Disclaimer: I don't own Harry potter and neither is this fic being written for any financial reasons. Harry potter is and will remain the creation and the property of JKR

The Count of Azkaban

Chapter 14

Ginny woke in a strange yet unknown place. Like everybody else, at first, she panicked and then, of course, her eyes fell to the man she had truly been in love with. A flush of memories from last night flooded her mind. She smiled; truly smiled. After a long time, she felt peace in her soul.

However, in a moment, she remembered Artie. And the concern of the mother in her grew. She got up, and with a wave of her wand, set her dress right. She was about to bend down and kiss Harry, when his head shook up on its own, and smacked her right in the chin. She yelped and soon, both of them fell down, laughing,

"Trying to run away?" Harry asked her, as he once again looked into her eyes.

"No. Yes….ugh! I just wanted to check on Artie and would have come back." Ginny smiled, but then, a small look of sadness fleeted her face. Harry could very easily make out the look. Even if had not been a natural legilimens. She had always hoped that her children were his. Despite the fact that Harry knew her secret, he felt that it was up to her to tell him or not. The person who had read her mind was John Edward smith, the count. At the moment, he was Harry potter. He just hoped that one day, she would forgive his transgression and he hoped that he had the strength to confess before being caught.

At the moment, however, he just wanted to bask in happiness. But somehow, somewhere, he could feel another pulling at him.

Ginny, on the other hand tried to apparate but felt the barriers around the castle. She looked at Harry who just smiled and understood.

"Why don't we have some breakfast, and then I will escort you to the apparition point."

Ginny did not loose the import of the sentence. Although some of her Harry was back, he was not the same person. He had informed her that she would be taken to the apparition point rather than being keyed into the wards. It was yet another reminder to her of the things that had changed. She got the second one as both of them appeared in what seemed to be a private kitchen and dining room. There were three people having some food there, and she recognized one of them. She was definitely not happy.

(((o)))

Blaise had woken up in the morning and she felt light. In a long time, she had truly slept feeling safe. She had been on the edge for too long and it was tearing her down. More than that, she had started to admire and if she could even make herself believe, love the count.

He was brave, generous and thoughtful. Being rich did not hurt but that was not her issue. She could already discern her sister in the bathroom humming an old song. She again admired the man who could make such huge changes in the world of both of them. She smiled a small smile, the secret indiscernible smile of all women and got off the bed and waited for her sister to get out. She wanted to look her best when she met john again.

Half an hour later, she joined blade and her sister on the private dining table.

She heard foot steps approaching the table. As she turned around, she got the shock of her life. For in walked one of the most prominent ladies in England, Lady Ginevra Malfoy. She held onto the arm of the count in the most possessive manner. A small gasp escaped her throat as did another one which came from across the room.

Two groans also escaped the lips of Harry and blade. Even in the closed down stage, Harry was so powerful a legilimens that he knew that he was going to be in trouble.

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Magic has no boundaries. It's limited only by the boundaries of imagination. This was the first and only rule of magic when magic first entered the human species. Along the lines, many rules were made and many spells were created. All of them had scaled the magic, trying to make it even and repeatable. What it had ended up doing was to limit the understanding of magic.

There were a few artifacts which were now lost, nowhere to be found. They belonged to the ancients. It was rumored that they were the very first users of magic. The path was one of them. Now, as Hermione passes through the arch, she felt as if she was being embraced. Over the period of several years that she had been looking for this, she had always felt that the magic of such a powerful artifact would be very strong and assertive. She was wrong. She felt as if she was loved and for a second that she was there, she felt peace; after a long-long time.

On the other side of the world, in the small island of Azkaban, inside the dining room of the castle, all hell broke loose.

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Lord Voldemort was pacing about his chambers. He had received a package addressed personally to him. In it, there was documentary proof the treachery of the Malfoy clan. He had personally checked the documents and verified them. Lucius and Draco had embezzled a hundred million galleons from the sale of Azkaban to the French. Had it been old days, they would have been crucioed to insanity by now. However, he was just ready to take the first step towards world domination. He could not have such news floating about. Appearance of control and honesty were paramount. After a long time, anger started to build inside the dark lord as he felt the betrayal.

He looked at himself and saw what had become of him. In the race for political supremacy, he had let go off the magical supremacy. As he closed his eyes and looked inside himself and tried to find his magic, he could see a big lake where once, a huge endless ocean was present. He was weak and he hated weakness. He vowed to become the most feared wizard once more and those who had betrayed him would feel his wrath. Promising himself, he got up and walked towards the table. He picked up the envelope carrying the scrolls as a small card fell out, as if by magic.

He motioned his hand and the card started to float up towards him. Again, he realized how weak he had become. Earlier, at his mere thought, the card would have snapped into his fingers too fast to see. He looked at the white card written with gold. It read, "The Count of Azkaban". It was a wizarding card and hence, as soon as he read the name, the name turned into a small message.

"Your Majesty,

I am a visitor in your sublime kingdom. I was informed about a small discrepancy in the known information by my people.

I felt that it was my duty as your guest to inform you of any relevant information. I beg your forgiveness for this intrusion, but it was felt that this information is eyes only to you. I have more information which would be of immense use to you.

If I have offended you in any fashion, I pray for your mercy. For anything else, all information is on this card.

Your servant,

John Edward Smith

The Count of Azkaban'

Voldemort was baffled by the letter. He called up his secretary and asked for all information on the count of Azkaban, alias John Edward Smith. True to his efficiency, his secretary knocked the door before the hundred seconds was over. He looked at the file and opened it.

It was very interesting.

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Draco woke up in his bedroom. Although it was seldom that Ginevra was with him, she had now become the center-piece of his plan to ensnare the count. Though many may have wished to believe that Draco was stupid, a person who had built such an empire was self-evidently not. He knew that she loathed him as much as he would have hated her had he been in her shoes. He was proud and she was no less so. This is what had initially attracted her to him. He could have had anybody but her. Ergo, he had to have her.

But now that he had, he felt no emotion. A Malfoy doesn't feel. It was their family motto; well one of them anyway. He had felt something happening between the count and Ginevra. He had feigned as if nothing had happened, yet, he would use the information now. There was nobody who was as vulnerable to blackmail as a proud man caught with his pants down.

Ginevra had suddenly become priceless. And he was going to use her. The game was world domination and all he needed was one roll. He would make sure that everything else falls into place.

"Tipsy", he called out to his personal house elf. With a pop, a small figure appeared in front of him.

"Where is lady Malfoy? Inform her that I wish to see her." He commanded. Instead of the usual pop he expected, he saw that elf had remained where he was and said in its small, squeaky, fearful voice, "Lady Malfoy went away last night and has not returned as yet. She did not tell when she would be returning"

"Where is Jr.?" Draco knew that Ginevra truly loved only one person, her son. His name had been a very big bone of contention between them, but due to the misogynist laws of the wizarding world, and his power, he had prevailed. Had she left for some long trip, he would have been informed as usual. A short trip and Artie would have accompanied her.

He wondered where she could have gone to. But their paths had strayed wide enough that both of them had allowed each other certain latitudes.

Nodding his head, Draco turned to the silent fireplace and sat on the sofa. His mind was on several questions and making even more plans.

For probably the first time in a long while, Draco Malfoy waited for someone other that the king.

(((o)))

Harry was just thinking about being in an awkward position when his security amulet turned red. It was tied with all the wards of the castle and at the moment, the message he got was unknown magical surge. He looked around and saw a small flicker of light trying to come through the barriers. During his stay with his grandfather, he had learnt a lot about the ancients and the portals. All the telltale signs of the present scenario were evident of a portal trying to break through.

He was sure that no modern day wizard was powerful enough or knew about such portals. With his mental command, he asked the wards to let the portal open up.

In less than a second, a golden arch opened up. White light was filling the whole area. He could feel several of his elves and security trolls coming into the room and looking at the strange light. Harry raised his hand, motioning them to stop.

In a second, they could see a figure, coming out like a shadow. It was definitely feminine. As the woman stepped out, nearly everybody recognized her as the ever brilliant and obviously missing, Hermione Granger.

Hermione looked dazed and looked around. Somehow, as she looked at Harry, she could feel that she had at long lost found her friend. A small whimper escaped her lips, accompanied by a tear drop and a name, "Harry!"

Nearly everybody was surprised as she ran to Harry and embraced him. Her search finally over as she felt him nod.

Author's Notes:

Hi! I am back. I am sorry for the delay but my son was very insistent that he stay up at night. Hence, I had almost no time.

It is a bit shorter, but I am getting back in the groove and hopefully it won't be another month before the next update. Hopefully in a week or so.

I hope you like it and keep reading it.

gt