Harry Potter and The Shades of Grey

by Ravenwood240

Harry has lost his strongest supporter and has to chart his own course. Someone is going to make him an offer he can't refuse, even if it feels like dealing with the devil. STATUS Change: This story will be finished as written... The other SoG will be renamed and changed.

10. The Lull Before The Storm

Harry and Hermione are somewhere, following the Montrose Ghost. Let's find out what they're doing, and catch up with everyone else at the same time. I wonder what the Rat is doing? I have a few things to say after we catch up with all the people in the story, so stick around for the notes. Right now, it is Monday afternoon. Three hundred and fifty eight days to go. (I said that in chapter eight also, and it took me two chapters to cover one day. This is not going to be the fifteen chapter story I had planned on writing.) For those of you that need to know this kind of thing, the year should be 1997, and for the purposes of this Fic, the last day of school was 30JUN97 and it was a Sunday, meaning Harry met with Pansy in chapter one early in the morning of Monday, 01JUL97 (Before anyone says anything, I know that the 30th of June, 1997 was a Monday.)

Harry Potter and the Shades of Grey

Chapter Ten

The Lull Before the Storm

This Chapter is dedicated to my latest Betas, FanFic Guardian and Vicki. You are awesome for even trying to put up with me, and I thank you.

OoOoOoO Harry and Hermione, The Montrose Estate, Monday afternoon, 08JUL97. OoOoOoO

The crowd had barely begun to react to the disappearance of the couple when they reappeared in the same place they had been before they left. They looked the same, except that Harry and Hermione now had matching medallions around their necks. Harry also had a large key in one hand.

Ginny sighed. "That must have been boring, Harry's not even scratched."

Harry and Hermione looked at each other and back at Ginny. "Boring?" asked Harry, "Not really, but at least they didn't want to kill me."

Pansy rubbed her eyes. "Is it always like this?" she asked Ginny. "Harry just finding bizarre things to get involved in?"

Ginny nodded vigorously. "Yes, it is. Harry just isn't being Harry if something isn't going on every month."

Pansy sighed. "Great. I'm going to have grey hair before I leave school."

Harry and Hermione were looking at each other and at the key in Harry's hand. "Put it away, Harry," Hermione suggested, looking around. "We've scared a lot of people here, and you should reassure them that you're fine."

Harry looked around, seeing all of his family members watching him with various expressions from fear to interest. He smiled at them. "Just another moment in my life. I'm fine, and so is Hermione."

Ginny and Pansy looked at each other. "Would you mind filling us in on where you went and what you did, Harry?" asked Ginny. "Some of us would like to know."

The Montrose ghost that had been talking to Harry just before he disappeared looked at Ginny. "Mr. Montrose may not speak of it, nor may Miss Black. It is an old charge, laid on the first Montrose more than twelve hundred years ago, and Mr. Montrose has renewed the contract."

A low murmur rose from the crowd, louder among those who had accepted the Montrose family name. Ginny and Pansy looked frustrated, but kept their silence. Violet came up to Harry. "You scared me, disappearing like that."

Harry bent down and picked the young girl up. "I'm sorry about that, Violet, but sometimes, things just happen, and we have to deal with them. I'm back, and this is all over." Harry looked at the tables where they'd been eating. "I think there's some ice cream left," he said conspiratorially. "Let's get some before it's all gone."

Violet smiled and hugged Harry before sliding out of his arms and grabbing his hand to drag a smiling Harry toward the ice cream. With Harry and Hermione back and apparently uninjured, the party started up again, although it was a bit more subdued than before.

Blaise came over to Harry and sat down. Daphne was with him and Harry wondered if the two of them ever separated now, as they seemed to be holding hands every time he saw them. "Harry, that thing you're doing, how will it affect the family?" was Blaise's opening comment.

Harry shook his head. "It won't. It will be known only to myself and Hermione, until we have a first born Montrose child of our own. It is tied to the bloodline, and I am the last person in the direct bloodline."

Blaise nodded, thinking about it. "Good. I was afraid you'd gone and done something that would affect us all."

Harry and Hermione looked at each other. No, this wouldn't affect them all.

OoOoOoO Voldemort, the Baron and Greyback, somewhere, midnight, 08JULY97. OoOoOoO

Voldemort looked at the ones he had to call 'allies', at least to their faces. In truth, they were minions of a vexing sort. Too strong to be openly bullied, yet not the Purebloods that Voldemort wanted. In short, they were cannon fodder as far as Voldemort was concerned, but he could not let them know that.

Only the Baron and Greyback were at this meeting. Lucifer had to be handled carefully, due to his madness and Voldemort would deal with him shortly.

Voldemort examined the two beings. The Baron was a short man now, although he'd been considered tall when he'd become a vampire thirteen hundred years ago. Now he controlled an entire coven of thirty vampires with an iron fist. While it was not the largest coven in the world, it was powerful due to the Baron's habit of turning Wizards and other semi magical beings. There were even rumours that he had tried to turn a Centaur.

Greyback, on the other hand, was a raving madman who lived only for blood and the change to what he saw as his rightful form. "The war is growing, as I predicted to both of you, and it is time for you to use your assets," Voldemort announced, looking at the two of them in turn. "Baron, some late night blood letting, left where the corpses can be found and not hidden from the public would accelerate the terror until the full moon, when Fenrir will gather as many werewolves as he can and attack a target I will choose."

The Baron looked at Voldemort coolly. "I hear what you want, Lord Voldemort, but I do not hear the benefit to me or mine."

Voldemort nodded slowly. "I do not mind if you feed on Muggles, and anywhere I rule, you are welcome to feed on any who do not bear my mark."

The Baron shrugged. "Nice, in the future, but right now, you do not rule yet, and Harry Potter stands between you and that rule you desire. I understand your troops were soundly defeated in the battle of Diagon Alley." He looked at Voldemort. "What do you offer me now?"

Voldemort kept his face blank despite his rage and contained the urge to hex the vampire several times. "What do you want?"

The Baron smiled faintly. "I wish to be able to challenge Baron de La Mothe for his territory, and in order to do so, I must have three vampires who are Wizards. I need three of your Death Eaters, ones that can be turned." He looked at Voldemort. "I can turn shock troops from anywhere, but I need magic users that do not need to be taught about Dark Magic."

Voldemort frowned. After the twin defeats at the Burrow and in Diagon Alley, he was short of lower Death Eaters. More were being recruited and trained, but it would be at least two months before they were ready to be used in any significant way. "They must be able to cast Magic, but does their intelligence matter, or just their obedience?"

The Baron considered that. "I would prefer intelligent minions, but it is not completely necessary."

Voldemort nodded. "The night of the full moon, if you have allowed at least one dead body to be found every night, I will give you three of mine. If you miss a night, you lose all three. It is twelve days until the full moon. That means I expect to see twelve attacks reported in the Daily Prophet."

The Baron stroken his chin and nodded. "If I should find that any of yours have hidden or ruined a feeding, I get the three that day."

Voldemort nodded. "Good enough." He looked at Fenrir. "And what do you want to lead an attack?"

Fenrir grinned, a savage look in his eyes. "Nothing, except a few survivors that have been bitten. I also wish to increase my ranks."

Voldemort shrugged. "As long as there are lots of dead bodies lying around, you may take whomever you want."

Greyback snarled in glee. "We can do that. I only want the young ones, those can be molded into the image I want. Anyone over fifteen will be left dead."

Voldemort made a few more arraignments and then the two left, going back to their respective lairs. Voldemort made a mental note to have someone make sure that Greyback hadn't left any fleas behind and went to his personal weapon.

OoOoOoO Voldemort, London, All Hallows Eve, 1979. OoOoOoO

Voldemort was flushed with pride. His campaign of Terror was going well, to the point where most Wizards wouldn't even speak his name anymore for fear of attracting his attention. He was lightly attended this night, with only Bellatrix and the Lestrange brothers with him. They were returning from a meeting with Voldemort's spy inside the Order of the Phoenix.

They stopped as a burst of accidental magic exploded through the air somewhere near by. Voldemort hissed, "A Muggleborn. Let's go and relieve it of the burden of life."

They started toward where the magic came from, a small house that had seen better days, and better decades. They stepped up to the front door and Bella opened it with a quick twist of her wand. Voldemort led the way inside and toward the sound of chanting. He stopped, listening to the chant. A memory intruded then, of those long ago days in the orphanage and being forced to listen to a Minister every Sunday.

Voldemort held up his hand and ordered the others to wait. He listened long enough to be sure of what he heard. Somewhere down the stairs, someone was trying to invoke the devil. The Death Eaters with him shivered at the arcane chanting. The man sounded grim and angry, invoking thoughts of death and blood with every sentence.

Voldemort didn't believe in any religion except power, but he knew that belief could be a power in itself, when it was used properly. An idea came to him and he smiled. He might just have a purpose for this particular Muggleborn after all.

Voldemort told his followers to wait until he called them, and to follow his instructions to the letter. He eased down the stairs until he could see a corner of the room the voice was coming from. He Apparated, appearing in front of a Muggle dressed in black robes. In the corner was a small boy, about nine or ten, who was the source of the magic that had attracted his attention.

"You have called me and I am here. What bargain do you wish to make with me, mortal?" Voldemort stared at the man that was gaping at him in shock and fear. "Speak quickly, mortal, or I shall rip the very soul from your body to feast upon."

That was how Voldemort had found Kevin Brown and his son David. Kevin was a Satanist, and Voldemort played the part of Satan well. Kevin soon found his life improving, all for a minor cost, or so he thought.

Until Voldemort gave David, who was a Muggleborn Wizard, to a Dark Witch to raise in the ways of 'Satan'.

David was raised to believe that his 'powers' were gifts of Satan, and that only complete obedience would allow him to keep them. The Witch that raised him instructed him constantly in the acts that pleased their 'Master' and by the time he was fifteen, David was sacrificing Muggles with no more thought than most would give to swatting a fly. David grew up a hard, cold man, and his only wish was that 'Satan' would return and bless him further. After the disappearance of Voldemort, she continued to train him, thinking to use him herself.

When Voldemort regained his body, he visited David. David had changed his name to Lucifer and collected a solid core of believers. 'Satan's' return was greeted with much joy by David/Lucifer, and only 'Satan's' word stopped him from sacrificing someone to honour the return.

Voldemort told him to gather more trustworthy followers and sent them an occasional Muggle to sacrifice to him, holding them in reserve for the fighting he knew would be coming when the Ministry of Magic decided Voldemort was too powerful. After all, having a fanatically loyal Wizard who knew Muggle ways intimately would be very helpful, especially when it came to hunting down Muggleborn Wizards and their families.

OoOoOoO Voldemort and Lucifer, Somewhere, 0100, 09JULY97. OoOoOoO

Voldemort opened the door to the small room Lucifer had been waiting in. Voldemort looked at the man that had been a nine year old boy when Voldemort had first seen him.

David Brown was a muscular man tall and dark of hair. He might have been considered handsome if it wasn't for the aura around,a grim and cold feeling. People in the Muggle world described him as creepy and evil, never knowing just how close they came to the truth. Lucifer looked at the world with the burning eyes of a fanatic and a cold twist to his lips, as if he was barely refraining from sneering at anyone he saw. That was very close to the truth. Only one being was greater than him, in his opinion, and everyone less was merely a sacrifice that had been seen to yet.

"I have work for you, Disciple. If you please me, you will advance to the next level. If not, your punishment will be remembered for a thousand years." Voldemort used the small magic that made his voice lower and deeper, more of what they both thought Satan should sound like when he spoke to Lucifer. His new appearance, since the events that gave him this new body, worked to reinforce his Satan persona, as he was obviously not human now.

"I am yours, Lord Satan, body and soul. Command me, and I will do your bidding." Lucifer concealed the joy that rose in his chest. Finally, the Master was moving against his enemies. Blood would flow in rivers and torrents now.

Voldemort smiled. "Then listen carefully, Lucifer. This is what I want you to do..."

OoOoOoO The Order Without a Name, Harry's room, 0600 09JUL97 OoOoOoO

Harry stared at his breakfast blearily. They had been up quite late last night as Hermione and Harry had told Ginny and Pansy what had happened in those few minutes they had disappeared. The ghost had grudgingly given Harry permission to tell the two girls when Harry had refused the ancient charge if it meant keeping secrets from the other two girls.

Miranda, unlike Harry and the girls, was bright eyed and nearly quivering with anticipation. Most of the Order was here, with only Wilkes, Tonks and Shacklebolt missing. Dobby and Winky were happily feeding the entire group as they finally had something to do in Harry's room. Most of the time, the two House Elves were rather bored as cleaning the rooms didn't take them that long.

Harry looked down the table. Pansy and Ginny were sitting to each side of him this morning with Hermione next to Pansy and Miranda beyond her. Ron was sitting next to Ginny and the rest of the Weasley family, minus only Molly and Arthur, lined up after them. Even Percy was here this morning, talking quietly to Ron about something.

Neville and Luna were chatting about something and Harry smiled slightly as Neville went goggle eyed at something Luna said and then blushed fiercely. Apparently, Luna was being herself this morning.

Katie and Angelina were discussing Quidditch with Fleur while Moody talked with Remus. Remus was wan and tired, and Harry interrupted his conversation to ask after Tonks. "She woke briefly about an hour ago, but she'll be in the hospital for at least another two weeks."

Harry and the others smiled at that news, but most of the smiles disappeared quickly and Harry began watching the others.

Harry frowned as he felt that something was wrong, but for a minute, he couldn't tell what. He figured it out quickly. Everyone was too quiet, as if they were at a funereal. Harry looked down the table again and decided to test this magic that Hermione was certain he had. He concentrated for a second, remembering the scene at the Burrow and the bodies Miranda had left behind. When he had the feelings he wanted, he relaxed and let it out.

Everyone looked up at Harry as they felt his faith in them, his confidence that they could do what needed to be done, borne on the familiar touch of his magic. "I think some of you are worried about Miranda, and it seems to be affecting everyone. I believe she will win, after seeing her work. I also think you all need to relax."

Hermione was looking at Harry thoughtfully. This was the first time he'd consciously used his ability, and it was only typical of Harry that it would be to make others feel better.

Fred and George looked at each other. "Actually, Harry, it's not Miranda we're worried about. It's the possibility of other Death Wankers showing up, while you and Ginny are alone and Miranda is busy."

Harry frowned as he thought about that. "I was assuming that Bella was acting in good faith, and that Miranda would make sure we weren't followed to wherever we're going to do this."

Miranda looked up. "I can swear that no one will follow our Portkey to its destination." She smirked. "And, if by some chance they do manage to follow us, they will regret it."

Moody sat up in his chair. "You're going to the Fifth Level, aren't you?"

Miranda nodded. "I have permission to have the duel there, so that it can be can be recorded for future Defenders to watch. Bella was quite agreeable to be made immortal that way."

The rest of the people at the table were looking at each other in puzzlement. "Would you be kind enough to tell me where we're going?" asked Ginny, looking at Miranda.

Miranda smiled. "The Fifth Level is the Defender testing grounds, much like the Inferno except geared to our particular abilities and skills."

Harry nodded slowly. "I assume that there will be others there, to ensure Bella's friends don't interfere?"

Miranda shook her head. "Only the four of us. Bella cannot attack you, Mr. Potter, and you can only attack her if she attacks Miss Weasley."

Harry blinked. "You mean that scene from the Inferno test was right?"

Ginny tapped Harry on the shoulder. "Why would you imagine Bella kissing you anyway?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know." He looked at Moody. "How does that box work, anyway?"

Moody thought about it for a minute as Dobby came in the room and handed Hermione a stack of papers and letters. Hermione thanked him and began going through them. "The box creates a scenario that forces you to use your magic to the utmost, using the worries and fears of your mind. I didn't make it, and I don't know much more than that. You're not the first person to report strange images from the box. A few of the Unspeakables from the Department of Mysteries think that the genius that created it did better than he knew, and that it can draw images from your subconscious as well."

Ginny looked disgusted. "You mean Harry thinks Bella could like him?"

Miranda frowned thoughtfully as she remembered her meeting with Bellatrix. "It is entirely possible, Miss Weasley. Bella likes powerful people, and Mr. Potter is that. As I recall, the box Bellatrix said something about it being a pity he was so nice, or they could have fun. She said something simular to me when she asked me to join her in some creative mayhem."

Ginny frowned. "Are you saying that Bellatrix would abandon Moldywart, if somebody stronger came along who would allow her to hurt people?"

Miranda thought about the woman that she'd talked to behind the burning Burrow. "I think that her madness is growing, and that the only thing that is truly real to her anymore is death and destruction."

Harry frowned. "You had better be careful with her then. I would really prefer to have you win this duel today."

"Tonight, actually. You have a dozen things to do today, including a meeting with the twins tonight at six, so Bella and I agreed on a nine o'clock meeting at the Wickerbasket. Plus, Chekhov is taking the re-certification test today, and he's using the facility."

Pansy looked at Miranda. "Why do you always refer to Defenders by a single name? Everyone else you call Mr. or Miss, but your fellows, you don't use honorifics for. Why?"

Miranda shrugged. "It's traditional. Someone decided a couple of centuries ago that we didn't need any more honor than being a Defender, so we don't use titles when talking to or about each other."

The breakfast conversation became a general discussion about what the various people where going to be doing today. Hermione was going to set up a schedule with Moody to start training the people that would make up Harry's fighters, and then she would join Ginny at the Shades of Grey office to work out a system for finding the surviving victims of Voldemort's attacks. Ginny was going to the office to work with Mr. Michaels. Ron, Neville and Luna were going to Diagon Alley to get some potions supplies Luna needed.

Dobby came to stand next to Harry. "Harry Potter Sir," Dobby said, "Dobby is wondering what to do with ratman."

Harry blinked, and then remembered Dobby had Peter Pettigrew. He thought for a minute, and then Pansy whispered something in his ear. Harry listened and looked at Pansy. "That's going a bit far," he chided her gently. "But it will work, with one small change." He looked up. "Moody, can you get Aurors Wilkes and Shacklebolt here fairly quickly?"

Moody nodded and got up to cross to the Floo. He put his head in the fire and made a Floo call. While he was doing that, Harry had Dobby fetch Peter's cage. Dobby brought it in and set it on the floor. Harry looked at Peter and everyone was surprised at his control. "Good morning, Pettigrew," he said quietly. "I'm going to ask you to change and join me for breakfast, unless you'd rather spend a few more days in your cage, waiting for me to have time to get back to you."

Peter nodded his head and Dobby opened the cage. Peter came out of the cage and changed quickly. "Oh, thank you, Harry." Harry had Dobby get Peter some food and a small table to eat at. By the time Peter was eating, Shacklebolt and Wilkes had joined them.

Harry sighed and looked at Peter. "I am calling in the Debt you owe me, Pettigrew. Right here, right now, you will tell us every thing you've ever done for or with Voldemort, going back to your first meeting with him. If you do this to my satisfaction, I will offer you three choices. If not, I will simply give you to Auror Wilkes, and allow her to claim the credit for capturing you."

Peter stared at Harry as he thought about his options. He couldn't run, there were far too many people here to even consider fighting, and Harry had his wand pointing at him. Peter sighed and began speaking.

An hour later, Harry had to leave the room for a few minutes as Peter talked about the events leading up to Halloween, 1981. People left as Peter talked, until the only ones left were Harry, Hermione, Pansy, Ginny, the two Aurors and Moody. Harry looked at his watch and frowned. "I have places to be today. You will finish telling your story to the Aurors, and then Dobby will return you to your cage until I return from the Duel. At that time, if I am told that you have given these two everything they want to know, I will give you your three choices and you can decide what you're going to do. If they tell me that you were not completely helpful, then you will be given to Auror Wilkes. Do you understand your options?"

Peter sighed. "Please, Harry, don't leave me in the cage forever again. I swear to help you, if you just don't leave me there."

Harry coloured slightly. "It's been a really busy time," he half apologized, "and I won't do that again." He looked at Dobby. "Dobby, when we get back from the Duel, remind me that Wormtail needs to be dealt with, one way or another."

Dobby nodded. "Dobby will remind the great Harry Potter Sir, even if ratman is not good today."

Harry looked at Ginny. "When you get to work, owl Colin and ask him if he could come see me tomorrow. Tell him I have a job for him and his camera." Harry thought for a second. "Hermione, while you're with Moody, see if you can work out some way for us to know when a Death Eater attack starts, so we can respond instantly."

Hermione frowned. "I had an idea about that, Harry, but I don't know how practical it is, and I would need Professor Lupin's help, as well as Mr. Moody and Auror Wilkes, I think." She frowned again. "If we can even get it to work."

Harry nodded. "Remus is at St. Mungo's with Tonks. See if you can get him away from there, but make sure you put someone else there to watch over Tonks. I don't want her attacked while she can't defend herself."

Hermione nodded, obviously thinking about who they could have standing guard. "I'll make sure someone is there, Harry. I also need to see about your other idea."

Harry grinned. "Ginny, while you're at work, ask Mr. Sharpstar to set something up, an offshoot of the Shades of Grey, a research lab for Hermione. Get with him about a place to put it, and get with Hermione about what she'll need in it, and then hire her and Miranda to work there."

Hermione started to protest, but Harry stopped her. "Hermione, you're going to be working on a great many things for me this year, things that might have value after this war is over. It's only right that you get the credit and a share of any money that comes from those things." He smiled slyly. "Besides, do you really want to spend that much time in the Black Manor?"

Hermione sighed and then smiled. "I could use a real lab to work in," she said, a far away look on her face as she thought about it, "with a desk and a good potions table and some books."

Ginny giggled. "I knew she'd want the books," she said as Hermione mock glared at her. Hermione pulled an old folded parchment from her robes. She handed it to Ginny. Ginny unfolded it and read a few lines, then looked at Hermione. "You have a lab set up already written out?" she asked incredulously.

Hermione blushed as the others smiled at her. "It was just a dream, something I'd like to have but never thought would happen."

Harry shook his head. "Alright, while this is fun and informative, I have a million things to do today and I need to get going."

Hermione handed Harry another parchment. Harry looked at it and grimaced. "Thank you for the list of things I have to do, I completely forgot about Mr. Robards."

"You did promise to meet with him for dinner Saturday night, and we missed it. I set up an appointment at his office at ten this morning. You should have at least enough time to apologize and maybe set up another meeting." She frowned. "The Minister is likely to know as soon as you get to the Ministry, Harry, and since you don't want to talk to him until you have all your plans in place, I kept the meeting time short. Hopefully, you'll be in and out before he can stop whatever he's doing and find you."

Harry nodded, reading the rest of the list. "We'll come and get you and Ginny from the office before we go to the twin' shop, OK? I would prefer not to have to have Miranda defend you just before she meets Bella tonight."

Plans made, Harry kissed Hermione and then stepped into the Floo with Pansy to start the things they had to do.

After everyone else was gone, the three Aurors continued to interrogate Peter Pettigrew. Wormtail had been with Voldemort since his return in Harry's first year and since he was one of the few people that the Dark Lord was certain had no intentions of trying to take his place, Peter had been very useful to the evil Wizard. He was privy to almost everything Voldemort did, and Pettigrew's habits of sneaking around to avoid the notice of the other Death Eaters had allowed him to overhear many of their plans as well.

Shacklebolt and Wilkes asked question after question, about who the Death Eaters were, what they did, where they had hidden and more. Moody interjected an occasional demand for details, but mostly he sat and listened, storing everything he heard for later, when he got back to his friends.

Some of the things they were learning were too out of date for anyone else to look into, but Moody had time on his hands, and there was always a chance that something could be learned even in an abandoned hideout that hadn't been used in ten years.

It was nearly lunch before they finished questioning Peter. They reviewed their notes, making sure they had covered everything they wanted to know. Moody was staring at Peter as the other two read. "You're hiding something. What do you know that Harry's instructions didn't cover, Death Eater?"

Peter rubbed his nose with the side of his hand, still rat like even in his human shape. He evaded everyone's eyes as he replied. "Nothing. I told you everything I did with or for the Dark Lord, just as Harry asked."

Moody rose and came to look at Peter, pushing right into his face. His magic eye whirled at he glared at the small man. "You're hiding something dark from us, rat. Now, unless you want me to start looking for it with a sharp knife, I suggest you talk."

"You can't do that," Peter whined, "there are Aurors here."

Shacklebolt looked at Wilkes. "I don't know about you, Amanda, but I think we could leave the prisoner in Moody's hands while we went to lunch, don't you? Any injuries that he might get while we're gone would obviously be from attempting to escape."

Amanda Wilkes looked at Moody and Peter. "I don't know," she said, staring at Peter. "To be honest, after the story we just heard, I think I would rather help Moody get his information. There are ways to make sure he doesn't talk, and I don't think Harry would be too upset if he died."

Moody smiled at Peter. "You see? No one here will say anything, and it would be your word against ours, rat. Now, unless you would like to start losing bits, starting with that silver hand of yours, you had better tell me what you're hiding."

Peter looked at the three Aurors and saw no mercy in any of their faces. Slowly, he began to talk. When he was done, the three Aurors looked at each other. "Let's keep this to ourselves until I can get somebody to look into it. I don't think we need to burden Harry with this until we're sure it actually means something." Moody looked at Wormtail and pulled his wand. Before Pettigrew could do anything, the grizzled Auror cast his spell.

OoOoOoO Harry and Pansy, Mr. Sharpstar's office, 0800, 09JUL97. OoOoOoO

"And this is a list of the people that voted against your first bill, Mr. Potter." Mr. Sharpstar handed a parchment to Harry, who looked at the list and snorted. "A Crabbe and a Bole. I am so surprised." He kept reading. "I don't recognize all of these names, but I do see a few more I know."

"I'm not surprised," Mr. Sharpstar said, "seeing as most of them are older Pureblood family names and very prominent. I have a man checking them out now to see if they have ties to your enemy, or if they're just bigoted."

Harry nodded. "Do you have the next two items for the Wizengamot ready yet?"

Nicholas smiled. "Yes, and one of your new allies is going to introduce the important one while I make a big fuss over the other one."

Pansy was looking at the two of them in confusion. "Would you mind filling me in on what you're doing?"

Harry shrugged, turning an innocent face to her. "I'm going to introduce a bill to the Wizengamot that would require everyone sentenced to Azkaban to be given Veritaserum, so that no more Sirius Black cases can happen. I'm going to raise hell about it, even going so far as to provide Rita Skeeter a Pensieve memory of every time I've seen Peter Pettigrew since he supposedly died. Ron and Hermione are going to help."

Pansy frowned. "That's not all of it, Harry. Tell me the rest."

Harry gave her a wicked smile. "While I make a fuss about that, one of the other families is going to quietly introduce a bill allowing anyone wronged by someone convicted of a crime to claim some part of their wealth, depending on how badly they were hurt by the criminal's actions. We're going to use the theft of things from Sirius' house as the basis for it. That should get us a few Pureblood votes, as the thought of somebody stealing things from a family as old as the Black family should hit home. We're also using Sirius because a few more people will be disgusted by the thought of stealing from the dead, and of course the Longbottom, Potter, Black and Montrose votes are behind it."

Pansy nodded. "I can see that, but why?"

Harry smirked. "Because as soon as that bill is law, I intend to claim everything the Heir of Slytherin has, for the deaths of my parents and his attempt to kill me. Neville will likewise claim everything the Lestranges have, and I have other people that will be claiming almost everything every known Death Eater has." Harry smirked. "As Hermione said to that goblin, money is power, and I plan to take Moldywart's power this summer."

Pansy smiled as she thought about it. "You're going to hit them financially, and you've already hit him in the supporters department. Any other plans to hurt them, Mr. Slytherin?"

Harry drew himself up and smirked. "I am a Gryffindor, miss, please do not insult me like that." He imitated Lucius' sneer and looked down his nose at Pansy.

Pansy looked at him and burst into laughter. "Harry, stop. Don't ever try to act like that in public."

Harry looked at her. "Didn't I do it right?"

Pansy grinned. "No. It takes a very long time in front of a mirror, and lots of practice to get a good sneer down. You just looked as if you'd eaten something bad."

Harry laughed. "You mean Draco practiced that sneer? He needs to work on it more."

Nicholas watched the teenagers joking around. "I hate to interrupt your fun, but I have a few papers for you to sign, Mr. Potter, and the people from the Comet Broomstick company want to know when you can pose for a few pictures."

Harry sighed. "Hermione will be at the office later, get in touch with her, she's scheduling my time these days."

Pansy smirked. "We told you she'd be good for you, Harry."

Harry looked at the parchment Nicholas had just handed him. "What is this?"

"Your notice to the Wizengamot to claim the family seats on your birthday, and assume the title of Baron Potter and Lord Black."

Harry nodded, reading through the document. "Hey, this states that once I assume the seats I may assign other people to vote in my stead."

Nicholas Sharpstar nodded. "Yes, in order to facilitate the recall of the Wizengamot, each active Wizengamot ring has a modified Protean Charm on it, allowing contact with the wearer. Additionally, it will Portkey you to the Wizengamot chamber if you have been summoned, with a simple tap of your wand."

Harry frowned at that. "I hate Portkeys. Who can I appoint to hold my seats?"

"Any Witch or Wizard in good standing who has not been convicted of a crime and who is of age."

Pansy was frowning at Harry. "What are you planning, Harry?"

Harry smiled. "I think I will vote the Montrose seat and put you, a Windenmere, in the Potter seat, and Hermione in the Black seat."

Pansy and Nicholas stared at Harry. "Mr. Potter, you're going to put a Windenmere, a decidedly grey, possibly Dark Witch in the family seat of a Light family, and a Muggleborn Light Witch in an old Pureblood Dark seat?"

Harry nodded. "Call it my notice that I will change things. The rampant bigotry of the Wizard world is going to go down, even if I have to bribe, blackmail or intimidate every Wizard in the world."

Pansy frowned. "Harry, I'm not saying that I disagree with you, but can we stick to one enemy at a time? The old families are going to be hunting for you if you do this, and we can't afford any more enemies at this time."

Nicholas added his opinion and Harry grudgingly allowed himself to be persuaded to wait before starting his social revolution. He signed the parchment and looked at the next one, which was a balance statement about his vaults. Since he had just purchased the Montrose Manor, his balance was down somewhat, but with the incomes from the Black estate added to the Potter incomes, his earnings ratio was way up.

"Negotiations are under way to buy the Daily Prophet and Witch Weekly. The Weekly is cheaper, but it appears that the owners don't want to sell it, which is going to increase the price considerably." Nicholas looked at another paper. "The Daily Prophet's owner was intrigued by the offer we made, and is considering a counter offer."

Harry nodded. "Maybe this will help. Start the paperwork for me to start a newspaper of my own. Get the permits or whatever, and start looking for the shop and things I need to run it. Don't hide it, let everyone you talk know that I'm starting a paper, and that I will be writing an opinion piece in every issue."

Nicholas smiled. "You're going to make it appear that the Prophet will soon have competition, and see if that makes selling out a better option for the owner. Or are you actually going to start a paper?"

Harry frowned. "I don't know anything about running a paper."

Mr. Sharpstar shrugged. "So? You don't know anything about pranks, but you put the money up for the people that do, and you're making money from that. This would be the same thing, only instead of letting the editor in chief decide everything, you would set some guidelines that he would have to work within."

Harry nodded. "Can we afford to start a paper? I do have to have some ready funds, just in case Moldywart does something unexpected."

Nicholas looked at Harry's balance and thought about it. "I don't know, but I will within a couple of days. If you can, do you want to start a paper?"

Harry looked at the ceiling. "Go ahead and get the numbers together. When you have them, I'll sit down with you and the ladies to discuss it."

Harry and Mr. Sharpstar discussed Harry's plans in the Wizengamot and how they would be working the members, trying to drum up support for the things Harry had planned. Nicholas Sharpstar had found a tutor for Harry in the customs of the Wizengamot and politics, an older Witch who had been active in the Wizengamot until her age made it impossible to maintain the schedule of the Wizengamot.

Harry grinned. "Hermione will probably want to learn some of that as well. When you see her, remind her that I only have so many hours in the day."

"Speaking of hours in the day," Nicholas Sharpstar said, looking at Harry, "I spoke to an Unspeakable I know in the Ministry. Croaker says he'll allow you to use a Time Turner for your birthday, but in return he wants two things from you."

Harry sighed. "Naturally. Everybody wants something from me. What does he want?"

"Most important, he wants you to allow them to hear your prophecy, so that they can record it for the Hall of Mysteries. He also wants a detailed report on exactly what happened that night, preferably, an account of what each person did, from their own mouth."

Harry frowned as he bit his lip. "That may be possible," he said hesitantly, "but I won't make any promises for the rest of the people that were there."

Nicholas made a note on a parchment. "I'll tell him you'll ask them, but that you will only say that you'll give your version of events."

Harry nodded and looked at his watch. "I'd stay and discuss this some more, but I have an appointment with Mr. Robards in fifteen minutes."

Pansy handed Harry a string. Harry looked at it. "Hermione said that you might go over your allotted time, and made a Portkey between each destination, or as close to it as you can get."

Harry smiled. "That's Hermione for you, always one step ahead in planning." He looked at Pansy. "I bet you've also got a schedule, with a time to leave each place we visit, don't you?"

Pansy pulled a paper from her robes. "Two times, actually. The time we should leave so we don't have to rush and the absolute last minute that we can leave and be on time."

Harry grinned. "Well, let's not mess up her schedule. She gets cranky if you do."

Harry and Pansy said goodbye to Mr. Sharpstar and disappeared.

Pansy led Harry into the phone booth and into the Ministry. As they came out and spoke to the Auror about registering their wands, he looked at Harry. "Mr. Potter, I have to thank you for your actions in Diagon Alley. My sister was working in one of the stores there, but they were able to put out the fire that started because your people ended the threat before the fire got too large."

Harry shrugged. "That must have been at Susan and Shacklebolt's end of the Alley. I will pass your thanks on to the people that fought there."

They got their passes and Harry looked at his. "Harry Potter, appointment with Mr. Robards." he read and nodded as he affixed it to his robes. Pansy led him to the Auror's offices and Harry spoke to the Witch sitting at the desk there. She looked up and her eyes did that typical little flick to see his scar. "Excuse me, Mr. Potter, I'll see if he's ready for you."

She got up and went through a door, returning in just a few minutes. "Mr. Robards will see you now, Mr. Potter."

Harry followed her through the door with Pansy following along quietly. The office Harry was led into was filled with cabinets and file holders. Mr. Robards looked up from his desk, which was also filled with files and parchments. "Good morning, Mr. Potter. I missed you at dinner the other night." He pointed at a couple of chairs and silently invited them to sit.

Harry sighed. "As you might have read, I've been very busy, and it completely slipped my mind."

Mr. Robards smiled. "Busy might be a bit of an understatement, Mr. Potter. You and your friends have captured or killed so many Death Eaters in the last week that I'm thinking of just replacing the Aurors with your group." He looked at Harry. "Does your group have a name, by the way? Keeping track of the Order of the Phoenix was easy, but no one has heard a name for your group yet."

Harry smiled. "I don't have a name for it yet. I thought I'd leave that to people who worry about that sort of thing."

The Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement looked at him. "You do realize that it will end up being called Potter's Army or something simular if you don't give it a name, don't you?"

Harry shrugged. "I really don't care what people call it, as long as it works the way I want it to."

Mr. Robards nodded. "Small talk aside, would you mind telling me just what you're doing these days? I read the article in the Quibbler, and while it had the polish of an article written by a professional, I did recognize Miss Granger's touch in phrasing and word choice."

Harry told him everything he was going to tell anyone that was not part of his group or families. "I am going to keep Moldywart's attention on me, as I have the best chance of surviving another encounter with him." Harry looked at Mr. Robards. "Sooner or later, I will end this constant assault on my friends and I, one way or another."

Mr. Robards regarded Harry silently for a minute. "You're holding back a few things, and one of them is the reason that you were in the Hall of Mysteries last year. It doesn't take a lot of intelligence to figure out that you or You-Know-Who was after a prophecy, as that is the only thing stored there. Given that obsession You-Know-Who has with trying to kill you, I have to assume that you are a serious threat to him somehow."

Harry shrugged non-committally. "It really doesn't matter why he's obsessed with me at this point. He's killed my parents, my Godfather and been responsible for constant attacks on me and my friends as well as making possible the death of Professor Dumbledore and Cedric Diggory. At this point, I just want it all to stop."

Mr. Robards looked at Pansy. "And what is the Windenmere interest in this matter? I thought, as did almost everyone else, that you supported You-Know-Who."

"We might have, except that Harry Potter is related to the Greengrasses, and that makes him family." Pansy smiled. "Plus, in a couple of years, I will be Lady Black, and I am protecting my claim and stake in this."

Mr. Robards frowned thoughtfully. "Lady Black? Not Lady Potter?"

Harry looked at him. "I would prefer that this not go any further than your ears until my birthday, but Ginny Weasley will be Lady Potter after she finishes Hogwarts and Hermione Granger will be Lady Montrose."

Mr. Robards blinked. "I don't know whether to pity you or envy you." He thought for a minute. "My goodness, this is going to change the social standing of almost every family, especially if you do manage to end the current problem."

He thought about it for another minute. "You have given me a lot to think about, Mr. Potter. I would like to meet with you again in a week, after I've had time to think about it."

Harry nodded. "Send an owl to Hermione with the date and time and she'll get back to you. I'll be glad to talk to you again."

They made their goodbyes and the two teenagers left. They were in the elevator when it stopped and Percy Weasley got on with Delores Umbridge.

Harry ignored them both, even though Umbridge glared at him until the elevator stopped again. "You'll get yours, Potter," she hissed as she followed Percy off.

Harry just looked at her. "Be careful with your words, Ma'am," he said, staring at her. "Sometimes they can come back to haunt you."

The elevator doors closed before either of them could say anything more and Pansy frowned at Harry. "One enemy at a time, Harry."

"She's not an enemy," Harry said quietly, "merely an annoyance that will be dealt with quite soon."

OoOoOoO Hermione and Ginny, the Shades of Grey office, 1000 08JUL97. OoOoOoO

"And that will give the names of all the people that have survived an attack by Death Eaters. By cross referencing that list with the lists of those that died, we'll have a starting point to find anybody that is related to people attacked by Voldemort's people." Hermione passed the parchment to Ginny that had the instructions on how to use the system that Hermione had created to find the people Harry had created the Victim's Relief Fund for.

Ginny smiled at Hermione and gave her a hug. "Thanks Hermione. I would have taken a week or more to come up with a system that worked."

Hermione shrugged. "It's merely a different way of looking at things. Muggles depend on logical progressions, so databases like this are easy to make. Wizards tend to work more on intuition, and a more circular thought pattern."

Ginny stared at Hermione for a minute. "You do realize that I barely understand what you're talking about, don't you?"

Before they could continue their conversation, Moody and Alicia entered the office together. "Hello, Hermione," Alicia said. "Mr. Moody here says I'm supposed to talk to you about scheduling training time at the Inferno."

Ginny grabbed the paper and stood up. "I've heard enough logic for one day," she said hastily, "so I'll leave you three to your discussion and get started." She left, going into the other room.

Hermione pulled out a fresh sheet of paper. "Mr. Moody, if you would tell me when the Inferno will be operating, I'll make up the schedule for everyone that will be attending sessions there."

OoOoOoO Ron, Luna and Neville, Diagon Alley, 1000 08JUL97. OoOoOoO

"Hello, Neville. How are you?" The three of them turned. Susan Bones was walking toward them and even Ron could tell that she was having a problem. Her eyes were red and bloodshot, and she was in need of a bit of personal grooming.

Neville Longbottom stepped closer to her. "What's wrong, Susan?"

"Hannah was laid to rest about an hour ago," she said quietly. "Only three people were there, and only one of them was an Abbott."

Neville and Ron looked at each other. "I thought there were more Abbotts than that," Ron said quietly.

"Not anymore," Luna said just as quietly. "I believe that the last Abbott is Johnathan Abbott, and he's only seven."

Susan nodded. "He was one of the people there. I didn't know the other person."

Neville held out his hand. "Why don't you come with us? You could use the company, and we're not doing anything dangerous today."

Susan looked at him. "Why not? I will need to stop by a Floo and tell Mother that I'm going to be late."

Luna smiled. "This is nice. With four people we have a chance of seeing a Vanishing Galleon."

The other three looked at her in puzzlement, but it was Ron that asked the question. "Luna, what exactly is a Vanishing Galleon?"

Luna looked at him, and the slightest of smiles tilted her lips. "Have you ever been walking down the street and thought you saw something, like a Galleon out of the corner of your eye?"

The other three nodded slowly. "That was a Vanishing Galleon. It can assume any shape, but you can only see it from the corner of your eye. When you look at it directly, it vanishes."

The three students looked at each other. "That would explain why..." Neville shook his head. "What am I thinking?"

"Maybe," said Luna, as she started toward the Apothecary, "you're beginning to understand what Shakespeare meant when he said 'There are more things between Heaven and Hell, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.'"

Ron was about to say something when Luna spoke and he stopped as he puzzled his way through the quote. He looked at Luna thoughtfully. That was the second time this week she'd said something that made him stop and think. She looked at him and that faint smile was still there. "Don't worry about it, Ronald. That's just the way it will be."

She turned to Susan and began instructing her on how to catch a Vanishing Galleon.

OoOoOoO The Families, Windenmere Hall, 1000 08JUL97. OoOoOoO

"And so, in exchange for helping us escape Voldemort, Mr. Potter is asking us to look into something for him. Before I tell the people who volunteer exactly what that is, they will be taking an unbreakable oath for Mr. Potter. All I can tell you right now is that it will be Dark and dangerous, most likely."

He looked at the assembled people. Every member of the Windenmere group that had joined Harry Potter was there, from the age of sixteen and up. "In addition to that, he has asked for a few people to be trained to fight Death Eaters. I will now open the floor to discussion. The question is simple. Do we tell Mr. Potter that we have a fully trained group that could be ready today?"

OoOoOoO Harry, Pansy and Remus, Spell Damage Ward, St. Mungo's, 1100 08JUL97 OoOoOoO

Remus looked up as Harry and Pansy came in. "Hello, Harry. There's been no change, and she hasn't woken since I got back." Harry nodded and came to stand next to Remus. Pansy waited by the door as Harry looked at Remus.

"You need some rest, Remus," Harry said quietly. "Hermione is going to get someone to watch over Tonks, and after she talks to you, get some rest."

Remus raised an eyebrow and studied Harry. "You're growing up, cub," he said quietly, "but you're not that big yet."

Harry looked at Remus. "Maybe I'm not old enough to make that an order," he said quietly, "but I can say this. If something happens to Tonks because you were too tired to react properly or fast enough, I will make you regret it."

Remus looked at Harry, an angry report on his lips until he saw Harry's face. Harry was looking at Tonks and his face was a mixture of naked emotions. "Did you know that Tonks is the first family member I've had that I actually liked? Before her, there was only the Dursleys, and I cannot say I liked any of them." He sighed. "And now she nearly died because she followed me into something." Remus heard the unspoken end to that comment, 'just as Sirius did.' and winced.

"Harry, Tonks is an Auror," he said, taking the sleeping woman's hand. "She will be in this fight whether she follows you or not. The only difference is that by following you, she knows that she'll never be left behind or abandoned."

Harry sighed again, becoming depressed. "And she's still in a hospital bed, having barely survived. How many times can she do this before her luck runs out?"

Remus looked at Harry and a smile crossed his face. "I don't know. How many times have you woken up in the Infirmary?"

Harry glanced at Remus. "That makes me feel so much better."

Remus shrugged. "Maybe you should think about how we feel every time we're sitting around a bed waiting for you to wake up, or awaiting another owl telling us how you are."

"Maybe the two of you should fuss at each other somewhere else. Some of us are trying to sleep. Hello, Remus. Wotcher, Harry." Remus had forgotten Harry at Tonks' first words and Harry was an instant behind him. Tonks was looking at Remus through half opened eyes. Remus smiled, and it made years fall away from his face.

"You scared me, love," he said softly. "I wish you wouldn't do that."

Tonks smiled. "I might just do it again, if it makes you call me pet names in front of others." Her words were light hearted, but the look she gave Remus was full of love and more serious emotions.

Harry smiled, reassured that she would heal eventually and turned to go. "Take care of her, Remus. Hermione will be here with somebody to watch over her Tonks. She has something she needs your help on, and you need to get some rest." Harry looked at him. "That's not an order, Remus, merely an observation." Harry gripped Remus' shoulder for a second. "She won't heal any faster with you wearing yourself out." He looked at Tonks, but she had fallen asleep again, a faint smile on her face and her hand still holding Remus' hand. Harry and Pansy said goodbye to Remus and walked out of the room. Harry looked at Pansy. "What's next on the list?"

Pansy handed him another Portkey string. "We're off to get your new Broomstick. Due to your offer, you're getting the first Comet 310 to be made."

Harry sighed. "I bet it's not as good as my Firebolt is."

Pansy shook her head. "Boys and Quidditch, I swear. You are all obsessed."

Harry grinned at her. "It's not only the boys, look at Cho and Ginny." A shadow passed over his face as he remembered Cho Chang and her fate just two days ago. He pushed it away with an effort. "And that's without mentioning the finest Chaser team in Gryffindor history."

Pansy sighed as she stepped outside St. Mungo's and waited for Harry to hold out the Portkey. "Great. I'm surrounded by Quidditch nuts. I'm going to have to learn the rules just so I know what you're talking about."

OoOoOoO Shacklebolt and Wilkes, Auror Headquarters, 1300 08JUL97. OoOoOoO

"All set, Auror Shacklebolt. The memories will be ready for your retrieval in three days." Kingsley nodded and rejoined Amanda. He told her what the recorder had said.

Amanda Wilkes stood up and they started toward the door. They had barely opened it when a paper note started fluttering around Shacklebolt's head. He reached up and grabbed it from the air with the ease of long practice. He read it and looked at Amanda. "The Minister has summoned us both."

Amanda Wilkes looked at him with a frown. "I wonder what this is about?"

Kingsley snorted as he started toward the Minister's office. "What else? Harry Potter of course."

They were ushered into the Minister's office as soon as they arrived and told to sit down. Minister Scrimgeour looked at Shacklebolt. "Mr. Potter has been a busy young man this last week. Have you been following the Daily Prophet?"

Kingsley had, but he wasn't about to admit that. "I've been rather busy myself," he said, "following Harry around has become a full time job."

The Minister picked up a paper and opened it. "Listen to this."

"Harry Potter stops attack on Diagon Alley." Scrimgeour looked at Shacklebolt. "Not a bad headline. If it makes the public feel better, it's a great headline. On the other hand, I could do without this kind of reporting." He read a portion of the story.

"Harry Potter has shown us twice that the forces of You-Know-Who are not invincible, which is more than the Ministry has done. One has wonder exactly what the Ministry is doing in these Dark times. One Minister has already been sacked for his handling of the You-Know-Who situation. Is the second one about to go the same way?" The Minister looked at Shacklebolt. "You two seem to be close to Mr. Potter. I want to open an unofficial dialog with him. Ask him what he wants in return for being seen as a supporter of the Ministry. If it is not unreasonable, I'll make it happen."

Kingsley frowned. "What if Mr. Potter doesn't want to help you?"

The Minister sighed. "In that case, I can only continue as I have been and Mr. Potter will have to deal with another Minister, probably quite soon."

OoOoOoO Harry, Pansy, Mrs Longbottom and Mr. & Mrs. Weasley, 1200 08JUL97 OoOoOoO

Harry and Pansy had arrived just in time for lunch and had enjoyed a good meal. The conversation had been a bit embarrassing for Harry, as everyone had been very interested in which of the stories in the paper had been true and which were someone's imagination.

After the meal was over the two teenagers had retired to the suite Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were staying in with the adults. Mrs. Longbottom had gone to oversee the preparations for her meeting a bit later.

Harry looked around the rooms the older Weasleys had been staying in and sat down in a chair. He looked at them with a smile. "Now that we're all fed, how much arguing are we going to do about the rebuilding of the Burrow?"

Molly sighed. "Not as much as we would have done the day after the fire, Harry."

Harry blinked, that not being what he had expected. "What happened? I was expecting you to marshalled all your arguments by now, and have a thousand reasons why I shouldn't help."

Arthur sighed. "That was exactly what we were doing, until each of our children came by and gave us some money to help rebuild our home. Even Ginny had some, which surprised us no end." He gave Harry a sharp look. "You wouldn't know anything about the company she works for, would you?"

Arthur and Molly were watching him and Harry coloured slightly. "I might know a bit about it, but you will not find it in any list of the Black or Potter properties that I inherited. To be honest, I'm not sure who the public owners of the company are."

"Nicholas Sharpstar is listed as the public owner, but it's in a holding company with private funding, which means that he doesn't have to reveal who his partners are. On the other hand, his 'partners' have been doing some very strange things. Hiring an inexperienced and underage girl at a very high salary, opening a charitable fund for the victims of You-Know-Who and most tellingly, the company has no obvious purpose." Arthur was watching Harry intently. "When a new company starts up, they generally have a way to make money before they have anything else. For example, Fred and George's shop sells pranks. The Shades of Grey company, on the other hand, doesn't have anything like that."

Molly sighed. "It does have your touch all over though, Harry. Charitable funds, much like buying Ron's robes, hiring Ginny, things like that."

Harry frowned. "I hadn't realized that it was that obvious," he confessed. "I'll have to do something about that." He looked at the Weasleys. "I had thought of something that I thought you might accept. Your family's association with me is going to make you a very prominent target for Moldywart. If you will allow me to pay for the wards and one room, I won't make any fuss about the rest of it."

Arthur and Molly looked at each other. "Harry, you don't need to pay for anything." Molly offered.

"We have enough to rebuild it as it was," Arthur added.

Harry sighed. "As it was, maybe, but where will you put the grandchildren, or constant visitors like me? Bill's getting married this summer, and the twins seem very attached to a couple of girls, so there may be more marriages in the near Weasley future. You'll have to have room for them."

Molly looked up. "Fred and George, dating? Who? Are they good girls?"

Harry sent a quelling glance at Pansy, who was snickering. "Yes, they are dating two girls from their year in Hogwarts, and yes, they're good girls. I would prefer, however, that you not let the twins know that I told you that. They will come forward in their own time."

Pansy smirked. "You just don't want to give them a reason to start a prank war."

Harry shrugged. "I don't have time to give pranks the time they deserve." He turned his attention back to the Weasleys. "Do we have a deal? I have to tell you that I'm learning to be stubborn from Ginny."

Arthur smiled faintly. "She can be a bit stubborn at times."

Molly sighed. "The wards only, Harry. None of our children are paying for their room."

Harry's eyes were shining as he hugged Molly. "Thank you."

OoOoOoO The Wizengamot, Trial room one, 1400, 08JUL97. OoOoOoO

Harry sat down in a spectator's seat, looking around. Almost everyone that had been at the attack on the Burrow was here, as well as most of the professors from Hogwarts. Harry hadn't even known that Snape was going to be tried today until Pansy handed him the Portkey from the Longbottom estate and told him where they were going.

Since then, Pansy had been hard pressed to keep Harry's magic from flaring up. It had gotten a little easier when they arrived at the trail room and Ginny and Hermione had joined them, but Harry's eyes were still glittering, and the faintest feel of his magic was surrounding him.

The Wizengamot filed in and Harry studied them carefully. He grinned as Neville's grandmother took the Longbottom seat. That was one vote for a Kiss. He frowned as Mrs. Malfoy took the Malfoy seat, next to Bole and Crabbe. Narcissa saw Harry and his curiosity flared for a minute. That was possibly the first time he'd seen any Malfoy look at him without sneering or glaring.

"Bring in the Prisoner."

Harry's attention was caught by that. He watched as two Aurors led Snape into the room and sat him in the chair Harry remembered so vividly. The chains came up and wrapped Snape up, with a cap covering the stump of his right arm where Harry's spell had removed the hand.

Wizard Markus Inkee, acting as the Wizengamot Supreme Mugwump until a new one was chosen stood at the dais. "Severus Snape, you are here to answer charges of being a Death Eater. How do you plead?"

Snape looked up. "Guilty, but with extenuating circumstances."

Wizard Inkee continued as murmurs ran around the courtroom. "Severus Snape, you are charged with attacking Hogwarts in the company of other Dark creatures and Wizards. How do you plead?"

"Guilty, but with extenuating circumstances."

Severus Snape, you are charged with the murder of Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, using the Avada Kedavra. How do you plead?"

"Guilty, but with extenuating circumstances."

"Severus Snape, you are charged with conspiracy to commit murder in the deaths of James and Lily Potter. How do you plead?"

"Guilty, but with extenuating circumstances."

"Severus Snape, you are charged with consorting with You-Know-Who and, by your silence, conspiracy in every crime of the Dark Lord. How do you plead?"

"Guilty, but with extenuating circumstances."

"So be it. Severus Snape, by pleading guilty, you have forfeited your right to a trial. Do you need representation?"

"I do not. I am prepared to defend my actions before the Wizengamot."

Harry was tensing up and only the touch of Ginny and Hermione's hands, seated on each side of him, kept him from doing something extreme to Snape. "If he goes free," Harry said softly, glaring at Snape, "I will find him again, and this time no one is going to talk me out of anything."

Wizard Inkee looked at Snape. "You have stated that you have a reason for all the crimes you are accused of. Speak now."

Snape rattled his chains. "May I stand?"

"No. Your physical comfort is of no importance now."

Snape shrugged as best he could with the chains on. "In March of 1979, Albus Dumbledore came to me, asking me to spy on the Dark Lord. He taught me Occlumency and assisted me in a cover story. I made contact with a Death Eater, and was introduced to the Dark Lord. Since then, I have been Albus Dumbledore's spy inside the Death Eaters. As the Supreme Mugwump, he had the power and the right to absolve me of blame for the things I did to maintain that cover."

Snape cleared his throat and looked at the Wizengamot. "I did use an Unforgivable on Headmaster Dumbledore, under the influence of not one, but two Unbreakable Vows. The first was to Albus Dumbledore, swearing to serve him to the best of my ability in defeating the Dark Lord. The second was to Narcissa Malfoy, and it was simply to help Draco survive the school year. He had some sort of mission and had he failed, he would have been killed by the Dark Lord. I did not know the terms of his mission when I made the vow."

Everyone turned to look at Narcissa. She stood up, her face expressionless. "I did not know the details of the mission my son was given either, I merely knew that it was important to the Dark Lord and that Draco was terrified about it. I went to Snape to make sure my only child lived. I did not know what the consequences of that decision would be." She took a deep breath and stood proudly. "Even now, knowing the cost, I would do it again. Draco is my only child, and the only one I will ever have. I will do whatever it takes to save him."

Harry frowned as a touch of pity for Narcissa impinged on the anger and hate for the Malfoys. She was caught between a rock and a hard place. In her place, Harry might have done the same.

Wizard Inkee cleared his throat, bringing all eyes back to him. "I must admit, that after the first fall of You-Know-Who, Albus Dumbledore stood in this very place and defended Snape as a Light Wizard. I must assume that he did know about Mr. Snape's hidden agenda."

Harry snarled and Magic exploded, drawing all eyes to him. He stood up, shaking off the hands that tried to hold him down. "Sir, may I speak? I think I may shed some light on this Death Eater's testimony."

More murmurs broke out until Inkee raised his hands. "Mr. Potter, the only testimony allowed here mus be from your direct experience. You are not old enough to have a memory of most of these events."

Harry shook his head. "I do not, but I was present for the death of Professor Dumbledore, and I am prepared to testify that Professor Dumbledore was asking Snape not to kill him when he was murdered."

Snape shouted over the rising talk. "You lie, Potter. There were only five people there."

Harry turned his head and glared at Snape, his temper flaring and the first tendrils of magic touching the people closest to him. "Six, Snivellus." Harry was past caring what anyone thought of what he said. This Death Eater was not going to walk away by lying about his crimes. "I was there, under my father's Invisibility Cloak. Professor Dumbledore and I were doing something when the word of the attack on Hogwarts reached us. We arrived on the tower where Draco found us and Professor Dumbledore cast a Petrificus Totalus on me. I watched as Draco came up and couldn't bring himself to kill Professor Dumbledore. Then you and the others arrived, and Professor Dumbledore begged you not to kill him, but you murdered him in cold blood anyway."

Harry shuddered, reliving that terrible moment. He looked at the Wizengamot. "Snape lies about other parts of his story as well, but since those memories are only of being told about it, you will not accept them. I was there for Professor Dumbledore's murder though, and I am willing to give that memory up for examination to anyone that wants to see it."

Markus Inkee looked at the young man, who had returned to glaring at Snape. The thought that letting Snape go would be as certain a death sentence as being Kissed crossed his mind, but he pushed it away. "Mr. Potter, are you willing to be questioned under Veritaserum?"

Harry looked at him. "On two conditions. First, the questions only have to do with the scene of Professor Dumbledore's death, and second, that no question is asked about what the Headmaster and I were doing. Those things would complicate certain things I am doing right now, and possibly get people killed if Voldemort found out about them." Harry rolled his eyes as almost everyone shuddered.

"Mr. Potter, I would ask that you not use that name."

Harry rubbed his face until he could control his voice. "Fine. Since grown men are afraid of a few sounds, I will call him Moldywart." Before anyone could do anything but stare at Harry in shocked horror, Harry started a tale he'd told a dozen times already. "Moldywart was born Tom Marvolo Riddle, the son of a Muggle and the only daughter of the Gaunts, Salazar Slytherin's last living descendants. Since she was not only ugly but severely inbred to boot, the Muggle was entranced by a love potion."

The Wizengamot sat frozen as Harry told them everything he knew about Riddle, leaving out only the Horcruxes and the prophecy.

"Now, he searches for something to make him completely immortal. I don't think that would be good for me or my family, so I plan on stopping him."

The Wizengamot was silent as they stared at Harry. The spectators were just as quiet, except for the scratch of a quill. Harry looked over at the only sound in the chamber and was not surprised to see Rita Skeeter. "That's not a Quik Quotes Quill, is it?"

Rita looked up. "No. I don't think a Quik Quotes could improve this story."

Harry nodded. "Come see me later this week, and I'll tell you about Riddle cleaning the bathrooms in Hogwarts in his first year."

"Mr. Potter, can you prove any of what you've just said?"

Harry smiled. "I can, if you would accept the memories of Professor Dumbledore as evidence. I have every single memory of Tom Riddle that he had in his own Pensieve."

The Wizengamot broke out in shock. Markus Inkee took almost a minute to restore order. "Mr. Potter, we will ask you to bring those memories by later, but right now, we will see your memory of the night Headmaster Dumbledore died, so that we can finish this trial."

Harry walked down to the Wizengamot seats. "If you have a Pensieve, I will give you the memory right now, before everyone, so that you can all see that it is my memory and there is no trickery."

A Pensieve was brought out and Harry placed his wand to his temple, concentrating on the scene at the top of the tower. He put the resulting mass of silvery thread in the Pensieve. "I will ask to get that back. I would not forget even the worst moment of the time I knew Professor Dumbledore."

Markus Inkee pointed at four other Wizengamot members. "We will view the memory and report on what it shows."

The chamber was deathly silent as they looked at the memory. When they looked up again, everyone waited on their verdict.

OoOoOoO Lucifer, London, 1400 08JUL97. OoOoOoO

Lucifer sat in the dimly lit room and dreamed of the day he would become the Lord's right hand. This assignment to find and kill the enemies of Satan that hid in the normal world was a beginning. He reached out and took the sacrificial knife in his hand. Idlely, he cut a small nick in his finger and sicked the blood, using the taste to remind him of other blood, blood that had flowed in far greater amounts.

He snarled as blissful memories of honouring Lord Satan with death after death was interrupted. His follower's first words changed that.

"Lucifer, we have all of the addresses Lord Satan asked for."

Lucifer looked at the sheet of paper that his follower held out. "Good work. The Lord will be pleased. Get a map and find every one of those addresses on it. Mark them well and have one of our people drive to each one. Do not attract attention, but be sure that one of you can find each house easily."

Lucifer smiled as his followers went to do his bidding. Soon, the enemies of the Lord Satan would be no more.

His only regret was that there weren't more of them. He rang a small bell and put the knife back in the sheath made of the skin of his first sacrifice. When his servant appeared he looked at her. "Prepare the van. We shall find a victim and tonight, she will be given to our Lord." He sneered, watching the woman flinch. "I think we shall make this a full Sabbat ritual."

OoOoOoO Fred and George, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, 1400 08JUL97. OoOoOoO

Fred looked at the note Harry had given them. "I can't find anything dangerous, but the mere fact that we can't read it makes me nervous."

George agreed. "I think it might be safe, but I would hate to be wrong. Whoever cast the spell was too bloody good for my peace of mind."

"Too right. Maybe we should see if Miranda knows anything about the spell they used. She was trained at Durmstrang, and if anyone would recognize a Dark spell, it would be her."

George grinned. "Unless you would like to ask the one Harry calls Moldywart. I'm certain he would recognize any Dark spell."

Fred shook his head. "No, Gred, I'll pass on that."

"I'll go see Ginny, she should know where to find Hermione and Miranda."

OoOoOoO Voldemort and Bella, Somewhere, 1400 08JUL97. OoOoOoO

Bella was humming a tune under her breath and Voldemort looked at her fondly. Bella was easily the most loyal person following him despite, or maybe because of, her insanity. "Bella, when you return from your duel, you shall take Lucius' place as my favorite." It would be only right, if she killed a Defender in single combat, and Lucius was becoming a liability anyway. Not to mention, Potter had made a very interesting offer.

Bella stared at him for a second and then dropped to her knees. "Thank you, my Lord. I shall not fail you."

Voldemort rested a hand on her head, feeling her quiver under his hand. "I know you will not. You, better than anyone, know the price of failure, don't you?"

Bella shuddered and her voice was low. "I do, my Lord."

Voldemort raised her to her feet. "When you have killed the Defender, inform Mr. Potter that I would speak with him, just us two. Tell him he may bring as many people as he wishes, and that he may take any precaution he wants, so long as they do not threaten us unless we do something."

Bella looked up. "Why, my Lord?"

Voldemort spun, looking out the small window. "Albus Dumbledore spent years protecting him, and with that prophecy, I wonder what Harry knows that I do not. Harry Potter is the only one that can tell me, and he made me an offer that I am considering. Plus, if we are that close, I might be able to get something out of his mind without him knowing."

Bellatrix nodded. "I will make the offer while he is still bound not to hurt me, my Lord. I could be injured bad enough that I cannot speak to him afterwards."

Voldemort nodded. "Good thinking, Bella. Make sure he knows this is only a parley."

"Yes, my Lord."

OoOoOoO The Wizengamot, 1500 08JUL97. OoOoOoO

The five Wizengamot members returned to their seats. Markus Inkee stood at the dais again. "We have seen the memory of Harry James Potter and it is the decision of the five of us that it is a true memory. In addition, it shows exactly the scene Mr. Potter described."

He looked at Snape, and the anger was bright in his eyes. "Severus Snape, all counts are dropped at this time, until we have evidence one way or another of your relationship with Albus Dumbledore. All charges but one."

"Severus Snape, you are found guilty of the murder of Albus Dumbledore, using an Unforgivable." Wizard Inkee looked at Severus. "Given the nature of the crime and the person murdered, I would ask the Wizengamot to have you Kissed instead of imprisoned."

He looked around. "Severus Snape is guilty. You know what he has done. The question remains of his punishment. All those for life imprisonment in Azkaban, show a light."

Harry watched as a very few lights were raised. Markus Inkee counted them. "All those for administering the Dementor's Kiss, raise a light."

Harry smiled vindictively as a small forest of lights came up. It took the acting Supreme Mugwump a while longer to count the lights. "If any member of the Wizengamot wishes to ask for another punishment, speak now." He waited a few seconds until it was plain no one was going to ask for another punishment.

"Then by a count of fourteen to one hundred and nine, Severus Snape is sentenced to be Kissed. This trial is over."

The two Aurors moved up as Snape's chains fell off of him. The first Auror grabbed Snape by the arm and before the second one could get around to the other side, the first Auror and Snape disappeared.

OoOoOoO Harry, Hermione, Miranda and others, WWW, 1800 08JUL97. OoOoOoO

"And that's the whole story, Harry. We can't find anything wrong with it, but we can't pierce the enchantment that keeps us from reading it either. That means that there may be something on it that we simply don't recognize."

Harry regarded the letter carefully. He frowned and concentrated for a minute. The others in the room shivered as his magic swept out and the letter began glowing. Harry held it for a second and then relaxed. "I can't find anything either, not even a trace of ill will from the writer."

Hermione looked up. "Harry, what did you just do?"

Harry shrugged, thinking about how to put it into words. "I wanted to know how the person that wrote the letter felt about me, and if there was anything Dark on it. I concentrated on wanting that, and released my magic."

Hermione looked at him for a minute and then slumped, dropping her head in her hands. "I just wanted it," she muttered as the rest of the people around her smiled behind their hands. "I wanted it." She looked up, glaring at Harry. "Harry, you are the most exasperating person."

Harry smiled at her, touching her cheek with the back of his hand, caressing her softly. "You love me anyway, don't you, Hermione?"

"Of course, but you're still exasperating."

Harry smiled and turned his attention back to the letter. As he studied it, he thought about all the things it could be. He snarled inwardly as he thought again about Snape's escape. At least one good thing was coming of that. Every single Ministry employee was to be questioned under Veritaserum about their loyalties. Any that didn't pass would be canned on the spot and their name sent to the Aurors. It had not really surprised Harry to find out that the Auror that had disappeared with Snape had been Dawlish's partner.

Harry pushed those thoughts out of his head and took a deep breath. He reached out and picked up the letter. Harry had given the envelope the letter came in to the twins, and this was the first time he'd touched the letter itself.

Everyone froze as the letter glowed for a second and then faded. Harry looked at it.

"Dear Mr. Potter,

You do not know me, but I of course know about you. Some years ago, a member of the Potter family saved the life of one of my clan. Since then, we have been unable to discharge the Lifedebt of that person. Now, you are involved in something that makes it imperative that you live. As the last Potter, if you die, we will never be free of the Lifedebt we owe. In the furtherance of our debt and your mission, I have some things that could help you.

These things will be delivered to the time and place of your choosing. Simply write the time and place at the bottom of this note and I will know when and where you wish to take delivery of these things.

With great respect,

Nobusuke Kitasato"

Remus jerked at the name. "Say that again, Harry." Harry repeated the name and Remus frowned. "That name sounds familiar. James had a fight once with his father, and that sounds like the name they were fighting about." Remus thought about it some more. "I don't remember any more than that. I could even be wrong about the name. It has been more than twenty years."

Harry sighed and looked at Hermione. "Can you stand one more thing to look into, or are you busy?"

Hermione frowned. "I am very busy, but I could pass that to Missy Mishima. She's a Muggleborn Witch who happens to be Japanese. She knows more than anyone I know about Japan and the Wizards there."

Harry frowned. "Just ask her about the name. Don't give her any hints about why you need it looked into, or who it's for."

Hermione nodded and copied the name down. Harry tucked the letter in his robes and sighed. "Fred, did you make a schedule for your group?"

"Yes, Hermione worked it out. The Diagon Alley Defense Group will be using the Inferno three times a week. The times are shared with some of your people in the Order Without a Name, so that our tactics are the same."

Harry nodded. "Does anyone have anything further?"

Several small questions and comment were made, but no one had anything of major importance to add. Harry looked at Miranda. "Since there is only one thing left to do today, why don't you tell us what you can about where we're going, and what protections we will have."

Miranda stood up and looked around. "We are going to a secret location after we meet with Mrs. Lestrange. The four of us will take a Portkey to the Fifth Level and Miss Weasley and Mr. Potter will wait in the observer's booth, where they can see the entire room Bella and I will enter. Bella and I will duel, and one of us will come out of there alive. After that, the three survivors will use the Portkey to return to the Wicker Basket. Please remember that no matter who wins, no violence can be started by either of you unless the duellist attacks you. Once you have parted at the Wicker Basket, that ends and you are free to hunt each other down."

Harry nodded. "What protection will we have against Death Eaters in the Fifth Level?"

Miranda smirked. "Only two Defenders can make the Portkeys that go into the Fifth Level. If anyone else attempts to make one into that area, it is shunted away, directly into our holding cells, where magic doesn't work. We go down there and clean them out every forty years."

Ron blinked. "Who feeds the prisoners?"

Miranda just looked at him. "That's why we have to clean them out." Ron finally got the hint. He looked sick. The thought of starving to death was not on Ron's top ten ways to die. Ron's obsession with food meant that he didn't even think that the prisoners would die of thirst long before they starved.

Harry nodded and thought about it. "So we're covered until we return. What about from the Wicker Basket back to here?"

"Some of my people and I will be watching the Basket," said Moody, "and Miss Granger has a Portkey ready for when you return. I assume she'll give it to you before you leave."

Hermione nodded and Fred looked at her. "Hermione, you've been making Portkeys left and right for the last week. How come there are no Ministry owls telling you that Portkeys are restricted?"

Hermione smirked. "Some of us, wanting to avoid official notice, might have gone down to the Ministry and dug through that mess they call the Department of Magical Licencing until we found the proper permits and filled them out."

George frowned. "How did you get it approved so quickly? It took us three weeks just to get a licence to run the shop."

Hermione pulled out a thick book. Ron sighed. "'Hogwarts, A History' can't have that much information in it."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "It doesn't, but "The Complete Guide to Ministry Regulations, Laws, Guidelines and Rules" does have that much and more."

Pansy rubbed her temples. "Hermione, this obsession with books has to be unhealthy."

Harry took the book from Hermione and looked in the table of contents. "Have you read the entire thing yet?"

Hermione shook her head. "I only have one hour a day to read it, the rest of my time is scheduled for other things."

Ginny giggled. "She even has 'sleeping with Harry' and 'snogging Harry' time scheduled."

Hermione blushed as everyone looked at her with expressions ranging from disbelief (Pansy) to smiles (Ron and Harry). "What? Between his sixteen hour days and my eighteen hour days, I had to make some time for that, or we'd never get any sleeping or kissing."

Harry looked at her curiously. "What do you do for that extra two hours?"

Hermione blushed. "I read the Ministry book."

Ginny frowned. "Wait a minute, you just said you only read it for an hour. What about the other hour?"

Pansy sighed. "She usually spends it with me." She looked at the suddenly silent room. "Not doing that, you wankers. Hermione and I discuss the Windenmere group, old family customs and other Wizard things that she doesn't know."

Ron dropped to his knees, staring at Pansy in shock. "You mean there's something Hermione doesn't know?" he said incredulously. "It can't be. Hermione knows everything."

Hermione glared at Ron until she realized that he was only teasing. "Ronald Weasley," she said, pretending to be angry with him, "would you like to see how well I know my shrinking charms?" She pulled her wand as she spoke, and the direction it was pointed left no doubts in anyone's mind about what portion of his anatomy she was about to shrink.

Ron ducked behind Harry. "Save me, mate," he said dramatically, "She'd never hex you, and you can kiss her out of her bad mood."

Harry smiled. "I don't know that she wouldn't hex me if I made her angry, but the kissing sounds good."

Hermione blushed. "I cannot be kissed out of a mood, thank you. I do have greater willpower than that."

Harry's eyes lit up. "That sounds like a challenge, Miss Granger. Is it?"

Miranda coughed. "Save that for your room. I have no desire to see you two giving each other dental exams with your tongues."

A rapid round of agreements came from everyone except Pansy and Ginny. Pansy just shrugged. "Equal time, Harry, don't forget that."

Ginny looked at her brothers and didn't say anything, but the smile she turned on Harry left few doubts that she was thinking about the same thing.

Harry shook his head to dispel the pictures running through his mind and cast about for something else to talk about. His eye fell on a copy of the Quibbler. "How did the interview go, Luna?"

Luna smiled. "It seems that public service announcements sell very well. The Prophet and several papers on the continent picked it up, along with a dozen other stories that have been in the papers this week."

Harry looked up. "Have we really been in the paper that often?"

Hermione reached into her book bag and pulled out a thick mass of papers. "In order, there was Rita's first article Tuesday, about the adoptions, before she talked to you. "Boy Who Lived gains family!" is the title, and it is a lot of guesswork along with the known facts, which it seems she got out of the Ministry in a hurry."

She looked at the rest of them. "Wednesday through Friday are fairly tame, just pictures of you in various places and speculation on why you're so much more visible this year. Saturday, that all changed, after the attack on the Burrow."

Harry winced. "I shouldn't even be in that story. Mrs. Weasley, Ginny and Miranda did all the work, and you captured Snape."

Hermione blushed. "Somehow, Rita found out who ripped Snape's hand off, and what spell was used. While the four of us got the majority of the write ups, she has a whole page of speculation about just how strong you are, and why no one has noticed this before."

Hermione smiled. "You'll like this," she said, handing Harry a copy of the Daily Prophet. "Look at pages six through nine."

Harry opened the paper, ignoring the pictures of the Burrow and the Weasleys, turning to page six, where the letters and opinions were normally printed. For this issue, the letters took four pages.

"Harry Potter should be in the Ministry. Obviously, he can do something about the evil that plagues us these days, which is more than the Ministry can do."

"The Boy Who Lived deserves an Order of Merlin, not the trash some people talk about him. He has steadfastly stuck to his wand and told the truth, even when it wasn't popular or people belittled him for it. We need more people like Harry Potter."

Harry skimmed the letters, finding more of the same sort of thing. He smiled. "I'm on top again. Good. People listen to me more when they think I'm right." He frowned. "Of course, one bad thing I don't stop or prevent will have them screaming for my head again."

He looked at Hermione. "Speaking of that, how's the Death Eater tracking research going?"

Hermione frowned. "I have the basis of an idea, but Remus and Moody are going to have to help me with it, and it's going to be very expensive."

Remus coughed. "If we can do it, Hermione," he said gently. "We don't even know if it can be done on this scale."

Hermione looked stubborn. "If it can be done for Hogwarts, in the detail you have it in, it can be done. We just have to figure out how."

Harry watched them. "Would you mind filling me in on what you're talking about?"

Hermione assumed her lecturing tone, so familiar to Harry and Ron from Hogwarts. "It's a simple idea. Only two groups of people consistently use Apparation in groups. The Aurors, responding to a threat and Death Eaters, going out to cause trouble. Using the Marauder's Map as a basis, I want to create a Map of the Isles that tracks Apparation. If we can eliminate the Aurors from it, any group of four or more Apparations in one place is most likely going to be Death Eaters. Then, we simply check it out using your Portkey idea, Harry."

Moody looked up. "What Portkey idea?"

Hermione smiled at Harry. "Harry had the idea of making a round trip Portkey. When you activate it, it sends you to the destination. After a set amount of time, it automatically brings you back to where you started. If we see a mass Apparation, we send one person to that place, using the Portkey. Three seconds later, after they have enough time to look around, but not enough for anyone to detect them, they are pulled back, and we find out if they're Death Eaters. If they are Disillusioned or invisible, they should be completely undetected, still allowing us to have the element of surprise when we return."

Fred and George looked at each other. "Why didn't we ever think of that?"

"Because there isn't any fun in it?" suggested Ron.

The twins stared at him. "No fun? Are you mad? Imagine for one second that you see something appear in the corner of your eye, but when you look at it, it's gone. Five or six of those flashes would drive anyone nuts."

Harry grinned at them. "So, what's the spell worth to you two? The Granger Portkey is a one of a kind thing you know."

"Granger Portkey?" Hermione said, blushing. "You thought of it, Harry. It should be the Potter Portkey, which sounds better and would sell better."

"No, I thought of an idea, you did the research and the work to make my idea a reality."

"The PG Portkey, then?" offered Hermione practically.

"Make it the GP Portkey, and you've got a deal. You did do the most to make it."

"Fine." Hermione looked at the twins. "We'll discuss the price of the spell and the unit another day. I'm a little too tense to be bargaining with the two of you tonight."

"What unit?" asked Fred.

"Unlike a regular Portkey, you can't make this one out of just anything. It has to have a set of Arithmancy runes that control the return time. I created that rune set and I'm not going to just give it away." Hermione smiled at the twins. "Research is expensive, you know."

Fred looked at George. "We need her. She could add new levels to the store with that mind."

Hermione blushed. "I am just a bit busy this year. See me after I've gotten my NEWTs."

Miranda stood up from the counter she'd been sitting on. "This is fascinating to watch, but it's time to go."

Harry and Ginny cast glamours over themselves, while Fred and George cast another glamour over that. Few people would see through the first glamour, and they didn't think anyone would see through both of them.

The group said their goodbyes with Pansy and Hermione waiting until last to talk to Harry. "I expect you to bring back Ginny and Miranda in one piece, Harry Potter," Hermione said, her face creased with worry. "We'll be waiting."

Pansy frowned at Harry. "You had better be back in one piece as well, Mr. Potter. I would hate to have to tell Mr. Filch that you want one of Mrs. Norris' kittens for yourself."

Harry shivered. "I don't know which threat is worse, that one or the McGonagall one."

OoOoOoO Harry, Ginny, Miranda and Bella, 2100, 08JUL97. OoOoOoO

Harry and Ginny had entered the Wicker Basket about a minute ahead of Miranda and ignored her when she came in. Miranda went straight to the bar and ordered a Butterbeer. Someone snickered until she froze them with a scowl.

Miranda stood at the bar, scowling into the mirror and Harry and Ginny were amused to watch everyone leave her alone, even going so far as to vacate the two seats on each side of her.

At least until a drunk man came up to her. He said something to her in a low voice and Miranda just looked at him. He said something else and Miranda stood up, looking around the bar. Her eye fell on Harry and Ginny and she pointed at them. "You two, come here."

Harry and Ginny approached slowly as everyone else cleared a large space around them. "You two will be my witnesses that I am not going to do anything Dark or illegal to this fool." Miranda led them out the back and as soon as they were outside, she held out a small chain. "Everyone grab on."

A few seconds later, the four of them were in a small room and Harry helped Ginny stand up after he stood up. The man dropped his glamour and Bellatrix Lestrange stood there smiling at Miranda. She looked at Harry and Ginny. "You'll have to drop your glamours, so I know which of you is my second."

That was the work of a minute and Bella watched with interest. "Two overlapping glamours. Very nice idea." She thought about it for a second. "Very Slytherin of whomever thought it up. Give them my thanks for such a great idea."

Harry watched Bella curiously. She didn't seem nearly as evil as he knew she was. She looked at him and smiled. "Wondering about me, Potter? I have not changed since our last meeting, but you can wait." She gestured at Miranda. "This kind of challenge comes around maybe once in a lifetime, and it is far more important than you are. If I beat her, I will have done something that no Wizard or Witch has ever done. I will have beaten a Defender in single combat."

Miranda walked over to a wall and touched it with her wand. It became transparent and everyone walked over to it. One the other side was a large room, empty of everything. There were two green doors into the room, one at each end.

"Bella and I will leave here and go down separate corridors. The two hallways end at one of the doors. When both of us are ready, the doors will turn blue. We will step inside and begin our duel. Once we begin, the doors will turn red and they will not open again until one of us is dead. Are there any questions?"

Nobody said anything and she continued. "While we are in there, you two will be watching from here. You will see everything that happens in there, even during the scenery changes. Every three minutes that we are in there, the scenery will change into another type of scenery. Town streets may become the ocean, which may then become a cave."

She looked at the others. "That is all there is to it, and I am ready any time you are, Mrs. Lestrange."

"Oh, please call me Bella, and I will be ready as soon as I have a word with Mr. Potter here. I have to pass a message along." Bella led Harry into the corner and spoke to him. She'd barely begun talking when Harry's magic exploded in a burst of amazed curiosity. He controlled it quickly, but not before Bella blinked and looked at him thoughtfully. She said a few more words and Harry nodded.

They came back to the other two and Bella looked at Harry again. "It's a shame you were too nice to take my Lord up on his offer first year. We could have had such fun together."

The other three looked at each other, shocked to hear Bella echo the box from the Inferno like that and Harry made a mental note to find out more about it.

Miranda and Bella looked at each other for a long minute. "We both know the rules we agreed on," said Miranda. "Bellatrix Lestrange, are you prepared?"

"I am ready. Miranda Riddle-Black, are you prepared?"

"I am."

Harry and Ginny watched as the two women bowed slightly to each other, their eyes never losing contact with the other person.

"Which door would you like to enter?" asked Miranda. "Both of them are the same distance, not that matters since the doors won't open until we're both ready."

"I'll take the door on the right."

The two women walked to their doors and opened them. The doors closed behind them and Harry and Ginny moved to the clear wall. A few seconds later, the doors into the room turned blue and they both opened. The room became an old ruin, with a few standing walls and several clear areas as the doors turned red and faded into the wall.

The Duel had begun.

Neither Harry nor Ginny would ever have the words to properly describe what happened next. Bellatrix Lestrange was older and not as fit, but she had the power of madness and decades of experience to draw on.

Miranda Riddle was younger, far more fit and better trained, but with less than two years experience to work with, and her spells didn't have the sheer strength that Bella's madness gave her.

The fight was fast and furious at first, with both women seeking to end it quickly. Rubble was Transfigured into weapons and animals, which then chased their enemy until destroyed. Spells, Hexes, Jinxes and Curses flew both ways.

By the time the scenery changed the first time, both women were breathing hard and Bella was bleeding from a slight cut on the neck where a Transfigured Knight had nearly gotten her.

Miranda wasn't bleeding yet, but she had a large puffy bruise across one cheek, where a banished rock had grazed her.

The second scene was of a forest and the two women began to slow down, both of them realizing that this would not be a quick fight.

Miranda cast a dozen spells on the forest floor and began working around Bella, counting on speed and spellwork to keep her safe, while Bella depended more on stealth and guile to trick her opponent.

Round two faded into the second scenery change as the forest became a cavern system.

Bella cast a spell that had four of her running around, looking for a target while Miranda gave up on the speed for now and disillusioned herself, sneaking quietly toward the commotion the four Bellas were making.

She cast a swirling blue spell at one of them and it disappeared just as the real Bella caught her with a bludgeoning spell that knocked Miranda head over heels. She came out of the fall in a roll and cast a cutting spell back that Bella narrowly avoided. Bella couldn't avoid the next one though, and her leg was quickly dripping blood.

By the third scene change both women had been running and casting for nine straight minutes. The new scene was the inside of a large warehouse and Bella took a minute to cast a minor healing spell on herself.

Miranda touched her side where the bludgeoning curse had struck her and winced. She closed her eyes for a second and the pain lines eased in her face.

She opened her eyes and looked at the warehouse and all the crates in it. She cast a pair of spells on herself and started casting fire spells everywhere.

Soon the entire place was lit with burning crates, walls and floors. Miranda waited, taking a minute to catch her breath as she watched the area in front of her. With her back against the wall, she had a bit less room to manoeuvre, but she couldn't be snuck up on either.

Bella had cast a spell on herself as soon as the flames started, and then she started walking though the flames. Harry and Ginny knew about the flame freezing spell of course, and they knew that both women had cast that spell on themselves.

Bella came out of a large fire and both women cast spells at the same time.

Bella's Crucio hit for barely a second before she had to release it. Her robes had caught fire on the left side of her body and her hair was about to. She cast another spell on herself as she ducked around another crate that wasn't burning yet.

Harry snapped his fingers in the little room. "Finite Incantatem," he said to Ginny. "Miranda cancelled Bella's Flame Freezing spell."

Ginny snickered. "That would be something ironic, if Bella fell to a first year spell."

Harry nodded, watching the two fighters. It appeared that Bella was having a problem. She was hacking and coughing until she cast another spell around her head.

"That's what the second spell Miranda cast was," Ginny said excitedly, "a Bubble-head Charm, so she wouldn't breathe any smoke."

Harry shook his head as the scene changed again. "I'm very glad I'm not in there against either of those women." Ginny agreed wholeheartedly.

The new scene was a simple town street that bore a resemblance to Hogsmeade. Bella and Miranda were barely ten meters apart when the end came and came quickly. Miranda pulled the Kris knife from her robes and threw it at Bella.

Bella Banished it back at Miranda, pushing the knife's speed up to a blur.

Miranda Banished it back, and this time, it was simply moving too fast for Bella to avoid or spell.

The knife hit Bella in the stomach, striking her pommel first but moving so fast that it pushed though, erupting out of her back in a spray of blood and other things.

Bella remained on her feet for a second before crumpling to her knees. Miranda approached carefully, watching her. As she came up to Bella, she paused and bowed formally, giving honour to a worthy fighter.

Bella looked up at her and said something. Miranda nodded and sat next to Bella, who fell over into Miranda's lap. Miranda sat there, stroking Bella's hair as Bellatrix Black-Lestrange died.

OoOoOoO Raven, Here and Now. 1420, 15JUL07. OoOoOoO

This is the last chapter where we'll see a lot of time spent on a single day. I am not going to make a fic like the show 24, where every episode is a single hour. From here on out, until we get to the last four or five days, I will try to get at least a week into each chapter. Next, a Chapter of BoB, followed by PoE.

Now, I mentioned in the AN before the story that I had a few things to say... and here they are.

First, to all of you that reviewed, good or bad, Thank you. Knowing that I have moved you enough to say anything is half of the fun of writing. To all of you that have alerted this story or me, favorited it (Is that a word, I wonder?) or C2ed it, Thank you. Knowing that you want to read more, or think others should read this is awesome.

Now, for other comments:

"A Reader" made a good many comments, but they were Anon, so I can't do anything but answer here and see if they respond. In your review, you bashed JKR's work, Jeconais' work and mine. I am proud to be in such company. For those of you interested in the review I refer to, it is for chapter three.

Some people have expressed some concerns about the lifestyles of Hermione and Pansy. One reviewer thought that it showed a lack of morals, another thought it was just freaky, etc. I know people who lead this life, and as a gay woman, I may have a different viewpoint than others, but I don't think that anything that two or more consenting adults do with each other to show love and affection is immoral or freaky. Some people like sex with the man on top, others with the woman on top. BDSM is a bit more extreme than that, but it is just another way to have sex, to show trust and love for another. If the presence of BDSM or slash keeps you from reading this story, I'll be sorry to lose a reader, but it is going to happen.

As to the morality of it... well, since that depends on your culture, upbring and views, I really can't say anything about it. Personally, if everyone involved is an adult, consenting and willing, I don't think anyone else has any grounds for making a judgement on how people relate to each other.

Some people have noted a few errors, like Amelia Bones being alive in one chapter and dead in another... and all I can say is Oops. I will correct that, but this is Canon all the way through HBP, so she should have been dead from the get go. Hopefully, my new Betas will keep me on the straight and narrow from now on.

Another thing I have heard about is the time it takes to update... I try, repeat, try to update one story a week. In order that would be SoG, BoB, PoE and MM&WS. Yes, that means that you have to wait four weeks for each update, assuming nothing goes wrong and I update everything on time. Sorry, and if you want to hold off reading the works until they're finished I will understand. (Of course, if anyone would like to pay me to write forty hours a week instead of going to work, I'm open to that idea.)

Last, but not least, I have to thank my new Beta team of FanFic Guardian and Vicki, who's work on this chapter saved me no end of embarassment, due to their ability to catch typos and silly mistakes. Their input into plot and characterizations was awesome, and this chapter would not be half as good without them.

Raven