Author's Note:
Hello my friends.
Thank you for your patience. I should have finished this fanfic before I began posting it, but once I got six chapters in I got too excited. Life got real for a bit back in March and I ran out of material to keep posting. I don't think I'll be able to post weekly for a while, but I'm doing my best to keep writing for you!
I won't go into details, but I began working full time (I'm a teacher) and my husband got really sick. Thank you for sticking with this book. As always, please comment. I love reading reviews, always respond, and often incorporate feedback.
Last note, I added a discussion between Draco and Sirius to chapter 5. Basically, Sirius gives Draco advice about the romantic style feelings that have been growing, but with plenty of humor and penis puns thrown in. I've wanted that conversation to happen for a while but it didn't come to me clearly until yesterday.
Thanks again. Enjoy.
They apparated into sheer chaos in the ministry. With measured steps in stark contrast to the frantic prancing to and fro of the officials, Hermione and Harry made their way to the checkpoint between the entrance foyer and the Ministry proper.
The only employee showing any decorum was the security guard at the checkpoint, though that may have been because she got to sit. Her eyes shifted wildly as her supposed betters ran amok. Those panicked eyes focused on Harry and Hermione as they approached. Today had been light on visitors as everyone of means stayed home trying and often failing to get their estate under control. Most officials used the foyer as a meeting place rather than waiting to have their classified conversations behind closed and warded doors. Another sign of their debilitating histeria.
"Good morning," Harry said to the guard. Her eyes widened as she looked from the lightning scar to the starting green eyes, and down to the Potter Crest on his right ring finger.
"Lord Harry Potter and a lovely companion... Hermione Granger?"
Hermione twitched in shock. "How-?"
"You were on the cover of Witch weekly. Brightest witch of our age they called you. A girl - remembers something like that." The girl winked a toffee coloured eye and tossed back her neon pink hair. "My name's Tonks. Auror, but they got me manning the door what with all the hysterics."
"Nice to make your acquaintance Tonks," Hermione said, shaking the enthusiastic girl's hand.
"How'd to get to be an auror so young?" Harry asked, earning a light slap and scoff from Hermione.
"Excuse him. He was raised by a mangy old mutt who never taught him to mind his manners."
Tonks laughed it off, a light infectious sound.
"No worries. I get that a lot. How do you know I'm young?" Before their eyes, Tonks' eyes sunk, skin grew loose and wrinkled, hair bleached and back stooped. Soon, a little old lady who could be around ninety stood before them.
"Metamorphmagus? That's wicked. I've only met one other in my life," Harry said.
"You have?" Tonks snapped back to herself. "I haven't. Could you introduce me?"
"Sure," Harry said, and programmed himself into her phone as she did the same. "Ramiel. Parselmouth too. Lucky bugger. First wizard in recorded history to be both."
"Ramiel chooses to look that way?"
"It's his real face," Harry said. "I think."
Tonks laughed them through the checkpoint. "Go on in. I've got a feeling you two've got something to do with this mess."
"We could be here to register Hermione as an animagus."
"And I could be a muggle."
The pair made their way through the eerily quiet hall to take to lift. On level two, which housed auror HQ, they got off and asked to see Amelia Bones.
"Do you have an appoint- Oh! Lord Potter!" The pert blond woman, who was easily twice his age and resembled a librarian, purred his name and began batting her eyes.
Hermione looked from her and Harry's interlocked fingers to the obviously flirting girl. In true guy fashion, Harry didn't seem to notice at first.
"What a pleasure to see you. It's not often our humble office sees someone so renowned or, if I may say so," she said while tugging her shirt down to receive more of her ample cleavage, "handsome." The bimbo actually licked her lips.
Hermione seethed, pulled Harry's arm over her shoulder, and grinned sweetly as the blonds' eyes narrowed.
"Like Harry said," Hermione emphasized the intimate title, "we're here to see Amelia Bones. Is she in?"
The blond, Natalie Price by the sleek metal name plate on her desk, looked Hermione up and down. Her coquettish smile grew and she continued to purr as she addressed her. "Do you have an appointment?"
Hermione blinked rapidly and looked at Harry for help. He only chuckled.
"No, but Amelia is a close family friend," Harry said politely, "and with the near riot in the foyer, she'll want to see us."
"Ms. Bones is very busy. Why don't we set up an appointment?"
"Look," Harry said, his eyes hardening to chips of jade, "I've had enough of your pathetic flirting. You're a grown ass woman for crying out loud, older than my father, and it's pretty clear I'm with Hermione."
"Well I'm not usually this forward, but you're both unusually attractive. We could all play together."
"No." Harry's voice was ice.
"Well why don't you take my card and-"
Harry turned to kiss Hermione hard, pulling her up to his height by her ass.
"Now. "Harry said while he kept Hermione plastered to his front, "take two seconds out of your day to call Amelia and let her know I'm here." His cold voice gave Hermione a light shiver and set the woman scrambling to pick up her phone. His normally sweet jovial nature did wonders to hide the warrior whose hard chest she clung to now.
This man always rested just below the surface. Harry never gave her reason to dwell on the horrible things he witnessed and did, but they rushed forward to set her eyes stinging for him now. She buried her face against his pecks to hide the tears she fought to keep back.
"She'll take you now. Last door end of the hall." Normally, Natalie would take any excuse to see Amelia or accompany such an attractive visitor. However, the stern look in the man's eyes, for he certainly no longer appeared a teenager, had her quivering behind her desk. His commanding tone had her panties wet too, but she wouldn't test his wrath any further than she already had.
He gave her a curt nod and led Hermione down the hall. Once they were out of the front desks' line of sight, he stopped and lifted her face to look at his. A single tear tracked down her left cheek. He smoothed it away with his thumb.
"What's wrong? 'he asked, his voice full of soft concern. "Did I scare you?"
"No. No. You couldn't scare me. I just remembered everything you must have seen and done to be so hard and cold."
"You... feel sad for me? "Harry stared at the precious girl in his arms at a complete loss. No one outside of Sirius had ever felt so strongly for him. People loved the idea of him, feared, respected. hated, admired, and coveted him. No one cried for him. Not since he was far too young to remember.
"Of course. No one should have to endure what you have. I'm here now though. I'll protect you. Love you. I can't make up for your past, but hopefully I can make your future a little brighter."
He kissed her. Not the forceful possessive kiss he had used to slap the secretary in the face, but a tender kiss that tried and failed to express the love that pained his chest with its intensity.
They were both left gasping for air. "You make my present brighter than anything I ever dared hope for, he whispered against her lips.
She gave him another deep kiss before drying her eyes and marching down the hall to knock on the door at the end.
"Come in," answered a clipped female voice. After Harry caught up, chuckling lightly, they entered together.
"Harry." A middle aged woman with a stern weathered face, straight prominent nose, firm thin lips, storm grey eyes, and sandy blond hair pulled into a high no-nonsense bun stood behind her desk.
"Auntie Amy!" He rushed forward. She met him halfway to give him a warm hug.
"What have I told you about calling me that in public? Naughty boy."
Hermione stood with her mouth slightly agape. "Auntie, this is Hermione, my soulmate."
After a sudden jolt of panic, Hermione relaxed into a polite smile and offered her hand. They'd agreed to keep their bond a secret. Hermione had enough of a target on her back as his girlfriend no one need know exactly how important she'd become to him. Obviously, Harry trusted the woman with an iron handshake. She had to admit, hearing her new connection to him aloud thrilled her.
"Very nice to meet you Ms. Bones."
"Oh none of that please. Auntie if you like, though I do prefer Amelia to Amy," she shot Harry a glare. "No use waiting til the wedding with a soulmate bond."
Both teens sputtered.
"For Merlin's sake. Your souls are connected. There's no bigger commitment. And don't you forget it, boy. Your past is past but this charming, and by all accounts brilliant, young witch is a better future than your playboy ass deserves. You will give her a wedding ten times more glamorous than she could ever have dreamed up as a little girl. You hurt her and I'll teach her restricted auror level curses that will have you begging to lick her boots."
Hermione burst out laughing at Harry's stricken expression.
"Auntie," he whined, but cut off at her raised hand.
"If it's all the same to you, I'd love to learn those spells anyway. Auntie," she added somewhat awkwardly.
"Whatever for?"
"To learn." Hermione shrugged. "I wouldn't use them, but the more complex spells I learn the better I am overall."
Amelia took her turn laughing.
"You're both going to get me in quite a bit of trouble. Very well. I'll lend you a book on the theory, but you're not to practice without me. Clear?"
"Crystal. Thank you!" Hermione practically bounced with excitement and stroked the leather bound book Amelia handed her from her personal collection.
"You've earned a friend for life Auntie."
"I should hope so, she is my new niece. Now, I'm sure you didn't take me away from the biggest crisis since the ministry failed to deal with the Dark Lord to exchange pleasantries." Amelia sat back behind her desk and motioned for the couple to take the seats on the other side of the sturdy yet modest cherry desk.
"Of course not," Harry said. "We caused it."
"Already pulling her into your antics?"
"She got into plenty all by herself at Hogwarts!"
"Oh I know, but your brand of trouble is extreme."
"More extreme than a basilisk attack?"
"As I recall, you jumped into the middle of that, but yes. Snakes with you are par for the course." She waved his sputtering off. "Now. I knew you planned to do something for the magical creatures in Britain, but you could have given your favorite aunt some warning."
"With the way this conversation is going, maybe Aunt Min should be my favorite," he grumbled.
"Hush boy."
"You wouldn't have wanted warning, Auntie. This way your superiors might believe you when you tell them you were taken completely by surprise."
Amelia laughed. "I'm not sure if you're clever or just know how to weasel your way out of trouble as well as either of your Dad's."
"Nonsense. I'm better."
"So, I assume you have a way to deal with this chaos."
"Of course. The Ministry isn't going to like it."
"You freed their slaves out from under them and left them floundering for over forty-eight hours. I think they've gone farther than 'not liking. the situation as is."
"Harry's got a list of rights we want to make law," Hermione said and pulled out the scroll they spent their two hour homework break on the day before.
"Rights for elves," Amelia sighed. "Nice idea. Not going to happen."
"Then magicals will go without their servants."
"You can't feed that many bonds much longer. I'm surprised you're still standing as is."
"Don't need to. I tied every elf back to the ley lines. My elves only take a little boost here and there. They chose to bind themselves to me, but not under the threat of starvation. They're siphoning less than having two elves before the ritual and my ranks keep growing. Freed from their former masters, I've taken on twenty scared and confused refugees.
"Originally, I planned on freeing them every five years, but with the help of Gaia and Selene, they're irrevocably tied back to the land and can feed off it once more. No matter what I do, the house elves are free.
"This list," Harry said, "has been broadcast into the mind of every elf. They know them. Hell, half of them were written by mine years ago. No elf will work for any magical that violates these rights."
"Gaia and Selene? You mean you evoked their names in ritual."
"He means," Hermione said, "that they answered. They used me as a vessel and pumped their own power, will, and intent into the ritual."
"I thought the bond to the ley lines would break if they bound a magical or fade over five years. The goddesses fixed that." Harry gave Amelia time to digest the news. Most magicals believed in a pantheon of gods and goddesses, but confirmation that they not only existed but interfered directly with mortal affairs would rock most to the core.
Naturally, Amelia only needed a minute. "Let's read the list then."
Rights and Responsibilities of House Elves. House elves shall have the same rights as Magicals, with the following clarifications.
1. House elves have full control over their own reproduction, rearing, and naming of young.
2. House elves can not be bought, sold, traded, or otherwise treated as an object.
3. House elves choose their own masters and may leave their employ at any time for any reason.
4. House elves are not obligated to bond with their employer.
5. House elves will be compensated in a way that is acceptable to both parties.
6. House elves have the right to refuse any assignm ent, especially those that are unsafe.
7. House elves can not be asked to harm themselves or others.
"The ministry is going to lose its mind over house elves having the same rights as us."
"Too bad," Harry said. "They're sentient magical beings that share our world. All sentient creatures deserve the same rights."
"Oh no," Amelia said. "No, no, no, no. No. I did not hear that last bit." Amelia sighed. "Well, are you going to stay for the fireworks?"
The Wizengamot came together in record speed once Amelia made the Ministry wide announcement.
The large auditorium strained to accommodate the officials and spectators, despite the internal space enlarging charms. Within a minute and a half only standing room remained and even that in precious short supply.
"I'm not sure there's room," Hermione said.
"Perks of dating a Peer my love. Come on." With a simple wandless repelling charm, Harry cut a path through the crowd toward the official plush boxes at the front.
"In those?" Hermione squeaked.
"Well what's the use of having one if I'm not going to use it?" Harry opened the wooden gate with his crest on it and motioned for Hermione to choose whichever plush red and gold leather armchair she liked. She chose the one right of centre, leaving him smack in the centre and elevated a couple inches above the other chairs.
"I suppose you sitting in this ridiculous throne would be scandalous," Harry sighed as he slumped into the chair. "Sounds fun actually. Switch with me?"
"Haven't we caused enough of a stir for one day?"
"Technically, we caused the 'House Elf Crisis' three days ago. Haven't done anything yet today."
"Tell that to them," Hermione said with a nod toward several whispering and pointing groups both from other noble family boxes and the audience.
"I guarantee they're not talking about me love," Harry whispered in her ear. With a wicked grin, he sucked her earlobe into his mouth before kissing along her jawline to claim her startled lips. "The wider world had to know sooner or later," he said against her lips. "Sooner it starts, sooner they move on to the next piece of gossip."
"Git," she whispered, but her harsh tone faltered under her smile. While she didn't enjoy the publicity, she couldn't help but get a thrill out of Harry claiming her so brazenly. In a few hours, the entire magical community would know Harry Potter had a girlfriend. They would know she owned him.
The shock of such a possessive thought shook her from her reverie and back to the room around her, which Cornelius Fudge attempted to call to order.
Several minutes of chatter persisted before the room got quiet as Fudge said, "damn you all can we start working to get this matter resolved? Thank you."
At that moment, Sirius strode into the room and forced his way up to the Black family booth.
"I'd apologize for being late, but since I wasn't notified of this meeting until my son asked were I was, I believe that responsibility lies with you, Cornelius."
"Yes, yes. Sit down Black."
Sirius stood in his box, but looked expectantly at Fudge.
"What?"
"I'm waiting for an apology. How many of these have I missed simply because I wasn't notified?"
"You were out of the country."
"I believe you were vacationing in Spain, Lady Drewett. Did you receive an invitation?"
"Why yes I did, dear boy," said Molly Weasley's mother. She'd always had a bit of a crush on Sirius despite him being a hair older than her youngest daughter.
"You haven't been to one of these for years," Fudge grumbled.
"Lord Rowle, I believe you were pardoned barely a week ago and only regained your holdings yesterday. Tell me, did they send word to you while in Azkaban?"
A gaunt man with haunted eyes merely nodded toward Sirius, who in turn went back to staring at Fudge.
"Very well. This government apologizes to Lord Sirius Black for the oversight. Now plant your arse so we may begin." Once Sirius obliged with a flourish, Fudge immediately pretended the man didn't exist and turned to the woman he disliked nearly as much." Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of magical law Enforcement, you called this meeting, the floor is yours."
"Thank you, Minister. Lord Harry Potter has submitted a list of rights that the house elves demand be made law before they return to work."
"Preposterous." Lord Selwyn, a wizened old man shouted over the ensuing chatter and stood. "Who ever heard of house elves having rights?"
"All other European countries enforce house elf rights," Amelia answered quickly before Harry could get confrontational. "In fact, Britain has an outdated and largely ignored list of rights."
"Nonsense," Selwyn said. "We'll merely wait until starvation drives them back to work."
"Then you will die waiting." Harry said, not bothering to stand. He commanded absolute silence due to both his fame and that this was his first official appearance in Britain. The impact of his words could be felt immediately. Much of the audience shivered, believing the young Lord capable of anything. Many of the noble houses and ministry officials were outraged.
"Lard Potter," Fudge bit off each word. "You can not threaten this government. Not even you could feed all of England's elves independently."
"I gave no threat minister, only fact." Harry spoke in a cold indifferent voice. "The house elves have been tied back to the ley lines of their ancestral lands. They will never require magicals again, whether they choose to take a bond or not."
General panic broke out. Several minutes passed before Fudge regained control.
"One more outburst from the audience and I will seal this meeting to ministry officials and noble houses." His voice rang over the cacophony aided by the sona us charm.
"Minister."
"Gethsemane Prickle, Head of the Department for the Regulation and control of magical Creatures, you have the floor."
"Thank you Minister. My colleagues and I believe we have a way to break the bond the elves have with the land as our ancestors did."
Fudges eyes lit up.
"Won't work," Harry said in a nonchalant, even bored manner.
"Why ever not?" Fudge kept tight control of his growing frustration with the boy.
"Gaia and Selene, in their infinite wisdom, found it prudent to lock the bond against magical interference. Not even they could break it now."
"You mean to tell me two goddesses saw fit to use a male vessel for your little elf ritual?"
"Firstly, Minister, the elves are those goddesses favored children. There was nothing 'little' about what we did for them. Second, my lovely companion made a more than adequate vessel."
Hermione blushed under the undivided attention of over a thousand people, but held her head high.
"And who are you little girl?"
"Hermione Granger, old man." A collective intake of breath sounded as everyone waited to see how the minister would react to such blatant disrespect. Fudge grit his teeth, but could do nothing. Harry Potter could kill him a hundred different ways. He'd heard the Granger girl knew her offensive spells too.
"Right. You held two goddesses?"
"I did."
"Without disintegrating?"
"Clearly."
"Prove it."
"Pardon?"
"Back up Mr. Potter's claim."
"Lord Potter," she snipped.
"Prove. It."
Rage built in Hermione. How could she prove something that had passed? The goddesses hadn't left an outward sign of their presence. Although, a warm hum resided at the back of her mind.
She concentrated on the melodic hum and let the warmth spread through her body. The light, life, and passion she felt when the goddesses took hold reared up, but at a fraction the power. This time, she regained control. Something released within her moving out.
Gasps rang through the audience as she opened her eyes.
Hermione rose into the air on wings of brilliant white light as her eyes glowed with the fire of death and rebirth.
"Here is your proof, Minister. the goddesses have moved through me to free their children from your tyranny and have marked me with their favor in return. I hold the line. I will protect the downtrodden creatures of this world with all the power and rage of one of the Chosen." Her words were not quite her own and reverberated with power beyond mortal comprehension.
"Very well. "Fedge said. His voice sounded weak and faint in the wake of her pronouncement. "If you would." He indicated her vacant seat.
She paused for a moment, but the obvious respect in his voice had her folding her wings back into her back as she settled into her chair. The fire in her eyes dimmed, but now that she'd accepted the boon would never fully extinguish. She was Chosen and the world would know.
"Now then, "Fudge said once everyone had settled. "Let's see this list."
Harry cast a simple projection spell on the parchment so everyone could see. Fudge growled at not being afforded the opportunity to review the list before it was broadcast to the public. It would take more effort to make changes without repercussion.
"The same rights as magicals?" an audience member shouted. "You can't be serious."
"They basically are Magical," Harry countered. "They're capable of the same magic as us. Only bigotry and fear denies than the right to carry a wand."
"And you'd give them wands?" Selwyn sneered.
"Why not?"
"They'd be more powerful than us," Fudge said.
"They already are. Their nature keeps them peaceful. That won't change."
"If I may," Amelia said, though she did not wait for permission to continue. "This document would give elves the right to buy wands, but would not force wand makers to sell them."
General mutters sounded disgruntled but accepting. Ollivander winked at Harry. One of the many companies Harry had covertly bought stock in over the years was Ollivander's. He'd sent the man many keen elves to create wands for the ageing wizard over the years and knew no elf, Potter's or otherwise, would be denied.
"Very well." Fudge, tried and failed to rub. the stress from his temples brought on by all the paperwork altering that one law would create.
"All those stipulations mean elves have more rights than magicals."
The arguments ran on for more than an hour over every minute detail. Harry tuned it to amuse himself by running his fingers over the back of Hermione's hand and up her arm instead. She remained on the edge of her chair, muttering to herself about 'the idiocy of beaurac- racy" as she followed the debate.
One phrase caught Harry's attention. "We should put more resources into figuring out how to return to the status quo. There must be a way to circumvent this list or make them return to work, "said Gethsemane Prickle.
"I wasn't aware your department reinforced and maintained the brutal subjugation and abuse of magical creatures, Prickle," Harry said. "Perhaps it could use a more descriptive name."
"No- I didn't mean-we don't-"
"England is the only country without enforceable rights for elves. True, these are more comprehensive than most, but England has abused her slaves for far too long. I've warned you for years to clean up your own mess. You refused. These are the repercussions. There is no out. The rights can not be circumvented. If your or any department can pull its collective head out of its collective arse long enough to find a work around my retribution will be swift and severe. Do I make myself clear?"
"Mr. Potter you will keep a civil tongue in my court," Fudge snapped. "You did not campaign, you were not elected to any office, and you are not an authority here. Sit down and let your betters clean up your colossal fuck up."
Silence.
Harry did not sit.
"Your right. I never campaigned to be a pawn in your wars. I never voted to pit myself against Voldemort. However, I am an authority by my magical merit and the role your administration earmarked for me as a baby. You encouraged the power I've amassed and no matter how many papers you try to pay off my power isn't going anywhere. You don't get to dictate when or how I use it."
"Tread carefully. You're starting to look an awful lot like a threat to this great nation."
"To the nation, or to your ego? I want this nation to be proud of how it treats its magical creatures and citizens, not desperately try to sweep the abuse and neglect under the rug. The rug has gone rancid, the floor has rot through, and mildew has begun to spread up the walls. I intend to renovate the room before the house is condemned. Make sure you all tread on the fresh floor boards I lay today, rather than the rot."
"I do not take kindly to threats, Potter."
"Clean out your ears, Fudge. That was merely a warning. Now," Harry stood and opened the gate for Hermione, "argue all you want about the rights. Whether they're law or not, I have the sworn word of every house elf family that none of their family members will work for any magical who attempts to circumvent their rights.
"We have much better uses for our time. Good day."
Harry and Hermione began making their way out of the court.
"You can't take the law into your own hands Potter! You're just a man. I'll have you arrested. I'll have your pretty friend arrested. How long do you think she'll last in Azkaban?"
Fear shot through Hermione, but a squeeze of her hand from Harry let her release the breath she held. Harry, who had been ignoring the blow hard until that moment, leaned over to an eager group of reporters and said, "don't you think he looks tired?"
All seven of them began jotting notes and clamoured to shout questions over each other, which Harry ignored.
"What did he say?" Fudge asked. When no one answered, he screamed it.
Together, Harry and Hermione exited in front of a crowd of spectators who followed them toward the foyer.
"Family, friends, and neighbors. No matter what the ministry says in the coming days, I did this for the betterment of this country. Together let's' leave the outdated and unsightly practices in the past so that we can be proud of our nation and ourselves. So we can take our place as ethical leaders on the world stage. So we can build a bright future and have our children proud of the difficult choice we made here and now.
I've done the easy bit. Now it's up to every one of us to quit the vile habits we've grown up thinking are right. the road won't be easy, but I will be with you every step of the way, lending aid where I can.
Thank you England. Thank you for welcoming me back. Thank you for trusting me. It's good to be home."
Without acknowledging any of the reporters' questions, Harry apparated them back to their suite in Gryffindor tower.
"You think of England as home do you?"
"Not really, but such is politics. I've got to make them love me, or at the very least accept me before I can make true change.
I might consider the Potter Estate home, or home adjacent anyway. Will you come with me? When I go the first time?"
The vulnerability toeing the line of fear written all over his face set Hermione nodding vigorously.
"Of course. Anywhere. Any time. I'm with you."
Harry swept her into his arms and carried her to bed.
Back at the ministry, Dumbledore left as discreetly as he could, glad he'd gone with the gut impulse to go inconspicuously. Being the head Mugwump in that meeting would have pitted him against Harry as firmly as Fudge, though hopefully with an iota of tact. Neither of them were ready for that. After that show, they might never be.
Dumbledore shook off his thoughts and apparated to his office. Harry had been right about one thing; everything after he left, and a fair bit before, held as much significance as a breeze next to a tornado. Potter had acted. He'd given England a choice and when they did nothing, forced their hand. He had to respect the irony in that he planned the same fate for the boy.
Dumbledore had tried offering the boy trust. Now he would force his hand.
"Severus, it's time to make our move on the girl."
The Defense teacher nodded and left the headmaster alone with his thoughts. Grim thoughts indeed.