Author's Note: Okay, I just wanted to get you another chapter before my operation. It will be at least two weeks before I will have another one, so I am sorry that I am leaving you the way that this chapter ends, but you know, anticipation of things desired makes them all the more welcome when they come. The chapter is dedicated to Collinda, my muse for this story; and my cheerleader in life. Everyone should have a friend like her in their lives. I also want to thank my dearest friend, you know who you are; and you know why I thank you. I would not be where I am in life, if it were not for you. Okay, well just warning you, there's a bit of a cliffhanger. Thanks to all who are reading and to my loyal reviewers, and extra little squeeze. See you in a few weeks. Mutt

Chapter 13:

Lifting the Veil

July 30, 1993

"Meil, I am so glad that you could make it," Ellie said, hugging her friend as she entered the backyard of the grounds on the farm in Italy.

"Sorry it took me so long to get here, I kept trying to leave the office, but I was stopped by one thing after another. Finally, Devon came and made up some excuse so that I could leave. I would have missed the portkey if I hadn't gone then. I left the things for Harry in on the table, and put my case up in the guest room. I like the new floor that you added to the house."

"We needed it, Ginny needed her own space and we needed more guest rooms, since her parents like to come and visit her, often. Thankfully, Sirius and Remus were able to make it look like we were constructing it the conventional way, so that no one driving by would get suspicious," Ellie explained as she poured her friend a tall glass of fruited iced tea and lead her back to where everyone else was sitting. Amelia grabbed her friend by the elbow after taking the glass, halting her in her walk toward the group.

"I noticed that there is an empty room up there. Any chance that it's going to be a nursery?" Amelia asked, hopefully.

"Um," Ellie stammered, "we just haven't gotten to decorating it yet." She started walking again, and Amelia got the hint that she wasn't supposed to ask any more. She knew how much it had hurt Ellie and Sirius when they lost the babies a few years ago, and while Ellie had told her that they were no longer trying, she still believed that the couple wanted another child.

She followed her friend out to the shady pergola, the wisteria flowers were in full bloom and the scent was sweet as they shaded the area below. Molly, Arthur, Bill and Ron were here to celebrate with Harry. They had left the twins at home with Percy, hoping that their house would still be standing when they arrived back. The family would be leaving on their family vacation in a few weeks, it would be the first time that Harry and Ginny would be apart from one another since she moved here last October.

Along with the Weasley's and Amelia, the only other people at the party were Harry's family. The younger children -- Quinn, Andy and Rachel -- were playing in the play yard on the far side of the yard. Harry, Ginny, Ainsley and Ron were talking about magic. Harry, Ginny and Ainsley had recently gotten back their International Standard Wizarding Examination scores, and Ron was jealous of how well his sister had done.

"Wait, you're telling me that you passed the third year Potions examination? You're only a first year!" Ron complained.

"The exams don't really work like that. There is one test, and you go as far as you can in it, and wherever you stop, that's as far as they grade you. I had no idea that I was doing Second and Third year work, I simply answered the questions and made the potions that I could. One thing that I can say for sure, Miss Ellie is a much better teacher than Professor Snape," Ginny explained.

"That wouldn't be hard," Ron grumbled. Ellie, Sirius and Remus had to hide their amused faces from the children.

"So, Harry, how did you do?" Amelia asked, also wanting to change the subject away from Severus Snape. There was something about that man that she needed to discuss with the adults later.

"Generally, I did well. I finished the examination in Magical Creatures, but I only was awarded an Above Requirements, so I think that I will work on it again in the fall, and retake the exam in January. Potions, sixth year Mastery; Defense, sixth year Mastery; Charms, fifth year Mastery; History, seventh year Mastery -- although I am going to continue studying history. Um, Runes, fifth year Above Requirements; Divination, fourth year Above Requirements," Harry stopped and made a face at the class. Grace scowled and Ellie giggle at the response. "And, I got a seventh year Mastery in Astronomy, but Papa and I are going to keep working on it this year. I need to learn how to do night star orientation still, which isn't required for the exams. I can't take the exam in Healing until I am at least 13, so that will have to wait for next year, and there aren't any exams in Combat strategy, Flying, Faith and Mama's family's magic, so I don't know how I would do with those, but my teachers think that I'm doing well," Harry added proudly. Ellie and Sirius both nodded their affirmation of their sons good work.

Ron was counting on his fingers, and then looked up in horror, "That's thirteen classes, how do you take thirteen classes?"

"Well, we don't have all of them every day, we have a schedule, and some of them we do twice a week, others we only do once a week, I don't know, we just do. It doesn't seem like work, does it?" Harry turned and asked Ginny. She smiled and nodded at him.

"Honestly, no," Ginny confirmed. "Ron, it's like, we learn by doing and we're encouraged to think about what is going on and how it works. I don't know, I can't really explain it, but often the hour is up, and it feels like we haven't been there for five minutes. Plus, working with Harry and Ainsley is challenging. They knew so much more when I got here, I wanted to work hard to keep up with them."

"You did more than keep up with them, the three of you push each other. Ginny, you've learned so much more than any of us expected," Ellie affirmed her.

"Thanks, Miss Ellie," Ginny said with a blush.

"Well, Harry, if you ever want to put those charms skills to work, get in touch with me. I'd love to show you around the crypts in Egypt and see what you think of some of the curses that we come across," Bill said. "And you, little sister, I can't believe how well you did here," he said putting a scroll of parchment down. "You're quite the scholar here. You give Percy a run for the gold at being the most studious."

"Thanks, Bill," Ginny said, getting up and hugging him. Ginny had always been close with her biggest brother.

"Okay, enough talking about school," Ainsley said. "We're on our three week break for summer. I don't want to think about learning for a while longer. I think we need to take a swim in the lake. Anyone want to join me?"

The other three agreed and were getting up from the table and headed off to the lake, when Sirius cleared his throat. "I believe that you're forgetting something. You know the rules."

"Yes, Papa," Ainsley groaned, and they all turned and went into the house to change. When they were gone, Ellie and Sirius started laughing.

"They are so much like us, and we sound like my mother!" Ellie giggled. The rest of the adults looked puzzled.

"Mrs. Potter always had to remind James, Ellie and I to wear our swimsuits when we went to the pond. We hated it, and we didn't understand why -- until Ellie and I started dating. I suppose children are always children," Sirius explained.

"But Harry isn't a child. As of today, he can lay claim to his heritage," Amelia said, and Ellie nodded.

"We're going to tell him later. He has no idea what he's getting for his birthday this year," Ellie said, sadness seeping into her tone.

Later that evening, a large bonfire had been set ablaze, and everyone was laughing. Harry had opened his gifts, and he thought that his new Quidditch standard, professional level broom was the best gift; but he still had two packages to open.

As Harry was slipping the paper off of the first, Ellie and Sirius looked at each other, confused. Ellie then looked at Amelia, questioning her friend with her eyes. Amelia shrugged and then said:

"I don't know, it was in with my stuff, but it passed all the tests that Devon put them through before letting me go."

As Harry opened the gift, not only did his eyes get wide; but those of Sirius, Remus and Grace as well. Ellie's hand went to her mouth, and she began to tear up.

"What is this?" Harry asked as he lifted the delicate robe from the wrappings.

"Harry, can I see that please?" Sirius asked his son, and Harry dutifully handed it over. Sirius ran his hands over the fabric, and then draped it across his lap, causing his legs to effectively disappear. "Harry, I believe that this is an invisibility cloak, and not just any cloak, but your fathers."

"Where did it come from? I thought that it was lost the night that..." Ellie trailed off.

"James didn't have it with him," Remus explained. "He usually gave it to me, to take with me up to the cabin. He'd told me that it was on loan to someone. I figured that it had to do with the Order."

"This is so cool," Harry said as he wrapped the robe around himself, making himself invisible.

"That it is, sport; but, you need to use it wisely," Sirius reminded him.

"Yes, Papa, I know," Harry said as he took it off and folded it back up.

"Harry, was there any card or anything with it?" Ellie asked, and Harry looked through the wrappings to find none, and shook his head as a response.

"Why would it be returned now?" Molly asked and Ellie just looked forlorn at the question.

"I think that it might have to do with this last present. Harry, open it up, and then Papa and I will explain it to you," Ellie said, carefully watching as he son lifted the last box and slid the top off of it. Inside were a two sets of robes; one a set of Plum Wizengamot robes; the other, a heavy set of black ones that had the Potter crest fixed to them, and a medallion on a wide, red ribbon attached. Harry took out the family robes and shook them out, laying them against his body, his fingers tracing the Potter family crest.

"I don't understand, I'm not of age for another four years."

"You're not of legal age to do magic until you are seventeen, but according to some very old traditions, you are of age to take over the family seat and titles," Sirius explained. "As of today, you are the head of the Potter family."

"But, Mama does all of that, she's the oldest, and she's earned it," Harry protested, and Ellie went over to kneel before the boy.

"Yes, I have been attending to the family business since your father died, but now that you are of age, it is your rite and responsibility. Now, you won't be alone, your Papa and I can continue to advise you, but you are the one in charge of the Potter legacy."

"I don't understand, why now?" Harry asked, very confused.

"Oh, Harry, it has to do with some stupid very old laws, the same ones the govern the whole betrothal process, and while we are not arranging a marriage for you, we need to pass the peerage on to you, now, or else someone else could lay claim to the family heritage," Ellie continued to explain.

"But, I can't...I don't know how to..." he stammered, looking overwhelmed. "How did this happen?"

"Harry, let me try and explain this to you," Amelia started. "Pure blood families have always been worried about keeping their land, their money and most importantly, their seats in the Wizengamot in the family. When these laws were made, there was still a great deal of conflict within Great Britain, which often spilled over into the Wizarding world. Life expectancy was much shorter than it is now. Basically, the law states that if the primary holder of the family title had died before the successor had reached the age of thirteen, an advisor could be given the rites and privileges of the family. However, when the male heir reached the age of thirteen, it was their duty to take over the family responsibilities. It was done at this age, so that if you'd had a betrothal made for you, the family of the young woman that you would marry would be given two years to see how you and your advisors handled things. If they were displeased, they could either choose to break the betrothal before the Age of Announcement at fifteen or they could keep the betrothal in place, adding conditions to make sure that you learned what you needed to know before the marriage took place. It basically kept young men who were less than honorable from squandering their fortunes before their weddings, and protecting the fortune that they were marrying into."

"Wow, glad to know that money and power are the most important things in the Wizarding world," Harry said sarcastically.

"Harry, my boy, you have no idea," Sirius said darkly, and it made Harry wonder just how bad things had been for his Papa growing up. It wasn't something that he or Ellie ever talked about, or why it took them so long to be married.

"So, I have to go to England to vote in the Wizengamot?" Harry asked.

"No," Ellie answered him. "Your Papa and I have been voting by proxy since we left ten years ago. We maintain our properties, pay our taxes, keep up on the legislation and debate; but we don't go in person to vote."

Harry sat there for a moment, digesting what he was being told. He looked around the room. There were proud smiles on the faces of the adults and Bill, Ginny and Ainsley beamed at him, Quinn looked bored -- but she always looked that way when the conversation wasn't about her -- and Ron looked? Harry wasn't sure, but he almost looked jealous. Harry wasn't sure why. He didn't want this, he didn't want to have to worry about assets and voting and properties? Did they say properties?

"Mama, Papa, what do you mean, you maintain the properties?" Harry asked them, and Ellie smiled while Sirius chuckled.

"Harry, son, between your Mama and I, we own quite a few houses. I hold the deed to the Black family home; Grimmauld Place -- do you remember going there when Mus and Grace were married?" Sirius asked him and Harry shrugged his shoulder, unsure of what it was that he remembered.

"That's okay, we weren't there very long that day. I also own a house on the Isle, but you've never been there. I never liked it as well as the Potter home. There is also a country estate that is part of the Black family, but no one has lived there in generations, so I don't know what condition it's in. It's in Wales, along the coast, and the weather there is quite harsh," Sirius concluded.

"Oh, so you own three houses?" Harry asked, still confused. Sirius nodded his reply. Harry then looked to Ellie, "Mama, what about you. What do the Potter's own?"

"Well, Harry, as of today, you are the Master of the Potter Family Home. It was the first place that you lived, although you moved not long after your first birthday. You also own a small hunting cottage, but if you don't mind, your Papa and I would like to hold onto that for a while. It's a very special place for us," Ellie said with a blush as she looked at her husband. There were sly smiles on the faces of the Weasley's and the Lupin's. The couples both knew that was where Ellie and Sirius had spent their wedding night.

"That's fine, I don't really need a house. Is there anything else?"

"Harry, you also own the house in Godric's Hollow," Ellie said quietly. Harry sat down when she said that.

"I own the house that my Mum and Dad were killed in?" His voice was quiet as he said this, not really as a question, but more of a weak statement. Sirius sat down next to him and wrapped an arm around him, and Grace reached over and put her hand on his arm.

"Sport, I know that it's not a happy place for you, and no one expects you to live there, but we can't get rid of it either. When you see it, you'll understand," Sirius comforted him. They had already talked about it, and they were going to take him in another week or so. The girls would be staying with Amelia at the Ministry while Harry and his parents went to the house with Devon.

"Wait, I don't need all of this. What about Ainsley? What about Quinn?" Harry protested.

"Harry, your sisters both have their own inheritances. Ainsley is the heir to the fortune of the Queen's line. She will own the castle in Ireland and the house on the Isle. She will gain all of that, as well as the Hightower seat on the Wizengamot when I pass," Ellie explained.

"As for Quinn, she is the heir to the Black family fortune and properties. All three of you will one day sit on the Wizengamot together, from three different family lines, and three different peerages. Any children you have will then inherit it from you," Sirius explained. "I know that it's so much to take in, but for right now Harry, there is nothing that you have to worry about. Your Mama and I will continue to guide you and you've got others around you to give you counsel, should you need it."

Harry looked around the room, knowing that should he need, he could always turn to Mus and Grace or the Weasley's. He would even ask questions of Amelia, but then it struck him that if he was asking any of them, that would mean that he wasn't asking his parents, and that thought unsettled him. Ellie could see that dark thoughts were passing through Harry's mind, so she quickly changed the subject, moving the party back to happier times.

"Who would like some Chocolate cake and Blackberry ice cream? We picked the berries from our own bushes and Quinn helped me make the ice cream this morning," Ellie said and there were confirmations that people wanted the dessert. Ellie got up and went into the house, a parade of guests following her. Harry hung back, looking at the flames of the bonfire. A small hand sliding into his broke his concentration.

"Harry, are you okay?" Ginny asked him.

"I guess...I don't know. Those are some gifts..." he muttered.

"Yes, they are. You're very fortunate," Ginny replied. Harry turned to look at her.

"I didn't mean that I wasn't glad for them," he said and Ginny smiled gently at him.

"I know that, Harry. But I think that you're feeling overwhelmed by them," she said.

"Yeah, I guess I am. I just don't know how to...I don't feel ready, Inny."

"You don't have to be. Miss Ellie and Mister Sirius aren't going anywhere. Think of it this way, you're going to learn about all of this stuff, just like it's another class. That way, when you have to do something with all of it, you'll know how," Ginny told him, and that made Harry smile.

"How come you always know just what I need?"

"I'm your best friend, that's why," she told him, picking up his hand and kissing the palm and then wrapping his fingers around it. "You're never going to be alone, Harry. I will always be with you to help you."

Harry lifted Ginny's hand and kissed it in return. "Thank you, my Inny. That's the best gift of all." The two stood there looking at each other, until they heard Quinn yelling out the back door.

"Harry, if you don't get in here and cut the cake, none of us can eat it!"

""Guess we'd better go," Harry said, and he and Ginny went into the house.

Ten days later, the Potter-Black family was standing in a conference room in the Magical Law Enforcement offices. Amelia would be sitting here with the girls, along with a new Auror who she had come to trust, Kingsley Shaklebolt. They were both working on finding information about the movements of the former Death Eaters, including Raleigh and Thornfin Rowle. Neither of them trusted the way that the Ministry was dealing with the Death Eaters that remained on the loose -- that is to say, they were ignoring them.

Devon would be traveling with Sirius, Ellie and Harry to the remains of the house in Godric's Hollow. There, they would be met by Queen Maeve and Gormlaith, who would scry within the house for the final horcrux. It was perplexing to all of them that this last bit was so elusive.

"Okay, girls, you're to listen to Miss Amelia and do exactly as she says. You are not to go anywhere alone. Am I understood?" Ellie asked the girls, sounding every bit the mother she was.

"Yes, Mama," they replied in unison.

"Don't worry about them, Ellie. I've got lots of games here, and Kingsley is a mean exploding snap player. We will be fine, the whole Auror department knows that they're here, no one will let anything happen to them," Amelia reassured her, and Ellie nodded.

"Oh, and if we get any visitors from Hogwarts..."

"I know, they're not to be alone with him. However, if Minerva stops by, I think we'll invite her in for a game of Tricking the Troll," Amelia said with a smile, talking about the girls favorite game.

"That's fine. I don't expect to be more than a few hours, but if we're going to be longer, I will get in touch with you," Sirius said. Amelia had seen his patronus many times, but every time it bounded into her office, it still startled her.

"Harry, are you ready?" Ellie asked her son, and he nodded. The quartet left the conference room and headed down to the apparition platforms. Sirius wrapped a strong arm around Harry and the familiar pull started. When they landed outside the village of Godric's Hollow, Harry collapsed to the ground.

"I really would have have Collinda move us around," he said as he caught his breath.

"We're just outside the village, we'll need to walk into town and then over to the house," Sirius said. "Everyone, just prepare yourselves. The last time I saw the place, it was...it won't be easy to see."

The quartet walked through the small village, smiling at people, and noticing that the market carts were full of delicious fresh fruits and vegetables, brought in for the harvest. There was a small cafe with people dining outside in the late morning sunshine. As Harry passed, people looked at him oddly, as if they recognized him. The stares made him want to hide his face. He walked to where his Mama was, and wrapped an arm around her, and she returned the embrace, recognizing that Harry was distressed about being here.

They passed through the center of town, and then turned onto a small lane. The houses were covered in ivy and they all had beautifully tended gardens. To Harry, it looked like it had been the perfect place to live. The houses got farther apart as they walked down the lane, and the road went from being paved with bricks to simply being chips of stone. There was a sharp curve to the left and then they saw it, the broken remains of a house. Harry knew that it must have been where he last lived with his Mum and Dad, and the house in which they had died.

Sirius stared at the house. It hadn't changed much since he was here twelve years ago. The roof was caved in on one side of the second floor, and the front door was blown off it's hinges. There wasn't any glass in any of the windows, and the vines that had covered the front of the house were now growing into the structure. He wondered if it was the strength of the vines that was keeping what was left of the house erect.

Ellie stopped cold in her tracks when she saw the place. She suddenly felt cold and almost sick to her stomach. This was where Jamie and Lily had died. This is the place that Peter had given Voldemort the location of, so that he could kill them. She could swear that she could feel the dark magic prickling against her skin, trying to invade her somehow. Her fingers ran over the protection pouch that she was wearing under her blouse, thankful that she'd made new ones for this trip, and that they were all wearing them. It wasn't until she saw Queen Maeve in the remains of the doorway that she knew that she had to go forward.

Ellie kept her arm around her son, and Sirius came over and put a protective hand on his back. His fingers were touching the edge of Ellie's arm, letting her know that he was there for her too. The trio went inside, leaving Devon outside to keep guard, along with two of the unseen princesses. After all of the time that he spent with the Potter-Blacks, his invisible counterparts were a welcome addition to the watch.

The family stepped inside, and Ellie could immediately feel the beginnings of a revealing spell that Queen Maeve must have been setting up. Her skin felt like it was buzzing against her. Harry's hand went to his temple and began to massage it.

"Another headache?" Sirius asked. Harry had been getting more and more of them, in increasing severity. They had checked the prescription in his glasses, and while it needed to be adjusted; the act hadn't lessened the attacks. Grace had made him a potion for allergies, thinking that perhaps the pain was related to his sinuses. He hadn't been on it long, but it hadn't improved anything either.

"Just a twinge," Harry replied, downplaying the throbbing in his head for his Mama and his Papa. Today was already a hard enough day for them.

"Alright, we're going to start in here, with a simply scry," Queen Maeve explained. "If we turn up anything, then I will do the revealing spell."

Everyone nodded, and Maeve went to the table where her items were spread out. "Ellie, please come and help me. If it was something that belonged to your brother, your blood ties will help with the scrying."

Ellie untangled herself from Harry, and kissed him on the cheek before looking up into Sirius eyes. Unspoken words passed between them, and the Ellie joined the Queen. They joined hands and began the incantation, and the map that was on the table began to glow, indicating the house that they were in.

Queen Maeve said another incantation, and a replica of the house rose up from the paper, and once again reaching for Ellie's hand, the pair said the first incantation over. The house started to glow, and then all of the light began to confine itself in one room -- the sitting room -- the one that they were now in.

"Well, the item is here," Maeve said with a decided authoritative voice. "Everyone, start looking. If come across anything that you don't recognize or that feels either very warm or very cold, please tell me."

Ellie turned around and started looking at the books on the shelves behind her. SIrius stayed with Harry, and the pair were looking at some small items that were scattered across the mantle. Everyone took their time, hoping to be as thorough as possible, but after twenty minutes, no one had come up with anything that was even a remotely potential horcrux.

"Okay, we're going to need to force the item to reveal itself. We know that it is here. Ellie, would you move the rune by the door into place and Gormlaith, please do the same for the one by the western wall," Maeve asked. The two women did as they were asked, and immediately, the room took on a yellowish hue.

Harry's hand once again went to temple, massaging the pain. Sirius wrapped an arm around him.

"Maybe we should send Harry outside for this?" he asked.

"If I break the spell walls now, we will need to let the spell clear and then start over from the beginning. That would take seven days," Maeve answered.

"Papa, I'm fine. Let's just get this over," Harry answered.

Ellie went to stand on the other side of Harry, and watched as Maeve raised her hands, and began the incantation in Gaelic. The gentle yellow of the room turned golden, then orange and finally a brilliant red. It seemed as though the room was on fire.

As the hue made it's final transition, Harry screamed out in pain, both hands going to his head and he fell to the floor doubled over in pain. His parents quickly knelt down beside him, and uncurled him so that his mother could cradle his head.

His scar was bleeding.

Fresh red blood was dripping down Harry's forehead, and a horrible faint squeal could be heard in the room. It sounded as if someone had trapped a rat by the tail and it was trying to free itself. Gormlaith looked around the room while Ellie tried to calm Harry and Sirius was screaming questions at Queen Maeve.

"Silence," Maeve demanded, and the room was quiet. She knelt over Harry, listening intently. She then reached into her pocket and pulled out a small pouch, and rubbed it over Harry's head. The action made him scream out in greater agony.

"What did you do to him?" Sirius demanded. "What is that thing?"

"Sirius, it's just a protection pouch. That noise that we're hearing, it's coming from inside of Harry. It started when I commanded the remaining bit of Voldemort's soul to show itself."

The room was still for a moment.

"What are you saying?" Ellie asked, her face already contorted in pain, and hot, fearful tears were running down her face.

"The horcrux, it would seem," the Queen paused, this was news that she did not want to deliver. "It would appear to be inside of young Harry's scar."

The world stopped for Ellie. Before her eyes flashed the mangled and destroyed objects that had held the other parts of Voldemort's soul. They had not managed to destroy any of the horcruxes without destroying the objects that housed them. Fear gripped her, this was her child, her son. She would not seem him destroyed. She opened her mouth, and no words came out, just the painful, wailing, guttural scream for a mother, mourning her child.