Chapter 1: Chapter 1
Chapter Text
Chapter 1
Saturday 7 August 1993
Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Ministry of Magic, London
Amelia Bones was pissed. It had been over a week since Sirus Black had escaped Azkaban and the Spellbound community in Britain were screaming. She had barely left the ministry since the first panicked calls had come in from the small Auror guard force at the prison. Her niece Susan had been hurriedly packed off to her best friend Hannah’s house. Amelia was going to owe the Abbotts massively after this.
Today had been a day of meetings, each more annoying than the last. The last meeting though had made her angry. That vial woman Umbridge was suggesting to the minister that they station Dementors around Hogwarts. Amelia couldn’t believe that they were even thinking about it. The effect it would have on the children would be totally unacceptable. Morgana only knows what Dumbledore’s reaction was going to be.
She leant back in her chair going over what she knew, Sirius Black, a man she once thought she knew. A man she once considered a friend, with the possibility that there could be something more there. A man who had betrayed the man who was closer to him than a brother. A man who had then murdered 13 people in cold blood.
Every report she could find about Sirius’s time at Azkaban said he didn’t seem to be as badly affected by the Dementors as other prisoners. And Fudge’s own report that Sirius calmly asked for the newspaper so he could do the crossword confirmed that. Then the reports that he spent a week muttering about someone being at Hogwarts. The only conclusion that anyone could come up with was that he was talking about Harry Potter.
No one could explain how he got out of his cell. No one could explain how he got off the island. And there had been no sign of him since. Part of her was hoping he had drowned in the sea trying to swim back to the mainland. The other problem was no one had any idea where Harry Potter was. Well, no one except Dumbledore and all he would say was that Harry was safe. Amelia’s Instincts were screaming at her that she needed to put a guard on him and she couldn’t find him.
Harry Potter was an orphan as such he should have an extensive file in the Mage Child Services department. But all his file in MCS had in it was his name and date of birth and a note that for any other information to contact Albus Dumbledore. That was another thing Amelia Bones was pissed about. If she wasn’t so snowed under by Sirius Black, she would start investigating Dumbledore as she was sure he was up to something where Harry Potter was concerned.
Picking up her coffee cup and finding it empty she sighed and levered herself out of her chair making her way to the Auror break room. The Department of Magical Law Enforcement was quiet, and the quiet had nothing to do with the fact it was 9 p.m. on a Saturday. All leave had been cancelled, and everyone who could hold a wand was out patrolling the streets.
Entering the break room, she found two members of the accidental magic reversal squad getting ready to leave.
“Evening Michael, evening Sid”
“Evening Director” the senior man Michael said back. He had been with the DMLE for nearly 30 years and was one of her best. He had transferred to AMRS for a quieter run up to his retirement and he was enjoying it. Most of his work was going out and fixing the damage kids did when their magic accidentally sparked. It was easy but satisfying work. “How’s the hunt going?”
“Don’t ask. It’s like he’s dropped off the face of the earth. I’m now starting to wonder if he drowned after getting off that accursed island. Where are you off to?”
“Got an alert of a magical explosion somewhere in Surrey. There are no registered Mages in the area It’s probably some muggleborn kid having a tantrum and their magic let loose.”
Amelia winced “That’s always a fun conversation to have with the parents. I suppose you had better be off and I need coffee”
“Yep, I would wish you a good night but under the circumstances…”
Amelia snorted. “Yeah, I understand. Anyway, off with you.”
After getting her coffee, Amelia made her way back to her office and started again to try and make some progress on her paperwork. It had only been a couple of minutes before a Patronus came speeding into the office. It was shouting in Michael’s voice
“EMERGENCY CODE RED ONE. WE NEED EMERGENCY MEDICAL AND AURORS TO NUMBER 4 PRIVET DRIVE, LITTLE WHINGING, SURREY. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. DIRECTOR BONES YOU HAD BETTER GET HERE AS WELL. I REPEAT EMERGENCY MEDICAL AND AURORS TO NUMBER 4 PRIVET DRIVE, LITTLE WHINGING, SURREY.”
Amelia was already jumping up and grabbing her old auror robes from the back of the door as the Patronus faded. She ran out of her office joining the aurors who were on duty as a quick reaction force and headed for the apparition point. Normally it was impossible to apparate in and out of the ministry but the aurors had a specific point where the wards were withdrawn to allow quick response.
Apparating on the heels of the quick reaction squad, Amelia found herself in a suburban muggle street where all hell had broken loose. The house in front of her had had all its ground-floor windows blown out from the inside. A crack from her left announced the arrival of an emergency medical team from St. Mungo’s. As she watched she saw Sid directing them into the house. She started walking over to the house just to stop as one of the Aurors led out a very fat boy of about 12 or 13 followed by two more Aurors practically dragging a tall thin woman who looked a bit singed around the edges. She was screaming about freaks being in her house.
Walking over to Sid, he stood a bit straighter when he saw her approaching.
“Director, it’s bad. They wouldn’t let us in at first. Kept insisting it was nothing just a prank that had gone wrong. Then we felt something that I am having trouble explaining. It felt like someone’s magic was reaching out and begging for help. So, we forced our way past them and started searching the house. That’s when we found him. You should see for yourself. Upstairs, you can’t miss it.”
Amelia looked at him and entered the house. There were wards on this house she could feel them. They weren’t happy at the presence of so many people she could feel that as well. Why were there wards like that on a muggle house in suburban Surrey?
Walking up the stairs she immediately saw the door, a large woman in tweed who looked like she had been drinking was being restrained by 3 aurors on the landing. The door had a large number of locks on it and what looked like a hinged flap at the bottom. 15 years working in law enforcement screamed at Amelia that this room was a prison. Walking in she found a large man with a large moustache unconscious in the corner.
On the floor under the barred window among the splintered ruins of a desk was a boy. His left arm was definitely broken as were both of his legs. Based on the ragged breathing he had broken ribs and major internal injuries. Both his eyes were swollen shut and a broken pair of glasses were on the floor nearby along with several teeth. But what Amelia was focusing on through the gap between the healers trying desperately to save his life, was the lightning-shaped scar on his forehead.
Amelia Bones had found Harry Potter and she hoped to every God and Goddess everywhere that she wasn’t watching him bleed to death on the floor of a bedroom-turned-prison of a nondescript suburban house in Surrey.
At about the same time
Hogwarts School of Magecraft, Scotland.
Albus Dumbledore was worried. It had been over a week since Sirius Black had escaped from Azkaban. That irritatingly competent Bones woman was contacting him every day demanding answers. She wanted to put a guard around Harry Potter but there was no way he could let her know where he was. Fudge was panicking. His undersecretary had apparently started suggesting putting Dementors around the school grounds. Albus really didn’t want that but he was having trouble finding an argument that would stop it.
Barty Crouch had also tried sending him two letters. He was worried. They were two of the three signatures on the order sending Sirius Black to Azkaban without a trial. The third had gone for a quiet retirement in South America somewhere and was probably unreachable.
And Harry Potter. He wasn’t happy with the boy who had come back to the Spellbound World. He was small and timid. He was intelligent enough showing a proficiency in charms and transfiguration. But he had no curiosity about the castle. In fact, he seemed to hide. The whole Philosopher’s Stone debacle. Harry hadn’t gone exploring when he got the invisibility cloak. In fact, Dumbledore was fairly sure it was hidden in the bottom of his school trunk. He hadn’t found the Mirror of Erised and hadn’t gone exploring the third-floor corridor. In the end, Dumbledore had to go down there and kill poor Quirrell. Harry Potter was asleep in his dorm room.
Then the near disaster last year with the Chamber of Secrets. That wasn’t in his plans. He had known for 50 years what the monster in the chamber was. Of course, he had. It was obvious to anyone with half a brain it was a Basilisk down there. Then he had been removed from the school and then Harry had worked up some courage and gone to Minerva. All of them going down there and the Basilisk being killed wasn’t what he needed especially with both Harry and Ginevra Weasley nearly being killed. He still wasn’t sure what long-term damage he had done to the wards when he used them to stop the reporting of the petrifications. He knew some of the information had leaked out by Fudge and Malfoy turning up and arresting Hagrid and Kicking him out of the school.
He wasn’t happy with Harry’s choice of subjects either. He wanted him to be only moderately intelligent. Good enough to cast a few spells and scrape his exams. But no, he was up there vying for the top in his year. He had tried to get him just to take Care and Divination but no he had to take care AND runes AND arithmancy.
He had felt a small twinge of guilt when Poppy had come to him with the boy’s medical report just after he started. The signs of abuse were obvious. But he had known that was a possibility and had factored it into his plans. Having to obliviate Poppy hadn’t made him happy but sending her away with a forged medical report and a false memory saying Harry was perfectly healthy was all for the greater good
And his friends. Ronald Weasley, he was initially happy about. A subpar student who would force Harry to be Subpar. But the opposite was happening. Ronald's grades were actually improving. He had gone from being near the bottom of his year after the first year to squarely in the top half in the second. Neville Longbottom. The idiot boy was barely better than a squib but he was a pureblood and unlike the Weasleys, the Longbottom’s weren’t blood traitors. He could tell him things. Things Albus didn’t want Harry to know.
And then there was the Fucking Mudblood. Hermione Granger. Not only was she brilliant but she and Harry seemed to feed off each other improving each other’s work every time they talked. He had been so happy when she was petrified. Maybe Harry would move on without her. But then Albus found out Harry was spending every spare moment he could sitting at her bedside reading to her. She was the major chink in his plan. Well, they all were really.
All he had wanted was a downtrodden, unintelligent boy with as few friends and attachments as possible, who would do whatever Dumbledore said. Including walking to his death at the hands of Tom. But instead, what he got was a nice, quiet, polite boy whom all the teachers who weren’t named Severus Snape loved.
Dumbledore's vision of himself crying over the broken body of the Boy who Died, after killing Tom with sobbing crowds and flashbulbs going off all around him, was fading and he wasn’t sure how to get it back on track yet. And Sirius Black being out further complicated things. He needed to keep him away from Harry at all costs. His plans depended on it. It all was for the greater good after all.
Just then Albus realised something was different. One of the many silver objects on the table in his office had stopped. For nearly 12 years that device had produced a small puff of red smoke every few seconds. It had now stopped completely. That could only mean one thing that something had happened and Harry no longer considered 4 Privet Drive home. He was just getting to his feet when 3 more of his devices went off. Someone magical was tripping the wards at Privet Drive. Then another device went off, someone was now actively probing the wards at Privet Drive.
Striding to his Fireplace he Flooed to Arabella Figg's house. A quick stunner and memory modification erased the memory of him being there. Hurrying out the house he cast a quick Disillusionment spell and hurried round the corner to Privet Drive. There he stopped in his tracks. Spread out in front of him were 2 dozen Aurors. They were going door to door obliviating all the neighbours and putting them to sleep. 4 more were standing in front of a wrecked Number 4 with their wands out probing the wards. Petunia Dursley was being restrained in the middle of the road screaming about freaks. With the Fat lump that was her son sitting nearby seemingly terrified.
As he watched 5 Aurors wrestled an extremely large woman out of the house followed closely behind by an unconscious Vernon Dursley being levitated out. He knew something major had gone on here tonight and every auror here was on high alert. Albus was just about to turn and get far enough away to apparate when there was a bang. The St Mungo’s emergency ambulance appeared in the middle of the road and screeched to a halt. Similar to the knight bus, it was used when the patient was too sick or injured for apparition or portkeys.
As he watched two Medimages jumped out of the Ambulance and opened the back as a stretcher was very carefully levitated out the front door. It was surrounded by emergency Medimages obviously trying to keep someone alive. Albus couldn’t see who it was from here but he knew. He just knew. The fucking Dursleys had finally snapped and tried to kill Harry Potter. As he watched the stretcher being loaded onto the ambulance his gaze was attracted to a movement in an upstairs window of the house. A window with bars over it. A window in which stood the unmistakable figure of Amelia Bones.
“Fuck” muttered Albus Dumbledore under his breath. He was in serious trouble and he knew it. His plans had all gone up in smoke. At that precise moment, he had no idea what he was going to do. He had to get out of there, he hurried back to Arabella Figg’s where she was still sleeping and flooed back to his office. He threw himself down into his chair and just stared at nothing. For the first time in a long time, he didn’t know what to do.
If he had been paying more attention to his surroundings, he would have noticed the big black dog hiding in the shadows watching everything. He would have noticed how every muscle in the dog’s body was straining not to obey its owners’ instincts to run over to the broken body on the stretcher. And he would have noticed the sniffing sensitive nose that had picked up the distinctive smell of Albus Dumbledore who although he couldn’t be seen could still be smelt and heard by those with sensitive enough senses.
Albus Dumbledore would have realised he was in even greater trouble than he knew. Sirius Black was pissed.
Chapter 2: Chapter 2
Notes:
the next chapter in my little side project. The shit hit the fan early in this story. and even i only have the vaguest idea about where its going to end up.
Chapter Text
Chapter 2
Saturday 7 August 1993
Hogwarts School of Magecraft, Scotland.
Minerva McGonagall was fed up. It was gone 10 on a Saturday night during the school holidays and she was still sitting in her office doing paperwork. And to make matters worse she was fairly certain that the paperwork she was doing was supposed to be being done by the headmaster. She had realised years ago that Dumbledore was passing off his paperwork to her because of his other responsibilities and she hadn’t minded taking on one or two things at first. But now it seemed like she was doing most of his job.
She leant back in her chair and thought for what was probably the 1 millionth time why do I do this to myself? Why don’t I pick it up and just dump it on Albus’s desk and be done with it? But she didn’t because she knew that in the long run that would harm the children. And that’s the real reason she was here so late on a Saturday night during the school holidays. She was 56 years old, widowed with no children of her own. These children were going to be her legacy. Them and all the children that had come before and all that would come in the future. She had been teaching here for 35 years and she would be damned if she watched this school collapse due to the inactivity of its current headmaster.
Once upon a time, she had looked up to Albus Dumbledore as her teacher and mentor. She had been his apprentice when she was getting her mastery in transfiguration and had taken over from him as transfiguration professor when he had become headmaster. But over the last 20 years or so she had become less and less happy with some of his decisions. Now she stayed because of the children, especially her lions. She didn’t play favourites among the houses like Severus, but all her lions were special to her.
Minerva had just decided that that was enough paperwork for tonight and now was the time to sit down with a glass of Whisky and the latest edition of Transfiguration Today when a Patronus came bursting into her office. Mineva was even more shocked when it began speaking in the voice of her old friend Amelia Bones
“Mineva this is an emergency, get hold of Poppy Pomfrey and Albus Dumbledore and all three of you get to St. Mungo’s as fast as you can. I’ll explain more later.”
Mineva sat there staring at the spot where the Patronus had disappeared for several seconds before she started to move. Sweeping down the deserted corridor she covered the short distance to the headmaster’s office in just a couple of minutes. Giving the password and entering his office she found it deserted. It bore all the hallmarks of someone leaving in a hurry with drawers and cupboards half open and half-finished work sitting on the desk. There was a half-drunk lukewarm cup of tea on the desk and absolutely no sign of Albus Dumbledore.
“God damn you, Albus, what have you done!” looking at the portraits that had awoken at her outburst she asked them “Where is Dumbledore?”
The portraits all looked at each other before the portrait of Armando Dippet spoke. “I’m afraid we don’t know Minerva. Something happened earlier tonight and he flooed out of here he was gone for about half an hour before he came back. He sat, doing nothing for about ten minutes before ordering us all to sleep. Next thing we know you’re here and he’s not.”
“GOD DAMN YOU, ALBUS!!!”
And with that Minerva McGonagall swept out of the room and headed to the hospital wing.
She found Poppy Pomfrey in her private quarters next to the infirmary reading a book.
“Poppy! Sorry to interrupt your evening but I’ve just got a message from Amelia Bones for the two of us and Albus to meet her at St. Mungo’s immediately.”
Poppy put down her book and stood up immediately. Moving towards her public office she said “Who’s hurt and where’s Albus?”
“I don’t know who’s hurt and Albus is nowhere to be found.”
Poppy turned and looked at her friend. They had been in the same year as each other and despite Minerva being in Gryffindor and Poppy being in Slytherin they had always been good friends. That’s why Poppy was one of the few people who knew about Minerva’s growing frustrations with Dumbledore.
“Ok then, if this is an emergency we had better get to St Mungo’s and let them worry about Dumbledore. We can use my fireplace.”
Poppy marched up to the fireplace, grabbed a pot of floo powder from the mantle and held it out to Minerva. Within seconds both witches were dusting themselves off in the reception area of St Mungo’s. there was a discrete cough to their left and they both turned to look up into the face of Kingsley Shacklebolt.
St Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, London, England
Amelia Bones was exhausted. She had been running on too little sleep for too long now and tonight was the final straw. She knew she was going to have to find somewhere where she could take a dreamless sleep potion and sleep for 8 hours soon. But right now, she has bigger problems. She had left Auror Proudfoot behind in Surrey to continue examining the wards and supervising the clean-up team. By morning there would be no sign that anything had happened. The Dursleys had all be transferred to a secured ward here at St Mungo’s for assessment before being transferred to the cells at Auror Headquarters. And Harry Potter was in the next room undergoing emergency surgery.
The corridor had been secured at all points to make sure no unauthorised people could get anywhere near the boy so the movement at one end of the corridor caught her eye. Turning to look she saw Kingsley escorting her friend Minerva McGonagall and the Hogwarts matron Poppy Pomfrey towards her. Amelia frowned. Where was Dumbledore?
“Minerva where is Dumbledore? I told you to bring him as well!”
Minerva’s eyes narrowed. She had rarely seen her friend like this. She was obviously tired stressed and angry. Not a good combination.
“I don’t know Amelia, according to the portraits he left the castle at about 9 came back about half an hour later and then ordered the portraits to sleep. By the time I went looking for him, he was long gone and he went in a hurry. His office looks like a Niffler has been through it.”
Amelia just stood there staring at her. She turned to Kingsley. “9 PM?”
Kingsley stood there for a moment before nodding “The timing fits. We tripped a ward and that alerted him and he came to see what happened. He must have been there. He saw”
Minerva was watching the conversation trying to figure out what they were talking about. In the end, she just asked.
“What are you talking about?”
Amelia sighed. “At about 9 pm the AMRS got an alert to underage magic in a muggle area of Surrey. They sent 2 men, thinking it was some kid having a tantrum and using accidental magic. We get about 1 of those every two weeks. When they got there, they found a grown man in the process of beating a 13-year-old Hogwarts student to death.”
Poppy had turned white and was holding her hand up to her mouth. Minerva had turned grey. A 13-year-old living with muggles in Surrey. No. it couldn’t be. Albus had sworn to her he was safe.
Minerva barely recognised her own voice as she asked “Which student?”
Amelia didn’t answer she just opened the door to the observation room next to the emergency suite and gestured them in. Minerva stared through the window at the broken body of the small boy being worked on by half a dozen healers. The blood, the bruising and the scaring were obvious now. She couldn’t help it; her hand flew to her mouth and she ran out of the room to find the nearest bathroom and throw up.
Amelia watched her old friend run from the room, a twinge of guilt that she had had to show her this. But she pushed it aside and turned to Poppy.
“Madam Pomfrey, the healers are telling us that Heir Potter's condition is critical. He has years’ worth of scaring on his body both from implements and burns. He is severely malnourished and has problems with his bone density. He has several badly healed bone breaks and several curses, Hex’s and potions in his system. This boy has spent the majority of the last two years at Hogwarts under your medical care. How have you not seen this?”
Poppy just stood there staring, there was a disconnect going on in her brain. Her eyes were telling her that Harry Potter was gravely injured in front of her but her brain was telling her he was perfectly fine and healthy. The two parts were warring with each other and she found she couldn’t move.
“Madam Pomfrey?” Amelia said. She walked in front of the Matron and saw the blankness on her face. Then Poppy Pomfrey’s eyes rolled back into her skull and she collapsed and started seizing. Amelia held her down as best she could whilst Kingsley ran to get a healer. Something was very wrong with the Hogwarts Matron and Amelia couldn’t help but think that it was connected to Harry Potter and Dumbledore.
Later that night
Mineva McGonagall sat in a private waiting room with her head in her hands. Where had it all gone wrong? The initial surgeries had been a success. Harry Potter wasn’t in any more immediate danger. He was being kept unconscious for now while his body recovered. At some point in the next few days, the healers were going to have to start vanishing and regrowing the bones that had been broken. Her friend Poppy Pomfrey was in a ward being assessed. Preliminary results showed extensive memory modification. The mind healers treating her had told Minerva that her reaction was a known side effect when a modified memory came face to face with reality.
The only conclusion Minerva could come up with was Albus. He must have done this. He knew as soon as he saw the Aurors taking Harry Potter from that house that his plans were going to fall apart around him. That’s why he had run. Not just because of what happened to poor Harry. Because he knew all his other schemes were going to unravel around him. She was interrupted from the darkness of her thoughts by the door opening. Amelia walked in with another woman in healer’s robes. A woman whom Minerva instantly recognised.
“Hello, Andromeda.”
“Minerva” Andromeda Tonks replied curtly. Minerva winced internally. She had always got on fairly well with the dark-haired potions mistress and healer.
Andromeda and Amelia sat down and Amelia began speaking.
“There are some things you need to know Minerva. An arrest warrant was issued an hour ago for Albus Dumbledore”
Minerva didn’t hide her wince this time. “What are the charges?”
“Child neglect, conspiracy to commit child abuse, unlawful erection of wards on a muggle property. Obliviation of a medical professional and application of magic on a minor. And that’s just the start.”
Minerva was crying now “I’m guessing Poppy picked up on the scars and the malnutrition during her intake physical 2 years ago. And she would have taken the results to Dumbledore. Who promptly obliviated her and sent her back with an all-clear written in the file. Am I correct?”
Andromeda answered this time “All the spell work in Healer Pomfrey’s mind has Albus Dumbledore's signature. Now the question is what did you know?”
Minerva looked at the younger woman confused. “Excuse me, Andromeda, whilst I respect you as a potions mistress and a healer, why is this any of your business?”
Amelia answered that one. “Also, an hour ago, Andromeda and Edward Tonks were appointed as emergency legal guardians of Henry James Potter, Heir Potter, as his closest living relatives who aren’t those muggles who did this to him, Sirius Black or … well….”
“Bellatrix” Andromeda completed the sentence with a cold flatness to her voice. “Now what do you know?”
Minerva nodded her understanding, took a deep breath and told them everything she knew about Halloween 1981.
“Dumbledore told me to send anyone who asked about Harry, to him. So that’s what I did. He also told me not to go looking for him myself as he had placed all sorts of wards up around him to keep Mages away. I kept asking Dumbledore about him but every time I did, I just got a standard ‘Harry is fine’ answer from him. I wrote Harry’s Hogwarts letter like I do every child but didn’t have an address for him so I went to Dumbledore he just took the letter from me and said he would deal with it. I was surprised when I heard he had sent Hagrid to take Harry to Diagon Alley, I was worried when I saw him for the first time. He was by far the smallest boy there and most of the girls were taller than him as well. So, I went to Poppy who told me that he was fine and healthy and that some children are just small. I never believed that this could have happened to him.”
“Did anyone ever approach you about Harry?” asked Amelia
“Yes, I got a letter from Alice Longbottom the day before…. Well, I was never able to follow up on that and then I’ve had conversations with Andromeda here, Remus Lupin and Mary MacDonald. I did what Dumbledore said to do and sent them to him.”
“So as far as you were aware Harry was happy and healthy and being looked after? Did you see no signs of abuse at school the last two years?”
“Not any more than any other child. Harry is a very talented Mage. Extremely intelligent but shy and quiet. You get him talking on the right topic and he comes out of his shell but other than that he can be fairly monosyllabic.”
Amelia stifled a yawn “Excuse me. OK, who do we talk to? Who are his friends?”
“Oh, that’s easy, Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom” replied Minerva straight away.
“Weasley? Arthur and Molly's son?” Minerva nodded “They're in Egypt, I’ll try and get a message to them. Neville Longbottom is Heir Longbottom; I’ll talk to Augusta in the morning. Who’s Hermione Granger?”
“Hermione Granger is a muggleborn girl who is constantly fighting it out with Harry to be top of the class. They feed off each other and make each other better. In a lot of cases that would mean they didn’t like each other. In this case, they are very close.”
Amelia was scribbling notes in a muggle notebook. “Muggleborn, can you get me her address?”
“Of course, I’ll have it to you by morning. I think she said she was going away to France though. Neville will be able to tell you.”
Amelia nodded “OK I’ll check her address and speak to Heir Longbottom in the morning. Andromeda, what’s going to be happening with Harry in the next 24 hours?”
Andromeda sighed “Not much, his internal injuries have been repaired as much as possible. His spleen and one of his kidneys had to be removed. There was just too much damage. we will assess whether they can be regrown at a later date. They are keeping him under observation feeding him all sorts of potions and nutrients right now. He won’t be waking up for at least a week.”
“Ok I want a press blackout, if possible, but all three of us know that’s not going to happen. Minerva, I’m convinced you had nothing to do with Dumbledore's plans. And as it is he has been removed from his position as headmaster due to the fact we are charging him with child abuse and neglect. I guess that makes you acting head until things can be sorted out. Go back and brief your teachers. This is going to get messy. Especially when Augusta Longbottom finds out in the morning. Albus will be removed as Chief Mage by the middle of the week knowing her and I don’t see the ICM keeping him on with these charges.”
The other two women in the room nodded their understanding. They got up and left in silence, what more was there to say? Due to his actions, the so-called greatest Sorcerer in the world had allowed a 13-year-old boy to be assaulted abused and nearly killed for 12 years.
None of them had noticed the green beetle hiding under an old sofa. Rita Skeeter knew that she had the story of the century and she wasn’t even going to have to make any of it up. The truth was better than anything she could come up with. She was just going to have to be careful. She couldn’t just publish everything she had just heard. She was going to have to be smart about this. Journalistic instincts that she had neglected for years in favour of getting a story were kicking in. The arrest warrant and the change of guardianship would be public records. They may have tried to bury them but they were public record and if Rita could get her hands on those, she had the perfect starting point.” Rita Skeeter was happy.
Chapter 3: Chapter 3
Chapter Text
Chapter 3
Sunday 8 August 1993
Longbottom Hall, West Yorkshire, England
Neville Longbottom was bored. He had been back from school for over a month now and he missed his friends. Part of him was amazed that he actually had friends. Harry, Ron and Hermione were really his friends. The problem was he hadn’t seen any of them in a month. Ron’s father had won 1000 Galleons and taken the family off to Egypt. Hermione was in France with her parents and Harry. Well, he didn’t like to think where Harry was.
And here was Neville stuck at home with his grandmother. It was breakfast time and they were sat at the table. His grandmother was reading the Sunday Prophet and muttering about the ministry being incompetent, whilst he reread Herbology Monthly for at least the fourth time. Just then a house elf popped in.
“Excuse me Mistress, but yous have a visitor.”
Augusta Longbottom looked up from her paper. “A visitor, at this time on a Sunday? Who is it, Hoppy?”
“It’s a Lady Bones, Mistress. She says it’s urgent.”
Augusta Longbottom was nearly 80 years old and had seen a lot in her time, so not a lot could surprise her. Amelia Bones turning up unannounced on her doorstep at this time on a Sunday morning most definitely surprised her.
“Show her in please, Hoppy.”
The elf bowed and disappeared, reappearing moments later to show a very tired and haggard Amelia Bones into the dining room. Augusta jumped to her feet.
“Amelia, dear you look awful. Come sit down. Can we get you something to drink?”
“Coffee, please. Black.” It almost instantly appeared on the table in front of her.
“Amelia, this is my Grandson Neville. Let him leave the room and we can talk.”
Neville was just getting up to go when Amelia spoke again. “Actually Augusta. It’s Neville I need to speak to.”
“m. m. me?” stuttered Neville
“Yes, don’t worry you haven’t done anything wrong and it would be best if your grandmother stayed as well.”
Both Neville and Augusta sat down facing Amelia with confused looks on their faces.
Amelia took a long drink of her coffee and sighed. “Last night at about 9 pm we got an alert about some accidental magic in Surrey. A couple of my guys from the AMRS went out thinking it was a kid having a tantrum about not wanting to go to bed. Happens a couple of times a month.”
Augusta nodded her understanding but Neville had frozen the second she said, Surrey.
“Anyway” continued Amelia “when they got there, they found Harry Potter being nearly beaten to death by his uncle.”
Augusta’s hand had shot up to her mouth. It was Neville’s reaction that got Amelia's attention
“They actually did it this time” Neville whispered. Augusta’s head whipped around to stare at her grandson.
Amelia broke the ensuing silence “Neville, I need you to tell me what you know. You aren’t in any trouble I promise you but I need to know.”
Neville stared at her for several seconds “Is Harry dead?”
“No, he’s very badly hurt but St. Mungo’s have got him stabilised. He’s going to be there for a long time while they heal all the physical damage. The emotional and mental damage is going to take even longer.”
Neville let out a sob and buried his head in his hands. His grandmother rushed to his side. He was like that for several minutes before he looked up. “What do you need to know?” his eyes were full of tears but there was a hint of steel in his voice.
“What can you tell me?”
“We knew Harry was small, that’s obvious and he’s scared of everything. And I mean everything, I’ve actually seen him jump at his own shadow. It wasn’t until past easter in the first year that Ron first caught a glimpse of the scars. Harry covered them up and refused to talk about them. Every time we tried, he made an excuse and disappeared. We would be lucky if we saw him again that day. In the end, we stopped asking him and Me, Ron and Hermione sat down and talked about them. Between us, we think we managed to piece things together. His aunt and uncle were abusing him. Starving him. Hermione had heard about this thing called Stockholm syndrome. Have you heard of it?”
Amelia nodded “I’m familiar with it, it’s when a hostage starts to relate to their captors. The most famous muggle case is a wealthy Heiress who was kidnapped and eventually performed a few crimes with her kidnappers.”
Neville nodded “That’s what Hermione told us, except it doesn’t quite fit. We think that Harry has been abused for so long he thinks he deserves it. Anyway, at the end of the first year, we managed to persuade him to go to Dumbledore and ask if he could come back with one of us for the summer instead of the Dursleys. Dumbledore flat-out refused. I don’t know what he said to Harry. All Harry would say was Dumbledore said no.”
Augusta made a noise suspiciously like a growl “Why didn’t you tell me any of this?”
“We decided to try telling Mrs Weasley first. Ron told her as soon as we got home. She didn’t believe him. According to Ron, her exact words were ‘Don’t be so stupid Ronald. Dumbledore would never put Harry somewhere that could happen to him’ After that we decided we were on our own. We did everything we could to help him. That’s why Hedwig came home with me. Harry said last summer his uncle made him keep her locked up all summer. He’s let a few things slip this past year. We were all scared for him.”
“Who’s Hedwig?” Amelia asked
“Harry’s owl. Beautiful animal. She’s in our owlery”
Amelia sat back in her chair thinking for several moments “Harry is showing signs of having taken Nutrient potions at infrequent intervals”
Neville nodded “That was Hermione, she found the recipe and has been brewing it and lacing his drinks with it when she could.”
“I think I really need to speak to this Hermione. I’ve been to her house this morning but they are not there.”
“They are in France. I’ve exchanged a few letters with her. We can send Hedwig. She will find her faster than any other owl would. You really should speak to her. She’s got everything we know and everything we have tried to do written down.”
Amelia thought again for several seconds “OK we will write to her. I need her back here as soon as possible.”
Augusta spoke up then. “What’s happening to Heir Potter? Who’s looking after his interests?”
“There was an emergency hearing last night. His nearest Spellbound relative was given emergency guardianship.”
“Who’s his nearest Spellbound relative?” Augusta was obviously running family trees in her head.
“Andromeda Tonks,” Amelia replied.
Augusta stopped dead before she nodded.” Yes, I see the connection now. She’s a healer and her husband is a lawyer. They should be able to cope with everything that is about to come down. What about Dumbledore? It sounds like he’s up to his arse in this.”
Amelia gave a humourless laugh. “Oh, you don’t know the half of it, Augusta. An arrest warrant was issued last night for Albus Dumbledore but it appears he’s, as the muggles say, done a runner.”
Augusta sat bolt upright. “You mean he’s gone?”
“Yep, before we could even question him. We have suspicions that something tipped him off that something had happened and he was there to see us pull Harry out of that house. He was gone by 10 last night and we can’t find him. The Goblins have agreed to freeze his account and Minerva McGonagall has been made acting headmistress.”
“You removed him from his post as headmaster? What are you charging him with?” Augusta was incredulous
“Child neglect, conspiracy to commit child abuse, unlawful erection of wards on a muggle property. Obliviation of a medical professional and application of magic on a minor.”
“Obliviation of a medical professional? Whos’ he obliviated?”
“Poppy Pomfrey, we bought her to St. Mungo’s last night along with Minerva. Her mind just shut down when she saw Harry. She’s got signs of multiple oblivations and memory modification all through her brain. All have Dumbledore's signature on them.”
“That rat bastard” breathed Augusta. “Is she going to be, okay?”
“The Healers think so. We will know more in a few days.”
Augusta sat back thinking hard as Amelia turned to Neville. “I know you tried to speak to Molly Weasley about Harry, and believe me I’ll be having words with her as well as soon as I see her. But why didn’t you go to your grandmother or a teacher?”
Neville looked embarrassed “We didn’t think anyone would believe us so we decided to gather evidence. The plan was to see how Harry was when we got back to school in September and then approach Susan to get in touch with you.”
Both Amelia and Augusta looked at Neville in shock at his words. Augusta broke the silence “Neville, I know I can be hard on you but you need to know that you can come to me with anything and I promise to hear you out.”
Neville was surprised at the tone of his grandmother. “I’ll remember Gran.” He said in a quiet voice.
Augusta cleared her throat. “Right Amelia, as a member of both the Wizengamot and the school board I’ll be calling emergency meetings of both as soon as they can be arranged. I would appreciate your help with the Wizengamot. We need to get Dumbledore permanently removed from his positions and give Minerva as much support as we can.”
“I’ll back you, Augusta. Just tell me what you need me to do. One thing we need to sort out. Before last night, what with Sirius Black and everything I’ve been trying to find and protect Harry. But Dumbledore had him hidden and all records sealed. I need them released. Especially the last will and testament of James and Lily Potter.”
Augusta looked at her quizzically. “It was never read?”
“As far as I can tell no. A few discreet enquiries at Gringotts also say no. In fact, I think the Potter’s account manager is angry that Harry has never replied to any of his letters.”
Neville looked up at that “Harry hardly ever gets post. I can probably count the number of letters he’s gotten over the last 2 years on both hands.”
Both adults looked at him “He’s the boy who lived. He should be drowning in fan mail at the very least. I know Susan wrote him letters in the past.” said Amelia.
Augusta got it first “That bastard has a mail ward on Harry. That’s why he’s not getting any post.”
Amelia looked like she wanted to spit. “Your right it’s the only explanation. Alright, something else for the healers to look into. Right, Neville let's go write that letter and get Miss Granger back here.”
Neville stood up. “I want to go see Harry.”
Amelia shook her head. “Not today, the healers are still working on stabilising him. You can come tomorrow morning and see him.”
Neville had a mildly rebellious look on his face but eventually agreed. He and Amelia went out to the owlery to send a letter to Hermione. While Augusta started furiously scribbling letters and notes.
That afternoon
St Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, London, England
Rita Skeeter was tired. She had been up all night looking for any evidence of what was going on. Knowing what she was looking for made finding the information much easier. She had the arrest warrant for Dumbledore listing the charges and the emergency order granting custody of Harry Potter to Andromeda and Edward Tonks.
What she needed now were details on Harry’s medical condition. That’s why she found herself back in her Animaga form crawling through an air vent at St. Mungo’s. She had been in here for nearly 2 hours and so far, had had no luck. She was just thinking about giving up when she came to a vent and heard voices.
Below her was a room much like the one she had hidden in the night before and in it were Andromeda Tonks, Amelia Bones and a man Rita didn’t recognise. Andromeda was talking
“As well as the physical injuries we have found a substantial block on Harry’s magical core, all sorts of potions and spells with Dumbledore’s signature on them. Although, the potions are so well made you may want to have words with Severus Snape about them.”
“Oh, I will be don’t you worry about that.” Said Amelia “If half of what I’ve heard, about how he has been treating Harry is true, I will be having several words. Can you get me a list of the potions in his system?”
“Yes, I’ll get you that straight away. Then there are the other spells and potions on him. The evidence of a nutrient potion, a rather inexpertly applied chastity charm and a few other protection charms. The signature is unfamiliar but I think they were applied by kids.”
Amelia sighed “His friends, they have been trying to protect him, I’m going to hazard a guess that the signature on the charms will belong to a girl called Hermione Granger. She’s one of his best friends and is constantly fighting for first in their year with him. She’s in France with her parents I’m getting her back here as fast as I can.”
Andromeda nodded “The fact that she, at 12 years old, was so worried she tried to put a chastity charm on him is the scariest thing there.”
All three people in the room nodded with grim faces. Rita was ecstatic Harry Potter’s friends were so concerned for him and his safety they tried to put a chastity charm on him. That would make a great revelation for her story.
Andromeda was still talking, “We have purged the potions and are slowly removing the spells from him. We are going to leave the block on his core for now as releasing that amount of energy in his current condition is dangerous. We did indeed find the mail ward on him. We have no idea where the post has been going but we have coopted it and redirected the mail to my husband’s law firm. They will receive and sort the mail and forward anything on. And then we come to the leach, and the reason Cursebreaker Grimes is here.”
Hearing his name Rita immediately knew who the man was. Richard Grimes was one of the best cursebreakers in Britain. Among those who knew it was said that if Grimes couldn’t break a curse, no one could.
Grimes was speaking now “I’ve had a good look at the mass of dark energy in Heir Potter’s scar. It does indeed bear the signature of He-who-must-not-be-named. Best guess it was left there when he attacked the Potters 12 years ago. It’s been using Heir Potter’s own magical core to sustain itself.”
Amelia spoke up “Do you know what it is yet?”
“I have a few ideas but I need to do some more examinations and research first. I am fairly sure I can remove it now, but given a couple more days I should be able to improve my chances. One thing to remember, every one of my theories right now isn’t dark magic. It’s Black magic. These things have been banned for centuries, Millennia in one case. I have no idea what HE was playing with but this is Black magic at it’s worst.”
Even Rita shuddered at that. Dark magic was bad enough, but even some so-called dark spells had their uses. Black magic was used for one thing and one thing only. To cause harm. She shouldn’t have been surprised that HE was dabbling in black magic but part of her still was. Realising she had heard everything she was going to hear she began to retrace her path. She had to get back to her office. She had the story of the century to write.
At about the same time
Hogwarts School of Magecraft, Scotland.
Minerva McGonagall was exhausted. She had been up most of the night and had just informed all of the staff about what had happened. Fillius Flitwick was staring at the wall like he wanted to kill someone, Pomona Sprout was sobbing in the corner with Aurora Sinistra, and Severus Snape hadn’t moved since she told them Dumbledore had run. Her next stop was to tell Hagrid and that was a conversation that was going to be horrific.
She cleared her throat, “From what I’m hearing Dumbledore won’t be back. I’ve already heard from Augusta Longbottom. She’s calling an emergency meeting of the school board to see to his permanent removal.” At that statement, Snape abruptly stood up and left the room. Everyone watched him go but no one followed. “We are less than a month before term starts. Thankfully, we have suitable replacements for DADA and Care already lined up. I’m going to have to find help for transfiguration but I have a few ideas there. Fillius” The half-goblin looked up “I’m appointing you as deputy head. I’ll be making more changes to the staffing arrangements during the school year.”
“I’ve got a letter from the Goblins. Apparently, they need to speak with me. I get the feeling Dumbledore has been ducking them. Which after everything else that’s happened in the last day wouldn’t surprise me. This has yet to hit the press but we all know that’s not going to last so be prepared. Ok, that’s it. Fillius could you join me in my office please.”
The two left their colleagues in the staff room and made their way to the staircase leading up to the head’s office. Walking in, Minerva took one look at the large chair behind the desk and made her way to the small conversational nook to one side.
“Minerva...” Flitwick started before McGonagall raised her hand to stop him.
“I know Fillius. I know. This is going to be bad. From what Amelia Bones is telling me it’s only likely to get worse. I mean running?? Could Albus have done anything more stupid if he tried?”
“But why did he do it, Minerva? Why? I’ve known Albus for as long as you have and I would never have suspected…”
McGonagall sighed “I wish I could say I’m completely surprised Fillius. You know I’ve been questioning some of his decisions in the last few years. I just never thought he would do something like this.” They sat in silence for a few minutes before McGonegal shook herself and spoke again. “Anyway, here’s what’s going to happen. I’m going to go break the news to Hagrid and Remus Lupin.”
“Oh, those are going to be two fun conversations.” deadpanned Flitwick
“Indeed, after that as I said I have an appointment with the goblins tomorrow and then depending on the outcome of that I’m going to find someone to help me with transfiguration and someone who can actually teach the history of magic. If Binns can’t be exorcised, I’ll let him teach empty classrooms and get someone who’s competent. What I need from you is to take all the new Muggleborns around Diagon Alley on Thursday. They are expecting me but I’m going to be far too busy sorting out the mess Albus has left.”
“Not a problem Minerva. Anything I can do to help just let me know.”
“Thank you, my friend, I think this is going to be an extremely trying time in the history of this school. I’m glad that you have my back.”
“Always. And as your friend and deputy, I would suggest sleep. You look terrible”
Minerva gave a humourless laugh. “I would like nothing more but first I need to go and have two very difficult conversations.”
Chapter 4: Chapter 4
Notes:
If your an Albus Dumbledore fan then this really isn't a story for you
Chapter Text
Chapter 4
Monday 9 August 1993
A small rundown cottage, Cambridgeshire, England.
Minerva had wanted to be here last night but her conversation with Hagrid had gone about as badly as could be expected. The twin revelations of Harry’s Injuries and Dumbledore's flight had sent the kind groundskeeper into a spiral of depression that had taken Minerva, Filius and Pomona hours to get him out of. When a half-giant, who forgets his own strength a lot of the time, then gets angry, it takes a lot to get him to calm down. They had finally managed to get him off to sleep at around midnight and Minerva had left strict instructions he wasn’t to be left alone.
Now she was stood, at an ungodly hour of the morning, in front of the cottage she knew Remus Lupin was living in at the moment. She felt a momentary pang of sorrow thinking about her old student. He was a good man and a talented Mage but life hadn’t made things easy for him. She had been happy when Dumbledore had told her he was going to be the DADA professor this year. But now she had to tell what had happened.
Taking a deep breath and walking up to the front door, she knocked. A minute later Remus Lupin opened the door looking like she had just got him out of bed. Which when she thought about it, she probably had.
“Minerva?” Remus asked
“Remus. Can I come in?”
“Of course.” He stepped away from the door and she stepped into a small but comfortable sitting room. “Take a seat. Can I get you anything?”
“Thank you. No,” she said as she sat down on the well-worn sofa. Remus sat in the chair opposite with a frown crossing his face.
“Minerva, what’s happened?”
Minerva took a deep breath and launched into the story of the last 2 days. Remus didn’t interrupt as she spoke but she could see the tension building up in him as she spoke. “And that’s where we are now, Dumbledores run for it, Harry is in critical but stable condition at St. Mungo’s and I’m stuck picking up the pieces at Hogwarts.”
Remus abruptly stood then “Harry’s alive?”
“He is.”
“He will live?”
“He will. Andromeda Tonks has been appointed his emergency guardian and Ted is looking to get it made permanent.”
Remus stopped pacing at that “Andromeda and Ted. Good. Good.”
“Remus, I still want you at Hogwarts this year. With everything else going on, I need a competent DADA teacher.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that Minerva. I’ll be there.”
“Remus, are you alright?”
The werewolf snorted with humourless laughter “Alright? No, I’m not alright. That bastard swore to me that Harry was safe. That I couldn’t go see him because he had placed werewolf-repelling wards around the place he was living to protect him from Greyback. And I believed him. Even when my instincts were telling me I shouldn’t. So no, I’m not alright. I’m assuming Amy Bones has Harry under constant protection?”
Minerva nodded. “She has Aurors on him round the clock. No medical staff get near him without Andromeda’s say so either. She knows everyone at St. Mungo’s”
Remus turned back around and sat back down. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes he looked at his old teacher and saw the new lines that had been etched into her face. “Minerva. no offence but you look terrible.”
Minerva barked a laugh “Yes, I know. It’s been a long couple of days and I haven’t got much sleep.”
“Can you go sleep now?”
“Nope. I’ve got an appointment with the Goblins in” She glanced at the clock on the wall “90 Minutes and then I need to try and find a new transfiguration teacher and a new History teacher.”
“Finally getting rid of Binns?”
“Yes, and not a minute too soon.”
They were interrupted by the arrival of an owl carrying a copy of the Daily Prophet. Remus took the paper and paid the owl before unrolling it. “Well, I think your day has just gotten worse”
He held the paper out to McGonagall who took it and read the front page.
BOY WHO LIVED ATTACKED
Harry Potter nearly killed by his own muggle relatives
Albus Dumbledore sought on charges of Child abuse and Neglect in relation to Harry Potter
Full story by Rita Skeeter on page 2
“Oh Fuck,” said Minerva McGonagall
20 Minutes later after she had gone Remus was still sitting in the chair reading the paper. According to Minerva, Rita had, for once got the facts right. “You can come out now. I can smell you hiding back there.”
Turning to look into the open kitchen door Remus saw a familiar black dog stick its head round the door. As he watched the dog changed into an emaciated man with very long dark hair and haunted eyes. “Is Harry dead?”
“No, he isn’t. Now, Sirius, you have 30 seconds to tell me why I shouldn’t kill you.”
“I wasn’t the secret Keeper. We switched to try and confuse things. Peter was and he’s still alive”
Of all the things he had expected to come out of Sirius Black's mouth that wasn’t it.
Later that morning
Gringotts Bank, Diagon Alley, London, England
Minerva hurried up the steps to Gringotts’s. She had been stopped twice on her way through the Alley from the apparition point. Both times by people wanting to know what was going on. She had managed to shake them off but she was now running late. She entered the main banking hall and made her way straight to the head teller sat at the far end.
He looked up as she approached “Your late headmistress”
Minerva was slightly taken aback at being called headmistress but she did her best not to show it. “I am well aware of that but unless it’s escaped your notice, I’ve had a rather busy and trying couple of days. Now take me to King Ragnok now!”
The Goblin smiled. They respected directness. Minerva was led through several twisting corridors until they arrived at a set of ornate doors. Entering she saw, sat behind a desk, Ragnok the Twelfth. King of the British Goblins and current managing director of Gringotts.
“Ah, headmistress McGonagall. Your late!”
“Don’t you start with that I’ve just had that with your head teller. Now why have you summoned me here King Ragnok? We are both exceptionally busy people.”
The Goblin King leaned back in his chair and steepled his long fingers. “I have several things I need to discuss with you as the new headmistress of Hogwarts.”
“Acting headmistress” Minerva interrupted
The Goblin made a waving gesture with his hand “A mere formality. The first matter to bring up with you is scheduling the much-delayed ward maintenance visit.”
Minerva was confused “Ward maintenance visit? What ward maintenance visit?”
“By ancient agreement, the wards of Hogwarts are to be maintained and updated every ten years by the goblin nation. This agreement was made between my illustrious ancestor Ragnok the Third and your illustrious predecessor Helga Hufflepuff. We are now 6 years overdue.”
Minerva thought she had heard it all over the last two days but now this? “Ok, so you’re supposed to maintain the wards. And it hasn’t been done since 1977? Why not?”
“That is correct. 6 years ago, Albus Dumbledore was contacted to arrange a time for our team to come and do what they have been doing every ten years since 1007. He made excuse after excuse and now we are here. I’m assuming you will not be making excuses as to why we can’t come and do our job?”
Mineva honestly didn’t think things could get much worse. “Yes, I want your team up there immediately. I also need copies of the original agreement and all your correspondence with Dumbledore about this over the last 6 years.”
The goblin king nodded “We can provide that for you. The next thing we have to discuss is if you want to keep the payments your predecessor set up from the Hogwarts accounts. You should be aware most of the destination accounts have been frozen by order of your DMLE”
Minerva was beyond shocked now. She was numb. “How much?”
“Since Albus Dumbledore became headmaster in 1964. Just over 18 million Galleons have been removed from the main Hogwarts accounts.”
Minerva was sitting with her head in her hands “Stop all payments from the Hogwarts accounts. Send all paperwork involving this to the DMLE care of Director Bones” Amelia was going to love her for this “Any payment requests from the Hogwarts accounts need to be signed off personally by me for the foreseeable future.”
The goblin nodded “And what about the Potter accounts?”
Minerva’s head snapped up “What about the Potter accounts?”
“Money from the Potter accounts has been transferred into the frozen accounts as well.”
Minerva just stared at the Goblin. It had finally happened a small voice in the back of her head said. The greedy old bastard has finally broken me. Eventually, she pulled herself back together enough to respond. “Stop all payments. Send the records to Amelia Bones. Anything to do with Harry Potter and House Potter needs to be dealt with through Andromeda and Edward Tonks.”
Ragnok nodded “I will send them a copy of the records as well. Thank you for your time, Headmistress. The Warding team will be at Hogwarts tomorrow.”
Minerva didn’t remember getting up and walking out of the bank and down the Alley. The next thing she did remember was standing at the bar of the Leaky Cauldron downing a glass of Firewhiskey. She needed to talk to Amelia. Then she needed to get back to the school.
That Evening
St Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, London, England
Neville was sat in a waiting room at St. Mungo’s with his grandmother. He hated the hospital. He hated the fact that his parents were three floors above him and probably would be for the rest of his life. He especially hated the fact that one of his best friends was in a room down the hall with half his bones broken and missing a kidney.
Director Bones had been good to her word and let him come and see Harry. Walking into the room and seeing him like that, unconscious with monitoring spells floating over him, nearly broke him. 2 years ago, it probably would have broken him but he was a different person now. Harry, Ron and Hermione had helped him more than he could properly conceive.
It was Harry who realised that his problems with spell casting were because he was using his father’s wand. It was Hermione who had all but dragged him to Professor McGonagall to get him a new wand. Harry and Hermione had a friendly rivalry going on about who would beat whom. Neville had realised that even with a new wand he wouldn’t be able to beat them. Except when it came to Herbology, and he had accepted that. So, he started up a rivalry with Ron and it worked. Both his and Ron's marks had been getting progressively better. They were moving up the class ranking steadily to the point that they were now tenth and eleventh out of their class of 28. Harry had been top of the class last year but that was only because Hermione had spent 3 months petrified.
That was another thing that worried him. As much as he had tried, he hadn’t been able to tell his grandmother about the basilisk and the chamber. He looked over at his gran. She was sitting at a table going through a large pile of paperwork. He knew, she knew, something had gone on because she had asked some questions but she didn’t know what and every time he tried to tell her he either couldn’t speak or just said everything was fine.
Hedwig had come back from France that morning with a reply from Hermione that just said she was on her way and would be there ASAP. He was just thinking that he really wished she would hurry up when the door opened and Hermione walked in followed by Amelia Bones, Andromeda Tonks and two people Neville presumed to be her parents. Neville was up and hugging Hermione before his brain had fully registered her presence.
“Thank Merlin you’re here Hermione. I’m barely keeping it together here.”
Hermione broke the hug but stayed next to him as she turned to Amelia. “How bad is Harry? I’ve read the Prophet but I don’t believe that rag normally.”
It was Andromeda who answered her “For once the Prophet has both got it right and withheld the more gruesome details.”
Hermione was breathing hard “Please tell me everything. I need to hear it.”
Andromeda looked at the other adults in the room who all sort of shrugged. She took a deep breath “Both his legs are broken in multiple places as well as his left arm. The ribs on his left side are all either broken or cracked as well as his clavicle and a couple more cracked ribs on his right side. He has a broken jaw and a skull fracture as well as missing 6 teeth. 2 of the broken ribs punctured his lung and his spleen and left kidney had to be removed. There was just too much damage. We have repaired all the soft tissue damage and he is out of immediate danger. We are getting ready to start vanishing his bones and regrowing them.”
Hermione’s dad interrupted at that point. “You can do that?”
“Yes” replied Andromeda remembering that the Grangers were Muggles. “It takes about 12 hours and we won’t be doing all his bones at once. We estimate it will take 4 rounds to replace all the damaged bone. We are trying to work through a few issues on that first.”
Mr Granger spoke up again “What issues?” then remembering himself he held out his hand “Doctor Danial Granger. I’m a dental surgeon”
Andromeda took his hand and shook it “Andromeda Tonks, I’m a senior Healer here and a potions Mistress. I’m also Harry’s closest relative. I have been appointed as his emergency guardian. The problem we have is with the potions we use. Skele-gro is fantastic stuff. In fact, one of Harry’s ancestors created the first version of it four centuries ago. The problem is it doesn’t react well with other potions in the patient’s system. And right now, we have Harry on several different potions. We don’t want him to wake up yet because he would be in so much pain and he might do more damage to himself.”
Dr Granger was nodding along “You’re talking about reactions between medications. You need a way to keep Harry asleep without your potions in his system. I’m sorry I’m still getting my head around the terminology in this world. What does it mean to be a potions mistress?”
Hermione answered her dad on that “It means she’s completed a mastery. Two in her case in healing and potions. A mastery is basically a Ph.D. dad. In muggle terms, she’s completed both medical school and got a doctorate in pharmacology.”
Dr Granger smiled at his daughter “Thanks honey” Turning back to Andromeda “Healer Tonks. Have you ever tried this Skele-gro on a patient that’s been sedated by non-magical means?”
Andromeda stared at the man in front of her “No? Why would we?” the answers hit her at that instant “Because it’s muggle we never considered it. You’re a muggle healer? Do you know about muggle methods of sedation?”
“I do and I would be very happy to sit down with you and talk you through them. But first I think you all wanted to talk to Hermione.” Every eye in the room turned to Hermione
She sighed, looked round and saw an old sofa and went and sat down. Neville joined her and all the adults pulled up chairs to face the two teenagers.
Amelia Bones broke the silence “Ok Miss Granger. Neville has told me everything he knows but he says you probably know more. Why don’t we start with the nutrient potions.”
Hermione stared at her hands in her lap for a few seconds before she spoke “I had to try something. He had come back from the summer holidays last year looking worse than ever. I can’t prove it but I’m almost certain they had him locked in his room for the whole holiday. You know how easy nutrient potions are to make so I started making one. I would slip it in his drink every chance I got. Which wasn’t often enough and then when I got...” Hermione stopped mid-sentence the look on her face was one of complete shock and terror.
Amelia looked at her in confusion “Got what Miss Granger?”
Hermione was just opening and closing her mouth. It looked like she was trying to speak but couldn’t. Andromeda pulled out her wand and cast a diagnostic spell on her. “What the? Amelia, she has a tongue-tied curse on her and why do you have Mandragora restorative in your system?”
Hermione just kept opening and closing her mouth with a pleading look on her face. Glancing at Neville sitting next to his friend Andromeda saw the same look on his face. Casting the same diagnostic spell, she let out a hiss “He has the same tongue-tied curse on him.” Looking at Hermione’s parents and Augusta Longbottom she said “I think I can cleanse this fairly easily you are their guardians do I have your permission?”
When all there nodded in agreement Andromeda cast the cleansing spell. Hermione immediately started talking. “I was petrified along with several other students last year Slytherin’s monster was released from the chamber of secrets and it’s a basilisk but it’s dead now because Harry, Ron and Professor McGonagall went down into the chamber and killed it.”
She said all that in a single sentence as if she had been waiting to get it out for months. Which Amelia realised she probably had. It was only then that she registered what had been said: “I’m sorry did you say there was a basilisk loose in the school last year attacking students and this is the first I’m hearing about it?”
Hermione nodded. Her parents had gone white as sheets and Augusta looked like she was ready to kill someone.
Amelia couldn’t help it. She knew that she shouldn’t have especially in front of the children but she really couldn’t help it.
“FUCKING DUMBLEDORE” she shouted
Chapter 5: Chapter 5
Notes:
Apologies for the wait. I've been really busy the last few weeks and this has taken me longer to write then I expected. anyway hope you enjoy
Chapter Text
Chapter 5
Wednesday 11 August 1993
Press room, Ministry of Magic, London
Amelia Bones hated giving press conferences. This one was looking to be worse than most. Cornelius Fudge had walled himself up in his office not wanting anything to do with the mess the Spellbound world had descended into leaving Amelia, Minerva McGonagall and Augusta Longbottom to pick up the pieces.
Augusta had managed to get the school board together that morning and had officially removed Albus Dumbledore from his position as Headmaster. Minerva McGonagall had been appointed as the new Headmistress at the same meeting. When it was pointed out that Dumbledore had been using the Potter family’s vote on the board for the last 12 years, Augusta had got herself made Proxy for House Potter until she could discuss the matter with Heir Potter.
The Wizengamot was proving to be harder to get into a room. After the Lughnasa sitting on the 1st August, a large number of Lords and Members had taken themselves off on holiday. Getting enough back to form a quorum was proving difficult. Augusta had privately told her that she thought some of the Progressive faction were deliberately dragging their feet in hopes of either helping Dumbledore or figuring out just what the hell was happening.
The Weasleys had arrived back in Britain yesterday and Amelia had had some words with Molly Weasley. She was still proclaiming Dumbledore’s innocence and that this must be all some terrible misunderstanding, right up until Andromeda shoved the 3-page parchment with all Harry’s injuries under her nose. It had taken 2 calming potions to bring the breakdown she had had under control. A check of all the Weasleys found them to be under potions or enchantments of one kind or another.
The Weasley children were under the same curses as Hermione and Neville except for a strong loyalty potion keyed to Dumbledore. That potion was in all the Weasleys. The strangest thing was the 2 curses found on Arthur Weasley. He had a mind fog curse and a distraction hex on him. Once these were removed it was as if a light had come back on in his eyes.
What most people have forgotten is that Arthur was a top student at Hogwarts. It was widely thought that as soon as he got into the ministry he was destined for high office. But then, just after Percy was born, he had been transferred to the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office, for what was supposed to be a year to round out his experience. And that year had turned into 17 years.
Molly was so full of loyalty potion she had to be taken away for a full purge. She was also showing signs of memory modification, mostly where it concerned Harry and his well-being. Once it was confirmed that she would be alright, Arthur went to Gringotts and did some investigating. The goblins showed him a document that he had no memory of signing giving the Weasley family’s voting proxy on the Wizengamot to Dumbledore. There was another document that again he had no memory of signing authorising the transfer of 20% of his salary to Dumbledore's personal account each month.
Arthur went straight to Amelia with the proof and she authorised the goblins to transfer everything Dumbledore had stolen from the formally loyal family, back to them. Arthur also did what he should have done 7 years ago on the death of his childless, elder brother Billius. He took the title of Lord of the Most Ancient House of Weasley. They used to be a Noble house as well but that had been stripped when his father Septimus broke a marriage contract with the Rosier family to run off and marry Cedrella Black.
Amelia looked through the one-way spell window in the door, into the press room. it was crammed. It wasn’t just the British press out there Amelia could see reporters from all over Europe. The Europe correspondent for The New York Ghost was also out there. MACUSA were notoriously disinterested in anything that happened outside the Americas.
“It’s a full house.” She said to the Wizard behind her. Minerva McGonagall strode over to stand next to her and look out.
She made a disgusted noise “Rita Skeeter”
Amelia looked again and indeed there she was. She still didn’t know how Rita had got all her information for the articles she had written. But Amelia at least had to admit, that for once, it was all true and she had withheld some of the more graphic and disturbing details.
She turned to face her friend and looked at her. Minerva looked like she had aged a decade in the last 3 days. That was mostly through lack of sleep and as soon as things settled down and she started taking care of herself more things would hopefully improve. Minerva and the rest of the staff had all been checked out by healers at St. Mungo’s. They all had tongue-tying curses on them and loyalty potions but Minerva had definite signs of memory erasure that the healers couldn’t repair.
And then there was Severus Snape. Snape had walked out of the staff meeting on Sunday afternoon and then hadn’t been seen again. When Aurors arrived on Monday to question him they found his private quarters locked and heavily warded. It had taken them nearly an hour to get in but when they did, they found a room that had been meticulously packed up and a note that just said ‘Minerva, I’m Sorry’.
Amelia took another look at Minerva and took a deep breath “OK let's do this” She opened the door and strode out onto the podium and faced the horde of journalists in front of her.
“Good morning, for those that don’t know me I am Amelia Bones, Regent Bones and Director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Whilst this may be our first press conference on the subjects we will be discussing, there have been several press releases so I won't waste everyone's time rehashing them.”
“Following on from the press release of Sunday morning Albus Dumbledore is wanted for questioning on charges of child neglect, conspiracy to commit child abuse, unlawful erection of wards on a muggle property, obliviation of a medical professional and unlawful application of magic on a minor.”
“We are today adding additional charges to those already stated. Those charges are the Embesselment of funds from a private institution, Namely Hogwarts School of Magecraft. Theft of Funds from a private organisation, Namely the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter. Use of potions and memory charms to commit theft of funds from a private organisation, Namely the Most Ancient House of Weasley. And gross negligence and abuse of 2 offices of trust, namely Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Magecraft and Chief Mage of the Wizengamot in the United Kingdom.”
“As of 11 am today Albus Dumbledore has been removed as Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Magecraft by a unanimous vote of the Board of Governors. Minerva McGonagall has been appointed as the new Headmistress of Hogwarts and will be speaking to you shortly. At this point in time Albus Dumbledore is still technically Chief Mage of the Wizengamot of the United Kingdom and Chief Mugwump of the International Confederation of Mages. I understand that efforts are being made by both organisations to hold votes on removing him from those positions.”
“I am also issuing an arrest warrant for Severus Tobias Snape, potions master and formally professor at Hogwarts School of Magecraft. He hasn’t been seen since Sunday afternoon and is believed to have produced the potions that Albus Dumbledore has been using so freely.”
“We have found evidence on multiple staff and pupils at Hogwarts School of Magecraft of potions and hex’s placed on them all with the magical fingerprints of Albus Dumbledore. As we speak Healers from St. Mungo’s are setting up clinics in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. I would ask all parents and pupils to attend one of these clinics or St. Mungo’s itself to determine what if anything has been placed on their children. Healers will also be checking all children as they arrive at school in September to make sure we didn’t miss anyone.”
“I’m sure you are all interested in the status of Henry James Potter, Heir Potter. As of this morning, he is stable and fully out of physical danger. He is still being kept unconscious to ensure he doesn’t do any physical damage to himself whilst the healing is being finished and the healers hope to begin waking him up in the coming days. The muggles who did this to him have been transferred to muggle custody with enough evidence to send them to jail for the rest of their lives. Their memories have been suitably modified to remove all memories of the Spellbound world and for them to plead guilty to all charges.”
“Now I will turn this over to the new Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Magecraft, Minerva McGonagall.”
Minerva stepped up to the podium and looked out at the crowd. She still wasn’t sure why she had let Amelia persuade her into doing this. As she looked, she realised that she had taught many of the people in the room. Maybe if she just thought of this as a class?
“Good morning, it is my Honour to be named the new Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Magecraft. I just wish it was under different circumstances. At this time, I will be making a few staffing announcements. Mr Remus Lupin will be stepping in as Defence against the Dark Arts teacher and head of Gryffindor house. Professor Lupin had a double Mastery in Magiczoology and Defensive Magecraft and is the most qualified person we have had for this position in many years.”
“Professor Lupin will also be supervising Rubius Hagrid as he takes on the role of Care of Magical Creatures professor. As many of you know, whilst Professor Hagrid doesn’t have a mastery, he has nearly 50 years of experience dealing with the many and varied Magical creatures that make the Dark Forest their home, as gamekeeper of Hogwarts. Professor Lupin will be there to assist Hagrid in his transition to a teaching role and to curb Hagrid’s…… enthusiasm.”
There were a few muffled laughs from the people in the room who remembered Hagrid.
“As Headmistress I have decided that it is time to move on from the current curriculum where History of Magic is concerned and have exorcised Professor Binns. Mr Bartholmew Bagshot, grandson of Bathilda Bagshot will be taking over. Professor Bagshot has spent the last 15 years assisting his grandmother with her research and in Bathilda’s own words ‘Is probably a better historian than me by now anyway’.”
“Professor Filius Flitwick will be taking over from me as Deputy Head, he will be continuing as Charms Professor but will be passing the role of head of Ravenclaw house to Professor Septima Vector, who will be taking on the position in addition to her current role as Arithmancy professor. In addition to these roles, Professor Vector will also be teaching a new class that will be mandatory for all first and second-years. This will be a basic mathematics class. It will closely follow the Muggle curriculum for children of that age but will also teach some very basic Arithmancy principles.”
“As things currently stand, I have 3 posts I still need to fill, I am confident they will be filled in time for the new school year to start on 3rd September. The role’s that need filling are Professor of Potions for which I have several very good candidates I’m considering. A transfiguration professor to replace me in teaching years 1 through 5. I will be continuing to teach NEWT-level Transfiguration for at least the medium term. And a teacher to teach a basic English course.”
“The idea of the Maths and English courses is to bring all the pupils to the same level in their first two years. As teachers, we see a wide range of abilities in what should be basic knowledge and we think it’s a good idea to ensure everyone is at the same level.”
“There will be other changes to staffing and subjects announced over the school year and I hope to have a major revamp of all aspects of Hogwarts education ready to announce and implement for the 1994/1995 school year. As the saying goes. Watch this space.”
As Minerva stepped back from the podium, Amelia stepped forward. “Ok, any questions?”
Rita Skeeter was standing and speaking before Amelia had got the last word out.
“Have you had any luck in tracking down Albus Dumbledore yet?”
Amelia looked Rita right in the eye as she answered “Not as yet. His apprehension is right at the top of the list of things to do in the Auror department.”
Rita wasn’t finished “How about Sirius Black? Any luck finding him yet?”
Amelia sighed internally. She had been hoping that no one would bring Sirius Black up. “No, we haven’t. the Sirius Black case has been complicated though. We have started to find evidence that Sirius Black may not be guilty of the crimes he was imprisoned for.”
There was a hush around the room that even stunned Rita into silence. Eventually, it was a reporter from Magical Wireless News who spoke up.
“You say you are starting to find evidence. Why was this evidence not found before?”
Amelia bit the inside of her lip before she continued “It appears to have been suppressed.”
“Suppressed by whom?” the MWN reporter asked
“The office of the Chief Mage” Amelia answered
As the assembled reporters took that information in and worked out what it meant, Amelia quickly finished the press conference and left the podium with Minerva. Once they were back in the anteroom, they turned to face each other.
“Well, I think we have given them all plenty to think and write about for now,” Amelia said to her friend. Glancing at the time she continued “Now Minerva I think we both have an appointment at St. Mungo’s”
Checking the time herself Minerva nodded. “Indeed, we do. The floo in your office?”
St Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, London, England
Andromeda Tonks looked up as the door to the secure meeting room opened. Amelia Bones and Minerva McGonagall walked in completing the attendees at the meeting.
“How did it go?” Andromeda asked
“About as well as can be expected. MWN picked up on Sirius. So that's out there now” Amelia replied.
Andromeda smirked before turning to the table at large. As well as herself, Amelia and Minerva. Cursebreaker Grimes was also there along with the senior healer in the long-term spell damage department, Albert Derwent, and the Director of the DOM, Saul Croaker.
She looked at Grimes “Ok Richard, you asked for us all to be here.”
Grimes looked at the assembled Mages and started to speak “As you know I have been looking into the concentration of Dark Magic that seems to have attached itself to Heir Potter's scar. It has taken longer than I expected to identify what it is, mainly because I had to recheck my results 3 times.”
Croaker spoke when Grimes took a breath “Oh this is going to be bad isn’t it?”
Grimes nodded grimly “I’m afraid it is Director. The concentration is a soul shard, more specifically a shard of Voldemort’s soul that has attached itself to Heir Potter and is leaching on his magical core to sustain itself.”
There was a stunned silence around the room. Andromeda broke it “You mean Harry is a Horcrux?”
Amelia, Minerva and Healer Derwent looked at her in confusion, But Grimes and Croaker looked at her in surprise. “How do you know about Horcruxes? You shouldn’t even know the word.”
Andromeda laughed without humour “You forget where I come from Croaker. Andromeda Tonks nee BLACK remember.”
Croaker relaxed somewhat and nodded “Oh of course. Your great great Uncle.”
“Yep” said Andromeda making a popping sound on the P “Idiot tried to live forever. Managed to blow both himself up and the house he was in doing it.”
Minerva coughed to gain attention “I’m sure this is all very interesting but could you please explain what a Horcrux is and what all this means for Mr Potter?”
Grimes answered “Right sorry, The Horcrux was invented thousands of years ago in ancient Greece by a Horrible Warlock named Herpo the Foul. Basically, he created a way to split your soul. The split part of your soul is then placed inside an object and hidden. This means if your physical body is killed then your soul won’t pass over because a part of it is still tethered to the physical world. There are ways for a non-corporeal soul to attach itself to living creatures for some measure of survival but the host wears out quickly. There are equally distasteful ways of creating a new body but you need a lot of help for them.”
“This is the deepest level of Black Magic. It has been banned worldwide since before the time of Merlin. It is spoken of in the darkest reaches of the Spellbound world. And the creation of one is an instant death sentence.”
Everyone around the table looked a bit sick. Healer Derwent spoke up “I’m not sure I want to know but how do you split your soul?”
“Unfeeling remorseless cold-blooded murder of an innocent. There are spells and rituals involved of course but that’s how you split your soul.”
Minerva spoke next “And this is what’s in Mr Potter?”
“Yes and no” answered Grimes “You can put a Horcrux in a living creature but it’s not generally considered a good idea because the person or animal it’s in has a mind of its own and can walk around and get into trouble. There's not much written on this but as far as I can tell a horcrux shouldn’t be leaching of the host. The other surprising thing is how small the soul shard is.”
Croaker piped up “Small? How do you mean?”
“Everything I can find on Horcruxs says that about 10% of the soul is split when a Horcrux is created, there appears to be a smaller fragment of Voldemort’s soul in there. Now there is some variation in soul sizes between individuals but if I’m right there’s only about 5% of a soul there. Also, I think this was transferred to Heir Potter by mistake. The best answer I can come up with is that Voldemort had created multiple Horcruxs and his soul was so unstable when he attacked the Potters a shard was blasted off when his body was destroyed. That’s what has attached itself to Heir Potter and it’s been leaching off him ever since”
Another silence filled the room. This one was broken by Croaker “Multiple Horcruxs?” Grimes nodded
Amelia suddenly spoke up and looked at Andromeda “The diary?”
Andromeda thought for a minute before nodding “Yes, I think your right. It must be.”
Minerva was nodding as well. “That creature said it was a memory of Tom Riddle. A memory of Voldemort. But what if it was a Horcrux?”
Now it was Grimes and Croaker’s turn to look confused “What diary?”
“Last year a diary was found. It fed off a girl at Hogwarts and a… Shade came out of it. It said it was a memory of a young man named Tom Riddle. Tom Riddle is the Birthname of Voldemort. It was destroyed. But what if that was a Horcrux?”
Grimes nodded “I would need to examine it to be sure but that sounds very possible. What happened to it?”
Minerva scowled “The remains were given to Dumbledore. I will have to search and see if I can find it. And hope that he didn’t take it with him when he left.”
There was a collective grimace around the table. Croaker spoke up next. “From what I know of Horcruxs you have to destroy the container to destroy them. Obviously, that’s not an option with Heir Potter. Is there a way to remove the Horcrux from him without killing him?”
Grimes waved his hand in a so-so gesture “We don’t have one but I think the Goblins do. They hate this kind of magic with a passion. We need to approach them.”
There was more grimacing around the table. Healer Derwent turned to Andromeda, “How much more physical healing does Heir Potter have to go through?”
“We are doing the final bone vanish and regrow tonight. I would like a day after that to make sure everything is stable and we don’t need to do anything else.”
Derwent nodded and turned to Croaker and Grimes “Ok you have 48 hours before we can even attempt this. It needs to be done soon. I want to start weaning him off the sheer number of potions we currently have him on. Much longer and we risk seeing dependency issues.”
Croaker nodded “I understand, Richard, if you approach the goblins right away and see what they say. In the meantime, I’ll assemble a team and start researching Horcruxs and how to locate and destroy them. From the sounds of things, we have more to find, not counting the remains of his soul that’s drifting around somewhere.”
There were nods and murmurs of agreement around the table and the participants returned to trying to sort the chaos out.
Chapter 6: Chapter 6
Notes:
Finally managed to make some progress with this one. Enjoy!
Chapter Text
Chapter 6
Friday 13 August 1993
Hogwarts School of Magecraft, Scotland.
Charity Burbage hurried through the corridors of Hogwarts clutching a pile of papers. She had been waiting for this appointment with the new headmistress for 2 days now. She understood the complete shitshow Minerva had been left in so she wasn’t upset it had taken her two days to see her.
Arriving at the staircase to the headmistress’s office she was surprised to find the gargoyle stood to one side and the staircase fully open. Casting a sidelong glance at the gargoyle she made her way up the stairs and knocked on the door.
“Come in” came Minerva’s voice from the other side. Charity opened the door and stopped dead as Minerva wasn’t alone. There was another woman there. She appeared to be in her mid-forties and was dressed in smart muggle clothes.
“Oh, sorry Minerva, I thought we had an appointment I can come back if you are busy.”
“No you are right on time Charity please come in and sit down. Can I get you anything? Tea? Coffee?”
“Thank you, no, I’m fine.” Said Charity sitting down and casting a glance around the room. Minerva was obviously in the process of making changes. There were piles of books in front of half-empty shelves and packing crates that seemed to be half full.
Noticing her colleague’s gaze, Minerva smirked “Apologies for the mess I’m in the middle of redecorating. Anyway Charity, I know you requested this meeting but I wanted our guest here as well. This is Eliza Horn. She’s a first-generation squib from the Slughorn family but most importantly for our purposes, she’s spent the last twenty years as a teacher in the muggle world. She has kindly agreed to join the faculty as our new English teacher. Eliza Horn meet Charity Burbage our muggle studies teacher”
Charity’s face lit up at the headmistress’s words. “Excellent news, welcome aboard. How are you related to Horace?” as she said this she had reached over and shaken the older woman’s hand.
“He’s my great uncle. My family didn’t do the usual pureblood thing of dumping me in the muggle world and forgetting about me. They made sure I had the best muggle education money could buy and ensured I got invited to all the family gatherings.”
Minerva continued “I remembered Horace telling me about Eliza years ago, so I reached out to him and asked him to put me in touch. It didn’t take much persuading to get her to come on board with us.”
Eliza pulled a face “My previous school got a new head a couple of years back. I don’t like his methods, so I was looking to move on anyway. This seemed like too good an opportunity.”
Minerva leaned forward “You will hear about all this at the staff meeting this afternoon but I’ll tell you now as it’s not secret. Horace Slughorn has also agreed to return to teach Potions. His contract is only for a year but it gives me time to find a suitable replacement. That just leaves me with a transfiguration teacher to find. I know who I want but she’s being elusive right now.”
Charity was pleased with the news but felt a bit confused “I’m glad to hear all this Minerva but I’m a bit confused as to why I’m here for this. I wanted to talk to you about the muggle studies curriculum.”
“I know you did.” Said Minerva with a smirk. “That was obvious from the second you requested a meeting. In fact, that’s all you have been going on about in staff meetings for the last 3 years.”
“And with good reason, it’s 50 years out of date. For Merlin's sake, most adult Mages don’t know how to dress properly in the muggle world. It’s going to cause an incident.” Charity was on a role.
Minerva held up a hand to stop her colleague “Yes, I know Charity and I agree with you. If you remember it’s Dumbledore who’s been stopping you completely rewriting the curriculum for the last 3 years. I’m here to tell you to do it.”
Charity was shocked “You are?”
Minerva nodded “I am and that’s part of the reason I hired someone like Eliza here. She’s here to help you. I’m making Muggle studies compulsory for first and second years who grew up in the spellbound world. I’m also going to be hiring a teacher to teach Magical studies to children from the muggle world. The idea is to bridge the gaps in the first two years. At third year students can elect to continue with either muggle or magical studies to OWL level or drop them.”
Charity sat there staring at Minerva “That’s fantastic” she whispered but then a thought hit her “Some of the pureblood families aren’t going to like their children being forced to do muggle studies.”
Minerva nodded “I know and I don’t care. What you said is completely true. Half of them wouldn’t know where to start in the muggle world and that’s going to cause a breach at some point. I understand rewriting the entire curriculum in less than a month is a big job but Eliza can help you. She's already got a curriculum for her English class so she can focus on what you need. I do have to ask you to get me the set texts for muggle studies by Monday. I need to send out the book lists. Thankfully the new muggleborns won’t be needing them as they went to the alley yesterday with Filius.”
Charity nodded along. Se already had some ideas about set texts so getting the book titles to Minerva by Monday shouldn’t be a problem. “What about this Magical Studies class?”
Minerva sighed “That’s proving harder to sort than I had hoped. The obvious answer is a pureblood lady, but finding one who isn’t going to sit there and spew pureblood propaganda the whole time is proving difficult.”
As Minerva had been speaking Charity’s face cracked into a wide grin. “You do know there's an obvious answer, don’t you?”
Minerva frowned in confusion “There is?”
“Yep” replied Charity “Evelyn Greengrass”
Minerva sat there staring at Charity for several seconds before shaking her head and sighing “I must be more tired than I thought. Your right she is the obvious answer isn’t she.”
“Don’t be too hard on yourself.” Charity replied, “You have so much going on and I did share a dorm with her for 7 years.”
Minerva gave her a weary smile “Indeed you did. I’ll arrange a meeting with her at once. Then I’m going to track down Louise Jackson and drag her back here kicking and screaming if I have to.”
Charity smirked Louise Jackson was Minerva’s last apprentice. She had gained her transfiguration mastery faster than anyone since Minerva herself, then she had decided she was going to go travelling to see the world for a while. That was 4 years ago. Charity had heard she was back in the country but as Minerva had said she was being elusive.
“Right.” Said Minerva standing up “You need to go work on that curriculum and I’m heading to St. Mungo’s to see Poppy”
The temperature in the room dropped at those words “How is she?” asked Charity
“Not great. She’s blaming herself pretty hard right now. They have managed to remove all the blocks and false memories but bits are missing.” She snorted “Well that makes two of us”
Charity nodded sympathetically. Minerva had been checked and there were a few gaps in her memory as well. Charity herself had been checked over and found to have a few spells and potions on her. It all had to do with loyalty to Dumbledore and Tongue-tying curses to ensure she didn’t talk about things Dumbledore didn’t want spoken about.
“Well give her my love and I’ll see you at the staff meeting later.”
St Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, London, England
Hermione sat next to the bed of her best friend and just stared at him. The healers had finished repairing his body yesterday and were now just waiting to ensure he was stable to wake him up. She had absolutely no idea how he was going to react or cope when he did. A small part of her was genuinely scared.
Her parents had had to go to work so Mrs Weasley had agreed to pick her up and drop her off at the hospital. Hermione privately thought that she was partly doing it to make up for ignoring Ron last year. Hermione didn’t care anymore.
There was a cough from the door and she looked up “Healer Tonks” she said recognising the woman.
“Miss Granger. How are you today?”
“About the same as I’ve been since I heard about this.” Hermione replied, “When do you plan to wake him up?”
“We are hoping tomorrow. There's some dark magic residue around his scar that we want to remove first and once that’s done, we will be increasing the block on his core before we wake him up.”
Hermione frowned “Why increase the block?”
“Do you know anything about magical cores?”
Hermione shrugged “A little. They are on my list to research but I haven’t got around to them yet”
Andromeda sighed “OK quick and dirty version. Every Mage has a magical core. Every magical core is a different size. Squibs have an extremely small magical core. Not enough to do spells or anything but enough to see magical things that are hidden from muggles. Someone like Dumbledore may he rot in hell, has an extremely large magical core.”
Hermione nodded as Andromeda continued “As children our magical cores grow in bursts. There's one at 5 or 6 which is when most children start experiencing accidental magic another at 10 or 11 another at 14 or 15 and a final one at 17 or 18. Once you hit that final bust your core is basically set.”
“Part of the reason the school curriculum is as it is is because the teachers are trying to push you. Trying to ensure your core reaches its full potential. Using magic as a teenager works your core like a muscle. The more you use it the bigger it gets. Harry already has a core bigger than most adult mages and he’s still got two growth stages to go.”
“Why is his so big?” Hermione asked she thought back and realised that even Blocked Harry was doing better magic than most of their year. Better than most of the next year as well.
“Because it’s been under constant stress” Andromeda replied “he’s only had access to 30 or 40% of his core up until now. And it’s been keeping him alive after what those bastards did to him over the years. As a result, it’s been pretty much in constant use just keeping him going so it’s grown enormously. Harry was always going to have a large core. He was doing accidental magic before his first birthday. Now it’s going to be even bigger. Probably bigger than Dumbledore’s when it’s all said and done.”
Hermione just stared at the woman. Then it hit her “your worried about accidental magic from him when he wakes up. You are worried about what he might do.”
Andromeda smiled humourlessly “I’m going to be honest with you. We are worried he might blow the building up if he had access to his whole core when he wakes up.”
“Is that possible?” Hermione whispered
“Oh yes. Harry Potter is probably going to be the most powerful Mage for centuries.” Andromeda replied.
They stood there in silence for several minutes just watching the small figure in the bed before a throat cleared behind them. Turning Hermione saw a man in the doorway “Andromeda, we are ready.”
Andromeda nodded “OK Richard. Let's get this over with then.”
“Where are you taking him?” Hermione asked
“To the hospital's ritual chamber. It’s the safest place to remove the dark energy. And before you ask. No, you can’t come with us. I’m not happy about having to have Harry in there but this is the only way. This shouldn’t take long so either wait here or go get some food. He will be coming back here once we are done.”
Andromeda looked around the chamber buried deep in the hospital's foundations. It had to be this deep because it had to be on natural earth. There in the middle of the ritual circle lay Harry Potter. The diagnostic spells were still showing him as stable. If everything went to plan, they would wake him tomorrow. She and the other healers were starting to get seriously worried about the number of potions they had been giving him. They weren’t far off dependency issues or possible liver and kidney damage. And considering he only had one kidney now…
Andromeda brushed that thought aside and looked at the others in the room. There were 4 goblins there. All healers and all looking at the diagnostics. Grimes had been right. The goblins did have a way to extract Horcruxes from people. It wasn’t often used because normally the object the Horcrux was in was just destroyed. That wasn’t an option in this case.
Goblins, it turns out, hate Horcruxes with a ferocity rarely seen. A martial race, they believed that using something to stop you from dying was dishonourable and cheating. The fact that there was evidence that Voldemort had created more than one Horcrux was even more horrifying to them. They were planning on capturing the soul shard when it was released from Harry and together with the Department of Mysteries, they were going to see if they could use it to create a way to track the rest of Voldemort's soul. From what she had overheard she thought they would be successful.
The Goblins had wanted to take Harry to their Ritual chamber under Gringotts. Andromeda and the other healers had flat-out refused. Eventually, the goblins had given in on that point after seeing Harry’s medical report and deciding that transporting him would endanger him.
The lead Goblin looked up from his conversation “All those who don’t need to be in this room please leave immediately.” Most of the people in the room quickly left until it was just the 4 Goblins, Andromeda, Grimes and Croaker. As his healer and legal Guardian Andromeda had insisted on staying. Not even the goblins had tried to argue when they got a look at her eyes.
The goblins took up positions 90 degrees from each other in a circle around Harry. The lead Goblin looked at the three humans “This won’t be a pleasant experience. It is vital that you don’t interfere or even move from where you are unless I specifically tell you.”
The three mages looked at each other before looking back and nodding. The goblins turned back to Harry and began chanting. Andromeda didn’t understand Gobbledygook so she had no idea what they were saying but she felt the magic in the chamber shift. Several of the runes in the ritual circle had started to glow and there seemed to be a ball of light forming above Harry. As she watched the ball got brighter and larger.
All of a sudden, Harry sat bolt upright, opened his eyes and screamed. His scar seemed to split open and a dark cloud of… something poured out of it, followed by some sort of black fluid that ran down his face. The cloud was drawn to the ball of light and Andromeda was sure she could hear it screaming along with Harry. Every instinct she had told her to go to him and help but she remembered what the Goblin said and she held herself back.
Eventually, the cloud all got absorbed by the ball of light and Harry fell back to the floor, unconscious again. The goblins were focused on the ball of light now and as Andromeda watched it shrank in on itself until there was a ball of crystal hanging in the air. At its heart was a rolling ball of blackness.
The lead Goblin glanced at the 3 mages “You can move now” he said in an exhausted voice. Andromeda bolted straight for Harry. Running scans on him she saw that his scar had indeed spit right open. There was blood mixed in with the black fluid. She cast several cleaning charms over his face and poured some Dittany onto the cut. It started to close. She was shortly joined by other healers and Harry was again examined. Once they were satisfied, he was going to be fine, he was levitated onto a stretcher and moved back to his room.
Andromeda looked across at the other group in the room. Grimes and Croaker were in deep discussion with some of the Goblins. It didn’t matter who they were talking to. Not one of them took their eyes off the crystal sphere with the heart of blackness.
As if sensing her stare Croaker looked at Andromeda with a raised eyebrow. She nodded and mouthed “He should be fine now”.
Croaker smiled and nodded again mouthing “good” before turning back to the conference that was happening.
Andromeda grabbed her bag from the floor and followed Harry out of the room. She had done her part now it was up to them to track down the scattered pieces of Voldemort. She had what she thought of as a much harder job. She had to put a 13-year-old boy back together mentally and emotionally.
Chapter 7: Chapter 7
Notes:
Yeah, it's been a while...
Chapter Text
Chapter 7
Sunday 15 August 1993
St Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, London, England
Awareness came back to Harry slowly and in stages. The first thing he registered was that time had passed. He couldn’t be sure how much time but he knew instinctively that it was a different day to the last he remembered. The second thing he registered was he was warm and comfortable.
That was odd. Whilst he had been both warm and comfortable before, mostly in his bed at Hogwarts, he had always had some low-level background aches from the beatings Uncle Vernon had given him. They seemed to be gone.
The next thing he noticed was the smell. It was the artificial cleanliness of the hospital wing at Hogwarts. But something else was wrong there. The ward in the hospital wing was big and he sensed the room he was in was much smaller.
His eyes were closed but he could tell the lights in the room were dimmed. He also realised someone was clutching his left hand. He forced his eyes open and managed to move his head enough to look. There was a very familiar head of bushy brown hair lying on the bed next to him. Hermione Granger was dozing in a chair next to the bed, her head resting on the mattress next to her hands clutching his.
He tried to speak but found his mouth and throat dry and raspy “H’mion.” He managed to get out.
Hermione stirred and sat up. She looked around and then focused on Harry. Her eyes went wide as she saw him gazing at her. “Harry” she whispered before practically jumping into the bed to hug him. Harry tried to move his arms to return the hug but found them stiff and strangely heavy.
He swallowed a few times trying to wet his mouth enough to talk “Hermione. Water?” he managed to croak out.
She released him and gazed at him for several seconds before she ran to the door and yanked it open. Looking out she must have seen someone “He’s awake and wants water.” She called before hurrying back to the bed and taking his hand again
“What happened?” he croaked out.
“Shuuuuush,” Said Hermione stroking his forehead “There will be time for that later” As she said that a woman walked into the room. She was of average height with an aristocratic face and long brown curly hair. She had a warm smile on her face and was wearing healer’s robes. Most importantly for Harry, she was carrying a glass and a jug of water
As she handed the glass to Harry she started to talk “Hello Harry, my name is Andromeda Tonks and it’s been a very long time since I’ve seen you.”
Harry had enough experience with being thirsty to know he shouldn’t gulp all the water down like he wanted to. He took small sips swilling the cool water around his mouth and he looked at the woman in front of him.
Eventually, he spoke up “You know me?”
She nodded “We are distant cousins. In fact, I’m about your closest magical relative. My Grandfather was your Great-grandmother's younger brother. I spent quite a lot of time with Aunt Dorea and Uncle Charlus and was pretty close with your father and mother. I actually assisted in delivering you when you were born.”
Harry gazed at this woman. Here was something he had craved for as long as he could remember an actual link to his parents and his family. She was Family!”
“I have questions.” He managed to get out.
Both Andromeda and Hermione smiled at him “I’m sure you do but let's take it easy on them for now and I’ll do some explaining. That should answer some of those questions.” Harry nodded in agreement
Andromeda pulled out her wand and summoned a chair from across the room and sat down. “Right well, first you are in St. Mungo’s Hospital. It’s the magical hospital in London and it’s been 8 days. I know this is hard but do you remember any of what happened?”
Harry thought about it. Aunt Marge had been staying he remembered that. It was the last night and Harry had thought he was nearly free. Then something had happened. She had started insulting his parents. Then her brandy glass exploded in her hand. Harry had leapt up from the table terrified. He had turned round only to find Marge’s dog ripper standing there growling. Then there was an explosion and Harry had the impression of a lot of glass flying everywhere. The next thing Harry knew he was waking up here.
Harry told them this and didn’t miss the look on the healer's face. “Ok.” She sighed “Well I’ll get this over with. That explosion was a massive bust of accidental magic. It alerted the ministry who sent a couple of people to find out what was going on. When they got there, they found Vernon Dursley and his sister with you in what is assumed to be your room. They were…”
Andromeda tailed off not knowing what to say. Hermione looked between her best friend and the healer and decided to just say it. “Harry, they were beating you to death.”
Harry’s eyes snapped to Hermione. Then he looked down at his hands clenching the sheet he was covered with. ‘They finally did try to do it’ he thought to himself.
“How close did they come?” Harry noticed the flat emotion in his voice.
Andromeda took a deep breath “It was bad Harry, more broken bones than I can list. You're missing your spleen and a kidney right now because they were so badly damaged. To fix these breaks and all the badly healed older ones we have had to vanish and regrow just over half the bones in your body.”
Harry carried on staring at his hands “I did wonder why the old aches were gone” He whispered. He looked up “Will I be alright without a spleen and a kidney?”
Andromeda nodded “You can live without both but you won’t have to. We can regrow them. It will take about a month before they are fully regrown and you will have to take a potion every day for that but it’s not difficult.”
“Ok. That’s good.” Breathed Harry. He could feel the panic inside him. She had mentioned the old breaks which means they must know everything. He was going to get into so much trouble from Vernon for everything.
There was a knock at the door. Hermione got up to open it. On the other side, Harry could see a tallish woman with red hair with grey streaks and a monocle. Hermione seemed to know her and let her in. She came over to the bed and smiled at Harry.
“Hello Harry, my name is Amelia Bones. I’m the director of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.”
Something connected in Harry's head “Your Susan’s Aunt.” he said “You’re sort of like the magical chief of police.”
She smiled at him “Yes that’s right. It’s a bit more complicated than that but I’ve heard worse descriptions.”
Harry was resigned to this now “How much trouble am I in?” he asked
All three women in the room had confused looks on their faces. Amelia broke the silence “Harry, why do you think you're in trouble?”
Harry was the one who was confused now “Well I caused a large explosion I’m sure some people must have been hurt and I’ve been here for 8 days now so I’m sure I’ve massively inconvenienced people. Are you going to take me to prison right away or am I going back to Privet Drive to await trial?”
The looks of confusion had transformed to looks of horror and understanding. Hermione reached out and took his hand “Harry, you're never going back to Privet Drive again in your life. You're also not going to Jail. The Dursleys are going to jail.”
Harry was the confused one now “Why are the Dursleys going to jail?” He asked
Amelia took over as she saw the tears in Hermione’s eyes “They have committed many crimes Harry not the least of which is Child Abuse…”
Harry looked up in panic “What did they do to Dudley?”
It was Andromeda who had realised what was going on in Harry’s head “Dudley is fine Harry. They are going to jail because of what they have done to you. What they did to you is the worst kind of thing an adult can do to a child.”
Harry again seemed confused but there was something else there. “What they did to me? But they always said it doesn’t matter what they did to a freak like me.”
Hermione had tears pouring down her face now “Harry you’re not a freak. And everything they did to you matters. No one deserves to be treated like that. Especially you.”
Harry was feeling tears start to well up in his eyes now. He was so confused. Intellectually he understood what they were saying and the small part of him that had curled up and hidden when he was 2 years old was starting to uncurl. He wasn’t a freak? The Dursleys were going to be locked up for what they had done to him?
He desperately tried to take a couple of breaths but the tears were flowing freely now. Hermione was back on the bed next to him wrapping him in a full hug and something just let go in the centre of Harry’s soul. He let out a sound that was somewhere between a sob and a scream. He found he couldn’t stop himself. He was so far gone he didn’t notice the entire hospital was shaking with his scream.
Tuesday 17 August 1993
Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Ministry of Magic, London
Amelia Bones dropped the report she had been reading onto her desk, removed her monocle and leaned back in her chair rubbing her eyes. The report had been forwarded to her from Minerva McGonagall. The Gringotts team had taken nearly a week to repair the damage to the school's wards. Some had been left to fade to the point that they were basically non-existent. Others had been tampered with to the point of uselessness.
No one could work out what Dumbledore had been doing. They had found the ward he had used to silence all staff and students. That one had required a complete replacement. The one good thing to come out of all this was the Gringotts team had managed to locate to source of the Defence curse. Removing and replacing so many wards had revealed it and it was promptly removed. As expected, the magical signature on it was Voldemort.
Amelia agreed with the Headmistress that knowledge of the ward tampering was to be kept as quiet and restricted as possible. Amelia wasn’t going to share it with anyone else, not even the Minister. Well, when she said she wasn’t going to share it with anyone else she wasn’t counting her next appointment.
Harry Potter was awake and recovering. Physically at least. The total incomprehension he had that he had been abused broke Amelia’s heart and that scream he let out was scary. Even with most of his core blocked his emotions were affecting the world around him. Right now, no one knew if he would be able to go back to school in 2 and a half weeks. The poor boy was just so damaged.
There was still no sign of Albus Dumbledore. His Phoenix had turned up at the castle on Sunday night and was either unable or unwilling to indicate where Dumbledore was. There had been a possible sighting of Severus Snape in Morrocco the day before but the man had disappeared before the locals could check it out.
Sirius Black was a mess all and of itself. Amelia had been getting nowhere trying to unpick everything until a chance comment from Minister Fudge that morning during a meeting had opened a new line of enquiry.
As it turned out Fudge had been leading the team that was first on scene after the explosion attributed to Black. He swore blind that he wrote a report about the incident but no matter how hard anyone had looked they couldn’t find it. Amelia had gone back in and had Fudge swear a witness statement going over everything he saw that night.
As she looked out of the window next to the door, she saw the man she was waiting for. He saw her watching him and she gestured for him to come right in.
“Alastor. Good to see you how's retirement?”
“Bloody boring is what it is. Sod's law isn’t it I retire and 3 major things happen all at once. Now what can I do for you Amelia?” as he said this Alastor Moody dropped into the chair on the other side of the desk.
“November 1st 1981. You responded to a call for help from Fudge.”
Moody snorted “Ah this is about Black. Yes, I did. Everything is in my report”
Amelia leaned forward “Alastor, we have looked there is no report. Not from you and not from Fudge.”
Moody stared at his former boss for several seconds “Amelia, I fucking well wrote a report. After what happened, I wasn’t going to risk anything.”
“I believe you Alastor. I’ve spoken to Fudge and he’s as annoyed as you. What I need now is for you to tell me what happened.”
Moody sat back in his chair and stared into the distance for almost a minute. “I was leading a response team we were at half strength. Everything was at half-strength back then. We got a backup alert from a catastrophe squad in Bristol. Once we got there, we found a massive hole in the road, a dozen dead and as many again wounded. Once I got there, I found Fudge kneeling on the ground next to a wounded Auror third class Sirius Black.”
“I sent Fudge to go help his team and instructed my team to go and help. This was 10 a.m. on a Sunday and the muggle police were starting to show up. I gave Black a once over. He had wounds you would expect from someone standing next to an explosion, I was pretty sure he had a concussion and he had been hit by something that looked like an overpowered cheering charm. He just kept saying it’s my fault. It’s my fault and laughing hysterically”
“Well, I bought him back here and left him with one of the duty Aurors. I told him to put him in a room and get a medic. then I went back to Bristol and did my best to help clean up that mess. I finally got back to the office 4 days later. As I was writing my report, I realised I didn’t know what had happened with Black so I asked. I was told he was guilty of everything and they had thrown him in Azkaban.”
Amelia nodded. That lined up with what Fudge had told her “Who told you he was guilty?” she asked already knowing the answer
“Crouch.” Growled Moody
Amelia took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Who was the Auror you left Black with?”
Moody grimaced “Abernathy”
“Bollox” breathed Amelia. Auror Abernathy had been killed in a raid on one of the more murderous werewolf packs 3 and a half years ago.
Moody was looking at her “You think he’s innocent?”
Amelia nodded “I can’t find any proof that he’s guilty. Hell, the only thing I can find is the order sending him to Azkaban. And that was signed at 2 pm on the first. If you didn’t bring him in till 10 then he was only here for 4 hours. This stinks Alastor.”
Moody nodded “You know who your next conversation has to be with don’t you?”
Amelia sighed “Yeah, that’s going to be fun the bastard hates me.”
“The bastard hates everyone.” Moody got a look on his face that on anyone else Amelia would have called bashful. “What's happening with Albus?”
Amelia looked at her old friend. She knew that Moody and Dumbledore went way back but maybe he could help “He’s guilty Alastor. The list keeps on growing. Honestly, he would be better coming to us. The Goblins want him now and if they get their hands on him then….”
They both winced. Amelia looked down at the report she had been reading and passed it to Moody.
“What's this?” he growled as he started reading.
“That is the Gringotts team report on the state of the Hogwarts Wards.”
She watched as Moody read. Once he had finished, he looked up with astonishment on his face. “Seriously?”
“Yep. We are keeping this secret there are only a dozen people who know what's on that report and we will be keeping it that way. Now Alastor I need to ask you something. I know you and Dumbledore have been friends for years. I need to know have you heard from him?”
Moody was shaking his head before she had finished “No I’ve not heard a word from him and if I did, I swear to you Amelia, I would let you know. All this it’s just too much. I don’t know where he lost his way but this isn’t the Albus Dumbledore I’ve known for 50 years.”
Amelia nodded “I’ve been getting that a lot. The ICM is removing him as Supreme Mugwump during the special session on Friday. The Wizengamot is still trying to get a quorum together but that’s not going to be long now. The goblins have frozen all his accounts and apparently, the dwarves and the gnomes are going to refuse him service if he turns up there. If he wants a bank now the closest one that will serve him is the Vampires in Constantinople.”
Moody nodded “Don’t underestimate him, Amelia. If I know Albus Dumbledore he would have prepared for this eventuality. He will have access to resources, probably in the muggle world, and there will always be some idiot who will try and help him.”
“We know Alastor, we know. And we are looking. One good thing is I don’t think he realises how much the revelations surrounding him are going to change the world. It was only when I realised that Minerva had completely revamped Hogwarts education in a week that I realised how much Albus had been holding back and not doing.”
Moody nodded again “Aye, your right there. You are right there.”
Chapter 8: Chapter 8
Chapter Text
Chapter 8
Wednesday 25 August 1993
Tonks residence, Colchester, Essex, England
Harry sat by the window looking out onto the large garden behind the house. The house that was now his home he supposed. Andromeda and Ted were very nice and Dora had actually managed to make him laugh a time or two but he really didn’t know what to think.
He had been let out of the hospital just under a week ago. The house wards had been reinforced by a team from Gringotts, so now Harry should be safe. He really didn’t know if he felt safe or not. Andromeda had taken him on a shopping trip to a muggle shopping centre and bought him a whole new wardrobe. She kept asking him what he would like but he didn’t really know. A life of charity shop cast-offs and Dudley’s hand-me-downs meant he had no fashion sense at all.
He had ended up picking what he thought looked good and all three Tonks’s seemed to agree that what he had picked suited him. He had to admit that it was nice to have clothes that fit properly and weren’t about to fall apart every time he bent or stretched. Even if a small part of his brain insisted the clothes were wrong.
The other strange thing was his body. He had actually grown nearly 2 inches in a matter of weeks. Andromeda said this wasn’t unexpected. His damaged bones had been replaced and his body was getting the nutrition it needed now. She had apologised and told him that even with the care he was now getting he would never be tall. Harry was actually alright with that. He didn’t really want to be tall. He will leave that to Ron. There were also signs that puberty was going to ramp up now his body wasn’t using most of its energy trying to keep him alive. A much larger part of his brain was terrified of that.
He looked around the room, His room now. There were still hints that made it obvious that it had been the Tonks’s guest room until not long ago. Ted had told him he could decorate it however he liked but Harry hadn’t made much headway in that. He had taken out his precious photo album of his parents and taken a few of his favourite pictures to Ted and asked if he could make copies of them for him and get them framed. Ted had copied them immediately and had returned that evening with them all framed. Harry had his favourite, a picture of his parents dancing by a fountain, by his bed.
He also had a picture of him, Hermione, Ron and Neville, taken last year, framed and that was on the desk. Harry didn’t normally like pictures of himself but he didn’t mind this one, probably because he wasn’t alone in it and was surrounded by his friends. There was also an owl perch. 2 days after he got here, Neville and his grandmother arrived, bringing Hedwig with them. Harry had broken down again at the sight of his beautiful first friend and she had refused to leave his shoulder for the rest of the day. Harry was so glad he had had the foresight to send Hedwig with Neville. He didn’t even want to think about what the Dursleys might have done to her.
When Harry had first arrived there had been a full-length mirror in the corner of the room. He had immediately asked for it to be removed. He hated mirrors and having such a big one so near to where he was sleeping was not going to happen. Thankfully Ted had moved it without question. The bed was nice. It was about the same size as his Hogwarts bed just without the posts and curtains, and whilst it wasn’t as sinfully comfortable it was fine for him. Not that he was getting much sleep. Unfortunately, due to the potions he had been on at the hospital Andromeda couldn’t give him and Dreamless sleep potions without risking addiction. And whilst a full night's uninterrupted sleep would be nice, Harry very much agreed with her on that count.
That meant he was waking himself up at least twice a night with nightmares. Healer Jessica said that was to be expected. Healer Jessica was a mind healer. She was somewhere in her eighties and reminded Harry of Professor Sprout in a lot of ways. Kindly, slightly plump and always ready to listen. Harry knew he should be opening up more to her but he was having trouble. So many years of holding everything in and not saying anything made opening up to someone hard.
Harry looked at the books on the shelf, no third-year books yet. He had asked the question the night before about when they were going shopping for school. That’s when he was told that the decision hadn’t yet been made as to when or if he would be going back to Hogwarts. That had made Harry angry at Andromeda for the first time. Of course, he was going back to Hogwarts. He had been looking forward to starting all his new classes.
Once he calmed down, Andromeda had laid out all the issues facing him. The first was he was still on daily nutrient potions and a daily potion to regrow his spleen and kidney. The regrowth was going well apparently but it was still going to be another 2-3 weeks and the train to Hogwarts left in 9 days.
The second problem was his mental state. He had reluctantly agreed with Andromeda that his mental state was fragile and pretty much anything could set it off. He had been shown some of the press coverage of what had happened a few days ago and he had again broken down. To go back to school with all that that entails was, he had to admit, intimidating.
And the third problem was his magical core. When Harry was told that Dumbledore had blocked nearly 60% of his magical core Harry had been stunned. He had understood why the healers had blocked it up to 95% when he was woken up. The fact that even blocked as much as it was, he had still managed to cause a minor earthquake, was a little worrying to Harry.
The Healers had reduced to block to 80% before he had left the hospital and Harry could feel the difference. He had tried a few simple spells and he did indeed find them harder to do. Andromeda had said they were going to move the block back to where it was at around 60% this coming weekend. That should at least be familiar to Harry. Anything after that was unknown territory.
A few other things were going on that Harry hadn’t been told much about. Something was happening with a man called Sirius Black who was a cousin of Andromeda's. Gringotts was also after a meeting with him. Andromeda had told Harry that he would be told more about these when it was necessary. She didn’t want to burden him with too much new information in his current condition. And as for Dumbledore. No one seemed to have a clue where he was.
As Harry thought about all this there was a knock on his door.
“Come in,” he called
Andromeda pushed the door open “Harry, Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey are here and would like to see you if you are up for it.”
Harry sat there and thought. Apart from Andromeda, Ted and Dora, the only people Harry had seen to talk to since he left the hospital had been Hermione, Ron and Neville. The fact that two of his teachers were here now both scared and excited him. Andromeda had told him that major staff changes were happening at Hogwarts. There was a promise of more to come as McGonagall was planning on changing more and more.
Harry stood up as he made up his mind “I’ll speak to them.”
Andromeda smiled at him and let him lead the way down the stairs. He walked into the sitting room and saw the two women standing waiting. They glanced at each other before McGonagall started to speak.
“Mr Potter. I am very glad to see you up and around and looking so well. Thank you for speaking to us.”
“Not at all, headmistress. I’m hoping that your being here means I can go back to school.”
All three women in the room looked at each other “Well that is the question isn’t it Mr Potter.” Said the Headmistress “Let us sit and discuss it.”
As they all sat down Madam Pomfrey spoke up. “Mr Potter. Harry. I have to apologise.”
Harry held up a hand interrupting her “Madam Pomfrey, from what I’m told you have nothing to apologise for. You saw the things that were wrong with me.” As he said that Harry felt an urge to run and hide. He still found it incredibly difficult to talk about what had happened. “You did what your training told you to do. You went to the headmaster. The fact he then messed around with your mind was not your fault. You're as much a victim here as I am.”
As he said that he sat back on the sofa and for a faraway look in his eyes. The women all looked at each other again.
“Harry?” asked Andromeda quietly “Are you ok?”
Harry looked at her and shook himself “Sorry. I think Healer Jessica would call that something of a breakthrough. I admitted I was a victim.”
Realisation dawned on Andromeda’s face and she smiled gently “Well you're seeing her again this afternoon, that’s something for you to discuss with her.”
Harry nodded and turned back to Madam Pomfrey “As I was saying Madam Pomfrey, none of this was your fault. And you really shouldn’t blame yourself.” He glanced at Andromeda again and gave her a weak smile “And yes I know the old saying about the pot calling the kettle black.”
There were small smiles from around the room before McGonagall spoke up again “Are you sure you want to return to school, Mr Potter? We have revamped the discipline rules so there should be a lot less bullying behaviour now, but children will be children after all. Also, everyone is going to know what happened.”
Harry nodded “I understand that professor and I have to admit that’s what’s scaring me the most. Especially the Slytherin. But I need to go back. I love the learning there and I have my friends.” He glanced at Andromeda “No offence Andromeda, I appreciate everything you and Ted have done for me but I need things that will distract me. And here I’m alone with my thoughts too much.”
Everyone nodded before Andromeda shrugged “If that's what you want then that’s fine. If it becomes too much for you, you are to go straight to the headmistress and you can come back home for a bit longer and you will be continuing to see Healer Jessica. You are also going to have to be extra careful. As soon as your kidney and spleen are regrown you need to stop taking potions immediately.”
“In the last few weeks, you have been pumped through with potions and that’s not always a good thing. Too much in too short a time can lead to addiction and toxicity problems. Once you're finished your current regime is finished you need to be potion-free for at least three months. Preferably six months but three months should be enough.”
“I can accommodate both of those situations with little problem.” Said McGonagall.
“And I’ll ensure Mr Potter doesn’t get any potions.” Said Madam Pomfrey. She looked at Harry “If you break anything Mr Potter you are healing the old-fashioned Muggle way. So don’t break anything.”
Harry smiled weakly “I’ll do my best.”
McGonagall reached into a pocket and pulled out a letter “Now here is your Hogwarts letter. If memory serves you are planning on doing Arithmancy, Runes and Care?”
Harry nodded “Yes ma’am, Muggle studies and Divination seemed a bit pointless to me.”
“You're correct there. Between us, I’m working to phase out Divination. Honestly, unless you actually have the sight it’s pretty pointless. I’m thinking about testing every student during their second year and offering them personal tuition to maximise their gift if they have it.”
Andromeda nodded “Good plan. Fewer people going in and just making stuff up and getting an easy O.”
“Indeed, Muggle studies will be better though. Professor Burbage has thrown herself into rewriting the curriculum. We are starting wizarding studies as well for all first and second-year Muggleborn and Muggle-raised children. Professor Greengrass will also be holding some weekend seminars for older students who might be interested. You will probably benefit from those.”
“Yes, I’m sure both Hermione and I would love that. Did you say Greengrass? As in Daphne?”
McGonagall nodded “Yes, her mother. I understand both the young Greengrass ladies are ecstatic at the thought of having their mother at the school.” The dryness of her tone made Harry snort with laughter. He didn’t know Daphne Greengrass well, she was in Slytherin and he was in Gryffindor after all but they had shared some notes of some essays and been paired up a time or two.
Unlike Malfoy and his minions, she and her friends actually seemed to be more interested in learning and doing well than causing problems with random children.
“Anyway” said McGonagall getting to her feet, “In there is a book list and staffing list. It’s now fixed for this year. I’m giving you yours 3 days before everyone else gets theirs. That will let you get your things before the mad rush. I’m going to spend the year looking at expanding and enhancing the NEWT-level courses. As the muggle saying goes. Watch this space.”
Andromeda showed the ladies out of the house and Harry opened the envelope. He looked at the book list seeing pretty much everything he expected. Then he turned to the staff list
Hogwarts Staff school year 1993 – 1994
Minerva McGonagall – Headmistress and Advanced Transfiguration
Filius Flitwick – Deputy Headmaster, Charms and Advanced Charms
Pomona Sprout – Head of Hufflepuff, Herbology and Advanced Herbology
Remus Lupin – Head of Gryffindor, DADA and advanced DADA
Aurora Sinistra – Head of Slytherin, Astronomy, and Advanced Astronomy
Bathsheda Babbling – Head of Ravenclaw, Ancient Runes and Advanced Ancient Runes
Rubeus Hagrid – Groundskeeper, Care of Magical Creatures and advanced Care of Magical Creatures
Septima Vector – Maths, Arithmancy and Advanced Arithmancy
Horace Slughorn – Potions and Advanced Potions
Eliza Horn – English and Literature
Charity Burbage – Muggle Studies and Advanced Muggle Studies
Louise Jackson – Transfiguration
Bartholomew Bagshot – History of Magic and Advanced History of Magic
Evelyn Greengrass – Magical Studies and Culture
Sybil Trelawney – Divination and Advanced Divination
Poppy Pomfrey – Matron and Introduction to Healing
Argos Filtch - Caretaker
Andromeda walked back into the room. “We can go to Diagon tomorrow if you want. We need to go see the Goblins anyway.”
Harry looked up and nodded “That’s fine. Can I ask Hermione to come with us? We kinda have a list of books we want to try and buy.”
Andromeda laughed “Yes that’s fine. Send her an owl and we can meet her there.”
Department of International Magical Cooperation, Ministry of Magic, London, England
Amelia Bones was pissed. Barty Crouch had been ducking her for days and she really needed to talk to him. That’s why she found herself on level 5. She made her way down towards the Directors office. She had made sure he was in. As she approached, Crouch’s secretary looked up. To most people, she would look perfectly normal. To a trained eye like Amelia Bones, she had panic behind her eyes.
“Good morning, Director Bones. How can I help you today?” the secretary said in a near-perfect secretary voice.
“You can let me in to speak to Director Crouch. He’s been dodging me enough.” The secretary opened her mouth to speak but Amelia interrupted “And don’t tell me he’s not in or unavailable because I know that’s rubbish. You know what I’ll just see myself in.”
“NO! WAIT!” the secretary was panicking now as Amelia swept past her and opened the door.
Barty Crouch was trying to get through the mountain of paperwork that he had allowed to accumulate on his desk over the last few weeks. Between Black’s breakout, Dumbledore’s flight, Harry Potter's attack and now Amelia Bones trying to corner him he was letting things slip. He had nearly let his mental hold on his son slip a few times and that is something he just could not do.
So, when the door opened revealing Amelia Bones and his panicked Secretary standing behind her Barty knew something was about to give.
“Amelia, what an unexpected pleasure.” Crouch drawled out in a flat emotionless tone.
“Can the bullshit Barty, I’ve been trying to find you to ask you some questions for days now and you know it.
Crouch sighed and looked past Bones to his secretary, “Close the door please” Once she had done so crouch turned his attention back to Amelia. “What did you want to talk about?”
“Sirius Black.” Crouch managed to keep his face impassive but it wasn’t easy.
“What about his? He’s a Death Eater and a murderer.” Barty knew it was a long shot but he tried anyway.
“Well, that’s the thing, Barty. The more I look at it, the more I conclude he’s innocent.”
Crouch scoffed “No he isn’t.”
Amelia gave a thin humourless smile “Oh, no? Where's your evidence? You didn’t have any back in 81 or you would have given him a trial. You, Bagnold and Dumbledore just signed some parchment and off he went to Azkaban. Where are the reports from Fudge and Moody?”
Crouch was staring at her now. “What reports?”
“The reports they both swear blind that they wrote in the days following the arrest. We have searched everywhere. We know that Moody’s report was there back during the big audit in 84. But it’s not there now. So, when did you remove them?”
Crouch felt a cold chill down his back. She really had done her research. “I really don’t know what you mean Amelia. I have no memory of any reports and as far as I’m concerned Sirius Black is as guilty as the rest of that good-for-nothing family or his. So instead of trying to blame me for something that didn’t happen how about you get back out there and find the psychopath before he kills again.”
Amelia just sighed before she walked over to the door and opened it. Standing outside were 2 Aurors. “Bartimus Crouch you are under arrest for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Please surrender your wand and come with us.”
Crouch just sat there staring at her incredulously. As he sat there his mind went to his son locked up in the basement of his house. Things could go catastrophic if he didn’t get back soon and reapply the imperious Curse.
As all these thoughts went through Crouch's head the two aurors came over to him and lifted him from his chair. The large one of the left, who Crouch belatedly recognised as Kingsley Shacklebolt, relieved him of his wand and each taking an elbow, marched him through the ministry to a holding cell.
Chapter 9: Chapter 9
Chapter Text
Chapter 9
Thursday 26 August 1993
Diagon Alley, London, England
The group that left Gringotts was a much more stunned group than those that had entered. For over three hours Harry had found out he was the Lord of a Most Ancient and Noble House with a hereditary seat on the Wizengamot. But that he had 2 subsidiary titles. One of which gave him a seat on the school's board of governors. The Potters had managed to keep that little secret quiet for centuries. The Potters were the Heirs to Peverell and Gryffindor.
Once the family lines were laid out it was easy to see but it still came as a shock. Thankfully apart from the prestige of having those house names and subsidiary titles, all they gave Harry was a lot of money, some very interesting artefacts and a seat on the school board. All land had been amalgamated and if necessary, sold off centuries ago.
Several of the old families had these subsidiary titles but for the most part, they weren’t as well-known and prominent as Peverell and Gryffindor. Suddenly a lot of things about the Potters made a lot more sense to Andromeda.
He had houses as well. Andromeda knew about The Kiln. The Potter family's ancient home had been in lockdown since the death of Harry’s grandparents from Dragon pox during the large outbreak of the disease the year Harry was born. James couldn’t face moving in at the time what with the war and the new baby. He had apparently always intended to move the family in there once things quietened down but he never got the chance.
Apart from the cottage in Godriks Hollow, Which the ministry had appropriated illegally, and the townhouse just off Diagon Alley, there was also a large Villa in Tuscany and a house in Boston, Massachusetts. Whilst some families went in for numerous, large and ostentatious houses, the Potters went for what was needed in the way of property. Most of their borderline excessive wealth was in cold hard gold, jewellery, rare books and artefacts. Along with an investment portfolio managed by the goblins which was giving enough of a return that Harry could live a very comfortable life on it without touching any of the other gold in the vaults.
Once Harry had recovered enough, he had formally taken his position as Heir Potter, He would be able to formally assume the title of Lord Potter on his 17th Birthday. His first act was to appoint Andromeda as his guardian as well as his proxy on the school board and Wizengamot. He had then appointed Ted as his lawyer and they had redone the mail ward that Dumbledore had put on him. Harry now had a small book that was linked to the ward. Any names he wrote in it would find their mail coming directly to him. All others would be sent to Ted's law office where it would be checked before being sent on to Harry.
Hermione had taken an inheritance test as well just to check. Apart from a six-time great-grandmother who was a squib from the House of Sayre, Hermione had no magical ancestry at all. She was informed that she was now 59th in line to be head of House Sayre and it would be polite to send a letter to the current Lord Sayre introducing herself. When she was told this she was actually thankful. She didn’t really want to have to be dealing with politics when she wasn’t even 14 yet.
Andromeda guided the group over to Fortescue’s and got them some ice cream. Once they were all settled in and eating, she spoke up.
“How are you doing Harry?”
Harry stared at the spoon full of ice cream he had just scooped up before putting it in his mouth and looking at her “How much of all that did you know?”
Andromeda sighed “As we discussed last night, I knew about the Potter Lordship, I knew about a few of the properties and I knew the Potters were rich. I didn’t know about the other titles and actually how rich you are.”
Harry carried on looking at her and nodded “Ok, it’s a lot to take in. The Goblins said I was the third biggest private account they have in Britain.”
Andromeda nodded “I know the Blacks were the biggest back when I was a girl. No clue where they are today.”
Hermione placed her hand on Harry’s on the table and looked at him sympathetically. “Harry, we probably should talk to Neville.” Harry looked at her with a slightly confused look “You’re the Heir to a major Noble House. There are going to be things you need to know. That sort of thing comes with protocols and things.”
Harry nodded in semi-understanding “Your right that’s stuff I need to know. But I’m confused why would Neville be able to help?”
Hermione looked at him in exasperation “Honestly Harry sometimes you can be totally oblivious Neville is the Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble House of Longbottom.”
“He is?” Harry replied looking a bit stunned
“Yes, he is.” Answered Andromeda “The Longbottom name is older than the Potter name but not as old as Peverell or Gryffindor. I can tell you some of the things you need to know, growing up as a daughter of the House of Black teaches you a few things.” She glanced at the clock on the wall “Ok you too eat up, Madam Malkins first then the bookshop. Unless you need anything else.”
“I could actually do with going to Scrivenshafts and the pet shop as well.” Replied Harry.
“Ok, Madam Malkins, then Scrivenshafts and the pet shop and then the bookshop. Let’s go!”
Harry sat and watched as Hermione got measured up by Madam Malkin. She had already done him. He had new school robes as well as some casual and formal wear suitable for young mages of his social rank. Andromeda had insisted. He didn’t hate the clothes; they were actually pretty nice. They were new and they fit well. They just felt wrong somehow. As he watched Hermione went into the changing room. She came out a few minutes later wearing a strange combination of a muggle formal suit and robes. It actually really suited her and Harry could tell she would look even better as she filled out.
That thought caused him to blush and turn away, he closed his eyes and started doing some of the breathing exercises the mind healer had given him. These worked well for him and within minutes his anxiety was reduced. He opened his eyes and looked back at Hermione; she was wearing a new school skirt now. The intrusive thought flashed through his mind ‘Why can’t I have a skirt too?’
Harry buried that thought quickly. He knew full well why he couldn’t have a skirt. He was a boy and boys don’t wear skirts. ‘Are you? The voice in his head said again. Thankfully Hermione finished up then and Andromeda pulled them both up to the till and paid. She had made a deal with Hermione’s parents that she would pay for Hermione and they could pay her back in Pounds later. It avoided the commission the Goblin placed on such transactions and Andromeda and Ted spent enough time in the non-magical world that the money wouldn’t go to waste.
After a quick stop at Scrivenshafts where both Harry and Hermione stocked up on stationary essentials and bemoaned the lack of even a basic fountain pen, they made their way to Magical Menagerie. Harry wanted to get a few things for Hedwig, he immediately grabbed a few packets of the expensive bacon-flavoured owl treats she preferred and moved to look at the available owl perches.
He was considering a nice one at about the mid-price range when he heard a squeal from behind him. He turned around to see Hermione with her face buried in what at first glance was a massive ginger fur ball. On second glance Harry realised it was a cat. A massive ginger cat with a weird squashed face.
Harry immediately knew that Hermione was in love with the cat and also that she wouldn’t buy it for herself. He immediately made up his mind and went up to the counter. He placed the owl treats on the counter and pointed at the perch.
“I’ll take these treats, that perch and the cat for the lady please.”
Hermione’s head shot up “Harry no. You can’t.”
He smiled at her “I know you Hermione, you're going to be moping for days if we don’t get you that cat.” He had a mild flash of inspiration “Consider it an early birthday present.” He fully intended to get her another present for her birthday in September and he was sure she would be angry with him for it but he really didn’t care. She was his best friend, she had been there for him when everything was going so badly, even to the point of making potion for him and trying advanced protection spells.
She was having that cat.
It took nearly ten minutes of arguing before Hermione gave in, honestly, Harry had expected her to last twice as long. She must have really wanted that cat.
They left the shop with the cat safely curled up in a wicker carrying basket. The shop owner had explained that the cat was called Crookshanks and was at least half Kneezle. He had been stuck in the shop for over a year because no one would choose him. Harry didn’t really care all that mattered was Hermione was happy.
Andromeda had watched the argument in the pet shop with ill-concealed amusement. It had been obvious Harry was going to win from the start. Hermione had wanted the cat too much. Now she stood in the bookshop watching the pair of them move efficiently through the shelves. They had already got their school books and were now browsing. Harry had found some books on magical culture and politics. Andromeda had checked the titles and pointed out the best three for him to get. Hermione had immediately asked if she could borrow them once he was finished.
That was something else that seemed to be happening. Other than individual school books, which they each needed their own copies of. Neither of them bought duplicate books. It was like they just knew they could borrow the books from the other anytime. Andromeda suddenly realised what they were doing. They were subconsciously building a joint library. She suddenly realised what she needed to do.
She and Ted had already ordered a new trunk for Harry. It was due for pickup on Tuesday. She glanced out the window across to the store that was preparing the trunk for them. Hearing Hermione call from near the back of the bookshop, Harry went tearing off and Andromeda sighed. They could be here for a while. She made up her mind she told the shop assistant she was just popping out for some air. She made her way outside and crossed the street to the shop. When she was inside, she quickly spoke to the shop owner and changed the order to include as big a library compartment as they could manage. She already knew that he would share it with Hermione.
Next door to the storage shop was Quality Quidditch Supplies. Between them was a small alleyway allowing access to the rear of the shops. Sitting in the alleyway, partly in shadow was a large dog.
A very familiar large dog.
A very familiar large dog that was staring at her.
Andromeda's heart started to race. She knew that Amelia was properly looking into Sirius’s case. She also knew that he wasn’t guilty. Seeing all the wanted posters up around the alley today had hurt her a lot. She walked a couple of paces into the alley and turned around watching the bookshop from her new position.
“You shouldn’t be here.” She said quietly.
She sensed a shift behind her and a voice she hadn’t heard in over a decade spoke “Probably not but I had to see him. I was there that night. I watched them pull him out of that house.”
Andromeda blinked at that. She thought for a minute before speaking again “Siri you really are a fucking moron. You know that right?”
There was a quiet bark of laughter “Yes Andi I know that. I made one rash decision and look where we are now.”
“Merlin, I have missed you, you idiot child.”
“I’ve missed you too you old crone.”
“Amy Bones had started pulling the treads of your case apart. The whole tapestry disintegrated on her. You need to lie low and stay out of the Ministry’s sight. It won’t be long before they are demanding a trial for you.”
There was a long pause “Thank you, Andi.” Another pause “Pettigrew is alive.”
It took every ounce of Andromeda Tonks’s considerable self-control for her not to spin around and stare at her cousin in shock. “How do you know?”
“Saw his picture in the paper. James and I helped him become an Animagus as well. He’s a brown rat.”
Andi snorted quietly “Bit on the nose that isn’t it?”
“You have no idea. Fudge gave me a copy of his paper when he came for a tour of Azkaban. I missed doing the crossword. There on the front was a picture of Arthur Weasley and his family in Egypt. They had won the Ministry raffle or something. And there on the shoulder of the one Weasley child was a rat. One I recognised immediately.”
Andi thought hard for a few seconds. The Weasleys did have a pet rat. Harry’s friend Ron had him. Harry’s friend Ron who slept in the same dormitory as Harry.
“Fuck.” Breathed Andi.
It was Sirius’s turn to snort. “Figured it out did you?”
“Yes. Fuck!”
“I know. I had this plan; I know now that it was insane but it made sense to me at the time. I was going to go to Hogwarts and wait for school to start then break in and kill the rat.”
Andi laughed “Merlin you really were out of it if you thought that would work. Especially now.”
“Why especially now?”
Andi sighed “With Dumbledore gone, Minerva got the Goblins up there to look at the wards. They were a mess. So many holes had to be closed. A lot of it was just deterioration due to lack of maintenance but some of it was Dumbledore fiddling with them. You wouldn’t have got in without being detected.”
Sirius snorted “Minnie’s having fun cleaning up after the old goat then?”
Andromeda snorted and nodded “She, Poppy Pomfrey and a couple of other teachers have got gaps in their memories. Dumbledore was a bit handy with the Obliviate”
Sirius took a sharp intake of breath before letting it out “Fuuuuuuuck” he said with the breath. “It just gets worse and worse.” He seemed to hesitate “He was there that night. Turned up just as they were pulling them out of the house.”
Andromeda's head had snapped up. It was taking every last ounce of will for her not to spin around “You’re sure?”
“Yeah, he was using a disillusionment charm I think but he didn’t bother to use silencing charms or mask his scent. I could smell him. He didn’t hang around long. Just long enough for them to see them pull Harry out of the house then he left. Rather quickly if the footsteps I heard were anything to go by.”
Andromeda nodded “that’s what we figured.” She sighed “I need you to go and lie low. If I turn around and look at you, I’m going to go full healer on your ass and I can’t afford that right now. This is killing me but I need to prioritise Harry. As soon as it’s safe to do so I’m getting my hands on you.”
“Ok, Andi. I understand and agree.” There was a silence before he spoke again “I do need help. But it can wait.” He said in a small voice.
Andromeda couldn’t help herself she spun around and pulled her cousin into a hug. Tears were falling down her face. And she had her eyes tightly closed but she could feel how thin he was. With her eyes still closed she let him go and spun back around. It took every bit of the occlumency training she had been put through in her childhood to keep her from falling apart.
“Siri, please just go. I’ll make sure nothing happens to Harry. As soon as we get back home I’m going to Amy and we are going to get that rat. For now, please just go.”
She felt his hand on her shoulder and then there was a slight surge of magic and she heard the sound of a dog moving off at a trot. She spent the next few minutes pulling herself together and cleaning up her face before she made her way back into the shop.
She immediately stopped as she saw the two great piles of books the children had assembled.
“Um, Andi. We might need more bags.” Said Harry. At least he had the decency to sound embarrassed.
Friday 27 August 1993
The Burrow, Ottery St. Catchpole, Devon, England
Alastor Moody didn’t know how much more Amelia could take. In his opinion, she was the best head the DMLE had had since Henry Potter had given up the post in 1960. Moody didn’t blame Henry for giving up the job. Dorea had just had the baby and Henry intended to spend as much time with the long-awaited child as possible. Unfortunately, that meant they had had 27 years of political hacks, incompetents, tyrants and just plain laziness until Amelia took over 6 years ago.
Fudge had actually offered him the post but Moody had just laughed in his face and pointed him at the 29-year-old deputy head Auror who had been doing most of the work of her two nominal superiors anyway. It was only because of that woman (and the fact that after only 4 months of retirement, he was board ridged) that he had let her reactivate him.
Crouch had been sitting in a ministry holding cell for the last 3 days not saying a word. The only reaction that Shacklebolt had managed to get out of him was when he was told his house had gone up in flames the day before. An Auror search team had been due there a couple of hours later to execute a search warrant. Now that team was sifting through the debris and mess. Crouch’s house elf had been found sitting in the middle of the garden wailing about her Master Barty. Merlin only knew what was going to happen to her.
And now Moody was here just outside the wards of one of his better friends. He had heard all about what Dumbledore had done to the Weasleys and it hurt him that he was going to have to bring them more grief. Amelia had told him that the oldest Weasley boy was home to help the family through everything. He was a Gringotts curse breaker and a dab hand with a wand from what he had heard. Because of that, he had only bought one other auror with him.
“Are we going to go this Mad-Eye?” Tonks asked
“Aye, lass we are. Wish we didn’t have to but we are.”
Leading the way Moody stepped through the wards. He noted that they were much better than most people would have expected from a family of modest means like the Weasleys. Having a Cursebreaker for a son had a lot of advantages. As he expected, said Cursebreaker and his father came out of the door as they approached the house.
“Alastor?” Arthur Weasley asked in confusion “What are you doing here so early?”
“I’m afraid something has come up Arthur. We have had a tip.”
Arthur looked more confused. By this point, his daughter was now standing in the open door in her pyjamas holding a piece of toast “What do you mean a tip?” Arthur asked warily.
Moody sighed “I understand one of your sons has a pet rat?”
Arthur and Bill looked at each other before Arther looked back at Moody. “Yes? My youngest son Ron.”
Moody nodded “I need to ask you to do something. It needs to be done quickly and quietly. I need you to take Auror Tonks here to the rat and I need you to let her put it in this cage.”
Tonks pulled out the cage. As she did, she shifted her appearance to that matching Bill Weasley whose eyes widened as he saw her change.
“Tonks, what's going on? why do you have to look like me?” Bill asked
Tonks winced slightly “Bill, I swear you will understand soon enough. Right now, I really need you all to work with us on this.”
Bill and his father looked at each other again before they both shrugged “Ok.” Sighed Arthur “Come this way, Miss Tonks.”
Arthur and Tonks (who still looked like Bill) headed into the house. The youngest Weasley moved over to her brother and slipped her hand into his. A few moments later Molly Weasley came out and did a double take when she saw her eldest standing there “Bill? But you just went upstairs with your father. What's going on?”
“That was Dora Tonks mom and I don’t know what's going on but hopefully Mad-Eye will have some answers for us shortly,” Bill replied
“Dora Tonks? Charlie's ex-girlfriend?” Molly replied
Any further conversation was stopped by a yell from upstairs, followed a few moments later by a procession out of the house. It was led by Tonks, now looking like herself again, holding the cage out in front of her with a rat in it. The rat was squealing in what was obviously sheer terror. Following Tonks was the youngest Weasley boy being held back by his father. He was protesting vehemently about his rat being mistreated.
The remaining 3 Weasley boys followed them out. Moody recalled that there was another son who was working towards a Mastery in Dragonolgy at the big reserve in Romania.
“Put the cage on the ground please Tonks.” Said Moody. She did as asked and stepped away. Moody approached the cage and as he did, he could tell when the rat finally noticed him. It stopped squealing and running around and just froze. Moody’s magic eye was already telling him this wasn’t a normal or even a magical rat.
With a few waves of his wand, Moody set up a dome of wards around him and the cage. With another two quick waves, he vanished the cage and hit the rat with a blue spell. The rat had tried to make a run for it the second the cage disappeared but Moody was too quick. The rat froze in mid-run and began to glow blue. There was a strange rippling across his fur and he began to grow. Within seconds a fat balding man was lying on the ground.
There had been screams from the Weasley family as the Animagus was revealed. The one son who Moody was fairly sure had just been made head boy, had run back into the house with his hand clutched over his mouth. Moody just stared at the man lying on the ground. He knew this man. He had sat through Merlin knows how many of Albus’s order meetings with him.
“Hello, Peter.” Growled Moody.
Peter Pettigrew rolled over and stared at Moody. Before he could say anything Moody hit him with a stunner and he slumped back. He bound the man and lowered the shields and wards he had erected and Tonks moved to search and further restrain the man. Arthur, Bill and the Twins all moved closer all with their wands pointed straight at the bound, unconscious man.
“It can’t be.” Breathed Arthur
“Dad?” one of the twins asked
“That’s Peter Pettigrew.” Said Arthur “but he’s supposed to be dead”.
Moody nodded “Aye that he is.”
“Um, Mad-eye?” Tonks got everyone's attention “We’ve got two wands here.”
She carefully held up the two wands. Moody’s eyes instantly snapped to the one in her left hand. He recognised that wand. He had watched that wand kill his friends. He had scars on his body that would never completely heal because of that wand. “That’s Voldemort's wand” he growled out.
There was a shriek and a muffled thud from off to the side. Turning Moody could see that Molly Weasley had fainted right on top of her youngest son.
Chapter 10: Chapter 10
Chapter Text
Chapter 10
Wednesday 01 September 1993
Minister’s Private Conference Room, Ministry of Magic, London, England
Amelia sat down in her customary seat in the minister's conference room. She looked around at the other people sitting down around her. Cornelius Fudge of course and he just had to bring his horrible toad with him didn’t he. Augusta Longbottom was also there in her new role as Chief Mage of the Wizengamot. Amelia had also bought her Chief Auror Rufus Scrimgeour and Alastor Moody had tagged along as well.
It had taken the better part of a month to get enough members of the Wizengamot together for today's meeting. When all was said and done the results were a foregone conclusion. Despite the attempts from some of Dumbledore's most hardcore loyalists, the old goat had been removed from his position as Chief Mage.
His position as the leader of the progressive faction on the Wizengamot had been taken up quite quickly and easily by Lord Abbott. It had seemed a little too quickly and easily in Amelia's mind which made her think Gordon Abbott had been laying plans to take over for a while now.
Amelia didn’t really care. She had known Lord Abbott for years and could work with him. Hell, Susan spent more time at his daughter's house with his granddaughter Hannah than she did at home. Amelia felt a twinge of regret there. Ingrid Abbott had been a dorm mate of Amelia’s at Hogwarts and she had helped out immensely when Amelia found herself a single parent to her 1-year-old niece. She knew Susan and the whole Abbott family knew it couldn’t be helped but she still felt guilty.
After removing Dumbledore from his position, the Wizengamot had quickly voted in Augusta Longbottom as Chief Mage and she had quickly called a vote removing Dumbledore from his position as one of Great Britain's 3 representatives to the ICM. He had already been removed as Chief Mugwump during a special session nearly two weeks ago and replaced by a highly respected Mage from Japan.
Cornelius Fudge let out a long sigh as he sat in his chair. He turned his gaze to Amelia.
“Ok, Amelia. What's going on?” he half barked out.
Amelia gave a tight smile “Well Minister, first off, Sirius Black is innocent. Bagnold, Crouch and Dumbledore threw him in Azkaban without a trial or even attempting to do any kind of investigation.”
Fudge’s face had taken on a stricken look. “And it was never looked into?” he asked.
Amelia felt a flush of guilt “Why would we? Everyone just assumed Sirius was tried and convicted. Maybe a bit quickly but there was a lot of that going on back then. Once he was in Azkaban, there was no reason for anyone to go back and look. We really should have.”
Umbridge spoke up then. Her simpering little girl voice grating on Amelia’s nerves “Sirius Black was the Potter's secret keeper. Everyone knows this. There were witnesses to his killing of Peter Pettigrew. I still don’t understand why we are even entertaining this ridiculous notion, Minister.”
Fudge gave his undersecretary an annoyed look and the woman seemed to deflate somewhat. “We are entertaining it Delores because the mounting evidence is showing that the previous administration locked up the Heir to the house of Black without a trial.” He shuddered “Thank Merlin old Arcturus is dead. I would imagine that this would be one of the few things that dragged him out of Blackwell.”
There was a moment as everyone around the table contemplated that thought and all seemed to agree at the same time. Sirius Blacks Grandfather, Arcturus Black, had died almost 2 years previously. No one had seen much of him since his wife’s death back in 79. But whenever he did turn up somewhere, it never meant anything good for the person he was seeing.
“Anyway.” Said Amelia “Something else came up that changes things even more.”
“Oh?” asked Fudge, wariness on his face
Amelia nodded “Alastor went to investigate a tip-off on Friday. It turned up two very interesting things.”
Fudge stared at her for several seconds “Well? Don’t leave us in suspense, Amelia.”
Moody answered for her “I found Pettigrew.”
Fudge, Umbridge and Augusta stared at him for several seconds. “What do you mean you found Pettigrew? He’s alive?” said Augusta with an air of disbelief.
Moody snorted “Oh he’s very much alive. He’s also got the Dark Mark on his arm and was found in possession of two wands. One is his. The other one is the interesting one.”
Amelia took over “We had a very good idea what the wand was when we saw it. Olivander confirmed it for us just this morning. He sold that wand in the summer of 1938 to a young boy named Tom Riddle. Now some 30 years later that boy would reappear carrying the same wand but with a different name. Voldemort.”
Fudge and Augusta flinched and Umbridge actually gave a little shriek. It was Fudge who spoke up then “You have HIS wand?”
“Yep.” Said Amelia popping the p. “I’ve got 6 Aurors at all times guarding it. The last thing I want is it disappearing on us.”
Fudge sat there staring at her for several long moments before he shook himself “What do you want to do Amelia?”
Amelia slid one of the folders she had in front of her across the table to Fudge “I want Trials for both Black and Pettigrew. I would imagine Sirius will be falling over himself to take Veritaserum, give memories, take oaths anything he can come up with. With that in mind, it’s pretty much a foregone conclusion that he will be found innocent and Pettigrew will be heading for Azkaban.”
Fudge grimaced “I suppose the trials are necessary?”
Scrimgeour answered this one “Minister, we are in this situation, A situation where you will probably be called as a witness remember, because due process wasn’t followed.”
Fudge winced at the Head Auror’s tone “your right Scrimgeour. Your right. We can’t be seen to be repeating the same mistakes as the past.” He turned back to Augusta “How quickly can you get something organised?”
Augusta turned to Amelia and cocked an eyebrow “How long do you need. Bear in mind I need to give a week's notice for a special session. That providing we can get a quorum and none of Dumbledore’s idiots try and hold things up again.”
Amelia sighed and ran her hand over her face “About two weeks, I think. It’s going to take us that long to get everything in order. I’ve got an idea on how to let Black know he needs to come in. Once he’s in our custody we can go from there.”
Fudge sat there looking at his hands for nearly a minute before he nodded “Ok Amelia, Augusta get it done. You have the full support of the Ministry and my office.” He glanced at Umbridge who took the hint and nodded. “What about the other problems we have right now?”
Amelia sighed “Dumbledore and Snape have disappeared. We are pretty sure Snapes left the country. Dumbledore…. We just don’t know.”
She gestured at Moody “Back during the war there were rumours in the order of the Phoenix that Dumbledore was setting up fallback safe houses. Mostly in the Muggle world. The bastard kept all that to himself though and no one I have talked to knows where these might be. Either that or he Obliviated them. Recent events show how handy he has got with that spell.”
“We have blocked every way he can get hold of money right now. The nearest magical bank that might serve him is the Vampires in Constantinople. But he may have stashed money or an account with a muggle bank. We are looking but if I’m honest I don’t think we are going to find him until he wants us to.” Amelia concluded unhappily.
Fudge sighed and closed his eyes “I wish I could disagree with you or scream at you to find him but you're right. Dumbledore is too good for us to just stumble over him. What about Barty?”
It was Amelia’s turn to sigh now “He has suffered what the healers are calling a mental collapse. He’s ranting and raving like you wouldn’t believe we have a dicta quill recording everything he says and we are checking it. So far most of what he says is making sense. He’s filled in a few gaps for us and we now have a pretty good idea about what happened.”
She gestured to Scrimgeour, who took a drink of water and started speaking. “Turns out Crouch always had a thing about the Blacks. His mother was a Black and she wasn’t exactly the loving sort. That’s left Crouch with a major issue when it comes to that family. He automatically considers the family dark and therefore guilty. It didn’t help that so many of them actually were guilty. With Sirius Black, he just saw another evil member of his mother's family and locked him up. By this point, Bagnold would pretty much just sign anything he put in front of her. Merlin only knows why Dumbledore signed it.”
Amelia interrupted at this point “The current theory is that by having Black locked up in Azkaban it removed an obstacle to Dumbledore’s control over Harry Potter.”
There were scowls around the room apart from Umbridge who just had a thoughtful look on her face as Scrimgeour continued “As you undoubtedly remember” glancing at Augusta. “Crouch’s son was bought in and sentenced to Azkaban for what he and the Lestranges did to your son and daughter-in-law, Augusta. Junior died in the prison about a year later. Only he didn’t.”
“He didn’t?” exclaimed Augusta
“No Ma’am.” Scrimger sighed “Crouch’s wife Melinda was sick. She was actually dying so between them they concocted an insane plan and managed to get a pass to go visit Junior and switched her with him using Polyjuice. Senior smuggled Junior out polyjuiced as Melinda and Melinda died a couple of days later looking like Junior and was buried on the island. Senior seems to have kept Junior locked up in his house and controlled him using potions, a house elf and the imperious curse.”
Amelia spoke up again “That’s what we think happened to the house. Junior broke free and went on a rampage. We are still looking to see if he died in the fire or if he escaped.”
Augusta Looked like she was preparing to set the room on fire. Fudge leaned forward with his head in his hands “Oh god another one. How bad is it if he’s free?”
The three aurors glanced at each other before Scrimgeour spoke again “It’s bad minister. Crouch Junior is a genius. Maximum number of OWL’s and NEWTs with O’s across the board. After Hogwarts he had offers from pretty much every ministry department and Gringotts he had offers from masters in multiple disciplines to apprentice him and several private businesses tried to hire him. His response to the ministry was thanks but no thanks. Everyone else got a I’m going to go look after my sick mother for a while and I’ll think about your offer.”
“A year and a half later he gets picked up with the Dark Mark on his arm and ends up in Azkaban. From what Senior is babbling, Junior is one of You-know-who’s true believers. If he’s free he’s going to go looking for his master and there is evidence that something is calling it’s self… well you know, out there.”
“Great.” Bit out Fudge “Absolutely fantastic. Are we announcing it?”
Amelia shook her head “not right now. We can’t completely confirm anything. We thought it would be best to announce that Senior has fallen ill and been removed from his position so he can recover. That way you can at least replace him at the DOIC and we can move everything else along.
Fudge sighed “Ok, this all sounds acceptable. I’ll follow your lead on this one Amelia. And let us all hope that Barty Crouch Junior is dead somewhere.”
Friday 03 September 1993
Tonks residence, Colchester, Essex, England
Harry sat and stared at his new trunk all packed and waiting on the floor. Hedwig had opted to fly up to Hogwarts on her own rather than be forced to endure the indignity of a cage and the train. In fact, Harry didn’t even have a cage for her anymore. It had been broken back at Privet Drive and Harry had never replaced it.
The trunk was a wonder. There was so much storage space in it, but what Harry liked the most was the library section. It had room in it for 700 books. Even after sorting through everything he had he hadn’t got past 80. Hermione had helped fill it up a bit more but it still was only at about 150. He had realised a couple of days before when he and Hermione were organising the last of the books that he wasn’t thinking of the books as his book or Hermione’s books he was thinking of them as their books.
They had discussed how they were going to deal with that. The trunk would be kept in Harry’s dorm as it was after all his. Hermione could come and get any book she liked whenever she liked. Andromeda had helped them alter the security charms so that Hermione had access to the library section. She had quite understood Harry’s need for privacy and not wanting her to get into the other sections.
The letters and cards from well-wishers had been nice. He had written personal replies to the people he knew and a few that Andromeda advised it would be politically useful to personally reply to. For the rest, Andromeda had managed to persuade the Prophet to publish an open letter from him. The letter was in two parts. The first was explaining how he would like to personally reply to everyone but due to the sheer number of letters, he wasn’t able. The second part explained about the previous mail ward and how he was sure that many people had written to him before but the mail ward made sure he never received them and no one knew what happened to the letters.
From what Ted had told him this was accepted and had generally gone down well with the population. Harry had asked about hate mail and Ted had reluctantly told him that there had been some but it was a small amount and it was being dealt with.
As he sat there, he heard someone coming up the stairs, Ted, the hyperaware part of his brain told him. He guessed it was time. Time to go back to Hogwarts. Time to face everyone who knew far more about him than he ever wanted people to know.
Platform 9 3/4, Kings Cross Station, London, England
Andromeda stood there and watched the train go. She hoped they were doing the right thing letting Harry go back to Hogwarts. They had got there early and got him situated in a carriage before the mass throng of students arrived. Andromeda had sat with him whilst Ted went back out to the platform to direct his friends.
As she had sat there looking at Harry, she had realised something. She loved this Boy. She hated Dumbledore with a passion for keeping her out of his life. He should have grown up calling her Auntie Andi but that had been taken from both of them. It was actually Harry who had first mentioned that to her a few nights ago. He had told her that he didn’t know if he would ever be able to call her Auntie as that word held so many bad memories for him.
Andromeda had cried in Ted's arms that night after Harry had gone to bed. Physically Harry was in the best shape he had been since his parents had died. He was shorter than he should be and his appetite probably was never going to be massive but he was eating plenty and growing well.
Emotionally and mentally he still had a long way to go. Andromeda was expecting several messages about his having breakdowns over the next few months. She had made Hermione promise her that she would report them to Madam Pomfrey when they happened. The poor girl had fretted about Harry’s privacy and protecting him. Andromeda had finally persuaded her that having adult help would help Harry more.
Harry hadn’t really opened up to her yet. He seemed to be opening up to Nymphadora a bit more which Andromeda was glad about. She figured it was partly because Andromeda was now the parental figure and Nymphadora was the sister figure. And what teenager wants to open up to a parent?
There was something else going on inside Harry though. Andromeda couldn’t tell what it was but she had started to see signs of it since Diagon Alley. At first, she thought it was part of the many other issues Harry was dealing with but eventually, she came to the conclusion it was something more.
She hoped he would talk to someone about it when he was ready.
The train disappeared round the bend in the track and Andromeda sighed. Now it was time to sort Sirius out. She turned away and stared right into a face from the past.
There, maybe 10 feet in front of her, staring at her was Narcissa. She looked as shocked as Andromeda at seeing her. They had seen each other at a distance over the years in Diagon Alley or at some function or another but this was the closest they had been since Andromeda had packed her bag and run away in the middle of the night.
The sisters stood there staring at each other for over a minute before something caught Narcissa’s attention and she turned around and walked away. She was joined by Lucius who didn’t seem to have noticed her and together they made their way to the Floo. Lucius went first. As Narcissa made to follow she turned back and looked at Andromeda again. For a second Andromeda could have sworn that Narcissa’s mask had slipped and she saw a glimpse of her little sister again. But that was gone before she could properly tell and Narcissa turned away and entered the Floo.
Chapter 11: Chapter 11
Notes:
So yeah, things got in the way, first, my mom got sick, then I got sick, then I got better and my dad got sick. then my dad got better and I got sick again and my mom is having treatment. writing took a lot of a back seat for December. I'm getting back into it now though.
I hope you enjoy the next instalment
Chapter Text
Chapter 11
Friday 03 September 1993
Hogwarts Express, North of London, England
Harry was feeling very anxious. He was running through the grounding exercises the mind healer had given him over and over again. It was just him, Hermione, Ron, and Neville in the compartment. They had pulled all the blinds down, and Harry knew that the twins, their friend Lee, and the Gryffindor Chasers were in the carriage next door.
By every rational measure, he knew he was safe. But his current mental start wasn’t particularly rational. He had realised, sitting here in the carriage with Andi waiting for his friends, that he was scared of going back. He knew that wasn’t rational either. He wanted to go back. He had DEMANDED to go back. But he was also scared to go back.
He looked around the carriage at his friends. He knew that if he wanted, he would never be alone at Hogwarts. He and Hermione were doing the same classes. Ron, it turned out was actually quite good at maths. This had led Harry and Hermione to persuade him to do arithmancy along with muggle studies instead of divination and care. Neville was doing care and runes. Harry was surprised to find out that you couldn’t do a herbology mastery without a NEWT in runes. Turns out many of the more dangerous plants were planted in pots engraved with runes to help contain them. As well as the numerous uses of runes on greenhouses to ensure climate control.
Try as they might, Harry and Hermione just couldn’t persuade Ron and Neville to take the third class with them. They all agreed it was going to be strange in the electives when they weren’t all going to be there. But they also agreed that they should play to their strengths. Ron was actually quite looking forward to muggle studies. His father had heard a rumour that the whole subject was being updated and reworked.
Harry and Hermione had also discussed it and had agreed that they were going to take any opportunity given to learn from the new Magical etiquette and culture teacher. Professor McGonagall had indicated to Harry that Professor Greengrass would be giving seminars or lectures to any of the upper years that wanted to attend.
All of a sudden there was a knock at the door that made everyone jump. The door opened to the lady with the sweet and snack trolley. As the door was opening Harry was convinced he saw her glance in the direction of the twin's compartment. She smiled like normal even if it did seem a bit nervous.
They all bought something from the trolly and just as she was about to close the door a small blonde slipped in under her arm and entered the compartment.
“Hello everyone.” Said Luna Lovegood in her usual dreamy voice.
Luna was an odd one in many ways. Harry had met her just after Christmas the previous year. Ron had finally persuaded Harry to try out his invisibility cloak. Neville was tired and they hadn’t asked Hermione out of fear of her reaction but Ron had finally got the location of the kitchens out of his brothers and they decided that a quick trip under the cloak down there couldn’t hurt.
It was on their way back that they heard the quiet crying from the empty classroom on the fifth floor. Looking in they found Luna, in her nightdress, no shoes and no wand. Ron recognised her, having grown up with her and Ginny.
Before Ron could stop him, Harry was out from under the cloak and was taking off his jumper and wrapping it around the obviously cold and scared girl. She hadn’t wanted to say much, kept muttering on about nargles and wrackspurts. Worried for her, Harry had persuaded Ron that they needed to take her to the hospital wing.
Harry recognised the signs from his own time in primary school, even if he didn’t like talking about it. Madam Pomfrey wrapped the girl in a proper blanket and called for Professor Flitwick. It had taken him a little time but between them, Harry, Ron and Flitwick had managed to coax out of Luna what had happened.
When Flitwick found out that a large portion of his fourth and fifth years were actively bullying and encouraging the younger years to bully her, he went ballistic. The rumour mill the next morning when the Ravenclaws came down for breakfast was running rampant. The fifth-year female prefect had had her badge taken from her. The hourglass showing the Ravenclaw points was nearly empty and a large chunk of the middle year's students were spending the rest of the year in various detentions.
Luna came down that morning and plonked herself down next to Harry at the Gryffindor table and didn’t leave for nearly a month. Word got around that Harry Potter had sort of adopted the strange blonde Ravenclaw and that, along with the punishments, meant most of the bullying stopped overnight. Harry didn’t really understand it at the time but, looking back, now that he knew about his family history and potential political power it sort of made sense.
Now she was standing in the carriage looking around at the others there as they all said hello and smiling. Then her head snapped to Harry. Harry felt somehow uncomfortable at the intensity of the gaze she was focusing on him. She walked over to him. Pushed his legs together and straddled his lap with both of her hands holding the sides of his head. She then sat there gazing into his eyes for nearly a minute.
“you're not alright.” She said and most of the dreaminess was missing from her voice “But you are going to be. Don’t be afraid and everything will work out as it’s supposed to.”
Then the dreaminess came back and she slipped off his lap and cuddled up into his side.
The four friends looked around at each other before looking back at Luna who just had a smug dreamy smile on her face. They were all sort of used to Luna coming up with things like that but this was one of the strangest ones yet.
Everyone went back to what they were doing before they were interrupted, which in Harry’s case was trying to read the third-year Charms textbook. It took him a few minutes to realise that Luna was reading it with him.
They spent the rest of the journey reading and discussing what was in the book dragging the others into the conversation at various times. That was one of the great things about Luna, one minute she could be asking some of the strangest most naive questions you had ever heard. The next you could be having an in-depth conversation with her about some of the fundamental laws of Magic. It was at these times you saw the reason she was both a Ravenclaw and second in her class.
Ron had jokingly said near the end of last year that Harry had adopted her as a little sister. Harry had discovered that he didn’t mind that. Neville had kept her fully informed about what was happening with Harry in the hospital. Harry knew full well she would have been there if it wasn’t for the fact she and her father were in Sweden on some sort of expedition for their magazine.
They were about an hour from Hogwarts and starting to feel hungry. Harry had been thinking about what was going on in the wider world. Andromeda and Ted had sat him down and explained about Sirius Black. They had touched on the Dumbledore situation and Andromeda had given him (And Hermione) what she called a quick and dirty guide to being the heir to a house in Spellbound Britain.
What had been made especially clear to him was that there were now adults outside of Hogwarts looking after his interests and all he had to worry about was his studies and being a 13-year-old. Harry didn’t know if he really believed that yet but he did have to admit that it sounded good.
All of a sudden there was a scuffling noise outside in the corridor. Ron put down his quidditch magazine and pulled the blind to the side to see what was going on.
“Oh.” He said, “It looks like this was Malfoy’s annual attempt to annoy and insult us.”
“What happened?” asked Harry. Draco Malfoy continued to try and antagonise Harry and his friends, even when they had all made it clear they had absolutely no interest in engaging with him. Harry was initially scared of the boy but realised that he was all bark and no bite around halfway through the first year. Now he was little more than an irritant.
“Looks like Fred and George caught them trying to sneak past them. They aren’t going anywhere fast.” Ron replied
Everyone in the carriage snorted before Harry remembered the advice Andromeda had given him about dealing with Malfoy or any belligerent pureblood when he had asked. Realising this was a chance to see what his nerve would be like he untangled his arm from Luna, stood up and opened the door.
Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle were all stuck to the wall of the train by some green semi-transparent goo. Harry had no idea what it was but the twins were standing nearby with a self-satisfied look on their faces.
Malfoy was obviously trying to yell but the goo kept filling his mouth every time he opened it. It took him a minute to realise Harry was there and when he did, he somehow still managed to sneer.
Harry took a deep breath “Heir Malfoy.” Malfoy stopped squirming and trying to scream when he realised Harry was talking to him formally. He actually got an incredulous look on his face.
“Heir Malfoy.” Harry said again “You have spent the past 2 years insulting me and generally trying to provoke me.” Harry was convinced everyone listening could hear the tremor in his voice. “If you continue with this boorish, uncivilised behaviour I will have no option but to have my Proxy, Andromeda Tonks,” Harry stressed her name and could tell Malfoy recognised the name of his aunt “Bring your actions and general behaviour up with the head of your house. Failing that it will be raised in the wizengamot as the only reason I can think of for you to be acting like this is because you are attempting to provoke me into starting a feud of some sort. Do you understand?”
Malfoys face had been getting progressively paler as Harry had been speaking. Quite the accomplishment for someone who was already so pale. He managed to nod and Harry turned around. The twins were staring at Harry in utter wonder whilst the chasers were all looking at him with satisfied smiles.
Angelina Johnson was a pureblood from a house that didn’t have a seat on the wizengamot and Katie Bell was the half-blood daughter of a muggleborn father and a mother whose family was third generation magical. Alicia Spinnet was the daughter of a younger son of Lord Spinnet and from the look she was giving Harry she knew exactly what he had just done.
Looking back at his carriage, Ron just looked confused but happy at seeing the Slytherins being on the receiving end, Hermione looked proud but she had already known what he was going to say if anything happened. Neville, like Alicia, knew exactly what Harry had done and said and looked a mixture of terrified and proud.
Harry shyly nodded and smiled at the Older Gryffindor’s and walked back into his carriage. Luna hadn’t moved during everything and was sitting there humming and kicking her legs gently. Harry sat back down next to her and she wrapped herself back around his arm. The others watched all this and eventually sat themselves back down.
“errr Harry?”
“Yes, Neville?”
“You do know what you just did right?”
“Oh yes Neville, Andromeda made sure I understood. I just accused the Heir of an Ancient and Noble house of trying to start a feud with the Heir and last survivor of a Most Ancient and Noble house and if he didn’t stop it I would take it to first his father and then the wizengamot and make my complaint official. And with all the evidence I could produce about his harassment of me and my friends. Well, let's just say it would cost old Lucius a pretty Knut to settle it without potential bloodshed.”
Ron spoke up then “Yeah but Harry you know a lot of magic, and you're pretty good with a wand for a 13-year-old but you're no match for Lucius Malfoy.”
Harry nodded “your right Ron, but my guardian is Andromeda Tonks nee Black. Now whilst she might be fairly stable for a Black, Ted tells me that when she gets angry it’s a sight to behold.”
Ron winced thinking back to the party his parents had thrown 4 years ago when Bill had graduated. That night Ron had understood that his kind, sweet and funny Granma Ella, who always had time for him, loved playing Chess with him and would always come with a tin of biscuits, had been born Cedrella Black. The look on his Aunt Murial’s face, as Granma had shouted her down for criticising her grandchildren the way she was, had been both terrifying and glorious.
Hogwarts School of Magecraft, Scotland.
Hermione sat next to Harry at the Gryffindor table in the great hall and worried. She knew she had been doing that lot recently but she couldn’t help it. She also knew she had to stop. She was going to make herself ill or something if she didn’t.
The carriage ride up from the station had mercifully been uneventful. The twins and chasers had managed to get them all out of the train fairly quickly and they had all bundled into some of the first carriages to leave. Harry hadn’t let go of her hand the whole time.
Being so early they had managed to get into the great hall without the usual crush and had their choice of seats. Harry had made it completely clear that he wanted to be on the side of the table nearest the wall. Whilst having his back to the majority of the hall might have been nice, he didn’t feel safe enough in and of himself right now to expose his back like that.
So, Hermione, Harry, Ron and Neville sat with their backs to the wall whilst the twins and the Chasers sat opposite them. Hermione was going to have to find something to thank them for everything they were doing. Luna had disappeared as soon as they got to the great hall and Hermione assumed she had just joined the Ravenclaw table without her noticing in all her worry about Harry.
As the hall filled up, the rest of the Gryffindor third-years arrived. Hermione was thankful to them that apart from saying ‘good to see you.’ And ‘glad you're feeling better’ they all knew enough not to start asking questions. For Harry’s part, he seemed to be trying to keep as low a profile as possible. He would say hi to people he knew and give small smiles but apart from that, he kept quiet.
The high table looked strange to Hermione’s eyes. The massive golden throne that Dumbledore had sat in was gone and in its place was Professor McGonagall in one of the same high-backed chairs as the rest of the staff sat. Hermione realised something at that moment. You didn’t need to surround yourself with things like a massive gold throne to show you're in charge. Looking at that table no one would dispute Minerva McGonagall's authority.
The other strange thing was the complete absence of Snape. It somehow felt wrong not to be sitting here with him glaring at everyone in the hall.
There was a general rustling from the main doors and the first years came in led by Professor Flitwick. At first, Hermione was surprised at such a small number. But then she thought about it and realised these were the first of the children born right after the war. Based on what she knew of population booms following a conflict, Hermione expected that next year's class of First years would be much bigger.
As the last of them was sorted (Vane, Romilda to Gryffindor) Professor McGonagall stood up.
“Due to some incidents that occurred last year, a student has requested the use of a little-used clause in the school charter and requested a resorting.” She announced. “After proper investigation, his has been granted.”
There was whispering from all around the hall, resorting’s were extremely rare. It was at that moment that Luna came out of the side room and made her way to the stool with the hat on it. As she approached Professor Flitwick, he asked her something and she nodded. He gave her a sad smile and touched her arm gently, before gesturing her to sit on the stool and place the hat on her head.
“Did you know she was going to do this?” Hermione whispered to Harry who shook his head with a look of bemusement on his face.
The whispering had stopped as people recognised and realised what was going on. Hermione glanced at Ginny who was gazing at her the blonde with an unreadable look on her face. The whispering got louder and the hat took one minute and then two and then three.
By Hermione’s reckoning, it was approaching four minutes before the hat gave a sort of rustle and announced to the hall.
“GRYFFINDOR !”
Luna took the hat off and handed it to Professor Flitwick and as the hall watched the Ravenclaw Blue and Bronze on her uniform changed to Gryffindor Red and Gold. She looked at her tie and giggled before skipping over to the Gryffindor table, squeezing in between Harry and Ron and cuddling back into his side just like she had been during the whole train journey.
She looked around at her new housemates and just smiled “Surprise!” she said
That seemed to break the tension in the hall and within 10 seconds half the table was laughing when the Weasley twins started chanting.
“WE GOT LOVEGOOD! WE GOT LOVEGOOD!”
Through all the talking the food arrived, people began helping themselves and the noise level increased. It was only those closest to Harry who heard when he asked Luna “Did you do this for me?”
Luna hummed for a second contemplating a bowl of salad in front of her before she answered “Partly yes. But there were many other reasons. As I told the hat. This is where I need to be from now on.”
Harry stared at his strange little sister for a few seconds before reaching for a salad bowl and putting a generous helping on both of their plates. Luna smiled at him and passed him a chicken leg. It was at that point that Hermione realised Harry had let go of her hand and had relaxed somewhat as soon as Luna had sat down. Hermione’s first reaction was to feel jealous but that disappeared immediately when Harry reached over and put a helping of her favourite roast potatoes on her plate with a smile .
Hermione saw more clearly at that moment how much room there was for everyone in Harry’s heart and she finally felt herself relax a bit. She realised at that moment that part of her worries had been that Harry wouldn’t need her anymore. But now she realised it wasn’t that Harry needed her to be around him. Harry wanted her to be around him. What Luna had said on the train was right on so many levels.
Things weren’t alright but they would be.
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Hanah_Solo on Chapter 2 Mon 31 Jul 2023 08:24AM UTC
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Hellasia on Chapter 2 Mon 31 Jul 2023 05:58PM UTC
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Light_lamp on Chapter 2 Mon 31 Jul 2023 09:25AM UTC
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WoonSocket on Chapter 2 Wed 09 Aug 2023 03:18AM UTC
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Hellasia on Chapter 2 Wed 09 Aug 2023 04:02AM UTC
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Hanah_Solo on Chapter 2 Fri 11 Aug 2023 05:19AM UTC
Last Edited Fri 11 Aug 2023 05:21AM UTC
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Hellasia on Chapter 2 Fri 11 Aug 2023 03:19PM UTC
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Hanah_Solo on Chapter 3 Sun 13 Aug 2023 11:05PM UTC
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Hellasia on Chapter 3 Sun 13 Aug 2023 11:29PM UTC
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WoonSocket on Chapter 3 Mon 14 Aug 2023 01:14AM UTC
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Basset_face on Chapter 3 Tue 15 Aug 2023 12:57AM UTC
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ratsoks on Chapter 3 Thu 17 Aug 2023 03:07AM UTC
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PGHammer21 on Chapter 3 Sun 21 Jan 2024 11:40PM UTC
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Warlord1981 on Chapter 3 Sun 03 Nov 2024 12:43AM UTC
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Fergdog on Chapter 4 Sun 27 Aug 2023 03:21PM UTC
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Hellasia on Chapter 4 Sun 27 Aug 2023 03:26PM UTC
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Fergdog on Chapter 4 Sun 27 Aug 2023 03:28PM UTC
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Hellasia on Chapter 4 Sun 27 Aug 2023 03:42PM UTC
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Fergdog on Chapter 4 Sun 27 Aug 2023 03:47PM UTC
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Randomation on Chapter 4 Sun 16 Jun 2024 11:37PM UTC
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Frostbite1144 on Chapter 4 Sun 27 Aug 2023 08:13PM UTC
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Fergdog on Chapter 4 Wed 18 Dec 2024 06:37PM UTC
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WoonSocket on Chapter 4 Sun 27 Aug 2023 04:15PM UTC
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Hellasia on Chapter 4 Sun 27 Aug 2023 04:24PM UTC
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Hanah_Solo on Chapter 4 Sun 27 Aug 2023 05:47PM UTC
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WoonSocket on Chapter 4 Sun 27 Aug 2023 06:08PM UTC
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SapphireLiz on Chapter 4 Sun 27 Aug 2023 04:32PM UTC
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Hellasia on Chapter 4 Sat 02 Sep 2023 07:45AM UTC
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