Chapter 17: Hogwarts, Potter Manor, Gringotts, Potter Manor, and a family meeting.

Monday, September 17th, 2018, 7:30 AM

Harry walked into the media room and over to Fawkes who was sitting on his perch. "Hello, old friend; how are you today?"

Fawkes reared his head back and chirped merrily in greeting at that.

"How would you like to be a part of a bit of mischief, and stir the Great Hall at Hogwarts up this morning?" Fawkes seemed to laugh at that with the chortling chirps that came out.

"I want you to deliver these invites to Little Harry, Al, Scorp, and Lily Helen this morning at breakfast," Harry explained, "and make a grand show of it."

Fawkes took the four envelopes into his beak, and with two great flaps of his wings, he rose off his perch and disappeared in a ball of flame.


Hogwarts Great Hall, 7:28 AM.

Little Harry was sitting at the Gryffindor table beside his girlfriend since the start of term, Meghan MacLean, who was a Slytherin from the Isle of Mull. Their family owned Duart Castle, and had so on and off since ancient times, which was their clan's seat. It was more of a muggle tourist attraction these days, though. Anyhow, she was having her breakfast while Harry was studying his advanced potion book, and writing several things down, where he would question her about the topic every few minutes. Both were very advanced in potions and worked together that year. Both thought it was a match made in heaven.

Al was sitting beside Sammy, who had just fed him a bite of her Chelsea bun, which made the both of them chortle. They had been dating since the term started as well after Al plucked up the nerve to ask her out.

Scorp was sitting beside Al, and was in a deep conversation with Rose Weasley, as they had also begun dating after the start of the term when Scorp asked her out on the train. Dominique Weasley was sitting beside Rose, and was smirking at their antics, and so was her brother, Louis, who was sitting with his year just down from them.

Lily Helen was sitting at the Ravenclaw table that morning, and she was snuggled up beside Michael Corner II while reading from her transfiguration book.

Just as Little Harry was about to ask 'Meg' another question, that morning's owls appeared, and one dropped the Prophet off for Scorp. He quickly unrolled it after paying and took a glance at the headline.

"Hey, you lot," Scorp said aloud, "listen to this!

"The ministry is going to allow all witches and wizards to attend this year's Hogwartian celebration on May second, and all students from the fifth year and up will be invited!"

"That's a lot of people, that is," remarked Al, who had finally swallowed his bite of bun, and wiped his mouth on the napkin in his lap.

Before anyone else could reply, a huge fireball appeared next to the enchanted ceiling, and it took the shape of a giant flaming bird, before another bird, but this one was alive, exploded out of the flames, and its song seemed to be more of a loud chortle than anything else. Everyone noticed the headmistress, who was holding her chest as she scowled up at the rambunctious bird.

Fawkes soared around the hall in a figure eight while singing out merrily, before he finally lighted on Little Harry's shoulder, where Harry noticed four envelopes held in Fawkes' beak.

"What do you have for me old friend?" Little Harry asked, as Fawkes nudged him with his head to take the envelopes, which he did. "Hmmm, these are from Da', and there's one for each of us."

Little Harry handed Al and Scorp's to Al, and then floated Lily Helen's over to her, which stopped within an inch of her nose, causing several to laugh, before she snatched it out of the air with a scowl.

"Let's see what we have," Harry said to Meg, as he started feeding Fawkes a few sliced naseberries, and then opened the seal on the envelope. Finally, he tugged out a piece of fine parchment, and a card, which he lay on the table, as he unfolded the parchment and began to read aloud.

"The Ministry of Magic requests the pleasure of your company, plus one, to the annual Hogwartian ball. The ball will be black tie optional. Please RSVP on the enclosed card. Sincerely, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Minister for Magic.

"Well, Meg," Little Harry inquired, "I know that this is far in advance, but would you like to attend the ball with me?"

Her answer was to grab two handfuls of his hair, where she gave him a quick kiss, and a bright smile. "Yes!"

Little Harry noticed similar occurrences with Al and Scorp, and when he looked back at his sister, he saw Michael give her a quick peck on the lips as well.

"Well," Little Harry muttered, "there's that, then."


Potter Manor, 10:30 AM

Jimmie and Goodnight were just finishing up their brunch with Harry and Daphne at Potter Manor when Jimmie studied his father for a moment. "Da', Kingsley requested something from me, and it was about retrieving the Ressurection Stone."

Harry had halted taking a sip of his tea at this, where he was holding his teacup about two inches away from his mouth. "You don't say," Harry muttered, and then took a sip of his tea before he set it down on the table. Daphne flashed Harry a very worried look at this, and Goodnight decided to stay quiet. "Why?"

"He said that the DoM wanted to contact Grindelwald and Bellatrix," Jimmie explained, "and do some experiments on the stone. He promised its safe return."

"What the hell, Harry?" Daphne questioned.

Harry sighed, and leaned back in his chair as he looked over at Daphne, and then over at his daughter-in-law and at his son. "I had heard rumors, of course, and Simon has been hinting at that... So, you want to go to the Forbidden Forest and find it, I take it?" Here, Jimmie only nodded.

Harry placed his elbows on the table and cupped his face in his hands as he thought about what Jimmie asked before he finally closed his eyes and sighed, and then glanced over at his son. "You'll need to come with me," Harry said, as he slowly stood, and left the kitchen in what seemed to be a rather stiff walk.

Here, Jimmie worriedly looked to his mother, who only shooed him on with her hand, but she stopped Goodnight from standing, as she laid her hand atop Goodnight's, and subtly shook her head. Jimmie walked out of the kitchen and slowly made his way to the great hall expecting his father to explode.

When Jimmie finally entered the great hall, he saw his father having a quiet conversation with his great grandfather's portraits, but they went silent when they noticed Jimmie enter. Before Jimmie could say anything, his father removed his pocket watch from his waistcoat, flicked it open, checked the time, and snapped it shut. Next, he summoned a black trilby hat from the coat rack and then turned to his son as he placed it upon his head.

"Ready?" Harry asked.

"You're going dressed in a suit?" Jimmie inquired with a chuckle.

"We're going to Gringotts," Harry deadpanned, as he walked over to the inglenook fireplace, and withdrew a pinch of floo powder from the vase on the mantle.

"Gringotts?' Jimmie questioned, but his father had already thrown the powder down onto the hearth, where he stated "Leaky Cauldron," and then disappeared in the green flames.

"Well shite," Jimmie said, as he rushed to catch up.


Jimmie was smirking about all the greetings his father received as they walked down the cobblestone street of Diagon Alley, where most addressed his father as Sir Harry, but a few of the Scottish elders had addressed him as "Your Grace," which seemed to fluster his father a bit. Jimmie knew why, of course, as before 1707, that was what the Scots addressed the King of Scots as before the Act of Union. Several wizards and witches in Scotland now knew of their ancient royal blood, and they had great respect for his father and mother, thus, the title.

Jimmie was jarred out of his thoughts, though, when they approached the steps of Gringotts, where he noticed the guards trying to hold back a sneer. Harry jutted his chin out and passed them by as if he didn't notice them. Jimmie almost snorted at that, but he followed his father on into the bank, where they walked up to the head teller at the back.

The teller hadn't looked up, but that didn't seem to bother his father, who was busy fishing out a black key wallet from an extra pocket sewn inside his black Gabardine single-breasted jacket. His father once stated that he didn't "do double-breasted, because they make me look like a gangster - especially pinstripes."

Once he had the key wallet in his left hand, he waved his right over it, where it unshrank, and then he opened it removing a gold skeleton key. Now, though, Harry cleared his throat, and the head teller looked up.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, what can I help you with today," the goblin inquired, who wouldn't use anyone's title.

Harry didn't blink as he handed the goblin the key, and said, "My son and I need to visit vault number 713."

This surprised the goblin, Jimmie noticed, though the features of its face straightened out pretty quick.

"Very well," the goblin stated, as he snapped his fingers, and called a shorter goblin over. "Take the Potters down to vault 713, and shut the track off while they're retrieving what they need."

Shut the track off? Jimmie wondered what that was about, and why he had never heard about this vault before.

The two made their way through the bank and boarded a cart, where it set off at a lightning pace. Jimmie looked over at his father, who was sitting beside him and holding his hat, and noticed that he had a quite serious look on his face, so, he leaned over and asked, "What's this about, Da'?"

"You'll see," was all Harry would say, as he pursed his lips tight.

When the cart stopped, Jimmie noticed that the goblin walked over to one of the rails, and raked his fingernail over it, before he stood, and made his way over to Harry.

"Your key, Mr. Potter," the goblin stated with his hand out.

Harry handed the goblin the key, which he inserted into the door. Here, Jimmie noticed that this was no regular vault; it was high security, as after the goblin twisted the key, it raked its fingernail down the center of the door, where a complicated group of mechanical linkages began to move. Finally, there was one last click, and the door swung slowly open on rusty hinges with a moan.

Harry snapped his fingers, and conjured a floating ball of light, which he had taught Jimmie how to do long ago, and then stepped into the vault. Jimmie followed him inside and noticed that the vault wasn't very deep and that it had a single shelf in the back. There were probably several thousand galleons stacked up here and there, but in the center of the shelf was a black satin ring box, which Harry picked up, and then quickly placed it in his trouser pocket.

"Got it," said Harry, who then muttered, "let's go, Son."

This left Jimmie bewildered, but he kept his mouth closed, and followed his da' back to the cart. From there, they made their way from the bank, and back to the Leakey Cauldron to floo home.


When they flooed back to Potter Manor, they were met by Daphne and Goodnight in the great hall, but before Jimmie could ask what the hell was going on, his father had thrown down another pinch of floo powder on the hearth, and he made a floo call to the "Headmistress's Office - Hogwarts." Jimmie couldn't hear their conversation, but when Harry pulled his head from the hearth, he addressed both his son and daughter-in-law.

"Go collect your brothers and sister," Harry stated and then walked toward his office.

"Mum, what...?" Jimmie wondered.

Daphne sighed and shook her head, "Do as your father asked, and all will be explained when you return."

Jimmie gave a stiff nod, took Goodnight's hand, and both flooed to the headmistress's office.

As soon as the two left, Daphne quickly made her way into the office, where she found Harry looking out the window at the back grounds, and he was holding a glass of brandy. She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around him, where he dropped his head, and she could feel his entire body tremble. Finally, she heard him sniff as he set the glass down. Next, he turned around and drew her close in an engulfing hug, where he held her tight.


Jimmie found himself standing in front of the Fat Lady, who was scowling at him and being contrary about allowing him entrance. It was already close to twelve, and Jimmie didn't have time for her interrogation.

"I told you," Jimmie growled out, "that I'm here to collect my brothers, you daft cow. Now, the password, according to the headmistress, is Cullen skink! If you don't want me to go ape-shite crazy on you as my Uncle Sirius did, then I would advise you to open up!"

"Why, I never!" The Fat Lady screeched, as the portrait swung open. Jimmie ignored the rest of her rant, as he stepped through the doorway, and into the common room, which went deadly quiet at his entrance.

Jimmie spotted his brothers lounging back close to the fireplace on two burgundy sofas, where Al had Sammy almost sitting on his lap, what with her right knee wrapped over his left thigh. Scorp was sitting next to Rose all cuddled up, and Little Harry was busy writing something on a page in his potion's book. Jimmie snorted at this.

"Yo!" Jimmie said aloud, which caught everyone's attention, "You three marauders are to come with me!"

"Wha'?" Harry said as he quickly stood, and tossed his potion book into his bag.

"What's goin' on," Al said after he struggled to untangle himself from Sammy.

"Yea, what they said, wha'?" Scorp said as he and Rose stood as well.

Not to be outdone, Sammy chimed in, "Something's happened, hasn't it?"

This caused a scared look to come over Rose's face. "It's Uncle Harry, isn't it!"

Jimmie couldn't hold it in, so he chortled out, "No, mum and da' are fine, but they called a family meeting, so you three need to come with me. Goodnight is retrieving Lily Helen right now as we speak."

"But, we'll miss lunch," Al grouched, as his stomach growled. This caused Sammy to swat him on the shoulder, which made Little Harry and Scorp chortle out. They were wondering if this had anything to do with the invites.

"Have you forgotten, Little Brother," Jimmie chastised, "that we have a house-elf that is one of the best cooks in all of England? Now, you three, follow me."

Here, Jimmie turned and headed for the tower entrance. He was sure that the Fat Lady would give his siblings an earful when they returned.


When Goodnight walked into the Slytherin common room, it went quiet for a moment, before there were loud cheers, where several stood to greet her. After that was over, she sat down beside Lily Helen and spoke in a soft voice. "Your mum and da' want you to come home today for a family meeting, and that's all I know."

Lily looked concerned as she asked, "They're all right, aren't they?"

Goodnight nodded, "However, Harry looked a little rattled after he and Jim came back from Gringotts."

Lily pursed her lips at this and stood to follow Goodnight from the dungeons.

Neither noticed Headmaster Black leave his portrait, as he was on his way back to Potter Manor. He was the Potter's spy inside Slytherin.


When the floo flared up at Potter Manor, Jimmie was the first to step out, and then Lily Helen, Al, Little Harry, Scorp, and Goodnight, where they were met by Teddy standing in the great hall.

"Da' and Mum are in the drawing room," Teddy explained, but then he turned and walked to the end of the hall into the drawing room, where everyone followed.

They found Daphne sitting in one of the wingback chairs sipping tea, with Harry standing behind his chair while staring out the large bay window toward the round koi pond at the east end of the manor.

Jimmie was getting fed up with all the secrecy, and he was about to spout off when his father spun on his heel and took a seat in the chair beside his wife.

"Well," Harry said, as he looked at everyone, "don't just stand around; have a seat and some tea."

Everyone took a seat, and Winky appeared to make everyone a cuppa. When she disapparated, Jimmie had enough. "All right, Da', what is this all about?"

"Da', you're worrying me," Lily Helen said with a trembling lip just afterward.

"No need, Pumpkin," Harry replied with a smile that seemed to placate Lily at the moment.

"What I'm about to reveal," Harry stated, "does not leave this room. Got it?"

"Yea, Da'," Al replied.

"What Al said," Little Harry and Scorp said at the same time with a nod.

Teddy nodded his head, and so did Lily Helen, Jimmie, and Goodnight.

Harry sighed, and glanced over at Daphne as if to obtain her permission, where she gave him a slight nod.

"At the end of the war," Harry explained, "and after your mum and I returned from training, we made a secret trip to Hogwarts, and we went into the Forbidden Forest to retrieve something. Something, well, dangerous."

When Jimmie started to pipe up, Harry held up his hand, and Jimmie stifled himself. "I took the item and placed it in a high-security vault at Gringotts unbeknownst to anyone but your mother and me. Nobody knew, including the minister.

"We were lucky to find it, but the Elder Wand had an affinity for the item, and it pointed me to it, where it had been trampled under the dirt. I dug it up, cleaned it off, and placed it in a ring box, where Daphne and I traveled straight to Gringotts, and deposited it.

"That item," Harry explained, with a tremble in his voice, "was the Resurrection Stone. We told everyone that it was lost forever, but we lied. We couldn't allow any of the Hallows to fall into anyone else's hands but the family that made them, which was ours."

"Father always wondered..." Scorp muttered, to which Harry gave a nod to.

"Kingsley asked Jim to find it, and for the family to loan it to the DoM temporarily. Thus, I wanted to ask the entire family what they thought about it before I did."

"Daddy," Lily spoke up, "they'll surely return it, will they not?"

"They damn well better," Little Harry remarked, causing Al and Scorp to give a sharp nod, and cross their arms over their chests.

"Kingsley promised Goodnight and I that he would," Jimmie stated.

"What do you think, Da'?" Teddy asked.

"Well, Kingsley is getting old, and he wants to retire," Harry said, causing all the children to raise their eyebrows. "He, Minerva, myself, and your mum made an agreement, and if that works out, I won't worry. However, If Kingsley leaves, and we have the wrong minister, then I would be worried about obtaining it back."

"What do you mean?" Jimmie questioned.

"That's classified," Daphne stated, and when Jimmie started to argue, one glare from his mother was enough to make him close his yap with a clack. This even had Goodnight looking worried.

"Anyhow," Harry continued, "if the Head Unspeakable can quickly be done with his experiments, then we may have nothing to worry about. However, I want all of you to keep an eye and ear open, and if something was to ever happen to me or your mother, then you are to demand it back ASAP."

"Don't say that Daddy!" Lily cried out with a choked-up voice, where she launched herself out of her chair and hugged her father.

"Shhh, Pumpkin," Harry whispered, "your mother and I are looking at being around for many long years yet." Here, Harry withdrew his pocket square and blotted the tears away off Lily's cheeks. He'd be doing that a lot more before the day was through, and from Daphne as well. "Now, take a seat, as I have a surprise for all of you."

When Lily Helen let go, she turned and was ready to be mocked by her brothers, but all of them were staring at the floor and refused to look up. She straightened herself, smoothed her skirt, and sat back down lady-like beside Little Harry on one of the sofas. Here, he surprised her, when he gave her a one-armed hug, and he kept his arm around her. She noticed that he looked a little pale himself over her father's words.

"Now," Harry said, as he stood, and fished the ring box out of his trouser pocket, "this is the only time that I will allow this, so we have to make this good."

When Harry opened the ring box and removed the stone, Daphne, Goodnight, and Lily Helen covered their mouths with their hands to stifle their gasps. They were all three shocked at what was coming.

Harry looked at everyone, then, and took out the Elder Wand.

"I'm going to cast a spell that will connect you to me," Harry explained, "so allow the magic to wash over you and enter you; don't fight it."

They watched as Harry waved the Elder Wand in a large circle over his head before he pointed the tip at the floor while muttering an incantation. There was a flash of golden light, where the spell rippled across the floor and enveloped everyone in the room. Several gasped, as they could feel Harry's fatherly love for them in the magic, but also a good bit of sorrow hidden underneath.

Next, Harry slid the Elder Wand back up his left cuff, and then he rolled the stone over thrice in hand, while his eyes were closed. He knew that it had worked, as he heard several gasps in the room. Finally, he heard Jimmie speak. "Gran? Granda'?"

"Mother, Father," Teddy muttered.


Sorry for the long wait, but I acquired the coof, and had several appointments after that, which were really pointless. Now, that I'm back at myself, I'll finish the story.