Chapter 15
The next morning… "Harry what's bothering you?" Luna asked which got the attention of the rest of the girls.
"Yesterday events are just bothering me to distraction."
"Well just don't sit there looking like you're trying to hatch an egg, spit it out!" Tracy growled.
"Girls I don't even know where to start."
"Why don't you try the beginning?" Susan giggled.
"Okay, what was Voldemort trying to prove yesterday? He only brought a handful of death eaters, why not a hundred or two hundred?
Hannah started with my normal, "Err… Maybe he was just showing off. Showing he could get into the school and you did hear all that rhetoric he was spewing."
"You know Hannah's got something there. He only brought cannon fodder with him. Prime example was Ron Weasley." Susan added.
Enough! I thought…We are leaving Hogwarts for an extended break…I'm not up to being asked every time I leave Potter Manor 'What happened?' The Daily Profit was never enough when Harry Potter could be harassed.
"Ladies, what do you think of a vacation starting in France?" I got an all girl Rugby Scrum.
/Scene Break/
The goblins were happy to provide all kinds of documentation and airplane tickets.
First thing we did was rent a villa. While I was sure one of my titles would have property in the area I just wasn't willing to take any chances.
The first thing we found was that you need a car and an area map to reach Puerto-Vecchio's beaches. So we grabbed a taxi and headed down and I rented a car with an automatic transmission. The hard part of learning to drive was getting out of the parking lot. We found pure white sand left by brilliant turquoise water and more people than you can count. The villa had a pool and with our house elves it is starting as a quite an enjoyable couple of weeks.
This was actually an introduction to the Muggle world for my ladies and while I was not totally ignorant we all learn a lot.
Next was Las Vegas but not for long as Tracy would put my last knut in the slot machines as she was positive it was going to pay on the next spin, She would bet her life on it! Daphne had to physically drag her off the machines. On the other end all Luna did was "Oh that one looks like fun!" One play and jackpot. Luckily the wins were only a couple of thousand each. We as a group decided this place was not for us.
Next was California beaches and sun. Merlin what a Looney bin. We were verbally accosted because of our Europen clothes and accents. A couple of days later we tried to attend a lecture on an interesting subject at one of their colleges. The rioters tried to injure the attendees using bats and other physical violence. They lost! Their cameras only saw the attackers scream and collapse. A left-hand approach to non-verbal discussions was my part of the discussion.
/Scene Break/
All good times always ends and soon we were back at Potter manor and as it was time to return back to school. We were shocked at the news papers and the Daily Profits articles. Who would have thought that Voldemort would find more supporters and be raising hell while we were gone? And where was I they were asking. I wished I could tell every one "I was having a great time, why do you ask?"
"So when are we going shopping?" Daphne asked
"Looking over the papers we best send the elves". I could just see the mobs of people demanding that I do something.
"We need to do another article" Luna suggested.
"Not a bad idea my love but what should be the theme? Help your selves or go to hell."
"Don't antagonize possible supporters Harry" Daphne growled
"Why not stay neutral and just say you support the ministry to handle the situation." Hanna suggested
"And don't forget to add that the best to handle this in the ministry is Madam Bones" Susan giggled
"Anything to add Tracy?"
"No Harry. I'm just worried about what that lunatic will do over your article. Do they burn down the ministry or go after us and our families."
"Not a bad summation Tracy. Everyone, invite your families to live here. Potter manor wards are rivaling Hogwarts."
There was a bit more information the Potter family where not aware of…
/Scene Break/
As the elves brought in all the require school items Hedwick brought in a request from Gringotts to appear the next afternoon.
Upon arrival at Gringotts we found that the request came from the ministry as Rufus Scrimgeour wish to introduce himself as the new Minister of Magic.
"What happened to Fudge?" I blurted out.
"Got kicked out after all the student deaths." Dumbledore left you this for you." Scrimgeour grinned like it was a big honor on my part.
/Scene Break/
Dumbledore pensive with all his memories which of course were totally useless. Apparently Dumbledore was expecting Harry Potter to go on horcrux hunt...There was a bit more information the Potter family was not aware of…
/Scene Break/
September the 1st arrive and the Potter Family floo'ed to platform 9 ¾. The ministry had informed us thru the goblins we could return to Hogwarts. I wondered why Scrimgeour hadn't told us at our last meeting. Apparently our extended vacation had been excused.
The welcoming feast was not a happy occasion. I could only watch and wonder when I'd fallen down the rabbit hole.
There were new professors at Hogwarts. Horace Slughorn was announced by Professor McGonagall as the new potions professor. Snape as the new DADA professor was dessert but to find out the ministerial idiots had appointed Dolores Umbridge as headmistress was the last straw. Everyone that had a wayward thought knew she was a ministry lacky of the worst sort. Besides wasn't she supposed to be dead at my hands? Well maybe I would have a chance this time to make it permanent.
The welcoming feast had just ended when professor McGonagall requested I accompany her to see the head mistress of the dark.
/Scene Break/
Note sooner than we had walked into the office...
"It will be no need for you to sit down Potter! Your time here at Hogwarts is limited. The minister has been way too gracious in allowing you back. You and your whores will report to your individual house dormitories where you will reside. No more special treatment! I'm looking for an excuse to expel you and snap your wand. Get out of my office!"
Heading to our quarters… "What's the plan Harry?" Daphne queried.
"First off we can change schools; the second is that we can hire tutors. But right now we are all heading to the manor and not another school? Luna is ready to send off a new article for the quibbler…
/Scene Break/
After arriving at the manor we headed out to one of the heated patios. As we sat around the round table heaps of sandwiches piled on trays appeared with flagons of juice, and plates of pudding cakes for Luna.
"Ladies I am tired. I want your input and suggestions on how to deal with or not deal with this Dragon dung that appears in my life. I'm tired of being a liar in their opinion and the next minute I am a hero. Umbridge is a great example, Hogwarts stops her from hexing into oblivion, then I'm accused of killing her, then they appoint her as headmistress. Something has got to be done to stop this madness."
"Well the current political system isn't going to assist us as it is full of purebloods and death eaters." Susan stated the obvious.
"Daphne turned an intense glare on him." With that damned prophecy released to the general public means you will be dueling him one on one once again. You don't honestly think the public is going to help, do you?"
"Well I think we should attack publicly as the prophecy is now public. I vote we scare the pants off the public." Luna beamed brightly and grabbed some more pudding.
"This does seem like a strange nightmare with the fates laughing their asses off. Voldemort has been scaring the people but also draining all of their hopes and happiness.
The Conversations continued as everyone helped themselves sandwiches and drinks. Suggestions and angles of attack came forward.
/Scene Break/
This is a public service announcement courtesy of the quibbler!
Harry Potter not available due to Ministry interference and the Headmistress of Hogwarts threats.
Ministry has seen fit to install Umbrage as headmistress. Upon arrival Harry Potter was called to her office and threatened with expulsion. This threat was also done by the previous Minister of Magic. Harry Potter was not available for an interview. We remind the public of the prophecy (see page 2). If Harry Potter is found, his wand will be snapped, and his magic bound… Tom Marvel Riddle/He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, wins.
Correspondent, Luna Lovegood
We were not sure exactly what the ministry could or would do. We had completed our owl testing so neither my wand being snapped nor my magic being bound is legal but who knew exactly what the ministry would do? Hadn't they thrown Sirius Black and Azkaban without a trial?
Within a week Umbitch was gone and McGonagall was appointed headmistress. The magical public had turned into Californian demonstrators. Instead of using baseball bats etc. wizards use magic; the damage caused appeared the same.
/Scene bBreak/
Gringotts again notified me that the Ministry and Hogwarts were more than happy for me to return with open arms. They even stated that I was forgiven all my past indiscretions. Yea! Right! I informed them that I was returning but I wished to wait a week or two so that the uproar had a chance to settle down.
/Scene Break/
The girls were somewhere doing some girly things so I headed to my office. I needed to think in some quiet place. Voldemort I had faced and through sheer luck I had most times won but he kept coming back. If Bill Weasley was correct Voldemort was not using his horcruxes, although he thought he was, or did he? The weapon he knows not had to be my left hand but how could he not know that?
My mind was cooperating as I searched it for... Something! I was looking across the room and not particularly seeing anything when my sight landed on Dumbledore's pensive. And my thoughts landed on what Voldemort had last said 'And use their power as I wish' or 'I draw my power' from my faithful followers'. There was something else rattling around my brain but then the door and the girls were alive and happy and dragged me from my office and my thoughts.