AN: Another long chapter. I had planned it out differently, but as I started writing, this is what came out. Thanks again for reading and I hope you enjoy.
Chapter 12
The next morning, training started in earnest. For the first hour, all of them, trainees and trainers, were worked hard physically as they went through the exercises Harry, Amelia, and Minerva had designed for them. The goal was to increase their endurance, strength, speed, reflexes, and ability to dodge. Trainees and trainers alike, disliked them for the difficult exercises, but none complained since they realized it was all for their own good.
The second hour consisted of magic practice where the trainees worked hard on the areas that they struggled with such as accuracy, power, and control. The trainers also taught them advanced defensive and offensive magic, worked on silent casting, and practiced dueling. They had them split up into different pairs each day, with Harry participating to make it even. This was to help them learn how to adjust to different dueling styles. It also helped them to learn each other's as well so that they could fight together well.
For the last hour, they worked on Occlumency with Andromeda. She began teaching them how to build and maintain their mental defenses as well as how to store their memories, thoughts, and emotions. For the first day, she talked to them each individually to help them discover the method that best fit them.
Samena, joined them the morning before she left and gave all the trainees, except for the natural animagi, books on their abilities to help them learn how to control and use them. Ginny and Neville's elemental abilities were confirmed by Minerva who gave them the same exercises to practice on their own that she had assigned Harry. Ron, Fred, and George had been informed that they would wait until school started to complete their animagus transformation since it would be easier to hide it there. The three wizards were a bit disappointed but understood the reasoning behind it.
This training schedule continued for the rest of the week. They met every single day, including the weekends when they trained for an extra hour. By the end of the first week
During the rest of the day, the trainees spent as much time studying and practicing as they could without getting caught. Those living in Black Manor did a variety of things. Charlie, Fleur, Amelia, Andromeda, Tonks, and Hestia went to work during the day, with the latter two alternating days for going into the office or staying to "guard" Harry. When they weren't working, Amelia and Andromeda began to prepare for the Wizengamot session that was to happen on August 5th. Throughout the week, they cautiously reached out to some of their contacts, mentioning a possible new faction entering the fray and asking them to keep an open mind. They also taught Harry about what to expect during the session and started working on what he would say during it.
Meanwhile, Minerva kept Harry busy with training and studying during the day, including apparition practice. Harry was quickly learning how to control his two elements, something that Minerva was very proud of, but he still had a lot of work before he could claim to be proficient with them. He also had almost mastered apparition by the end of the week and Minerva planned to bring him to the Ministry to take his test on Monday of the next week. As for his NEWT studies, Minerva was sure that he would be well prepared to take the test which Amelia had scheduled for August 12th.
Susan joined them during their training and study sessions as well. Minerva and Harry, not wanting her to feel left out, made sure to work with her on her spell casting when they were in the training room. When they were studying, Minerva answered any question of Susan's that she could while also helping Harry. Susan and Harry spent some of the studying time working on their summer homework together, trying to get it finished quickly so they would have more time to devote to training. They also spent time together during their free time, getting to know each other better than they had at school.
Only a few things of note occurred during the rest of the week. Remus replied to Harry the day after Samena visited, but it wasn't a good one. Throughout the letter, he continuously made excuses for not being there for Harry or not trying to reach out to him after they finally met during Harry's third year. He also urged Harry to listen to Dumbledore and return back to the Dursleys for his safety. Harry didn't write back to him.
Harry's sleeping situation was alright, though not as good as when he and Minerva slept together. While he was experiencing nightmares, they weren't as explosive as before thanks to the ward Samena put up. He was even able to settle down enough to go back to sleep if they woke him up. Minerva kept a close eye on him to check for any signs of exhaustion, but he seemed to be getting adequate sleep for right now. Still, Harry missed their previous arrangement more than he cared to admit.
Those in the know about the horcruxes also spent time trying to figure out where they might be hidden. Hestia suggested that one of them might be hidden in places connected to Voldemort's relatives so they started searching for where they might have lived or any other places that were connected to them. It was hard going, though since not much was known publicly about the Gaunt family or their former whereabouts.
Then on Friday, Harry, Minerva, Tonks, and Andromeda got notices about Sirius's Will reading that would occur on Monday at 10 in the morning. It took an hour destroying training dummies and a talk from Minerva to calm Harry down. He was upset that he had to go, not wanting to deal with the situation at all, but she and Tonks were able to convince him it was best that he just gets it over with so he could move on. He reluctantly agreed. They also warned him that Dumbledore would likely be there so he would have to be prepared for that.
- H.M. –
On Monday, Harry and Minerva left Black Manor half an hour before Sirius's Will reading was set to start. Andromeda and Tonks were going to come later to avoid anyone suspecting them of being in contact with Harry. When they arrived, a young goblin took them directly to a conference room that was set up for the event. Ripclaw was sitting at the head of the long table and looked up when they entered the room.
"Good to see you Harry, though I'm sure we both wish the circumstances were better," Ripclaw greeted as they both sat down to his right. "And you as well Professor McGonagall."
"Good to see you too Ripclaw/Manger Ripclaw," Harry and Minerva replied respectively.
"May I ask what happened to your face?" Ripclaw asked.
Harry, who hadn't covered up his new scar yet, chose his words carefully before answering. "Let's just say I had a fight with a certain being that happens to transform on a certain night of the month. Trust me, he's in a much worse condition than I am."
"Would I be correct in assuming this individual was one of the most notorious of his kind," Ripclaw asked knowingly.
"I believe you would be," Harry replied.
"Then I thank you for the service you have done for the world. While I have no prejudices against them in general, he gave them a bad reputation. He's a big part of why they're so oppressed, so it's good that he's no longer around to cause problems," Ripclaw observed.
Harry nodded in acknowledgement. "You're welcome."
Ripclaw focused the conversation back onto the reason they were there. "Now, I can see you're a bit nervous about this, but I want to assure that there is nothing for you to be worried about. Mr. Black left a recorded message for the Will so all you have to do is listen to it. As the main beneficiary, you will have the right to kick out anyone who is not mentioned in the Will, but that's about all."
"It's not the Will that has me nervous. I just don't want to have to deal with people trying to demand I tell them what I've been up to this summer," Harry clarified.
"Well, if it will help you, I can announce that I need to talk to you individually at the conclusion of the reading. That way no one will have time to harass you," Ripclaw suggested.
"Thanks, Ripclaw that would be greatly appreciated," Harry said.
"Very well, I will be back when the reading is set to start, but the two of you may remain here," Ripclaw stated before exiting the room.
Minerva observed Harry for a moment after the goblin left before speaking up. "How have you been sleeping?"
"Alright, I guess. The ward doesn't stop the nightmares completely, but it makes them much easier to deal with." Harry hesitated before asking his question. "What about you? I know you said you have them sometimes too."
"I've been okay. Thank you for asking." The truth was that she missed sleeping with him, though she wasn't going to say that out loud. It had been so long since she'd shared her bed with someone else that she'd forgotten how much she enjoyed it. She even had a pretty bad nightmare of losing him last night that had her watching him even more than usual to remind herself that he was still alive. "You'll let me know if they start getting worse again, yes?"
"Yeah, I promise. Umm… you can tell me if yours get bad, too." Harry sensed that she wasn't telling him the whole truth, but let it go for the moment. After all, he wasn't doing as well as he claimed either. Instead, he changed the subject. "How do you think Dumbledore's going to react when he sees us?"
"He'll likely try to take control of everything before being shot down by Ripclaw. Thankfully we'll have a reason to leave early. Goblins really are helpful when you treat them with respect."
"Too bad most are too prejudiced to realize that."
Minerva nodded her head in agreement. "So, with that taken care of, all you have to do is remember what we decided earlier. If he tries to get you to meet with him, you tell him when you're available and leave it at that."
"I just hope I don't lose my temper with him."
Minerva scoffed at that. "I'm more worried about me losing my temper and strangling him with his own beard!" The cold anger in her tone amplified her words.
Harry looked at her warily. "Remind me not to get you that angry with me. Ever. Compared to you, Riddle's no worse than Malfoy."
"If only the world knew that my ire is your greatest fear," Minerva joked as she shook her head at him, a small smile tugging at her lips.
"They'd say I'm a wise man," Harry replied sagely. "Seriously though, I'm sure you'll make it through without hurting him, no matter how much he deserves it. All you have to think about is what would happen to the students if you weren't there to protect them."
"I suppose so."
A mischievous smirk appeared on Harry's face at the thought that just passed through his head. "Then again, if we do lose our tempers, we could always take over the school and kick Dumbledore, Snape, and Filch out of it."
"I think your rebelliousness is starting to rub off on me because that idea sounds entirely too tempting."
"Welcome to the Gray side of the Force Minerva."
"I should have never watched Star Wars with you."
"It's a great trilogy and you know it."
"If you say so."
"You know you liked the movies just as much as I did."
"I can neither confirm nor deny that."
"Why can't you just admit I'm right?"
"Where's the fun in that?" The smirk on Minerva's face had Harry's thoughts traveling in an inappropriate direction and it took all of his Occlumency training to prevent that from becoming noticeable.
Once Harry regained control of his thoughts, the two of them joked around for the rest of the time they had to wait. Minerva did it to cheer Harry up and keep his mind off of Sirius's death. When Ripclaw returned to the room, it was to the sound of their laughter.
"The others have arrived so whenever you're ready, we can begin," the goblin announced.
Harry and Minerva strengthened their mental shields and fixed their expressions to reflect the seriousness of the occasion before Harry nodded for Ripclaw to start. Minerva also made sure to glamour Harry's scar from Greyback, to avoid arousing suspicion for now. The door opened again a moment later as everyone began to file into the room. The group consisted of the Weasley parents, the twins, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Remus, Dumbledore, the Tonks women, Mrs. Malfoy, and Draco. Tonks winked at Harry as she sat down across from him, making him smirk for a moment. Dumbledore looked pointedly at Minerva in an attempt to sit down by Harry but received only a stoic expression in return. Silent request refused, he made do with sitting beside Andromeda on the opposite side of them, causing the woman to look annoyed for a fleeting moment. Remus also tried to get Harry's attention, but was completely ignored.
Fudge tried to come into the room as well but was barred by the goblin guard standing at the door. The minister tried to protest, but he was ignored.
Ripclaw turned to Harry, his tone formal. "As the main beneficiary, you have the right to decide if those who are not listed in the Will can attend."
"Tell him he's not invited," Harry replied calmly.
"Now see here…" is all Fudge managed to get out before the door was shut in his face. They could hear him arguing with the guards for a moment until they got too far away.
"Well, let's begin then," Ripclaw stated as he sat down at the head of the table. Before Dumbledore could interrupt him, the goblin pressed on. "Now, as you all know, you are here to witness the reading of Sirius Orion Black's Will. He prepared a recorded message for the occasion so I will play it now."
Ripclaw touched his finger to the black square object that was on the table in front of him. After a few seconds, a ghostly image of Sirius appeared out of it and began speaking.
"I, Sirius Orion Black, being of sound mind, body, and magic, do hereby declare this to be my Last Will and Testament. All other Wills made before this day are now canceled and revoked. This Will expresses my wishes and desires without undue influence or duress. Blah, blah, blah, yadda, yadda, yadda. Now that the legal stuff is out of the way, I can get to the fun part. Giving my family's stuff away to the kind of people most of them detested.
First, to Molly and Arthur, I give you 50,000 galleons. Thank you for welcoming Harry into your family and taking care of him like one of your own.
To Gred and Forge, as Harry calls you, I give you 30,000 galleons. Thank you for looking out for Harry as surrogate big brothers and teaching the fine art of mischief when I couldn't. Use this money to start your store and make it the big success I know it will be to bring more laughter into a world that desperately needs it.
To Ron, Ginny, and Hermione, I give you three 15,000 galleons each. Thank you for being such good friends to Harry. Merlin knows he needed it. I just ask that you continue to stand beside him for the dangers still ahead. I also give Hermione a collection of ancient books that my family had. Don't worry, none of them are dangerous, but they're filled with plenty of knowledge that I'm sure you'll appreciate.
To Remus Lupin, I give you 20,000 galleons. I'm sorry I left you too mate, but I'm ordering you to take care of yourself. Also, don't forget the promise we made James and Lily. Look out for him like we swore we would do.
To Andy and Dora, I give you each 50,000 galleons and formally bring you back into the family with all the rights and privileges that entails. I only hope that you will be the family Harry needs and help guide him to reach his potential and survive this war.
To Minerva, I give you all of the ancient Transfiguration texts my family had as well as 10,000 galleons to make up for all of the chaos I caused you. Take care of him for me.
Now for Narcissa and Draco, I give you a proposition. If you renounce your pureblood ways and stop following a certain dark lord, I offer you a safe place to live and a vault to help you survive. If not, then you get nothing.
As for Albus, I want you to leave Harry alone and let him live his life. You've already ruined enough of it.
Finally, to Harry, my wonderful godson, I leave you everything else. I've already written down most of what I wanted to say to you, but I want to give you one last piece of advice: Tell her how you feel. She deserves to know and you both deserve to be happy.
You have watched listened to the Will of Sirius Black. So mote it be."
They all sat in silence for a moment as they took in what they'd heard. Draco was the one who broke it.
"I object to being given nothing! I'm supposed to be Lord Black!" Narcissa grabbed his shoulder before he could rise from his seat.
"Not now Draco," she whispered harshly into his ear.
"Unfortunately for you, that position is already filled," Ripclaw corrected. "Unless the current Lord Black would like to relinquish that position, you have no claim to it." He turned toward Harry expectantly.
"Not happening," Harry simply replied.
Knowing that now wasn't the best time to make a scene, Narcissa led her son out of the room before he did something both would regret. It didn't stop the boy from yelling out threats and insults as he was dragged away. Harry only smirked in response, while Ron and the twins laughed heartily.
"That was great Harry," Ron said between laughs.
"Yes, very amusing," Ripclaw agreed, before focusing back onto the meeting. "Now for the rest of you that have been bequeathed something, these forms will tell you how to retrieve it from the vaults that were created for you."
As Ripclaw handed those out Dumbledore turned to speak to Harry. "Harry, where have you been staying and why did you think it was ok for you to leave your family when you know of the defenses erected around your home to protect all of you."
Harry mentally took a deep breath before responding. "First, you have lost the right to call me Harry, so it's Lord Black or Mr. Potter to you. Second, don't call those people my family because they're not. Third, that place has never been and will never be my home. Fourth, they've never cared about my safety so why should I care about theirs? Fifth, I'm much safer where I am now than I ever was there. And finally, I don't have to answer your questions because I'm no longer under your control. I'm emancipated and well within my rights to make my own decisions, whether you like it or not." Those not in the know looked at Harry in shock while the others wore self-satisfied smirks. Dumbledore missed these expressions except for the one on Minerva's face.
Dumbledore ignored that for the moment. "Harry, you will come with so I can take you back to the Dursleys where you belong. And we will talk about your disappointing and reckless behavior."
"No, he won't," Minerva interjected before Harry could respond.
"Minerva, did you know where Harry was all this time?" Dumbledore snapped.
"Not at first, but yes. And before you ask, I didn't tell you because he asked me not to and you've given me no reason to trust you with that information anyway."
"Look," Harry cut in before Dumbledore could speak, "if you want to talk to me, I'll be available tomorrow evening, but not before then, and it has to be in a neutral location. You can send me a letter with the details and as long as you stick to my terms, I'll show up.
Ripclaw, who had finished passing out the forms, realized it was time to cut in. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Harry and I have some more matters to attend to in private."
Harry mentally thanked the goblin. "Now as you've heard need to speak with Ragnok. I hope you all have a good day, but I must be going."
"Right this way Harry," Ripclaw said as he began to walk out of the room. Harry and Minerva got up and followed him out.
"Minerva, where are you going?" Dumbledore asked irately before they had reached the door.
Said witch spun around on her heel and fixed him with a steely glare. "I've been asked by his godfather to take care of him and I intend to do so, regardless of your feelings on the matter." Then she and Harry continued to walk out the door, slamming it firmly once outside. They could just hear the sound of Molly questioning Dumbledore as they walked down the hallway.
Once inside Ripclaw's office, Harry thanked the goblin for his assistance.
"Hey Minerva, do we have time to visit the Potter vault before I take my apparition test?" Harry asked.
"I don't see why not, as long as it's a short visit," Minerva replied.
"I will send for someone to escort you," Ripclaw said as he reached for a button on the side of his desk. A minute later, a young goblin arrived. They said their goodbyes before following him out. After a much longer cart ride than Harry or Minerva were used to, they were standing in front of the Potter vault. Their escort waited outside after telling Harry how to give Minerva permission to enter.
The vault was pretty big inside and Harry was a bit overwhelmed by the amount of stuff it contained for a moment until Minerva explained that it was likely things his family had collected over the centuries. The two of them walked around for about five minutes before Harry was drawn to the jewelry of all things and Minerva the books. He told her that she could have any book she wanted before heading in his own direction. There were several pieces of priceless items, but he was drawn specifically to the necklaces. As he looked at them, Sirius's words echoed in his mind and he couldn't help glancing back at Minerva for a second. He examined them more closely but didn't see one that truly called to him. Then he noticed some lumps of raw gold and silver to the side. Moving closer, he picked up the note that was beside them which explained that the materials could be used for custom-made jewelry that was easy to enchant. The metals themselves were imbued with Potter family magic to offer some basic protections.
Harry turned to watch Minerva again for a few moments as he thought through the turmoil in his mind. Unable to convince himself otherwise, he grabbed two lumps of the silver and slipped it into his pocket. Then he walked over to her, trying to avoid looking suspicious.
"See anything you like?" he asked her when she didn't notice him after a few seconds.
Minerva turned around, shocked that he was standing behind her. "Umm… yes. There are a few here that have caught my interest."
"Then take them." Harry held up his hand. "No protests from you Minerva. I said you could have any book you wanted, and I meant it. You know I likely won't read them and there's no point in them going to waste and collecting dust inside this vault. Not when someone I trust wants to read them. Besides, giving you a few books is nothing compared to all you've done for me. Teaching me in secret, even though I know for a fact you're not really a fan of secrets. Visiting me at the Dursleys, during your Order shifts. Taking me shopping so I could have clothes that actually fit me. Getting me to enjoy life more instead of focusing on the negatives. And taking care of me, even after I pushed you away. I wouldn't be alive or sane if it weren't for you. So please, take them."
She was touched by his open and honest words and replied in a soft voice. "Thank you, Harry."
Harry gave her a soft smile that made her heart flutter a bit. "You're welcome, Minerva."
For almost a whole minute, they gazed into each other's eyes and unconsciously drifted closer to before coming to their senses. The two lumps of silver in Harry's pocket felt a bit heavier and his mouth was dry as he spoke up again. "I'm done looking around for the moment so we can go if you're ready."
Minerva, who was just as affected by the moment, grabbed the three books that had caught her interest before telling him she was ready. The ride back to the main atrium of the bank was silent as both contemplated the effect their exchange had on them.
It was half an hour later when Harry and Minerva returned to Black Manor, Harry's apparition license in tow. He had passed the test with flying colors, something Minerva was very proud of even though she had expected it. Susan, Tonks, and Andromeda congratulated him as well as they all sat in the kitchen to have lunch. The rest of the day was mostly uneventful. Minerva had Winky prepare some treacle tart for dessert to celebrate Harry's success at dinner with everyone else. Harry and Minerva were a bit distracted for the rest of the day, though since their thoughts kept straying back to their moment in the vault, even though they tried to push it to the back of their minds.
- H.M. –
The next day, Minerva's friend Matthew arrived right before lunch time. She had to go back to her home to retrieve him and give him access to the manor.
After talking to the man for a few minutes, Harry decided that he definitely liked him. Matthew just had that easy-going personality that was hard to dislike. After getting to know each other more and eating lunch, Matthew began explaining the natural animagus process in a little more detail, making sure Harry understood what he was about to undertake.
"Alright, while I'm sure Minerva here has already explained how the process will go, so I'll just make sure you understand exactly what will happen."
"Go ahead," Harry replied, gesturing for Matthew to continue.
"Okay, so starting tonight, you will be taking the potion that will give you the visions as you sleep. You'll have to take them at around the same time every night, though it won't put you instantly to sleep. The visions themselves will consume your mind the entire night, so you won't have any dreams or nightmares and will feel very well rested in the morning."
"Will I still be able to wake up early? We train at 4 in the morning."
"Yes, as long as you set an alarm, your body will wake up like normal."
"Good. I'm liking the sound of this process even more."
Matthew laughed with Harry for a moment before continuing. "Yes, it definitely has its benefits. Anyway, these visions are designed to teach you all about your animal form, so pay close attention to them. It helps to write about them every morning when you first wake up, so you don't forget what you learned. Then, on the day of the transformation, you will take a different potion that will force you to change. This won't hurt, but it will feel very disorienting. After that, you'll be stuck in your form for twelve hours as you get accustomed to it. Minerva and I will be with you in our own animagus forms the entire time to keep watch over you. It's also probably best that all of us get plenty of rest during the day of so we'll have enough energy for the night."
"In my animal form, will I try to hurt you? I can guess that I won't be able to control my animal instincts at all for my first transformation and my animal might be a predator to yours. I don't want you guys helping me if it puts you into danger."
Harry had just increased his esteem in Matthew's eyes at his show of genuine concern. "You are correct that you won't be able to control your instincts, but as animagi, Minerva and I will not register as a threat or prey to you. Even in your first transformation, you will be able to recognize us as animagi and won't attack us, especially since you already know us."
"Okay good. Will the transformation tire me out any?"
"Yes, it will, so I'll need you to avoid using magic for 24 hours after it unless necessary. You can work on using your form after you've gotten enough rest. I'm sure Minerva will make sure you get rest even if you don't, though."
Harry chuckled at that. "That's an understatement. That woman can be scary when she wants to be."
"Speaking from experience?"
"Thankfully not really aimed at me, but I've definitely seen enough of her dangerous side to know not to get on it."
"Wise words that."
- H.M. –
After seeing how well Harry and Matthew were getting along, Minerva left them alone for a few hours. She knew how much Harry needed a male role model in his life, especially after losing Sirius, and Matthew was a good candidate for that position. He was intelligent, kind, patient, and had a good sense of humor. He also knew how to deal with someone who's had a rough life growing up, something that described his own childhood. So, she retreated to the living room to read one of the books she'd gotten from the Potter vault.
The two wizards made their way to the training room after talking for a bit longer. Matthew, wanting to see how good Harry was for himself, challenged the young wizard to a duel. After the first one ended with his defeat, Matthew realized that Minerva might have understated how talented Harry was. Not only was the he fast and athletic, but he could think on his feet quicker than anyone he's ever seen. And that wasn't even counting just how predictable he was. They dueled four more times, with both winning half of them.
"Man Ace, Minerva wasn't kidding about you. You really are something else," Matthew exclaimed as they walked toward the living room. He had given Harry the nickname in between duels after seeing how well Harry fought.
"I've been fighting to survive my whole life. Plus, I had a really good teacher," Harry replied modestly.
"That is very true." Matthew stopped to stretch his back, groaning as the aching muscles popped. "I haven't worked that hard in a fight in a long time."
Harry glanced at him, a mischievous smirk on his face. "Really? I'm not feeling tired at all. Maybe you should stay here awhile and work on your endurance so you can keep up with me, old man."
"Old man! Don't get cocky Ace. I'll have you know I've been dueling since before you were even thought of."
"My point exactly."
After a second, they burst out laughing and Matthew threw his arm around Harry's shoulders. They started talking about their duels in more details, with Matthew giving Harry some pointers on things he could improve on to be even better than he already was.
When the two of them entered the living room joking and laughing, Minerva, who had been reading quietly on the sofa, had to pause and watch them for a moment. It warmed her heart to see Harry so happy and carefree. Merlin knows he needs more of it in his life. She made a mental note to ask Matthew if he was willing to stay for a bit longer before addressing them.
"What have you two been up to?" she asked, her eyebrow raised at their disheveled appearance.
"Oh, I was just showing this old-timer how it's done in the training room," Harry claimed, puffing out his chest dramatically.
"How many times did he beat you?" Minerva asked, a mischievous smile on her face.
"Three out of five! And thanks for the warning Minerva. You said he was good, but you didn't mention he was a prodigy!"
"I told you he was good enough to pass his NEWTs in Defense and Transfiguration. What did you think that meant?" Minerva asked.
"Not this. If he duels the proctor, he could probably get his mastery in Defense automatically," Matthew insisted.
"I don't think I'm that good," Harry mumbled.
"You are Harry, just accept it," Minerva asserted.
Harry shook his head at them, not seeing why they were making such a big deal about him. He was only that good because he had to be to stay alive if you ask him. "If you say so. I'm going to take a shower."
"He doesn't take compliments well, does he?" Matthew queried after Harry had left.
Minerva shook her head sadly. "Unfortunately, not. Most of his life he's been told he's worthless, so it's hard for him to accept that he isn't. I try to convince him otherwise, but I'm only partially successful."
"Poor kid. He really is deserving of the praise. The two times I did manage to best him, it was a close thing. Honestly, in a real-world situation, I don't think I'd stand a chance."
"Don't feel too bad. He would probably give me hard time at this point."
"You haven't dueled him before?"
"Not recently. I've been too busy teaching him as many spells and tactics as I can lately. Plus, he's been working on developing his elemental skills and studying for the tests. And that's not including everything else that's been going on."
"You should rectify that situation soon and when I'm there to witness it. That'll definitely be something to watch." Matthew went quiet for a moment before becoming serious. "After what you've told me and meeting Harry, I think I'm going to stay for a while, if you don't mind. I want to help you both."
Minerva smiled knowingly. "He managed to charm you too, then?"
"Yes, that young man is something special. I don't even know most of his story, yet I can see how amazing it is that he's still such a good person despite all of the evil he's seen and experienced. If I can help make his future better than his past seems to have been, then I'm going to do it. He deserves it, much more than most."
"Thank you, Matthew. We're glad to have you."
- H.M. –
Sadly, Dumbledore actually took Harry's advice and asked him to meet at the Burrow in the evening. So, after an early dinner, Harry and Minerva apparated over there, separately now that Harry had his own license. They were greeted at the door by Ron and Ginny.
"Dumbledore's in the kitchen waiting for you," Ginny informed them once the guests were inside and the door closed.
"Yeah and he brought our greasy git of a Potions professor with him," Ron added, disgust in his tone.
"Of course, he had to bring him with him," Harry complained. "If I had known that beforehand, I might not have come."
"At least you don't have to deal with him in your house for every Order meeting," Ron pointed out.
Harry nodded in commiseration. "Sorry about that guys. I'd let them come back to the old headquarters, but I don't want people I don't trust to be able to stroll in and out of my home."
"Especially seeing as we're currently using it as our own headquarters," Minerva remarked
"Plus, Dobby, Winky, and Kreacher didn't do all of that hard work for it to be wasted on the Order," Harry added, only half-jokingly.
"Don't worry Harry, we understand," Ginny replied.
"Though, if you want to get us a nice Christmas present, we won't object," Ron quipped.
Ginny and Minerva shook their heads at him while Harry chuckled lightly.
"Come on Ron. You know we have to get upstairs before Mum yells at us for being nosey," Ginny stated as she pulled him away from the door.
"Fine, but make sure to tell us all about what happened later," Ron said as he was dragged away.
Once the two youngest Weasleys were out of sight, Harry let out a breath of frustration. "That manipulative bastard just had to bring him here. If he thought it was going to be hard to get answers from me before, he just made it even worse for himself. I refuse to let that death eater learn anything useful about what I've been doing and where I've been staying."
"Center yourself Harry," Minerva instructed urgently, her hand on his shoulder comfortingly. "Snape being here is Dumbledore's attempt to make you lose your control. Do not let it work."
Harry took a deep cleansing breath. "You're right, though I can't promise that I'll just ignore all the insults he'll throw at me."
"I'm not asking you to, nor would I expect it of you. I know that I won't. I'm simply saying you need to keep your composure."
Harry took a few calming breaths, making sure that his Occlumency shields were in place. "Alright, let's go deal with them before I change my mind."
The two of them walked to the kitchen with their shoulders squared, greeting Molly and Arthur politely before entering the room. Dumbledore sat on one side of the table, with Snape standing behind him on his left. The two glanced at the wizards before sitting on the opposite side of the table. Harry sat forward with his arms folded on the table while Minerva sat back with hers folded across her chest, both with challenging expressions on their faces. A silence enveloped the room as the two men tried to intimidate them with their mere presence. It failed.
"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me Harry, though I didn't ask for Minerva to attend as well," Dumbledore greeted, quirking an eyebrow at the witch.
"First, it's Mr. Potter to you and if you keep on insisting on calling me by my first name, then this meeting will be over," Harry replied, his tone calm. "Second, she is here because I asked her to come with me. I could ask the same of Snape, but I don't really want to get into that argument right now."
"It's Professor Snape to you. It's time that you learn to respect your betters, boy," Snape cut in contemptuously.
Harry scoffed at him. "When you decide to act like a professor and actually teach your classes, then I'll call you one. As for respecting my betters, I only give respect to those who have either earned it from me or given me no reason to not respect them. You've done neither."
"That attitude proves you are nothing more than an immature little boy. You cannot blame me for your failure in my subject. That is due to your incompetence and refusal to pay attention."
Harry barely managed to stop himself from retorting angrily. Instead he replied with a dismissive remark. "Correcting you is not worth my time right now." Then before Snape could respond, he changed the subject. "Anyway, I think we should focus on the reason for this meeting so we can get it over with. I'd rather not spend any more time in either of your presences any longer than I have to. Ask your questions Dumbledore, though I can't promise I'll give you the answers you want. Especially since you brought him with you."
Dumbledore fixed his expression into his grandfatherly persona before responding, making Harry and Minerva roll their eyes at him in their heads. "Ha… Mr. Potter, you must tell me where you've been since school let out."
"No, I don't. All you need to know is that I am safer there than I've ever been at the Dursleys," Harry replied simply.
"That is not good enough. It was a very reckless and selfish decision you made to run away from your home and leave your family defenseless."
"I told you yesterday to stop calling that place my home and those people my family, because it's not true. As for being reckless and selfish, that's your opinion. I did what I had to do for my own sanity, something I care about even if you don't."
"Just as arrogant and self-centered as your father," Snape muttered aloud. "What did the muggles do, not fix your breakfast the way you wanted.
Harry glared at the spiteful man his tone cold. "No, they've never made me breakfast at all. Or lunch. Or dinner. So, forgive me for not really caring what happens to them one way or the other.
"Do you really care nothing for them, after they took you into their home."
"Those people only took me in because you dumped me on their doorstep and forced them to do so. I owe them nothing. If you care so much about what happens to them, then you can tell them to move."
"You and your relatives may disagree, but it still is the safest place for you to stay. The wards I was able to erect around the property based on your mother's sacrifice ensure that."
"It didn't protect me from the danger inside the house."
"Regardless, if you will not tell me where you are currently, then I cannot allow you to remain there. Not when I'm unable reach you. Therefore, you will have to return to the Dursleys, and I will talk to them to make sure they treat you better."
Minerva, her hands clenched in anger at Dumbledore's dismissal of the Dursleys abuse, shared a glance with Harry before speaking up. "If you must know, he's been staying with me for the past three weeks. Unless you don't think I'm capable of protecting him, that answer should suffice." Dumbledore still wasn't able to reach Harry there either, but that was a good thing as far as she was concerned.
Dumbledore turned his attention on Minerva. "Why didn't you tell me you knew where he was. The Order has been looking all over for him, yet you remained silent."
"I told you to stop looking for him, but you didn't listen. That is not my fault," Minerva dismissed.
"How could I, when you gave us no reason not to? You didn't tell us that you knew where he was."
"I told you that if Voldemort had no idea where he was, then he had to be in a safe place and to give him time to come to terms with everything that had happened to him. When he did reach out to me, I did what was in Harry's best interest, something you don't seem to understand."
"It is in Harry's best interest that he remains at the Dursleys home where I and the Order can guard him. When you found him, you should have brought him back there."
"I will not force anyone to go back to an abusive environment. And that's not even counting the fact that he just lost his godfather and should be with people who care about him to help him heal."
"It may seem harsh, but it is for the Greater Good, Minerva."
Harry scoffed at that answer. "And there we go. Your go-to answer to explain all of your decisions, good or bad. Well guess what, I don't care too much for your so-called greater good, not when it's used to justify you allowing me to be abused for years. Not when it's used to justify you failing or refusing to protect the students of Hogwarts from dangerous threats, instead luring me and my friends to deal with it. Not when it's used to justify you ruining other's lives to avoid anyone being able to disrupt your plans. Not when it's used to justify you treating me like a pawn and a weapon instead of a human being."
"You are obviously too young and immature to understand that great sacrifice is sometimes needed to save the world," Dumbledore said patronizingly.
"I think I understand sacrifice better than you do. After all, you're always talking about it and its importance, yet I seem to be the one sacrificing the most for this world right now. I've given up my childhood, my innocence, and my freedom. How much have you given?"
"I have had to make many hard decisions to ensure the safety of this world." Dumbledore's tone was self-righteous as he sat up straighter in his chair.
"Yet Harry is the one who bears the majority of the weight of those choices. Not you," Minerva countered, heat in her tone. "You talk about making all of these sacrifices, yet you're not the one who suffers for them. Innocent people, especially Harry, do."
"Of course, you would take up for that spoiled, brat," Snape spat. "You seem incapable of seeing who he really is, just like you couldn't see his father or Black for who they were."
Minerva turned her ire on the unpleasant man. "Coming from the man who can't get over a grudge he has with a man that has been dead for almost fourteen years!" Her voice got a bit louder at the end. "The sad part is, is that Harry isn't a carbon copy of his father, like you've convinced yourself of. His personality, and his heart especially, is much more like his mother's. You're just too blinded by your rage to see it."
"He is nothing like Lily!" Snape denied.
Minerva glared at him. "He is a lot like Lily, and she would incensed at how you have treated her son over the years. If she were still alive you would be facing her full wrath for your actions."
"Enough!" Dumbledore shouted, before wands could be drawn. The grandfatherly persona was completely gone now, as anger shown clearly on his face. "I'm am very disappointed in both of you. Harry, you never should have allowed yourself to become emancipated as it is clear you cannot handle the responsibilities that come with being an adult. Your recent actions were selfish and rash. Running away proves that you are still no more than a child, despite all you've been through. You also refuse to see reason or listen to the advice of those with more wisdom and experience than you."
Dumbledore addressed Minerva next. "As for you, Minerva, it seems that you have become too close to the boy, and it is clouding your judgement. You have allowed your affection for him to cause you to make dangerous decisions, based on emotion instead of logic. If you refuse to stand down, I will have no choice but to limit your interactions with him."
"How are you going to stop us?" Harry asked dangerously. He and Minerva had tensed up at Dumbledore's words, anger increasing with every syllable he uttered.
Dumbledore stood up, his posture straight and imposing as he tried to intimidate them into compliance. "For you Harry, I will have to bring you back to the Dursleys, by force if necessary, where you will remain under guard until it is time for you to return back to school. I cannot allow your immature and selfish desires ruin our efforts in this war. As for you Minerva, if you will not stand aside, I will be forced to relieve you of your duties at Hogwarts. I cannot have someone who is willing to put their feelings ahead of the safety of the students in charge of their care. I'm sorry if this upsets you both, but it is for your own good."
All four of them were standing now, with their wands drawn on each other.
"How dare you accuse me of the exact thing you've been doing for the past five years if not longer! And you have completely lost your mind if you think I will stand aside as you attempt to kidnap and imprison him!" Minerva declared. Her voice was filled with cold fury and indignation. "Consider this my resignation from the Order. I will not be part of a group that is led by a man who condones this."
"And if you try to fire her, I'm leaving with her," Harry added in the same tone. "So, you need to decide if this is the route you want to go on. Because if you try to kidnap me, I won't hesitate to treat you like an enemy."
"Neither will I," Minerva asserted.
"Empty words Potter. You are too weak to attack us," Snape sneered.
"I can assure you he is not. I'd advise you to get over yourself and see him for who he truly is before you regret it," Minerva warned ominously.
"She's right, you know. I've had quite the interesting summer so far. Want to see what new skills I've learned firsthand?" Harry taunted.
"So, this is what it's come to," Dumbledore said sadly as he held his hand up to stop Snape from responding.
"This is what you've caused," Harry corrected. "Your actions and the decisions you've made concerning me have led to this and pushed me to my breaking point. Riddle may have murdered my parents, but you stole my childhood and my innocence from me by leaving me with the Dursleys with no one to help me. You've continued to see me only as a weapon, with no feelings or desires of my own, using me when you need me and throwing me away when you don't. Did you really think I was going to accept that treatment forever? Did you think I wouldn't retaliate and take control of my life at some point?"
"I have always only done what was best for you and your safety," Dumbledore tried.
"No, you haven't. But it doesn't matter anymore, because from now on, I will make my own decisions and fight this war the way I see fit, whether you like it or not," Harry stated.
"You are truly delusional if you think you stand any chance against the Dark Lord," Snape scorned.
"I know he does, and he won't be on his own," Minerva defended.
"You have a decision to make then. Either stand down or be prepared to fight because I will no longer allow anyone to use or control me. No matter who they are," Harry declared.
Before Dumbledore could respond, Molly and Arthur burst into the room, having heard the raised voices and felt the ominous atmosphere in the air.
"What is going on here?!" Molly shrieked in distress, breaking the tense atmosphere.
"Why do you all have your wands drawn?" Arthur asked as he put his arm around his wife.
Seeing that he could no longer enact his plans, Dumbledore fixed a contrite expression unto his face and spoke in a mournful tone. "I see that I need to rethink my treatment of you since you feel this way, Mr. Potter. I never intended to cause you so much grief, but it seems that I have. If you are staying with Minerva, then I am at least assured of your safety. I will endeavor to treat you differently from now on." Dumbledore gestured for Snape to follow him before they both left the room reluctantly.
Harry and Minerva didn't drop their guard until they heard the sound of the floo being used. Molly who was still trying to get over her surprise, turned to them, confusion written clearly on her face. "Harry, what is going on between you and Albus? Why were the four of you about to fight?"
Harry sighed, not wanting to upset her or Arthur any further but also not wanting to lie to them. "It's a long story Mrs. Weasley, but the short of it is that I've decided to make my own decisions for my life and Dumbledore has a problem with it. I'm sorry for causing you any worry and distress, now and with my disappearance, but I have to make the choices that are best for me right now."
Minerva spoke up next, seeing the questions in their eyes. "I know you're very confused right now, but I want you to do something before you ask anything else. I want you to objectively look back at the many decisions Dumbledore has made and the results of them. Then ask yourself who he really is. It will be hard to come to terms with, but it is important that you do so."
Arthur, seeing how serious the two of the were, nodded in acceptance. "Okay Minerva, we will try our best to do that."
After that, the two of them left the Burrow, leaving behind two very confused and scared people. Once they were outside of the wards, Harry turned to face Minerva. "I don't trust him. This argument isn't over."
"Neither do I, but at least he will leave us alone for the moment," Minerva pointed out. "For now, we will take advantage of the break."
"You're right," Harry agreed. Then he surprised both of them by pulling the woman into a hug, holding her tightly. "Thank you for standing up for me back there. I… I really appreciate it."
Minerva pulled back so she could look him in the eyes. "I promised you I would do everything within my power to help you and I meant it. That includes preventing self-righteous, egotistic, manipulative, old men from kidnapping you." She ran her hand through his hair gently. "I'm on your side Harry. Never doubt that."
Harry nodded in acknowledgement, unable to voice how much that meant to him, though Minerva could see it in his eyes. Then they pulled away from each other and apparated back to Black Manor.
- H.M. –
When the two of them arrived in the manor, everyone was sitting in the living room waiting for them in a tense silence.
"So, how did it go? What did he say? What did he do?" Tonks asked impatiently, not giving them time to sit down.
"Give them a chance to breath first, Dora," Andromeda chastised. The group laughed at their exchange for a moment, breaking the tension in the room.
Harry and Minerva sat down in the empty space of a sofa by Amelia and Matthew before they began explaining everything that had happened. By the time they were finished, not one person wasn't filled with righteous anger.
"I don't know if we can let him keep his post as Headmaster any longer," Amelia observed.
"It might be too dangerous for all of the students," Andromeda agreed. Everyone else voiced their agreement.
"But how will we do it?" Susan asked.
"Yeah, too many people look up to him and believe he can do no wrong," Charlie pointed out.
"True, but Harry here has just as much, if not more, influence as well," Tonks said.
"There are also many more families than you'd realize who have grievances with him and the decisions he's made. Some are tired of him acting like he wants to make change, when in reality he does very little to improve things in our country," Hestia explained.
"Even with all of that, it will still be hard to get him removed," Harry said.
They thought on that for a moment before Fleur came up with an idea. "What if you went directly to ze board of directors of ze school? Maybe you could convince zem zat Dumbledore is not fit to be ze Headmaster any longer."
"That might work," Amelia said after mulling it over for a second.
"We would have to make a very convincing case for this to work," Andromeda noted.
"And we would have to be prepared to fill any positions that would be lost. They aren't going to want to have to do that themselves," Minera added.
"Well, you could be the headmistress. After all, you're the deputy already," Harry declared. "Then we would just have to find professors for Transfiguration, Defense, and Potions because we are definitely not letting Snape stay either."
"History of Magic as well," Minerva said. "It's time we had someone alive teaching that class."
"If you can't find anyone else, I don't mind teaching Transfiguration," Matthew offered.
"I could teach History as well," Andromeda suggested. "At least it would be more accurate and inclusive. I was planning on taking a break from my practice anyway with everything that's going on."
"What about Defense?" Harry said, causing everyone to look at him pointedly. "Not this again."
"As future headmistress, I doubt I could find anyone better suited for that position and definitely not someone I trust more than you to do it," Minerva insisted. "But if the thought overwhelms you too much, then either Dora or Hestia could help you so you're not doing it alone."
Harry shook his head. "No… I'll do it. Just be prepared for me asking you for help often until I figure it all out." If Minerva had that much faith in him, then he had to trust her judgement.
"My door will always be open to you if you need me," Minerva replied. Harry nodded in thanks.
"And you can always ask Hermione to help you with organizing your lesson plans," Susan stated. Harry and those who knew Hermione well enough laughed in agreement.
"Now you just need a Potions professor," Fleur said.
"I might be able to convince Samena to do it, if I ask her," Minerva proposed.
"Well, sounds like you have everything you need," Charlie summed up. "Now we just have to put together a very convincing argument."
"Operation Takeover Magical Britain, or TOMB for short begins," Tonks exclaimed gleefully, rubbing her hands together dramatically.
"Ze whole magical Britain?" Fleur asked in confusion.
"Well, we already plan on having Fudge kicked out of office and Boss here elected as Minister of Magic. Now we're going to have Dumbledore removed and replaced by Minerva. That means we'll be in charge of the Ministry and Hogwarts, which are the two most powerful places in Magical Britain," Tonks explained.
Harry nodded in agreement. "Operation TOMB it is then."
