Chapter 20 – You don't say
"Harry would you see me in my office after your last class."
Now where did I hear that before? I mused.
Later in the Headmasters office:
"Harry my boy we need you to come down to the Ministry and do the 'Finite Incantatem' on a few unfortunate people."
"Have you by some chance lost your wand or your magic Albus, that is a simple spell you know."
"Well, yes, you see I have been unable to undo the spells you cursed Malfoy, Crab and Goyle families with."
"I'm afraid I didn't cast that many spells that day."
"Harry the entire Crab family has been 'Confundoed' while we think the Goyle's also received the spell."
"Oh goodie a confused Crab and Goyle, how could you tell Headmaster?" Luna bubbled.
"Nope put them all in prison or dump them in the Acromantula colony for all I care but if they are out of the fight I am not going to put them back in circulation to kill and rape."
"Harry that is your Dark side trying to rule your soul. Come to the light side and help your fellow-man."
"Neither curse kills so they are just…" I suddenly got the impression that I was talking to a room of statues again.
"Hi Harry how's married life?"
"Thanatos what the h- heck are you doing here?"
"We got a small problem and the bosses wanted you to know as it's my people's fault."
"What exactly are your people doing to me this time?"
"You remember when we said all his Horcruxes were not able to return to Riddle because he ejected them? Well there was one he hadn't planed on making as the story goes, that one came home to roost, Voldemort is back.."
"I thought that those destroyed horcux casings caused the soul part to go and join the nearest other horcux?'
"Yes, well it did but when I come to collect a soul I just don't swoop down and grab it in my claw, I summon the soul to me as it is its time. Your chunk of soul from your forehead missed the summoning as it wasn't rejected by its original host and it had something attracting it. Being alone and without its own personal container it headed to the only thing resembling itself which was the wrath. Of course the wrath could not dissipate with a piece of its soul still here."
"Just peachy that is."
"There is one other nugget of information you might like, Thicknesse is now under that 'Imperio' charm so Voldemort is now pulling his strings."
Thanatos disappeared and I just couldn't again ask, "Why Me?"
/Scene Break/
I can see why some people kill as I was just a tad upset. Everyone attempts to manipulate to gain something whether its love or money but what they had done to me had affected a lot of people. PJ&H had helped people but now it couldn't, the bad guys were killing people and Dumbledore did nothing constructive. Thicknesse was after Harry Potter before Voldemort had done the 'Imperio' on him. To top this tail of self-pity not only is Dumbledore pushing but now Thicknesse is ordering Hawkingwood to do the 'Finite Incantatem' or he will throw the entire weight of the Ministry at me. I was now seething.
/Scene Break/
"Harry have you seen the latest issue of the Quibbler? Luna didn't look happy.
"No dear I haven't had a chance."
"Our spy in the Ministry stated that the day after you had unfrozen all of the Deatheaters that they all escaped, disappeared or were released." Luna looked like she was preparing for an explosion.
My explosion was two days later when the released Deatheaters lead by Voldemort attacked Godric Hollows. Extensive damage was done to the town, the war memorial to the Potters and the complete destruction of what was left of the Potter cottage was maddening.
Calm down, this only shows how badly you have gotten under Voldemort's skin." Cheryl was trying to calm me down.
I had done my seething and had been trying to come up with a solution. I could not take on the entire world but I could cause a lot of problems. Not many people knew I was Harry Potter but I did not want Hawkingwood's vaults or life to be under assault. I had enough running. "Luna, I have a rumor that I think needs to be printed in the Quibbler."
/Scene Break/
"Ragnok I have a plan but it involves the bank I would like your help." I had my fingers crossed as I explained the plan.
"This just might work and Gringotts would have no part than we normally do by renting a vault and giving a key to its rightful owner. You do realize the troubles that this will cause to the Ministry and hopefully Voldemort?"
"Voldemort has abused life's norms and its now time to show the arrogant bag of wind just how arrogant he is, he will never believe it anyway."
The Quibbler article was how Voldemort had Horcruxes. The Quibbler explained how he had obtained a body for his original wrath but had never used a Horcux to do so and explained why it was impossible. His latest return was explained and the Quibbler stressed that he was now officially mortal.
We let two days pass before Ragnok announced in the Dailey Profit that four-million Galleons were waiting in a vault for whoever killed Voldemort. Ragnok made it clear that the mysterious donor wanted to remain anonymous and that the bank had no further involvement other than opening a vault as required by treaty. The article continued stating that the body was to be presented to the Ministry who would prove that the remains were not transfigured nor someone who had been poli-juiced. The key to the vault was waiting at Gringotts for the brave person holding the Ministry's certified paperwork.
My hopes were that Voldemort was too arrogant to believe that his Horcruxes were no good especially after one just returned him to life. Who would be brave or foolish enough to go for the gold was speculated over in all the newspapers as well as the Great Hall. Dumbledore was missing and no one knew where he was but the rumors came up with many possibilities.
/Scene Break/
It started the next day. The Ministry started receiving people with bodies all calming that the body they brought in was He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. The Ministry made a lot of arrests that day as five bodies were poli-juiced, three were transformed and two tried unrecognizable and mutilated bodies. It illistrated what a great society had been formed since the caveman.
/Scene Break/
The next morning Voldemort and his crew attacked a village in the north killing a lot of muggles. That day Thanatos did his statue motif and arrived across from us at lunch in the Great Hall.
"Harry you must come to your welcome back to life party. You need to bring your wives and Longbottom might also enjoy the party."
"Ok Thanatos what are you up to and don't give me that six-foot tall routine."
"Just be at Florean Fortiscue's Ice Cream Parlor in an hour as Harry Potter and wives." Poof he was gone and everyone started back up as if nothing had happened.
"I see what you mean about his unexpected arrivals and departures." Luna giggled.
"Do we trust him and go?" Cheryl asked.
"Hay Longbottom! We have been invited to a come-as-you-are party, feel like going?"
"Hay what about me?" Ron yelled.
"There is no food at the party just a bunch of people studying." I tried to keep a straight face.
"Oh, all right, I'll pass; hay Dean care for a game of chess?"
"Is this a joke?" Neville asked as he walked up.
"Nope, got it from a special friend and he asked for you by name. You never want to miss one of his parties as they are always different and as he asked for you by name he has something that you will sure to enjoy."
"Sure, why not is the party going to be here?"
Luna had grabbed my arm and Cheryl grabbed Longbottom's arm and then Luna's, I 'transported'.
When we arrived we got Longbottom to hold us a table While we went inside and ordered the ice cream. We changed our glamour's before returning to Longbottom with the ice cream.
"Harry Potter! Where is Hawkingwood? What are you up to" Longbottom was sounding like Hermione which gave me a mental tug of times past. Longbottom had also drawn his wand.
"Have a seat and And enjoy your ice cream I will explain everything." It must have been a shock to find himself in the company of three fugitives that the Ministry and Thicknese wanted most horribly.
This was later assumed by the ministry to be a diversion to draw out all of the order of the Phoenix and Aurors as possible. No sooner than ice cream been delivered then Voldemort attacked Diagon alley directly in front of Gringotts and Florean Fortiscue's Ice Cream Parlor.
/Scene Break/
"Madam Bones how nice of you to join us, a drink or perhaps some ice cream?"
"I owe you for saving Susan from that attack but just give me some lip and I will slap you in a cell faster that you can say Potter. Now what are you doing here and what did you do and don't tell me nothing, you're always in the middle of everything."
I stood up to welcome Ragnok and a squad of goblin warriors approaching our table. "Harry you have got to tell me how you did all this glorious confusion."
I was about to say something smart when both of my wives slapped their hand over my mouth and Cheryl said, "Do as the nice lady says or your going to be sleeping on the couch for a year!"
"And no pool time either!" Luna growled.
"OK, Ok! This is a bit jumbled so I will just give you what I know or saw. Most of this was all happening at the same time so it's a little confusing. Every one here knows of the bounty that I put up on Voldemort's head? I figured that he was too arrogant to believe what was printed in the Quibbler but everything they printed was factual, he was mortal again. Anyhow, I got a tip from…"
"Harry! Don't go there!" Cheryl shouted.
"No one will believe you anyway you tell that." Luna added.
"Ok already, I got a tip from a reliable source that Voldemort would be here and that Longbottom would benefit from being here."
"Yes he is resting at St. Mungo. He is getting credit for killing Bella Lestrange and avenging his parents." Amelia smiled. "So you were saying?"
"I am never going to kill if it is humanly possible so when Longbottom charged off into the fray I erected a shield and waited for the Aurors to do their job.
While Longbottom was dueling Bella Voldemort and the crud were doing their normal killing and destruction, that's when Voldemort made a huge mistake, he turned his back on Draco Malfoy. The little shit sent an 'Avada Kedavra' into his back killing him forever. Draco then tore off his mask and started yelling that he had killed Voldemort and was now rich and famous."
"Unbelievably he will actually live after all Voldemort's faithful followers threw dozens of curses at Draco but Draco will get life in Azkaban for that killing curse alone." Amelia growled.
"It's a shame he will never get to collect the vault key for killing Voldemort and be able to bribe his way out of trouble like his father always did." Ragnok gave a Goblin grin which never faired well except for Goblins."
"Would you care to shed a little more light on that last statement Ragnok?" Madam Bones inquired.
"Harry you have dealt with us enough to know that we use the standard no life contract in cases like this. As soon as he personally collects the key the vault is his but if he fails to collect the key in person and dies the money is ours unless the originator of the money is still alive and requests its return."
"Well he will have life in Azkaban so his family will get the money?" Amelia asked.
"No inheritance allowed." Ragnok growled.
"So you were betting that I would not be around either to retrieve the money?"
"That's the standard no life contract." Ragnok grinned again."If nothing else the Goblin nation gets transaction fees."
I was happy that no one had mentioned Hawkingwood or that it was Hawkingwood money.
Madam Bones then put the proverbial wet blanket on the discussion. "We think that Thicknesse was under the 'imperio' curse but we will never know as he is dead. Appears Voldemort wanted a big show so he brought all of his Deatheaters so Thickness was one that snuffed it here in the alley. Unfortunately in all this confusion we can't let a Deatheater who used an unforgivable to get off because he intentionally killed Voldemort. We will only be charging him with the use of an unforgivable, nobody will believed a deatheaters ranting so the title of savior of the wizard world is up for grabs."
"Well don't look at me!" I was not about to take on more fame and adulation. Being a hero sucks. "Why not give it to Longbottom since he was or could have been the chosen one the prophesy described. He is out cold in St. Mungo so you can lay that fame on him as he did act the hero.'
"That means that he can get the money in the vault." Luna asked.
"No that won't work, if he claims it after being made the hero we will threaten him with exposure as we know what real happened." Ragnok again grinned.
"Harry are you sure it could have been Neville Longbottom in that Prophesy?" Amelia asked.
"Yep Dumbledore told us so awhile back.
"When Harry got the scar the prophecy was then aimed at Harry." Luna added.
"The part of Harry killing Voldemort was also met by his setting up this scheme. The Prophesy never said how he gets rid of the Dark Lord." Luna giggled.
By the way where is the Headmaster?" I wondered where the idiot was as by now he should have been here to give guidance and profess his importance.
Ragnok headed back to the bank and Amelia directed us to Hogwarts. "Consider yourselves under house arrest until we can sort this all out and clear the Potter name."
Upon arriving via the 'floe' as the Harkingwoods Minerva escorted us up to the Headmaster office. "He hasn't been seen in a couple of days which is unusual for him."
Upon entry to his office the five of us were basically shocked dumb and left to gawk at the sight before us. There was the great Albus Dumbledore behind his desk but that was not all.
Epilogue:
The Great Leader of the Light was at his desk with Fawkes as a number of individuals entered his office. Fawkes was under a spell or curse with his feet glued to Dumbledore's desk with a sticking charm. Dumbledore was playing some type of tiddlywinks on his massive desk. He would pause in his counting of all the horcruxes he had in fount of himself to pop a lemon drop into his mouth or to push Fawkes head down. "Nice little birdie dipping his head." Dumbledore would then push Fawkes beak into a large tea cup and say, "Always wanted a dipping birdie." He would then go back to counting, "One more Horcrux", as each Wink popped into a different cup. He would then pop lemon drops and start his routine all over again.
St. Mungo's long time care attendants picked Dumbledore up later after his wand was gingerly removed from his person by a squad of Aurors.
Long bottom was hailed as the great hero of our time while Hawkingwood returned to his teaching assistant job. Longbottom was last heard from at the end of the summer break as he escaped to the colonies and was never seen as Lord Longbottom in Britain again. Hogwarts did get a new herbology instructor about that same time.
Minerva wanted me to remain and teach as Hawkingwood but my wives would not stand for having to apply glamour charms for the rest of their lives. At the end of term we moved to Dun-Potter to figure our next move.
The new Prime Minister, Amelia, dropped all charges against Harry Potter who returned to Hogwarts with his beautiful wives that September to teach DADA. Remus Lupin had eloped with Tonks and decided to stay in France away from England's werewolf prejudices.
Draco lasted ten-year in Azkaban before he physically gave up and became a ghost. He now haunts the streets of Diagon alley late at night searching for something he can't remember.
I would like to say I lived happily ever after but that would be a little premature as I am currently living that life. We still have private pool parties during the summer break and I hope that my now happy life will be long and enjoyable. If I never see Thanatos again will make living all the better.
Fin