Chapter 7: Politics
When Harry returned with Pettigrew and the sisters, to say there was some hubhub would be a massive understatement. Remus was the first to really react, apparating straight down and punching Peter straight in the nose, breaking it.
There was an uproar in the stands. Some of the older people pointed and yelled, likely having recognized Peter from the many Prophet images that had come out after his 'death'. Others just knew that something was wrong because Harry hadn't come back with the cup alone.
Flora and Hestia stood on either side of Harry, warding off the crowd as Remus yanked the bound Peter to his feet and made a beeline for the Minister of Magic and threw him at his and Amelia Bones (who had come to oversee the final task due to allegations over Harry's participation)'s feet.
"Sirius is innocent." Remus said with barely contained venom. "He couldn't have very well killed Peter Pettigrew if the man is currently lying right at your feet can you?"
Fudge sputtered and stammered but Amelia Bones reacted in remarkable short order. "It seems to be so, mister Lupin." She said as Kingsley appeared from the crowd to take the rat. "We'll haul him to the Ministry and pump him full of Veratiserum, get this case cleared up once and for all."
Sirius (still in dog form) barked in approval.
"I'd be happy to help with that Madam Bones."
Harry watched in surprise as a tall and stunning red haired woman hurried through the crowd. At first he was confused, but then he noticed Tracey directly on her heels and realized that this must be her mother.
"Amanda!" Bones said with a tone of pleasant surprise. "I wasn't expecting you here."
"My daughter asked me," Amanda Davis responded easily. Her eyes flicked between Pettigrew and the red faced Fudge, and Harry had a suspicion that wasn't her only reason for being here. "I'll take up Black's defence during the interrogation."
Amelia's brow raised in surprise, but she nodded in assent. "You're one of the finest we've got, Davis. I wish you were at work more often."
Amanda gave her a strained smile. "Would if I could, but I needed to support my husband on a few things."
"Probably means Tracey's dad has been keeping her at home, working on the 'resurrection party'." Flora muttered. Harry nodded in agreement.
Tracey pushed her way over to them and scowled. "I can't believe you guys did this without me!" She said indigently.
"Sorry Trace." Hestia said apologetically.
"Where's Viktor?" Harry asked urgently.
Tracey frowned. "He went off with Professor Moody, said he found him unconscious. Then Amelia Bones sent a dozen aurors up after them. It's weird." She frowned when Flora smiled in grim satisfaction. "Okay, spill it. What's going on?"
"Not out here," Harry said. While the room was still in a major hubhub over the explosive end of the tournament, the four of them slipped away into the hallways.
/
"Wait, so you prevented Voldemort's resurrection, killed a bunch of his minions and then just waltzed right back like nothing happened?" Tracey demanded.
"I give credit to Krum for dealing with the Fake Moody." Harry answered. "And finding Fleur before she could get strangled was luck. Other then that, yes – sometimes having death eater relatives is beneficial in the information department."
"Do you know how many are dead?" Tracey asked, hype entering her voice.
Hestia shook her head. "Sorry, we portkeyed out before any of them arrived. Though likely most of them portkeyed straight into the Fiendfyre."
"It'll be a while before we know anything for sure." Flora added. "And hopefully we'll be long gone before anything is guaranteed. I promise you, Dumbledore will be pulling all the stops to make Harry stay in Britain."
"I see." Tracey said mildly. "You guys are running off with him?"
"Indeed." Flora said calmly. "There's a few loose ends we want to deal with first, but then we're leaving. Honestly Trace, why should we stay?"
Tracey raised her hands. "Hey, I just wanted to be sure before I went running off to Drumstrang." She grinned. "It's looking especially appealing now that a new headmaster's going to be in charge next semester."
Hestia clutched her friend's hand and said, "With luck we'll be transferring there too! At least, that's the plan."
"Don't book the tickets just yet," Harry said. "We have to wait until Sirius is officially cleared so he can sign the transfer papers. He's already sold some of the old land for considerable fortune – so buying a house won't be a problem. But there's the matter of making sure that I have 'claim'" he made a face when he said the word, "to Hestia and Flora."
"Provided the parents aren't dead." Flora said. "And I hope they are."
"...Is it a mark of how terrible our families are that I agree with you wishing death on your parents?" Tracey asked no one in particular as the group reached the Room of Requirement.
Harry burst out laughing. "I'd say it was." He remarked.
The Next Day
Amanda Davis and Remus Lupin worked throughout the night. Under vertiserum, Pettigrew confessed to everything and was thrown in Azkaban, while Sirius's fugitive status was officially lifted. All the information was in the prophet of course. The goblins must have been feeling pretty smug about proven right, because they invited Sirius to 'review his assets' not long after the paper came out.
"Ah, Sirius Black, Harry Potter, how good to see you both well." Griphook said politely as the group, which consisted of Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Harry, Hestia, and Flora filed into the meeting room. "I imagine you want to pick up where we left off last time?"
"Yes." Sirius said with a smile, relaxing. He already looked much better then when Harry had last seen him – he looked better rested, better fed, and all around more lively. "I'd like to finish addressing the Life Debts owed to Harry Potter by Hestia and Flora Carrow."
The twins nodded in affirmative, while Harry smiled awkwardly.
"I would also like to adopt them," Sirius added to the girl's surprise. "Their current guardians are insufficient."
Griphook merely smirked in response. "Very well – the paperwork should lodge through the Ministry's channels, but the change can be done here." He slid some paperwork across the table to Sirius, Hestia and Flora.
"A little blood will be needed from both of you for the contracts, as identification." Griphook said. Hestia winced as she pricked her finger and pressed it against the page, Flora following suit.
Once the paperwork was filed, Griphook gave Harry a toothy grin. "I suggest you go shopping for engagement rings in the near future, mr Potter."
Harry laughed, his face flushed red. "I'll bear that in mind."
As the group was walking out of Gringotts, Sirius said, "Hand me the paperwork for Drumstrang, Harry – I want to get it off to the school as soon as possible. You've impressed a large chunk of their students," He added. He had heard some of the travelling students muttering about how Potter deserved better schooling during the third task.
"I'm embarrassed. I'm nothing special."
"Sure you aren't." Flora said sarcastically.
A moment later, Amanda and Tracey Davis came bolting out of the bank. "Hey!" Amanda yelled, flagging the group down. Once they caught up, the young woman said, "Would you mind taking two guests along? My ex husband is going to have kittens when he discovers I've abandoned him and taken half his vaults."
Sirius, looking appreciatively at the woman who had helped him (and was pretty damn hot, if he did say so himself) nodded in assent. Tracey cheered and took Hestia and Flora's hands, ignoring Hestia's bemusement and Flora's mild annoyance.
At Remus's Flat
Harry collapsed on the sofa when they reached the house and fell asleep, the accumulated stress of the events of the Tri Wizard Tournament and the events surrounding it finally crashing over him like a black wave of exhaustion.
Flora and Hestia were still awake, lounging around in the spare room. "How does it feel to be a Black, sister?" Flora asked mildly. She was organizing a black bag with various potions and books.
"Do you have to ask?" Hestia asked, smiling. The twins, like Fred and George, were close enough to share feelings and even thoughts.
Flora smirked and placed her wand on the table. The tracking charm from the Ministry had been removed in preparation for moving to Bulgaria.
"You're going to Privet Drive, aren't you?" Hestia asked her sister after a moment of silence.
"What gave it away?" Flora asked, her voice becoming significantly cooler. "Do you want to come?"
Hestia frowned and shook her head. "I hate them as much as you do, Flora, but I don't think I have the stomach." She said. "You were always the warrior of the two of us."
"And you were the heart that kept me grounded. Still are." Flora said, straightening up and slipping into the leather jacket that Sirius had provided for her. The man outrageously favoured such biker material. "But I need and want to do this. Harry saved us from our parents. While I never got to pay them back for what they did to us, I think I shall do the same for Harry."
"Sirius would never let them get close to Harry." Hestia pointed out.
"I'll be damned if I let them go unpunished for the hell they put him through." Flora growled.
Hestia nodded and let out a small sigh. "I won't stop you, sis." There was a moment of silence. "Tell me about it when you get back."
Flora smiled coldly. "I thought you might." She slung her bag over her shoulder, pocketed the portkey Remus had provided in case groceries were needed, and slipped out of the house.
Little Whining, Privet Drive, Number Four
Vernon was in a drunken rage. Petunia was still furious over 'the freak's' departure from their house. Dudley was just coming home from tormenting another neighbourhood kid. They were all in the living room when there was a knock on the door.
Casting a grim look at her not – at – all presentable husband, Petunia tried to pretend no one was home. The knocking was insistent for a few minutes, then it suddenly stopped.
The woman let out a sigh of relief for a moment, before her blood turned cold when she heard the lock turn and the door open entirely on its own.
Vernon was surprised to find himself suddenly sober. His eyes lit upon a black-clad young woman with dirty blonde hair and burning blue eyes.
That was the last thing he saw before he was blinded with pain.
Flora hit the walrus with a Crucio first. She threw a severing curse at the boy's hands, the fists that had left Harry broken and bleeding so many times. Next she paralyzed Petunia before heading over towards Dudley.
Forcing the boy's mouth open, she poured several potions down his throat. The first one would cause him to have terrible nightmares, the second one would only allow him to retain enough food to keep him alive, while the third would make his bones brittle.
Once finished with him, Flora turned towards the walrus again. She threw three more Crucio's at him before placing a permanent hex on him, something of her aunt's design. It would make him forever reviled by anyone who saw him.
Finally, she turned her attention towards Petunia. Quickly she hit the woman with over a dozen cutting curses, disfiguring her beyond even Poppy's help. Cleaning up the wounds, she then placed another of her aunt's hexes upon the woman – one that would make her feel all the pain that had been inflicted upon Flora herself over the years.
Her job finished, Flora disappeared with a crack, leaving the tormented Dursleys behind to their permanent misery.
