Chapter 8 – The Lieutenants
AN: Hey All, sorry it has taken so long to get this out. The next two shouldn't take anywhere near as long as they're both partially written. I hope this one turns out ok as I have been writing it on and off for a couple of weeks now, in between everything I else I had to do.
Please Read and Review…Just don't comment on my grammar…I already know it is dreadful, I'm working on it though.
"Good morning Harry," James said from his portrait as Harry walked in early the following morning.
Harry yawned, looking up "Morning Dad."
James grinned and motioned Harry forwards "You know everyone is right, you do look amazingly like me, especially when I was your age," he said smiling as Harry blushed.
Harry took a seat in front of the portrait thinking quietly to him self for a minute before he looked back up at his dad; he had so many questions he wanted answered.
"Dad do you know anything about Avalon?" he asked quietly.
James sighed "Yes Harry, that's the main reason why me and your mum set this penthouse up with our portraits, there is quite a few inactive charms here, but we will get into that in a little while, I'll tell you about Avalon first,"
Harry nodded for him to continue, quickly conjuring himself a cup of coffee.
"Harry what do you know about the ministry of magic and how it works?" James asked.
Shaking his head slowly Harry said "Not much at all, not that I think it actually works all that well," he muttered the last part quietly, grinning as his dad heard him and started laughing.
"Ok Harry, well the ministry has only had complete control for about 600 years or so, before that they did exist, but had very little control over the wizarding world," he paused for a moment "The wizarding world until then was always ruled by the magical council of Avalon, have you ever heard the legend of Merlin and Arthur?"
Harry nodded "It's a muggle story isn't it? I haven't heard anything about it in the wizarding world," he said looking at his dad curiously.
"Well the legend of Arthur is at least partially true, he did exist, he was the last of the male line of Evans, he was the last Lord Guardian of Avalon, the Evans line has survived so long being passed down the female line, before it completely disappeared into the muggle world…It only returned with your mum," James finished for now watching Harry take it all in.
Harry took a sip of his coffee and grimaced, as it was now cold, he shook his head slowly and sat the mug back down on the table beside him and turned back to the portrait of his father.
James grinned at him "Harry me and your mum set up a charmed bubble around this penthouse that will allow you to slow down time, roughly 6 months will pass in about thirty days…We knew we were probably going to die, Voldemort was hunting us and it was only a matter of time until he found us, so we set this up so our portraits would have time to train you in the ways, customs and power of Avalon," James finished wrapping an arm passively around the sleeping form of his wife beside him.
Harry looked shocked at what his father had just told him.
"If you knew you was going to die, why didn't you do something more to protect your self and me?" he asked, trying and failing to keep the hurt out of his voice.
James smiled sadly at his son "We did Harry, we did everything possible to defend ourselves and you, Trust me…I wish things had turned out differently," he said quietly.
Harry nodded, blinking back tears as he watched his father hugging his mother and wishing they could both have been here with him now.
"Harry, I know this is a lot to take in…me and your mother talked last night and we think it would be best for you to appoint some of your friends to be your Lieutenants, it would make taking the power of Avalon a lot more easier to deal with," James added quietly.
"Avalon has its own army, and when at full power the house of Avalon sits at the head of the magical council, the council is made up of all the magical races that are sentient, The Centaurs, Phoenixes, Gryphons, Dragons, High Elves and the House Elves and Vampires" James stopped here and grinned at the shocked look on Harry's face.
Harry looked at his dad and raised a brow when something suddenly occurred to him.
"Do you mean the Council takes the place of the Ministry of Magic?" he asked.
James grinned at his son "Exactly son, for the most part you would be in charge, however it was always left to the Wizengamot to follow through on the Councils orders just same as every other race."
Harry smirked thinking about the look on Dumbledore's face when he told him about it, the first thing he wanted to do was get Neville and Luna. He wanted them to be involved in this, just as he was thinking about it an owl swooped in through the window and landed beside him with the Daily Prophet, holding the pouch on its leg out imperiously for the coins. Harry slipped the right amount of money into the pouch and thanked the owl before unrolling the paper and his face dropped open at the heading at the top of the paper.
BETRAYAL AT THE MINISTRY – DUMBLEDORE LEADS COUP TO REPLACE CORRUPT LEADERSHIP – MINISTER BONES PLACED IN AZKABAN FOR TREASON – REPLACED BY ARTHUR WEASLEY
Late last night member of Albus Dumbledore's Order Of The Phoenix launched a daring attack on the ministry to over throw the leadership of Amelia Bones, placing her in Azkaban on charges of treason, along with several members of the Auror force and Wizengamot.
Harry read this his jaw dropping lower and lower as he read through it when he paused slack jawed at the next heading just down the page when he snarled.
"I can't believe it, I can't believe he would stoop this low," he growled out.
Turning to the portrait of his dad that was looking at him with concern.
"I'll be back in a second dad, I just need to wake everyone up they all need to hear this," Harry said as he bolted from the room.
A few minutes later he returned and sat down his slightly rumpled looking friends who were all looking at him curiously as he started to read aloud.
HOUSES DECLARED RENEGADELast night as part of a surprise move to restore peace and order to the wizarding world Minister Weasley enacted war time decree 997 of the old pure blood Code of War, Declaring the following houses Renegade and in Violation of wizarding law.
Potter
Evans
Bones
Longbottom
Black
Lupin
Minister Weasley said this was in an effort to control the rampant law-breaking going on among the pure blood houses also saying that he had completed an arrest warrant for one Harry James Potter, for sedition and siding with elements of the so called dark side.
Harry finished reading and look up at the angry looks of everyone around him before he suddenly jumped out and grabbed his wand.
"Come on, we have to get to Neville's home before the ministry show up to arrest him and his gran," he said as he rushed to the fireplace quickly stepping in and shouting "Longbottom Manor."
Harry stepped quickly from the fireplace somewhat shocked at not actually landing on his arse for a change, stepping quickly forward as Ginny and Hermione followed through right behind him he stood watching the door to the room they had appeared in waiting for Sirius and Remus to appear from the fireplace.
Sirius and Remus emerged from the fireplace a moment later, quickly followed by the Weasley twins who were looking uncharacteristically serious as the group was met by Mrs Longbottom and Neville who had just appeared through the door.
"Hullo Harry, Professor Lupin," Neville said bowing a little to the latter.
Harry grinned at the other boy as he stepped forward.
"Hey Neville, Have you seen the Daily Prophet this morning?" he asked quietly.
Neville nodded nervously glancing up at his Grandmother who was watching quietly from just behind him.
"Gran I would like for you to meet some people, this is Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Professor Lupin and…" Neville said confidently his voice catching in his throat as he looked at Sirius.
Sirius grinned at him as Harry chuckled quietly watching the shocked expression on his face.
"Mrs Longbottom, This is Sirius Black," Harry said as Sirius bowed slightly to the older lady.
"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Mr's Black and Potter," she said nodding her head regally.
Harry stepped forward to Mrs Longbottom and bowed formally, and then feeling the information from his heir ring he stood up straight spoke in quiet yet firm voice.
"Lady Longbottom, On behalf of the House of Potter I Lord Potter would like to offer you and your family sanctuary until such time as the corruption within our world can be eliminated," he said formally, once again saying a silent prayer for being able to learn from the ring.
Mrs Longbottom raised a brow and looked at the young man before her, she was tempted to call him a boy…but no, anyone who had been through what this young man had been deserves the right to be called a man, she glanced over her shoulder and noticed the confident look on grandsons face and smiled. She liked the change that had finally come about in her grandson.
She looked back at Harry who was still stood there patiently waiting as protocol dictated she smiled at him slightly.
"Very well Lord Potter, On behalf of the House of Longbottom I accept your offer of sanctuary," she finished bowing formally to Harry.
Harry grinned and looked over her shoulder at Neville grinning at him.
"Neville, I don't know if you have heard of it or not however I am the new Lord Guardian of Avalon," he said quietly, smirking at the shocked look on Neville's face.
"I'm guessing by the look on your face that you have heard of it, I would like you to become one of my Lieutenants,"
"Ok Harry," he said without hesitation smiling broadly at Harry.
"Excellent, Now we may want to seal your house and leave before the ministry arrives," Harry said glancing at Mrs Longbottom.
Smiling at the young man Mrs Longbottom instantly produced her wand and pointed it at the floor and muttered something and a wave of magic spread out of from that point to surround the house effectively sealing it from anyone attempting to get in until her or Neville returned.
Little did they know that at that particular moment several Aurors and one very disgruntled Albus Dumbledore were blasted back away from the house as they were about to knock on the main door.
Only moments before the spells sealing the fireplace from people arriving come into effect a young blonde girl was forcefully ejected from the fire colliding bodily into Harry's back and knocking them both to the floor.
Ginny and Hermione glanced at each other and smirked as they moved forward and noticed who the particular girl was, helping her and Harry to their feet.
"Hello Luna," Harry said laughing quietly "Nice landing…" he added quietly as he brushed himself off much to the amusement of everyone watching.
Luna glanced at Harry with her somewhat dreamy eyes and smirked at him.
"Thank you Harry, I did think it was quite soft," she finished with a wink that caused everyone to break out laughing, including Mrs Longbottom.
"I got the feeling I was needed here so I thought I would come over and say hello," Luna said in her usual distant manner.
Harry grinned at her "Of course Luna, we were about to leave to go to my house, your welcome to join us.
The group slowly made the way back through the fireplace to the Marauders Penthouse, the Longbottom Manor completely sealing and locking itself down as they left.
