacher in her couldn't do anything else.
“I am not one of you students, I will talk as I want to! Now move out of my way witch, I have to look at the ward stone!” He pushed past her aggressively, leaving her standing, gaping like a fish.
“What...? The ward stone...? But only Albus...,” stuttering, she trailed off.
“Minerva, the Horde's hereditary duty is, to see to Hogwarts' wards. Albus hindered their access for more than fifty years! They will not be held back from finally doing their work!” Filius’ voice piped up next to her.
“He must have had his reasons! I am sure!” Minerva said.
“But were it good reasons?” Filius asked.
“He is Albus Dumbledore!”
“Yes, and I am Filius Flitwick! – That does not allow me to do everything unchecked. He is not infallible, Minerva!”
She frowned. Her ears heard him, but she could not accept the words!
One of the Healers called out. “Listen up, staff of Hogwarts, before you go to bed, we would like you to take a flushing potion since you have all been dosed with an obedience potion and others. This is mandatory. If you do not comply, the goblins have agreed to make you take them tomorrow morning in front of the students, as a bad example.”
The staff shuddered. Madam Pomfrey said, “surely you do not mean me as well, do you?”
“Yes. Everyone. Even Messrs. Flitwick and Hagrid, even if they are partially immune.”
Another Healer spoke up. “Please all of you be at the Hospital Wing tomorrow at 8 am, we have much to go through. And you can get a flushing potion from this table. Yes, you too, Master Snape and Madame Pomfrey. I do not care if you have your own stock. You will take one of these.”
Grumpily the Hogwarts staff complied. No one wanted to be made into a spectacle in front of the students!
Severus Snape was angry, gnashing his yellow teeth and frowning deeply, looking even more ugly than usual. He had an even worse headache than usual, since trying to read his results. Everything had been blurry, just a 3 stood out, and then the headache. Maybe the flushing potion would help, after all. He grabbed a vial from the table and without another word, billowed off to his quarters.
Somewhere apart one Healer said to another. “Smart, not mentioning the loyalty potion, they would have revolted, poor dears!” her answer with an empathic nod.
The sorting hat, still sitting on the little chair next to the staff table, was content. Everything was moving in the right direction. He just hoped, he could stay here a little longer, to witness the happenings directly, not only through his connection with Hogwarts.
Sometime later, somewhere in the bowels of Hogwarts, more precisely in the room with the ward stone, a group of goblins was talking angrily in their guttural language, the idiot wizards called Gobbledygook.
Chief Bonebreaker summarized their findings. “The wards are ripped to shreds and patched together without any knowledge or care! There are huge holes. The anti-bullying wards are gone, as well as the anti-rape wards, even the anti-torture wards are gone! This is most concerning! The few alert wards, which could not be disabled, are tied to the headmaster only. The Healer alerts are disabled. The head of house alert is disabled. Every creature can enter, even the most dangerous ones! And so much more! What a mess!”
Grunck, the oldest and most knowledgeable ward master present, said. “There is no way out. The wards have to be reset. It will take about 12 hours for the first and embedded warding scheme to fully activate. We then would have to get all additional schemes out of our archives and decide, which ones to re-establish. Like the anti-bullying and anti-rape wards.”
Everyone nodded, except two apprentices, who studied the more unimportant, out-of-the-way schemes. One called out, “Someone bound Cuthbert Binns to this plane! That is why he is not moving on!”
“What?” Growls were heard from all present goblins. Binns was declared an Enemy of the Goblin Nation!
“Destroy it!” Bonebreaker barked.
Under the watchful eye of every goblin in the room, the apprentice chiselled all the runes out of their bed of stone; all the runes, which were binding their nemesis to the Living World.
When the last rune was annihilated, the small horde of goblins cheered. Victory!
(Somewhere else in the castle, at the 10th hour, a ghost faded into nothingness. Quite unnoticed and unlamented.)
“We will celebrate for a week, as soon as our work here is done!” Bonebreaker declared. Everyone cheered again, just as loudly.
“There will be songs sung about this, for centuries!” Grunck added.
But soon the exuberance left the goblins, at the massive task before them.
“We need temporary wards for the night. At last, the most important ones, like Anti-apparition, protection, anti-pests, anti-mail, locking ... We do not want the ministry idiots sticking their noses into our workings here, too early!” The goblins nodded to their Chief's decision and set to work on the grounds around the castle and the castle within. Temporary ward-stones were set and activated and then the ritual to reset the wards to their first setting was completed at 2 o'clock.
The goblins were exhausted but were feeling quite accomplished. Now they would wait until tomorrow at 2 pm.
The other apprentice was sent to get all the warding schemes they had, from the archives and to tell the happy news.
Before he went, the apprentice showed Grunck a second, not as spectacular but still rather nasty runic array, that was limiting the DADA teachers to 8-9 months in that position. Bad luck would hit within the last month. Grunck destroyed that one as well. The staff of Hogwarts would be happy, when he told them, he was sure.
In the Hospital Wing, the stunned headmaster was abruptly cut off from one of his sources of magic. But since he got a tiny bit of magic from every witch and wizard in Great Britain under the age of 60 – who had gone to Hogwarts – it was not very noticeable.
It would soon be.
The ICW-Healers set up camp in one of the unused wings of the castle with all the scans.
They split into 3 Groups, to decide the next course of action on the different problems
Group 1:
This Group had 'only' Albus Dumbledore to discuss., but unfortunately with him half of wizarding Britain.
Albus Dumbledor had a tiny magical drain on a staggering number of witches and wizards. They were all listed in tiny writing, on the huge stack of parchment which were Dumbledore's test results. The drained magic would go to the receiving end: one Albus Dumbledore and the healers wanted to stop it.
They decided to put Dumbledore into stasis, enclosed in an anti-magic bubble or something similar, to cut him off, but not leave him without his own magic. They hoped, by taking out the receiving end of the drains, they would be stopped.
This was a temporary solution until they found a more permanent one.
One sub-group talked about the loyalty potions, just as many witches and wizards had involuntarily in their systems.
In the end, they decided, they probably had no choice, but to dose half magical Britain with alchemic cleansing potions.
Thankfully, the flushing potion, which worked against alchemical potions would take care of that in Hogwarts' student body and staff soon.
Another sup-group calculated that with the drains Dumbledore would get the additional magic of about three grown wizards. Plus, the magic he drained from Hogwarts. Overall, he was five times more powerful than the average wizard (when one included his own magic)!
Group 2 (the much bigger one)
Here they talked about, how they would handle the next days with the student body
The whole of the student body was dosed with an alchemical loyalty potion, keyed to Albus Dumbledore, as well as a magic drain of 1/1000th of their magic. That was not much, not notable at all, but it added up. They were also dosed with alchemical intelligence-reducing and recall-dampening potions. Those were a much bigger concern for the students individually. No wonder Hogwarts’ ranking was so low internationally!
Unfortunately, the anti-fertility potion would be flushed as well and had to be given once again. But this time only to the boys, that actually could get a girl pregnant! Merlin, six girls in the student body regularly got extremely sick, because of this unnecessary potion (for them) and more than half of the female student body had much worse monthly cramps than necessary. That had to change!
Anyway, there was no status zero students with no issues at all (since the first years had been dosed as well via the feast, unfortunately. They had checked, as it happened after the scans). So, they had to get all the students into the Hospital Wing and treat them individually. Flushing and all.
That was good actually. If they mixed up the different statuses of 1-3 students, no one would know what status they were actually in, and their privacy would be protected.
It was decided to take all the 'Threes' and ¼ of the 'Twos' and ¼ of the 'Ones' as the first batch, since the Threes were in the minority by far, thankfully!
That would leave ½ 'Twos' and ¼ 'Ones' as the second batch and ¼ of the 'Twos' and ½ of the 'Ones' as the third and last batch.
And if they needed longer time for the first batch, they could just say they got faster with each batch, due to getting the processes streamlined, one muggle-born Healer suggested.
They decided to inform the first batch, to be ready starting 10:30 tomorrow and they would be informed when to come to the healing halls via house elf. When the first batch was finished, the next one would be informed at the next meal, whenever that was.
They agreed to meet at the hospital wing at 6:30 and set everything up.
They had agreed earlier already, to heal the staff first. Luckily, the flushing would already be done by then. (Group three had organized the process for the morning meeting with the staff)
Oh dear, the flushing! Yes, the children would have to go into special cubicles first to do the deed, and then wait for their Healer.
Since in the emergency response team they were all highly qualified, they didn't need to appoint some Healers to the harder cases. Whoever was free got the next patient. Luckily, they had two mediwizards with them as well, to direct the flushing process. Other healers, who had a free shift would help there as well.
They took all the 'Threes' (major issues), ¼th of the 'Twos' (some issues), and ¼th of the 'Ones' (minor issues) and mixed them magically. Results of the scans were sorted and stacked accordingly.
Then they discussed when the next student was to be alerted, to be flushed but not wait too long for the next free Healer. When they had a draft of a plan, that they would adjust accordingly, they all fell into bed exhausted.
Just one healer drew the short straw and went to the kitchens, to instruct the elves to
a) Do not give the children any potions, without clearing it with an ICW-certified Healer first!
b) Take all the potions they had on stock to the Hospital Wing tomorrow morning.
c) Appoint some elves to be on call tomorrow to help get the students for their appointments.
Notes:
edited 16.9.22
Chapter Text
The next morning at 6 am, the ICW-Healers shuffled into the empty Great Hall, to get their breakfast. They were quick about it, eager to help the many patients, who waited for them.
This was not the first time, they had gone as a group to heal a lot of people in a short time, so they were prepared. They had all the potions, they would need, and more. They were the emergency response team of the ICW after all!
It was stressful, but extremely rewarding work. Especially with children. What most liked the least was the documentation and report part. But, as it was nearly as important as the healing itself, they pushed through.
And the most urgent cases, the 'Fours' had been already taken care of. They had been stabilized and rushed off via emergency portkey to the ICW hospital in Paris. With one of their team as company. All three patients had agreed to this, as well as their Heads of House, Professors Snape, and Sprout.
Soon they all were in the Hospital Wing and started to set it up.
They installed twenty private cubicles for the Healers and their patients, with padded examination tables and cupboards, which were connected to their potion stocks. As mall desk and two chairs, but those could be added to.
The twenty cleansing cubicles were installed as well. They each had a shower, a sink, a loo, some hooks for clothes, a chair, a small rack with clean towels (self-filling), and one damper for the used ones. Each cubicle had a house-elf appointed, to freshen it up, after use. The elves spelled the cubicles (both kinds) to alert them when a patient was finished. The house-elves were incredibly helpful and were quite cheerful, for all the praise they were getting!
Then the Healers and Mediwizards set up a waiting area, that had no view of the cubicles at all. Teens were noisy buggers after all, as one Healer commented grinning.
The two documentation assistants set up their desks out of sight and put up their filing cabinets.
As it was a quarter to eight, they sat down in the waiting area and waited for the teachers and support staff who soon filled in. All the expected fourteen of them, McGonagall, Snape, Sprout, Flitwick, Sinistra, Vector, Babbling, Burbage, Trelawney, Hagrid, Hooch, Pince, Finch, and Pomfrey. The house elves were keeping an eye out, but thankfully, the students didn't know, that they had no supervision at all except for the prefects.
The staff stood there, looking tired and bewildered. Nothing made sense to them.
“Good morning, all! Thank you for coming here so promptly. My suggestion is, you all pick a Healer, and you go to one of the cubicles we set up. We have little time, and everything we will talk about should be private anyway.”
The male teachers let the women choose first, so, in the end, they had only male Healers to choose from. Not that they cared.
A huffing Madame Pomfrey followed a blond and pretty Healer, looking around, to see what they had done to her healing wing! Preposterous!
The rest followed their Healers more subdued. All were rattled by the personality changes they sensed in themselves, especially Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall.
Severus Snape followed the bear of a man in green robes. Reeling inside. He had lost all sense of self. Where was all the anger and hatred, he felt every day?
As they entered the cubicle the massive middle-aged, brown-haired Healer gestured to one of the chairs. “Please take a seat. My name is Healer Gerhard Lichtwurz. Please call me Healer Gerhard, as my last name is hard to pronounce as an English speaker. – How was your night? I hope, you could sleep a little?” Was said, in rather good English, but in an obvious Germanic accent.
“Severus Snape, Potions Master. My night went poorly. The flushing went on for about half an hour. My body recovered quickly.”
“But not your mind?”
“No. Not my mind. Even occlumency didn't work. I do not know, who I am anymore!” Severus looked a little wild around the edges.
“Yes, Albus Dumbledore did quite a number on you.” Healer Gerhard was leafing through the preliminary scan results that had magically appeared on his desk, speed-reading them.
“My suggestion would be, we get rid of the spells on you, especially that blood-bound curse, and then have a look for the real you.”
“A blood-bound spell? I must confess, I just skimmed the test results yesterday, too occupied with being angry and a harrowing headache. And I think, a loyalty potion, messed with my perception?”
“Yes, that and the obedience spell, you still have on you. My suggestion would be, I cast the 'Finite Maximus' on you, that would get rid of all the spells on you and everything you have on your person. As a Potions Master, you know everything magical will be wiped. So, I suggest, you take off your clothes and any magical artefact on your person. Especially your wand.
“But before we start, you should be aware, that this spell will rip the dark mark on your arm off as well. It will be incredibly painful, together with the blood-bound curse. So, if you...” he laughed lightly, as Potions Master Snape was nearly ripping his clothes from his body, in his haste to get this spell done and be rid of his dark mark. He laid his wand on the pile of clothes and, standing in his muggle-made briefs asked, “where do you want me?”
“Please lay on the examination table. I will put a piece of leather in your mouth so that you do not bite through your tongue. I really would like to fixate your limbs, so you would not flail about if you allow?”
Still remembering the effects, the Cruciatus has on a body very intimately, Severus readily agreed. “Yes, do, what you must. I have no false pride in that. And if you could spell my bladder and rectum empty, it would be much appreciated.”
Healer Gerhard nodded, and did just that, even though he thought them quite empty already, due to the flushing, but one never knew. He then fixated Severus on the table and put a piece of leather between his patient’s teeth.
And without further ado, which Severus appreciated, “FINITE INCANTATEM MAXIMUS” was cast on him.
It took ten rather gruesome minutes, for all foreign magic to leave Severus' body. First, the obedience curse, was ripped off, then the tatters of the compliance curses went afterward, quite a few memory spells were cancelled (not that he had any mind to investigate right now) and then the real 'fun' started. His oath to Dumbledore about Harry Potter and his life-debt to Potter senior were ripped from his core and he screamed the first time. The contract, which tied him so heavily to Hogwarts was cut, and then the “ugly-mug”-curse, which was somehow blood-bound to him, was ripped off his whole body. Like he was being skinned alive! He screamed and screamed and screamed, having lost the leather strap in his pain. This was not clenching-of-teeth pain, but the head-thrown-back-mouth-wide-open-screaming pain. Then came the finale – his left arm was ripped off! Well, it felt like it, at last. It felt endless. But it did end, eventually.
After it was over, he just lay there panting, Healer Gerhard had put a fluffy blanket over his sweaty and cold body, loosened the fixation on his limbs, and sat on his desk to start the report, to let Severus gather himself a little. Healer Gerhard hated that part. To hurt his patient was so against his innermost core as a healer.
After five minutes, the Healer heard rustling and looked up. There lay Severus Snape, bare left arm before his eyes and grinning like a loon.
“So worth it” crowed the Potions Master elated. He then turned and grinned at his Healer. “Thank you” he whispered with his beautiful deep voice.
“You are quite welcome! – Can you get up, or do you still need a minute?”
“Hm, let's see.” carefully Severus sat up. He seemed a little shaky, but alright. As he got up, the blanket slid back and his Healer saw a much different body and face than before. Unasked he waved his wand and a gentle cleaning charm washed over Severus.
“Thanks” he nodded and walked to his clothes but was stopped.
“Please wait for a second and have a look at the new you.” Healer Gerhard conjured a big mirror and Severus stepped in front of it and gasped. Who was that? He was handsome! Incredibly so. Even though his face had not changed all that much it fit together now! He bared his teeth and found them straight! And white! Thank Merlin! His skin, while very pale, wasn't pasty and sallow any longer. His black hair wasn't stringy and his black eyes were not red and baggy and he even stood straighter. The only thing left from his past was his broken nose. Where his father had slammed his face into the kitchen table. His finger followed the break.
“May I fix that? Or are you sentimentally attached to that break?”
Severus huffed, “When you ask like that, I do not have to think about it. Please fix it!”
“This will hurt for the time of two spells. Sit down, please... 'frangere'... 'episkey'... there you go, have a look”
Severus again stood in front of the mirror and inspected his handsome face now with a lightly aquiline nose, still long, but fitting his face and not the hook from before.
“You look quite handsome and elegant now. It fits your voice much better,” complimented Healer Gerhard smiling.
“May I put on my clothes now?” Sparing a last glance at his much more handsome body, Severus turned to Healer Gerhard.
“By all means! Go ahead”
Severus clothed himself and sat back on his chair.
“How do you feel now?”
“Strangely, less out of sorts than earlier this morning. But to teach in two days’ time... hard to imagine!” Severus shivered. “I don't think I can do that right now...” he trailed off.
“That is quite understandable, you have changed so much inside and out, you are basically unrecognizable. Even to yourself. – Do you want my advice?
“Yes, desperately!”
“Then I would advise you to ask the goblins’ help to steal out of Hogwarts unseen and I will excuse you for a month, stating medical reasons. Which would be no lie! You can use the time to meditate, travel the world, do whatever you need to get comfortable in your real mind and skin, and decide, what you want to do with your life. Keep teaching or do something else entirely. What do you think?”
“I think that sounds fantastic! My, only problem is, that I have very few resources – Albus kept me on a very tight leash – but one month should work.”
“Severus, may I call you that?” after he got a favourable nod, he continued “You now remind me of my old Potions Master Claudius Prince, are you per any chance related?”
“Yes, he is my granduncle, I think. But my mother was disowned, I think... I am not sure anymore...,” Severus trailed off. Someone had visited them at Spinners End once and begged her to come back... with Severus... she had declined and obliviated him! – Dear Merlin, all he thought he knew... Could he have grown up with the Prince family? Away from the beatings?
“I suggest you go to Gringotts and take a full-on inheritance test. The expensive one. Hell, I will even give you the money, for old Master Claudius’ sake! See, if you inherited something. And maybe take on the Prince name? Be Severus Prince, a new person. – Just think about it, it is a possibility anyway.”
Severus nodded “I think I might, actually!”
“I wish you the best for that! Now, I still have some minor physical health issues to address. But honestly, you are a Potions Master. You could brew some simple but personalized potions, which would work perfectly for you. I could give you an actualized health scan and you work with that?
“That would be much appreciated! I am mentally exhausted... I think I will ask a house-elf to pack my things for me and be on my way.”
The Healer cast his health scans on Severus and transferred the results to an ICW report sheet. He then copied that, and the scan results of the first scan yesterday and handed the copied stack to Severus.
“Here you go. I suggest you take a room by the sea somewhere and decompress for a couple of days. Just sleep, eat, and read for pleasure. Then go to Gringotts, to sort out your future. After that, I would recommend, you get yourself a muggle-trained mind-Healer. The talking kind. There are a few in the know. Wait for a second...” He looked through some papers and pulled out a list, with the mentioned muggle-trained mind-Healers in the know; it had Healers on all continents on it, ICW-certified ones. Unfortunately, there was only one in the UK.
He handed the list to Severus, who looked thoughtfully and took it, putting it on top of his reports
“And Severus, find yourself someone pretty, to have a fun time with! Healers’ advice.” He added grinning.
Severus huffed but smiled lightly as well. That was a thought! It shouldn't be so hard anymore, to find someone for a quick roll in the sack.
“Here, take this.” Healer Gerhard tried to hand over a money pouch. “This should tide you over. You can pay me back when you have the resources.” When Severus hesitated, he put the pouch on Severus’ stack of reports. “Just take it, nod, and say thanks.”
“Thanks,” Severus said dryly, with a nod. He decided not to fight it. It was welcome and now that he was free of his two masters, he could earn money easily. Being a Potions Master was quite lucrative, after all.
“One last thing, should you decide not to go back to work at Hogwarts, we ICW-Healers always look for good potioneers, especially those who can brew the more delicate potions. And the ICW pays very well! So, should you be interested, I can always be reached through Gringotts or the ICW.”
“That is very good to know! Thank you for that option.” A very relieved Severus answered. He had options now and no masters!
“One more thing, I have to ask. Were you sworn to secrecy, about the 'finite maximus' during your apprenticeship?”
“Yes, I was. And I am still unsure, why I never thought of it, in regards of getting rid of the dark mark! I suspect Albus...”
And so, a house elf was called and sworn to secrecy, Healer Gerhard was thanked profoundly, Severus’ things were packed, brought, and shrunk and the goblins secreted him out of Hogwarts, after extracting his promise, to visit Gringotts within the week.
Outside of the grounds, Severus switched his teacher’s robes to muggle clothes conjured a suitcase, and apparated to the seaside in Cornwall. He found a nice little B&B, a Pub with good food, some company and he decompressed.
The money pouch contained 100 galleons and 500 pounds, so he could relax for quite a few days.
Notes:
Oh dear, this is getting bigger and bigger and now I started to like Severus! -> Well, this started another story, branching off of this one. So, If you'd rather see, what happens to Severus first, read 'Healers Orders', the second story of this series. It plays in the same time frame as this one. If you'd rather see what happens at Hogwarts, you just keep reading this story. Cheers!
edited 16.9.22
Chapter Text
After writing his preliminary report about Severus and sending it, together with all scan results, to the documentation desks, he walked to the waiting room.
There, most of his team were enjoying a hot cup of tea or coffee. He got himself a coffee and groaned appreciatively. The others grinned at him, but let him be for a minute, to collect himself.
“So, how did it go with your charges?” He asked after half his cup was emptied.
“I will summarize it for you, as we have already exchanged our 'war stories.” Healer Rafael Sanchez, a rather good-looking Spaniard, said. “Most of us had just a few spells to remove, like the once we called 'Secrets of Hogwarts' and 'Ignore anything funny at Hogwarts' spells on all of them, as well as some compulsions and memory charms. Most were quite incensed, let me tell you. All, except Trelawney, who just was crying a lot.
My charge, Rubeus Hagrid was the angriest about the “blabbermouth charm” on his umbrella, which contains his broken wand, and at the thought, that Dumbledore could have gotten him cleared of all charges at any time. – Never let a half-giant get angry in a little cubicle, let me tell you! – He was quite contrite afterward, but the cubicle is beyond repair, I think.” He grinned.
“Some will have to take their time, to discover parts of themselves anew again. – Clara is setting up a councillor’s area for students and staff. We requested additional mind Healers for the next month as an emergency from the ICW. We are not equipped to deal with a school full of students and staff, who were so heavily compromised mentally and psychologically.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
“And your charge? You were last, but one, to finish.”
Gerhard nodded “Severus Snape was influenced the most by potions and spells, as you know. – He agreed to the FIM.” Everyone winced in sympathy. “In the end, he was a different person, inside and out. He couldn't imagine working as a teacher in two days’ time.” His audience nodded in understanding. “I gave him the option, to take a month off, to get a measure of himself, which he took immediately. It might be, that 'Severus Snape' is gone forever, and he takes on a new name.”
Everyone sat there, thinking of all the teachers, who had their whole sense of being altered by one man. It seemed a very cruel and evil thing.
“So, who is still in the cubicles?” Gerhard asked.
One of his teammates answered heatedly “the mediwitch, Poppy Pomfrey. No wonder they take so long! I can't imagine being a Healer and having my empathy dampened, being obviated left and right, to make me ignore serious medical issues of children by my employer! Bah! And that man is Supreme Mugwump of the ICW, our own institution! He is our boss as well if you think about it!”
They all stared at one another, the repercussions just starting to sink in.
“We better get everything documented tightly! This will be huge!”
They all nodded emphatically.
“Do you think we should inform headquarters now?” one asked.
“Let us handle it by the book. We see to the children, especially the 'Threes' first today and tomorrow, write up an air-tight preliminary report and sent it Monday morning when there the offices are full again.” Another added.
Everyone nodded to that.
Gerhard had a rather disturbing thought and added, “We should probably put a spell and warning on the report, that everyone handling the report and the resulting case, has to get a medical scan for mind magic, potions, and alchemical potions!”
Many big eyes stared at him, “You think...?” Came from one of his teammates.
“I hope not. It seems rather farfetched, but better be safe than sorry! That man drains magic from nearly half of the UK's magical population, after all!”
They all nodded to that, still reeling at the thought of the ICW being compromised.
Thelma, following that train of thought, said “so let’s scan one another here, as well! Here in the open and document it. Just to be safe!”
A big flurry of -- chaotic seeming but organized – activities followed. They called together everyone to the waiting room. The mediwizards, the documentation assistants, and even the teammate, who still was in the cubicle with Pomfrey. Pomfrey had to be sedated anyway, having a full-on breakdown.
The scans came back clean, to their relief. But they documented it painstakingly anyway. Negative results were still results and had to be documented, after all. Especially in this case!
As it was now a quarter to ten, a contingent of 5 Healers went to the Great Hall, to instruct the students and get the first batch of the first batch, as Rafael commented, grinning.
Notes:
Still trying out the formatting and chapter sizes. This one is definitely too short, so I will post the next one as well, I think.
[Can anyone tell me, why the notes of the first chapter appear now at the end of every chapter? Hm, thinking about it, they are probably not 'chapter notes'... - figured it out now!]
edited 16.9.22
Chapter Text
Arriving there, they found it full of students. Even some staff members had made it, looking a little drawn.
There was a little stool, next to the staff table with a hat on it, who chatted with some of the first years, of all things!
Clara shook her head; magic still surprised her sometimes! She went in front of the main doors and started to address the student body in her Canadian-accented English. “Good morning, all! I hope everyone is rested and had a good breakfast?” She was met with many nods and some shaking heads, indicating a 'no' to her question.
She went on “Let me introduce myself first. I am Healer Clara Simmons, for the time being, I will be the spokesperson for the team of Healers. I am sure yesterday was very exciting and not, how your feast normally goes!” Quiet giggles and snickers were her answer (she could even hear a faint 'wait till my father hears about this!').
As you are all aware, all of you need some medical attention, all of you have unnecessary potions in your system and nearly all of you need some vaccinations. Either magical or muggle.” Many whispers rose up at that and banded together, to become quite a roar. Some indignant voices called out to her.
She raised her hands. “Yes, it is concerning, and yes, vaccinations against muggle diseases are a must! Some do affect magical persons after all! Believe me, I have seen it. It is not pretty! – Every other concern you have, please address them with your Healer in private, when you have your appointment!
“Now, the next thing to inform you of, is that in order to get the unnecessary and detrimental potions out of your body, you will have to take a flushing potion.” Many students winced at that but nodded. “Your system will expel all of them out of your body, the normal way it expels something” Sniggers and giggles answered her (teenagers...). “You will have a private loo with a shower for that. Nobody will be able to see or hear. But assistance is close, no fear. You will get more detailed instructions when it is time for your cleansing.”
Exited chatter.
“After your cleansing, you will see a Healer in privacy and on your own. If you want your head of house there, we will try to accommodate you.
“Now, to how we will play this, to get you all cleansed and healed and vaccinated in just a couple of days. First of all, we didn't sort you after the severity of your issues but mixed you all around. So, the lists are totally random and out of order. No speculation, why one comes first, and why comes last, all right?” All nodded their agreement, some with quite the relief on their faces. “We divided you into three … let’s call them 'batches'. The first batch will be seen today, hopefully. – the second tomorrow and the third, we hope tomorrow as well. We do not know yet how long it will need, to get you all sorted out. But the more punctual you are and the better you work with us, the faster we all get through with this.” She smiled at them. Many smiled back. She was quite likeable after all.
“One last, but very important thing.” Here her wand let loose a loud bang, which had everyone pay full attention again. “The results of each and every one of you are private. Full stop. – You will not badger, needle, or bully another student to tell you about their experience in the Hospital Wing, not even your best friend! Never! Do you understand? This is private! You may tell all about your experiences if you want to, but the one you told them to, does not have to reciprocate, which means, they don't have to tell the story of their own experiences in return. – It does not matter if you are a child or an adult. With the exception of your guardian, no one has the right to medical information about you. Except you, yourself!” She looked around, trying to meet as many eyes as possible. She was met with serious faces and sincere nods. It seemed she had reached them.
“Now, without further ado, the first 10 people on this list please follow me,” she gestured to a couple of blank pages Rafael had attached to the wall next to the doors while she was addressing the students. “The rest on the list stay ready today, you might get called soon.” With that, she waved her wand, and a List, with about 90 people on it, appeared on the former blank pages.
Students rushed to the lists. Thankfully, Rafael had spaced them out, but still, chaos ensued. “Oh dear, that could have gone better,” she moaned.
“Nothing to it” sniggered Rafael Sanchez.
“Watch me!” Clara huffed and marched back to the place she had given her speech. Her wand gave another bang. The students stilled, looking at her frustrated, still shoving and nudging each other. Biggest in front, smallest on the outskirts!
“Okay, listen up! This is not working. I will cast a spell, and those who are NOT on the list will get a red glowing hand. Everyone with a red glowing hand, please leave the room then, as you are either in the second or third batch. Alright?” She was met with nods again and cast the spell on the lists and the students.
Many then left, with their glowing red hands. A set of twins nearly fell over their feet, trying to walk and figure out her spell, while sniggering about being 'caught red-handed'. Clara managed to keep a straight face, as she walked back to her teammates.
“Wow, your 'mum'-voice really works, every time, said Yuki. All nodded, quite impressed.
“The trick is, to show no weakness and don't treat them like idiots,” grinned Clara.
Just then, a few students came over, followed by others until the first ten had gathered around them. Students of all houses and ages.
“Very good, you are the lucky ones, who soon will have the whole weekend off!” The children grinned at Clara and relaxed visibly. She added, “Please follow me.”
So, they trooped off to the Hospital Wing.
At the staff table, the present teachers were impressed as well.
“I thought, I had to step in,” murmured McGonagall, “But they managed the students well.” Several heads nodded in agreement. They were all very quiet. Still reeling.
On the way Clara remembered, that she had forgotten to warn the students on the list, to only eat light meals. Hm, those who eat a lot will learn that lesson for life, she thought, as pragmatic as only a mum could be.
Notes:
edited 16.9.22
Chapter Text
Number 42 was a good number, Harry thought happily. He was right in the middle of the first batch. Not singled out, by being first or last.
He was happy, that they had mixed up the different categories! No one was singled out here, too! He suspected all category three ones were in the first 'batch'. But it wasn't said, and he would keep his mouth shut!
He went into the Entrance Hall and looked around. Ah there! Waving a red glowing hand was Hermione with Ron.
He waved back and moved over to them.
“I hope, the glow will be gone when class starts,” groused Ron, eyeing Hermione's hand sceptically.
Harry sniggered, imagining his bushy-haired friend in class, waving that glowing hand around and thought, grinning internally I bet she would like that!
“Huh? Why?” Hermione asked.
“Uh, don't you think it would be distracting from the lesson?” Harry tried to save the situation.
“Right you are!” She agreed readily. Everything distracting from a lesson was bad in her books! She then marched to the doors leading outside. “Come on, Let’s wait outside!”
Having given and received a thumbs-up, Ron and Harry followed obediently. Quite used to strong females, telling them what to do.
“What Number are you on that list, Harry?” Hermione remembered to ask.
“42. Somewhere in the middle.”
“Then you better do not each much for lunch! When you drink that flushing potion, ALL will come out at once, one way or the other! It is disgusting!
“Ew! How do you know that?” Hermione asked.
“The twins. Always, when they gave us something, mum always made us take that horrible potion, even if it was after eating just then! Such a waste of good food!”
“Well, nothing to it I do not want potions in my body that tell me what to feel! I think I glimpsed something about a 'loyalty potion' or something. I don't want that. Better one short discomfort, I'd say!” Harry said. “But thanks for the warning!”
Hermione nodded emphatically. “Yes, that is particularly useful to know! – Loyalty potion you say? I didn't get to 'health of mind', because of the age thing and the vaccination matter and then the healer came and took it!” Here she started ranting, that no one told her that she would age quicker, with the time-turner (Duh! Harry thought) and how important inoculations were and why had no one told her? And so on and so forth.
Having heard that rant before, yesterday evening and this morning, Harry and Ron tuned her out slightly and nodded along, when she paused. Just lying in the grass and watching the clouds. Some late insects buzzing about. It was nice!
Somewhen later they were roused out of their lazy state of being, by a loud growl of Ron's belly.
“Lunch!” Ron called out, wide awake now, and jumped up. Pulling the other two along.
Laughing Harry complied. Hermione packed her book away, which had replaced her rant and the three walked back to the Great Hall.
There, Ron stuffed his face, in horror of tomorrow's cleansing, trying to eat as much as possible today.
Harry drank some pumpkin juice and ate soup. That seemed reasonable to him. “When do you think it will be your turn?” Hermione wanted to know.
“No idea.” Harry shrugged. “I hope soon!”
Just then the healer woman from yesterday and earlier today tapped her glass, sitting at the staff table next to Professors Flitwick and McGonagall. Healer Simmons was her name, Harry remembered.
“Please be aware, that some students react to vaccinations by getting tired really quickly and need to sleep it off. So, please do not wonder, when some of your friends do not come back immediately. They most likely sleep it off in the hospital wing. Maybe even overnight if the flushing is hard on their systems as well. No need to worry, or search for them, until tomorrow morning.” She smiled. “And those that have a cleansing this afternoon, try not to eat too much!” Some students sniggered knowingly. Ron did too while stuffing his face. The arse!
Ha, see you tomorrow! Harry thought. And, while spooning some soup, he thought, that the healers were really smart and gave those, who needed more healing a handy excuse!
“So, what number did you get on your scan, Harry?” Hermione asked. He looked at her, quite shocked. She went on “I have a two, because of my missing vaccination, the petrification, and the cat incident. And something in my mental health. I just didn't get to that! You will have the same, right? With Quirrell, the basilisk and such?”
He continued to stare, then glare at her.
“What? You can tell us! We are your friends!”
“Are you?” Asked Ron of all people, swallowing his food. “Didn't you hear what the healer lady said? Not to badger your friends?”
Hermione grew indignant “I am not badgering you!”
All in the vicinity listening in scoffed.
“What? I am not! Harry! Help me!”
“Well, here is my help. What did your parents teach you about doctor-patient confidentiality?” Harry asked her.
Hermione looked back at him with incomprehension. “But this is different, is it not? The h?ealers here are not REAL doctors!”
She looked at the shocked faces around her. “What?”
“I think you better drop the topic, for now, research the topic and talk to your healer when it is your appointed time,” said a close-by prefect, kind, but assertive.
Hermione wasn't really getting it, but gave in, for the moment. Maybe it was the wrong place to question Ron and Harry, she decided. And research! Her! She huffed.
Harry, seeing her stubbornly clenched jaw, just thought. Uh oh. Knowing, that that fight wasn't over yet.
When finished, they trooped out on the ground again. Who knew how long it would stay warm and dry. It could change any minute here in Scotland in the fall, after all, as yesterday’s thunderstorm showed.
They lazed about. Hermione read and the boys snipped stones and horsed around. At about 2 pm, a house-elf popped into being next to Harry and piped “Master Harry Potter is be coming to the healerses now! His appointment is es-ti-ma-ted at quarter past two!” carefully saying the newly learned word.
Harry thanked the elf, said bye to his friends, and went, with a heavy heart. He was NOT looking forward to the next couple of hours.
Arriving at the Hospital Wing, he was led to the waiting room, by another house elf and sat down next to Neville of all people.
“Hey, Harry!” He was greeted. Neville was quite pale. Obviously not looking forward to his appointment either.
“Nev.” Harry nodded back and wrung his hands. He just couldn't stop himself.
They both waited quietly, not knowing what to say in this situation and too anxious.
One of the green-clad healers came to them. “Numbers 42 and 43?” They nodded and were told that “two cleansing cubicles are ready for you now, please follow me.”
As they were standing in front of some doors, the healer handed each of them a potion.
“Well, do you know what to do?”
Neville nodded; Harry shook his head.
“That is quite alright, dears. Do you want to go in already, or listen to my explanation, just to be sure, Mr. Longbottom?”
Neville decided to stay.
“Right, it is really easy. The best way to go about is, to take off your clothes. All of them. Even your glasses. Then sit on the loo and there drink the potion. It does have quite the punch, so for some the cleansing and expelling start right away. Some even throw up a little. That is, what the little bucket is for, next to the loo. Do not worry, it is all exceptionally clean in there. We take hygiene seriously!
“The process is done after at 10 minutes maximum. When finished. And you will know, when. You can take a shower or wash. Most take a shower, though. You will find towels and wash clothes in abundance there. Put them in the hamper when finished, put your clothes back on and leave through the other door. From there go back to the waiting room and wait till a healer is ready for you. Should something go wrong in there – not that it will! – the cubicles are monitored for distress, and someone will come immediately, so you are saved. – Do you have any questions?” She finished the practiced standard introduction.
This time Neville shook his head and Harry nodded.
“Yes, dear?”
“What do we do with the empty potions bottle?” having learned that every little thing mattered and that he could get punished if he guessed things wrong, Harry made sure, he knew all that was expected of him.
“Oh, you just put it on or in the sink. Just not on the floor. Anything else, dears? No? Then off you go.”
Harry followed the instructions to a letter and left 20 minutes later, feeling quite empty, wondering what all that stuff was, that came out of him! He hadn't eaten that much! By far! Not that he had looked, though. Eeew!
He found the waiting area again and set back next to Neville, who had wet hair as well. Both grimaced in commiseration, knowing exactly what the other one went through.
“That potion was a little different, than the one I know,” Neville said quietly. “I think, it had Helleborus in it. Hellebore,” he added.
“Huh? Do you know what that is for in there?”
“No idea! It is interesting, though.”
Harry nodded and thought about it. “Maybe that is why so much stuff came out?”
Neville grimaced but nodded “Yeah, I think so.”
A big healer came into the waiting area, a file in his hands. “Harry Potter?” He called in an accented voice.
Harry jumped up, “Here!” He didn't just squeak right now. No!
The big man smiled down at him and said, “Follow me, please.” And was off. Harry waved at Neville, said a quick “Good luck!” and followed hastily.
Harry was led into another cubicle. It was much bigger on the inside. Just like the bathroom one! He loved magic!
“Please take a seat” the healer gestured to one of the two chairs. My name is Gerhard Lichtwurz, but please call me Healer Gerhard or Healer G.”
Harry nodded thankfully. Licktwrz.. what?
“First of all, do you want your head of house present?”
Harry scoffed and shook his head.
“Then let's start right away. I had a look at your scan results from yesterday when you had 'fun' in your cubicle.”
Harry sniggered. Fun indeed! Then turned serious again and swallowed, full of apprehension.
“I take it, you have some idea, what is in here?” Healer G waved at the file in front of him.
“Some, I didn't read it all before you collected them. I skimmed them a little. Not the last part, you all came in the Great Hall then.” Harry babbled. He just couldn't stop himself.
Healer G smiled at him kindly. “You can get a copy of the scan, for you to study later on and if you ever have any questions after today, you ask me, or write a letter to me. The Goblins will forward it.
Harry nodded relieved. He liked Healer G; he reminded him a little of Hagrid. He had the same gentle air.
“So, what immediately was obvious is, you didn't get very much to eat as a child. Still don't in the summers, am I right?”
Harry nodded, blushing.
“Not your fault! Anyway. We can do something about it. There are potions, which give your body the nutrition it needs, make your bones denser, make it easier to digest food and change it into nutrition, and they soothe the stomach. You get my meaning. After about a month, you will have gained enough, to start to grow.”
Harry looked up excitedly. That was great!
Healer Ge chuckled and went on. “You will get a daily dose each morning before breakfast. Do you want to take it in bed, or at the table?”
“The bed, please?”
“No problem, it will appear on your bedside table with a notice-me-not keyed only to you.”
“Great, thanks!” All, to not make other people wag their tongues about their celebrity!
So, that was the easy part, unfortunately. You have many foreign spells on you, that the flushing potion couldn't take care of, as well as badly healed broken bones, which need healing, which is quite painful as well as an entity in your scar.... hm... better get a goblin to have a look! House-elf!”
pop
“You need something Master Eye-see-we-Healer?” The little elf gestured to his eyes, Healer G and then both of them.
Harry was highly entertained but bit his lips, to not laugh aloud.
Healer G wrote a note and gave it to the elf. “Please give this to Chief Bonebreaker.”
“Right away, sir!”
pop
“One just has to love the little things, right?” Healer G grinned at Harry, who nodded emphatically.
“Uh, is that the boss-goblins name?” Harry asked blushing, at his childish name.
“That is right! Oh dear, no one introduced him, or us, Mist! We will remedy that soon, I hope! – Anyway. The easiest way to get rid of all the magic on you would be a spell, that only healers and potion masters know. But we cannot use that.”
“Why?”
“It is exceedingly painful, and we cannot put you to sleep magically, for it, for obvious reasons.”
“Why don't you do it the non-magical way then?” Harry asked. At Healer G's questioning look he elaborated “Muggles do have narcotics, after all, just put me down with that, or would that not work either?” Harry trailed of, a little disturbed by the open-mouthed stare he received.
“Verdammt! Out of the mouth of babes... “
“Hey!”
Healer G laughed a little, at Harry's indignation and said “I am just incredibly stunned, that no one and I mean NO ONE ever thought of that, rather simple and elegant solution! It is a great idea! – Do you mind if I call another healer to us? Doctor Thelma Bridgeton is a certified healer and medical doctor. I would like to ask her opinion!”
Harry agreed happily, preening a little at the praise. He rather liked praise, he noticed. Maybe that's why Hermione always wants to answer all questions if praise makes one feel that way?
Another note was written and sent via house elf.
“That would take care of the problem of breaking and fixing and maybe even regrowing some of your bones too! That is a rather painful process as well!”
Harry nodded and winced in remembrance of the Lockhart incident.
“Right let’s have a look at your eyes in the meantime”
Harry happily agreed.
“This potion here will fix your eyes completely. It is not comfortable by any means, but it's over very quickly. So, if you can stand a little pain, you will have perfect eyesight in a couple of minutes. Ore we have a look at your glasses if that –”
“No! The potion please!” Please, please, please Harry chanted in his head, he hated his glasses!
“Alright, alright. The potion it is.” Healer G smiled. “Please lie on the examination cot and take off your glasses. I will drop the potion right in your eyes. Then I need you to close them and to NOT rub them while the potion works. It only takes a few seconds, then all will be done, and you can open your eyes again. Ok, I see you are ready, so I will start right away.”
During Healer G's explanation, Harry hopped on the table and took off his glasses. Looking exited. Then Healer G just did what he had explained he would do, running a commentary the whole time.
One minute later Harry could sit up again and open his eyes he blinked rapidly and then looked around in wonder. His green eyes were huge and quite beautiful, not that he cared, he could see! He hopped off the table and looked around happily.
Healer G smiled at the boys’ exuberance. Incredible, to have such a hard life and not brake under it! He dreaded the next topic but was saved by Thelma! Merlinseidank!
A short knock was answered just as quickly and here was another ICW- healer. She was tiny in comparison. Taller than Harry though, who was still standing, looking around.
“What is it?” She asked briskly. Nodding at Harry in greeting. He waved back happily. Interested in her opinion.
Healer G gestured to Harry's chair, and another appeared, so both could sit. He started talking, while they sorted themselves out. Thelma liked it that way!
“Harry here would profit greatly from the FIM spell, but as you know it would be incredibly painful and – “
“You want me to cast it?” She frowned. “You know – “
Now she was interrupted. “Thelma, please do not jump to conclusions, and let me finish!”
She nodded, a little contrite, and murmured “Sorry, go on.”
Harry grinned at the exchange. Just like me and Hermione! (“Hermione and me,” scolded his little Hermione in his head. “Shut up! This is my mind!”, “Pffft!”
“.. .so, I explained the incredibly painful FIM spell to Mr. Potter here, that one could not be sedated magically, because it would be terminated by the spell.”
Thelma gestured to him to get on with it!
He grinned at her and went on, “And then Mister Potter asked, 'why not use muggle narcotics then'?”
Harry and Healer G watched in amusement Thelma's rapidly changing expressions. Her mouth dropped open, her eyes bugged, and she just stared. Like someone hit the pause button, Harry thought.
Healer G snapped his finger before her face, and she snapped out of it. Head swivelling to Harry.
“You... what... I... Why did I not think of that?” She yelled.
Harry was slightly taken aback. He liked the praise better!
“Not you, dear! I was not yelling at you, but myself! You are right! That would work perfectly! An IV drip with the narcotic. Monitoring for 5 minutes how much a person needs and then BAM –,” her hand hit the desk, Healer G and Harry jumped, she just went on “– we can hit the person with the FIM, and the patient will not feel a thing!” She jumped up and hugged a bewildered Harry and an amused Healer G. “I will assess that right away!” And with that, she ran out of the room.
Healer G laughed heartily, and Harry soon joined, still feeling, as if a train named Thelma had just run him over.
“Well, she will assess it until she is ready to use that procedure on a chil... ah... teen.” He corrected himself quickly at Harry’s scowl.
“Well, then – “
Another knock on the door.
“Enter!” (The door was spelled to that command to open after a knock, otherwise, the person could knock all they wanted, never hearing a thing from inside.)
A very old and shrivelled goblin came in. “You need an experienced curse breaker? Name's Grunck.” he grunted.
“Thank you for coming over so quickly! This is Harry Potter; my patient and I am Healer Gerhard Lichtwurz.” – Propper name! Grunck though – “We have found a very unusual thing in Mr. Potter's curse scar. An 'entity' it says. We need a professional opinion on that.”
The goblin stared at Harry's scar. Differently, then people usually did. Not curious but … inspecting it? Maybe he sees differently than a human? Harry thought, quite perspective.
Healer G then conjured a little footstool for Harry to sit on, so the even shorter goblin could have a closer look. Harry sat down on it immediately.
Grunck ran a finger over the scar and leaned in remarkably close, inspecting it. Harry became a little cross-eyed, making Gerhard grin at the sight. He really started to like the boy!
Then the goblin jerked back and started to bark in gobbledegook quite loudly.
Harry and Healer G looked at each other in question.
“Bah! Wizards are idiots! Doing that to a child!”
“Doing what to a child?” the healer asked mildly.
“That! What an abomination! – Not you, boy, the Horcrux in your head!”
“Huh?”
Healer G had grown quite pale as well. “Harry,” he said gently, forgetting the right address for the boy (not that Harry minded) this is very... ah... advanced magic we will be talking about now. Would it be alright, for you to sit on the examination table and look at this book? While I muffle Grunck’s and my conversation?”
Harry shrugged, took the book, and sat on the table, as the area around it was silenced. He was curious, but on the other hand, quite exhausted already. So, a little pause was good! Just then a house elf appeared and put a tray with sandwiches next to him. That cheered him immensely. He was quite hungry!
He sat there ate, read, and nodded off a little.
Outside the silencing bubble, the mood was much more serious.
“It is a Horcrux you say?”
“Yes, one of many! That idiot wizard ripped his soul apart at least five times! More often would be my guess!
“Heilige Scheiße! He must be certifiable insane! And my guess is, it is the latest Dark Lord of Britain, we are talking about? Lord Whatshisname?
“Voldemort! And he is no Lord!” Grunck barked. “But that is him all right.”
“So, it wouldn't matter, if we got the Horcrux out of Harry's head and destroyed it, right?”
“It would be helpful to have that sliver. How do you plan to get it out?”
“With a medical spell that negates all magic, but one’s own.”
“Ha, the 'finite maximus', yes? Good idea, this should work. But it would hurt!”
“Ah yes. That one” Gerhard was slightly taken aback; the goblin knew that spell. It was very hush-hush, after all! But he trusted the goblins with that knowledge. “Harry had the ingenious idea, to use a non-magical muggle narcotic. My teammate is testing that, as we speak.”
“Ha! Smart boy! I like him! Thinks outside of the ledger!”
“Yes! But it is so obvious now! I feel incredibly idiotic!”
“Well, you are a wizard after all” Grunck grinned at him toothily.
Gerhard huffed a laugh. “Right. Anyway, can you 'catch' the entity as it leaves the body while that spell works on Harry? So, no touching him in any way? “
“Hm, yes. I think so. As soon as the spell is cast, I will get close and hold a soul crystal over the boy’s head and catch the damned thing with it. Should be easy. I just need to get a crystal. Need an hour, approximately, to get one. Works?”
“Yes, that works. I do not know how long my teammate needs, to develop a save procedure. How about, as soon as I know, when we will cast the spell, I sent an elf to you, to tell you the time?”
“Works. Later!” With that Grunck left.
Notes:
The known characters look more like described in the books, less than in the movies.
Some fit quite well in my opinion, but not all, especially Harry, Snape, Sirius, Remus, Bill, Fleur and Draco did look quite different in my mind. Not that all those characters will appear in this story.Don't get me wrong, the actors were awesome, just not like I pictured the characters outward appearance, after reading the books.
edited 16.9.22
Chapter Text
Gerhard sat there bemused. It seemed he got the most interesting cases all for himself! Well and. Thelma. Not that he minded! He had quite come to like Severus and now Harry. His only two patients so far. Having had a few hours to rest before the evening shift. – He wondered what Severus was doing now, after leaving the castle earlier?
Throwing a glance at the sleeping Harry he took out Harry's scan results. Hmm, let’s see. We can take care of all his bad brakes when he is under the narcosis. This way we can first re-break all the necessary bones, cast the mending charms, then vanish those three rips and his left ankle and spell some Skele-Gro into him. That would strengthen the newly mended Bones as well.
The question was only if the narcosis could be held that long? Maybe let it taper off a little? He made e note to speak with Thelma about it.
Harry still had quite some tissue damage, so he would get a healing potion of the special variety when he woke up, and then there was the mental health of Harry... hm, he would have to talk to the boy.
At last, the 'Health of mind' issues would be taken care of fully soon!
The only thing today, or tomorrow after the FIM would be the vaccinations. Those made no sense beforehand!
Oh! Severus vaccinations! Mist! Were they still active? Did he have all the necessary ones?
He made another note to check Severus for his inoculation status.
He then worked on his preliminary reports, for Severus and Harry.
Harry started to stir, and Gerhard took down the silencing spell.
“Oh,” Harry blinked a then started grinning. “I still can see! Oh, and sorry for falling asleep!”
“No problem, I just worked on those exhausting reports my superior insists on. Think homework. Necessary but annoying. The sooner done, the better!”
Harry grinned at that. He could relate!
“So, what now? When will you sedate me? And what did... ah... Grunck? What did he say?”
“He said, that he can help with that thing in your scar. You are better off not knowing what it is, as long as it is in there. When you are sedated, we will fix that. Oh, one thought. Would you like to keep the scar?”
“NO!”
“Okay then” Gerhard huffed a laugh “then, should it possible to heal it, we will.”
Harry threw his arms up and cheered. “YES!”
“Well let's see. I can only vaccinate you after we have done the spell. So, that is for later. You are rid of the mind-altering potions, so that is done. – next is all the tissue damage, you still have right now. You must be quite bruised!”
Harry nodded but said shyly “I am so used to it I don't really notice it, unless I move the wrong way.”
“I am sure! So, this is a very concentrated healing potion, that only the ICW has the recipe of. Luckily for you, I have one for you right here. It will take care of all your bruises.” Healer G handed Harry the potion.
“Really? Wow, first the eyes, now this!” Harry took the potion right away and made a face at the taste. “Blargh!”
“Tasty, isn't it? But it is so worth it! just wait a few more seconds.”
“Uh, my bruises are getting warm now... strange feeling! No... cold! Uh? I don't feel any pain anymore! Wow! This is amazing!” Harry twisted and turned. And beamed happily at Healer G, “Thank you!”
“You are quite welcome! Now for the last big topic is your mental health. “
Harry got more serious at that. But cheered up again when Healer G continued, “but I am not qualified for that, sorry.”
“No problem,” Harry chirped.
“I bet,” said Healer G ruefully. “But I will make a note, that you need to see a muggle-trained and ICW-certified mind healer soon. And for a long time.”
“You mean, like lie on a couch and talk about my feelings?” Harry scoffed.
“Yes, exactly. It helps. Believe me, I reacted like you at first, when I had to do those sessions, but it helped.”
“You needed a shrink? You? You are huge!”
“I wasn't always, was I?” Healer G said ruefully. “At one time, even I was tiny and had a big, often drunk father.”
“Oh!” Big green eyes looked at him full of empathy. Then Harry asked, with a small voice, “And it helped you?”
“It did.” Healer G. nodded. “So Mr. Potter – “
“Harry! Please call me Harry!”
“Alright then. Will you agree to see a mind healer if we can find a muggle-trained one for you, Harry?”
“Okay, yeah. If it really helps,” mumbled Harry.
“Great! Now, we will have to wait for Thelma. You will have to bear with me. I can't let you go in between. Standard procedure.”
“I just say I had to sleep the vaccination off, right?” piped up Harry.
“Smart boy! Exactly! – Now I have so many, many questions, but the most important one to me is, how, in the seven circles of hell, did you get in contact with basilisk poison and then found enough Phoenix tears to neutralize it in the period of minutes?
Harry sniggered at the incredulous face, Healer G made. “That is easy! You get bit by a 1000years old basilisk and the headmaster’s phoenix, who just blinded the basilisk, cries on the bite.”
“Easy, he says!” Healer G groused, “And how does one get bit by a 1000year old Basilisk?”
“By sticking a goblin-made sword in its brain? Through its mouth?”
Healer G was speechless for a while. Harry, on the other hand, was highly entertained.
“I see,” Healer G managed at last. He had SO many questions now! “And where did you get that goblin-made sword from?”
“Out of the sorting hat. The one, that sits next to the staff table right now.”
“I see,” came the weak reply. Then Healer G's brain started working again. “Say, Harry, where is the carcass of the beast now?”
“Oh, in the Chamber of Secrets, I would think. No one can enter, but a parselmouth. But it was over a year ago. More one and a half. Wouldn't the body be decayed by now?”
“Not necessarily. What self-respecting bacteria would want to eat a basilisk?”
Harry giggled.
“But the parselmouth part is concerning. Where did you find one?”
“Oh, I am one! That was, why I was down there! To save Ginny Weasley from the diary?”
Healer G's face was great! That was, what 'flabbergasted' meant! “Save … from the Diary... what?”
“Yes, it possessed her!”
“Ok, this sounds all so incredibly absurd. But I know you are telling the truth! But... wait a minute! You are a parselmouth?”
Nod.
“As in, you can speak parseltongue?”
Nod.
“Wow! That is amazing!”
“Huh?”
“Did you know that there are healing spells only a parselmouth can do? No? The greatest healers of all times were parselmouths! The most known in Europe would be Theophrastus Bombast von Hohenheim also called Paracelsus! If you want to, I can look in the ICW library if they have any books on parselmagic?”
Now it was Harry's turn to be utterly astonished. Healer G was not afraid of him! He seemed elated, and happy, and wanted to look for Books for Harry!
“Yes, please! I really would like that. Our library has nothing about parseltongue, I looked, and everyone is afraid of it?”
“Afraid? Why?”
“Because Voldemort was a parselmouth!”
Healer G made a mental note to check Harry's parseltongue ability, after the Horcrux was gone, to see if Harry retained that ability and if it even was connected to the scar at all.
“That is silly. Wasn't one of the founders of Hogwarts a parselmouth as well?”
“Yes, but since Voldemort is his descendant, he must have been eeeevil!”
Healer G laughed at Harry's exasperation.
“On a vastly different note, did you see the potions that were flushed out of your body? Well, I mean in the test results, not in the loo.”
Sniggering Harry answered. “Good, since I didn't look in there! Eeew! But it was a lot! – But in the results, I did only see something about a loyalty potion? And...,” he thought back “... compliance?”
“Yes, those were both in your system. As well as a potion dampening your intelligence and one dampening your ability to retain facts.”
“No way! Someone made me dumber?” Harry stared at Healer G, who nodded.
“In a nutshell.”
“But why? And who?”
“As far as we can ascertain, it was all Albus Dumbledore. As for 'why' your guess is as good as mine. I reckon it was because of power. I mean, he really amassed it. He controls the education of nearly everyone in the UK as Headmaster of Hogwarts, he is Chief Warlock of your law-making body, so he controls that, and he is The Supreme Mugwump of the ICW! That means, he is the boss of the International Conference of Wizards. Hell, he is my boss' boss' boss! – That is a lot of power, wouldn't you say?”
Harry nodded numbly. “When you have everyone’s loyalty, which makes it even easier, but why the intelligence thing? Fewer questions asked?”
“That would be my guess, too.”
“Did you have those potions in you as well? Ah, is that ok to ask?”
“It is very ok! We had the same thought this morning and checked each other. We were clean thankfully.”
“Ah good! So that is why everyone has to be cleansed!”
“Exactly!”
“Huh, how long has he been doing that anyway?” Harry asked big-eyed.
“As far as we can see, he potioned everyone in Hogwarts since 1945. So, everyone under the age of about sixty and older than eleven was potioned.”
“So, half of our world?!” Harry was in deep thought.
“What is going through that head of yours?”
“Just, that he started this after his duel with Grindelwald and as Tom Riddle, aka Voldemort, left school.”
“You could be onto something. May I include that in my report?”
“Sure!”
“How do you know his real name anyway?”
“Oh, remember the evil diary, which possessed Ginny?”
“Yes?”
“That had the memory of Tom Riddle in it. Or his ghost or something. Anyway, this Tom told me that Tom Marvolo Riddle has the anagram 'I am Lord Voldemort' I know! Lame, isn't it?”
“Dear me!” Healer G was writing all that down furiously. Making the next mental note to tell the goblins of the diary (Horcrux?) and the basilisk-carcass if Harry retained his ability.
“Where is the diary now? That thing is obviously extremely dangerous!”
“Oh, it is.... dead? I stuck the broken fang that was in my arm into it. It bred black and screamed. Then the ... ghost-thingy was gone.”
“Smart boy!” Healer G praised.
“Ha! Even dumbed down!” Harry groused, quite proud of himself. “Where the dead diary is? No idea. You would have to ask Dobby.”
pop
“Master Harry Potter, sir called for Dobby?”
“Ah... yeah... ah... Dobby, erm, do you remember that book with the sock?”
“Yes, Master Harry Potter, sir! That be Dobby's greatest day, ever! Master Harry Potter, sir freed poor Dobby with the sock!”
“Right. Do you remember what you did with the book?”
“Yes, Master Harry Potter, sir! Bad Headmaster Dumbydoor asked for it. Dobby gave it to him. Did Dobby do wrong?”
“No, it was quite alright! Do you know where he has kept it in the meantime?”
“Yes! Dobby will get it for Master Harry Potter, sir!” pop
“…”
“…”
“So, that was that... An interesting friend you have there, Master Harry Potter, sir!”
“Wah! Please don't call me that!”
“Okay, I will try to refrain from doing that.”
pop
“Here you go Master Harry Potter, sir!” the little, excitable elf gave Harry the book.
A rustling of paper could be heard, “Dobby was it, right?”
“Yes, Master eyeseedoubleyou-Healer!
“Are you bound to Harry here?”
Harry started astonished.
Dobby looked as shifty as a house elf could look (not much) “Dobby is,” he whispered.
“Huh, you are, Dobby? Why didn't you say something? Didn't you want to be free?”
“Free of bad master, Master Harry Potter, sir! Not free.” he looked frustrated for his poor word choices, but he didn't know any better ones!
“Harry, freed house elves do die. They need the magic, a bond with a wizard or witch gives them. They cannot 'digest' wild magic. Even if they beings made of pure wild magic.”
“And Hogwarts' elves?” Harry asked concerned.
“A wizarding child and teenager generate immense amounts of wild magic, that house elves need as nourishment. That is why every freed house elf in the UK goes to Hogwarts, would be my guess.”
Dobby nodded. “But magic from a bond be better. If elf is happy! Master Harry Potter, sir is not angry?”
“Dobby I am not angry at all. Next time, just ask me, please. I do not like underhanded stuff much.” Dobby rushed toward the next wall and Harry called out. “Stop! If you really are my elf, you should know, that I hate physical punishment in any form! Please do not hurt yourself anymore, ok? Just talk to me if you are unsure!”
Dobby thought for a little while and then nodded. “Good Master Harry Potter, sir is the best Master ever!”
Healer G seemed to have a hard time not laughing at Harry's naming.
“One more thing. Please only call me 'Harry'. Or, if you must 'Master Harry', but nothing more, ok?”
“Yes Master Harry, s... I will!”
“Thank you, Dobby!”
“Dobby, may I ask you something? I am not quite sure what to make of this.”
“Yes, Master eyeseedoubleyou -Healer, sir?”
“Sneaky,” Harry murmured, grinning.
Dobby pretended not to hear him. Harry sniggered.
“Under your master’s bonds, yours is clear, but there are three more, I cannot make any sense of. Do you have an idea?”
“That be the other Potter-elves that have a bond and don't have a bond. They is weak! Master Harry is not be calling them!”
“What?” yelled Harry. “What house elves? Where are they? How do I call them?”
“Just say, 'Potter house elves come to me'!”
“Potter house elves come to me!”
pop, pop, pop
Three extremely thin elves dropped to the floor, not moving, too weak for anything.
Harry fell on his knees and tried to hug them all at once. He looked desperately up to Healer G and asked, “What do I do?”
“You need to say, 'I Harry Potter, do accept the Potter house elves as my own.'”
Harry repeated it verbatim and immediately the elves seem to come to life again, huddling into their Master. Two started to cry. Harry cried with them.
Gerhard looked on, quite moved, and let them be. They all needed the time to connect, it seemed. It was just extremely lucky, that due to its nature, the bond with the house elves, would not be broken by the spell, as it was only Harry's Magic, which nurtured the elves. It was like the elves were an extension of Harry. The elves then used wild magic for the work, they did for their wizard.
He had to confess, he didn't quite understand it, but it worked well in this case.
He had an idea. “Why don't you cast a nice spell Harry, maybe that would nurture them? The one with the little tweeting birds, maybe? The Patronus charm would be best, but that would be a little much to ask, I guess.
Here Harry took out his wand and cast a quiet “Expecto Patronus.” A most magnificent white-glowing stag came into being and it radiated such happiness, everyone in the room started to smile and laugh with joy. The stag then nudged all four elves with its nose and laid itself next to the Harry – elves-huddle (Dobby had joined).
One could actually watch the elves grow healthier, in colour, size, and demeanour, now!
That boy was a marvel!
And so, quite some time passed. Gerhard actually finished his paperwork up to today! Dobby got Harry and Gerhard some food, it was diner time, after all! And Harry started to quietly chat with the Potter elves, getting their names and such. They were 'Mister Mitchy', 'Mrs. Sunny' and 'Missy', of all things, apparently Lily Potter had insisted.
After an hour, the elves were back to health and the stag was dismissed. They asked what Harry wanted them to do. (Gerhard noted and documented, Harry's lack of magical exhaustion. Having monitored him quite closely).
Gerhard helped and asked after Potter Manor in the report (birthplace) and its condition. The elves got excited and said, it was in awful disrepair!
Harry wanted to know if they could fix some of it. Yes! They could! So, they were given the order, to fix it up as, good as they could and get the goblin’s help, whenever needed. And to not exhaust themselves and visit as often as they wanted to, but at last every week! Happily, all four Elves went, to do their task.
Harry was a little dubious, about how to pay the goblins and Healer G suggested visiting them at Gringotts soon. Get his finances in order and such.
Huh? (Owl!)
Seeing Harry's incomprehension, Gerhard made yet another note of getting Harry educated about the Wizarding world. He wondered it all students were so uneducated. Probably... Better get the ICW Department of education hopping.
This is getting quite the list, Gerhard thought.
Harry noticed that he really started to trust Healer G! He was the first adult (Hagrid didn't really count) that didn't dismiss Harry and his questions. He listened and gave answers! It was amazing! Even his own Godfather had disappeared to… somewhere. Sirius didn't even answer his letter about the dream!
Then there was another knock, and the door opened, and a grinning Thelma Bridgeton entered.
“I've got it!” She all but crowed. “I tested it on five of our teammates, not on shift! All went well! And I knew the best anaesthetic for wizards already, at least!”
“That is great, Thelma! – Two more questions. First, would Skele-Gro work, while Harry here is under the narcotic, and second, how long can you sedate him, to get the worst re-growth out of the way?
“Good questions and yes! We even vanished the bones of Rafael's left-hand pinkie! He is still under actually. With a lower dose. – The tricky part is to find the right dose, so no pain is felt by the FIM, and then monitor the status of the patient again, after the FIM was cast. But I got it! This will revolutionize the whole world of healing! All thanks, to a very smart teenager! I will publish the findings as soon as we are back in Geneva! No worry, Harry! You will be mentioned and recognized for your idea!”
Harry nodded, a little dumbly, at the healer! Man, she was a whirlwind!
“So, we can start now, if you want to?” She asked, looking at both in question.
“Very well, I will inform Grunck, he has to be in attendance. How long do you think, it will take to get Harry ready?”
“15 minutes give or take. Tell him to be here at 7:30 pm.”
“I will.” G wrote a note to Grunck and handed it to a Hogwarts house elf, he had called. “I am ready. Harry?”
“Me too!”
“Then let's go! Coming, boys?”
And off they went to the room in the ward, Healer Bridgeton had set up for the procedure.
It all went off without a hitch. The anaesthetic worked. Harry didn't feel a thing when all foreign magic was ripped off of his body.
He didn't twitch, when his scar broke open and a black cloud came screaming out, just to be sucked into the clear crystal, that Grunck held over the boy's head, turning said crystal to smoky black.
Harry's scar then leaked a black, tar-like substance – making Gerhard think of the Diary in Harry's story – It was collected to be analysed later. Thelma was quite stunned at these happenings. But Gerhard mouthed 'later' to her, so she nodded. Harry's scar started to bleed afterward and as soon the spell had run its course, the wound was cleaned and healed, to only leave a thin white scar, which would nearly disappear in time.
Just as Grunck wanted to leave, Gerhard told him, they should talk tomorrow, he had more information.
“You sent a note tomorrow then,” Grunck said and left.
“Alright, now let’s get to his bones.” And they did. Harry didn't feel a thing and Gerhard was incredibly happy they could do that all, while Harry was sedated! It was no fun, hurting a patient, after all!
Then they left the boy in the sickbed, monitoring charms on alert and the IV spelled to taper off the drip very slowly, so the sedation would turn into natural sleep eventually.
The staff of Hogwarts had spent the day in quite the daze. Trying to come to terms with what was done to them. They were just letting the students roam about and get into mischief.
Madame Pomfrey had to be sent to a mind-healing retreat. The damage that was done to her, her immense feeling of guilt, and her tattered healer’s oath made that a necessity.
McGonagall even cried in her quarters, as she started to recapitulate all the instances, she had ignored abuse, rape, or bullying. Even the little kids, just wanting a hug and having been brushed off by her, saddened her deeply. It would take a long time to make amends, she was sure. But amends she would make!
The rest of the staff had similar feelings. Each one of them had their own actions to deal with. They had let generations of students down. Unwilling as it might have been. Damn Albus!
Even grumpy Filch sat in his office, and cuddled his cat, having quite a few regrets.
The students handled the unusual situation with aplomb. “Nothing to it, let's just roll with it,” was heard quite often. Taking the healer’s advice to heart, not to badger their friends for information, mostly. But they all heard quite disgusting things about the cleansing! Ew!
Quite a few, of the students, seemed to have an adverse reaction to the vaccines. Not all students believed that explanation. But well, 'nothing to it, just roll with it'...
One group of the goblins had spent the day pouring over old ward schemes and making lists, to talk to the heads of houses about it, with no headmaster in charge right now. After the reset was done completely, they deconstructed most of the temporary ward stones, just leaving the anti-apparition ones, since they had not been part of the original scheme, which was now running.
Another group had started on the ledgers, auditing them thoroughly! They hadn't had access to Hogwarts books for over three hundred years after all! The headmasters and Governors chipping away at the goblin's control of Hogwarts finances. That would change now! Back to how it should be!
It was quite a huge task and would take them a week at last! With fifteen goblins working at it!
At Gringotts itself, all employees had been scanned and seventeen wizards and witches were found, that were compromised with alchemical potions – all of them former
Hogwarts students under the age of 60 – and two goblins! The account managers for the Black and the Potter families! They were incensed! Both stepped down from their posts, after having been cleansed, as was proper.
Immediately a scan for alchemical potions was added to the mandatory bi-yearly scan of their employees – human and goblin – and an audit of all customer vaults was started. A herculean task, which would shake Gringotts to the very foundations! Oh, they would not be happy at what they would find.
The healers had actually worked through the whole list of the first batch, even if some Patients were still in the Hospital Wing and would need additional attention tomorrow, like Harry, or even longer. Now they were exhausted. They had worked from 6:30 am – 9 pm after all (with breaks)! Some only had a few patients, like Gerard, some had up to twenty, like Yuki and some had even been experimented on, by Thelma on top of that!
A few went right to bed, only grunting something. The others sat on the mismatched couches, the house elves had organized for them., while one of them manned the Healing Wing, for emergencies in the school.
“What a mess!” Someone groused.
Agreeing grunts and words came from all over.
“We should recapitulate our experiences.”
“Yeah...”
“…”
“…”
“I am too drained.”
“Me, too!”
“…”
“…”
Snoring was heard. Some sniggered.
“Did anyone tell the students, when the next list will be up tomorrow?”
“Yes, actually I did. I told them 9 am. Regardless of it being Sunday. We have to see to about 250 students after all!” Clara said.
Groans.
“You are kidding, right? How many were there today?”
“90. Plus 14 Staff members. So, 104 patients, with all the 'Threes'. Some of which still need attention tomorrow and longer.”
“I think we really should plan a full third day for this phase.”
“Yes!” came from all around.
“Alright. I will inform the school tomorrow morning.” Clara said. “I think, we should be finished with the last batch by Monday, Sept. 4th in the early afternoon. Let us start at 8:30 on Monday. My estimate is, we get about 140 – 180 students done tomorrow. The cleansing has become routine by now and many just need vaccination and have 0 – 2 issues taken care of. So that leaves 80 – 120 of mainly 'Ones' for Monday.”
“Okay, that sounds more reasonable, by far!”
“We even can finish our paperwork that afternoon.”
Groans.
Then sniggering.
“And we sent our report to the ICW then?”
Agreement all around.
“I will address the big pink elephant in the room, now. We all had abuse cases today...,” agreement “...and we probably all have prescribed mind healing, the muggle variety...,” agreement, “...and we did request an emergency mind healing team, yes, but where the hell will we get enough mind healers long-term?” Gerhard asked.
“…”
“…”
“Well, that answers that,” Gerhard said dryly.
“We will not find a solution for that tonight. But please keep it in mind! All of you!” Clara, the only mind healer on their team begged. She saw so much need for her profession here. “At last, the emergency counselling station stands now. But I only can do so much...”
“Thank you for that!” and with agreement all around, Gerhard called it a night.
Notes:
edited 16.9.22
Chapter Text
Sunday morning, September 3rd, 1995, started bright and early for some. Meaning the healers, who sat together at the Hufflepuff table this morning and had their breakfast together, but in silence.
They then went to the Hospital Wing, to get ready for a long day of work and look after their charges that slept there.
Gerhard looked in on Harry and found him awake and freshened up already. He was grinning like a loon because he felt great! And he could see! And the scar was all but gone!
So, when Gerhard opened the door, he was greeted with a cheerful, “Good morning!”
He smiled back and rasped out a “Good morning to you, too!”
“So, what happens now?”
“Now, we go back to my cubicle and finish up, so you can go to breakfast and surprise your friends.”
“Riiight! They don't know what I look like now!” grinned Harry. “So, I get my vaccines now? I hope I don't actually get tired then!”
“That would be unfortunate but is actually very rare,” Healer G said. “But you are right, let’s get that out of your way.
After they were done, Harry was handed a potion vial. “What's that?”
“That is a potion that makes your semen inactive, so you do not accidentally impregnate a girl.”
Harry blushed so brightly red, that his head nearly exploded, “Impreg... But I do not... That is … What?”
Healer G seemed to try awfully hard not to laugh at Harry. Harry could see that!
“Let me explain. Until now, the whole of Hogwarts was dosed with this potion via pumpkin juice at each breakfast. So, some took much too much, of it, and some none at all, not drinking the juice. The potion is only for males. It affects the semen only, in the required way. So, half of Hogwarts, the girls, got a potion, sometimes a lot, which didn't do anything for them. But they had negative reactions to it. Some are quite bad. So, if you drank pumpkin juice, you took that potion since year one.”
“Is that allowed? It sounds really stupid! The poor girls!”
“Well, sometimes such a thing can be allowed, after much deliberation of a lot of healers, who look at the pro and contras of such a practice very carefully. A panel of healers would never have agreed to this indiscriminate and unchecked dosing of a school full of teenagers, though! Never! – So no, it was certainly not allowed!” Healer G then took a few deep breaths to calm himself down.
Harry liked him even more now, after that rant.
“So, back to you and why you are to take that potion. It is a safety measure. We decided, all of us healers together, it would be best, if we dose every teen, who can get a girl pregnant with the right amount of this potion. This will greatly reduce the chance of teen pregnancies, which are no fun, believe me. The potion in the right dose is totally harmless to you and one never knows. We do not care, if a boy doesn't have intercourse right now, it happens faster than you think, or if he only has sex with other boys. “
Harry started at that. „Only has with other boys....” He mouthed the words quietly, big green eyes stared at Healer G.
“Well yes, as all Witches and Wizards are bi-sexual, that is quite normal. But you know that from WSE, right?”
“Ah, no? What is WSE?”
“Harry! Are you telling me, you didn't have a class called WSE?”
“No?”
Healer G leaned back in his chair and let out a breath. “WSE is wizarding sexual education. Sex-ed for short. It is actually mandatory for a wizarding school... at least the ICW-certified once... which Hogwarts is...,” he trailed off and wrote himself a note, his mental notepad was stuffed already. “We will look into it, all right? – But back to the potion, please take it. From now on every month on will arrive at your bedside. Take it.”
Harry took it.
“Good! Now, onto another thing. I wanted to know if you actually could say something in parseltongue to me?”
“Sure, I have to look at a snake, though. Or a picture at last. You can even draw a squiggle, which looks a little like a snake.”
“Like that?” Healer G held up his pad, with a crude snake drawn on it.
Harry nodded, looked at the drawing, and said, “it's always hard to say something on command.”
Healer G grinned at him and said “ok, hissing and ssss sss. To be honest, I was a little afraid, that you might have lost the ability with my spell on you yesterday. That it came from the foreign entity in your scar. It would have been such a shame!”
“That entity was Voldemort, or a part of him, right?”
“Verdammt!” Healer G cussed. “You are such a perspective boy! And now, that the intelligent dampening is gone... anyway. Yes, you had a little sliver of his soul sticking in your scar. – I didn't tell you, because I didn't know it would understand and get defensive, like possessing you or something like that, and be honest, would you have wanted to know?”
“No! But thanks for telling me now, that I asked, and not brushing me off!” Harry shivered. “So, I was connected to him. I feared that. I had 'dreams' sometimes. But that would mean he possesses a Baby or something now and drinks his snake’s milk. And he tortures Pettigrew.”
Healer G stared at him and then made another note. “I think it would be best if you told the goblins this. They are investigating that sliver of his soul and I suspect, the diary contained one too! – I am meeting Grunck later today, let’s say after dinner. Could you maybe attend? Around 7 pm?”
“Sure! I come here?”
“Yes, please. So, Harry, I just have one last request. Please do not talk to anyone, about the loyalty potions and whom the loyalty was keyed to and such. Especially not to persons, who have yet to get a cleansing. It could be quite detrimental to them.”
Harry nodded in agreement.
“So that would be it, for the immediate healing, you needed. The potions, nutrition, and non-fertility will appear at your bedside. I have marked you for another appointment, for a check-up in one month, ok? You will get a note a day or so before it. The last big thing of your healing, the mind healer will address your mental health we will hopefully soon find. There is an emergency team of mind healers coming. You will see one then. And should you come into a crisis, thinking about hurting yourself or others, or have nightmares, please come to the Hospital wing, we set up an emergency counsellors office. – See you at 7 then!”
“Bye!” Harry waved, unusually shy now. He stepped out and felt off balance. He kind of didn't want to leave. He felt safe in there with Healer G. Was that what kids felt like when leaving their parents for school? No wonder, some made such a racket!
He was just happy, to come back here in the evening!
Then he looked around and left without seeing anyone.
So he went to the Great Hall, to find breakfast and his friends. He was successful on both accounts.
He didn't say anything, just sat down between Hermione and Ron, who had automatically left some space for him.
“Hey, Harry sits here!” Ron said indignantly, but not looking up, too busy eating. Next to him, Hermione was reading and nibbling on her toast ignoring everything. Harry just nodded and got some of the sausages and scrambled eggs. He winked at Neville, who sat across from him. Neville mouthed “Harry?” with big eyes.
Harry smiled and nodded slightly and ate with gusto.
Just then Ron had enough. He put his cutlery down, turned to Harry, opened his mouth … and stayed that way.
Harry grinned at him.
“Is that... is that you?... Harry?”
Harry nodded again, still grinning.
“But... where is your scar? And your glasses?”
“Gone!” Harry crowed “This is great, right?”
“Great? But you are not 'Harry Potter' anymore!”
“Huh? What do you mean? I might not have the scar anymore or the gasses! But I sure am Harry Potter!” Harry's stomach dropped at Ron's angry face. “I don't understand, what your problem is?”
“You are!” Ron got quite loud. “Can't you see, you do not look like my friend anymore. My friend Harry Potter!”
Hermione had stopped reading but was quite out of her expertise. For once, having nothing helpful to say.
“You!” Ron pointed at Harry “I don't want to be friends with a nobody! Stay away from me!” With that, he stormed off, not even having finished his breakfast!
Harry was totally stunned. He just stared in front of him. He had not expected that reaction! He had thought Ron would be happy for him because this was what he wanted! He blinked rapidly. I will not cry! Not because of that arse! He swore to himself
“I am sure, he will get over himself,” Hermione said, bossily. Her default setting.
“Whatever.” He was done with Ron for the time being.
Hermione opened her mouth to protest.
But, knowing her, Harry cut in, “I don't want to talk about him, ok?” He turned to Neville “So, did you find out if it was hellebore in that potion?
“What potion?” Hermione interrupted.
Good, she is distracted, Harry grinned at Neville who raised an eyebrow, clearly being on to him.
“Yes, actually I did! And it was!”
“What potion!” Hermione demanded, stamping her foot.
Harry suppressed a snigger, “Oh, we are not supposed to tell you. So,” he turned back to the now amused Neville “... was it against... you know what?”
Neville nodded “Exactly! Without it, it would have stayed.”
“Tell me!” Hermione was all but yelling by now.
“We can't. Really!”
She crossed her arms and huffed, clearly very frustrated, “You are mean!”
Just then, one of the twins dropped on the bench next to Harry, throwing an arm over his shoulder, and said overly flirty “Looking good there, Har!”
Harry turned to... Fred and smiled “thanks, Fred!”
Fred swooned, nearly falling off the bench, and cried, “The eyes! I have been hit by his eyes! Soooo greeeen!”
Everyone was laughing now, even Hermione.
Then the healer contingent arrived, just like yesterday, and demanded their attention. They were told that classes would not start tomorrow, after all, they needed the time, to get to everyone.
And that the third batch list would be on the walls by Lunch, with a time estimate, when they would start. A good thing was, everyone was ticked off the list when they arrived at the Hospital Wing for their appointment. So, one knew, when one was due, approximately.
Then the red hand spell was cast again. This time Harry's and Neville's hands glowed red as well as did Hermione's, who was greatly frustrated. She wanted to know!
The day was spent lazing about. With Hermione and Neville. Ron was not showing up. Not that Harry cared. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. At Ron and at himself.
Have I so readily accepted him because I was desperate for a friend? I mean, the first thing he asked was to see my scar, like a fanboy! And he is always angry, when I get grades better than him and that I have money! Doesn't he know that he is the richest of us all, with his huge, amazing family? Gah, I don't want to think about him!
So, he decided to distract himself and told Hermione about, what he had learned about house elves. Them being made out of wild magic (“I don't know, how, sorry”) and needed a wizard’s or witches’ magic as nourishment, or they would die! That the magic via a bond was the most delicious. Here Hermione was very sceptical. (“What about Dobby, then,” she asked). Well, Dobby wanted to be free of his bad master, but not be totally free. That Dobby even bound himself to a wizard, without telling them.
Hermione didn't want to accept that. “They are slaves!” She yelled, grabbed her book bag, and marched off to … wherever.
“Uh, I hope she goes to the library, to research this,” Neville commented mildly.
Harry nodded stunned. What is happening, why have both my friend left within a few hours?
He turned to Neville. “Have I changed somehow? Except the obvious?”
“Hm,” Neville said. “I do have a comment to that, but it's not a nice one to the old you.”
“Let's hear,” Harry encouraged.
“Normally you back off as soon as they have another opinion and then you let them walk all over you. It is quite painful to watch, actually. Especially as I let people walk all over me as well... “
“Oh!” Harry was stunned. But Neville could be right. “I was just so happy, that someone wanted to be my friend!”
Now it was Neville's turn to be stunned, “Everyone wanted to be your friend!”
“What? That's not true!”
“Well, they were like your guards, always walking and sitting left and right of you. You were not very approachable, you know? But I guess, that was good, too, for you?” At Harry's questioning look he elaborated “Some of the would-be friends would have eaten you alive in your first year, so they saved you from that.”
Harry huffed out a laugh, “Right. – And you? Did you want to be friends as well?”
“Yes!” Neville nearly shouted, “Your mum was my godmother, you know? And mine is yours! (Is?) We were supposed to grow up together! And I expected you to be my friend from first year on, but I was totally ignored. And I was too shy, bumbling, and unsure to approach you, I thought you knew and didn't want to have anything to do with the 'squib'”
Harry was totally stunned. All these years...
“But, when I heard you say last year, that you didn't know you had a godfather, I realized what an idiot I had been and tried to find my courage since then, to approach you.”
“Wow!” Harry starred at Neville and stuck out his hand then, “Friends?”
Neville laughed, “Yes” and shook the offered hand.
“Thank Hogwarts, for having had enough!”
“Right! And the hellebore in that potion!”
Notes:
edited 16.9.22
Chapter Text
As the students lazed about or were in the Hospital Wing, the healers were remarkably busy and concentrated on every single child that sat before them, with their small and big concerns.
Luckily, the worst cases were treated yesterday, but enough of the 'Twos' had at least verbal abuse to deal with at home or a quite harsh bullying in school. So, it was no walk in the park, for healers and teenagers alike.
The healers wished desperately for the team of mind healers, but that hadn't arrived yet.
As they badgered Clara, in between patients, for her to send out the request, again. They were right, why not, she thought?
Both the documentation assistants were immensely busy, too. They worked with quiet efficiency and put everything in the right forms, and protocols. Collected data and processed it. Mountains of parchment were being worked through. Some for the filing shelves, some with notations to the healer to elaborate, or fill out a missing point, etc.
But at 3 pm the second batch was finished, and they started on the third.
In the teacher’s room, some goblins and the three remaining Heads of Houses met about the wards.
They had never had to deal with the wards before, so they were slightly apprehensive. Well, Minerva McGonagall and Pomona Sprout hadn't, Filius Flitwick was a half-goblin and certainly had dabbled in them.
Chief Bonebreaker started without any chit-chat, humans were so prone to “The evening before yesterday we looked at the wards after over 50 years of being denied access. “What we found was a shredded tangled mountain of magical rubbish!” he barked out angrily. “The last Headmaster twisted them around, to fit his needs. They were irreparable. – The only way forward was, to reset the wards fully to the first setting, embedded into Hogwarts herself one thousand years ago. We did that. And set up temporary wards for the time duration. Like muggle repelling and anti-apparition.
“We requested all ward schemes of the 950 years we maintained the ward and looked through them, to find which ones to re-establish.
“Here is a List of the Wards as we found them:
Original wards:
Muggle repelling
Natural disasters (fire, flood, storm, earthquake)
Structural integrity
Safety features:
Armours
Lockdown castle (outside danger) disabled
Basilisk disabled
Bad-intention repelling disabled
Repel creatures (Trolls, Acromantula, etc.) disabled
Black artefacts disabled
Inhibit rape disabled
Alert:
Headmaster
Medical staff disabled
Head of houses disabled
Caretaker disabled
Keeper of Keys disabled
Closest Teacher disabled
All disabled
later wards, recommended to re-establish:
Anti-apparition
Pests (Gnats, flies, mice, rats, flees etc.)
Inhibit torture disabled
Inhibit heavy bullying disabled
No non-Hogwarts-house-elves (unsure)'
“There were many more, but they were so idiotic, we didn't include them.”
The Heads were beyond stunned, reading the list. Especially, that the wards against rape, torture, and bullying had been disabled, was inconceivable!
“So, all the wards of the first configuration are enabled again, yes? So, that is good! I would recommend, to re-establish all the others, but the house-elf one, I will explain that one later. What would you say?” Flitwick asked.
“I say aye. And we will have to establish a procedure to make sure such a mess doesn't happen again! Like, for example, only goblins, who are not compromised and in accordance with the treaties may enter the wardroom, or something alike...”
“I agree with Filius and Minerva. All those wards a ‘no-brainer’ as one of my muggle-born Hufflepuffs likes to say.”
“Good!” Chief Bonebreaker barked, quite pleased. These humans were not as idiotic, as expected, now, that they were not compromised. “We will get to work, right away.
“The sooner, the better. You think about the house elf one. And we meet again, to establish a better way when we have found a way out of all the dragon shit, that Dumbledore heaped on us!”
Nods all around, not even McGonagall protested the language anymore. The goblin was right, after all.
“Two more things we found in the wards and that are both destroyed irrecoverable. The first was a runic array, which cursed every person, who took the DADA teaching post, to have to leave the post after 8 - 9 months in some unfortunate way.”
The three heads were elated.
“The second. We found, why we couldn't exorcise the Enemy of the Horde, Cuthbert Binns. He was bound to this plane by another runic array. Not anymore.”
“You mean, we have no history teacher, now? Thank Merlin! That man was a pest! And Albus wouldn't hear of replacing him! His lessons were naptime and anti-goblin-propaganda! … Oh! Enemy of the Horde!” Understanding lit Minerva's now much younger face.
“Yes, exactly! We will celebrate his passing with a big feast for one week long! So, another thing I wanted to inform you of, we are right now auditing the whole of Hogwarts finances. The founders had decreed us to be the managers of Hogwarts money but year after year the headmasters and Governors picked away more and more rights for themselves and took over control of the finances themselves about three hundred years ago. One can think why. Corrupt assholes!”
Pomona and Minerva looked shocked but kept quiet. The Chief was understandably upset after all.
“Anyway, since Hogwarts called us herself, we were able to get access to the ledgers again. We are not giving them back! The Ledgers are a mess!”
“One could start to feel ashamed for our kind! And we call goblins greedy. Bah! They are much more honourable than many of us are!” Pomona groused.
Minerva, Filius, and Chief Bonebreaker all nodded in agreement.
“It will take about a week for 15 Goblins to comb through the mess. We will tell you then, how deep the shit is, you are in.”
That afternoon, Gerhard had just sat down for a cup of Coffee and a 5minute break, when a house elf brought him a letter. It was from Severus! Exited he opened it. It read:
'Honoured Healer Gerhard,
thank you once more for the healing and advice you gave me, yesterday. It was – and is – immensely appreciated! To not be bound by so many things, spells, and persons at once is a huge relief!
I took your suggestion and went to a little B&B on the coast of Cornwall, in a tiny town. Under the alias of Severus Smith. Very original, I know.
I ate, slept, and got laid, all on the first day. I don't think I have ever smiled so much in one day!
But a most astonishing thing happened. The woman Heddy Hayworth, who owns and runs the B&B, asked me if I was related to the Prince family! You can imagine my surprise. I answered only that my mother was born a Prince, and she asked if I was 'Eileen's boy'! The thing is my mother was born Eileen Prince!
Long story short, Heddy is my mother's cousin and the niece of your old Potions Master Claudius Prince. Can you imagine? Magic and Fate must have guided me here! I am not superstitious at all, but...
Anyway, Heddy, having no magic of her own, lives fully in the muggle world. Her only contact with ours is a big network of squibs, who help each other out but live in the muggle world, as well.
The reason for writing this letter, though, is Heddy's immense indignation, that only one muggle-trained mind healer supposedly practices in Britain. She ranted, that she could think of five fully muggle-certified ones who are in the know, right on top of her head. But that they are squibs, 'but certainly didn't need magic, to do a good job!'
She told me, that many first-generation squibs became mind healers, but that they are not ICW-certified, because 'the ICW didn't deem squibs worth their while. She was quite compassionate, as you can imagine!
So, I agreed at once, to meet with one of her acquaintances, under the presumption, that they have time in their schedule and are not too bitter with the wizarding world, to work with a wizard.
My question now would be, why? Why are there no ICW-certified mind healers, who are also squibs? Wouldn't one be perfect for a half-blood like me?
Well, that would be it, for now. My Gringotts visit will be beginning of next week. Tomorrow, I will get a haircut, to look like a Roman imperator, which is the Prince' way, due to Aunt Heddy.
In hopes, Hogwarts hasn't eaten you alive!
Sincerely
Severus
PS: Letters and visits please to the following address: '
Gerhard had another moment of feeling like someone had hit him... with a dead fish... in the face. Could it be that easy? Were they really that stupid?!
“Scheiße! Das ist es!”* He jumped up and ran to Clara's station, hoping she had no appointment. He was in luck!
Looking up she groused “I already requested the emergency mind healer team again! What now?”
Gerhard thrust the letter in her face. “Read!”
Giving him an unimpressed look, she did. He could see exactly where in the letter she was. As she sat up very straight, at one point. Eyebrows raising high, then the eyes bugged, and her mouth hung open.
After finishing she reread parts of it again. Still gaping.
“I feel so stupid, right now.” She whispered.
“I can relate,” was his dry answer.
Wide Eyes turned to him. “I want to meet her! This Heddy. She sounds amazing! And she has every right to be annoyed with us. We really are blind, aren't we?”
Gerhard nodded. “Severus kind of invited me anyway. I will ask Heddy then. I will write back, and ask to visit, maybe on Wednesday?”
“Yes! Can I come?”
“I will ask. But no one else! We do not want to overrun them after we ignored them for... ever?” Gerhard cautioned.
“Right you are! Maybe just tell Severus, that I would like to come at some point and talk to Heddy. Let her call the shots.” Clara clearly had gotten a hold of herself.
Gerhard just nodded and went back to his cubicle, he started to feel hope. They might have found a solution! (One that had sat before their very noses for years... decades even.)
* ”Shit! That is it!”
He then saw to five more students. And at 18:05 was told, they were done for the day. With a huge sigh of relief, he put all papers in the correct files, looked them over once more, and made some necessary notations. He was quite proficient at that, so he finished soon, got dinner delivered, and started to write a letter to Severus while eating with his left hand.
'Dear Severus,
it is a joy to hear from you and that you found a good place to relax at. And family! You are right, it had to be Fate and Magic banding together!
To answer your and your Aunt Heddy's question – which was a very good one! – We just didn't think of it!
Stupid, right? This old perception, that squibs (horrible name, by the way!) are poor, helpless dears, who have to be left in the muggle world to be forgotten, this stupid old perception still lingers in our heads and the whole ICW's heads, never to be questioned. We will now! Be assured!
Clara Simmons, our resident mind healer, and mother of three teenagers, really wants to meet your aunt! Clara thinks, she sounds amazing. Would you ask?
Just maybe, this could be the answer to our biggest problem here. We have found about seventy children, who have been abused (verbal and/or physical – 17 sexually) and who are in desperate need of good long-term therapy. We are just not equipped to deal with this. We are an emergency response team, after all. Short-term.
So, your question hit me (and Clara) like a ton of bricks (bricks of our own stupidity). But do you know what? It wasn't the first time, in two days, I got to enjoy that feeling!
I had a 14year old student – very abused, but still quite cheerful amazingly – in my cubicle yesterday afternoon, to whom I had to explain the FIM to, due to his magical issues.
And then I got the innocent question 'why not use muggle narcotics then, if magical ones don't work?' – BAM. Ton of bricks.
And Severus, it worked! My teammate Thelma, who is also a muggle-certified doctor, assessed it and found it safe! So, we sedated the boy with the muggle narcotics, cast the FIM on him and it worked! The child didn't feel a thing! We could then set his bones, vanish them and give him Skele-Gro while he was under!
As you know, this is huge! A revolution in magical healing! I can think of so many patients, this would have helped immensely. The last one, being yourself, the same day! I am deeply sorry now, you had to go through all that pain!
I could go on quite a long time telling you of all the happenings here. But I have a meeting in a few minutes. With said boy and a goblin. About Basilisks and Dark Lords. Amazing stuff, let me tell you!
So, here is my question: I would like to come to visit. And your letter implied an invitation. Would it be all right If I came over Wednesday? (Not to mess up your plans for the hairdresser and Gringotts!)
Yours
Gerhard
PS: Oh my, reading through the letter one more time... exclamation marks, over exclamation marks … one could think, I was a teenage girl! ← see! ← !
PPS: I better stop now. An owl just arrived here! I do not know, how that is possible! And she is sticking her leg out and is glaring at me. Jikes!
Gerhard rolled the letter up and bound it to the white owl’s leg. “Please bring it to Severus … ah... formerly known as Snape. You know, who?” The owl bobbed her head imperiously.
“He is in Cornwall right now. Please wait if he has a response.” The owl hooted in agreement.
At the same time, there was a knock and Gerhard called to enter. Harry came bounding in and exclaimed “Hedwig! What are you doing here?”
The now-named owl hooted and flew out of the closing door. Hitting the boy on the head on her way out.
“Ow! I said I am sorry!” Harry yelled at the now-closed door. “I thought she had forgiven me,” he told Gerhard, ruefully.
Gerhard had watched the proceedings with growing amusement. “So, that is your owl?”
“Yes! That's Hedwig! Our bond must have snapped yesterday, I think. Today she found me on the grounds and man, was she angry with me! But we talked, reconnected, and cuddled and all was well, I thought!” Harry groused at the poor door. “But why was she here?”
“Honestly, I have no idea. I was just finishing a letter to a patient and friend of mine and there she was, sticking out her leg, looking imperiously like the Queen of England.”
Harry sniggered “Ah yes, she does that all the time! She must have sensed that I like you!” Harry exclaimed and then, noticing he had said the last part aloud, he blushed. “I mean... ah...”
“And she must have sensed, I like you back as well, Harry. I have the habit of becoming friends with some of my patients. Not very professional, but...” he shrugged and made a hand gesture saying, 'what can I do?'. “She seems to be very smart. And quite pretty, too.”
A relieved Harry sat down unasked, quite comfortable in the little cubicle office by now, “You tell her that the next time. She likes that!”
Gerhard nodded and smiled “So how was your day? How do you feel?”
“I feel great! My foot does not hurt anymore, my body does not ache at all! That healing potion was sooo helpful! And I can see! So much! It is so amazing. I had no idea; I went around the world half blind!” Harry grinned at Healer G, but then his face became morose. “But...”
“But?”
“My friends were totally strange. Ron didn't like that my scar and glasses were gone, of all things! I was not looking like the 'famous Harry Potter' anymore.” Harry scowled. “And Hermione didn't like my explanation about house elves, can you believe? – She yelled 'but they are slaves!' and stomped off.”
“I am sorry to hear! I didn't tell you that explicitly, but your scan said, you were alchemically keyed to some people. That was cleansed yesterday.”
“Huh? Who?”
“Let me see” Healer G got out Harry's file from... somewhere. Magic was great!
But just then, a second knock could be heard.
Notes:
I know, the Healers move incredibly quickly, but hey, this is fanfiction in a fantasy world and an emergency team, what do you expect? :)
Not quite happy with the wards-stuff. I am sure I forgot something! Maybe I should have left it more open and not posted the list... well, I'll let it be, now.
So here is word of Severus again. To be honest, this 'one shot' branched of and I am writing a second story, that tells of Severus experiences while free of his masters, during the same time frame and the two stories interconnect. This letter was first written in the other story, but I decided to write this one, so it can stand alone.
Severus heads Gerhard's advice in the other one, so that story is not PG-13 (at all) at some parts and I am unsure if I will post it. Is this story PG-13? This all confuses me a little.edited 16.9.22
Chapter 10
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“Enter, please!” 'Later', Gerhard mouthed to Harry, who nodded, still frowning.
The goblins Grunck and Chief Bonebreaker entered.
“Greetings! Brought the Chief. This is too big for me alone. Now, what do you have to tell us?”
Nodding his agreement, Gerhard gestured to the two chairs that had appeared, “Please take a seat. I will tell you now, what Harry here told me yesterday. Harry will try to answer your questions and correct me if I got something wrong, right Harry?”
Harry nodded.
“Ah, and Harry, what we talk about should stay here for the time being, maybe forever. It is sensitive and should not get to the wrong people.”
Harry nodded again and felt the seriousness of the situation settle on him but felt happy that Healer G trusted him.
To not have impatient goblins at hand, Gerhard continued right away. “Yesterday Harry told me, that in the school year, two years ago a Diary possessed a little first year, of all things. That Diary belonged to a Tom Riddle before, what seems to be the birth name of Great Britain’s latest Dark Lord Voldemort.
“That is his name! We tried to find it for decades!” grunted Chief Bonebreaker astonished.
“Tom Marvolo Riddle, aka 'I am Lord Voldemort’,” Harry piped up.
“An anagram? #*@#§!” both goblins cursed loudly. “Idiot wizard!”
Harry and Gerhard nodded, grinning, not feeling insulted at all. The anagram was stupid!
“Anyway,” Gerhard went on “Harry managed to destroy the Diary, and it bled black goo and screamed, and a spectre of a Tom Riddle disappeared.”
“It was a spectre – good word! – of a very young Tom Riddle. My guess is a sixth-year, in Hogwarts robes. And that spectre screamed, not the diary,” Harry added, getting a nod from Gerhard.
“You think, it was another Horcrux?” Grunck asked. Bonebreaker, having been informed about the one in Potter looked very interested in the answer as well.
“Yes,” Gerhard said. “The similarities are there.! The black goo, that the diary and Harry's scar leaked (“What? Eeew!”), the scream of both, both being connected to Voldemort, we know, that the one in Harry is not the only one.”
Harry had sooo many questions but kept them for later. Gerhard would surely answer him, then! Wow, amazing, to have a trusted adult like that! One he could ask and would get answers! Real ones!
In the meantime, Grunck asked, “But how did the boy destroy it then? There are very few ways to do so, after all! And he certainly didn't learn about cleansing rituals in this blasted school! So how?”
Harry, who had tuned in, at being called 'boy', tried to not scowl at that and answered. “No, not a ritual! Aren't they Dark?” seeing the goblins scowl now, he quickly went on “I stuck a Basilisk tooth into it. That did the job!”
Gerhard was amused. Watching others hear about that and react as he had, was greatly entertaining! “Harry here was bit by a Basilisk, he has the scar to prove it. And the scan results, that basilisk poison was in his system. Not anymore, though, the FIM has destroyed the magic in it, and the Phoenix’s tears, which healed him.”
Gobsmacked goblins.
Cool band name Harry thought and turned to Gerhard, to give the goblins some time to collect themselves. “Could we have gone through a cleansing ritual as well, because of the potions?”
The dead fish was back again. In the face!
Great, now I have gobsmacked Gerhard, as well... groused Harry to himself. What did I say?
Gerhard then began to write hectically, noting down the idea, to do a ritual, keyed to the potions, they had huge vats of, anyway, to cleanse the whole of Britain. Was that possible? I must ask the goblins!
Chief Bonebreaker, not having heard the two, now said “please continue the story. I hope it will answer the questions, I have right now!”
“Right... where was I. Yes, I have to tell you, that Harry here is a parselmouth and was able to follow the possessed little girl into the Chamber of Secrets, was it?”
Harry nodded.
“There he encountered the spectre and the basilisk. Not quite sure about the details, but Harry here fought the Basilisk with a goblin-made sword.”
“The sword of Gryffindor. The sorting hat brought it, who was brought by Fawkes... What?
“You fought the Basilisk, which must be one thousand years old by now – if it was Slytherin's, – with the greatest sword ever made by the Horde?
“Erm... Yes?”
“How did you survive that? Tell me!”
Watch it! Gerhard told himself.
“Well, I kind of held the sword in front of me, and the snake tried to eat me, coming at me from above. I held the sword up. I didn't know what else to do! I thought I was so dead now! But the sword pierced its brain, I think. Through the inside of its mouth. That's when one of its teeth got stuck in my arm. The snake fell and trashed around, thankfully not on me. The spectre laughed, that I was done for, now. I took the Fang and hit the stupid diary with it, if I was gone, so should he be! And he was! But Fawkes had come and cried into the hole in my arm. It closed, and I lived. Ginny woke up. The end.”
“…”
“Thank you for that perfect summary, Harry!”
“Sure! It sounds absurd, now! But I can show you the carcass if you want? Healer G says it should still be there since no self-respecting bacteria would want to eat dead Basilisk!” Harry grinned at the Goblins, who grinned back toothily, quite charmed by the young hero.
“That is a good idea, Harry. But maybe on Tuesday? This evening I would like to finish exchanging all the information. And tomorrow will be quite busy for me, and I want to see it, too!”
“All right!” Harry agreed easily.
The goblins nodded as well.
“So, back to the Horcruxes. We took out one, out of Harry's scar and Harry took out a possible one via Basilisk poison. And yesterday, a house elf got it for us. I thought you'd like to have it.”
Here Healer G handed over the diary, with the stab mark.
Grunck got it at once, looked at it, and nodded. “That was a Horcrux once, for sure!” He then put the diary away... somewhere.
“We will find a way to detect the other Horcruxes with this and the one in Heir Potters scar. If we could get some of the black goo as well, it would help.”
Gerhard nodded. “I will have Thelma send you part of what we collected yesterday. – Another thing you might be interested in, Harry had some dreams, of Tom Riddle this summer, right Harry?”
“Yep. So, I kinda was a huge snake, named 'Na...' something ending with 'i’ and I saw Voldemort, being the ugliest baby, you can imagine and there was someone there, I didn't know and Pettigrew.”
“Well, that sounds strange, but who knows, maybe it will be helpful.”
“Well, if you find that baby-thingy, could you maybe catch Pettigrew as well? He would be the ticket for Sirius Black's freedom! Oh! And he is a rat Animagus! So, he can escape very easily!”
“Good, that is helpful. We have an interest in Lord Black opening his vaults after all!” said Chief Bonebreaker to Grunck and turned back to Harry. “About inactive vaults. Heir Potter, you have ignored our missives until now. But, as we learned these days, it might have been orchestrated, as you seem honourable!”
“Harry had a mail ward on him. I thought he knew! I planned to talk about it, anyway. I didn't look at the exceptions closely. Maybe Gringotts wasn't one?”
“Is that, why I got that strange letter earlier today? We were lazing around outside, and an unknown owl came and delivered a letter from a stranger Wishing me a good fourth year. I didn't know who that was, that wrote it!”
“Quite possible!” Healer G agreed
“But, but...” Harry's breath got faster “... does that mean, people wrote to me, and I never got that? I never replied? And where are the letters then? They weren't sent back, right?” big green eyes looked to the goblins.
The Goblins shook their heads, no.
“Harry, breathe! We will get to the bottom of this. Not right now, but we will, I promise you that. It is an international offence to withhold mail in the wizarding world, after all!
The two goblins nodded again. Chief Bonebreaker then said, “Well if you didn't get our summons, then here it is. Please come to Gringotts at your earliest convenience.”
“I will take you, Harry, if that is, what you want.”
“Yes, please!” A quite desperate Harry said. He felt out of his depth. Maybe Neville could tell him something about Gringotts and Goblins, and vaults and all. Maybe the goblins know about the manor? And the money to fix it! If I have enough?
“Gringotts offers excessive mail services. Especially for famous and notable persons, who need their mail screened and sorted, full confidentiality is guaranteed. Only the safe mail from persons you know, the Ministry and Gringotts could be sent along for example. Do you want me to cast one rudimentary on to you until you can get it sorted?”
“Is it inexpensive?” asked a concerned Harry. “I don't know, how much money I have, after all!”
Chief Bonebreaker scoffed. “You have enough, all right. It would be ten sickles the month for this and for you.”
Healer Ge helped a floundering Harry out and handed 2 Galleons over to Chief Bonebreaker. Please cast the ward, Harry will sort it out, when he comes over to Gringotts in the next days.”
Nodding, the goblin stretched out his hand “Let us shake hands on it.” So, they did, and Chief Bonebreaker pocketed the money.
“So, it is getting late, was there anything else from your side?”
“No, not at this time. We will tell you if we find out more about the Horcruxes of the Dark Idiot.”
Harry sniggered. He had to remember that one!
After the goblins had left, Gerhard turned to Harry. “Just so you know. Even if most of us will leave after tomorrow,” at this Harry's face fell “I will be staying here sometime. At last, the next week, hopefully, longer. I will not go, without telling you! I don't quite know what this is with us yet, but you feel like family. And I will not leave you!”
Harry, to his own surprise, burst out in tears. Sobbing his little heart out. He was gathered in a gentle embrace by the big man and just held while he cried and cried and cried and felt safe and protected and cared for.
A huge, chequered handkerchief was put in his hands. Perfect! He rubbed his face with it and blew his nose loudly and said quietly “Thanks!” He was sitting on Healer G's lap! Strange! Kind of good, like a dad, who held his son. But strange! Harry scrambled of and sat on one of the other chairs. Blinking. Still clutching the handkerchief.
“That had a long time coming, I am sure! It helps, to let oneself cry once in a while, especially if one is used to holding their emotions in check.”
“Even you?” A tiny voice asked.
“Even me. It happens. It is human and I'm happy, that you trusted me, to catch you when it happened!” Healer G smiled at Harry, who smiled back tentatively.
“Now, I promised you, to tell you some of the stuff later, but I think we are both tired, and I would like to see you again, anyway. How about, we meet before you show the goblins and me this Chamber on Tuesday?”
Harry nodded, he was quite spent, after all. And Healer G wanted to meet again! It was such a great feeling, to be wanted! He looked down at the cloth in his hands, a little unsure.
“Maybe put it in the laundry in your dorm? I am sure it will find its way back to me. My name is on it, after all,” Healer G said helpfully.
Harry nodded and they both said a heartfelt “Good night.”
Gerhard set his office to rights and went to the Healers Quarters.
There he plumped on one of the couches – it creaked but held – and closed his eyes. Just relaxing. His teammates those who were already present, let him be and just continued to talk.
“So, none have had any WSE, so far?”
“None of mine had.”
“Mine, neither.”
Agreement all around.
“Disturbing. And no sports except Quidditch?”
“Well, some have to take a lot of stairs, for classes and food. Half, because they live in towers. That is good training at least. Could be more, though.
All nodded.
“So, we might, and I say might have a solution to the long-term mind healer – problem.”
Everyone sat up straight, except Gerhard.
“You all remember the Potions Master of this school, having to take medical leave? Well, he wrote Gerhard here a letter from his vacation, where he met a squib. I will read the relevant part, that I copied, with Gerhards permission?” Gerhard nodded and waved her to go on.
Clara read “Anyway, Heddy, – that is the mentioned squib – having no magic of her own, lives fully in the muggle world. Her only contact to ours is a big network of squibs, who help each other out, but live in the muggle world, as well.”
Many of the healers nodded to that, having sent newly discovered squibs to one of the networks, for their protection and help.
“The reason for writing this letter, though, is Heddy's immense indignation, that only one muggle-trained mind healer supposedly practices in the UK. She ranted, that she could think of five fully muggle-certified ones who are in the know, right on top of her head. But that they are squibs, 'but certainly didn't need magic, to do a good job!' “
Gobsmacked faces all around (except Gerhard, who was grinning).
“She told me, that many first-generation squibs became mind healers, but that they are not ICW-certified, because 'the ICW didn't deem squibs worth their while'. She was quite compassionate, as you can imagine!”
Voices of protests were heard, but also groans, at their own stupidity.
“So, I agreed at once, to meet with one of her acquaintances, under the presumption, that they have time in their schedule and are not too bitter with the wizarding world, to work with a wizard.
My question now would be, why? Why are there no ICW-certified mind healers, who are also squibs? Wouldn't one be perfect for a half-blood like me?”
“…”
“…”
“That is one damned good question! Could we put excerpts of the letter in our report? Without the personal information like names?”
“Good idea! At last, in the one for the medical department!”
“Where should we send a report to anyway? Medical is a given. Education? The general assembly?”
“I would say, just Medical, with the full medical report and General, with a cleaned up medical report and all the rest. The Supreme Mugwump, the educational mess in Hogwarts, the mess with the whole of the younger population of Great Britain. Let them sort out who to involve! I mean, this whole country needs an intervention and an emergency response team as a whole!” Rafael ranted.
Everyone agreed.
“Well, maybe add finances cc: They always are complaining, that no one informs them, but then wants money for expenses.”
Sniggers and nods.
Gerhard had sat up straight in the middle of Rafael's rant. He now said why, “You remember the boy I told you about yesterday? Or was it the night before? Feels like we have been here forever!” nods all around, with agreeing groans, “...Anyway. That boy asked another one of those innocent questions of his. The present goblins said – on a totally unrelated topic – something about a cleansing ritual for an artefact. And Harry asked if they – the students – could have gone through such a cleansing ritual themselves?” incomprehension all around.
“So, I had a thought. We have those vats full of the loyalty potion and others Dumbledore used on everyone to a certain age. Maybe some over that age as well, right?” Nods and still incomprehension.
“So, what if we asked the goblins to develop a ritual that cleansed the whole of the population of these specific potions, using the ones we have here? I mean, we need an ICW panel to agree to it in secret, but could it be done? Or is it total nonsense?” Gerhard looked around, seeing lots of hard-thinking faces.
“Well, it might be possible,” one teammate said. “My advice would be, it doesn't cost us anything to ask some of the goblins, while here. And it would be immensely helpful!”
Nods.
“Will you ask them tomorrow morning? Then we could add it as a possible solution to one of the problems in the report tomorrow. We must remember, to charm the reports for secrecy and beforehand scans!” Clara said.
Gerhard answered “I will try to catch Chief Bonebreaker, right after breakfast. My shift only starts at ten. How many students to see to anyway?”
“73. We saw over 180 students today!”
Cheers.
“And they are to 2/3rd Ones, as they are from the last batch!”
Cheers.
“So, we will probably be done by lunch?”
“Yes! And then it is documentation and report time.”
No cheers.
The Sorting Hat sat content on the little stool next to the staff table. Hogwarts was happy, her students were helped, her wards were reset, and useful ones added, and the Hat now had permission from the deputy Headmistress to stay in the Great Hall for the time being. Even though she stuck him to the stool and the stool to the stone floor, so he could not get lost, she said.
And Albus Dumbledore slept on as his life's work was dismantled.
Notes:
edited 16.9.22
Chapter 11
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Monday morning, September 4th, 1995, started gloomy and dark. The weather had changed for the worse, so no sitting outside on the grass.
“Hm, what should we do today?” Harry asked Neville.
“We could go to the greenhouses. There is always something to do there.
“Good idea!” Harry said, to Neville’s immense surprise.
“Really? You would come with me?”
“Sure! Why not? I like gardening when it is not too hot!”
“Wow! That is great! And the greenhouses always have a set temperature to simulate the climate, the plants need. So, we will not go into the desert part, and you will be alright!”
“There is a desert part?” Harry asked incredulously. “What magical plants grow in the desert?”
“Quite a few actually! But I was just kidding. We don't have a desert in the greenhouses!” Neville giggled.
Harry scoffed but grinned. The idea of a greenhouse with an empty desert in it seem so idiotic, he could see a wizard doing that.
Then Neville told Harry his big secret, not able to contain it any longer, “You know, what is the greatest? I am going to get my own wand this week! Healer Sanchez will take me and some others to Diagon Alley to get it! We are not supposed to tell anyone, but you will keep that a secret, right?”
“Sure!” Harry answered. “But let's talk about that in the greenhouse where no one can overhear, right?”
Neville nodded excitedly. “Let’s go then!”
Laughing Harry let himself be pulled up.
At the greenhouse, Neville showed Harry what to do and they went to work.
“So, a new wand? Yours not working right? Broken?”
“Oh no, not broken! Merlin forbids! My Gran would kill me! – No, she had me take my father’s wand. To honour him, she said. The problem is he is still alive! Just ah... disabled. Anyway, Healer Sanchez said, it cannot work for me, because it is still connected to my dad’s magical core and loyal to him! That it is a wonder it did work, at all! And that it shows what a strong wizard I am, and what a deep connection I have to my dad!”
“Wow! That's great! And when you have the new wand, you will show them all!” Harry cheered, happy for his friend.
“Yes! Maybe I am not a near squib, after all!”
“Bah, I could have told you that before! Your magic is just not as flashy as others. Look around. The plants look healthier already, just by you being close.”
Neville blushed. “Well, Healer Sanchez said something similar. He is the greatest! I don't want him to go again!”
“Yeah, I don't want Healer G to go, either,” Harry said morosely.
“Healer G?”
“Healer Gerhard Lick... something. He told me, to just call him 'Healer Gerhard' or 'Healer G.' It’s easier.”
“Oh, that makes sense now!”
“It looks like we attached ourselves to the first adult, who was actually nice and helpful to us. Like ducklings.” Harry's great capability for introspection and perception was at work again.
“Yeah, seems like it,” Neville agreed. “I am so glad, Hogwarts had enough and got help! And not being made loyal to someone, without them earning it, at all. Dumbledor really messed things up!”
Yeah! Horrible, that one man can wreak havoc on a whole country!”
“Yeah!”
They worked companionably and in silence for some time.
“Neville?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you remember that stranger’s owl, yesterday? Wishing me a good fourth year?”
Neville nodded and Harry told him about the mail ward, which was gone, and that maybe somewhere a huge mountain of letters to him lay, unanswered.
“Wow, this is a problem! That could turn people against you in a second! Too bad, we cannot call our house elves here to Hogwarts. Yours would find the mail at once! And sort it!”
“Ah, but I called mine to me, Saturday? And how did you know I had house elves? I only found out the day before yesterday!”
Neville was gaping and shocked and concerned, while Harry explained the story of his house-elves. He called out “Blinky!”
pop
“Master Neville called Blinky to Hogwarts? And Blinky can come! What is Master Neville needing Blinky to do?”
“Ah, sorry Blinky, I just heard a story of three elves that their master didn't know about, and they nearly died! So, I just wanted to see you! And the wards seem to be down! And are you alright?”
“Blinky is fine, Master Neville, even better now, seeing you!”
“Good! If you want to, please visit at least once a week, then you can replenish yourself. I don't have anything to do for you otherwise, sorry!”
“Blinky will do!”
pop
“Ok... so... Missy? Dobby?”
pop pop
Greetings were exchanged, everyone was fine, and Harry explained his problem with the possible mail mountain and asked if they could find it for him. Exited confirmation and off they went, but only for 5 minutes. The two happy Elves then led Harry and Neville to an unused classroom that was full of mail.
“Wow!” Harry sat down heavily and stared at the mountain of letters and parcels. “How comes, no one walked into this before?”
“It is being warded against humans, but we is pulling the wards down.”
Harry nodded and luckily, he remembered the goblin’s words, about detecting anything dangerous. He didn't want his elves getting hurt, which he told them.
“Well, can you get the goblins to scan and sort it then?” Neville suggested.
“Good idea! But first. Dobby and Missy, could you easily extract all Gringotts letters for me?”
“Wes can do!” snap and about fifty similar-looking letters flew out of the mountain to stack themselves neatly in front of Harry.
“Much better!” Harry looked through the stack and started sorting it again. “Mostly bank statements it seems. Helpful, that they write it on the envelope!” He opened one of the others. “Summons to the Bank. Wow, they sound pissed! Good, that we cleared that up yesterday!”
Neville nodded emphatically.
“So, let’s ask Grunck or Chief Bonebreaker if they could send someone? Dobby?”
“Dobby does!”
pop
They waited and Harry looked at the rest of the letters, which were not statements. Most were summons. One was to confirm, that Dumbledore was his guardian and had access to the vaults. What? That one had been opened already!
Just then Bonebreaker arrived, looking a little harried. They had just found a weak Alastair Moody in a trunk of all things while investigating Crouch Junior’s future quarters. The old Auror had just been rushed off to the Hospital Wing and there a little elf appeared, asking excitedly if he could come and see Harry Potter and his Mountain?
And this, after he had acquired a new task, just this morning, for Gringotts, to develop a ritual to clean all of wizarding Britain of the loyalty, magic draining, and intelligence and recall dampening potions. Ingenious and worthwhile idea. But a lot of work!
And now here stood Harry Potter, before a Mountain (the elf was right!) of mail! “So, you found it. Do you want Gringotts to take care of it? 12 Galleons, and we will scan everything, sort everything and give you lists. A lot of lists. But sorted. And you can decide how to proceed.”
“Uh,” Harry Potter looked at the Longbottom boy who nodded encouragingly. “8 Galleons, not a sickle more.” Harry tried to sound decisive.
“Ha! Good counsel you have here! 11Galleons, nothing less!”
“I'd say let’s meet in the middle and say a round 10 galleons?” Harry was starting to have fun!
“Rip-off! Total Rip-off! But just this once!” The Chief barked, internally more than amused, about the baby steps Potter was taking in haggling. “Shake on it!”
So, they did, both happy and all went their way. Chief Bonebreaker to organize the mail transport and sorting, and Harry and Neville back to the Greenhouse feeling accomplished, with Dobby and Missy guarding the mountain, till it was demolished by the goblins.
At lunch, everyone met in the Great Hall. Harry sat with his Quidditch team and Neville. He had no idea where Ron and Hermione were.
All the lists on the wall were gone. Did that mean the healers were finished?
George and Fred were having the time of their lives. Their Mum had cast a curse on one of her babies! A Dark curse! Their Mum! They crowed. She would never live that down! Ever!
“What?” Big eyes all around.
They elaborated with relish, going back and forth, finishing one another sentences, “Ron was a picky baby and … she was having a hard time feeding him... So, she cast the gorging curse on him. … So, if he was in the vicinity of food... he had to eat it all!... And he would always be hungry!... And the best thing... she never took the curse off!... Our perfect mother!... Ha!” They said the last word together.
“So that's why!” Harry realized. Poor Ron! Well, in that regard at least! He huffed internally.
“But weren't we supposed not to gossip about the medical stuff of others?”
“Yeah! But this is gold!... And Ron told everyone in the common room this morning. … Very loudly!... And do you know what?... He complained that they... took the curse off!... That he was sated after only one portion now!”
The compassion, Harry had felt, vanished.
A hush fell over the tables. Healer Clara Simmons stood in her place to address the student. “Thank you, so, I have the pleasure to announce that everyone in this school is free of any detrimental potions since 11 am of this day.”
Cheers erupted.
Healer Simmons grinned at them. “We, as the ICW emergency-response team of healers would like to thank you all, for your cooperation! This made our job immensely more manageable,
“We had asked you, not to talk about the potions of loyalty and the magical drain and others, you were all subjected to, as to not to distress those, still to be cleaned. This worked fine for the most part. But as of now, the secrecy is no longer needed, within these walls.
“But be warned only Hogwarts and Gringotts have cleaned their inhabitants. Everyone else, who went to Hogwarts during the time Albus Dumbledor became Headmaster in 1945, was subjected to the potions as well and will not believe you. The potions will not let them.
“We, as the ICW are working on this. Together with the Goblins of Gringotts, we hope to find a way soon.
“Later this week another group of healers will arrive. A much smaller group than ours consisting of five mind healers. Quite a lot of you have been prescribed this kind of healing for various reasons. Again, please do not badger your friends about this. It is highly private. They will stay for a couple of months, or until we find a long-term solution. Until then, I am in the Hospital wing, so come whenever you need to!
“A small contingent of our Group will be staying for the time being. We think, about five. To follow up, to man the Hospital Wing, maybe even take over the WSE class you probably heard about by now and so on.”
Sniggers.
“Yeah, yeah. There you will hear all about sex.”
More sniggers and giggles.
“We do not know who exactly will stay, but I, Healer Gerhard Lichtwurz, and Healer Rafael Sanchez will definitely stay.”
Harry and Neville grinned at one another.
“This afternoon we will still all be here, to finish our report for the ICW, so if anyone wants to see one of us one more time, please come by. You are welcome. Tonight, most of us will leave, but you can always write to us. Sent the letters to the ICW or Gringotts. They can always forward it, as we are all over the world most of the time. Tomorrow, the Team might be in Bangladesh. Who knows.”
“What happens with Dumbledore?” One student called.
“Good question. But this is not for me to decide, but the ICW itself and its Mugwumpi as well as international Magical Law enforcement. They get our report and then will move. The report will alert the ICW Education Department as well, as this school is missing many of the mandatory classes an ICW-certified school as Hogwarts should have.”
“Like what?” came the rather rude question, from Ron of all people, further down the Gryffindor table.
“Young man, mind your manners! But that is a perfect example, like social studies and conduct, like sports and duelling, like the mentioned WSE, and many, many more. I am not the one to ask. In the library, there should be the book for Guidelines and rules for ICW-certified Schools.”
Everyone turned to look in question at Madam Pince, who had been much nicer and more helpful than before HHHE-day.
She shook her head ruefully. “It wasn't allowed. I will get some copies now.”
Everyone knew, who had forbidden it.
Clara finished up “So, this is most of us saying goodbye and stay safe and healthy!”
The whole school cheered for them. Nearly everyone was happy, the healers had come and helped. Not everyone, as a change was difficult, most of the time.
As all healers had come to this lunch, they stood together and waved, grinning, they then went back to the Hospital Wing to finish writing everything up.
Many students went to visit their healer for one last time, having grown to trust and like them immensely.
Notes:
edited 17.9.22
Chapter 12
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
In the staffroom, Clara gave another, much more dreaded summary of their findings here.
The abused and bullied students.
Clara stood at the head of the staff table full off chattering teachers. A stack of parchments sat in front of her. She cleared her throat. Not everyone reacted and so ignored her. So, she did the spell, she used on her children, when unruly.
Bang
“If you are not interested in my findings, please leave now. I am doing this, as a courtesy to Minerva McGonagall here. “
All looked contrite, like her scolded teens, but all stayed.
“The topic I have come to present is not a happy one. You all know that you were potioned, to ignore the happenings in Hogwarts, like abuse, rape, and bullying. What some of you do not seem to conceive is, that there was actual abuse, rape, and bullying of your students here and at home aplenty.”
She watched, as this sunk into the more hard-headed minds and many faces grew very pale. One even got up, hand over her mouth, to rush out. Something mathematical. Vector?
“I am sorry, that I put it that harshly, but those children are in your care now and you must be made aware! At last as a concept. The heads of Houses will get the names as well, and the details.”
Sprout, McGonagall, and Flitwick swallowed.
Furthermore, you desperately need to appoint a Head for Slytherin house. As they have some of the worst cases. It is not clear if Severus Snape ever comes back, so please do not wait for him to do so! He was spelled the worst, of all of you, and literally has to get to know himself, inside as well as outside. I cannot give you more information about him, sorry.
“So, coming to the students. We have seen 349 students. Three had to be rushed to a hospital in Paris right away. They were in danger of dying. This raised the question, did students die before, and during the first days of school? Please do not answer. Clear that with the DMLE, as soon as they are not compromised anymore. Those 3 Students were of the category four.” She waved her wand and the list of the categories appeared on the blackboard behind her.
'0 no issues
1 minor issues
2 some issues
3 major issues
4 immediate attention necessary!'
“All students were portioned, to be loyal to Dumbledore and 'give' him 1/1000th of their magic. We estimated he got the additional magic of about three average Wizards out of it if you sum up everyone he tapped into. Plus, he tapped into the castle, for magic, as well. Anyway, the students were also potioned with an intelligence-, recall-dampening potions. All potions were alchemical in nature and are hard to detect and flush. That means all students were category 1 at the least. Fortunately, our special cleansing potion took care of it. – The children were also spelled to keep Hogwarts secrets a... well, a secret. At least, what Dumbledore deemed a secret.”
“So, when it got out, that Remus was a werewolf, he wanted it to be known?” Flitwick asked.
“A werewolf called Remus. Seriously? – Anyway, yes. Then he wanted the world to know.”
She heard “Better not tell her Remus' last name then,” being muttered and some snickers, but ignored it.
“All the students were also all spelled, to somehow... forget is the wrong word... but take it for granted, that the potions Teacher was bullying and not teaching them, that they only heard about goblin wars in history and so on.
Some had other spells and potions in their systems as well, the ones I told you about, were on and in every child.
“So, as I said, they were all heavily compromised in their minds and that made them all a category one at least. As many had more issues, either of physical or mental nature or both, many were in the categories 2 and 3.”
The staff just sat there, letting her talk, all a little overwhelmed at all this information, but Clara went on. They needed to be informed. “Let’s get to the other issues the students had. Nearly half of your student body has been bullied at one point, here at Hogwarts. I know that the wards will now stop the more serious cases, but not all, by any means, so please be aware. Bullying is mostly verbal in nature but can become quite physical as well. For example, one student was locked out of Ravenclaw tower... naked. Such things leave deep wounds, mentally!”
Flitwick sat up horrified. “And I ignored that?”
“Well, you were made to, and the wards did not alert you.”
Flitwick didn't look appeased, at all at that, but Clara went on.
“The other thing to tell you is about the abuse cases. Those 3’s, whom we rushed off on September 1st were only the most urgent. But not even the worst. Magic is not helpful in that regard, as abusers can heal their victims to a certain point and memory charm them. But the mental damage is immense. Even if they were obliviated. You know, we still have 4 Students in the Wing, and they might need to go to a Mind Healing Retreat, like Poppy Pomfrey.
“Now, be warned, this topic will even get worse! First of all, most of the abuse happens within Families. It can be a father, or mother – yes, women can be vicious abusers, too – uncles, aunts, even Grandparents, and older siblings in some of our cases, or someone in the close vicinity of a family, a trusted friend for example. – We differentiated between verbal and physical abuse, but most abuse is of both kinds. Verbal abusers degrade their victims, or, as we put those two cases in this category, can put their victims under the Imperius curse.
“We had mind-controlled students here?” A shocked Minerva McGonagall asked.
“Yes. – Moving on. Under the physical abuse fall beatings, mostly in muggle families, spells like the cutting or the Cruciatus curse, and... do you need a calming draught, Professor Sprout? No? Very well. So, spells, those were obviously only happening in wizarding families, and the worst in my opinion, the sexual abuse. It happened in muggle and wizarding families.
“I have here a quite disturbing statistic, I need you to see. Please remember, every single number here is a living being and a student here! – Please keep this chart and treat it as medical information. Not to be shared with anyone outside, or it will find its way to the press. You should also be aware, that it is keyed to the eyes of staff of Hogwarts only.”
She handed out a chart to all. Every staff member was reading it. Soon quiet sobs could be heard.
She waited some time for everyone to study the chart. “As you can see, of the 349 at least 73 Students are abused. Please note, that those are the worst cases. One-fifth of the student body. – Those that were 'clear cut.’ There are some cases in the 'grey' area. – 68 were verbally abused and 50 physically. Remember, this is not an either/or situation, so those physically abused are nearly always verbally abused as well. – Slytherin house is the most hit. This is no surprise, as abused children learn survival above all, from early on.
Startled faces met hers. “I never thought of it that way...” murmured Vector, who had returned soon after her exit. Many nodded to that.
Clara nodded and went on. “But, as you can see, all houses have their hurt children. They only vary in the form of the abuse taking place. – So, this is why we are in desperate need of firstly a head of house for Slytherin and secondly mind healers, as you can imagine! And many other children need those as well. And last but not least, all of you, need mind-healing, as I am sure, you were told.”
Nods.
“You all have a long way of recovery ahead of you. Please walk it together. It is easier. And understand, that there is no quick, magical fix.
Some laughed lightly, nodding, thankful for the weak joke, after hearing so many horrible things.
“We will not leave you alone with this. The ICW will surely send over the Department for Education to help you, make Hogwarts the school it should be!”
Many sat up straighter at her words.
“So, I will let you hash out the next few weeks and go back to my report... Good luck! And remember, I will be here for some time. So, if you need to talk, please do not be shy, to make an appointment! Thank you.”
Gerhard, busily writing up his final report, was happy to see Hedwig, who had snuck in again, delivering Severus' answer. A distraction, he cheered internally.
'Dear Gerhard,
I do now know, how it feels like, to be hit by a ton of bricks of one's own stupidity. I experienced the same feeling at Harry's (It was him, right? Only one, with the topic of Dark Lords and Basilisks.), at his question!
Anyway, this is just a short note, to tell you, that Wednesday would be agreeable to Heddy and me, just you though and maybe Harry, if lessons have not started yet.
Sincerely
Severus
PS: 70 children? That number hit me hard. Panic attack and all. We will start feeling out Heddy's network, I am sure!'
Oh verdammt! He hadn't thought, what that information would do to Severus! Poor man. At last, Heddy was with him Gerhard tried to cheer himself up.
He read the letter again and asked Hedwig. “Do you think Harry would like to go to Cornwall for a day?”
Hedwig bobbed her head so enthusiastically; it looked quite funny.
“Then I will invite him! I'll ask him tomorrow.”
Gerhard had the next 3 days off and would then man the Healing Wing with Rafael and a third healer.
He wrote a note to McGonagall - Harry's head of house - to ask that the boy be excused from class for the next 3 days. Harry had things to do and needed rest from his healing anyway. Not that he would miss much this week. (He didn't write the last thing.)
Hedwig looked at him in question and he said “When I know Harry's mind tomorrow, we will need an Owl, to deliver our answer. So, would you fly to Cornwall again tomorrow? You could stay there, as we would arrive the morning after you, anyway.
Hedwig gestured a clear “yes” and stuck out her claw for the note to McGonagall. Which he fastened and she was off. Somehow.
Gerhard then remembered the black goo and send a note to Thelma via house elf, to send some of it to the goblin Grunck. This was important!
And Gerhard went back to his personal report. (The big overall one with all the data, what spells were on how many, the number of abuse cases, etc. was not his job luckily, others had got stuck with that, and the documentation assistants, naturally.) At its end, he added his personal notes and observations. Often the most important thing in a report:
- The first thing he noted was the need for children’s service, for all those abuse cases, which had to be investigated and decided. Most before Yule. Therefore, the magical UK needed an uncompromised Ministry department, an uncorrupted one!
- Next, he insisted on checking the children over, all of them, in March. Their health, physical and mental, and their living arrangements for the summer.
- Then came to his observation, that no child had had WSE class, or knew about rituals. Only about 8% did any regular exercise for being on the Quidditch team. The only other ‘sport’ half of them had, were the steps. No PE, no swimming, dancing, fencing, etc.
- His biggest concern was the need for mind healers. And only one ICW-certified one in GB who is schooled in the muggle method. That there was a big resource, they didn't use, because of old prejudice. Many squibs, chucked out of the magical world, had become mind healers. But, as a squib said about them not being ICW-certified and that the 'ICW didn't deem squibs worth their while'. That he was ashamed to admit, she was right. To please change that! Look into ICW-certifying squib mind healers. ‘They didn't need magic, to do their job, after all!’
- There were no regular health checks at Hogwarts.
- There were no councillors at Hogwarts.
- There were no full-time heads of houses at Hogwarts.
- He added the observation of a student about Dumbledore, that he started all the potioning just after his duel with Grindelwald and Tom Marvolo Riddle, aka Voldemort, left school.
- That he had asked the goblins, if they could develop a ritual that cleansed the whole of the population of these specific potions, using the vats of said potions, they had confiscated from the house elves, that were told to distribute them. That the goblins would look into it but were optimistic. Warning: Secrecy is the key here!
- He ended the report with the request, to be stationed at Hogwarts long-term. He didn't want to leave the children.
(Especially one, but he left that out of his request. It sometimes happened, that a healer from the emergency response team stayed at one of their emergency sites, due to many reasons, so it was not an unusual request, and was nearly always allowed, since the healers would resign otherwise, anyway.)
He thought about, writing about the Horcruxes, but decided against it. It was in the raw data of Harry’s scan, as an ‘entity.’ If someone wanted to know more, they could ask. Better keep this quiet, he thought. It was a Gringotts matter now, anyway.
Rafael and Clara and some others did the overall report and didn't hold back.
They then charmed their report with need-to-know-only and secrecy spells, so no one could communicate the contents to anyone, not in the know, and most importantly, everyone who wanted to read it, needed a full health scan, including alchemical potions and cleansing if necessary + FIM (improved, ask Healer Dr. Thelma Bridgeton)
They attached all the statistics, they generated, the data, and personal reports and sent them off, together with the ones in the team that wouldn't stay at Hogwarts.
The personal data of students was restricted to the medical department. The statistics and personal reports were checked, to contain no patient data and added to the overall report, which would go to the general assembly. Finances were added cc.
Just after they had finished, Gerhard came to their tables in quick steps, a letter in hand. Clara had a déjà vu and hoped it was good news, like the last time she saw him like that.
Gerhard handed her the letter, grinning broadly.
'Dear Healer Lichtwurz,
I just got off the phone with one Severus Prince, who was asking for an appointment. He told me, that you and your team are looking for muggle-trained mind healers in the know. And are aware of us squibs of that profession, by now.
To be honest, I was incredibly happy to hear, that an actual ICW healer knows about us now. We have been trying to contact the ICW Medical Department for decades now, telling them about us, asking for certification, and offering our services. We were told, they were not interested, that was if we received an answer at all.
You see, we squibs have a problem. We grow much older, than the average muggle and look younger. And in this day and age, it is getting harder and harder, to establish a new identity and start over somewhere else, even with the help of Gringotts. So, we normally have to stop working at 60 – 70, so as to not raise attention. But we live so much longer! And even though, the ICW should really do something about this overall problem, here right now, you have a resource in us middle-aged squib mind healers that are eager, to continue their profession. There is so much need for us! Be it in the muggle or the wizarding world!
So, Mr. Prince told me, that should I propose a date and a place, you, or one of your team would certainly come. So here it is. I will be at the Leaky Caldron tomorrow, at noon, to get some lunch and would be happy to meet you or a colleague of yours.
Sincerely
Dr. Leona Black
“Oh, Merlin! This is it! Oh, thank you, Heddy, Severus, Gerald, and everyone! The answer to our prayers has come!” Clara laughed and cried at the same time.
Rafael plucked the letter out of her hands and asked the still grinning Gerhard, “May I?” and, after receiving a nod read the letter as well, starting to grin halfway through, as Clara had.
The letter was read again and with the names blackened out, put into the report as well. The ICW had to be made aware. This was a bigger problem than they could and should solve.
They decided that Clara and Rafael would meet with Dr. Black tomorrow. Gerhard declined. He had plans with Harry and the goblins at 10 am, after all and this was more Clara's area of expertise anyway.
Back at the Healer’s Quarters on the mismatched couches, a little celebration ensued.
All leaned back, totally spent, and toasted on another successfully solved emergency. Not, that the problem was solved, but the emergency was.
As they sat there, basking in their success, one of them asked, “What about Dumbledore?”
Shocked faces all around.
“Did I just say that out loud?”
Sniggers.
“Hm, I would have said, take him with us and test if the distance weakens the drain, but I think, that would be silly, as long as we are not sure no one is compromised in Geneva,” Thelma said.
“It is just a shame, that he has no alchemical component in him, that is connected to all the potions somehow. It would be so much easier, to just give just him a cleansing!” Rafael said.
Gerhard said thoughtfully, “I will ask the goblins tomorrow for a ritual circle, that cuts Dumbledore off the drain. Maybe they need to include him in the population-wide cleansing ritual anyway? Even without the alchemical connection?”
“Good idea!” was called out all around.
Notes:
The first part of this chapter was hard to write. But it seemed to be needed for the story.
On a much happier note, I have received 100 kudos by now! I never understood, what the big deal was, when other authors celebrated that, but it is something else, entirely, when someone appreciates ones own work! So thank you all! Kudos to you too! <3
To celebrate, I will post another chapter after this one.edited 17.9.22
Chapter 13
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
At breakfast, all students had come. Wanting to know, what the plan was. And Professor McGonagall didn't disappoint.
“Good morning students! I will now tell you a few organizing things and the plans for the next couple of weeks. Since Professor Snape is on medical leave, as he was compromised the most by spells and potions, and doesn't know, if he will return,” excited whispers, “We decided a new Head of House for Slytherin is needed. I am pleased to announce, that Professor Sinistra will be the new head of Slytherin house.”
She clapped the students did so, politely, as well.
Professor Sinistra nodded at them all and smiled in the direction of Slytherin house, which seemed relieved, to have her. She told them to be in the common room for a house meeting.
Professor McGonagall heard some of her Gryffindor whisper about, what a 'house meeting' could be, never having had one. She signed internally, but then squared her shoulders and went on. “We will resume classes now –,” groans. “This is a school if you will remember! We will resume them, but please note, that often students will not be able to attend, due to having other appointments. As they are often private in nature, please do not badger them, to tell you, if they do not voluntarily. Your professors will be informed who will not attend, so please, do not take this as an invitation, to skip lessons.”
Innocent faces, all around.
“You will note that we do not have a Defence, a Divination*, a History nor a Potions teacher right now -” CHEERS, “...Divination is cancelled for the time being, for History and Defence: those times in your schedules are to be spent in self-study, under adult supervision. So, History should not be much different...,” sniggers, “... and for potions, I am working on finding a substitute teacher. But until I find someone, please study as much as you can on your own accord. In the future, every one of you will have to take your OWLs and/or NEWTs. And you do not have the intelligence- and memorization-dampening potions hindering you anymore! So, it should be easier to study. Enjoy that!
“Please be patient with the staff, we are doing everything we can, to make things run smoothly for you, but as you know, the ICW will disrupt soon again, this time the Department of Education, to bring us up to date with current teaching procedures and the ICW rules and requirements. – Your head of house will now hand out your schedules. Thank you.”
Excited chatter all around, as the students waited for their schedules. The student body seemed somehow more at ease and more serious. They were more themselves, that was for sure!
Harry and Neville received their schedules and as Harry studied his, he had an idea. He turned to Neville and was encouraged to just ask. So, he went to the staff table and asked Professor Vector quietly if he could start Arithmancy in fourth year as well? She thought about it. And then asked for Harry's schedule, receiving it promptly, she noted, that conveniently, during his free slots for Divination, she had a third-year class, with Ravenclaws and 1 Hufflepuff. “Would you mind,” she asked, “if you shared the class with third years from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff?”
“Not at all,” was the cheerful answer.
So, she corrected his free slots into Arithmancy. “I will have to clear that with Professor McGonagall first, but it should be no problem. If you do not hear anything, just come to the classroom, when you have no other appointments scheduled.”
“I will,” chirped Potter. “Thank you, Professor!”
She nodded and he left again. Sitting excited next to the Longbottom boy telling him about his success. Vector turned to McGonagall and told her about Potters’ request. The deputy nodded, “Good idea.”
So, Professor McGonagall stood up again and called for attention once more. “A new idea was just presented to me. For those of you, who have only one elective right now, you may approach a teacher of another elective, which interests you. Maybe it is possible, for you to join a lower class, that just begins with your possible new elective.
Quite a few Students seemed to think about it and approached the different teachers.
Somewhere at the Gryffindor table, Hermione Granger was badgering her neighbour, Ron Weasley, to take up a new class, with no success. The laziness was his own, it seemed, not induced by potions.
* Trelawney had a nervous breakdown on the 3rd.
After just one class (Charms) Harry was excused to have a meeting with Healer G. He happily went. He got there a little early, but Healer G was happy to see him anyway. So, they chatted about Harry's new elective and other, more inconsequential stuff until Bonebreaker and Grunck arrived.
They wanted to move to the chamber right away, but Healer G asked them to take a seat, just a second.
“First, I wanted to ask, if you received the tar-like goo, I promised you, Grunck?”
Grunck just nodded.
“Good, and my second question is regarding Dumbledore. We were thinking, about what to do about him. Taking him to Geneva seemed risky since many might be still under potions keyed to him there, so Hogwarts or Gringotts seemed the safest place to keep him for the time being.”
The Goblins nodded.
So, our first idea, to try, to put distance between him and the victims he is tapping into, isn't feasible, so we had a second idea. Could you put him in a ritual circle, which lets him keep his magic, but cuts him off from outside magic, so the draining will stop?”
Chief Bonebreaker and Grunck looked at each other and nodded. The Chief said “that would be easy, actually. Good idea! Give me some runic paint and we will go to him. It will be done in minutes.”
And so, they did. Dumbledore's bed, already in an extra room, monitored always by two goblin guards, outside spells, and Hogwarts, now was surrounded by a simple ritual Pentagram, with just one rune at each tip of the star.
Harry was fascinated! Even though, seeing Dumbledore, just lying there, very still, was creepy!
“That's it. Anything else?”
“Well, we had a thought concerning the ritual you are developing, to free all citizens of the potions. We thought you might want to use Dumbledore as an anchor since some are connected to him.”
“Another good idea. We thought to use his blood, but his sleeping body would be better, now that I think about it. Good. We will tell you when we start,” Bonebreaker agreed. “Now, can we go see the Basilisk?
Soon the four stood at the entrance doors of the chamber of secrets. All of them were stunned. The two goblins and the Healer, because of the basilisk's immense size, Harry, because it really was looking, like it had been slain, just then. No decay at all!
“Harry,” Healer G whispered.
“Yes?” Harry whispered back.
Healer G turned to the boy, half his size, and hugged him, nearly crying.
“There, there,” Harry tried to comfort the Healer, by awkwardly patting his massive back.
“You will be wrapped in cotton wool as soon as we get out of here! Never to go anywhere alone!”
Harry sniggered, “Sure, I will.”
The two goblins had recovered enough, to ask, if they could buy the carcass.
“Huh? Why ask me? Isn't it the schools?”
“No, Heir Potter, you slew it, you own it,” Grunck told him.
“Oh, ok. Well, sure you can buy it. Is it worth much?”
“I would say, a couple of millions at least.”
Harry sat down, right there on the damp stone floor, mouth hanging open. Healer G laughed and pulled him back up again.
They started to haggle, which Harry and the goblins enjoyed a lot. In the end, all were happy. The school got half a million, another half went to all victims of the basilisk and Tom. Ginny and Mrs. Norris were also part of the list. The rest the goblins made out of the carcass, minus a 20% fee for Gringotts, would go to Harry. That way, everyone got an amazing deal and Gringotts had interest, in selling everything for the highest profit. (In the end, they would make 3,5 million galleons. So, Harry got two million and Gringotts half a million.)
After they had inspected the carcass, they attached portkeys (or better, the goblin equivalent) and it disappeared to Gringotts' storage facilities, which never ran out of space.
“Do you think, there is more here than an empty chamber? It is called the chamber of secrets after all,” Harry asked.
The other three nodded thoughtfully and Healer G said, “You probably should investigate more, sometime. I guess, only a parselmouth can find any secrets, after all. But please promise me one thing,” here he looked imploringly at Harry.
“Sure, and what?”
“Please always take an adult wizard you trust with you. And some goblins if they are willing.”
“Huh, ok. You know, that … well the only wizard I trust right now...,” Harry blushed.
“Oh! Well, I will happily come here with you, if I am available. This is fascinating!”
“And you will inform Grunck and me. We want to explore here as well!”
“Ok,” a slightly bewildered Harry agreed. This was new territory to him. Adults not forbidding him to do something for safety reasons, but wanting to accompany him, to protect him.
“So, where is the sword of Gryffindor?” Chief Bonebreaker asked, looking around.
“I think in the headmaster's office? You probably would find it there.”
“Ha! We found the ledgers there. But didn't look further. Yet. Let’s go.” With that, the two goblins marched to the entrance, quickly to be followed by Healer G and Harry.
At the Headmaster's office Chief Bonebreaker and Grunck looked around.
“Nothing,” Grunck grunted.
Harry looked at them confused, but decided, to state the obvious, “But it hangs over the headmaster’s chair, does it not?”
“I see a picture of Hogwarts,” said Chief Bonebreaker.
Grunck moved closer. He even climbed onto the chair and inspected the picture. “#I*§%!” He then took a little colourless stone out of his pockets and attached it to the picture frame, respective to the case, which housed the sword. He waved his hand, and the stone turned a sickly yellow. To Healer G and Harry, nothing happened, but the goblins could see the sword in the case as well now.
The case was taken down, with him, when Grunck climbed off the chair again.
“This sword was never meant for a Wizard, to show off in his office. It is an immense offence to the Horde!” Bonebreaker barked. “But we have a contract with Godric Gryffindor, that the Sword should always be made available to students in need. Where did you find it again, Heir Potter?”
“I pulled it out of the Sorting Hat. It was Godric Gryffindors, it once said. The hat sits in the Great Hall now. I think it enjoys itself immensely.”
“Too much in the open. It made sense, to have it in this office, but hidden.” Grunck grunted thoughtfully.
Harry started grinning.
“What are you thinking, Harry?” Healer G recognized that look by now.
“Well, maybe, you spell the case that only goblins and a student or teacher in need can see it and otherwise they see a picture of Hogwarts?” Harry asked cheekily.
“Ha! I like it!” Chief Bonebreaker barked, grinning toothily.
So Grunck climbed up the chair again and they enchanted the case, to show the same picture as before, but to the humans and everyone else this time, except goblins and a Hogwarts resident in need,
In the meantime, Harry chatted with the portraits and told them all about the betrayals of one Albus Dumbledore that had come to see the light of day.
The portraits did know a lot about the betrayals, but not about the most important events during the last week, as the rooms they happened in had no portraits in them, like the Great Hall, the Hospital Wing, the Ward Room, the cubicles and the Wing, the Healers had slept in, so they were thankful for an update and soon told the goblins more of the secrets of the office, the former headmaster had occupied.
According to them, the castle had removed the headmaster from his office as soon as the wards had been reset.
Grunck, who had poked around, had opened a cabinet, and grunted, “That's the Potter crest on this pensive.”
“Huh? Do the Potters have a crest? Are we nobility or something?”
The goblins stared at Harry.
“What?” Harry asked confused. “Nobles called 'Potter' seem a little strange, don't you think?”
“You will learn your history! 'Potter' comes from the name of the city of Poitiers in France. Your noble ancestor, who had another name then, was sent to England by Eleanor of Aquitaine, after her marriage to Henry II of England in the 12th century. They probably called him the 'One from Poitieres' and it morphed to Potter over time. There will be journals about it in your vault.”
“Woah!”
“Exactly. You must come to Gringotts, soon!”
Harry nodded, very impressed.
“But this pensive here is of your family. Dumbledore must have stolen it. He would say, to keep it safe.” Chief Bonebreaker scoffed. “There must be more here in the office and his Quarters, which are not his. We will investigate and return all to the rightful owners.”
Gerhard thought about asking Harry, to show his memory of the basilisk, but decided against it. Harry probably should do that with a Mind Healer present, and they didn't have the time now anyway.
Notes:
edited 17.9.22
Chapter Text
The goblins went on, poking around in Dumbledore's stuff, with the portraits gleefully guiding them, and Harry and Healer G went back to the cubicle, that still served as Healer G's office.
Harry looked around. “You are keeping the cubicle?”
“For now, yes. Healer Sanchez is keeping his one as well, so we have an office, which is private if we do not have a shift in the Hospital Wing and are using the main office there.”
“Great! I feel at home here, by now!” Harry grinned and plopped into 'his' chair.
“Good, then it is, as it should be. A save environment.”
A flurry of wings was heard then and Hedwig landed on the back of Harry's chair.
“Hedwig! How are you? Are you well? Do you need something?”
Hedwig bobbed her head.
“She is probably waiting for me, to write an answer to some friends in Cornwall. They invited me, to come and visit them for the day tomorrow and they asked if you would like to come, as well?”
“Me? Really? Yes! But, what about school?”
“I will excuse you for the day if you promise to keep up with classes this week. The teachers will be informed, that you will not attend tomorrow and the day after, as we will go to Gringotts then. So, you will only go to classes on Friday.”
Harry cheered and promised to get all his assignments and stuff done the next weekend. He was happy, that he would not miss the first Arithmancy class, as those were on Mondays and Fridays.
Healer G wrote a short notice to Severus and his Aunt Heddy, that Harry and he would come over tomorrow at around nine and that Hedwig would wait for them in Cornwall.
He then told Harry about the alchemical potions, which keyed him be friends with Ron and Hermione and trust the Weasleys, but distrust everything Slytherin, especially Professor Snape. That made him extremely sad.
“Do you think, everything with the Weasleys was a lie?”
“I don't think so. Aren't you friends with those older redheads as well? As far as I know, there were no enchantments involved.”
That cheered Harry up a little.
“It would probably be best if you take everything before this weekend with a grain of salt. But everything now should be genuine.”
“Oh, do you think, the Dursleys were potioned or spelled as well?”
“That is a good question. We will raise the topic at Gringotts the day after tomorrow. I am quite positive, that you will never have to go back there. Your future Mind Healer will probably back me up there one hundred percent.”
That cheered up Harry even more and they talked about nothing of importance after that. Just enjoying each other’s company and sharing lunch, that an excited Dobby brought them.
Meanwhile, the Healers, which had returned to Geneva that day, watched the chaos, which erupted in the ICW headquarters after the reports were received and all the recipients were tested and cleansed, if necessary.
There soon was a lockdown on the building and everyone was scanned and if needed, cleansed of potions and spells.
One-third of the Mugwumpi present were made loyal to Dumbledore, as well as all the employees, who were in some way or form working with Britain. Be it education, commerce, law-making, etc.
A new rule was established, that everyone entering the building had to be scanned, without exception. In 10 years, they would revisit that rule.
A lot of political manoeuvring was going on and the anti-European fraction was the strongest right now. Especially Africa and Asia, with their millennia-old history in magic, seized the day. The other continents, having a very old history as well, were either at odds internally, or too relaxed, to bother.
So, the new Supreme Mugwump was a stern shaman from Botswana, and his right hand a formidable elemental witch from China. They decided to clean up Great Britain, as an example of what would happen, if an ICW member thought of themselves above the others. In close consultation with the Horde, it was decided to move in and take over completely and only release Britain to its own authority if they were in accordance with all ICW rules. A tall order.
The 5th of September marked the day when wizarding Britain had irrevocably lost its place on the top of the international wizarding community, to be integrated into it, at last.
They planned for battalions of international ICW-soldiers to take over the Ministry, the very next day. Everyone would be scanned and cleansed, that entered the building, and the international rule of law was to be established until further notice.
All, because one sentient school building was fed up with its headmaster.
At Hogwarts, the evening of the 5th was much more relaxed. Well, except for Harry, who asked Neville, what one wore at the seaside in Cornwall in September.
“Ah, I don't really know,” said Neville. “Probably something sturdy and layers, so you can adjust? And something against the rain and the sun?”
“That sounds like good advice, but I really only have my cousins’ hand-me-downs.”
Both were sitting on their respective beds, having the dorm room for themselves right now, slightly bemused.
“What about asking your elves? Blinky always knows a way out.”
“Good idea! Ah… Mrs. Sunny?
Popp
“Master Harry is wanting Mrs. Sunny?
Yes, Mrs. Sunny, you see, I have no clothes for my visit to muggle Cornwall, tomorrow, at the seaside. My own clothes would not work, they are all falling apart by now and don't fit anyway.”
“Master Harry's clothes are falling apart? This is being horrible! Master Harry shows Mrs. Sunny!”
Harry quickly moved to his trunk and then Mrs. Sunny nearly lost it. The outside of the trunk alone was so unbelievably unbefitting to an heir of the Potters and the contents! She threw up her little green arms in exasperation.
Harry took a step back and sat next to Neville on his bed. Seeking protection from the fury, which was Mrs. Sunny and her snapping fingers.
In the end, a small pile of things to keep, lay on Harry's bed, the rest wandered unsorted into the trunk and Mrs. Sunny ordered Harry to stay, she would be back.
Harry and Neville shared a wide-eyed look but didn't move away. Very much cowed. Even after Mrs. Sunny and the offending trunk had disappeared.
Soon, another poop was announcing the arrival of a house elf. This time it was Mr. Mitchy, who brought a handsome new trunk, dark brown, with the Potter's crest on it. Mr. Mitchy had the same weary look as the boys and showed Harry how to lock the trunk to himself with a drop of blood.
Harry was a little undecided, but after Neville had assured him, he had done the same with his own trunk, Harry complied and learned afterward, that the trunk was unmovable and locked for anyone, except for him and his elves, was feather light and had an inbuilt shrinking mechanism for easy travel. Wow!
“I love it!” He crowed and he and Mr. Mitchy started to pack Harry's meagre possessions into it.
Soon there was another pop and Mrs. Sunny appeared with a mountain of clothes and other things. Harry was made to stand in the middle of the room and Mrs. Sunny was snapping her fingers again. Constantly changing Harry's clothes by switching them with the last outfit. Some things she discarded, some were finger-snipped at and fit afterward, and some fit perfectly, so were kept.
In the end, Harry was the proud owner of a whole wardrobe, which fit him, shoes, underwear, belts, and all. All within an hour and without having to go shopping!
“Awesome, Mrs. Sunny and Mr. Mitchy! Thank you so much!
Both elves beamed and stood a little taller. “You is welcome, Master Harry!” They replied happily and disappeared again.
“Wow! That was amazing! Great tip, Nev!”
“Yes, house elves are incredible! So, what will you wear now, tomorrow?”
Harry's face was so clueless, that Neville started sniggering. Shortly after, both were rolling on their beds, laughing hysterically.
Until Ron and Dean came into the dorm, asking what was so funny.
“Ah, well, the situation was funny and Harry's cluelessness about what to wear tomorrow for his ah... trip with Healer G.”
“School robes not good enough for you anymore?” Ron groused.
“The trip is to the Muggle world, and you know the state of my hand-me-downs, right? They are ghastly!”
“So, hand-me-downs are not good enough either?” Ron scoffed.
“Man, what is it with you, Ron? You yourself told us, how Harry was treated by his relatives,” Dean tried to help. He didn't.
“You told everyone about the Dursleys? Wow, some kind of friend you were.”
“It made me popular, so what?”
Harry felt like someone kicked him in the stomach. He turned and walked out of the dorm. Too hurt and angry at the same time, to reply. Neville followed right after and the embarrassed Dean as well.
In the common room, Dean said to Harry, “Sorry mate. That was not ok of us, to gossip about you like that. Mum always said to talk about someone as if they were standing directly behind oneself and listening in. I promise I will do better!”
“Ok, thanks Dean,” Harry answered quietly.
All three took a seat at one of the tables, looking morose. Seamus sat down then and asked what happened and Dean answered, “Ron was an ass, and I stuck my food in. And that, after we found Harry and Neville here laughing like hyenas.” Dean grinned at the memory.
After that, they had a nice evening, playing exploding snap and horsing around. Forgetting all about Ron, who pouted in the dorm, after having been repelled by Potter’s fancy trunk. He just had wanted to take a peek!
Somewhere else, Minerva McGonagall sat with a dram of whiskey and just decompressed, until all her effort were ruined, by the thought of other schools and the Triwizard Tournament! Oh no! She had to cancel it tomorrow! No! Right away. She started to a letter to Bartemius Crouch... but then remembered Junior. Oh no! What to do?
No, tomorrow was soon enough, she would handle it then, she told herself sternly and decided, that another dram would calm her again, hopefully.
Two did the job, in the end.
Chapter 15
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
September the 6th saw Harry in a frenzy, trying to find the perfect clothes for his day in Cornwall. Luckily, his dorm mates had left already and so he could panic, without explaining himself.
But he was stopped by Mrs Sunny, who had guessed, that her Master was over his head and came to help. With one snap, he had the perfect outfit. Sturdy jeans, wide enough, to pull up, if necessary, but fitting well at the waist and shoes, sturdy, but easy to pull off. A t-shirt, a sweater, and a windbreaker with a hood, for rain. All quite simple, but perfect.
Harry left his broken watch at his nightstand, never to be found again (Mrs Sunny disapproved), stuck his wand into his sleeve, Mrs Sunny disapproved and one minute later, was outfitted with a comfortable and hidden wand holster, which had been his Granddads, Harry bounced to the Entrance Hall, where he was to meet Healer G at 8:45.
Harry was there at 8:30, but he was too wound up, to get anything to eat! Luckily, Healer G came early as well and so they were off to Cornwall!
Gerhard was amused by the energy and excitement Harry was spreading and asked, where Harry had seen the sea before?
“Oh, I don't know where that was. My uncle was fleeing from my acceptance letters and rented a little hut on a rock in the sea, somewhere. I just saw the sea at night actually, but it looked huge! But scary!”
Healer G looked like Harry had said something strange and Harry supposed, he might have if one didn't know his life.
Gerhard decided, to let it rest for now. 'Fleeing from the acceptance letters?’ What?
“Have you apparated before, Harry?”
“Is that, where you teleport? If so, yes, once, but that was an accident. I was running from Dudders and his minions and managed to teleport onto a roof! Must have been accidental magic.”
“Well, then you can compare it to the side-along apparition, we are going to do now. Be warned, it is not a nice feeling in the beginning, and we are covering quite some distance. Did you have breakfast?”
Harry shook his head.
“Maybe better that way. Now, grab my arm and don't let go.”
As soon, as Harry did that, Healer G made a funny twisting move and then Harry felt like he was squeezed through an awfully long and very thin straw. Not a nice feeling, at all!
But it did end, thank God! Harry was bent over and breathed heavily.
“It should pass soon. You did good!” Healer G's big hand very gently patted his back.
Harry finally felt, as if he had collected himself enough and straightened up, smiling slightly, at the concerned-looking Healer G.
“All right now?”
“Yeah. I hope you are right, and it gets better! The school roof thing was not like that! I have to figure out, how I did that!”
“That would be great! Many people hate apparition!” Gerhard nodded and then looked around. They were standing in a nice backyard garden with a white house with blue accents in front of them. There was an open door, where two people stood within. Severus and a good-looking tall woman, with dark hair and a good figure, which had just the right amount of curves, in Gerhard's opinion.
When they saw, that Harry and Gerhard had recovered from their journey, they came out, to welcome the visitors.
The woman who was maybe forty (or older, if she was a squib, Gerhard thought) arrived at their side first. She greeted Harry and Gerhard cheerfully and with much heart.
“Hello, my dears! Welcome to Cornwall! I am Heddy, the owner of this nice house behind me. I hope you like it here and you didn't have breakfast already, because I made one for four!”
Harry smiled shyly, but his little Gryffindor heart made him brave enough to answer, “Hi, I am Harry and no, I didn't have breakfast, yet. Too excited!”
“Very good! Do you hear Severus? Harry didn't eat yet, so it was not for nought!” She added conspiratorially to Harry, “He did think you ate at that fancy school of yours already and was afraid I wasted my time.”
A deep laugh came from the dark-haired man, called Severus, “Your food is never wasted, Aunt Heddy. What are stasis charms for, after all? Hello Harry, I am Severus. Another patient of Healer Gerhard here.”
Harry shook Severus’ hand in a daze. This didn't fit. The laughter and the looks were new, but the voice and some of the mannerisms were like Professor Snape!
Harry blinked and looked to Healer G, who grinned and said, “Believe your own intuition.”
“Wow! And I thought I had changed!” Harry smiled shyly at … Severus. “And is it ok, if I am here?”
The former ugly and now good-looking man just said, “Absolutely.” Which reassured Harry immensely. Especially because it was a short answer, and even Snape at his worst never lied to anyone.
“Aunt Heddy, please meet my healer, who sent me to the sea and ultimately, to you, Gerhard Lichtwurz. Gerhard, please meet my Aunt Heddy.”
The huge man smiled and shook Heddy's hand, saying, “It is so nice to meet you! Severus was so lucky, he found you. And the wizarding community is as well!”
“Ha! At last, I am recognized for my greatness!” Heddy struck a pose, which made Harry giggle. “Now, come in and eat, dears!” She ushered them all into the kitchen, where she had set the table for four.
Harry sat between Healer G and Heddy and opposite … Severus. Huh, he really had to get used to that one.
As they ate, they talked about the weather, which was supposed to stay nice and warm today. About the help, Severus and his wand were in the house. Harry praised the food, knowing how much effort had gone into making it and they planned where to go for the day, but decided in the end, just go down to the very close beach, in front of the B&B. As they were here for the first time, why go somewhere else?
Heddy had packed a picnic basket, that Gerhard carried, and Severus grabbed the old Bocce Ball set, that Heddy directed him to and off they were.
Harry was elated. It was like a family outing! It felt like one, too. At the beginning of the beach, all took off their shoes and the males rolled their jeans up to their knees. Heddy was lucky, being a woman, she wore a sensible knee-long, short-sleeved A-line dress, made of jeans fabric and a cardigan. It looked pretty and practical!
The sand was not very fine, but who cared? There was a shell! And Harry was off. A little bucked in hand, that Heddy had given him, he went on a gathering spree close to the water.
Gerhard, who walked through the shallow water for a bit and helped to look for shells, soon came back, to sit on the blanket with Heddy and Severus.
“Thank you for inviting us. Especially Harry! He never had been to a beach for fun, like today, before. This is incredibly special for him. He nearly vibrated out of his shoes in excitement, this morning.” Gerhard chuckled.
“He seems like a good kid,” said Heddy. “I am really happy, we invited him too!”
“Yes, I never have seen him so happy and carefree before. Like all the baggage, he was carrying around, was lifted,” Severus added thoughtfully.
“Well, in a way, it was. I will not tell you, what was discovered exactly, just know, his link to your last dark lord is gone now.”
“Oh, Merlin! The FIM? Under narcotics?”
Gerhard nodded.
Severus blinked and did the breathing exercise Dr Black had given him in the middle of their session yesterday.
After a while, he said, “Good! I have no idea, what Dumbledore planned for him, but it could not have been good.”
“No, I don't think so either. The intervention of the castle itself, the goblins and us ICW-Healers were sorely needed.”
All three were watching the boy hopping over the tiny waves, or running away from the water, laughing. It was infectious and soon all three were smiling.
“Oh, Severus, before I forget. I checked your vaccinations before and after the FIM. They held, but you need some new ones against tetanus and some others that are not quite up to date. Here is a list.”
“Very well, I will take care of it. – I have something for you as well,” Severus then handed Gerhard his refilled pouch back and said, “Thank you for lending me the money, when I needed it desperately. I am filthy rich now, so I can give it back and thank you.”
“Oh! So, you inherited from the Prince family, after all?” Gerhard grinned at Severus.
“I did indeed. I am Tiberius Severus Prince now, sole heir of the estate.” Severus showed Gerhard his new muggle ID.
“Nice to meet you, Tiberius Prince!” They shook hands, still grinning.
“Severus, to my friends. So please keep calling me that.”
Gerhard nodded, happy for his new friend.
“So have a look, this is the first page of my inheritance test, I did yesterday.”
Gerhard took the parchment and read it.
'In-depth inheritance test for: Severus Tobias, born January 9th, 1960, pure-blood wizard*
Father: Tobias Abraham Snape, September 17th, 1932 – February 20th, 1978; squib, 2nd generation
Mother: Eileen Julia Snape, née Prince, July 5th, 1940 – January 1st, 1977; pure-blood
Inheritances:
Paternal line: De Montmorency Lordship and family estate, all family thought to be extinguished. Estate in stasis in wait for heir since 1896 – to max. 2146. For more details, see attachments.
Maternal line: Prince Lordship and family estate, Steward: Albus Dumbledore, Wizengamot vote: Albus Dumbledore, For more details, see attachments. **
* for more information on classification of blood status, consult the office of blood status or any certified literature about topic.
**Currently under audit'
Gerhard was very surprised. “So, your father was...”
“… a squib. Probably one raised to hate the magical world by his squib-mother.”
“Verdammt!”
“Indeed.”
“And Dumbledore was your Steward? Did he appoint himself?”
“That would be my guess. Even with my memories back, I cannot remember ever instating him as my Steward. So, it must have been the loyalty potion or one of his compulsions. The goblins, more exactly the manager of the inheritance office, Master Boarcrusher need an ICW-certified statement by my healer and the scan results.”
“Sure, no problem. Boarcrusher? Ok, I will send it tomorrow at the latest. Ah, no, Harry and I go to Gringotts tomorrow anyway, so he will have it on his desk by then.”
“What about me and Gringotts?” A slightly damp and happy Harry fell on the blanket and looked at Healer G curiously, but it was Severus who answered, “I need him to give the goblins a statement, that I was compromised and never willingly made Dumbledore my Steward.”
“Huh? Your steward? Are you a lost prince, or something?”
Heddy, who had just taken a sip of her lemonade choked, then laughed and coughed at the same time. Healer G cast a quick spell and she was all right, smiling her thanks.
Severus gave Harry his muggle ID, grinning. “You are not wrong.”
Harry read it and laughed as well, “Wow, I have a talent for Divination after all! Trelawney, take that! – So, this is your name now? Do you go by Tiberius Prince?”
“Indeed. But I will stay Severus to family and friends,” Severus gestured around to all on the blanket.
Harry blushed happily, to be included, then had a thought. “So, he made himself your Steward? What does that mean? Did he rob you, too? I mean he took my family... ah... pensive? Do you think he made himself my Steward as well? And some others? Could he do that, as Headmaster?”
Gerhard knowing Harry by now gestured for him to go on with his thoughts.
“I mean, how is it called? In loki parents, or something? If he had the blood, he could test every muggle-born or half-blood and make himself this Steward-thing, right? If you need the blood. I am guessing here.”
“That is a very disturbing, but quite possible thought, after what we know of Dumbledore, he would have no moral problem whatsoever with using the 'in loco parentis' for his own gain and robbing the students blind,” Gerhard nodded, to a Harry, who mouthed the 'in loco parentis' silently, to remember the correct term. “We will raise it at the Gringotts tomorrow. And you are correct, he would need the blood.”
Severus added, “I would recommend, Harry, to do an in-depth inheritance test as well. Maybe Lily's parentage will be revealed also.”
“Like it did reveal that you are a Prince?” Harry grinned cheekily.
Severus chuckled, “Oh I knew I was a Prince, but it appears, that my father, whom I thought a muggle, was a second-generation squib, of a family thought to be extinct. You can imagine my surprise. So maybe there is something like that in Lily's parentage as well?”
“Wow, yes! Let's do that, Healer G, please?”
“Sure, Harry. I have to get Severus certified statement to the inheritance office, anyway.” Gerhard grinned.
Harry then had a thought, again, “When you call mum 'Lily' it sounds like you knew her. Did you?” He looked at Severus with his big green eyes.
Severus nodded and said, “Yes, actually I did. We were best friends from ages 8 to 16. But we had a falling out then.”
“Probably orchestrated by Dumbledore,” Gerhard mused aloud.
“That is actually quite possible, as I was calling her a slur I didn't even think beforehand, ever. My dorm mates did use it all the time, but I never did, and one day, I call Lily a 'mudblood', to her face. I will meditate on that. It was the tipping point, which made me go to Voldemort and pledge myself to him, urged by said dorm mates. – And she never forgave me, that was very out of character for her as well. She forgave Petunia so many times!”
“Woah, you know Aunt Petunia, as well?” Harry was distracted from tales about his mum, by this information.
“Yes, but how do you...? Oh my God. He had you raised by the harpy-horse?”
Harry snickered, “That is a perfect description of her. Yeah, her and Uncle Vernon, and their beach ball of a son.”
“Oh Harry, I am so sorry! That never should have happened. Had I been left with any free will I would have taken you gladly. I still will if you want. You always have a place, with me and mine.”
Aunt Heddy nodded emphatically, and Healer G said, “Hey! Nonono, Harry will live with me now! He feels like my son already.”
Harry was totally overwhelmed. There were two people, who wanted him, to live with them, they wanted HIM! He blinked but it was to no avail, tears started to fall AGAIN! He was immediately gathered into the warm and motherly embrace of Heddy, who just held him, having seen that reaction before, with numerous lost squibs, who had found homes, where they were wanted.
Severus looked alarmed, but Gerhard said in a low voice, “There is a lot of pressure falling off those small shoulders. Its outlet are tears, normally.”
Heddy nodded and stroked Harry's hair.
Another chequered handkerchief appeared in front of Harry, when he started to pull back, the worst storm having passed. Harry chuckled wetly and blew his nose and rubbed his face, with a clean corner. While Severus cast a silent cleaning spell at the now damp Heddy, who nodded thankfully to him.
“Sorry,” Harry mumbled.
“No need to feel ashamed, Harry. We all have been there,” Heddy said, still stroking his hair. “And at some of those times, I was an adult. It happens.”
“Happened to me too, one year ago.”
“I had a panic attack just two days ago. Stuff like that happens. You trust us, to let it out, that is quite the compliment, I say.”
“Aye.”
“Exactly.”
“So, Harry, you have options now,” said Severus. “If you cannot decide, we just move all together in one of my manors. Or yours.”
Harry smiled at that thought. It was too good to be true, but a nice dream.
Gerhard thought for a while and then proposed, “Why don't we all get to know each other this school year, so Harry knows his options. We all want him to live with us, that is a given, but he doesn't know what that would entail. Harry, would it be ok with you, to spend Yule and Ostara with us?” Harry nodded enthusiastically, but was still a little doubtful internally.
“And would you two Princes be agreeable as well?” Gerhard asked.
“Wouldn't Heddy be a Princess? Harry asked cheekily. Everyone laughed.
“I am agreeable, and you, Princess Hedrakella?” Severus asked.
“Yes, I am more than agreeable, if you don't mind meeting my son Julius at Yule?” Everyone shook their heads.
“Woah, is that really your name, Heddy?”
“Yes Harry, so Heddy it was. Now, our breakfast is not that long ago, but is anyone hungry? I have some snacks here.”
Harry's stomach growled, to his embarrassment, but it was sated soon, and Harry took a nap, right there on the blanket. Severus had cast a silent cushioning charm at the blanket, so it was quite comfy.
They all enjoyed some quiet time. It felt as if they had clicked into a family unit.
Later they would play a game of Bocce and Heddy and Harry, who were one team, won so high, it wasn't funny anymore. Heddy had played for years, and Harry had superior hand-eye coordination. Severus and Gerhard decided right then and there, to never let them team up again.
Later Harry asked Severus if he could tell him some stories about his mum, and he did! Harry cried again, but this time of laughter and the pranks they played on Petunia and his grandfather’s dry and incredibly funny humour. Severus then asked Harry to keep his identity to himself, for the time being, he wanted to test out being Tiberius Severus Prince first. Harry could relate and easily promised that.
Hedwig was present the whole day also, commenting on some things, with her quiet head-bobs and 'brks'. She had decided to fly back to Hogwarts tomorrow, not trusting this apparition nonsense.
Overall, it was the best day of Harry's life, by far! He even told Healer G that when they walked back to the castle. The apparition not having been as bad as the first one.
That evening Harry did his best not to meet Ron by accident, not wanting the day to end on an unhappy note. He was successful because, wow, there was stuff happening in the rest of the world as well!
Notes:
I know, Severus and Harry didn’t address their issues, but on this perfect day, it just didn’t occur to either of them. They were both just so different now, no flashbacks happened. Maybe they will address them, at a later time. Probably.
Edited 18.9.22
Chapter 16
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
That day, which Harry spent on the beach, went a little different for most of magical Britain, as many could follow what was happening, on their wireless.’
Here is an ICW-transcript of the live reporting the wireless did at the ministry, that morning:
“Good morning wizarding Britain, this is your trusted reporter Adalbert Brimstone (AB) live at the Ministry of Magic. It is nine o'clock right now and our Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge (CF), has invited us, to participate in his intervention, he has planned for our very own Hogwarts. Minister, would you tell our listeners, what made you take matters into your own hands, today?
CF: Yes, I sure will, Mr. ... ah...
AB: Brimstone.
CF: Oh... really?
AB: Yes. It is a good old wizarding name. Why are you so surprised?
CF: Ah, no matter. So where was I?
AB: At the beginning. The intervention at Hogwarts, why it is necessary.
CF: Right, right, thank you, good man. So, we had disturbing news, that Hogwarts was overrun by a horde of goblins and some green-clad foreigners! And that they have imprisoned the headmaster and the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, and locked the students in little cubicles, to torture them quite drastically.
We at the Ministry cannot abide a horrible event like that and decided to intervene.
AB: That sounds disturbing. How did you receive word of this?
CF: One of my aides has a little girl, who started her first year at Hogwarts this September 1st, she wrote a letter to her mum, telling her all about this.
AB: So, the little girl was tortured, but also allowed, to write a letter, describing everything?
CF: Yes, yes and we must save her now!
AB: I see... And who would be 'we'?
CF: Me and Dolores. Dolores Umbridge, my Senior Undersecretary. She brought this to my attention.
AB: So, you didn't see the letter yourself?
CF: Oh no! That is not my responsibility. I get informed if something important is in the mail.
AB: So that I understand this right, you two do plan to go against a Horde of goblins, an unknown mass of green-clad foreigners and save the greatest wizard of our times, that this unknown assailant imprisoned?
CF: Right you are, Mr. … ah...
AB: Brimstone, Adalbert Brimstone.
CF: Really?
AB: Why do I have a déjà vu, now?
CF: I wouldn't know. Do you do?
AB: … right. Oh, I see Minerva McGonagall (MM), the deputy headmistress of Hogwarts stepping out of the floo. She looks well put together, like always. No signs of any imprisonment or torture, luckily. Let us talk to her. You coming, Sulphur? For all new listeners, Mr Sulphur is my trusted technical assistant and handles the recording equipment.
Professor McGonagall, a word, please!
MM: Mr Brimstone, what is it? I am in a hurry.
AB: We heard disturbing news, of a horde of goblins overrunning Hogwarts, and an unknown number of green-clad foreigners, who imprisoned the headmaster and the DADA-teacher, and tortured the children in little cubicles.
MM: I see, the rumour mill is not a unique Hogwarts thing. Where did you hear such a distorted telling of the events, this week?
AB: The Minister of Magic said, he got it from his Undersecretary, who got it from an aid, which had gotten a letter from her 11-year-old daughter.
MM: And that does not make you question your sources?
AB: It does, immensely so. But the Minister invited us, to report on his intervention, as he and his Undersecretary will free the Headmaster, DADA Professor and all the students from an unknown number of assailants.
MM: Well, I can tell you, that the green-clad foreigners are, what green-clad people, in an official position are worldwide, in the magical world. Want to guess?
AB: My guess would be, healers.
MM: And your guess would be correct. Did you hear, Cornelius?
CF: Huh? What? Oh, Professor McGonagall. We are coming to save you, very soon. After my interview, I would say.
MM: And pray tell, what will you save me from, as I am standing here, in the atrium of the Ministry?
CF: Ah... oh. Well. You obviously have escaped, then. Poor dear! Do you need a healer?
MM: Do you mean, like a green-clad healer? No, thank you, we had a horde of ICW-Healers at Hogwarts, until the 4th.
CF: They are gone? You are free? … What do you mean, healers?
MM: Just that. Green-clad ICW-Healers.
CF: And no Goblins?
MM: Yes, about thirty goblins as well.
CF: We must save Hogwarts! Come, Dolores!
AB: Do we stop them?
MM: I don't know, I am a little entertained now. They are even more imbecilic than first years. – Oh dear, did I say that out loud?
AB: Yes and live on the national wireless.
MM: Oh well, nothing to it. Why don't you go with them, and report?
AB: They are not moving yet.
MM: Well, I leave you to it, Mr Brimstone, Mr Sulphur, I have to – What is that? Oh, the ICW has arrived!
ICW-Official (IO): Attention, attention, please remain calm. We were sent by the ICW to take over magical Britain, until further notice, due to irregularities in following the mandatory ICW rules, and evidence of a nefarious plot, happening.
As magical Britain is part of the ICW, this is not a hostile Takeover. I repeat this is not a hostile takeover. Magical Britain agreed to the possibility, of the ICW taking control, should magical Britain be compromised, and we have ample evidence, that you are.
You will now all be scanned for foreign influences on you, be it potions or spells. Until you have been scanned and cleansed, you may not leave this building. Should you not cooperate, you will be put into holding. … I just received word, that all departments of the Ministry are secured.
AB: Dear listeners, you are witnessing history happening right now. I talk a little quieter, as not to draw attention to myself as I describe what is happening to you. The one you heard seems to be the Leader of the ICW-Battalions, which just stormed the Ministry and spread out. It seems, that it did only take a minute, to take control here. A little disturbing, don’t you think?
In the background we see about 30 ICW-Healers putting up little cubicles, I guess, to scan us, or for the cleansings? Hmm, maybe that was, what the first year meant, with 'torture in little cubicles'. Many listeners know intimately that a cleansing on a full stomach is torture, after all.
But, to this point in time, this is a very polite takeover.
But I see the Minister marching to the Leader, together with his pink sidekick, I mean Undersecretary Dolores Umbridge. Let’s listen in.
CF: … of Magic. You can't just waltz in here and take over!
IO: You will be scanned first then, thank you for volunteering. Healer, the first two, that want a scan, are here.
CF: What? No? I came over to –
IO: Volunteer, right? Healer Dong will see you. Thank you for your cooperation.
AB: And now, the healer is leading the Minister and the Undersecretary to the cubicles, they don't seem happy about it, but with two ICW-Soldiers following, they have little choice. Oh, I just had a glimpse of the insides. The two, that the Minister and his staff member were led to seem to be healers’ offices. Well, we don't know, what else is in there. With magic, much is possible after all.
I just want to know, who, or what has been compromising us in magical Britain, for the ICW thinking it necessary, to take control of the whole country? The leader here just spoke of possible potions and spells. But as many of us have to take a flushing potion, just to be fit enough to work the day after, ah, let me be honest here... after a long night, of having too much to drink. Shouldn't we be clean of potions, at least?
Well, we will find out, dear listeners. To tell you, what is happening right now, the people in the atrium are being organized, to get their scans. We are being made to stand in a line, in front of the cubicles, by the ICW-Soldiers, who seem to be cordial, not menacing at all, so no one is panicking, more curious and confused. Like Mr Sulphur and I, who is standing in line with me.
Interesting as well is, that they saw our recording equipment, but let us be. They are obviously convinced, that what they are doing, is within the rights of the ICW.
Over at the fountain is Professor McGonagall. She doesn't seem to need a scan. Further evidence, that Hogwarts was visited by ICW-Healers before us, and has been released again after they were freed of the foreign influence? I am speculating here, dear listeners. But the evidence, we have so far, points to a necessary intervention of the ICW in magical Britain. Another speculation would be, that they first have to free us of the influence before they can tell us, what it is?
ICW-Soldier 1 (S1): Sir, the General would like to speak to you, please follow, me.
AB: All right. – Keep recording, Sulphy. – Can you tell me what is going on here, Mr Soldier?
S1: Sir, please talk to my superior about that, thank you.
AB: He is leading us to the ICW-Official, that was talking to everyone earlier.
S1: The members of the press, you asked for, sir.
IO: Thank you, soldier. Back to your post. – Sir, what is your name and which media outlet are you working for?
AB: Well, General, I am Adalbert Brimstone, Reporter of the Wireless and this is my Technical Assistant Mr Sulphur. We are working for the Wireless of Magical Britain, and we are live on air, since Minister Cornelius Fudge invited us to the Ministry, this morning. Can you tell us, what is going on? How are we compromised? What exactly –
IO: Mr Brimstone, please understand, that as we have evidence, that a part of magical Britain is compromised, it is not feasible at this moment, to release details to the public.
AB: But is it dangerous?
IO: That is an excellent question and to be very clear. No. It is not dangerous. Absolutely not, as the perpetrator has been caught already, and his methods were disabled from his side, temporarily. We are just the clean-up, to free the People of Magical Britain from all outside influences permanently, so the perpetrator cannot take over again, should he escape, which is unlikely.
So please, People of Magical Britain, just keep on going about your day, as we are working on fixing this situation. No one, not working at the ministry should even notice, what is happening.
So, Mr Brimstone. Do you want to report from inside the cubicle? Be advised, that all information about the perpetrator will be withheld, but you could have the public know, that what we are doing, is above board.
AB: Yes, certainly. Just not, if I have to take a flushing potion. I would like my privacy then, and Mr Sulphur as well.
IO: Understandable. So, if you please...
AB: Sir, would you at least tell us your name?
IO: Certainly, I am General of the ICW-Forces Benjamin van Hook.
AB: Thank you, General! – Now we are led to one of the cubicles. Another one, then the Minister. ~unidentifiable murmuring~ Yes, we need to go in together. ~unidentifiable murmuring~ Yes, Mr Sulphur might hear my medical Information, as will every listener of the Wireless of Magical Britain. – We are led into one of the cubicles now. As I glimpsed earlier, it is a normal medical office. With another door to the right side.
Hello there, My name is Adalbert Brimstone, live for the Wireless of Magical Britain. General van Hook asked me to keep on reporting, so the public is informed.
Medical Examiner (ME1): Yes, I was informed. My name is Healer Yuki Takanashi. I am an ICW-certified Healer and am part of the ICW-emergency-response team. My job is, to scan you for anything unusual. Until further notice, all names, that can hint at the perpetrator, will be retracted. Only after Magical Britain has been freed, we can release that information. – Please sit still, Mr Brimstone, and don't talk for the duration of the scan.
AB: I'll try.
~unidentifiable murmuring~
ME1: Thank you Mr Brimstone. Now, let me look at your results and redact everything sensitive.
AB: Sure. I will use the time to tell you, dear listener, that that was it. Healer Takanashi cast a medical scanning spell on me and transferred the results to parchment, which she is reading right now, cleaning it up so to speak.
ME1: Mr Brimstone, I am finished. It seems you have been compromised as well.
AB: That is most concerning, I am a member of the free press! Can you tell me, how?
ME1: You have an alchemical loyalty potion in your system and a minuscule magical drain of 0,1% of your magic. Don't be alarmed, the drain was stopped a couple of days ago, so all magic stays your own. Furthermore, I found two more alchemical potions, one reduces your intelligence, and one dampens your recall of facts.
AB: Dear me! Really? Well, I don't even know where to begin with my questions! So, I will follow your order. The loyalty potion is alchemical? So, what does that mean?
ME1: It means, it cannot be flushed out with a cleansing potion of the normal variety. But we have the special kind here, so soon you will be freed of that one, as well as the others.
AB: And the magical drain? Could you tell our older listeners, what 0,1% means?
ME1: Certainly. 0,1% is 1/1000th of your magic. It is a really tiny amount, not noticeable at all, it would not be, even to a squib, since it only takes 1/1000th of your magic, regardless of how much you have. So, for a Wizard with a smaller amount of magic at their disposal, a smaller amount would be taken.
AB: Ah, thank you! So, it would take 1000 Wizards to get the equivalent of the magic of one wizard that way, wouldn't it?
ME1: Exactly. By our calculation, about 3000 wizards in Britain were potioned, so one wizard got the equivalent of the magic of 3 adult wizards. Give or take.
AB: But who could?
ME1: Please don't speculate, or fish for information.
AB: Right, occupational hazard, I am afraid. Now to the last two potions, are you sure? That is most concerning, and as soon as I have answers to my last question, I really want that cleansing potion!
ME 1: By all means. What is that question?
AB: Can you tell us about the children at Hogwarts? I think the listeners are most concerned about them, by now. The Minister was informed, that torture was going on, there.
ME1: I beg your pardon? No! No child, or anyone for that matter, was tortured! Where did that come from?
AB: Well, I am speculating here, that the first year in question ate too much, before the cleansing? They then wrote to their mum, yesterday.
ME1: Oh dear. Yes, we forgot, to warn the children on the first day, to not eat too much. Poor thing. But we certainly didn't torture anyone. We are healers. Our oath would forbid that, anyway!
AB: So, the children are all right and Headmaster Dumbledore is watching over them?
ME1: The children are all right, and Dumbledore is at Hogwarts, so don't worry.
AB: Well, that is a relief. So, what happens now?
ME1: Now, you take that flushing Potion and go into the adjourning loo over there, and … do you know, how a cleansing potion works?
AB: Very well.
ME1: Well, then you need no further information, other, than that the bathroom is silenced to the outside, but monitored for emergencies.
AB: Thank Merlin, I would not want my listener, to have to hear that! I am leaving through the second door now. Ta.
ME1: Now to you, Mr. Sulphur. May I scan you as well?
...
ME1: not the talkative kind, are you? Well, then I just will get on with it. Nod, if you agree.
…
~unidentifiable murmuring~
…
ME1: Well, Mr Sulphur, you are clean of foreign influences, but should visit your healer soon. Here, I give you the test results, so you can see them for yourself.
< silence for about 15 minutes, some unobtrusive music playing in the background. >
ME1: Ah, Mr Brimstone, welcome back. Are you all right?
AB: Yes, peachy. That stuff had quite the punch. So, did you two have fun, in the meantime?
…
AB: Oh dear! Well, nothing to it. Are we still live, Sulphy? Yes? Ok. So, my next question would be, can you check again, if all is gone?
ME1: Certainly. ~unidentifiable murmuring~ Here are your scan results. No need to redact anything now. Thank you for your cooperation.
AB: No, thank you! I feel better now, knowing, I am not beholden to someone unknown. But could you tell us one more thing? How do you plan to cleanse 3000 magical people in Britain? These twenty cubicles seem a little too… well, they are not enough, are they?
ME1: No, they are just for the Ministry, as we wanted to have a cleansed Government in Britain, as soon as possible. No, the goblins and we are working on a method, to invalidate all loyalty and magical draining potions as well as the other two from everyone, that ingested the alchemical variety. We have vats of those potions at our disposal by now and it should be soon, that we can do a targeted ritual using those vats, to cleanse every one of those potions. Hopefully, without the need for a quick run to the loo.
AB: But aren't rituals dark magic and forbidden?
ME1: Very few are, but most are benign. This one is certainly of the benign kind.
AB: Are you sure?
ME1: Yes. Or would you call a marriage a ritual dark? A naming ritual, for your child? There are plenty of rituals, that everyone performs at last monthly, that are absolutely light or neutral. You just don't call them rituals in Britain anymore. Would be interesting, to investigate why I'd say.
AB: Quite! Thank you for the information and your service to the magical world! Come, Sulphy, let's go.
Well, we just left the cubicle, and the atrium is still quiet and the row of people, waiting for a healer has even gotten longer. So, Sulphy, were you compromised as well? No? That is a relief! Oh, there is Minister Fudge. He looks a little pale, let's try to talk to him. Minister, good to see you! Are you all right?
CF: No! It was horrible! I didn't have a cleansing for such a long time. I forgot, how harrowing it is!
AB: You had a big breakfast, I take?
CF: Certainly! What does that have to do with the horrible cleansing?
AB: What, indeed. Well, Minister, it seems you were compromised as well, yes?
CF: Yes! And by multiple people! By potions and spells. I feel so violated!
AB: Multiple people? So not just the alchemical potions, but others as well?
CF: Exactly! Who does something like that? I will sue them all!
AB: But isn't the Minister supposed to get a scan, and a cleansing, once a month? It should have been found already, at last, the normal potions and spells!
CF: Well, ah... Dolores said, it was not necessary, and I hate cleansings!
AB: Oh, I see, and where is Madame Umbridge now?
CF: I think, Madame Bones needed something from her. They went to the DMLE, I think.
AB: You think. Well, do you have any idea, who compromised the Minister of Magic?
CF: No! They redacted all the names! Here, look!
AB: Just to make sure, you are handing me your medical scan results right now, correct?
CF: Yes, yes. They are worthless. Look for yourself!
AB: Oh well if you insist. May I make a copy? Then you can keep yours, maybe you might need it, at a later date?
CF: Sure, you do that.
AB: 'Duplicate', Thank you, Minister. Well, let’s see. So, you have had compulsions on you, for years. They even could date the day they were cast. Quite many compulsions. Some are from before your inauguration, even! Curious. So, you had no scan as a Minister at all, not even for your inauguration?
CF: Why bother? Lucius assured me, that no one would dare!
AB: Lucius? As in Lucius Malfoy, your financial backer?
CF: Exactly!
AB: If I remember my political studies correctly, you are not legally Minister for Magic then, as that scan at the inauguration is mandatory.
CF: Preposterous! People voted for me, after all!
AB: Possibly compromised people.
CF: I don't like where you are going with this Mr …
AB: Brimstone.
CF: Really?
AB: Gngn... People must have been compromised. There is no other explanation.
CF: Huh?
AB: Exactly. – Thank you for your scan results, we will certainly study them in detail, Mr. Fudge.
CF: It’s Minister Fudge.
AB: If you say so. Have a good day.
CF: Preposterous man.
AB: And here he goes, our alleged Minister. I don't know about you, dear listeners, but I have a hard time, imagining this man at the helm of our government, and am quite thankful, that the ICW is here to clean up this mess. I had hoped the cleansing would change something for the better, but this is all him, unfortunately, he didn't have the intelligence reduction and fact-recall dampening potions in his system, as far as I saw. It certainly was not necessary, would be my guess.
On this cheerful note, I will end our live broadcast for now, but be assured, Sulphy and I will stay here, to monitor the situation, and should something happen, you will be first to know! Stay tuned, dear listeners. Sulphur and Brimstone off.
The wireless network had the most listeners, since the 31st of October 1981, that day. And even though, more was happening at the ministry, it was not reported live about, anymore. The first few hours had been the most spectacular, anyway. So, they decided, to announce, that they would air a rerun of the live broadcast from this morning again, at 8 pm in the evening, for all those, that had missed it.
At Hogwarts, all Common Rooms were packed with students, who listened to the rerun with baited breaths and much laughter, about the ministers’ plan to 'save' them.
One first-year looked especially innocent when it came to the torture part, but no one noticed. And she had had a big lunch that day, so the reporter was right, that was what she had meant and had written. She was sure!
“This explains so much about our government,” one seventh-year Ravenclaw said to another when the broadcast was finished, and music was playing again.
“Merlin yes! I hope the ICW will set them right, and Fudge will be gone soon. That man has no brain, at all!”
For Harry, it had been the perfect end, of a perfect day. A funny Radio-show, he enjoyed with Neville. Afterwards, he stole up to the dorm room and went to bed, after washing up. He slept deep and only had nice dreams.
For Hermione, it had been another horrible day. As she lay in bed, her head could not find any rest. Everything she thought she knew, was wrong. She had been duped, by an old man, with a white beard. And she hadn't believed in Santa since she was two!
If those therapists didn't arrive soon, she didn't know what to do. Probably go home, into the muggle world. It wasn't like she had any real friends here, anyway.
At least, her healer (Yuki Takanashi) had explained to her, that the ICW-Healers were as educated and competent in their craft, as muggle doctors were and some even had both, a Mastery in Healing, and a Doctorate in Medicine, with some specializations even. Even the mind healers, who would hopefully arrive tomorrow, had muggle training since the mind healers in the wizarding world mainly worked with potions, which worked like antidepressants. Good for the short term, but not a real fix. And she really had enough of potions right now!
Her thoughts went back to her former (?) friends.
Ron was a lost cause. They never really clicked. And now, that Harry and Ron were at odds, there was nothing connecting them, but many good memories, that always involved Harry in some way.
But Harry. Harry, she would like to stay friends with. But he had Neville now, would he want her back? Did he have potions keying him to her as a friend as well? Would he even want to talk to her?
She didn't know if she could handle a rejection right now!
Those potions and enchantments really had done a number on her. Next to the loyalty and magical drain and the intelligence-reducing and recall-dampening... Oh god, she could cry again, just by thinking about the last two... Well, next to the ones, everyone seemed to have been dosed with, she had one in her, that brought out all her abrasive and bossy behaviour and intensified it. Gods, she really had been a nightmare! It wasn't like she didn't have problems with being bossy anyway! Why amplify that even more? She felt so betrayed and alone!
Tears fell again.
God, she wished Healer Yuki didn't have to leave! But she was doing important work right now, as the wireless broadcast had shown!
Maybe she could sit in the vicinity of Harry and smile at him, or something like that, should the opportunity arise? So, she could see how he would react. With that resolution, she could relax and fall asleep, at last.
Notes:
Writing the radio show was so much fun! I hope it is readable in a format like that! I really would like to hear, if you had fun reading it, or if it was annoying? Well, at last, it had me sniggering while writing it.
But it is a very restricting format, as Mr Sulphur demonstrated, it desperately needs a narrator, otherwise you are left wondering, with no idea, what is happening. - For the ‘unobtrusive music’ think elevator music and frantic people at the wireless, unsure, of what to do now.
I have to tell you, that I read each and every comment you write! I just do not answer anymore, because I would not be able, to stop myself from giving hints! But be assured, that when questions are asked, I think about them, when points are made, as well. Sometimes I sit there, and think, or dear, you should elaborate on that one, sometimes I think, yeah, this is coming, just wait and see and sometimes I desperately try to put the ideas back into a mental box and look for the key! This story got so big already! I am writing chapter 26 right now, after all…
But that two of you started to discuss some point (Sirius) blew my mind! I thought I am writing this for myself and for my own enjoyment, and I do. But this does motivate me, to do as good a job, as I can!
One last thing, all the names I use in this story for the OCs, are totally made up and are out of name lists on the internet for babies and such, except Gerhard Lichtwurz. I thought of that one, all by myself. -- For example, ‘Yuki Takanashi’ or ‘General van Hook’ just fit the character, I had in mind. Nothing else. Sometimes I google the name first, to make sure, I don’t inadvertently use someone famous, or infamous. If I did, it wasn’t meant to. I don’t like real people’s fics, after all.
Lol, I seldom read long author notes in stories, but now I write one myself. Shame on me!Edited 18.9.22 (spelling and grammar)
Chapter 17
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Harry yawned and got up, well rested. He even stretched, like he had seen people do on TV while cleaning the living room of the Dursleys. He never had bothered to do that before, always afraid, it would hurt more than it helped. Even during springtime at Hogwarts. He never felt this whole.
Not like he did now! He stretched again, just because he could! And then he had a whole trunk to choose clothes for the day from. That was great on the one hand, but so new and confusing on the other! He took his nutrition potion, as always, and called out.
“Neheeev?”
“Hahaaarry?”
Sniggers
“What should I wear for Gringotts? I am over my head here.”
“Well, – “
“Oh, Saint Potter doesn't know, what to wear for a visit to his vaults full of gold. Boohoo,” a sneering Ron said.
“Wow, you actually sound and look like Malfoy right now. Are you related, by any chance?” Harry asked mildly.
“Shut up!”
“Oh wow, I seem to have hit a nerve. So, are you?”
“None of your business! Shut up!” with that, the enraged and embarrassed boy stomped out of the dorm.
Harry looked at Neville in question. “Huh?”
Neville laughed, “We are all related somehow. I think his Grandmother was a Black and Malfoy's mum is as well? But yours is too, right?”
“Really? Cool! So, I am related to Sirius as well?”
“Yep, and Malfoy.”
“Oh.”
Neville laughed, “But this all started with a question about clothes for Gringotts, right?”
“Yes! Help!”
Seamus and Dean fled then, not interested in the clothing drama and as soon as the door closed, Harry called out at once, “Mrs. Sunny?” and was promptly given the correct clothes, much to Neville's and Harry's relief.
They went to breakfast and Harry told Neville all about his day on the beach. He left out the identity of 'Tiberius' and him crying like a baby, but everything else was told in great detail.
Hermione sat close and listened in and sometimes smiled shyly at Harry's exuberance. Harry grinned back hopefully each time. It seemed he hadn't lost both of his friends!
But then, all were distracted by the arrival of the Daily Prophet. It caused some stirs, all right.
Freedom for the Press!
By Rita Skeeter
As of today, the Daily Prophet is no longer under Ministry control! Yes, you read that right, dear readers, we were told, what to report on and what not to in order to make the Ministry look good. Always.
But yesterday, the International Confederation of Wizards, the ICW, intervened. As was heard in the live broadcast on the wireless yesterday morning, the ICW had found evidence, that half of magical Britain was dosed with alchemical potions. The ICW has the perpetrator in custody, and he cannot do any harm anymore, but this shook the foundations of our government! (For the transcript of said broadcast, please see page 2.)
As of now, Minister Fudge and his entire entourage is in custody, due to charges of abuse of power and corruption. As most of you heard, the Minister might not even be the Minister, since he never went through the vetting and scanning process, every Minister has to pass, before their inauguration.
But back to the freedom of the press. As of today, we have to uphold international reporting laws, like only reporting the truth, as we know it, and no speculations or insinuations outside of opinion pieces.
To ensure that, our actual printing press was spelled and sealed by the ICW. So now, you can be assured, that everything we report, we believe to be the truth! Which is actually quite freeing, let me tell you.
For those, who like my biting wit, be assured, I will keep on writing my opinions and sly insinuations, but in the - clearly marked as such - opinion pieces.
And another smaller article on the first page caught some attention as well.
Triwizard Tournament cancelled at Hogwarts
As most of us know, Professor McGonagall was at the Ministry yesterday. As we later found out, she was there, to cancel the Triwizard Tournament, which the Ministry and Hogwarts had secretly planned, together with the other two big schools of Magic. in Europe. Beauxbatons Academy of Magic (France) and the Durmstrang Institute (location unknown) to be precise.
At the Ministry, Mr. Bartemius Crouch Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, and Luduvic (Ludo) Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports were the initiators of the tournament and were also involved in the organisation.
The Tournament would have happened at Hogwarts for the whole school year and would have involved three witches or wizards from said schools.
But after the sensational news, that half magical Britain is compromised, Hogwarts decided, that’ it is the wrong time for such an international event taking place on our shores', the spokesperson of the Dept. of Sports, Gerania Brown, told the Daily Prophet yesterday.
“I could get used to this kind of reporting,” Hermione said, after reading both articles. “Do you want to read it, Harry?”
“Yes, I really do! May I borrow the papers for 5 minutes?”
“Sure, here you go.”
The Great Hall was full of excited chattering. All the students discussed if it was good or bad that the Tournament had been cancelled. Like always, there were all opinions possible to be found.
After a while – Harry had just given the paper back, which he and Neville had read together – Professor McGonagall stood up and the Hall grew quiet immediately.
“As you just read, I had to cancel the planned Triwizard Tournament for this Year. If it will be postponed or cancelled is unclear, as of now. But you all should have one more piece of information. The former Headmaster had planned, that all Quidditch was to be cancelled, this school year.”
McGonagall had to wait for nearly 10 minutes for the outraged roar to quieten down enough, for her to go on. “This is no longer the case. Quidditch will happen, as planned.”
Here the student body let out an enormous cheer. Some even chanted McGonagall's name.
Into this, in walked the 5 ICW-certified Mind Healers.
Clara Simmons, who had waited for them at the end of the Hufflepuff table, rushed over and greeted her colleagues.
“I am so relieved you are here now! We need you!”
“We can see that,” one of them said dryly. “What is going on here?”
“Quidditch news.”
“Ah well, then this is normal.”
“Right, I will do a short introduction and then I will show you around and we will start organizing, yes?”
As she only got nods as an answer, she let out her, by now customary, bang and the Hall grew quiet.
“Good morning, so I have some more good news for you. Maybe not as exciting, but very good, nonetheless. Please welcome with me our emergency-response team of mind healers. They came right from Columbia for you, without having any rest!”
The students gave them quite a happy welcome. Normally the team was greeted with more distrust, but not here. They seemed to have come to trust the ICW Healers quite a bit, and many seemed to have accepted, that they needed help, which was even more amazing!
As the Healers went to the Hospital wing, Healer Sanchez came to the Gryffindors table, to Neville to be precise. “Mr. Longbottom, we will have our outing, we talked about today, after your first class. Please be at the Entrance Hall then. And Mr. Potter, I believe, Healer Gerhard is waiting for you.”
“Oh no! Thanks! Good luck, Neville! Bye Hermione!” And off he was.
Some teacher called, “No running in the castle!”
But Harry was already gone.
Soon Healer G and Harry were seen going into Gringotts, chatting, and laughing. Few even recognized Harry without the glasses and the scar, not to mention, in elegant robes. Well, as elegant, as a scrawny 14-year-old, without any training in comportment could be.
When entering, Healer G and Harry were immediately ushered out of the Lobby into the halls, that led to the different offices. The first one, they entered was the office of one Boarcrusher - Inheritance office.
The old goblin bade them, to take a seat and said, “Mr. Potter, welcome to Gringotts, at last. What is your wish from my office today?”
“Uh, thanks. Well, I was told to get an in-depth inheritance test and I think Healer G has something for you, as well? And Gringotts has apparently tried to get a hold of me for some time, but I just now got the letters!”
“We were informed of that crime against you and Gringotts. Well, let us start with the inheritance test. 50g, fixed price. No haggling.”
Harry pouted and asked, to have it taken from his vault. Harry was much more relaxed about money, now, that he had the proceedings of the basilisk to look forward to and he would get 80% of whatever Gringotts made, but they had estimated at least one million gold pieces! He would be filthy rich soon!
Then a similar procedure happened, as it did with Severus’ inheritance test. Healer G got permission to pierce Harry's finger a little with a spell for the ten drops of blood and to heal it again.
The gentle mixing of the blood with the black potion was done and the metallic golden feather loaded with the black blood-ink, until the flask was empty, in which the mixing had happened.
And then the feather was put to work, by setting it on top of a stack of parchment. It wrote for quite some time.
The time passed with Healer G handing over his report on the interferences with Severus' free will, by Albus Dumbledore.
Boarcrusher grunted while reading it. “With this certificate, we will return all of the stolen moneys and things.”
When the feather had finished, Boacrusher took the parchments, copied them, and gave the copy to Harry. “Yours. The Original stays in our archives.” He waved his hand at the filing cabinets.
Harry read and gaped.
'In-depth inheritance test for: Henry James Ralston Potter, born July 31st, 1980, pure-blood*
Father: James Charlus Potter, March 27th, 1960 – October 31st, 1981; pure-blood
Mother: Lily Potter, née Evans, January 30th, 1960 – October 31st, 1981; half-blood *
(Father 10th generation squib, mother 2nd generation squib)
Inheritances:
Paternal line: Potter Lordship and family estate, at age 17, Heir status. Steward: Albus Dumbledore, Wizengamot vote: Albus Dumbledore, For more details, see attachments. **
Maternal line: Gaunt Lordship and family estate, at age 17, Heir status. All family thought extinct or deficient; Estate in stasis in wait for sufficient heir since 1801 – to max. 2051. For more details, see attachments.
Appointed Heir, by Godfather: Black Lordship and family estate, after the death of current Lord Black, Heir status. Steward: Albus Dumbledore, Wizengamot vote: Albus Dumbledore, For more details, see attachments. **
* for more information on classification of blood-status, consult office of blood-status or any certified literature about topic.
**currently under audit
Harry stopped reading then, “Woah! My mum was a half-blood, via squibs? What? How is that possible? Why didn't she take the test? Or did she? This doesn't make sense! And Dumbledore was my Steward as well? For Potter and Black? That bast – oops, sorry. But why didn't he make himself my mum’s steward as well?”
“I can answer the last. To claim an estate in stasis, an heir has to come to Gringotts themselves and go through the most rigorous testing. It was the only time, we tested for alchemical potions. Not anymore. Now we test everyone bi-yearly. But we would have found out if he tried to get his hands on the estates in stasis and Dumbledore knew, obviously. So, he could only take from Estates, before they went into stasis.”
“Phew, lucky that. So, how did he become Steward? Did my parents make him that?”
“A very good question. Unfortunately, the will is unread at the Ministry, sealed by the Chief Warlock.”
“Meaning Dumbledore?”
“Yes.”
“And that is within the law? Seems fishy.”
“Well, if we had evidence, that the ones voted for him, to have the power, were compromised, by loyalty potions and such, it could be chucked out instantly and the will could be read.”
“Yes, let’s do that! Healer G, do we have the evidence?”
“Well, we have the evidence, who is potioned right now, but not, since when. The younger ones, who went to Hogwarts, we know, but the others would have to be scanned.”
“Wouldn't that... ah... invalidate all votes, possibly since 1945?”
Boarcrusher barked out a laugh. “The boy is right! It would. Hahahaha.” After he had calmed himself with some effort he added, “Now Gringotts will push for this. In the last 50 years the most restricting laws against goblins, were voted in.”
Healer G remembered Harry's question from a few days ago, or was it just yesterday? Anyway, “We had another question, which you partly answered with the in-stasis estates, but Harry wondered, if the Headmaster as 'in loco parentis' could have made himself steward or guardian for more people than Harry and Severus?”
“Yes, he could, and he has. We are compiling a list right now and will send it to the ICW when we are finished. We are trying to recover as much of the stolen moneys as possible. But Dumbledore spent quite a bit of it on robes and books. The books we will either give to the school library if they are needed there, or we will sell them.”
“Would you inform Severus, before you sell them? Maybe he would like to buy some. He likes books and he should have some kind of revenge on Dumbledore!” Harry suggested.
Gerhard was amazed, at the connection, which had formed between the two so quickly after they got rid of the outside influences.
“Good idea, Heir Potter. You have a good head on your shoulders. Keep it like that and a position at Gringotts will be available to you, from now on.”
“Really? Awesome!” Harry beamed, thinking of Bill Weasley, who was so cool!
“So, as we still don't know, if the steward title is legal, we have to shelf that question for the time being. – “
“Sorry for interrupting here sir, but I have another question about the steward thing.”
“Yes, Heir Potter?”
“Dumbledore is the Steward of the Blacks as well. Was that legal? I mean, Sirius was innocent and just chucked into prison, without a trial! – What?”
Two faces, one goblin, and one human stared at him.
“It is absolutely against all regulations and laws, national and international, to put someone into prison, without a trial. You are sure of this, I take it?” Gerhard said.
“Yep. And Sirius wasn’t the only one. Hagrid was thrown into Azkaban as well because the Minister needed to ‘be seen doing something,’ he said.”
“Could you tell me, when that was?”
“Uh, spring of my second year, so early 1993?”
“I will inform the ICW, which is currently in Britain as soon as we are back in Hogwarts.”
“I will as well. So, the Heir Black of that time was chucked, innocent as you say, into prison, without a trial, and the Chief Warlock, who should ensure such a thing never happened, took over the Stewardship, after the old Lord Black died under mysterious circumstances.”
“Fishy!” said Harry.
“Very much so,” Boarcrusher agreed and said, “The Stewardships, for both estates will now be put on hold, pending for the time of the investigation into these matters to be conducted and will be decided then. – Heir Potter, do you have any contact with Lord Black?”
“Well, we wrote some during the summer, then I had a strange dream I wrote to him about, and I never heard from Sirius again,” Harry said, quite miffed.
“That is strange. Do you know if he is in the country?”
“I don’t think so. He left for warmer shores, or something, Quite understandable since he is a wanted criminal and prison-escapee from Azkaban. Dumbledore helped him, to escape indirectly now that I think of it.”
“We will try to contact him, but carefully. He probably has the potions in him as well and could be spelled, too.”
Harry nodded thoughtfully. His heart eased a little, now, that he thought, Sirius might have been a puppet as well and not acting of his own free will, leaving him to go back to the Dursleys. Uh, that would mean, three people wanted him to live with them if Sirius’ offer had been genuine and not Dumbledore-influenced. But whatever happened, he hoped, Sirius would be cleared!
Boarchrusher then said, “The next thing, is your mail. As you have no Account manager right now, I was asked, to tell you about it. We have scanned everything and the 37 harmful and/or mind-influencing Letters and packages were documented and then sent to the DMLE, today,” seeing Harry's questioning look he added, “the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.”
“Oh, thank you. I wondered yesterday when it was mentioned in the wireless. Huh, but that would mean, the pink Undersecretary woman was taken into custody and Fudge didn't understand that! What a moron.”
“Yes, that he is. Mr. Brimstone will receive better conditions at Gringotts, now. We were highly entertained by his wit and composure in the vicinity of such stupidity. – Back to the mails, we still are in the middle of sorting, but it became clear, what categories there are:
- Kids writing to you, often sending hand-coloured pictures.
- Normal citizens sending good wishes and little presents to you, like stuffed animals and food. Most of the food, we had to dispose of, because it was mouldy, rotten, etc. But we marked down, what it had been when sent to you.
- Then there are the business proposals, which I suggest, you let your account manager handle as soon as you have one.
- And last but not least, the bequests. Quite a few wizards and witches bequeathed something, or all their belongings to you. It all is listed in your inheritance test.
“Wow, this is a lot! People send me food? And Toys? Man, I really would have appreciated that! And money too? Well, maybe it was good, I didn't get the letters then. My relatives would have taken it all! Anyway,” Harry had his thinking face on, “Could you send me maybe like five of the kid’s mails once a week, newest first? The oldest probably are my age or even older. That would be awkward. But please don't throw them out. I will want to look at them at some point, I think.” Boarcrusher nodded and noted it down.
Harry went on, “Do you think, it would be a good idea, that, as soon Dumbledore's misdeeds are known, I write an open letter, or something, explaining why I never answered?”
“Yes, that would be excellent. Another thing are the people, who make money with your name. It seems, that Dumbledore gave them permission to do so. My advice would be, not to do anything now as well, until the misdeeds of Dumbledore are known, because it could turn public opinion against you before you explain the lack of answers to the letters. Some even are paying faithfully for the rights, thinking it goes into your coffers. Those, we have redirected.”
“Oh! I hadn't thought of that! Okay, let's do it as you suggested. And the talking about the Dursleys made me think of something. We thought they might have been potioned or enchanted as well. Is there any chance Gringotts can check them and the house out, without them noticing?”
“That is possible yes, 20g.”
“Oh no, you are ripping me off!” And off they went with haggling about the prize, both having fun, that was obvious. In the end they agreed to 14 galleons and 3 sickles, and the report would be sent to Healer G, who would then inform Harry.
Gerhard was amazed, by the way, Harry handled himself in the bank. Gerhard didn't have to intervene at all, it seemed. But he figured that his presence helped Harry, to be this comfortable and self-assured, so it was good, that he was there. He wasn't wrong.
The last thing they decided on, was Harry’s new account manager. Here he did turn to Healer G for help. So, Gerhard asked, “Would you have a suggestion of an honourable goblin, Master Boarctrusher?”
Boarcrusher thought for a little while, not used to being asked this, and then answered, “The one I am sure is honourable would be my son. But I don’t know, if you want to go for such open nepotism, I believe you humans call it.”
“Would it be unusual for the goblins, if your son got the job?” Harry asked, thoughtfully.
“No! It is our way!”
“Well, then it’s easy. Could you ask your son if he would be my account manager?”
“I will, but he will say yes. His name is Stonecrusher.”
“Great! Now, could I go to my vault?”
As the vaults in Gringotts were still under audit, Harry didn't visit his vaults (plural!), this time around, but was quite okay with it. He heard a lot about his mum yesterday, so he was content for now, in regards to learning more about his family.
And he had the Gaunt's to investigate! Maybe there were some old newspapers in the Library he could check? Maybe Hermione would like to help him? She had smiled at him this morning, like she wanted to stay friends after all, even without the potions!
Notes:
Edited 19.9.22
Chapter 18
Summary:
edited 19.9.22
Chapter Text
After they left Gringotts, they went to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, where Harry had spent much time before his third year. Mr. Fortescue even recognized him and asked if he wanted the same as usual. This tickled Harry's funny bone quite a bit. Like he was an old and grey customer!
But now, that he was sure he had some more money, he ordered a bowl of five scoops of different ice creams, he hadn't tried yet. “Surprise me!” He ordered grandly and then giggled.
Healer Gerhard seemed to be looking for coffee, which according to him, the British had a hard time making.
In the end, he got a tiny cup of Espresso, which had Harry in stitches, as it looked hilarious in Gerhard's big hands.
To entertain the boy, Gerhard even stuck out his pinkie! Together with the tiny cup in the huge hands, it was a sight to be seen!
“Well, that was good, but a little too, well, little.” Gerhard sighted. “I just want a normal cup of black, strong coffee! But well, I am sure, for an English person, no one in the world, can make a proper cup of tea, either. Oh well, I will get one of those. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, or something like that, right?”
So, he got up, and got a cup of proper black tea and a scoop of cherry, and one of chocolate. With whipped cream. “Like Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte*, he told Harry,” eating happily.
“If you say so,” was Harry's only reply. It sounded painful.
Gerhard grinned, totally on to him. “So how is your surprise-ice?”
“Awesome! Though I don't know, what most of it is, except the lemon-yoghurt one. Next time I ask for a list as well!”
“You do that! Or maybe have a little billboard sticking out of every scoop, telling you.”
Mr. Fortescue, who had walked by and shamelessly listened in, exclaimed, “That is a great idea! Maybe made out of chocolate, or dough! Oh, and here you go, Mr. Potter!” He waved his wand, and magical writing appeared above each scoop (that had not been eaten yet).
“Thanks, Mr. Fortescue!” Harry called out and then saw people on the street he knew. “Oh look, Healer G, there are Healer Sanchez and Neville and the others, who got new wands today! Oh... ah... darn! I don't know, what I just said. I have noooo idea what they were doing. At all!” Innocent green eyes looked up to Gerhard, who was having a hard time suppressing his smile.
“I see, I didn't hear anything either. So, should I ask them, to come over?”
“Yes!”
So, Healer G got up and waved. He was seen immediately, and the whole group changed their paths and came to Harry and him.
They seemed very excited and bubbly as well. They were five students, of as many different years. There even was a seventh year, who towered over the rest.
“Sit down, please,” Healer G invited them. You are invited to a 3-scoop ice-cream bowl of your choice, if you want, to celebrate the occasion.” Knowing, that most of Rafael’s charges had little to no money.
The students soon all discussed the best choices, with Harry giving tips left and right, and soon were eating their treats happily.
“So,” Harry asked, “Did you all find, what you came for?”
The one first-year piped up, “Yes, I got a wand now, that works! My Great-grandmum’s wasn't very good for me, Mr. Ollivander said.”
The rest kind of winced, that the secret was blurred out so easily but were relieved as well, now they could all talk about it. And Harry didn't laugh at them anyway.
“That is great! What kind of wand did you get?” the very unsurprised Harry asked the first year.
Healer Sanchez raised an eyebrow at Neville, who ducked and blushed a little.
Soon the children were deep into talks about wands and the adults could just enjoy the cheerful and relaxed atmosphere.
*Black Forest Cake.
Somewhere in the middle of the island, a huge ritual circle was being drawn. This weekend would be the big day, to cleanse all magical folks in Britain of the four potions in their systems. Not that anyone would be informed beforehand, the ICW had decided. As the British magicals had been taught that cleansing rituals, or all rituals to be dark and evil.
At the ministry, the cubicles were pulled down again, leaving only two, manned by three healers of the emergency response team. The rest of the Healers and half the ICW-battalions moved on to St. Mungo's, where they were greeted with rather mixed feelings. On the one hand, more healers were always good, in the eyes of many of the staff, but especially the higher-ups were annoyed, that someone came onto their turfs and took over! But their protests were useless, and they were the first ones cleansed, as a result of their protests.
After that, it went a little easier. Soon, the ICW-Healers noticed, that most of the healing procedures and practices were not up to date, and since St. Mungo's called itself an ICW-certified Hospital, they needed to step up, quickly. The argument, that they were the land of Merlin and Dumbledore, somehow didn’t seem to work anymore.
Unfortunately for some British healers, the healer’s oath was called upon and five even lost their magic! Apparently, the alchemical potions were not all, that had corrupted them. They had done quite some questionable things out of their free will. Like not giving aid to some groups of people, like muggle-born and werewolves, or plain mishandling cases, out of greed or laziness. Others felt a strong sting, warning them, to change their ways, or else!
As three of the Healers, that actually lost their magic, were working in the long-term ward, the ICW Healers concentrated their attention there first. It soon became obvious why. Ninety percent of the patients there, could be helped immediately, and the rest needed cleansing rituals for dark magic and some further help, but would be out of the ward in a week as well, give or take. The ward would be empty then and so the moneys would be redirected, as was proper.
It was quite heartbreaking! But there was no time like the present and so they went to work, and the ward was emptying quickly. Some went home and some went to the social desk, as they had no place to go to, anymore. Soon the ICW Healers stepped in again and helped the now displaced people to find their first lodgings etc, whereas the woman, who manned the social desk, had to be treated for a nervous breakdown. She was not used to people actually needing her expertise, which was non-existent, anyway. St. Mungo’s needed much work, to become a good hospital again and retain the certification.
As there was no one there, to protest it, Frank and Alice Longbottom received a very in-depth cleaning ritual and the best healing potions, the ICW Healers had access to. They started to mend, at last.
At lunchtime Harry and Neville were back and sat down next to Hermine, to eat. Greeting her cordially.
Hermione was so happy, they did! “Welcome back, she chirped, “I hope you had a successful outing?” Part of her wanted to bossily demand to know, where they had been, but now she could choose, not to give into that part of herself. It was so freeing!
“Yes!” Beamed Harry and proceeded to tell her, where he had been, all by himself, without her needing to badger him! Wow!
“I was at Gringotts and got an in-depth inheritance test. And you know what? My mum isn’t a real muggle-born. She counts as a half-blood because… wait for it… her mum was a second-generation squib and her dad a 10th-generation squib!”
“The test goes back that far?”
“Yes! Amazing, isn’t it? And I know of someone else, who thought their dad was a muggle, but he was a second-generation squib as well!”
“No!”
“Yes! And that got me thinking, obviously. What if all so-called muggle-born have squibs for parents? Maybe real muggle-born don’t exist? Just muggle-raised ones?”
Hermione sat there with her mouth hanging open. Harry giggled at the sight. “Yeah, that’s what I looked like, too, I think!”
Her mouth snapped shut. “Do you think, someone would go with me and do the inheritance test as well?”
“Sure! It just costs a bit of money. Uh… maybe we can talk somewhere else? I have to tell you something. You too, Neville, if you want to?”
So, the three trooped to an empty, classroom and Harry told them of leading the goblins down to the chamber. But ssssh, this is a huge secret, him selling the carcass of the beast to the goblins and haggling with them. That half a million galleons would be shared between the victims. But ssssh!
“But… but that would mean…, “Hermione trailed off.
“… that you will get some money, yes!”
Hermione started counting, “Penny, Collin, Justin, and me?”
“Right, and Ginny and Mrs. Norris. So, we agreed, because Mrs. Norris is a cat and 500.000 divided by six is awkward, all humans get 90.000 and Mr. Filch 50,000 galleons. Sooo, you have definitely enough money at Gringotts for the in-depth test. Aaaah!”
Hermione lunged at him and hugged him tightly.
Neville nearly fell off his chair, laughing at Harry and his bewildered face, half covered with bushy brown hair and the other half with Harry’s own hair sticking in all directions, patting Hermione’s back awkwardly. (These two probably never should get kids together, their hair would be impossible! Neville thought)
After a while, Hermione pulled herself together and rubbed her face clean with her sleeve. “So that means, you still want to be friends? Not because you give me money, but because you tell me the secret?”
Harry beamed at her, “Yes! I really do. And now, that there are no potions in us, we know it is genuine, too!”
“Oh, I am so happy! I thought you wouldn’t want me as a friend anymore, now.”
“I do, I do. Just not with Ron. He is such a …. ugh… I cannot think of a polite word, right now. But I don’t think he and I would ever have been friends, without the potions.”
“I know what you mean. I had potions in me as well, which made me tolerate and help him. And I should tell you both, I had another one in me, that made me the worst possible version of myself. I mean, I am bossy and too curious by far, but now I can choose, not to demand answers and order people around, like I did the last few years.”
“Wow, this is mean! To you! So, you couldn’t help yourself, aggravating people?”
“No, I really couldn’t. But this behaviour is part of me, just not the main part! When I started Hogwarts, I wasn’t under the influence of that potion, I was just so unsure of myself and my place here, I might have overdone it a little.” All three chuckled at the memory of tiny, bossy Hermione.
She went on, “After Halloween, of our first year I remember Dumbledore giving the potion to me now and casting a memory charm afterward. I hate that man so much!”
“Gods, me too!”
Neville nodded.
Then the school bell sounded, telling them the lunch break was over and all three scrambled to their classes. Even Harry, who had decided he wanted to miss as little as possible by now.
After their Transfiguration class later, Hermione stayed, to ask, if a visit to Gringotts was possible for her? Professor McGonagall promised, to check if someone could take her and would get back to her.
In the evening at 7, a meeting between the four heads of houses and Clara and one other Mind Healer took place. Here Information about their charges was exchanged, after casting the necessary privacy charms.
Cara started, “I would like to update you on all students, who were in our care. As you know, the three most urgent cases were sent to Paris. Of those three, one will come back on Saturday, he is incredibly resilient. One of your little charges, Professor Sinistra.”
The beautiful witch nodded regally.
“His case will be taken to the DMLE after the ICW cleaned your Ministry up. He is not to go back to his 'family'! The other first-year Slytherin was reconnected with parts of his family, who live in France and have had no part in the abuse. They have adopted him already, actually. Much drama, but the little one is quite happy now and will start in Beauxbatons next month.”
All were relieved. Another one was saved.
“The last one, the girl from Hufflepuff - A fifth year by now, I believe - was bleeding out, due to an abortion gone wrong, that her muggle mother had performed on her the evening before the first, because the girl’s uncle had raped and impregnated her in the Easter holidays. A horrible case and the girl has not recovered fully from that trauma and maybe never will. She has been sent to a mind healing retreat and the French DMLE is investigating. Fortunately, she has found help and people she can trust in France.”
Pomona Sprout was sobbing when Clara had finished. Minerva McGonagall had an arm around her, trying to console her.
“Do you need a minute? I am sorry for all the horrible stories, but I believe they must be told, at least to the heads of houses.”
After Pomona Sprout had gathered herself again, Clara went on, “You all know the cases of the four students, who were in the Hospital Wing until now, so I will not summarize those. We decided today, how to proceed with them. Of the two Slytherins, the second year will return to his dorms on Friday. He will need extensive therapy by a mind healer, but we think he will be alright with time.”
Aurora Sinistra nodded relieved. Another of her charges was back in the nest.
“The other three will go to a mind-healing retreat in Canada, I have some connections to. All four cases will be brought to the attention of the improved DMLE and Child Services.
“The rest of the abuse cases will be brought to them as well. They will be awfully busy, and I would recommend, opening the school for children this summer at least, whose cases are still pending.
Minerva McGonagall nodded thoughtfully.
“As you know, more than half of your students and the staff are in need of mind healing. My colleagues and I will hold the line for the next couple of months, but we are still very understaffed. We have juggled and organised but to no avail. So many different patients are just not possible to help at once with six mind healers. But we will start with the most urgent cases tomorrow.
“And there is a solution in sight. On Tuesday I met with Doctor Leona Black, yes, you look surprised, I did too! She is of the infamous Black family and a muggle doctor in mind healing! To clear up this paradox, she is a squib, looking for a place to continue her craft, where no one wonders, why she doesn't age the normal muggle way.
“What is even better, Doctor Black has a lot of squib colleagues with the same dilemma. It seems many squibs take on that profession, due to going through quite the trauma themselves. On Saturday she and as many of her colleagues, as she can organize will be visiting Hogwarts. We decided to go big from the start.
“So, you might get some new residents, some will take patients if they come by via portkey or the other way around. But as I understood Doctor Black, she thinks she can organize at last 24 Mind Healers to come on Saturday and maybe more. Most of them had to retire and are quite bored, as I understood.
“The ICW is working on certifying them as soon as possible as well, so we have our bases covered. I just met Doctor Black, until now, but she was extremely professional and very experienced in her profession. So hopefully by next week, we will have some more help with our workload.
The heads of houses looked stunned and excited at once. What an unexpected gift!
“I will have a meeting with the goblins tomorrow, about the Hogwarts accounts. I will know more, what and who we can afford.” Minerva said.
“Good, but be aware, that the ICW will pitch in quite a bit the first year, maybe longer, if needed.”
Minerva nodded relieved.
“On another note, we released Mr. Moody today. But he didn't want to stay and left immediately, to the Ministry, was my understanding.”
Minerva gasped, “Alastor was in the Hospital Wing? The real one? Oh my, is he alright?”
“Oh yes, the goblins found him locked in a trunk in 'his' quarters, a couple of days ago. He was dehydrated but other than a cleansing and some limb-restoration, nothing much was done, well, next to the rehydration. Nobody told you?”
“No! Oh, that is so good to know, I was wondering where he was and then forgot again! But what do you mean by 'some limb-restoration'? I was told it was impossible, due to the dark magic, which caused the limp loss in the first place?”
“Magic, which can easily be siphoned off, by a healing ritual. We did that without asking, unfortunately. It is such a normal procedure, to us. He was quite incensed, to have been made part of an 'evil dark ritual'. Prejudiced git! Sorry, the ignorance of British society angers me so much! As if an ICW-certified Healer ever would perform an 'evil dark Ritual!”
The other mind Healer suppressed a grin, but barked, “Clara! Pull yourself together and stay professional!”
Clara took a few deep breaths and looked to the stunned Professors, “Sorry about that! I hope you do not think less of me, for losing my cool. I am a little passionate about that topic.”
Her colleagues said, “A little.”
“I think, it is understandable, from the point you are standing. We all have been raised on the premise, that all rituals are dark and evil. It will probably take some time, to widen our horizons again. It only became a topic yesterday, at the live broadcast of the takeover.”
“Yes, you are right. I cannot expect any change that quick, that is rather unreasonable.”
“At least, it is a good idea, to have the backing of the heads of houses of the biggest school, our society has, though. So, your rant may have been helpful in the long run,” Filius said, diplomatically.
Clara nodded thankfully, and said, “Well, one last thing, as the ICW Headquarters have been cleaned of all external influences, it was decided, to bring Albus Dumbledore there, for questioning, etc. We don’t believe it to be good, to have him knocked out for much longer and need to wake him soon. We want to do that, as safely as possible, for all involved. So, after the big ritual this weekend, if successful, we can take him out of the ritual circle, which inhibits the draining of so many wizards and bring him to Geneva. Please keep quiet about this! The best would be, you do not talk about it at all, since these walls develop ears sometimes, via ghosts, portraits, or small student ears.”
“I once really saw the walls growing ears, literally. So, you are quite right to warn us,” Minerva said. “And I must say, I will be relieved when he is gone. It is hard, not to go into his room and strangle him with his own beard, sometimes!”
Her colleagues nodded, sharing that feeling. And as no one has further questions and all were quite tired, mentally, they called it a night.
Harry was finishing his homework and reading up on what he had missed, when Hedwig pecked on the window, of his dorm room.
Harry scrambled, to open the window at once, not to have her waiting. She must have flown up From Cornwall just now! And she carried a letter from Heddy and Severus! Harry had to swallow, a little moved, but pulled himself together and opened the letter, which has a parchment envelope (sturdier than paper) But inside was white muggle paper and a postcard with the beach, they had been to! Wow!
The letter was quite short, the content was very well received. They had enjoyed Harry and Gerhard’s visit very much and invited them, to come by, whenever they could and wanted to! Severus would even spell an area, extra for them, to apparate to! Wow!
Harry would show the Letter to Healer G as soon as possible. Maybe they could visit again, after all!
Harry now had someone else to write a letter to! Sirius still hadn’t answered his last one, where he described his ‘dream.’ Maybe he was on the other side of the world? But no? Hedwig had arrived back from delivering his letter, a long time ago. Strange that.
Anyway, as Severus had signed theirs with Tiberius, he understood and would use that name as well. Smart, he lived in a dorm full of noisy boys, after all, Harry thought grinning, and pulled out a fresh parchment and he wrote the longest letter ever, back to Heddy and Severus.
'Dear Princess Heddy and Prince Tiberius!
Thank you so much for inviting me to come along with Healer G to visit you! It was the most awesome day of my life! I really want to visit again, to see how the beach changes in fall and winter must be amazing. Just to look at the endless sea is so incredible and mind-blowing. And to see you two again!
I gave my shells to my elf Dobby, who had some great ideas, about what to do with them. I am really excited to see what he comes up with. It probably will be colourful!
The day, we were having fun at the beach and relaxing, the magical Ministry was overtaken by the ICW! It came live on the radio wireless! One reporter was there because Fudge had invited him, to report on Fudges storming and freeing Hogwarts! Wednesday evening, they had a rerun of that report once again and I could hear it too! It was so funny! But a little scary as well, that someone so dumb is in charge of our government! I have included the front page of yesterday’s Daily Prophet. On page two, you find the transcript of that broadcast. The letters are a little small, but it is manageable. I think.
Healer G took me to Gringotts today. You were right, Severus! First of all, mum was a half-blood, because both her parents were of squib-decent (is that a word?). My Grandmother was 2nd generation squib and my Granddad 10th! And that makes mum a half-blood it says. I probably will look that up. It seems complicated.
And another thing, Dumbledore made himself my Steward, as well! The arse moron. Sorry, Heddy! And they have to figure out if that still stands, as maybe the Wizengamot was compromised as well when the vote was cast to make him my guardian or something. Boarcrusher was quite happy with the possibility, that all laws from the last 50 years might not be legit, because of this. Crazy!
Wow, this is the longest letter I have ever written! And it is tidier too since Healer G healed the broken fingers in my hand!
It is nice to have someone to write to, too. Tootoo. ← sorry, I am silly this evening.
Hopefully, see you soon!
Yours Harry
PS: What was your name again, Heddy? I couldn't remember! I wanted to call you that, at the top of this letter!
Harry scrambled up and found a copy of the Daily Prophet, that someone must have appropriated since none of them had a subscription, but he would get some more of today’s newspaper if possible. The first two pages were worth keeping!
He carefully cut the first page off, with his potions knife, cutting along the fold and folding it to fit in the envelope along with the letter. Perfect. Just as he wanted to lay the letter on his nightstand, to give to Hedwig tomorrow, she was there stretching her leg out, barking imperiously.
“Huh? You sure?” Hedwig ‘nodded’ and – trusting her – Harry attached the letter to her leg, and she was off, through the still open window.
Harry then hung up the postcard and went to bed before his dorm mates came up to sleep. He was exhausted.
Amelia Bones sat at her desk and stared off into space. She had so much on her desk, but she just couldn’t be bothered, right now. It was such a huge mess! Thank Merlin for the ICW, or they would have bumbled on, without knowing, that they were more puppets than people.
Just as she decided, to get back to the piles of files on her desk, the door banged open, and there stood … Mad-Eye Moody? Perhaps?
The man in the door certainly had a mad eye, but he also had a nose and two legs. And much fewer scars on a younger face.
Amelia gaped, “Alastor? Is that you?”
“Who else, girl?” The man barked with Alastor’s voice. “Those damned healers fixed me!”
“Ah, but isn’t that a good thing?”
“What?” Alastor barked again, taken aback.
“Are you telling me, that you are angry at healers for… well, healing you?”
“No! No, I’m not!”
“But?”
“They did a ritual! On me! Can you believe it?”
“And what kind of ritual did they do?”
“What kind of ritual, she asks,” Alastor groused, “The evil kind! There are no others!”
“Says who?”
“What?”
“What evidence do you have, that all rituals are evil?”
“You-know-who did rituals!”
“That is your evidence? Alastor, yes you-know-who did rituals, evil rituals, but–”
“See!” Alastor barked.
“No, I don’t ‘see’. Only because one group did something evil, by performing some certain kinds of dark rituals, doesn’t make one whole branch of magic, evil. You yourself taught me, that every spell can be used for nefarious purposes. Even runes can be used for evil purposes. And rituals as well, but did you know, that there are at least ten times more neutral and light rituals than dark ones? There was a short bit on the wireless even, just about that topic, this afternoon.”
“Oh.”
“Right, oh. Alastor, they must have siphoned the dark magic out of you and healed you.”
“Oh.”
Amelia smiled at her old instructor. “So, tell me, why keep the eye?”
“I don’t know. I left immediately after they told me about the ritual. I only noticed I had a whole nose again when I was on Hogwarts grounds, and I had something strange in my lower field of vision the whole time, which wouldn’t leave, but I couldn’t see when turning my head.” Moody started to laugh. “Must have quite the sight, me chasing my nose.”
Amelia laughed as well.
“I will go back tomorrow and thank them and get the rest of their explanation. You are right, I was a right prat.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“Not out loud, but tell me, you didn’t think it?”
“Well…”
“Ha! I know you! Now, do you need help? That mountain of files on your desk says so”
“Yes. Please!”
Chapter 19
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Friday, September 8th
Friday was a normal school day for Harry, but a short one, as he only had Charms and Arithmancy that morning and the afternoon off.
Charms lessons were great because Neville was casting totally overpowered stuff. When he tried the Accio charm - that Professor Flitwick was introducing - just for a lark, to get a feeling for it, onto a pillow. He was hit into the face, by said pillow, really hard. Wow! So, the secret of his new wand came out rather quickly. Flitwick was very excited and had Neville try out the levitation charm and the aquamenti, but then called a stop to it since he had to dry the classroom and students, as well as unsticking three pillows from the ceiling. Why they even stuck there, was everybody’s guess. It was the levitation charm, after all!?
Neville had the confirmation, he was absolutely no squib, and the class had a lesson, to always get the right wand, for a magical person.
Harry’s Arithmancy class was also great! He sat next to a blond Ravenclaw, named Luna, who was hilarious. They had so much fun and the math war was pretty basic for them both, so that was nice, too. When Professor Vector asked, if he wanted to try to get into his year’s class, he saw Luna’s dejected face and promptly declined. So, Professor Vector warned them, that the two of them would get more challenging tasks, than today, she didn’t need bored students in her classroom, after all. That cheered Luna up again and a new friendship was born.
At lunch, Harry sat with Hermione and Neville and Harry gushed about his new class, much to Hermione’s delight. Neville was gushing too, about his new wand and Professor Flitwick, who would meet with him, for the next couple of weeks, so he could learn to moderate his casting strength. That brought the discussion about casting strength and precision and that they should all learn that anyway, when Healer Sanchez came to their table, to tell Neville, there had been a new development with his parents and seeing Neville’s fearful face, he added, “Something good happened, Neville. Please don’t fret! But I would like, to take you to St. Mungo’s now, to see them.”
“Ok, right. And this really isn’t something bad?”
“No, nothing bad, I promise you that. Have you finished?”
Neville, who had jumped up earlier nodded and rushed to the entrance. Healer Sanchez huffed out a laugh and followed quickly.
“I thought his parents were dead,” wondered Hermione.
“Me too, but Neville said some things, the last few days, which made me wonder. But I was too chicken to ask. I got the impression, that they are sick, or something and he doesn’t like to talk about it. Let’s wait, till he tells us! But the one speculation I have, is, that the ICW-Healers helped them, to get better, as they did with so much of my stuff, too.”
“Yes, that will probably be it. Woah, it is really hard, not to badger you now, for the stuff, they did for you! Lalala. Ah… what are you planning to do today?
Harry snickered at Hermione’s avoidance tactic and answered readily. “I plan to go to the library, to research something.”
Totally distracted now, Hermione fixated on him and said, “What… ah… no, I will ask differently. Would you want me, to help you?”
Harry was laughing now, “Yes! I really would!”
“Really? Let’s go!” With that, she pulled a still laughing Harry out of the Great Hall.
On the way to the library, he told her, he wanted to investigate the Gaunt family, since his mum was apparently a descendant of them. Hermione was fascinated and hoped Professor McGonagall would find someone, to take her to Gringotts soon.
In the staff room, a meeting took place once again. This time, the heads of houses (whom all had no classes Friday afternoon) were informed of the financial status of the school. It would have been dire, but some secret benefactor had gifted half a million gallons to the school, for school use only. They would invest part of the money, so it would last for a long time, hopefully, and with the rest, they would update their equipment and teacher salaries, which hadn't seen a raise for 60 years! They also decided, to disband the governors, as they had ample evidence of corruption and mismanagement, and reinstated the goblins, in a much more air-tight contract, so no greedy Headmaster could grab more money out of Hogwarts coffers than was his right.
As magical Britain was in limbo right now, it seemed to be a perfect time, to do these changes unhindered.
A little later, Grunck went looking for Healer Lichtwurz, who manned the Hospital Wing, with Sanchez having to leave. There were only three healers next to the Mind Healers left in Hogwarts. One had joined the rest of the emergency response team, and the last one had the day off, that she sorely needed. (And Clara, the last one of the original five, that had stayed, was a Mind Healer, so she couldn’t man the Hospital Wing all by herself, legally.)
As there were no patients right now, Gerhard invited Grunck into the official Healers office, which was free of any possibilities, to listen in, once more.
Grunck started to talk right away, as was his way, “Found another one. At Gringotts, doing the audits. It was in the vault of one of Riddle’s followers.”
“Oh, very good! That makes 3 Horcruxes. Such idiocy!”
“Yes, like one would rip their own arm out, and leg, and dick... you get my meaning.”
Gerhard winced, “Yes, thank you for that mental image…,” he grimaced. “Anyway, you said something about five?”
“Yes, that was what I said. I was wrong. By our expert’s estimation, what was in Heir Potter, was the sixth piece. Like less than two percent of a soul. Not that one cuts it through a soul perfectly through the middle, more like ripping a bread in half… But that was, what our scan showed. The one we found in the vault has about 6% of a soul in it, so we think it is Horcrux number four.” Grunk spat. Literally. Gerhard didn’t react, just made a mental note, to clean the floor of the office, later.
“So, did the piece in Harry and the Diary help in finding the one in the vaults?”
“No! It was too small, and what was in the diary was more of an echo of the Horcrux that had been in it. We found it because of the bank-wide audit. But with the 1/16th piece from the vault and the 1/64th from Heir Potter, we have enough now. We just need to have an idea, of where to start the scan. We know, one part is in London proper somewhere, we are closing in on that one, but the rest is too far away, we think.”
“Well, will the area, you can scan, get bigger with each piece you add?”
“Smart man! Yes, that is our hope.”
Just then, there was a commotion at the entrance of the Wing, and two children rushed in. One was Harry and the other must be Hermione. Harry saw Gerhard through the glass of the office walls, sighed in relief, and rushed over to him.
Behind him, the girl was huffing and puffing and still managed, to look exasperated.
Gerhard rushed out of the office as well and asked, “Harry! What is it? Are you hurt?”
“Nono, We are not. But we found something!”
Now it was Gerhard’s turn, to sigh in relief, “Well then come in. Grunck is here, though.
“That is perfect, actually!”
Harry and the still bewildered Hermione entered and sat on the bench, which was part of the office.
“So, we were researching the Gaunt family, you know, the one my mum descends from?”
Gerhard nodded and Grunck looked interested, but not particularly so.
“So, Hermione found a really old article from the Twenties about a Marvolo Gaunt,” here he looked at the two adults expectantly. But seeing the incomprehension there, he huffed and went on, “Do you remember, that the real name of Voldemort is Tom Marvolo Riddle? Now you start to get, where I’m going, right?”
“It is starting to dawn, but please go on,” said Gerhard.
“Ok, so I was thinking, that Marvolo is a really rare name, right? Even in the wizarding world,” they all nodded, even Hermione. “You remember that Voldemort is a half-blood, right? And Riddle is not a wizarding family, I think?” Hermione and Grunck shook their heads. “So, what if this Marvolo Gaunt had a daughter, who had a baby with a muggle named Riddle and named the baby Tom Marvolo for her father in the second name? That would mean, that Voldemort’s mum was a Gaunt, too. And the article said the Gaunts were descendants from Slytherin and all could talk in Parseltongue!”
Grunck grew increasingly excited, the longer Harry talked.
“But that...” Hermione trailed off with big eyes, stared at Harry, and then started sniggering.
“What?” Harry asked, confused by her reaction.
“Hihihi, that would mean, that you actually are the heir of Slytherin!”
“What?” Realisation was dawning on Harry’s face, “Oh nooo! Please don’t say anything to the others, Hermione!”
“Ok, I won’t.”
“Grunck had gotten up, and said, “Thank you, Heir Potter, this is the lead we were looking for. I will be in touch.” With that, he left.
“Huh?”
“You know that they are investigating Riddle? Well, they might have hit a dead end. Grunck was just telling me that, actually. They need a rough estimate, of where to keep looking. So now, they will probably look into the Gaunt family as well and where they lived and such. No idea, if they can look into the Riddle’s, too, if they were or are muggles. Probably not, or they wouldn’t have hit said dead end.”
“Riddle is a more common name in the muggle world, too. I think. Or at least, there are so many muggles, even if it is a rare name, there must be too many. If they had no lead, to where to start looking, it would be a needle in a haystack,” Hermione added. They all nodded to that.
As the girl didn’t know about the Horcruxes, Gerhard refrained to tell Harry about the newly found one, but invited them both for tea, as it was still quiet in the Hospital Wing, after praising the teens for their research and logical capabilities. Both preened.
He then told Hermione of Harry’s huge part (the idea!) in significantly improving a medical procedure and that he would get named in the resulting medical research paper.
Hermione was enormously impressed and wanted to know all about it. They indulged her gladly, well as far, as it didn’t tell the particulars of the FIM, but Harry didn’t know them either.
Harry was a little subdued, though. The thought, that he might be related to Voldemort, was not a nice one. At all. But he would continue to investigate the Gaunts! He didn’t even know he was heir to the Gaunts through his Granddad or Grandmother! He hoped it was the Granddad, which would make it a very, very distant relation. Could someone, connected through a 10th-generation squib even inherit an estate, and why didn’t the estate go to the other Gaunts?
At the Gryffindor table, at dinner, they found Neville, who looked like he had cried, but was happy about it? He told them, he would tell them all about it later, but couldn’t do so here. It wasn’t a secret, but deeply personal to him.
Well, even the old Hermione, would have let him be, then.
After dinner, where Neville had stared into space, grinning like a loon from time to time, they went into the same classroom they had gone to yesterday, too and Neville told them of his parents and them amazingly and unexpectedly being healed by the ICW-Healers.
“They recognized me at once, even though, the last time they saw me, I was one! And mum hugged me, and dad did too, then!” Neville didn’t even notice the tears running down his face again.
“Oh, I am so happy for you, Neville!” Hermione cried and hugged Neville, too.
“Gods, me too, Nev! That is so amazing!” Harry had to fight tears as well. He was becoming quite the fountain, he groused with himself.
“Thank you two. You okay, Harry?”
“Yes! Very much! I am so happy for you. Don’t worry, I am not jealous!”
“Oh good! Mum asked after you, by the way. So, you must come and visit her as well! Maybe this weekend?”
“Oh, I would like that! Maybe I can accompany you? I mean, you will be going, right?”
“Oh yes. Healer Sanchez organized for me to floo back to Professor McGonagall’s office, when I want to. Maybe you can do that as well? Or something.”
“We will ask. I do have Quidditch try-outs tomorrow morning, Hm, I’ll ask Healer G, maybe he could take me.”
They all grinned at one another, quite elated, and went up to the common room, to finish the homework and reading for the week.
Later, after seeing the Postcard of Cornwall, Harry mused that Hedwig must have arrived at the B&B this morning. I hope she rests for the night!
That Saturday morning, after finishing Breakfast, in a rather empty hall, Harry went over to Healer G, who ate at the staff table, and asked relatively quietly if there was a chance, he could go to St. Mungo’s after tryouts somehow? His Godmother, Neville’s mum, had asked after him. Professor McGonagall, who had shamelessly listened in said, “If you don’t mind, I could take you. I want to see them as well!”
“Really? That would be great! Sorry, Healer G, for interrupting your breakfast!”
“You know that it is no problem, Harry! I would have taken you, too! And Professor, please don’t forget the invasion, that will happen this afternoon.
“Inva… Oh, right! Thank you for reminding me!”
Harry looked big-eyed at the staff and asked, “Do I need to call on Fudge, to safe us again?”
Which had the whole table in stitches. Professor Sprout even spat out her Tea!
Feeling accomplished, Harry went to the tryouts, but was wondering, what invasion was coming this afternoon?
At the try-outs, they only needed a new keeper, but had decided to find a second-string team, should someone get hurt, or something.
The twins, knowing, McLaggen and Ron had the best chances of making the team had strong-armed a rather unwilling Lee into trying out. They knew, he was amazing, as a keeper, but liked his commentator job more. But needs must.
Unsurprisingly, at least for the twins, Lee got the job. McLaggen made second string but walked off in a huff, so Ron was asked, to be the reserve. Ginny got the reserve seeker and chaser job, together with Collin Creevey, who also got a second reserve chaser one. For beaters, the twins choose Jack Sloper and Andrew Kirke, two second years who would be fourth years, after the Twins had graduated.
Afterward, Harry showered and ran to Professor McGonagall’s office. Luckily, Mrs. Sunny had anticipated his need for casual, but neat robes and had laid them out.
So very soon he stood in the Lobby of St. Mungo’s and wow, the ICW was really visible here. There were even workers cleaning and repairing chairs and painting walls! A friendly ICW person at the welcome desk said, that unfortunately, they had to take the stairs still, as the elevators were still being installed. And please go to the Ward for Spell Damage. No, the Long-Term Ward was being refurbished for other magical beings, like vampires, werewolves, and such. Yes, she was sure.
Professor McGonagall was astonished and told Harry, as they walked up the stairs, that she had never seen the Hospital so busy with working people. Usually, it was full of patients, even in the lobby, and very few, of either harried or lazy staff.
On the right floor, they walked to the room they had been directed to and walked right into a screaming match.
Notes:
Well, just one week has gone by, in this story. But so much happened in such a short time!
edited 19.9.22
Chapter 20
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
When Professor McGonagall squared her shoulders and was obviously getting ready to walk right into the fray, Harry held her by the sleeve and pointed to one of the beds, where Neville sat with an unknown man watching the chaos with great entertainment.
They even had bowls of... was that popcorn?
So, Harry and the Professor walked toward them, and Harry sat next to Neville and McGonagall conjured a chair for herself.
“Are you telling me, Algie dropped Neville out of the window, to ‘check for magic,’ and you just stood by and watched? After Neville had nearly drowned? And now you think it was wrong that we were healed? What is wrong with you?” Screamed the unknown woman at Neville’s Grandmother (Harry recognized the hat, that Neville’s boggart had worn).
“Well, what use would the boy have been, without magic? Algie had to check it. And I don’t think it was wrong that you were healed, but they did a ritual!”
“To siphon off the dark magic the curse caused! That is the lightest ritual in the world! Hell, the lightest magic in the world! But that is not important right now! You thought, it didn’t matter, if my son, your grandchild died if he had no magic? And how is that not dark?” Harry got some of the popcorn, fully engaged in the argument by now, the woman went on, “You are the most evil witch I have ever met! Not even Bellatrix Lestrange hurt my child. Only the Dark Lord tried to kill a baby! Are you a Dark Lady, Augusta? You are definitely not a good and light witch!”
The now-named Augusta rocked back. Obviously stuck speechless. After a few seconds, she turned to the bed and said, “Frank, say something and hold back that wife of yours!”
“No, mother. Alice speaks for me. I want you gone before we return. Take only what is yours and then leave. You are not welcome at my home anymore.”
“Frank? My boy? How… after I did… “
“You did nothing of any notice. You were not the mother I thought you would be, mistreating the most precious thing in the world, I have. You even made him use my wand! And I know, you know all about wand lore and that the wand would not work for my son, as I was still alive! You did that deliberately and with great malice. So, get out. Now!” The now-named Frank, Neville’s dad, had stood up and towered over the old woman, pointing to the door.
Augusta Longbottom slumped and walked out. Looking very old and dejected. Good thought Harry, rather merciless.
For a minute there was silence, as all had to digest, what just had happened.
Then Neville’s mum seemed to realize that they had had an audience for the argument and blushed. “Professor McGonagall and… Harry? Is that you?”
Harry nodded, suddenly very shy.
“Oh, my darling boy! Let me hug you!” And she did. It was nice! Like Heddy had hugged him, not the crushing kind of hug, Hermione and Mrs. Weasley were prone to do.
Then she held his face in her hands and looked at him. “You look just like Lily, only with James’s hair, unfortunately.”
Harry giggled, and answered, “Before the ICW healers got to me, I looked ‘just like James, only with Lily’s eyes’, everyone said so. But then I got rid of the glasses! - So, I really look like my mum?” He asked the last longingly.
“Yes darling, just like her. The eyes, the nose, the cheekbones, the mouth, even the chin! Just like Neville comes after me.”
“Nonsense, Neville looks exactly like me!” Frank protested. “What do you say, Harry? Doesn’t look Neville just like me?”
“Uh…” Harry looked back and forth. “This is hard, he looks kinda like a mixture of you both?” Harry scratched his head.
“Okay, since this seemed to have been an honest, not just a polite answer, I bow to your judgement,” Frank nodded imperiously.
Neville giggled. He was just so happy!
Professor McGonagall had held herself back until now, but she couldn’t do so any longer, and hugged her former students, telling them how happy she was, to see them fully aware again. Then she said that unfortunately she had to leave again, and she would let her floo open for Neville and Harry, so they could come back whenever they wanted. Before dinnertime.
“Thank you, Professor! Have fun with the invasion!” Harry said cheekily.
“Rascal,” Professor McGonagall groused smiling and waved goodbye.
After she had left, Harry asked if it was ok, if he stayed a bit?
“Absolutely, son! We wouldn’t let you leave so soon, anyway. So, Neville told us a little about you and your friendship, developing just in time,” Frank answered.
“Yes, we were really messed with. Uh, Nev,” Harry whispered, “are they cleansed?”
Alice had heard Harry, despite him trying to be unheard by anyone but Neville, and answered, “Yes Harry, don’t worry. The healers did a cleansing ritual, which got rid of all potions in our system, even alchemical ones, and then somehow dispelled all dark magic.”
“Okay, then I can tell you. I had been keyed to be friends, with Ron and Hermione, and feel like family with the Weasleys, especially Mrs. Weasley and Ginny. I don’t think Ginny knew, but I am not sure about Mrs. Weasley. And I think I was made adverse against Slytherin. But I am not sure anymore. I will work through the report with my mind healer when I have one, at least.”
“Yeah, me too. Work through the scan report, I mean.” Neville blushed.
“Hm, you two might have been made adverse to one another as well, if the … uh… if Dumbledore deemed it necessary.” Frank speculated.
“Yeah, I have problems finding polite names for that… man as well! And that would explain so much. But probably more an indifference on my side? As soon as the potions were gone, we became best friends!” Harry said.
“Yes, it was so quick! We just clicked.”
“Exactly! Hmm, now I really want to study the report in more detail. Maybe we had something like Hermione? Making the worst part in us most prominent in our character.”
“Could be!”
The two adults listened interested, in what the two boys had to say and how they interacted. They seemed to have good heads on their shoulders.
“So, Harry, Neville told us, his best class is Herbology and yours is Defence?” Alice asked.
And so, the day went, getting to know one another. Harry offered to leave a couple of times to Neville, as he didn’t want to intrude too much but was adamantly told, to stay.
They went up to the cafeteria for quite some while, Frank casting a little ward around them to not be disturbed. Alice didn’t have her wand yet, she still had to find it. But Frank had gotten his from Neville today, which had seemed to have triggered the whole drama, McGonagall and Harry had walked into.
When Neville heard two workers, talking about a garden being planted on the roof, he obviously wanted to check that out, so they snuck upstairs and Neville’s parents got to see him in his element, for the first time, as the Herbologist and Master Gardener recognized his gift at once, it seemed, and he was soon discussing the best plants and their care and placement with the specialists.
Alice and Frank looked more than proud at this, Harry noticed, happily.
Neville was invited to come by any time, he wanted to, and the Master Gardener gave him his card, to stay In contact if Neville wanted to.
When they went down to the room, the couple stayed in, Neville beamed even more, if that was even possible. He told them, that the people up there, were big names in the plant world, and having gotten this contact, was extremely rare!
Harry then told them about Cornwall, and Frank and Alice were quite interested and asked for the address, which Harry didn’t know.
So, Alice asked him, if he minded if they intruded there, and took some rooms for Harry, Neville, and them for the next weekend, or the one after, as it sounded just like what the healers ordered. Harry told them, he didn’t mind at all and if Healer G could come too? Sure, they really would like to meet Harry’s Healer G anyway. Harry was given a note to Healer G then, asking him about that plan, which Harry took happily. His family seemed to grow bigger every day right now!
At 4 o’clock, the couple seemed to drop a little, and Neville and Harry decided, to call it a day.
Neville would come back tomorrow, and Harry was told, not to be a stranger.
They arrived at McGonagall’s empty office and went right up to the equally empty dorm room, to relax a little and Harry asked Neville about the popcorn.
Neville laughingly told him, that, when the fighting had started, about 15 minutes before Harry arrived, his dad had pulled him out of the fighting zone and had said quietly, ‘Blinky, Popcorn’ and it had appeared, a minute later. Apparently, it was not a first-time occurrence, Neville’s Mum and her mother-in-law fighting, and Frank had learned, to leave them be, for a time and intervene, after the volcano called Alice had erupted and the fire was going down a little.
“It was so amazing, to have someone to stand up to her. For me!” Neville still seemed baffled by that occurrence and as they had entered the dorm room and Neville had sat down, huge sobs started to come out of the boy. He didn’t know, what to do, but Harry, having experienced the same just days before, sat next to him and hugged Neville a little awkwardly and just held him, while he cried. Harry might have lost some water as well.
A while later, Neville pulled back and Harry gave him one of the plaid handkerchiefs, he had washed himself and carried around in his pocket. Wow, that was helpful, he thought.
Neville used it and then looked at it, “Huh?” He mumbled.
Harry snickered and said, “Just put it in the hamper. Healer G gave it to me when I… uh… when I needed it, like you did, right now. I washed it! With soap!” Harry added hastily after Neville looked at the cloth a little dubiously.
Neville chuckled, a little wetly, blew his nose once more and dumped the handkerchief into the hamper, where it would find its way back to the healer again.
Harry’s thought just was, that he was lucky, to have a second one.
Harry then changed into jeans, which Mrs. Sunny had organized for him, and they trooped down to the common room, where they found a waiting Hermione, who pounced on them.
“Oh, there you are! I have so much to tell you!”
“You do? Oh, the invasion!”
She deflated a little, “You already know?”
Harry shook his head, laughing, “No, only that McG needed to be in the castle at noon because an invasion of some kind was expected to happen. So, who came?”
“Profess… never mind.” Hermione stopped herself, from correcting Harry’s name for Professor McGonagall. She had to confess, ‘McG’ was so much more convenient and went on, telling of the afternoon. “Today, we really were invaded. By Mind Healers in muggle clothes! More than twenty!”
They went down to the Great Hall, as Hermione talked.
“McG, wow, that is a nice name, so short!” Harry and Neville grinned. “Anyway, McG told us, they had come, to see if they wanted to come and work with us! They were older squibs, who had been chucked into the muggle world willy-nilly and had become therapists! And now they are looking to keep working, because they are really old, but don’t look it. Like over sixty!”
“Huh, but that is not old!” Neville said
“Exactly! But in the muggle world, it is! It is the age, one retires!”
“But aren’t they angry with the wizarding world, if they got chucked out?” Harry asked.
“Someone asked that as well, and one Lady said, that she had been very angry and had needed quite some therapy when mind healing was still rather new in the muggle world. But that had brought her to the profession in the first place! It seemed, that many of them had such a story. And now they had come to terms with it and wanted to keep on working as well as showing us, that being a squib was not something to pity and get rid of.”
“Wow! And they are exactly what we need! It’s like magic!” Harry exclaimed.
They giggled.
“And they were here the whole time?”
“I think, they still are! Maybe you will see them at dinner!”
“Awesome!” Neville cheered.
“Oh, Neville! Before we go in you need to know, that your parents and their story were in the paper today.”
“Oh, ok. Thank you, Hermione.” Neville grew a little more serious and squared his shoulders. But, as they went into the Great Hall, it was apparent, that the ‘invasion’ was the hot news right now and Neville was only noticed by a few.
When they sat down, they saw, that the Healers had spread out and sat at different tables with the students. Some were in deep discussion already and others were still eyed a little dubiously.
Harry saw a woman, looking a little like a female, and a little older Sirius, sitting down, right next to Malfoy, who didn’t seem to know how to react and when she introduced herself, he even gaped at her! Harry sniggered, watching with interest.
“Oh, you are noticing Doctor Black braving the Slytherin table,” said a grinning Mind Healers, sitting close to Harry’s group.
“Black? So that is why she looks so much like Sirius! Ha! But then she is related to Malfoy! His mum is a Black! And to me and Nev as well!”
“We are probably all related to someone in this room,” Remarked the red-haired man. “My name is Samuel Bones, by the way.” He introduced himself.
“Nice to meet you,” said Hermione smiling, but couldn’t help herself to add, “There is a Susan Bones, at the Hufflepuff table.”
“I know. I actually met her already. Nice girl,” they all nodded, “But we Healers decided, to sit at tables, not that affiliated with our families. That is why Morgaine Weasley sits with the Ravenclaws, for example. Except for Leona Black, but some of us had to sit at the table, with the most prejudices, and she is a tough cookie,” He chuckled. “This visit is not for family reunions, after all.”
“Right, but you will work with us, right?” Hermione asked hopefully.
“Yes, we will.”
A huge sigh of relief was heard all around. Mr. Bones smiled, “It’s nice to be so appreciated for once. Normally new patients are rather dubious, but you all are much more open, to mind healing than most.”
“Thank the ICW healers, I think, mine at least really convinced me of the need,” Harry said.
Many nodded, but McLaggen groused disgusted - still unhappy about the try-outs in the morning, - “And now, Harry Potter has spoken out for the mind healers, they will be even more accepted.”
Healer Bones looked interested and excited, looking at McLaggen and asked, “He did? That is great! When?”
McLaggen hit his head on the table next to his plate and groaned. Everyone else laughed.
“What did I miss?” a confused Healer Bones asked, looking around in question.
Laughing, Harry said, “Harry Potter, at your service, sir.”
“What?” Healer Bones laughed loudly, “Now I get it! Nice to meet you, too! Sorry, I didn’t realize it was you.”
“Yes! It is great! Nearly no one does recognize me since The Scar and the glasses are gone!” Harry beamed.
Healer Bones smiled at the happy boy, who was excited, not to look like the famous fantasy boy, everyone knew, anymore. “Yes, the ICW Healers really do an excellent job, don’t they?” here he smiled at the emphatically nodding Neville.
“And all, because Hogwarts has had enough!” Someone started the sentence, and half the table finished it, in a chorus, laughing.
Later, Harry went looking for Healer G, to give him the note from his Godmother. He was directed to the cubicle in the Hospital Wing, where he found Healer G and told him about his day, and handed the note over. As Healer G read it, Harry pulled out the letter, Hedwig had brought from Cornwall this evening and opened it, to have something to read as well.
Gerhard, having finished the note already, waited for Harry to finish his long letter, by going over his plans for the next weeks.
Harry’s letter read:
Dear Harry! Cornwall, September 8th, 1994, +9th
Thank you for your letter this morning! It made us start the day with a big smile.
We really enjoyed having you and Gerhard here for the day and looking forward to more days like that!
Tiberius read the transcript of the Ministry-take-over to me just now, and it had us nearly rolling on the floor, with laughter. I'd say, if Tiberius ever wants to do something else, next to Potions, he should go to the Radio!
Now he is scoffing, reading over my shoulder as I write.
The information that Dumbledore made himself your Steward too, is concerning. Did you ask at Gringotts if he did that with other muggle-born and half-bloods, too?
We just find it curious, that he didn’t touch the Estate, Tiberius got via his father.
Tiberius has finished the little apparition pad for you and Gerhard to pop in to and sent Gerhard the exact coordinates, so visiting us will be easy.
This evening my guests (a family of four) did arrive, but that doesn’t mean, you cannot come! We just need to keep our stories straight. How about, you came to visit us by car – can Gerhard drive? – and parked somewhere in the street behind our house, as not to crowd our parking lot, and came via the backyard. Hmm, what else. You come from the London area, Gerhard is a Doctor in Germany, but is visiting and took you out of boarding school for the … insert appropriate timeframe here, like the weekend, the day, the week… That is just the rudimentary bones of a background story, not to be caught too flat-footed. Share it with Gerhard, will you?
We are still considering casting a Reparo automobilus or something alike on my car, it wouldn’t start this morning again! So annoying! But we are afraid it will get fried fully then. Severus, when casting cleaning, and repairing charms in the house, a few days ago, accidentally cast too close to the toaster. It was dead afterward. But as the house was repaired, even its fundaments, without further mishap, that was such an easy price to pay. And he cleaned corners, that were so hard to reach before, like the ceiling above the staircase, the space under the terrace, etc. All cobwebs are gone!
So, we got thinking. As much fun as writing as often as possible is, we don’t want to run Hedwig ragged. And she is such a proud girl. Telling her, she needs to rest, would make her angry, we think. So, let’s say, we sign an answering letter the day after receiving one, at the earliest? That seems to be the sign for her, that her services are needed. We try it out with this one, signing it tomorrow morning. She sits on the back of her chair and sleeps right now, anyway.
Tiberius here, it is the next morning and Heddy is busy with the second ‘B’ in ‘B&B’. Just to note that Hedwig slept peacefully on her chair and is awake now, having Breakfast as well. She seems to love bacon! So, after having Heddy sign this letter, I will send it on its way.
Have a nice Weekend, Harry! And Greetings to Gerhard when you see him.
Tiberius & Heddy (Hedrakella)
Harry grinned, looked up, and handed the letter wordlessly to Gerhard, who read it as well.
Afterward, Healer G told him, he actually had a driver’s licence, but driving in Britain was not so easy, as everything was backward to him. Especially Roundabouts and Crossroads were hard.
The automobilus reparus was a really bad idea, he added. He and his friends had actually tried it on an old car that was still running, before the spell, at least. Afterward, it was dead. Totally. When brought into a garage, the mechanics there, were totally stumped and just shook their heads sadly.
He praised Harry for thinking of sending the article to the two and then they started planning.
And then decided to write a letter back together. Harry told of the Longbottoms and Gerhard of his car-related experiences (license and spell). And then They asked, if it would be ok, if they were invaded by wizards for a weekend, more precisely the Longbottom’s, Harry, and Gerhard, and if yes, which weekend was free? The sooner the better. The boys would share a room, easily, being dorm mates anyway. How many rooms did Heddy rent out? Four, right?
Harry added the problem, of Neville maybe recognizing Tiberius, as S. Sn. was his boggart, after all, maybe to table the whole visit? They could always say, the B&B was booked for the next months, or that Heddy didn’t want so many visitors from the magical world. Everyone would understand.
They didn’t sign the letter either. Harry thought it was a great idea, to give Hedwig some rest without hurting her pride. So, they left it unfinished in Healer G’s cubicle, to send it tomorrow.
Seeing Harry starting do drop, Gerhard refrained from talking about the goblin’s process in the Horcrux hunt and postponed it until tomorrow, as well.
Notes:
I am tired today and didn't find many mistakes, because of that. Or maybe, my writing is getting better? One can hope.
I don't know, if I will post the next couple of days. I am fleeing the heat, then. but I plan to come back, don't worry.Edited 19.9.22
Chapter 21
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
In a magical, and therefore unplottable part of the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire, Gringotts performed the huge, ICW-sanctioned ritual to free every British Magical of four alchemical potions, the night of the 9th to 10th of September in 1994. They had gotten the still stunned Dumbledore and made him part of the ritual. Not that the old man was hurt in any way, or even aware, of what happened.
It went without a hitch and all the test persons, they had employed via an ad in the Daily Prophet, who had been sent out to every part of the country for the night, came back to Gringotts in London the next day. They were unsure what had happened, having felt nothing. - Everyone let themselves be scanned a second time and took the promised money. Well, to-have a short-paid weekend trip… why not? Everyone was negative, regarding the alchemical potions they had in their systems before. (Gringotts and the ICW Healers had found out, that though every former student of Headmaster Dumbledore’s tenure had loyalty potions in their system, the intelligence reducing, and fact-retaining dampening ones had only been issues since about 20 years ago.)
Dumbledore was returned to Hogwarts afterward, still unconscious, to be collected by the ICW later that day.
And so, another thing of note that happened in magical Great Britain that morning, was the ICW-battalion marching into the Hospital Wing of Hogwarts. The students didn’t know what to make of that and speculations were running wild!
Later it became clear, that Albus Dumbledore had been taken from Hogwarts to Geneva, to be awakened, investigated, and probably tried there.
And the wireless said hourly, that at 3 o’clock that afternoon, there would be a statement of the ICW and an Interview of General van Hook, by their very own Mr. Brimstone.
Harry waved goodbye to his friends, telling them, he was visiting Healer G, to finish something. He told Neville to give his greetings to his parents and was off to the Hospital Wing.
Healer G was there, and Hedwig had obviously sensed their intentions and came by as well. Hedwig was so on to them.
She looked at them, kind of haughtily, but Harry pretended, not to notice and was asked by a sneaky Healer G, if he was more awake, to finish the letter today?
And so, they did and send it off, with the still suspicious Hedwig.
They chatted for a bit and when there was a commotion outside the cubicle, which was not charmed against outside noises anymore, Harry was told, that they were collecting Dumbledore, for prisoner transfer to Geneva. Harry felt very conflicted. On the one hand, he just wanted to tell the man himself, that he was not his puppet anymore, on the other hand, he was happy, the monster was brought far, far away!
Harry had decided on calling the man ‘monster ‘now, since all other names were either not appropriate in polite company, or they were an insult to the animal, he would choose. And ‘old goat’ was too nice anyway, for example.
Harry remembered yesterday’s topics, Neville and he had talked about, and asked if he had been spelled or potioned against Neville in any way and Healer G looked it up. No, but he had been potioned with slight indifference to anyone except a certain few and with mistrust against Slytherin, Snape especially. Paired with him being keyed to Ron, Molly, Hermione, Dumbledore, and to a lesser extent to Ginny, did the rest, that a friendship with Neville was made impossible.
The next question was, had there been a way, which made him behave more rashly or stupid? Like those behaviours had been intensified above others?
Yes. More students had those potions in them, they lowered the higher, more reasonable brain functions and heightened the gut reactions.
“So, we basically became dumbed-down versions of ourselves?”
“That is actually a very good way to describe it. Not very scientific, but everyone would understand. So, my offer still stands, that you can have the scan results, but my caution does too. Better look at it with a mind healer.”
“Yeah, that. Hermione said, she studied hers in detail, and was very sad afterward and had no one to talk to, so she actually regrets reading all of them, against her healer’s advice.”
“Well, that is concerning. I wonder if the mental health of the students changed in the last week. We wanted to take the old scans to prioritize, who gets a mind Healer first… Oh dear, Harry. I shouldn’t muse aloud in front of you, sorry! Please forget what I said. “
“Ok,” Harry grinned, “Just one thing before I forget everything, why not ask Hogwarts for another scan? So, now I forget our last topic.”
Gerhard sighted, feeling stupid again, and just nodded and wrote himself a note. Harry grinned, clearly on to him.
“So, I have some information, about the Horcruxes, that Grunck gave me Friday afternoon when you came with Hermione about the Marvolos.”
Healer G told Harry, that they had found another one and were now able to scan a bigger area with it and had sensed one in London, but since they had calculated, that the scar Horcrux was number six, there must be at least two more, so the information with Marvolo Gaunt was very helpful.
“Wow, ok. And you say, with each Horcrux the soul gets ripped in half?”
“Roughly, yes. ‘rip’ is the word here. It is not a precise cut.”
“But then the piece in me was tiny, right?”
“Yes, fortunately so, or it might have possessed you. We guess that the Diary was one of his first ones, due to the age of Riddle when you described him and what Grunck could still sense in it. It must have been much stronger, than the one in you.”
“So how small was the one in me?”
“Grunck said, smaller than 2% of a soul like if you calculate 1/(2*2*2*2*2*2). So, 1/64th of a soul. Give or take.” He had written the small calculation on a piece of paper and showed it to Harry.
“But how can the last part still be out there and function, kind of?”
“Harry, it stumps me as much as you. I have so many questions. I cannot understand, how one can measure a tiny piece of a soul and come up with the result, that it is a 1/64th part of one. How do they know that? How big is a soul anyway? Do they all have the same size? They are not physical, so why is there black smoke? And so many more questions.
“Wow, you are right. Hmm, I got the feeling, they can ‘see’ into the non-physical world. The spiritual one?”
“Yes, that would make sense. I am thinking of scales and rulers, but they probably ‘measure’ it in a totally different way… And the black smoke, what do you come up with?”
“Uh… hm… some of the black goo being moved by the leaving soul? But how can a spiritual thing move something physical? Was the goo totally physical, then?”
“Your guess is as good as mine…, how do we see ghosts, anyway?”
“They seem more like an imprint, not the real soul. I find them easier to explain in my head. Aaaand, do we actually know, it is actually the soul, which is ripped apart? Maybe it is something else and we just call it soul because we don’t know better?”
“Oh, good question, too! Dear me. I am a Healer of the physical body! That is complicated enough!” Healer G exclaimed.
Harry giggled.
“I am just happy the goblins are helping us!”
“Yeah,” Harry agreed. “But I really find that interesting! I am thinking about this, one and off, since I met Dementors, who can ‘suck’ out the soul, they say, and ‘eat’ it…, why are the bodies still alive for a while then, and people, who get hit by the killing curse, they just die*. What does that curse do? Cut the soul of the body? I am confused…”
“Well, you are not alone. Humans have tried to figure this stuff out, for a long time. My guess is, that we might have lost some of the senses, that the goblins still possess?”
“Oh.” Harry thought hard. “Maybe I ask Luna. She definitely has more senses, than the rest of us.”
“Luna?”
“Yes, I met her at my new class, arithmancy. She is a third-year Ravenclaw and seems a little spacy, but she is hilariously funny, and I got the impression, that she sees more, than we do.”
“The little blond one? Lovegood? Oh, that is nice! I have met her on the stairs, actually, looking at … something. Yes, I can see what you mean. She seems a little out of it, talking about invisible creatures and such.”
“Exactly!”
“Well, Harry, the troops seem to have left. Why don’t you look for your new friend and I finish up here?”
“Right. Bye, Healer G!”
*Harry read about it, in his fourth-year defence book.
At the Entrance Hall, still looking for Luna, or rather he had just decided to get the map, when Harry ran into Grunck and two other goblins, carrying a wooden box.
“Heir Potter! We need you. Come with us to London.”
“Uh, I don’t think I can leave just like that. Maybe Healer G can come with us?”
“Right, you are a child. Let’s go to find the Healer.”
Harry grumbled; he was not a child! But he agreed readily and so he went back to the Hospital Wing with the three goblins, where they found Healer G in the main office, manning the desk with another Healer. When he saw, who had come, he ushered them all back into his cubicle.
“Good morning Grunck and others. What can I do for you?”
“We located the next Horcrux in the townhouse of the Blacks. It should be empty. We need Heir Potter’s help, to get in. Or better, Heir Black’s help.”
“Great! Can I go help, Healer G? And is the way you locate Horcruxes in the box? Can I see? We were just talking about this stuff, how one measures souls and detects them and such.”
Grunck looked at Harry, a little annoyed at the hold-up, but nodded anyway. He gestured to one of the goblins, to open the box and he did. It opened to a quickly spinning apparatus. Looks a little like the things in Dumbledore's office, Harry thought.
Grunck and the other two goblins barked in surprise and started talking fast in Gobbledegook.
Harry and Healer G looked at each other in question but didn’t interrupt.
After a while, the goblins came to a consensus it seemed and Grunck spoke English again, addressing the humans in the room. “Heir Potter has the uncanny ability, to sniff things out. Like a niffler!”
Harry grinned; the goblin wasn’t wrong.
“There is another Horcrux in this castle.”
“What?”
“No way!”
“Yes. We decided that we will not look for it, right now. It is Sunday, The school is full of children everywhere. Better look for the Horcrux, at class time.”
Harry pouted.
“Today, we want Heir Potter to help us in London, no lost class time.”
All looked to Healer G in question.
“Right, we can do that. Harry, why don’t you get Mrs. Sunny to bring you some appropriate clothes.”
Harry nodded and was soon ready to go, dressed appropriately for the Heir of the Blacks, looking quite spiffy.
Healer G checked himself out, with the other Healer and they left through a route, directly from the Hospital Wing to the grounds. Harry was astonished and would certainly check the map later.
Soon they stood in front of a dilapidated townhouse, all decked in muggle-repelling wards. The visitors as well as the house.
“What now?” Asked Harry.
“You put a drop of blood on the door knocker and say, ‘I, your full name, don’t forget Black at the end, Heir to the house of Black demand entrance for me and my entourage.’.”
“Huh, okay,” Harry held out his finger to Healer G, to be pierced since he had no knife with him, and then rubbed it on the door knocker, which absorbed the blood and said, “I, Henry James Ralston Potter Black, Heir to the house of Black demand entrance for me and my entourage.” He giggled a little at the pouncy sentence, but the door clicked and swung open.
The goblins moved past Harry and went into the hall. “Wow… what a dump!” Harry exclaimed, walking in as well, followed by Healer G, “What did I get dressed up for?”
“Excellent question. This house doesn’t seem to have a house-elf, it seems.” Healer G answered.
Pop
A wrinkled, old, and twisted-looking house-elf appeared before Harry’s ‘entourage’, raising his little fist, and bellowed in a voice, sounding like a deep, raspy trumpet, “Who dares to enter the Noble and Ancient House of Black? Leave, intruders or Kreacher will fight you to the death!”
Harry stepped forward and said, “Hi Kreacher, I am Henry Potter Black, and I am apparently the heir of the house of Black.”
“You is? But you is a half-blood!?”
“Uh, am I? I found out, that my mum was actually a half-blood, descending from squibs on both sides. So, does that make me a half-, a pure-, a three-quarter-blood? That sounds so absurd. I am not a horse.” The last was mumbled.
Kreacher seemed to be in deep thought and the rest kept quiet, this was an intern house matter, and they were curious how Harry would handle it.
Kreacher decided then, “Master is a pure-blood.”
“Good to know! I think my inheritance test said so, too, now that I think of it. Now, you seem a little undernourished, I Henry James Ralston Potter Black accept Kreacher as my house-elf for the house of Black, if he wants to, that is.”
“Kreacher wants! Kreacher is hungry!”
And with that, another bond was formed. Kreacher looked a little better immediately, but Harry was still concerned, “Too bad, I cannot cast a spell here, or –”
“Master Heir Black can! This house has wards! No information can be collected by the Ministry! Bah!”
“Cool!” and, without asking further questions, Harry pulled out his wand and called out, “Expecto Patronum!”
The beautiful stag poured out of Harry’s wand and looked around. Seeing Kreacher, it kind of pounced on him, nudging something out. They couldn’t see what (at least the humans couldn’t), but it was evident when it had left Kreacher, as the twisted look on the elf disappeared and he looked… decades (?) younger! How old do house-elves get anyway, Harry asked himself.
The stag then stood behind of Kreacher fully, enveloping him in its aura. But then the stag did pounce once more. At a portrait of a slowly waking, haggard woman, who managed to say, “Wha–”
After the stag had nudged something out of her as well, She looked around seriously, but kept silent, watching. She seemed to have changed for the better as well.
Kreacher looked like he was waking up. He blinked, looked at Harry, and then looked around and shrieked.
He had the shock of his life, realizing, how far the house had fallen into disrepair. He looked devastated.
“Hey, Kreacher, it is ok. You will sort it out. If you need help, you ask my other house-elves, yes? Now, the goblins here are looking for a very dark magic thing of the last Dark Lord, do you have any idea where it could be?”
“Master’s goblins want to destroy it?” Kreacher asked hopefully.
“Yes, I think, after they had found all the other pieces, they will.”
“Other pieces!” Kreacher shrieked again and snapped his fingers. Many things happened in very quick succession then.
A golden necklace, with a big pendant on it, appeared on the floor, and the room seemed to darken at once, Healer G pulled Harry behind his massive form and the goblins threw some cloth over the necklace, scooped it up, and put it in a strange pouch and closed the pouch at once.
At once the room seemed to brighten a little again and everyone relaxed and breathed out.
Harry peeked out from behind Healer G and asked, “Can I come... ah... out?”
“Yes, Heir Potter Black, the Horcrux is safely contained for now.”
“Wow, that was an evil one. Much worse, than the diary, it seemed.” Harry stepped out from behind Healer G’s back.
“I think, it sensed something bad was going to happen to it, or the maker didn’t contain the dark magic in this one. Maybe, the diary was spelled to look innocent? Who knows,” Grunck said.
The stag, that still was in the room, between the portrait and the house elf seemed to sense, that the immediate danger was over and started to wander through the rooms. The Two humans, three goblins, and one house elf (and one portrait) stood (or sat) there and listened, as the stag seemed to chase out a lot of things. Soon the spectators stood along the wall, to let everything out the front door and Kreacher crept to the back of the hallway, to open the backdoor as well.
Harry was amazed, at what moved out of the house and wondered where they went now. He didn’t recognize most of them. One might have been a boggart, changing form every second, while running. The only one, they let stay in the house till night at least, was a startled vampire, who had been sleeping in the dungeons and been awakened, rather abruptly. The Patronus could not hurt him, but it wasn’t very comfortable, being in its vicinity.
Soon, Harry was chatting with the vampire, who was quite fascinating and not very dangerous, as he was not hungry. He had many blood-potions with him. (And blood-replenishers, as well, should he want to snack on a human. But he kept quiet about those.)
After a huge swarm of doxies flew past them, out the front door, the stag came back to Kreacher and the vampire promised, to look for another place to stay the next night, thanked Harry for his hospitality, and went down to the dungeons again, to sleep some more.
The goblins asked Harry if he wanted to employ a curse breaker to go through the house as well, and after he looked at Healer G, Harry nodded and asked for the cost. They haggled and, in the end, the two unnamed goblins brought the apparatus and the Horcrux back to Gringotts, to integrate the last Horcrux they found into the device. Grunck stayed.
“Kreacher, do you want some help, in the beginning, with cleaning the house? It must have been magnificent once!”
“Yes, Kreacher wants help but wants to be boss in the house with other house elves. Kreacher is the only Black elf, young Master Heir Black has right now, after all.”
“Are there any other Black elves, which need to be saved, as well?”
Soon after, Harry was bonded to eight more elves, which needed nourishment desperately and soon they sat around the resting stag, as one sat around a campfire, to replenish themselves. Some even had their hands stretched out like they were warming them.
“Woah, I have 13 Elves now. Is that much?”
“Yes, it is. But it should be no problem for you to sustain them,” Healer G answered. “But you definitely should have a big family in the future.”
Harry blushed, and quickly changed the topic, “Kreacher, do you think, this is enough help?”
“Kreacher does. We clean up here and then go to Black manor and all other Black houses, and set everything to rights, Master Heir Black, sir.”
“Not you, too! Please, all just call me Harry, or, if you must, Master Harry.”
All elves nodded in wonderment.
“Oh, and don’t punish yourselves or each other. If something is unclear, come to me and we will clear it up, okay?
More astonished nods.
“Master Harry needs to set the wards to rights. Come.”
As Grunck wandered through the house, which had many more rooms, than it looked like, Harry learned how a ward book worked. He actually reset it, so that only the present could enter, and Sirius. No one else. No, the vampire could stay till midnight as well, Harry changed that at the last minute.
He then told the elves to come by Hogwarts, to keep their strength, and tell other elves as well, should they be dying. The wards against elves were down, right now, it seemed.
That cheered them up a lot. It seemed, that a couple of hundred years ago, the wards had been changed, and Helga’s sanctuary for House elves was no more. So, they died, if the headmaster didn’t accept them into Hogwarts.
Grunck heard this, as he was moving from one room to another and said, “Then the wards against foreign elves will not be put up again, regardless, of what the teachers decide. We will look through the old history books, maybe something about Hogwarts being a house elf sanctuary was written down.”
The elves cheered and asked if they may go and spread the word.
Harry agreed at once. It was no question!
All but one elf, except Kreacher popped away, but the two remaining elves started cleaning.
“Uh, we probably should warn Hogwarts, about a possible new invasion,” Harry said, blushing again.
Healer G laughed out loud and said, “Yes, we should. If you want to, I will speak with Minerva and the house elves in Hogwarts?”
“Yes, please?”
So, they left. Mrs. Black’s portrait still sat there, watching, and thinking. What had gone wrong?
When Healer G and Harry walked across the grounds, back to the castle, Harry stopped abruptly and looked wide-eyed at Healer G, “Black manor? All the other Houses? What did Kreacher mean?”
“Hm, You might find answers in the inheritance test?”
“Ok...,” Harry started walking again, looking a little dazed.
They went to the Great Hall, where they caught some of the Lunch before it disappeared, and Harry heard about the wireless broadcast at 3. He hoped, the papers would print it again, so he could send it to Cornwall. Oh, now that he thought of it! There was plenty of time till three, so he went up to the dorm, changed his clothes again, and wrote a note to the Daily Prophet:
Hogwarts, September 10th, 1994
To whom it might concern,
I, Henry Potter would like to start a subscription of the Daily Prophet from tomorrow on.
I would also like to buy two copies of the paper, containing the transcript of the live broadcast from the Ministry last Wednesday. Or maybe Thursday?
Please handle this request, with confidentiality. I do not wish to be used as a prop, to advertise this paper. Please remember, I am underage.
Sincerely,
Harry Potter
He worked hard on the few sentences, and they sounded really arrogant and abrupt. But he decided to better be seen as an arse, than a doormat. The middle ground would be best, but he sure didn’t know, how to find it right now. Normally he was more the doormat after all.
Harry then went to the owlery and posted the letter and then went back into the Great Hall, which was starting to fill with students again.
Notes:
Is it too early for Harry to ask this kind of questions? I mean the philosophical ones about souls and stuff? I know I was a little older, like 17/18 when really started to wonder and discuss about ‘what is the meaning of life’, ‘what is good, and what is evil’, stuff like that with some of my friends. Others just thought, we were crazy. But we didn’t have the experiences Harry had, obviously. So maybe we started asking those questions later?
Edited 19.9.22
Chapter 22
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
AB: Dear listeners, this is a live broadcast from the Ministry of Magic from your trusted Adalbert Brimstone and his technical assistant Mr. Sulphur.
In 10 Minutes the General of the ICW forces will step in front of the audience, which is moving in as I speak. General van Hook will answer my questions, afterward. So, this is not a press conference per se, more a public interview, which is a great honour to us, Sulphy and me, I mean.
But, as we have a little time, we would like to use it, to thank you, for your huge resonance to my last broadcast from within these halls. Your amusement and annoyance at the incompetence of our alleged Minister, who is still in holding. Your concern for Mr. Sulphur, who is alright now. All cleared up. And please note, that the 15 minutes break was on me, not on Mr. Sulfur. He is not a reporter, but a TA, as he reminds me daily and I really should have organized something for the time, you all waited for me!
Well, back to my thank-yous. Thank you, for your many, many questions about, who this perpetrator is, that had potioned me and so many of this country’s magical population.
I hope most will be answered, this afternoon. The atrium is getting pretty full mow. I think they will close the access points, soon. Please don’t come here anymore, you will hear it all on the wireless, I promise!
Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, this will not be as amusing of a broadcast, then the last one. Sorry for that.
Ah well, as we still have 6 minutes, here is a little summary, of the last week or so in the wizarding world:
First Hogwarts was visited by ICW Healers and Goblins, the kids are ok now and were the first to receive a cleansing.
Then the Ministry was taken by ICW forces and everyone present was cleansed, as you heard in my last live broadcast. The Minister and his cronies were arrested, with corruption charges, and worse and later some other members of our society were put into holding. Lucius Malfoy for example is the financial backer of Mr. Fudge. And others, who had walked free, after the last war. This brought the question, of the trials and if they were legal. So, all trial transcripts of the last 50 years are pulled and studied, sometimes the alleged criminal is even pulled from Azkaban and questioned. Some have walked free already, or rather, had been brought to St. Mungo’s. It is quite devastating.
All Departments are under scrutiny by now, for their efficiency and usefulness and will probably be restructured immensely.
I heard, that tomorrow, a panel from the Department of Education of the ICW will come to Hogwarts and look if they are up to ICW standards. Hogwarts has a certificate saying so, after all. But does it? I doubt it.
Last but not least, St. Mungo’s was visited by the same emergency response team, we got to know at the Ministry and at Hogwarts. Here they moved through patients, like a niffler through a Gringotts vault. Healing many patients. Even the Longbottoms are awake and are going home tomorrow! Makes one wonder. Our hospital has an ICW-certificate as well. Who did give those to those institutions so easily?
So, what else can I tell you? Well, I haven’t found, whom I was potioned to be loyal to, but I found, that I can retain even more than before. And I was no slouch, before the cleansing. Ravenclaw, you know? But now, I just have to read something once, and I understand and retain it. Very nice ability, let me tell you.
I don’t know if you remember that I got the redacted scan results from Mr. Fudge handed to me. Well, we studied it from beginning to end. No intelligence reduction or fact-retaining dampening in his system. At all. I really looked; I tell you that. It actually boggles the mind, how someone of this intelligence could become Minister. But I guess he was malleable and the perfect, corrupt puppet.
Is that mean of me to say? I promise I don’t look down on people with lesser intelligence. I just think they shouldn’t be ministers. Is that arrogant, Sulphy?
Oh. Sulphy is nodding. Oops.
Aah, very good. Saved by the General! He is walking up to the podium right now.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you ICW - General van Hook!
GvH: Thank you, Mr. Brimstone. Witches and Wizards of magical Great Britain, as of this night, you are all free of the alchemical potions, you heard Mr. Brimstone report about last Thursday.
You will have a hard time understanding this as a good thing, as the potions were cleaned out of your systems, by a huge ritual, done by the ICW and Gringotts.
I know, in this country, you have learned since you were a toddler, that all rituals are dark. This is absolute nonsense and not based on facts, but on superstition and hearsay. I know, there are some evil rituals, as there are some evil spells. But you don’t give up magic, because of that, do you? Please educate yourself with the facts.
Anyway. The loudest one, telling you all, that rituals were bad, was the one potioning you. Understandably from his perspective, some cleaning rituals get rid of alchemical potions as well.
Tonight, the ritual cleaned everyone, who went to Hogwarts in the last 50 years of loyalty potions and potions draining a miniscule amount of magic to the perpetrator. The reason for that is obvious.
The ritual also cleaned everyone, who went to Hogwarts in the last 20 years of dampening-intelligence and fact-retaining potions. The reason for that is as of yet unknown. It was speculated, that the dumber society is, the easier it is led, and the fewer questions are asked.
We found the perpetrator in Hogwarts, where the potioning happened. As was said before, he is now in holding in Geneva, so please do not march to Hogwarts, to get revenge!
So, who is this man, who had Great Britain under his thrall? Many of you have guessed it by now. Who sat in Hogwarts and has studied alchemy, after all? Yes. Unfortunately, it was no other than Albus Dumbledore.
~Splat!~
AB: Dear listeners, someone threw an egg at the General, but it –
MW: LIES! LIES! ALBUS IS A GOOD AND DECENT MAN AND WOULD NEVER DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, YOU HORRIB –
AB: Dear me, well, the one who seemed to have thrown an egg at the General was a rather plump witch, with red hair. Do you know who she is, Sulphy? … He nods. Very helpful. Anyway, the General is alright. There was an invisible ward, protecting him from things like that. They said, better save, than sorry, but no one expected it, really. Anyway, the woman, whom someone must have silenced - my ears are still ringing - is being arrested as we speak, Aurors, are moving into the crowd. The General looks more amused than angry, waiting. Oh, a tall red-haired man is trying to help. Now I know, where I know that dulcet voice from. Is that Mrs. Weasley, Sulphy? He nods. Actually helpful.
How do I know this woman… wait, now she is throwing eggs at the Aurors. They don’t have a ward. What a mess! How does she even do that in such close quarters? And why did she bring the eggs in the first place?... Ah, I know her, because she sent a Howler to her son, a first-year I believe when I was in my seventh year. I heard they have many kids, so I don’t know which one it was. Sulphy is holding up seven fingers. Seven kids? He is nodding again... Ah, I see, they have her in custody now. Hmm, I wonder if the ritual didn’t work on her. - The General will speak again now, I believe.
GvH: Well, that was exciting. I have evidence, she has eggs. Who will win in the end, I ask you?
~Laughter~
Well, yes unfortunately it was Albus Dumbledore who portioned half of magical Great Britain. We have the scan results to prove it. As of now, all redactions of those, who had been scanned, have been reversed. So those, who have them, please check them yourself.
Dumbledore was in the perfect place to do all of this. In Hogwarts, where more than 90% of all magical people spent their teens, here.
He also was Chief Warlock and had amassed a huge number of votes, illegally, through his headmaster job, as well. I cannot tell you more about that because the investigations are still ongoing.
Furthermore, he was Supreme Mugwump. We discovered, that one-third of the ICW mugwumpi was potioned with loyalty as well. And many of the employees, that work with, or on Great Britain, somehow, like Education, Law, Commerce, etc., as well. We are cleaning house, as well as here, let me tell you that.
Some of you might still have spells on you, like the poor woman, you all saw right now, must have had, right? So, I implore you, to scan yourself, or let yourself be scanned. Most of you should know a spell, to test that, if not. Tomorrow’s newspaper will contain in-depth instructions, on how to scan and how to dispel. Please, do not all run to St. Mungo’s tomorrow. You don’t want someone else, not getting treatment and dying, because you were too lazy, to learn a spell, right? You can do it or find someone else that can. No need for a healer, except in severe cases, but do make an appointment then. This is not an emergency, after all.
The whole thing was started, because that school building of yours, is amazing. It had enough of Dumbledore’s machinations, closed her doors, and called the goblins for help, who immediately called the ICW for a team of Healers. They came, saw, healed, and reported. And here we are.
I see that school as an embodiment of all of magical Britain, so in the end, you could say, you helped yourself.
~cheers~
AB: General van Hook is waving at me to come over to him, it is just a few steps. Thank you, General. As I understood, I may ask some questions now?
GvH: Yes, you may.
AB: Thank you. Well, my first one would be, what is happening with Dumbledore now, he is in Geneva, did I understand that right?
GvH: Yes, he was kept at Hogwarts, so you were not lied to, by that Healer, at your scan. But Hogwarts herself had stunned him and kept him that way. He was checked on regularly by Healers and guarded by Goblins. They even drew a ritual circle, for him to keep his magic, but stop the draining of all of you, at the same time. As of this morning, he was transported to Geneva. Where he will be awakened in a holding cell, with magic dampers. He will be cleansed as well and interrogated with veritaserum. He was charged with a massive number of charges already, but we might add more. Especially Gringotts will add some serious things. The trial will probably be before an international court. This involved many countries, as the laws, that he implemented with his potioned puppets, are far-reaching.
AB: Will those Laws be re-evaluated?
GvH: Every one of them. Fortunately, we now have data, showing how effective they are.
AB: And what about the laws in this country?
GvH: All will be thrown out, I think. There is a panel that is looking through them, right now. Most of them are totally against all ICW regulations. Old and new ones. All members of your Wizengamot will be scanned in great detail, to see from which point in time they were compromised exactly and how.
AB: That seems like a work of years. Will the ICW stay that long?
GvH: We will stay as long as needed.
AB: Right. So, I have a very different question. I wondered, how none of our own Healers cast a scan on themselves and discovered, who was potioning them and ran to the press.
GvH: Oh, they did, but the potions gave them a huge headache when trying to read the scan. Two smart ones had the idea, to have their pre-Hogwarts children read it to them. They were in St. Mungo’s then, for treatment, it was so bad. There we asked them, not to say anything, until today. They were cleansed right away, naturally. Thank you, Mr. Brimstone, for your excellent reporting, but I have to go now. I promise to keep everyone up to date.
~clapping~
AB: Well dear listeners. There you have it, the Reducto blast of the century. This is really unbelievable, that one man alone, did all this to a whole country. I really hope, scans will be implemented and updated, when necessary, here at the Ministry and a new Minister will not be able to just wave them away!
That brings me to the scan report of him, was that copy I have, freed of the redactions, as well? We will certainly check, dear listeners.
But I have my report with me, let’s see, what it says.
~rustling~
AB: Well, the one, the loyalty and the magical drain was keyed to, was Albus Dumbledore, according to this report. Like the General said. It still is hard to see that. The name is branded into my mind, as the second coming of Merlin. No wonder, if I had that loyalty potion in me, since my first year, I had it in me for 25 years. That makes quite the imprint, I am sure. I guess many of you might feel the same.
Mr. Sulphur is shaking his head. Thanks for the reminder, that you weren’t potioned, Sulphy! Well, let me remind you, why that is. You are old! Nothing to say? Well, he is looking quite grumpy now, let me tell you. After the show, he will tell me, in great detail, that seventy is not old for a Wizard. He is nodding emphatically.
So, at the end of this broadcast, please remember, what the General told you. Get a scan, but don’t run to St. Mungo’s now, or tomorrow. Have someone else do it if you can’t, but in the Daily Prophet will be detailed instructions tomorrow, on how to. If you still need a healer, make an appointment, yes? Oh, and you really don’t have to get your pre-Hogwarts-aged children scanned by a Healer. They weren’t in Dumbledore’s reach yet, were they? And all your children in Hogwarts herself were seen to, each one, by an ICW-Healer. Hogwarts intervened, after all
Well, dear listeners. Thank you for tuning in, this ends our live broadcast for now, but stay tuned, we will surely report from the Ministry of Magic and the process of being pulled into the modern age by the ICW. Good day to you all!
Notes:
edited 19.9.22
Chapter 23
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The full Great Hall broke into chatter. It had been remarkably silent through most of the broadcast, as students had shushed their neighbors, so as to not miss anything. It certainly hadn’t been as funny as the last one, but quite informative and a live history class.
But one part had been hilarious. Many heads turned to the Weasley kids at the Gryffindor table. The scowling Ron, the embarrassed Ginny, and the twins, who had tears of laughter running down their cheeks. They had had such a hard time, keeping silent, after the egg incident.
Just then, Collin Creevey took a picture of Ron, with his wizarding camera, which made a loud flash and bang.
Ron yelled at him, “Hey, you can’t just take a picture of me, without asking!”
And Collin answered cluelessly, “Why? You are famous now since your mum screamed live on the radio… wireless. I thought you want to be famous.”
“Not like that!”
“Like what, then?”
“Like Potter, for example!”
“You want your whole family murdered and survive it?”
“What? No! Are you crazy?”
“But that is, what Harry is famous for, right?”
“…”
Smart kid, Gerhard thought. That was one of those, that had the potions in them, made him a worse version of himself, I believe. He meant Creevey, not Ron.
Harry had watched this with amusement. Collin had come to him a couple of days ago and told him, he was sorry, for how he behaved towards Harry in the last few years. He explained, why and Harry had forgiven him at once.
Harry’s gaze, went to the Slytherin table again, to Malfoy, to be precise. The boy had not reacted, as expected when the news about his father broke. He seemed relieved! Strange. And the rest of his house had closed ranks around him, somehow making that obvious through body language. Harry decided to keep an open mind in regard to Malfoy now, who even looked a little different.
The students started to leave then, as it was still one hour, till diner time and Harry lost sight of Malfoy.
Most Students were chatting excitedly. They really lived in interesting times!
On the floor below the students, unknown to most, more and more emancipated elves were brought in, by their brethren. The old house elf cots, right underneath the ceiling of the kitchen were reactivated and slowly filled with the surviving elves. To be as close to the wild magic of the children in the Great Hall, as possible.
Many tears were flowing, and as other healthy elves of wizarding families were informed, they too, got the elves, without bonds they knew of, to Hogwarts, so by the evening, the rush ebbed up a little and the quarters were full.
The secondary quarters were opened, next to the common rooms, and in the worst cases brought there, to be close to the children for the evening and night.
Many of the elves, whose families had died out during the last war had been saved that way.
The healthy elves started to organize a sweep through all of Britain, to hopefully save all helpless elves, which had no contact with their living brethren. Nearly fifty more would be found and saved that way.
Quite a few were under stasis spells, thankfully, so those were safe at least.
That evening, a letter arrived from Severus at Minerva McGonagall’s desk, telling her, he would not return to Hogwarts at the end of the month, and that he was sorry to have generated more work for her, but he just couldn’t. She was kind of sad but understood, and the man she remembered had not been a good teacher. At all. So, it was better that way, maybe.
And to be honest, she was emotionally rather drained, to really react to the letter. She penned a short reply, thanking him for informing her and telling him, not to be a stranger, but she was just too tired to write a real letter, right now.
Tomorrow, the Educational panel would arrive and probably change everything. And Hogwarts had become a house elf refugium. Apparently, it had always been one, until the eighteen hundreds, and then the wards had been changed, without any thought, what it would do to a whole species of magical beings. The survivors of that decision were brought here now. She heard it were over two hundred elves by now. Well, the castle would be cleaner from now on, at least.
Notes:
This concludes the day of September 10th.
Edited 19.9.22
Chapter 24
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
This morning started bright and early. And Harry received the Daily Prophet for the first time, as well as the old ones he had ordered.
In it was a retelling of the events yesterday and on the first page the speech, the general had held. There was so much text on the page, there was just one tiny picture of the general’s head. And, on the lower half of the page a picture of Mrs. Weasley, throwing an egg at the invisible barrier, and a screaming headline:
Weasley Matriarch Arrested!
For multiple Charges, including long-term Use of Love Potions.
By Rita skeeter
We all know Mrs. Molly Weasley now, after she threw an egg at the General of the ICW forces, live on national wireless, yesterday. She then proceeded to throw eggs successfully at the arriving Aurors, as well. My reporter colleague, Mr. Brimstone asked the excellent question, why had she brought eggs in the first place?
She couldn’t have known beforehand after all, right? Well, she did not know, but she suspected. Her husband hadn’t come back home, after the first live broadcast of the wireless, where they announced the cleansing of all Ministry workers. And she knew, her husband must now be free of the love potions, she had fed him for 25 years while bearing him seven children! Six boys and one girl!*
She is slavishly loyal to Albus Dumbledore (as we all witnessed), but not because of potions or spells. No, it was, because he knew! He even supplied then Molly Prewett with her first love potions, so she could land the handsome Weasley heir.
Unfortunately for her, it had been for naught, since he could not assume his inheritance after the latest Lord Weasley died. Arthur Weasley was deemed unacceptable, by a normal inheritance test**. As he now found out now, he was dearly compromised by loyalty and love potions. He just was lucky, that he works at the Ministry. Otherwise, he would not have been cleansed fully and might never have found out about his wife’s betrayal.
Our question, if other inheritances had been accepted, even with the loyalty potion in the heir’s system, was answered by Gringotts: ‘It was sometimes accepted, it all depends on the conditions set, by the late Lord/Lady, but since very few people tried to accept an inheritance in the last 5 decades anyhow, it seldom came up. Mr. Weasley was one of a few and he didn’t investigate, why he wasn’t acceptable. Gringotts is changing its standard practices in that regard now. Everyone, who comes into the inheritance office will now be scanned. Even for alchemical potions.’
There you have it. Mrs. Weasley is now charged with line theft, compromising a future Lord, potioning a future Lord, cursing her sixth son with a dark curse, and the attack on the General and Aurors. She will be tried soon and faces time in Azkaban. The question is just, how long.
* On the history and legality of love potions, developed by Laverne de Montmorency, please see page 8.
**For more on inheritance tests, what they test, and the cost exactly, see page 7.
Harry looked up from the prophet and silently gave the paper to Fred, who sat closer and said. “You might want to see this.”
“What is it? Oh, a picture of mum throwing that egg, George snickered and leaned in as well, but grew silent, like his twin had, as well. They read the article and looked more serious than Harry had ever seen them before.
“Shit,” Fred said and George nodded.
Just then, the doors opened and Mr. Weasley came in. He went to the staff table first, conferred with MacG, and then came to their table and said, “Weasleys, please come with me. Where is Ron?”
“Probably asleep,” Dean said.
“Well, then this meeting will be in his dorm, you three are excused from class for now.”
They nodded and, after Fred gave Harry his papers back, went with their dad. Ginny was still confused, as she hadn’t seen the papers yet.
There was whispering, but not the mean kind. Nearly all did feel sorry for the kids. Not so much for the soon-to-be rudely awakened Ron, who had decided, that he could skip the self-studying stuff, anyway.
It was Monday and it started with a potions class for Harry, without a potions teacher, still. So Hermione, Neville, and he sat down in the Library, to actually study potions. It was kind of amazing. Neville connected his knowledge in herbology to the potions, for the first time, really. After that, the theory was a walk in the park for him and he explained much to his friends.
Hermione found a book about ingredients preparation and the reasons, why they were prepared for a potion that way.
While Harry looked for information, on why the way of stirring, temperature, and material of the stirring rods and cauldron mattered in potion brewing and found it! There were so many metaphorical light bulbs turning on, above their heads, it would have been funny to visualize them, Harry thought. Hm, I should tell the twins about that, they need cheering up!
Many others in their class were in the Library as well, and Dean soon joined them. Apparently, Seamus, who had also slept in as well, had been chased out of the dorm, but was not into using the time for studying, but slept on in the common room.
They started to pull all the relevant information together and Potions started to make so much more sense. They were quite elated when they packed up and moved to the transfiguration classroom.
The same morning, the panel, of the Education Department of the ICW arrived, bright and early. Professor Sprout welcomed the 15 witches and wizards, as all her other colleagues had classes to teach and didn’t want them disrupted even more. The Group of Educators was quite understanding and agreeable with this.
They went to the staffroom and got to work right away. Ten of them went to the huge overall weekly timetable, that showed all classes taught to all years and started to look for their main subjects, to decide where to sit in on. Some did see that no classes were taught in their subjects, at all and went back to the other five, that had wanted to look into the documentation of the last decades. Some shuffling around happened and soon they had themselves sorted.
A few, whose subjects should be taught, but no teacher was available, like History, Potions, and DADA went to call on some acquaintances to help out. They could have taught themselves, but that was the last resort.
They waited with Divination though, as this was not a class, taught usually.
So in the end, nine of them would sit in on the subjects that were actually taught at Hogwarts by now. The flying class would be handled by the one, watching the muggle studies, as well.
Normally, when they did an audit like this, one person had to look into 2-3 different subjects, if they were ten people looking into the actual classes. So, this was quite a treat to them, only having one class to look into, each.
The other six would look through all the parchment-work, regarding the education and care for the students in this school. Like grades, points taken, which different subjects were taught, what sport was offered, what the children ate, how often they had a check-up, by a Healer, who was the primary caretaker, and so on. In the end, everything, except the finances would be looked at, and if necessary, even those.
It was clear to all, that they had a huge task in front of them. Well, nothing to it. At lunch, they would inform the students and teachers and from this afternoon on, they would visit classes, for the whole next week.
One of them unshrunk and then unpacked a now huge crate full of books. They had brought one self-updating ICW book on the regulations and rules for schools for each staff member and many more spare ones, for the hopefully soon-to-be-hired staff. Then they brought out 2 exemplars of books on each subject taught, and what the minimum requirements were, what should be taught to the students. One exemplar for the teacher of said topic, and one for the bookcase in the staffroom. The biggest pile of books was ICW-sanctioned books that were appropriate for each class and subject. They had a house-elf bring two additional bookcases, to hold them all. They then labelled shelves and spelled the bookcases, to retrieve their books at midnight each day. (Madam Pince would be very interested in those spells at a later date.)
Somewhere else three goblins were walking up the stairs of Hogwarts slowly. Up and up. At nine o’clock, they stood in front of an empty wall. It was clearly magical, very complex magics to say the least. But they couldn’t find a way in. At half past nine, they gave up for the time being, as students swarmed through Hogwarts, on their way to their next class. Even through the halls of the seventh floor. Whoever knew, why.
A frustrated Grunck growled, “Let’s ask Heir Potter if he can think of something. As I said yesterday, he is a niffler for secrets.”
He found Harry after his Transfiguration class at 11:30. They told his friends, they would borrow him, for a couple of minutes.
“Meet you at the Great Hall for lunch,! Harry called over his shoulder and then asked, where they were going.
“Seventh floor.” Was the grumpy answer.
“Oh, then follow me, there is a shortcut,” and Harry led the goblins up one measly, small staircase and when they walked out of the little door on top of it, they were on the seventh floor. (So much for sports by stairs.)
“No wonder so many students were up here in the short break they had, grumbled one goblin. He hated being so high up and to have walked all the stairs before when there was a shortcut. Grrr.
They waited till the rush of students was gone (again) and then explained their problem to Harry, who was stumped as well and asked, “Hm, I don’t know either, what did the house elves say?”
The Goblins were looking at him very strangely.
“What?” Harry asked, “Did I say something wrong?”
“You did not, Heir Potter. We just feel stupid.”
“Oh, that’s what that look on your faces meant. Ok, so you didn’t ask?”
“No!” An embarrassed Grunck barked.
“Oh, ok, hm… Dobby?”
Popp
“Master Harry is calling for Dobby?”
“Yeah, say, you know some Hogwarts elves, right? Could you ask them, if they knew, how to enter this hidden room, that must be behind this wall?”
“Dobby could, but Dobby knows himself, how to get into the come-and-go room. He tells Master Harry?”
The goblins really wanted to bang their heads against the wall now. They felt so stupid!
“Oh yes, that would be great, Dobby!”
“You is going to walk by this wall three times thinking hard, what you want.”
“Oh cool, could you show me?”
“Dobby can.” And so the entrance of the room of hidden things was easily found. The goblin artefact led them to a princess crown, a diadem, Harry was told and the goblins soon had it safely in a nullifying pouch and went off to Gringotts, while Harry stood there, looking around the room, gaping.
“Wow, this is a lost and found of the centuries. But more a lost than a found. Well, should you find any elves, that need something to do, have them sort this mess, repair it and sell everything for Hogwarts coffers. - Uh, maybe after checking, if some of the stuff belongs to a family or a family vault. And the books… Madam Pince should have the right, to take what the library needs, don’t you think, Dobby?”
“Dobby thinks this is a great idea, Master Harry! We be finding many lost elvsies, that are getting better in Hogwarts now. We will does this!
“You found and saved some? Great!”
“Some and more. It’s be over two times hundred elvsies yesterday nights. And we is finding more. We is looking all over the whole land now.”
“Wow!” Harry was stunned. “Oh god, two hundred and more would have died. Oh god!” Harry’s great capacity for empathy nearly bowled him over. He didn’t want to think of the poor elves that didn’t make it. Poor things!
Dobby took Harry’s hand in his own two and patted it lightly. “Master not be sad. This is good day for elvsies! Very good day!”
“Thank you, Dobby.” Harry blinked and they left the room then. Harry didn’t really think about its possibilities, until much later.
In Geneva, in an undisclosed cell, an old man woke up. He blinked and looked around. Where was he? Hadn’t he just been in the Great Hall and… the Castle had spoken, the hat said, at least. And a scan was planned, of the students and he tried to interject and then…. He woke up here.
Damnation! Were they onto him? No, they couldn’t be. Who scanned for alchemical potions after all? No one! And cleansing rituals were anathema by now, at least in Britain. He had done his uttermost to make it so, after all.
He cast a wandless tempus charm, and … nothing happened. He felt weak. Like he did, before his fight with Gellert and the win of the Death Stick
Where was his connection to the castle? His huge amount of magical reservoir, he could so easily tap into... normally. And was this a cell, that had magic dampers?
Albus Dumbledore started to shake. In fear, in anger… even he didn’t know.
Where was he, damn it!?
The door, opposite his cell, opened and Dumbledore put on his grandfatherly mask quickly. Just to drop again. Alix Han was entering and she hated him! She never bought his masks and was always suspicious of him. Damn.
She was not alone either. There were four stone-faced guards with her. Great, just great.
“Albus Dumbledore you are under arrest for countless national and international crimes of mind-manipulation, involuntary potioning, robbery of magic, money, and goods, corruption of the highest order, embezzlement, oath-breaking, helping and abetting in the abuse of minors, and failure to render assistance to many of your charges, treason to the wizarding world at large and so much more. The list is extensive and still being added to. All crimes were often done to minors, as well as adults, and the numbers are staggering.” And now she said the whole text, someone was supposed to tell an arrested person, to inform them of their rights. He couldn’t even get off, on a technicality.
In the middle of her speech he had sunk back onto the cot, he just had woken up on.
When she had finished, she asked, “Did you understand, what I just told you?”
“Alix, come on, this –“
“Did you understand?”
“Alix, I am the Supreme Mugwump, on what authority –“ He had gotten up, and tried to tower over her. The cell bars nixed that tactic effectively.
“It is Deputy Supreme Mugwump Han to you. You are not the Supreme Mugwump anymore and it is debatable if you ever were, legally. Now I ask again if you understand. I will stand here, until you say you did.”
Dumbledore slumped, but couldn’t bring himself to say, that he understood. He just couldn’t. Unfortunately, Han was stubborn and just started the whole text again, “Albus Dumbledore you are under arrest for countless national and international crimes of mind-manipulation, involuntary potioning, robbery, … “ Until she was finished once more and asked Dumbledore if he understood.
Dumbledore said, “Could you please contact Elphias Doge for me? He is an old friend –“
“… and he is dead. Suicide, after he understood, what you did to him and made him do. Now, did you understand me?”
“He is dead? Why? It can’t be! Why would he do that? It was for the greater good! All of it!”
Han scoffed and said, “I will tell you. Again. Albus Dumbledore you are under arrest for countless national and international crimes of mind-manipulation, … “ she said the whole text once more, including all the legal instructions and rights he had. And ended once more with, “Do you understand?”
Dumbledore really lost his mind then and there and roared, “Yes, you stupid bint, I understand!”
“Thank you for your cooperation, Insult of an ICW official will be added to the list. Now, who do you want as legal counsel?”
Here Dumbledore counted off a list of names of people who were (made) loyal to him and each and every time Han said, “Declined, due to conflict of interest.”
In the end, he said, “I will be my own counsel.”
“Acknowledged. The list of charges and the evidence will be brought to you.”
“What? You have me stay here in this cell? I demand, to be let out at once!”
“Demand all you want. You will stay here in Antarctica. Just kidding. But you will stay in this cell for sure. Have a nice day!”
And she flounced off, guards and all. Horrible woman. The last thing he heard, was a guard murmuring, “What a dick.”
And just, as he thought it couldn’t get worse, a live broadcast was played from some unknown place, of the ICW take-over in the ministry and then they played a second… he couldn’t even think about it. Everyone knew! And that bint Molly… stupid! She made him look even worse if that was possible! And he didn’t actually have an additional spell on her!
A little later the Daily Prophet was delivered to him. The only good thing written in it was today’s date. If it even was today’s date, anyway. Maybe Alix Han was messing with him!
Notes:
Well, this is an AU, right? So it can be one day off, yes? I noticed yesterday, that I used a calendar from 1995, not 1994... Well, the whole story was tailored to the weekdays of 1995, so let's just pretend, in that world, September 1st 1994 was a Friday, not a Thursday.
Edited 19.9.22
Chapter 25
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Lunch at Hogwarts was a much happier occasion. The food was delicious, and the floor squeaked even louder when people send their thanks to the house elves.
Healer Simmons stood in her usual place, from where she always addressed the students and told them, that in order to find out, how to progress with the mind healings, they needed to scan them all again if Hogwarts agreed. The hat answered for Hogwarts and said, certainly, and to just sit still when the beam-curtain came once more. It was a matter of minutes and everyone had an envelope in front of them. They were all so much thinner! Harry cheered internally.
When he opened his, he read now
2
Preliminary health scan of Henry (Harry) James Ralston Potter – Date of scan: September 11, 1994
Birthday; July 31, 1980
Physical age: 14
Place of birth: Potter manor, near Godric's Hollow
'height: 4'10''
weight: 4st 9lb – underweight
Overview:
Physical health: 1 (being addressed)
Mental health: 2-3
Health of mind: 0
Additional issues: 0
Harry didn’t read on, as one of the Mind Healers came by to collect everything. He could always ask Healer G later, anyway.
Just as Hermione started to say something an unknown woman stood before them and introduced herself as an ICW employee of the Department of Education and that they would sit in on their classes, but only to observe.
The children, having expected something like that and the ICW brought good things, in their experience, took it with aplomb. The Teachers were much more apprehensive.
The teachers were right to be. In each and every one of their classes, someone sat in. Always the same person, taking notes and when they went to the staffroom, after finishing their second 1,5-hour class this afternoon, to relax and just decompress, it was full of foreign people as well.
They were all presented with books, which was always good in their opinion, but wow, did they all look bug-eyed when reading, what the students were supposed to have learned, at the end of their 7 years here, at the least. If they got it right, they taught the seventh years, what was considered fourth and fifth-year material, elsewhere!
Babbling even sat there and cried and Burbage was close as well. She didn’t even understand most of what she was supposed to teach the students herself! What was all that stuff? Mobiles? What was a pipeline? Rockets to the moon? Men on the moon? What?
The visitors looked a little uncomfortable, but it couldn’t be helped, the needs of the students came first. They just hoped, the teachers had help. But at least, the children were not potioned to be less intelligent, anymore. They reminded the teachers of that, which brought on some relaxation into pinched faces.
The only really happy one, of the staff members of Hogwarts, was Madam Pince. So many new books to look at and pursue and the people from the ICW even gave her a crate, of all the course books the ICW had accredited. For free. As well as the rule and regulation books she had ordered last week. Apparently, her request had brought on all the gifts! Oh, she was one happy witch!
But, back to Harry’s first class this Monday afternoon. He sat down next to Luna again and she hugged him. Thanking him for saving so many of the house elves. She told him, that the castle was bubbling with happiness, right now and that even more elves had arrived today. It was glorious!
Harry and Luna then had to concentrate on their class, where they got an extra worksheet, to keep them busy. After the class finished, Luna asked Harry, why he looked for her yesterday.
Harry starred at her for a second and then decided, that this was more evidence, that she saw more than others, and answered, “Well, we were talking about souls and stuff and we, that is Healer G and I, had so many questions, which I thought, you might know the answer too, so I looked for you. But the goblins found me and needed me for a task and so my questions were put aside. They are not urgent anyway. But at the task, we found out about the elves and I told mine to go find as many as they could and bring them to Hogwarts. It seemed to have snowballed from there.”
Luna looked at him confused, “Snowballed?”
“Right. Muggle expression. It means it’s getting much bigger than expected, like rolling a snowball down a large hill. When it arrives at the bottom, it is a huge ball of snow, that could knock over a group of people, or something.”
Luna giggled, “I like it. Yes, it really did snowball!”
“Well, I have to run to Herbology now, see you, Luna!” Harry waved and was off. Luna smiled. She thought she might actually have made her first friend.
And she did. It became a common occurrence, that Harry sat together with Neville, Luna, Hermione, and more often than not Dean, who fled the ‘lazy duo’, as he called Ron and Seamus, who started to hang out more and more, connecting through the avoidance of doing stuff, like homework, or getting up.
Hermione and Luna clashed a little in the beginning until Harry took Hermione aside and asked her, if she would have believed in magic before MacG visited her and to keep an open mind, there might be even more, that they didn’t see, but Luna could.
Hermione conceded the possibility and soon found out how incredibly smart Luna was. From then on, it became a fast friendship.
At Gringotts, they looked over Heir Potter’s inheritance scan results to find information about the Gaunts, as he was their heir as well as Potter and Black. It seemed to be the quickest way. If they were not successful, they would hit the books.
But there was no need. They found that Heir Potter had inherited one delipidated shack in Little Hangleton, right next to the Gaunt estate, that was in stasis. So it certainly was worth a shot, to go and look there to find the (hopefully last) Horcrux, now that they were including the Horcrux of the diadem to the device they had built.
Tomorrow, the device would be ready again, and the hunt would go on.
The mind healers were using the afternoon, to sort the students anew, Some had gone up in their category, like Draco Malfoy, after the Imperious curse on him had been dispelled, others had gone down a notch, like Harry Potter, who, while he had many issues still, had built himself a stable support structure, it seemed.
They juggled the students, teachers, and the huge group of squib mind healers and themselves and came up with a rudimentary plan, that would go into action tomorrow. It would probably change at some points if the patient and therapist relationship didn’t work well, but that was okay and expected even.
In the Gryffindor common room, the Weasley kids sat together. The twins were still unusually serious, Ginny was crying and Ron glowering at anyone. who looked at them. Many did.
When Ron saw Harry looking at them too, he jumped up and yelled, “This is all your fault!”
Harry was quite taken aback, and asked, “What is my fault?”
“This! Mum being arrested, Dad moving out of the Burrow! I wish, mum had never told me to befriend you!”
The twins had gotten up and pulled Ron away, quite angry now themselves.
Fred berated Ron, “You idiot! Mum potioning dad for 25 years is Harry’s fault? He is fourteen! This is the most stupid thing, you ever said, and that is saying something!”
George added, “You are just looking for someone to blame, and you pick the orphan, (sorry Harry,) because you don’t want to blame mum! Coward! Now we will go, pack some of your stuff and you will sleep in our dorm. On a cot. And we will wake you, for class, so you can’t sleep in again. Move!”
And with this, Ron was marched to the 4th year dorm, to pack his trunk under the watchful eyes of the twins, and then into the 6th year dorm, where there was a cot already, astonishingly.
Unbeknown to them, the house elves, who had grown in numbers quite a bit, saw in Harry the saviour of their kind and were trying to help wherever they could.
In the common room, Ginny, who was crying even harder, was soon surrounded by her year mates, to be comforted and consoled.
And Harry, who was still standing in the middle of the room, decided then and there, that this was it. The friendship with Ron was dead and buried, never to be resurrected again.
He then was pulled to a couch by Hermione, Neville, and Dean and he told them of this decision, as well. Just to be sure, he never would give in, ever. The others told him, they would be standing on his side, from now on. Hermione said, she certainly wouldn’t be like Switzerland in this, she was allied to Harry. This brought an explanation to Neville, of what that meant. And soon they were discussing the difference between other countries and their muggle and wizarding parts and why the ICW was in Geneva if magical Switzerland wasn’t neutral at all. It was fascinating!
The ICW auditors from the Department of Education moved into the wing, the Healers had occupied from the beginning. It now became the ICW Wing.
They too soon sat each evening on the mismatched couches, together with the 3 Healers and 6 Mind Healers, to relax after a day of hard (mental) work. It was rather helpful because the information was exchanged much more easily and lots got done, without them even really noticing.
But this evening Gerhard didn’t’ take part much, as he got a letter from Cornwall, brought by Hedwig, but strangely it was addressed to him, so he went to his room, to read it, just to be sure.
September 11th, 1994
Dear Harry and Gerhard,
We are sending this letter to the hands of Gerhard, as it might contain information, that should not be read by some noisy school boy. I don’t mean you, Harry, obviously.
First of all, yes, Heddy’s guests cancelled on her so she has a totally empty house if you don’t count me. The next guests will arrive on Friday, the 22nd, before that, you and the Longbottoms may come for a visit, whenever and as long as you want, within this time frame. The nice thing about wizarding guests is, that our five, newly found elves can help out as well, without fear of being discovered. Even though, some are on a rescue mission right now. Hogwarts being a re-opened sanctuary, we heard.
Yes, Harry, you remembered correctly. Heddy has 4 rooms. And I have one for myself, but if push came to shove, I could share it for a few days, easily. But with whom you plan on coming, the number of rooms is sufficient for your needs.
Heddy just said, more rooms wouldn’t make sense in a small town like this. It is not the most touristy spot, after all.
To the questions, you raised, Harry, about my identity being known, etc. I decided, that I will not hide, but will not advertise it, either. I agree that it would be a good idea, if you sounded Mr. Longbottom out and tell him some of what you know, in an abstract way, so as not to surprise him too much. If he doesn’t want to be in my vicinity, I could easily go and inspect Prince manor, or something like that, for a few days. It wouldn’t be a bother and I would not feel chased out of my home, so don’t worry about that.
Heddy just said, if the Longbottoms want to arrive a few earlier, that would be fine with her. It’s their choice.
We are looking forward to seeing you, soon!
Yours,
Severus & Heddy
PS: as adorable as this paper is, to write with a pen is a bother. My hand cramps, as I cannot hold it the way, I am used to holding a quill.
Now I had another thought. Did you ever have instructions, on how to write with a quill, Harry? If I think back, it doesn’t really look, like anybody ever did teach you.
Gerhard looked at the paper of the letter and laughed, it was adorned with little pink birds. It must be Heddy’s, she seemed to like the colour in her house when he thought about it.
He then wrote a letter to the Longbottoms, with the details and decided to call it a night. Unfortunately, Hedwig could not be deterred, to take the letter tomorrow and so she was off with it. Verdammt, he should not have signed it! His last thought that evening was, that he needed to tell Harry about the letter tomorrow.
Notes:
Edited 19.9.22
Chapter 26
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
That morning Dean nudged Seamus, but then kept on getting ready for the day. When Dean left the dorm with Harry and Neville, he nudged Seamus again, who then actually did get up. Not feeling as secure in his decision, to sleep in, anymore, then when Ron made the same one with him, and look, how that turned out yesterday.
He certainly didn’t want his mum standing in the dorm like Ron’s dad had appeared yesterday morning. Ugh.
Ron was just dumped out of bed by the twins unceremoniously They were in a new position, to be the responsible ones, now. Well, it did involve annoying their little brother, so it was not too hard a task.
At Longbottom manor, Hedwig delivered the letter from Gerhard, having slept on a tree in the Longbottom park, when arriving there at 11 at night. She knew by now, that her humans were trying to not overwork her, but she was a grownup owl and not an idiot. Well, it was cute in a way, so she let them be ‘sneaky’.
Alice and Frank were having breakfast in a sunroom, full of amazing plants, which must be Neville’s work, they guessed. They read Gerhard’s short letter, in which he told them, they would be welcome in Cornwall within the timeframe of now till the 22nd and he could bring the boys, when school ended on Friday noon (Neville) and Saturday morning (Harry) and the address to Heddy’s B&B.
They decided to go there on Thursday and stay a week. They liked the idea, that Gerhard would bring the boys, as soon as they were free for the weekend. They wrote a short missive to Gerhard. (He had introduced himself as such, in his letter, and they kind of felt like knowing him already, through Harry) and told him about their decision and asked him, to bring the boys, when they were free for the weekend. Thanking him profoundly for his help as well.
Hedwig took the letter and flew back to Hogwarts. It was a short trip.
Alice and Frank wrote another, more formal letter to Mrs. Hayworth and booked her whole B&B for the time from 14th to 21st. The Longbottom Owl made the trip to Cornwall then.
And, as the fourth years were sitting in Charms and Gerhard received the missive from the Longbottoms, three goblins at Gringotts got ready for their next Horcrux hunt. It was going rather well, they thought.
The inheritance report of Heir Potter had shown the exact coordinates of the shack, that Marvolo Gaunt had owned, so they went as close, as they deemed it safe, as they detected several nasty protections around the shack.
Decked in muggle repelling crystals, they opened the wooden box, with the Horcrux finder, in the woods, close to the town of Little Hangleton.
There was one! Right in the shack, which they could see through the trees. It took them a couple of hours and some more curse breakers, but in the end, they had a heavily cursed ring in their nullifying pouch and left quickly to Gringotts, to de-Horcrux and de-curse it safely.
They had, as of this day, nearly half a soul in their possession, which would allow a much bigger area to be scanned.
They had no idea, where to start looking, and the last ‘piece’, that carried the consciousness of Riddle, was certainly not in London.
They hoped it was the last piece! But were open to the possibility, that he had made even more Horcruxes, as unlikely as that would be. Actually, they were amazed by the number of times one could split their soul in half.
They then decided to start in Little Hangleton again, and move in big circles from there, as they had not looked at the device again, after safely nullifying the ring, one apprentice remarked. They hadn’t done so in Hogwarts either, so they would look there again, as well.
They put off the decision, of what to do with all the artefacts, Riddle had used for his Horcruxes and that had been cleansed now, for a future time, when Riddle would hopefully be vanquished.
But first, the newest Horcrux had to be absorbed by their device and the ring inspected.
At school, all the fourth years were told, to actually go to the history classroom. It was a class, all houses had together. There was an ICW-DoE (ICW Department of Education person) or ICW-doe as they had duped the new ICW people, waiting for them. As soon as they had sat down, she said, “Good morning, class. My name is Signora Santorio, or Ms. Santorio. We are still determining where, in your education, you stand and as we cannot audit your classes if you have no teacher right now, we decided to have you take part in a written survey.
Hermione started to panic a little, but Ms. Santorio went on, “To be clear, this is not a test, which will be graded. We just need to know, what your actual knowledge of history is. So please do not try to guess things or make them up. Just write down, what you know and leave the rest blank. The clearer the picture we get, the better we can tailor the contents, taught to you in the future.
Someone murmured, “Everything, that’s not goblin wars. Easy.” The class sniggered.
Ms. Santorio smiled and said, yes, I got that impression as well, from the little documentation there is. So now, please be quiet and don’t talk about this. We want to know, what you personally know, not your neighbour.”
Sniggers again.
“So, one more thing, please mark your answer with an ‘x’, if it is something you learned outside of the class, all right?”
Nods and faces looking interested.
She made the questionnaire float to every desk and said, “Please begin, no talking.” The last was addressed to Lavender, who was still chatting with Parvati.
So, they buckled down. Or tried to. Harry learned quickly, how little he knew. And if he knew something, he marked it with an ‘x’, as it was knowledge obtained in muggle school, or in yesterday’s talk with his friends, about the differences between magical and muggle parts of different countries. Just one question he could answer a bit was from Binns’ class.
Harry was finished after 25 minutes, or so, as was the rest of the class, except Hermione.
Ms. Santorio said after half an hour, after the test had started and nearly everyone was done, to please go to the library and look up things, that they wanted to know the answer to, after the test. And write a little essay about it. She added with a glance to Hermione, “Not longer than one foot, in normal-sized letters, and not shorter than 10 inches, either.”
Now Hermione was in a pickle. Answer more in-depth, or go to the library? She looked through the answers, nearly all were marked with an ‘x’.
When all students had left, but Hermione, Ms. Santorio sat down in front of her desk on one of the student chairs, she had appropriated.
“Might I talk to you for a second, Miss? You will have enough time, to go back to the questionnaire, if you want to, afterwards. There is one hour left after all.”
“Ok,” Hermione put down her quill and breathed out.
“I want to ask you something. What do you think, is the intention behind this survey?”
“To find out, what I know in History,” Hermione had a hard time, not saying, ‘duh,’ in the end.
“Well, not exactly. I want you to think a little deeper than that. Why are we, the ICW Department of Education, here?”
Hermione thought, about what the woman wanted of her, “You want to bring Hogwarts up to ICW standards.”
“Exactly. And why did I make the class do the questionnaire?”
“To get an overview… oh! This is not about us individually, you don’t want to know, what I, personally know!”
“Right, and what are we looking for, in this particular questionnaire?”
“What we learned in class. That’s why you wanted us to mark everything else with an ‘x’! You will first look at the answers without one!”
Ms. Santorio nodded, “And how many of your answers don’t have an x?”
Hermione looked through her long parchment again, and actually giggled, “One.”
“Right, so do you want to go on, answering the questions in more detail now, or give me, what you have, so far?”
Hermione actually said, “Duh,” and handed over the parchment, but she added, “Thank you for explaining it to me. I really need to think about the reason behind tests and homework, I think. I always get pulled into my exam-mind frame.”
“You are welcome! To be honest with you, I was very similar to you, at the same age, until a teacher sat me down and talked to me, as well. He complained about my too-long homework, taking so much time - he didn’t have - to correct it. But the gist was the same.”
Hermione thought ruefully back to her overlong homework assignments in the past. They were always feet longer than the teachers had asked for. And she didn’t even get extra credit for it, here at Hogwarts!
Ms. Santorio smiled at the girl and said, “Do you want to join your classmates now?”
“Yes! Thank you! Bye Ms. Santorio!”
And off she was.
Signora Sntorio smiled and put the last parchment on the stack and cast a spell, to get a first impression, how many answers were there overall on average? ~13 of 40, so about a third. That was a D, all by itself. And less than 1 answer, out of 40 without an x on average. Gods. That was the biggest T she had ever seen in a class-wide survey! She would look through the answers in more detail now, but as a first impression, it was staggering!
It would not change much after she had looked through the answers. Poor children! Generations of them if she wasn’t misinformed! Well, nothing to it. She sent out the next summons, this time to the fifth-year students, to go through the same process after lunch. With the same results. No wonder, everyone dropped out of history after the fifth year and only a third got an OWL in it and usually only an A.
A few took the NEWTs at the Ministry or Gringotts, later in life, but they were far in between.
At the library, the class found a lot of new books on history. All had an “ICW sanctioned” stamped into them and couldn’t be taken out of the library. Thankfully so, or they would all have disappeared into the Ravenclaw tower already.
Harry was totally caught up in one, when a house elf handed him a note, beaming at him.
“Oh, thank you!” Harry said.
“You is very welcome, sir!”
Pop
Harry grinned and read the note. It was from Healer G asking him to come by the Hospital Wing, he had a letter from Heddy and Tiberius.
Heddy and Tibby, Harry thought, sniggering. He looked at the big clock, over Madam Pince’s desk, and saw the bell would ring in 5 minutes. So, he packed up, noted down the book he was reading, and walked fast to the Hospital Wing. (Well, he ran.)
At the Hospital Wing, Gerhard was manning the desk, so to speak, but no one was there, so he handed Harry the letter from Severus (and Heddy).
After finishing reading it, Harry laughed his head off about the paper, Severus had written on. Trying to actually picture it and falling over, laughing.
Gerhard grinned. He then told of the Longbottom’s plan, to go to Cornwall for a weak, starting Thursday and he, Gerhard would bring the boys, when they were finished. Neville on Friday and Harry on Saturday. Or Rafael would pop Harry over, as he had asked if he could meet the Longbottoms as well. They would see.
Harry remarked that Rafael could stay the night as well if he were free to do so. There still was a bed in Gerhard’s room after all.
“Good idea! I will tell him and maybe our colleague will agree to man the Hospital Wing the weekend. So, are you ok with sounding Neville out?”
Harry was more than okay with that and then he was asked to tell Hermione to be at the entrance Hall tomorrow at 10, as he, Gerhard, had agreed to take Hermione to Gringotts. They had no class on Wednesday morning after Astronomy tonight, after all.
Sure, he could! And last, did he ever get instructions in writing with a quill as Severus asked?
“No. But now I wonder! Do you hold it so much differently than a pen? Is that why the tips break off so quickly? Ron showed me how to cut a new tip, at least, but it seldom holds for long. I feel so stupid now! Why did I never ask?”
“Because you were potioned?”
“Right.”
So, Harry got a little introduction into using a quill correctly and man, was it held differently. He was tasked to write many lines of well-formed squiggles and zigzags. He even got a calligraphy learning kit. Ok, well, it might be helpful eventually.
Harry then ran off to lunch, he had classes this afternoon after all.
Gerhard made a mental note, to tell the ‘Doe’s’ about the introduction of muggle raised, and possibly the muggle-born not taking place at Hogwarts.
Notes:
One question. Would you tag the story with ‘Ron bashing’, and/or with ‘Molly bashing’? Is it bashing? I am unsure.
edited 20.9.22
Chapter 27
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
At the same time at Gringotts, a weary group of goblin warriors and curse breakers ported back to the platform, in the middle of Gringotts. They had with them two fallen warriors, one dad curse breaker, a dead snake, a dead scaly baby, and a stunned rat. And last but not least, the Horcrux device, now holding exactly one half of a soul and being absolutely still. It seemed to glower at them, without having a face!
According to Grunck, it was connected to numerous wizards, keeping it alive.
They were unsure, of what to do with it. They would breach their treaties, if they killed a wizard, outside of a fight, and they could hardly fight the apparatus, that just sat there, quietly glowering.
They easily could put it in a ritual circle, which cut it off from the outside magical links like they had done with Dumbledore, but that would kill the thing. And again, there was the same problem.
But was it even still a wizard? Well, they didn’t want to chance it. The treaties were magical. If they broke them, it would automatically cost them gold!
They debated back and forth, giving it to the Ministry. No, they still didn’t trust them. Give it to the ICW? Hmm, it was a possibility. But somehow, they wanted to keep it a matter of magical Britain.
After much debate, Grunck said, “Well, the Heir of this one’s house, which has no Lord at this point, is Heir Potter. Let him decide, what to do, as a family matter.”
All were relieved. It was a perfect solution.
Heir Potter was asked to come to Gringotts at the earliest possible time and put the apparatus in an empty vault, with monitoring crystals all around it.
After that, they brought the dead snake and scaly baby to be disposed of at a lesser forge, and the rat was put into a little unbreakable cage and sent to the DMLE, Amelia Bones hands only, with a note, that it was a Death Eater in their Animagus form and if they lost the rat, Gringotts would sue!
Afterward, they, at last, could do the important things. Honouring the fallen goblins by bringing them to the Great Forge and celebrating in their names!
Madam Bones sat on her desk, busily working through the files of the trials of the last 50 years. She was not the only one, looking through them. A horde of ICW lawyers went through them with a fine-toothed comb, but the fishy cases landed on her desk as well. They were moving fast. Those were the last and not as urgent cases, as most of the prisoners were dead, by now. It was devastating, as most of the cases on her desk were quite obviously innocent. She could scream!
But then she opened a file, that was of a ‘criminal’, that had not died, but escaped! Oh, Merlin! It could not be! She actually did scream then.
She looked at the two pages in the ‘file’. One was the receipt, of Black’s things in Evidence. His Wand, a pouch with a picture of baby Harry Potter and no money (yes, right), as well as his Auror badge. The other page was the transfer order to Azkaban, signed by Crouch, Bagshot, and Dumbledore.
That was it.
She already knew Crouch had had no loyalty potions in his system at any time. She had the lists, which showed all! But he had been under the imperious curse since summer. They had found out, the story about his son and the escape of said son, after putting his father under the imperious. They had a search warrant open for Crouch junior. Anyway, they had Senior in holding and she needed to talk to him. Now!
So, she opened the door and … was handed a packet with air-holes. Crouch could wait, the package was from Gringotts.
After she read the note, she was alarmed and went to the special holding cells, on her way, she called to Moody to come and bring the anti-animagus collar.
She so needed a bubble bath and champagne this evening!
In the secure cell, they locked it, so only Aurors could open it and unpack the package. They found a cage with a stunned rat. Well, nothing to it, they took it out and cast the animagus reversal spell on the still stunned rat. And see and behold, the goblins were right. Not that they had doubted it for a second.
While Madame Bones was busy gaping at … “Peter Pettigrew,” Moody put the collar around the Animagus’ neck.
And they both just stood there for a minute, to let it sink in. Moody then pointed to Pettigrew’s hand, and they saw, it was missing a finger.
“Only a finger was found…,” Madame Bones murmured.
“And all the bits and pieces of the blown-up muggles. No parts missing there.”
“Right.” She breathed out. They would certainly investigate this. How much was plain old corruption, and how much due to the damned potions? This would not be swept under the rug!
“Oh, this is the ‘file’ on Sirius Black, who supposedly killed this man.”
“Well damn!”
“Yes.”
“Let’s wake him, all right?”
“Rennervate.”
The fat little man stirred and then opened his eyes and shrank back in shock. “Uh, oh… what? Ah… you have saved me!”
“Sure, we did. How are you alive?”
Here the little rat-like man obviously lied through his teeth, until Madame Bones told him to be quiet. She turned to Moody and said, “This is useless, until we know if he was under any spells or potions. Let’s get him scanned first.”
While they were talking, Pettigrew desperately clawed at the collar, trying to change, but couldn’t.
Soon they had the scan flushing and found a sad and sordid tale. Pettigrew had been under all the first two of the alchemical potions. Loyalty and drain. According to the scan, he also had been under compulsion, to go to You-know-who to get the mark. The mark overrode the loyalty and drain potion (they already knew that) as well as the compulsions, but then it had been too late. And he still had the potion in his system, that elevated all his negative impulses.
Pettigrew had a new master, whom he was desperately afraid of. He stayed in the Order of the Phoenix and Dumbledore orchestrated him to be the secret keeper of the Potters and he told his new Lord at once. Not even thinking of deflecting.
And so, the Potters died, You-know-who disappeared, and Pettigrew was on the run. He blamed Sirius, cast the blasting curse on a gas line and a protego on himself, cut off his finger, and disappeared. A tactic he had heard Dumbledore theorize about once if one was a small Animagus and needed to escape.
Pettigrew talked and talked. Without veritaserum. Unburdening himself. Not that he found much pity, even if he had been influenced to a certain extent. He clearly was only out for himself, regardless of the cost to others.
The story of Harry’s 3rd year was told, him escaping and looking for his Lord, not knowing what else to do. Finding said Lord…
“What?”
“Oh, the goblins killed him, I think.”
“What?”
“I am not sure what exactly happened. I was stunned. Can I go now?
“…”
Pettigrew was then left in the cell, he got food and a blanket, but that was it.
Bones and Moody rushed over to Gringotts, to be brought to a quite inebriated goblin called Grunck.
“What do you want?”
“We got Pettigrew, thank you, but he told me he found You-know-who!”
“No, I don’t! Who?”
“Lord Vol-voldemort.”
“Oh, him. Yes, we got him.”
“You did? Thank Merlin!”
“Nah, thank the Horde!”
“Right. We leave you to your celebration.”
“It’s a wake. “
“For You… I mean for Voldemort?”
“No! My fallen comrades! We lost three, in the fight today!”
“Oh, I am sorry for your loss!”
“They will be sung about for decades!” Here Grunck started to ‘sing’ and Bones and Moody fled.
At the Lobby of Gringotts, they were stopped by another goblin, called Chief Bonebreaker, who was not as drunk as Grunck had been. He led them into another office and told them, that they had another wizard in custody that they might have forgotten about in the whole flurry of events that were happening. But, when he had seen Auror Moody, he had remembered him again.
It was the one, pretending to be Moody, who was responsible for this whole mess in the first place, as Hogwarts had snapped at his arrival, calling the goblins, who had called the ICW Healers who had called the ICW, and so on. Did they want the prisoner?
Hell yes!
And so, Bones and Moody had a second shock that afternoon. It was Barty Crouch Junior! Well, they could pull that search warrant now. So, the prisoner was bundled up and they got his scan results. The one Hogwarts had done.
On the way out, Bones said to Moody, “Well we should write to Black and tell him to come to the Ministry. That we know he is innocent, and it was all a manipulation by Dumbledore.”
“Yes, let’s. Tomorrow.”
The goblins didn’t actually forget about Crouch junior but had wanted to wait. After finding out, about the compromised Ministry and then Riddles Horcruxes, they had waited until they had Riddle contained. But, as it was a grey area, holding the wizard for longer than 3 days, they didn’t want to advertise it. At least, the ICW had been informed and had given their ok, so the treaties were served.
At dinner, Harry got the summons to Gringotts and was unsure what to do. He didn’t want to usurp Hermione’s escort, but the goblins wanted to see him, and he wanted Gerhard with him then. As he sat there biting his lips, his friends asked, what the matter was, and he told them. Hermione said at once, that she could wait, but looked a little sad.
Harry marched to the staff table, where the Healers sat with the rest, and told Gerhard of his Problem. Madame Hooch said at once, that she could take Miss Granger if that was alright with her. She had the first year flying class in the afternoon, not the morning after all. Harry cheered, thanked the flying instructor, and told her, he would ask Hermione, but if she didn’t hear back from them, it was a date! 10 am at the Entrance Hall, right?
And so, tomorrow’s visit to Gringotts was made possible for both.
In the ICW Wing, the Mind Healers and Healers stuck their heads together under a privacy ward and exchanged the news, about the progress in the Mind Healing department that Hogwarts had right now. The appointments had started at full speed. The ICW Healers had many patients a day and ten of the squib Healers had worked with their new patients, students as well as teachers. So far, no one had complained about their Healer. The ICW Healers had appointed all the students and staff in need to a Healer, by now. Only the details were not cleared for all, yet, but it was only a matter of time before it went without a hitch.
Three of the squib Mind Healers had even agreed to move into the castle. They were just still busy with the move. But as more and more house-elves became available, it wasn’t much of a hassle anymore. At last, the physical part of moving wasn’t.
After their talk, they took the ward down and joined the ‘does’. They all snickered at the new nickname. Gerhard addressed the introduction of muggle-born students and -raised, but was told, they had noticed already and would address it.
The evening, before Astronomy at 10, Harry wrote the open letter to the public, that he had planned. His friends thankfully helped him! He wanted to have it finished when going to Gringotts tomorrow.
Notes:
Thank you all for your comments regarding the bashing. I have a better knowledge, what it actually means now. :)
I was very happy, that no one saw Ron as being bashed, as that was not my intention. He is a moody teen, that makes stupid choices right now, but it is his fourth year...
Molly is harder, but she is only a very small character in this story and a tag would give her too much emphasis. To be honest, I do not like her much. She ignores the abuse, makes the quip about potioning Arthur and the way she treats Sirius in the 5th book and her overbearing demeanour ...
Anyway, the first part of this story is coming to an end. Thanks for sticking with me so far!
edited 20.9.22
Chapter 28
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
On Wednesday morning, Amelia Bones came into her office extra early and wrote a letter to Sirius Black asking him to come into the DMLE, as soon as possible, that this was only a formality. They had ample evidence, that he had been set up by Dumbledore and Peter, whom they had in custody. And not to worry, as they had apprehended Dumbledore and Harry was safe. She smiled and sent the letter.
Hermione and Harry met with Madam Hooch and Healer Gerhard at 10 am in the Entrance Hall and they went to Gringotts.
In the lobby, they parted ways, and said, they wouldn’t wait for one another, as they didn’t know, what awaited them.
Hermione was led into Boarcrushers office and Harry to another big office, which looked like normally more than one goblin was using it. Here they were greeted by Grunck and Chief Bonebreaker.
After they all took seats, Grunck started right away, “We collected all the Horcruxes and found the strange baby-golem, that housed Riddle’s consciousness. Three goblins lost their lives, but we now have exactly half a soul in the device we build, including the part holding the consciousness.
“I am so sorry for your fellow goblins! That is terrible!”
“They died an honourable death. That is, what all goblins dream about. No need to be sorry. This was a great victory!”
“Then please give their Families my thanks and … appreciation? Or would that be insulting? What do you do in such a situation?”
“You give your thanks and appreciation and an honour-payment of 10 gold pieces. No more, no less. To each family.”
“Thank you, for telling me! Could you do that for me? Would that be, okay?”
“Yes, it would, I will do so.”
Chief Bonebreaker added, “It is good, that a wizard learns our customs and honours them.”
Gerhard was listening and feeling a little ashamed, that he never thought to ask, and so added, “Please do the same from my side as well, if possible.”
“I will, Healer Lichtwurz.”
Harry then thought about the rest, Grunck had said and exclaimed, “You have them all! Wow! That is great! So, he is out of the scary baby? In an apparatus? Wow. That is kinda sad.”
“What do you mean, Harry?”
“Well, he was so afraid to die, that he ripped something essential into many pieces and now sits in a machine and I guess, he can’t communicate, right? So, he is imprisoned. Did those pieces... ahm, how would you say? Reconnect?”
“No, all seven pieces we have are separate in that device. And no, it cannot communicate.”
“But he is aware?”
“We don’t know. Possibly.”
“It sounds like a horror story! What will you do now?”
“That is the problem. We cannot dispose of the device, as we would usually because we don’t know if we would violate any treaties, as not to kill a wizard out of a fight situation. The same with our human employees.
We don’t trust the Ministry enough yet to involve them and we do not want to involve the ICW more than we already have,” here he pointed to Healer G. “But we also do not want to keep him in our vaults. Who knows it he could escape in time ad possess someone?”
“Couldn’t you put a ritual circle around the device, so he cannot escape?”
“Yes, but the problem is, it would cut him off, from his followers, who supply him with magic and so he would die again.”
“What exactly do you want from Harry? You don’t want him to kill the soul, which is still there, do you? I would not allow that!”
“Well, it would be the easiest for us, but he is a child–”
“Hey!”
“Yes, you are a child, Heir Potter, you are underage, and it is not the way of humans, to have children kill someone. We understand that. No, we just thought, he might have an idea, of what we could do.”
“All right. Just that we are clear.”
Harry beamed at Gerhard. He then scratched his head, and said, “So the containment ritual could be counted as an attack, right?”
“Exactly. We are not sure.”
“Uh, what is the difference from when you find other Horcruxes? I mean, Riddle can’t be the first, right?”
“No, he isn’t, but when we find other Horcruxes, there isn’t a consciousness in them.”
“Are you sure? Where would the consciousness go when they lose their body?”
Grunck thought hard, “We actually never tested it,” he turned to the Chief, “Or did we?”
“Not that I know of any case. We just do a cleansing ritual.”
“Would a cleansing ritual count as an attack?” Harry asked then curiously and was met with the funny goblin expression again, he had seen in Hogwarts once. He bit on the inside of his cheeks, not to grin. He so could get used to it.
“And that is why I asked for you, Heir Potter. You ask the right questions!” Grunck all but cheered in his own grumpy way.
Harry beamed.
Gerhard added, “What about, I as the representative of Harry and the ICW would … no, I cannot contract it either, I don’t know how my Healers oath would react.
“I can contract the goblins to cleanse the device and Riddle’s soul of dark magic. It would be helpful to him, in the long run, right?”
“Harry, are you sure?”
“Yes, it would be a mercy to him, wouldn’t it? It must be torture in that device. And he would be cleansed and purer. And he killed my parents.”
“Many would say, you show too much compassion, Heir Potter.”
“But we don’t know if Dumbledore did bespell him as well, don’t we? Maybe he was his test subject for spells, maybe the monster needed an enemy, to look good and made the orphan boy Riddle into that. But, as half his soul is lost, he is kinda dead already, isn’t he?”
“That are very good points, Heir Potter. We don’t know, and we cannot scan what is left of Riddle, as we would need the original body.”
“And that disappeared, miraculously,” Gerhard added., “Well, Harry, I agree, it would be a mercy. But I still will not order it.”
Chief Bonebreaker had sat down on a desk and written something. He then came back and handed it to Healer G and said, “The contract to cleanse the device and the parts of Riddle, still on this plane of existence.”
Harry and Healer G read it, as it was very simple and to the point, Harry signed it with the Quill, which the Chief handed to him.
“I don’t have to watch it, right?”
“No, Heir Potter.”
“I have one more question. I heard a rumour, that a horde of goblins did a huge ritual, which dispelled Professor Binns. Am I right, that ghosts are not souls?”
“Yes, you are right, Heir Potter. And we didn’t do a ritual, but one of our apprentices found a ward, that bound his ghost to this plane of existence. But not his soul. That moved on, many years ago. Furthermore, Binns was a special case. He was named an enemy of the horde, because of all the lies he indoctrinated wizards with. As such, we could have killed him anyway.”
“Wow!”
“Now, if you still have time, your new account manager would like to see you as well, Heir Potter.”
“All right! Then please be gentle with the soul!”
The goblins nodded and a young goblin came and showed the wizards to the office of Stonecrusher.
Grunck and the Chief did the ritual themselves, as they had the contract with Heir Potter. It went off without a hitch and all dark magic was dispelled on all the soul pieces. As a result, all the connections to the Death Eaters disappeared.
It had the unexpected effect, that all seven, cleansed pieces united gently, and then, as the consciousness had no Horcruxes anymore, it slowly and peacefully moved into the afterlife, where it was found by the other, already waiting piece, which was the least contaminated one, anyway. When those two parts reconnected, the resulting whole soul was not as pure, as the just arrived half one had been, but much purer than many others, that were here in the afterlife.
Somewhere in the Department of Mysteries, a prophesy orb turned dark. It had actually been a true prophecy, even if it had been made in Dumbledore’s office and the retelling in the Hogshead had just been more manipulations. But no one saw and no one cared.
The Unspeakables had more important things to worry about, like the audit that was coming their way.
Meanwhile, in the office of the newly appointed account manager of Potter and Gaunt, Harry and Stonecrusher got to know each other.
Harry had the first impression of ‘this will work well’. Always good. He had had the same impression with Gerhard, Neville, after the cleansing (= etc), Heddy, Severus (atc), Hermione, (atc), and Luna. It worked well for him, until now.
Stonecrusher introduced himself, after he bade Harry and Gerhard to take a seat, and told them, that he was acclimating himself with the Potter accounts right now. With most of his attention on the steward’s dealings. They didn’t have the sealed will of the Potter opened yet, but it was only a matter of time and so he was documenting every knut the monster took, and every piece of paper.
Harry approved.
He also told Harry, that the Dursleys hadn’t been spelled or potioned directly, but there were wards on the house, which would make everyone with little, to now magic, aggressive against someone with magic. Even animals. And a notice-me-not, on Harry’s condition, was there as well, and it had a 5-mile radius! There were some more wards, first, they couldn’t move and Petunia was infertile, in that 5-mile area.
“And the blood-wards?”
“What are blood-wards? There is no such thing. That sound disturbing!”
Stonecrusher explained, that one could blood-bind a curse to someone, but that was forbidden and dark magic. But a blood ward didn’t exist. Whoever thought of such a thing must be enormously disturbed and evil.
“So, the monster lied. Surprise, surprise.” Harry groused. “But I put a drop of blood on the door knocker at Grimmauld Place, but that was to identify myself?”
“Yes. The magical signature is in the blood. That’s why blood wards would be terrible on the one, who supplied the blood. It would drain their magic...,” Stonecrusher trailed off. And the cursed.
“It might be, that there was actually something like blood wards, that we didn’t detect, as we were not looking for them. They might have been keyed to the son? But that would have the effect, that he would eat, and never feel sated! Like the gorging curse, only that it would make the eater fat and the gorging curse keeps the cursed one at the perfect weight. The boy wasn’t there when we scanned the area. We will go back. Do you know where he could be?”
“First of all, Dudley is fat. Very. He eats all the time. And second, he is at boarding school, as well, it’s called Smeltings. I don’t actually know where it is.”
“No matter, we will find it. It is a crime against magic!”
“Uh, does that mean, Dudley has magic?”
“With certainty.”
Harry lost it. He laughed his scrawny little ass off, then he might have cried a little, but pulled himself together, before Gerhard could hug him and he cried for real, again.
Harry pretended, they were tears of laughter, and the others did as well, for the time being, in Healer G’s case.
“So, all the wards will be dispelled right? And you look out for Dudley?”
“Yes, all the wards will be dispelled, and Dudley checked on upon by us, and maybe a Healer. If he is magical, as we suspect, we will probably get the ICW involved, as child wizarding services of the Ministry are still being reorganized and brought up to standard, as far as we know.”
“Oh good! As long as I don’t have to go back to them!”
“Do not fear, Harry, I will not let that happen. And the ICW will not either! You have options now.”
Harry beamed.
“Speaking of options, Heir Potter, we have written a carefully worded letter to your godfather and want you to sign it as well. Before you do, were you informed? That Peter Pettigrew was apprehended yesterday?”
“What? No! That is great! Where is he?”
“We sent the stunned rat to Amelia Bones personally, with the remark, that it was a death eater, and not to lose him.”
“Yay!” Harry threw his arms up and cheered.
The others grinned.
“She actually came by later, asking about Voldemort. We might have misdirected her a little, as not have her seize the device.”
“Ok, where is the letter?”
Harry read it and singed it, with a short note about the rat.
Harry pushed the thoughts, of all his options, who would take his guardianship, far back to the back of his mind, for later. He had more stuff to take care of now!
He then pulled out his letter to the public and asked Healer G and Stonecrusher for their opinion. They changed some minor details and Stonecrusher promised to get it to the Daily Prophet.
Harry then asked, if Gringotts could investigate, why he and not Voldemort was the heir of the Gaunts, why the Estate had been in stasis, when there were still Gaunts around and how closely related he had been to Voldemort?
Sure, Gringotts could do that. For 25 galleons. It was 17 galleons, and 7 knuts after the haggling in the end.
Stonecrusher gave one hint right away. As in the inheritance test, it was written ‘All family thought extinct or deficient’.
“Oooooh, ok, well, I am still looking forward to your findings!”
“Actually, I do as well. So, I heard, you wanted to visit your vaults?”
Harry looked to Healer G, who sadly shook his head. It was lunchtime.
Harry nodded. He was kind of tired anyway. But had one last thought. “Stonecrusher, Boarcrusher said, that there were business proposals made, that my account manager should look at. Would you?”
“Yes, Heir Potter, I will do that.”
When they left Gringotts for the apparition point Harry said, “I wonder what Hermione found out!”
Notes:
So this is it for Tom Riddle. No grand end-fight with Harry in my story, but the Prophesy is fulfilled nonetheless.
The last chapter follows right after this one and gives hints of what might happen now.
edited 20.9.22
Chapter 29
Notes:
20.9.22: I am finished editing the whole story. Luckily I hadn't had to read it fully once more. Kudos to the modern forms of editing, like Grammarly and the Word Editor. Never needed them before, so they are new to me. The English language is tricky, I learned. While reading English is fine, writing it is complicated! And people always say, my mother language is difficult... To be honest, I can't read it again, right, now. It’s finished and my brain needs a looong break from it.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Back at Hogwarts, Harry, head swirling moved to sit at the Gryffindor table, where Hermione was lying in wait, to pounce on him. But Hermione, after seeing Harry’s tired look, waited for her friend to eat and not have to think too much for a while. She basked in the feeling, that she could control those urges now!
When he had finished, he turned to her and said, “Thanks for waiting! I needed that. – Sooo, are your parents, muggles?”
“No, they are not! They are both squibs! Can you believe it?”
Just then the bell sounded, telling them class would start in 10 minutes. As they had been told, which classroom to come to, for their potions class, they tabled Hermione’s news until later. As expected, they had to answer another questionnaire. This one was on ingredient preparation and potions.
Harry was happy to see, that he knew a little more than in History. Especially since they had started to look at the reasons behind the recipes and materials used. But they had just started! So, he had the impression, that he knew some first-year answers now. But quite some were marked with the ‘x’ and Hermione had told them, what that would mean, for the evaluation of the former teacher. But he knew some more stuff in the potions part, that he had actually learned in class.
They were finished by 1:45 at the latest, but then the ICW-doe gave two slips of parchment to Hermione and Neville, where their times for their first mind healing sessions were on. Today. Hermione’s actually was at 2! And Neville’s at 3, just when the Herbology class started!
So, the three decided to meet in ‘their’ classroom after herbology ended at 4:30 and Hermione was off.
Harry wondered when his first appointment was, but he was sure, it would be soon, so he went back, to researching stuff in the Library, with Neville and Dean.
As Dean was very interested in Hermione’s findings, being a ‘muggle-born’ himself, he asked to tack along, and was enthusiastically invited to, by Hermione, who had joined Herbology at 3:20. Still red eyed after her session.
In the classroom, Neville was waiting for them. He seemed to have had an easier time at the mind healers, but who knew?
Hermione then told them, that her dad actually was a Granger descending from a squib of the Dagworth-Granger line. Unfortunately, while there was an Estate and stuff, her dad could not inherit, because he was a squib and she could not, because she was a woman, and the Dagworth-Granger family magics accepted only boys. She scowled.
Luna – who had appeared as well, from somewhere, but no one questioned it anymore, even just knowing her for 5 days – said, “Oh, in my family, the family magics only accept the women. Like my mum was born a Lovegood and my dad took her name. And after her death,” Lune swallowed,” After that, he was made my Steward and the estate is managed by him. But there is no Lord Lovegood.”
“Oh, so this isn’t always the paternal line only?”
“No, most family magics accept both, like the Bones.”
“That is so fascinating! So, is the Estate in stasis? And could a son inherit if you had one?” Harry asked.
“Maybe. It depends on magic detecting no other possible heir in the future, they said! And he had to have the family name Granger at least, and be magical, obviously.”
“Wow! But how can magic know, that there will be a possible heir somewhere in the future?”
“It makes no sense, right? That’s what I asked, too!”
Luna looked confused, “Why doesn’t it make sense? Magic was, is, and will be, always, at once.”
“But wouldn’t everything be predetermined then, and free will be an illusion?”
“No! Magic shifts with every decision!”
“But how–”
Harry interrupted Hermione here and said, “And what family is your mum from?”
“Oh, that is sooo embarrassing. She is from the Goyle family.”
Harry snorted, he couldn’t stop himself, “Are you saying, that the smartest witch, of our generation and Gregory Goyle share genes?”
“Yes! Apparently, the Goyles were scholars once, known for their smarts, but tried to preserve that by marrying first cousins…”
“Wow, not very smart then!”
“Can you imagine Goyle as a scholar?”
“No way!”
The three boys shared unbelieving looks.
Harry took a deep breath and asked, “So you don’t inherit anything there as well?”
“I would if I changed my name to Goyle. Not everything, but all the books!”
“Hermione Goyle. Strange, it doesn’t sound too bad.”
“Oh, shut up, you!” Hermione huffed.
“Alright! Alright! So How many generations do your squib ancestors go back?” Harry asked.
“Oh, my dad is a fourth-generation squib and my mum twelfth. Can you imagine? The smartest Goyle, of that time, fell in love with a muggle and they had squib children. My mum descents from those.”
“Wow! He must have lived in the middle ages! Don’t tell me, his name was something like Garrick.”
“Oh no, but close, it was Garvey.”
She was met with wide eyes from Harry and Dean, “What?”
“Uh, nothing!” Said Dean.
“At least it was not Garfield.” Harry mused.
“Right you are!” Dean said grinning.
“Do you get it?” Hermione asked Luna and Neville, who shook their heads, just as confused.
“Don’t worry Hermione, it’s a joke of the schoolyard variety. Too idiotic for you!” Harry mollified Hermione.
“If you say so.”
“Will you tell Goyle? I mean, it is twelve generations ago. That should not count that much anymore.”
Luna looked confused again, “Why not?”
“Uh, because it is so long ago?”
“But not to magic!”
“So, you are saying, family magic does not care?”
“No, it really doesn’t!”
“Fascinating!”
Dean said, “You sound like Spock.”
After the muggle raised had explained ‘Spock’ to the other two unsuccessfully, they decided to go to the library and research the Dagworth-Grangers and the Goyles.
Harry thought they were onto something. If all muggle-born had magical ancestry on both sides and a wizard and a muggle would produce a squib, then that was huge! They probably needed more data. Hmm, but this scan, which went so far back was so expensive! Maybe he could talk Severus into joining him in donating some money, that only could be used for the in-depth inheritance tests for muggle-born and half-blood wizards and witches?
Because for example, if he was right, Seamus’ dad must be a squib as well!
Did the ICW know about this? And was this why the pure-bloods are so against intermarrying with muggles? The chances of accidentally marrying a squib must be rather low. Or were they? Maybe people knew once and forgot the reason they were against it and are now against muggle-born as well?
Hah! It would also mean, that Riddle’s dad had been a squib, too!
Harry scribbled all his thoughts and observations on a piece of parchment, while the others went through the library.
After dinner, the five met again, once more in the unused classroom to just hang out. Here Harry told them of his theory, that magical people needed at least two squib parents and one magical person, and one muggle would only ever produce squibs. And that he would ask Healer G, what he thought of it. Did the ICW know?
Dean was more and more interested to get an in-depth test and Harry told him, he would lend him the money, without interest. Hermione had the idea, that they could create a foundation, which would pay for the test, and, if the tested inherited more than say 500 galleons, they would have to pay it back and were asked to contribute as well.
“The goblins would love this,” Harry mused, “They would certainly go for it!”
“Let’s write a proposal! Would you know someone else who could pitch in?” Hermione asked.
“Well, yes! I will ask them.” Harry said.
“My parents might want to get into it as well,” Neville mused.
And so, they sat down and wrote a proposal, Harry would show Gerhard when they had a solid plan, to sound him out. Hermione warned him, that it would take her at least a week, to come up with something.
They then started to do their homework for the classes, they had actual teachers in. Later they speculated, when they would get new ones, and if Snape would come back. Harry remembered his task and asked, how much they thought Snape had changed, to have to take time off. Hadn’t MacG said, he had been influenced the most?”
Neville looked thoughtful of this and asked, “Do you think, he had to act as he did?”
“Yes, I think so. Nothing happened in Hogwarts, without Dumbledore’s approval, right?” Harry mused.
“Gosh, think, if you were forced, to be such an arse, to children, for so long!” Dean said, quite empathetic. “That would mess with someone’s head, all right!”
“I wish, I could meet him soon,” Neville said. “Maybe, some of my nightmares would stop. I mean, do you think Dumbledore really made him be so mean?”
“Yeah, I think he did. He made us all behave as he wanted us to, didn’t he?” Harry answered, cheering internally.
“I still wonder why he did that!” Hermione said.
Harry nodded, “Yeah, me too, I mean the lengths he went to control everything… It could not have been for the money, right? The power, I get, but to potion half a country? A little over the top, don’t you think?”
“Snowball,” said Luna.
“You think, it could be that easy? He did a little, and it worked, and he just didn’t stop?” Harry asked and Luna nodded.
“But why start, when everyone was hailing him the saviour after he defeated Grindelwald? People had him on a pedestal already,” Hermione said.
“Maybe he liked it up there and wanted to make sure he stayed?” Dean said.
“It would be interesting to see his scan results, wouldn’t it?” Luna mused.
“He might be a sociopath, I think,” Hermione stated to tell them the definitions of that psychological disorder and the rest nodded along. “But we probably should not diagnose people, not being Mind Healers.”
“Right! How were your sessions anyway? Not the details, but did you have good Mind Healers appointed to you? Harry asked Neville and Hermione.
“Yes, mine was great. Do you remember that bloke that sat with us? Healer Bones? That is mine,” Neville said. “I think, this will work well.”
“Mine, too. That lady, who sat next to Malfoy? Who looked like Sirius a bit? That is Doctor Black, and she is mine. She is amazing! And it will really work well, even if it is painful.”
“Good to know! Healer G told me, I will need Mind Healing as well. What about you, Dean and Luna? Uh, you don’t have to answer, if you don’t want to, obviously.”
“I have had two appointments already. With Healer Simmons. You all know her, right?” Luna smiled brightly at them. “Watching my mum die and being teased by the nargels made it necessary, apparently.”
They all blinked and nodded. Harry was slightly angry with the world and the monster, again,
Dean said quietly, “I have no great need for a Mind Healer. Pretty normal childhood and all. It was recommended for a couple of sessions, but not urgent at all. So, I will probably not have any appointments in the next months, or years. There seem to be those, who need it much more! And I think, I work through stuff better, by painting and drawing and stuff,” he added a little embarrassed.
“Yes! Your paintings and drawings are amazing! I wish I were as good as you!” Harry gushed and Dean relaxed, happy that his pictures had been seen and not been scoffed at.
Luna looked very interested and more or less pounced on Dean, liking to paint very much, as well.
The next day was not very special, but a few things did happen.
First of all, Harry’s open letter was in the Daily Prophet.
Harry Potter’s Mail Misdirected Since 1981!
By Rita Skeeter
I think, you all know someone, who wrote a letter to Harry Potter. It might have been some child you know, that coloured a picture for him, it might have been your mother, baking him a cake, or it might have been a Grandfather, leaving him something in his will.
And no one ever received a reply, a thank you, or even a note, that your letter or gift had been received. We all wondered about that. Was he too arrogant? Or had he decided, it was too much, and better not start answering, because he would have to answer all?
Well, yesterday we got the answer to those questions in an open letter to the public, signed by Harry Potter and verified by Gringotts:
‘Dear wizarding public,
I have to apologize to each and every one of you, who sent mail to me and never received any reply!
You see, all my mail had been misdirected away from me, by an owl-ward, that only let my Hogwarts letter through, nothing else, until I was eleven, and then only some selected few, like my friends from Hogwarts. Not even Gringotts letters were allowed!
After we were all scanned and cleansed at the beginning of this school year and I could think clearly again, the question came up, where was my mail?
As I had just found the Potter house-elves, I had someone, who could sense my property and they quickly found a mountain of mail, filling an unused classroom in Hogwarts, that was warded to the nines, according to my elves.
So much! I was very moved, thankful, and overwhelmed. But Gringotts offered their help – for a prize. They are now sorting through all the mail and will soon tell me what was sent.
As you can imagine, I cannot answer every letter by myself, I have to go to school, after all! But please know, that I will look at every picture, that was drawn for me and toy that was sent (I might donate most of them, I hope that is ok with you?), and read as many letters as I can! Unfortunately, the food, which was sent, has spoiled and had to be discarded. But I thank you for your work and the care, that it took you, to send it to me!
Once again, sorry and thank you all so much!
Yours, Harry Potter’
There you have it, dear readers! You were not forgotten or ignored. No! All your effort was not in vain. The recipient of all the mail is thankful and answered, as soon, as he actually found the mail! If the one, guilty of misdirecting all the mail, will be brought to justice, is unknown to us at the Daily Prophet, but we investigate further.
The Great Hall was abuzz with chatter, quite some were ducking their heads, remembering they painted a picture for the hero as well, but most shrugged and thought ‘so what, I was little’.
Harry pretended, that this article wasn’t about him, and he was quite successful, as the Prophet had printed a picture of him, snapped in Diagon Alley before his third year.
Harry was a little confused, that they could actually print it, but as the monster had given his permission, it probably still was legal, because the permission that they could write about him willy-nilly had not yet been withdrawn.
Anyway, it was in his interest, to distance himself from that image of The Boy Who Lived, so it was fine with him.
DADA, which had no teacher right now, was another questionnaire, and Harry could answer most and had about 50% ‘x’ses. Yay for Professor Lupin.
Afterward, at 10, Harry had his first appointment with a Mind Healer. He missed self-study in History, unfortunately. He wanted to read more on it!
His Mind Healer was an older woman, called Mrs. Mayfair, and she told him, her birthname was of no consequence, as she had been a Mayfair, since she was twenty-one, sixty years ago. Harry was amazed again, by the difference in aging. The woman didn’t look older than, say fifty. He wasn’t very firm, with guessing old people’s ages, but she didn’t look like eighty-one, that was for sure!
As she had lived in the muggle world, since she was ten, she was not in awe of Harry Potter, so that was great. And she was nice. He thought that he could work with her. She told him, that she was actually moving into Hogwarts, having left the muggle world for good and that he had two sessions the week, for 1 hour. They figured Wednesday at 10 and Friday at two were good.
They didn’t actually start with the Dursleys, as Mrs. Mayfair asked, what bothered him the most right now and Harry told her, that even though he had no acceptable guardians in the past, he had now Healer G, Sirius, Severus, and the Longbottoms!
Well, Sirius couldn’t right now, but he had offered the earliest and The Longbottoms were what his parents wanted him to go as well, and Severus was so nice, also, and he felt a connection to him, like to all the others and–” Thankfully Mrs. Mayfair stopped his increasingly fast talk, he was quite breathless.
His Healer asked him to close his eyes and breathe deeply and she would ask him a question when he was calm, and he had to answer immediately not think, just say, what was there.
Okay, he could do that. Breathing in and out, eyes closed. Trusting the woman quite a bit, she noted, and then she said: “Who is your Guardian, Harry?”
“Healer G.”
Harry’s eyes popped open, and he said, “Wow, this was simple.”
Mrs. Mayfair smiled at him and said, “It usually is. Now, it may change in time, and that is all right as well, yes? But, as you can have all the other people in your life as well, it should be possible.”
Harry was so relieved and said, “You know, it’s like Sirius stands for my dad, Severus for my mum, the Longbottoms for my parents, and Healer G is just for me. Strange, huh?”
“Not at all Harry. But please remember, as of now, I don’t know any of them, except maybe your Healer G, so it might be good, if you told me of the people, you count as the closest adults in your life?”
“Sure, I can do that!”
And so, Harry spent an enjoyable hour with his Mind Healer. She told him, it probably wouldn’t always be the case, but it wouldn’t always be tears, either.
After leaving Mrs. Mayfair’s new office, Harry went to the Healing Wing and found Healer G, just finishing up helping a student, who soon left cheerfully, and Harry went to Healer G and told him about his session and his amazing clear answer about his guardian.
It seemed to make Healer G happy, and he told Harry then, of his request, to stay in GB and possibly take the long-term Healers job at Hogwarts. What would Harry think of that?
“That would be great!” Cheered Harry beaming.
Healer G told Harry, that he would go with Neville tomorrow after lunch, and stay. They had to juggle their times around a bit in the Hospital wing, and on Saturday, Healer Sanchez would take him, as he wanted to meet the Longbottoms as well. But only if Harry was alright with that. He could come back Friday again and take Harry if he were uncomfortable with Healer G staying there without him.
Harry was a bit confused, “Why should I be uncomfortable?”
“Well, some kids would be. I didn’t think you would, but I wanted to give you the option to protest.”
“Huh, okay. No, I come with Healer Sanchez no problem.”
“very well. So, I am sorry to cut this short, but …”
“Oh, no problem! Bye, Healer G!”
“See you, Harry.”
They smiled at each other, and Harry bounded out of the Hospital Wing in search of food and friends. Not necessarily in that order.
If Hogwarts had been a cat, she would have been purring. In just two weeks, so much had happened. Her children were getting the help, they needed, the spider, which had infested her was gone and his influence cut irrevocably.
The education of her children was being put to rights and she was the sanctuary for the elves again, that Helga had intended her to be.
Even the rest of the magical World, where her former children lived, was being put to rights.
And the children were discovering the truth of their heritage again, that the spider and others had so successfully suppressed for centuries.
She still was in conference with the hat about a resorting, as the spider had heavily influenced that one as well, but they had not yet come to a satisfactory conclusion. Maybe a secondary house affliction? Hmm…
The End
Notes:
This concludes (the first part of?) this story. Hogwarts is happy again! Tom Riddle is freed (in a way), and Dumbledore neutralized, the house-elves can enter their sanctuary again and the education and health of the students are being addressed.
I am very aware, that the overall story is not done. But right now, after about 80.000 words, I need a break. I thought about writing an epilogue and tying all the open ends into a pretty little bow, but that would negate all possible future stories. And I have quite some ideas! Right now, I am actually writing a little follow-up, from Sirius’ perspective (more or less).This was once a one-shot, that got totally out of hand. I learned, not to pack too many storylines in one plot and my written English got a little better, I think. Even if I still have problems with simple things, like were/where and save/safe. And I learned that I actually like writing! But a beta would be great!
So, thank you all for your kudos and comments! It still astonishes me, that people actually enjoy my writing! 😊edited 20.9.22
Pages Navigation
Voldie (Guest) on Chapter 1 Tue 26 Jul 2022 12:43PM UTC
Comment Actions
Labgasod on Chapter 1 Tue 26 Jul 2022 01:12PM UTC
Last Edited Tue 26 Jul 2022 02:10PM UTC
Comment Actions
deadblackhearts on Chapter 1 Sat 30 Jul 2022 11:49AM UTC
Comment Actions
Labgasod on Chapter 1 Sat 30 Jul 2022 05:04PM UTC
Comment Actions
deadblackhearts on Chapter 1 Sat 30 Jul 2022 11:28AM UTC
Comment Actions
Labgasod on Chapter 1 Sat 30 Jul 2022 05:05PM UTC
Comment Actions
daithi4377 on Chapter 1 Fri 12 Aug 2022 08:51PM UTC
Comment Actions
Archennne on Chapter 1 Tue 24 Jun 2025 02:00AM UTC
Last Edited Tue 24 Jun 2025 02:01AM UTC
Comment Actions
Cindlee63 on Chapter 1 Wed 19 Oct 2022 11:34AM UTC
Comment Actions
KatWillow60 on Chapter 1 Mon 24 Oct 2022 03:52AM UTC
Comment Actions
Labgasod on Chapter 1 Mon 24 Oct 2022 09:58AM UTC
Comment Actions
Lifes_least_Fav0rite_Enby on Chapter 1 Tue 14 Feb 2023 06:06PM UTC
Comment Actions
Labgasod on Chapter 1 Tue 14 Feb 2023 06:13PM UTC
Comment Actions
DoreaBlack07 on Chapter 1 Fri 07 Apr 2023 08:44PM UTC
Comment Actions
SoLar_Crash on Chapter 1 Wed 31 May 2023 01:46AM UTC
Comment Actions
JannaFrancine on Chapter 1 Wed 19 Jul 2023 09:30PM UTC
Comment Actions
Labgasod on Chapter 1 Wed 19 Jul 2023 09:34PM UTC
Comment Actions
RyuRaven on Chapter 1 Sat 29 Jul 2023 02:52AM UTC
Comment Actions
squidwardeats on Chapter 1 Wed 02 Aug 2023 10:54PM UTC
Comment Actions
Labgasod on Chapter 1 Wed 02 Aug 2023 10:56PM UTC
Comment Actions
squidwardeats on Chapter 1 Wed 02 Aug 2023 11:07PM UTC
Comment Actions
Kinsfire (The_REAL_Kinsfire) on Chapter 1 Mon 11 Sep 2023 01:54AM UTC
Comment Actions
Labgasod on Chapter 1 Mon 11 Sep 2023 06:41AM UTC
Comment Actions
Kurama9t on Chapter 1 Tue 23 Jan 2024 01:41PM UTC
Comment Actions
kathleenmgs on Chapter 1 Mon 29 Jan 2024 11:24AM UTC
Last Edited Mon 29 Jan 2024 11:25AM UTC
Comment Actions
Labgasod on Chapter 1 Mon 29 Jan 2024 04:51PM UTC
Comment Actions
BabyCitrine on Chapter 1 Sun 03 Mar 2024 12:07AM UTC
Comment Actions
jilumasam on Chapter 1 Mon 11 Mar 2024 02:47AM UTC
Comment Actions
Labgasod on Chapter 1 Fri 15 Mar 2024 01:25PM UTC
Comment Actions
kdprovance on Chapter 1 Sat 06 Jul 2024 09:45PM UTC
Comment Actions
Labgasod on Chapter 1 Sat 06 Jul 2024 10:13PM UTC
Comment Actions
kdprovance on Chapter 1 Sat 06 Jul 2024 10:59PM UTC
Comment Actions
Labgasod on Chapter 1 Sun 07 Jul 2024 09:23AM UTC
Comment Actions
Kurama9t on Chapter 1 Mon 26 Aug 2024 08:49PM UTC
Comment Actions
eahoefer on Chapter 1 Sun 08 Sep 2024 10:02PM UTC
Comment Actions
Labgasod on Chapter 1 Mon 09 Sep 2024 09:10AM UTC
Comment Actions
Pages Navigation