Chapter eleven

Arthur called his family together, he even asked Bill and Charlie to return home for the meeting. He did not call Percy who still refused to have anything to do with the family. They had hoped that now the minister confirmed what Harry and Dumbledore said about Voldemort, Percy would see he was wrong, not the family.

Arthur waited until everyone took a seat, even Hermione who had turned up the day before. She wanted to find out what was going on with Harry.

'Right, Albus Dumbledore was found guilty, but he put forth a lot of good arguments so he will not be going to Azkaban. He has lost his three jobs and his is bound by magic to stay away from Harry. He cannot ask someone to pass on a letter or a message. Amelia has told us that if any of us still wish to remain in the order of the phoenix then none of us can speak to Harry nor give him messages, just like with Albus. I have spoken with Molly, we officially resigned from the order. But I also spoke with Kingsley and Tonks, we are going to work together away from Albus and the order.'

'Does that mean I can see Harry?' Ron asked.

'Yes, right now he is still at the safe house, with Sirius. Sirius is restoring the Black manor and Harry won't be moving in until it's done including all the enchantments. The safe house cannot have visitors but Amelia did say you can now write to Harry.'

'So we still fight but we're not to have anything to do with Dumbledore or the order?' Bill asked.

'Yes, Kingsley and Tonks are lucky to have their jobs. Now I can tell you what else happened while we were supposed to keep Harry safe. At one time Harry's uncle was hurting him, he yelled out to Kingsley and Tonks to help him. They did not hear him. Amelia had an auror and an unspeakable check the house. They found a silencing charm which prevented anyone hearing anything that was going on from inside the house. There were anti apparition wards, wards to prevent anyone underage from using magic. The blood wards that were on the house were just about to fail, due to the fact that you-know-how used Harry's blood.'

'Harry said that, he didn't think the wards would protect him anymore now he had Harry's blood,' Hermione said.

'He was right.'

'Why did Albus do all this or was someone else involved?' Charlie asked.

'It was Albus, yet Amelia could not get an answer that really explained this. He spoke about the prophecy, one about you-know-who and Harry. He kept repeating it was for the greater good. The trouble with the prophecy is Amelia believes that prophecy was fulfilled the night Harry's parent's died. Albus redirected all Harry's mail from the time James and Lily died, even the mail he sent to Ron and Hermione, asking for food and potions. Albus is not allowed back in Hogwarts, nor is he allowed in Hogsmeade. Minerva sent word that Fawkes is still in the castle but he is now only a baby, which he wasn't due to burn for another few months. Severus believes that Albus used some type of magic to connect Fawkes to him while he was headmaster, which is how Fawkes was able to take Harry's mail from Hedwig.'

'Okay, none of this makes sense, yes Voldemort is back but it has nothing to do with Harry. From what Ron has said, Harry's had some dangerous situations at Hogwarts. We know he saved Ginny from Voldemort and the basilisk. What did he have planned?' Bill asked.

'We don't know Bill, nothing is making sense.'

'Harry and Ron saved me in first year, they fought the troll for me. Either of them or both of them could have been killed.'

'It was luck that saved us, Harry stuck his wand up it's nose which distracted the troll and gave me time to levitated the club which knocked him out. The troll was supposed to be in the dungeons, the toilet Hermione was in was on the second floor.'

'If he wants Harry dead then he doesn't care if anyone else dies, like Hermione and Ron,' Charlie said.

'One thing that makes me suspicious. Fawkes went to Harry in the chamber, why didn't Fawkes take Dumbledore when Mrs Norris was first petrified?' Hermione asked.

'I never thought of that Hermione, but you're right, he could have stopped it all before any student was petrified. It's lucky none of them were killed. Ginny almost died and would have if it wasn't for Harry,' Bill said.

'Again why, what was his plans and why is he so determined to keep Harry a prisoner knowing that those muggles would hurt him? If he was weak from beating or lack of food, that would also make his magic weak. That would go towards anyone dangerous turning up, Harry would not have the energy or the magic to fight. You-know-who is determined to kill Harry, it seems Albus wants him dead as well. There must be something about Harry that makes those two powerful men feel threatened,' Arthur said.

'Harry's the last descendant of Godric Gryffindor,' Hermione whispered.

'What?!,' Ron blurted out loudly.

'I decided to research the Potters, I figured since Harry didn't know anything about his family that I would see what I could find out. Harry refused to read those books because they were mainly about the night his parent's died. Professor Dumbledore found out what I was doing, he made me promise not to mention it to Harry, he said that people would try to use him if they knew he was the only surviving family of one of the founders. This was during our third year and so many times I wanted to tell Harry, I thought I was helping him by keeping quiet. I planned to tell him when we left Hogwarts.'

'Harry destroyed Voldemort when he was a baby, that makes Harry the heir of Slytherin by conquest, his also the heir of Gryffindor,' Bill said, 'Don't you get it, Harry can control Hogwarts, he can literally run the school any way he wants, he can even control the wards. It needs two or more heirs to take control of the castle.'

'That has to be it, why Albus was trying to get Harry killed, so he couldn't control the school,' Arthur said.

'But Harry wouldn't, he would have someone trustworthy and honest to make the decisions,' Hermione said, 'Maybe he would have more things added to the wards, but that's just so everyone is safe.'

'It seems Albus did not want to take the chance. He's gone from Hogwarts now, he's not allowed near the castle. That doesn't mean he won't get back his job once Harry has left.'

'Do you think that's why Voldemort wants Harry dead, it's to do with Hogwarts?' Charlie asked.

'One of the reasons, yes. He would once again become the heir of Slytherin then the heir of Gryffindor, by conquest. Then add the prophecy, after being defeated by a baby he would want to prove he is more powerful. Harry also escaped him after he returned. If he could kill Harry then his people would see he was more powerful than Harry,' Bill said.

'Write to Harry, both of you, or all of you if you wish, but Hermione, explained what you found and what Albus told you. If Sirius is with him he may have told Harry but he might have believed Harry already knew, so he might not bring it up. Harry must be made aware that being the heir could be the reason Albus wants him dead,' Arthur said.

'I still find it hard to believe that Albus Dumbledore would do any of this, yet we know he did. How can someone who was so for the good of everyone turn into someone that could kill an innocent boy.'

'We may never know Molly, all we can do is be here for Harry. With you lot back at Hogwarts it will be you that must keep your eyes out. We know the children of death eaters are inside the castle, they could be ordered to spy on Harry, or even slip him a port key. I might write to Harry as well, since he is the heir, he could officially make whoever is in charge check all students for the dark mark. He could work on wards to stop port key's, also to stop anything dark being brought into the castle'

'If they decide to check for the dark mark they would say it's an invasion of privacy,' Bill said.

'True, but Harry could easily say show your arm or leave Hogwarts, as heir he has the right.'

'You are diabolical dad,' Fred grinned.

'We never knew you had it in you,' George smirked.

'Alright, enough,' Arthur smiled at his sons, shaking his head as the others laughed.

Harry, Sirius and Auror Carson looked up at three owls flew into the room, all landing in front of Harry.

'Um, curses or things like port key's can't get in here, can they Auror Carson?'

'No, the wards around the property cancel them, those letters would be safe.'

'Thanks,' Harry and Sirius removed the pile of letters, 'From the Weasley's and Hermione, that's her writing.'

'They resigned from the order, I would say others have as well.'

'But we need to work together or Voldemort could take over.'

'I believe Arthur will speak with a few ex order members about joining together. I was going to speak with Tonks, she's my second cousin and an auror. If there was anything she could legally allow to pass on, then I'm sure Amelia could get Tonks to do that and it would not be suspicious. Minerva and Snape resigned, they will be inside Hogwarts so they could keep watch over the students that may have taken the dark mark.'

'You said since I am the heir of Slytherin, by conquest and the heir of Gryffindor that I can control Hogwarts.'

'Right, what do you have in mind pup?'

'The wards and the dark mark, add port key's to that. I was taken by the cup which had been enchanted with the portus charm. Snape has the dark mark so we know he can get into the castle, but we also know he's spying for the light, for my mother. Could I do it or get someone to change the wards to prevent port key's?'

'Yes, all you have to do is speak with the headmaster or headmistress, probably Minerva. She would contact the unspeakables about changing the carvings on the rune stones that are placed in the warding room at Hogwarts.'

'Good, then the dark mark. Can I force everyone to show their arms? If they don't they have to leave.'

'Ah, clever Harry, using your legal rights to keep everyone inside Hogwarts safe. Yes, you could make it an order and if you spoke with Amelia then she could assign a few aurors to be there to take any with a dark mark into custody. We have time to think about that, read your letters, all your letters,' Sirius flicked threw the pile making Harry chuckle.