AN: Part 2. A shout out to those of you who gave such detailed reviews and suggestions about Melania and Tonks having heirs/continuing the Potter and Black lines. Much appreciated.
Madrigal-in-training - The Narcissa scene was moved from a different chapter to this. Your asking over her had me realise that I did need to show something before I had planned.
thekingofsweden1 - Thanks. Ted is actually one of my most enjoyable smaller characters to write.
harlequin320 - Winky likes Harry but she absolutely loves Melania and hates not having her Mistress around.
cko2 - It's a fine line with characters that I think some readers are too quick to see as bashing when it's a fair attempt by a writer to show their negative sides.
Trial by Fire Part 2
24th July, 1995 – Ministry of Magic
Nymphadora Tonks walked through the Auror bullpen with a straight back and determined gleam in her eyes. She was followed by the usual quiet catcalls from the morons asking her to change her form for their amusement and pleasure. The brave idiots only got the courage for the calls when a superior was out of earshot. She ignored them with ease of long, painful practice and continued on her path towards Madam Bones' office. She had a friend to help and wouldn't be deterred.
Madam Amelia Bones, Department Head of the DMLE and Lady Bones to the Ancient House of Bones, was irate. Not only had the Scion to a Noble and Most Ancient House and one of her Aurors been ambushed by runaway Dementors, but that idiot Minister was bringing said Scion up on underage magic charges for saving their lives.
Her biggest issue was that the entire thing was technically legal. The only thing being broken by Fudge's actions was the spirit of the law, not its letter. The Minister appeared to be hiding behind the technicality with equal parts malice and glee. If she ever found out for sure the man had a hand in the attack, she'd string him up by his neck-tie and shove that disgusting green bowler somewhere painful.
The knock at her office door brought Amelia out of the far too enjoyable image and she shouted for the person to enter. It was a voice that warned anyone on the other side that she wasn't in the mood for disturbances.
"Morning, Boss," the pink-haired Auror announced herself as she entered the office with more fire and balls than some collogues twice her age.
"Morning, Tonks," The moment Amelia saw the family face, her wand was in hand and she was covering her office with privacy spells. The office had its own wards, its protections made it one of the safest places in the entire Ministry, but she only used those on special occasions. And even then only as boosters to her spells. If she was paranoid, it was what came with having Moody as a mentor. "How's Scion Potter?"
"Tired and pissed-off, ma'am," Tonks reported while falling naturally into parade rest. "Even more so when it was suggested he stay at the Muggles' place."
Amelia snorted at that idea. She had been made aware of the Order's protection detail over the young man and thought the entire thing was arse-backwards. Dumbledore had only told her of the detail because of Tonks' part in it and she had played the part of appreciative civil servant to perfection. All the while getting far more detailed reports from her double-agents Kingsley and Tonks.
"I imagine so," She said, pulling off her monocle to rub at her already tired eye. Tonks didn't like the air of defeat hanging over her idol and wondered what else the woman was dealing with. "I can't do anything about the hearing, Auror. Fudge is pushing this hard and won't even listen to Dumbledore about this."
"Don't worry, Boss," The metamorph smirked while her eyes shone with pride. "He's got legal representation."
"Your father?" Eyebrows raised and the experienced woman was secretly cackling at the idea of what a scene that make; A Muggle-born solicitor representing the Scion of a Pure-blood house would certainly shake up the Wizengamot. Especially were he to win. Amelia immediately approved for that very reason. "That'll derail some of what our glorious leader is up to."
"Yep," Tonks bounced happily. She was so happy for her daddy. The case, as stupid as it was, would propel his reputation into the stratosphere.
"I need to know about this dark spell," the order immediately bringing the enthusiasm down and Tonks scoffed at the wording.
"It was bloody brilliant, ma'am, you should have seen it. It turned his Patronus into a right vicious thing that killed two of the nasty buggers. The other two ran home to mummy."
Amelia ignored the girl's enthusiastic description and focused on the facts. If there really was a spell that could actually kill Dementors, then she needed a way of sharing the information. Hopefully before the paper pushers decided to ban it.
"Please don't tell me it's family magic." She almost begged the younger woman. "I could do with some of you knowing how to take those things down."
Tonks winced and shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She knew that any 'interesting' spells Harry knew were from either the top-secret Potter Book or the Black Library and her family was wildly known to keep their personal spells secret.
"I can ask?" She offered, hedging her bets. She was almost sure that it was a Potter spell and that Harry wouldn't mind giving it out to those he believed in. "He should at least be okay with teaching me and Kingsley. He trusts Kings, as much as the kid trusts anyone not family."
"I'll take that. You-Know-Who got the Dementors on side last time, we need a plan if he does it again."
Tonks nodded in agreement and continued to shuffle on the spot, clearly unsure how to continue her report.
"You have permission to speak freely, Auror."
"Harry mentioned something, Boss," the metamorphmagus carefully said, eyeing Madam Bones nervously. "Snake-face told him something that's not in the 'official' report."
The 'official' report being what Dumbledore knew happened while the 'official, official' report had the kidnapping being solely down to a now dead Azkaban fugitive. No mention of any resurrections in that one.
"I'm not going to like this, am I?" Amelia sighed with resignation, finally replacing her monocle to put on her business face.
"I know I don't," Tonks grumbled and then blushed at the stern look from her supervisor. "Apparently there's a prophecy between Snake-face and Harry and...wait, you knew!"
Somehow Amelia hadn't been able to school her face quickly enough before her Auror picked up on her flinch. She mentally swore at her slip and silently promised herself a break to recharge. Once everything had actually settled down, of course.
"Unspeakable Croaker may have mentioned something along those lines, yes," she carefully admitted, knowing that the girl was asking on behalf of the Scion in question. "He even double-checked it after the debacle of the third task. It has the inscription 'S.P.T. to A.P.W.B.D. Dark Lord and Harry Potter."
"Morgana..." Tonks gasped, her legs going weak and she hastily fell into the chair she'd been ignoring. "It's true. It's actually true and Dumbledore actually knew about it. Morgana."
"I'm sorry," Amelia told the young girl and she truly was. Whatever the orb said, it would could be nothing good for Harry Potter. As far as Amelia was concerned he'd paid more than enough in the struggle against You-Know-Who. "And speaking of this little bright spot, I have to ask. Have you kept anything from me about what the Order is up to?"
Tonks was still reeling from the confirmation of their biggest fears and barely caught the question. Her hair was cycling through various colours and even its length fluctuated as she tried focusing on what was being asked.
"Croaker's alarms have picked up some intruders near the Hall of Prophecies. We think it's Order members standing guard."
Tonks was shaking her head even before Madam Bones was finished.
"There's been talk about a guard rotation that was different from the Harry shifts but that's all I've heard. I would have warned you, Boss, I swear."
It was as Amelia had suspected. Dumbledore was playing the information close to the vest and she doubted even those on the guard roster were aware of what they were there for.
"There's no question your dad will get this hearing mess cleared up. As soon as it's over, I want Scion Potter to go down to the Hall of Prophecies." It was very much an order and not a request. "Everyone will be too excited about this circus show to realise what's happening. The sooner he gets that damn orb and we know what we're dealing with, the better."
Tonks could only agree and wondered how bad Harry's explosive reaction would be when he found out.
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oOoOo
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25th July, 1995
The woman who had once been the baby of the Black Sisters and who became wife to one of the most politically powerful men in the country had, finally, come full circle. Narcissa Malfoy looked around the kitchen belonging to her sister and could think of only one word to describe it. Homely. A description that could never have been laid at the feet of Malfoy Manor.
"Stop thinking so hard, Cissy," Andi interrupted Narcissa's thoughts with a cup of honeyed tea, dipped and swirled the exact way her sister liked it.
Andi slipped into her chair and waited. With her knees crossed and hands perfectly place, Narcissa thought her sister would look right at home in one of her social events.
Andromeda had far too much patience for the emotional exhausted Lady Malfoy and the younger woman sighed in defeat.
"It's a nice place you have, Andi. It suits you."
"Family first," Andromeda stated simply and Narcissa winced at the motto. It was one they had grown up with before love and family politics destroyed three best friends. "Jamie's boy and my Dora were attacked by Dementors on Tuesday."
"It wasn't the Dark Lord," Narcissa immediately promised, her blue eyes momentarily sparking with fear at the idea of the creatures on the loose.
"We didn't think it was. Not personal enough for that monster," Andromeda snarl of contempt caused Narcissa's heart to stutter at how similar the look was to Bellatrix. "We think it's Fudge's doing, especially with this stupid hearing that's been organised. What we can't work out is the why."
"I...I might be able to help with that," Narcissa offered, quickly taking up her tea so she wouldn't have to look at her sister. Andromeda leant forward to clasp the free hand and when she spoke, it was as though the years between them had fallen away.
"I'm not letting you stay here to pick your brains, Cissy. You're here because you're my sister who needs a place to stay. You don't have to tell me anything."
"I don't need a place to stay," Narcissa corrected after putting down the cup to hold her sister's hands. "I wanted out of there. I'd become a stranger in my own home."
Andromeda watched the emotions play over Narcissa's usually controlled face. She remembered the expressive and energetic girl from their childhood and wondered at what point one was replaced by the other.
"I asked Draco to go to Spain with me," Narcissa confessed. The words came in stunted bursts as though forced. "He wouldn't leave his father. They spent hours together. In his study, in the duelling room. Hours of tutoring."
Suddenly the mask completely shattered and Narcissa laughed at what she was describing. The sound was tinged with tears and a little madness as, for the first time in years, she was fully able to express herself.
"Do you know how crazy that is, Andi?" She rhetorically asked. "The fool spent almost no time with Draco since he started Hogwarts. Too many accidents. Too many embarrassments that not even Severus could cover up. And now? When he's so close to death, the fool hordes my son away from me."
Narcissa's wild mood drained away and something almost akin to fear replaced it before she dropped her head, face hidden by the fall of her long hair. It had lost its blonde streak and returned to the colour of her family.
"And the Dark Lord...that monster is in my home," A squeeze of the hands from Andromeda was gratefully returned. "He's taken an interest in Draco's training."
Andromeda hissed, partly in surprise, partly in fury at her nephew suffering at the madman's interests. Then her sister looked up and her breath hitched as she saw the silent tears.
"I tried, Andi. I begged Draco to come away with me. All he would say was it was Potter's fault. Potter's fault that his father was dying and that a Malfoy never walks away from an enemy."
And now Andromeda Tonks understood why Narcissa Malfoy had turned up at St. Mungo's during one of her late shifts requesting sanctuary. Andi didn't envy any mother watching her family disintegrate the way Narcissa's appeared to be.
Narcissa released her iron-grip on her sister's hands and leaned back. Dipsy, her elf, popped in with a silk napkin and a small Calming Drought.
"Thank you, Dipsy," she wiped at her eyes and face first, appearances being key, and only then took the potion. Andi waited for her to regain her composure by sipping at her own tea.
"Charis Black," Cissy said out of the blue and it took a few moments for Andromeda to place the name.
"Baby Charis, married into the Crouches?" Andi frowned as she remembered the tale.
Three daughters of the arrogant, and out-of-contention for Lord Black position, Arcturus the Elder. The first and last married into politically convenient members of the Sacred Twenty-Eight while the middle one had been blasted off the family tree for marrying out of love. It was a far too painful symmetry for Andromeda's own situation for the subject to be comfortable.
"When Grandfather saw that Lucius was 'supporting' Fudge, he called me for a small lecture."
"He did so love those," Andi smiled wistfully as she remembered sitting on Arcturus the Younger's knee and being told epic tales of family members. Not all were the happy type but that's the nature of a family like theirs.
"This one was a cautionary one," Narcissa explained, taking a sip of tea as though never having lost control of her emotions. Only the slight reddening of her eyes told otherwise. "Caspar Crouch was a mole. He was charged with gaining trust, learning information and eventually manoeuvring himself or his children closer to the central branch of the family."
"Why wasn't anything done? Great-Grandfather Sirius was even more ruthless than Grandfather."
"I asked Grandfather the exact same question," Cissy admitted with a slight smirk. She wondered how many people misunderstood her sister simply because she was a disowned Black. "He told me that Sirius knew before the marriage took place but that the Crouches weren't in the position to make a play for control."
"They had backers?" Andromeda took out her wand and with few movements had a cabinet open and a bottle of brandy floating towards them. She immediately added a splash to her tea in preparation of one of their family's darker stories.
"They did. Backers powerful enough to keep the Crouches balancing on the threat of financial ruin but never spirally into it."
"So financial strong or a big enough name that people were afraid of going against their wishes. The list of our enemies fitting that criteria isn't that long."
"Great-Grandfather Sirius agreed with you," Narcissa was proud of her sister's sharp mind. She was also thankful for being allowed to change the topic away from Draco. "He also suspected that it was being done through a middle-family."
"An even shorter list of those capable of doing that." Andromeda hummed as she sipped her drink, doing her best to come up with some names who could have been behind what she was hearing.
"Grandfather didn't go into specifics but told me that the trail eventually led to a purely neutral, middle-of-the-road family. A family with so many fingers in both sides of the political spectrum that everyone had dealings with them over something or another. There were some suspicions over whoever was behind them, but there was an issue."
Andi growled at her sister when it was clear she wouldn't discuss what the issue actually was. The answering smirk only confirmed her thought. Andi had no doubt that their Grandfather did the exact same thing to Narcissa and that her sister was merely paying the frustration forward.
"The type of family you've described," Andromeda thought it through with a heavy sigh. "Means that it's almost impossible to find out who they're working for. That big of a reach means you can't tell who is part of which deal."
"Indeed, sister-dear," Cissy commended. The slight smile at the answer slipped away at the next part. "So Great-Grandfather Sirius did what any self-respecting Lord Black would do. He destroyed the family in question to make an example of them. Every business, every secret deal Lord Black knew or even suspect of, was either taken as our own or given to our allies until they were on the brink of obscurity. And that's when Great-Grandfather stopped. So that the family would forever know they were spared by his mercy."
Narcissa finished her tea and poured herself another from the warm pot. She had cut off the lesson at the exact point her Grandfather had and knew the frustration at trying to work out what the lecture had to do with Lucius. It had taken her far too long to connect the dots, something it appeared Andi didn't have to worry about.
"Fudge?" Andromeda gapped at her sister with an open mouth. "The neutral family were the Fudges?"
"And that," Narcissa emphasised with a point of the finger. "Is why Grandfather warned me about Lucius' dealings with the man. Once he became Minister, all evidence of what our family did to his vanished. Forgotten. And to top it off, we never found out who had funded the entire plan to begin with."
"Morgana..."
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oOoOo
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30th July, 1995
It was a peaceful walk for Harry as he made his way across the large grounds of Longbottom Manor. The small bank of greenhouses at the bottom of the garden were far enough away from the main building that he imaged it was an entirely different world for his friend.
Harry had met Neville's impressive Gran, Dowager Longbottom, when he came stumbling through the Floo. The woman had given a sniff that he recognised from Petunia's little clubs. It was an impressive sniff that conveyed a multitude of meanings, though mostly one of being unimpressed by what the sniffer had heard or seen. The stern and embarrassing moment had been lessened by the twinkling in the woman's experienced eyes. The very warm hug he had received upon climbing to his feet didn't hurt either.
An open invitation to Longbottom Manor was her gift once it was known what he had done to the late Crouch Junior.
The large home and beautiful grounds – Harry's fingers itched to find a plot that he could claim as his own – had him wondering over his own property. It seemed all the important families had Manors and the Potters would have been no exception. Yet could he really claim it since he was looking to give up being a Potter?
In order to distract himself from such depressing questions Harry thought over the confusion few days since his arrival at Grimmauld Place.
Much to everyone's surprise, and it was a close call whether Sirius or Molly were the most taken aback, Dumbledore had completely avoiding Harry. There had been no lectures over his leaving Privet Drive early, no disappointed sighs or looks in an attempt to make him feel guilty. There hadn't even been any inquiries over Harry's health from the aged wizard.
In fact, Dumbledore had only appeared at Grimmauld Place when there was an Order meeting and then vanished the moment it was over. Even Snape had spent more time at the manor and there was still the unease between Potions Master and Marauders. The Professor had been sending curious glances towards Harry's right wrist where his wand holster was constantly strapped but never once asked a question. It had the teenager wondering if the man had somehow found out about the death of Harry's wand.
The avoidance of Harry by the Grand Poobah was the best thing for everyone once Harry had received the message from Madam Bones about the prophecy. To have confirmation over what seemed to be a driving influence of Dumbledore's actions and to know that the drunken words of one woman had set up his family for slaughter...it had sent Harry spiralling into the deep abyss of anger that constantly lived within.
The duelling room beneath Grimmauld had seen a huge workout that almost pushed him into complete magical exhaustion. It had only been a furious Andi storming up to him that had stopped Harry from hurting himself. She hadn't been angry over his rage. She'd been downright irate over him weakening himself rather than making his enemies do it.
You use your anger, Harry. You don't let it use you. Had been the final message before she confiscated Melania's wand until she was satisfied he was calm enough to have it back.
Andromeda Tonks had been a godsend. The first time he had seen Sirius' cousin after talking with Ted had seen her giving him a single look. It had been there for only a heartbeat and then she simply continued to treat him exactly the same as before. The only outwards sign of anything being different was the constant stories detailing the history of the Blacks and a few, secretly done, spells to confirm his health. No fuss, no trying to make Harry talk about any of it. Merely checking him over and continuing on.
The same could not be said for Hermione. His friend had nosedived into the Black books to research everything she could on the legal procedures around underage hearings to find out exactly what could and couldn't be done to him. Harry didn't know how Ted coped with her coming at him with a new case or law that she had recently read about when it was his job to know the information.
The gentle man had shrugged when asked and gave a comment about her only trying to help. Harry came to understand that Hermione's natural worshipping of authority figures hadn't yet attached itself to Ted. She was only seeing him as a member of the family and not the expert solicitor he was.
Family...the idea brought to mind Harry's last issue. The Weasleys had fully moved into Grimmauld place now. As much as he enjoyed having the twins around, and maybe even Ginny since she appeared to have moved past the crush, the overbearing Molly and closeness of Ron was putting a strain on everyone. The woman refused to understand that the house wasn't the Burrow and so attempted to dictate everyone's movements. Ron's refusal to see himself as anything but the victim meant nothing would ever be healed between them.
Harry carefully nudged the door of the first greenhouse open and peaked in, smiling at seeing his brother in all but blood knee deep in compost. Neville was in his element and it lifted the watching teen's spirits.
"Hey, Neville," Harry called out. The boy looked up and blinked in confusion, his mind still somewhere in the dirt. As Neville came back to himself, he broke a huge smile when he recognised who it was that had disturbed him.
"Harry!" The Longbottom Scion rose quickly and rushed over, only to suddenly stop and frown at his dirt covered clothes. Harry laughed and pulled his brother into a huge hug, not caring a bit about getting messy.
"It's good seeing you, Nev," Harry told the taller boy with real feeling as they parted. "I've missed you this last month."
"Me too," Neville beamed happily for a moment and then frowned. "Gran told me what happened and what Fudge is doing. I'm so sorry."
"Thanks. I've got myself some legal protection so everything should be fine," Harry paused to take a deep breath and started on his real reason for visiting. "Can we sit somewhere? There's something important I need to share."
"Oh...of course," and for a brief second the old, insecure, Neville peaked through the boy's gentle eyes but blink had the echo vanish as soon as it had appeared. Harry was taken deeper into the greenhouse where a round glass table with surprisingly comfortable steel chairs were kept. An elf appeared to provide cold pumpkin juice. "Thank you, Mipsy."
"Nev, do you know Occlumency?" Harry asked carefully, knowing the answer would determine how much he could tell his friend.
"Huh? Oh yeah," Neville nodded, momentarily thrown at the question. "Gran taught me the basics when I was younger and she's been teaching me more this summer. She says she wants to make sure I'm protected by the time I have to join the Wizengamot. She's actually been helping me out a lot lately."
"That's good, mate. That's really good."
It was a difficult moment for Harry but he forged on, telling his friend about his realisation the night they had shared their personal history and his suspicions about why their parents were attacked. Neville grew whiter and was shaking by the time Harry was finished with the news that there really was a prophecy.
"Why? Why tell me?" Neville swallowed hard and gulped the full glass of juice before he could get his throat to work properly. "I mean..."
"What does it have to do with you?" Harry supplied and Neville nodded. "Because I don't think it's a coincidence that our parents were in hiding at the same time. Sure this prophecy might talk about me, but we've both heard the way Trelawney goes on with her 'predictions'. There's no way one of those things points to a person and says Him, that's the one. He is the one I'm talking about. It's all signs, clues and mystic mumbo-jumbo."
"You think it could have been either of us?" Neville guessed, somehow paling even more. Harry nodded and began to worry that his friend was about to pass out from lack of blood to the brain.
"And Dumbledore knew the entire time?" Another nod.
Neville closed his eyes and Harry recognised the meditative breathing his brother was doing to keep calm. When the brown eyes opened, they were filled with rage.
"I don't know if it means anything now," Harry admitted quickly in case Neville rushed off to attack the Headmaster. "But you, your Gran, you both deserve to know why your parents went into hiding. You both need to know why they were attacked."
Neville stared at the ground at his feet. Like Harry, he had grown up with the poisonous and maddening question of why him? Why was it his parents who stared at him without recognition while others got hugs and words of comfort. Now, after so many years, he had the answer, and it tasted of ash in his mouth.
Harry looked around the greenhouse and pushed on, needing to say his peace before anything distracted them. "Listen. If something happens to me..."
"What do you mean?" Neville's head snapped up and he was immediately brought out of his dark thoughts. "What's going to happen to you, Harry?"
"Hopefully nothing," Harry smiled though it didn't reach his eyes. "But if something does, I want you to know I've got plans in place, okay? I'll always have your back."
"Harry...you're scaring me."
"If something does," Harry pushed on, refusing to stop even as Neville tried interrupting. "I've got someone who should be able to come to you. Not yet, but at some point she will."
"Who?" His friend demanded, fear gripping his heart on what Harry might be thinking of doing. "Who she?"
"You don't know her," he explained with a small, wry smile. "And by the time she can talk to you, you might not like what you've heard about her. But I want you to promise something. Promise me you'll keep being the strong brother I know you are and promise me you'll trust her. I'll make sure she has something to identify herself with, but you can trust her the same way you trust me."
"Harry, you're scaring me. Can't you tell me what's going on?"
"I can't, Nev. I wish I could, I really wish could."
The pain on Harry's face decided it for Neville. He sat up straight, pulled out his wand, and magically swore that he would do as Harry had asked. Harry's chest warmed at the belief and trust his friend had in him.
"Thank you. And I know you'll always look after Luna for me," He quickly looked to where Neville had been working, desperately needing something to break the maudlin moment. "So why don't you show me what you've been up to?"
"Huh?" Neville's eloquent reply followed as he got mental whiplash from the change of topics. "Oh, sure."
The two brothers from different families walked to the open patch of dirt only for Neville to stop as he realised something. "Wait, you didn't tell me what she would say."
"That's easy," Harry smiled for the first time since they had sat down. "It's 'Family is forever, regardless of blood.'"
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oOoOo
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31st July, 1995.
Harry's birthday began with an early morning rush. A talk with the slightly less depressed Winky the previous night had her put out special clothes for him to wear, and it was a nervous Harry and Sirius who stood in front of the Floo.
"You know what you need to do?" Sirius yet again asked as though they hadn't been through the plan at least ten times. "Andi will give you a Pepper-Up and then you make sure to time-turn back before you come back through the Floo. No one will notice a thing."
"Padfoot, I promise, I know what I'm doing," Harry smiled at his godfather's nerves and gave the man a warm hug of thanks. The folder in Harry's hand crinkled at the move but neither truly cared.
"I know, Harry. I just wish I could go with you."
"I'll be with Ted and hidden until we get there. Besides, you'll see me a lot sooner than I'll see you."
"Oh yeah," The Marauder blinked as he worked through the confusion of using a time-turner.
Harry chuckled at the look on Padfoot's face and quickly grabbed a handful of powder before his godfather had a chance to start worrying again. A quick flash of green light, an announced destination, and he was gone with a woosh.
Sirius sighed, his chest aching at what his child was having to do, and felt silly for already missing Harry. He was just beginning to turn away from the flames when the Floo reconnected and the fire flared green, spiting Harry out in all his spectacular best.
"I bloody hate that thing." Harry groaned as he pulled himself onto all fours. "I can never seem to get it right."
Sirius was too stunned by the reappearance to even laugh. It was only the lack of a folder and a new glint of the Potter Ring on his godson's finger that explained this was the future Harry.
"Harry, what happens when you use the Floo?" Sirius asked while he used his grandfather's wand to began cleaning the dirty clothes as Harry had pulled himself up.
"Well I walk in, everything spins and then I get spat out." Harry answered sarcastically. He noticed the ring had reappeared and glared at it as though it was a naughty puppy. He concentrated the way he had been told to and it reluctantly disappeared.
"Pup, you have to think about it like a doorway. A really, really, really, really, long doorway."
"You what?" Was the eloquent response.
"You take a step this end and come out the other end. You have to keep stepping. Otherwise you fall flat on your face," Sirius beamed, actually feeling like a father explaining things to his child.
"But the spin?" Harry whined, pouting exactly the way James did when Lily used to deny him something.
"In this case, the doorway is what's spinning, not you."
"And why hasn't anyone told me this before?" Harry complained with a woe-is-me look that had the Marauder bursting into his loud, barking laugh. The release of happiness blew away any annoyance Harry felt at his lack of graceful Floo travel. And then the screams of Walburga Black announced that at least someone else was awake and he growled at how the sound took away his godfather's smile. "Excuse me."
He stormed out of the kitchen, Sirius quickly following behind in order to enjoy the fireworks. A crowd was gathering to watch the attempts to shut the curtain because, apparently, everyone wanted to be up to celebrate his birthday!
"Walburga Black, you will cease and desist this incessant and ridiculous behaviour."
Everyone froze at Harry's voice. Sirius saw Fred and George taking a bet from Tonks over who would win and rolled his eyes towards Remus. Moony gave his Marauder friend a knowing grin at the escapade.
"What did you say to me, boy?" The painting of Sirius' mother demanded and those who understood Harry winced. That was the last thing he ever liked being called. "And who do you think you are to talk to me in my own home? Useless disgrace to the blood that you are."
"I am the Last Scion of House Potter," Harry snarled, his magic building and Sirius felt the house react to the Black magic in Harry's blood. Tonks watched in awe, feeling her own magic respond to the call, and all three elves popped into the hallway at snapped attention. Harry didn't notice any of this. "You, are the overzealous woman who allowed this great Vanguard House to the Old Ways to be perverted by a jumped up, psychopath of a Half-blood with delusions of grandeur."
The painting's eyes widened when she heard Riddle's true heritage. The magic swirling around the hallway was too raw, too unrefined, for subtlety and it screamed truth to the portrait.
"Or did you deliberately forget the true meaning of Toujours Pur et Toujours Debout? How pure are our Houses, Mrs Black? How tall do we stand because of what that monster did and the bigotry that you infected this noble House with?"
The crowd were watching Harry as though never seeing him before. Some had seen his Scion Potter rants, yet even those lacked the true force of will that this one contained.
"Who am I to speak to you in such a manner?" He slammed a hand into his chest, the same hand that possessed the invisible ring proclaiming him Lord Potter and Walburga couldn't take her eyes off the boy. It was as though she was looking at her uncle Arcturus all over again. "I am the one who will bring our Houses back to their positions of protectors to the Free Thinkers. I will not tolerate you, nor anyone else, besmirch our Houses nor our allies. Have I made myself clear?"
The magic of Grimmauld Place hadn't cared about Harry taking up his family's ring. What it cared about was that a few minutes later had seen Melania taking up her position as Lady Black. It knew that the girl within Harry Potter was speaking with his voice, commanding obedience with his magic, and passed that knowledge to Walburga. She could finally feel which of her son's was the father of the powerful child in front of her and, for the first time since in decades, was proud of her eldest child.
The magic and emotion that Harry and Melania poured into Black Manor burned away the vile hatred of the portrait. The memories that made up the magical painting were given a chance to realise just how far her beloved House had fallen. It was in total silence that Walburga Black, as feared in death as she had been in life, pulled herself up into a proud stance and actually curtsied to the irate Harry. And with that, the curtains in front of her portrait slammed shut of their own accord.
Even with clearer thinking, Walburga wasn't yet ready to face the people inside her home. Instead she would sit, wait and learn. Perhaps even leave her frame to speak to the other portraits. All to prepare for when her granddaughter stepped up and revealed herself to the world.
Oh yes. Walburga Black thought wickedly. I've made mistakes but nothing like those who helped and guided me. My son and Lady Black will bring us to our rightful place in this world and destroy our enemies.
Harry stood, his heart pounding and chest heaving as he fought to recover his composure. Apparently Pepper-Up Potions weren't a perfect cure for the mental stresses of turning time. It was Ron who managed to articulate the moment perfectly.
"Bloody hell."
"Um...Harry, dear," Molly spoke up. It was she who had been closest to the portrait when the shouting had started.
"Sorry about that, Mrs. Weasley," he said, absently, still staring at the closed curtain. "It's been a long day."
"Harry, it's not even eight in the morning," Hermione corrected with concern from her position on the stairs.
"Long night, 'Mione," Harry scrubbed his face with his hands and sent a shy smile to his friends. "Err..Good morning everyone?"
"Harry, chum..." Greg called down.
"...that was brilliant..." Forge continued.
"...amazing even..."
"...spectacular as well..."
"Alright boys," Remus cut them off with a laugh. "Let's all have breakfast and wish Harry a happy birthday."
The crowd made their way into the kitchen. The twins talked louder than usual as they passed by the closed curtain to see if there would be any reaction. Molly had to grab them by their collars to keep them from making a second pass around and Hermione was reminded of the Snow White Disney film.
Aside from a brief moment of awkwardness from everyone over what happened, breakfast quickly became a rowdy affair. The day itself passed with Harry smiling far more than he had expected to after his full-day with Ted and the goblins. Birthday wishes were wished, gifts given and the group even managed a few rounds of Muggle boardgames that Hermione had retrieved from home. The Weasleys had been fascinated by the entire concept and the twins had cornered their red and gold Ravenclaw over all the different types of games that could be played. Arthur threw out his own questions and Harry couldn't stop smirking as he imagined their shop showing the Wizarding world what it was missing.
A bonus to the quizzing of Hermione was that Harry was saved from the majority of her worried looks over his outburst.
Those not staying at the house were able to drop by with their own wishes and gifts. Professor McGonagall gave him a rare smile and hug while Professor Flitwick had provided a number of private duelling books for him to study. Hermione's book-lust took over once she was free of the Weasleys and she spent the rest of the day browsing through the collection.
Tonks had surprised Harry by bringing Neville and Luna to the celebration. Apparently Mad-Eye had been so impressed by her ability to steal the slip of paper with the Fidelius' secret on it he had told her to keep it. So she immediately went out to make sure the two teenagers could see Harry. It was a sad moment when they had to leave early for Neville's own celebration and the two boys shared a meaningful look before they were parted.
Harry's sadness over Neville and Luna's departure was tempered by the arrival of Andromeda and Ted, both acting as though neither had seen him earlier in the day.
Eventually the celebration began to wind down, those still present and awake were settled in the library, and Harry was ready for the moment when he could speak to Sirius and Remus alone. His thoughts over what he had planned were broken by the strange sight of the twins frog-marching Ron to where he was sitting. George pulled over a nearby chair and Fred dumped their youngest brother into it. Both boys firmly holding his shoulders so there could be no running off.
"Harry mate..."
"...we've talked to this idiot..."
"...and we've managed to knock some sense into him..."
"...it might not be much..."
"...and it might not last..."
"..but we're hoping against hope," they finished together.
Harry couldn't help but laugh, especially when Ron's ears turned a shade of red, but he quickly pulled himself together to look at his former friend.
"Uh...well...Harry...mate...that is..." Ron stammered, doing his best to speak without actually saying anything. Fred leaned down to quietly whisper into his brother's ear and whatever was said turned the boy white.
"Right," Ron nodded frantically. "Harry...Scion Potter..I've been a bloody jealous prat. I always have been. I say and do things I shouldn't because of it. I really am sorry, Harry. What I said, what I did in speaking to Skeeter. I should never have done it."
"No, no you shouldn't have," Harry answered with a voice cold enough to freeze the gas lamps. The background chatter ebbed away as people watched the scene and Harry realised the twins had wanted an audience. "You know something, Ron? If it had only been the jealousy I might have forgiven you. I understand wanting something that someone else has so badly it hurts. I felt it every time I saw you with your family at the end of the year."
Ron tried shrinking at Harry's verbal assault, the emotional blows made worse by the neutral voice it was given in, but the twins held him straight. Their faces were masks, hiding the pain they felt over the hurt boy they had practically adopted.
"But it wasn't just the jealousy, was it Ron?" Harry pushed on and people could hear the pain beneath the ice. His eyes were hard flints of emerald. "You forced me to me talk about my past. You made me share things I would never have told a damn soul because of how Rita was making me look. What right did you have to do that, Ron? What right did you have to force me into sharing my pain?"
The library went deathly quiet. For some, it was the first time they understood what Luna's interview had cost him. Finally Ron realised he was meant to answer and he could only croak out a weak one. "I didn't have one."
"No, no you didn't. I won't forgive you for that, Ron, and I sure won't forget it either. Our friendship is broken. Dead." Ron's head sagged and a lone tear slide down his cheek. Deep inside the red-headed boy had been a tiny flicker of hope. He truly did miss what he had destroyed. He missed his friend. "But we're allies. Your family is my family. For them, I can work with you. Be around you."
Harry suddenly felt empty inside. The extremely long double-day had finally caught up with him and he rose with a nod to the twins. They returned it and Harry left the room without looking back. Sirius and Remus were immediately to their feet and following him to leave a stunned and silent group behind.
"It was more than you could have hoped for, Ronald," His father announced from where he was sitting, Molly's face buried into the comforting shoulder. Molly hadn't realised how badly the rift had been between her family and Harry, and now feared her own actions might have helped push the boy away even further.
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oOoOo
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The two Marauders found Harry standing in front of a blank part of the wall next to the stairs. It was a secret room, one of several scattered around the house, and they shared a concerned look at why Harry would be there of all places.
"I need a favour from you both," he announced without turning around. There was a weariness to the words and Sirius thought his godson sounded like a man past his prime. Harry's shoulders held tension and his hands kept clenching into fists.
"Anything, pup."
"Whatever you need, cub."
Sirius had pointed out the room to Harry the night he arrived. It had been with a throwaway promise of Harry's magic being added to all the secret rooms the Animagus knew of. Harry pressed his hand against the panel his godfather had highlighted and felt the lock connect with his magic. A soft click announced the door's unlocking. The wall silently opened to reveal a small work area that had once been used by a 'Black who enjoyed tinkering in things he really shouldn't have.'
The three entered the hidden room and the house's magic immediately created an illusion to hide the opening from any prying eyes.
"Kreacher," Harry called out to the Black elf who instantly appeared.
"Master called?"
"I need what I gave you earlier, a glass tray that must have absolutely nothing metal associated with it, and a knife with the highest silver content we have," the elf instantly vanished to get what had been requested.
"Harry?" Remus asked nervously as he looked around the dark room. The only light came from the hallway and the aura of the room put Moony on edge. "Not to be a spoilsport but...silver?"
"I need a wand," Harry told them. Kreacher appeared and wordlessly handed over the items as well as a charmed bag before vanishing again. The elf had heard the events in the library and knew that this was not a time for his usual back-chat. "And I'd like your help in making one."
"How do you know how to make a wand, Harry? I thought you couldn't find anything in the Black books?" The werewolf asked, nervously eyeing the shiny blade. It was then he noticed what Harry had pulled out of the bag and gasped. "That's aspen. I haven't seen an aspen wand in years."
The stick of aspen was bone-white with a fine grain and was a wand material that had been highly prised in the past. It was actually a wand-in-waiting, needing only a core it could call its own.
"I found it in the Black vault," Harry shrugged before starting a tale. "Many years ago there were three brothers. Three powerful brothers who created three powerful magical items."
"You're talking about that old fairy tale, from Beedle the Bard." Sirius grinned as he remembered the story. "Oh, what's it called..."
He clicked his fingers in frustration at not being able to remember and it fell to Moony to do the naming. "The Tale of the Three Brothers. Though some call it the Tale of the Deathly Hallows."
"Yeah, that," Padfoot exclaimed happily. "It's only a story, Harry. It's not real."
"Antioch Peverell who created the Death Stick, died without children," Harry continued as though they hadn't spoken, carefully retrieving the other items from the bag. "Cadmus Peverell, who created the Resurrection Stone, had a family that would eventually result in a young boy named Ton Riddle."
The jaws of both men fell open.
"Ignotus Peverell, who created the Cloak of Invisibility, and whose granddaughter Iolanthe Peverell would marry Hardwin Potter."
"James' cloak," Sirius blinked, unsure whether to believe what he was hearing or laugh at the incredible joke. "It's a Hallows?"
"Yes," Harry answered as he carefully arranged the fragile fragment of Fawkes' feather, a surprisingly large container of what looked like ground bone and a potion that Remus thought he recognised.
"Please tell me you aren't trying to recreate the wand." Moony pleaded. He knew about the story of the Death Stick and his constantly travelling had given him a chance to hear rumours of what happened to those who possessed it. "Please, Harry."
"What are you, crazy?" Harry gasped at the man he considered an uncle, his sombre mood broken by shock of the question. It was only then that he realised how his words would have sounded. "Morgana no, Moony! I only mentioned it because the Potter Book told me about the brothers. Antioch's original plan, before they got obsessed with creating the Hallows, was to make a different type of wand. One that was as close to perfection in its connection to its user as possible."
"And that's what this is about?" Sirius asked in obvious relief.
"Of course it is," Harry replied as though it was an idiot who thought he was after anything else. The incredulous look he gave the two men had them shrugging to each other at the mix-up. "You two really thought I was going to try recreating that thing?"
"Well..."
"Kinda...?"
Harry couldn't help it. He started giggling and couldn't stop at the idea of trying to make something so dangerous.
"I'm not an idiot," he grinned, foolishly. "I'm going to create a wand that's as much a part of me as possible. And then blood-bond it so that only someone of my family can use it."
Harry was staring at Sirius who blinked in surprise.
"You want me to use this wand?" The Animagus asked in surprise, floored by what Harry was offering.
"I want you to be able to use it, Sirius. You'll have your own wand eventually but a spare wouldn't hurt."
"And me, Harry? Why am I here?"
"The entire procedure allows for me to add the blood of a non-family member to the wand. Someone who I trust explicitly to know the real me. Someone I would trust my very soul to."
Remus chocked up and did the only thing he could do when he saw the smug look of pride in Padfoot's face. He conjured a newspaper and smacked the man over the head with it.
"Hey!"
"I'd be honoured, cub. Thank you."
"I guess I'm the moral support?" Sirius joked only to be surprised when Harry shook his head.
"Nope. I need you to pluck me."
"Pluck...you...? You did say PLUCK, right?" The worried Padfoot asked. Moony burst into his own laughter.
"Your Animagus form," the second-smartest Marauder guessed. "You've found it. So I'm guessing that's what the potion is for?"
"Exactly," Harry beamed at their willingness to help him. The potion in question would allow his body to change into its Animagus form for a full sixty seconds without the animal taking control. Plenty of time for Sirius to take what was needed.
"Really? Ooh, ohh, what are you?" Sirius asked, jumping up and down like an excited Dobby.
"A bird, obviously, Pads," Remus said, feeling like he used to back in Hogwarts when he had to apologise for his friend.
"Actually, no," Harry corrected with a little blush. "I'm sort of a liger."
"A liger?" Padfoot frowned only to growl when Remus burst into laughter. Once again Moony had got to the answer first.
"Of course," Mooney was shaking his head at the obviousness of the form even as Sirius gave him death glares. "What is it we always said about James, Pads? He could be a fierce lion protecting Lily but turn into a pussy-cat the minute she batted her eyes at him."
"And her form was the tiger! Of course," Sirius' eyes shone with excitement at being able to see his godson's form. "Well take it the potion then, I want to see the big pussycat!"
Harry buried his head in his hands and groaned. He had wanted to explain the difference in his form but the excitement of Sirius was too contagious and he felt the excitement at taking the potion building. He picked up the potion and gave Remus a stern look. "Remember, pluck the wings. I need one of the feathers."
"Wings?"
"Feathers?"
Harry didn't reply. Instead he downed the potion and took a step back before it activated. The three waited with baited breath and then the two men were in awe as their Prongslet shifted into the powerful form of a black-winged liger, complete with slitted eyes and serpentine fangs.
"Merlin..." They both exclaimed.
The liger rumbled at them and thrust out one of the wings, impatience clear in the animal's unique gaze.
"Right, right," Sirius nodded idiotically and carefully reached out to grasp one of the soft feathers. The liger closed its eyes and tensed as the feather was pulled.
"It's his blood," Remus guessed, remembering Sirius telling him about Harry's talk with Madam Pomfrey. "From the Chamber."
The liger nodded its head and then, somehow, took on a mischievous look. It was an interesting expression for the giant cat. The two Marauders wondered what the animal was thinking, only to be stunned again when the feline began to fade away. They frowned, knowing the potion should have worked for a full minute, and then their eyes widened as they saw the sleek form of a dire wolf take the big cat's place.
"Baby?" Sirius croaked with emotions, knelling down to look into the eyes of his daughter. "Melania? My girl has an Animagus form, Moony! Look at how beautiful she is!"
Remus smiled at how deliriously happy his friend was. His chest was bursting at his own feelings and deep inside he could feel Moony rise up. The wolf wanting to welcome the she-wolf into their pack. The she-wolf stared up at him, even as it enjoyed the wonderful caresses of Sirius, and Remus saw the acceptance and desire to run with Moony. He fought back the immediate denial and nodded. After all, a dire wolf had the strength to match a werewolf if he ever lost control.
All too soon the minute was up and the wolf closed its eyes tightly. It began to fade and then the change appeared to stutter for a moment before Harry was back. He fell to his knees and Sirius was forced to catch the exhausted boy before he crashed to the floor.
"Okay," Harry gasped in obvious pain. "Memo to self. Don't change between us when we're in our Animagus forms. Morgana, that hurts like a bitch."
"Thank you," Sirius hugged Harry tightly. The gift of being able to see his daughter's animal form was priceless to the Marauder. "Thank you."
Harry smiled and the two carefully rose from the floor. Kreacher appeared once more and handed over a pain relief potion, Harry being so used to taking them that he knew what it was simply by its unique smell. He knocked the foul tasting liquid back and gave the vial to the elf with a nod of thanks. The elf returned the action and disappeared yet again.
"So, Harry," Remus said to bring them back to the reason they were in the room. "The wand?"
"Right," the exhausted boy agreed. "And you were right, Moony. The Chamber affected my animal somehow."
Remus was sure he could work out the why from Lily's notes but kept that to himself. In the end, it wasn't as important as what they were doing in that moment.
Harry carefully sliced the remains of Fawkes' feather into seven roughly equal pieces and wrapped each one around the black feather Sirius had taken, explaining the process as he went.
"The core has to be a mixture," he said, remembering the confusion he had felt in reading the instructions for the first time. "Something of importance to me, something from a defining moment in my life and a part of me that isn't blood."
"The feather from your old wand and your feather. So what's the last piece?" Sirius asked, curiously picking up the container Harry had yet to touch. His godson grinned as he took it from him.
"Ground basilisk fang from Slytherin's monster," the two men blinked at the answer and shuddered in stereo. The size of the container gave far too much of a hint as to the size of the monster. "I have to let it all sit in my blood, and yours if you're still willing Moony, for seven full days. It'll turn into some type of paste and I have to use the same knife to smear it over the wood. It then takes another seven days for the paste to be fully absorbed and turn into a core that'll be some weird mix of the original ingredients."
"You're amazing, you know that right?" Sirius said in awe as Harry did exactly what he described. The ground fang was used as a small bed for the black feather to lay on and Harry didn't even blink when he sliced his thumb to drip the required blood onto the strange looking pile.
"Thanks. I'm sorry, Remus, but it has to be silver. I would have used anything else otherwise."
Remus didn't care about the pain from the silver, not when he was being invited to be involved with such an amazing ritual. Even a small mark on his thumb would be a badge of pride for the werewolf, a reminder of this night when the three of them had shared something special.
As soon as Remus had added his blood to the mix, all the energy and strength seemed to fall out of Harry. The exhaustion of doing the day over meant that the new Lord Potter was barely able to hug the men goodnight and make it to bed before he collapsed. It was later that night, when the rest of the house was asleep and they could enjoy a glass of Firewhiskey together, that would see Remus tease his friend over the fact Melania's form was that of a wolf.
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oOoOo