"What is it?" Harry put a hand on his head and waited for him to speak.
"Ambrose got a howler from his mum and dad." the little boy looked at the elder with wide eyed fear. He knew one would be coming from him, but he tried to put on a brave face and not think about it.
"Okay. I'll take care of it." Harry hurried as fast as he could to get to the Great Hall where the second year sat staring at the red envelope in horror. "Here, Ambrose, let me have it." Holding out his hand he gently took the howler from the little boy and with a quick throw he had it in the air and burnt it instantly with a spell from his drawn wand.
Turning to look around the hall he glared at the others who dared laugh at the child. Putting up a quick silence spell around the table, he turned to the rest of the Slytherins and spoke. "I know that all of you are expecting these... Firstly, I want all of them that arrive to be brought to me immediately... even if you have to get me out of class. If I can not be found go to Draco or Blaise, they will be able to deal with it as well. Secondly, if any of you need to talk with someone Draco, Blaise, and I will be available. If you want, I'm also certain Pro. Snape will speak with anyone who feels the need." Harry smiled gently at them. "I would also like to tell you, that anyone who is subsequently disowned because of their choice to stay here, or for not following Voldemort, will have a place with me. I will take in any who has no place to go. I am, as we speak, searching for a place to house any and all of us. You will always have a home with me."
The children all looked to him with large hopeful eyes and for once it didn't upset him. He was going to save them and he was going to give them a home. He had the money his parents left him and it was more than enough to house and care for all of the children in Hogwarts many times over for years on end.
"Now, all of you who still follow him I ask you to simple think before trying to infiltrate this home. I will personally be checking for the presence of dark energies around each of those who choose to come with me to this home in the summer. So please think first... because I will send you back to Voldemort empty handed and without the knowledge he seeks... and I'm certain everyone here knows what happens to those who displease him." Harry's eyes went to each of those he knew to be supporters of Voldemort. "But for now, let's just worry about eating a good breakfast."
The whole of Slytherin laughed as he pulled down the silence field before he settled down to eat breakfast.
Draco leaned close and whispered to him. "You are seriously looking around for a house to take in better than thirty children under the age of 17? Will the Ministry let you do that?"
The smile on Harry's face had Draco arching an eyebrow. "Do you really think that Fudge would say anything to me with reelection coming up so soon? One bad word from the Boy-Who-Lived and he'd never hold a public office again."
Draco laughed and this had the other people at the table wondering who was about to be pranked because the only time that Draco laughed that way was when something bad was going to happen to someone. "You are a true Slytherin."
"Thank you... Once upon a time I would have been so insulted by that..." Harry smiled and shook his head.
Harry straightened his robes as he turned and looked in his mirror. He was going to look over some manors that the equivalent of a wizard realtor had found for him. He was actually excited about this. He was finding a home, making a home.
"What's got you all dressed up?" Draco asked as he stepped into the doorway of Harry's room. Harry wore a set of long green day robes with a matching pair of pants and a silvery shirt underneath.
"I'm going to look over some manor houses... Why don't you come with me? Give me your opinion." Harry asked as he gave up trying to do anything with his hair.
"I would but I can't. I have a full Charms review for the third years before their first test back after the start of the term." Draco smiled as he lifted his wand and with a flick of his wand he straightened and smoothed the dark hair.
"Okay. Thanks for the help with the hair... You're going to have to teach me that one... Could you make sure that everyone is ready for their DADA review when I get back later?" Harry said as he moved out of the door as he double checked all of his things.
"I will. Good luck... and a bit of advice: ask about any resident ghosts and/or poltergeists." Draco waved him off before going to get things ready for his tutoring.
"I'll remember that." Harry called out before heading up the stairs.
"Harry! I'm glad we caught you before you left." The headmaster called as he and Pro. Snape came walking up just before he walked out of the front doors.
"Did you need something, Headmaster?" Harry asked as he slide on his silvery gloves that matched his shirt.
"I was just going to wish you luck and ask a small favor of you." Albus' eyes were twinkling as he stood in front of the younger with Severus at his side.
"What is that, sir?" Harry had learned better than to agree to anything suggested by Albus without hearing it first.
"Just take Severus with you... I wouldn't want something to happen to you while searching for a home. Also, I believe he would be able to help with your search... You know, make certain that your lack of knowledge of the wizarding world isn't taken advantage of." Albus gestured Severus forward.
The potion's master nodded slightly to Harry, who nodded back.
"Okay, sir. I'm sure I'll need all the help I can get." Harry said as he moved out of the school with Severus at his side.
A short time later, Harry and Severus were appealing to the Leaky Caldron to meet with Mervin Wickerstaff. "Mr. Potter you can't imagine how happy I am to show you these homes... Though might I ask you why you are wanting such a large house."
"Well, Mr. Wickerstaff... I want a large family. I plan on having many children and perhaps adopting many more." Harry smoothly lied, not caring that he had.
The small man blinked largely at him behind large-thick glasses before smiling slightly. "Of course... I have eight large manors that you might find to your liking. The smallest of which has eighteen bedrooms... is this too small?"
Shrugging, Harry stood and gestured for the realtor and Severus to go in front of him as they went to the fireplace so they could floo to the first house.
When they reached the area Harry waited for him to tell them the name of the first house. "First we have Hufften House."
Both Severus and Harry gave each other a look before stepping into the fireplace and throwing handfuls of floo powder and calling out the name of the place they're going.
It seems like hours later they were visiting the last place that Wickerstaff had for them, a large grey sprawling manor that was called Oak Hope Manor. It was surrounded by large oak trees that were easily two hundred years old and stood at least one hundred feet tall.
Severus looked around and nodded at the ancient warding around the house. "It seems better than the other buildings you've been shown."
Harry nodded. Most of the places they had been shown were either too small or too decrepit to be of use. The only one that had been okay had been infested with ghosts who were not going be leaving without a struggle, add to that the wards were so weak Neville could have broke through easily, it had been turned down quickly.
Now Mr. Wickerstaff was looking more than a little droopy, he seemed to perked up after Severus' words. "It is a good house... there's just one thing..."
"What?" Harry asked looking a little put out after starting to like the place.
"Sometimes the house... doesn't like people." Mr. Wickerstaff shifted as both Harry and Severus landed darkened eyes on him.
"What do you mean 'doesn't like people'?" Harry asked looking towards Severus for an explanation of how a wizarding house couldn't 'like' someone.
"Well... this house has been on the market for about twenty years now because no one has been able to get inside... But you being who you are... I thought maybe..." Mr. Wickerstaff left off in a mumble before turning red.
Harry shrugged and walked slowly up the large stairway leading to the front door. Reaching out, he was about to grasp the handle when the door flew open and a creature stood there looking at him with interest. "Master, it is a pleasure to see you."
It wasn't a house elf. Of that, Severus was certain. But as to what it was he wouldn't dare make a guess.
"Umm... I think you have me confused with someone else. I'm not your master." Harry stuttered looking eye to eye with the creature.
The creature swept long blond hair away from it's sharp featured face to lean close to look him over before nodding. "You are the master of this house. I was created long ago to recognize all of the family line. You are definitely a decedent of his."
"A decedent of who?" Harry asked looking to Severus who was just as confused as he was.
"Why, Merlin of course! Who else would I be speaking of?" the creature shook his head before turning slightly and allow him entrance. "Welcome home, young one."
"Merlin?" Harry squeaked as Severus' mouth dropped open and Mr. Wickerstaff fainted.
With an angry sigh the creature waved his elegant hand and Mr. Wickerstaff disappeared. "I'm finally glad to be rid of that bastard."
"Where did you send him?" Harry demanded.
"I sent him back to his place of business while taking away all other knowledge of this place and your search for a home. It would not due for this place to become too widely known. Please come in, sir."
Harry and Severus looked at one another for a moment before stepping inside and staring at the castle around them. It was furnished as one would expect the castle of Merlin to look.
"Would you have me to immediately set up your rooms or would you prefer to tour for a bit, sir?" the creature asked as he stayed in step with them.
"Umm... I don't need a room right now. But come this summer I will... Would you have room and staff to take care of around forty children under the age of 17?" Harry asked as he looked around and wondered what else could go on. Things were weird enough and now he finds out he's the decedent of Merlin.
"Of course, sir." the creature seemed insulted that Harry had even asked such a think. "May I say sir... For you age that is a large amount of offspring..."
Harry's eyes widened as he shook his head. "No! I'm offering sanctuary to some of my classmates. That's why I was looking for a house in the first place."
"Of course, sir." the creature seemed molified before turning to Severus. "I would assume you are his bond-mate?"
Severus' eyes narrowed. "Yes, I will be once the ceremony has been preformed."
"Very good, sir. Do you require anything else? If the manor is to be made ready for your refugees I must alert the staff and start preparing now."
"Umm... no... that's fine." Harry nodded and the creature was about to snap his fingers when Harry thought of something. "What's your name?"
"Moilyn, sir. I have served this family for over three hundred generations and it will please me to serve it again." with that Moilyn flashed out of sight.
"Severus... did he say 300 generations?"
"He did."
"What creature lives that long?"
"There is only one that I know of... And that is an elf."
"Oh... okay."
When Harry and Severus made it back to Hogwarts they immediately went down to speak with the Slytherin's. Harry stood in front of the group of children and as he was about to speak, Moilyn popped into existence beside him, startling everyone.
"Sir, I need to inquire how many of each gender there will be."
"How did you apperate into Hogwarts?" Harry asked as he stared at the servant in amazement.
Moilyn just arched an eyebrow before answering. "Such barriers don't bar my kind. Now about the number of each gender..."
"Erm... well these are the children here. I think this is everyone." Harry gestured to the stunned children around them.
The elf looked around and nodded to them. "Allow me to tell you that it will be a pleasure for the staff of Oak Hope Manor to have so many children to look at after again. We have not had so many children in a very long time... not since Hogwarts was newly made and my grandfather had to find room for the students who had to leave this school during the horrible fights between the founders."
Most of the children gasped and those that didn't stared at him with a gapped open mouth.
"If there isn't anything else, sir..." Moilyn said as he looked at Harry with question.
"No... that's all... thank you." Harry still wasn't used to having a servant.
Moilyn bowed and then popped out.
"What was he?" Various versions of the question came to Harry from around the room.
"That was an elf... he is the um... head of the staff at my new manor." Harry said as he rubbed his forehead before going on. "Let me have you attention for a moment more! The school term will be picking up again so we need to set up a schedule for your work. Since there are end of term projects to be done, the older years will be separated. The first, second and third years will go on as before. But their lesson will begin at five instead of six. Forth years! Listen up! On Tuesdays you will come in after the younger years' lessons and we will work on your projects from then until nine. Wednesdays will be for the fifth years. Thursdays are for the sixth years. Finally Fridays will be for any of you seventh years who want help. Also... Saturdays we will all spend two hours on the projects. This can be library time or anything that goes along with your project. The younger years will also be working at this time on any and all homework they have. I also have small extra credit project for you to do to turn in to Pro. Jigglywart for any points you need to make up for the end of term. We will stick together in groups as much as possible. It is best that we present a united front to the other houses."
One of the first years raised his hand to get Harry's attention, which Harry acknowledged and the boy spoke. "What about our other tutoring?"
Harry looked to Draco and Blaise who nodded back. "You will have to arrange it with you other tutors."