Authors Note. Some of you worry about Harry with super powers, well just because he has them he doesn't have to use them, however in this chapter he does and it is exactly the same with money it is just there it doesn't have to show until needed.
It is not imperative that you read the following explanation although it will probably prove informative.
Explanation of Harry's Houses.Previous chapters of this story have mentioned several houses belonging to Harry and I have created several houses for Harry in the past the layout of which may be used in this story, if they visit those places, however some of the interior décor might be changed.
The house I created at 'Godric's Hollow' in my story 'H. P. and the Inspiration of Ginevra and Hermione.' Is my vision of that house and if they go to 'Godric's Hollow' that will be where they are going.
'The Potters Wheel,' the main residence in 'H. P. and the Inspiration of Ginevra and Hermione.' I have moved from Merlin's Bridge Nr Haverford West to Fairyhill on the Gower and renamed it 'The Potters Place.' Although Flattery told Tonks in chapter four that it was called 'Potter House,' he was not very well informed, in more ways than one.
Finally, the house at Fairyhill called 'Potter House,' in my story 'A Week in the Life of Harry Potter,' was really far too grand and uncomfortable for ordinary people to live in. It has been renamed 'Château Potter' and moved to the south of 'Sarlat-la-Caneda' which is in the Dordogne in southern France.
Don't forget that there is also an island from Sirius and the ancient family home from Merlin we know of at this time but the story will need to be very long before we visit more than two or three of these places.
However we won't be visiting any of them in this chapter.
The above is just information, I don't want you thinking that you may of read about somewhere that sounds like these places before, now you know where. These stories are still on FF. net at my homepage, so if you have not read them and want something happy to read why not give them a try be aware that they both ship Harry with Hermione and Ginny, let me know what you think.
Now the Story Continues: Harry Potter and the New Neighbours.Chapter 6. Levelling the Playing Field.
There was a glow but nothing had happened.
Tonks said, "It didn't work?"
Hermione answered, "I think that I have just spent eight or ten weeks in a library. It was wonderful and that wasn't just the books."
"What time is it?" Harry asked, "I can't remember."
Tonks quickly realised that it had all worked perfectly and answered, "That was blinking instantaneous and it's about three pm, if you had forgotten it's Friday afternoon and Hermione, your parents said that you two didn't have to go to the surgery today."
Harry was looking at his dressing table and he asked, "I have five Portkeys, where would you like to go? Or should we see Amelia first?"
"Why would you want to see my boss? She's very busy, they think that there is going to be something big happening this weekend."
"So, being as there are a hundred and fourteen Death Eaters working in the Ministry that's where we should go then," said Hermione, "your boss it is. Hold our hands and we'll take you there."
"We can't Apparate anywhere in MLE offices." Tonks said.
When they held hands Harry made them all invisible and he said, "You attempt to Apparate into Amelia's office and we will carry you there."
Still invisible they arrived, silently, in Amelia's office and they appeared to be just in time, she was lying unconscious on the floor whilst one of her four assailants was adding some of Amelia's hair to what appeared to be 'Polyjuice Potion'.
The four assailants fell unconscious to the floor and the trio reappeared, Tonks asked, "What did you do to them?"
"I put them to sleep." Harry answered as he was reviving Director Bones.
Hermione and Tonks helped her back to her chair and when she had pulled herself together she asked, "What happened."
"We have a long story to tell you but that will have to wait for a while." Harry said, "Who are these four?"
Amelia reeled off their names and as she did Hermione vanished sections of their clothing to display their 'Dark Marks' these had been placed on unusual parts of their body's.
"We had better find out what's going on first." Harry said then he pointed to one of the captives, "Is this Zabini?"
When Amelia confirmed Zabini's identity Harry cast, 'Dros Llen', Ystumio Clyw', 'Dweud Gwir', then he revived her.
Amelia asked, "What have you done to her H…"
Hermione interrupted her, "Sorry but don't use any names, she is temporally blind, her hearing is distorted so she can't recognise voices and whatever we ask her she is compelled to answer fully and honestly."
Harry asked, "What is the big thing that your Dark Lord has planned for today?"
Zabini cackled, "The Dark Lord is going to take over Azkaban at six this evening, he is going to release the imprisoned Death Eaters and the Dementors will join him after they have kissed all of the innocent prisoners."
"What does that mean?" asked Tonks as Zabini went to sleep again.
"That means that it is time to level the playing field, I just wish that it wasn't so soon." Hermione said and then she asked, "Is Kingsley around?"
Amelia answered, "Yes he is in his office will you bring him in please Tonks?"
Tonks went for Kingsley and Harry started producing lists, when Kingsley came in he greeted the couple, "Hi you two you both look well, what's going on?"
Hermione said, "There is no time to explain at the moment but we will later," she showed him one of the lists that Harry had produced with its right hand side folded back and asked, "How many of these people are in the Ministry at the moment?"
Amelia and Kingsley looked at the list and he said, "They are all here! They are in one of Fudge's special meetings in Courtroom ten and the entrance to the Courtroom is being guarded by six Dementors."
She revealed the right hand side of the list that showed them all to be Death Eaters.
Harry said, "It is time to take them all out of the equation, after today all of Voldemort's plans will be in chaos for a while and none of his followers that are in this building now will have any information that we need."
Hermione and Harry went to the four Death Eaters in the room and cast a few spells and the Death Eaters clothes changed into Muggle clothes and they disappeared.
"What have you done with them?" asked Amelia.
"We have made them into Muggles, they have no magic and they won't remember the wizard world." Hermione said, "Then we sent them to the middle of Hyde Park and they only have twenty four hours to live."
"Oh and I also changed their Galleons into Muggle pounds." Added Harry.
Harry waved his hand and he and Hermione were clad in brilliant white robes with hoods, hers had a pale pink cape his with pale blue, of course their faces were concealed and their voices disguised.
"When we dress like this we must be called something, what do you think?" asked Harry.
Smiling Amelia answered straight away, "The Lord and Lady of the Light," and they all agreed.
"If you refer to us as such when we are like this then possibly we will be able to keep our identities hidden for a while." said Harry, "Now we have work to do. Amelia I am afraid that when we eventually leave, we are going to leave you with chaos. I suggest that you get Albus to help you to sort it out. However show him the list of Wizengamot Death Eaters so that he knows what he is dealing with before he tries organising anything and check anyone else he wants to use as well. Come on Tonks first we will sort out Courtroom ten and then Azkaban, any requests as to where we drop Fudge and his entourage?"
"Could you put them all in Azkaban for Voldemort to find?" asked Amelia with a grin.
"You're evil," Hermione said, "and I love it. Your wish is our command."
The three vanished and Kingsley said, "Thank goodness I have never been tempted by the dark. I wouldn't like to cross that pair."
Amelia looked at him and said, "You're the second member, I have already joined that club."
x-x
The first thing the Dementor guards knew of Harry's arrival was that they were bound in a containment field, the next thing that they were aware of was that the souls they had stolen over the years were being extracted from them. Then if they had had sufficient consciousness left they would have realised that they were on the roof of Azkaban along with another containment field, filled with the recently extracted souls.
The trio became visible and leaving Tonks at the beginning of the corridor to prevent anyone inadvertently wandering into Courtroom ten, Hermione and Harry entered the courtroom then they carefully locked door to the room behind themselves.
"What's the meaning of this intrusion," bellowed Fudge, "this is a private meeting."
Hermione gave a very false tinkling laugh, "Death Eater meeting's in the Ministry of Magic are private now are they? I was under the impression that they were illegal and the participants were to be punished, quite severely."
"Who are you?" Fudge bellowed again.
"It is not our normal practice to talk to rude, evil people but we will tell you whom we are so you know what to call those who are about to destroy you." Harry said, "We are the Lord and Lady of the Light, now that the pleasantries are over let us cast this little spell, 'Yfed Oes'." The last two words they had spoken together and a golden glow came from all of the Death Eaters and flowed into the pair at the front.
"Now we will cast the next one together as well 'Mundo Cyfareddol'." This time the glow was silver and at first it appeared to flow into three containers but it appeared that two of them were quickly filled and vanished the third accommodated the rest of the flow then it to disappeared.
"So what do you think that you have done to us?" Fudge was still managing to bluster.
"Well," said the Lady, "the first spell drained everyone's life force so now you each have about three hours to live."
"The second spell," said the Lord, "has removed everybody's magic and I am glad to say that you are now all Squibs, a good feeling isn't it?"
The room full of Death Eaters were all trying to use their wands and failing spectacularly.
"I am afraid that now we must away," she said dramatically, "to Azkaban to prepare it for your arrival and that of the half blood Tom Riddle, Voldemort I believe he now calls himself. If he is on time you should all still be alive when he arrives. Oh and we should do this before we leave."
Hermione waved her hand and substantial parts of everyone's clothing disappeared revealing their Dark Mark's, Harry's wave caused each of the Death Eaters to glow for a second and Hermione knew it to be a tracking charm.
Wherever they were they would be brought when they were summoned.
The couple departed leaving the courtroom door open, as they were going up the corridor they confirmed that they had collected over seven thousand years each from the courtroom.
They found Tonks backed up by Amelia and several Aurors facing an apparently mildly irritated Dumbledore, however his eyes were twinkling, he was with four other wizards.
"Good afternoon Albus," said the Lord, "the door is open you may question those convicted by Amoon," at the sound of the name Dumbledore's eyes opened wide, "take this with you it is a list of the charges against Fudge."
"You can't ride roughshod over all of the authorities just who do you think you are?" said a middle-aged wizard.
"You are Marcus Tregoswick," the Lady said, "member of the Wizengamot and a Death Eater, oh and we have another three, four of the five are here so we don't have to go looking for you. How sweet of you to come."
The pair waved their hands a piece of paper appeared in Hermione's hand and first showing it to Amelia and then passing it to Dumbledore she said, "That one is still at large, you can see this lot's Dark Marks, they are now squibs as are the collection in Courtroom ten. We have received instructions to put them all into Azkaban so we have to go to remove the innocents and make it ready for their arrival, we will see you later to explain more fully. May we borrow some young Aurors please Director?"
"Tonks collect the six new girls on your way out and good luck you three."
The three arrived in the MLE corridor and Tonks led them to the open office where Tonks quickly collected the six young Aurors who they told to bring warm cloaks and the nine disappeared to Azkaban.
When they arrive on the roof Harry positioned all of the Aurors as far from the door that concealed the stairs down into the prison as possible and he stood Hermione in a defensive position in front of them. Then he positioned the two containment fields one containing souls and the other with the powerless dementors either side of the door.
He opened the door and called the Dementors.
The dementors came quickly sensing the fresh souls on the roof, but they didn't come quicker than Harry could separate them from their cargo of souls and imprison them with their cousins. When they were all accounted for he shrank the container of helpless Dementors and banished it.
"That banishing charm used a lot of magic," Hermione said, "where did you send them."
"Well I don't know if they will survive a few million years in the sun," he said, "but that is where I sent them."
The souls, which he had he put into the other container he and his love released, having to feed life force into many of these freed souls because they were extremely weak from their long captivity.
Next Harry summoned, from the cells, the non Death Eater prisoners most of whom were also very weak and these were transferred by the young Aurors, to the secure wards at St Mungo's hospital.
Lastly they summoned the Death Eater prisoners then the Lord and Lady reduced their life to two and a half hours and added the timer so that they would know the instant of their death was approaching.
After the pair had removed the prisoners' magic Lucius Malfoy said, "So what do you pair of clowns think that you are up to?"
Hermione answered, "We are the Lord and Lady of the Light and we have levelled the playing field for Harry Potter in his conflict with the half blood Tom Riddle who you know as Voldemort. Watch."
The prisoners from Courtroom ten were summoned along with the four Wizengamot members and the Death Eaters on the roof were forced to watch as they were incarcerated in Azkaban before they themselves were returned to their cells.
"Are we finished?" asked Tonks.
"No, next it's St Mungo's," said Harry.
"You must be totally knackered!" Tonks said as she took hold of their hands.
"Yes!" the pair of them replied as they disappeared from Azkaban to the reception area of the hospital.
"You have about two hours before your mum and dad are due home Hermione," whispered Tonks as they arrived in St Mungo's, "we will have to go home before then."
The Lord and Lady of the Light worked solidly for about an hour, by which time they had seen all of those from Azkaban who were in a seriously weakened condition. Tonks gave the senior Auror present one of Harry's lists containing all of the prisoners with their alleged crimes; the vast majority were innocent having simply been moved out of the way by Fudge as part of his contribution to Voldemort's cause.
Then they went to see the Longbottoms.
Frank and Alice had to be worked on individually by both of them at the same time and it was three quarters of an hour before they left for home. The hospital staff had been instructed to ensure that Neville and some of their friends from the old days were there when they woke up, their minds with their memories had been repaired but they been cruelly cut off about fourteen and a half years previously.
Completely exhausted they went home and Tonks asked them, "You didn't ask me to try to Apparate here, why?"
Hermione answered, "I don't think that we actually Apparate, that is why the wards don't stop us, when we ask you to help it is because we don't know 'spatially' where we are going. Once we do we don't need help also I think that we will soon become used to what we are doing and then we will be able to go anywhere we have been before, after that who knows?"
Then Harry asked, "Tonks, we need to have a shower before Hermione's parents get home, how difficult would it be for you to go and see how Amelia, Kingsley and Dumbledore are getting on? Only if absolutely necessary should people be invited here this evening for explanations."
"It will be quite easy for me." Tonks said, "You two go and have your showers, I will see you both later."
When they reached the landing up stairs Hermione took hold of Harry's amulet and thought, 'Library.'
x-x
Once more they were wearing only sarongs and Hermione wasted no time removing hers and then his.
She simply said, "Please make love to me."
An hour and a half later they fell asleep, their lovemaking had at first been frantic but had gradually mellowed to become a very gentle and calming influence on them.
They had no way of measuring it but they had slept for sixteen hours, what they did realise was that they were starving hungry but they also knew that they would be having dinner within a couple of hours of returning. So they contented themselves with a pile of bacon sandwiches, which took the edge off their hunger, and as they were finishing Elfin arrived.
After greeting them she said, "You did the right thing, it was extremely lucky that you were in time because sorting the chaos out after the weekend would have been a lot messier. Tell me Harry why did you not stop and finish Voldemort at Azkaban?"
"I thought about it," he said, "and I decided that we needed to get rid of all, or nearly all of the Death Eaters first, otherwise the remnants might well split up into small groups and become far more difficult to eradicate."
"So what are you going to do about Snape Harry?" Elfin asked.
"We will more than likely see the Headmaster when we get back to Hermione's and I will tell him to get a new Potions Master." Harry said, "Then I will show everyone Amoon's assessment and that will force him to act, whatever, Snape will not be around to persecute students next school year."
Elfin asked, "Are you sure that you are not just being vindictive?"
Harry laughed, "No, not just vindictive, although getting rid of the slimy git will give me certain satisfaction. There will be rejoicing throughout three houses because of the change. I wonder just how many students have chosen second option career paths to avoid Advanced Potions with Snape. I did think about the Dursleys but I decided to just leave them to it, I will clear my things out and find somewhere to stay, I do have four houses."
Hermione had been quiet for a while but now she spoke, "You will stay with us silly, my mum keeps asking me when we can get you away from number four permanently."
"Once again, you have done very well," said Elfin, "I will leave you now and see you next time."
When Elfin had left the couple stood and kissed then she held his amulet thinking, 'Return.'
x-x
After kissing again they went into their rooms to change their clothes and then they made their way back down stairs to the garden where they walked until Hermione's parents came home.
"You two are looking well today," said Jane, "you must have had a good sleep?"
"You don't know half," answered Hermione, "we have also spent a couple of months in the 'Library of the Ancients,' studying and keeping fit. We have been talking and Harry would like to leave number four and you said that you would like him to come and live here. So…"
Matt interrupted, "We would love Harry to come and live here if he wants to."
Harry had a huge smile and thanked the Grangers profusely, then he said, "Let me try to help a little and I don't want to hear a sound out of Hermione until I have finished. It appears that I have over a dozen House Elves and I am sure that if we spend the weekend visiting some of my houses we will be able to find one who will be willing to help out by cooking and cleaning in this house. This bit is specially for my love who looks about to explode." This was not an exaggeration. "The Potter House Elves are employed on one of the original Elf Wizard mutual benefit contracts and Tonks told me that if you talk to Remus about it, it will help you with your Elf rights campaign."
Hermione was looking totally confused, she didn't know whether to scream and hit him or to kiss him then Matt said, "Come on Harry, let's go to number four and get your things."
When Matt and Harry had left, Jane smiled at her daughter and said, "Sounds good, eight weeks alone in a Library with a boy who you have been trying to eat for days. Do you want to tell me about it?"
So Hermione told her mother a lot obviously glossing over the details of some of the things and omitting everything that she wasn't permitted to tell, by the end her mother was extremely surprised, but also very happy for her daughter.
Harry and Matt arrived at number four luckily only his aunt was home, so while Matt was explaining to Petunia, Harry went up to his room and quickly packed everything he wanted to take. He came down stairs with his trunk in one hand and Hedwig's cage in the other, for some reason he did not want to spend any more time in the house than absolutely necessary.
When Matt and Harry arrived back Hermione was helping her mum prepare dinner because they were all hungry; also for Hermione and Harry it was ten weeks since she had had a meal with her parents.
At about seven that evening, half a dozen witches and wizards joined the four people already sitting on the patio the visitors were Tonks, Remus, Amelia, Kingsley, Professor McGonagall and the Headmaster.
The amount of information each of the guests had was different, so Hermione and Harry told them everything that they believed was necessary for the authorities to know and understand.
It totally silenced the whole gathering.
After about three minutes Harry said, "We must have a new Potions Master for next year."
The Headmaster said, "I trust Professor Snape, he is not a Death Eater."
Hermione produced a piece of parchment, she made five copies of it, everybody realised that she did not use a wand and then she said, "I am sorry to tell you Headmaster that you are misjudging Snape." Now they all realised that for the first time ever she hadn't used an honorific for the Potions Professor; she handed a copy of the parchment she had produced to each of the witches and wizards who without exception looked at it with horror.
Professor McGonagall was the first to recover, she said, "How reliable is this information?"
Dumbledore stated, "If this came from the Library then it is one hundred percent reliable."
"It came from the library." Hermione said sadly, "Whatever else happens Snape will not be with us come the beginning of the next school year. His sole ambition is to be the next Dark Lord."
Changing the subject, Kingsley asked, "Why didn't you wait for Voldemort earlier on Harry? Aren't you ready for him yet?"
"Voldemort still has about six hundred and fifty Death Eaters, even after today's clearout." Harry said, "If I remove Voldemort as their focus they would start running around like headless chickens. In ones, two's or bigger groups they would cause chaos and provide a devil of a mess for you Aurors to clean up. Ideally Hermione and I would like to meet Voldemort, all of his dark creatures and all of his Death Eaters at the same time. I would willingly settle for ninety percent of that with or without Voldemort, I can always find him. So the answer to your question Kingsley is that I will deal with Voldemort when the time is right unless he personally starts to make too much of a nuisance of himself."
Changing the subject Hermione asked, "Who will be the next Minister for Magic?"
Remus said, "Nobody has any real idea yet, but Amelia is doing it temporarily."
Hermione asked, "Would you like to be Minister Amelia?"
"Yes I would," she answered, "and then Kingsley would make an excellent Director of Magical Law Enforcement."
The Headmaster said, "I rather think that Amos Diggory should be the next Minister."
"When did you last have your hearing checked Albus?" Professor McGonagall asked brusquely. "I don't think that you have heard a thing these young people have told you. Amos is a nice enough chap but he is simply a step sideways from Fudge, we still have six hundred and fifty Death Eaters with their boss to get rid of and Amos would be in the way playing politics."
"We also want to suggest some changes to Hogwarts, Professor." Hermione said, changing the subject herself, "First, Harry wants to set up 'The Lilly Potter Trust,' it would provide for Muggle born and poor families who may have difficulty paying for a Hogwarts education, with all of the extras."
"There will be no limits set on the funds for the 'Lilly Potter Trust,' they would simply be as required." Harry said, "At the moment I am not sure what to call the other, 'The Prongs Project,' seems to be the only name I can think of at the moment, but I am tired, we can probably do better when we are more awake. This will be part of the organisation that will attempt to integrate Muggle science with magic, obviously it is an extremely long term scheme for the protection and advancement of the human race, as a whole."
Later that evening the last two to leave were Tonks and her boss, Harry asked, "Do you think that we will have trouble with Dumbledore trying to make Amos into Minister?"
"Yes!" said Amelia straight away, "Dumbledore is a manipulator and Diggory he can manipulate, that's what he wants."
"So it's sod the good of the wizard world, do what I want." Tonks was not happy.
Hermione started, "Minister…"
Amelia interrupted, "If you don't call me Amelia I will call you 'my Lady' and see how you like it." However she was grinning.
Hermione smiled back, "Amelia, how about you writing a letter, tonight, to the 'Daily Prophet' outlining what has happened this afternoon, play up the Auror involvement and how much it will help in your fight against the dark side. We, no Harry will write to the 'Daily Prophet' tonight saying how much this will help him in his fight against Voldemort and that we should have a strong Minister like you to aid the fight against Voldemort. Just don't be disappointed if Harry gets more coverage than you do. The compensation will be that you will probably wake up as Minister for Magic."
Amelia laughed and agreed to write as soon as she arrived home, then she and Tonks who had volunteered to help her said goodnight and left.
The couple went up to Harry's room and wrote the letter that Harry signed then they sent Hedwig with it to the 'Daily Prophet' editorial offices saying, 'let them make of it what they will'.
After several long lingering kisses Hermione and Harry went to their separate beds for the first time in what for them was weeks, they were not terribly happy about it.
x-x
Authors Notes. Was that last line and a half nearly Angst?
A slightly more serious question, what should Harry do to Snape when he eventually finds him? PLEASE REVIEW.