The Mutt who Lived
by Teddylonglong
All recognizable Harry Potter characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story. I am merely borrowing the characters to play with them.
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.
Warnings: Completely AU, partly OOC, Dumbledore/Weasley bashing.
If you don't like my stories, don't read them. I am only writing for my own fun and for those, who like reading my stories.
Together with everyone else, Neville stared at the empty spot, where his twin brother had been sitting an instant ago, realising that the man, who had thrown the Portkey at Harry, had already apparated away.
"We need to do something," he blurted out, horrified at his brother's kidnapping.
"He's on a cemetery, but he'll do all right," Luna spoke up, sounding not too worried, as she looked into the sky. "Let's go to the Unspeakables' office."
"Everyone," Neville addressed the others, "return to the school and inform the adults. Luna and I will go to see the Unspeakables."
HP
Harry found himself in what seemed to be a cemetery, where the man, whom he recognised as the one who had abducted him by the Portkey, bound him to a grave stone.
Quickly thinking, Harry waited, trying to not panic. As soon as the man turned away, he made himself invisible and transformed into his canine form, so that he was able to slip through the ropes. Knowing that he would be able to simply pop away at any time, even in his canine form, he hid behind one of the gravestones that were a bit away from the original spot to observe what was happening while being fairly safe.
'Unspeakable Ra, I was kidnapped to a graveyard, but I'm fine and safe. Just watching what's happening,' he thought to Arcturus, before he informed Inu and Neville, 'I'm fine. Just watching what's going to happen for a bit.'
'Harry, do you know where you are?' Arcturus responded immediately.
Harry looked around. Due to being in his dog form, his eyes were much better than in his human form, and he was able to read the inscription of the open grave. In front of the grave, his kidnapper and one other man seemed to be brewing something in a large cauldron. Another bowl stood a few metres away, and Harry saw an ugly creature lingering there, partly covered with black cloth.
'Here is the grave of one Tom Riddle,' Harry informed Arcturus. 'Is that Voldemort's father's grave?' he wondered, staring at the scene in front of him in shock.
A moment later, the adults of teams 5 and 18 along with Luna and Neville appeared right behind him, wearing their Unspeakable robes. Together, they observed how two of Voldemort's followers followed a ritual to resurrect Voldemort.
'They needed me to get my blood,' he realised, when one of the men said something about "Blood of the enemy forcibly taken", only to realise that he, Harry, was gone.
"You're complete idiots," the small creature roared in apparent anger, causing Harry to grin.
"Take your own blood," one of the men hissed at the other, who then proceeded to cut his own arm willingly giving his own blood for the ritual.
"It should have been an enemy's blood, you idiots," the small creature growled.
However, the obstacle did not hinder the men to resurrect Voldemort. 'Too bad that Inu isn't here, because he was swimming, when it happened. He'd be able to completely destroy that cauldron and Voldemort with it,' Harry thought, when one of the men gently laid the creature into the cauldron, from where a grown man emerged just a moment later.
Together with his colleagues and friends, he observed how Voldemort shouted for his wand and, receiving it from one of the men, called his Death Eaters, exploding in anger, when only three men showed up in addition to the two who had performed the ritual.
"Where is everyone else?" he roared. "Where are my trustworthy followers?"
"Probably dead, my Lord," one of the Death Eaters replied, bowing deeply. "The ministry caught them all and sent them through the veil."
"Malfoy," Voldemort replied in apparent recognition, "Boys and Larouche. Welcome me back. Crouch and Pettigrew, thanks for performing the ritual. Since I'm complete, I might forgive you for letting Potter get away this time."
'He hasn't seen his own ears yet,' Harry thought in amusement, as he took in the man's ears that looked more like a rat's ears than a human's.
"My Lord," the man whom Harry knew to be Malfoy spoke up, "why did you wish to have Potter here?"
"I wanted his blood and not that of Pettigrew," Voldemort replied in obvious anger. "He's my enemy. It's his fault that I failed thirteen and a half years ago."
"My Lord, it wasn't," Pettigrew spoke up in apparent fear. "It was Inu, the so-called Mutt who Lived, who bet you at that time, not the boy."
"Silence!" Voldemort roared. "You're telling me that my opponent of the prophecy is a dog?"
"Yes, my Lord," Pettigrew replied in a barely audible voice, causing Voldemort to see red.
When he began to punish his follower with magic, Arcturus motioned his group to leave, and Harry popped away, finding himself in the Unspeakables' quarters a moment later.
"Thank you so much for coming after me," he said, once he returned into his human form. "I suppose I need to go home though, in case they're worried."
"We'll all come with you," Arcturus spoke up, and the whole group popped right into the parlour at the MAMA, where everyone was waiting for a sign from Harry.
HP
Harry was still shocked about the happenings, not only because the evillest wizard he had ever heard of was back, but also because he had been directly involved or at least been supposed to be involved in the process.
To his relief, he did not have to explain anything. As the Unspeakables had observed everything, Arcturus took it upon himself to explain the happenings to the adults, especially to Amelia and to Alastor Moody, whom James had quickly called over.
First thing the following morning, the news was all over Britain, as the Daily Prophet reported everything they had heard from the Minister of Magic on its front page.
'Thank Merlin Amelia never mentioned my name,' Harry thought in relief after skimming the article.
HP
A few days later, the Daily Prophet announced that Cedric Diggory had won the Triwizard Tournament and in the second headline reminded the magical world that Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry was going to close in about a fortnight.
On June 15, Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry closed its doors forever, and on the following day, which was the first day of the summer holidays at the MAMA as well, Lily, James and Harry headed to the castle.
"We're going to have the house-elves bond themselves to you as the new owner of Hogwarts," Lily explained to Harry, who was accompanied by Inu and Lucy.
"Why not to you?" Harry asked in surprise.
"Because you're the heir of all four founders, so you're the owner of the castle," James informed him in a firm voice. "We're only here to help you."
=You'll manage all right,= Inu spoke up, shaking his fur, when all of a sudden, the Sorting Hat appeared and sat on the canine's head. =Get off of me,= Inu yowled, however, to no avail.
"I'm going to sit here during the bonding ceremony," Sopho insisted. "Stand close to your twin."
"Barney," James called the house-elf, who – according to Hogwarts herself – was the head house-elf.
The elf appeared in a blink. "Master James, Mistress Lily, Master Harry and Master Inu," he greeted them, bowing deeply.
"Barney, will you please perform the bonding ceremony for all the Hogwarts elves to bond to Harry?"
"Yes, Master James, with pleasure," Barney replied and pointed his hand at Harry – and in addition at Inu, who was sitting between his twin's legs – reciting a long incantation.
It seemed to last for an infinite time, before Barney let his hand sink and declared, "All Hogwarts elves are now bonded to Master Harry and Master Inu."
'I feel happy, Harry, you too?' Inu thought to him, and Harry full-heartedly agreed.
'Yes, it feels good,' he thought back, still surprised that the elves were bonded to Inu as well. 'It was probably Sopho's doing,' he thought in amusement, looking at the Sorting Hat, who was still firmly sitting on Inu's head.
"From this day onwards," Sopho suddenly spoke up, "I'm not going to sort students anymore, but it will be my turn to choose the headmasters. And no, before you protest, I have agreed on this procedure with Godric, my maker, years ago."
Before anyone could protest, he added, "I choose Harry and Inu as headmasters."
"Headmaster?" Harry replied in disbelief. "First of all, Inu and I are only fourteen, secondly, we've only finished our fourth-year, and thirdly, headmaster for what? Hogwarts is closed in case you haven't noticed."
"For the PAPA of course," Sopho replied, chuckling. "It will only open in one year's time, after you and Inu have taken your OWLs. You will be sixteen by then, and I'll be there to assist you in any case."
"Harry and Inu, don't worry about that now," their mother spoke up in a soft voice. "We have much time to thoroughly discuss the matter with Hogwarts as well as her founders." Turning to Barney, who had calmly listened to the conversation, she said, "Barney, will the house-elves please see to it that everyone – and I mean everyone including the former headmistress and her deputy – leave the castle during the rest of this month?"
Barney bowed deeply before promising, "Mistress Lily, the house-elves will see to it."
"Barney," Harry spoke up in a soft voice. "How many house-elves are here, who are bonded to Inu and me now?"
"397 house-elves, Master Harry," Barney replied, promptly.
"May I speak to all of them, please?" Harry enquired.
"If Master Harry wishes to do so," Barney said, pensively, "maybe we should do this in the Great Hall though."
Everyone agreed, and the Potters headed into the – fortunately empty – Great Hall.
After banishing the four house tables with a flick of his hand, Barney called the elves and informed them that they were now bonded to Harry and Inu.
Harry stepped in front of the group and addressed the elves.
"Dear elves of Hogwarts castle. I'd like to thank you all for working for Inu, me and in addition to my parents, Lily and James Potter. I'd like to speak with each of you for a moment, and at this time, I have one request." Realising that they were hanging on his lips, he added, "Please see to it that everyone, human or possibly Animagus, as well as any familiars of them, leave the castle within a fortnight. I will ask Hogwarts herself to adjust the wards to not let them in anymore if not on our request."
"Yes, Master Harry," the elves chorused.
"Done!" a voice, whom Harry knew as that of Hogwarts, informed him.
"Thank you, Hogwarts," Harry replied, smiling, only to add, "and thank you, my dear elves."
Informing his parents that they could return to the MAMA, as Inu and he would follow later on, he asked the elves to step in front of him, one by one, so that he could speak a few words with each of them.
During the next five hours, he spoke with each of the elves and asked them for their name, what they had been doing at Hogwarts so far and if they had any requests for him as the new owner.
There were a few elves, whose name he would not forget, such as little Jana, who asked him if she could bring something to drink for Inu and him – an offer that was very much appreciated after two hours of small talk with the elves.
By the time Harry and Inu returned to the MAMA, they felt somehow accomplished. =I think that was even more of a bonding than the earlier ceremony,= Inu muttered, as they walked through the empty corridors of the MAMA, where everyone was gathered in the atrium for dinner.
"I think so, too," Harry replied, smiling.
HP
During the summer holidays, Lily, James, Harry and Inu saw to the renovation of the old castle, which had never before been as empty as it was now, with Hogwarts' and the elves' assistance.
One day, when the four Potters came to visit her in the parlour of the founders' quarters, Hogwarts greeted them in apparent excitement.
"Please do me a favour," she added. "Place your hands or paws against my wall to support me with your magic. Will you do that for me? It might be a tad tiring for you though."
"Of course, Hogwarts," Harry was the first to reply. He headed to the nearby wall and firmly placed his right hand against it, noticing that his parents followed his example. Inu stepped right next to the wall under his own, outstretched arm, and put his right front paw against the wall in apparent determination.
A moment later, he heard a whispered "Thank you," before he felt his magic drain.
'I wonder what she's doing,' he thought to Inu, who turned his head upwards and gave him a reassuring look.
'I think she's modernizing herself,' the canine thought back.
It seemed like an infinite time to Harry, before the castle finally informed them, "All done. All my walls are clean and fresh now. Thank you so very much for your help. I hope that you're not too tired now."
"We'll be fine," Lily replied, smiling, as they all took their hands and paw from the walls.
"Your stone looks stunning," James commented, pointing at the nearest wall.
Harry let out a gasp. The wall that had been fairly dark and cold before, was now looking much brighter and warmer.
"Well done, Hogwarts," he added, thinking, 'If the whole castle is done this way, it was worth being a bit tired now. It's nothing compared to what she achieved.'
They quickly said good-bye to the castle and headed home to the MAMA to drink a dose of Pepperup potion.
Harry smiled, as he observed how Lily gently held out a spoonful of the liquid to Inu, who efficiently licked the potion off the spoon, sighing in apparent relief, when he felt the immediate effects.
HP
Too soon for Harry's liking, a very busy summer led into an even busier fifth school year. As it was their OWL year, the teachers burdened them with double the amount of homework as in the previous years.
"Thank Merlin we already know how to dance," Hermione said one day.
"Yeah, I can't believe that everyone else had their Dancing class during fifth year," Christa added, and Susan nodded her consent.
"It will be interesting to see if the boys manage to invite us as their partners," Daphne spoke up, smirking.
'Oh right, no one but the family knows that we had our own Yule Balls for three years now,' Harry thought in amusement, wondering whom he should invite. During the last three years, he had attended the unofficial Yule ball of the family together with Luna. 'Do I have to invite a girl from our class?' he wondered, when he recalled that Hermione had attended the official ball together with Percy three times now. He pondered the matter for a few days and only made his decision, when Dorea admitted to him in secret that Draco had invited her to the ball.
'Oh, then I'll just invite Luna again,' he decided. 'I just hope that she'll accept even for the official ball.'
HP
One day after their Unspeakable training on a Saturday morning, he kept Luna back. "Luna, will you come with me for a moment?" he asked in a soft voice. "I'd like to speak with you in private."
"Of course," Luna replied, giving him a broad smile.
Returning the smile, Harry reached out for her hand and popped the two of them right into the founders' quarters at Hogwarts, where the founders greeted them with enthusiasm.
"They know both of us from their portraits at the MAMA. I don't know why they make such a fuss," he mumbled, only to find him chastised by Salazar Slytherin.
Ignoring the founder's outburst for once, Harry motioned Luna to take a seat on the sofa in the living room, which his mother had conjured a few months ago.
Trying to look at the girl instead of the floor, he said, hesitantly, "Luna, would you like to accompany me to the official Yule Ball this year?"
'Ah, thank Merlin, I said it,' he thought in relief, letting out an unconscious sigh, before he hesitantly looked up only to see her smile at him in apparent amusement.
"Of course, Harry," she said, matter-of-factly. "Thank you so much for inviting me. I'm going to attend many Yule Balls together with you, you know," she added, giving him a dreamy look.
HP
There was only one thing that was different to the preparations for the unofficial Yule Ball. The participants of the official Yule Ball needed to get dress robes.
Harry was extremely glad that his mother accompanied him and Neville to Madam Malkin's branch in Dragonsedge during the first Dragonsedge day of the school year to buy dress robes for the twins as well as for Inu and Lucy. While Neville's and Harry's dress robes were dark blue with light green edges, the small robes for Inu were red and those for Lucy orange.
"Thank Merlin they're doing the robes for the canines as well," Lily uttered on their way back to the MAMA. "I really don't have the time to make dress robes for them."
"Couldn't you simply transfigure their school robes into dress robes?" Neville enquired.
"Yes, I could, but they're not as good as probably made ones, and for the official Yule ball, they should be proper ones," Lily replied, smiling at the canines, who were walking between Harry and Neville.
HP
Three days before the Yule Ball, the leaving feast took place, as the younger students and some of the older ones were going to return home with the MAMA Express the following morning.
Between the main course and the dessert, James stood from his chair to address the students.
"I'd like to make an announcement," he began to speak. "As many of you might know, Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry has closed its doors at the end of the last school year. Now, what most of you probably do not know is that our Harry here is the owner of Hogwarts castle. For a few years now, we have considered what to do with the castle after closing up Hogwarts."
He interrupted himself, when Sopho dashed into the atrium placing himself onto his head. "It's my thing to announce," the former Sorting Hat spoke up in a firm voice.
"No Sopho, be quiet for once," James replied. However, his attempt to continue his explanations was hindered by the Hat's loud scream of protest that was soon joined by Inu's barks.
=Shut up, Sopho, and let Daddy speak,= he growled at the ancient artefact – to no avail.
tbc...
Thank you so very much for the few but kind reviews for the previous chapter. Please let me know what you think of this chapte . My muse really appreicates the feedback.
Next chapter: "The PAPA".