The Necessary Steps.
"So a few more of your friends will be showing up?" Harry asked.
"Yes," Tonks agreed.
"How are they getting here?" Harry asked.
"Well, you can be certain it isn't through an illegally obtained Portkey," Tulip said. "Which I didn't use Mum's ministry credentials to obtain."
Harry snorted, reading between the lines. He dealt with Fred and George often enough to realize that Tulip most certainly obtained said Portkey through underhanded means.
"If more people are coming, I'm going to need to make more tea," Petunia said.
"She's changed over the last week," Tonks said to Harry. "Maybe it's just me, but she seemed a bit more snooty a few weeks ago when I started my…."
"Bird watching?" Tulip suggested.
"Right," Tonks said. "Bird watching."
"She's…she's changed, not acting like I've known her," Harry said. "But, Petunia is still Petunia. Even if it's weird."
Nora confirmed that, and Tonks eyed Harry for a second and turned to Petunia.
"Can never be too careful," Tonks said. "Have to keep an eye on her."
Maybe things would be a lot more manageable with Vernon and Dudley gone. Something really intriguing was going on with Petunia. Astra leaned a little bit closer to Harry.
"Not sure, but if Lily's charm was reset to factory settings, then it might be affecting Petunia," Astra said. "Because, Mum told me she was always petty and kind of spiteful towards magic. Out of jealousy. And she took it out on you when you were put underneath this roof by Dumbledore."
"It's not Harry's fault," Fleur said.
"No, but spiteful people don't care about that," Astra said.
The charm shifted Petunia's demeanor to something else more tolerable. And given how Harry had to stay in this house for the short term it was just as well. Harry took a pastry fresh from the oven and ate it.
To be fair, not the worst place to lay low for a little bit. Especially with Petunia acting more tolerable and Vernon and Dudley being calm. Plus, Nora and Astra were here, Tonks and Fleur were by often, and Penelope was just down the street.
"I've never felt magic like your mother's charm," Fleur murmured.
Every time someone mentioned magic, Harry instinctfully looked towards Petunia. He expected a very agitated reaction out of the woman. However, she said nothing out of the ordinary. No reaction. Before, she could not even bother to hear the word magic or witch or anything like that.
"Are you okay, Aunt Petunia?" Harry asked.
"I'm fine, Harry, thank you for asking."
Harry was still weirded out by hearing the word "thank you" coming from his aunt. He turned to Astra and Nora who just smiled.
"Charm, it has to be," Nora murmured.
"Until we study what Lily did, we won't know for sure," Fleur added.
"I'm thinking our guests should be arriving right now," Tonks said.
Several rather attractive women popped their way into the kitchen, as if on cue. Tulip grinned when they turned up.
"Right on schedule," Tulip said. "I think some introductions are in order."
"Right," Tonks said. "Hello, ladies."
"Tonks."
"Hey, Tonks."
"Nymphadora."
Tonks just scowled at the first name being used before recovering quickly.
"I'm sure you're all familiar with Harry Potter."
There had been much amusement around the table.
"This is Penny Haywood. One of the most brilliant Potioneers I've ever known at Hogwarts."
A pretty blonde woman with braided hair turned her attention to Harry and gave him a radiant smile.
"It's nice to meet you, Harry," Penny said with a smile. "And I'm not anything compared to Lily Evans."
"Mum was brilliant at Potions?" Harry asked.
"Of course, she was, the best," Astra said.
"She really was," Penny said.
"Badeea Ali."
A gorgeous Muslim woman, wearing elegant clothes, along with a Hijab celebrating her faith flashed Harry a smile.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Harry," Badeea said. "An honor to meet you. And we shouldn't forget how Lily was also top of her year in Charms, as well as Potions. And pretty good at other subjects."
"Nice to meet you as well, Badeea," Harry said.
"I'm into Charms and I'm an aspiring spell crafter myself," Badeea said. "I find magic fasnciating. I never would have been allowed to dream about such things when I was a young girl. Once my mother discovered what I was, when had to move from my village. It's forbidden, but I find that I can celebrate my faith and celebrate the exploration of magic at the same time."
"There would be some people who would argue that," Fleur said.
"Yes, unfortunately, there are," Badeea said. "There are extremists in all faiths I'm afraid. Zealots who cling to old and outdated ways."
"This is Chiara Lobosca," Tonks said.
Harry smiled and a pretty woman with silvery hair and blue eyes smiled at her. She eyed him up.
"Nice to meet you, Harry," Chiara said. "Well, consciously anyway. I was in the Hogwarts Hospital Wing assisting Madam Pomfrey, when you were unconscious in your first year. It was scary, I'm glad you bounced back. I still volunteer at Hogwarts when I have the chance. I wanted to be a Healer."
"Why aren't you one?" Harry asked.
"Well, there's legislation which prevents me from holding onto a full time position," Chiara said. "I have to settle in being a part-time volunteer for what I am. Because…I'm a werewolf."
Chiara looked as if she was wrestling with whether or not she could trust Harry with this. And Harry was glad she could.
"You are?" Harry asked. "Like Lupin?"
"Oh, right, you know, Remus Lupin, don't you?" Chiara asked.
"He was a friend of my fathers," Harry said. "And you should be able to do whatever you want. It's just a problem a few days a month, and you're perfectly safe if you take your Wolfsbane Potion."
"I do it on the clock every month, but try telling that to the people at the Ministry," Chiara said. "Especially, Umbridge."
"Umbridge?" Harry asked.
Harry really had no idea why, but hearing that name made him shiver. And he could see that murderous glint in Astra's eyes and Nora just gritted her teeth.
"Dolores Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary at the Ministry, and all around garbage woman," a brunette woman with violet eyes said. "People like her are the reason why the Ministry's in such a shit state it's in."
"And you are?" Harry asked.
Harry got a good look at her. She was rather attractive, wearing a skin tight black bodysuit, with a sheath strapped onto her back.
"Merula Snyde," she said. "You may have heard of me, I was the most powerful witch at Hogwarts. Still am given how low standards have fallen over the past couple of years."
A few months ago, Harry would have said that Hermione could have given Merula a run for her money. However, Harry began to realize that there was an entire world outside of the little bubble he had been placed in.
"Umbridge, she's an awful woman," Chiara said.
"I heard she's got her sights set on Hogwarts," Tulip said.
Harry did not know Umbridge, but he hated her already. She just seemed like that type of person.
"She does," Merula confirmed. "After Dumbledore hired Lupin and the fact that there was a Polyjuiced imposter teaching for nine months last year and a student ended up dead, people at the Ministry are looking to meddle. And Dumbledore, being the annoying pacifist he is, is going to let them, because he has to be a better person."
"Politics," Tonks scoffed.
Merula just smiled.
"I have to say, I'm looking forward to seeing what the famous Harry Potter has to offer," Merula said. "I'm a master at dueling and pretty much everything else. And I haven't got a challenge in a long time."
"She's the modest one," the final woman said, a drop-dead gorgeous redhead woman with blue eyes. "Cassandra Jacobs. And it's a wonder that Hogwarts is still standing with you picking up where we left off."
"Got into a lot of trouble did you?" Harry asked.
"Oh, honey, we've got stories, trust me," Cassie said.
"Beatrice couldn't make it?" Tonks asked Penny.
Penny Haywood sighed deeply and Harry's gaze fell on her face.
"She's taking Cedric's death pretty hard," Penny said. "He was like a little brother to us. To all of us. And she thinks…she had a bad feeling about that tournament. Even more so after you were entered into the tournament against your will."
She turned to Harry.
"Your sister was at Hogwarts?" Harry asked.
"And she didn't think you entered the tournament, in fact something seemed wrong," Penny said.
"Especially with Rita Skeeter going on about how you entered the tournament," Merula said. "I've dealt with that woman enough to realize that reality is the opposite of what she says."
"She does like spreading her lies," Cassie said. "It's amazing with this current smeer campaign, she's just vanished."
"Oh, she's an illegal animagus, a beetle," Harry said. "My friend Hermione, she's blackmailing Rita."
"Bold," Merula said. "And dangerous. I hope your friend realizes that she could be setting herself up for something nasty down the road. Rita's not gotten where she was by playing nice."
"Hermione thinks she has it handled," Harry said with a shrug. "Or Hermione thinks she has it handled."
"Although knowing she's an illegal animagus is useful information," Merula said.
"Did Hermione want you to share that with people?" Astra asked.
"Not really," Harry said. "But, that's how she gets all of her information."
"Bea is taking it hard, then," Cassandra said.
"Very hard," Penny said. "Cedric's death was so senseless. We all were shocked when we heard the news. Mr. Diggory is devastated. Cedric was his whole life. Mr. Diggory had great expectations for his son."
"And the Ministry sent him home on an idenfinate leave of absence," Tonks said. "From what I've heard, Mr. Diggory wasn't playing along with the narrative that Cedric's death was a tragic accident and Harry is a nasty liar. So, they sent him home."
Harry felt sickened a grieving father was shut down because of some Ministry political game.
"Typical," Fleur said. "But, yes, Diggory was a worthy opponent, and he didn't deserve to die."
"No, he didn't," Harry said. "I…I never should have told him to take the Triwizard Cup with me."
"No," Astra said firmly. "Absolutely not. That's not your fault."
"It's not," Chiara agreed.
"So, what happened that night, exactly?" Merula asked.
"You don't have to tell us, if you don't want to," Penny offered.
"He really should and he really should not only tell us but give a public statement" Merula said. "Potter's silence is leaving him wide open for the Ministry to destroy his character. All we have is a report on what Dumbledore said. And Dumbledore wasn't there that night, therefore people aren't taking his word."
"Are you saying you blame Harry for the Ministry and the Prophet attacking him?" Astra asked.
"All I'm saying is that Dumbledore's speech has been twisted, it's making both him and Potter look like deranged lunatics," Merula said. "If Potter had been allowed to give his side of the story, before the Ministry did that hatchet job on him, then maybe things would be different."
Merula paused and leaned back thoughtfully.
"Then again, the Ministry always takes down people who go against whatever agenda they're pushing at the moment," Merula said. "And Dumbledore's their biggest accomplice with his react, but never act, policy."
"What is Dumbledore doing?" Cassandra asked Tonks.
"That's a good question," Tulip said. "Are you actually doing anything productive for Dumbledore? Or is just a bunch of waiting and watching overall."
"It is just waiting and watching," Tonks said. "We're waiting and watching for Voldemort to do something. And we're not moving aggressively against him. I just thought it was a good idea to join, to see what Dumbledore was doing, or wasn't doing. The truth is, we're just waiting for someone to do something, a reason to react, and the right time to move Harry to headquarters."
"Which is when?" Harry asked.
"I'll tell you when I know," Tonks said. "There are people who keep asking. Dumbledore's answer is the same as it was almost a month ago."
"When the time is right," Harry said.
"Oooh," Cassandra groaned.
Harry caught Cassandra's eyes, and he had a feeling she had dealings with Dumbledore in the past. And had been particularly familiar with how Dumbledore handled things.
"So, Dumbledore's still making the same stupid mistakes, which got us in this mess in the first place," Merula said. "Where he sat there, twiddled his thumbs, twinkled his eyes, and just happened to get lucky when Potter defeated Voldemort by some one in a million magical fluke that we still don't fully understand."
"For what it's worth, it wasn't a freak occurrence," Cassandra said. "Lily did something, using her sacrifice to channel some powerful magic."
"Yes," Harry agreed.
"She did," Astra said.
"Voldemort pretty much said it was magic that even he didn't fully understand," Harry said.
"It is an impressive bit of charmwork," Badeea chimed in. "Although countless parents would sacrifice themselves for their children, Lily must have done something different."
"She did," Nora confirmed.
"Nora Darhk, Astra Logue, and Fleur Delacour," Harry said quickly pointing out each girl. "Three of my girlfriends."
"A man of ambition," Merula said with a small smile."I approve."
"Some might call you an insane man going the polymagus route," Tulip said. "I'm lking you you the more I know you, Harry Potter."
Harry took a second to consider something.
"I'll tell you about that night," Harry said. "You said Cedric was like a younger brother to you. I feel like you have to know the truth."
"You don't have to," Chiara said.
"But, he won't feel right unless he does," Penny said.
"We know that type, don't we, Cassie?" Tonks asked.
Cassandra just smiled and nodded and waved for Harry to go into that story. Harry gave a detailed account of the night on the third task. Everyone waited patiently for a long time, although there were a few gasps.
"Who or what is Wormtail?" Merula asked at the end.
"Peter Pettigrew," Harry said.
And Harry briefly explained that one.
"I believe he's telling the truth," Chiara said. "About Sirius Black and about the Triwizard Tournament."
"Wait, Peter Pettigrew as Percy Weasley's rat?" Cassie asked with a frown.
"Well, it was Ron's rat, but yeah, he started as Percy's," Harry said.
"Are you okay?" Penny asked. "We shouldn't have…"
"You needed to know," Harry told them all.
Chiara reached in and wrapped Harry up in a hug. And Penny did the same as well.
"You were very valiant in bringing Cedric's body back," Chiara told him.
"I don't want to even think what the Death Eaters would have done with it," Badeea said with a shudder.
"He would have been an Inferius puppet," Merula said bluntly. "You risked your life to get him back."
"He shouldn't have been there in the first place, "Harry said.
"Can the guilt trip," Merula said while rolling her eyes. "You weren't the one who didn't detect an unauthorized Portkey on your school grounds. Or the fact your so called old friend was an imposter who tricked you for nine months. The Ministry is right about Dumbledore not being fit to run that school."
"The problem is, the person they want to run the school is far worse," Chiara said darkly.
"We won't let that happen," Cassie said. "And Harry, I'm really sorry, you had to deal with that. You're made of some strong stuff."
"The nightmares I have said differently," Harry said. "I had some dreamless sleep potion, but even that didn't work after about the third night."
"Well, that can lose potency after a while," Penny confirmed. "Although it's unwise to keep using it."
"And even more so not to deal with some really bad trauma you've had," Chiara said seriously.
"And Dumbledore sent you back here," Astra murmured.
"I'm really sorry to hear what you've been through," Cassie said. "Voldemort's not going to be an easy one to deal with."
Even after handicapping off of his horcruxes, Harry suspected Voldemort would give him a good fight. Mortal did not make him any less dangerous.
"I just feel like I was a dry run for you, and my adventures at Hogwarts was a test to see what methods would work," Cassie said. "I just wish I had realized that sooner."
"We want to believe in Dumbledore," Tonks said. "But, the more you think about it, the more his actions don't pass the smell test."
"I always thought he was a senile old idiot who liked playing games with people's lives," Merula said. "Guess, that's because Slytherins never really gave him the benefit of the doubt."
"So, you've been through a lot at Hogwarts?" Harry asked Cassie.
"Yeah," Cassie said. "Lots of intrigue involving my brother and the fact he mysteriously disappeared when I was young. And then there was this entire mysterious cabal thing led by my father. And Dumbledore acted disapproving about some of the actions I had to take, but people were going to suffer if I didn't take them."
"Sounds familiar," Harry said. "How did you deal with everything?"
Cassie looked thoughtful. Tonks and the rest of her friends looked intrigued, although Merula lookked like she knew.
"One day at a time," Cassie said. "After Hogwarts, it took a long time for me to find myself. But, I did, somehow. The right woman reached out for me. Merula and I both."
"And our trainer was intrigued, when we told her we were going to meet with Harry Potter," Merula said.
"I told you to be discreet," Tonks said.
"Oh, please, Nymphadora, you couldn't spell discreet," Merula said.
"Besides, it's not fair, she would have found out regardless," Cassie said. "She has her ways."
"She is one of the most deadly women on the planet," Merula said. "And the most resourceful."
"Who is it?" Harry asked. "Who knows?"
"Her name is Lady Shiva."
This got quite the reaction from Fleur, Tonks, Nora, and Astra.
"Not one of the most deadly women in the world," Nora said.
"The deadliest woman in the world," Fleur said in awe.
"She's an accomplished martial artist, versed in several disciplines, without peer," Tonks said.
"And Shiva, along with another one of her associates, Talia, may wish to meet you, Harry Potter," Merula said. "Your exploits have piqued the interest of the League of Shadows."
"I thought it was the League of Assassins," Tonks chimed in.
Harry meanwhile looked thoughtful. He did wonder who else might have taken notice of him.
Tonks and her friends, with a little help from Fleur, took over the Dursley basement and began the process of converting it into some kind of training area. Astra, Nora, and Harry had been left upstairs.
"Harry?"
Admittedly, Harry still did not get used to Petunia's change of attitude or the fact she was treating him so politely.
"Yes?" Harry asked.
"He's back," Petunia said. "The one who killed Lily?"
And Harry could see how terrified Petunia was. And could not blame her.
"Voldemort's back," Harry said. "And this is the first you've heard of it."
Petunia nodded solemnly.
"Dumbledore never told us he was back, or anything," Petunia said.
"Dumbledore's bad about not giving people necessary information," Harry said.
Petunia nodded and gave Harry the strangest look possible. Was it sympathy? It came close to sympathy. It looked so strange on Petunia.
"She should know…he should understand it's something that we have to know," Petunia said. "Vernon and I…we needed to know…"
"Dumbledore would have wanted me to remain here and he was afraid you would kick me out," Harry said.
"Dumbledore never gave us much choice in the matter of taking you to begin with," Petunia said.
"How much did Dumbledore told you about my time at Hogwarts?" Harry asked.
"Not a word of it," Petunia said. "I assumed that you had an uneventful year and there was no reason for Dumbledore to tell me anything."
"Oh, that's wrong," Harry groaned. "And I didn't tell you because…."
"You were forbidden from speaking of that school by myself and Vernon, yes, I understand why you wouldn't tell me anything," Petunia said. "It isn't your job to keep us informed. It's Dumbledore's. He promised everything would be fine if we allowed you to stay here. And we did so begrudgingly. We were promised protection against people like Voldemort and his followers."
"So Dumbledore doesn't talk to you at all?" Harry asked.
"Only his yearly reminders that we were to take you back in and the consequences if we refused," Petunia said. "And he visited us after the incident with the Weasels and their…car, three years ago."
"What did he say?" Harry asked.
"Told us that people were noticing your living conditions were not ideal," Petunia said. "You forced on us!"
"I never asked to live here," Harry said.
"I know that," Petunia said shortly. "Fourteen years ago, I received the shock of my life. Finding out my sister was dead in a letter, and then finding out that I had to take in her nephew, who would be in horrible danger because of some kind of freak terrorist."
Petunia's verbiage regarding wizards had not completely shifted. Although freak terrorist was apt in describing Voldemort, in Harry's book.
"Dumbledore didn't have the decency to knock or ask if we could take you in, he decided himself and Dumbledore's word is law, apparently," Petunia said. "I resented that. I resented Lily for a long time, for dying on me before we could patch things up. And I resented you."
"And you finally had an attack of the conscience," Astra said.
"I've had two sleepless nights when I realized what I've done," Petunia said. "I know you can never forgive me."
"You made your choices," Harry told Petunia. "My mother would be ashamed of how you acted."
"I am as well," Petunia said. "And Lily has every right to be ashamed of me. And I fear the day I'm going to have to face her again. I can't blame Vernon. Every prejudice he has about the Wizarding World is because of me. Everything he knows is how I told him. Granted, he's not the most tolerant of people. But, he didn't know Lily. I did. "
"You were jealous of her," Harry said "Jealous that she had these abilities and you didn't."
Petunia could not dispute it.
"But, I want to ask you one question," Petunia asked. "Does Albus Dumbledore even know what the hell he's doing?"
"Pardon?"
"Because, I overheard what you were saying to your friends," Petunia said. "And Dumbledore doesn't seem to have it together. He got lucky when you, and Lily, stopped Voldemort. I thought Dumbledore was supposed to be all powerful and perfect. But, it seems to me he's just a pathetic old man who is coasting off of his past accomplishments."
Astra threw her hands up in surprise.
"I agree with Petunia?" Astra asked.
"You agree with Petunia," Harry said.
"I feel sorry for the younger me, she must be getting pretty cold right now," Astra said.
"The problem is there are people who are willing to follow him to the ends of the Earth," Harry said. "And they believe Dumbledore can do anything. So there's no need for them to worry."
"And how is this not like a cult?"
Here, Harry had no good answer to Petunia's question.
Petunia motioned for Harry to follow her upstairs. Nora, Harry, and Astra walked up next to her.
"There's something you should see."
The door opened to the attic and the group ascended. Astra's eyes widened for a second and she pointed towards a trunk with strange runic symbols on it. And there was a small box on top of it.
"Your mother thought this was lost."
"I can feel it," Nora said. "This must be the holy grail of magical knowledge."
"Here's the letter Dumbledore sent me," Petunia said.
Harry took the letter and read it. That's how Petunia found out. Despite the rocky relationship that Harry had with his aunt and she was only acting decent because Lily's charm was nudging her into feeling guilty, he did feel sorry for her because of this. To find out that your sister died, in a letter, and told you had this burden, while nothing excused how the Dursleys treated Harry, this was not something he could stomach.
"I'm struggling to respect that man," Harry said.
"Why struggle?" Astra asked. "I gave up respecting him ages ago. I don't think I ever did."
"True," Harry agreed.
"Maybe respect his accomplishments, but not his actions," Nora said.
"Although there's a few people who questioned even some of the things he discovered," Astra said.
"I wouldn't even give him the benefit of the doubt," Petunia said. "This trunk is Lily's. It arrived here one day."
"I'm sure Uncle Vernon was thrilled," Harry said.
"Vernon tried to get rid of it several dozen times, he even tried to burn it,"Petunia informed Harry. "It kept finding its way back. We couldn't even open it."
"It was only meant for me," Harry said.
Fleur made her way upstairs.
"Impressive charm work," Fleur said.
"My mother's," Harry said. "She left it for me. I'm going to open it now."
"Another gift which has been kept from you for years," Fleur said.
Harry gently grabbed Fleur's hand before her temper could raise.
"Unfortunately," Astra said. "So, whenever you're ready."
Harry opened the trunk. Inside there were several books and several journals. Books on advanced Potion making and journals, and Charms and a book full of pictures, some of them which included Harry's mother inside.
"She was beautiful," Fleur remarked.
"Yes, she was," Harry agreed. "Beautiful and talented."
"She was a once in a lifetime witch," Astra said with a smile.
"A lot to unpack here," Harry said.
"Between the journals and the memory books, I'd imagine," Astra said. "Well, something to do on a rainy day should you ever get bored with sex."
Fleur looked scandalized and Astra just shrugged.
"Just a thought," Astra said.
"Lily was brilliant," Petunia said. "I was rather jealous of her. She was part of this amazing world which I could not understand. I tried not to understand it. Especially when I felt like I was getting left behind when Lily became more and more enamored in that world. And you're just like her, it's just bringing back all of these bad memories."
Harry said nothing. Petunia wanted to vent for a long time and she was letting her emotions run loose.
"You were like her and I lashed out at you because of it," Petunia said. "More than I should. More than what was fair. And it was worse when that awful boy tried to get his hooks into Lily. By the time Lily realized what a creep he was, I had already been with Vernon and had been trying to distance myself from your world as much as I could."
"Awful boy?" Harry asked. "Who are you talking about?'
"His name was Severus Snape."
Petunia almost spat out that name in disgust. And this revelation caused Harry to wrinkle his nose.
"He and my mother were…friends?" Harry asked.
Harry was beginning to get a picture of why Snape treated him this way. And nothing justified his bullying behavior.
"Not so much of a friend," Petunia said. "Snape was a demented little weirdo. He tried to entice Lily with a world of magic and wonder. And he tried to poison her mind, saying that people who didn't have magic were not worth knowing. And Lily almost fell into his world. He didn't take it too well when Lily came to her senses. She was supposed to Snape's prize, in his demented little mind. That greasy weirdo had some serious boundary issues. Be thankful you don't know him."
"I do," Harry said. "He teaches Potions at Hogwarts."
"My God," Petunia murmured.
Harry had no idea he would be in agreement with Petunia over Snape and their mutual disgust that he was a teacher.
"Although, I really wish Snape could no longer teach at Hogwarts," Harry said.
"Granted," Nora said.
"Are you…"
"Yes, "Nora said. "And while I can't kill anyone, you'd be surprised what you could survive."
"Good, hope it was painful," Astra said. "Mum never trusted Snape. Never liked him either. Was angry that Dumbledore vouched for him and refused to give Sirius the time of day."
"He was always sinister," Fleur said. "Felt like there was something off about him."
"More than that," Petunia said. "Well, I'll leave you to your friends. I wish we had…we didn't have the relationship I did. I wish I was more like Lily, but I can't be."
"I wish you were more like my mother as well," Harry murmured watching Petunia leave.
Nora blinked and snapped her fingers. Well this could prove to be interesting.
"So, what did you do to Snape?" Harry asked.
"Best you don't know," Nora said. "Plausible deniability. But it was explosive."
Harry could only imagine. Fair enough.
"It's finished!"
Badeea sounded rather passionate about the work they done in converting the Dursley residence. Harry, Fleur, Nora, and Astra all made their way downstairs to take a look at the training area, where Badeea, Tulip, Chiara, Penny, Tonks, Merula, and Cassie said.
"Nice," Harry said. "You ladies did good work."
"I thought so," Merula said.
"These runes will mask the Ministry from detecting magic in a residential area," Badeea said. "Therefore the Ministry shouldn't bother you."
Harry just smiled. He already made a wish, but it did not hurt.
"I do wish to study more of your mother's charm and how it's affected you," Badeea said.
"You're not the only one who wishes to study Harry in-depth," Chiara said.
"Even got a Potions lab down here," Harry said.
"Yes," Penny said. "And I understand you and Professor Snape…well…"
"Snape's a prickly arse under the best of circumstances, he had a grudge against James Potter, he passed it onto his son," Merula said. "And that may have killed Harry's ability to want to learn Potions."
"I wanted to learn, but it's just the way Snape teached, and how he treated me," Harry said.
"I'm going to tutor you and you will get an Outstanding on your Potions NEWT," Penny said firmly.
"My OWL, you mean…"
"By the time we're done with you, you're going to be up to NEWT standard," Cassie said.
"It's wrong that the son of Lily Evans doesn't have a love for Potions," Penny said.
"Do you really expect me to do this by the end of summer?" Harry asked.
"The time dilation spells inside of the room will help," Badeea said. "We have plenty of time to help you have a full understanding."
"If you work hard, you might be qualified to teach some of the subjects at Hogwarts," Cassie said. "Well, at least Defense Against the Dark Arts. We had only one teacher who actually taught us anything useful, and she had her fair share of issues."
"Is that you sugar-coating it and saying that Rakepick went insane with power and tried to kill us?" Merula asked. "I swear Jacobs, you have a soft spot for her still, after all these years."
"She did teach us a lot," Cassie offered.
Harry supposed he had them beat. Lupin was a great teacher. And Crouch Junior did know his material, even if he was posing as Mad-Eye Moody. Given that Harry learned Crouch Junior got twelve Outstanding NEWTs, it was no wonder why Voldemort recruited him. It was a shame that Junior decided to sign up for the Death Eaters.
"Regardless, some kid with four years of magical education, especially at Hogwarts, isn't going to beat Voldemort," Merula said. "But, you will be worthy of being the standard which we all rally behind. People who are against Voldemort, and who don't want to follow Dumbledore off of a cliff."
"So no pressure or anything," Tonks said with a wink.
"I feel like you've all done some good work," Fleur said. "And Harry will lead us to a new age."
"And you've even put a kitchen down here," Harry said. "How about I cook you all dinner?"
"I'm not complaining," Tulip said.
"This one is a keeper," Merula said.
"He really is, although…" Astra said before trailing off.
Harry fixed them all something to eat. Merula brought out some wine.
"Are you sure Harry should have any of that?" Penny asked.
"With all he's been through, he deserves to indulge a little bit," Merula said. "Besides, a little wine never hurt anyone. And I doubt he'll even feel a buzz as powerful as he is."
Merula poured them all a glass.
"And we're going to make sure that bastard who killed Cedric pays," Merula said. "And given how he also sold out Harry's parents, he deserves to suffer. Death is too good for this worm."
"Pettigrew will pay," Astra agreed.
"Don't forget, we need him to clear Sirius from Azkaban," Harry said.
"Yes, of course," Cassie said. "Hopefully this is the last time I have to avenge a fallen friend."
They all toasted Cedric's memory and started to eat. Harry leaned over towards Nora and Astra.
"Everything's starting to come together," Harry told them. "Although, we're going to have to face Dumbledore sooner or later."
"He does have a nasty habit of finding out," Nora said. "Although you've made a lot of right moves to delay the inevitable. Nothing lasts forever though."
All of these lovely ladies had their strengths and Harry could not wait to learn.
"Lessons begin on Monday," Merula said. "Enjoy your weekend. We're not going easy on you."
"I hope not," Harry agreed. "But, I think we should head out tonight. Friday night, time to hit a club."
"Charlie's place?" Astra asked.
"You recommended it, so it must be good," Harry said.
"Well, it's either that or the Morningstar," Astra said. "But, that's in Los Angeles. And the owner and I…we've had our issues."
Harry raised an eyebrow.
"Tell you later," Astra said.
"Oh, Charlie's," Tulip said. "The owner, she's had quite the bitching club. Tonks and I haven't been able to head there since Tonks began her bird watching."
"Well if Dumbledore wants me to keep an eye on Harry, we should keep an eye on him," Tonks said.
"Merula and I should be reporting back soon," Cassie said.
"But, someone has to keep an eye on those two," Merula said. "Because, I'm not bailing them out of Turkish prison again."
Harry was pretty sure there was some kind of story.
"Got to head in," Chiara said. "I'm volunteering at St. Mungos tonight. While I still can."
"I've got work too," Penny said.
"Me too," Badeea said. "I hope you have a good time though."
Plans were made. Harry was just happy for some freedom and to do something that an actual teenager might do.
To Be Continued.