This story is based on characters and developed from some situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Chapter 9.
The Portrait and the Haridan.
8th July. Day 11 continued.
Ginny was wide-eyed with fear, she knew about the Patronus charm, but had no idea how it was done. Harry nodded his understanding and put himself between her and the Dementors. Bella and Sirius realised the problem and joined him shielding her from the approaching Azkaban guards. Harry spotted the vile creatures first, although they had felt them minutes ago, all those in the alley had, even though most had no idea what was happening, few had ever experienced the effects of a Dementor. No one else had produced their wands except for the three of them, it appeared the trio were the only ones present who knew how to deal with the dark cloaked creatures. Harry shouted a warning, but few took any notice. Suddenly the foul phantoms swooped down, a black cloud, towards a family who had just emerged from Ollivanders, one of the children proudly holding their new wand. Ginny gasped and grabbed Harry, luckily not by his wand arm. "Harry, that family!"
"Expecto Patronum!" He bellowed.
The stag erupted from his wand, but he gasped in surprise, it was four times the size of his usual Patronus and gold coloured, instead of silver as it always had been. He watched as the gigantic deer charged, then a second Patronus emerged from his wand, just as large and also golden, but this time it was a Doe. Both were joined in the charge by a silver Dog and an Eagle from Sirius and Bella. The silver Patronus held the Dementors at bay as they normally would, before the creatures fled, but the Golden ones destroyed any they made contact with, reducing them to dust which fell to the pavement. Soon every one of the Dementors were either destroyed or had fled, in what seemed to be a panic. There was silence over the alley, the family frozen to the spot momentarily, then they turned to watch the Patroni return to their casters before disappearing and Ginny let go of Harry's arm. The family who had emerged from Ollivanders thanked them, as did a number of the other users of the street.
For a few minutes the group were the centre of attention, as people thanked them for their rescue.
Harry simply nodded in return, then turned to Ginny. "I shall teach you that charm as soon as I can Ginny." He said, holding her in his arms.
"Good!" She replied. "Though, I think had better get a new wand before you do. While those things were floating about, I remembered this one was Molly's mothers. I would feel better if I had one of my own. Is it usual that you produce two gold ones though."
"No, that is new, I suspect having two was probably because you were touching me, I suspect your Patronus shall be a Doe. As for the colour and what they did to the Dementors, I have no idea, but I am glad it happened." Harry tilted his head and gave her his lopsided smile.
"Well that's something else new today." She grinned.
Harry nodded and the couple returned their attention to those around them, who still wanted to congratulate them, despite the Goblin security ensuring only a few at a time approached them closely. They were interrupted by the arrival of an Owl, that landed in front of Harry, offering the letter attached to its leg.
Harry took the letter, the Owl took off again, clearly not waiting for a reply. Unrolling the parchment, his face fell as he read it. "I don't believe it, are they really that idiotic? According to this I have been expelled from Hogwarts for under-age magic!" He exclaimed in disbelief. "My wand is to be snapped, and I am forbidden from using magic from his moment on. It says that, I am also to be banished permanently from Magical Britain."
"What?" Came a female voice from the crowd over the gasps of shock and disbelief from those around them. "Mr Potter do you mind if I see that letter?" The witch asked.
Harry handed it over to the strict looking lady, who read it, apparently becoming as angry as Harry had at its contents. "This is ridiculous, I cannot wait to see who comes to try to enforce this load of rubbish." She exclaimed then looked at Harry. "Mr. Potter, may I introduce myself. I am Mafalda Hopkirk, we have never met, though we have once corresponded and supposed signatory of this letter. Clearly as I am here, and have been for over an hour, I did not send this, nor did I authorise it. My office is currently supposed to be unstaffed, with our instruments simply monitoring and recording any under-age magic occurring, ready for us to assess for any necessary action. I assure you Mr. Potter, we at the Ministry do not have the authority to banish you without trial, nor even to snap your wand. This letter is therefore fraudulent, though admittedly it is on our headed parchment. It does, in fact exceed the authority of my department in its threat to expel you in any case. If you don't mind I shall wait with you to see who comes to enforce it and under whose authority, please do not worry they will not carry out any of it and I shall repeal this notice. Who ever arrives, do not surrender your wand to them."
She smiled and conjured three, two-seat sofa's for them all, including her partner, to sit in whilst they waited. A number of people who had witnessed the attack, including the family who had been targeted by the Dementors and the WWN presenter followed her lead, and it was not long before Diagon Alley resembled an open air furniture market. A chatter of anticipated discussion rose, as it might before the start of a concert.
A few minutes later four people Apparated into the alley, at the designated spot. They looked round, the three in Auror robes, looking surprised at the sight of so many people waiting for them. They were accompanying a squat woman in bright pink robes with a black bow in her hair who led them up the street the moment she spotted her target. The quartet approached Harry, the Aurors a little nervously, and one of them spoke.
"I am sorry Mr. Potter I have received an order to snap your wand, and then take you to await a hearing into your alleged use of under-age magic."
"Stop!" Mafalda ordered. "By whose authority were the orders issued?"
The Auror looked surprised. "Why yours Director Hopkirk, at least the papers we were given came from your office."
"Clearly, I am not in my office to issue such an order, my office is closed today as the Minister and his Under secretary, who inexplicably appears to have accompanied you I notice, are well aware." Mafalda pointed out.
"It was Madam Umbridge who brought the paperwork to us Director." The Auror told her.
"Hem hem." Interjected the witch in Pink.
"You have something to say Under Secretary Umbridge?" Mafalda said sweetly.
"I am sorry, Director, but I took the liberty of issuing the order on your behalf. I happened to be in your office leaving some files for you when the detection of Mr. Potters crime was made. Knowing how efficiently you usually work and seeing how it was yet another blatant flouting of the law by him, I issued it on your behalf. I know you would not want even a child such as he to get away with such a disregard of our laws." She smiled smugly, positive she had won the argument.
"In which case you have both overstepped the ministry's and your own authority, in so doing acted illegally Delores leaving yourself and the Minister open to a possible prosecution. The order is void and unenforceable." Mafalda retorted.
Umbridges face fell and became firm. "Now Mafalda, surely you can see that Mr. Potter's transgressions are a serious matter, as a concerned citizen and a ministry official I acted entirely properly and to protect the public. It was my duty to act as I did, surely your concerns can be dealt with after these more serious infringements are seen to."
Sirius spoke up. "Umbridge, please address Earl Potter Black correctly as my Lord, whilst conducting any official business. Mafalda it appears that not only was the notice issued fraudulently, but also factually incorrectly, as it does not address my godson by his proper title which was officially registered at the Ministry earlier today following evidence provided by Gringotts."
"Indeed Lord Black." Mafalda smiled. "Another count by which it is invalid, that is information that should and could have been included in any official notice issued correctly. I cannot and will not countenance or support the bending of our law in such a manner as this. As I have already told Lord Potter there are so many irregularities with this order that it cannot be regarded as valid in any form, it may also be fraudulent as it does not bare the issuing officers' signature, but that of another in an attempt to give it some credibility."
The crowd, still seated, voiced their support for this position, the Aurors with Umbridge appeared uneasy. Harry was surprised when he saw Amos Diggory stand nearby. "Additionally had the Under secretary followed proper procedure, then she would have discovered the Earl's actions were in the defence of others, from a Dementor attack. A situation that means he was well within the law to use magic despite the restriction." He pointed out.
Umbridge looked shocked, the head of an important department and the director of the very office she believed would support her, were the last people she had expected to see, or hear defend the boy. Especially after Potter's involvement in the events that had caused the death of the head of departments son. "It seems you have some illustrious defenders Mr. Potter." She emphasised her use of the title Mr. "However I can see that having such luminaries as the Head of the department of Mysteries speak up for you will only add to your delusions of grandeur, encouraging your belief that you are above the Ministry. What on earth would Dementors be doing here? Clearly this was a trick, an illusion, perpetrated to try to increase your ego even further, what reason would the creatures have for being this far from Azkaban? A preposterous suggestion if ever I heard one."
"I am sure we should all like to know why they were here." Sirius grimaced.
Bella squeezed his arm, and addressed the woman. "From an initial appraisal, it would appear to me that there are two possibilities. Either they were acting under orders from the Ministry, in which case it will be easy to discover and deal with whoever issued such irresponsible instructions to them. Alternatively they were acting without orders and were therefore rogue Dementors and the Ministry control is in need of tightening up for all our protection. After all if there is one group of them acting outside officialdom, there could be others."
Umbridge bristled at the implied criticism of the Minister. "Mrs. Lestrange, you seem to be suggesting that if the attack happened at all, it was authorised by the Ministry, that is plainly an outrageous suggestion."
Bella smiled sweetly. "There is no doubt the attack happened, there are too many witnesses for that to be in question at all, but I take it from your statement you are admitting the Ministry has lost control of at least some Dementors, and therefore possibly Azkaban itself? By the way Delores, my name is Lady Black, or are you disputing the findings of the ministry in my case, indicating you have no faith in its investigative capabilities, or it's ability to reach accurate conclusions?"
Umbridge fumed, as she realised she could not answer without criticising her beloved Ministry and maintaining her views, so, she reverted back to her original purpose. "The fact remains that under-age magic was performed." She insisted, desperate to rescue some part of her plan.
As soon as the Minister had instructed her to set matters right, she had formulated a plan to show that Potter had to be brought under control. Then earlier, when she had heard that he was at the Alley on the radio, she had seized her opportunity. Ordering Dementors to the Alley, she went to the detection office, knowing that Mafalda was not in today and waited. She noted that detections had been made on Potter while he had been at Gringotts, but knew they had no authority over that, but had been overjoyed when the notice of him casting a Patronus Charm in the Alley had arrived. She acted immediately, copying a letter she had written onto department paper, she had sent the letter and completed paperwork necessary to have an Auror escort. Delores collected the Aurors then they Apparated to the arrival point at in the Alley. She had certainly not expected the sight that greeted them, nor that she would be obstructed in her task, but she felt that her statement would have the effect she desired, no one could argue that Potter had not committed the crime she claimed he had. To her they were all arguing over semantics, she had the trump card.
Amos had heard enough, he sighed and glared at her smug expression of victory. "Yes indeed it was performed, but, as we said a few moments ago, it was done well within the law, to save others in mortal peril, which as you should know is allowed, Delores. It appears from your actions here that you require retraining in your duties and the limits of your position, under secretary. As a result, you will report to me, on Monday morning so that you can receive retraining and have your duties and responsibilities as a Ministry employee explained to you once again. We shall refresh your memory as to the limits of your post as part of it, I believe. In the meantime, you and these Aurors shall go and brief Cornelius of your actions today."
Now Umbridge looked quite green. "No need for all that Amos." She tried to placate him.
"Oh, but I think there is, in fact I shall personally ensure that you do so. You force me to interrupt my day, I shall accompany you to the Ministers' office myself. These Aurors shall join us there, I am sure." Amos took her arm and Apparated them both away.
The Aurors apologised for all the trouble and with Mafalda, assured Harry there would be a full departmental investigation into what had happened. He would receive a letter rescinding the unauthorised one as soon as the Aurors got back to their office to issue it and would be told the outcome of the enquiry. The family made sure that they could be contacted as witnesses, if needed before the Aurors gathered as many names of other witnesses as they could, ready for any investigation. The Aurors left with Mafalda, who had the notice that Harry had been sent, still with her as evidence.
As the crowd got up and banished the various seats they had conjured, they were grinning and chatting again, before returning to whatever business they had in the Alley. Soon they were dispersing, except for the still present journalists, who remained at a discrete distance from the family, but interviewed as many people as they could about the incident, and keeping an eye on the family who had been saved, hoping for a chance to catch them. They were still talking with Harry Ginny and the Blacks, all of them effectively being guarded by the Goblins, who none of the journalists wished to try their luck while the Goblins were there.
Harry and Ginny had discovered that the family had been another who were part of the Alliance, though not a large part according to them. Harry's actions in saving them gave them hope, that the better days of it would return. Their eldest was about to start at Hogwarts in September, and they were doing some of his shopping before the book list was sent, meaning they could enjoy two trips to Diagon Alley, or at least that was what they had hoped that would be the case. The three Children were in awe of what they had seen and that they were now with Harry Potter, he had saved them and was talking to them as friends, the eldest and his two sisters were soon relaxed with Harry and Ginny. After a few minutes their parents indicated they had to go, they had called for the wand before the other equipment their son would need, so they still needed to go to a few shops. Harry and Ginny promised that they would watch out for them at Kings Cross and told the boy they would help him settle in at the school, before the two groups parted. They noticed that one of the journalists followed the family at a distance, before they entered the shop where they could buy a cauldron.
Sirius looked about at the now rapidly clearing crowd. "Well, never a dull moment." He Grinned. "I suppose we ought to get home, before anything else goes on, I hear you can fend off dragons as well Harry, don't want to tempt fate."
"Funny Sirius!" Harry grinned. " I hope they will be alright with the journalist following them?"
"They should be fine, they are aware that the press will be interested in them, might be a good story. Right, you ready for home then, relax for the afternoon, we can talk about what we do from here on in."
Harry shook his head. "Actually, I think before we do we need to make one more stop, get Ginny her own wand instead of the one she has, which was inherited."
Bella nodded. "Good idea, it is best to have one that has chosen you, no time like the present then." She agreed.
The four avoided the journalists, as they crossed the street and entered the shop. They were soon joined by Ollivander, who emerged in his typically theatrical fashion, from the back of the shop and to greet them. "Ah Lord Black, Lady Black I am pleased to see you both, I do hope you have been reunited with your wands, as well as with each other." Receiving nods of affirmation from them both, he turned his attention to Harry and Ginny. "Earl Potter Black, you have new inheritance now I see, your wand showed that you were destined for great things, I am pleased that you have taken steps to achieving that. You have discovered your companion, who, if I am not mistaken, is the long-lost Lady Ashmole, it is good to see you found at last. It is indeed a pleasure to see you my dear, a joy indeed."
Sirius, Bella, Harry and Ginny looked at each other surprised, but the look of excitement on the old wand makers face was undeniable.
"Mr. Ollivander, you were part of the Alliance..." Sirius began.
The old man held up his hand, silencing him. "No Lord Black, with respect you are not correct. I am part of the Alliance, always have been. I along with many others who were active in it, in the old days, such as the family the Earl Potter Black rescued outside my door, never accepted that it was completely gone never to return. We did not forget where our loyalties properly lay. The Alliance under the Potters, Ashmoles and Blacks was good for our society, it had evolved and enabled, it fell through misfortune, but was not dead. Do not worry I shall not reveal either the embers being fanned, or that all three of the family lines are active again to anyone." He assured them. "Now as my Lady is the only one of you I have not previously supplied a wand for, am I to assume she requires one, I trust Lord Potter Black still has the one that chose him, or we may have trouble finding another for him."
"No, Mr. Ollivander, it is one for me." Ginny said.
"Very good my Lady, and which hand is your wand hand?" He clicked his fingers, the tape measure leapt into action and the process of finding her wand began.
Albus finally arrived back in his office at the school, fully intending that, after he had been forced to take far longer than needed to get this far, he would simply turn round and Floo to Headquarters immediately. Instead, as he stepped from the fire, he realised his office was in complete disarray. The chaos radiated from a shelf where his instruments that monitored Harry, had been kept for over a decade. They were completely destroyed, as if violently overloaded, the blast from them had obliterated the room. He carefully inspected the remains of the instruments that had kept tabs on the boy, ever since he had been left at the Dursley's, keeping him informed of the boy's status and those of the bonds he had placed on him. Each one of them was irreplaceable, they had been keyed to the boy when he had been pulled from the wreckage of the house where his parents had died. Even if he could replace the actual instruments, he could not key them to the boy again without great difficulty, the manner of their destruction told him the bonds had been smashed beyond repair. Albus was dismayed to find the instruments were now nothing more than blobs of molten metal embedded in the shelves, in holes the metal itself had burnt into the wood. Only the release of the bonds he had placed could cause this, he had no idea if the boy knew it had been done and if he did, then if he knew it meant he had more magical power than before. Even Albus had no idea how powerful Potter would be, it had been a very powerful backlash on the instruments, creating an explosive release, enough to cause all this havoc in the whole room. He had to hope that he could regain control, before the boy knew just how powerful he may be.
Looking round at the rest of the damage in the room, he noted his personal library was spread over the room, some of the books were damaged, pages strewn about. They were mixed with documents from the shelves and his desk. The glass from the cabinets was shattered over the floor, as were the artefacts they had held. The bottles of memories were strewn across the floor, but he knew that none would be lost, they were charmed not to break, however they were also protected against theft by summoning, so he would not be able retrieve them with a wave of his wand. Fawkes perch was laid on the floor, the Phoenix himself was nowhere to be seen. The portraits were just frames surrounding blank canvasses, devoid of the images of past head masters, presumably they had taken cover elsewhere.
The silence in the room was overwhelming and oppressive, not even the sounds from outside seemed to penetrate the office. He checked the monitors the office provided for headmasters to see the state of the school, only his office had been affected, there was no fall out else where. There was no damage even just outside the door, on the spiral staircase, though there may have been a few startled pigeons at the windows at the time of the explosion.
He contemplated his next move, there were so many factors he could not yet know, he could only hope that Harry had not lost all trust in him, after last night. The boy was needed, to fulfil his plans, in order to carry out the predictions of the prophecy, he had to have the guidance of the headmaster to avoid becoming dark. It was essential that the boy rely completely and solely on Dumbledore, it was for the greater good.
"You've screwed up big time again Albus, don't say I didn't warn you."
The voice startled him, he proved he could move quickly for a man of his age as he leapt backwards to a wall and scanned the room for the source of that somehow familiar, gruff, yet refined voice.
"Down here, you bearded buffoon." The voice called then muttered. "Amazing he knows where the floor is from the tall pedestal he believes he occupies, especially with that exaggerated beard in the way."
The headmaster sought the floor moving cautiously through the debris, looking carefully for his tormentor as the voice started again.
"I keep telling him that Merlin hated long beards, they got caught in the flames of his cauldron, boy did he yell when that happened. He had only grown it thanks to a dare from that cheeky Pendragon boy and it was not half as long as that monstrosity, but since he saw what the Muggles think Ambrosius looked like in that flaming cartoon there is no telling the conceited idiot. How would he know what Merlin looked like, was he worn on his head? But, no he doesn't listen, not that this Dumbledore ever did, except to himself. I much preferred the other one, despite his odd predilection for goats, he had much more about him than this flamboyant twit." The voice goaded, then startled, it shouted. "Oi watch where you are putting your feet, you great hirsute fool."
Dumbledore looked down and there at his feet was the sorting hat, lying close to the door. "Ah there you are hat." The headmaster acknowledged.
"Well pick me up you dolt." The hat demanded. "You, youngsters these days, no manners at all."
"No need to be so offensive, hat." Albus scolded as he bent to pick the relic up. "This is serious business, not a matter for your limited observations."
"There's your problem, oh bearded wonder, you are too arrogant to listen to those older and wiser than you, it was exactly the same when you were a student." The hat observed. "I warned you a long time ago not to take the boy's loyalty to your ideas of the greater good for granted. Looks like he has ideas of his own and if he doesn't agree to following you blindly, you only have yourself to blame. I knew he would do well in Slytherin, had I known of your interference in how he viewed the houses, then I would have ensured he was regardless of his request. That was not your first error due to arrogance in your placing of him, I told you not to place him where he would be abused, so did Minerva from what I hear, but you wanted to be the white knight on his trusty stead and come flouncing flamboyantly over the horizon to rescue him. That was much more to do with your own ego than it was any regard for him. I also warned you not to treat him like a mushroom, he has an inquisitive mind. You kept him in the dark and fed him so much muck, that he was bound to rebel against those who hide things from him eventually. As I told you after his sorting, the upbringing you gave him heightened his survival instincts, meaning he would not trust you simply because you twinkle your eyes at him. If you wanted his loyalty, you had to tell him the whole story, from the very beginning, not just what you wanted to. You wrecked any chance of him completely trusting you, the moment you left him on that doorstep."
"I told him all it was necessary for him to know, in order to fulfil what he must do, I am headmaster, his guardian, he should trust me to tell him what I think is required for him to know and nothing more. Had I told him any more and it would have taken his childhood, he needs to accept that I know what is best." Albus said patiently as he replaced the hat on its customary shelf.
"As if you give two hoots about his childhood, if you did you would have listened to Minerva that day when you left him at his relatives. All you are bothered about is, that he remains the mindless chief cheer leader for the isn't Dumbledore a great and wonderful man who never does anything wrong, club." The hat sneered.
"Enough Hat!" The headmaster snapped firmly. "You have little idea of matters beyond these walls, so I will take no advice on how I deal with my ward from you. I must ensure he does not stray from the path which destiny has laid out for him, that is a task only I can fulfil." He turned away from the hat and waved his wand to begin the task of repairing the room, the rest he would leave to the house elves.
"Spherical objects." Retorted the hat, Dumbledore pretended not to have heard it.
The four members of the three Alliance families walked back to Grimmauld Place, having given the last of the journalists the slip with the help of Tom, the barman, in the Leaky Cauldron. They had managed to sneak back up to their floor without being noticed, and entered their lounge relieved and suddenly quite tired. Kreacher was already there with drinks for them, he took the bags of shopping to put away for them as they settled into their seats.
"I wonder how long it will take before any of them to realise we are back?" Harry asked rhetorically as he and Ginny sank gratefully into one sofa in the family lounge whilst Bella and Sirius did the same in another one.
It had taken quite as long for the wand Ginny now had in a holster on her wrist, just as they all four now had, as Harry's had choosing him, so it was now well after lunchtime. Her new wand was Holly and the same length as Harry's, but contained a hair from the tail of a Thestral, rather than a Phoenix feather.
"This evening at the latest." Sirius sighed, replying to the question. "That's when the next Order meeting is, so I doubt they will come looking before then."
"We did well getting up here without any of them noticing really." Bella smiled. "Tonight could be interesting though, Draco and Narcissa should arrive by then. Please try to get on with him Harry, Sirius tells me that he hasn't exactly endeared himself to you, so please try to start again with him."
"I think it is fair to say they rub each other up the wrong way Bella." Ginny smiled. "They get on like territorial Dragons."
Harry nodded. "We always get a visit from him and his thugs on the Hogwarts Express where he tries to assert his superiority over us. He goes out of his way to antagonise us and land us in trouble, especially in potions, although that doesn't take much with Snape teaching it, he doesn't need much excuse to dole out detentions to any of us. Malfoy behaves like an arrogant spoilt bully, who hates it when he doesn't get his own way."
"But, apart from that he's a top bloke." Grinned Sirius.
"Sirius, behave!" Bella smiled hitting him over the head playfully. "We need them to get on for the sake of peace in at least our part of the house, they are cousins after all."
Harry looked stunned. "He's what?"
Bella smiled. "Well your mum and his mum were cousins, so you and he are too, sort of. Look Harry, I honestly don't know why he has behaved as he has, perhaps his magic was bound, or he was under a spell that caused him to react like that to you, or maybe it was political. His father would enjoy that, causing mayhem for you, after all your re-emergence will mean he will be nowhere near as important as he has been in society, especially without Narcissa. He, or someone else could have placed spells on Draco to prevent you both becoming friends, we'll have to check on that. I just want you both to give each other another chance, especially with all the changes you and actually he, have gone through in the last couple of days. If he does behave as you say, then we are here to help sort it out, you are not on your own any more."
Harry nodded "I'll try to get on with him, Bella."
"Good because there are plenty of others at Hogwarts you are related to as well." Sirius Laughed.
Harry looked at him sharply, he didn't remember any of their names on the Heritage test. "Really, who?"
Bella looked at him oddly. "Well there's Neville Longbottom of course and Susan Bones just as a start. There are others, and we shall need to study the results of the Heritage Test to work out any others, use it to create a full family tree if you want. Any way, now your magic is unbound you should be able to feel a slight kindred pull to them, which you couldn't before, it would encourage you to be allies at the very least."
"Is it the same as the one I've always felt towards Harry?" Ginny asked.
Bella and Sirius looked at each other as if having a private conversation, then leaned forward in their seats. "No, you two are not closely enough related for that." Bella said. "To be honest, I didn't know of any marital or blood relationship between the Potters and the Ashmoles, or even between your house and the Blacks, it would have united the two houses into a very powerful house, mind you if you and Harry marry that will unite all three of the great houses. What you say, though, sounds like something else entirely." Sirius told them seriously. "Harry do you feel a pull of any kind towards Ginny at all?"
Harry didn't hesitate. "Yes of course, it started like a little tug when I first saw her at Kings Cross Station when I was trying to find the platform. Now it only goes away when we are with each other, seems like I'm complete when we are together, there always feels like something missing when we are apart, has been ever since she came to Hogwarts."
"I know what you mean Harry I feel the same, especially when we are touching." Ginny added, Harry nodded in agreement.
"Ginny when are you Fourteen?" Bella asked.
"Well as long Dumbledore and Molly didn't change my birthday, it will be on the eleventh of August." She replied.
Sirius grinned. "Well Ginny if I were you, I should get used to signing your name Potter Black rather than Ashmole, at the latest, after your birthday you two will be fully bonded by your Magic."
"What?" The two teens asked surprised.
Bella calmed them down. "Well you are already obviously bound together, and have been for all your lives by the sound of it, it's just that your magic waits until you are both over Fourteen to enforce it, that is when you are usually magically strong enough. The bindings put on you both could have prevented this which could have meant both of you suffering and not knowing why. Anyway the depth of the bond will depend on you two, it will always be there and you will always need to be close, but you will have time to decide if you want to take it further or not. If you do take it to a romantic level, you will be considered married, as I believe the old Dog next to me was hinting at, if you do go that way you will be together for life no matter what."
Harry and Ginny looked at each other, a slight nod passed between them, then they looked back to Bella and Sirius. "Right, I think we both know which way we will take it, but what will that mean for our families, you said earlier there had not been a marriage between them." Harry asked.
For once Sirius was not joking around when he replied. "If, as we suspect, you do become romantically involved, or in you two's case continue to be, then both your magical cores will unite as one. Your families will be united too, with the resulting soul bond and you would become two of the most powerful people, magically and politically that have ever lived."
Bella interjected. "Of course none of this would be final, unless you both truly wanted it to be, until Ginny turns sixteen, so you have two years to decide from the start of it. If you are still romantically involved by then, you will be married, just like this old dog and I. Of course there is nothing in magic that says it can't happen sooner, although that is rarer than the bond you already have."
"That would explain why I always feel like I need to snog Harry then." Ginny grinned, as did Harry.
Bella grinned too. "No dear, that's just plain good old lust and certainly nothing to worry about."
"Are you sure you are happy about all this Ginny?" Harry asked.
She looked at him and smiled "Oh yes Harry, I'd marry you now given half a chance."
Harry grinned goofily at her. "I couldn't agree more." He whispered to her.
"Oh boy they have it bad." Sirius teased, earning himself an elbow in the side from Bella.
Harry and Ginny barely noticed the two adults, as they leant towards each other and kissed, deeply.
Bella and Sirius smiles soon turned to looks of stunned surprise, both their jaws fell open. They saw the golden glow form around the two teens, it was the light emitted between a couple at the moment of their bonding. Neither could believe what they were seeing, it was the brightest marriage bond either of them had ever seen.
When, a few minutes later, Harry and Ginny parted again, both wearing goofy smiles, Bella was the first to speak. "Well you two are certainly an extraordinary couple." She said in awe.
Harry and Ginny looked at her puzzled. "Not that I disagree, but why do you say it Bella?" Ginny asked.
"Looks like your Magic isn't waiting." Sirius grinned. "When you kissed, the soul bond glowed, looks like neither of you are waiting for Ginny's Birthday, your magic has bonded, you caused what is known as the Marriage bond, a bright one too. I am not sure what it exactly means, except that a strong soul bond is in place between you now, I doubt either of you will want to date anyone else, you are as good as married even if you are not, yet."
Kreacher popped back into the room before they could discuss what had happened further. The elf bowed to Sirius and Bella. "Master Harry and Mistress Ginny's suites have merged Master, just moments ago, there are no longer separate bedrooms or bathrooms." He told them. " As well as that, Master Harry's Grandmother is demanding to meet him properly, she is not happy that Master Sirius has not taken him down yet to meet her as he should have done already. The Bushy haired Muggle born Girl has found the library and appears to have taken up residence there, I may need to put a bed in there later, she has not been out of it since breakfast, even when the Weasley woman set the others cleaning. The youngest Weasley is snooping about again, though not as frantically as he was this morning. His twin brothers are planning to make his life more interesting shortly, by testing a prank on him, those two actually have a natural affinity with pranks. Your mother says she will use the distraction they make, to create hell which only her prodigal Grandson will be able to stop."
"Very well Kreacher, how long have we got?" Sirius asked.
"Not long Master." The Elf bowed then turned and bowed to Harry and Ginny before popping away.
"My Grandmother?" Harry asked puzzled.
"Yes, well her portrait at least, you saw her last night, behind the curtains." Sirius smiled. "You heard her at least, she hates strangers in the house so shouts abuse at them, as a result Albus conjured the curtains to cover her. Actually, I think she knew who you were as we closed them over her then, which means I shall be in bother with her again, ah well it will help the prank. I believe you and she will get on you know, and if that annoys Molly, then so much the better as far as mum is concerned, she hates her with a passion, even more so since she died I think."
At that moment there was the sound of a loud explosion, a scream and raucous laughter, then the sound of a female raised voice shouting abuse.
Sirius sighed. "That's our cue, oh by the way Albus and the pigeon club believe mother and I don't get on. Long story, but basically James, and she decided to prank them when she was still alive and it's kinda stuck." He grinned wryly then led them towards the noise.
Herbert Scriniarii had not had such a busy day in all the years he had worked in the Magical Records Office, and he had worked in this office since he had left Hogwarts decades ago. He had hoped things had calmed down since this morning, when he had received a number of Owls from Gringotts regarding two most noble and ancient houses, one of which had been thought probably lost by the general populace. This was in addition to all the paperwork regarding Lord and Lady Black in restarting their lives, which he had only managed to finish recording and filing properly yesterday evening, there were so many records to reactivate. He had also had statutory change of guardianships for Harry Potter and Lady Ashmole, the former seemed to have not had a legally registered on before, despite the assumption that it had been Dumbledore, this had never been checked before. Then there had been amendments to the Weasley family records, goodness knew what had gone on there, their daughter it seemed was not their daughter, but was the missing child of the Ashmoles, it was all very odd. He believed he had got matters sorted, when he received the notice that Lord Potters title had been upgraded to Earl, which he had been required to ensure all departments were notified of. It had been at that point that he had toyed, briefly, with the thought that these four could be conspiring to wear him out for some reason and wondered how he may have offended them. He had finally dealt with all the paperwork associated with all that and sat down with a well-earned cup of tea, when two more tomes glowed, requiring his attention, they automatically removed themselves from the shelves and floated over to his desk.
Herbert was a solitary man who loved nothing more than dealing with records, he knew just where to look for all manner of official records on the extensive shelves. When he spoke, which was as rarely as he could, it was in a soft, dull nasal monotone, which he knew led people to believe he was a dull person, which when he thought about it, he had to agree he probably was. He didn't mind that, he had no one but, himself to please, he lived alone, had never married and what family he had he saw a few times a year, he enjoyed his solitary life building his own library and studying when at home. Working here, amongst these volumes which contained the entire archive of the Ministry and Wizarding Britain, was his passion. He spent the time between tasks studying the contents of the books, many of which had not been touched in decades, he was almost as dusty as the archives that were his first love. Yet if he had many more days like today, he might consider attempting to bore a pay rise out of the Minister. "Oh dear." He sighed. "More alterations, hopefully not concerning the houses Black, Potter or Ashmole for a change." He intoned to the only person there to listen, himself.
Looking at the latest entry in the first book he almost, but not quite, got excited for the first time in forty years and frustrated at the same time. He took out the appropriate certificate and began filling it out, Earl Potter and Lady Ashmole had, it appeared, begun a spontaneous soul bond of marriage. He noted down the details and when he got to their ages almost fell off his chair in surprise, at this rate these two would need to employ him full time just to keep up. Herbert's years of practise enabled him to suppress the surprise as he looked at the other volume and sure enough, it recorded that again Lady Ashmole had changed her name, she was now the Countess Ginevra Mary Ashmole Potter Black. He knew that once the bonding was complete, the couple would be very powerful in the Wizarding world, not that they were not with all that had happened today in any case. He prepared the documents required, and dispatched them as appropriate, then filed another report on the changes to Amelia Bones as was customary.
Walking down the stairs in number Twelve Grimmauld Place, the scene that met the four members of the new family as they reached the landing looking down on the portrait, was quite hilarious. Ron stood half-way down the steps to the entrance hall covered in a slimy goo, the twins were sat on a stair, supporting each other as they laughed at their brother. Molly and the portrait were having a heated argument about whether Ron's predicament was deserved or not.
Old Lady Black was complimenting the twins inventiveness and berating Molly for discouraging her only intelligent sons, who, in her opinion, were only attempting to include their intellectually challenged son in their activities. The twins were a fine example to all according to the portrait, after all without their attention the poor child would feel left out and unloved. When Molly disagreed, Lady Black berated her for favouring the challenged one at the expense of the twins by trying to drag them down instead of encouraging them all equally. Molly was clearly becoming more frustrated with the situation, as well as confused by the argument.
It was at this point that Sirius, Bella, Harry and Ginny stepped onto the landing. "Mother stop playing mental games with Molly, she's not up to it." Sirius grinned.
"Thank you, Sirius." Molly smiled, as the portrait and Sirius companions smirked.
Not unexpectedly, the distraction from the argument meant that Molly spotted Harry and Ginny behind him, next to Bella and looked relieved that they were there.
She went into automatic I know what is best for you, mode and ignoring her dripping son and the still amused twins, spoke in a tone that expected no disagreement was possible or invited. "Harry, Ginny there you are, thank goodness you have finally come down and that I caught you before you went out. I am sorry, but there is far too much to do here for you to go gallivanting off for no good reason. Your father didn't realise just how much there was to do when he gave permission Ginny, I'm afraid it is not possible for you to go with Harry after all. There is also no one available from the Order to act as your guard, either Harry, so that prevents you going on a trip today too. Now with that all settled it is time we got on, come and collect your cleaning materials while the twins clean Ron up." She said briskly, as if that ended the matter.
She glared at the still amused twins, then turned to head back down to the hall below, when Ginny spoke in a tone that commanded attention.
"I don't believe we shall actually, I came down to meet Harry's Grandmother with him, not to clean rooms we have already been through."
Molly turned quickly, angrily. "Ginevra Molly Weasley you..." She began, but Ginny interrupted her.
"As I discovered at Gringotts this morning, my true name is Lady Ginevra Mary Ashmole and you, madam, have no authority over me." Ginny linked her arm with Harry.
The silence that resulted from her statement hung heavily in the air, Molly seemed unable to speak for a moment, while the other Weasleys there looked stunned. Grins appeared on Sirius and Bella's faces, while Harry and Ginny just looked on, firmly determined. After a moment, Molly recovered enough from the shock at Ginny' s pronouncement enough to order the stunned twins and Ron to leave.
While Molly ushered her sons firmly away, the Portrait of Lady Black looked appraisingly at the young lady on her Grandson's arm, then to Harry. "Well my Lord, I must say you have exquisite taste, I'm glad to see. It is also a real pleasure to finally meet my Grandson, I gave up hope of ever finding my daughter long ago, yet now I find I knew her, though did not recognise her. Perhaps that is a talent I did not have in life, but only as a portrait. Considering who she was, it is little wonder we got on so well, if only we had known at the time. Sirius, please deal with the harridan over there, before she gathers herself enough to start screeching, honestly you can tell she was a Prewitt. Bella dear as I have not had the chance to speak with you yet, I have to say that I am glad you are back. Keep that reprobate son of mine in order, whilst he deals with her would you, but first could you conjure two chairs for these two, so that I can get to know them both, and they are comfortable." She smiled from her frame.
Having finally got her sons out of the way, Molly had just started ranting and shouting at Ginny, but not enough to prevent her being gently, but firmly, guided to the kitchen by Sirius, before she realised what was going on. Bella conjured the chairs then placed some notice me not charms around the landing as well as an Imperturbable shield to provide protection and prevent eavesdroppers or interruptions. She smiled to the youngsters then followed Sirius. Kreacher was left to ensure the couple were left to get to know Lady Black, and raise the alarm should it be required, to ensure no one tried to interrupt them.
Once he was cleaned up, Ron sulkily made his way to the library, which the twins had found on the first day and told him about, not that he wanted to read anything, but this is where he guessed he would find Hermione. He had seen her in there earlier, soon after she had found it during her search for Harry and Ginny, he knew she had only left it to fetch her essays, quill and parchment, before returning. Sirius had allowed the Order members limited access to the Black's library, if they could find it. After Ron had found her in there, Hermione had expressed the hope he would join her and do his homework hope. It was a forlorn hope, so far as he was concerned, at least this early in the holiday. Although a number of the cases of shelves were warded, so that none of them could access them, and there were also some volumes on the shelves, that could only be removed by members of the family. Even so Hermione had been impressed enough with what was available to them, to begin reworking her summer homework in the light of the additional information she had found in the library. Ron, she knew, had yet to start his, the idea of having completed it only to do it again was incomprehensible to him.
Ron was feeling dejected, as he walked into the library, abandoned by Harry, his income apparently gone as a result and at a loss as to what to do. His brothers were useless, too busy creating new pranks, only needing him to test the products they produced, they seemed to think friendship with Harry was more important than him regaining his payments. They couldn't see the need to rescue Harry nor the need to keep him sweet, after all they had actually befriended him without being paid for it, he couldn't understand why they would want to. With those two not siding with him, he needed to keep Hermione on side, convince her that Harry was at risk of turning dark. They could not wait for Dumbledore to come up with ideas, they needed to act now, it was the only way to ensure he and his family did not loose any income, though he could not admit that to Hermione, his mother was right, she would not understand.
The bushy haired witch was sat at a table in the second bay of bookshelves, busily writing, surrounded by open books on the table, other books carefully stacked on the floor about her. Knowing from experience that she would not appreciate being interrupted mid flow, he sat on the chair opposite her and waited for her to finish what she was doing.
Half an hour and several sheets of Parchment later, Hermione laid her quill at the side of her work.
"One of these days I shall introduce the Wizarding world to the joys of pens of all kinds." She observed, then looked at Ron. "Have Harry and Ginny turned up yet?"
"Er yes, that was partly all the noise earlier." Ron replied.
"Oh I wondered what was going on, I guessed from your scream that the twins had pranked you again." She said.
"Well that too." Ron told her. "But, it seems Harry and Ginny had already been to Gringotts and back. No idea how they left though, they didn't walk out, we'd have noticed. The only connected fireplace is in the Kitchen and the whole place is warded against Portkeys and Apparition."
"Maybe Sirius has a Floo connection upstairs." She said, picking up a book from the table and closing it before placing it on one of the piles next to her seat.
Ron snorted. "I doubt it, Dumbledore wouldn't let him, it would be a security risk to headquarters." He said firmly as if that settled the matter.
She picked up a book from a different pile and opened it. "This is Sirius house though, so he would be able to have one connected. Or even block the one downstairs if he wanted to. I don't get the impression he cares about what Professor Dumbledore wants here either, or we would be cleaning the whole house not just a few rooms on the first two floors and Kitchen levels." She replied not looking up from her book.
"Yes well it would explain how Bellatrix Lestrange got in, she must be turning him dark." Ron said gravely.
"I don't know, Sirius doesn't seem the type." Hermione said thoughtfully. "I doubt Bellatrix could fool Madam Bones either."
"What's Bones got to do with it?" Ron asked.
"Well by all the reports in the papers, she's the one who freed them both, Bellatrix and Sirius are married, have been for many years apparently. It seems that she was captured by Rodolphus while his real wife impersonated her using Polyjuice, to discredit the Blacks and the families they were linked with." Hermione told him. "It was in the Prophet, you saw it Ron and heard what was said last night at dinner." She added.
"What about Harry and Ginny then, she must be getting to them. They hardly spoke to me on the landing next to the Portrait, it was like they didn't want to know me. I can't see any other explanation for that, none at all." He insisted.
"Ron, I don't know." She sighed. " I haven't seen them yet to speak to, I doubt if Bellatrix could have that much of an effect in one night, even if she wanted to. According to the Prophet she has been in St Mungo's long term ward for a number of years, Amelia Bones had to be sure of the facts before she could release her, from what it said she even visited the prison where she discovered that it wasn't really Bellatrix in Azkaban. Now I know the Prophet isn't always reliable, but would she be walking free if she had done what she was said to have done? I honestly do not think for a minute, that there is any evidence that she is any more than a victim of the dark, not a practitioner of it."
"Oh come on Hermione, she must have fooled them all. All the Blacks were dark, Sirius was the only exception to that. Even so he can't be regarded as purely light, he won't join the order this time round, he is not doing what Dumbledore needs him to. We can't just trust him either, and nor should Harry."
She sighed again. "All I'm saying Ron, is I'm going to reserve judgement until I see them with my own eyes and can see if what has been said is true or not. I'm not going to trust her or distrust her straight away. Neither am I going to assume she is dark until we have evidence. As for Harry and Ginny, if they are together. then I will be happy for them both, it's about time really. They and you are my friends, that doesn't mean we always agree, but I hope it means we shall always be there for each other in the future, even if we disagree." She closed the book and set it aside.
"That depends on if he has gone dark or not, betrayed us and led Ginny to follow him because of her crush or not." Ron sulked.
Hermione started packing her things away. "I don't think it's just a crush any more, I think it is much deeper and has been for longer than even they realise. However, your sister is strong and has her own mind. She is not likely to be led into anything, or anywhere against her principles, least of all by Harry."
Ron thought for a moment then his face lit up. "Blimey Hermione you're right, why didn't I see that before. It's Ginny, she's the one leading him. She was hanging out with Sirius instead of us even before Harry got here, it's so obvious when you think about it. Well done Hermione, I knew you would see what was going on. Ginny is working with Sirius and with Bellatrix to control Harry. Thanks, Hermione, that makes so much sense I can't believe I didn't see it before." He left the room with a new sense of urgency.
"Ron, that's not..." She called after him, horrified at the leap he had made, but she was too late, he was gone, leaving her to wonder how she could resolve this without loosing any of her friends. She hoped Tonks and Remus would arrive this evening, perhaps they could help, it appeared she would need some.
Sirius and Bella had managed to keep the kitchen sealed and Molly distracted for Half an hour, until the Floo flared and Arthur had stepped out. That had been their cue to leave, they walked up to the landing, Bella lifting her spells. Sirius was shocked to discover his Mothers portrait sharing stories of his childhood with Harry and Ginny. The two teens spent the rest of the afternoon in the family lounge, glancing at him, then bursting into laughter periodically, worse they couldn't tell him which story about him it was because each time he asked it just increased their mirth.
"I wonder if it was the right thing to do?" Sirius asked ruefully, grinning mischievously as he and Bella were changing for dinner, which the two couples would be eating in the dinning room again, once Narcissa arrived.
Bella smiled, she knew what he was hinting at, but played along. "What's that Dear?"
"Introducing Harry and Ginny to Mothers Portrait."
"Oh that." She said off handedly. "Yes I think it was an excellent idea, it's a long time since I've seen her so happy, even before my capture. I think we have more important things to worry about this evening than what stories of your childhood she has given away anyway."
"Oh? Like what?"
"Well apart from the imminent arrival of Narcissa and Draco, I can't see Molly and Dumbledore taking today's discoveries lying down." She told him. "I am also concerned that we have one teenager in our care who apparently has never known what a family should be like. I really want to get to the bottom of that, but that's beside the point at the moment. The point is he now suddenly has a proper family, whilst we have another teenager who has lost what was mostly a loving family that she has lost, but gained a new identity she never knew about too. I am worried about how today will affect them both, but it all seems very contrived and convenient. His mother was Kidnapped from her true family, then adopted. A generation later, the only heir to another house is taken and adopted. We know Dumbledore more than likely caused both events, but our first priority has to be equipping those two for what they should have been raised in and know instinctively." She explained.
"Bella?" Sirius asked.
"Yes Siri." She replied.
"How about we just make sure we are there for the bonded duo when they need us, and for the rest if it becomes a problem. Yes we need to prepare them for their new responsibilities, and for the Wizangamot, but they are both bright enough to learn it, so first priority is to show them we care. That is all we can do, I think, at least for now." Sirius said.
"Yes dear and then what?"
"We will rebuild the influence of the Alliance and all three families, ensuring that on the way, we destroy the sod who did this to them of course." He grinned maliciously.
Authors Notes.
I am blown away, when I posted the last chapter it caused this story to get 1500 hits on that day, fantastic, my thanks to you all I am very grateful. I am also grateful to those who followed, favourited and especially took the trouble to review it, it really is much appreciated. I hope you enjoy this chapter too, I look forward to reading any comments you are kind enough to leave.
Best wishes as always.
Tgfoy