Betrayals, Truths and Family
Chapter 7: A Family Makes a Plan
The three men were sat in the library of the Manor, trying to think of a plan, although they were currently just sitting in silence as they thought to themselves about what they had overheard and how they could get around it.
"Harry, it's up to you whether or not you want to be a Champion or not. We will train you if you decide you want to, if not we can find a way to get you out. It's up to you." Severus said.
"Well, we can't have Dumbles know that I know everything. However, we should probably go to Gringotts and sort out my accounts, get my money back etcetera. So, as much as I don't want to be in the Tournament, I probably should so that he isn't too suspicious. We could ask the Goblins to recall the money and objects, with interest, and when Dumbles goes asking why he no longer has the money, to tell him that there were discrepencies with another account so they decided to do an audit on all of the other accounts, so as to make him not suspicious. And when they saw that the Goblin in charge of my accounts gave him money despite him not legally being my magical guardian, or any guardian considering I lived with the Dursleys and not him, they changed the Goblin in charge of my accounts and recalled all money and objects taken, with interest. You can train me for the Tournament, I can spend my spare time building a following, I'm not going to pretend to be friends with Granger and the two youngest Weasleys, I will ignore them. I can't spend a year pretending to be friends with people who have betrayed me. If they ask why I am ignoring them, I will just tell them that I overheard them talking about not actually wanting to be my friend and I want to be myself without them holding me back.
"During the final task dad can change where the cup will take me so it can bring me to you, grandpa. Then we can send a golem back, one that looks like a dead version of me, or give me the draught of living death and send me back, perhaps with a note pinned to me telling everyone that Voldemort is back to bring fear to people, and Dumbles will make it worse by sending his Death Eaters out for raids and torturing people. We can collect evidence that it is Dumbles doing these things. Grandpa, if you haven't already you can take on the Lordships of the Slytherin, Gaunt and Peverell Houses. Then join the Wizengamot and Board of Governors, get people to like you and join your cause. Dad could take up the Lordship for the House of Prince and any other House he might be Heir to, and also join the Wizengamot and Board of Governors, or proxy his seats to you. I could also proxy my seats to you, then you could have enough seats to become Chief Warlock. If we all give our seats to the Dark faction then the Dark would have more allies and, we could change people's opinions. Since Dumbles has been using my seats illegally we can say that any vote he cast whilst holding those seats are null and void, meaning going back over those laws passed and not passed and voting again, hopefully we can change some, like the anti-werewolf legislation. Take Dumbles' power from him, slowly make people see that he was wrong. When I come into my inheritance I will be able to go back to Hogwarts under a different name, get re-sorted, etcetera. But my friends will know it is me. Dad can say I'm his godson, whom he blood adopted after my parents died recently. And we can continue taking Dumbles' power from him, and eventually, when we're ready, we will reveal the truth, just as he and his followers are going to be punished. That way they will find out the hard way what their actions have caused." Harry explained with a grin on his face.
"That's a good plan." Tom started, "However, what happens if it goes wrong?"
"Then we figure something out. I don't want to be in the Tournament, but we can't have Dumbledore know that I know the truth, like mum said in her letter. When I get my inheritance we can start releasing the truth about Dumbles, slowly, get more people on our side. Ruin his reputation. We can go to Gringotts tomorrow, I will make up a will, as Harry Potter, when I come into my inheritance we can have a different name for me. I can leave everything to my new name, and dad, I want you to name me. If things go wrong then we'll think of something, but either way, Dumbledore is going to appear to people as the bad guy. We will have a lot of people behind us, including my friends, and your friends, the teachers, Sirius, Remus, the Aurors. We just need to increase our power and decrease his, subtly of course, that way things are less likely to go wrong. I have just had enough of my life being dictated for me, of Dumbledore and those traitors using me. I hate my fame, I don't want it anymore, so I will 'die' at the end of this year, and I will hide here until after my inheritance. Then I will probably look a lot different, no one will recognise me. And I can be myself whilst helping to bring down Dumbledore. And I know mum said I should, but I can't go on pretending to be friends with those that I thought cared about me. I can't pretend that they haven't hurt me." Harry said as tears welled in his eyes.
Severus moved to sit next to his son and wrapped his arms around the small boy who was hurting. Harry started sobbing into Severus' shirt, clinging to it in his desperate need for comfort. Comfort which was still relatively new to him.
"It's okay, Harry, you don't have to pretend if you don't want to. Just stick with your real friends. And I'll make sure that Ronald, Hermione and everyone else in on the plan stay away from you. If they even think about hurting you then they'll have me to answer to. In private of course, because no one will believe them if they told the truth anyway. And if that is the plan that you want to stick to then we will stick to it as best as we can. I will send a copy of my memory of the conversation to Amelia Bones, Rita Skeeter, and the Goblins, but I will ask them not to use it yet, not until we need them, too. That way we have something ready for next year, or for if the plan fails. We will be here for you, every step of the way, to help you with whatever you need help with. If you need somewhere to hide from those that are pretending to be your friends, come to our quarters, or go to the Room of Requirement. I am nearly done with the potions to free everyone from the Imperius Curse, then we'll have them helping us as well. And we can help you find people for your group, and all of them will help you also. You have a lot of people that are and will be on your side, Harry. You aren't alone anymore, and all of us are going to be here for you whenever you need us, whatever you need us for. And we aren't going to leave you for a long, long time. I promise. I love you, my son, and I always will." Severus whispered to his son in a calm, comforting voice.
"I love you, too, Daddy." Harry whispered childishly, but he didn't care. He had missed out on fourteen years with this man, he could call him 'Daddy' if he wanted to.
Severus smiled slightly and placed a gentle kiss on his sons' head, running his fingers through the black, messy locks of hair.
"Everything will be alright in the end, child." Tom said as he walked over to the pair and started rubbing Harry's back in gentle circles. "I love you, Harry. Always. And I will always be here for you, whenever you need me, no matter what you need me for."
"I love you, too, Grandpa." Harry replied quietly as he grabbed hold of Tom's spare hand and clutched it to his chest, relishing in the comfort that he was receiving from the men.
The three of them sat in silence for a while, the two men comforting Harry, and Harry relishing in this concept that only recently became a part of his life. But it would be a part that he would always cherish, especially after spending thirteen years without comfort, and with those years being the majority of his childhood he wanted to take some time to feel like the child he still was, and he wanted to cherish the things that he had never had before; the love, the comfort, the happiness.
Harry just hoped that his plan worked, then they would all be safe again. They could all be happy without the fear of Dumbledore tearing them apart again, without the fear of Dumbledore ruining the Wizarding World that had become home to all of them with all of his schemes.
He hoped that everything really would be alright in the end.
Hello, sorry for the wait but I was super busy with work and family things, I was also trying to think of a relatively decent plan for them, which may or may not work out (you will have to keep reading to find out). But I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
I will update again when I can.
Please review!