DISCLAIMER! This Harry Potter story was written for fun. All rights belong to the wonderful lady (JK Rowling) who gave the world Harry Potter to read and enjoy. New Movie is coming in April! Hurrah! Yeah, for Fanfiction – a great place to stretch your imagination and enjoy someone else's creativity too! The is the sequel to The Potter Cartouche.
WARNING: No Ships in this story! Someone always sends hate mail if I do slash or a pairing that they don't approve of. For heaven's sake folks (Merlin's sake), if you don't like it, go write a story and share it on FanFiction.
In the previous chapter: remember that when Barty Crouch, Sr. arranged for the illegal execution of the Death Eaters who were imprisoned in Azkaban, Unspeakable #42 noticed that the wizard was under the imperious curse. The DOM examined Crouch and discovered that the Dark Lord was the wizard who cast the spell on Barty, Sr. so they cast a spell or placed a charm on the wizard's magical core that if anyone cast the Avada Kedavra at him, his magical core would explode and destroy everything and everyone around him with fire.
Chapter 22 Good News and BadCHANGE SCENE: Heir Black and Sirius BlackWith all of Magical Britain focused on the latest news from Hogwarts about Harry Potter, Andromeda moved to have her distant cousin, Colin Creevey, recognized as Heir Black, the heir of current Lord Sirius Black. With the permission of Marius Creevey (Black), and Gringotts, Andromeda petitioned Gringotts to perform the tests that would prove the eldest wizard in the Creevey family, thirteen-year-old Colin, was Heir Black with his siblings, Dennis, Marie, and Joy recognized as children of the house. Once Gringotts recognised the children as being members of House Black, they gained the vaults, protections and responsibilities of heirs and heiresses. Gringotts acknowledged that through Marius, his son, and his grandson, the male line of the Black family continued uninterrupted. And most importantly, Marius appointed his great-niece Andromeda Tonks as regent, with all powers and responsibilities.
With rings for Colin, Dennis and the girls, Andromeda decided to ask Heir Potter for protections for all the Creevey family members in some form of medallion or ring. The family would move to a pleasant county estate managed and maintained by several excited house-elves. And that same day at Gringotts, another elf appeared with tears in her eyes. Distressed to see the little elf crying, Joy and Marie immediately hugged her and declared that 'Winky' would sleep in their new room. Mrs Creevey welcomed the elf into their family while Mr Creevey and his grandfather talked about vaults and their muggle work with the goblins.
SCENERY CHANGE: Guardians for Sirius Black
Becoming Regent for the Black family, meant that Andromeda could formalize her guardianship of Sirius Black with the Ministry for Magic. Sirius remained confined at a small estate in France while Harry Potter's gold and the Black family's vaults paid for the care provided by the goblins and their human employees, but Andromeda wanted the legal protections of being a second guardian. The grim played with wizards dressed in bright muggle clothes (nothing black) who threw red balls to chase all day until he was exhausted. When he turned back into his human form, goblin caretakers made certain he had his favourite foods, books, and cards. There were very occasional visitors including his cousin Andromeda who talked with Sirius about his memories and brought him pictures of his friends from his years at Hogwarts. (The magical photos were edited by eradicating Peter Pettigrew from each one.)
There were days when Sirius was lucid for several hours but then he would slip into delirium in his human form and rage at the Dark Lord, Peter Pettigrew, and Albus Dumbledore before transforming into the grim. The giant dog would race around the estate along paths worn into the lawn and woods through the woods for an hour or more before collapsing somewhere outside and sleeping for another hour or more. Then the Grim would rise and look for a companion to throw his ball or provide him with food and water.
The caretakers, potions, and regular healers required for Black's care were expensive, but Potter's endless bags of gold guaranteed the Grim's future would remain secure.
SLIGHT SCENE CHANGE: Grimmauld Place
That first day of her regency, while Gringotts filed with notifications with the Ministry, Andromeda ordered Gringotts to enter and determine if Grimmauld Place could be refurbished or if it needed to be dismantled.
"And the library – all the dark books are to be stored in iron trunks in the vaults here at Gringotts – until we have time to go through them."
The cleaning crew consisting of goblins and wizards, removed paintings, carpets, antique furniture, and artefacts. The curse breakers summoned Ironstream when they discovered a 'soul jar' in the house, and what's more, the artefact contained two pieces of the wizard, 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named'.
The artefact was placed into yet another cold iron box and taken to the elders in Gringotts until Yule when a ritual would end the soul. Ironstream, advisor to King Ragnock now, wrote excited letters to Heir Potter, Heir Black, Madam Bones, and Great and Less Evil Tonks.
SCENE CHANGE: ConversationsAfter three days of discussions within Slytherin, two of the fourth-year students went to speak with Heir Potter. The entire house wanted peace with a fourteen-year-old Master of Runes who broke all the laws of magic, and they hoped to learn from him. And so, Theodore Nott and Daphne Greengrass waited in the hallway leading to the library for the opportunity to approach the powerful wizard. He was in the company of his clique from Gryffindor with the strange Lovegood witch with them as well. The article in the Quibbler proved the young woman had sense and made several people reconsider their opinion of her odd behaviour.
When Nott asked for the chance to speak with Potter, Neville Longbottom joined them and suggested that the four of them use an empty classroom to talk. With the door left open and several portraits, two ghosts and one determined looking elf present, Theo Nott stated that Slytherin House wished to have peace with Gryffindor with no further battles or insults traded in the hallways. Neville smiled and waited to see how Harry handled the suggestion.
"That sounds like a great idea, Nott, but why do you think the other students…the older Gryffindors will listen to me?"
Theodore Nott smiled, something that surprised Daphne and Neville but only pleased Harry. The Slytherin wizard explained, "Heir Potter, you have no idea how much power and influence you hold now in Gryffindor House and in the whole of Hogwarts."
"If you announce that everyone should wear plum-coloured robes like the Wizengamot, almost every student in the school will write home for new robes or pay some other student to charm their robes to be purple."
Harry smirked and replied, "If I did something so foolish, it would diminish this power and influence you say that I have. Then when I really need it, that influence might not be there."
"How did you avoid being sorted in Slytherin?" blurted Daphne.
Harry smiled and replied, "I was under the influence of Weasley that day and had only had terrible interactions with Draco Malfoy who bragged about going into Slytherin. I wanted to stay as far away from Malfoy as possible."
"That sentiment I understand," Theodore said. "Since Draco's expulsion, Slytherin has been much quieter and more studious."
"And I have observed that Professor Sinestra used cunning and planning to get her house in order," Potter added. "She is a great credit as your head of house."
Both Slytherins pursed their lips to hear Potter compliment their head of house in such a way as to insult the memory of Severus Snape.
"Now, do any of the fourth year Slytherins want to join our study group?"
"Are we going to study Runes?" asked Daphne.
MORE CONVERSATIONS: Letters
There were two muggle letters that arrived for Harry ten days after the announcements in the Daily Prophet. The first was from Justin Fletch-Finchley who wrote with his congratulations for the accomplishment and asked if Professor Babbling had forgiven him yet.
'My tutor is amazed and spent an entire session asking questions about you until I reminded the man that her confidentiality and contract requirements prevented her from sharing any information learned in our tutoring sessions. I imagine her friends were displeased that she cannot tell anyone my replies. Best wishes!'
Pleased with the letter from his friend, Harry turned to the second letter and wondered what Hermione Granger would say. His face grew pinched as he read the letter. After the first paragraph, he only skimmed the remaining sentences and folded the letter to the envelope. Dobby filed both letters for his Mr Harry Freshgold Potter, Heir Potter, Master of Runes. Neville asked about the letters and Harry replied that Justin wrote congratulations while Miss Granger accused him of cheating somehow or using his fame to force the Ministry Board of Examinations to award him the title of Master of Runes.
"Well, consider how much more peaceful our year is since she is not here. She would have lectured you up close and personal continuously since the announcement if she was still a student at Hogwarts."
Harry looked at Neville and said, "Remember Greengrass asking if I should have been in Slytherin?
"Yes."
"So how did you not end up in Hufflepuff? You're a loyal friend!"
MORE CHANGES: More Conversations and LettersDeputy Headmistress Longbottom frowned as a house-elf popped into her office with another basket of letters addressed to 'Harry Potter'. These were safe for the boy to open and read. In the first week after the announcement, she had been pleased with the actions of the Aurors as a dozen witches and wizards had been arrested and heavily fined for attempting to send curses or compulsions through the mail addressed to Harry.
Now, the letters leaned toward pleas for help, money, and advice. And there was a growing number that included betrothal agreements for witches, some of whom were small children and others who were in their thirties.
At the urging of Professor Carter, Deputy Headmistress Longbottom arranged a meeting at Hogwarts for Harry Potter with Great Evil and Less Evil Tonks and his Gringotts account manager, Bloodhook. Professor Flitwick inserted himself into the discussion and the adults left Harry very disheartened with Magical Britain.
"So, they really can give their daughters away in a betrothal agreement?" asked Harry looking over the letters. There were three from families with classmates here at Hogwarts including Daphne Greengrass, two girls from Ravenclaw, and one from Molly Weasley for her daughter, Ginevra.
Flitwick added, "Mr Potter, you must never marry a pureblood witch or wizard without an airtight contract that makes you the head of the family. If you marry a pureblood without such a binding agreement in place, your spouse or the spouse's head of house can force you to do as they wish."
"What! Is that real?" Harry asked Andromeda.
"It is but you're not obligated to any of these agreements, Harry," Andromeda assured him. "And worse, this is solely the providence of fathers – the daughters are not consulted about these matters. Miss Greengrass probably doesn't know her father made this offer."
"How do I politely tell them to stuff the paper up their backsides?" asked Harry. Ted snickered though his wife did not react.
"Ted will draft the appropriate letters for your signature and we will personally deliver them to each wizard so there can be no question about your declining their offer," Andromeda said.
"And I shall accompany them with my battle axe on my back," declared Bloodhook. "As your account manager, all details of your future marriage are my concern." The goblin grinned and added, "If anyone challenges you to a duel, let me act as your champion. I haven't killed a wizard yet in my battles."
"I am first to be being Mr Potter's champion," announced Flitwick. "I was his professor before you wormed your way into his gold."
"He is to be name father for my pup who hatches in just a year!" declared Bloodhook. "His wedding gift for my bride sits in a place of honour in King Ragnock's throne cavern!"
"Goblins! Goblins!" Augusta called them to attention. "There will be plenty of duels fought in the coming years as Heir Potter makes his mark on Magical Britain. You will blood your axes more than once."
SCENE CHANGE: The First Task Seen from AfarAlbus Dumbledore remained befuddled as the first two weeks of November passed. No one paid him any attention so long as he delivered a lecture each Sunday in October and November on some topic from the list Augusta provided when the year began. His lecture on the Tri-Wizard Tournament was his most successful with the most questions asked by students of all ages. He'd also spoken on dragon's blood, moonstones in potions and rituals (hadn't that put the curl in Bennet's bonnet!), and the lore of wand cores from various magical animals.
But there'd been little to no lasting interest in the Tri-Wizard Tournament's first task that was coming up in four days, the Yule Ball (wizards attending the Ptolemaic School certainly weren't interested in any Christian holidays), or the other tasks. Undeterred, Albus Dumbledore approached Headmaster Bennet with the idea of an excursion for any interested student(s) to attend the First Task in Alexandria on Thursday, 24 November.
"Professor Dumbledore, I do not think this is an appropriate 'field trip' for any of our students. Even the seventh-year students working with the care of magical creatures won't go."
"I am certain that some of our outstanding students – such as Harry Potter – would be interested in attending."
"Harry's a fourth-year student. He can't travel to Alexandria alone.
"Oh, I would go…and Hagrid. Our groundskeeper would enjoy seeing the dragons as much as anyone."
"No."
Frustrated, Dumbledore replied, "Don't dismiss my idea so completely. Present it to the other faculty members and poll their opinions."
Realising the headmaster's manipulation, Bennet replied, "As today is the staff meeting, let's do that."
After the first fifteen minutes of the meeting, Albus retreated to his office – no one supported the idea – not even Remus Lupin who owed everything to Dumbledore. Augusta had hexed him when he mentioned possibly taking Harry Potter to view the task.
The deputy headmistress spoke sternly when she said, "Your time as Mr Potter's guardian proved you did not care for the boy and now you want to take him into the dangerous venue of that blasted tournament! As Merlin is my witness, keep your hands off Heir Potter or you'll be in another DMLE cell!"
Sitting in his office, Dumbledore considered how to move forward. His thoughts were dark, 'I must regain Potter's trust. Someday Tom Riddle will return. Bones won't find all the relics, and someone will open one up and Riddle will return."
"I must take a long-term approach and capture his interest first. Then I can gain his trust again," he muttered. Summoning his hat and cape, Dumbledore went in search of Rubeus Hagrid in his hut or field where he held the Care of Magical Creatures class.
"Hagrid! Good day!"
"Professor Dumbledore! Hello! Hello!"
"Hagrid, I have a proposal for you."
"What, Professor?"
"I believe that you and I should attend the first task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament in Alexandria this week."
"Alex…ain't that city far away?"
"It is. Alexandria is a city on the far eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea. But I know you'll be interested because the tournament is using dragons in the first task."
The half giant's eyes grew wide as he asked, "Dragons, Professor? Real dragons?"
Smiling congenially, Dumbledore said, "Yes, Hagrid. There will be real dragons there from different dragon preserves and you can see them. If we go tomorrow, that will give you two days to study the dragons and talk with the dragon keepers before you see them in action on Thursday."
"How can we travel so far?" asked Hagrid.
"A portkey…we'll travel in stages to someplace such as Sicily and then Cyprus before arriving in Egypt."
"I'll go with ye, Professor but will Headmaster Bennet allow us to go?" asked the grounds keeper anxiously.,
"Of course," Dumbledore replied. "Let's go speak to him now."
With some reluctance, Headmaster Bennet gave permission for Hagrid and Dumbledore to be absent for a week to travel, visit, and then return while attending the first task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. The morning they were to leave from Hogwarts, Bennet made a portkey that would take them to London where they would take an international portkey to Sicily. Studying Bennet's portkey for a moment, Dumbledore thought he would duplicate it later. Hagrid carried a large pack on his back and the headmaster emeritus carried his pack in a shrunken trunk in a pocket.
Harry Potter was one of the few students gathered to see the pair off and Dumbledore thought it bode well for his long-term plans, but Harry's only concern was to make certain that Hagrid knew the dragons were dangerous.
"Don't be worried none, now, Harry," Hagrid assured the wizard. "I'll be fine."
On 22 November, there was a small article on page 5 of the Daily Prophet about the tournament in Alexandria (and the reporter misspelt the names of all three schools in the short article). There wasn't any mention of the two faculty members from Hogwarts attending the first task.
There were no articles in the newspapers concerning the first task for three days. On 25 November, there were hints that some disaster had occurred and that details would be forthcoming in the next day's edition. His face grim, Harry sat thinking, 'I should have made a ring for Hagrid. Something to protect him. Can people who are half-giants be protected by regular magic?'
In the 26 November edition of the Daily Prophet, there were a few photos of the first two contestants retrieving the golden eggs from the nests of mother dragons. The wizard from Durmstrang used his broom to swoop in and grab the egg while transfigured sheep kept the mother distracted. Her flames did set his robes on fire and his broom was a complete loss though his injuries were minor (hair could be regrown in just two days with a regime of potions). The second contestant, a beautiful witch from Beauxbatons, used charms to put the dragon to sleep and simply walked up to lift the egg from the nest. However, the witch's allure (pheromones) apparently work the mother and triggered her protective instincts, and the girl barely survived an attack that left her with broken arms and legs. The third contestant triggered a disaster and massacre.
The wizard from the Ptolemaic School of Sorcery approached the dragon, a Hungarian Horntail, with his wand out, casting spell after spell at the dragon. The reporter's story noted that no one recognized the spells the wizard cast, and they only aggravated the magical beast until one spell ricocheted off the rocks around the dragon and struck her nest, destroying her eggs. In a rage, the dragon broke her chains and rampaged through the stadium for almost twenty minutes until someone finally cast the killing curse and put her down. The Daily Prophet reported that the author of the article had suffered severe burns over eighty percent of her body and died shortly after filing the story.
"What about Hagrid?" Harry asked. None of his friends had more information, of course, so he went to Professor Carter who promised to ask Headmaster Bennet to inquire. Not willing to wait, Harry wrote a quick letter and sent it to Bloodhook via Dobby asking if Gringotts had more information.
Dobby returned with a promise from Bloodhook to send the news as he collected it. With some Freshgold as payment (bribes) and permission from King Ragnock, Bloodhook was able to gather a bit of information over the course of the day. The magical authorities in Egypt were calling the first task a complete disaster with half of the ancient school in ruins, and close to seven hundred wizards and witches dead or severely injured. In the official report, the magical government of Egypt estimated the number of muggles killed was in excess of two thousand and the Aurors in Egypt managed to blame the destruction of the docks and the surrounding warehouse district of the city on an explosion of liquid natural gas in a ship in the port. (Gringotts estimated the actual number of dead wizards to be close to three thousand and the number of dead muggles to be in excess of ten thousand.)
Dumbledore reappeared at Hogwarts on 27 November, no worse for wear but without any news on the whereabouts or condition of Rubeus Hagrid. In the Great Hall, Harry Potter stood before the staff table and asked, "Where is Hagrid, Professor Dumbledore?"
"I don't know my boy. We were separated in the confusion of the fire," Albus replied. "It was so confusing in Alexandria, I thought it better to depart."
"You didn't stay to help? You're a powerful wizard…you could have banished collapsed walls, helped transport the injured students and spectators! Why did you choose to run away and leave Hagrid behind?" Harry demanded to know with a voice that grew louder.
Dumbledore expected some member of the faculty to chide the young wizard for speaking in a disrespectful tone to the headmaster emeritus but none of the other adults in the room did. In fact, they began asking questions about how he left the scene of the disaster without permission from the local Aurors, and Pomona and Flitwick particularly wanted to know why didn't he stay to help?
A few days later, Headmaster Bennet and Professor Carter met with Harry privately and told him that the Egyptian Aurors reported Hagrid as one of the casualties in the fire.
Bennet explained, "Your friend died shielding four students with his body. The students survived and returned to Beauxbatons two days later."
Harry sighed and said, "That sounds like something that Hagrid would do."
There was a memorial service for Hagrid on the grounds of the school that Harry attended with his owl, Hedwig though few people understood the significance of her presence.
At the next Sunday lecture by Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter did not attend. He spent the afternoon working with Professor Carter to arrange for Hagrid's menagerie of pets to be transported to new homes. Fang, Hagrid's large dog, was treated for all forms of muggle canine diseases and declared healthy before he was sent to join a Grim in the French countryside.
End of Chapter
