Chapter Eleven: The Coronation

They sat in utter silence. Remus and the others looked completely shocked. Ari hung her head in sadness. She knew the dangers of this solution. Harry knew them too. What if…

"But what if the dementor sucks out Harry's soul too?" Hermione piped up, looking very scared.

"That is a very serious risk," Ari conceded, sounding incredibly like her grandfather, "but the only other way would be to kill Harry. At least with this, we have a shot."

"I wish Dumbledore were here," Ron spoke sadly, "He would know just what to do."

Ari shook her head and looked at Ron. "My grandfather never wanted to face the possibility of Harry being a horcrux. He didn't want to even consider having to kill Harry. Or having to expose him to his greatest fear."

"I'll do it," Harry spoke now, his voice sounding as though he had not used it in years.

Everyone's head snapped up in his direction. "But Harry…" Hermione cried.

"No, Hermione," Harry gave her a stern look, "there is no other option. There aren't any books with a safe answer. There isn't anyone we can ask who has dealt with this before. This is how it has to be."

"But…"

"Harry is right, Hermione," Ari said, "we have to do this."

"When?" Ginny asked, trying to be strong.

"I think that it would be best to wait," Ari said, "We should take care of the other horcruxes first."

"But wait," Hermione said now, "Why would Voldemort have tried so hard to kill Harry if he knew that a part of his soul was inside of him?"

"What do you think happens to the soul when it is released," Ari asked her, her hands making a steeple in front of her while she gave Hermione a penetrating stare.

"I suppose it jut disappears," she said.

"It goes to the place where souls go when they no longer have bodies," Ari told her, "unless you find a way to contain it. If Voldemort had killed Harry, the soul would have gone back into his body. But if a horcrux is simply destroyed or the soul is devoured, Voldemort can't get that part of his soul back."

"Okay," Hermione said, wishing that she had found a reason for them not to sick a dementor on Harry.

"So," Remus said, "how would we keep the dementor from getting Harry's soul?"

"I'll be there," Ari said, "and I think that anyone else who can produce a patronus ought to be there too. We'll wait for the bit of Voldemort's soul to get sucked out and then we'll attack it."

"But how will we know…?"

"We'll just know," she said sternly, looking at Harry as though she weren't quite sure they would be able to manage it.

"Ari!" Percy's voice came at them as he opened the door, "Let's go. The coronation ceremony is in fifteen minutes."

"Alright, Perce," Ari said, "I'm coming."

Later that night Harry, Ari and the others finally found their way back to Ari's room. They were thoroughly exhausted and wanted nothing better than to curl up in a ball and hibernate for the rest to the summer.

"Okay," Ari slurred, rubbing her bleary eyes, "your rooms have your names on them. I'll see you all in the morning."

They looked uncomfortably at each other for a moment. "What?" Ari asked confused. It was Hermione who answered.

"Um…I think…well, I was wondering…could we all just stay here?"

"All of you?"

"No," Remus said, "Tonks and I would like to use our own room. I think we'll just leave now actually. Long day and all. G'night."

"Night," Ari said waving at them.

When the door was closed securely behind them Ari said, "So, the rest of you all want to stay here?"

"That is," Harry said, "if you wouldn't mind. We'd rather not be alone."

"Oh, thank the stars," Ari sighed, "I didn't want to be alone either. My bed is huge. I'm sure we'll all fit comfortably. Of course I don't mind if you stay with me. It'll be fun."

"Thank you so much," Ron said, "It's just that it would feel strange for us all to be in separate rooms and everything. And with what we found out today, I think that we could all use a little company."

Ari laid down in the middle of the bed. Harry and Ginny cuddled up on her right. She had her head on Ginny's shoulder while her arm was thrown over George. Fred, Hermione and Ron were stuck in there somewhere. They were a tangled mess of human body parts. It was ridiculously comfortable.

When everyone woke up the next morning, Harry found that he had both Ginny and Ari lying with their heads on his shoulders. Ginny's arm was draped protectively over his middle while Ari's leg rested over his. Fred had his head resting in the curve of Ari's waist while George laid between Ginny and Hermione. Ron was on the outside, curled up with Hermione, his arm around her waist. Looking down, Harry couldn't tell which limb belonged to whom.

"What the hell is this?" Percy yelled upon entering the room, "Some sort of Royal Sleepover? You lot are far too old to behave this way. Get up, all of you and get ready. The second coronation is today and you all need to be there."

Groaning, they separated from each other. Ari, as usual, simply rolled over and told Percy to leave her alone in no uncertain terms. Rolling his eyes, Percy stepped forward and doused her with a stream of water from his wand. Harry and the others were well out of the way and couldn't help laughing as she sputtered and turned an angry glare towards Percy.

"What the hell was that for!" Ari yelled, wiping the water away from her soaking face, "You have no right…!"

"Ah, but My Queen," Percy said smirking, "you told me that I was permitted to use whatever means necessary to wake you."

Ari growled, remembering this conversation that she had had with Percy. "Fine," she sighed, "but you have the responsibility of drying my bed out and remaking it."

Percy smiled as though this were well worth the act of spraying her. She stood and wandlessly dried herself, heading for a door to the right of her bed. Harry hadn't noticed that before.

"What's in there?" Harry asked, pointing at the door.

"My wardrobe," Ari smiled, "Come have a look."

Beaming, the girls headed forward. Ari opened the door and they all rushed in. Anyone who has not seen a ballroom filled to the brim with clothes, shoes and handbags could not possibly imagine the sight. It was miraculous. Ari had her very own shopping mall.

"Ohhhh," the girls exclaimed, a look of rapture on their faces. Harry was impressed but hardly as much as Hermione and Ginny. After all, it was just clothes.

Ari walked straight to the back of the room. "Come on, girls," she said, waving them forward, "We have to wear formal gowns for this. Harry, you take the guys into the other room," she pointed to another door to her left, "and Percy, go find Remus and Tonks. They need to get ready as well."

Percy turned on his heal and headed out the door to retrieve the others. Harry, Ron and the twins all proceeded through the other door, leaving the girls to their fun. When Harry walked in, he found himself in a state of awe that the girls must have experienced before. The room was lined with the finest brooms imaginable. There were crates and crates of Quidditch balls sitting on shelves on one side of the room. There was gear all over the place. Posters depicting some of the finest games in Quidditch history were all over the walls. There was also a poster of a Quidditch pitch on the other side of the room. At the bottom of the poster it said, "The Queen's Private Pitch." In gold letters.

"She has her own pitch?" Harry exclaimed.

"Well she ought to," Ron said, "She owns the Egyptian team now doesn't she?"

Looking around, Harry also noticed that some of Fred and George's products were there, as well as some Zonkos products and things from magical joke shops all over the world. They didn't really care about looking for clothes to wear.

"Hey, look!" George said, "Percy picked out our clothes for the ceremony."

Harry, Ron and Fred walked over to where the clothes were. There were five, highly formal looking tuxes hanging on hooks. Everything they needed was there along with a list of instructions as to what to do with it. Harry cringed a bit, touching the fabric of the suit which had his name on a slip of paper over it. He had never dressed this way before.

"Wow!" Remus said, stepping into the room, "I could live in here!"

"Tell us about it," Harry said smiling, "Here's your tux. We have to look very dignified for this."

"You just wait until you see the girls," Remus said, "Dignified doesn't even begin to cover it."

Harry, Remus, Ron and the twins wrestled their way into their tuxedos as quickly as they could. Taking a look in the mirror, Harry decided that he had never looked more sharp. The only thing that wasn't pristine was his unruly hair. Harry thought about trying to make it lie flat but decided that the look was rather endearing.

Then the door opened. The first of the girls to step out was Tonks. Her hair was shining platinum similar to Malfoy's and hung down past her waist. Her silky gown was a silvery gray color which sparkled where the light hit it. The straps where very thin and the skirts hung all the way down to the floor. Harry thought that she had never looked more lovely. Remus smiled at her and looked like he was having similar thoughts.

Then next girl to come out of the room was Hermione. Her gown was deep red and also floor length. The bodice fit her body tightly and the large skirts flowed beautifully with her as she moved. Her hair was done up in an intricate style which allowed several little ringlets to rest on her back and shoulders. Ron took her hand and held her to him, looking like he would never let her go.

Harry let a gasp escape him when Ginny walked through the door. Her pale blue dress sparkled here and there as she moved and caused her eyes to shimmer beautifully. The thin tulle straps rested lightly on her shoulders while the bodice clung to her perfectly. Her skirt was a lot less full than Hermione's and brushed the floor lightly whiled she walked. Her hair was braided in a thick plait down her back. Harry felt his heart turn over. She had never looked more beautiful.

Then, in walked Ari, her head held high, looking as regal as any queen. Her gown was of the purest white Harry had ever seen. It was staples, though her hair hung down over her shoulders. The bodice showed off every curve of her upper body and the skirts cascaded to the floor in thick folds. Fred and George stared at her with open mouths. She was the most beautiful sight in the world to behold, Harry found himself thinking, even though Ginny still held most of his attention.

"Wow," Ron said, "You all look…"

"Ah, ah," Ari said, holding her hand up to stop him, "we aren't finished yet. There is still the jewelry to attend to."

Harry felt Ginny squirm in his arms. The only jewelry she was currently wearing was her engagement ring. She was very excited. Ari walked to the wall at the far end of the room and pressed her hand to it. Harry watched as a door appeared out of thin air. She opened it and walked in. Lights sprang to life as she entered. Harry was almost blinded by the sparkling that met his eyes.

The girls gasped delightfully, looking like they might swoon. As they walked in and looked around, all Harry could see were diamonds and rubies and sapphires set in silver and platinum and gold.

"Oh. My. Bleedin'. God," Tonks breathed, looking at a wreath necklace with matching earrings. Ari stepped up next to her to gaze subjectively on the set at which Tonks was staring.

"Ah, yes," Ari said, "Harry Winston circa nineteen sixty two. It is very appropriate for this evening and for your gown."

"You mean…I can…I can wear this?" Tonks asked, unsure of her luck.

"Of course. What's mine is yours."

Hermione walked out wearing a chandelier type necklace set with diamonds and rubies along with a bracelet to match. Ginny actually found a small tiara that she wanted desperately to wear. She asked Ari whether this would be appropriate and Ari said, "You don't have to be a princess to look like one." She also wore a set of reasonably understated earrings with it and a diamond necklace. Ari wore a diamond choker that networked down her sternum in a way that made the diamonds look like raindrops. She also wore a pair of hanging diamond earrings that almost grazed her jaw.

The coronation ceremony seemed to last forever. A priest to the pagan gods of Egypt had put two very odd looking crowns on her head, one proclaiming her the ruler of Upper Egypt and the other proclaiming her the ruler of Lower Egypt. This is the same thing that they had done the day before. Everyone was told to close their eyes after that as they were not permitted to look on her. Harry, however, left his eyes open slightly and watched as she rolled her eyes and then made faces at some of the people before her. She caught Harry's eye and winked at him. Harry got the feeling that she may have been fooling around for his benefit as he had looked very bored throughout the entire ceremony. He had to stifle the urge to laugh. After that, a different crown replaced those that had been on her head. It was a sparkling, diamond-encrusted treasure similar to what the Queen of England might wear. This made her Queen of the Wizarding World. Harry smiled at her proudly.

Then, finally, it was over. The press conference held afterward went by very quickly. Ari announced the names of her new appointees and Harry noticed that Remus got a very big applause from some of the foreign dignitaries. Apparently, not all wizards were biased against werewolves. And then, after all was said and done, there was a grand ball held in the palace.

Ari was forced to dance with every minister of magic, male and female, as soon as they walked in. She didn't even have time to sit for over an hour. Harry and Ginny were having a great time dancing and drinking, which was legal there, while everyone else seemed to be having a merry time as well.

Immediately after Ari finally got some time to herself, Fred and George began to fight over who would be next to dance with her. Ari laughed good-naturedly at them, her face still pink and her hair wild. It was then that Percy walked in, looking franticly around the ball-room. When he spotted Ari he walked swiftly and purposely over to her.

"Percy!" she exclaimed happily, "Where have you been? Why don't you join us?"

Without answering her questions he swooped down and began to whisper something in her ear. Harry watched her smile evaporated quickly from her face as it was replaced by a look of utter rage.

When Percy pulled away, Ari stood up and looked around the room before saying in a booming voice that carried throughout the room, "There is an emergency situation that I must attend to. Please forgive me and escort yourselves from the palace. The party is over." Everyone froze having heard every word. And then a low rumble swept through the room as everyone began to mumble curiously to each other.

A.N: I am so sorry that it took me so long to update. But I've got a good bit written now and plan to update every few days. So sorry once again. Please feel free to leave complaints while you review.