A/N: Harry Potter and his world belongs to J.K. Rowling, Warner Brothers and anyone that has received licensing rights. I am grateful she gives us the privilege of playing in her world.
A/N2: Another huge thank you to my beta reader Ravenclaw Midnight Blue.
A/N3: Its been a long break as I had a bit of a slump in this story, and spent some time to work out an outline how to finish this story. I hope to getting back to post every 1 or 2 weeks until it is done.
-oOo-
Chapter 64
-oOo-
January 11, 1996
The Waterfall, somewhere in Britain
Harry stood next to his Uncle Sirius. They stood next to Uncle Remus. On the other side Lady Greengrass stood with Harry's mother. Everyone else staying at the Waterfall was looking at them as Mr. Tonks stood before them.
His mother had been hoping to wait until Easter. Harry had no clue as to why, but she had. Given the events of the last week, Uncle Remus and her had asked Mr. Tonks to officiate a marriage bond.
Secretly, Harry had a feeling his mum wasn't quite ready to let go of his father yet, and Uncle Remus was not pushing, happy to be with her and to have their daughter. His sister.
Now his mother stood in a rather flattering blue dress and Uncle Remus in his best suit. It was a small and intimate affair that Harry liked quite a bit. When he finally married Luna and Astoria, he wanted something more like this.
"Do you, Remus John Lupin, accept the bond of love and friendship that your fiancée freely offers?" Mr. Tonks asked.
His hand was over Harry's mother's. "I accept."
"Do you offer to give her your own love, friendship, provide for her and be at her side, until the end of your days?"
"I freely offer all I am and stand beside Lily for as long as she will have me," Uncle Remus responded.
His mum hit his hand. "I have no plans to throw you out," she commented.
A few laughed. It was a light moment.
Mr. Tonks chuckled before turning to his mum. "Lily Jane Potter, do you accept the bond of love and friendship that is freely offered?"
"With all my heart," she responded.
Uncle Remus smiled at her.
"Do you offer to give him your love, friendship, provide for him and be at his side, until the end of your days?"
His mum hesitated for just a moment. "Until my dying day and beyond," she told him.
Uncle Remus stiffened and Lady Greengrass smiled. Harry knew she wasn't giving up on James Potter, but he had been dead fifteen years now. She was finally letting him go.
Someone sniffed and he turned his head to see Astoria dabbing at her eyes.
"All you bear witness to this bonding, please raise your wands as we give our boon and blessing to acknowledge the bonding of these two under magic and the law of our lands," Mr. Tonks instructed them.
Everyone that had a wand raised it. As Mr. Tonks chanted something in Latin, all their wands started to glow a pleasant pink.
"Quod amor duorum illorum praedicate testimonium ferre. Et oratio fidei cura aliis. Per eorum benedictiones capiant ueteribus sanguinis obligare. Et oblinito noster accipere boon vinculum suum."
At the last word, the pink lights leaped from their wands to the hands that were held together. It shown a bright pink before fading.
"It pleases me to present Mr. Remus Lupin and Mrs. Lily Lupin-Potter. You may kiss," Mr. Tonks said and they all cheered.
Harry could call Uncle Remus his father now. Luna came up to him first. "I want our vows to be like that," she told him, taking his hand.
Astoria was just behind. "My mother will want a large wedding. I agree though, I want vows like that." Astoria wrapped her arms around the one he was holding Luna's hand with.
"I'll do whatever you two want," Harry promised.
Astoria kissed him on the cheek.
-oOo-
January 21, 1996
Hogsmeade, Scotland
Luna clutched Eira as the portkey dropped them onto a stone circle with a tent roof over it. Snow and sleet were coming down and the pattering was loud on the tent.
Harry had a hand on her arm, and Astoria clutched his other so that they would not fall. Seconds after they landed, he walked them away from the old Daily Prophet they had used. Another group appeared about fifteen feet from them. Neville, Hermione and Daphne were next to them.
"This way. Please line up and be scanned before you take a carriage," an Auror called out.
Luna had had almost a month with only her closest family and friends. Her powers had slowly returned over that time and she felt she could do this now. Her thoughts of Harry and Astoria were keeping the stray visions that wanted to come to her away. It probably helped that most around them right now were not in imminent danger or rushing off into it.
Since the attack on Grimmauld Place, a few other pitched encounters happened, but the Circle had a sense that things had not gone well for Voldemort in what was supposed to be a quick coupe de gras.
Eira was squirming in her arms, not having enjoyed the portkey.
"Let's get on the carriage first," she encouraged her kneazle. Luna didn't want to lose Eira, especially on such a bad weather day.
A few dozen other students were in line before them. It had been setup for portkeys from King's Cross Station to the new portkey facilities in Hogsmeade. The Hogwarts Express had not been there, but many Aurors had been. They had gone through a security check at the station, and now needed to go through another.
None of them said anything. Once through, Luna wanted to pet the thestral. It had been far too long since she had gone to visit them. She hadn't had an opportunity. Professors Flitwick and Vector were there, shuffling everyone into the carriages.
"Hey, wait a second," they heard someone calling out. It was Ron. They paused to wait for him and Ginny to join them. They both looked dour, but in better health than she thought they might be. Luna moved to Ginny and hugged her. Eira took the opportunity to finally jump out of her arms, but the kneazle stayed at her side.
"I am sorry," Luna told Ginny. "Your dad will wait for you all."
Ginny nodded her head against Luna's. Ginny was a little taller than Luna now. "Thank you."
"Where's Fred and George?" Harry enquired, looking around.
Ron frowned. "They decided not to come back."
Harry just nodded. The seven of them got into a carriage.
"You doing alright?" Neville asked Ron.
"Mum is still a wreck," Ron answered.
"My father has offered any aid you need," Astoria told Ron.
Ron nodded his head. "Yeah. Bill left Gringotts and took a job with your family."
They knew this, but they hadn't seen the Weasleys in more than four weeks. Luna took Ginny's hand. Ginny held it tight.
"How have you been doing?" Ron put to Neville.
Neville shrugged. "You know," he responded.
Ron nodded. They had all been through some traumatic experiences over the break. The mood was sombre and remained so as they sat at their tables. As the hall filled in, Luna realized people were missing. She was fighting all the visions that wanted to come, but it was easier. Most were just normal stuff. The classmates around her weren't in the constant life-threatening moments that those at Grimmauld Place had been. Astoria held her hand and she leaned her head against Harry.
Many of the students in fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh years that had dark auras at the Slytherin table were missing. Maybe a quarter or more of each year. A few from all the Houses were missing.
At the head table, only Hagrid and Babbling were seated so far. The massive golden chair of Dumbledore had been replaced with a much more modest one. It suited Professor McGonagall.
After the last students came in, the solid clack of the main door echoed in the hall. The Professors walked up to the Head table and Harry nudged Astoria. Luna looked up. A squad of five Aurors stood just outside the Great Hall doors.
McGonagall stood before the table, waiting for the hall to become quiet. It didn't take long, Luna looking around. The students, her friends, and the other people she looked at as close acquaintances all seemed less dark. More luminous. It was a comfort, even if many were scared.
"Welcome back to those that have made it back. I would like to start this term off with a good and happy start, but I am afraid that is not what I can offer tonight."
She looked around the hall, many with long faces and other dour looks. "You will get to your meal shortly, but I have some important news and rule changes to discuss."
The hall remained silent. "As you all know, Albus Dumbledore died during the festive holiday after a fight against You-Know-Who. Nineteen brave souls gave their lives in the fight. Since then, others have been killed. Many have not returned to these halls of learning. I want it to be known that all students were offered a chance to return. Some have chosen not to, while others were removed to either be treated at St. Mungo's or to stand trial. Hogwarts will not host anyone that believes they can serve You-Know-Who – and this place will be a safe haven for all those that wish it," McGonagall said with a finality that none of them had heard before.
"You think Draco and others were taken for trial?" Harry asked.
"I think Draco didn't return," Luna told them.
"The berk deserves the veil," Astoria stated.
"Where is Snape?" Harry asked. Luna looked at the Head table. She had assumed he would be late. A rather portly man sat in the potion master's typical seat. She also noticed a woman with a rather spectacular silver aura. She hadn't seen an aura like that before. A third new teacher was at the end of the table. The man had a curious look as he scanned the hall. A rather large moustache and pointy goatee made her think of old caricatures of Spanish men.
"To keep you safe, there will be some rather large rule changes and other safeguards. Firstly, Hogwarts and Hogsmeade will play host to Aurors. You will see them around the castle at all times. You are encouraged to approach an Auror or Professor with anything you see out of the ordinary. They are here to protect you, and will not step in unless needed."
"Secondly, the library will close at eight every night and curfew for all students shall become eight-thirty," McGonagall stated. Murmuring and other protests started. McGonagall put her wand to her throat.
"This is non-negotiable. Prefects and the Head Girl and Boy will adhere to this rule. No student is to be out of their dorms after eight-thirty unless accompanied by a Professor or Auror. If you are found, it had better be an emergency or you will suffer twenty points and a week's worth of detention."
"She is serious," Harry whispered.
"That is quite enough," McGonagall's amplified clip echoed in the hall. "I do not need to tell you what is outside this castle. I know you can all act mature. Let me get through the other changes."
"Thirdly, all doors in and out of the Hogwarts castle will be locked a half-hour before sundown and until a half-hour after sunrise. If this affects any classes, your Professor will know how to work around this."
McGonagall scanned the hall. There were a few whispers, but most were respecting her.
"Fourthly, the grounds and lawns will be open to you, but you are under no circumstances to enter the Forbidden Forest or the Black Lake. Any student that is found out of bounds will be checked for items, charms or potion effects that could be detrimental to the student or those around them. If you are caught more than once, it will be an in-house suspension, and then expulsion on your third infraction," she stated and the hall was dead quiet.
"I cannot stress enough the dangers that are around right now. All these measures have been approved by the Ministry and Board of Governors - and you all agreed to these rules when you sent back your letters last week."
The woman's severe expression made sure everyone knew this was the way it was. There was no threat. You either followed the rules or you did not.
"The last major change before I get into the new teacher assignments is that Hogsmeade and all trips thereto shall be off limits for the rest of the year."
There was a loud ruckus at this.
"What is going to happen to those that don't return?" Yvette asked across from them. The blood laws had not changed and many of those missing would fall under the laws. "Your father can't be condemning them to have their wands snapped? Or not to get their NEWT's?"
"We are trapped just as all those that need to get their OWL's," Astoria told Yvette. "If someone choose not to return, that is their choice. Half the people I see missing, it was their own parents that voted to pass the educational law, and most of them have not returned to the Wizengamot. I feel little remorse for them."
"But what about Charlette? I may not like her, but I don't see her," Yvette pressed.
"All those that want to return have until next weekend. If they do, they do," Astoria responded.
"I don't see many of them returning," Luna wistfully stated.
McGonagall started to talk again, not looking pleased at the time it took her to get the Great Hall under control. "That is enough. You can talk in a few minutes. The last few announcements I have are staffing changes. An old professor has agreed to come out of retirement after Professor Snape was required to take a sabbatical. I would like to introduce Professor Horace Slughorn, our returning Potions Master."
There was applause. Many had heard of the man from their parents.
"Next, the Auror department has given leave for us to accept Auror McLaggen to teach the O.W.L. years and up. Professor Lupin will return and take the younger years," Professor McGonagall said. The woman with a silver aura stood. "I assure you precautions have been made and Professor Lupin will not be on Hogwarts grounds to protect you all during the full moon," Headmistress McGonagall told them.
Luna smiled at that. She looked forward to learning from Mr. Lupin again. It would also mean that Calla would be close by.
"Professor Caradoc…" The man at the end of the table stood in response to his name being called out, "…shall be one of the Transfiguration professors for the younger years."
"The last staffing change shall be Professor Lupin-Potter, who will be teaching the O.W.L.'s and up."
Luna smiled wider. They had been told this would happen, but they had not been told how it would be split. Luna knew this was as much to keep Lily close to Neville as it was to protect them.
Yvette looked at them. "Your mother is going to be teaching us?" she asked excitedly. There were many at the Ravenclaw table that were looking towards her Harry. Lily was very well known.
"She will teach you next year," Harry pointed out.
Yvette looked very excited. "I don't care. I get to learn from Lily Potter."
Luna smiled as many around them looked just as eager as Yvette. Food appeared on the table and Luna was happy to eat. She needed food. Later, she needed to spend time with her loves. For now, she was happy that she could be around so many again.
-oOo-
Hogwarts, Scotland
January 26, 1996
It was a chilly day with a cold breeze as it was close to sunset. Harry and Luna needed the fresh air after their last class and before dinner. Harry had put his normal warming charms on them as they walked out the training ground doors. After the initial escalation of war, the Death Eaters had been mostly quiet in the last two weeks.
Mrs. Potter told them last night she believed they took heavier losses than was previously thought. Not that the Circle hadn't either, but losing the Ministry and the purge that Astoria's father had done had taken many resources away that Mrs. Lupin-Potter thought the Dark Lord was relying on.
The fact that three of the man's richest followers were either dead or in Azkaban also hurt.
Some of the families that had left the Wizengamot were coming back. A slow trickle of students had been coming back to Hogwarts as the new Ministry Buildings and underground were being constructed in Hogsmeade.
From the school, three new buildings could be seen going up. No one wanted to see the entire Ministry in one place again with only a few ways out. They looked like turn-of-the-last-century stone buildings with lots of windows. Other constructions could be seen around Hogsmeade as well. For the first time in a century the hamlet was expanding. A dozen or more new houses were being built and a small section of the town centre was being converted to row houses.
"Mum says the new anti-portkey and anti-apparition wards should be completed in a few days," Harry told Astoria.
They were floating over the top of the castle looking towards the town. The restrictions of broom flight had been lifted somewhat, allowing students to use the practice field, quidditch pitch and in between. Headmistress McGonagall was trying to provide activities to the cooped-up population of teens.
Luna had her arms wrapped around Harry on his Firebolt. Ginny and Ron were flying with them today. Both had stuck closer to Harry and Neville since getting back.
"Father says there are another two dozen requests for new houses. Many are leaving London and other places. With the Ministry eventually going to be here, it makes more sense to live in or around Hogsmeade," Astoria confirmed.
"We'll never be able to find a place at the Three Broomsticks," Ron lamented.
"I am sure there will be more businesses and other stuff. After the attack on Diagon Alley I think Hogsmeade is going to become a lot busier," Astoria assured him.
"I like the colours. It is a rather pleasant purple surrounding the town now," Luna told them.
"I wonder what ward that is," Harry spoke up, honestly curious.
Luna looked at it for a moment. "I don't think anyone will be able to fly into the town."
"Bill said he was looking into a new place for us here. He isn't sure the Burrow is protected enough," Ginny told him. "He is also really busy with the goblins now that he is in charge of the Goblin Relations Office."
Astoria nodded. Father had told her that the Greengrasses were going to commission a new town house in Hogsmeade as well. The little hamlet of only a few hundred was probably going to house a few thousand by the time the new war with You-Know-Who was over. It would be one of the largest, if not the largest, wizarding settlements in Europe.
Astoria was wondering if other wizarding places like this would become more popular, especially with the ever-expanding Muggle population.
"You want to go down to the pitch?" Ron asked.
"Race you," Harry told him with a smirk. Luna smiled as she hugged him tight and Harry took off. Astoria saw it coming and was right on his heels. He didn't push the Firebolt so Astoria pulled ahead. Ginny was on a newer Cleansweep Eleven, something Bill had got her being a Chaser, while Ron was on his Cleansweep Seven. It was a better broom for a Keeper, or so Harry said.
Harry and Luna felt more relaxed to Astoria, and she smiled as she flew through a goal post first. Ginny came up to them. "You got better," the redhead complimented.
"We've trained in case we ever need to make a fast get away," Daphne responded.
Harry took on a pensive look, then smiled as Luna whispered something to him. Astoria wanted to know and figured she would find out later.
They spent a while chasing around the pitch before heading in for dinner. Tonight, they were going to eat with the Lupins and play with Calla. After saying goodbye to the Weasleys, they made their way up to the third floor, Harry taking Astoria's hand as Luna hugged his side, his other arm around her.
"I'm white, and used for cutting and grinding," the raven's head started. "When I'm damaged, humans usually remove me or fill me. For most animals I am a useful tool. What am I?"
"The question should be what type of tooth are you," Luna answered. "Not all teeth are designed to both cut and grind."
If the Raven could smile, it would have. "Excellently put," it jovially replied as the door opened.
As usual, even on a Friday afternoon, less than an hour before dinner, the common room was full. Most were studying or silently talking with friends. A small group of first and second years were playing a game of gobstones in a corner. Ten of their number had not returned and Astoria figured they never would.
Many greeted them, even the six and seventh years. Harry took a slight detour towards Cho, Marietta and Roger. The three older Ravenclaws made a spot for him to sit. Luna took her hand. "We will talk with them later," Luna assured her.
Astoria just liked the intensity in Harry. He was not hiding his power, though she doubted he realized it. The older Ravenclaw made small signs of deference to him. It wasn't out of fear or the obvious dominance Harry could have, it was more respect and friendship than anything else.
"What is he discussing with them?"
"I think he wants to get all the Circle and others together that were protecting the younger years from Umbridge," Luna told her.
She had suspected that. "He isn't going to set up some defence force or something, is he?"
Luna shook her head. "We have the duelling club for that. Harry just wants to make sure everyone is doing well and if there is anything we, or the Potter's Circle, can do for anyone."
"I thought Mrs. Lupin-Potter was handling that?" she asked Luna. Harry had not talked with them about this.
"She is, but everyone knows and trusts Harry and Neville more. This is a recent thought," she told Astoria.
Astoria nodded. "I want to get changed out of this Quidditch gear."
Luna moved in and on tip toes whispered into her ear. "Can I get changed?"
Astoria felt a shiver run through her as the breath ran across her skin. "Then we would never make it to dinner."
"So?"
Luna's mischievous smile and the way her sky-blue eyes looked dreamily enticing had Astoria raising an eyebrow. After a moment, she took Luna's hand. "I am getting changed myself. You, on the other hand, I still owe you from the other night."
Luna took on a very dreamy smile, her voice sounding a little pouty. "You didn't complain then."
Astoria returned the smile. "And I won't complain now."
Harry's Nimbus 2001 dropped to the floor as soon as the door closed to their room. Astoria took Luna's hips and pulled the smaller girl to her. Luna didn't protest as she was pressed into the wall and Astoria took control this time. Their little pixie had seemed to instigate the more interesting encounters they had, and she had a side to her that she liked to see the effects on Astoria and Harry as the blonde 'played' with them.
This time Astoria was going to have none of that. Luna was as much hers as she was Luna's. Luna moaned as Astoria's hands roamed over her body. The girl's breasts were not as heavy as her own, but they were perfect for the blonde. Luna wove her hands into Astoria's hair as Astoria trailed kisses down her neck.
Luna's trousers, blouse and bra were soon on the floor. As Luna tried to remove Astoria's clothes, Astoria grabbed the girl's wrists gently. "I said I would change myself."
" You just get to do what you want to do, then?" Luna questioned her, the blue eyes looking into Astoria's hazel eyes intent and wanting what was coming.
Astoria smirked. "In good time," she told Luna. Luna giggled as Astoria pulled her over to the bed and pushed Luna back. As Luna watched, Astoria shed the gear and only dropped her trousers. Luna didn't seem to like that, but didn't complain when Astoria dropped down and ran her hands up Luna's legs, then her sides and then teased around her breasts.
Luna squirmed a little as Astoria teased her, her head now between Luna's thighs. Luna had done this twice to her now in the last few weeks. It was Astoria's turn. "Please," Luna begged, moving her head up enough for Astoria to meet the sky-blue eyes.
Astoria took her time. Luna liked to play, but when it came to Harry or Astoria doing it to her, Luna liked to get right into it. Luna's whole body shivered when Astoria kissed her inner thigh, her hands finally touching Luna's breasts. "Please," Luna begged again.
Astoria smiled. She had to agree, it was kind of fun to control and see the effects of her ministrations. When she finally put her mouth to Luna's slit through the material of her knickers, Luna let out a really cute squeak, before groaning. Luna moved to take off her knickers and Astoria lightly tapped her hands, like Luna did to her at times.
In a stuttering breath, Luna said, "You play mean."
In response, she moved to the nib just under Luna's mound and Luna bucked and drove her crotch into Astoria's face. The moan made Astoria's knickers wet. She did this for a few more minutes before finally taking Luna's knickers off. Trying to copy what Luna had done to her, Astoria used her tongue. Unlike her though, Luna was moving and bucking against Astoria's tongue and mouth. Last night Astoria had gripped the bed as hard as she could at the sensations, too afraid to move to have Luna stop. Luna was doing just the opposite.
Astoria found it incredibly hot how she could make Luna come apart like this.
When the door opened, she didn't stop, instead trying to move her tongue faster. Luna was groaning, letting out sounds of deep pleasure. Astoria groaned her own need into Luna's slit as Harry came over and put his hands between her legs.
Luna grabbed the bed, her body shaking as she let out a scream. Astoria could tell the girl was going through an intense orgasm. She tried to keep it going, but couldn't when Harry put a hand into her own knickers and a finger quickly entered her. Luna collapsed and Astoria put her head on Luna's thigh.
She was already excited from Luna, and it took Harry only a few minutes for her to feel her own body quiver as she went through her own orgasm.
"Merlin, you two are beautiful," Harry said in wonder over her shoulder. She smiled as she sat back onto his lap, unsure how she had stayed on her feet.
"You are quite dashing yourself," Luna said, sounding recovered.
-oOo-
Private Quarters, Hogwarts, Scotland
Harry loved the squealing girl on his lap. Calla refused to sit in her chair, instead she wanted her brother. And his dinner. "At least she shares," Astoria said with a laugh on her voice as the potatoes went flying.
Uncle Remus chuckled. "I do try to teach her."
His mother snorted as she read a parchment. "Please, I have to clean you up as much as our daughter when she is done."
Luna leaned over to nuzzle Calla, who squealed again.
It was a perfect family moment, one Harry had wanted many times when younger.
"Why don't you put that down for now, Lily?" his uncle pressed her.
His mum had started to frown. "Just a moment," she said absently.
Harry didn't miss it. "What's wrong, mum?"
"Dumbledore has slipped into a coma," she told them. "Andi doesn't think he'll last the week."
Harry just shrugged. He was surprised the old man was still alive, truth be told. Only the inner members and their families of the Potter's Circle knew that though.
"At one time I would have truly mourned," his uncle said in a hard tone.
His mum nodded her head. "Filius tells me he found you working on a rune project this week. While in charms?"
Harry screwed his face. He had not thought about the different aspects of having his mum teaching at the school.
"We have all finished the review on the curriculum for the year, Mrs. Lupin-Potter," Astoria answered.
"How many times do I need to tell you, you can start calling me Lily in private, Astoria? Have Neville and Hermione completed the syllabus also?"
"Yes," Harry replied.
"Seeing you in transfiguration this week, you three are farther along than you told me, or showed at the duelling tournament," she said, finally looking up.
"I still haven't caught up in arithmancy," he groused.
Luna giggled at Calla before saying, "You should not complain when you aren't putting the extra work in either. You and our Aster have been focusing on the club, charms, transfiguration and runes."
Harry felt a little abashed at that. "I admit I am finding that more interesting, but understanding arithmancy could really help with runes at times."
His mum shook her head. "How about you keep concentrating on what you are? I think you are playing to the strengths you have and should hone those skills. You will have plenty of time to catch up to Hermione as you get older."
"Speaking of which, what is Hermione up to? She and Neville turned down dinner tonight."
"Neville organized a little dinner for them in their room," Astoria told Mrs. Lup... Lily.
His mum nodded. "Harry, convince her to come see me tomorrow. Once you are done, do you mind looking at something with me?"
"Sure," he said. Calla was finally putting food in her mouth.
A short while later he handed a dirty Calla to Luna. Astoria loved Calla, but had scrunched her nose when he offered his sister to her. Following his mum into another room in the small suite of rooms they had, Harry waited for her to ward the door before he asked, "Do you need some help with more translations?"
"Yes. I need you to promise me, though, you will talk to no one about this. Not Hermione, not your girls, and absolutely not to Neville," she said in a very serious tone.
He looked at her, feeling apprehensive and excited. "Are you going to show me some of the other siphers?"
She took a breath. "I need your word, Harry. Do you promise?"
He nodded after a moment. "Do you need me to make an oath?"
"No. If I didn't think you could keep a secret, then I would not trust you with this. What you may see has to remain secret."
"Sure," he replied.
She kept his eyes for a moment before moving to three chalk boards. She let out a breath. "This one I took from Neville on the twenty-eighth of December." She indicated the one to the left. "The next was on the second of January." The middle board. "This one was yesterday," she told him.
"I have my notes on the board, but I need you to translate the second and third layer," she told him.
Harry moved to the board. "Can I look at the other layers?" he asked, his eyes already scanning them.
"Yes. I need your help," she told him. He missed the uncomfortableness in his mother to admit it.
A five-layer cipher was on the board. Layer one, four and five were in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. They looked like they all belong together. He didn't know the hieroglyphs as well as others, but it didn't take a genius to recognize a magical container. One that was warded, but something inside had managed to break through the wards in places.
"Are these blood wards to contain what's in the centre?"
"Yes."
She didn't say anything else, reaching for a note pad.
After a few minutes, Harry swiped his hand over the board, already knowing the symbols would translate. The third layer was exactly what he had seen weeks before. The top layer, that is what surprised him. Looking at it, he couldn't make heads or tails of what the runes were telling him.
"What is this?" he asked his mum, stepping closer and casting the spell again. "It's like there are missing parts."
"That's because there are," she told him. "If you look at the same layer on these, it's just the same."
Harry had a sinking feeling. "This is the soul fragment in Nev's head, isn't it?"
"I believe it is. It looks more like there are broken fragments, not missing fragments."
Harry saw it. It was like dates that only had parts of the numbers defined. He really didn't know how to read the thousands upon thousands of small runes and chains of runes. They layered on each other, they shifted. Some even rearranged themselves.
"That is interesting, I have never seen anything like this before," his mum declared, pointing at some of the shifting runes with her pen.
"You said that a Horcrux is part of a person's soul. Could this be their thoughts?" Harry suggested.
She kept looking at them, not saying a word. As Harry looked at them, some patterns started to form. Looking at them as though they were thoughts, he realized the runes were talking more in an emotion and phrases. He shivered as he realized what some of them meant or said.
"I think you are exactly right on this. Can you do the same for the other two?"
Harry did. The second layer was doing the same, but it looked a little more chaotic, more painful. He looked at the third layer. It looked just the same as he remembered. On the third one, Harry felt real uneasy. The second layer was even more chaotic.
On the other hand, some of the cracks had closed on the fourth and fifth layers.
When he studied the third layer, he had to look twice, and then go back to the other two as his mum was still studying the first cypher. He looked between them a few times. "Mum, can you look at this?" he asked.
She looked over at him, her eyes a little unfocused as whatever was working in her head kept going as she gave him some of her attention. "Look at what, luv?"
Harry explained to her what he was looking at. After a moment, she smiled. "Thank you, Harry. I think you just proved my theory."
"What theory?" he asked.
She looked at the things he pointed out for a few minutes. "Dumbledore has blocked or cut Voldemort from his remaining Horcruxes. I have no idea how, but I am pretty sure the pain Neville is feeling is the soul bit slowly dying."
Harry blinked. "That's possible?"
"Obviously," she stated.
"How long before they die?"
She started to take notes. "No clue yet. I need to look at this and figure out how fast the fragment is losing magic. It looks to have almost the same strength as a month ago, but the draw to Neville's magic is ebbing. Quite a bit, it looks like."
"Can we tell Hermione? She is driving herself spare to figure this out still."
"Like I said, make sure she comes by tomorrow," his mum told him, only sounding half there as she continued to write in her book. "I wish I had another Horcrux to really prove this out."
Harry felt a chill pass through him. "Mum, we are going to destroy them if we can, right?"
She finished writing and looked to him. "Of course. Until Neville can fully close himself off and these cracks heal, we can't do anything for him. I have been working to fortify the work that Dumbledore so ineptly started." She sounded bitter at the dying wizard. Harry felt the same. "The issue is that the way the original wards were cast, in his infinite wisdom, Dumbledore tied the wards to Neville's magic, not the blood and love of his mother. It is a miracle that he survived as long as he did."
Harry swallowed. She had explained some of this, but not all of it.
"How much of this is the family magic?"'
"Most of it. I have had to develop those wards to separate Neville and the soul shard. I gave Dumbledore some of my notes in hopes he could sever these links if he ever got off his arse and duelled the wanker. This right here…," she said pointing to a series of runes that made the container and bound it between the top and fifth layer, "…is new. Only the fourth layer, a shield between Neville and this Wanker spawn was the only real protection Neville had. I will be leaving notes in our family grimoire and library how to do these wards and destroy this abomination, but not most of the other notes I have."
"Sure," Harry said. "You will need to tell Hermione most of what you told me, otherwise she won't give up," Harry informed her.
His mum sighed. "I figured as much. Just make sure she finds me tomorrow."
"I will, mum."
-oOo-
Quod amor duorum illorum praedicate testimonium ferre. Et oratio fidei cura aliis. Per eorum benedictiones capiant ueteribus sanguinis obligare. Et oblinito noster accipere boon vinculum suum. = Bear witness to two that proclaim their love. The vow fidelity and to care for the other. Take out blessing to bind them per the old ways and blood. Accept our boon to seal their bond.