The wizarding world was rocked the next day when word hit the papers, and rumours spread like wild fire, Albus was dead. The ministry had tried to cover as much as they could, even Cornelius who always had it out for the man, but it was basically impossible for one to do. Albus had been found naked in the heart of the fountain which stood in the heart of the atrium at the ministry, where hundreds of people passed every day, for work and even more for business. He had been thought some statue at first, but soon people realized the body which was suspended on the tip of a spear in the hand of the centaur, was actually a living body or once was. Though aurors moved him as soon as they could, pictures were taken, and a second edition of the newspaper hit the stands for the day. The fact his tongue and genitals had been removed, even though he had been killed with the killing curse, was clear enough to them all.
The autopsy found his tongue and other body parts, including all his fingers, had been fed to him, well with a spell, for he had been dead before they were. They had found words carved into his chest, which hit the newspaper, proclaiming him, hero of the light side, a child molesting traitor of the light side. There had been rumours and accusations made by Tom when he was a student, that he had been molested by the headmaster, but no one had believed the troubled teen. What the public did not know, in the mouth where the tongue should have been, they had found corked bottles, memories.
Lucius and Severus were shocked when ordered to come to the ministry, and bring Harry with, but were assured by Moody they would be safe. Moody was not the only Order member in Cornelius' office as they arrive, Minerva and several others were there too, Minerva headmistress now.
Minerva looked at Harry and them. "Harry I had no idea he would ever go that far. I am sorry. You three are safe and welcome back within the school."
Lucius knew they might need to consider it but for now he turned to Cornelius. "Why are we here?"
Cornelius pointed to where a pensieve was projected onto the screen, and explained where they had been found. The first were memories from Tom, including being molested by Albus, and of Ron admitting he had been paid by Albus to be a full Death Eater, and perform what ever crimes needed. Ron it turned out had become a true Death Eater as they already assumed when he refused to be rescued from them, but the last two visions had made it clearer. Ron was seen giving over his own wand to Voldemort to use, and telling him of the truce Albus had called. They all watched in shock as Albus told Voldemort Harry was veela and heir to Gryffindor, and offering to work with the man until they could kill Harry, before he could kill them.
Cornelius confirmed the wand had been Ron's, used to kill and mutilate the body, and the memories had been checked to see if they had been altered, and had not Harry was the most shaken, including realizing Tom had been an orphaned and abused by Albus as he had, another thing they had in common.
Cornelius looked at them. "I was no fan of Albus but this will destroy our support if this comes out. I don't know how long we can keep it."
Moody agreed with him. "The rumours are already spreading and the pictures too. I don't think we can hide it. We simply need to come up with damage control."
They knew he was right, there were too many who had seen what was on the body, and the rumours would be worse then the truth, if that was even possible. They needed to act quick and decisive as they could, and ensure try and ensure they did not lose more support, the people were already scared. Many people in the first war were neutral, they had not wanted to be killed for fighting for good, and had assumed they had a better chance to live if they kept out. For purebloods and even half bloods in many cases, it was true enough, but they could not go that path again. Voldemort had nearly won last time because people had been too afraid to fight him, and if it had not been for Harry and that Halloween, he may have won.
After sharing a look, Cornelius was permitted to show the others the memories from Sybil, and Albus' betrayal was sealed. The knowledge Harry had never been the boy who lived, well some prophesized hero, rung through the room; he had been a pawn for Albus and his mother alone saved him.
Moody who seemed to be head of the Order and Minerva of the school spoke. "I never understood why we put our hopes on a child as it was. It seemed impossible."
Harry spoke for he had support of his mates. "He was right though, I am a veela, and with my mates and training from my new found family, I may still be able to."
Though the others were willing to consider anything, shaken by the betrayal of their boss, and all the news, they were not sure. Harry was no longer the child prophesized to destroy the Dark Lord, and if they did not have to risk the boy in a war, they definitely would do all they could not to.
Minerva said it again. "You should come back to school. If you're truly the heir of Gryffindor, you belong there. Your family and the others can come."
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Harry and his mates turned down the offer to return to school for now, for there were still risks there, besides Harry needed his family. Hermione was staying as well, for there had been threats against her even since Albus went down, and she was safer here with the boys They were joined by Luna soon enough as well when her father had been attacked and narrowly escaped with his life, three days after Albus, and suspicion had it that it was their side who had. There were many people who were claiming the ministry had killed Albus and were simply trying to make him a monster, and those who supported Harry and his group, came under attack. Xeno for now was running his paper from the headquarters of the underground, and was ready to leave for France, if it was needed.
Harry had been spending more and more time with the veelas, both his mates, and his new family. Harry's brothers and Hermione, even Draco, tried not to feel jealous, for they knew how much finding his family meant to him and he needed the training, but they could not help it, and his godfathers were not much better either. Harry's cat, Snowball, adopted since Arabella had died, had been terrorized by Padfoot who had been told by Remus to find a constructive way to deal with his energy
Luna had come in on one of the sessions and Corsica was surprised "You have some veela in you if I am not mistaken."
Luna had never told her friends but she nodded. "My mother was a full veela, from an Irish strain. She died when I was little though and I do not know her clan."
Harry had always thought that she could see the future, or part, for she seemed to know what was happening before it did. It turned out while the trait was rare in French veela, like his grandfather, some other strands including the Irish veela, often had some skill for prophecy Many human seers had some veela blood in them and though Luna had no control, hers came more like de ja vous to her, she showed some of Cassiopeia Lovegood's skills
Corsica motioned her to join "My grandson says you have an interest in healing. I would encourage you to come visit our clan with him when the war is over."
Luna was surprised but smiled. "My father always regretted he never met my mother's clan, so I had no contact with them. I would like that."
The old woman admitted she knew no Irish Veela but thought it would not be hard to track down her clan, and offered when the war was over, to help. But she was welcome to visit theirs, and she could learn a lot of healing there too. And from that moment Luna joined Harry's mates in being part of his training, for though he needed his mates to fight with him, and Luna it could not hurt for her to study as well.
