Harry Potter's New Bride
**OO**
A/N: Thanks to my wonderful Beta, LtsHrIt4ThBoyz.
For my friend for her birthday.
**OO**
Headmaster Supreme Mugwump Chief Warlock Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore sighed. He looked at all of the assembled documents. While he truly wanted to reward the loyalty and devotion of the Weasley family with giving the betrothal contract to them, they lacked…well.
The resources. Yes, yes. That was the word. Gold or coin was so…pedestrian.
This family: American. They wouldn't know the history. They wouldn't understand the boy's destiny. But the amount offered as a dowry was enough to have him signing the betrothal for four-year-old Harry Potter right then and there.
He really, really should have read the fine print. It all started with a Seer. No! Not that Seer! A real one, using a ball of special make, who had gazed into the future…
**OO**
The Seer had seen events unfold quickly, like pages of a storybook. An attack by a dark lord, a family slain, a baby orphaned; then that child, imprisoned for a decade is freed only to face trolls, three-headed dogs, fire, and the same dark lord? Infecting a professor! This child of eleven defeated them all. Next up; A basilisk. A true basilisk. Killed by the same child with a sword, a year later. The next year: An escaped mass murderer. A werewolf. Dementors. The next year, the same Dark Lord yet again. Trials, tribulations, fiery death, Watery death, deadly danger from flora and fauna. A Victory Cup that held both triumph and tragedy. But bruised, bloodied, broken but never bending, the boy fought on and on and escaped death over and over again.
What a magnificent boy! And such darkness around him! He would be perfect for Wednesday, as clearly he was a nexus.
For who better to be the next dark lord than by defeating the last one? Morticia could only hope.
Gomez could deny his wife nothing. Anything she wanted was hers for the asking. He strove to make her happy; she was his world!
And he was hers.
"Gomez, darling. Does Salem have these things? No. Does Salem have a basilisk? No. Such power! He clearly must go to school there, but attend with our darling Wednesday."
"Fine, fine. The boy will live with us, yes?"
"No, my love. That would not be proper until they are older. I don't want Wednesday to look upon…upon…this prince as a brother. They are destined for greatness, mon amour!"
"Tish, that's French!" and the couple were lost to ecstasy for a time. But soon, they would plan. And plot.
And so began two jailbreaks, and a new life for one Harry James Potter.
**OO**
When it was discovered that Dudley was a wizard (not true, but the prank was a good one), Vernon tried to kill him. Petunia didn't like that, and Vernon was handed over to the Addams for some experiment or other.
It was for the Greater Good.
Petunia immediately accepted the change of address to move to America after hearing about the coming problems of Hogwarts. Gomez was very confused about that, but squib or witch, he knew it was death to disagree with them, so kept his own counsel on where he wanted the children to attend.
Of course, escaped mass murdered Sirius Black went with them; After some spectacular explosions and a bit of prison-breaking.
**OO**
Wednesday Addams had very dark hair in pigtails; Harry Potter had messy dark hair cut short, no longer hiding his now healing scar.
Wednesday Addams had eyes as black as pitch; Harry Potter had eyes the color of a killing curse.
Wednesday Addams had a brother, Pugsley, who liked to blow things up. Harry Potter had a cousin, Dudley, who liked to watch Pugsley blow things up.
The four young people attended the same school. Pugsley was two years ahead of Wednesday, but Harry, Wednesday and Dudley were all in the same class.
**OO**
Time Skip
Wednesday was eight, when she learned that her betrothed's uncle wasn't a mass murderer like her family thought. He was just framed for it, and had killed only one man. A betrayer! Why in the world would they throw him in prison for that? It was a rat animagus! Could no one read the signs? (Pity he wasn't gutted and used for Seeing - good innards he'd have).
Harry was still very confused about what a betrothal meant other than one day he and Wednesday would be husband and wife, and then they'd have children.
Hopefully smarter than Dudley and not as pyro as Pugsley. Though they did like their family, strange as it was.
He carried her books to school (they lived close by in a very nice house) and made sure no one bullied her. Dudley helped with that.
The wards, moved from Surrey to Martha's Vineyard, were buzzing along happily. They mostly got along with the neighbors (get off my grass you freaks!) and helped with little things around the house (oh! You trimmed the roses! How kind of you, and you took away the ugly flowers and left the thorns. I love you too Harry).
And then their Salem letters came, and the fight was on.
"But she said that there was going to be a Dark Lord!" Petunia snapped.
Sirius and she weren't married, but had shared a room since forever. Hey! Don't judge, all cats are black at night.
"Hogwarts is the best school anywhere!" Sirius argued.
Wednesday took out the reply to the ICW that had arrived with the information requested on the magical schools around the world.
"But they have Death Eaters at Hogwarts!" Petunia argued.
Harry perked up at that. Sirius had very strict rules about killing. No cats, dogs, or people. Unless they are marked Death Eaters. Or Moldy himself. Sirius never said the word Voldemort. Both Wednesday and Harry didn't get it. There were no registered births with that as a first or last name. Flee from Death? Sounded like a six year old girl with delusions of adequacy to them.
Harry wanted to go and kill Death Eaters with Wednesday. Well, do just about anything that would make her happy. And that would. So.
"No! I forbid my darling Dudley to go anywhere near Hogwarts."
"Um. She does know that I didn't get a letter from Salem. Or anywhere else. Right?" Dudley asked.
Dumbledore's letter came saying that he was disappointed with Petunia for moving and not telling anyone. Harry was expected on September the first and he would have Hagrid pick up all of Harry's supplies except a wand. That, he was getting.
"Doesn't this Headmaster know that you have to be matched to the wood, and the cores, and the blood, bile, and everything else?" Wednesday had questioned.
"According to Hogwarts, a History, the Ollivander family have been making the same weak foci for hundreds of years. Three standard woods times three standard cores. One of which the animal has to die to give! Come on! Heartstring. Unless you can keep a wizard alive and use his heart as an ingredient. Wednesday? Is it always wrong to experiment on people?" Harry asked.
"And this is why I'm going to marry you, Harry James Potter. You think outside the box." Wednesday kissed his cheek.
"Coffin." Harry amended.
"We can't start kissing until we're sixteen. You know the rules." Wednesday stated.
"Oui, ma cherie, je sais." Harry looked forlorn. "But I can't wait!"
"You keep speaking French to me like that and you won't!"
**OO**
Part of Harry wanted to see Hogwarts: part of him wanted to stay away.
"But what if this Dark Lord kills me? I mean, I want to stop him, I have to try to stop him, but I'm eleven." Harry asked.
"Not possible! There's a prophecy. Make sure that Albus tells you. And get your vault key back. He wouldn't dare steal, but holding your key? What is he trying to do?"
"Control access to money, making me vulnerable to people like Vernon." Harry stated.
Petunia winced. The goblins had given her two hundred galleons a month for Harry's upkeep out of his vault. He was raised with an eye to investing opportunities and ways of turning knuts into galleons, all legally too. Well, mostly. The selling of wizard's hearts for wand cores was definitely frowned upon. Harry had perfected his innocent look. The dark marks, however faded, did help with his alibi.
"How many Death Eaters are left, Padfoot?" Harry asked curiously.
The godfather and magical guardian of the boy-who-lived took a moment to read the information about Hogwarts that Wednesday provided as fuel for the argument. It backfired.
"WHAT? HOW? Harry! You are not going to Hogwarts!" Sirius put his foot down.
Petunia startled, kissed Sirius on the mouth right in front of everyone.
"Why? You promised! There's a Dark Lord there!" Harry reminded him.
"Snivilous is teaching Potions!"
"But I'm great at Potions. So what?" Harry was annoyed.
"I've told you a lot of creepy stories that I'm sure have made you want to kill him. But Harry, he's a Death Eater. And he's good. I'm sad to say that your dad and I and Remus and…you know who all fought him. Together. He was always good, and he got better. Sure, you've had training, but you can't take him out."
Wednesday had a thoughtful look.
"At Salem, the teachers aren't allowed to kill students. They get fined, and no dessert for a week, I'm told."
"That's better than Hogwarts at least. If Snape killed Harry in a potions accident he'd get a bonus and 'compassionate service' leave. Paid!" Sirius claimed. "You can't go."
Wednesday didn't like to use her powers like this. It was unfair. But sometimes a witch had to do what a witch had to do.
She burst into very realistic tears.
Padfoot said goodbye at the station in his Grim form, terrorizing the British wizarding parents and confusing the muggleborn students as to what the big deal was about a big black dog.
**OO**
Of course they had visited home for breaks, but coming home for a short summer holiday was interesting. They took a real potions class to catch up to Salem, and complained about Snape.
Even though both Wednesday and Harry had sorted Hufflepuff. Note, to be sure, the hat offered Slytherin to both, but Wednesday declined as her Harry wasn't allowed to kill unmarked Death Eaters, and children of marked ones would be too tempting of targets. Gryffindor, the same problem.
No, Hufflepuff loyalty and hard work was the best fit. And there really shouldn't be any Death Eaters here, marked or not, as 1) they were too young and 2) they were all about friendship and love and soft fluffy bunnies that were never used for divination. Only gardening.
Severus had tried to unfairly grade Harry several times. Wednesday earned O's in all her classes, as did Harry except for Potions. They then set a trap, and Professor Sprout went to Minerva McGonagall over the results. The marking was an A, and unlike American schools, it wasn't good.
The fight was on, and McGonagall backed Sprout up. Points were awarded, detentions were canceled, and Snape claimed that Potter had made a bad enemy.
"I'm an enemy? For what? Having a bully for a father? You should see Uncle Vernon! You know, the guy that Bumblemore left me with."
"Vernon? Vernon Dursley?"
"What? You know him? Went to school with him, perhaps?"
"No, used to beat me up. Well, good. If you are being raised by him, all is well. You deserve everything you get."
Harry begged in a letter to be allowed to act after that. He didn't care if he lost house points, or had to sit a detention. He took it out on Quirrell the next day, unable to wait anymore, and the spirit was released. It was Halloween, the best day for such things.
"I'll be back, Harry Potter."
"You said it wrong. I'll be Bach. You know. Like the composer."
Wednesday had the orb ready. The soul, screaming pathetically, was sucked into its glassy prison. The grey slimy smoke curled around. Harry shook it, and the screams renewed. He handed it back with a smile to his betrothed.
"Are we sixteen yet? That deserves a kiss."
A troll burst in right then.
"Padfoot didn't say I couldn't kill that! Bonzai! Kawasaki, wah!" Harry shouted.
Wednesday, Harry, a girl named Millie and a girl named Hermione all bonded beating up a troll. The last two witches resorted to borrowing weapons from the knights around there, and even getting a few of the brighter ones to help.
"You'd think enchanted knights would respond a bit faster to emergencies." Wednesday opined, a bit out of breath. Harry was trying to figure out a nice way of getting her to notice the troll brains in her hair. Girls could be sensitive about their appearance.
"Yes, that is a good point. A school of magic should be on a nexus of ley lines, so magical power shouldn't be an issue." Millie pointed out.
Hermione just looked at her, "You can do more than grunt? And you've read Hogwarts, a History?"
"Sure. Hey, In Slytherin, you learn to hide. It's a survival skill."
"Glad I sorted Hufflepuff." Harry stated.
It was the start of a beautiful friendship, and Pugsley was introduced to Millie during that next summer. A witch from a good family with potential.
**OO**
The following year, having an insane house-elf give them clues (did he not know he wore heraldry?) and paying to have Lucius followed, it was soon brought to light that a diary was involved in part of this Dark Lord business.
Wednesday shook her head, "This wasn't smart at all. Harry, if you had something important. Really, really valuable, would you give it to one of your followers that has trouble finding two neurons to make a synapse?"
Draco passed by just then, hearing the strange words. "You're nothing but a filthy mudblood!"
Harry jumped at his chance, "I challenge you to an honor duel. You apologize to my betrothed, daughter of one of the founding American wizarding families. A pureblood back to the Salem witch trials and beyond. She is mine to protect from morons like you. Apologize now, or you face my wand."
"Filthy, filthy mudblood." Draco repeated.
"Well, well. That was certainly an exhibition of the effects of inbreeding, wasn't it?" Millie asked her friends.
Hermione asked, "I can arrange a stage and referee Harry, If you want."
Draco accepted the challenge, but was feeling uncertain about it.
Harry went to consult with his betrothed, who collected up all sorts of good information about everyone, while Hermione arranged for help.
**OO**
To say that girls were disappointed to find out that Harry Potter was off the market so young, so to speak, was an understatement. One young redhead couldn't see him without bursting into tears.
"I'm not dead, woman!" Harry finally shouted, scaring her so she 'eep'd' at him.
That seemed to help.
The secret to a duel is knowing what would distract. In Draco's case, knowing what his worst fear was.
Harry had trouble believing it, and thought that Padfoot had gotten his friends to prank him. Well, it was a school duel, so it shouldn't be that bad if it was a prank.
"No unforgivables, to first blood, duel!" Flitwick called.
Lockhart was most disappointed that he wasn't asked to referee. Of course, Harry had stopped coming to class after the first one, and Professor McGonagall hadn't addressed that situation yet.
Harry conjured a mirror hanging up in front of Malfoy. He then cast a spell that showed his clothes as stained, slovenly, wrinkled; his perfect hair was mussed. He looked gaunt, haggard, as though he hadn't eaten or slept. In short, Draco looked awful.
Without a word, he went running away, crying inexplicably. It was one of the older Slytherins, taking advantage, who cast an AK at Harry.
Harry reflected it away straight back at its castor. The boy flopped to the floor, eyes wide in shock. Wednesday and Harry's eyes met. Her little secret smile. Oh yes, Harry had just earned another future kiss.
Snape couldn't believe what he was seeing, but Flitwick could. Obscuring the body, he sent the students uninvolved away with a bad smell spell.
"You! You killed him!" Albus was aghast.
Harry checked the opponent's arm. He didn't think he would be. I mean, he'd have to have been a young child to take the mark, but still.
"Harry, my boy, how could you?" The headmaster made the mistake of touching Harry's shoulder.
"Give me a reason, old man. Vernon? How many Death Eaters have you sent after me? How many knew where I was?"
"Me? I would never! Death Eaters?"
"Nevermind. Professor Snape, Draco forfeited his duel. Before he can claim unfair, you saw. I conjured a mirror."
"What about the boy you killed?" Snape demanded.
Harry waited. Thing knocked on the open door, then trotted over, giving Harry an encouraging high five. Morticia came in on his nails. Gomez was likely summoning the aurors.
The adults were glaring at him, but Harry had taught an important lesson to the baby munchers that day.
"What do you have to say for yourself, boy?" A new wizard, white blond hair who looked like Draco. Harry wanted to kill him, but didn't have a good reason yet.
"I have nothing to say. Well, besides this. Good night."
**OO**
The fallout of killing someone with an Avada Kedavra spell on their wand wasn't what Harry expected. The Malfoy family paid the duel fee, surprisingly, Harry thought that Gomez would have to sue. Which would have been great as that would bring Lucius to court and give him an opportunity to further study the walking dead man.
No, he wasn't an inferius, well, not yet, but Harry had looked into the magic of making him one. After all, a sweet sixteen birthday was coming up for Wednesday in a few years, and he needed the right gift.
The Hufflepuff prefects served all of them hot chocolate. Amelia Bones came and spoke to Harry in low tones and promised him mind healing after the encounter. He'd give that to Padfoot. Anyone who could date Petunia clearly needed two things. Glasses and a psychiatrist.
**OO**
Lockhart stopped Luna Lovegood in the hallway, and offered condolences on the loss of the girl's mother.
"If you ever want to talk, or help me answer fanmail, just come to my office after class."
The problem with being the type of Seer that Luna was, is that she couldn't foresee her own danger.
Wednesday though had suspected, and Harry gave her a different birthday gift. Their experiment failed though, and the wand proved intractable. Living wizard heartstring core would never become popular. And no, the wizard really couldn't live long with part of his heart in a wand. Shame that.
Luna, completely unhurt, joined their group of friends.
Harry kept trying to get more wizards in their little group, but everyone was a little afraid of him for some reason.
HE hadn't worn troll brains around. Had he?
**OO**
Third year was mostly boring. Oh sure, they had a werewolf instructor, but it was just Unca Moony whom Harry and Wednesday had known since they were little.
Remus thought that Harry had made good if unusual friends at Hogwarts.
Harry and Wednesday had tracked down the curse on the DADA position, and with help, had removed it when they heard that Moony would be teaching.
It gave them a chance to meet Sasha. Well, Wednesday wanted to name her Blinky the Basilisk, but they got to know the large snake. They also destroyed the control rune that a student, Tom Marvolo Riddle had made that turned her from a protector of the school into a killing machine.
No, they weren't leaving a weapon capable of mass destruction in Tommy's hands! Wednesday had figured out the anagram before the runes were destroyed.
ƺ "Please! I sleep most of the year, but come and visit me. I get so lonely!ƺ Sasha begged.
ƺ "Of course we will."ƺ Wednesday promised, and vowed to bring more food.
She spoke with a strong accent, but she had to learn the language the hard way. Harry too promised to see her soon, but there was no way that he was letting people around him know he was a parseltongue. Then they'd think he was an up and coming Dark Lord! Then it would be work, work, work, whine, whine, whine, and dealing with nothing but headaches all the time.
No, no, no. Too much responsibility, wasting resources on silly things. No. He was independent, and didn't want any minions.
He just wanted to kiss Wednesday.
**OO**
The next year was fun. Fourth year, what would be their freshman year back in America. The supply lists came with some very interesting additions.
Wednesday bought a killer dress. Harry only knew the color from the accents of his very modern tux that he got in Salem.
They had no idea he was about to create a storm there in Scotland.
The ball date was changed after the Addams petitioned the Board of Governors who said no at first. What else were the foreigners to do while at school. This of course was heard back at their schools, and they weren't staying for the holiday.
It was now being held mid-January.
Without the curse on the position, Remus was still there. The headmaster stated he wanted Alastor Moody in the position to watch over the people coming to school. Minerva told him to jump in the Black Lake and then hire Moody as security.
OWL and NEWT scores were the highest ever, as Remus had done remedial classes for the fifth and seventh years, and taught them the actual spells on the test!
Albus murmured and complained, and hired Moody to be Remus' 'assistant' for DADA.
Wednesday noticed the smell immediately and whispered to Harry. He looked down on her luscious red lips, but now was not the time. "Merci, mon amour."
Moody's leg was kicked out, his eye plucked, and he was panting hard.
"Where's the real Alastor Moody? Where is he?" Harry demanded.
Wednesday's dagger in front of his only eye currently visible had the man choking out. "In my room! In a trunk!"
Harry turned to a confused looking Remus who was holding a wand on them. But it was shaking, and the spell on his lips hadn't been cast.
Harry was lighting and had the wand out and Remus unconscious.
"Imperius?" Wednesday asked.
"Likely. And set to kill anyone who found out this one's secret. Moony would never kill us."
Help arrived and the real Moody was saved. Amelia Bones showed up to take Barty Crouch Jr back to prison.
"He's coming back! Like it or not, he will be back." The Death Eater promised. "And then he'll kill you all."
Harry looked at Amelia, "I really don't want to clean cauldrons for an hour without magic for killing anyone. But please, can I come to his trial?"
The real Moody stomped in, "He had one, and now we have questions for his father. How did he escape Azkaban? He'll be thrown through the veil for this, or Kissed by a Dementor."
Harry seized his chance, "I demand, as the wizard who revealed this crime, that I and my betrothed get to see his doom!"
Mad-eye nodded, and Amelia left to file reports. The students had the right to ask for such a thing, but they didn't realize what they were doing!
Wednesday waited for the adults to be gone before kissing Harry's cheek, "You just want to break the rules! I won't!"
"I just wanted to give you the gift of Death, my only." Harry smirked.
"And no better gift could you give." Wednesday purred.
**OO**
The tournament had three participants from the three schools, and Hufflepuff went mad when Cedric was chosen to be the school champion.
"Watch for fiery death from the sky!" Luna warned the next morning.
Cho sniffed and told Luna to stay away from 'normal' people. But Cedric couldn't believe that his girlfriend would say something so mean to a neighbor. Luna was a sweet kid! No wait. Luna was growing. She was a sweet young lady. Pretty too.
"Thanks Luna. I'll be careful." While Cedric went to lookup dragons, and contemplate his next girlfriend, he researched and got ready for the first task.
Luna didn't share her knowledge with anyone else but wanted to save Cedric.
**OO**
The first task had the Chinese Fireball go completely out of control. The eggs weren't real dragon's eggs - just transfigured chicken eggs, but the mother dragon didn't know that. Out of control, and flaming the wizard who had caused the problem was just the start. Krum ducked and weaved professionally but had to spend the next several weeks in the hospital wing.
His coach arrived to encourage the boy to get better soon.
The dragon handling team had gotten the dragon under control, but not before several staff and students were more than a bit singed.
Harry had asked Luna where to avoid standing if they didn't want to see anything bad happen. He snuck Wednesday here with a little picnic of their own.
Wednesday did break the rules, and kissed Harry right on the mouth. "Death! Destruction! Fire! Glorious!"
"No, glorious is seeing you in the firelight of dragon flame. You are so beautiful, my Wednesday, my own."
They kissed again, but then stopped knowing that they would be in trouble if this got to be a habit.
But she was looking at him in a new way just as he was looking at her.
**OO**
Harry had been kept in the dark about Wednesday's dress. Morticia had several photographers, including the Creepy boy that Harry complained about, in position.
She wanted to see his reaction.
Wednesday was snuck into Ravenclaw to change. Cedric escorted Luna down the stairs.
But just ahead of them, was the glorious sight that had Harry drooling and ignoring everything else.
It was his Wednesday in her mother's signature dress style, only bright red. The color of fresh blood.
He gave her the corsage for her wrist, and lined up with the others to clap the champions into the hallway.
"There was a girl crying in the dorm. It seems she is in detention tonight and can't come to the ball for destroying Luna's dress."
"But she only destroyed the decoy, right?"
"Yes. Mother is such a wonderful Seer. The gold creation she is wearing is too cheerful for me, but if it makes our friend happy…"
Marietta scowled as Luna and Cedric marched in after Fleur and her drooling date. Luna was indeed wearing a gold dress that sparkled with fairy lights. The fairies were happy to be invited.
Harry was surprised that Hermione had accepted Victor's invitation. He was scarred now, but she was never about surface appearance. They danced companionably. Friends interested in runes and philosophy. It wasn't romance in their life, but friendship. At least for now.
The opening dance had Victor and Hermione, Cedric and Luna and Fleur and Roger Davies dancing.
The minute it was over, Fleur left the room, fleeing to the loo. She was pinched and poked, and she wasn't putting up with it one more second!
But Harry didn't notice that. He danced waltz after waltz with his love. They had taken a break to sip ice water until the music swelled.
The tango!
**OO**
Draco Malfoy had tried to get other people to scoff at Harry's clothes. But the blonde's attempts had several of the students looking at Harry in envy instead.
Harry conjured a rose, with the blossom, and put it in his teeth. The two danced superbly, and soon they had the floor to themselves to move around.
Harry was athletic and strong. Wednesday was quick, agile and lithe. He could throw her up, using magic, and she would float for a second before landing; twirling in his arms.
Their love for one another on display for all to see.
Dumbldedore frowned at this. He didn't like the dark witch or how she had influenced the boy. And now he was in her thrall.
What had he done? What had he done?
The two ended the dance with Wednesday practically bent in half backwards; Harry supporting her in the deep dip. To the wild applause of an amazed and appreciative audience.
"Je t'aime, mon amour." Harry whispered intently.
"Moi aussi." Wednesday shared, her dark eyes the never ending abyss.
His killing curse green eyes never leaving her face. They were one heart, one soul.
The pair went to walk in the gardens, hoping that one of the people might attack, or the potions master stroll by. They were quite disappointed.
They did however see a tipsy Headmaster of Durmstrang and offered to escort him back to his ship. Such a shame they got lost on the way and the man was never seen again.
**OO**
There were few times in his life that Harry Potter stepped into the limelight. There was a missing child, and not one of the staff seemed to care.
Professor Sprout had gotten involved now, and shouted, "What do you mean she's perfectly fine? If you know where she is, why don't you tell her sister? Her parents are looking for her!"
Dumbledore was all-knowing and serene, "This will all be over shortly, the merpeople are watching…"
"You are without doubt, the most idiotic of leaders. You're in the ICW! Don't Merfolk and Veela have discourse with that group to help sort out their differences!" The Hufflepuff head of House demanded.
"Wednesday, I need…a body suit, and an air bubble. Maybe more than one."
"You can't interfere with the competition!" Dumbledore shouted.
"Watch me. Hey, Veela witch, your sister is under the lake. Do I have your permission to act?"
"Oh no! She is young, her core still…compressed? I don't know ze word. Please! 'Elp her!"
Wednesday unloaded the dry suit and had the extra air tanks ready. The boat was expanded and ready to go. Hermione was missing in the crowd too, Wednesday noticed. As was Luna. But Fleur's date for the ball was warm and cozy in the stands.
Harry smirked and did a switching spell, and soon there was a very wet, very cold asleep girl in her sister's arms rushing towards the aid tent.
Harry looked for help. Who to pick, who to pick. Ah, ha! Draco disappeared without a sound, but Cho, seeing Wednesday's cold eyes, screamed.
They were gone, and Luna and Hermione were back.
"You see, Headmaster. I didn't interfere at all. Just exchanged hostages."
"But Harry, my boy, did you put them into an enchanted sleep first?"
"Oops." Harry shrugged. "Hey, I'm in a magical school to learn. You don't expect me to be perfect all the time, do you?" Harry figured that was another detention.
Wednesday just had to give Harry a hug for that, and they went to check on the little girl.
"Madam Pomfrey? You're going to need some drowning draughts. I found out that this little girl and our friends were under the lake. They didn't mention it last night, so I think that they were kidnapped."
"Oh dear! A child! A veela at that? There are merfolk down there!"
"Yeah, if she was older and her allure working, it would have been a slaughter. Their pets, the grindylows, would attack Fleur viciously if she tried to go. She'd never get close, but if she did manage it, they would kill her." Harry pointed out.
"Twenty points to Hufflepuff for each of you. Well done. Too bad you forgot the enchanted sleep. But as you say, you are students." The matron bustled around, getting everyone warm.
While she was busy making sure that Gabrielle, Hermione, and Luna were all alright, Wednesday snuggled into Harry.
"I didn't get to slay any mermen for you though. Do you think their heartstrings would work for your experiment, ma cherie?" Harry asked.
"I don't know. But I do know that we need to…"
An official ran in looking for Fleur. "The event is about to start!"
Fleur put one toe in the water, looked at the judges and spat, "You know what I am! You set me up to be murdered! Murderers! I am telling MY papa what you did! What you did to my sweet soeur and what you tried to do to me!"
The judges all put heads together. Madame Maxime had a headache and didn't remember that Fleur was a veela; never mind that this was her last year at school. Karkaroff's replacement pretended to nod and was happy to blame Dumbledore for everything.
Dumbledore knew that the Mercheiftaness was going to be angry that two veela got away. They were his fee for their help after all.
Draco was the only one that they couldn't revive. Malfoy showed up to try and duel Dumbledore right there.
Harry Potter, hero of the day, jumped up and helped. Finally! This was his chance to kill a major Death Eater, in public, and get cheered for it. Yes!
Dumbledore, the clear target, kept trying to stun the man, who was throwing AK's around like candy at Halloween. It was his and Wednesday's favorite holiday.
This was the perfect opportunity. The dagger was in the air, barely nicking his target, enough to distract him, as Dumbledore's spell hit. The man fell like a puppet whose strings had been cut. The headmaster called for the aurors, who then proceeded to arrest him for the murder of Lucius Malfoy.
He would likely be fined and have to sit in time out for a hundred and eighteen minutes - or however many years old Albus Dumbledore really was.
Sasha would be so thrilled to know that it was her venom that took out a dangerous, dangerous man. And the aurors, unless told, wouldn't know what to look for.
"Harry Potter! You are mine! Mine!" Wednesday took his hand and led him to a private chamber and showed him the difference between kisses and snogging.
His swollen lips might tell a tale, but he just smiled when asked what he'd been doing since Dumbledore had 'killed' that dangerous Death Eater.
Oh! He dared claim the kill?! Really? That's what Harry got for being a Hufflepuff.
He really didn't like to brag. Wait, Wednesday's Great Uncle Hironymous said that the most satisfying kills were the ones you got away with. Or in this case, that no one even knew that you were involved in.
**OO**
Cedric Diggory saw the spider too late to slow down but just put on a burst of speed to pick up the Triwizard trophy.
It was a portkey.
To a stand, where a hired high school band played a fight song of some kind and Fudge gave him a huge sack o' gold.
Amos Diggory, his father, was bursting with pride.
Then the screams started.
The walls of the hedges all dropped when the cup was picked up, releasing the dementor, the sphinx and of course, the giant spiders. Along with other various creatures that had been contained therein. The organizers weren't thinking. Well, Dumbledore was the only one who had anything to do with any of the challenges so…
Whistling for Fluffy, he was a good dog after all, Harry mounted, Wednesday jumping up behind him.
"You've got our lances?" Harry asked.
"You always come up with the best dates." Wednesday complimented.
"Wait until your sixteenth" Harry murmured, rushing to spear his first spider. Fluffy helped, but Wednesday was summoning poison sacs and hearts for later.
"Waste not, want not." She murmured.
Hagrid tried to save his pets, but any that had been within the bounds of the tournament were all neatly taken care of.
Well, other than the gory bits left by Fluffy. Did he learn table manners from that Weasley kid who kept calling Harry a duffer?
**OO**
OWLs were coming up, but a very important thing was happening on March 15th of their fifth year.
The Ides of March this year was Wednesday's sixteenth birthday.
Both Remus and Sirius had gone on and on about appropriate gifts, but Harry was ready. Kreacher just loved Wednesday as did Sirius' mother. With access to the Black Family library, Harry had the right book and the supplies. Everything was ready.
Too bad the basilisk venom interfered with the ritual for the zombie he wanted to give his love. The corpse had been perfectly preserved and kept in the dungeons of Grimmauld Place. He didn't know that basilisk venom would cause the brains and organs to petrify. No one had told him! It wasn't fair!
At least he had the smoky globe that he liked to shake now and then. The Addams version of a snow globe.
He took Wednesday down to the Chamber of Secrets. Just in case something went wrong, they wanted their friend down there to be backup.
Tommy wouldn't know she was free until too late.
Back in first year, when Harry opened up his package of supplies, there was a wrapped parcel. Being curious, he made a copy, and opened the original. It was a pulsing red stone.
He made sure to bring the copy to Hagrid, and ask 'innocent' questions. The responses had Harry wondering just who Nicholas Flamel was and what was his relationship to Dumbledore?
He had put it aside for the time, but did quiet research. Hermione and Millie both helped.
They were there with a few other friends. Witnesses. Harry was clear about expectations, and all swore not to aid the Dark Lord. No, they wanted to be here to witness the final confrontation.
"So, Harry Potter, we meet again. Look at what you have done…Wait. I'm whole? I'm whole!"
Tom Riddle, young, handsome. Charismatic. He was standing there, completely sane as Harry and Wednesday had fed him most of his soul back.
The goblins had destroyed the tiny fraction in Harry's head after using it to find the other bits. But Harry had learned the secret of transferring, and Wednesday used that orb that had all the rest of the bits to capture Voldy. Then it was just wait for the diary that had been out of reach.
"You have two choices. Take this chance, and go a different way. You're young, powerful. Be a healer! You speak parseltongue!" Harry reasoned.
"Me? Serve others? Wipe noses? Are you joking? Never! I am the greatest Dark Lord the world has ever seen."
Money was being exchanged in the background. Luna won the pool, it appeared.
"The other choice is to die. Here. Now." Harry didn't shout, but gave his report. Like the weather. It was Tommy boy's choice.
A phoenix arrived, carrying a hat. No, the Sorting Hat. A sword hilt was protruding from its brim.
"I asked Fawkes to bring you a weapon, Harry Potter." Luna explained.
As if Wednesday wasn't ready.
"A duel then. Mano y mano. I chose swords." Harry claimed.
"A muggle weapon? No, I will fight with magic!" Riddle shouted.
The dark one used wandless magic and stole the wand at Harry's belt. Making the boy smirk. It was the one he had never used that the Headmaster had bought for him.
Harry used the flat of the blade to absorb the first two Avada Kedavra spells, then he was there.
And Voldy's head wasn't. Sir Nicholas would be after him for weeks to do the same to him so cleanly.
Wednesday clapped her hands with glee. "A dark lord for my birthday! Oh! Maybe drying the heart will work better, like they do with dragons." The happy witch suggested.
In the background, several people were quietly sick, and would be brewing forgetfulness draughts. But they also knew that a terrible, terrible danger was gone. Forever.
Harry put a finger to her lips and kissed her soundly.
"Happy Birthday, mon coeur, ma chere, chere femme. Je t'aime."
Snape, waiting with Dumbledore at the top of the rotating and uplifting steps coming out of the chamber, was not expected or wanted right now. Harry had cake waiting, and snogging plans!
"Potter! What have you done?"
Harry pulled out the shrunken head. "I gave my girl the first of her birthday presents. Ask Dumbledore about the prophecy if you want further knowledge."
"YOU? A duffer? A complete waste of breath and space?" The potions professor spat.
"Love you too Snape. I thought that you had to be nice to me at school, or you'd be fired. Not literally set aflame. What do they call it here? Oh yeah. Sacked."
"I like that idea. Put him in a bag. Can we drown him then?" Wednesday asked. "Is this my next present?"
Harry used the sword to split his sleeve, accidentally nicking the arm, blood dripped to the wet bathroom floor.
"Nope. Dang, I didn't think this through. You know my guardians' rules. The Dark Mark is gone! Now I can never kill him!
"I'm so disappointed in you, Harry." Dumbledore intoned.
"I know. I'm disappointed in myself, too. I should have killed him as the first present. You wouldn't happen to have a time-turner would you? Quick!"
His look of grandfatherly sorrow had Harry asking further questions.
"Why are you upset? Because I didn't die? I forced you to tell me the prophecy. Are you mad it wasn't Neville? What? I gave him a choice! Ask anyone. He planned to go around killing muggles. Well, guess what, Albus my old man? That would have led to our destruction. Ask Snape. Ask anyone with a muggle relative. The no-maj are dangerous, and outnumber us. If you'll excuse me? I have other places to be."
Seeing that there was no reasoning with the boy, Albus stepped aside. But just when the snogging was getting more exciting, his French whisperings working on his future bride, Thing interrupted. The knocking on the door was loud.
"I guess your parents are here early for your birthday weekend celebration. Starting with the family party tonight!
**OO**
OWLs went well, and sixth and seventh year were a blur of activities. For some reason, neither Harry nor Wednesday made prefect, but Hermione did.
When not one nasty criminal, dementor or even human looking toad showed up for sixth year, Morticia complained to the Board of Governors that Hogwarts wasn't the school education that people like her were expecting.
The only thing that was odd about seventh year was that Harry kept disappearing. Only Wednesday knew what he was up to.
As they stepped off the Hogwarts Express for the last time, and approached the family, there was a tall intimidating man standing behind Harry.
Harry stepped aside, and the man was introduced, "Uncle Gomez? Aunt Morticia? The Necromancy board gave me an Outstanding on my final project. I have a gift for you. Please meet the new family inferius, I call him Lurch."
"What a wonderful gift, Harry! So sweet. Don't you think so, mon coeur!" Morticia stated.
Before Gomez could comment, Lurch let out a moan of deep pain, sorrow, and despair. It lifted their spirits. "Grrrrr."
The family turned to do some last tours of London before heading home. Dudley and Pugsley were begging.
"Please! Please! Can we please go see the Tower of London?"
"You boys have been so good this year. And they are still rebuilding the school from that last bomb. I suppose." Morticia stated, "But I want it clear that I expect you to do just as well in college!"
"Yes ma'am!" All four shouted together.
Harry and Wednesday were going to be going to the Massachusetts Technomancy School. Harry planned to study necromancy, with a minor in poisons.
Wednesday was undecided, but leaning towards a similar major. She didn't have to decide right away.
They could live at home and commute, or more likely, buy a little house near campus together.
One thing was for sure; their future was full of thunder and lightning; it was going to be a horribly bumpy ride. And they would enjoy every moment.
**OO**
The End
**OO**
ƺ parseltongue