A Witch with a Righteous Anger
This Harry Potter story was written for fun. All rights belong to the wonderful lady (JK Rowling) who gave the world Harry Potter to read and enjoy. Voldemort and his Death Eaters disappear during the summer between Harry's fifth and sixth years at Hogwarts. Dumbledore stumbles in his many roles and must reassess his position. Harry sees Susan Bones in new light, and the Sparklemaggots get bashed… a lot.
Printed Word in letters and newspapers.
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Part 1: The Wizengamot InsistsIt was early July 1996, and the debacle of the mysterious attack on the Ministry of Magic by Voldemort and the Death Eaters continued to have repercussions across Magical Britain. Lucius Malfoy was freed again after pleading that once again he was the victim of the imperious curse. After Narcissa made a significant contribution to Minister Fudge's campaign fund, the minister conveniently forgot the things and wizards he'd seen that night at the ministry. Lucius waited only two days before he began to agitate for the ministry to 'settle' the question of the Black estate.
Before the whole Wizengamot, Lucius announced, "The criminal Sirius Black was seen in the ministry and he fell through the veil in the lowest level of the Department of Mysteries, pushed through by someone's spell as they attempted to subdue the dangerous wizard. Now that he is dead, I wish to settle the questions concerning the succession to the title of Lord Black. My son is the only possible heir and I urge the Wizengamot to instruct the goblins to present me… my son with the lordship ring before the middle of the month."
Like Lucius Malfoy, the goblins wanted to settle the Black estate so that the vaults could be opened, and investments continue. Gringotts did not make a profit unless the wizards made galleons from their factories, farms, and investments. Unlike Malfoy and the bribed Wizengamot, the goblins were required by magic and the treaties they'd signed with wizards after several costly wars to follow the legal, magical last will and testament of the late Lord Sirius Orion Black.
But to the frustration of the goblins, Grand Warlock Albus Dumbledore deflected each request to bring Harry Potter to Gringotts to hear the reading of the will. He demurred as the requests became urgent calls, and then refused when Ragnok, Chief of the Gringotts Horde, sent a strongly worded demand for Heir Potter to appear within Gringotts Bank before 10 July.
On 8 July, the Wizengamot met in a contentious session and passed a bill that demanded the goblins produce the will of Sirius Black, read the contents, and then award the title of Lord Black to Heir Malfoy with his father, Lucius Malfoy to act as regent until his son was one-and-twenty.
Lucius and Narcissa were already planning on spending thousands of galleons on parties and bribes as well as handing substantial numbers of galleons to the Dark Lord, who was living in their manor along with many of his Death Eaters.
Without any options except to follow magic's dictates, Gringotts issued a simple press release on 9 July that was printed in the Daily Prophet on 10 July.
'Per the First Peace Treaty of 1649, the Treaty of Recognition of Goblin Independence of 1789, and the Letter of Mutual Understanding for Goblin Magical Obligations in Matters of Wills and Inheritances of 1874, Gringotts cannot and will not violate magic's commands when in possession of a valid, active Last Will and Testament.
Without qualification, Gringotts states that Lord Sirius Black was never given a trial for his supposed crimes against Lord and Lady Potter, Peter Pettigrew, or the muggles. Lord Black was never convicted in the Wizengamot court room or any other court. He was Heir Black until the death of his grandfather, Antares Black, when he became Lord Black.
Gringotts does hereby give notice that as executors of Lord Black's last will and testament, we lay claim to thirteen years of back pay for Auror Sirius Black (G57,041). Additionally, we assess damages for unlawful imprisonment, pain, and suffering (G547,844) against the Ministry of Magic, the estate of Minister Bagnold, the estate of Bartimus Crouch, Sr., and personally against Minister Cornelius Fudge, and Grand Warlock Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. These funds have been garnished from the vaults of these individuals or their estates. The ministry will be unable to meet payroll for an estimated three months while taxes are earmarked for payment of these penalties.'
The resulting uproar was heard on every level of the ministry, through the halls of Hogwarts, along the length of Diagon Alley, and in the chambers of Malfoy Manor. The goblins in charge of security at Gringotts increased the power in the wards, provided each goblin guard with additional knives to secret in their armour or business suits, and ignored every blustering wizard and witch in the queues.
On 10 July, the Dark Lord made his first move to destabilize Magical Britain. He ordered his Death Eaters to attack DMLE Director Amelia Bones in the dead of night in her family home. Early the next morning, when the witch's security detail failed to meet a prearranged check-in, twenty Aurors were dispatched to the home and found the wards 'wobbly' and easy to by-pass, the front door blown apart and many windows destroyed. Worse, Madam Bones and her security detail lay dead in the entrance hall. The bodies gave evidence of being tortured before dying. A special edition of the Daily Prophet was published at midday on 11 July with the story and edited photographs.
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Part 2: Susan Bones Weeps and PlotsThe morning of 11 July was bleak for Susan Bones. She had only accepted a last-minute invitation from her best friend, Hannah Abbot to spend the night with the Abbot family and left a note for her aunt to find on her desk. Amelia had never been at home for a full night since Susan returned from her fifth year at Hogwarts, and as much as she tried to understand the urgency of the situation with the return of the Dark Lord, Susan wished her aunt had found one evening to spend with her niece. The Daily Prophet didn't arrive during breakfast, Mr. Abbot left for his office, Mrs. Abbot was busy with the two young boys, and Hannah took Susan to a muggle shopping centre to look for new jeans and trainers for their vacation to the Isle of Mann later in the month.
Late in the morning, Auror Dora Tonks appeared in an out-of-the-way corner of the centre, transfigured her robes into regular muggle wear, and began to search for the two girls.
"Susan, isn't that Tonks?" Hannah asked as they walked between stores, only one purchase completed. Susan looked where her friend pointed and saw that it was the clumsy Tonks moving slowly around the muggles so she wouldn't fall.
"Nymphadora Tonks!" Susan teased when the young woman came closer. "Are you shopping or on a refresher training?"
"Miss Bones, Miss Abbot, you must come with me immediately."
"What? Why?" asked Hannah.
"What is the word of the day?" Susan asked, her wand sliding into her hand as she placed her herself in front of her best friend.
Not recognizing the movement for what it was, Hannah's confusion only grew when Tonks replied, "Umbridge Croaks."
Relaxing slightly, Susan said, "Okay. Take us to the Abbots home."
The three young witches hurried back to the quiet corner of the centre, where Tonks side apparated both younger women back to the Abbots. As soon as they stopped spinning, Susan felt her heart begin hammering in her breast – Senior Auror Thicknesse was present along with Aurors Proudfoot and Shackleford – all three men should be on her aunt's protective detail today.
"Miss Bones, I…" Pius Thicknesse began to say but then faltered.
Mrs. Abbot moved to take Susan's arm, led her to a sofa and sat beside her before Thicknesse could speak again. In a fog, Susan heard the man say that her aunt was dead; assassinated by the Dark Lord. Hannah sat down beside her, wrapping her arms around Susan's trembling form. Her friend held on tight as the tears and then wails of loss rose from deep inside the young witch. A calming potion later, Susan ceased her cries though tears continued to fall for a long time.
"There'll be a service at the Ministry in two days. Your elves already collected her body… your aunt's…"
"We cremate our dead," Susan whispered. "The Bones family knows not to leave anything for our enemies to use against us."
Hannah held her tight as the Aurors left and Mrs. Abbot returned. A tea tray appeared on the coffee table in front of them. The Abbots did not have a house elf, but Susan's nanny elf followed her around each summer. Reaching for the tea pot, Susan's hand shook badly, so Mrs. Abbot poured for the three of them. After tasting the peppermint tea, Susan murmured "Thank you, Kandy."
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The Abbots kept Susan behind their wards and walls until the evening of 14 July when the pyre was to be ignited. With only a single Auror attending them, the Abbots and Susan used a portkey to arrive on the grounds of Bones Manor. She'd not thought about returning to her home in the days since her aunt's murder. House elves arrived with her clothes, books, pillows, and some tea or sweets whenever she needed them.
Tonight, Susan walked up to the pyre and ignited the fire, calling on magic to carry her aunt's body and soul to peace in the afterlife. There were a few wizards and witches present – only a few Aurors and their spouses. Professor Sprout attended as did several other puffs including Ernie McMillian, and the Tonks family, Dora, Theodore, and Andromeda.
The flames roared high into the dark night with very little smoke or ash. As the last embers died and cooled, Susan turned from the ashes to find only Auror Dora Tonks remained.
"We wanted to give you…" she began to say and then fell silent.
"Thank you, Auror Tonks," Susan said as her eyes turned toward the dark manor house where she'd been born and lived her entire life. As she gazed at her home, the wizard lights in the back stairwell ignited and beckoned her.
"I shall sleep in my own bed tonight, Tonks. Please give the Abbots my thanks, but I need a few days with my memories. Tell Hannah I will floo her tomorrow," Susan said.
"I don't think you should be alone, Miss Bones," Tonks said.
"That's Lady Bones, Auror Tonks. With my regent's death, I am emancipated and now a member of the Wizengamot. Please, deliver my message and then retire for the evening," Susan ordered, channelling her Aunt Amelia's most commanding tones.
"Have you got elves?" Tonks asked. "Someone to look after you?"
"I have a few elves, and the wards have been restored. I am amazed that the Dark Lord and his minions were able to pierce them. Did the goblins come and repair them?"
"I don't know, ma'am," the Auror replied respectfully, and Susan nodded her chin but made no other comment. Grimacing, Dora Tonks bowed and then apparated away. Once she was alone, Susan let of the breath she'd been holding, and leaned forward, her hands on her legs just above her knees as she once again allowed herself to howl in rage at the wizards who killed the only surviving member of her family.
There was a pop beside her as the head elf appeared and bowed very low, before he said, "Lady Boneses, Daffy will bash his head against the rocks because he did not save Madam Most Wonderful Boneses from stinking Dark Lord and his Nibblers."
"You'll do no such thing, Daffy. We have entirely too much to do… Have the wards been restored fully? Where's the family grimoire? Have a bath drawn for me and after I dress for bed, I shall need paper and biros," Susan commanded as she began walking toward her home, resolution hardening with each step.
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Part 3: DisappearancesOn 17 July, Auror Corban Yaxley vanished just as he left the DMLE offices to journey home. No one who saw the man as he approached the bank of floos in the atrium thought twice about his departure. It was three days before newly-appointed Director Thicknesse made an issue of the man's absence – Yaxley was due two days leave after six days on duty. But when the senior Auror didn't appear for roll call on 20 July, junior Aurors were sent to his home as the floo in his hearth appeared to be extinguished. The house was undisturbed and appeared to be waiting for the Auror to return from the ministry. Unopened mail lay on the dining room table where the owls dropped it, but nothing appeared out of the ordinary.
On 21 July, Augusta Longbottom arrived at the ministry in a fine mood that she never explained to anyone. The grand dame of wizarding society and the Wizengamot kept strict control of her emotions that glorious day. Early in the morning, just as they sat down for breakfast, a Longbottom elf appeared at the table and presented 'Mr. Neville' a package that contained the wands of Bellatrix LeStrange, her husband, Rodolphus Lestrange, and his brother, Rabastan Lestrange. The elf reported that an unknown elf appeared outside the house with the 'gift' and after determining there was nothing evil or wrong within the package, the elf brought it to the teenager. Along with the three wands, a simple note written in an unfamiliar hand reported 'Three Death Eaters won't need their wands every again.'
Later that same week, disappointed that he could not move Gringotts toward giving Draco the lordship for the Black family, Lucius settled on another plan – a betrothal between his son and the Bones heiress. The girl was Draco's age and comely, with a seat in the Wizengamot, vaults of some worth, and a vague business interest that dealt with farmers and butcher shops serving the wizarding communities around Britain.
On 23 July, Lucius Malfoy made the first motion for the Wizengamot to take an interest in the status of Susan Bones, with the idea that the estate needed a competent wizard at the helm. Rita Skeeter interviewed Draco Malfoy who accompanied his father to the ministry that day. The next day, the Daily Prophet reported that the young wizard appeared reluctant to marry Susan Bones.
'My blood line is much superior to that of the Bones girl. Her grandmother was only a half-blood while my family is pureblood back ten generations. But I suppose it might be possible to marry and educate the girl to be a proper pureblood wife.'
On 25 July, the Malfoy family vanished. Once the DMLE was made aware of the disappearance of the prominent wizarding family, Director Thicknesse turned to another Auror who was known to associate with the family but Janus Rosier had failed to report for duty after his last two days of rest. Minister Fudge demanded an investigation and when a major team of Aurors arrived at Malfoy Manor, they found the wards collapsing as if the owner and his blood line were all dead. The manor appeared to have been occupied until the 26 July but now even the elves had vanished.
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On 27 July, the Daily Prophet published an article on the Malfoy family and their disappearance. Minister Fudge was quoted as saying, 'This is the work of the Dark Lord! Now that Sirius Black is dead, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named can't hide behind that mad wizard and so he has moved against an upstanding member of our society!'
In the same edition, Senior Undersecretary Umbridge spoke fondly of Susan Bones as an upstanding, pureblood witch she had mentored the previous year at Hogwarts. She was quoted saying, 'I hope to be appointed as guardian of Miss Bones shortly. I know we can find strength in our mutual efforts to make our society a better place for all pureblood wizards and witches.'
On 31 July, the Daily Prophet reported the Minister Fudge was disturbed because of the disappearance of his loyal aide, Senior Undersecretary Delores Umbridge. In a short interview with the media, the minister gave additional comments about catching the Dark Lord and then delved into custody of the Boy-Who-Lived, as well as the Bones Heiress.
"Who knows what's been going on with their vaults all these years! A responsible adult must look into the matter and I believe that should be me!"
On August 2, Director Thicknesse reported that Cornelius Fudge had disappeared. No one was certain when or how Fudge and Umbridge vanished; if they disappeared while in their offices, their homes, or off the street.
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Date: 3 August 1996Director Pius Thicknesse knew it made him appear weak, but he sought the opinion of Chief Warlock Dumbledore the next afternoon. For security's sake, Albus agreed to meet the Director in the headmaster's office in Hogwarts. The old wizard was concerned that someone – possibly Tom Riddle – had upped his game and begun to kidnap people for whatever dark reason, much like in the wizard's war in the late 70's and early 80's. He had curtailed all travel into the ministry where people were last seen before vanishing.
"What can you tell me about these strange disappearances?" Dumbledore asked as soon as the two men sat across the large desk in the headmaster's office.
"There's no evidence of any kind except that the person disappeared without a sound, or evidence."
"Do the Unspeakables think the missing wizards have been erased from time?" asked the headmaster.
Thicknesse shook his head and explained, "If someone was twisting time, we'd have no memory of the person, there wouldn't be a house or any records of the person every existing. No one is messing with time."
"Good," Dumbledore replied. "So, Cornelius was correct, and the disappearances are Voldemort's doing…"
Thicknesse frowned, and asked, "You say 'was' correct. Do you think the Minister is dead?"
"In the last war, when Voldemort and his followers kidnapped anyone, that person was never seen again. Go to Gringotts and ask the goblins. If the last will and testament of the missing person is 'active', that means the person has died."
Unwilling to become Dumbledore's messenger boy, Thicknesse sent Auror Proudfoot from his security detail through the headmaster's floo to the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley to go to Gringotts. The Auror was gone for forty minutes and while he was absent, Thicknesse explained the additional disappearances to Dumbledore that no one had announced.
"Almost every day, someone reports that a relative, usually a middle-age wizard, has vanished. Each of them was suspected of having been a Death Eater in the last war. The entire Malfoy family disappeared, then the Avery family…"
"Greg Avery? And all his family?" asked the headmaster. Pius nodded, noticing that Dumbledore seemed more upset when news of an entire family vanishing rather than just an individual.
The old wizard sighed and explained, "When a blood line is wiped out like that, the magic never returns. When the Montagues were wiped out in 1980, we lost the spells for burnishing copper and gold in cauldrons."
The director of the DMLE was not moved by Dumbledore's speech but the return of Auror Proudfoot provided some answers and more questions.
"Sir, the goblins did confirm the deaths of Minister Fudge, Delores Umbridge, the three Malfoys, as well as the Avery, Goyle, Crabbe, and Rosier families."
"Evan Rosier and his family as well?" Dumbledore asked.
"They vanished last week – husband, wife and children," Pius replied. "We haven't announced the news."
Now the director continued, "These men are Death Eaters, Dumbledore. Or they 'were'. Several of them were arrested at the Ministry in June and then released on Fudge's orders after Narcissa Malfoy visited with the minister in his office and he made a trip to Gringotts with a cheque or sack of galleons."
"All these men who disappeared… Do you doubt their claims of being under the imperious curse?" Albus asked before the Director of the DMLE frowned.
Refusing to give any credence to the ridiculous defence of 'being under the imperious' by discussing it, Thicknesse pressed ahead saying, "Headmaster, I want to interview the Potter boy. He may have information on all the disappearances."
"Harry? I should have thought that any other wizard would have been your suspect… Harry is not a violent child, despite anything that Umbridge reported last year. She antagonized him and he never retaliated! Not once."
"Still, I need to interview him to eliminate him as a suspect."
Now Dumbledore appeared upset at the notion of some official interviewing the Boy-Who-Lived. He maintained his position, saying, "No. Not possible. Harry Potter is in seclusion, mourning the death of his godfather,"
"Sirius Black? The Dark Lord's right-hand man?" questioned Thicknesse. "How was that man the godfather of the Boy-Who-Lived?"
"There are many questions about Sirius Black's guilt and innocence," replied Dumbledore, almost casually.
Proudfoot interrupted their conversation and said, "Sir, the goblins asked if I was in the presence of 'White Whiskers' this afternoon, and if I was, asked me to deliver a message."
Seeing the Auror pointing toward Dumbledore, Thicknesse wave his hand and said, "By all means, we must hear the message from Gringotts."
"Sir, the goblins said that they would cease all payments from the vaults that belong to Hogwarts effective immediately unless White Whiskers made the real Harry Potter available to them before 5:00PM today. And if the Grand Warlock attempted to bring another Polyjuiced Potter into the bank, 'White Whiskers' will meet their dragons as soon as ever the goblins take custody of the man."
Now Thicknesse roared with laughter. "You tried to fool the goblins? With Polyjuice? Dumbledore, your age is catching up with you. Goblins can smell Polyjuice from the other side of your Great Hall downstairs!"
Glancing back at Proudfoot, Pius asked, "Did the goblins kill the imposter?"
"No, the child was just thrown from the bank…" explained Albus.
"Along with you no doubt. How many bones did you break when you hit the cobblestones? And I must know, did you bounce on the cobblestones?"
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With great reluctance, Albus Dumbledore rose from behind his desk, asked to borrow Auror Shacklebolt but was deflected to Auror Proudfoot, a wizard who was not overly impressed with Dumbledore's stature and accomplishments. Dumbledore led Proudfoot through the green flames in the floo to an undisclosed location in England.
Once they were alone, Thicknesse turned toward Shacklebolt, and reminded the man, "You are playing with fiend fire here. Your oaths to uphold the law are in direct conflict with any promises or oaths you have made to Albus Dumbledore."
"Sir, the headmaster is an honourable wizard."
Shaking his head after hearing that statement, the Director asked, "And if I required you to swear on your magic that you didn't have any knowledge of the location or condition of Sirius Black before his death in June, could you answer without losing your magic?"
"Sir, Sirius Black was not convicted of a crime."
The director's cold tone intensified as he continued, "I might ask about the convict, or I might only ask about the man. Could you answer that question and keep your magic?"
Without another word, the two wizards made use of the floo to leave the castle and return to the Ministry.
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Part 4: Harry Arrives at GringottsAlbus Dumbledore was frustrated – Auror Jason Proudfoot proved adept at discarding his wandless compulsions and even worse, his mind was blocked from any legilimency probes. Leaving Thicknesse and Shacklebolt behind at Hogwarts, they stepped from the floo in Arabella Figg's living room, Dumbledore began attempting to gain control of the Auror. On the street outside of No.4 Privet Drive, Dumbledore drew his wand, intent on casting the imperious curse on the Auror.
However, the much-discussed wards around the house took exception to the wizard's nefarious plot and did several interesting things. First, Dumbledore was petrified, and the wizard fell over, landing in No.6's thorny rose bush. Second, his wand and core were tapped, and the wards soaked up a great deal of power. Third, Harry Potter while working in the front yard felt several knots along his back vanish as every monitoring spell on the boy faded away, and the trace vanished from his person and his wand. In the deserted headmaster's office in Hogwarts, several monitoring devices exploded with sufficient force to ignite a fire that shredded several portraits of previous headmasters, scorched the great desk, charred the stairs to Dumbledore's bed chambers, and permeated all the colourful robes hanging in the expanded closest with the acrid stench of smoke.
That Harry understood what had happened was interesting as well – it was as if he could hear the wards telling him what to do. He rose from tending his aunt's flowers underneath the living room window to see an Auror in red robes, dealing with the headmaster of his school who lay in a neighbour's rose bush in bright yellow and green robes that would blind the average wizard if viewed in full sun. Fortunately, it appeared that both wizards were protected by strong notice-me-not charms as muggle neighbourhood children sped by them on bicycles without a glance at the two strangely dressed men.
Casually approaching the Auror, the teenager asked, "Is he going to be alright?"
"I don't rightly know. Any idea what happened to him?" the Auror asked. "Forgive me, I'm Michael Proudfoot, Auror Proudfoot."
"Harry Potter," the boy replied bowing his head toward the Auror. "The wards around my aunt's house are pretty strong. They may have knocked him out. But why were you escorting Headmaster Dumbledore here this afternoon?"
"Gringotts really wants to talk to you," the Auror replied while he considered what to do about the unconscious headmaster. "We were going to escort you to the bank in Diagon Alley."
"Gringotts? The goblins?" asked Harry. "Okay but I have to tell my aunt that I'm going out."
"Sure, I'll wait here with Head… with Dumbledore," the Auror replied.
Harry felt the blood ward humming, moving itself about and then compacting into a glowing amulet that hung about his neck.
'So, you want to come with me? That's brilliant!' he decided as he changed his clothes for his best robes. Somehow his wand had been released from wherever Uncle Vernon hid it, and a wrist holder lay beside it on the bed.
Once Harry was dressed, and his wand was on his arm, he noticed that his trunk packed itself and shrunk to the size of a matchbox. Then magic lifted the small item, moving it into the side pocket of his robes. He tried to find Petunia, but she seemed to have stepped away or to have hidden herself in her bathroom. Harry wrote a note that read, 'Aunt Petunia, I have gone to see the goblins.'
Returning to the street outside No.4, Harry found the wizards missing until the Auror appeared back to the same spot.
"Sorry about that," he explained. "I dropped your headmaster off at Saint Mungo's using an emergency port key. Now, I'll take you to Gringotts."
Staring at the man for a long minute, Harry nodded and grabbed the man's arm as he apparated them away from Surrey.
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Date: 6 August 1996It was three days before Dumbledore was released by Saint Mungo's. Once he had his wand once again, Albus panicked because the Elder Wand was not a strong as it had been previously. He never considered the change might be caused by his magical core shrinking after the attack by the protective wards around No.4. His memory of the entire day was hazy, and the staff refused to allow him to read the Daily Prophet the morning he was to be released.
Only after he'd returned to Hogwarts via the floo and found his office wrecked, did he manage to get his hands on a copy of the newspaper. There he read that Severus Snape had joined the growing number of missing wizards. He never noticed that his phoenix was absent but did discern that the monitoring devices for Harry Potter were the source of the magical explosion that wrecked his office.
On 7 August, Dumbledore argued with Minerva about the positions of DADA and Potions professors.
"Horace Slughorn won't return! No matter what you offer him!" Minerva argued. "These disappearances have petrified every witch and wizard in the nation!"
"But Hogwarts is the safest place in the whole of Britain," Dumbledore insisted as he attempted to cast charms to reassure his deputy and restore her trust in him. Without the full power of the Elder Wand, the wizard's spells were weaker and somewhat visible. Minerva's wand swept through the space between them, throwing Dumbledore's spells back into his own face.
"Don't try that again!" she swore, the air around her stirring with her magic.
It was with some reluctance that Dumbledore turned his attention to filling the two vacant positions for professors – only an intervention by Merlin could save Dumbledore's position as headmaster if the Ministry sent another DADA professor like Delores Umbridge. But luck was on the headmaster's side in these matters; Andromeda Tonks agreed to teach potions on condition that she could return to her home at least three nights each week and on Sundays. Director Pius Thicknesse agreed to send one of his senior Aurors to fill the role and while Dumbledore expressed an interest in Auror Shacklebolt, the director leaned more toward sending Auror Proudfoot.
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The next day, Dumbledore found more terrible news in the legal announcements portion of the Daily Prophet. The Black family estate and title had been awarded to Edwardo Blackson, an Italian cousin of the Black family. He was a direct descendant of Phineas Black in the male line, so he took precedent over all other persons with Black blood.
'Bloody hell,' Dumbledore swore. A substantial amount of the gold and properties in Magical Britain now belonged to some Italian. The new Lord Black also inherited the Wizengamot seats, vault contents, and properties of the Malfoy and LeStrange families now that they were extinct in Great Britain. Then in a disturbing development, Lord Black appointed Gringotts to manage his affairs for the current time and 'to vote his eight seats in the Wizengamot on all matters and judgements until such time as he chose to visit Great Britain'.
'Blast and bloody hell,' the Grand Wizard cursed. With that many votes in the hands of the goblins, his human opponents could easily unseat him from his throne in the Wizengamot.
And lastly, in his will, Sirius, Lord Black granted his godson some vaults and emancipated the boy. 'Lord Potter' was free to live as he chose. The Potter seat would slip from Dumbledore's control before the month was over if the goblins were advising the boy.
"Blast bloody Merlin to bloody hell!" Dumbledore cursed aloud, setting the rest of the staff to twittering in laughter.
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Only one Death Eater survived the disappearances. Martin Parkinson, who had not been present at the assassination of Amelia Bones, had paid attention to the reports of vanishing wizards and witches. When he heard about the disappearance of the Goyle and Crabbe families on 8 August. He immediately visited Gringotts for some galleons, an international portkey, and paid the fee to floo from the bank to his home. There Parkinson gathered his wife and three children before using the port key to flee to France. From Paris, the family travelled to some unknown magical society and never returned to Britain. Gringotts made decent profits with the sale of the Parkinson businesses and manor house, and the transfer fees for the vaults. The Parkinson seat in the Wizengamot was declared vacant and retired in December 1996.
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Once Harry Potter entered Gringotts, he wasn't seen again until 1 September by any members of the Order of the Phoenix. At the prompting of Albus Dumbledore, Ron Weasley was encouraged (required) to send letters to Harry asking where and how he was. He included directions from the headmaster to contact him to arrange for Harry's return to the 'safety' of his Aunt's house in Surrey. When the letter was attached to the legs of messenger owls, the birds promptly flew away but replies were never received.
Housed once again in the Burrow after the loss of Grimmauld Place, the Weasley family was a contradiction in attitudes. Arthur Weasley paid attention to the news and hoped the disappearances of the 'reformed' Death Eaters meant peace for Magical Britain. Since the murder of Amelia Bones, attacks by Death Eaters had ceased. Away from the Burrow, Arthur met separately with Percy at the Ministry, Bill at Gringotts, and Fred and George in their joke shop. Each conversation confirmed the belief that events were turning in favour of the ministry in the fight against the Dark Lord. Still, his wife, Molly, whole-heartedly believed Dumbledore's pronouncements of 'danger and the Dark Lord' for her children and Harry Potter.
One sour note for Dumbledore and the Weasleys sounded clear and loud when the Grangers refused to allow Hermione to spend her summer holidays with the Weasleys. The young witch never appeared at the Burrow – after she returned from Hogwarts, Hermione was taken to the continent for a tour with her parents. Away from the Weasleys, Hermione was reminded of what her 'people' had accomplished in the past as Mr. and Mrs. Granger inundated their intelligent daughter with muggle art, architecture, food, entertainment, and travel.
And her parents offered several disturbing arguments that made Hermione reconsidered many things. Yes, magical people could travel across Britain faster but never in large numbers. Apparently, they depended upon muggle trains and lorries to move bulk goods about and then used house elves to finish the distribution.
Yes, magical people could stay warm or cool with charms but no better than modern muggles. Their food was no better than muggle foods and when prepared by elves, required no knowledge or participation by the wizards and witches.
No, magical people did not have their own art museums, television, or movies. The relatively new radio sets only played a few musical numbers from the very limited numbers of wizards and witches who seemed to care to sing. And the accompaniment was always magical, never a string instrument or piano played by the fingers of another wizard or witch.
No, communication in Magical Britain was primitive – sticking their heads into the fireplace to call someone? And travel through the floo system – the Ministry certainly was suppressing information on mishaps and deaths caused by that means of transportation. The use of quills, lead-based inks, and parchment? How was that efficient? Did every book and newspaper in the Magical Britain get printed on old-fashioned presses with type set by magic? Computers and closed-circuit cameras would certainly bring about the end of secrecy in Magical Britain.
"Mom, Dad, why are you so negative about Magical Britain?" she asked as they walked along a street in Rome.
Her mother explained, "Because dear, the rest of the magical folk in the world live in a modern environment. We made inquiries at Gringotts and on our vacation to Spain in May, we met with representatives of their Magical Government. In Spain, wizards and witches attend regular schools and get magical training, they live in regular houses with electricity and magic, attend concerts, often travel by train and car, and don't vanish from the lives of their parents forever."
"We love you Hermione and want you as part of our lives forever. If you stay in Magical Britain, what will you have?" asked her father as he led her into an office where they could meet with a witch from Australia who often provided information to magical Europeans who were thinking about immigrating 'down under'.
* (Scene Break) *
Last Will and Testament / Date: 3 August 1996As soon as he walked into Gringotts bank for the second time in his life, Harry Potter noticed the magic in the walls and the runic carvings included in the cornices of the columns evenly spaced along the walls. There were even runes in the floor and ceiling. Auror Proudfoot led Harry to join one queue and they waited their turn to speak to a teller.
"Auror Proudfoot, thank you for escorting Mr. Potter to the bank this afternoon," a teller said. "He will be safe with us until he wants to appear again."
Conflicted for a moment, the Auror turned to the teenager who grinned and said, "I trust the goblins more than Dumbledore or the ministry. I'll send you a letter in a couple days and tell you how I am."
"Director Thicknesse will want to interview you," Proudfoot informed the boy and goblin.
It was the goblin who replied, "Gringotts will invite Director Thicknesse to attend Heir Potter in the next two weeks. He can interview the Boy-Who-Lived to his heart's content on that day."
Once they were alone, the goblin looked Harry over and said, "There's a very strong aura surrounding you, Heir Potter. It is purely beneficial and magical."
"I believe it is the protection that my mother and father provided to me on Halloween all those years ago."
"And have you had this aura for many years?"
"Only a few hours," Harry replied and explained about Dumbledore running afoul of the blood wards around his aunt's house.
The goblin snickered, "White Whiskers asleep in a rose bush? I should be grateful if you would share that memory, Heir Potter. I can plaster the image on our company newsletter and in advertisements in the Daily Prophet for the next month, just to aggravate the old man's temper."
Finally, the goblin and Harry arrived at the door to Chief Ragnok's office. Summoned within, the chief goblin waved Harry to a chair where a tea service appeared as he said, "We have a short time until two others appear for the reading of your godfather's will."
Just a few moments later, the floo in the corner flashed with green flames and a healthy-looking wizard with black hair and grey eyes stepped from the flames.
"Sirius?" Harry asked as he rose and approached the man.
The familiar looking wizard, winked but pointed to himself and replied, "No, is Edwardo Blackson. Is cousin of dead Sirius Black. Gringotts force me to attend this paper announcement – is that what it is called?"
"Sir, we are gathered for the reading of the Last Will and Testament of the late Lord Sirius Orion Black," announced Chief Ragnok as he directed the man and teenager to return to their chairs.
"Charms to speak English no so good," Edwardo explained to Harry and Ragnok.
The door to the hallway opened once again, this time allowing the entrance of a woman who resembled Bellatrix LeStrange too much for Harry's comfort. Without thinking, the teenager rose, moved in front of 'Edwardo' and would have drawn his wand if the wizard hadn't caught his arm and whispered, "Is Andromeda Tonks, your godfather's favourite cousin."
Director Ragnok coughed and said, "Welcome Potion Mistress Tonks. May I introduce your distant cousin, Edwardo Blackson from Florence, Italy. And Harry Potter, the godson of your late cousin, Lord Sirius Black."
"Sirius?" she stammered. "Cousin, you favour my cousin so closely…"
"Just like people would confuse you for Bellatrix LeStrange," Harry quipped, before falling silent. The witch could only nod her head in agreement though she continually stared at 'Edwardo' through the entirety of the reading of the will.
In the first few paragraphs of his last will and testament, Sirius cursed the stupid members of his family (i.e., Death Eaters), and granted the Black family estate and title to Edwardo Blackson, an Italian cousin of the Black family.
'Edwardo is a direct descendant of Phineas Black in the male line, and therefore he takes precedent over all other persons with Black blood. Along with the title, houses, and land, the new Lord Black will also inherit the Wizengamot seats, vault contents, and family properties.'
Ragnok added, "With events since the death of Sirius Black, the estate includes all of vaults, seats and properties of the Malfoy and LeStrange families now that they are extinct in Great Britain."
Next, Lord Sirius Black emancipated his godson in the magical and muggle worlds, and 'to pay for the boy's way in life', gave him the vault containing the galleons paid by the Ministry, Dumbledore and others for the pain and suffering Sirius suffered in Azkaban, so long as Harry agreed to not provide a single sickle to Dumbledore and his 'order of farting pigeons'. After returning Andromeda to the family, Sirius's will gave his cousin the vault with the salary from the years of his imprisonment again so long as she agreed to not provide a single sickle to Dumbledore and his 'order of flaming chickens'.
"He was a remarkable wizard, Cousin Sirius," Edwardo said with a sad tone in his voice, that made Andromeda wipe away a tear, while Harry fought to keep the grin off his face.
"I believe my dogfather never had a serious moment in his whole life," the boy said while staring at the wall over Chief Ragnok's head.
After signing papers with a blood quill, Edwardo received the lord's ring for the Black family and a key ring filled with keys to multiple vaults and houses. A similar ring with a single vault key was handed to Harry and a third one to Andromeda.
"Now, are there other matters to deal with today regarding the Black family?" asked Ragnok.
"Si," Edwardo replied. "Always cold is England. I return to Florence immediately. Is my decision that Chief Ragnok hold proxy and vote many seats for Black in the Wizenmadoogle."
He glanced at Harry and said, "Imagine problems such a thing gives old men who think they know best? Give him your seats to vote!"
"I have seats in the Wizengamot…uh… Wizenmadoogle?" asked Harry, after which Andromeda hissed in anger and Ragnok frowned.
"Do you mean Heir Potter that you know nothing about your birth right?" asked the goblin chief.
"No sir. Until I received my Hogwarts letter, I never knew my father's name and I never saw a picture of my father or mother until Christmas that year when Hagrid gave me a photo album with their picture."
"I'll burn his whiskers from his head, or my birth name wasn't Andromeda Black!" swore the witch.
With that, Edwardo departed through the green flames of the floo once again. Harry's sad sigh broke Andromeda's heart. When she inquired further, the teenager explained, "This is like losing Sirius again. He appears, loud and cantankerous in my life for a few minutes, then he is gone again."
* (Scene Break) *
Harry Potter's Health"Madam Tonks, while you are present, Gringotts would like to inquire if you could house Mr. Potter until 1 September?"
"House? Of course, Director Ragnok, but what has occurred with his guardians?"
"They have been found deficient and with his emancipation, Heir Potter will not wish to associate himself with them again. Their circumstances will be greatly reduced shortly in any case," explained Ragnok.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, a grin on his face.
The goblin grinned and handed over a portfolio of papers. "Since you were placed with Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Dursley, they have received monthly stipends from Gringotts for your care, clothing, and housing. According to our audit department, they have failed to provide for you properly."
"And they have failed to report this income to Inland Revenue," Ragnok continued. "Albus Dumbledore cannot be touched for theft from your vaults just yet, but Mr. Dursley will be escorted from his place of employment by officers this afternoon. Mrs. Dursley will be served with papers that claim fraud for failing to provide you with food and clothing. The funds to be reimbursed will certainly bankrupt her and leave her husband in prison. And I believe your cousin will be arrested for selling illicit pharmaceuticals to his classmates at his prestigious boarding school."
"Who placed Mr. Potter with muggles?" asked Andromeda.
"Oh, it was White Whiskers…" Ragnok replied and was pleased to hear the witch hiss once again.
"And Professor McGonagall helped him," Harry added.
* (Scene Break) *
Once Andromeda calmed down, Ragnok explained that he wanted Mrs. Tonks to use her knowledge of pureblood manners and customs to educate Heir Potter on the matters he needed to know to survive in Magical Britain.
"The Boy-Who-Lived is emancipated and might fall prey to some marriage contract or political obligation if we don't provide him with proper education."
"And he is too thin and short," Andromeda observed. "Have your healers looked him over yet? James was much taller than this at fifteen."
"You won't rush him over to Saint Mungo's?" asked the goblin.
"No, the purebloods run the place and they refuse to treat muggleborns even today. My husband works in a medical practice that serves muggleborns and half-bloods along with the occasional muggle."
"Ah, yes," the goblin nodded. "Dr. Theodore Tonks consults with our healers when our wizard employees are injured by tomb curses or cursed objects removed from vaults that default on payments."
Harry listened closely to the Potion Mistress as she spoke with the goblin healers who examined him, and then called in more goblins for consultation.
"What do you mean a 'soul jar'?" Andromeda shouted at one point before she grabbed Harry and hugged him. "I will stuff Dumbledore in a cauldron and reduce him to snot to make a cream for haemorrhoids if he knew… of course he knows…"
"What is a soul jar?" Harry demanded to know. While Andromeda continued to hold him, Ragnok and the primary healer proceeded to educate the Boy-Who-Lived about the soul jar or horcrux that was created that Halloween night in 1981.
"It had to have been an accident," Ragnok assured the teenager. "The ritual is very complex and requires a ritual circle."
"Not if it wasn't the first horcrux," the goblin healer said. "After they make their first horcrux, wizards often make more accidentally when they kill another witch or wizard."
"Wait…" Harry said. "That wanker made more of them?"
He paused to think and then continued, "I know of one more. There was a diary in my second year that possessed a girl and she kept calling out a basilisk from the Chamber of Secrets to roam the halls of Hogwarts."
"Nonsense, basilisks are extinct by common agreement in the ICW. No one knows how to breed one any longer," Andromeda interjected.
"This one was a thousand years old and about thirty meters long before I killed it," Harry replied.
"Do you have the container? The soul jar?" asked Ragnok.
"No, I gave it to Dobby, Lucius Malfoy's elf that I freed that same day. Malfoy placed the soul jar in Ginny Weasley's cauldron while they were at the bookstore… It is a long story."
Andromeda sat down hard and buried her face in her hands. "Both my sisters married idiotic Death Eaters."
Ragnok and the healer consulted with each other for a few moments and then turned to Harry. The healer said, "Heir Potter, if you will allow us, Gringotts would very much like to remove the horcrux from the scar on your forehead. Once we have it contained within a suitable medium such as an unbreakable jar, we can study the shredded soul and quickly locate any other pieces."
"We can also perform a ritual that will send them all to hell," Ragnok assured the boy. "That includes the piece inhabiting the golem made after the Tri-Wizard Tournament."
"You'll send Riddle on his 'next great adventure'?" asked Harry, a grin on his face. "And will you make certain that my headmaster hears the news once you've accomplished it? Maybe then he'll leave me alone."
* (Scene Break) *
A Horcrux Ritual / Date: 21 August 1996Over the next two weeks, many events moved life along for Harry Potter. First, the horcrux was removed from his scar that was then healed. Second, Andromeda Tonks, who insisted Harry call her 'Aunt Andy', was hired to be the professor for potions classes at Hogwarts. This was cause for celebration because it meant Snape would not be at Hogwarts and the potions class would be interesting and educational for the first time in six years for Harry. Third, after beginning a series of potions that would continue until Yule, Harry's physical problems would be repaired.
Finally, Harry met with Director Thicknesse at Gringotts with Auror Proudfoot and Director Ragnok present to discuss the disappearances. Auror Proudfoot produced a list on parchment that listed all the names of the wizards and witches who vanished.
"Wow… all these Death Eaters just vanished? There's no ransom demands or other news?" asked Harry after being told of the numbers of people who had vanished.
"Which ones would you know personally?" asked Proudfoot after a glance from Thicknesse.
"I guess I'd say I knew Draco Malfoy the best of all these names. Goyle and Crabbe were his muscle every year at Hogwarts."
"Uh… What does 'muscle' mean in the muggle world?" asked Thicknesse as Proudfoot turned red.
"His bodyguards and enforcers… the guys who beat people up for him," Harry explained. Seeing the embarrassed looks on the faces of the two Aurors, Harry asked, "What does it mean in the wizarding world?"
When neither wizard would explain, Ragnok said, "To wizards, the word implies a sexual relationship between two men."
"Draco and…" Harry stuttered, then falling silent before he snorted.
After a moment he formally apologized to Director Thicknesse saying, "Forgive me for using an offensive term. No one teaches muggleborn or others like me about those things. I must make certain that everyone learns not to use that word that way."
"What about the others named on the list? The Rosier daughters graduated from Slytherin in the last two years."
"I never knew them and wouldn't recognize them today if you brought them into the room."
"What about the Averys? The boy was one year older than you and the girl… she graduated with the older Rosier girl."
Harry shook his head, "Nope. I can't even tell your Goyle and Crabbe's first names."
"Well, thank you, Mr. Potter. I appreciate your time," Director Thicknesse said as he rose from his chair. Harry stayed in his chair and the director noticed the boy remained seated.
"Director Thicknesse, there is development Gringotts wishes to make you aware," Ragnok said before the wizard could chastise the boy for poor manners. Pointing at the teenager, the goblin said, "This is Lord Potter, not Heir Potter or Mr. Potter."
"Merlin's saggy…" Auror Proudfoot swore. "Sir, you have to let me take the position of DADA professor just so I can see Dumbledore's face when he learns this."
Ragnok grinned. The photos taken of Harry's memories of Dumbledore sprawled across the rose bush on Privet Drive were popular in Gringotts and in the advertisements in the Daily Prophet.
* (Scene Break) *
On 19 August, a goblin curse breaker brought a note he'd received from Xeno Lovegood, publisher of the Quibbler, and shared it with Ragnok.
'Dear Goblins – Mother Magic smiles upon your efforts to deal with the almost dead Dark Lord. On the night of 21 August, invoke the ritual at 11:57 PM. Send his shattered soul to his reward at midnight for the most positive outcome. Sincerely, Luna Lovegood.'
"The daughter appears to be manifesting as a seer," Ragnok said upon reading the note. "Make certain we offer them protection."
On the night of 21 August, the goblins gathered their best healers and curse breakers into a ritual room and waited until Harry Potter arrived in the company of Dr. Theodore Tonks and his wife, Andromeda Tonks. In the almost three weeks that Harry had remained with the couple, their daughter had avoided contacting her parents so again, no one from the Order of the Phoenix knew where Harry Potter was 'hiding'.
Just before the muggle clock struck midnight, the goblins invoked the ritual to cast the soul shards for Tom Riddle into their next great adventure. Shortly thereafter, as the clock struck the twelfth time, the last piece of the wizard's tortured soul appeared just outside the ritual circle, screaming at Harry Potter before it dissipated into nothingness.
* (Scene Break) *
Part 5: New School YearHogwarts Express / Date: 1 September 1996When Harry stepped through the floo from Gringotts into the receiving room for magical families at Kings Cross Station, he was alone with his trunk shrunk in his pocket, wands hidden in a holster on each forearm, and dressed in high-quality robes that were not outlandish or flashy. He'd said farewell to Ragnok the evening before, and to Aunt Andy and Uncle Ted after breakfast.
"You two behave yourselves at Hogwarts," Ted admonished them before he left for his office at the medical centre where he worked. "No tumbling Dumbledore from his throne on the first day! And Andy, if you see Dora anywhere, try not to hex her too badly. We will invite her to dinner and try talking some sense into her this week."
"Yes, dear," Andromeda said as the man took her into his arms to hug and kiss her. When he released her and stepped toward the floo, she added, "I love you, Teddy."
"Now, young man, I shall see you at Hogwarts at the welcoming feast," Andromeda told her nephew. "No fighting or spell battles on the Hogwarts Express please."
"Yes ma'am, though I can't promise not to hex people if necessary."
A bellow from Molly Weasley brought Harry back to the present. "Harry Potter! Where have you been for the last month? What have you got to say for yourself, young man?"
Smiling and bowing his head, Harry replied, "Greetings Mrs. Weasley, I hope your summer was restful and your family is well."
Surprised when the boy used a proper pureblood greeting, Molly was set back for a moment but then she said, "Stop that nonsense and answer my question! Where have you been! The headmaster is frantic with worry about you!"
"Mrs. Weasley, the headmaster shouldn't be worried. He and an Auror came to the home of my relatives to escort me to Gringotts early in August. That was where I handled family business."
"What family business?" she demanded to know. Several adults standing around them all frowned and shook their heads.
One wizard spoke up, "Molly Weasley, that's none of your concern. If Mr. Potter needs assistance with his family business, Gringotts is the best place to go."
"But the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters must have been looking for him?"
"The Death Eaters have all disappeared," Harry said before he bowed to the assembled witches and wizards. "I wish you all a good journey."
As he walked toward the train, Molly called out, "Harry Potter, don't you walk away from me!"
Once he was on the train, Harry cast a strong 'notice me not' charm on himself and walked along the passage looking for his friends. He immediately noticed that there seemed to be a pleasant, lighter atmosphere on the train, and he decided it was because there weren't any children of Death Eaters walking around threatening the muggleborns or half-bloods.
"We gotta get rid of those words!" he muttered just before he found Neville in a compartment. Opening the door and stepping inside, Harry smiled and asked, "Neville, how are you?"
"Harry! Glad to see you!" Neville replied. They had no time to share stories before Hermione appeared with her trunk, followed shortly by Ron with his trunk.
"Harry, mate, why did you make Mom so mad?" complained the red head. "She'll send you a howler for sure tomorrow morning!"
"First, Hermione's parents wouldn't let her stay with us this summer and then you vanish. Dumbledore called my mum every day to see if we'd heard from you. Didn't see Hedwig a single time this summer."
The young witch replied, "Ron, my parents wanted to see me this summer. We travelled around Europe for almost the entire vacation and saw great buildings, artwork…"
"But they're just muggles," Ron interrupted. "You could have been with us. And I need to see your homework… to make sure mine's right."
Rolling her eyes, Hermione Granger didn't begin an argument with Ron at that point, she turned to Harry and inquired about his summer and if he was doing alright.
"Of course, he's alright," Ron argued. "It looks like he got fed and grew a couple inches. The muggles must have treated him alright… Is that where you were Harry? With your muggles? Like Hermione?"
"I was with the 'muggles' for part of the summer, Ron. But then Dumbledore sent me to Gringotts, and I worked with the goblins for the rest of the summer."
"Worked with the goblins? Did they have you digging tunnels or shovelling dragon droppings?" Ron asked with a laugh.
Hermione couldn't help herself, she had to ask, "What happened with the Black estate? Are you Lord Black now?"
Neville frowned and shook his head before speaking quietly, "Hermione… Miss Granger, you must not ask such questions in public and only ask them in private after asking permission to speak about family or personal matters."
Frowning Hermione was about to argue with Neville when Harry nodded, "Even in muggle society, you don't ask such questions in this setting Hermione."
"But we're all friends here."
"And do you discuss your parent's business in front of me?"
Sitting down with a huff, Hermione fell silent, but Ron laughed again before he asked, "So what did happen? Did you get any money from Sirius or did the Ferret get it all?"
Ignoring Ron's question, Harry assured his some-time friend, "Ron, things are going to be very different at Hogwarts this year. Snape is one of the Death Eaters who vanished, so he won't make life miserable."
"Harry, call him Professor Snape! And what happened to all the Death Eaters this summer?" Hermione asked. "The Daily Prophet printed an article that says the danger of the Dark Lord has passed."
Harry considered his answer carefully before he explained, "The Dark Lord started the summer by murdering Amelia Bones, the Director of the DMLE. Just a few days later, the Death Eaters began to disappear. Some of them disappeared by themselves and a few whole families vanished."
"Yeah, the Ferret and his parents vanished," Ron crowed. "No more snakes this year at Hogwarts."
"My information is that the DMLE investigated each disappearance carefully," Harry continued. "But no one could figure out what happened to the Death Eaters. Except Gringotts announced they are dead."
"How did Gringotts know they are dead?" asked Ron. Being a pureblood raised in Magical Britain he should have known that answer.
Neville explained, "Gringotts holds the last will and testament of every important wizard and witch. When they die, the goblins know immediately because the will becomes active and must be executed."
"Was Umbridge a Death Eater? And Fudge?" Hermione asked. "I didn't think…"
"They must have been Death Eaters if they vanished," Ron declared. "I just hope they stay vanished. The Ferret, his parents, all the Death Eaters – I hope they're dead!"
"How did this work occur? Are all Death Eaters dead?" Hermione insisted on knowing.
Harry looked closely at Ron and then at Hermione before he replied, "Director Thickness told me that it was a masterful game of chess."
"A game of chess?" asked Ron, his attention captured for once.
"Director Thicknesse?" asked Hermione, wondering why Harry was talking to an important government official.
"Yes, someone removed the Dark Lord's knights, bishops, rooks, and his queen," Harry shared the story. "That just left the Dark Lord as king with a few pawns. The DMLE thinks the pawns fled to other countries before the Dark Lord could summon and kill them for not knowing where the 'bishops' had fled."
Ron was quiet for a moment and then said, "That would do it alright. If you can remove the bishops, queen, and knights, usually you win a chess match in just a few more moves."
Before Hermione or Ron could ask more questions about Harry's summer, Ginny stuck her head in the compartment at that moment and reminded Ron and Hermione about the mandatory meeting for prefects and then patrol.
"Hello Harry," Ginny said as Hermione and Ron exited the compartment in front of her. "Harry, I'd like to talk to you alone later. Okay?"
"No," he replied without any qualifications.
She mumbled something about 'things changing soon' and followed her brother to the meeting with the head boy and head girl.
* (Scene Break) *
Seated in a quiet compartment while Ginny, Hermione and Ron were patrolling the Hogwarts Express as prefects, Harry and Neville welcomed Luna Lovegood to share their quiet.
"Hello Neville. Hi Harry. You look much better now that the Sparklemaggots have been removed," she announced as she sat between the two boys.
Neville grinned and nodded his head, "I feel much better now too. And apparently, the Sparklemaggots were holding Harry back."
"Why did you want to sit between us, Luna?" asked Harry.
"Yes, we'll have other company in a few minutes and then when the new Sparklemaggots return from prefect patrol, we can make them sit across the aisle and not reinfect us.
"Do you think there will be a large infestation of Sparklemaggots at Hogwarts this year?" Harry asked, his tone serious and just a bit insistent.
"No, the biggest Sparklemaggot will make a big mistake at Yule and leave us permanently. When he is gone, the midget Sparklemaggots will fall by the wayside. Hermione is already changing, and she'll be maggot free before Yule," Luna assured them.
* (Scene Break) *
It was only another minute before there was a knock on the door. Harry stood and opened the door to find a lovely red-headed young woman standing in the passageway. She was familiar and very sure of herself. Their eyes met and Harry smiled broadly seeing the flash in the witch's brown eyes.
Susan Bones was nervous about approaching Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom, but once Hannah shared the schedule for the prefect patrols the head boy had made, she knew she could speak to the two heirs without interference from Weasley or Granger while they were on patrol. If Ginerva Weasley was there, Susan intended to stupefy the bint and leave her asleep for the remainder of the trip to Hogwarts.
But the moment she gazed into the shining green eyes of Harry Potter, Susan lost her voice, and her knees were suddenly weak. His smile made butterflies move through her stomach like a seeker chasing the snitch in a Wronski Feint.
'Merlin, how did he get so gorgeous in one summer?' she wondered.
"Hi, Susan, won't you come in?" called Luna from the seat beside Neville. "Harry, help her take a seat."
"Sure," Harry said offering his hand and Susan took it, feeling more butterflies in her stomach.
"Let's sit here," he said, leading her to the empty seat. Susan forgot to release Harry's hand and she found herself smiling broadly. Neville glanced at Luna with some concern on his face, but Luna just shook her head and continued smiling.
"What did you wish to speak about with Neville and Harry?" Luna prompted. Breaking her stare at Harry, Susan blushed prettily and stumbled for a moment with her words, but then she took a deep breath and explained.
"Heir Potter and Heir Longbottom, I invite you to join me in organizing a class for heirs at Hogwarts to learn how to manage our estates and deal with the goblins."
"Brilliant!" Harry immediately replied.
"Is 'three' the magic number?" asked Luna, turning her head toward Neville for a moment.
Neville scrunched his face down and then nodded, "Yes, if three heirs make a formal request of the headmaster or deputy headmistress for the time to learn estate management, they have to provide a room and opportunity for the heirs to invite speakers and tutors to come to the school. My gran will be glad to help as much as we want."
"Go to Professor McGonagall tonight after the sorting, Lady Bones," Luna continued. "Heir Longbottom and Lord Potter will endorse your request and she'll make the arrangements tonight."
"Lady Bones?" asked Harry, while Susan asked, "Lord Potter?"
Luna giggled and Neville rose to step closer to Susan take her hand and kiss the air above her hand, "Forgive my lack of manners, Lady Bones. House Longbottom will be glad to see you in the Wizengamot in the future."
Then Neville turned to Harry, grinned, and said, "Lord Potter, House Longbottom renews our friendship and pledges of aid."
When Neville stepped back, Luna rose to curtsey to the pair seated across the compartment and said, "Welcome Lord and Lady Potter-Bones… or Bones-Potter. Well, it won't matter what name you use because your children will all be lovely and brilliant."
"What?" exclaimed the pair as suddenly Harry realized he still held Susan's hand, but rather than releasing it, he swallowed hard and then raised Susan's hand to his lips.
Unlike Neville, Harry did kiss the top of Susan's hand before he said, "Lady Bones, House Potter is pleased to meet with you today… and hopes to see you every day this school year."
A full kaleidoscope of butterflies fluttered about her magical core, and Susan Bones found herself grinning and staring into those green eyes again.
The four students talked a few more minutes, before Hannah Abbot appeared at the door and entered without knocking. "There you are Susie. Did you talk with Harry and Neville? Hello Harry, Neville. Hello Loony."
"What did you call…" Neville asked, his face sour.
"Hannah, apologise and do not use that name again," Susan insisted.
Hannah Abbot flushed bright red and said, "Everybody calls her that."
"I don't," replied Neville. "House Longbottom would never speak that way to a friend."
Harry frowned and added, "House Potter agrees. Miss Lovegood is a friend of our house. In fact, she is under my protection as of this moment."
"The Sparklemaggots in Ravenclaw will be very unhappy to hear that," Luna giggled.
"See! She's loony and talking about imaginary animals that don't exist!" exclaimed Hannah.
"I have not heard an apology," observed Harry.
Susan sighed and rose, releasing Harry's hand before she turned Hannah and pushed her out of the compartment. At the door she turned and curtseyed to Luna and said, "Miss Lovegood, I apologise for my friend's rude behaviour. I owe you a favour that you may collect at any time in the future."
"Why did you do that? And why did we leave? You know I wanted to speak to Neville!" Hannah argued as the door shut.
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Welcoming FeastThe Great Hall was festive and welcoming to the returning students and when the firsties arrived, the students already seated at the tables shouted 'Welcome!' and applauded, much to Headmaster Dumbledore's displeasure. But the Sorting Hat approved the display and so it was allowed.
The Gryffindor table was relatively calm – there was a bit of excitement when everyone realized that Professor Snape was absent. This observation confirmed rumours that travelled the length of the Hogwarts Express more than once earlier in the day. There were many missing faces at the Slytherin table; Draco Malfoy, Patsy Parkinson, Goyle, Crabbe who would have been in the Sixth Year, and the Rowle boy in Seventh Year. More students were relieved than distressed by the absences. Harry was glad to see some familiar faces remaining including Theodore Nott, the Greengrass sisters, Davis, and Bulstrode.
Harry maintained a neutral face as Hermione and Ron discussed the new professor for potions, as well as about the Auror in his red uniform seated where the DADA professor usually sat. Michael Proudfoot looked about with great interest, watching the dynamics of interaction between the different houses.
Andromeda watched the Slytherin students applaud politely when the firsties entered but they remained relatively quiet and congregated along the far side of the table, none of them turning their backs on the other students. She exchanged pointed looks with Professor Sinestra who had become head of Slytherin and nodded to agree to an earlier request for help in bringing the remaining students in Slytherin into neutral positions rather than bolstering the 'dark'.
When the discussion between Ron and Hermione grew heated and evolved into an argument, Harry checked out Susan's location at the Hufflepuff table before he moved down the Gryffindor table to sit with Neville. Leaning close to his friend, Harry whispered, "She's not Bellatrix. That's Andromeda Tonks."
"I… I know and I'll get used to her appearance," Neville replied. "Gran told me about her the other day. It's okay because someone sent me Bellatrix LeStrange's wand this summer and a note that she and the other LeStrange were dead?"
Harry grinned. "Dead! That's great Neville. I heard the LeStrange family was extinct, and all their vaults went to Edwardo."
Ron leaned around Seamus and demanded to know, "Why did you move, mate? Who is Edwardo? You're not dating a guy now, are you? Ginny thinks you will start dating her this year."
"Got a problem with somebody dating another guy, Ron?" asked Harry, his medallion around his neck helping to boost his confidence.
"It just ain't right," Ron replied, but shut up for once. This change captured Harry, Neville, and Hermione's attention but then they turned their attention to their other classmates. After listening to Ron mutter something about Fred and George, Hermione rose from her seat and moved over to sit with Lavendar and Parvati to discuss the latest fashions from Magical Paris. Copies of Magical Paris Match were her ticket to much better relations with her dorm mates.
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Gringotts DungeonsThat same evening, in the dungeons under Gringotts, the dragon keepers recorded that the Bones elves were very generous with meat sacks that summer, when the bill arrived for August, they authorized payment the same day. The elves knew how to approach the three dragons chained to the walls in the dungeons – the elf would levitate the meat sack of a pig or cow to the dragon and the beast would incinerate the carcass and then feast.
On several days in July and August, the dragons suffered from indigestion, but the goblins didn't care if the Bones elves provided bad meat on occasion. A dragon's digestive system could dissolve the toughest bones and tissues.
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