Chapter 12
Yea, Though I Walk…
The Hogwarts Express sped towards Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, full of students excited as to what adventures the new school year would bring. Alone in their own compartment, aside from a poorly dressed man in the corner, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Draco Malfoy were engaged in a heated discussion on how to tackle certain matters.
"You can't just attack Ron and take his rat, Harry!" Hermione argued.
"Why not? He's been nothing but a git to us since we arrived. It's time for a little payback!" Harry retorted.
"Hate to break it to you Harry, but Hermione's right. Attacking another student, no matter how noble the reason, only brings negative attention to yourself," Draco interjected. Harry and Hermione stared silently at Draco. He was never one who was known for sage advice. Where that last suggestion had come from, they couldn't tell.
"Fine, but we have to think of something!" Harry broke the silence. "I want Sirius's name cleared as soon as possible. I made the mistake of letting him sit in prison for too long. I'm not going to make him wait any longer than I have to."
"We'll just have to wait for the right opportunity, Harry. We're both in Gryffindor along with Ron, so it shouldn't be that hard. We just have to distract him," Hermione said.
"What do we do with him when we capture him? We can't kill him, and we can't turn him over to Sirius, as he'll do just that. We should give him up to the Aurors. Amelia Bones who heads the Department of Magical Law Enforcement was always a fair-minded person. If we turn him over to her, I think she'll give him a fair shake," Harry suggested.
Suddenly, the train jolted to a stop. All three students in the compartment noticed the air was beginning to chill. A frost began to cover the windows of the train, and everyone was able to see their own breath.
"Oh, not this part again," Harry complained, pulling out his wand. Last time he had been unprepared. This time was different. He opened the door to the compartment to see a large, black, hooded, ghost-like creature in the corridor. Harry just rolled his eyes and pointed his wand at it, thinking of his best happy memory. "Expecto Patronum!" he yelled for maximum effect. A ghostly white stag burst from the tip of his wand and charged towards the Dementor, which fled at the approach of the oncoming Patronus.
Harry turned around to go back into the compartment only to find another Dementor on the other side of the corridor. "I've never tried the Patronus charm wandlessly…" he thought. Harry holstered his wand and put his hands at his sides. Focusing on his happiest memory once again, Harry visualized Prongs charging towards this Dementor as well. All of a sudden in front of him, a swirling white vortex appeared for a split second. When it disappeared, Prongs was in its place, and took off after the second Dementor, scaring it off the train as well.
Satisfied, Harry sat back down in his compartment, somewhat tired after casting such an advanced spell wandlessly and silently. What he didn't notice was that the fourth passenger of their compartment was now wide awake and was staring at Harry with wide eyes.
"Harry, you never told me you could conjure a corporeal Patronus wandlessly!" Remus exclaimed.
"I've never seen a wizard with that much raw power. Sure, Dumbledore can perform wandless magic, but his ability is very basic, involving low power spells. This gives me an idea. I want to spend a day this year doing a test on all of the students and their raw power. I have no doubt that you'll be near the top, but this just makes me curious now."
The rest of the train ride passed uneventfully after the train began to move again. Soon enough, the Hogwarts Express was pulling into Hogsmeade station. After disembarking and riding the carriages to the castle, the Trio took their seats at their respective house tables, waiting for the sorting and feast to start.
This year there were no new students of note, so the sorting passed without incident. The same could not be said of the feast. During the meal, Harry looked up at the Head Table to see his Great-Grandfather sneaking food off of the plate of the Transfiguration Professor sitting next to him. She, in turn, turned to him and did the same. Harry nearly choked at the thought that was going through his mind when he saw this.
Near the end of the feast, Harry and Hermione heard an unpleasantly annoying noise. After much investigation, they realized that Ron Weasley was speaking to them.
"Hey Scarface!" he yelled at them. Harry and Hermione laughed at the reference, which only served to confuse and further anger Ron.
"Shut up! I'm talking to you! That prancing around you did in Diagon Alley last week got me in trouble! You think I'm going to go easy on you this year just because my mum says so? You've got it coming to you Potter! You and little snake too!" This caused Harry and Hermione to chuckle again. This was not Ron's finest hour.
After calming down, Hermione spoke. "What about me?" she asked in a mock-innocent voice.
"Ah, yes, the mudblood. Can't forget about you can we? Even though we want to. Tell you what. I'll let you have a go with me first, before I curse you. How about that?"
Harry's face was beet red, and it was obvious that he was stewing in anger. "Ron Weasley, I challenge you to a wizard's duel!" he declared, wanting to defend Hermione's honor.
Ron, seemingly calling his bluff, responded. "You're on, Potter. Anytime, anywhere." This last part put a smile on Harry's face. He promptly stood up and strode up to the Head table. Everyone in the Hall could see Harry speaking with Dumbledore before returning to his seat. When he was seated, Dumbledore rose.
"Students, it appears we have some after supper entertainment tonight. From what I understand, Mr. Weasley has accepted a challenge for a wizard's duel with Mr. Potter, and has offered to do it…what were the exact words? Ah yes, 'anytime, anywhere.' While we at Hogwarts do not condone fighting, we do allow carefully supervised dueling as an extracurricular activity. I believe this would fall under that criteria. Now if all students and staff would please stand."
Every person stood from their seat and with a wave of Dumbledore's wand, the four house tables and the Head table disappeared. "Now, please gather in the center of the Hall," he requested. After that task had been completed, another wave of the Headmaster's wand created two sets of bleachers, one on each side of the Great Hall. On cue, the student body, with the exception of Harry Potter and a very nervous Ron Weasley took a seat in the stands. Hermione, for her part, had a smile on her face, and sat next to Draco. She then conjured a tub of popcorn and began to share it with Draco while looking at Harry and Ron intently.
The only other furniture that remained in the Great Hall besides the bleachers was Dumbledore's lectern. Standing at it, he amplified his voice slightly so that everyone would be able to hear him.
"While normally dueling would fall under the responsibility of the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor, this case is of particular interest to me, and therefore I will oversee the duel personally. Now, Mr. Potter, why have you challenged Mr. Weasley to this duel?"
Harry responded calmly and confidently. "He insulted my best friend, calling her an inappropriate name and made…lewd suggestions about her, sir. I am simply defending her honor."
"I see," Dumbledore replied. "And Mr. Weasley. Do you withdraw those comments?"
Ron thought for a moment. He didn't know if he could beat Potter in a duel, but he knew that if he withdrew his comments and apologized, then he would only be humiliated in the end. He chose to stand by what he said. "No," he said in a somewhat shaky voice.
"Very well," Dumbledore said. "Will the two participants please take their places, here, and here." From Dumbledore's wand shot two sparks similar to flares. They landed on the ground in front of him roughly ten meters apart. Ron stood on one, facing away from Dumbledore, and Harry stood on the other, facing his Great-Grandfather, who had a small smile on his face.
"Now, here are the rules of this particular duel," Dumbledore announced. "First, no Unforgivable Curses. Second, no curses aimed at the head or…more sensitive areas. Thirdly, and finally, the first combatant to knock over their opponent wins. Any questions?" There was no response from either Harry or Ron. "Then please bow to your opponent. We will begin on the count of three." Both combatants bowed, but Harry's was deeper.
"One." Harry and Ron drew their wands.
"Two." Both assumed a dueling stance.
"Three." Harry began to move in a circle around Ron, not firing a single spell. He was waiting to see what Ron did first.
"Furnuculus!" Ron shouted, attempting to cover Harry in boils. With a wave of his wand for show, Harry blocked the curse with a shield.
Harry then flicked his wand and sent a mild stunner at Ron, who flew back and hit the floor. Harry made a show of yawning and then sheathing his wand.
"Is that it, Weasley?" Harry asked in a bewildered tone. Ron stumbled to his feet, wand in his hand. "That's it. I'm done with this," Harry said, and turned around to walk out of the hall. When he passed Ron, he gave him a smile and had a triumphant look in his eyes.
Just as Harry reached the doors to the Great Hall, Ron shouted out, "Expulso!" attempting to cause Harry to explode. Without flinching, a shield sprung up around Harry, and the curse rebounded off of the shield and into a nearby wall, creating a crater in the wall and shooting debris throughout the Hall. Harry then calmly turned around and without his wand and without a word, Ron's wand flew into Harry's outstretched hand. Harry then walked the wand up to Dumbledore and handed it to him.
"Here, sir. I think it may be too dangerous for some students to be allowed to play with real wands." He then turned and left the silent Hall.
When he had left, one voice broke through the silence. "Mr. Weasley! That will be one hundred points from Gryffindor and a months detention with me for that outburst! You could have killed Mr. Potter!" Professor McGonagall glared at the red-head. She didn't enjoy taking points from her own house, but she would certainly enjoy the detentions.
In the end, Ron's detentions were scheduled every weeknight for two hours from seven until nine in the evening. Professor McGonagall had been especially nasty to him for his detention, and had him scrubbing the halls of the school manually with a toothbrush. One night, while he was out of Gryffindor tower for his punishment, Harry and Hermione decided to pay a visit to a certain pair of red-headed troublemakers. They found them in the library, which was a surprise, and led them up to the seventh floor and into a familiar room across the hall from the portrait of Barnabas the Barmy. When they were inside, they closed the door.
"So, ickle Harrykins," Fred began.
"To what do we owe the pleasure?" George finished.
Harry rolled his eyes. He hated this habit of the twins.
"Well, Fred, George, I had an admission to make. I solemnly swear I am up to no good." Both twins' eyes grew wide.
"Why, Harry-"
"How did you know-"
"About one of the greatest-"
"Contributors to our success?"
Harry and Hermione had lost track of who was speaking during this exchange. Hermione decided that even the small conversation they had had so far like this was too much. "Guys, can you just speak normally? I mean, one of you speaks in a complete sentence before the other does?" she asked in an annoyed tone.
The twins looked at each other in mock hurt before Fred replied, "Fine, I guess we can do that."
"Thank you," Harry said, relieved. "Now to answer your question, it's easy to know about your 'secret' when your father's nickname was Prongs and your godfather's was Padfoot. Now on to what I came here for. Can I have the map?"
"You mean that your father and godfather were two of the greatest students to ever roam these halls?" George asked, amazed.
"And who were the others?" Fred begged.
"Here's what I'll do. If you give me the map, I'll take you to someone who can help you learn about the Marauders. How does that sound?"
Without a second thought, one of the twins, Hermione couldn't tell which, pulled out the old piece of parchment that had proven so useful over the years. They handed it to Harry, who pocketed it without a word. "Come with me," Harry beckoned.
The group walked through the halls silently, the twins almost bouncing with anticipation. They entered the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, where Professor Lupin was sitting behind his desk grading papers. "Ah, Harry, what can I do for you tonight?" he asked, looking up from his pile.
"Well, Professor, these two fine, upstanding gentlemen were wanting to know about the Marauders," Harry said simply, with a smug grin on his face.
Lupin donned a pained look and moaned. "Harry, you didn't…"
"Sorry, Professor, but I had to. I needed the map for a certain project, and it was the only way."
"The map? You mean that these two had the map? No wonder they've been able to get away with so much."
"Yeah. Anyway, Hermione and I will just leave you three now. Goodnight Uncle Moony." Harry chuckled as he started to walk out of the room. Fred and George had gasped.
"Fred! It's Moony! The brains of the operation!" Fred exclaimed.
"Tell us how you…" George began, and Lupin just groaned. That was the last thing Harry and Hermione heard as they left the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom laughing.
Harry and Hermione returned to the Gryffindor common room and looked at the clock. It was only a quarter past eight in the evening. Grabbing a piece of parchment and a quill, Harry quickly began to write. When he had finished, he took the letter to the owlry and sent Hedwig off with it. By the time he had returned, it was only a few minutes until nine. They had successfully completed their errands for the night while Ron was indisposed.
Later that evening, Sirius Black was sitting in the kitchen at Number 12 Grimmauld Place, sipping his evening tea. Without warning, he heard a tapping on the kitchen window, and looked up to see a familiar snowy white owl outside. He opened the window to allow the bird in, and took the letter from her. After giving the owl a treat, it took off to find its owner, leaving Sirius alone again. He looked at the letter for a moment before opening it.
Dear Mr. Padfoot,
It has come to my attention that a certain Mr. Wormtail will be available at Hogwarts tomorrow evening between seven and nine. We hope to make an occasion of the event, so we have invited another of his friends, Mr. Moony, as well. We are hoping that you can make it, as it could prove to be quite the freeing experience.
On another note, I have heard that Honeydukes has some excellent products in their cellar. I believe that visiting there could yield various secrets.
Sincerely,
Mr. Prongslet
There it was. Tomorrow night they would make their attempt to capture Wormtail. Once again, Harry had written in code, probably in case the letter had been intercepted. But Sirius got the message. He was to use the secret passageway between Honeydukes and Hogwarts to visit the school the next night. Since the letter was addressed to Padfoot, it would probably be prudent to remain in that form for as long a possible so as to not be spotted.
Sirius did have one preparation to make, however. Getting up from the table, he went upstairs to a seldom-used room in the house. Unlocking it, he found himself in what appeared to be a dusty storage room. Sirius went to a cabinet in the corner and pulled out a box roughly twelve inches by eighteen inches. Inside, he found ten wands, each having belonged to one of his deceased relatives. When he had been captured, Sirius's wand had been snapped, and now he found himself defenseless. He tried six of the wands before finally finding the seventh wand to be an adequate match. As it was not a custom or new wand, adequate would have to do for now. He replaced the box and returned to his tea. Tomorrow would be an interesting day.
The next day came quickly. Harry and Hermione breezed through their classes for the day, and along the way they asked Professor Lupin for a meeting later that night in the classroom. At seven that evening, the pair met with their professor, who they were allowed to call Remus in private situations. Harry had brought his bag with him to the meeting as well, he was unsure of what they would need.
"Now what was so important that we needed to meet this late in the evening, Harry? Classes ended hours ago," Remus asked.
"I think it will all become clear if we just go outside the classroom, Remus. I think that we should go talk over by the stairs near here. There is a statue there that I am particularly fond of," Harry replied with a light tone.
Remus's eyes opened wider in realization. He followed his two students out the door and to the statue, where they only had to wait for a moment before a passage opened up in the statue, and a familiar convict stepped through. Sirius and Remus embraced like brothers before turning to Harry, who had pulled out the map. He touched his wand to the paper and spoke the password, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."
Instantly, ink began to spread across the parchment to reveal the greeting.
Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs
Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers
Are proud to present
THE MARAUDER'S MAP
"Ah, it brings a tear to my eye every time I see it," Sirius commented. The group pored over the map looking for one name in particular. Eventually they were able to find it. Peter Pettigrew was hiding in the Astronomy Tower.
"What's he doing up there?" Sirius asked, confused.
"I'm not sure," Hermione commented. "Ron always comments that Scabbers disappears constantly. Maybe he hides up there. It's a pretty secluded spot after all." Sirius just shrugged.
The quartet made their way up to the Astronomy Tower, using the map as a guide so as to avoid other people and protect Sirius. After a long and careful journey that took nearly an hour, they arrived at the Astronomy tower to find it empty. Naturally, they figured, Pettigrew must be hiding in his animagus form.
"Lumos," Remus said as the tip of his wand began to glow brightly, bathing the tower in a soft light. There, huddled against the wall of the tower, was a large garden rat.
"Ah, here's Scabbers," Harry announced loudly. He then proceeded to stun the rat wandlessly. Harry then pulled a piece of parchment from his bag and transfigured it into a small cage, in which he put the rat. It was then decided that they would pay a visit to Dumbledore's office.
On the trip to the Headmaster's office, Sirius decided to break the silence. "Well, that was pathetically easy," he commented, earning a round of grunts in agreement from his traveling companions. They arrived at Dumbledore's office and Harry gave the password, allowing them access to the staircase. As the stairs rose, Harry pulled his invisibility cloak out of his bag and handed it to Sirius, who quickly draped it over himself. Before Harry could knock on the door to the office, he heard a grandfatherly voice summon him in.
"Come in, Harry."
Harry pushed open the door and allowed the others to walk in before him, careful to feel the air displacement as Sirius passed before entering himself and closing the door.
"Now what can I do for you four this evening?" Dumbledore asked.
"Four, Headmaster?" Remus asked, bewildered. Dumbledore just tapped his glasses as an answer. Then he spoke.
"Mr. Black, you are doing nobody any good hiding under that infernal cloak. You can come out now," Dumbledore said, causing Sirius to drop the cloak and look at Dumbledore with reservation in his eyes.
"Do not worry, Mr. Black. I am not going to report you or do anything like that. I believe that you mean no harm, as Harry here trusts you. I have learned to value Harry and Miss Granger's judgment greatly over the past few years, for reasons I am sure that you are already aware."
Sirius grinned sheepishly before grabbing the cage from Harry and placing it on the Headmaster's desk. He then reached into the cage and grabbed the stunned rat, placing it on the floor. Sirius then nodded to Remus, who pulled out his wand and aimed it at the prone animal.
"Animares Reverso," Remus intoned. A jet of blue light hit the rat, and it began to transform. In just under a second, what had once been a common rat was now a hulking figure of a man. "Headmaster Dumbledore," Remus began, "may I introduce Peter Pettigrew, the Secret Keeper for the Potters."
The twinkle disappeared from Dumbledore's eyes as he looked from Pettigrew to Sirius and back again. "What do wish me to do with this information? I argued for years for a trial for Mr. Black here, but to no avail. The reappearance of Peter Pettigrew will be taken as the return of a hero. It will just be assumed that he didn't die by Black's hands."
"Turn him over to the Aurors, Professor," Harry demanded. "Have Madame Bones question him under Veritaserum. Then we will have the truth. Sirius can be a free man again. He can have a real trial. He can have his name cleared. All it takes is a few people who are willing to challenge the system and question the powers that be.
This diatribe seemed to be the impetus that Dumbledore needed. He walked over to his fireplace and grabbed some floo powder, and threw it in. He then stuck his head into the flames and yelled "Amelia Bones!"
A few minutes later, Dumbledore returned to his desk. "Harry, Miss Granger, we will take it from here. Madame Bones has agreed to come to the school with a team of Aurors tomorrow for the questioning. As tomorrow is Saturday, you will be allowed to be present, as will Professor Lupin and Mr. Black. But for now, I must ask that you return to your dormitories for the evening. I will summon you at the appropriate time tomorrow. Good evening."
Just like that, Harry and Hermione were dismissed from the Headmaster's office. They took one last look at the beleaguered Headmaster before leaving. They returned to Gryffindor tower and bade each other goodnight before turning in. The next day would prove pivotal.
The sun rose far too early for Harry's liking, but he was eager to get started with the day. It was Saturday, so there were no classes, which gave Harry the uncomfortable feeling that it would be a boring day until he and Hermione were summoned to the questioning of Wormtail. Fortunately, he did not have long to wait, as shortly after waking, a note appeared on his bedside table.
Harry,
Your presence is requested in the Headmaster's office immediately to deal with a matter of grave importance. Miss Granger has also received a similar note.
Albus Dumbledore
Headmaster, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Harry couldn't help but chuckle lightly. Dumbledore could be extremely formulaic when the times called for it. He quickly dressed in clean robes and met Hermione in the common room. With their hands intertwined, they made the long walk to the gargoyle that guarded the Headmaster's office.
When they arrived in the office, they found it full to bursting with Dumbledore, Remus, Sirius, Madame Bones, Pettigrew, as well as several Aurors including Kingsley Shacklebolt.
"Ah, Harry, Miss Granger. Thank you for coming on such short notice. Madame Bones here was just about to start the questioning of our old friend, Mr. Pettigrew, but I was able to persuade her to wait for a few more minutes. Now that you are here, we can proceed. Madame Bones, if you would?"
"Very well. We are here to as a preliminary step in the determination of the guilt of Mr. Sirius Black," she began, introducing the particulars of the situation to the newcomers. "Mr. Peter Pettigrew has been found alive after being presumed dead and has been accused of betraying the secret location of James and Lily Potter, as well as the murder of a number of muggles. Questioning will be performed under the influence of Veritaserum."
At this, Kingsley produced a small bottle of clear liquid and immobilized the trembling Pettigrew. With Pettigrew's throat paralyzed, Kingsley poured the potion down his throat, and massaged the throat muscles so that he swallowed it. He then removed the paralysis and instantly Pettigrew's eyes glazed over, indicating that the potion was in effect.
"What is your full name?" Madame Bones asked.
"Peter Charles Pettigrew," he answered.
"Was Sirius Black the Secret Keeper for the Potters?"
"No."
"Who was?"
"I was," Pettigrew responded truthfully. He was completely aware of the questioning, but was unable to answer anything other than the truth.
"Did you betray the Potters to Who-Know-Who?"
"Yes."
"What happened after that?"
"Sirius confronted me in a muggle neighborhood but I blew up the street and cut off my finger to frame him for the whole thing."
Sirius had a triumphant look in his eyes at this revelation. Madame Bones, for her part, had a look that was a cross between astonishment and satisfaction. On the one hand, she was amazed that the Ministry had held an innocent man for so long, and that a man who was thought guilty by the entire magical world was not. On the other hand, this only confirmed what Dumbledore had explained to her the night before when he called her.
"One last question. Are you a loyal follower of You-Know-Who?"
There was a long pause before Pettigrew answered. "Yes."
After that last admission, the rest of the meeting was purely a formality. Pettigrew would be remanded to the custody of the Aurors, pending a trial in front of the Wizengamot. There would likewise be a trial before that same body for Sirius Black, now that corroborating evidence had been found. The meeting ended with a very satisfied Harry and Hermione leaving the office, glad for the fact that Sirius was now closer to his freedom than he had ever been in their previous life. What neither of them knew, however, was just how quickly that freedom would come.
The next morning found the Trio eating breakfast together in the Great Hall for a change, instead of separately at different tables. Harry was in the best mood he had been in in weeks after the events of the previous day. He was chatting in an animated fashion with Draco about Quidditch when the daily post arrived. An owl dropped a copy of the Daily Prophet in front of Hermione, who paid the bird and opened the paper.
"Well, they can sure move fast when they want to," she commented when she read the headline. She passed the paper to Draco.
"Probably want to cover their themselves. They want to get the problem taken care of and out of the public spotlight as soon as possible," Draco said, glancing at the top story and passing the paper to Harry. Harry took one look at the title before his heart burst with joy.
Sirius Black Found Innocent!
In a stunning development today, the Wizengamot found Sirius Black not guilty of all charges he had previously been convicted of. In a rare reversal, the body found that Mr. Black was unjustly imprisoned without a proper trial, and issued a public apology. Mr. Black has also been given restitution totaling one million galleons for time lost in Azkaban. When contacted for a comment, Mr. Black stated that he is saddened by the level of corruption that allowed his lengthy imprisonment, but wishes to look forward and lead the life of a free man for the first time in over a decade…
The story below that one was just as interesting.
Peter Pettigrew Found Alive!
Order of Merlin winner Peter Pettigrew was found alive yesterday due to a series of undisclosed events. When questioned under Veritaserum concerning his disappearance, Mr. Pettigrew admitted to betraying James and Lily Potter to You-Know-Who, as well as the murder of a number of muggles. He then confessed to having framed Sirius Black for both events. In a related development, Mr. Black was today found innocent of all charges. Trials were held today for both men, with Mr. Black being acquitted, and Mr. Pettigrew being convicted. For his role in the betrayal and murders, as well as the framing of Mr. Black, Mr. Pettigrew has been sentenced to being kissed by a Dementor. For more information concerning the acquittal of Sirius Black, see the top story.
These two stories alone gave Harry a level of comfort that he had not felt in ages. The simple act of not letting Pettigrew escape as he had last time allowed a series of event to unfurl, culminating in the freeing of his godfather. Sirius now enjoyed a level of freedom he could only have dreamed of in Harry's previous timeline.
The one unfortunate aspect of this series of developments was the fact that Cornelius Fudge was not implicated at all. He had been a party to Sirius's imprisonment for years, yet the media was not tackling him or his administration. Instead, what troubled Harry was that the corruption was allowed to continue. However angry Harry was at this point, he was, in the eyes of the public, only thirteen years old. No matter how famous he was, he could not attempt to bring down the Minister of Magic. Not yet, at least.
With Sirius freed, Harry felt as though, for now, he had no worries. Sure there were issues looming on the horizon, but he felt it was time to take care of something that was long past due. About two weeks after the capture and trial of Pettigrew, Harry began to make preparations. Nobody was aware of what he was doing, but he seemed to be purposefully avoiding Hermione.
September 19 dawned brightly in the Scottish countryside near Hogwarts. Hermione Granger awoke to find a single red rose sitting on the night stand next to her bed, along with a note.
Hermione,
Happy Birthday. I'm sorry I haven't been around much lately, but I needed to take care of a few things with Grandpa. Not to worry, though. I'll see you again soon.
Happy Birthday again. You'll get my gift later tonight.
Love,
Harry
Hermione smiled to herself and put the letter aside, admiring the rose. She was perplexed by what Harry could be doing for Dumbledore, but she let it slide. Harry had a lot on his plate right now, so mysterious errands were to be expected. She got dressed and headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast.
When she arrived at the Great Hall, she was met by a crowd of students surrounding the closed doors to the Hall. On the doors there was a note.
The Great Hall has been closed for one day for refurbishment. Meals will be served in your house common rooms by house-elves. The Great Hall will be open again tomorrow.
Albus Dumbledore
Now that was weird, Hermione thought. She had read Hogwarts: A History several times through, and she had never heard anything about the Great Hall, or any other portion of the building, being closed for refurbishment. This was the magical world. Any repairs or cleaning could be done nearly instantly. This thought troubled Hermione, but she pushed it to the back of her mind and returned to Gryffindor tower for breakfast before going to classes.
Harry was not present in any other their shared classes, either. None of the Professors seemed to mind, and they all gave Hermione instructions to pass on the day's assignments to Harry when she saw him next.
Hermione did not return to her dormitory until supper time. When she did, she found another note on her bed, written in a familiar scrawl.
Hermione,
As you read this letter, a box will appear on your bed. Please put on what is in the box and come down to the Great Hall. The doors will open at exactly 7 PM.
Love,
Harry
Hermione put the letter down and saw a large box sitting on her bed. Opening it, she found a periwinkle blue dress-the same one she had worn to the Yule Ball during her fourth year. She then glanced at the clock. It was just after 6 PM. Rushing into the nearby bathroom with the dress, Hermione quickly put it on and began to work on her hair. She had gotten the hint.
Just under an hour later, Hermione emerged from the bathroom, looking just like she had at the Yule Ball, if she did say so herself. However, she was very self conscious dressed like this. Peeking her head out of her dorm room, she saw that the common room was completely empty. Hermione walked down the stairs carefully, in case there was still people lingering about. The room was indeed empty.
Hermione left Gryffindor tower and began the journey through the halls of Hogwarts towards the Great Hall. Not once during her trip did she see another person. It was as if the entire student body had disappeared.
Once she reached the Great Hall, Hermione glanced at a clock on the wall to see that it was five minutes to seven. As she waited, she heard someone clear their throat behind her. Hermione spun around to see Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore, the latter with his arm around the former's waist. McGonagall broke away from Dumbledore to walk up to Hermione.
"You look beautiful, dear," she commented sincerely. "Don't tell him we said this, but he put a lot of work into this. You're very lucky to have someone like him." McGonagall gave Hermione a warm smile before returning to the Headmaster, who also gave Hermione a smile, but his came with the bonus of a twinkle in his eye.
The pair walked away just as the clock chimed seven. As promised, the doors to the Great Hall swung open to reveal a sight that Hermione thought she would never see again. Inside, she saw the familiar silver frost-covered walls with garland strung along them, as well as a hint of lightly falling snow coming from the ceiling. A pair of great, snow covered Christmas trees adorned the front corners of the hall. It was a vista that took Hermione's breath away.
In the middle of the Hall, a lone figure stood waiting. Harry had managed to find the same dress robes that he had worn to the original Yule Ball in a shop, and wasted no time in buying them then and there. Hermione walked up to him and planted a kiss on his cheek.
"It's beautiful Harry. Is this what you've been doing for the past few days?" she asked.
Harry nodded. "But I won't go into it too much. I don't want to ruin it for you. Suffice it to say that I thought this night needed a do-over."
"Why, Harry?" Hermione asked as Harry grabbed her hand and slow music began to play. The two started to dance slowly. Hermione couldn't help but notice how right this felt.
"I made a terrible mistake that night. I went with the wrong person. The night of the Yule Ball in our fourth year, when I saw you walk down those stairs, that was when I realized that I was in love with you. But I didn't say anything, I didn't do anything to show it. Instead, I sat back and let Ron get angry with you. I told myself, if I could do that night over again, things would be different. Now here we are. Happy Birthday, Mione."
The two danced for what seemed like hours before Harry pulled Hermione out of the Hall and towards the front gates to the school. Outside, they found Harry's Nimbus 2000 hovering just above the ground. Harry mounted the broom and motioned for Hermione to do the same.
"Oh, no, Harry. There's no way I'm getting on that thing. You know how I hate flying."
"Please, Mione? I promise I won't let anything happen to you, and I'll go slowly. I just want to show you why I like flying so much," Harry begged. He then donned a sad face to try to weaken Hermione's resolve.
It worked. "Oh, how can I ever argue with you when you put on that face?" Hermione asked, defeated. She mounted the broom behind Harry and grabbed him tightly around his waist. Harry kicked off and rose slowly into the air. He then flew them over the Forbidden Forest then stopped and turned around.
The sight that greeted Hermione was breathtaking. Harry had flown them to a point where they could see the entire grounds of Hogwarts, the castle aglow with light in the night, its reflection glistening off of the surface of the Black Lake. It was a scene not unlike that which greeted the new first years every year.
"This is why I really fly," Harry explained. "Not for the adrenaline rush that comes from flying fast, which is also fun. But from the peacefulness of it. Sometimes I just like to come up here alone and collect my thoughts while I sit here like this."
Hermione couldn't blame him. "It's amazing, Harry. Thank you."
"Anything for you, Mione," Harry said sweetly.
The two flew around the grounds for a while, taking in the view. All of a sudden, the broom dropped about ten feet without warning. Hermione screamed at the sudden change in altitude. When she regained her composure, she found that Harry was laughing. She freed one hand from his waist and gently smacked him on the head.
"You great prat! I hate you for that!" she admonished lightly.
"Well, you'd better get to like me soon, because when we're old enough, I'm going to marry you," Harry declared confidently.
Hermione was speechless. "Harry, you shouldn't joke about things like that," she said shakily.
"Who said I was joking," Harry whispered to her in a husky voice that made her shiver. But this was a good sensation.
Harry then landed the broom in the Hogwarts courtyard and both of the riders disembarked. Harry then pulled a box from his robe and handed it to Hermione. She looked at him and then opened the box. Inside she found two mirrors.
"I got the idea from our last time around," Harry explained. "Sirius and my Dad had a pair of mirrors, just like these, that they would use to communicate whenever they wanted. I thought that you could give one pair to your parents, and keep the other. That way, you wouldn't have to wait for them to write back to you when you wanted to talk to them."
Hermione hugged Harry. This was the most meaningful gift he had ever given her, in either lifetime. "It's wonderful, Harry. Thank you so much." The hug then turned into a snogging session, one that lasted for quite a long time before either of them broke it. Harry then took Hermione's hand and reentered the school. Glancing at the clock, Hermione noticed that it was past midnight. She began to panic, but Harry noticed and calmed her down.
"Don't worry. I have it all taken care of. We've been excused from curfew for tonight. I wanted to make sure everything was perfect."
Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. "It was perfect, Harry. It was perfect."
The next four weeks proceeded without incident. As a free man, Sirius paid a visit to Diagon Alley and purchased himself a new wardrobe as well as a new, personalized wand from Ollivanders. While there were those who still cowered at the sight of him, the reaction from the public to his appearance was decidedly neutral.
Meanwhile, at Hogwarts, things continued normally. The Trio still had training with Professors Snape, Flitwick, and Lupin. Since he was now free, it was announced that Sirius would be given the title of Assistant Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, and fill in as the teacher for that class for a few days per month whenever Professor Lupin's "furry little problem" reared its ugly head.
Harry and Hermione were both taking nearly all available classes, with the exceptions of Muggle Studies, which both thought was useless as they were both muggle-raised, and Divination. Harry had taken that class before, so he and Hermione both knew that it was rubbish. In exchange, Harry was taking Ancient Runes and Arithmancy, and had Hermione tutor him, as she had taken the classes before, so that he could keep ahead of the other students in the class.
One day, in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Professor Lupin announced to his class that he would be casting a spell on each of the students to test their potential magical power level. This got a rise from most of the class, as some of them were embarrassed to find out.
"There is nothing to be ashamed by. This just simply puts a number to your abilities. When I cast the spell, a number will appear next to you. The spell runs on a scale of one to one hundred. The average witch or wizard is a fifty on that scale," he explained. Lupin then proceeded to cast the spell on himself, and a large number 70 appeared next to him. "For comparison's sake, the two wizards with the highest recorded value are Headmaster Dumbledore and You-Know-Who. Both of whom rated a 90. Now if you would please form a single-file line."
Naturally, his ego getting the best of him, Ron Weasley jumped into line first. He was to be disappointed, as the number 48 appeared next to him. The line continued to move. The Trio found themselves near the back of the line. Draco was the first of their group to go. Up until that point, the highest score had been 62.
"Vires Aperire," Lupin intoned. (A/N: Roughly translated: Power Revealed)
Instantly the number 69 appeared next to Draco. The class was amazed that the Slytherin had power that was almost equal to their Professor. Draco, pleased with himself, returned to his seat to see the results from his friends.
Harry was next up. He nervously stood next to Professor Lupin, who aimed his wand at Harry.
"Vires Aperire," Lupin said, and his eyes grew wide at the result. He wasn't the only one. Gasps were heard from around the classroom as everyone saw the number floating next to Harry. Harry looked over to see the number 150 floating next to his head.
"Impossible," Lupin gasped. "The scale has been around for over 500 years. Nobody has ever broken one hundred in that time."
"The founders lived a thousand years ago," Harry muttered under his breath.
If the class was amazed by Harry's result, they were even more amazed by Hermione's, who came next. She was also rated at 150. It was impossible enough for one student to have that rating, but for two…nobody could believe it.
Lupin wiped the amazed look off of his face and returned his attention to the class. "There must be something wrong with the spell. Since I'm not sure what went wrong, I think that is enough of that for now. If I didn't get to any of you, and you are still curious, please come and see me in my office later. For now, let's proceed with our lesson for today, which is a continuation of yesterday's lecture on…"
Harry and Hermione were both surprised and not. They both knew that they were magical heirs of two of the founders, but they had not expected themselves to have that level of potential power. They vowed not to mention it to anyone for now until they could research it more. Besides, they didn't want to make any of the other students, such as Ron, any more jealous than they already were. Instead, they would just continue as normal for the time being.
However, life was not to continue pleasantly for long. Two weeks after Sirius became a free man, Harry and Hermione received a summons to Dumbledore's office. When they arrived, they saw that he had a grave look on his face.
"Harry, Miss Granger, please sit down," he said in a serious tone. The students did as they were asked.
"Miss Granger, I am sorry to say that there was an attack on your parents dental practice a short time ago." Hermione gasped. "It appears that your relationship with Harry here has made you more of a target than you would have already been as a muggle-born. Fortunately, your parents were out of town at the time, visiting your mother's parents. They have since decided to stay there for now for their safety. But there were substitute doctors and patients in the practice. I'm afraid that roughly a dozen people were killed when followers of Voldemort sealed and ignited the building."
Hermione breathed a small sigh of relief for the safety of her parents, but was saddened to think of the loss of life. But Dumbledore was not finished yet.
"Harry, before you begin to blame yourself, remember this. You could not have stopped this attack. Just being muggles was enough to make them a target, you know that. During the first war against Voldemort, there were frequent random attacks against muggle targets. In this case, the location was just coincident, but I believe that the timing is tied to the capture of Peter Pettigrew. Harry, do not go beating yourself up over this. It is not your fault."
Hermione found herself nodding feverishly at everything Dumbledore said. She knew that Harry's hero complex would cause him to feel guilty about every life lost. While each one was a tragedy, she thought, collateral damage was to be expected. He could not go around blaming himself for each and every death. He had to accept it and learn from it.
Harry, though, was not thinking along the same lines as Hermione. He was more thinking about what he could do to protect his guardians, the Grangers. Their dental practice had been attacked. It was within reason that their home could be as well. Suddenly, he had an idea.
"Dobby," Harry called, and the house-elf appeared before him.
"Harry Potter has called Dobby?" the creature asked.
"Dobby, am I right in assuming that the Malfoy's have given you clothes and freed you?"
"Yes, Harry Potter, sir. Harry Potter is a wise wizard to know that. Dobby is a free elf."
"How would you like to work for me, Dobby? I would pay you two galleons per week and give you one day off per week."
"Oh no, Harry Potter, sir. Dobby cannot accept pay or days off. Other elves would make fun of Dobby. Call him lazy."
"Dobby, this is not about what other elves want, this is about what you want. I would like for you to work for me, and I want to pay you. I know that you work hard, and I want to reward you. Now would you like to work for me?" Harry asked in a more forceful tone.
"Yes, Harry Potter, sir. Dobby would love to work for the great Harry Potter!" Dobby said excitedly.
Harry looked at Hermione for approval. While her face had a look of confusion on it, he could see that she did approve of his giving Dobby pay and time off.
"Dobby, for now I would like for you to just stay here at Hogwarts and help the Hogwarts elves. If I need you, I will call you. Can you do that?" Harry asked.
"Dobby can!" the house-elf exclaimed.
"Good. I think that's all for now, Dobby." At this, Dobby disappeared with a pop. "Now, Professor, no Grandpa. And Hermione. I bet you are both wondering why I did that. I can't explain now, just trust me. However, I need to ask for tomorrow off of class. I have a few things to take care of in Diagon Alley, and I would like Hermione to come with me. Is that possible, Grandpa?"
"Harry, in light of recent events, I have no choice but to trust you. I will make arrangements for you to be excused from class. Also, if you come to my office tomorrow morning, I will fashion a portkey for you to take to Diagon Alley. I don't need to stress how careful you must be, do I Harry?"
"No, not at all. We should only be gone for a few hours, I just have an errand or two to run. Now if there's nothing else?" Dumbledore shook his head. Harry took Hermione's hand and the two walked out of the office.
"Hermione, don't worry about your parents' safety. I'm working on it. I just need you to be ready to go at nine tomorrow morning. I'll explain everything when we get to the Alley," Harry said mysteriously.
The rest of the day passed by in a blur for Hermione. She had been overwhelmed to think of how close she had come to losing her parents. The only thing that saved them was a random trip to visit relatives. But she wondered what Harry had in store for them to keep them safe. All she knew was that she would trust Harry with her life, and she was about to trust him with her parents' lives.
Promptly at nine in the morning the next day, Harry picked Hermione up at the base of the girls stairs in Gryffindor tower. The two once again made their way to the Headmaster's office, in what was seemingly becoming a daily ritual. When they arrived, Dumbledore produced a length of rope that, when tapped with a wand, would activate. The first trip would take them to Diagon Alley, the second would return them to Hogwarts. It would be necessary to leave the wards of the school for it to work, however.
Harry and Hermione thanked the Headmaster and took the rope. The pair exited the school through the front gates and walked a ways until they were sure they were outside the school's wards. Harry and Hermione both grabbed the rope and Harry tapped it with his wand. Almost instantly, the two found themselves in Diagon Alley, recovering from the strange tugging sensation from behind their navel.
Harry pulled Hermione towards Gringotts without saying anything. Once inside, they walked up to the first available counter.
"What can I do for you?" drawled the goblin behind the counter in a bored tone.
"My name is Harry Potter, and I'd like to speak to the head of the Inheritance Department, please," Harry requested.
"Just a moment. Sharpclaw will be with you momentarily. He waved Harry and Hermione aside and waited on the next patron. Within a minute, a second, older looking goblin emerged from a hidden door and walked up to the pair.
"My name is Sharpclaw. And you must be Mr. Potter. I was told you wanted to speak to me as head of the Inheritance Department? In that case, please follow me," the newcomer said. Harry and Hermione followed the goblin through the door he had arrived through, and down a corridor. After a few turns, they found themselves in front of another door. Sharpclaw ushered them in and sat down behind the desk in the room. Obviously this was his office.
"Now what can I do for you, Mr. Potter?" he asked.
"I am interesting in taking up the position as head of the Potter House," Harry explained. "I have been made aware that one can take up that responsibility after the age of eleven, so I was wondering how one would go about doing so."
"Excellent question, sir. All we really need is a small sample of your blood. Just a moment while I summon the appropriate paperwork." With a wave of his hand, a pile of parchment lay on the desk. Sharpclaw took the top piece and placed it in front of Harry. He then summoned an ornamental dagger from a bookshelf in the office and handed that to Harry as well.
"We just need a small drop of blood. All you need to do is prick your finger and press it to the parchment. It is enchanted to confirm your identity as soon as you press your finger to it."
Harry used the dagger to prick his finger and, ignoring the slight pain, pressed the bloody tip to the parchment. As soon as he removed his finger, the print glowed green before disappearing completely.
"Very good, sir. It appears that you are who you say you are," Sharpclaw said. He then waved his hand again, and the dagger returned to its original position, and a box appeared in his hand. The goblin opened the box and withdrew a ring.
"This is the Potter family signet ring. It is charmed to only be visible to others when it senses that you desire it's presence. It signifies your position as Lord Potter, as well as your ownership of all monies, properties, and titles that come with that position," Sharpclaw explained. He then handed the ring to Harry, who slipped it on his finger. As soon as he did so, an aura of white light surrounded Harry for a brief moment. It then faded, and Sharpclaw stood and bowed before Harry.
"Congratulations, Lord Potter, on your ascension. I hope that you will continue to conduct your family's business with Gringotts?" he inquired.
"Yes. At this time, I find no reason to change that. I am curious, however, about my properties and holdings. Do you have a statement with that information?" Harry asked.
"Of course." The goblin pulled out another piece of parchment from the pile. This one had a series of numbers that were constantly changing. "This parchment contains your balance in each of your vaults. As you can see, the Potter trust vault has ten thousand galleons in it. That value is replenished each year until you reach the age of majority, or seventeen. The main Potter family vault has a balance of just over 112 million galleons, however that number is increasing due to interest payments."
Hermione's eyes went wide. She knew Harry had some money, but she never knew he was this loaded.
"You also own two houses. Potter Manor as well as the cottage in Godric's Hollow, which has been rebuilt since its destruction. Both properties are cared for by a team of house-elves. In addition to these holdings, you also have a third vault that contains family heirlooms and other valuable treasures. This vault acts as a sort of safe-deposit box in muggle banks. You may add and withdraw any item you choose from this vault at any time.
Finally, as another component of your accepting the Lordship, you are now considered to be an emancipated minor. You are free from restrictions on underage magic, and are also considered an adult. Both of these facts are necessary to carry out your duties as head of your house. Incidentally, that position carries with it the power to declare a familial war with other houses, as well as form alliances and bring others into your family and disown them.
I believe that covers everything I was needing to inform you about. Did you have any questions, Lord Potter?"
"Just a couple. Is it possible for you to create a reusable portkey between Hogwarts and Potter Manor?"
Sharpclaw nodded and pulled out a box. Inside there were a series of pendants. "These pendants are meant to be worn around the neck. All one must do is hold them in their hand and say the destination they want. They have been configured for the destinations you requested. Did you wish to add any others?"
"Actually, can you add the Godric's Hollow cottage as well as Number 12, Grimmauld Place?" Harry asked.
"It has been done, my Lord," Sharpclaw said as he handed the box to Harry.
"I have just one other thing to ask. Can you add another person to my account? I would like to add Hermione Granger to my family vault with access equal to my own."
Hermione was shocked. "Harry, you don't need to do that-" she began, but Harry cut her off.
"Mione, there is nobody on Earth that I trust more than you. If anything were to happen to me, I want you to be cared for. Please, let me do this," he pleaded, even though his mind was already made up. Hermione nodded in acquiescence.
After Hermione had given a sample of her blood as well so that her identity could be confirmed, she was issued her own copy of the Potter family vault key. Harry had been given one as well. The two then left Gringotts and headed to a desolate corner of the Alley. Both grabbed one end of the rope and Harry tapped his wand on it. They soon found themselves just outside the gates to Hogwarts.
After returning the length of rope to Dumbledore and returning to their dormitory, Harry sat down to write a letter to the Grangers.
Dear Dan and Emma,
By now you must have heard about the attack on your practice today. I'm sorry to say that, for now, it may not be safe for you to stay in the non-magical world. Even though your house is protected by the Fidelius Charm, that is not a perfect protection, and it cannot protect you outside your home.
Therefore, I have taken some steps to provide for your safety. If you could meet Hermione and I at your home tomorrow afternoon at two, we shall explain everything.
Sincerely,
Harry Potter
Harry read over the letter again before sending it off with Hedwig. He had everything planned out in his mind about what he would do, he just needed to get all three Grangers on board with his plan.
At about half past one in the afternoon the next day, Harry and Hermione made their way back to Dumbledore's office, this time to use the fireplace he had there. They had been given special clearance to once again leave the confines of the school. This time, however, they only planned to be gone for a short amount of time. Once in the office, Harry walked to the fireplace and grabbed a handful of floo powder. He stood in the hearth and threw it down, "Granger's Residence!" he declared, and disappeared. Hermione did the same and soon found herself in the living room of her parent's house.
At the sound of the fireplace spitting out visitors, Dan and Emma entered the living room. Apparently, they had been home for a short time already. The four sat down on the furniture before speaking.
"Alright, Harry, what's going on?" Dan asked, getting straight to the point.
"I'm sorry to hear about your practice, but I believe that it was a deliberate attack on you as Hermione's parents. A few weeks ago we captured one of Voldemort's followers. He was put on trial and was executed for his crimes. His trial paved the way for the acquittal of Sirius, who you meet back at Grimmauld Place. I think that the Death Eaters, or followers of Voldemort, used the trial of their cohort as an excuse to attack a muggle target. As Hermione is magical, and you are muggle, it made perfect sense. As a result, I do not think that you are now safe outside of the magical world."
"But I thought this house was protected by Fidelity charm, or whatever," Dan questioned.
"Fidelius, and yes, it is. However, no protection is perfect. My parents were still found out under the charm, and they were murdered. Now, do I think that your Secret Keeper, Draco, will go telling your location to others? The answer is no. But eventually you will need to leave the house, and then your safety cannot be guaranteed. I think it would be better for you to move into the magical world for the time being," Harry explained.
"But we can't just leave our practice," Emma objected. "All of our money is tied up there. That is our life."
"I think it best if you took an extended hiatus from your practice for now. Right now, the building is in ruin anyway, so it would take a great deal of work to go back to. As for the money, you will never want for anything again. I have more than enough to go around. Yesterday, I claimed my head of house position, as Sirius suggested, in order to help you out."
"What are you proposing, Harry?" Hermione asked, wanting to finally get some answers.
"I am asking you, Dan and Emma, to move into Potter Manor for now. The wards surrounding it are ancient, and are among the best in the magical world. The ancestral home of one of the ancient houses are usually one of the safest places in the world. The wards there are only rivaled by those at Hogwarts." Harry pulled out the box of pendants from his robes. "These pendants are transportation devices in the magical world known as portkeys. You should wear it around your neck at all times. If you grab it and state your desired destination, it will take you there instantly. Right now, these ones have four destinations set into them. Potter Manor, my parent's cottage at Godric's Hollow, Grimmauld Place, and just outside the wards of Hogwarts. If you choose to make the move, it can be done in a very short amount of time. Literally in minutes."
Dan and Emma looked at each other before Emma spoke. "We need to have some time to talk about this. Excuse us for a few minutes." The two adults walked out of the room and into the adjoining kitchen. Harry and Hermione could see the two talking in hushed tones for several minutes before they returned.
"Alright, Harry. We agree to go to your house. We're not happy about leaving our lives behind, but we understand that you only want our safety. The only thing we ask is that, if it turns out to be safe, and not some random attack on us, that you let us return to our house here."
"That's fine," Harry said. "Dobby."
Dobby appeared before the group with a pop. Emma shrieked and Dan recoiled into the couch in shock.
"Master Harry Potter has called for Dobby?"
"Dobby, please. You don't have to call me Master. Anyway, Dan and Emma, this is Dobby, my house-elf. Think of him as something similar to a butler in the muggle world, but magical. Dobby, this is Dan and Emma Granger, Hermione's parents."
"It is nice to meet the parents of Harry Potter's misses," Dobby said, bowing. Dan and Emma exchanged a look at what the elf had just said. Harry and Hermione turned beet red.
"Ahem. Anyway, Dobby, Mr. and Mrs. Granger will be moving to Potter Manor. Do you know where that is?" Harry asked, trying to steer the conversation to safer waters.
"Dobby knows where it is," the small creature exclaimed.
"Good. Could you please begin to move the Granger's belongings into Potter Manor? They will be arriving soon, but until then, please place their possessions in similar places to where they are now. I'm sure that Dan and Emma will give you some guidance about placement when they arrive," Harry said in an unsure voice.
Dobby instantly disappeared, and the Grangers noticed that the various items scattered throughout their living room began to slowly vanish. They assumed the same was happening throughout the house. Not wanting to find themselves without furniture to sit on, the group stood up. Harry and Hermione bade the Grangers good day, and told them that they would visit them at Potter Manor in short time to check up on them. Before they could leave, Dan pulled Harry aside.
"Harry, you and I will need to have another little talk when I see you again," Dan said, in his best impression of an overbearing father. It worked, and Harry was quaking in his boots after just a single sentence. Dan then patted Harry on the back in an exaggeratedly friendly fashion before Harry and Hermione returned to the fireplace and Hogwarts.
After Harry had retired to his dormitory later that night, he pulled out his diary and turned to the last chapter, titled Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. He read the chapter over to refresh his memory on a certain adventure he and his friends had had. Harry was resolved to end the war as soon as possible, instead of waiting for events to come to him. As a result, he was determined to find a certain series of objects sooner rather than later. He would begin that task tomorrow. For now, he slept.
