Disclaimer: If its recognizable it is not mine.
Story Notes. More mostly dialogue but again, I just want the characters to be able to talk about thing. I don't want to ignore that many of those changed were bad people who did horrible monstrous things. So this was a way to make sure that was not forgotten. I intended to have the story more fluffier and later chapters will be but I do want to make sure that Death eaters are still held true to what they did.
Back to the Story
Kingsley suggested a break which was accepted. There seemed to be a separation, the students, those involved in the project and Dumbledore. He seemed to be separate though in the same breath holding court. But that might just be her anger speaking. "Are you okay," Neville asked worriedly hearing what she admitted and knowing how unwilling it would be.
"If he even thinks of pulling that bullshit again, I'll ensure everyone knows what sort of man he is," Harry returned coldly. God she was so angry she could burst. Sending those innocent children to the Dursleys. Especially with such similarities. He was batty. Why is his first instinct to send children to abusive homes. Was he trying to create another Voldemort?
"That was tenser then expected," Hannah said approaching them. They were after all the DA. "How are you all doing with everything going on?"
"Okay," Harry said putting her anger beneath a well-placed mask. "How about you? I'm so sorry to hear about your brother. I had no idea."
"It wasn't something I was ready to talk about our last year in school," Hannah admitted. "He was always my rock you know. My protector and best friend and to know that my uncle did it just to gain some title. Not even a highly respected one. We barely hold a title. Our uncle of all people."
It was a sickening thought; just what family could do to each other. "Was he arrested?" Was he going to be another of the reborn children was what she couldn't bring herself to ask.
"No," Hannah said seriously. "He died in the final battle. I'm glad at that. I'm not sure I could be strong enough if he was one of the ones selected to be reborn. I don't know if I could raise him too. How are you doing it Harry. I mean the Lestrange's. They were monsters. Do you really believe all this about the dark mark twisting people? Its like the bloody imperious defense in the last war. Another way for them not to take responsibility."
"Yes and no," Harry admitted surprising her. "I mean yeah I fully believe that the dark mark was evil and twisted enough to bring out the worst in people. They've found evidence that it made them obedient and the dark magic in it made people unstable."
"Lucius Malfoy unstable," She challenged.
Harry scoffed. "He hid it well, but I actually dueled him. And he's lost his temper publicly enough to send a hex in hogwarts at a twelve-year-old. Doesn't exactly show Slytherin cunning or stability does it."
"He did that," Nott said shocked. "Sorry I couldn't help but overhear. He really did that."
Harry nodded. "I don't think its an excuse though. Like if it was they'd be out walking free wouldn't they?"
"Azkaban."
"One, the dementors are a cruelty that I don't think anyone deserves. Its no wonder when they got out, they were worse and more demented then when they went in," Harry said. "I saw what those monsters did to a good man." Sirius's innocence was well known. "Second, its not the inescapable prison everyone once thought about it."
"Dementors kiss," she said.
"No one actually knows what happens when someone receives the dementors kiss," Neville pointed out. Plus, half the issue is the number of wizards is scary low. That's why they looked for another solution. In the last 30 years within the two wars, we lost literally 25% of our population. And before that there was the dragon pox epidemic. My gran used to tell me Hogwarts could have 1,000 students at one time when she went. We might be able to say we had 500. And a good chunk of our classmates died, and another good chunk are now in prison or should be."
"So, you agree with this," She asked shocked. "Considering what the Lestrange's did to your parents."
"Harry asked what I thought before accepting," Neville said honestly. "I'm so tired of death Hannah, aren't you? Our entire lives have involved war. Even in times of piece. I doubt there's were any different. Being brainwashed from near birth in ideals their parents believed in. Selling themselves to an insane man on parent order or because that's what you were raised thinking was the right thing. There has got to be something we can change. I don't know if this is the right way. I think it needs a tone more oversight and rules and that the ministry overstepped and went too fast with little thought to consequences."
"Like always," Harry muttered.
Neville ignored that and continued. "But I honestly think that something had to be done. Killing dozens more wizards and witches. Family lines that have been around since the founders and even before, seems a bit counterproductive. We need to rebuild. I can see why this route was even offered."
"Yeah, but can you even change them. I mean they were evil," she said.
"I spent the morning with the people who took my parents from me," Neville said shocking them. "My parents played with them. I honestly wasn't sure I could handle that. Do you know what I watched happen."
"No."
"Rodolphus Lestrange, literally a poster child for pureblood agenda and anti muggleborn and muggle sentiment. Was teaching my dad how cool muggles were. How invented. How they made the most brilliant toys and were clearly much smarter than he was taught. I saw Bellatrix friggen Lestrange, one of the most feared witches in England, playing dollies with my mother the person she tortured. Dollies. When she fell over, there were tears and she wanted cuddles for comfort. They are inquisitive and open and…children. Bloody children. Normal children. More behaved than the ones I am raising. I don't know how those kids became the monsters they were. But something must have happened to cause them to go so damn evil. Right now, that is likely not to happen again. They are being raised open and being taught things their parents would likely have cursed them for thinking. Like Muggles are interesting. Harry their guardian is a half blood, and they adore her so how can they hate half-bloods. I don't know if I could raise them. But this clearly can change things. We won't know how much for another 20 years likely but I'm so bloody tired of people dying. Even if the adult versions of them would have deserved it."
Everyone present was silent at the speech, it clearly drew more attention as most of the room listened to it. "You're a better person then I am," Hannah admitted finally.
"No," Neville said. "I'm just bloody tired of nothing changing. It seems like war after war and fight after fight is all over the same cause. Same response happens and nothing changes. I don't know if this program is the right thing, but I don't know if we can bugger things up as bad as the last attempt so why not see how it goes."
"We'll see," Hannah agreed.
"I'm taking it as I took in orphans," Harry said surprising her. "That's essentially what they are. They don't know what the adult versions of themselves did. They just know their parents and families are gone. They weren't transfigured into children. They have no memories. They don't even bare the scars they had as adults. Its as if the last 25 years of their lives, vanished. They are just children who were orphaned and need someone to raise them properly. Its how I get through the days. I try not to think of who they were. And just think of who they can become."
"They aren't my parents anymore," Neville said. "They'll never be my parents again. I'm raising them not my grandparents. They will be like siblings, not husband and wife."
"It's a new form of torture," she admitted. "My brother was my best friend. Now he's a baby and doesn't remember anything we have done together."
"But its better then watching them waste away in a bed in saint mongos," Neville stated. "Or so I keep telling myself. Better than them being dead."
She nodded as Kingsley chose to interrupt and call everyone back together. "So, that was revealing, and I won't ask anyone to redo that conversation but clearly there are struggles and issues with the program beyond just the fact that you will need to take them to school with you. Is there anything you wish the panel to overview."
"Oversight of the children," Harry said without hesitation. "I would never hurt a child. But no one even checked in on them. The Lestrange's literally tortured me, and I was given them in their most vulnerable form. Why has no one bothered to check that I wasn't abusing them or taking out my pain of what they did on them? What about the others. Nott literally just stated how his father attacked him for not taking the dark mark. Yet he's now raising the man who hurt him. Sure, he seems to care, and I am not in any way shape or form accusing you of mistreating the children but shouldn't someone be looking to insure that doesn't happen?"
"Also how are people being selected," Neville asked. "So far, its those who have already been sentenced to the dementors kiss and people who have been proven to be unhealable due to either dementor exposure or cruciotus curse. How will they be selected. How far are we taking this because it needs more overwatch and more distinct guidelines. At this rate once people really understand what's going on. We have literally a fountain of youth. People who fear death enough will likely think it's an escape."
"We will be placing previsions," Kingsley promised.
The meeting ended a short time later and Neville and Harry both confirmed they would take part. They needed something to change and if they were involved they could at least attempt to not allow it to be misused.
HHHH
Harry entered the house to hear cheering and shouting. She wasn't entirely surprised. The twins were always rambunctious. Toys were dancing around the room. Stuffed animals were marching. The children were roaring with laughter as the twins enchanted everything.
"MISS HARRY," Rodolphus roared seeing her as they all ran to her and she suddenly found herself surrounded by all sides.
"You came back" Sirius said relieved. "We missed you, Miss Harry."
"Up up 'Mi Ri," Bella said hopeful as Harry scooped up Belle and Rabastan giving the other two boys half hugs.
"I missed you guys too," Harry said grinning. That was an amazing welcome. It made her feel warm and loved. They had lit up seeing her and were now all talking rapidly telling her about their days. All sense of decorum lost as she oo'ed and awed at the right times. Considering how uncomfortable that meeting was, it was a gift to come home to.
"Were you all good for Fred and George."
They nodded happily. "They made toys dance," Sirius said. "We had fun but missed you."
"I'm glad you had fun and I missed you too," Harry said giving the top of his head a kiss getting a beaming grin. She glanced to Neville who had his arms full of two children as well. "Thank you both for watching them."
"We had fun."
"I'm guessing by the fact that Rudys hairs green and Sirius red."
The twins grinned as the kids giggled. "We had to show them some magic toys too. Weasley wizarding weezes is the way to go for all your pranking and toy needs."
"Testing of course, it was a hit. Ready to be released to the mass market."
Harry just grinned relaxing some. "Mr. George spin," Bella said eyes bright with laughter instead of the insanity of her older self.
"Mr. George spun you."
She nodded excitedly.
"We drew you pictures," Rudy said pulling her to the table. "We used paint too and do they had to dry."
This was an overwhelmingly positive considering how they had just been discussing the worst of things. "Wonderful, I love them," Harry said giving all four kisses on the head. "You guys had a busy day. Did the twins feed you supper?"
"Sandwiches," Fred admitted. "Not the cook you or mom are but the sandwiches had lettuce and tomatoes so healthy."
That was hardly a bother. She was just grateful they watched them because she definitely couldn't have taken them there. That meeting was a mess from start to finish. "That's fine," Harry said tiredly. "Did Rabastan eat the sandwiches."
"We gave him a cheese one cut small, and he ate quite a bit," George said.
"Were Alice and Frank good," Neville asked sort of dreading the answer.
"Franks a little troublemaker, might be our newest apprentice, thought Sirius would be trouble, we definitely did not expect that little hellion," George laughed causing Neville to sigh tiredly. If the twins were so approving, he was clearly into everything.
"They were great though, Frank won't eat his lettuce though. Apparently greens gross."
"Alice apparently doesn't like crusts."
"But they were pretty good. It was no problem watching them."
That also did not surprise Neville. "No, they are pretty picky," Neville said.
"Nev, we paint you picture too," Alice said.
"Like," Frank asked.
Neville melted a bit about that as he accepted the pictures from the two kids. "I love them."
"Flowers from your garden," Alice said proudly.
"They are beautiful," Neville stated. "Thank you both so much."
Frank smirked as did Alice. "Since you kids were all so well behaved, why don't we have some of the brownies we baked yesterday," Harry suggested.
"YAY," Bella cheered. "Bownies, bownies."
"Come on my sweet-toothed girl, why don't you go to Mr. George while I grab them," Harry suggested as she lunged into his arms.
Fred swooped up Rabastan as they went to the kitchen, and all feasted on brownies.
When the kids had wondered off the twins asked the question they had been avoiding. "How bad did it go?"
Harry scoffed. "Apparently I should let my aunt and uncle raise them," Harry returned. "As if that is not the stupidest idea imaginable. Like I don't bloody get it. Does he think his bullshitting will make me forget how they treated me?"
They couldn't help but be surprised at the request and horrified over the idea. "Is he senile?"
"Clearly, like he knows how I was treated but I should just send kids to be treated the same because he thinks it's the right thing to do," Harry said. "As if I will just forget what happened because it's for the greater good. Because he says that I'm exaggerating. How dare he tell me that. I was there. He wasn't. He sent me back. Its like he's intent on making another fucking Voldemort. Because its pretty damn obvious that at least part of the reason he turned out so damn bad is because he grew up in a bloody orphanage during a war and was mistreated for having magic. Like is he trying to make them go evil again. Prove a bloody point?"
"Breath love," Fred said gently. Considering the new information, he had found out about those monsters it made him livid and he knew he didn't even have half the story. "We won't let that happen."
"Sending them to people like that is the perfect way to turn them back into monsters who hate muggles."
"But you don't, hate muggles," Neville said.
Harry cringed surprising them. "There was awhile there that I almost did," Harry said. "Because most of my experiences were bad with them. From bullies in school to teachers who treated me awful because I was different. But there was just enough good ones who tried to help that prevented that. Not to mention the wizarding world wasn't exactly the perfect escape I once imagined more then proving that there's bad in both worlds. I get purebloods often think muggles are less then them. They don't have magic. But outright hatred was more Voldemort's stepping in. Like let's be blunt. If not for the war would Malfoy lower himself being near them let alone attacking." That was a fair point. "Tom Riddle grew up in a muggle orphanage, during one of the worst times possible, and having accidental magic. It was a religious orphanage too. Its not exactly going to give him the warm and fuzzies about them. If everyone keeps ignoring abuse and mistreatment and all this nonsense, he's going to end up creating another Tom Riddle."
They hadn't thought of that. "We won't let it happen," George promised. "Ignore that prick. If he tries, we have more then enough power to stop it. Your popularity doubles his right now. So, he's trying to regain control and he's just losing it more and more."
"Makes me angry, so bloody angry I wanted to cut off his bloody beard right there," Harry returned tiredly.
"What else happened."
"Just talked. He tried to make us give up the kids or not return to Hogwarts. Then Kingsley called a break. Lot of questions on how on earth I can raise monsters like them. Luckily Neville had my back, and we have people quiet on that part at the very least. We both agreed to be part of the committee. It needs oversight. When people spoke about problems like oversight to insure, they weren't abused it was like the idea never crossed their minds. So clearly, we have work to do."
"Why don't we make us some hot coco, maybe a touch of fire whiskey and relax. Nothing we can do from here."
GGGG
Apparently, someone got ahold of the transcripts or maybe Skeeter had actually been at the meeting because the news papers covered a lot of things. It was pretty accurate though. Not outlandish over exaggeration. Some were even full statements. Neville's speech ended up pretty much word for word. Overall, it wasn't bad that it was released. Fairly positive on most of them. A bit scathing on Dumbledore's attempts to keep those noble enough to raise relatives out of Hogwarts. She'd have to make sure to be more careful in the future.