Blake Bishop sighed in relief when the clock finally struck five. Working at the ministry wasn't the nicest job and he was ready to go home. He worked in the registration office and he hated it. Why he hated it was a long story and he wasn't thinking about it as he left the office.
"Blake!" Someone called as he merged into the stream of ministry workers who were also leaving for the evening.
He looked over his shoulder to find his friend behind him. He stepped to the side until she caught up, "Hi Tracy how was your day?"
"Just as gratifying and exciting as yours it sounds like." She grinned, "Happy Birthday."
"Thanks." He responded with a grin.
"What are we going to do about this auspicious occasion?" she quipped.
"Tonight I'm going to my parents for dinner. I know, not what you had in mind." He bumped her shoulder as they waited in line to exit the building, "But tomorrow is a work day and I think it would be worse to work with a hangover."
"No doubt." She agreed as her turn came up, "Friday night then?"
"Yes." He waved and took his turn in the floo.
It was disgusting but they would exit the floo into an out-of-service, smelly, public toilet. It was the only way for the common people to get in and out on a daily basis. The higher ups would get to floo from home. But since he was nothing special he was gagging twice a day as he came and went from his job. Luckily they allowed apparition to and from the toilet so he didn't have to be seen entering or leaving a broken toilet.
"I'm home." He called a moment later as he let himself into his parent's house.
"Happy Birthday." He heard both of them call from separate rooms but his mother met him in the entry with a hug.
"How was your day?" his mother's name was Emily.
"Fine." He shrugged, "How about yours?"
"I spent the day cooking your favorites." She grinned, "Dinner will be ready soon."
"Good I'm starving." He hung his outer robe in the closet.
"Go visit with your father while I finish up." She instructed as she went back to the kitchen, "He's in the office."
"Hi Dad." He entered his father Brandon's office.
"Have a seat Blake." He instructed. He did so and looked expectantly at his father, "Everything still going well? No unexpected questions?"
"Nothing, they seem to take me at face value." Blake answered, "I do my job quietly and I do it well. They have no reason to take a second look at me."
"Good." His father sighed in relief, "I would think you're safe now. You have made it through the probationary period."
"Last week." Blake nodded with a grimace, "I start the other training next week."
During dinner Blake thought back on what he knew of his life. His parents had explained things to him when he turned eleven. His mother was unable to carry children. They had been destroyed by her last miscarriage and had left for a two year vacation to get over it. Then about a month before their return they received an owl from her sister.
Her sister was a squib but was still loved by the family. She had grown up in the family but attended the local muggle school. When she had graduated she had gone on to university and found a calling she loved. She was a social worker and operated an orphanage. A few hours before the letter was sent she was given quite a shock. The baby left on the door step wasn't the shock, that happened all the time. But, an hour later, when the bottle she was making floated out of her hand and to the baby's mouth, well that was another story.
Though none of them had any idea of his blood status he was quietly blood adopted into the family with much love. They did it in Italy where they were vacationing so the records weren't in the British Ministry. They only did that so their place in society wasn't damaged. They didn't know it would be a life or death decision later.
It became an issue his first year. He went to Hogwarts and was put into Hufflepuff. What set things in motion though was the fact that Harry Potter didn't show up. Later investigation showed he wasn't even sent a letter. At first everyone thought he had been reduced to a squib. But when Albus Dumbledore went to check the relatives he found they didn't have the boy. Specialists from the ministry investigated and showed the boy was never found on their door step. Someone had taken him between the time Dumbledore had stupidly left him on the door step and the next morning.
The ministry arrested Dumbledore, McGonagall and Hagrid for neglect and abuse of a minor in their charge. Dumbledore was the only one to receive prison time. McGonagall and Hagrid lost their jobs. So the school governors had to replace a headmaster, transfiguration professor and a grounds keeper.
Within the year Voldemort had a body back and had taken over the ministry. He had killed an unarmed Dumbledore in prison just a few days into his sentence. He had taken over the ministry and then he moved on the school to kill all the students not willing to take his side. However, many students and their light families had disappeared. In his anger at losing so many targets Voldemort had destroyed Azkaban and the dementors within it because he was sure it was Dumbledore's fault.
Bloodtraitors who had not disappeared and didn't join were killed. Muggleborns and half-bloods were rounded up and put in a detention camp since the prison was gone. This is when their reasoning to do the adoption in Italy paid off. The Ministry assumed he had been born to Brandon and Emily Bishop. They assumed he was a pureblood. While the blood adoption would give him his new parents blood it didn't eradicate his old blood. At worst he was a half-blood, even if he had been a muggleborn to start with, at best he was pure.
This was why he hated working in the Registration office. He was sending muggleborns and half-bloods to the detention camp while he sat in a nice cushy office. His Hufflepuff loyalty and sense of fair play saw this as a betrayal. Even if he was a pureblood he had gone to school with some of the people who had been sent there. But he had been careful he would not be found out and his parents would not be endangered, he refused to do that to them.
"Mum you outdid yourself this year." Blake commented after dinner.
"Honestly it was Seamus's help." She nodded toward the kitchen, "He doesn't cook that well but he knows how to help and he's learning."
"I should visit with him." Blake stood.
"Just be careful. We can't afford to have any suspicion on us." Brandon reminded him.
Seamus Finnegan had been a friend of his during those first months in Hogwarts. He was a half-blood and had been caught a year ago. He was in the camp for two months before Blake could convince his parents to buy him and keep him as a servant. Blake rarely saw his friend because he didn't want to embarrass him for being a slave.
While some of the half-bloods were allowed to be purchased, none of the Mudbloods were. They were used in the hunts for the elite portion of society. From what he had been told they would release them into a large forest and then the purebloods were sent in to hunt them. They didn't always find all the muggleborns that were released, but everyone assumed they had been killed by animals. No one could live in that forest without a wand.
Work on Friday seemed to last a lot longer than it normally did. Blake assumed it was the party they had planned for that night. Tracy and a bunch of others around his age, and with equal social status, had planned a pub crawl. People like Malfoy and Nott had a higher social status, so even though they were sort of friendly in school they never socialized with them now.
When the clock finally hit five Blake jumped out of his chair and threw on his outer robe. He exited through the floo and apparated out of the toilet to his flat. He quickly showered and got ready for a night out. And what a night it was. By the time they reached the third pub some of them were literally crawling in. Seamus was following at a discrete distance to take Blake back to his apartment when he'd had enough.
"Ow." Blake moaned when he next gained consciousness.
"Here's a hangover potion for you." Seamus must have stayed the night.
Blake appreciated his friend more at that moment than he had at any time before, "Thanks."
"I've turned down the lights." He chuckled.
"Don't laugh at me it will only encourage me." Blake grinned and opened his eyes.
His grin fell away when he realized he had no idea where they were, "Where did you bring me Sea?"
"We just need to do a little test on you then I'll take you home." Seamus grimaced.
"What?" Blake was wide awake now.
"Take it easy Blake." Seamus put a hand on his shoulder, "I would never hurt you."
"Then tell me where we are." Blake demanded.
"We are at the headquarters for the Order of Phoenix." He sighed, "Myself and ten others allowed ourselves to be caught to find someone."
"Who?" Blake wondered aloud.
"Harry Potter." Seamus grimaced, "You see we've been able to prove he is alive. Dumbledore was able to find who took him and what they did to him. He was dropped off at an orphanage but he never made it to the official documents."
"So why me?" Blake was getting very scared.
"I know you were adopted." Seamus explained, "Your parents don't keep documents around but sometimes late at night they talk."
"And you eavesdropped!" He accused.
"We have to find Harry." Seamus explained further, "We won't let your secret out to the ministry even if you aren't Harry."
"But why?" he asked, "I'm putting people in that camp. I'm a horrible…"
"You also save people from the camp." He indicated himself, "If you didn't do your job your parents would be in danger and they'd give the job to someone who could be a lot more vicious than you are."
"What's the test?" Blake asked.
"All we need is a little blood." Seamus held up a small vial, "Less than ten drops."
"Then I'll be let go?" he asked.
"Unless you are Harry." He shrugged, "In that case you will be taken to Dumbledore."
"He's dead Seamus." Blake frowned at him, "His Majesty killed him in Azkaban before he took over."
"No he killed an imposter." Seamus grinned, "An unwilling one at that. Let's just say we know where one of the missing Death Eaters is."
"Fine." Blake took the offered knife, sliced his finger and let the blood drip into the vial, "Where's my wand?"
"You'll get it back soon." Seamus pulled his wand and tapped Blake's finger.
"You have a wand?" Blake looked shocked, "When did you get a wand? It's illegal!"
"Nope it's my wand the one I bought from Ollivander." Seamus opened the door and handed out his blood before coming back and sitting down, "The wand they broke on my capture was a fake."
"Why didn't you take me with you when you left?" Blake asked, "You know I don't believe in their drivel."
"Dumbledore escaped his captivity when he realized You Know Who was at the prison." Seamus explained, "He came to the school and got all the students and teachers that he was sure about. He also got their families because they were light."
"He wasn't sure of me." Blake nodded.
"Mostly he wasn't sure of your parents." Seamus added, "If you are found to be Harry then we'll make sure your parents are protected."
"If not?" he asked.
"You'll be oblivated and returned to your flat." He stated.
"What about you?" Blake asked.
"They'll find my body beaten to death by muggles." He shrugged, "Your parents will say they sent me to watch you and say I must have been attacked while you were unaware."
"Dumbledore was… is a master at transfiguration." Blake nodded.
The door opened in that moment and another friend stuck his head in. Seamus turned to him, "Well Nev?"
"Hiya Harry." Neville waved at Blake.
"My parents." Was Blake's first thought.
"As we speak they're house is being attacked and burnt down by a rouge group of mean people." Neville grinned, "The Ministry authorities will find the remains of four bodies, two young males, an older male and an older female. Based on whose house it is they will declare the two of you and your family deceased. Your parents have already arrived."
"Can I see them?" he asked.
"Right this way." Neville left and Blake followed him with Seamus right behind.
"Hey Neville?" Blake/Harry smiled at the man who turned back at the question, "I'm glad you escaped."
"Me too." He laughed.
Blake/Harry was led into a large room and found his parents sitting on a couch on one side. He went to them pulling them both into a tight hug. It took a few minutes to calm them down but soon they were sitting on the couch with Blake/Harry squished in the middle.
"Welcome to the headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix." Dumbledore greeted them as he sat in his chair opposite them.
"I thought you were dead." Brandon was the first to speak.
"To the Ministry I am." He nodded, "I was able to get help from my phoenix Fawkes and our potions master. Fawkes brought the polyjuice potion and we administered it to Rabastion LeStrange. We added a dreamless sleep and Dumbledore was killed unarmed and in his sleep by Tom."
"Tom?" Emily asked.
"Tom Riddle, you know him as His Majesty." Dumbledore nodded, "Before I forget do not say the name that begins with a V, there is a taboo on it that breaks all secrecy charms and places a tracking beacon on the person who says it. We call him Tom here."
"Why are we here?" Brandon took over.
"You adopted a little baby boy who was dropped off at an orphanage by Sirius Black." Dumbledore smiled, "We know who Blake is. He is Harry Potter."
"Oh." Emily and Brandon turned to their son.
"Hi." Harry grinned and shrugged, "I found out about five minutes ago."
"And now that you all know you can't go back to your old lives, I'm sorry." Dumbledore offered sadly, "They have several people on staff that would be able to pluck that from your minds."
"We're aware of that." Brandon nodded, "It's why we have been so scared for Blake… I mean Harry. He knew he was adopted and if they looked for that kind of thing he would have been caught."
"Why work for the ministry then?" Seamus asked.
"Everyone is required to work in the Ministry for a little while." Harry explained, "They start us off there straight from Hogwarts so that we can be indoctrinated to the 'right' ideals. It starts shortly after your probation period ends as long as you pass."
"What happens if you don't pass?" he asked.
"I don't know." Harry shrugged, "If it was me though I'm pretty sure the three of us would either be dead or at the detention camp."
"How did you end up in that department?" Dumbledore asked.
"We asked for it." Brandon answered, "Our thought was they would be less likely to look at him for being a halfblood or muggleborn if he asked to work there."
"Good idea." The three other men nodded.
"So now what?" Harry asked, "Blake and his parents are dead. What happens to us now?"
"Before you were born there was a prophecy given." Dumbledore explained how the prophecy pointed at him and Tom attacked him but it backfired for some reason. Tom had did some magic so that when it backfired he didn't die, "Sirius realized that we would assume he was guilty and that I would take over as your guardian. Somehow he found out where I placed you that night. He took you from them and gave you to an orphanage that he knew was run by a squib."
"Why not just kill me?" Harry asked, "He was their secret keeper, wasn't it his desire to kill me?"
"No." Dumbledore explained, "Did you notice that when Tom released his followers Sirius wasn't one of the ones he pulled out? It got me thinking and I sent my phoenix to bring him here. He proved under veritaserum that he wasn't the secret keeper. Have you seen the man named Peter Pettigrew?"
"Yes he's an odd one." Harry said thoughtfully, "It's obvious he isn't held with the esteem as the other marked are given. But he's still considered elite."
"He was the secret keeper, he gave them to Tom." Dumbledore sighed, "He successfully framed Sirius and faked his own death. Sirius was blamed for those he killed and was sent to Azkaban without a trial."
"Where is he now?" Harry asked.
"He is living here, going on missions with the others." Dumbledore smiled, "He is your Godfather and most anxious to meet you."
"Did he tell you why he took Harry away from the people you placed him with?" Emily asked.
"Yes." Dumbledore bowed his head, "The mother of the family Harry was going to be sent to is his mother's sister. Unfortunately I didn't know she hated Lily, magic and anything that had to do with either of those things."
"So I would have been hated because I was both." Harry nodded.
"He most likely saved you from a miserable upbringing." Dumbledore stated, "And in the meantime he gave you a most wonderful hiding spot. If you would have been Harry Potter when Tom returned he would have tried to kill you. As I said before the prophecy basically says that you are the one who can kill him. We would have lost forever had he killed you at the age of eleven. Now you are grown and have a good chance of actually holding your own against him."
"No way." Harry shook his head, "I couldn't come close to him."
"But you do have something he doesn't have." Dumbledore pushed, "You have love. Love of a family and friends. You have more than he could ever fathom."
"How do we stop him with love?" Harry asked, "Hug him to death? I can't hold my own against him."
"You already have." Dumbledore smiled, "You, working in the registration office, were able to not only get a friend out of the camp by getting your parents to buy him. But you got others to buy fifteen more in the last month alone. They were taken out of the horrific camp and placed into homes where they were considered servants but they were treated well. You are already hitting him where it hurts and no one knows."
