Harry Potter and The Chronicle of Lord Black

by Lord of mystics

Harry Potter did not knew about his heritage and when he ascended to the Wizengamot, he made fun of himself for a few times for not knowing the procedures of the governing body of Wizarding Britain when he approached one person who could help him learn the rules of the Wizarding World and may be together, they could heal each other. Starts at the end of the Battle of Hogwarts. Non-

5. Chapter 5

Tonks' Residence

Standing in the doorway with little Teddy in her arms was Daphne Greengrass. He was surprised for a moment to see her there. He hadn't expected that she would find time for Andromeda and Teddy however he was not sure about how to deal with her.

"Who is it Daphne?", asked Andromeda who had just appeared at Daphne's shoulder.

Harry took Teddy from Daphne and proceeded inside the house to play with his godson. He remembered where Teddy's Nursery was and took him to his crib. He tried to entertain the toddler he started conjuring bubbles from his wand which he seemed to be following excitedly.

He also tried to talk to the toddler in child like voice but it was clear that that Teddy's attention was on the bubbles and not on whatever Harry was saying.

Outside Andromeda and Daphne were puzzled by his behavior. Daphne knew Harry by seeing him walking in the halls of Hogwarts for 6 years and from what Malfoy had rambled about him in the common room but that was the extent of it. Malfoy always got so insufferable about Potter this and Potter that whenever Potter pulled one on him. She knew their enmity was legendary by the standard of Hogwarts and since Potter was the champion of light Draco tried to posture as if he was the champion of the dark but that was his delusion. When Draco arrived at Hogwarts he was respected only out of fear of his father who was a cruel wizard and had the Minister of Magic in his grasp. However he seemed to gather a following around him in the next 6 years yet he had fallen apart under the pressure which was 6th year. With his father in jail and the duty given by Voldemort to assassinate Dumbledore, Draco had seen what he was in for. She had also heard about the 6th floor bathroom fight where Potter had mortally injured Malfoy and it was only due to Professor Snape's intervention that he had survived.

"What he has got in him?", asked Andromeda however the question was rhetorical. She didn't really expected Daphne to answer that question but Daphne started speaking what her thought on the matter was, "I don't know Andromeda. I don't even claim to know him to be able to tell you what it is with him. I guess the only people who would know are Weasley and Granger. In all my 6 years, I haven't seen him with anyone other than those two and occasionally Longbottom. He is really an enigma because none of us know him."

Andromeda nodded, "Remus once told me that he is kind of very private person and even when he knew that Remus was one of his father's closest friends, he didn't try to get to know Remus more or know about his parents or his family. Also I have heard that his life was far from pleasant so he kind of doesn't want others to know about it."

Daphne was speculative, "You know we all grew up hearing about the boy-who-lived since we were little?" Andromeda nodded, "Yes. I knew James Potter because he was Sirius's best mate and they used to come around at times. When you-know-who fell for the first time, Harry was taken into hiding though no one knew where. Overnight the legend of boy-who-lived was born with a line of products being sold with that name. It is but logical that children in your generation and below grew up knowing the legend."

Daphne replied, "Right! So we knew about this legend and we knew he was about our age. When I heard on the Hogwarts Express that Harry Potter was coming to Hogwarts with us, I was excited to see him like other first years. When we actually saw him, we were disappointed. Many of us wanted to know more about him but he kind of closed himself off against others. Then I guess it didn't help that every year he was in some new controversy."

Suddenly the door opened and Harry came out with Teddy in his arms and bawling. Harry looked frantic and said worriedly, "Mrs. Tonks, I did nothing. He just kind of started crying and would not stop crying no matter what I did."

Andromeda chuckled, "Don't worry Harry. He is hungry, that's all. Give him to me."

Harry handed Teddy to her and she brought a bottle of milk from the kitchen and stared to feed the child who immediately went quit as he eagerly sucked on the bottle.

Andromeda left them in-charge of the toddler to run some errand while they were here.

Harry was excitedly watching Teddy drinking milk while he said nothing. Daphne kept waiting for him to say something but was not sure if he was willingly or deliberately avoiding Daphne. He was just making weird faces at Teddy who was watching him in attention and when he was in the mood, he would change his hair colour to their amusement.

When the silence became heavy on both of them Daphne decided to break the ice. She asked him in very low voice as if she were afraid of enraging him, "So Potter, how life is going for you?"

Harry took a deep breath before he started answering her question, "I had thought that with Voldemort.." Before he could finish his sentence, Daphne shuddered at Voldemort's name irritating him and he snapped, "What is with you all? Why can't you say his name? It is just a stupid name after all."

Daphne snapped back, "May be because not everyone is as brave as you or as fool as you, Potter. May be because he wrecked such havoc in our lives, on our relatives that we can't resist it?"

Harry mellowed a little at his chastisement, "What do you mean?"

She however had not calmed, "Leave it, Potter. You are apparently too high and mighty to care about others."

Harry was still calm, "I am sorry for snapping at you. It is just that it was a stupid name and made one at that. I never understood why people feared him name when fearing the name was what fuelled his fear. I can understand fearing Voldemort himself but why to fear his name?"

Daphne had calmed by now, "Sorry for snapping back at you. It is just that I never feared his name before the seventh year but having lost family to him made his fear real for me. I just couldn't control, I guess."

Harry understood she had lost someone in the war, "Whom did you lose?"

She waved him off, "It is no concern to you Potter. I am just thankful that he is gone for good."

Harry nodded and Daphne continued, "What were you saying earlier about you-know-who?"

Harry wanted to correct her again but shrugged. He knew he wouldn't get her to say his name yet, "I had thought that with Voldemort gone I would have a peaceful life but it looks far from it."

Daphne asked curiously, "Why? I mean you would be the apple of the eyes of the wizarding world right now. Everyone wants to be seen with the chosen-one."

Harry said curtly, "Can you please not use any of the silly monikers for me? They have given me nothing but grief all my life."

She nodded, "Alright but explain what you meant?"

Harry wondered why he was telling her so much. May be because he wanted to talk to someone his age and his best friends were not here. He decided to tread cautiously about what he told Daphne, "I thought that I would be able to live my life as an Auror without people troubling me every now and then with him dead. I have had very dangerous life these past years with everything happening around me and I figured I deserved some peace at last. It turns out that Voldemort's death was only the start of a new phase in my life."

She nodded, "His death is indeed the start of a new age in the wizarding world, Potter. With him, all that he stood for is gone. His followers who were once the elite of the wizarding world are either dead, in prison or on the run. What is left behind is the ashes of once happening society which we need to rebuild while we pick up our lives."

He nodded, "Kingsley said something of the sort."

Her eyes widened in surprise, "Kingsley as in Kingsey Shacklebolt, the minister of magic? I didn't know that you were so well connected."

He said dismissively, "We have known each other for a couple of years now, Greengrass. He is a good bloke who can do better for the wizarding world than Scrimgeour and the idiot Fudge."

She noticed the vitriol in his voice when he said Fudge's name, "Looks like you weren't happy with Fudge?"

Harry refused to say anything. It was Fudge who had refused to believe him in 3rd year when Sirius Black escaped Azkaban. It was him who had caused so many deaths by being oblivious to the threats of Voldemort as he was warned again and again by Dumbledore and him.

"I was apprehensive that you both would've brought the house down fighting so I returned as quickly as I could", said Andromeda who had just returned with a shopping bag. When Harry raised an eye-brow she explained, "I had to buy some groceries and some things for Teddy. I figured I should get them while I had the chance. Apparition or Floo travel does sit well with him as of yet. Do you both want tea?"

Daphne could sense Harry's hesitation in talking and decided it was time that she took her leave, "Thank you Andromeda but I must leave now. I have to go to Gringotts to meet my account manager."

As Daphne left, Andromeda turned to him, "So Harry, you just didn't come here to meet Teddy, did you?"

He shook his head, "No. I mean I wanted to see Teddy and spend some time with him but I also wanted your help in redecorating Grimmauld Place. Kingsley had it restored and I was going to see it. I figured I should ask if you'd like to come."

Andromeda was hesitant. Since she had been ousted from the family, she had never met any of her family except Sirius and didn't know how she was supposed to feel about this. On one hand, she never wanted to set a foot again in that house while on other hand she was intrigued.

In the end, her curiosity won, "Alright. Let's go and see it."

She collected Teddy from his crib and they apparated outside Grimmauld Place. The door was still the same and opened with a tap of Harry's wand. There in the dimly lit narrow corridor which led to inner parts of the townhouse, it had been transfigured and made so that two people could go in at once. The magical maintenance crew had also built in more windows so that light and air could flood in the house. That alone had made a lot difference to the otherwise grim and haunted look of the house. The staircase was broader now than before. Harry noticed that the chandelier which used to hang was not there anymore. The basement had been expanded and a cellar which he had never discovered before was stocked with Fire whisky from top to bottom. The kitchen was as bare as they come and the fireplace had been enlarged and there was a jar on the mantel which contained floo powder.

Other rooms upstairs had been improved similarly but there were all bare without anything in them. Harry knew the Death Eaters would have taken a lot of what they could find expensive or valuable but there should have been things which were of no use to them and wouldn't have been destroyed either. He thought perhaps the Magical Maintenance crew had taken them away.

After they had taken a thorough tour of the place, Harry asked her, "So what do you think?"

She replied, "They surely made this house anew however you would need a lot of furnish this place."

He nodded, "I know and I have no idea what goes in it. I was hoping you could help me with it."

She nodded, "I will help you with it however before we try anything, let's attend to the ward book."

He asked confused, "Ward book?"

She nodded, "Every house and manor has a ward book which can control the wards around the place. Even if you haven't studied runes in school you would be able to control the wards due to being the master of the place."

He nodded, "Where can I find this ward book?"

"Call the Head Elf for House of Black. He would know about it."

Harry raised his voice and called, "Kreacher". The ancient elf appeared before him, bowing so low that his nose touched the ground and he croaked, "Master calls for Kreacher?"

"Kreacher, where is the ward book?", he asked.

Kreacher snapped his fingers and a book materialised in his hands which he handed to Harry, "This is the ward book, Master."

He looked in the ward book and noticed that it contained a lot of names. Names of people he had only heard of but most of them were dead now like Bellatrix Lestrange, Wulburga Black, Arcturus Black, Regulus Black, Sirius Black, Druella Rosier and so on. He turned to Andromeda, "What are these names for?"

She explained, "These are the names of those who were allowed entrance in the house. These can be added or removed by the Head of House. If a name is not in here, the said person cannot enter this place."

He exclaimed, "You are also here!"

She smiled sadly, "Yes, as you know I was a Black before marriage. Perhaps Grandfather never had the heart to erase my name out of this book. However we are digressing here. You would need to remove all those names and add those names who you want to give entrance in this house."

He then noticed something else, "Andromeda, the Weasley's name is not here nor is mine or Hermione's or Remus's or any of the members of the Order yet we came and go in this place a lot over the last 3 years."

She nodded, "The wards would have been down the entire time then. The wards of this place are as such that they can't be erected alongside a Fidelius Charm. Sirius would have lowered all of them to keep the Fidelius in place."

He closed the book, "I will see to it later then. For now, I want to keep this place under a Fidelius Charm because I have too many people out there who want me dead. Also there are so many news papers and magazines who want an audience with me."

She chuckled, "As you see fit. What do you want me to do?"

Harry waved his arms around, "This place isn't going to decorate by itself."

She chuckled and turned to Kreacher who was still standing before them, "Kreacher, answer me a few questions."

When Kreacher did not speak, Harry raised an eye-brow and she explained, "Harry, I was banished off the family so he won't listen to me."

Harry turned to Kreacher, "Kreacher, I order you to answer her questions as if you would answer mine."

Longbottom Manor

Neville Longbottom has spent the last few days mostly getting his manor house in shape. It was a stately building which had been damaged badly by the death eaters when Augustra Longbottom had escaped after she had sent John Dawlish to St. Mungo's and had effectively ended his career as an Auror.

The greenhouse which Neville had established in the place before he started at Hogwarts was destroyed beyond redemption would have to be erected anew. All the rare plants in there had been destroyed. The outhouse which was near the greenhouse had been destroyed with its roof having blown away in the middle with what looked like a Killing Curse. This would also have to be built anew. The house however had not been touched and it was mostly whole except for a little damage which he could repair by himself. The wards however were damaged and would have to be restored before Neville ever felt safe in this place again.

He had hired the services of Bill Weasley through Gringotts who had agreed to meet him on Sunday and talk about it. The last week, he had spent being extra vigilant, which was a second habit to him now courtesy of the war. Like his other friends he also had nightmares. It wasn't like he was free of them but he always took care to put some silencing charms around his Gran's rooms so she would not figure out what he was going through.

He had spent most of the nights sleepless and crying for Hannah for whom he had started to have feelings for. She had become intimately familiar to him after he had rescued her from clutches of some of the Slytherins during a night patrol when she was supposed to be patrolling the 6th floor. He had asked the room to provide him a safe passage to the kitchens and the secret way had ended on the 6th floor right where the Slytherins were harassing her. Neville had been feeling vengeful against them due to their attitude towards other students and the zeal with which they had employed themselves in learning the dark arts. They hadn't even hesitated to cast the Torture Curse at their fellow students as young as a first year. When he found them harassing a Prefect, he had stunned them from behind and took her to the Room of Requirement after clearing their memories of the event.

Soon Susan Bones had followed suit and had to be hidden. Her family was influential and the Death Eaters wanted all the purebloods to be subordinate to them. It had been the time when Neville became the de-facto leader of the students and of the resurrected Dumbledore's Army. Soon most of his friends had to be hidden and he had started to worry for their well being when the final battle came.

He had promised himself that when they survived the battle, he would ask her out and begin courting her formally. There was no need to wait anymore when he was sure of his feelings towards her. However the time never came. When he did found Hannah after Tom Riddle died, she was dead and Susan Bones was clinging to her dead body while her boyfriend Ernie Macmillan consoled her. That had broken Neville from the inside and perhaps Augusta had sensed it because she was always extremely protective of her grand-son.

His reverie was broken when an owl landed before him on the breakfast table. The owl extended its leg to him and he took it. There was the seal of the Ministy of Magic and he winced. He had been receiving too many of these letters to know what it contained. With trembling fingers, he opened the letter:

"Dear Mr. Longbottom

Honouring your wishes to be informed in advance, it is with greatest grief we are informing you that Hannah Isadora Abbott will be buried on her family grounds in Abbott Home at 2:00 this after- noon."

Interestingly, all of these letters were without a sender's name. He knew because he had received a lot of them over the last few days. He and Harry had attended funeral for almost all of the Hogwarts students who had fallen in the battle. This was the last funeral and there would be no one left to be buried.

He went to find his gran who was tidying up the Lord's office. She was dusting a portrait of Frank Longbottom or perhaps had been looking at it because her wand was at side.

"Gran", he called. "Yes Neville", she replied turning to him and Neville had a fleeting suspicion that she had just wiped her eyes.

"Gran, they are burying Hannah this afternoon", he said while trying not to break down.

She however had heard the tremor in his voice and nodded, "Alright! You can go. Can I expect you back for dinner? We have a lot to talk about."

He nodded, "Yes Gran. I will be back for dinner."

When Neville left the room, she muttered to herself, "Oh Frank! I wish you were here. I have failed you."

Abbott Home

Neville knew the location of Abbott Home since he had been there for a few times on social events which his Gran attended. He apparated out of the gate of Abbott home and joined a throng of people going inside and many of them wanted to shake his hand. Shortly he heard some clamouring behind him and people who had been surrounding him were moving in another direction and turned to find Harry Potter had arrived.

He grinned at his friend, "Still can't get the hang of it, Harry?"

Harry gave him a one arm hug, "Apparently not, Neville. You don't seem to be doing so bad either."

Neville grinned, "Well not all of us are the chosen one."

Harry scowled, "Will you stop using that moniker for me."

When they reached the gate of the manor, they were greeted by a man who looked broken, hunched over and a faraway look in his eyes. They had seen the look too well for years and knew it. After all they had the same look for most of their lives. The man was Robert Abbott and he looked like he had not slept well in days and would keel over anytime. Having lost his wife and daughter in quick succession would do that to a man.

Harry and Neville inclined their heads to him and went inside.

The Abbott Home had vast tract of land around their home and a part of it was used to bury their family members. They were led to seats in the third row where most of the defenders of Hogwarts sat while the front row was reserved for family and the second row was for the Ministry officials. Minerva McGonagall was offered a seat in the second row but she chose to forgo it and joined Harry and Neville. Before the service started, they were joined by Ginny Weasley who slipped in the seat beside Neville.

The same wizard who had been presiding at all funerals was present here too. When everyone had taken seats, he started addressing, "These last few days have been gloomy for us and I myself have had to officiate over funerals of many young witches and wizards that I often ask myself about how I am still going on. So many brilliant witches and wizards have died in the battle of Hogwarts that the world would acutely miss their presence. I wish I could say that I am relieved that I won't have to officiate over a child's funeral again but I can't say that I am relieved. This war gave us too many wounds which would take years to heal and may be even then they would not go away. Today we have gathered here to say good bye to Hannah Abbot who was a young woman and from what I have heard, quite popular among her friends. She also showed courage in the battle of Hogwarts battling against Death Eaters and saving her friends from certain death and even took a curse on herself which was meant for some other poor soul. The world will miss such a brave soul who stood for what was right than bowing to evil and let it walk upon her. She left behind her father and a brother who I am sure would always remember her fondly for being the wonderful person that she was..."

Harry kept listening to the wizard while he had a moment to think about Hannah. His interactions with her in the first few years had been nothing but unpleasant. She was one of the Hufflepuffs who thought he was Dark Lord during the fiasco of the Heir of Slytherin during their second year. He mentally chuckled when he remembered that she claimed Sirius Black could turn into a flower and had enter the castle that way without being noticed when Sirius had entered the castle at Halloween in their third year. She also had been one of those Hufflepuff students who had sneered at him at a time in their fourth year when he was chosen as Fourth champion of the tournament. However when the fifth year came she was one of those who believed him to be telling the truth and she had diligently attended the DA during that year while consciously trying to undermine Umbridge's authority at Hogwarts.

His musing was broken when he realised Neville had been silently sobbing while the wizard droned on and on. Ginny had taken one of his hands between hers and was consoling him. Harry didn't know what to say to Neville to calm him down so he contended himself with patting Neville's back while he cried silently.

He looked around and found that most of the Hufflepuffs from their year were present except for Zacharias Smith. That coward had been one of those to evacuate the castle while others readied themselves to fight the army of the death eaters at the doors of the castle. Susan was crying unabashedly in Ernie's arms who kept patting her back. Others were wiping their tears too.

The wizard was winding up his speech, "Now I would like to call Ms. Susan Amelia Bones to speak a few words about her best friend."

Ernie stood and half carried half walked Susan to the front. Susan fought against her tears for quite some time before she started speaking, "Han... Hannah was... was my best friend. We grew up together since we were little and many times she... she would stay over. We even had decided that we would go to same house in Hogwarts and asked the hat to keep us in the same house. We were practically inseparable all these years and she was very determined, possessive of her friends and very loyal. With her loss I feel like a part of me is lost. I honestly haven't come to terms with the fact that Hannah is not around to harass me anymore. Good... Good bye Han... Hannah. I will miss you."

Ernie escorted her back to her seat and Kingsley took the stage, "Before we proceed to bury her, I have an announcement to make. For her valour, courage and sacrifice in the battle, the ministry has decided to award Order of Merlin (Second Class) in her remembrance. I would request her father Robert to come ahead and accept it on behalf of her."

Kingsley handed the medal and the rolled up parchment to Robert who had straightened and looked proud of his daughter. However as soon as he returned to his seat, he broke down again.

The wizard stood again, "Let us join our wands in saying good bye to Hannah Abbot. May she fare well wherever she fare."

After Hannah had been interred in the ground and a tombstone had been raised atop it, everyone started taking their leave. Harry, Neville and Ginny joined the line.

When Neville came to Robert, he wordlessly extended his hand to him. Robert shook his hand and said in a morose tone, "Mr. Longbottom, Hannah had said a lot about you in her letters and I feel she had started to fancy you."

Neville was fighting his tears, "Lord Abbot, my sympathies are with you and your family. If you ever feel in need of something, please feel free to call on me."

Harry was next. Before he could say, Robert said, "Mr. Potter, I wanted to say thank you to you personally. You killed the menace which was the bane of our world and rid us off him and his maniac followers."

Harry shook his head, "It wasn't me alone, Mr. Abbot. Your daughter was one of those who fought them and it is thanks to her that we are standing here and having this conversation. The world will miss her."

As they were leaving, Harry noticed Professor Flitwick in the crowd. He was about to go and meet the Charms teacher when Ginny asked him, "Harry are you coming with me to the Burrow?"

Harry shook his head, "I need to see Professor Flitwick for something and then I have to go meet Andromeda whom I have left alone with Kreacher for company. Tell Mrs. Weasley that I would be late and not to wait for me at dinner."

Ginny nodded and left with Neville while Harry accosted Flitwick, "Professor, can I have a word with you?"

Flitwick smiled good-naturedly, "Sure Mr. Potter. What do you want?"

"Professor, I have been redecorating my house and it was under Fidelius Charm until now. The Charm was taken off a few days ago and I need someone to recast it. Can I trouble you for it?"

Flitwick nodded, "It will be no problem Mr. Potter. And maybe you would learn the spell seeing me do it. As I recall you always learnt the practical portions quickly than the theory part."

Grimmauld Place

They apparated back to Grimmauld Place where Andromeda was busy in remodelling the place. He found that he wouldn't have to worry for most of the things which were present in the house when they had brought Yaxley with them. As it turned out, most of the things had been saved by Kreacher after he had banished Yaxley away. When the death eater returned with reinforcements, most of the things had been taken to the family vault. The only things which were of no value or could not be moved had been left behind including the portrait of Wulburga Black which had gotten its just desserts at the hands of the death eaters. The frame which had been left in the place was covered with a portrait which Kreacher had brought from the family vault. Since he was the chief elf, he could come in and go out of it at any time.

Harry noticed that Andromeda had transformed the place. Rich velvet curtains were on the windows, a crystal chandelier hung in the place of the old one, a table of black marble as ornate as the last one had been put in the kitchen. In place of the old fashioned gas lights, ever burning torches had been placed. Most of the utensils in the house had been replaced with finest silver goblets and utensils having the Black crest engraved on them. He remembered Sirius telling that most of the finest stuff was in the vault. While most of the rooms were still bare, Sirius's former room had a new four poster bed which was the twice the size of the old one and had rich cream coloured curtains. The walls had been painted anew while the old pictures on the walls were absent. The closet had been enlarged and clearly expansion charms had been used. Also the tapestry in the tapestry room had been put back on and it looked entirely reworked upon with Harry's name with a bronze link to Sirius.

When Flitwick and Harry entered, Andromeda was telling about the colour scheme of the house to Kreacher who was listening to her very dutifully as if she were his mistress. Andromeda's demeanour towards the elf was such as if she was used to it which she perhaps had been when she was a Black.

She noticed them and motioned to the table while turning to Kreacher, "Tea for three and snacks, Kreacher."

Kreacher disappeared and a few seconds later, a tray materialised out of thin air before them. As they drank, Harry turned to Andromeda, "Professor Flitwick has agreed to cast the Fidelus charm to the house. She nodded, "That will be absolutely fine. When you want to work the wards, come and find me."

They sipped their tea in silence until Kreacher appeared before them, holding little Teddy in his arms who was crying. Harry could see that Kreacher was being so careful with the child as if he was made of glass. Very carefully he handed Teddy to Andromeda and disappeared. He returned a few moments later with a bottle of milk. Leaving it on the table, he disappeared again.

After Teddy had been fed, Harry picked up the toddler to play with him and making weird faces at him while Andromeda and Flitwick talked about something. After about an hour, Andromeda took her leave.

Finally Flitwick asked him, "Mr. Potter, shall we do the Fidelius Charm?"

Harry replied, "Yes Professor. How do we do it?"

Flitwick smiled, "Mr. Potter, the charm itself is a nifty little spell but the real effort lies in making it work. I presume you know what a Fidelius does?"

Harry nodded sheepishly, "Once I overheard you talking to Fudge, Professor McGonagall and Hagrid about it in Hogsmeade."

Flitwick nodded, "So as you know, to cast the Fidelius you would need to imagine this house being ensconced in a shell and disappearing into nothing. If you can imagine it successfully while you perform the spell, you can successfully cast it. The problem however lies in the fact that the bigger the property, the more difficult it is to cast the Fidelius. Also when you are casting it, keep your mind clear of any distractions since they usually interfere with the working of the spell."

Harry nodded, "Yes Professor. Shall we get to it now?"

Flitwick conjured a bench and pointed to it, "Let us try with this first in case something goes horribly wrong." Saying so he whipped his wand out and cast the spell and the bench disappeared. Harry had a sense of vertigo. He could feel there was something which occupied the place where… He looked in confusion at Flitwick, who smiled, "The bench can be found in the kitchen of 12, Grimmauld Place."

The bench appeared in place and Harry gasped before exclaiming, "That was amazing, Professor."

Then the Professor took off the spell and had him practice the incantation for 7 or 8 times before he let him do it. As he concentrated on the spell he could hear Snape's annoying drawl in the back of his mind, "Concentrate Potter, empty your mind. Concentrate."

Harry suppressed the annoying feeling at the back of his mind while he cast. He could remember how the building had materialised out of thin air before him when he had first arrived at Girmmauld Place. He concentrated on the image and voila! The bench had disappeared.

He turned to Flitwick grinning, "That has to be first time that I could perform a spell at once."

Flitwick smiled appreciatively, "That is good Mr. Potter. Now take it down."

After successfully taking down the charm, they decided to do it upon the house. This time Flitwick performed the charm and let Harry be the secret-keeper since the caster and the secret keeper could not be the same person.

Thanking the professor profusely, he went in the house and summoned Kreacher. The ancient elf appeared before him bowing low, "Master calls Kreacher?"

"Yes Kreacher, I am going to the Burrow. Tomorrow I will shift here. In the meanwhile you are to make the house ready."

Saying that he walked out of the house and disapparated to the Burrow.

The Burrow

When Harry returned to the Burrow, he found Neville Longbottom seated at the dinner table with the Weasleys. He asked him in surprise, "Neville, what are you doing here?"

It was Bill who answered, "Mother had called for a family dinner and Neville had an appointment with me. Ginny brought him over so that I can meet him. He has hired me to do the wards of his manor."

Harry nodded and took a seat at the table. When Mrs. Weasley started to serve him, he objected, "But Mrs. Weasley, I already had dinner. Didn't Ginny tell you to not to wait for me?"

Molly waved his objections away, "Non sense. You are a growing boy and you need all the food. Now start eating or I will petrify you and force feed you."

Chuckling inwardly at her demeanour and fondness, he started ate everything that was served to him. During dinner, he turned to George, "Are you going to open the shop soon?"

George who was still melancholy nodded, "I will however I alone can't do it. I will need some help."

Charlie volunteered himself, "I have been lazing around the house and doing nothing but babying you. I will help you restock it and may be baby you at the same time."

Harry turned to George again, "There you go. Charlie will help you. Do you need gold to help with you work? If you do, please don't hesitate to ask."

George shook his head, "No. I am good and I will have more than I care about in a few months again."

He then turned to Neville who looked like he had barely touched the food at all, "Mate, are you alright?"

Neville nodded, "Yes Harry I am alright."

Harry however could see that he was not alright. The way he answered his question and the tone in which it was said was too familiar to him. After all, he had given the same answer to everyone for last 7 years. He wanted to call out Neville on it but decided to let go.

After dinner was done and Neville was gone, Harry stood up, "Alright I have an announcement to make."

Arthur urged him, "Go on, Harry."

Harry started speaking slowly and deliberately, "I have had Grimmauld Place refurbished recently and I am intending to shift there tomorrow."

As per his expectations, the first to object was Molly, "But why, Harry dear? I mean do you have any problem in living here?"

It was Arthur who came to his rescue, "Harry is right, Molly. He is more than an ordinary person. He is the man-who-conquered and he is the Lord of House of Potter and Black. As such, he has a social standing in the society which is higher than ours. As he would move up in the world, he will be expected to live according to his standard and the Burrow is hardly a place as such."

Molly tried to object, "But Arthur, who will care for him? Who will cook for him?"

Harry inwardly chuckled but remained outwardly impassive, "Mrs. Weasley, I can cook for myself. Also I have Kreacher who can cook for me anytime. However moving out does not mean I am going to leave you all in peace."

She glared at him, "I should think not. If you fail to come over on every Sunday, I will come over there and set you straight."

Harry cringed and said meekly, "Yes Mrs. Weasley."

Longbottom manor

When Neville arrived back at his manor, he found Augusta Longbottom was still awake and waiting for him at the table. She asked him, "How was the funeral?"

Neville said a little morosely, "It was a funeral should be. I am thankful that we don't have to go to anymore of them, Gran. Also I met with Bill Weasley and he has agreed to erect the wards around the place tomorrow."

She nodded and pointed him to the table, "Sit."

When he sat, she took a few moments before she started speaking, "Neville, when you were little I was too hard on you. I kept you shackled in so many rules, never let you out of my eye-sight. I was hard on you because I fancied seeing your father in you. The fact that you look a lot like your father made it hard for me to see you as my grand-son. I even gave you Frank's wand when you started school without realising the folly of my decision. Despite being magical, you had to suffer humiliation at the hands of others because you were not as good as them. When you-know-who returned, I feared for you because you were generally passive and docile. However when you went with others to the Department of Mysteries to fight death eaters and the way you conducted yourself in those moments made me look at you past the shadow of your father. I realised how wrong I was and what an amazing Grand-son I had. I spent your whole life thinking why you couldn't be as good as Frank but you are much more than him or Alice. You became the symbol of resistance in Harry Potter's absence while he was working to bring down you-know-who. And I know how broken you are with the Abbot girl's death. I thought maybe you would confide in me, share your grief with me but when you pent it up inside you, I realised how miserably I had failed. I failed in my duties and the man that you are; it is because of your own hard work. What I am trying to say is I am sorry. I am sorry for having failed you."

Neville had hugged his grand-mother lightly and for the first time in his life realised how frail his Gran had become despite showing a hard exterior to the world. She was broken that he was not sharing his sorrow with her. He said in soothing voice, "Gran, you know you have worked very hard to get me where I am. You were hard with me but you were trying to teach me to survive in the world. Without you being there, I wouldn't have made it halfway through. I have never known the love of my father or mother but you always tried to fill the gap for them. I won't trade this life for a better one at any price."

After he was sure that she was consoled, he let go of her. She sniffed a few times before she started speaking again, "it is time for you to step in as Lord of Longbottom. I have carried this burden for too long and I want some well earned rest."

He protested, "But I have no idea how these things are done."

She smiled, "You have been trained for this. You will do admirably Neville and make your father proud."