The More Questions.
The moment Harry finished giving Andromeda a full-detailed account of the past four years of Hogwarts, she offered a long heaving sigh. On the one hand, with what her daughter and her friends had gotten up to and how the staff had been totally inept at times, Andromeda was not too overly surprised with what Harry got involved with. The teachers at Hogwarts were either overworked or incompetent and both lead to disaster. But, on the other hand, this showed gross negligence to a level.
"Damn," Tonks murmured.
"I have one question to ask you," Andromeda said. "Were any of these events ever investigated by the Ministry of Magic?"
"No," Harry said. "As far as I know."
"So, you were never interviewed, not talked to by Aurors, or the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, anything?" Andromeda asked.
Andromeda knew the answer. But, she had to ask.
"Well, the closest was when we tried to tell Fudge about Sirius third year," Harry said. "And Snape kept yelling how we were confunded."
"And were these claims by Professor Snape ever investigated?" Andromeda asked. "Were you and Miss Granger tested for such spells?"
"No," Harry said.
Andromeda just sighed one more time.
"I'm not even sure where to begin," Andromeda said. "Hogwarts security has been breached multiple times and Dumbledore conducted his investigations all internally with Hogwarts staff. I don't have any proof, but I highly suspect he used his power as the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot to block all investigations to Hogwarts."
To say Harry was not surprised about it would be an understatement. Andromeda gave off the impression of a woman who was more than used to all of Dumbledore's games and entirely frustrated with more.
"And the Minister just went along with this," Penny said.
"I'm not surprised," Astra said.
"Fudge tends to follow who has the most influence on him at any given moment," Andromeda said. "Or donates the most to him."
"Politicians aren't too different in your world, then," Petunia said.
"Not at all, Aunt Petunia," Harry said.
"If you don't mind me for asking one more question," Andromeda offered.
"Not at all," Harry said.
"Your situation here has improved," Andromeda said. "Not to mention Petunia's attitude. Given what I've heard about her, I was expecting more problems from her. With what Natalie and Lily told me about her, I expected more of a fight. Although, your husband and son…"
"I sent them away to help Vernon's sister at the farm after she broke her leg," Petunia said.
Perhaps it was Harry's imagination, but he could have sworn Petunia smiled a little bit at Marge's predicament. Then again, Harry did wonder how much Petunia really liked Marge or merely tolerated her for Vernon's sake. Given her discomfort when Ripper tracked all over her kitchen floor every visit, there had to be some festering resentment.
But, maybe Harry was just seeing things.
"Very well," Andromeda said. "But, your situation has improved. Why?"
"I've been wanting to know that myself, exactly," Tonks said. "Sirius mentioned he found it very concerning that you wanted to live with him after believing he killed your parents about ten minutes ago."
Harry turned to Nora.
"It's safe to tell them," Nora said. "If you want to."
"This is Nora," Harry said. "And she's my fairy godmother."
"Oooh, that's how you're doing all that you're doing," Tonks said.
"She was supposed to be here much sooner," Harry said.
Guilt racked through Petunia's eyes.
"Given what happened to Natalie, how Vernon and I treated you, and how Astra was sent…there," Petunia said. "You deserved support much sooner. You were the only family that I had left, and I treated you like garbage. Because, I was selfish."
Andromeda patted Petunia on the shoulder.
"It's never too late to correct a mistake," Andromeda said. "Although, with my sisters…they made their feelings clear. And I think Bellatrix felt that I abandoned them both, when I married my late husband."
"I'm sorry to hear about your husband," Petunia said.
"Thank you," Andromeda said. "It's been about three years already, and I've just been keeping myself busy."
"Dumbledore knew what was going on here the entire time," Harry said.
"After all, he does have his eyes and ears here," Tonks said. "Your cat-obsessed neighbor, Mrs. Figg."
Petunia's eyebrow raised at that woman's name.
"Always thought something was off about her," Petunia said. "She babysat Harry for free, but she was always eccentric. And so many cats. So, so many cats. She should have noticed something and told Dumbledore."
"My first Hogwarts letter had my cupboard on it," Harry reminded Petunia.
Petunia cringed and Andromeda raised her eyebrow.
"We made Harry sleep in the cupboard under the stairs, well for four years, and then for a year after that after Astra was sent away and Dumbledore erased his memories," Petunia explained, not looking uncomfortable about it. "And whenever something went wrong, we sent him there, and withheld meals. Oh God, he didn't deserve it. We only moved him up to Dudley's second bedroom…"
"Your son had two bedrooms?" Tonks asked.
"And then there was the guest room which only had been used when Marge stopped by for a visit,' Petunia said. "Vernon always complained about what meager money we spent on him. It wasn't much and Vernon got more than enough for his working at Grunnings, especially with all of his sales commissions."
Andromeda took the copy of the Potter will and flipped through it.
"This doesn't make any sense," Andromeda said. "Lily offered support for anyone who took Harry in."
"I wish I had all of the Gringotts statements for the last fifteen years," Harry said.
Nora snapped her fingers and stacks of paper appeared on the table.
"Oooh, the goblins are going to hate you," Tonks said. "They would make a fair bit of gold looking that up for you."
Harry just waved off. Petunia and Andromeda leaned in to read the statements. Amounts being transferred out of Harry's account. Petunia's eyes widened.
"Just one second."
Petunia Dursley saved all of their bank statements for tax purposes. They had been neatly filed away. When she returned with them, she set them down and compared the statements from November 2001 from Gringotts to their bank statement.
"Eight Hundred British Pounds for this month," Petunia said.
"That's roughly about a hundred and sixty galleons a month," Andromeda said.
"That's what my bank statement for Gringotts says," Harry said.
"Vernon said these were commission fees for his work at Grunnings," Petunia said. "We weren't struggling, but we had so much more money."
"And you didn't find it odd at all that you were making these commissions just shortly after you took your nephew in," Nora said.
Petunia sighed.
"Greed, I was blinded by greed," Petunia said. "Anywhere from eight hundred to a thousand pounds."
"And yet, you wouldn't have put a dent in the Potter vault," Andromeda said. "But it's still wrong."
"Vernon Dursley!" Petunia yelled at the top of her lungs despite her husband not being anywhere near Number Four Privet Drive. "You told me these amounts were commissions from your job. And instead, it was supposed to be money to take care of our nephew and we used it…for everything but taking care of them. And I was upset. You let me believe my sister didn't give a damn and was careless and didn't set up anything for her own son!"
Petunia screamed at the top of her lungs. Harry handed her a cup of tea which she drank although her hands shook still.
"Oh, bloody hell, if this money wasn't used for Harry, this is bad," Andromeda said. "Very serious."
"Vernon's lower than I even thought," Astra said. "Bravo. I couldn't think that dickhead could sink even lower than he already was."
"Can we get the payments stopped and the gold returned?" Harry asked.
"Yes, but Petunia will have to go before the goblins and explain what happened," Andromeda said. "Fourteen years worth of payments, and they won't be kind. The kindest thing they would do is let Harry decide your method of payment. And that's if you catch the goblins on a good day."
"Goblins?" Petunia asked. "That doesn't sound good."
"It's not good, they take stealing what does not belong to you very seriously," Andromeda said. "You will have to disavow your husband if you have a chance."
Petunia buried her head in her hands. She should have questioned these generous payments.
"Fourteen years. Fourteen bloody years. Vernon led me to believe he earned this money with his hard work."
Petunia turned to Harry.
"I will make it up to you," Petunia said. "I swear. You will get everything you're owed, with interest. Everything."
"He will," Andromeda said. "I will make sure of it. And the goblins will as well."
Petunia shivered.
"I'm going to have a long talk with Vernon when he returns," Petunia said. "How dare he do this? I should have questioned this more, but I was a really awful person. A bitch, I was a bitch to you. I was the bitch that there was something wrong with! And there's why there's something wrong with my pup! Do you hear me Marge?"
Petunia dropped the cup of tea on the floor. Her hand had been shaking so badly. Harry fixed the cup and cleaned up the mess.
"I've got some forms for you to sign," Andromeda said. "To put things in their most simple matter, this will force the Ministry's hand in investigating both Harry's homelife and…the circumstances at Hogwarts. Along with his illegal participation in the Triwizard Tournament. Dumbledore could have, should have, voided Harry's participation in the tournament. Unless, he wishes to acknowledge Harry as a full adult, with all the rights and privledges that entails."
"So, Dumbledore's boned either way," Tonks summarized.
While her daughter's language was a bit more colorful than Andromeda would like from a legal perspective, she did summarize the situation quite nicely.
"And this form will have you relinquish your rights as Harry's guardian," Andromeda said. "Effective ten working days when I file it, tomorrow. And there will be a hearing, where Harry will either be given a status as an adult or I will take temporary custody of him, due the Potter will. And this will freeze the money coming in although the goblins will be relentless in their audit."
Petunia nodded grimly and signed the form.
"I won't mince words," Andromeda said. "This is going to be an exhaustive investigatiaon. But it will be worth."
"And this is a formal request for a trial transcript of Sirius Black," Andromeda said.
"Sirius didn't have a trial though, "Harry said.
"Exactly," Andromeda said. "As Sirius's godson and legal heir, you have a legal right to ask for the transcript. And once it's been uncovered, a formal investigation will be launched. And Sirius's name will be cleared."
"Even without Pettigrew?" Astra asked.
"Well, Pettigrew would help speed up the process," Andromeda agreed. "But, right now, if he just showed up at the Ministry, magically, he would either disappear or be sent to St. Mungos classied as a John Doe. Crazy, because he believes he's this dead man."
"Or they pull a Crouch Junior on him," Nora said grimly.
"Or that," Andromeda said. "Once I file these forms on Monday, we can get the ball rolling."
All of the forms had been signed and all Andromeda had to do was file them when the Ministry opened.
"I'm going to make things right," Petunia said. "And I'm going to get in touch with Mr. Daggett…my father's old attorney, and see what my options are."
"If you need any help, you can reach me at this number," Andromeda said.
"You do realize you don't have to yell through the phone, right?" Petunia asked.
"Of course," Andromeda said. "Why do you ask?"
"One of Harry's friends called the summer before last," Petunia said. "Shouting through the phone. Vernon shouted back and well it was a mess. Vernon wasn't pleased."
Harry just shook his head in memory of Ron's failed phone call. Astra, Tonks, and Nora looked highly amused and Penny barely kept the smile off her face.
"I took Muggle Studies, although it was woefully outdated," Andromeda said. "Ted, being a Muggleborn, filled me in a lot of what I missed."
Andromeda gathered her things while taking a copy of both the will and Harry's Gringotts statements, along with Petunia and Vernon's bank records.
"Things will start to get rolling around your birthday," Andromeda said. "You won't be able to hide what's going on from Dumbledore forever."
Harry understood.
"Bit later than I thought," Andromeda said.
"And you better get some sleep," Tonks suggested to Harry. "Merula's going to work you hard bright and early."
Merula paced back and forth. A dueling area had been set to the basement. Several ladies watched from the sidelines.
"So, how much dueling training have you had?" Merula asked.
Harry just had this sinking feeling Merula asked the question, while knowing the answers.
"There was this dueling club that Lockhart had during my second year," Harry said.
"What did he teach you, how to curl your hair?" Merula asked.
"Please, no spell could tame that hair," Lavender said.
"It shouldn't be tamed," Tulip said. "It makes Harry Potter unique."
"He taught us the disarming spell," Harry said. "And that about covers it."
Merula's sigh showed just what she thought about Harry's formal training so far.
"I'm not going to lie to you, Potter," Merula said. "One of Voldemort's fundamental flaws is he's arrogant and he obviously wanted to prove a point and make an example out of you. If he didn't, you wouldn't have escaped. You would have been dead many times over, and your corpse would have been stuffed and mounted over his fireplace."
Astra just winced at the thought.
"Sugarcoat that, why don't you?" Cassie murmured.
"You have raw, fundamental skills," Merula said. "Good marks in Defense Against the Dark Arts and Charms, and you have good observational skills as well."
The audience watched eagerly. Tonks, Fleur, Tulip, Chiara, Cassie, Astra, Nora, Lavender, Harley, and Spooner all were watching.
"The Disarming charm is an effective spell," Merula said. "But it shouldn't be your first spell out the gate. Every now and then, you might catch an opponent off guard."
Merula paused for dramatic effect.
"And it's entirely useless when your opponent can perform magic without a wand. And is not even using one in the first place."
"Right," Harry said.
"And today, I will duel you without a wand," Merula said.
"Is she serious?" Fleur asked.
"She looks serious," Spooner remarked.
"She knows what she's doing," Cassie said.
"And that's what worries me," Tonks said.
"Are you sure?" Harry asked.
Merula just smiled at Harry and sized him up.
"On the count of three, we duel," Merula said. "But, I'm going to strike without mercy."
"One," Tulip said.
"Two," Tonks said.
"Three," Cassie chimed in.
Merula's first spell was blinding quick and Harry could barely even blink before it was fired up. It breaks Harry's glasses. Astra made a sound of frustration with Spooner lightly holding her back.
Harry's blurry vision could barely make out Merula as she fired spells. Survival instincts kicked in, when Harry evaded the spells. He could hear Merula's movements and smell the scent of whatever shampoo she used on her hair. Lilac he thought.
And he could feel her body heat when she moved. It shifted. It was odd. Harry decided to close his eyes completely and focus on his other senses.
Harry fired back with every spell he could think of. At least until Merula blasted the wand from his hand. And then zipped in, to bind him.
At the last second, Harry blocked her spell with a shield charm. It cracked after two spells but that was long enough for Harry to reclaim his wand.
Shield spell was on and Merula decided to throw a knife at Harry which went right through the shield spell and nicked his arm. Astra almost jumped up.
"I'm fine," Harry groaned. "Just a small cut."
And when Harry was distracted, Merula sent him flying with a banishing charm which breaks his wand arm in the process. Harry awkwardly tried to duel Merula left armed, but he was beaten.
"The hell was that?" Astra asked.
"Calm down," Spooner said. "Yeah, she was a bit rough."
"I'm fine, Astra," Harry groaned through the pain of his broken arm.
"If anything, Merula went easy on him," Cassie said.
"That was easy?" Fleur asked. "She duels like an angered full-blooded Veela."
Merula stood over the top of Harry.
"Raw talent," Merula said. "But you have a few handicaps. Namely, your eyes. Your vision is deplorable. And you're relying on your wand too much. Which is a problem with adult wizards, but it's a handicap still. And you're going to need to learn how to cast spells with both arms because the minute I broke your wand arm, you were pathetic."
"Thanks," Harry said. "I wish my eyesight was perfect."
"Granted," Nora said although she thought Merula went a bit too far.
Harry wipes his forehead, his right arm broken and his left arm cut. At least he could see everything clearly now. Chiara moved down to heal him.
"Going to teach you a charm to help heal broken bones," Chiara said. "But, you need a steady hand to do this. An untrained or unsteady hand doing this could have disastrous consequences."
"Like losing all of the bones in your arm?" Harry asked.
Chiara winced. Yes, that could happen. But why did Harry casually bring that point up?
"You have experience with this?" Chiara asked.
"Lockhart," Harry said. "I was hit by a bludger which broke my arm. And when he tried to fix it, all of the bones were gone. I had to take Skel-Gro."
"My sympathies," Chiara said.
"Madam Pomfrey was pissed," Harry said.
"Oh, I'd imagine she was," Chiara said.
"I'm sure she called for either the firing or the dismemberment of Lockhart," Tulip said.
"Or firing him out of a cannon," Tonks said.
"Oh, that would have been quite the sight, "Harley said in amusement. "It would end his teaching career with a bang."
Merula paced back and forth before she looked at Harry.
"Don't be afraid to use, or even abuse certain advantages you have," Merula said. "I knew there was something different about your aura."
"You can read my aura?" Harry asked.
"It took me years to fine-tune it, but yes, I can," Merula said. "And I know you have a fae bonded to you. And she's been helping you."
Nora waved casually at Merula.
"Granted, you have to have a trained eye to figure this out," Merula said. "You have an advantage which you should use and abuse."
"I wish my eyes were like Moody's magical ones," Harry said.
"Granted," Nora said.
"And I wish anyone who I don't want to know about my vision being fixed, still sees me wearing glasses."
Nora snapped her fingers. Harry tested his new vision on Merula and tested his new ability. Merula cleared her throat.
"Don't get too distracted by your new gift," Merula said. "Especially by checking me out."
"And you're getting a bit flustered yourself," Harry said. "Those are cute."
"Behave yourself, Potter," Merula warned him.
And without any warning, Merula attacked. Harry blocked her spell. He dodged the knife instead of using a shield charm and more spells had been fired off.
None of Merula's previous tactics seemed to work against Harry. She barely avoided getting caught in a full body bind. This forced Merula to vary up her attacks.
"Go for it, Harry!" Cassie cheered.
"Yes, knock her down a peg," Astra said.
Merula watched as Harry switched to using his wand with his left hand while trying to fire some spells with his right hand. It was awkward and clunky.
"Oh, I think the most powerful witch is about to find herself on her knees," Tonks said with a grin.
"Not yet!"
Merula released an Arctic blast spell which caused Harry to be literally frozen in place.
It took a few minutes for him to thawn out.
"I wish I wasn't affected by extreme cold or extreme heat," Harry said.
Harry viewed Merula and waited for another attack, but it never came.
"I still think you are damn lucky that Voldemort's an arrogant bastard," Merula said. "But, you're learning. And remember what you've learned today. Don't rely on your sight either. And use all of your advantages. We aren't playing nice. We're in a war."
Harry kept his eyes on Merula as she walked off. She smiled approvingly at Harry not turning his back on her.
"You'll get her," Astra said. "I can't believe her."
"Oh, you'll get used to it," Cassie said.
Harry reflected on what he learned today and replayed all of Merula's tantics in his head. He began to formulate a further battle strategy.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Harry?"
Harry finished the potion he was working on under the watchful eye of the lovely Ms. Penny Haywood. An afternoon made Harry feel more comfortable and enjoy Potions a lot more than he had for four years underneath the not at all lovely, Mr. Severus Snape.
Today, Harry finished a Calming Draught. Lavender was joining them.
"That Potions would have been a lot more enjoyable if it was not taught by a sour, bitter greasebat of a teacher?" Harry asked Lavender.
"Exactly," Lavender said. "I would have liked Penny as my teacher more than Snape. She explains everything so much better…she doesn't go like…."
Lavender cleared her throat.
"Instructions are on the blackboard," Lavender said in her most Snape voice possible. "You have one hour. And I'm not going to swoop over you like an overgrown bat and make you all nervous. Especially you Mr. Longbottom. Oh, you can't do anything right. Well, that's not my fault, is it? Perhaps I can threaten to poison your toad, because I'm a bitter arse."
Harry smiled and double checked his Potion.
"I would have rather had Penny as my teacher, other than Snape," Harry said.
"She's much prettier than Snape," Lavender said.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Penny moved in.
"I would have heated that a degree hotter for a minute longer, but it's an admirable attempt," Penny said. "Professor Snape soured your experience, and we have to work past that. I don't deny his knowledge, but I think that even Snape would admit he's not cut out for teaching. I know the son of Lily Evans has it in him."
"I'm very pleased with this," Harry said. "But, I've been reading one of my mother's potions journals and she's offered a lot of good advice."
"Oh, if only Snape taught the basics instead of just throwing us all in the deep end," Lavender said. "The Slytherins likely learned them. And Hermione inhales every book she touches, so she doesn't have any problems..
"May I see that journal, Harry?" Penny asked. "It's okay if you don't, it's your mother's, but I…"
"Here, you can look at it," Harry said, amused by the eager look on Penny's face.
Penny Haywood squeed with delight when taking the journal in her hand.
"This is amazing, extraordinary, and she could have been remarkable," Penny said. "If only she lived…your life would have been a lot better, but a lot of lives would have been a lot better. In fact, if she finished this research, we would have had a cure for Lycanthropy by now."
"Really?" Harry asked.
"Mmm, hmm," Penny said in agreement. "Wolfsbane helps werewolves keep their mind during the full moon. Although, the ingredients are expensive and some of them are unique for that particular potion."
"Didn't the cost of those ingredients rise when the Wolfsbane came out?" Lavender asked.
"Yes," Penny agreed. "And most werewolves cannot keep steady employment. Thankfully, my mother has access to the ingredients, so I'm able to make Chiara's potion every month."
Harry wondered if he could learn how to make Wolfsbane. Or maybe conclude his mother's research on a cure.
"If I knew these basics, I would have had a better time in Potions," Harry said.
"And if you had a less bitter teacher," Lavender said.
"I learned Potions practically at my mother's knee," Penny said. "I'm thinking your mother would have done the same. I got the sense Snape really didn't want to be teaching. And given the past between Snape and your parents…his attitude didn't improve any."
Penny sugarcoated it a bit, although Harry understood.
"I want to be a teacher," Penny said. "Dumbledore's happy with Snape though."
"Yeah, for some baffling reason," Lavender said. "Parvati's mother applied the same time Snape did, when Horace Slughorn retired, and Snape received the job over her."
"Snape was Dumbledore's spy in Voldemort's camp," Harry said. "Dumbledore has a nasty habit of keeping his assets close."
"No offense, but he did a good job cultivating Hagrid's loyalty to him over the years," Lavender said. "Having a half-giant attack dog willing to ride or die with you…well Dumbledore's done a good job. Still, we would have been much better off if Preeti got the post over Snape."
"Ooh, right, I heard about that, my mother worked with Preeti Patil and she was upset she missed out on the job," Penny said.
"And also prettier than Snape," Lavender said.
"Important that you bring up that fact?" Harry asked.
"Oooh, yes," Lavender said.
"She's another one of my inspirations," Penny said. "She would have been a good Potions teacher."
"I wish she was the teacher and not Snape," Lavender murmured.
"Me too," Harry said "Either Penny or Preeti, or both."
Harry remembered what Andromeda said about the teachers being either overworked or incompetent. Until now, Harry never really thought about how the core teachers managed seven years worth of lessons. While double lessons helped, there was still some wonky math involved to try and get it to work.
"We should get onto the next Potion," Penny said. "Chiara told me this is a potion you are unfortunately acquainted with. Skel-gro."
"Occlumency is the protection of your thoughts from external threats."
Harry sat down. Relaxing music played, with scented candles surrounding them. Harry took several deep breaths and calmed himself.
"There's many schools of thought on how to do this," Cassie explained. "Some might tell you to clear your mind. Like a floor which has to be swept away."
Cassie frowned deeply.
"I'm not at all fond of this particular method," Cassie said. "You need to organize your thoughts, make sense of them and create a defense. It is something that will discourage anyone who tries to interpret your thoughts to think twice about them."
"How?" Harry asked.
"I'm going to open my mind to you, just enough for you to enter it," Cassie said. "Relax. And do."
Harry stared into Cassie's eyes. He found himself pulled into her thoughts. And into an endless maze. There had been many twists, turns, and dead ends. And yet a whole lot of nothing around any corner. Harry felt his heart beating as he tried to reach the center of the maze.
And then he pulled out, head throbbing slightly. And Harry heard some whispers.
"That's my mindscape," Cassie said. "It took me years to perfect. But it was worth it."
The whispers of everyone in the house could be heard in Harry's head. And then, Harry heard the whispers of everyone in the neighborhood. It took Harry some time to realize that these were not whispers, they're thoughts. And like radio stations being rapidly tuned in, Harry tried to lock onto them.
"Harry?" Cassie asked.
"I can hear…thoughts!" Harry yelled.
"Oh, shit," Cassie said. "I didn't expect that to happen. Close your eyes…breath in and out. Bring yourself back to your mind. Try and mute them…nice and slowly."
Harry found the thoughts lessening and lessening until it was gone.
"What happened?" Harry asked.
"You're a natural Leglimens," Cassie said. "And a very powerful one. Just keep breathing and relax. Pull yourself back from the scope of minds you've locked into. I'm not sure how far you went."
"It kept increasing before I pulled back."
"So like a camera zooming out, the scope got wider," Cassie said.
"I felt my girls the strongest," Harry said. "The ones I've…I've bonded with. Although they were kind of garbled and I only made out snippets."
"That's because you're the closest to them, therefore you have a connection already to them," Cassie said. "As your mind gets even stronger, you'll be able to zero on certain people and find them."
Cassie offered Harry a drink of water and he took it.
"Now, relax and prepare to defend yourself," Cassie said. "Treat me like I'm Snape or Dumbledore as I try to invade your mind."
It was a slight, subtle nudge, but Harry could feel her easing in. Harry decided to push back and bombard Cassie with a never ending stream of traumatic thoughts. The air chilled around them as Harry focused on how the Dementors made him feel.
Suddenly, a flood of Cassie's traumatic experiences hit her at once. She screamed when a certain image in the Forbidden Forest played out. Terror and uncertainty gripped her.
"Rowan," Cassie murmured. "No!"
Harry could only keep it up for a minute before he collapsed. The Dementor Auror faded as Harry laid on the ground, breathing and sweaty.
"Well, I told you to treat me like I was Snape or Dumbledore," Cassie said weakly. "Although, we have to work on shielding yourself from that attack."
Cassie reached into her bag and broke a large bar of chocolate in half. She handed half of it to Harry and took half of it herself.
"So, what can you tell me about Patricia Rakepick?"
This caused Cassie to almost choke on her chocolate.
"She was my mentor," Cassie said. "I learned a lot from her. We had a very complicated relationship. And she warned me not to trust anyone especially her, and it bit me still, when she betrayed me and my friends during my fifth year at Hogwarts."
"She betrayed you?" Harry asked.
"Power drives people mad," Cassie said. "And absolute power corrupts absolutely. Obsession drove her around the bend. And she was far from the only one. She wasn't the person I thought she was. The person I wished she was. Then again, neither was my father."
Harry realized that was a sensitive subject and decided not to press the issue.
"Why did you want to know?" Cassie asked.
"My parents chose her to be my guardian, after my godfather and godmother," Harry said. "She's not dead, is she?"
"No, in Azkaban," Cassie said. "After we caught her in the Sunken Vault. The last of the Cursed Vaults. I thought about leaving her there. Trapping her there. A fate worse than death. Even worse than Azkaban."
Cassie sighed and took another piece of chocolate. She offered Harry one as well.
"She murdered my best friend," Cassie said.
"Rowan?" Harry asked.
"Yes, you heard that scream," Cassie said. "That night was weird when I go back on it and I've gone back with it a million times, everything that happened just feels off. I was in the Forbidden Forest, with Merula, and another friend of ours, Ben Copper. When, the Dementors attacked us. And Rakepick, she chased them off with the Patronus Spell before attacking us. She aimed the Killing Curse. She meant to hit Ben, because she claimed one of my friends had to die to prove a point. And Rowan ran in and took the curse. It was all so quick."
Cassie breathed deeply.
"All so quick," Cassie said with a sigh. "Rakepick was shocked at what happened. And she fled before any of us could react. I couldn't believe it. Rowan was dead. My best friend since Diagon Alley. And Rakepic killed her."
"It happens so quickly, that Killing Curse," Harry said. "Alive one minute, dead the next."
"Just like Cedric," Cassie murmured.
Harry put a hand on hers and nodded.
"Exactly," Harry said.
"She went to Azkaban," Cassie said. "I didn't have the nerve. The spine to kill her. Or trap her in the Cursed Vault. Maybe…deep down I thought it was an accident. Maybe she was manipulated by someone. Rowan rushing in there like she did, never made any sense either."
"That's the last time you saw her, in the Sunken Vault?" Harry asked.
"No," Cassie said. "One time…I took a trip to Azkaban, to interrogate a prisoner, a member of this cabal of dark wizards that we had been dealing with. Rakepick was a part of it, along with my father…and others."
"Your father?" Harry asked her.
"Yes, he was…the leader," Cassie said, even if it pained her to do so. "There was a security breach in Azkaban, and…Rakepick had me, had my wand. And she was going to break out, saying I didn't understand. But maybe someday I would understand why she had to do this. She was distracted by this dog barking. I never understood why there was a dog barking in Azkaban."
There could only be one person who could be behind that, Harry figured.
"Sirius," Harry murmured.
"What?" Cassie asked.
"My godfather, he's an Animagus, he can turn into a dog," Harry told her. "That's how he kept his sanity."
"Well he saved my arse that day, so next time you see him, thank him for me," Cassie said. "I'm not sure how much your parents knew about Rakepick's quest for the vaults. Everyone who went after them, they're haunted by them. My brother, Rakepick, others. It took a long time for Merula and me to get our lives back together."
Cassie sighed and decided to take some more chocolate.
"I was in denial for a long time," Cassie said. "Maybe she was coerced into doing it? But, I don't know. And I'm afraid to find out the truth. She's not all bad, but she had been driven mad by those vaults."
"She did kill your best friend," Harry said.
"Not intentionally," Cassie admitted.
"Although she was aiming to kill someone else, this Ben, right?" Harry asked.
"Yes," Cassie agreed. "You've…given me a lot to think about. I really haven't thought about this for years. I thought I moved on, but…there's still unanswered questions about that night, I avoided. Your parents must have seen something into Rakepick to trust her with you. Although, I wonder if she knew."
"The will never was read," Harry said.
Cassie rose up and had a far-off look in her eyes. And she closed her eyes. Harry sensed she was reflecting on the night her friend, Rowan, was killed in the Forbidden Forest.
Although that really blew another hole in the entire, Hogwarts was totally safe narrative that people were fed. Not that Harry was lacking experiences of his own to debunk that narrative.
"Sorry," Harry said.
"It's not your fault," Cassie said. "Tell Sirius I said thanks if you see him again. Take a break. Merula's going to come in even harder next round."
Cassie kissed Harry on the cheek and took her bag before walking upstairs. She looked to be in a daze.
"I feel like there's something missing," Cassie murmured. "I'm not remembering something."
But she was gone before she said something else. Harry decided to start meditating to try and relax his mind.
Harry flipped over some of his mother's notes. Some of these spells she invented were extremely nasty. Perfect to use on Death Eaters whenever he encountered them next.
"Yes, thank you, I'll see you on noon on Wednesday," Petunia said over the phone before hanging up. "Mr. Daggett called me back. My father warned me about Vernon. I was too up my own arse to listen."
"Well you're learning," Harry murmured. "Ooh, Sectumsempra, that sounds violent. Mum's kind of vindictive with the spells she invented."
The phone rang again and Petunia answered it.
"Yes?" Petunia asked. "Oh ,hello, Doctor Granger. Yes, he's right here, just a second."
Harry walked over and handed the phone.
"Hello, Charlotte," Harry said.
"How are you, Harry?' Charlotte asked.
"I'm fine," Harry said. "Just dealing with a lot right now."
"I've been there," Charlotte said. "And I'm really sorry the other night. I'm dealing with so much, and what you told me about Hermione, it was just the straw that broke the camel's back."
"I'd like to make a dental appointment," Harry said.
"Okay," Charlotte said. "I can pencil you in for three o'clock on Thursday."
"I'll see you then," Harry said. "Don't let your husband or the outlaws get you down."
Charlotte laughed.
"I think you mean the in-laws," Charlotte murmured.
"I know what I said," Harry said. "See you then, Doctor."
Harry put the phone down. Lavender eyed him.
"Going to the dentist?" Lavender asked. "Is that what they're calling it now?"
Harry snickered.
"Hermione's father and her grandparents really does explain a lot about how she is the way she is," Lavender said.
"It really does," Astra agreed as she came down to get a snack and look at Lily's journal. "Sectumsempra? That's a nasty one. And Snape's a nasty one for claiming that one as his own. But, not surprising."
"Snape claimed he invented that one," Harry said.
"Yes," Astra said. "I wouldn't be surprised if he used a lot of Aunt Lily's ideas and claimed them to be his own."
Well, Harry already had more than enough reasons to hate Snape. So why not add another to the pile.
"I feel really bad for Hermione's mother," Lavender said.
"As you should," Petunia said. "She works hard and has to deal with those…people."
Petunia only met Joyce and Michael Granger once and that was more than enough. She thought Vernon's parents were judgmental.
And yet, Petunia ignored those warning signs because she wanted to be normal.
"I really wish that Charlotte had the nerve to finally drop David," Harry murmured.
Before Harry could reflect on potential consequences of that idle comment, Harley's scream from the sitting room brought Harry's attention in. He, along with Astra, Lavender, and Nora rushed in to check on what was going on.
Hedwig was back. She looked agitated, with blood covering her body. And along with a couple of letters, Hedwig had the pieces of what appeared to be a drone.
"Hedwig, what happened?" Harry asked.
Hedwig responded with an indnigant sound and inclined her head in Nora's understood.
"I wish you could tell me what happened."
To Be Continued.