DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN THE TOYS. JUST PLAYING THROUGH

CHAPTER 9: HIDDEN TRAPS

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

INFIRMARY 11TH NOVEMBER 1996 9:30 AM

Minerva McGonagall was struck dumb as Poppy Pomfrey finished her examination and revealed the results to the staff there. Flitwick immediately to the fireplace in Poppy's office and opened it for the head of the DMLE, Amelia Bones.

"But.. but...why would Mr. Weasley do this?" Minerva asked in shock.

"We'll be asking him that very question when we take him back to a Ministry holding cell." Amelia Bones said as she followed Flitwick into the infirmary.

"I want to be there when you question him. I want to know why he would do this to a friend. I have that right as it was me he launched this attack against." Hermione said stubbornly.

"Of course, Miss Granger. I have to ask, are you really a friend of Lord Potters?" Amelia asked, watching for any signs of deception.

"I was. I don't think he still thinks of me as a friend. But I still think of him that way. He was my first friend. When he went on trial Ron, Ginny and Molly prevented me from going to the trial. But I didn't abandon him in my heart and my mind." Hermione said and Amelia saw no deception in her when she said that.

This meant that she would be in need of protection. Especially after the stunt that Arthur's youngest son had pulled with the potions. From what she could see, this was only the start aand it would only get worse.

"Miss Granger, it would seem that you are in need of protection and there is no one here to help you. If you would agree to it, I will take you under the protection of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Bones. You would become a member of my house in a manner of speaking. Not to mention I would also become your magical guardian in place of the Headmaster. Will you accept this offer of safety and security?" Amelia asked formally.

Hermione looked at her in surprise for a minute before she made a decision that would affect her future and possibly even let her come back to Harry as a friend. At least that was her hopes.

"Yes, Madame Bones. I accept your offer of sanctuary and protection." Hermione said formally and there was a flash of magic as she was made a formal protectorate of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Bones.

Amelia saw her crest appear on the left sleeve of her robe and hoped that would be enough to protect the young Muggle-born witch from any further attacks from either side. She just knew that she would be contacting Harry to let him know what she had learned.

DELACOUR MANOR 10:30 AM

Fleur rolled Harry out onto the balcony of his room and the Pierre made sure that they had coffee while they sat there and watched the sun come up. But Fleur wanted to start a conversation that they had been putting off since he arrived.i-g

She knew that this was going to be a hard conversation for both of them. But it needed to be done. Harry was putting off his healing so that he didn't have to deal with thinking about what he had been through to get in this position.

"Harry, we need to talk for a few minutes." she said in a gentle voice.

"What do we need to talk about, Fleur?" he asked as he took a sip of his coffee.

"We need to talk about treating all of your injuries and fixing them." she said in a slow voice, trying to keep him calm.

"What about them? I'm in a wheelchair, Fleur. The idiots in the Wizarding world put me here and I'm in no real hurry to have them looking at me like I'm some side-show freak." he said, his voice turning bitter.

"You don't have to deal with that. The healers can do the treatment right here. You don't have to go to the hospital." she told him.

"Then everybody will know that I am a freak! I can't even hold my own when I'm attacked by a normal wizard." he protested.

"Harry! You are not a freak! So you were attacked when you couldn't defend yourself. That happens to everybody. But what I am saying is that you could get back to a normal life. All you need to do is let the healer treat your injuries. I promisen that I'll stay with you every step of the way." she said on impulse.

"You'd reallly do that. You's really stay with me while they fix me?" he asked in a voice filled with doubt.

"Of course I would. I'll even stay while the healer administers their treatment. Most of it you already know. They will be vanishing your bones one or two at a time and re-growing them during the nights. But if you want me to stay, then I'll be right here with you." she promised again.

"I guess we should go talk to your father and see what this treatment is." Harry said as they watched the sun rising over the horizon.

Normally he would have been scared out of his mind, but something about Fleur's promise seemed to have calmed him somewhat. It was almost like they had a connection that let her feel what she was feeling and it helped Harry stay calm.

When they finished their coffee, Fleur led the way down to her father's study while they made small-talk on the way. When they reached Jean Luc's study, Fleur knocked on the door and they waited until he called for them to come in.

"Good morning, Fleur, Harry. What brings you looking for me so early in the morning?" he asked with a slight grin at seeing them together so early.

"I need to know what the treatment is that you've scheduled for me?" Harry said a little nervously.

"The Healers have made it a point to explain to me in depth what you were subjected to and what needs to be done to correct your medical problems. Because of the damage done to your bones with the numerous assaults they are going to have to start from the ground up as it were and rebuild you from the inside out. They are going to vanish them in pairs and re-grow them through the use of skele-grow. They will be rebuilt stronger than they were with the use of the potion and others. This will be done for all of your bones. Then they will be working on the internal injuries. You're going to have a long go of it. Because the treatments are going to take at least two months to get through. But then you will have to begin working on strengthening the muscle and bones all over again through exercise. If I am right, then you will also have help on that front. But for the next two months, you will be kept in an induced sleep. Are you with me, so far?" Jean Luc offered.

"Yeah. I think I get the point. But what is it that you think will help me to make it through the next set if exercise and conditioning?" Harry asked.

"I will have to speak to Amelia on that front because she is more knowledgeable on that front. She is the one who was setting that up to help you." Jean Luc went on to explain what he was aware of.

Harry was a little surprised by what he was hearing, but if it was true then he would have a second chance to learn. Learn how to really live without somebody trying to control his every move or direct his life the way they think he should live.

But he had one other thing that he wanted from this, as well. This would be the deal breaker for him if he couldn't get what he wanted.

"Jean Luc, would you let Fleur stay with me through all of this? I want her to be there with me." he finally stated what he wanted most.

"Why do you want her there?" Jean Luc asked carefully.

"Because I know her. Fleur believed in me during the tournament and she didn't let what anybody else said matter. Because she's my friend." he said, pouring as much meaning into those words as he could.

But it was the feelings that lived behind the words what moved the father to actually consider what Harry was asking for and agree to it.

"Very well, Harry. Yes, Fleur will stay with you while you are being treated. We have arranged treatment to take place in a section of the manor that will belong to you during your stay." Jean Luc said as he picked up his coffee and sipped at it.

12 GRIMMAULD PLACE 10:30 AM

Sirius sat in his study and began to look over the books for the House of Black. What he found was more than enough for him to make a few decisions of his own.

He learned the full extent of what Dumbledore had done while he was Harry's guardian. But when he learned about the manipulations that Albus had put Harry through after the fact, Sirius wanted to ruin the old man. The problem was that he couldn't just tell anybody the truth. Nobody left would believe him. Especially not after what he had let happen to his godson.

That's when he decided to talk to the one person that he might be able to tell the truth and let them deal with it.

"Amelia, I hope you'll listen to me. If not, then Harry's going to get blind-sided by that damned contract Dumbledore." he said as he made his way to the fireplace.

Dropping to his knees in front of the fireplace, he tossed in a pinch of floo powder and shouted out "Bones Manor!"

BONES MANOR 10:45 AM

Amelia Bones had gone to work just like any other day. But she had to return home to pick up some case files she left behind when she heard her fireplace come to life and a voice she hadn't heard since his godson's trial. She was tempted to let the call go unanswered, then she realized he wouldn't have called without a damned good reason. Heaving out a sigh, she walked into her sitting room and over to the fireplace.

"What do you want Sirius?" she asked in resignation.

"We need to talk, Amelia. There are some things that the old man managed to hide from Harry, even after he left England. And it's not good by any stretch of the imagination. If Harry isn't made aware of it soon, he coulod lose his magic." Sirius said almost in a panic.

"WHAT? What the hell are you talking about, Sirius?" she asked in confusion.

"Make sure that you get the information to Harry. He needs tot get hold of the contract that Albus signed with Molly Weasley on behalf of him and Ginevra Weasley. The only chance he has is to look it over and cancel it fast or he'll be in a world of trouble." Sirius said as she looked at him in disbelief.

"I think you better explain yourself, Sirius and do it quick." she said, her tone turning to steel.

At those words, he started talking and laid out everything he'd learned thanks to his account manager. The more Amelia heard, the more she wished she hadn't let Samuel take Dumbledore back to Hogwarts. She was fuming at everything she heard and paced while she was thinking about the best way to handle it.

"Sirius, I can get in touch with Harry. But I swear to Merlin, if this is just a way to get him to talk to you again, I'll throw you to the Dementors myself!" she said as she turned back to the fireplace.

"Just get him the information. I don't give a damn if he never talks to me again. You help him deal with this while I deal with a certain old man. There is one loop-hole that Harry can exploit. The contract is only binding if Harry allows it to be. But the thing is that only Lord Potter can cancel the contract. Now that Harry has taken the mantle and removed House Potter from England, he is able to take it to the French Ministry and have it cancelled." Sirius explained.

"Alright, Sirius. Get out of my fireplace so I can tip Harry off." Amelia said, dismissing him.

Sirius pulled back and she got her own floo powder to make a call of her own.