Ye Old Disclaimer: Harry Potter and associated milieu, characters, and situations are owned by J.K. Rowling and her licensees. This is a work of fan fiction, produced solely for enjoyment. No infringement of rights is intended. J.K. Rowling owns it all, I am just playing with the Story. No money is being made by me in any way shape or form.

Betas:

My name is Solo and I have you Surrounded!

Chapter 21, You missed a lot

Harry nodded. "Sounds good. It all pretty much starts with there. After Sirius fell through the veil," Hermione heard a grunt from one of the paintings above her. "The head master proceeded to tell me that the prophecy that was lost was not the only copy. It was told to him. Then not an hour after Sirius was lost he tells me the contents. I was livid. Had he owned up to me about the damn thing I never would have gone after Sirius.

See, ever since Riddle came back I had this feeling that things were not right. Something happened in the Graveyard that night, like something was kicked loose in my mind. I have had…visions… sort of. Nothing I can remember clearly but sometimes I can remember what they felt like. I know it's not Riddle doing it to me because they don't feel the same. It's more like memories but nothing I can see clearly or understand. The few of them I have been able to remember parts of are nothing that have ever happened to me yet they feel like they had. Places or people I feel I should know but don't. Sometimes I when I in the halls or out about the non-gifted I might hear a voice that I recognize but when I look at them, I don't.

All during Fifth year Dumbledore ignored me, us, and left us to the mercies of a corrupt Ministry. I had this feeling that things were not right. You don't know this but Tonks spent a lot of time in the castle that year in a variety of forms. We struck a friendship, a close one during that summer and she would visit me from time to time telling me what Dumbledore and the Ministry were doing. The few tidbits she could find out about Riddle she also passed on.

Sirius started having doubts about Dumbledore too and we talked a lot about it. During Yule break we would sneak out and he taught me to drive the motorcycle and we made plans to travel the country and a few others the coming summer. He spent a lot of time setting it all up and keeping it all hidden from the Order since we knew we would not be allowed to do so. Between the both of us we made plans to make a break for it together. The idea originally was for us to have one, just one summer together as a family enjoying life. Both of us had had precious little of that. Dumbledore though had no intention of letting us. He has plans for me, I don't know what but I do know he has been manipulating my life for a long time."

Dobby walked in from the small kitchenette with a tray of small snacks while Winky came in with a chilled glass of juice for each of them. Harry thanked them both before he continued.

"The longer the silent treatment from Dumbledore carried on the more and more I was convinced that something was not right. Riddle was sending me visions, I was having other visions I could not explain or remember, and life here was hell. It was the coming summer that kept me going. That and Tonks visits. I don't care who you are, she's a laugh no matter what."

Harry took a drink. "Did you know that the reason Sirius did not get a trial was because the Family house block of the Wizengamot vetoed it? Once Riddle was dead they were openly looking for blood and did not care who bled. Sirius thought he killed Peter that day and with the deaths of the muggles on his hands by proxy he never fought for himself. They sent him to Azkaban for the betrayal of mum and dad, but he allowed it because he intentionally murdered Peter for that crime. He kept his sanity because he was innocent of the crimes that he was there for, but he stayed for crimes he did believe he committed. Until our third year when he realized Peter was alive.

See, the reason that is important is that as my legal Godfather, Sirius was to be given me. He arrived moments after Hagrid did on the bike. Hagrid would not hand me over to him, said it was Dumbledore's orders that I be taken to him. Sirius was left with nothing, no reason to NOT hunt Peter. He gave Hagrid the bike to speed him on his way and he went hunting. That is just one example of Dumbledore's manipulations.

There is no laws or reason for me to be at Privet Drive. Dumbledore put me there on purpose, against the law for reasons I don't know. Somehow I don't think he missed the fact that he was sentencing me to fifteen years of hell, drudgery, slavery, abuse, and neglect. I don't think much of his methods but he is the greatest wizard of the age and somehow I don't see him making such a small mistake. That tells me I was put there for a reason. I just don't know the reason why, or why it was worth breaking the law while sentencing a baby to a life of misery. Dumbledore does, though he has yet to tell me.

So why did I run? That should pretty much explain it. I was tired of being manipulated. Dumbledore's secrets cost me my Godfather, a happy home, and I was going to be damned if he stopped me from my summer plans. In honor of Sirius I continued with our plans and went on the run."

Hermione listened enthralled by what she as hearing and things started adding up. Hesitantly she said, "You know he asked me and Ron to spy on you don't you Harry?" She was not surprised when he nodded slowly.

"Yes, I overheard it. I was on my way to make sure you where okay and to see if you needed any help. I knew you were weak from the curse." His voice was neutral and dead sounding.

"I turned him down Harry. After…you came and healed me I couldn't do it. It didn't feel right. In the past he had asked us about you. If you had nightmares and how you were doing and it seemed innocent at first but… I knew he was asking for more then. It wasn't until after you made me better I could think strait about it and declined it. It was too much and I couldn't do it to you."

She took a deep breath to as she continued. "I talked to Ron about it during the summer which was one of the reasons I was at the Burrow so much. It took some convincing but I was able to talk sense into him and he turned him down too. Is…is that why you have been avoiding us so much lately?"

Harry shook his head. "No Hermione, I knew you turned him down during the summer. Tonks told me. Dumbledore was upset he lost the possible information you would have provided on me." She noticed there was something in his eyes but could not figure out what exactly. He knew more than he was saying, she knew that much but she decided to not press the issue.

"Can you tell me what happened at Susan's House? She wouldn't tell me why you were there."

Harry nodded. "After the Will reading I was talking with Neville and decided that I might need to have someone with some pull in the Ministry. I was pretty sure that Dumbledore would bury my emancipation. I had received word through Neville that Amelia was looking to have a meeting with me so I sent Hedwig setting it up. It was supposed to be a simple dinner where I could get her to look into it and a few other things but when I got there the house was being held by Death Eaters. I slipped her a wand I stole from Mundungus when I stopped him from stealing Sirius things and went looking for Susan.

I thought the plan was brilliant myself. I used my wand which I was banking had a tracking charm on it to stun a sentry and then with my cloak slipped in giving her the wand while I went looking for Susan. I found a house-elf inside and asked her to get Dobby thinking I might need a quick getaway.

About the time I found Susan the Order appeared and the fight was on. Before we could get out though something happened and there was an explosion. I woke up in the tent a day or so later with Susan and Dobby watching over me feeling wretched. I dropped her off with Tonks so she could get back home and moved on.

I did meet up with Amelia later though, but that was when the village was attacked, did you read about that in the paper?"

Hermione nodded with wide eyes. It was moral crusher for the Ministry and she had no idea he was there for it. "Yeah well, it was pretty nasty and I barely got out. I fell for a trap later though and they dropped the bridge they herded me on. I woke up at Luna's later."

"You where ON the bridge they dropped it? How did you survive that? The Prophet said that dozens of muggles where killed when it happened."

Harry shrugged. "I honestly don't know Hermione. Like I said, I remember falling into the water and then I woke up sometime later at Luna's."

They sat in silence for a moment. Hermione was trying to process everything he had been through. It was no wonder Luna told her she did not know Harry anymore. Before it was always them in these things, but Harry had been through so much more and it was mostly on his own. She felt her eyes drift about aimlessly when they fell on Dobby who was dusting one of the pictures across the room. She really wanted to know why he was wearing a butler's outfit with Harry's house symbol but she was almost afraid to ask him. She looked at Harry and could see that he knew exactly what she thinking.

"Yes he is bonded to me, and so is Winky. Are you going to let me explain before or after you start screaming at me?" His voice was sad she noticed, like he was afraid of her. She quickly shut her mouth and cut off what she was going to say and blinked.

"Of course I am going to listen to you Harry. You know how I feel about that but I trust you. I know there is a reason, and I will hear it out." She reassured him. She watched him breathe a sigh of relief before he started talking.

"It started off with when I found out that Dobby was the one who rescued Susan and me from her house. I owed him a life debt and Dobby called it due a bit later once I was healed up. He needed to be bonded." At Hermione's raised eyebrow Harry nodded. "Yeah, needed. Dobby explained it to me and I will tell you what he told me.

According to Dobby a really long time ago all elves were free and even had their own communities. They were not as large as say, goblins, human, or centaurs but they were still there. They were also not very magically powerful and were being overrun by clans of Imp's who wanted the lands they lived in. They were not fighters nor did they have any desire to be fighters. They lived peaceful lives growing crops and had a really domestic kind of lifestyle that left them completely unprepared for what the Imps where doing to them. They fled and hid themselves but not before their entire race was cursed.

It seemed that the Imps were not content with just owning their lands, they wanted the entire race of elves whipped off the face of the world. So, using their magics they placed a curse on them that turned their own personal magics against them. It caused sterility and infertility and there was nothing the elves could do to counter it. Their culture was destroyed and fractured. Some continued as they were while others sought outside help.

Now this is where it got interesting. As a race they avoided everyone in fear. Now a group of brave Elves took it upon themselves to seek help. It happens they came across a Wizard named Xavior. They call him the Blessed Curse. They plead their case to him and after some thought he was able to create a cure for the elves. However, there was a price.

See, Xavior was not a dark wizard, but he was not exactly a light wizard either. He offered them the cure in exchange for their servitude. His price was that a small segment of their population would bond themselves to him and in exchange he would give them the cure and make the homes they lived in now secret. After a great debate the Elves decided that the price was worth it and agreed.

Those left behind are lost and forgotten to House-elves, remembered only in their history, which they pass on orally from one generation to the next. Those who stayed with Xavior undertook what they called the House Elf Enslavement and discovered several things.

One was that those enslaved became changed. The changes depended on who or what they were bonded to, some elves were bonded to the Manors or Houses of Xavior's Allies while others were bonded to specific people. They did not live as long as they use to having half as long life spans as before and they physically changed becoming more… well rough in appearance. The difference though when bonded to people was even more dramatic. Depending on the person they bonded to they would become more or less as they use to be, same with life spans.

Now the real big change was in there magic. Those enslaved noticed that their magics had grown to new heights. Those bonded to the Manors could manipulate them as well as anything in the house, though they could no longer leave the house without great pain. This is how they got the name, House-Elves and they became highly prized by the aristocracy. Those bonded to a wizard or witch though, they noticed many other things. They still had the magics they use to have but were also gifted with a part of the magics of those they were bonded to. Think of the increase on a sliding scale granting powers and abilities based on the one they were bonded to.

I am sure you noticed that Dobby has not been as hyperactive as usual. The change in Winky has been nothing short of astounding. Anyhow, as I was saying, that was the origins of the Enslavement. The problem Dobby had was that in being free he started noticing his health was declining. He bought himself a bit of time working at Hogwarts but he was dying, he needed to be bonded. Winky was far worse, had things continued neither would have survived the year.

So, Dobby called in the life debt I owed him and asked for himself and Winky to be bonded. It turns out that the Enslavement is pretty negotiable. I agreed under several conditions, not that I would have held them to it if they pushed hard once I knew what was at stake. They were to wear Uniforms and would be paid. Winky was not happy with the days off and holidays but we agreed to one day off a week and each had to choose at least one holiday of their choice for themselves to do what they want. I tried to push for more but you have to understand the culture they have built for themselves.

As Dobby and Winky explained it to me the fear of being free is akin to a death sentence. They have evolved to a point where they just can't survive without a Manor or magical person. The pride they take in their duties harkens back to the days where they lived in peace before the coming of the Imps and the curse.

I know you don't like the idea of slavery, and I don't either. I like the idea of genocide a lot less."

What the hell can I say to that…Hermione thought. She looked around and took in how Winky looked. She was far better than the sobbing drunk, dirty elf she was last year when they met. In fact, she was looking even better than she did at the World Cup. She looked at Dobby and noticed that he was looking a lot better too. His ears did not seem to be as floppy as they were before, in fact she thought they looked lot more like what she thought elves would look like when she read about them as a little girl. They puttered about silently with little smiles on their faces.

She of course did her research on them to the best she could but there was so little to go on when she formed S.P.E.W. Wizards and Witches recorded none of the events Harry laid out for her and simply said that they had to take care of the creatures since they could not do it themselves. She had no idea their story was so sad, and there was not much she could do about it.

"I had no idea Harry. Nothing I researched gave any clue it was like that."

"I am not surprised by that. Dobby told me they don't talk about it except amongst themselves when they pass on their teachings to the young." Winky came in and refilled there cups blushing when they thanked her warmly. Hermione noticed Dobby taking a plate of food and a cup into the room Luna disappeared into.

"There is one more thing though, and please understand I tried to talk them out of the Bonding when I found this out but their lives are tied to mine. When I die, they will too." Hermione gasped at that.

"I know. I was not very happy with that either. Especially since my life expectancy is measured in days to maybe the next few years." Harry sighed. "Unfortunately I don't have a house to bond them too and until I do this is the situation we are in. Winky and Dobby know exactly what they walked into as I explained it to them." He raised an eyebrow. "In detail. They still requested this so here we are. Because of the bonding though I can call them from anywhere and they can find me. They know to listen for Luna, Tonks, Neville and you so if you need them for anything, they will come. As soon as I can I plan on buying a house and setting it up though so I can give them the choice to bond with the house and get out from under me, but that will be their choice. The ability to choose is something they have not had a lot of; in that regard we are a lot alike."

"I noticed that you said that a few times. Choice."

Harry nodded. "Life is about choice. Right or wrong, it is their lives to choose how to live it. Same with you, Ron, Tonks, everyone. Even Death Eaters are products of choice."

She could definitely see where he was going with that. Especially when she thought about how little choice his life had by what he was saying. She brought her eyes to look into the one of his he could open. "So after everything you disappeared before your birthday with Luna then. Ms. Weasley was disappointed when you disappeared. Well, more frantic than disappointed. Strangely Mr. Weasley did not seem too worried but he had a lot going on at the Ministry."

Harry smiled knowingly and she wondered for a moment what it could mean. "I had planned on throwing a party for Neville and me before everything happened but gave up on it after I was hurt. Luna suggested we go on hunt and I was getting pretty burnt out with all the work for…the group and almost getting killed. I left Neville's present with Tonks and she gave me my post when I got back."

She watched him sigh again while his eyes drifted to the closed door where Luna was. "Had I known we would actually find one of her little beasts I might have reconsidered going. That thing she calls cute and cuddly is actually a natural born killing machine, real meat grinder. Damn neared did Riddle a favor when we stumbled on him." He shook his head returning his eyes to hers with a slight smile on his face. "It loves Luna though and it made her happy so I really don't want to complain about it too much." He took a bite from the sandwich that Dobby had left for them.

"Once I got back it was only a few days before we had to catch the train and with the summer gone I had a few late minuet things to check on. Thanks to Jessica I was able to check on the work left for 'Forge' as well as meet with Amelia again. During Fudges sacking she had managed to unbury my emancipation and when I claimed my house seats it became pretty clear I was my own man for once. Dumbledore was not happy over the development and she used some information I left her to force him to mind is own business for a bit. We touched bases and she returned the wand I took from Mundungus." Harry pulled out the cedar wand to show her.

"My old wand has been bonded with my ancestral sword so I have been using the cedar wand which works pretty well for me now or the sword. I'll tell you about the sword later. It's actually pretty cool. Amelia told me that she registered my old wand as having been 'Lost' and this one was registered as my new wand. Cedar, tendon from Hungarian bleeding Horntail of all things. Great wand for elemental magics according to Olivander. Temperamental though in the wrong hands, unpredictable until the wand has accepted the wielder. Unknown craftsmen though Olivander thinks it might be the work of someone from India who is well known for trafficking unconventual wand makes. Especially to those who want untraceable wands, like Mundungus."

"What else have you been up to Harry? It sounds like you have been doing a bit of everything but I know you better than that. You have danced around whatever it is but not talked about it fully yet. Anything else before we get to it?"

Harry took a moment thinking. "Not really I think that covers my summer nicely. Like I said was pretty busy. Everything though for the most part has been in preparation for what I am doing now. Here we come to impasse though."

He looked at her. "Everything else though I can't tell you. The group, who and what we are, what we are doing, and last night. If you want to know more, you would have to join with the rest of us. I am sorry Hermione. It's the only way to protect them, and several of them are in desperate need of protection."

"You're talking about the Slytherins right Harry?" He nodded.

"Far better informants than Snape could ever dream of. More accurate too."

She sat and thought for a moment. Really she knew there was nothing to think about. She always stood with Harry in the past and now was not different. Her thoughts drifted to what she had read in the Prophet and felt her mind drifting to the conversation with her father. That was followed by the many days spent with her father on the shooting range learning how to fire the pistol. A weapon he demanded she keep on her concealed at all times. Something she was actually not very comfortable with but it was that or withdraw from Hogwarts as her parents demanded. She suspected Harry had something to do with her father's willingness to allow her to her attend. Well, that and her promise to keep the weapon on her. When she brought her eyes and mind out from these thoughts and looked at Harry she had made her decision. She didn't like it, she was not sure if she could, as her father said, pull the trigger and she knew that there might come a time when she would find out. That scared her.

Harry though had made his choice and she was not sure how she felt about that. In a lot of ways he was like her father, forced into choices with little regard to his wishes. Yet despite that fact, despite the lack of choice, despite how he felt about what he found himself forced to do, he did it with no complaint. He was fighting a war, like her father did, and he was willing to do whatever it took.

Her dad was impressed by Harry, she knew that and he was almost impossible to impress. She was not surprised, Harry just had that way about him. Like her father, Harry was not a bad person for these things. Her dad might have known something like this might happen because he talked to her about it. He told her what it did to him when he had taken lives to protect his mates, how it changed him. War he had told her, was ugly, and sometimes good people had to do ugly things to survive. People called him a hero, but he said he was nothing but a survivor. The real heros came home in bodybags. It was just one of the things Harry and her dad had in common, that belief.

"I'm in Harry. All the way, where ever it goes. You need me, and I can't let you do this without me." As if she somehow knew what was said Luna walked back in the room with one of the parchments and quill for Hermione. Once she had signed she heard Luna's soft whispered thank you before she retreated back into the other room.

She turned her eyes to Harry and took in his grim appearance. "Part of me honestly wished you would not have done that. Part of me though actually feels relived. I don't think I could have done this without you, but at the same time I really did not want you apart of this…"

She gave him a small smile. "I know Harry. So, the group." He nodded.

"We call ourselves the Marauders Vanguard. So far we have Bill, Fleur, Fred, George, Remus, Tonks, Neville, Susan, Luna, you and me. The Slytherins, and only Luna knows who they are other than me, are Tracy Davis, Daphne Greengrass, Lisa Hayse, Samantha Brooks.

The Slytherins are my eyes in their house and amongst their families. Davis and Greengrass are from neutral families but they are leaning to Riddle right now. Hayse and Brooks are from definite Dark Families."

"I know Tracy from Runes and Daphne from Arithmancy. We haven't spoken much but I can see they are not the 'Evil Slytherins' most people think they are. What do they get out of this arrangement though? You get information and spies, what do they get?"

"Protection. Each of them comes from pureblood families. They are afraid that they might be sold to the sons of Death Eaters as proof of loyalties to Riddle or for money through Marriage Contracts."

Hermione blinked surprised, "They still do Marriage Contracts in the Wizarding World?"

Harry grimly nodded. "They do amongst the Pureblood families. It's actually scarily common. They don't like the idea of being sold off as cattle to men they don't know and more than likely will only use them for their own pleasures and to bear them children. They want protection from such fates by being allied with my House which is currently one of the most powerful as far as the Wizengamot goes."

"How can you protect them thought Harry? I don't understand."

He grimaced. "If it comes to it and they find themselves in a situation like a Marriage Contract then they have two options. They can sign contracts to me offering their services as my 'Consorts'. As each of them are over the age of majority, which is sixteen for women but only as it pertains to contracts. As my Consorts they have the social status of an honored Mistress of my house and I am required to pay quarterly fee's to their parents to keep their…services.

The other option and one they stated they will take if all else failed was for them to openly proclaim themselves 'Nonames.' That means they abandon their family in disgrace. At that point I take them on into my House as a Consort, Mistress, Wife, or through legal adoption and take them on as my sisters.

I have no intention of marrying any of them, nor do I need a mistress or Consort. I would not mind them as sisters. At that point they take on the name Potter, Black, or Potter-Black. However the choice is theirs and from what we have discussed when we went over the options after I talked with Susan and Neville on the sly, most likely Lisa and Samantha will become my sisters after leavening their families. Daphne and Tracy don't like the option of leaving their families and being no-names so will most likely take the Consort option neither option really appeals to them. However they like the idea of being bedded by Death Eaters a lot less so there you go."

Hermione raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Why would they want to be Consorts?"

Harry fidgeted a bit looking uncomfortable. "This goes nowhere." Hermione nodded. "Lisa and Samantha are…close. They really like each other. Er, as in…seeing each other kind of like. Em…"

"There lesbians Harry?" Hermione added helpfully blushing at the thought. He nodded gratefully.

"Yeah, but it's not socially acceptable in the wizarding world. It would allow them to be together and they know I won't ask anything from them so they can have the freedom to be who they are under my protection. For them it's the prefect arrangement. Tracy and Daphne though just want the freedom to choice for themselves their own husbands, preferably non Death Eaters. Like their families they prefer to remain Neutral, but with their families leaning toward Riddle it's shaky. So, they are giving themselves some options that normally would not be available to them, and paying with information. It's a good arrangement and they have brought several skills to the table and other knowledge's to the Vanguard that we would not normally have access to.

Of course it's all done on the sly because if they get found out the game is over and its choice time. If they don't have to make a choice they don't want to. They know they are only useful as spies as long as they remain undiscovered, after that they lose their bargaining chip and become, as they told me, a dead weight to me."

"Have you given any thought to what you are going to do if they don't get discovered and we all get through this?"

Harry smiled "No, but they did. Lisa and Samanatha request I tend offers officially to their parents for the positions as my Mistresses. Unlike Consorts, recognized Legal Mistress have to be negotiated for. Tracy and Daphne have made a few material requests for things from the Black Vault that has a few Heirlooms that was traded into the Blacks years back from their families. I have already sent word to my account manager Thakthor to have two vault set aside in their names that will release on two conditions. If I die or when I release them."

Hermione felt like she was getting a headache just thinking about how convoluted his life had gotten in a few short months. "Is there more?"

"You missed a lot Hermione. Yeah, there's a bit more. Bill and Fleur are in Egypt looking for some things for me but they should be back soon, Later today as a matter of fact. Susan is my contact with her aunt when I need it or she needs to get in touch with me.

Probably the most important development though is Forge. Fred and George are our mischief-makers. They keep us supplied in potion ingredients, materials for wards, runes, and other such things. Not to mention they are responsible for the design and manufacture of several items I have been using for the war to keep us alive.

Luna…Luna has been my…" She noticed a strange look she had never before seen in his eyes. "Comfort I suppose. That was the word she described it so I suppose that fits.

Tonks and Remus as the only adults have been out in the world gathering information, keeping track of something's, and in general since they are the only ones not stuck in this castle, doing the set up for the coming summer. Other than Fred and George but their trapped in their business ventures and other projects.

Neville, were mates. We made a pact at the end of last year. We will fight together, no matter what. A brother in arms if you will."

"There's more to it than that isn't there Harry?"

He watched her as he nodded. "Yes there is, but I think those questions will be answered when the Vanguard meets next. Keep in mind though Hermione, only the Vanguard itself goes into the meetings and we keep the secrets of each other more precious than our own breaths." She knew what he meant; Ron was not to know unless he joined. She nodded her understanding; she would figure it out somehow.

The moment was broken when Hermione heard a feminine voice behind her speak. "Harry dear, it's time for your treatments. Luna may not want to interrupt you but your health is important."

It surprised Hermione when she looked up to see what could only be Harry's parents looking down at him. She was confused though since she could have sworn she recognized Lily from somewhere, like she had seen her in real life but she could not remember where or if she was misremembering. She turned back, "Treatments Harry?"

He grimaced. "With the Prophet out it won't do for me to be walking around looking like I was in a fight for my life. Luna and Bones devised a set of treatments that should remove all physical evidence from the eye of any who look at me. Not even Amelia can't protect me if word leaked out I was there last night." He raised his eye up to the painting of the red head. "Let Luna know Mum she can treat me in a few minutes."

Authors Note:

Thank you all for reading and Please Review. I am very honored by all the reviews and responses to the story. Hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as you have enjoyed the others. Updated: 10/23/2011