Sept 3

7am

Hari woke to the gentle touches of her husband. She moaned and pressed into his touch earning an amused chuckle.

"I am more than willing wife, but Emily is waiting to check you over."

Hari slit open one eye and glared at him. He was sitting on the bed naked. His very interested cock arching over his stomach thick and hard. "I'm tempted not to care."

Tom leaned down and kissed her affectionately. "You'll be embarrassed and you know it." He handed her the morning sickness potion.

Hari tipped it back and sighed when her already queasy stomach settled. She shifted up onto her elbow and bent to mouth the head of his cock.

Tom sucked in a breath at the unexpected wet suction. "Hari."

"Hmmm?"

He shuddered at the vibration on his sensitive flesh. He carded his fingers in her hair and watched her sucking him off. He shifted, lifting slightly to fuck gently into her mouth.

She moaned and bobbed down further taking more of his shaft into her hot cavern.

"Hari…I will cum if you don't stop."

He could feel her smug satisfaction as she put a dainty hand on his chest and pressed. He gave in and fell back on the bed. Hari shifted to a better angle so she could fondle his balls. Just as his balls began to tighten and draw up she lifted off his cock.

"Wife," he growled on the verge of cumming.

"What, lord husband," she asked coyly as she straddled him and sank down on his straining cock.

He moaned and jerked upward burying himself in her. He rested his hands on her slender hips as she rocked on him moaning and sighing as she pleasured herself on him. She arched backward and moving in sharp fast motions. Little panting cries came from her. He slid one thumb over her moist clit stroking it lightly until she came. Her muscles clenching impossibly tight on him. He thrust upward with a shout spilling his seed into her.

She collapsed on his chest panting with exertion and exuding sexual satisfaction. He let her lay there for several minutes enjoying having her sprawled across him then he smacked her bum lightly. "Shower, Emily is waiting and she, Retha and Matilda are starting the physicals today."

"They're all here!"

Tom grinned as her face flamed.

"You!" She thumped his chest with her delicate fist and scrambled off him hurrying for the shower.

He frowned when he found the bathroom door warded against him.

815

Hari was flushed when she entered the infirmary on Tom's arm.

Retha took one look at them and shook her head in amusement. "Emily, Hari is here!"

Emily came out of the office looking tired. She had gotten absorbed in scheduling exams and had been up very late. She was glad that Retha and Matilda were here to help today. She pointed toward a bed.

Hari hopped on the bed keeping her gaze on the floor.

Emily gave her a concerned look and cast the diagnostic. An eyebrow winged upward. She looked at the Dark Lord.

He shrugged one shoulder. "I told her."

Emily glanced back at the red faced witch. She gave a surprised laugh at the muttered, "Worth it."

"I am sure it was, Lady Slytherin."

Tom felt heat creep over his cheeks as all the women agreed softly. "The baby," he huffed with a scowl. Women did not remark about the favorable masculinity of the Dark Lord especially in his presence.

Amused, Emily cast another diagnostic. She eyed the results. "The baby is fine." She gave an intricate wave and a soft white glow formed in front of Hari's belly. A teeny form could barely be seen. "It's too small to see any details yet, but there you go. Your child, Lord and Lady Slytherin."

Tom inhaled. His eyes riveted to the tiny blurred being. He moved to Hari's side as she reached out with a trembling finger stopping just before touching the image. So small. Barely in existence. Their baby. A tiny dark form that flickered slightly. "The flickering?"

"It's magic beginning to absorb the magic you two are surrounding it with. Children that look mostly like one parent or the other tells you who contributed the most during the gestation period. I believe this little one will have a good mix of physical characteristics."

Hari leaned into Tom wrapping her arms around his waist as Emily canceled the charm and the image winked out.

"As I was saying the baby is fine. The mother is exhausted, slightly dehydrated and still on the low end of her weight range." She leveled a stern look at Hari.

"I just helped to oust Dumbledore! We have a school system to overhaul."

"You will delegate, eat, drink and sleep when your body says its tired. Learn to listen to your body, Hari. The baby is fine now it isn't demanding much. Later, it will need a lot more and you need to become accustomed to listening now so you can give the baby what it needs later."

Hari paled. "I didn't think about it like that. I'd never…" she ducked her head as tears welled up.

Tom embraced her and glared at Emily.

"It's important, my..." Emily broke off with a huff and gathered herself. "I understand, Hari that you learned early to ignore your body's complaints. It did no good to think about being hungry or tired or in pain since you couldn't do anything about it. You need to consciously listen. Eat when it says its hungry, rest when you grow tired. It can honestly affect the child's health and development. I don't want to set a strict schedule, but I will if I feel there's a danger."

"I'll…I'll listen." Hari murmured weeping softly.

"Of course you will," Tom murmured rubbing her back and pressing a kiss to her hair. "We'll start with going to breakfast and getting out of the Healers' way."

Hari dried her cheeks and nodded. Tom helped her off the table and prodded her toward the doors. Opening them they saw three nervous seventh years in the hall.

Tom nodded pleasantly and ushered them into the infirmary. They reached the Great Hall to find it awash in conversation and nervous glances their way. He looked up at the High table and saw confusion, worry and anger in the staff's face. Except for Snape, Lupin, Keslar and Black. They were eating as if nothing was going on.

Tom sighed and finished the journey across the hall settling Hari into her seat before looking out over the anxious faces of the students. "It has come to our attention that several children have major issues that have been overlooked in the past. Each and every student will have a physical. Issues will be addressed." He stated the last in a fierce tone. "Your health and well-being is not something that will be overlooked any longer." He turned to look at McGonagall when he heard her drawn in air. He leveled a look at her that quailed his most dissolute Death Eaters. He was not willing to listen to her carping today. He was the Dark Lord, damn it! He did not have to listen to prudish old witches carping at him! If she kept it up he was going to crucio the hell out of her then obliviate her whether Hari approved or not.

Minerva swallowed the hot retort she was about to make at the forbidding look in the new headmaster's eyes. She glanced down at her plate.

Tom turned his attention back to the students. "The wards have been cleared of the suppression charms layered in them. You may write your parents and guardians about what is going on here if you haven't already. I know the rumors that are running rampant regardless of the evidence to the contrary. I am not my grandfather. I am not a tyrant. You are not prisoners or hostages or whatever else is being imagined. I have in fact planned to invite your parents, even the muggle ones, to visit the school one weekend in October to see for themselves where you are living nearly ten months out of the year."

Surprise washed through the room. A tentative hand rose in the air.

"Yes, Miss…"

"Li…Su Li, Sir."

"You have a question, Miss Li?"

"I thought muggles couldn't see the school, sir."

"They can't unless they are given a charm that circumvents the wards. Your parents will be brought to Hogsmeade and given the charm to wear while they are here. The staff will be available to answer questions as will my wife and I. We may even stage a Quidditch match or two."

Another hand rose. It was the girl from the infirmary. The one he had conjured a griffin for. "Luci Bailey," she murmured nervously.

Tom smiled gently at her seeing the griffin clutched at her side. "Yes, Miss Bailey?"

"Will we be able to show them what we've learned? We can't do magic at home so they…they aren't sure what we're learning."

"A very good idea, Miss Bailey. We will indeed allow students to show what they are learning."

The small girl flushed and set back down.

Tom sat down signaling the end of the question session and food appeared in front of him. He filled his plate hungrily. It was after nine. He was used to eating around 730.

He listened to Hari talking with her godfathers. They were discussing what they might need for Defense and History. He shook his head. She was focused and determined to be an equal. "You need an office." He murmured out of the blue.

"What?" Hari turned toward him.

"You can use my office, of course, but if we have meetings at the same time…"

"Ah, yeah that makes sense. I hadn't thought about it." She rubbed her forehead where lines of concentration were forming.

"Ask the castle to form another room connected to the headmaster's office. Ask an elf to furnish it."

Hari sighed and nodded. Her eyes unfocused a moment then she grinned at him. "Oh! I'm going to be late to talk to Professor Flitwick." She jumped up.

Tom grasped her arm. "Go see Flitwick, but the others need to come to you. Don't chase people, Hari. You are in charge. They come to you. And you get to be late. They don't."

She stared a moment then nodded slowly. "I'll send out word."

Tom stroked her arm before releasing her. He watched her hurry off with a worried look.

"Is something wrong with Hari?"

Tom turned to Black. "Emily says she's exhausted, dehydrated and still a little underweight. She doesn't listen to her body's signals as she should. It's important that she does."

Sirius and Remus got serious looks and nodded. "We'll keep an eye on her."

Sirius erected a privacy ward around the three of them. "I've word on where the Entwhistle whelp is staying. Remus and I will be out for a while this morning."

Tom nodded grimly. Tied up here at Hogwarts he couldn't call in his errant followers and kill them. Cornfoot and the Carrows had actually refused his summons last week. He was sending a burning reminder of his ire at them through the mark. They would eventually show up or the pain would drive them to suicide.

930am

Hari rapped on the doorframe to Flitwick's office. "Professor Flitwick?"

"Ah, Lady Slytherin, come in." Flitwick smiled at her in welcome. "How are you?"

"Fine, Professor." Hari moved into the office. She settled into a chair and smiled winsomely at the small wizard. "So what do you want for Charms or the Ravenclaw House?"

They spent the next hour going over the items that would make teaching charms easier. Flitwick broached the slim folder he had been given on what other schools taught and how he could easily incorporate the changes into the younger years, but the fifth, sixth and seventh years would be difficult.

"I will need to teach them the new charms and theories from the younger years up to their year before covering the new teachings relevant to their year."

"Do you have any suggestions for a solution, Professor?"

Flitwick leaned back and looked at the earnest witch seriously. "Postpone the O.W.L.S. and N.E.W.T.S. Explain to the Ministry and the parents what we are striving to do. I know you offered additional years at half cost for the newly introduced classes. If we remove the pressure of studying for the major exams this year we can focus on getting them up to par. Let them take them next year."

Hari's face scrunched up thoughtfully. "It would force the seventh years to take another year. The fifth years would have O.W.L.S. and N.E.W.T.S. back to back unless they too wanted to take another year and postpone their N.E.W.T.S." She rubbed her face. "Let me speak with Tom. I agree with postponing O.W.L.S. but want his opinion on the N.E.W.T.S. If we force them into another year, I wouldn't feel right making them pay for it."

Flitwick nodded. "That would be very generous if you do decide to offer it."

"I'll talk to him when we are finished here."

Flitwick nodded. "The only other item I have to discuss is an assistant. I would like to send an offer to Mertain Vaisey. He graduated last year with very high scores in Charms. He had mentioned an interest in teaching."

Hari nodded and flipped over to another section in her planner. She wrote his name down and 'charms assistant'. "Send him the offer, Professor. It pays 75 galleons a month plus room and board. If he works out and you retain him another year we will increase the pay to 90 galleons a month. Have a copy delivered to the headmaster so he is aware of the offer."

Flitwick wrote the amount down. "I will. Thank you, Lady Slytherin."

Hari rose from the chair and exited the room. She made her through the halls noticing the wandering students. Some ignored her as always others eyed her suspiciously or with barely concealed dislike.

"Lady Slytherin!"

She stopped and turned to see Luna Lovegood hurrying over to her. "Luna, hello." She smiled warmly at her friend. "How are you and your father?"

"Father is very well. He has had a grand time this year." Luna smiled happily. "I am doing fine as well. This has all been very exciting. This is going to be a very interesting year. I was wondering if I could get permission to round up some other students and clean up and furnish the second floor of the west tower."

Hari stopped and stared at Luna. Luna stared back with her wide, innocent blue eyes that saw what no one else did. Hari nodded slowly. "Sure. You'd tell me if it was something I needed to know about now, right?"

"Yes."

"Go do your thing, Luna."

"Thank you, Lady Slytherin. Oh…Fred and George would be glad to help if you'd summon them." Luna skipped off.

"Summon them?" Hermione huffed having overheard the comment as she passed. "You've changed a lot, Hari. Are we going to have to start kneeling soon?"

Hari gave her a cold stare then flicked a glance at the group of girls with Granger. Lavender Brown and Ginny Weasley from Gryffindor, Lisa Turpin from Ravenclaw and Helga Norfitt from Hufflepuff all were glaring and sneering at her. Angry, she shoved her magic at them and pushed until they gasped and dropped to their hands and knees. She leaned over Granger's bowed head. "If I wanted you on your knees, Granger, you'd be there already."

She made her way to her new office and sent the house elves out with notes to the staff to come to her for their appointments.

With an amused huff at Luna's vague ways, she sent a message to Fred and George asking if they would be able to leave the store to their staff and come help sort out the mess at Hogwarts.

HP/TM

Sirius and Remus moved stealthily up the porch steps of the house that was showing signs of neglect. Entwhistle may be a pureblood but his father had spent most of the family money before passing on and Irvin hadn't had much success in bolstering the dwindling vaults.

Remus was disillusioned. His wand at the ready as Sirius rapped on the door. A ragged house elf opened it after a long wait.

"Master is not receiving," it muttered.

"Oh, he'll receive me," Sirius murmured gravely as Remus' stunner hit the pitiful creature.

They stepped past the elf and Remus snorted silently as Sirius sauntered in looking every bit the pureblood lord he despised acting like.

"Here now, what are ya doing barging into m' house?" Entwhistle snarled coming out into the hallway, wand drawn.

Sirius sneered at his disheveled appearance – dirty robes, unshaven jaw, hair a mess. "You're a disgrace to purebloods everywhere. Look at you! Filthy and reeking like you haven't bathed in weeks."

Entwhistle's wand came up leveled at Sirius' chest. "I won't ask again. Who are you?"

"The answer to your money problems."

The man's wand wavered at the unexpected answer. A red stunner hit from the back. When he woke he was in a dungeon cell. Sirius and Remus standing over him.

"We don't appreciate threats to our goddaughter." Remus growled and sent the first of several painful curses at the drunk wizard.

By the time he died, he was begging for the peace of death.

1:30

Hari subtly watched Granger, Ron and Ginny Weasley whisper while shooting venomous glares her way. They would be trouble. Granger was admittedly very intelligent. If anyone at the school was going to figure out that Tom was the Dark Lord it would be her. Her angry display of power earlier wouldn't help matters. Ron and Ginny were dangerous though. Unbalanced, naturally selfish and raised to believe that they should get what they want with little to no effort on their part and that Slytherins were evil incarnate. By himself Ron was easy to predict. He would erupt at the slightest trigger of well-known biases or hint that he wasn't good enough. With Ginny involved though it became a bit more difficult to predict. Ginny was cunning. Slytherin, in fact, no matter the Sorting. Those two bore watching.

"Love?" Tom murmured catching the worry through the link.

Hari raised a privacy barrier wandlessly. "Just watching my former friends plotting. Ginny is actually the most dangerous as far as planning is involved. Take Fred and George's cunning nature, add Ron's self-centered entitlement and temper and you have Ginerva Weasley."

Tom flicked a glance at the two redheads. "This isn't going to end well, is it?"

"No. I believe Arthur casting Molly out will be the catalyst. It won't happen the day they hear it I don't think but soon after. The blame will be laid at my feet no matter what they are told."

Tom's hand clenched on his fork. "I will not tolerate a threat to you and our child."

"And I won't tolerate a threat to you or our child. As much as I love Arthur and the twins, I will end both Ron and Ginny if they become threats."

Tom sighed and glared at the group of teens a moment more before dispelling the privacy barrier. This was not the place to have a prolonged private conversation.

Tom and Hari both grimaced when the doors to the Great Hall filled with outraged Board of Governors just before lunch was over. They watched calmly as they stormed up the aisle toward the High table.

"What is the meaning of this, Lord Slytherin?" Oberon Spinks bellowed shaking a piece of parchment furiously. "You can't be making sweeping changes without permission from the Board and you can't disband us on a whim."

"I believe I was quite articulate. With the Founder's Heirs having claimed the castle, the Board is disbanded."

"You can't disband us!" Porpentinia Whitby exclaimed.

"Oh, but I can. Read your bylaws."

"I believe we should take this somewhere private." Sidney Alexander stated firmly. He hid the wince as he remembered how unhappy the Dark Lord had been at his waffling on sending the bylaws. The powerful wizard had made it very clear that he was to be firmly on his side or pay the painful consequences.

"Certainly," Tom and Hari stood and led the fuming group from the hall and up to his office.

As soon as Hari settled into her chair, Hedwig glided over to perch on the back rest. The Board members gaped at her. Hari reached up to pet her gently. "My familiar, Hedwig."

They forced their gazes away from the giant owl.

"The Board of Governors have been overseeing Hogwarts for several centuries. You have no authority to disband us." Alice Iceler huffed.

Hari held out a hand and a book sailed from a shelf into her hand. She opened to a bookmarked page. "A Board of Governors shall be appointed to oversee the curriculum, the security and the expenses of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry until the Heirs of the Founders shall return and claim their birthright." She held the book out toward them silently offering to let them read it themselves.

Grace Yaxley leaned forward snatching the book from her with a furious glare. She gulped at the pointed glare the Dark Lord gave her. He might be pretending to be someone else, but that would not stop him from summoning her privately to exact punishment. She read the section then flipped to several related sections before shutting the book. "They're right."

"What!"

"The castle and the land belong to them. We were set up as overseers until the property was claimed."

"So they are no longer under our oversight?"

"No." Mrs. Yaxley swallowed, keeping her eyes averted from the headmaster, before continuing. "Neither are they under the Ministry's. They are now like a sovereign nation."

Tom smirked at them. "You need to all be glad we aren't pressing for the return of the excessive salaries you've given yourself. You are each being paid nearly three times what the bylaws set forth. Take the extra galleons and leave gracefully or we shall sue for reimbursement."

They all glared a moment longer before standing and hurrying out the door.

5 pm

Tom studied the surly boy across from him with more empathy than the boy could ever guess. The report Emily had given him was lying closed on the desk. "Would you be more at ease with your Head of House present, Mr. Hooper?"

Geoffrey Hooper shook his head. "She doesn't care."

"I hear such contradictory things about Professor McGonagall."

Geoffrey shifted in his seat. "If you're from a Light family that publicly supports Dumbledore's agenda, she pays attention to you. If you aren't, you don't matter, Sir. That's the honest truth." He finished defiantly expecting to get the usual adult admonishment for speaking badly about another adult.

Tom nodded solemnly. "That is the picture I see emerging."

The boy's eyes widened in surprise. "You believe me?"

"Yes. Is there any professor that would make you more at ease at the moment?"

"Professor Flitwick," Geoffrey murmured. "He cares about all of us."

"Speck, inform Professor Flitwick he is needed in my office, please."

Tom spent the time asking Geoffrey innocuous questions until Flitwick arrived.

"Come in, Professor. Even though Mr. Hooper is in Gryffindor he requested you be present for the admittedly uncomfortable conversation we need to have."

Flitwick glanced at the green folder on the desk then to the fourth year student. "Of course, I'll be glad to be witness and to offer any support necessary."

Tom noted the slight lessening of tension in the boy's posture. Waiting until Flitwick settled into a chair, Tom flipped open the folder. "Understand Mr. Hooper that you are not being singled out. Every student is being examined and every suspicious result is being questioned. I will not tolerate children being abused."

Geoffrey flushed. "No offense sir but what can you do about it?"

Tom's smile made them both shudder. "A lot, Mr. Hooper." He glanced at the report feeling his anger surging as it had when Emily first handed him the folder. Yes, he would help these children even if he had to send in his people with imperios and confundus charms to do so. "According to this you have had multiple breaks going back to your sixth year. You are also showing signs of malnutrition and a considerable amount of spell damage."

Geoffrey stared at his lap crimson with embarrassment.

Tom sighed. "Do you know why I am intolerant of abuse, Mr. Hooper?"

Geoffrey shook his head.

"Firstly, it is wrong. Children are innocent and helpless against the world. They should be treated with great care. Secondly, my grandfather grew up in a muggle orphanage. He was sorely abused."

At that the boy's head whipped up. "You Know Who?" He breathed out.

Flitwick stared at the man in well concealed shock. He knew he was speaking of himself.

Tom nodded. "Yes. The other children bullied him mercilessly. The house matron overlooked it or punished him when he reacted to the abuse because she saw him as a freak. He begged the Headmaster and Deputy for help and they refused. He grew up feeling no one cared. That festered within and twisted him into what he became. No one should feel unloved or inconsequential, Mr. Hooper. A child is a blessing, a gift and should be treated as such. If you read the paper recently you know my lovely wife was also severely abused and not helped by the headmaster."

"Who has been harming you, Mr. Hooper?" Flitwick asked gently.

The boy's gaze shifted back to his shoes. "My aura started graying after my sixth birthday. My family is very Light. My father…he says I couldn't be his. He hurts me to try and make my mother admit to an affair." Geoffrey blurted out. "The darker it gets the harsher he treats us."

Tom cursed quite fluently. "I shall file a petition with Child Services today, Mr. Hooper. In the meantime, we are setting up the West Tower as residences. You will remain here during the holidays and the summer. If there is anything at your home you wish to retrieve, I am sure Professor Flitwick won't mind accompanying you."

Geoffrey looked at him with hope shining in his eyes. "You really are going to help me?"

"Yes."

"My mother…she's a muggle." The boy stated challengingly.

"I see. So she's helpless against your father."

The boy blinked. That wasn't where he had been going. Everyone was saying this man was You Know Who or, as his grandson, just as bad. Yet here he was helping the students and their muggle parents out when the great Dumbledore turned a blind eye. "Yes."

"Will he harm her with you gone?"

"Maybe, I don't know." Tears gathered and spilled over. "I think he might."

Tom looked at Flitwick grimly. He reached into his desk and pulled out a bracelet. "This will let her see the castle if she decides to come with you. She can stay in the West Tower as well. We will change our society one family at a time if necessary."

"She won't like taking charity." Geoffrey muttered.

"Then she can earn her keep by reviewing the muggle studies course and making sure it's accurate and perhaps being as assistant to that class. She could grade the homework and help the professor come up with some muggle…field trips. I am certain she will not be the only one in need of help. We will make a list of things that need doing that muggles could do. Perhaps shops in Hogsmeade need assistants? We will ask."

Geoffrey's eyes widened in shock. Maybe Weasley was wrong. Maybe this wasn't the Dark Lord. Life and hope started to glimmer in his eyes. "Thank you, Sir."

HP/TR

Hari slid into the headmaster's office and quietly moved around the desk to settle on her husband's lap. She slid her arms around his neck and leaned her head on his shoulder.

Tom slipped his arms around her with a sigh. "Fifteen. Fifteen abused kids being ignored. Child Services is having a conniption fit. No matter how we try to minimize the fallout it will be in the papers. The best we can do is try not to reveal details of the abuse. Four of them have a muggle parent that is being abused as well that have been given the option of sanctuary here. The magical parents are going to be more difficult most of those are contracts and the wives are stuck."

"Helping the muggles will help refute the rumors of you being Voldemort."

"That's not why I did it." He hissed furiously. Did she honestly think that he was only helping these poor kids for his image?!

"I know, love. I'm not saying you are." Hari carded her fingers through his hair affectionately. "It is a side bonus though."

Tom tangled fingers in her hair and tugged her head up so he could kiss her. It had been a long day full of emotional children, threatening parents and outraged witches and wizards at Children Services. Now all he wanted was to lose himself in his beautiful wife.

Hari moaned softly and melted against him. Merlin, she loved this man! She tangled her fingers in his thick locks and poured her love into the kiss.

Tom heaved to his feet without breaking the kiss. He was halfway to their private quarters when a sharp rap on the door resounded through the office.

Tom lifted his head with a growl.

Hari sighed. "Put me down, love."

Tom set her on her feet, leaning his head against hers a moment before straightening up and tugging her with him as he moved back to his desk. "Come in," he growled as he settled in his chair.

The door opened and Fred and George entered. Shutting the door, they moved to stand before the desk bowing their heads respectfully before saying, "Lady Slytherin requested we come help." "So here we are."

Tom glanced at Hari. Hari shrugged. "Luna said they were needed." She frowned a moment then brightened. "For the kids…of course! Can you think of two people that would reassure frightened children and their muggle parents that they won't be hurt here better than these two?"

Two studied the two friendly pranksters. "No, actually I can't besides their father perhaps. Friendly, outgoing, fun loving but powerful and serious about protecting their charges."

Fred looked confused. "Muggle parents?"

"We found fifteen cases of abuse today in the mandatory physicals we performed. There are still nearly two hundred students left to examine tomorrow. Four had muggle parents – three mothers and one father, that were being abused as well. Luna had already opened the second floor of the west wing this morning and started refurbishing the rooms into residences with the help of a lot of the students and house elves. How would you two like to be over those families. Help the parents settle in, answer all their questions, introduce them to Hogsmeade and our world in general. The children will remain in their dorms with the option to spend an occasional night with family except the holidays where they will move in with their parent."

The twins settled into chairs and stared at each other thoughtfully. "We can spare a few weeks from the shop. If this is going to be a long term assignment we'll need to hire another helper or two and promote Lee to store manager."

"What about the other eleven kids?"

"They will be living in the wing during the holidays until child services finds safe homes for them."

"Always loved kids."

"Missed Hogwarts."

"Used to chaos and bickering."

"We'll do it."

Tom stood pulling Hari to her feet. "Well, come along then and we'll get you settled. You can introduce yourselves to the parents tomorrow. They are overwhelmed tonight."

Fred and George followed them out of the office. "Who are the fifteen?"

"Out of Gryffindor – April Mays, Geoffrey Hooper and his muggle mother, Leonard Nostrum. Slytherin – Martin & Kerrick Hoffner, Celia Filsmer, Bertie Britts and her muggle mother, Cassandra Pucey. Hufflepuff – Ernie MacMillan, Helga Norfitt, Kevin Whitby and his muggle father, Mason Gleary, Peter Hopsin and his muggle mother. Ravenclaw – Nathan Woodford, Stewart Ackerley."

"Some are worse than others. For some it was just lack of care – slight malnutrition, clothing, verbal degrading, bruising. Others have been under some very harsh curses and are suffering under curse residue, badly mended broken bones, severe malnutrition, lack of proper clothing. Two show signs of sexual abuse."

Fred and George flinched as the Dark Lord's magic reacted. He was obviously furious that people would treat their children so badly. His aura filled the corridor thick with compassion and fury.

'We've informed Children's Services that Hogwarts is willing to stand as guardian to those that they end up pulling from their parents until homes can be found. We agreed that in that situation their trust vaults will be used only for school related expenses and an agreed upon stipend. All other expenses will be covered by us just like any other guardian." Hari murmured.

"Here we are." Tom murmured pausing at the entrance to the west wing. He indicated the first rooms to the left and right. "Whichever you prefer."

Fred and George shrugged and picked the one on the left. Inside was comfortable looking furniture in neutral shades.

Tom called for a house elf and sent it after a copy of the children's files. "These are confidential," he stated with a stern look at the twins.

The twins solemnly swore to keep the information between them, the Riddles and the healer unless the child or the Riddles gave them permission to share it.

They looked more serious than Hari had ever seen them. "We'll meet with each of them individually and go over any concerns they have. We'll make sure they take their potions and show up for appointments. We'll even help with their schoolwork if they have problems. Big brothers to all of them."

"Even the snakes?" Tom asked seriously.

"We like snakes." Fred grinned. "Cunning little devils they are."

Tom grinned and relaxed slightly. "Filper is the house elf assigned to you. Call him if you need anything."

"Goodnight," Hari smiled and touched Fred's arm gently. "And thank you."

"No need to thank us, Hari. You two are doing a good thing here."