Harry Potter's Secret Weapon
**OO**
A/N: Thanks to my wonderful Beta, LtsHrIt4ThBoyz.
New Pureblood Graftees - NPGs - formerly muggleborn or half-blood magical people that are getting a new lease on life after being drafted into a new family. A cleansing and renewal of the gene pool.
Thanks to dennisud for some of the alternative names for our dear undersecretary. Virtual homemade chocolate chip cookies on their way to you.
**OO**
Chapter 29 Dancing with Dementors
Friday, August 12th, Blackmoor Hall
Since the dementor in the floo attack, Penny and Hermione had been working frantically on the improved Flamel runic circles. Perenelle Flamel was a genius, no doubt. But she hadn't been worried about what would happen to anyone with the dementors as it was presumed to be Grindelwald's forces.
Percy had suggested a runic circle for the floo, but right now, everybody who entered was caught, trapped, and so what they needed was a better mousetrap.
Harry came over to look, and nodded. "Dementors check in, but they can't check out." He intoned in a deep voice.
Hermione and Penny both burst out laughing.
"But how do we check this safely? I mean, I think that Umbridge should be the one used as a test subject." Percy worried.
"That is a very good question. Hmm. Let's ask Sirius and Remus for ideas. If I even start saying Azkabibble, I'll be locked up in the basement. Hermione, you'd visit me wouldn't you?"
Harry seemed to forget that the dungeon was converted to an infirmary, but Hermione answered him as though he'd be in gaol there.
"Yes, but no kisses for you!" Hermione stated. "I think we should ask Moody."
**OO**
Friday, August 12th, Saint Martín's, Elders ward
The goblin healer, and house-elf assistant were both completely immune to the disease that had just been diagnosed.
"We have potions that can keep your patient comfortable, Healer Brightblade, but there is no cure for this malady. And at her age? She needs to say her goodbyes. Wasn't she inoculated?"
"I can find no proof that she was, but it is a fairly recent development. Only in the last fifty years did we have the preventative for this disease. Most get it as children, and get over it." The goblin healer stated.
"Yes, yes. Getting it now, as an adult. Which likely means that she was exposed to it by a child. We'd best have Potter and his friends all checked. She was at his home for a birthday party that had half of the known Wizarding world there. Well, according to the papers. I'll send a letter to Saint Mungo's. Maybe they'll act since it's likely a pureblood child that's sick." The human healer offered.
"Poor Lord Black; he really dotes on her, so does the young Magus." Brightblade shared. "I'll send a missive to the family so they can say their goodbyes."
**OO**
The family had been planning on leaving on Monday morning for Paris for Darlene's parents' anniversary party. The invitations had already been sent the month before as August is a busy time for families in France. Sofia was not going to the adult party regardless of her progress, but she certainly wouldn't be attending with Harry going with her current attitude set on 'entitled'.
Him going would reassure Paris Society that he held no grudges towards the family and vice versa.
Hearing the news about Aunt Calladora had Darlene weeping. At least they could all go and visit her. Harry had been inoculated during his visit to the goblin healers. Hermione had gotten her vaccines before starting Hogwarts, unlike Harry.
If he had caught this disease at his current age, he could have risked becoming sterile and probably disfigured! Or worse, it was potentially fatal. In the elderly it was a death sentence.
Harry was led into the formal living room. Penny and Percy were noticeably absent, but Remus and Clarice were there, not a happy face in the lot.
Harry got very defensive, "Look, I know we said no pranks in the house, but do you think that I want to set off a prank out there in the Pranking Parlor? Remus and Sirius would gang up on me with Fred and George!" And he had gotten Karr too. A trio of wins. But now it looks like he was caught.
Clarice moved to put her arm around him. Harry had bonded more quickly with the informal, prank-loving and bookish Clarice than his very proper godmother. She wanted to be close to Harry, but it was a process.
"Hush now, lad. Yer putting a minor prank in their tea is not what this is aboot." She brushed her hair back, took his hands, and led him over to the couch. "Yer auntie. She's sick, my friend. Very sick."
Harry jumped to his feet, "Quick! Darlene? Do you need help? Can I hire Marius?"
Tears in her eyes, she shook her head, "No love, you don't understand. This is…it's…" Darlene had already floo'd around and found the source of the problem. The systems didn't show right away. They should have notified people, then they might have had a chance.
Sirius took over, "Dragon Pox. You don't understand. We need to leave now, in order to at least say goodbye. She won't be in pain, just look green. And probably scaly."
That reminded Harry of something from his book, and he called Winky.
"Do you remember that one potion? Really common ingredients, and a strange name like 'draconis vertical' or something? We haven't asked anyone what it means yet."
"Draconis viridis, Master Harry. Professor Slughorn said it appeared to be easy to brew." Winky shared, "I think he planned to make some."
Remus was running to the floo, as HE had been taught Latin. Poor Harry hadn't and the class wasn't even offered until 6th year! Stupid curriculum!
"Green Dragon! And none of the potions in this book have caused harm. I don't think that they meant to cause green scaly skin, but to cure it!" Remus shouted.
Darlene gasped, "Green Dragon! Neville mentioned this, but I didn't make the connection. Oh Harry!"
Slughorn was in the room, a small case of vials in his hands.
"But we haven't tested these yet!" Horace protested.
"Without doing something, my Aunt Calladora is going to die. I imagine she'd volunteer." Sirius stated. "Come. Professor? Would you like to join us?"
Slughorn waffled. "No, this part is so heart-rending when it fails, but I do hope for all the best. Get Healer Greengrass to vet this before you go. It's one of his talents."
Harry's look said it all. 'It better not fail!'
**OO**
Chateau Lumiere
Aunt Calladora demanded to be taken home. The woman looked like she was a Welsh Green dragon wearing a Victorian dress.
"I have lived here for most of my life, and I will die here with my family around me. Not in an astringent-smelling, busy hospital. Though you have my thanks for all you have done."
She had taken one last carriage ride around Paris. All alone. Worried that her family would not come in time to say goodbye.
But the family had assembled. Penny and Percy were already at Aunt Calladora's when she arrived. Penny had tears in her eyes, and hugged the woman before helping her to recline on the funny coach in the informal receiving room.
"Thank you for everything." Penny whispered.
The woman didn't speak, but patted her hand. Darlene arrived next with her family, but this time it was to explain about the potion from Harry's book.
Darlene knelt next to the woman, her skirts puddling around her, "We've looked at the magic. There's nothing poisonous. If we are reading this wrong, it might only make your skin smooth and naturally colored; but it shouldn't hurt. Will you try it, darling?"
Calladora looked at Harry. "You will NOT blame yourself if this doesn't work. I have lived a full life."
Harry gave her a warm hug, "Yes ma'am. But I really would like to play mahjong with you again. I'm still confused by the seasons, and the…"
Calladora laughed weakly. Then Baxter, eyes green from weeping; nose dripping and ears drooping, came in, "There's a Healer Marius Greengrass asking to see you, ma'am."
Darlene interrupted, "Oh, he's bringing the potion! Bring him in and thank you, Baxter."
Healer Marius gave everyone a chance to say goodbye to Aunt Calladora just in case. They lined up to give and receive hugs, Baxter last but very sincere. The handsome wizard then asked for the young people to leave; he didn't want Harry's accidental magic hurting anyone if this went wrong.
Marius handed Hermione a calming draught for Harry, and the pair went to the formal living room.
The ottoman trotted up happily to Harry, demanding pets as though it were a small, friendly dog. Harry wondered if an actual small dog had been transfigured and trapped in this form. No, that was too cruel to think about. Instead, he noticed his godfather's enchanting work on display - clearly a thoughtful gift for an elderly widowed auntie.
The ottoman went back over to Aunt Calladora's 'throne' after a few minutes.
Harry looked at Hermione, "I wish that I could figure out this key. Your mother has played with it, but she can't. I have a feeling that this object could save our auntie. I feel so…helpless."
Marius came running in, pulling Harry into a hug, "It works! It works! Oh Harry!"
Harry and Hermione went running into the room. Aunt Calladora was sitting up. She was still a bit green, but her magic was strong, and the disease was clearly retreating.
The goblin healer Brightblade was called in, and performed her diagnosis.
"Goodness! Magus? May I exchange blades with you?"
Harry was now familiar with this rite and had a dozen of Dan's throwing daggers just for this purpose. It was a type of blade that goblins didn't make, and her eyes gleamed. "I recognize you from my party, ma'am. I'd be honored."
"Well of course you recognize me! Just how many mates does Spurnik have?"
"Only one, only one!" Harry bowed, "And he honors you greatly ma'am. I thank you for the care that you have given my auntie, my lady."
They cut their hands and swore peace to one another.
"I hope you have a feast to celebrate this feat." The goblinesse stated.
Harry shrugged, "BloodRage will likely add it to the rest. But it wasn't me. I just read it to Winky. She's the one who did the hard work. Really! Or Asclepius!"
The goblin chuckled, and by the time the ritual was done, Aunt Calladora was laughing and back to her bubbling self.
"Aren't you tired?" Marius asked.
"I don't know why, but I'm not. At least not right now."
"That might change after an hour or so, there's a bit of stimulant in the ingredients, my lady." Marius patted the couch, "Come and rest. Harry, you said the last time you were here, you read her a story?"
Hermione brought out one of the fairy tale books from her youth, and entertained the purebloods with a story they had never heard before about witches, and fairies and gifts of magic from long ago.
Harry sat close to the now sleeping Aunt Calladora. He and Sirius both were keeping an eye on her, and likely the elves would take turns peeking in on her over the course of the evening and into morning.
Healer Marius had come to dispense the healing draught (It wouldn't feel right, as Darlene and Calladora had been friends for years.) and, therefore, quite unfairly, became known as the man who invented the cure for dragon pox.
Slughorn did get mentioned in the paper as having been the genius brewer of the supposedly ridiculously hard-to-brew cure.
Rita!
**OO**
Saturday, August 13th, Daily Prophet
Harry Potter makes up New Tale
'Gentle Readers - one would think that a boy who had delusions of adequacy would just go play with all of the wonderful toys that people have sent him over the years. No.
'Harry Potter lied to the Head of the DMLE, Director Bone. He told her that Dolores Umbribrirrit sent a phalanx of dementors through the floo to his home in Surrey.
'This is riddikulus!
'The boy was home, entertaining magical children in a muggle home! Now that should be a crime! Supposedly Amanda Bores own daughter was one of the people there, and now the former undersecretary is wanted for questioning.
'Our hearts go out to you, Ms Bribribitt, and wish you all the best.
'Supposedly, all of the dementors sent were killed by the 'Teen-who-Should-be-in-Azkaban but where is the conviction for underage magic? No! All-star Moody got it for Potts himself! A permit that lets Mr Potter perform magic in front of muggles. Where is the justice?
'I will keep you up to date on this as we hear more.
'Rita Skeeter.
Ms Umbridge was not happy reading that her friend was killed - he was supposed to take everyone out in the house, especially those stuck-up French women!
Ms Umbridge seemed to forget that Darlene was a healer, and was in the home.
While Hermione and Penny tried to work on their circles, Dolores found out that getting caught in a circle was something to be avoided as she fled the country. Far, far from England.
**OO**
Saturday, August 13, Chateau Lumiere after breakfast
Aunt Calladora had taken Harry aside.
"Death can come for any of us at any time. If you were called home later tonight, what would be your greatest regret?"
Why did this woman only ask hard questions? But she made Harry think.
"Well, before we heard about you, we had a scare at home. A dementor in the floo. Hermione is likely working on a solution. She came up with a brilliant way to deploy the circles using a ring thrower that Sirius and Dan made."
Based on a child's toy, the device tossed miniature torcs that expanded as they flew. Once they hit the ground, they connected to the ley lines and would power up very quickly.
Hermione and Clarice, with Penny's input, had revised the runic action to not just hold the Dementors in place, but they'd draw additional creatures into the traps until the circle had reached the maximum number of ten. They didn't want to overstress the magical fields.
Like a trap for pests, dementors could enter but not leave.
"We have a plan, and a huge group of volunteers. Some of the aurors who have wanted to come can't create but mist. They can shoot though, and so can our goblin friends."
"And the dementors cannot open a solid door; so you could retreat if you had to." Aunt Calladora mused.
"Yes ma'am."
"Your enemies are moving, my dear child. Gather your forces; muster your men. Save the world again and again, ere the light fades."
The woman, just recently recovered from a near fatal illness, started to sway, her nose bleeding. Baxter popped in, swore at Harry in elven, or French, or German, something, and popped the elderly witch to bed, summoning Lady Black to attend her.
Harry pulled out his mirror, and started making calls and plans. Sirius was summoned to talk with Calladora alone. He didn't like it, and he couldn't go. Not yet.
But he had resources and people that he could send with his eldest child. Why was it always Harry?
**OO**
Saturday, August 13th, Boat to Azkaban
Dan and Emma Granger coming on this mission was very suspicious. Why were they here? Bad breath? Yellow teeth? Between the British aurors and the goblins from around the world, the team did suffer from both of these things. Tonks and Shacklebolt, standard. Percy, standard. Dentists?
This was not the time to combat bad oral hygiene! They had a mission!
Dan and Emma had bandoliers full of extra torcs, and both had equipped multiple pistol-like dischargers; all shrunk and easily resized. BloodRage had argued with Sage; she did not like water in the least and stayed back; she tried to get her mate to stay as well, but BloodRage was determined to go. His backpack was full of chocolate for Harry and seaweed potion for himself.
Marius' stomach draught seemed to be working for all of the goblins; they had some from all over the world and wanted to be a part of this. Like BloodRage, the message had gone out. Bring your best local chocolate and strengthening potions. It was going to be a battle for the ages!
The Dementor Troupe was tense; this was the largest concentration of dementors anywhere. If they couldn't deploy these circles to contain a rush, they risked their own souls.
Many had the same kind of necklace that Harry had. Then a knocking was heard from below. The sun had set; the seers had declared this the best time for the assault. They had not led them astray yet.
Healer Marius flipped up the latch and exchanged a hearty greeting with the man who ascended the ladder.
"Surprised, Heir Black? Of course I had to come. I wanted to participate in my own Harry Potter adventure."
Why, oh why, did both he, Byron Ambrose and Marius Greengrass have to dress like that ponce Lockhart?
"Um, Duke Ambrose? Why are you here?"
"Tut, tut. I'm just Mister Ambrose now, Your Grace. But to answer your question, I am here to help. To go ahead of the team and set traps of course. They can't hurt me! I'm already dead."
Emma pointed out the obvious, "They don't kill, but suck out souls. I wouldn't bet your unlife on them not hurting you."
Byron looked appalled, and Emma handed him a spare disk thrower. "You load it like this. And you see here? This is the safety. Pull it back, aim, and then pull the trigger."
Harry started to hand him an extra cross and blessed rosary, but the vampire hissed at him. Oops. Harry went around offering extras to others. BloodRage took it, with thanks.
By the time they reached the shores of Azkaban, Byron Ambrose, vampire, (and Dementor Hunter!) was ready to aid them.
At least most of the team wore their blessed rosaries inside their robes.
**OO**
The boat landed without incident, fanfare or swarming of dementors. Harry knew then it truly had been his presence that attracted the demons; why they had swarmed and attacked; but he wasn't with the team right now.
He was on a broom with a small squad of flyers waiting to come in from the south.
Marius kept his mirror open by sticking it to his doublet, much as Penny had worn for Sirius' trial.
So far, the team deployment was going well. They had made it into the prison proper. Something that Moody was very concerned about.
It could be that the dementors were just eager for new people to feed off of. Moody suppressed his desire for Dumbledore to be here. He had to work with the man after all.
Moody had them working in familiar squads with Dan and Emma taking the place of Harry in his team. Like BloodRage, the couple were deadly shots.
At first, the dementors didn't think anything of these humans shooting round disks up and down the corridors; out the windows and around the battlements.
But then the magic swelled unexpectedly. The people of the team had no idea that Azkaban had originally been built and abandoned as a magical fortress. The runic circles were powering too quickly, and the first cohorts of dementors were being trapped, panicking the rest.
"Retreat! Get behind the Warden's wall!" Moody called out on the mirror.
Cool under unseen danger, Emma and Dan kept firing. A dementor swooped down, and picked up the former Miss Puckle.
Harry was not losing his mother-in-law before the wedding! He had been monitoring their progress on the open mirror.
The Grim burst forth from his wand; Harry had watched the team's progress. Once on the island, he was able to elf-pop himself into position. Percy swore at him through the mirror - he was still on his broom, but they were circling back to the boat.
The team had done a very good job of deploying circles everywhere. Now, Harry just had to take care of the fifty or so loose dementors without fainting.
These were not the starving weaklings of Notre Dame! These were dementors who had been feeding on living souls since they were summoned here.
Emma, behind Harry, could feel the boy losing strength fast. Where was Percy? Too far.
"BloodRage! To me! We have to get him behind the wall!"
The team pulled together. A wave of magical animals shot forth to drive off the frenzied attack. Harry, while weak, was carried by Emma and his goblin friend to the safety of the warden's office.
Murder slits lined the walls, so wands could poke out and cast; once Harry was inside, the door was bolted. Once there, they began nearly force-feeding him chocolate and Penny's blend of strengthening solution and Pepper-up.
"Have we locked ourselves in?" Dan asked, very concerned. He and Emma were both given hot chocolate from a thermos that poured far more cups than it would normally hold.
Arthur had been bringing muggle things to Sirius to 'play' with. Emma was very fond of the 'basket of mending'. Dan's holey socks went in, and new looking socks came out.
"No, the house-elves could get us to the dock, but I don't want to risk them. I just need a bit of chocolate, and some potion. I don't understand. I've only taken care of a couple of dozen, why am I wiped out?"
"Harry? You have had a busy couple of days, you likely didn't sleep well with your auntie sick. Don't beat yourself up." Dan patted his shoulder.
"Emma? Are you alright?"
She was chilled and shaking. Byron took off his cloak; it had warming charms and he draped it around the woman, brushing her cheek gently.
Shining eyes looked up at him. With a breathy voice, she thanked him.
Marius stepped in between them, and Dan pulled his wife to the other side of the room. A wooden stake flashed in his hand a moment, but Emma had taken it away and put it back in his vest.
"Must you?" the healer demanded.
"I'm so sorry. It just…leaks out. I'll try to do better." The vampire stated, as sincerely as he could. Which wasn't very.
She was a beautiful woman with veins full of running, body-temperature blood. He wasn't going to hurt her! He just wanted to bite her…a little.
The troupe all set up shrunken cots, and several took a rest.
Harry took a look at the murder slits. "Marius, I have an idea. Let's set up one of the tents and have a real meal. Brownies for dessert."
**OO**
The dementor troupe was very impressed that this young mage was so humble that he acted as house-elf to feed them all. Most professionally.
The food might have tasted a bit different to the people helping from Japan or France or to any of the goblins, but it was warm, nourishing, and delicious.
"I added more carrots, just for you BloodRage." Harry handed him a bowl of honey-buttered carrots.
"This is a dessert! Very tasty! I need to make these for my…Potter! You! You knew how much I would like this treat."
"I did, I do. Which is why I made you a whole bunch."
Several people giggled, but the translation didn't work well. The guard didn't know that humans bought carrots in bunches.
Feeling better after a strengthening potion and a hot meal, Harry went to one of the slots. He cast his Grim and took out a few of the closest, uncontained dementors.
"Hey Dan? Do you think that you could shoot from here?" Harry asked.
He came over and smiled. "No, no I don't."
Why was he smiling?
The man took off several of the extra rings on his vest, and pulled out a child's toy. Harry had seen them in Gringotts.
BloodRage came over. "Do you have extra? I am champion of these weapons."
Dan handed over his, "I thought it was a wrist rocket. Not sure what you call them."
Emma got out hers, and passed it over to her husband. Clearly, the boys wanted to compete, and who was she to interfere?
She could at least help make salad, and pass out food again the next meal.
The screams echoing down the corridor were very eerie in the room.
"We're concentrating them right here. I almost feel bad for Bellatrix and the rest of the Death Eaters."
One of the goblins pulled out poisoned darts, "Do you want me to put them down? It would be more humane."
Moody was so tempted, but he couldn't. He just couldn't.
"No, but thank ye for the thought. Most kind."
Emma gave him a strange look, but Dan hadn't noticed. They were trying to fling torcs as far from the office as they could.
Over the next several hours, Harry would cast his Grim; dementors would scream and rush the office. More dementors would be caught in the prepared runic circles.
Once the swarming stopped, a rested squad volunteered to go out and spread more disks.
Carefully avoiding the traps on the ground, just in case the escape didn't work, they managed to capture the last dozen or so unbound individuals.
Harry was tired, but the team needed to move away from the dementors in order for him to be able to rest, even with his time turner.
The broom team flew north, finding an abandoned and mostly intact stone building. After carefully checking to make sure it was dementor free, they set up the tent inside the hut; Harry and his team went back eight hours, and then returned minutes after they left. Percy, and he was a powerhouse, was back with them. Good man.
**OO**
It was time. One circle at a time. One dementor at a time. They entered, expanded the circle safely to move, and Harry took out one dementor after another. Take some more potion, eat something; chocolate every time, and bites of something nutritious too.
Percy was at his back, never allowing one of the demons to sneak up on him. Tonks did her job, and summoned cloaks, also keeping the dementors at bay. The team rotated in and out, making sure that everyone was rested and restored as the unending night went on.
The screams would haunt their worst nightmares for years but all knew that this evil needed to be banished. Forever.
It took hours, but as the dawn was starting to rise, and Ambrose safely locked away in his conveyance for the trip back, they were finished. The work was finished.
The rest of the dementors were destroyed.
Harry, as tired as he was, turned to Emma, who he was currently leaning against the whole way home.
"Mum Granger? You're not really a dentist, are you?"
"No, Harry. Well, not just a dentist. I have a very unique…skill set."
"I'm glad you came. Thank you."
And Harry, wrapped in a loving mother's arms, slept well the whole way back.
BloodRage would never tell he had taken pictures; well, not until it would embarrass the lad.
**OO**
Byron Ambrose received a gift basket of a variety pack of blood, including several odd containers that a muggleborn serving girl told him was plastic, and a huge assortment of blood pops… These made with real blood!
Oh! The little plastic containers held expired blood in stasis.
"Yeah, the hospital has to throw these out when they reach a certain date." the waitress said. "I hope it doesn't make you sick."
He read the beautifully written note. 'I have made arrangements for the 'expired' blood to be sent your way from a local private hospital. Waste not. EG'
Now Byron really wanted to kiss the woman, and nibble on her neck! Not that he was telling Marius that.
Or Dan. Why did that man carry a sharpened wooden stake? Didn't he trust him?
**OO**
Tuesday, August 16th, Game Room
Adrian couldn't believe that he was invited to use the game room while Harry was in Paris with Hermione. He was hosting a party of his own! With his friends here, and the elves even supplied snacks like he was Lord of the House, or its Heir.
Part of him was glad that his very bright and sassy sister was tied to their mother's apron strings at all times. The girl was going to be starting at Hogwarts this year if all went well. He really didn't want her around Draco and the other Slytherins and hoped she sorted Gryffindor where Potter would protect her.
"Don't you realize what dress robes on the supply list means for us? There is going to be an event! A dance, a ball, oh! Maybe a Masquerade ball and we'll make the masks in Transfiguration. No matter what, it is essential to think about who you want to ask now. You know." Millie flirted, leaned up close and breathed in Teddy's ear. "Before all of the good witches are taken."
Teddy stood and did the pureblood bow, and pulled out a letter to share, "Miss Bulstrode, IF I was going to be at Hogwarts this year, I would be happy to escort you. However, and this seems like the appropriate time to share the news, I've been accepted, and am transferring schools. I am starting at Beauxbatons on the 1st. I am taking classical art classes. I have enrolled in their year round program, but I will be on holiday several times that correspond with the Hogwarts calendar. I will be able to keep in touch with my friends."
Millie, rather than frowning or complaining, clapped her hands. "Congratulations! You're such a wonderful artist!"
Behind Cedric's back, Cho gave her a very pointed look that none of the boys saw. But Michael Corner was trying to come up with the courage to ask the Slytherin girl as he liked her. She was very intelligent; a quality important to the boy.
"When do you leave, Nott?" Cedric asked companionably.
But there was more than one conversation going on.
"Um. Millie. You see. Dancing? Me? You? Maybe?" Michael asked softly.
Teddy blushed at the attention, "Thursday, there's an open house at Beauxbatons, someone from House Black is going to take me. Security, I mean. Just in case.
Doing his best impression of a fourteen year old boy who was terribly shy and had self esteem issues, Michael asked Millie to the dance. Clearly enough for her apparently as her squeals had various elves popping in with drowning draughts.
Never mind that they were in the game room and nowhere near the pool.
Now Cho did say something, "Miss Bulstrode, while our actual host is not here, would you want a report of your deportment made known to your grandfather?" The girl whispered. Insulting both Adrian and the troll girl with one barb.
Millie blushed, looked down and didn't say anything, but Michael offered his arm and challenged her to chess. At a table far away from Cho.
Cho, in a conversational tone, shared the rumor that Zabini had run away from his murderous mother and had sought refuge at Hogwarts with no positive result yet.
"For all we know he could be living in a tent in someone's back garden." Marietta Edgecombe sneered.
The Prefect couldn't help it, she had to cut the nasty tone right now. "We're guests here, ladies. What if Mr Zabini was here? Let's be nice." Gemma Farley corrected the girl.
Marietta crossed her eyes and made a nasty face at Gemma, in answer to the girl's mild rebuke.
Gemma saw the way that Adrian looked at Marietta. If she wasn't careful, this would be her first and only invite. The boy was clearly aware of his position in the House of Black. But besides that, he didn't want to lose Harry's trust and friendship. He wasn't a "fan boy" but the young heir had made quite the impression on the lonely and ostracized young man.
**OO**
The unhappy Italian boy happened to walk by the open door, and Adrian shouted out a greeting.
"Oh, hello Pucey. I was headed to the greenhouse to pick some fresh edelweiss." He was brewing a potion to help him overcome his sadness in losing not the reality of a mother's love but the hope of ever gaining it.
Zabini had been invited to this party but had wanted to brew and think. Hearing that his mother was getting ready for death and mayhem like other women planned for a wonderful society gala had him beyond sick. He wanted to be a healer! Or brew potions for them.
He'd heard about Pucey hosting Teddy and asked to come. The oaths were not burdensome at all; and House Black was offering patronage in the arts, music, healing and potions.
He had resources of his own, but had been welcomed here to brew and could sell or keep his potions as long as a bit went back to the others who provided the fresh plants and animals. A fair program.
Millie stood up, Michael a beat behind her, "Longbottom said that there was some we could have in the Lily Potter House." The heir to Cherry Hill had named the three greenhouses for his original godmother and godfather, respectively. And the 'Darling Parlor' for his flower experiments after his new godmother. A play on words. "May I, rather, we help?" She asked, glancing at a beaming Michael, happy to be included.
Blaise nodded, "Thank you. You'll be able to stop me from making a mistake by taking something wrong accidentally."
As Heir to the House, he was old enough by Italian rules to have the Head of House ring and wore it.
His mother was going to be very unhappy the next time she stepped from her English manor overlooking the fens. Morganhill was located near Cambridge. A nearly muggle town, with only a few magicals living in the area.
The doors would close, the war wards engage. Italians could eject family members for the weakest of causes. Killing one's spouse and the father of the heir was good enough for the Italian courts. And Zabini's own morals.
The woman would be forced back to Italy, back to her father's house. Back to where people frowned on the casual murder of spouses and the random murder of muggles.
Faux pas indeed.
**OO**
Tuesday, August 16th, Gringotts Bank
Harry had survived the anniversary party. Winky had brewed a language potion for him, but really, Harry was learning a lot of French. Enough to hear the catty remarks about Sofia from other girls her age from Beauxbatons.
They didn't dislike her for being a squib. They disliked her for her attitude and the way she treated others. Harry heard the same things that happened to Hermione and himself repeated in their shared support of one another.
The girl herself was unable to be at the party; which he was secretly relieved about, but which caused him to feel guilty for such a feeling about the injured girl.
He also felt angry that these girls could still be so nasty about a girl who would likely spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair (Harry still thought like a muggle) and never be able to compete with them in the magical arena!
He still hoped that something, in the last part of the book, would heal his godmother's sister's spine and allow her to walk again.
It was part of who Harry was.
**OO**
Harry and Sirius had been called to the bank. Harry asked if it was a crime to make conde lumbra with sour gummy worms, because that wasn't his fault. BloodRage reassured him it was a punishable crime, and he would likely be sentenced to hard labor in the kitchens learning how to cook properly.
All jesting stopped when they saw who was waiting for them in the formal conference room.
Skeelez being there shouldn't have been a surprise. Harry had known that he was the former Malfoy account manager. Harry hadn't been told that Mrs Goyle and her son chose to stay with her husband, but was aware that Vincent Crabbe and his mother were staying on at the Malfoy property under the new rules. The same rules and oaths as the Black lands, and were grateful for the protection. The Malfoy's losing their land meant that they had lost their last bit of income.
Unless rumors of some of the shadier businesses in Knockturn weren't rumors.
A long bony finger poked Harry in the chest, but one poke was all he got before Harry was pushed behind both Goldrub and BloodRage.
"You stole! There is treasure in the dungeon that is not rightfully yours!" Skeelez claimed.
The curse-breakers were done with the house, and indeed, a small treasury had been found. Muggle money, jewelry, and property deeds had all been discovered.
Sirius and Harry had talked about it, and turned the property deeds over to the government to track down the legal heirs. The cash was impossible to trace, so Harry suggested buying foodstuffs and other strictly muggle supplies and allowing those to be used for their new shops. The new village, Moonsgate, was set to start opening about a month before Yule. But it might take longer, and not open until the following summer.
Due to the wonders of being a landed Duke, Harry found himself with more rights in the Wizengamot for things like starting a village than most people would have. People were already flocking to the team building the village. This was going to be a nice boost to the local economy, and when the Wizengamot complained, or the Ministry finally took note, they would be referred to all of the new taxes gained. Win-win for everyone.
Using ill-gotten gains to fund an NPG shop sounded just fine to Harry!
"Lord Malfoy demands it back!" Skeelez demanded.
Harry had rarely seen the laidback animagus get so formal; so cold. Darlene could do it in a moment and Harry was starting to see it was a mask to a kinder person inside. Seeing Sirius like this had Harry taking another step back. The room was physically colder too.
"Lucius, Lord Malfoy, is now on a watch list by the muggles. I turned over the evidence of muggle murder and torture to their aurors. He was stealing from wealthier single women; getting them to sign over everything to him before he tortured them to death. Is that a proper use of magical power? Abusing helpless females. I think not.
"The treasure is not in the house. Everything that could be identified as belonging to another family has been returned to the muggles. Tell that to your client. The house has been cleansed and emptied. Come Yule, it will have magicals dancing there. Don't worry, the goblins will get invites too. We never leave our friends out."
Skeelez spluttered. Like many goblins, he could smell the truth. The treasure was gone! Malfoy had promised him a percentage if he could get it back. He had failed to mention it was in muggle money!
"You gave it back? But the jewelry? It could have been enchanted."
Anything identifiable was returned. Sirius had kept everything else to turn into protective amulets.
"There was nothing magical in there. All magical jewelry was actually of House Black. Those pieces have now all been checked, cleansed, and added to the catalog. Now, unless there's something else, we have House Business to discuss."
The goblin turned to Harry. "Just warn your Heir, Lord Black: The Malfoy's feel that he has usurped the rightful place of another. He is in grave danger."
Harry stepped around the protective adults, and poked Skeelez in the chest. "From who? Narcissa Malfoy née no name has been severed from the Black bloodline and Draco along with her! Therefore, he is no longer eligible to be heir! He has as much claim to the House of Black as a random muggle off the street; possibly less.
"You fight for House Malfoy? When, as of now, they barely have two sickles to rub together?" Rubbing his thumb and first two fingers together, in the age-old gesture, he looked the goblin in the eye, "How are they possibly going to make you any profit, Skeelez?
"Do you really think that Draco would be a better Heir for House Black? That weakling? He cheats in potions and at quidditch. He nearly got a little girl killed, tossing her from an aloft horse. He had to have learned that that behavior is 'acceptable' somewhere? Like at his parents' knees! You'd do better to hitch your moneybags to a better example of pureblood solvency!
"But your warning is heard."
Harry flipped a prepared sickle to the goblin who caught the coin expertly. It was pranked, of course.
"One more thing, 'honorable' goblin. This House that you're defending and delivering messages from is working to bring back their Dork Lard, who has vowed to destroy all Goblin Nations. Why would you work against your own people?"
Skeelez returned no answer and turned on his heel and left the room. But none of the goblins there laughed as the being left, unknowingly dressed as a little girl with a large lolly.
Sirius relaxed, the room warmed, and they finally took their seats. French coffee and croissants au chocolat were on offer.
"It is a pleasure guarding you, hu-mon. I will doubtlessly get to fight him later." BloodRage stated.
"Can we talk about Moonsgate now?" Harry asked plaintively. "Goldrub, we have a huge influx of muggle money that is going to be turned to gold through the green grocers, the potions shop, and the apothecary. We found no less than six different magical plants at the home improvement store for sale. The muggles don't notice!"
"Heir Potter? You could exchange some of the Potter gold for muggle money. Gringotts London in particular is upside down on this. I could get the exchange fees waived if we converted a goodly amount."
Harry smiled, Spurnik was likely feeling a bit left out of the profit opportunity. "I think that's a great idea. Have you heard back yet on the branch?"
"Yes, and that is on my list to discuss, but may as well say now. The answer, for the moment, to a full branch is no. However, they do authorize part of one of the shops to have the draft exchange with sufficient security."
"Oh? We get to pay for extra goblins to make sure that they don't steal goblin assets?" Sirius asked.
Spurnik held out a gloved hand and curled his fingers at Goldrub. He sighed and handed over the galleon. Spurnik clearly checked the coin for pranks before pocketing it.
"Perhaps we could split the fees? The goblins would scare a Death Eater after all." Spurnik countered.
Harry smiled and held out a hand. "Agreed. Colin Creevy was on the Potter scholarship for his schooling but won a French one. He is transferring schools. He'll be safer there with hostilities warming up. You, I mean, you personally, are being careful?"
The true concern on his face warmed all of the goblins.
"Yes, yes. But do remember that Death Eaters have been known to lose bowel control around an axe." Goldrub stated.
Harry looked at his friend. "Oh, I thought it was BloodRage's breath that did that."
The laughs echoed in the corridor, adding to Skeelez' shame when he discovered just how he looked to others when a child pointed and laughed at him. None of the others had said a word.
**OO**
Tuesday, August 16th, Blackmoor Hall
Percy took the last of the oaths, and Graham Bulstrode asked for a private word.
"I don't understand, Steward. I thought that Potter would hate me for what happened to his creature farm. It was all my fault!"
Bulstrode had worked for the Potters most of his life. He was older than his wife; his marriage had been arranged. Her family thought he was a Death Eater, and would bring the recalcitrant maid under control. Rumors persisted to this day that he was a secret Death Eater. The oaths he just took proved that neither he nor any of his family was.
"Heir Potter knows who is responsible for the mess. We don't know where all of the animals went. The Delacours have offered to give us several mated pairs of the magical rabbits that are popular for their dung. We also have a contract with the Romanian Dragon preserve for some of their by-products. There is plenty of land available, but I think that the thestrals and hippogriffs will want to stay near Harry. This may mean that they'll fly to Hogwarts in September." Percy affirmed.
Graham laughed, "Let the Headmaster feed them nine months out of the year. But realistically? The foaling mares will stay put, as will the stallion to protect them. The shed feathers I've collected already are put up in the potions bins."
Percy made a note. "Ollivander or the French wandmaker might order from us as well. You're being sworn in before the trial?" The Bulstrode Seat had been restored though not the family's previous wealth; either squandered or lost by a feckless ancestor. They were purebloods and still 'Sacred Twenty-eight', but only by ancestry, not by philosophy.
"Aye. Thanks for the advance. My Lucinda was so proud of my new robes. And she's very happy to be helping with the enchanting business." Graham shared.
"Just be careful. We have to vote based on the evidence." Percy liked it not one bit. Lord Black was supposed to be back in time. Penny would never recover socially if she voted against Dumbledore no matter the evidence.
**OO**
Tuesday, August 16th, Meeting of the 'Mot
Graham was sworn in, and unbeknownst to the 'Mot beforehand, Harry Potter was in the Heir seat next to Lord Black.
Penny and Darlene sat side by side in the gallery. Sage and BloodRage were against the wall with other security. They were all playing nice. For now.
The High Auditors had sent the most senior hu-mon of the bank, a wizened Egyptian man, with all of the evidence of malfeasance against Dumbledore. The goblins wanted the evidence to stick and knew that this crowd would not listen to a goblin, no matter how truthful.
Madam Longbottom was in her seat. Dumbledore had no idea that the entire building had been swept. Only a few offices had been affected by runes like hers. The strings were cut on her and Abbott and a few others. Unfortunately, there was no proof; no magical signature that he was the one who had put the runes there.
Just suspicions.
Dumbledore had an older German man who spoke English well as his barrister. No one in the crowd knew him.
Harry was worried. Like Petunia's lighter pans, Dumbledore had a non-stick shield where nothing was ever his fault. It was time to see if they could get anything to stick to the Teflon-coated wizard. Theft, if proven, would bar him from serving in the Wizengamot. That was the goal today.
**OO**
"But Dumbledore didn't remember Miss Fenwich! He had no idea that she was his godmother! And even if he had, she was a foreign national. Harry Potter was born in Wales and put with his closest blood relatives. Shame that they were muggle, but that's not Dumbledore's fault! James Potter was the one that married beneath him.
"Harry Potter was in a muggle home. Of course he wasn't going to be allowed magical toys. What would the neighbors say? It would have violated the Statute of Secrecy. Dumbledore was trying to follow the law, not break it.
"A few expenses, like Doge's fees for his seat, and a reasonable stipend for being a magical guardian were withdrawn. Nothing criminal here.
"The loss of Potter businesses due to a lack of oversight is not criminal, but shameful. Albus Dumbledore offers a hundred thousand galleons to rebuild the Potter businesses and furthermore offers to use his contacts to find unique magical animals for the new creature farm that Heir Potter is building on his restored lands."
The applause in the chamber was proof enough to Sirius. People wanted to trust Albus; wanted to accept this. A hundred thousand was likely better than the fine that would have been given dealing justice.
Clearly, people were ignoring the evidence. The Dark wanted him exonerated as Dumbledore was less of a threat than someone like Bones.
Harry, though, wanted one thing more from Dumbledore.
"I want him to state an oath that he will stop trying to kill me. Without that, I am going to Beauxbatons."
He repeated the statement in French perfectly. This was no minor threat.
Heir Potter was reminded of the rules regarding his seats which only seemed to apply if the students name was Harry Potter or Neville Longbottom.
"Harry, my boy! I am hurt that you would think I was trying to kill you!"
"Why? Your lawyer, not you, says that you didn't remember her. How is that possible when the ceremony was held in your cottage and YOU presided?"
There were gasps in the crowd. People had forgotten, and when the clerk tapped the pensieve to show the memory, the barrister for Dumbledore tapped it with his wand.
"The boy is not sworn in, and he is not allowed to present evidence!"
Amelia Bones tried to shake her head. "Potter is right." She tapped the pensieve and the memory played long enough to show Sirius AND Darlene taking their oaths.
People were murmuring now; how had they forgotten that? Dumbledore clearly overstepped his bounds as Chief Warlock. He would have to step down from that position permanently. The grumbling of the crowd was enough. Amelia called for a vote of custodial interference, and Dumbledore was found guilty by three votes. It was very close.
"Harry Potter's custody is no longer in doubt; his legal godparents have shared custody. With them legally and lawfully bonded in marriage, the court rules for joint guardianship."
"Madam Bones? I tried to transfer schools, and was threatened to have my Wizengamot seat taken away from me. You heard the crowd today. But I would rather give it to Mr Percy Weasley for the next two decades or whatever the court decides than attend Hogwarts without some kind of oath from the headmaster."
The man's spluttering was fooling only the fools in the crowd. Harry, feet in battle stance, faced the elderly man.
"The charges against you for attempting to kill my godmother have been sent on to the ICW since the forensics were not able to be processed here in London. Besides, since she's French, they won't charge you here anyway. You've tried to kill me every year at Hogwarts that I have attended. Trolls, basilisk, dementors, a dark lord. Interesting curriculum. At least no one else has been killed. Or have they? Just what happened to Sally-Anne Perks? I haven't seen her since the last part of second year. I haven't seen her ghost like Myrtle, but was she Kissed on the train when the Dementors invaded it on the way to school, third year? Would you tell us if she had been. After all, she was 'only' a muggleborn by societal standards."
Dumbledore raised his hand, as he wasn't allowed a wand, "I solemnly swear on my magic that I will do nothing to hurt Harry James Potter."
Percy stood and lit his wand, "Excuse me, but an Avada Kedavra is supposed to be painless. And your oath doesn't preclude one of your minions like Snape from hurting Heir Black."
"Minions? Only dark lords like Black have minions…" Albus had tried to say, but found himself silenced until it was time to take a real oath.
Amelia made a few suggestions, and Dumbledore, very unhappily, spoke an insincere sounding oath promising to do nothing directly or through others to attempt serious harm or do serious harm to Harry James Potter.
Harry had to accept it. He knew that he would never be allowed to school elsewhere. He'd have to give up his seat, and maybe his lands if he tried to flee.
Albus was fined, in addition to the gold he promised of his own, he had to return everything taken from Harry since the first of November in 1981. Others could see that Dumbledore hadn't acted on the boy's behalf.
They just outright ignored the evidence. He wasn't going to prison for kidnapping but he dared not proceed with any attempts to take Harry away from Lord and Lady Black either. And the convictions were enough to prevent him from ever voting with this body again or having a place of authority.
Dumbledore beamed triumphantly, but Sirius didn't want him leaving this place feeling as though he had won.
Sirius raised his wand, and was recognized, "I, Sirius, Lord Black, son of the House of Potter, and acting as Regent for the House of Potter, do hereby revoke all permissions and reclaim all rights granted to Albus Percival Dumbledore for access to any Gringotts vault including the one set up by James Potter; revoke access to any Potter property or use of Potter owned animals or property, and reclaim ALL such property as held.
"A full audit was performed; the list of missing items will be given. The wizard has forty days to comply or face fines of ten times the value of the items in your possession. Gringotts, shall act as a neutral party to receive said items or they shall be authorized to retrieve them if you fail to comply. Do not try to remove another knut from any Potter vault; the goblins have already reclaimed several keys. Any existing ones so identified will no longer work. I swear that my claim is true before Magic!"
The goblin representative, the Egyptian man, stood and walked forward with the parchment, "Here is the list of claims. I swear upon Magic that this agrees with the finding by the High Auditors of Cairo, Egypt."
While Dumbledore was still reeling from that blow, the clerk demanded the Chief Warlock's gavel be returned, and scorned the pranked one that he had returned. She didn't say anything; clearly the distracted man returned what he had, but this was not the gavel of the Office!
A small pop was silenced near her desk, and on it was the missing gavel and a tiny basket of chocolates waiting to be resized. "Oops." was the only apology; well, other than the chocolates.
Dumbledore was looking for support, and finding only a bit of sympathy in the crowd.
The Light sided members wanted him around to face the coming war; the Dark wanted him around to protect them from someone like Charlus Potter.
In Harry's face, they saw the coming future. And his enemies wanted to take out the boy before he took healer's oaths.
All of the Seers were saying that was Potter's Path.
The family assembled after signing a few papers. Dumbledore tried to speak with them, but Sirius had them walking to the portkey port, and they were back in France before one word could be insincerely uttered.
**OO**
Queen Vicky's
Madam Pucey was having a wonderful day. The letters had come out, and while Madam Malkins had the licensing for school robes, she did not have a wholesale patent on dresses or dress robes.
Queen Vicky's was bursting with customers. Evelyn, Adrian's sister and Silvia's youngest, was serving tea and showing design sketches to some of the ones waiting for their appointment with Eva Prewitt-Weasley. Some of the students waiting were friends with her son. She smiled from her millinery work table; the clerks were doing fine and she was discussing options with Miss Bulstrode for a feathered band or something lightweight to wear for the ball.
Silvia had opined that a full hat would be too hot in a crowded ballroom, especially with dancing. Not that she couldn't have a matched hat for the dress for other events! The girl was beaming with joy.
Millicent had come straight from Ollivander's, getting a matched focus. Good for her! Now she was getting matched accessories. Hmm. Was this a matchmaking day? Where was Michael?
This year, Millie would not only be attending a school function in a new dress that showed off her curves, she'd be attending with a matched wand that showed off her abilities!
If Draco tried calling her a squib again, she'd turn him into HIS spirit animal.
A ferret.
**OO**
Friday, August 19th, Riddle Manor
For this meeting, the Dark Lord summoned his top lieutenants. Let Lucius steal if he must, but this witch who was claimed to be related to the Rosier family had to be tracked down! Now!
The dementors were her responsibility! Why hadn't she reported this disaster? Why hadn't anyone said anything! This wasn't like foot soldiers who could be hired or recruited. This was a precious resource from another realm, brought here by a great power; a wizard that Tom had admired as a teenager.
If only he had been a little older; he could have joined with Grindelwald, become his heir. Together, they could have wiped out the Dumbledore threat.
"I want everyone to keep their eyes open for this witch. She likely fled with the last remaining dementors. Find her! Bring them back! Bring them back!"
Poor Tom had no idea that the rest of his people would rather dress in drag and sing show tunes than track down dementors and bring them back. With what magic? They couldn't cast a patronus, now could they?
Reports from everywhere around Britain would come in about a short squat ugly witch. More than once was one of the followers wives' stunned and brought in, hoping for a reward.
Getting only one round of the cruciatus rather than two or three was a reward, right?
No one thought to look outside of Britain for the witch.
**OO**
**WARNING!**
Chapter 30 has a bit of horror - nothing onscreen, but think Hitchcock; our imaginations make monsters under the bed.
If you are at all sensitive, hit next. You'll miss nothing important to the story.
A/N: Recommended Story: Your story recommendation here!
A/N Recommended Story: By our friend csheila : The Core Wars (old crow and Apprentice Tom). It twists the great Wandout with a stronger focus on environmental problems.
My apologies to Old Crow for not reading this yet - I haven't been reading while writing. I appreciate Old Crow's and Apprentice Tom's efforts. Go Team Crow!
ƺ parseltongue
₲ galleons
₰ sickles
ķ knuts
Ɠ Goblin language
