(A/N: Hey guys, I'm back, sorry for the delay but the world has been a little bit crazy and in my neck of the woods that is no different. But I'm here now and I hope that you will enjoy this chapter despite the delay. Anyway, on with the show!)
A Cold Sleep
Part 31
If Tom was shocked to see any of them in the Ball Room that was rapidly becoming his Throne Room, he didn't show it at all. Instead he paused in his work and waved them to his side. Harry's mind was still reeling with the implications of what he had accidentally discovered and he needed his fiancé to know about it sooner rather than later.
"I admit I didn't expect to see you lot so soon. What developments have brought you here?" Tom questioned and reached out to pull Harry close to his side in a reassuring hug. Just as it took time for Tom to assemble the Throne Room, so too did it take time to assemble the persona that was Voldemort, and Harry figured that he was about halfway done with both.
"Pretty major ones I would say. Harry has had a realization that has dire implications for the Wizarding World at large," Severus spoke up, as Tom's apprentice he was most used to the Voldemort persona and thus the most comfortable with it.
"Why am I not surprised? It seems that we are not allowed to have even one day without something new cropping up. Is it Dumbledore?" Tom questioned softly, his voice already falling back into what Harry considered to be its default rather than the act.
"Dumbledore and the consequences of his actions and future demise," Remus informed grimly and gave a nod to Harry to indicate that he should be the one to explain the situation.
"Well, okay, so you know my cousin is a Wizard, apparently always has been, but with him just now showing magic we thought that it was because he was away from the Wards around the house. Well as it turns out there's a problem with that. Dudley went to a 10-month Boarding School just like I did. So he would have definitely been out of the influence of the Wards for long enough for his magic to show up at the school. Well we figure that Dumbledore has been throttling the influx of Muggle Born students to Hogwarts by Warding homes and schools as well as employing Binding spells to keep people from displaying magic," Harry explained carefully, hoping that in his slightly panicked state that he was doing a good job of employing the teachings of Mind Magic to keep himself from flying completely off the handle.
Tom said nothing for a long time as his expression turned from something hard and cold to contemplative and then to concerned. He raked his fingers back through his hair with his free hand and held Harry all the tighter with the other.
"We need his books, the notes and memories that are left in Hogwarts. Lucius is already away at work, you're the one with the next most Ministry connections. Could you make a raid on his office happen?" Sirius said plainly, his expression for once devoid of any joking or light-heartedness.
"He's already being investigated by the Ministry, but so far that only extends to the properties that he owned. Of course he would keep those things near at hand in the school," Severus elaborated and Tom frowned deeply.
"I believe that I can arrange a raid, yes, but I don't know how quickly one can be put together. Unless I put my own people on it, that is," Tom informed and Harry had to swallow a sense of fear.
"You're going, aren't you?" Harry whispered, looking to Tom and seeing that grim determination in his eyes.
"I've no choice. I was his apprentice for a very long time. I should be the one to go. I'm the one most likely to be able to undo any of the protections that he would have put into place," Tom said gravely in response and Harry sighed deeply.
"Then I'm going with you," Harry stated and Tom didn't fight, instead nodding his assent.
"We'll go with you as well. We'll need Hermione for the notes and journals, and likely Bill for the curses that are likely to be in place," Remus said gently.
"After the meeting I will make a visit to Lucius as the Ministry. We will inform them of our findings and get special permissions to search the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts. As much as I don't want to do this by the book, that is how it must be done this time. The Ministry will be the ones rounding up and protecting the countless Muggle Born Witches and Wizards that Dumbledore has Bound," Tom informed.
"But you're not officially back yet. I thought you were saving that for when we were going to the Nexus?" Harry said with concern.
"Some things cannot be helped. Besides, if I come to them now, I am more likely to receive the assistance of their forces when it comes time for us to commune with the Nexus," Tom stated with practicality that Harry felt jealous of him for possessing.
"Alright, what should we do then?" Harry questioned.
"You still have to write that letter to your cousin. Remus could you please be the one to speak with Hermione, I think that she trusts you to be honest with her. Sirius, do you mind speaking with Bill? I know that he helped you with Grimmauld before so hopefully he can be persuaded to help us now. Severus, I believe that now is an appropriate time to put you forward as my Apprentice in an official capacity, will you join me for this meeting?" Tom said in a calm and measured tone that no one saw fit to argue with.
They all nodded their agreement and Harry, Remus, and Sirius made their way back into the Manor proper, leaving Severus and Tom to finish converting the Ball Room ahead of the meeting. Harry wanted to talk to Bill and Hermione to impress upon them how much they would be needed but he trusted his Uncles to take care of the matters that they had been given to handle. No, once again Harry's sole duty was to write a letter.
He didn't quite know how to put the words together, but he would find a way to tell Dudley that he was Magical after all. While they didn't have a plan for how to deal with educating the influx of newly minted Wizards and Witches, he trusted that between the lot of them and the Ministry they would come up with something.
(A/N: Well that's it for now. I hope that you liked it and will leave me a review or a comment to let me know what you thought of it. As always thanks for reading and I hope to see you next time!)
