James Potter stood tall as he took the floor at the next Wizengamot session. His robes showcased the House Ravenclaw crest as he pulled out a list from his pocket. "House Ravenclaw has been wronged," he said sadly. "Gravely wronged and we demand satisfaction for the Lady of our House."
Murmurs of suprise filtered throughout the chamber as everyone focused on James Potter. "The Lady of Ravenclaw House was captured, taken from her family. She was lashed with a whip, beaten with a club, carved up with a blade and raped." Horror crossed a lot of the faces as he glanced around the room. "It was an amazing feat her magic protected her unborn twin sons. Her captors cared not she was carrying the sons of House Ravenclaw as they took her."
James unrolled the list in his hand determinedly and continued, "House Ravenclaw predates the Sacred Twenty Eight and we demand satisfaction as the old laws decree. I have a list of those that grieved our Lady and I shall be reading it. If a person is listed and doesn't make atonement for their part in our Lady's suffering within thirty days then a blood feud shall be issued against the House."
Shouts of shock and outrage sounded throughout the chamber. "Surely we can settle this another way," Albus Dumbledore said in his grandfatherly tone. "Senseless killing will not solve the problem."
James glared at the wizard in front of him. "I can allow a lot of things slide," he offered emotionally. "The unprovoked attack against the Lady of Ravenclaw House is not one of them. Minerva McGonagall McGregor is one of the finest witches I have had the pleasure of knowing and I am blessed she thinks of me as family. I was taught families take care of their own. I shall take care of her as she is unable to take care of the matter herself at the moment."
"Proceed with it," Lord Greengrass said, admire for James Potter growing by leaps and bounds.
"Bellatrix LeStrange's death satisfied the debt owed by House Black," he said to Lord Black. "Narcissa Black Malfoy atoned for House Black. House Malfoy still owes atonement. The Lady of House Ravenclaw has stated a divorce for Narcissa Malfoy and her retaining sole custody of young Draco shall satisfy your debt."
"You can't do that," Lucius Malfoy shouted outraged.
James Potter stood tall and moved in front of the blonde wizard. "You will be silent! House Ravenclaw has made its demands and you can accept them or not. The choice is yours; however, I will personally give the Daily Prophet images of what you did to Lady Ravenclaw if you refuse our demands. You will not escape from justice and retribution from House Ravenclaw if I have to hunt you down personally."
Lucius Malfoy glared at James Potter but sat down. "I agree to your terms," he said arrogantly. "I can remarry and have more heirs."
"House Potter offers Narcissa Balck and her heir shelter if she wants it," Charles Potter offered.
"Thanks for the offer," Lord Black said as he stood. "House Black shall welcome our daughter and her heir back. Narcissa has atoned for our House and we will honor that."
"That's honorable of you Lord Black," James said. "You made me proud of my Black blood with that statement. I hope you shall continue to do so in the future."
"I shall strive to do so," Lord Black answered honestly. "The time for pureblood nonsense is long past. House Black will no longer support such views and will disown those members that support such ideology. Lady Ravenclaw has been kind to our world and I am ashamed one of my house took part in such an atrocious act."
James looked at the wizard before him with a new mindset and then back to his list and started to recite the rest of the names and the demands from House Ravenclaw. He knew some houses would not accept the demands and would welcome the blood feud but he knew other families would follow the example and demand justice from known Death Eaters. This public display of outrage would serve Magical Britain far better than any farce of justice could.
Minerva McGonagall McGregor laid down the Daily Prophet and walked over to the window. She didn't say a word to anyone but merely stared. The others looked at her form worriedly before sharing looks amongst themselves. Harry escaped his mother's embrace and walked unsteady to the lone witch. He tugged on her robes and pouted until she picked him up and settled him on her hip.
"Aunt Min," he said with a grin. She looked at him suprised as he just stared back. He pushed his hand to her face and she was bombarded with images.
An adult Hermione was sobbing brokenly in his arms and he was at a loss on what to do. Emotions wasn't his strongest point. "You can't hide away forever Mione," he pointed out. "So what if everyone knows what happened to you? You survived it, you refused to be a causality of this damn war, you refused to stand down and allow another to go through this."
She met his eyes, hers puffy and red from her tears. "I'm broken," she whispered. "I'm damaged goods now."
"No," he rebuked her. "Don't ever speak about yourself that way again! You may be hurt but you shall overcome this and be stronger than ever. You are the most kind-hearted person I know, you will push through this like you do everything. Besides, maybe having Magical Britain know what happened to you will save someone else from the same fate!"
Hermione smiled through her tears. She wiped her tears on her shirt sleeve and hugged Harry. "I love you so much," she whispered. "Merlin knows I needed you in my life. You're my brother in all ways but blood."
"Does that mean I can kill the git now?" he asked with a grin. "I'm the Savior of the Magical World and could probably get by with it."
Hermione smiled, slapped his arm and laughed. "You are one of a kind, Harry Potter!"
Harry offered her his own smile but said something completely unexpected. "I am," he agreed. "I raised up from the loneliness of being an orphan, having family that hated me and my use of magic and having to hide all of the abuse I was given. I was pieced together by a bushy hair know-it-all bookworm and a temperamental Scottish teacher who refused to allow me to feel sorry for myself. I was reforged in a harder steel because I refused to give up. Are you going to fall to pieces or reforge stronger than ever?"
Minerva shook her head as the memory from the other timeline ended. She looked wide-eyed at the one year old in her arms. "Thank you for that darling," she whispered and kissed his forehead. "Neither of those will happen as long as I draw breath," she whispered only loud enough for him to hear. He grinned at her happily.