Harry Potter Boy who Lives

H P Boy who Lives 7th year

Chapter Thirteen

Harry's Choice

--

Hermione is finally healed, but something goes awry causing Harry to go on his first Auror mission...

--

One week later

Harry stared at the list of exam times in his hands and groaned. "Remind me to never open my big mouth in front of my Uncle again."

Hermione frowned at him. "Will you stop bellyaching and show me what it is that Uncle Severus so gleefully just handed you."

Harry walked over and sat on her bed. "Oh, he was gleeful about it all right..." Harry grumbled as handed her the schedule. "I bet he's just over the moon with glee after hearing about next week."

"Oh my..." Hermione couldn't believe what she was reading. "They can't be serious about having you take your N.E.W.T'S, some of which you've never taken in your life. Then the following week have you take your Auror Trials as well. Exactly what was it that you said to them that night at dinner?" Hermione coughed.

"I said something like bring on the Auror trials and the N.E.W.T'S. I bet my Firebolt that I would score O's across-the-board." He buried his face in his hands. "Oh Cripes… I wagered my Firebolt on it as well."

Hermione handed him a book that she knew he couldn't possibly read. It was in advanced ancient runes. "Harry let's not panic about this try reading a few pages of this."

"What does the druid uprising have to do with my..." Harry glanced through some pages in the book and understood every word or rune. "What the hell, I really can read runes!" He read some more of the book. "Hand me your Arithmancy book."

Hermione did as he asked. "Don't be upset if you don't understand any of it. Maybe First-Grams just upped your intelligence in certain areas." She cautioned him.

Harry told the solution to the assignment she was working on. "You were saying, my heart?"

Hermione watched with fascination, as Harry continued to whiz through even Merlin's most complex journals with ease. "Let's see you can speak over a dozen Wizarding and Muggle languages. You know every subject that this school carries and even some that it doesn't. You even have endless knowledge of everything Muggle education or otherwise. I would say that she left no stone unturned." She took a drink of water to calm her coughing.

"Ron was right. I am the scholarly type now, but then I guess all of this will one day no doubt come in handy. Especially, if I ever have to deal with a merging of our two worlds, in that case I'm all set." Harry conjured a cherry flavored Everlasting Lollipop for her to suck on.

"Thanks these help loads with my cough and sore throat." She smiled taking the candy from him. "I think that you should embrace this newfound knowledge as something that's who you are now and leave it at that."

"Then that's exactly what I'm going to do." Harry stowed the schedule away in his pocket. "I'm sorry that First-Grams and Aunt Celestra are off on holiday visiting her sister and brother-in-law for a few weeks, because she didn't wish to face the wrath of the family over my new appearance." He got in next to her and cuddled her in his arms.

"Harry that isn't your fault, I don't blame you for it." Hermione loved it when he held her. "At least I get to be in my own room now and not in the Hospital Wing."

"Mum and Aunt Gene thought that you would be more comfortable and heal faster in your own room. So, that's the reason I got to spring you from there today. Now that you're a little better than you were, Master Chen might be able to try the needle healing technique on your foot." Harry kissed the top of her head.

"It was more like pneumonia than a nasty cold." Hermione yawned.

"That's why you're still weak as a kitten and have a nasty sounding cough." Harry sighed.

"Yes, well, that doesn't mean that I can't do anything except sleep all day long." She pouted.

"I know that love, but rest is at the top of the list of getting you better again. Now close those gorgeous eyes and go to sleep while I hold you." He used his mind to settle her off to sleep again. "This is gonna be a very long three weeks."

--

Three weeks later

Harry had passed all of his N.E.W.T'S with O level marks and his Auror trials with O level marks as well making him officially an Auror.

Hermione had been able to take the N.E.W.T'S with Harry and scored all O level marks, only missing twenty questions total on the exams. She missed five questions on each of her written Charms, Arithmancy, Potions, and Runes tests. She planned on taking them again in June with the others. There was no way that she was blemishing her perfect record. It irked her that Harry had scored 100 on all of his N.E.W.T'S. That little bit of freedom on the other hand caused a setback in her recovery and she was still on bed rest. While the rest of that castle at least on this weekend, were off on a Hogsmeade weekend.

She and Harry were sorting through the final touches for their Sanctuary. "I changed my mind about the leather suite. It seems a bit cold looking." She was looking at one of the dozens of catalogs and fabric swatches that were scattered on her bed.

Harry took a deep calming breath before looking at what she wished to change this time. "Wills has already sent in the order for all the furnishings for our house, castle, or manor. I really don't know where Sanctuary fits...hmm maybe it's an estate. That suite is going into the study and that's my space remember."

"It's unnerving the way you can look at the snaps of the various rooms and then instantly know how it's going to turn out." Hermione blew her bangs out of her eyes.

"It's just a talent of mine. That you have to admit has made what many usually see as an irritating and hair pulling experience quite bearable." Harry was reading an ancient book on the language of the ancients and not paying attention to what he thought had been finished.

"Isn't it almost eerie choosing everything for the nursery and you had it down to the last detail." Hermione was bored out of her mind, but she was still very weak from her ordeal, and from overdoing it.

"I saw the afternoon before, our last Time Turner adventure, and when I dreamed about the girls. You were fine with all of our final choices yesterday. Are you so bored that you wish to second-guess it all today?" Harry set his book down and focused on her.

"I want to go shopping in Hogsmeade, but I'm still cooped up in my room." Hermione sulked.

"I know that sweetheart; you were the one who insisted on taking your N.E.W.T'S early, which caused you to overdo it. You tried to get around on crutches and couldn't stay on your feet for more than twenty minutes. I know that it's not fair that you're one of a handful of people, who are allergic to Master Chen's healing technique. Not to mention the potions that speed up the healing process and because of that your healing is taking longer." Harry looked at all the things no longer needed on the bed.

"Pack," He pointed a finger at the clutter and all the catalogs and whatnot went back into the trunk.

"I only took my N.E.W.T'S early to show you my support. How was I supposed to know that it would hinder my healing and make me relapse? It's just not fair. I'm stuck with my ankle bound up for weeks, while your arm took less than a week to heal." Hermione found herself surrounded by their furry friends. Pepper, Crooks, Rad, and Lady all leaped up onto the bed.

Harry wasn't in the mood to even broach the N.E.W.T discussion. He knew that she wasn't all that pleased with the results of her tests. It didn't matter that she scored O's on every one of them or that he was proud of her for doing so. He knew that she was miffed at him, because he, Rory, and Dromi had all scored 100 on all of their tests, and she had missed twenty on her own writtens. "I love you angel, but we're stuck in the castle this weekend.

"Don't look now, but Crooks is eyeing Snowy again." Hermione frowned. "Come here babies you still love me." She crooned at the pups.

Harry had the Puffskein snoozing on his chest and knew the cats and the little fur ball did not get along. "Snowy is not a meal you two, so don't even think about it."

The cats were looking down at Snowy from their perch on the pillows.

Lady and Rad were lavishing Hermione with puppy kisses.

"Can't we sneak off to Avalon for the afternoon? It's warm there and we can just watch the pups romp around beside the falls. You could focus on me and not that book." Hermione cuddled the pups in her arms. "You two would fancy that wouldn't you. You need room to run, because you are both getting so big."

Harry got up and set Snowy into his home. "Aunt Celestra and First-Grams are due back from their journey today and you're thinking that one of them can heal you while we're there. I mean that is your plan is it not." Harry gave her a knowing look.

"There is a plus to them being able to heal me you know." Hermione wiggled her brows playfully at him. "We could enjoy a swim, while everyone else is walking back in the snow."

"Annie, I have my orders...Mum and Aunt Gene are very pregnant fiercely protective Healers who will flay me alive for defying their strict instructions." Harry's resolve melted away with one forlorn look from his princess. She had been such a trooper through this ordeal and it was such a tiny request. "So, how do we smuggle the pups into Avalon? I've yet to try porting more than just you at least between worlds anyway."

"You really are my very own prince charming." Hermione beamed.

Sirius knocked on the door to her rooms. "I fancy taking the pups for a walk. Are the two of you willing to part with them for a while?" He opened the door a crack, but did not come into the room.

"Come in Uncle Sirius and yes the pups may go for a stroll with you. They need to have their afternoon romp." Hermione couldn't have planned this better if she had wanted to, now it would be just the two of them.

"The girls are off baby shopping. So Prongs, Moony, and I are gonna take the pups for a walk." Sirius walked in and smiled at them.

"Everyone has someplace to be but us..." Hermione pouted her eyes pooling with tears.

"Let's go pups time for your walkies!" Sirius called to the pups, which raced out the door with the cats in hot pursuit. "Uh, enjoy your afternoon." He beat a hasty retreat closing the doors as he left.

Hermione was up on her crutches and dressed for a warm day in seconds. "Well, don't just stand there change. We're going on a little afternoon holiday of our own." She grinned at him.

Harry also now dressed for a warm summer's day gathered her into his arms and they vanished.

--

Hogsmeade

Draco and Ginny left Ron and Luna at Madam Puddifoot's. The two in question had been too into each other to notice that they had left to go in search of a present to cheer up Hermione.

"Did you see that Self-correcting quill? Maybe we should have bought her one of those?" Draco didn't understand why they were perusing her big brothers shop. "She doesn't fancy this kind of stuff."

"So there you are!" George spied his sister and Draco. "Oi Fred! They've finally arrived, only it looks like its just baby sis and Draco."

"The other two are where Draco and Ginny just came from, snogging at Madam Puddifoot's tea shop." Fred grinned. "Last time I checked the two of you were in there for at least an hour or more."

"We're looking for cheer up present for Hermione and we only spent an hour at the coffee shop. We have our priorities in order, unlike Ron who's content to kiss Luna all day." Ginny glared at her brothers.

"Ginevra Molly Elizabeth, they did not need to know that!" Draco hissed in her ear.

"We call it the snogging cafe." The twins chuckled.

"Let's go Draco. I'll forget that you used my full name, nothing of interest appeals to me here." Ginny wasn't in the mood for her brothers teasing remarks.

"No stop." George protested.

"We'll behave we promise." Fred crossed both fingers behind his back as did George.

"We don't have time to dillydally around all day. We are trying to find a gift to cheer up Hermione." Ginny narrowed her eyes at her brothers.

"Buy her some of those new Self-correcting quills next door or the Spill proof ink bottle." George suggested with a smug smile on his face.

"Oh, for the love of Mab! Here he goes again!" Fred rolled his eyes in exasperation.

Draco grinned at George. "You really are reformed now aren't you? That's what your fortieth invention that's practical and nonjoke related."

"What he is these days is broken." Fred grumbled. "Not that we ain't making a bundle with the whole lot, but we made a pact and he's broken it!"

"Did you see what I named the newest line of products?" George ignored Fred.

"She'll sue for sure or worse have us beheaded! She may even sic nineteen-year-old baby brother, fully trained hit wizard/Auror/Next Merlin on us!" Fred glared at his twin.

"You named the line after Hermione? Just like you named the artists line after Trista?" Draco had never seen the two of them so at odds with each other.

"Melanie's Magic Artists Supplies is a smashing success. Now granted I created it just for her, but she has such a generous open-heart that she wanted to share them with everyone." George was proud of his spin off company. "Princess Hermione's Stationery and School Supply line just launched in November and it's doing more than I ever dreamed. Everyone wants to be like our other baby sister or so it seems."

"There's a whole line besides the Quill and ink?" Ginny arched a brow at him.

"There are Self-correcting Quills, Spill proof ink bottles in various colors, Secret keeping journals that come in the covers of the her favorite lesson books with a picture of her and Harry on the back, and various stationery sets. The man has lost his marbles!" Fred raked his fingers, in sheer frustration, through his fiery hair.

"Well, then in that case we'll take the complete set." Ginny grinned.

"Brilliant choice baby sis I have it all wrapped up in back." George headed off to the backroom.

"Say Fred how is that lie detector coming along?" Draco asked.

"All finished. We made it into a candy line. We're calling it Truth or Consequence." Fred grinned.

"Why is that exactly?" Ginny asked curiously.

"It's quite simple actually. You see when you tell the truth the taffy, gum, or lollipop rewards you with your favorite flavor. Now if you tell a lie. You get one of four vile flavors of ear wax, boogie, tripe, or vomit and your face turns the shade of a beet." Fred clearly loved this latest creation of theirs. "It lasts for as long as they don't tell the truth."

"Oh, does it really... Well go on show us then." Ginny and Draco grinned.

"I knew that was coming." Fred walked over to the counter and chose the gum. "Somehow I don't think our invention was a good idea anymore." He popped the piece of gum into his mouth.

"Fred, did you stick Ernie McMillan in a cage full of Cornish Pixies?" Ginny asked the first question.

"Not on my own. George, Trista, Katie, and me all did that." He answered truthfully and the gum burst with cherry flavor. "Delicious I love cherries."

"Fred, are you jealous of the time George spends with Trista?" Draco asked the next question.

"Jealous, well, now that's a harsh word isn't it? I wouldn't say that I was jealous..." Fred's face grew beet red and he started gagging from the taste. "Oh gods, not the vomit one! Okay yeah, I'm jealous! Happy now!?" The redness faded and his mouth tasted like oranges instead of vomit. "Okay that's it demonstration over." He growled.

"Are you in love with Katie Bell?" Ginny asked before he could spit out the gum.

"Sneaky baby sis, really sneaky, but then you learned from the masters of sneakiness." Fred considered his answer. Knowing full well that he had one minute or was gonna be tasting something vile again. "Having never really been in love...I guess you could say that, yeah, it could be love between her and me." Grape flavor burst in his mouth. "Well, now fancy that I'm in love with Katie." Fred looked dazed at the thought.

"Hear that Katie? He's over the moon for you!" George shouted over the noise of the customers milling around the shop, at Katie. She had just walked into the shop.

"Is he really...now who managed to get him to confess that?" Katie walked over and kissed Fred before smiling at Draco and Ginny. "Was it the two of you that got him to confess?"

"He's chewing Truth or Consequences gum, so he has to tell the truth." Ginny was enjoying putting Fred on the spot.

"Oh, is he really?" Katie's eyes danced with mischief. "Fred, were you really too swamped with work to take me to The Weird Sisters concert last night?"

"Yeah, I was...Oh gods, not vomit again! I mean it was too late to...I'll get the two of you back that's a promise..." He gagged on the gum as the taste grew even worse.

"We didn't force you to show us how the gum works." Draco chuckled.

"You did that on your own." Ginny giggled.

"I just can't stand The Weird Sisters music anymore! So yeah! I lied to get out of it to not hurt your feelings." Fred was rewarded with cherry again.

"I only got the tickets, because you used to rave about their music in school." Katie put her hand up to his mouth and conjured a tissue. "Spit it out you've had enough for today."

Fred, more than happy to get the gum out of his mouth did as he was told. "Thanks babe. So you don't fancy The Weird Sisters either?" Fred kissed her on the nose.

"Can't stand them," Katie purred wrapping her arms around his neck.

--

Avalon's Imperial Palace

"Welcome home Aunt Celestra, First-Grams, did you enjoy your holiday?" Harry carried Hermione into the gardens, where they were all enjoying High Tea.

"Mother! Whatever your reasons were for taking an extended holiday with Aunt Titania and Uncle Oberon, it was no excuse to let Hermione suffer for it." Celestra was not pleased with her mother. "I realize that you were wary of Harry's reaction to your addition to the counterspell, but Hermione has suffered because of it!"

"Nonsense daughter… My Grandniece and Grandnephew just had a baby girl and it was a trying delivery." Mab appeared flustered and Harry had never seen her this way. "You were needed there and Ti needed me for support."

"Dahlia was not in need of a Healer of my status and her delivery of Candace went flawlessly. You were hiding from father, Harry, and the rest of the family here at home." Celestra went about healing Hermione. "Why didn't Chen-san heal her?"

"She's sensitive to his ancient healing techniques and broke out in hives during her first treatment." Harry gave his First-Grams a look. "I was upset at first, but you've saved me years of tedious training and you've more than prepared me for my finale confrontation with Morgana. Oh and for becoming a father three times over in September. Dad might not be too keen about it or you, but I'm fine with being Nineteen. I aced my Auror trials two years early this week. We got O's across-the-board on all the N.E.W.T'S that both Hermione and I both took last week. So, yeah, I'm set thanks to you."

"Oh, so am I." Hermione slinked up against Harry. "I loved the adventurous prince, but now that he's gotten both of his sides meshed, well, I just can't take my eyes or hands off him. Especially, once he shaved off the beard." Hermione ran her hands up his chest as if to emphasize what she was saying.

:Hermione what are you up to now?: Harry used his link with her not trusting his own voice. He hadn't been expecting her to turn into a seductress in front of their Omni powerful family at High Tea.

:Whose up to anything.: She purred in his mind. :I mean what I say. I am now of sound mind and body, so I have the energy to be playful again.: Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck, stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him.

:Playful?! We are in front of our Omni powerful family! This is not the time nor the place for being playful!: Harry was now positive the third strike had indeed fallen. "We're sorry if we ruined High Tea. We just wished to spend the rest of the afternoon in sunny warmth, rather than in the castle. I thought it would be good for Hermione." Harry carefully disentangled himself from Hermione and she responded to that by goosing him. "Annie, will you please cool it!" He hissed at her his face flushing red.

"Let's see if my count is correct and it always is. Taking over my mind was Morgana's third try at destroying us or was that influencing a drunken heir to take a road that he never drives on? Hmm... Anyway you spin it that's three strikes." Hermione smiled at all of them. "I'm eighteen and thanks to First-Grams he's nineteen. We're married, again thanks to Uncle Cameron and the First-Grandparents, so I don't give a tinker's damn about what any of our elders think anymore. My motto is this. Why waste precious time when some crone is trying to ruin everything that Harry and I have!"

"Did she just say third strike!?" Xander and Cameron exclaimed in unison.

"You swore a promise that you will not break." Mab was not happy with her outburst.

"You made him nineteen. That pact is no longer binding." Merlin growled into her ear. "My advice to you grandson is to run like the wind. That is unless you wish to be a father earlier than you foresaw."

"You'll see her safely back to the castle." Harry didn't need told twice. "I'm gonna take my first Auror mission. Love you, angel, see you in a few weeks." He kissed her senseless before making his escape.

"Harry James Merlin Evans Potter-Pendragon, get back here you coward!" Hermione shouted.

"Hermione is a Muggle born taking what I assume is a dozen various potions to aid in her healing. It would seem that my loves healing may have conflicted with her current Wizarding treatment that in turn caused her bizarre behavior that we are seeing now." Cameron used a sleeping spell on Hermione. "It has young Harry going into hiding for a few weeks. My guess is that this one isn't going to remember anything when she awakens with her not so nice headache."

"The question is can Harry stay more than a week away from where his heart longs." Merlin sighed.

"That my husband remains to be seen." Mab continued with High Tea.

--

Stephen Pendragon's Minster of Magic offices

"We will discuss all of your concerns with the council. I realize the upper class is not pleased with the S.P.E.W movement. However, all intelligent Wizarding citizens will have the same freedoms, rights, and wages. Now as with any wizarding proclamations, this one has the official Seal of Pendragon, as well as the Minister of Magic Seal. That means if anyone is caught treating an Elf, Centaur, or any citizen with mistreatment, as an indentured servant, or refuses to follow Proclamation Parilis libertas (Equal Freedom) will find themselves in Azkaban. They will also be stripped of their title, and all of their wealth. Do I need to continue Lord Montague?" Stephen locked gazes with him.

"You're changing a system that has worked flawlessly for centuries! All because of your spoiled brat Grandson and his mudblood wife wish to have harmonic peace! Servants are not meant to do anything but serve! Centaurs are beasts that talk! Giants half-blood or otherwise are vial disgusting oafs who should be taken out of existence and dragons are good for one who wishes a good hunting challenge!" Lord Montague snarled.

Harry, who had been talking with his grandfather before Lord Montague arrived, stepped out of the shadows. "Hello, would you like to find yourself in a water closet in Siberia like your son was in two years previous? Or might I shake hands with you?" He conjured a dagger in his hand and ran the blade along his palm.

"This is entrapment! You're trying to frame me! There are no ties between me and the Deatheaters!" Montague snarled in outrage and took out his wand.

"Accio wand!" Harry snarled. Montague's wand flew into his hand. "Going somewhere Lord Montague? Oh, I think not."

"If he so much as touches me, I will bring him up on charges! I am a member of the Wizarding council!" Montague was clearly unnerved about how Harry just appeared out of the shadows then used a spell without his wand. "He is a student at Hogwarts and is defying school statutes by leaving school grounds! I will see to it that he is expelled! I am a member of the school board of governors!"

"First it's your royal highness. You are to bow before addressing me or in this occasion making empty threats. I am in my grandfather's office on a Saturday. I am also nineteen and can leave the campus whenever I wish to do so. I am an assistant professor at Hogwarts as of this past week, passed all of my N.E.W.T'S with O level marks, and my Auror trials as well. You see my First-Grandmother Queen Mab, added something to the counterspell that reversed your mistress's curse. I am nineteen and a fully trained Hit Wizard/Auror/Next Merlin. Now while I am still training under my First-Grandfather, that would be Merlin, I am no longer a Hogwarts seventh year student. Lastly, you will be lucky if you walk out of here alive for calling my wife a mudblood." Harry walked towards him intent on seeing just where Lord Montague's loyalties truly lied.

"Codswallop, all of it!" Montague sneered. "You keep back I say! You are mental, your highness!"

"Mental?" Harry grabbed hold of his hand that sizzled like bacon on a hot griddle.

"Gramps, does that sound familiar to you?" Harry glanced at Stephen, as he increased his grip on Montague's hand.

"Tonks! Moody! Kingsley get in here! We have another Deatheater to chalk off the list!" Stephen shouted for the three of them.

Montague was on his knees in agony. His hand was burning like acid had been poured on it and the Prince was crushing it with his iron grip. "Let go of me I command you! Mistress Morgana will destroy the next generation, as she did twenty years ago to your mudblood mother! You will rue the day! As will your bitch mudblood wife! Who took away nearly everything from her! She should have frozen to death in that storm!"

Harry's hand was now on his throat.

"No! You cannot do this to me! I am her eyes! I will not fail my mistress!" It was clear that this dark creature of a man was not going to go the way that Toad Lady had. He was only badly burned by the marks from Harry's blood.

"Uncle Mad Eye, fetch me some Veritaserum. This one is gonna hang around for a while, so might as well make him sing before I kill him." Harry let Montague go and he collapsed in a heap at his feet.

"Already have it lad. Never leave home without the basics. Have I not drummed that into your head by now?" Moody produced a vial of the serum and handed it to him.

"I left Hogwarts in a rush, but I won't be without the survival kit again." Harry picked Montague up by his neck and slammed him down into a chair. "Down the hatch you filthy traitor," He poured most of the vial down his throat. "Oh, drat was that too much?" He glared down at the elder wizard now slumped in the chair "'What are the names of the Deatheaters at large and all the other Dark Wizard and Witch exiles?"

Montague droned out over an endless list of names and where they had fled. Karkaroff was somewhere in Hungry in the mountains of what was once Transylvania. There were twenty Dark Wizards at Durmstrang and ten at Beauxbaton. He named Wizarding council members, most of the board of governors, and the list went on.

"What potion poisoned my mother twenty years ago?"

"She calls it the Efficioius Verus serum. It controls the births of new, goody-goody, witches and wizards. I added it to your mothers drink at her second wedding. It is in my robe pocket. There is no known cure."

Harry searched his pockets and found a vial labeled Efficioius Verus. "Gramps, the twins! It's gonna happen again!"

"No it is not. That was twenty years ago. We will find a cure before the serum awakens in her body." Stephen growled.

"It hibernates like a black widow waiting for its prey, and then devours it just before the joyous day." Montague droned gleefully. "No cure. The mistress wins. The Pendragon's will fall apart as before."

"SHUT UP!!" Harry roared in fury pointing his wand at Montague's head.

"No Harry! That's not necessary even if he does deserve it!" Tonks shouted.

"He will be sent to Azkaban. Where he will rot until the marks eventually finish him. His family who are all as evil as he is will be picked up and dealt with accordingly." Stephen snarled

"We have his confession and can now hunt down the rest of the lot. I say let the boy curse the tar out of him." Moody snarled. "He is an Auror now. It is his right."

"I want a Dementor to kiss him! Put him in the cell with the last remaining creature! Let it devour his soul!" Harry was beyond furious.

"Get him out of my sight! Then draw up the list of wanted wizards and witches and post it in the Auror Office, at Number twelve, and then send it straight off to International headquarters as well." Stephen barked out orders.

"At once boss." Kinglsey did as ordered.

"Give me a copy of that would you. I'm going hunting." Harry snarled.

"Splendid! I haven't been on a good hunt since forever." Tonks paused in the doorway.

"Beauxbaton seems like a good place to begin for my first official mission as an Auror/hit wizard." Harry fingered the vial in his hands. "I have to give a sample of this to Aunt Gene first and get my gear." He snapped Montague's wand in two then handed the pieces to Stephen.

"First you're still an assistant professor. Second, I need some of that to give to the Dept of Mysteries and St. Mungo's so they can get started on finding a cure. Third, what makes you so set on going off for a few weeks? When Hermione is still sick or leave her for that matter? Lastly, you are a rookie and Beauxbaton is not a rookie mission. Your mother, grandparents, and father would flay me alive not to mention Hermione." Stephen paced in front of his grandson. "Give me one good reason or forget about it!"

"Third strike...Let's see Hermione got healed by Aunt Celestra then all but attacked me in front of all of them at High Tea! I need to be faraway! Get the picture Great-Granddad?" Harry glared at him. "How about three little names, Dani, Ally, and Emma."

"Off you go then, but only for two weeks. Go get your gear and give that to Gene and Severus. The wolfsbane potion mixed with your blood is the cure for werewolfism, so maybe your blood mixed with some of this poison will be the cure." Stephen grimaced when Harry cut even deeper into his palm.

"Here take some of this to the others as well." He filled two small vials with his blood before focusing on his hand and healing it.

"That one is new." Stephen poured a bit of the poison into two empty vials then handed it back to Harry.

"Never tried it before saves time though," Harry managed a grin. "Tell Tonks to meet me at Sanctuary in an hour." With that said he vanished.

--

Camelot Wing

Harry appeared in the stairway in front of his Aunt and Uncle's door and knocked.

"Why aren't you upstairs with Hermione?" Remus frowned at him.

"She's sleeping. I wanted to get up, stretch my legs for awhile, and I wanted to ask Aunt Gene a question." Harry quickly covered for himself.

"Remus who is it?" Gene asked then smiled warmly at Harry. "There you are. Lily has been searching everywhere for you as has James."

"Can I come in? I need to talk to you about something." Harry sensed that his parents were nearby and didn't need them complicating matters right now.

"Sure Hon, I'm making some hot chocolate." Gene knew that something wasn't right with him.

"Okay kiddo what is it now? You are as wound up as you were fifth year." Remus shut the door behind them and they walked into their common room.

"Third strike and Hermione all but attacked me after Celestra healed her during High Tea. I fled to Gramps at the ministry; we caught Lord Montague, who confessed that he is working for Morgana among other things. He gave us what was used to poison mum and has been used again about four weeks ago. Which has no cure at least not yet, and I'm off on my first Auror mission. Tonks and I are gonna hunt Dark Wizards for three weeks. Oh hell, I'm hiding from Hermione mainly, but who wants to be bored." Harry rambled out his explanation then handed her the vials containing the poison and his blood.

"Please find a cure for Mum. The poison is called Efficioius Verus as it says on the label. The other is my blood. Please use it. I will see you just before Christmas." He vanished.

"I will be in my laboratory." Gene wasted no time getting to work on a cure.

"I will be at The Hogshead getting sloshed with James and Sirius." Remus snarled.

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Harry left letters for everyone on his bed, after he geared up, and prepared to go. "Keep them safe until I return." He hugged the two pups.

"Return from where," James followed the pups barking and knew that Harry was back. "You're in...Oh no, absolutely not! It's winter! No it's the Christmas season! You are not going on a mission! Forget it!"

"I have to! The third strike has fallen! It's all in the letter! Christmas was never my thing anyway!"

"Who's going with you?" James eyed the stack of letters on his bed then the gear at his feet.

"Tonks and we'll be back before Christmas. I'm nineteen Dad. This is what I choose to do. I'm an Auror/hit wizard now and Merlin knows all about my need to hide for a few weeks." He packed some books to read as he spoke. "Gramps will fill you in on everything. Hug Mum for me..." Harry found himself bear hugged by his father.

"Be safe. Don't do anything to crazy. Send owls when you can. Just come home in one-piece." James growled hoarsely.

"I will Dad. Take care of everyone until I get back." He vanished.

James sat down on Harry's bed, opened the letter marked Dad, and read it. "Kick some ass Junior. I'll keep the castle secure." He now understood his son's reasons for leaving. "Promise or no promise, after reading this I have a right to go get sloshed at The Hogshead." He vanished.

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Chapter Fourteen

The Christmas Nazi

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I do not claim any of JKR's characters only that I love being able to create my own kind of mischief with her beloved characters. I do not claim any other things that are owned by other companies that I may mention once and a while in the stories...Although the original characters and ideas are mine and I loved creating them. So please review if you wish but try not to flame me too badly.

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Cindra 2004-2008