Disclaimer: But when hunter meets with husband, each confirms the others tale - Kipling

The Year 1812, Solemn Overture

It was odd to be back at Hogwarts, Harry reflected to himself, considering how much time he'd spent away from the castle lately. Even when he was at the castle he spent very little time in scheduled classes, being excused to either work on his business or more usually to be turned over to the legions of spell researchers after making another mistake that rewrote the laws of magic.

"Flint."

"Yeah, chief?"

"What's on my schedule today?"

"First up is a recruitment meeting. One of the new employees found a couple interesting prospects. Both of them expressed interest in signing on for the duration."

"What makes them interesting?"

"Three things, chief. They were one of the most successful teams during the first dust up, one of them's officially dead, and they're related to your pal Ron."

"That is interesting," Harry agreed. "How are they related to Ron?"

"Husband is Ron's mum's first cousin. Stockbroker in the muggle world, chief."

"Thought he was an accountant."

"He was during the war, boss. Big reason the team was so successful is that he followed the money and found targets. Other reason they were so successful is that the wife was very very good at what she did and neither of them were the sort to take chances or give them."

"Which one was supposed to be dead?"

"The wife, boss. Ministry put out an arrest warrant a couple months after you stopped the big bastard the first time and the husband volunteered to be the one to serve it. He came back two days later covered in soot and said the warrant was no longer necessary. Then he opted to go on half pay and dropped into the muggle world."

"The Ministry believed an accountant took out a hardened Auror?"

"Most people in the know assumed she let him. They were known to be very close."

"And no one suspected a thing?"

"My guess is that no one worth anything went looking or thought too hard about it, chief. Not when the fuckers on the other side were buying pardons left and right."

"You said he was a stockbroker. He own his own business or is he an employee?"

"Owns it outright, chief."

'Successful?"

"Very, chief. Says he's willing to neglect it a bit and scale things back due to how important it is to put the bastards into the ground."

"What's the wife do?"

"Arson investigator for an insurance company, chief." Flint smiled. "Gave a lot of the old hands a bit of a laugh when they heard that."

"Why?"

"They called her the Ministry's Mad Arsonist during the war, chief. She tended to use fiendfyre a lot. Before my time, but I'm told she started and ended just about every fight with copious amounts of it. Also likely the reason she was the first of the war time Aurors the Ministry went after as an example to the rest. That or because some bastard from the other side paid off the right politicians to make it happen. Maybe a combination of both, couldn't say either way, chief."

"Alright. What else?"

"Flitwick and Dumbledore want to speak with you and Longbottom about the award ceremony, the one in France, and some of the researchers want to poke you a bit after that to see if you do anything interesting."

"What award ceremony in France?"

"Flammel Prize. You forget about it, chief?"

"I've been nominated for so many that they all kind of run together," Harry admitted. "Neville's up for one in potions?"

"Yes, boss, you gave orders to make sure we have cameras on Snape from multiple angles. No indication that he knows Longbottom is up for a potions prize."

"No one told him?"

"It's not confidential, but it's not exactly public information either. They tell the nominees and the nominees are free to tell whomever they wish to."

"Apparently no one wished to tell Snape."

"Apparently not, chief."

"Where and when is my first meeting?"

"Three Broomsticks and we should probably start heading there now, chief."

"We have time to swing by to inspect the defenses the goblins are putting up?"

"I made sure to include a few minutes to and from, chief."

IIIIIIIIII

Ginny nodded to the burly ex-Aurors watching her brother's shop as she walked past them into the building. Who'd have thought the slobbiest of her brothers would grow up to need people to protect him from legions of pushy customers and fans? He was lucky he'd formed a friendship with Harry early on or things would have been much more difficult for them all.

She found the boy sitting on a shaving horse doing something to a broom blank with a draw knife and watched him for a few moments before clearing her throat.

"Ginny?" he glanced over. "Do you need something?"

"Mum wants us to come home for a meeting," she explained. "Said it's important."

"When?"

"Now if possible," she replied. "One of the people Harry has watching me gave me a portkey."

"Harry's got people watching you?"

"Least as many as he's got looking after you," Ginny agreed.

"Oh." Ron put down the draw knife and stood to remove his apron. "Let me tell the guys watching my workshop that I'm going to be gone for a bit."

"Ask them to confirm that my porkey is genuine while you're at it," Ginny requested. "Can't be too careful."

"Right," Ron agreed. He did and it was.

"Ready?" Ginny asked, pulling a small rubber ball out of her pocket.

"Ready," Ron confirmed, Placing his hand on the object.

"Three. Two. One. Contact!"

The world spun for a few seconds and they found themselves in their sitting room when it stopped. Their mother was waiting with two strangers, one of whom, the man, resembled her.

"I was hoping both of you could come," Molly said cheerfully. "Ron, Ginny, I would like you to meet your cousin Horatio."

"You're the one we don't talk about!" Ron blurted. His sister's wince made him realize what he'd just said. "Sorry."

"Perfectly alright," Horatio laughed. "Permit me to present my wife, Sara."

"I'm the reason you don't talk about him," the woman announced proudly.

"I thought the reason we didn't talk about him was because he was an accountant?" Ron asked his mother. The look of annoyance on his mother's face and his sister's sigh of frustration both told Ron that his assumption had been, if not incorrect than impolite to mention. "If that's not it, then what's the reason?"

"It's because the Ministry decided to trump up charges against my love and issued an arrest warrant shortly after your friend Harry ended the last war," Horatio explained. "She was an emergency Auror and she was a bit too good at her job to make the Ministry comfortable."

"So you've been on the run from the Ministry for a crime you didn't commit?" Ron perked up. That was bloody wicked.

"Oh I committed them," she laughed. "Every one of them while on official time and while taking the queen's shilling, so to speak." Ministry's Galleon didn't have quite the same ring to it in her opinion. "Officially, I've been dead," Sara said dryly. "Much easier to disappear into the muggle world without having to worry about getting arrested one day."

"Oh." Ron relaxed, relieved that it was something he could do something about. "Want me to have a word with Harry about this? I'm pretty sure he's got the pull to take care of it."

"We already had a word with him earlier today, we're going to be joining his alliance against the dark lord." Horatio laughed. "Seemed more interested in my business than he was in securing our wands for the fight."

"Harry's working on some sort of plan," Ron explained. "Not sure what it is, he started to explain and I told him that I was with him either way so he shouldn't bother. Just to be sure to let me know what my part was and what I should do when the time came."

"Harry is a good boy and a good friend to the family," Molly announced. "Ronald, Ginny, are both of you able to stay away from school for the remainder of the day? I was hoping to get everyone together for dinner tonight."

IIIIIIIIII

Hermione was waiting at the entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room when Luna arrived early that morning and immediately dragged the younger girl in and to her favorite spot on the couch.

"Harry and Neville should be down soon," Hermione announced. She leaned in to whisper, "we'll be off after we've seen them off."

"Alright, Hermione," Luna agreed happily.

True to Hermione's words, Neville and Harry clad in their formal attire joined them a few minutes later.

"Congratulations on your award, Neville," Luna said shyly.

"Thank you," Neville replied.

"I'm sorry again we couldn't accompany you to the ceremony, but I'm afraid we've got an errand to run that we absolutely can not put off any longer," Hermione stated. She took a deep breath. "That said, I have requested that your assistants take several photos of you both accepting your awards and of the ceremony after."

Harry nodded to his friend. "I noticed that several skilled photographers had been added to my usual retinue."

"Do you mind if we accompany you as far as the Headmaster's office?" Hermione asked, rising to her feet.

"Of course not," Harry replied. "Shall we?"

Hermione happily chatted the entire way to the Headmaster's office filling the two boys in on the history of the awards they were slated to receive and of the location of the ceremony, pausing only to allow Luna to shyly add a few details.

Both girls went silent when they arrived at the Gargoyle to find the Headmaster waiting along with their heads of house.

"Ah, Ms. Granger, Ms. Lovegood, here to see us off or did you decide to accompany us?"

"We're here to see you off, Professor," Hermione replied. "I'm afraid Luna and I have a prior commitment which precludes our attendance."

"Of course." The old man produced a cricket bat from his robes and held it out for everyone to take a hold. "Good morning, Ms. Granger, Ms. Lovegood. Good hunting."

"Do . . . do you think he knows?" Luna whispered.

"He doesn't seem to mind if he does," Hermione replied. "Let's be about it."

"Vengeance should not be delayed overlong," Luna agreed.

"Vengeance delayed is vengeance denied," Hermione agreed.

Anguish fell into step behind the girls when they reached the Great Hall. More than a hundred goblin soldiers joined the moment they left the safety of the castle.

Your personal carriage is the one nearest the engine, mistress," Anguish stated.

"My personal carriage?"

"Your father's orders, mistress. Finished just yesterday. We currently have it looking like one of the student cars, but it has a dozen other settings to blend into other trains. We hope to have the dedicated security cars finished before school lets out."

"My father ordered a private car for me?"

"The security is modeled after the Pullman used by president Rosevelt, mistress. The walls are five eights thick steel and we've carved runes into every available surface to strengthen and lighten it. The interior was modeled after one of the coaches used by the royal family. It can currently change into three different exterior appearances and we are working to add more appearances including that of a modern commuter. It is as secure as we can make it, mistress."

"Did daddy pay for it or is this another clause I missed?"

"He did indeed pay for it, mistress."

"Alright," she agreed. "I'm not about to complain that he's gotten me another toy to play with. Remind me to thank him later."

"I shall, mistress."

A wide smile appeared on both girls' faces when the train came into view. At the front was a 4-6-2 Gresley A4 followed immediately by a corridor tender and a canteen car which in turn was coupled to what appeared to be nine of the Hogwarts Express' normal third class carriages, with a flat car covered in sandbags and festooned in machine-gun nests and anti-aircraft batteries between every three of the passenger cars.

"We built your personal car to be able to blend into any train, mistress," Anguish stated. "It currently resembles the normal express passenger cars because we have a surplus of Hogwarts Express passenger cars. Seven identical trains are currently on the tracks and three more will follow us."

Hermione nodded. "Is there a passage through the canteen car?"

"Not presently, mistress," Anguish said. "We should have one finished in a week along with the first of the dedicated gun platforms."

"Inform the crew that I will be very annoyed if I find out that they are using that as an excuse not to take their rest periods," Hermione ordered. "Remind them that rest periods are not optional no matter how much fun they're having."

"I shall, mistress."

"Shall we, Luna?"

"We shall," Luna agreed.

As they got closer, they saw that the train was absolutely swarming with heavily armed goblins and Potter security personnel.

"Don't you think we have a bit too many people along?" Hermione asked.

"This is the bare minimum we are permitted to bring, mistress," Anguish stated. "It would be nearly double if not for the contingent of house elves."

Luna giggled, "Harry's orders?"

"Indeed, Ms. Lovegood," Anguish agreed. "The Potter has made it clear that no chances are to be taken with either of your persons."

Their escort folded into the security detachment on the train after they'd boarded and it wasn't long before the train pulled out of the station. Winky appeared shortly after.

"Would mistress care for breakfast?" the little elf asked.

"Not today, thank you, Winky," Hermione replied.

"Winky is confused," the little elf stated. "Winky thinks her mistress said something wrong, but that can't be possible because Winky's mistress is good and great and never wrong." The elf gave the girl a flat stare. "Winky will try again, this time Winky's ears will work correctly. Would mistress care for breakfast?"

"Yes, thank you, Winky," Hermione replied. "Breakfast would be lovely."

IIIIIIIIII

Dumbledore sidled up to Harry shortly after the boy left the stage with his award.

"Harry?"

"Yes, Professor?"

"I've been meaning to ask. Would you mind too terribly displaying your awards at Hogwarts, at least while you are attending?"

"Sure," Harry agreed. "Some reason you didn't bring this up earlier?"

"You were an outlier before, with Neville's award I can make the argument that your wins reflect on the school. It'll make it easier to shake money out of our alumni association and the Ministry."

"Be happy to help if it'll benefit the school," Harry agreed. "And, now that you mention it, being able to threaten to take back my award will make it easier to influence you and any future headmasters, won't it?"

"Likely," Dumbledore agreed. "Though I have to admit that I was hoping you'd have been good enough to wait until after I left the post before realizing that."

"Never fight fair, Professor," Harry stated cheerfully. "Always fight as dirty as you can. What's the point of having a thumb if you don't stick it in the other guy's eye at the earliest and then at every subsequent opportunity?"

"Yes, that's one lesson you've taken to heart isn't it."

"It's why I'm standing here and why so many others are in the ground," Harry agreed cheerfully. "They're about to announce Neville's award." He looked over his shoulder. "Flint?"

"Two dozen ready to get his reaction from every angle, chief."

"Two dozen ready to get who's reaction, Harry?" Dumbledore asked.

"We're pretty sure that no one told Snape that Neville's going to win a prize for potions," Harry said nastily.

"Ah." Dumbledore considered the matter. "How much for a set of prints?"

The old man's eyes landed on a well dressed young looking couple across the room, one of whom nodded to him and then shot a meaningful look at the stage before turning back to give him a wink causing the old wizard's eyebrows to shoot up in surprise.

IIIIIIIIII

Neville didn't know how he managed to walk up the steps to the stage, it felt as if his knees were clattering together. Involuntarily, his eyes swept over the crowd. What seemed like thousands of eyes stared back at him and . . . wait, was that Snape? It was. In the corner of the room, Hogwarts' Potions Master looked as if he were having a fit, foam came out his mouth as a dozen security guards dog piled him and a dozen more people holding expensive looking cameras recorded the event. Taking his cue from the crowd, Neville ignored the incident and walked to the center of the stage. Have to remember to ask Harry for copies, the boy thought to himself as he stepped up to the podium.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the future of potions. Neville Longbottom." The crowd roared in approval at the words.

"I would like to thank you all for coming," Neville said, reciting the speech he'd practiced with Juliette. "I never expected the reaction to my vegetable based potions to be so positive, it's inspired me to deepen my knowledge of animal and mineral to the point that I can hopefully create new and better potions. Thank you for your support." The applause was deafening.

Neville didn't remember taking the award, didn't remember leaving the stage or rejoining his friend and Professors.

"A shame Pomona couldn't be here to see this," McGonagall said, wiping a tear off her cheek. "She'd have been over the moon at an award being given for developing one hundred percent plant based potions. Good job, Mr. Longbottom, you have done both your family and your school proud."

"Agreed," Flitwick stated.

"Ah, Neville," Dumbledore said, approaching the group. "Please permit me to be the third to congratulate you on your remarkable achievement."

"Thank you, sir," the boy replied shyly.

"Now then." The old man's eyes twinkled. "Tell me, my boy, have you ever had any interest in studying alchemy?"

IIIIIIIIII

Hermione and Luna sprang to their feet and rushed to the windows the second their train came to a halt to admire the engine of destruction sitting in the passing loop. Covering the entirety of the rail chassis was a truly enormous cannon.

"I believe this will be sufficient to show everyone just how little we like attempts on Harry's life," Luna said, trying to sound casual.

"If not, we can always build more," Hermione giggled. "Speaking of which, Anguish?"

"Gun two will be completed in approximately two weeks, mistress. Gun three, the first of the magnetic series will be completed in a month."

Hermione nodded. "We're still planning to switch entirely to magnetic if the tests on gun three are successful, are we not?"

"Unless you order otherwise, mistress."

"Excellent." Hermione gave the massive gun one last look before returning to her seat. "Dobby, a moment please."

The house elf appeared.

"Dobby, I need you to do something for me," Hermione began.

The little elf's eyes narrowed in annoyance for a bit before he gave a great sigh and turned towards Luna.

"What Hermione means to say is that she would like to give you the honor of ordering the first shot," Luna stated calmly.

"We're targeting the Malfoy Manor first," Hermione explained. "We thought that you deserved it the most."

"Dobby would like that very much," the house elf agreed. "Dobby must remember that Harry Potter sir's Grangy is bad at speaking," the elf muttered to himself. Best add that in the future he should remember to always try to ask Harry Potter sir's Loveygood for a translation when practicable. "Thank you."

"You are most welcome, Dobby. Winky?"

"Yes, mistress?"

"Tea, please, Winky," Hermione ordered.

"And some of those little cakes we had last time," Luna added cheerfully. "I think they'll go wonderfully with the music."

"A shame we didn't think to bring an orchestra," Hermione sighed, having a sudden thought. "We could have enjoyed the 1812 overture with real cannon fire."

"There's always next time," Luna replied.

"A good portion of the reason we're doing this is to ensure that there will not be a next time," Hermione stated.

Luna sniffed. "Hermione, I think you are according the magical world with far too much intelligence if you think that. No matter what lessons we teach today, no matter how harsh, there will always be a next time."

"Winky can play the violin, mistress," the house elf volunteered.

"That would be lovely, thank you, Winky, please do," Hermione stated happily.

Anguish entered the compartment. "Everyone is in position, Mistress."

"Wonderful. Would you care to join us for tea, Anguish?"

"Thank you, Mistress."

"Wonderful. Signal all units to begin the operation. Dobby."

"Yes, Missy Grangy?"

"Please time things with Winky's playing, if you don't mind. You may give the order to fire when ready."

"Yes, Missy Grangy," the house elf agreed, disappearing with a pop as Winky began playing the 1812 overture.

Hermione calmly took a sip of her tea. "This is quite good."

"I believe it's a new blend provided by your business associates in the Greengrass/Davis family, mistress," Anguish stated.

Winky played the first few cords, seconds later the railcar rocked from the force of the shock.

"Good sound proofing," Luna said, taking a sip of her tea. "That blast should definitely have deafened us."

Winky played the next part and paused again to allow the second shot.

IIIIIIIIII

Augusta was in her front garden when she heard a sound that made her wonder if the Hogwarts Express was passing over her manor. That was quickly followed by a tremendous boom. Calmly, she walked to the other side of her garden and looked down to find that most of the Malfoy manor no longer existed. Minutes later, another sound of the Hogwarts Express overhead was quickly followed by a loud boom and even greater destruction.

"Dippy!"

"Yes, mistress?"

"Wine and a chair," she ordered. "Have some of the other elves set up a camera while you are about it."

"Yes, mistress."

Augusta didn't know how many more explosions would follow, but she hoped there would be at least enough to remove the eyesore that had been ruining the manor house's view for the majority of the previous millennium.

IIIIIIIIII

Sprocket stared intently at the telegraph receiver, waiting for it to indicate that the heiress had given the order to commence. The goblin was honored almost to the point of tears to have been given command of the second part of the operation and he was determined not to make even the slightest mistake. While the railway gun was perfect for servicing their more isolated targets, it lacked the finesse to deal with their targets in more built up areas. The solution they'd decided on was to build several giant bipedal smoke belching engines of war.

' N,' the receiver tapped out.

"TO ARMS!" Sprocket yelled. "The Heiress calls us to arms to deliver death and destruction to our enemies!"

Hatches closed and restraints released as the machines went from standby mode to combat ready. It was go time.

"FIRST GROUP! Activate portkeys on my mark!" Sprocket yelled. "3-2-1 MARK!" Five of the giants disappeared to visit destruction on the idiots who had drawn their mistress' ire. "SECOND GROUP! 3-2-1 MARK." Five more disappeared. "THIRD GROUP!"

IIIIIIIIII

It was a bit after noon when Robert Farrier arrived to unlock the doors to Games Wizard, his shop that sold all things nerd. No point in opening earlier on a week day, everyone was either at work, in school, or asleep. He usually tried to come in a couple hours earlier to catch the lunch crowd, but his alarm had malfunctioned that morning and he'd missed it.

Bit of movement in the corner of his eye caused him to look at the display window. Odd, almost looked as if one of the models was moving. Only, he didn't remember putting a model that looked like that on display and it looked more like a reflection than a . . . he turned and stared in dumbfounded shock for several seconds. Five giant smoke belching robots were setting up a giant gun and looked as if they were preparing to rain destruction on the empty lot across from his shop.

A normal man might perhaps decided that it might be prudent to be elsewhere at as high a rate of speed as their feet could manage, a particularly brave or stupid man might decide to stay and watch. Robert was the owner of a small business, one that sold games, comics, and all things nerd and as such knew that there were some things more important than life or personal safety. Robert darted into his shop and came out seconds later with a camera, he was either going to become the most successful game shop owner in the world or he was going to die horribly in the attempt.

The five giant robots completed their set up and the lead robot shot him a look before seemingly shrugging its mechanical shoulders and giving the order to fire. The world went white and the empty lot was gone, replaced by a stately looking home with a large smoking hole taking the place of its front door.

The robots opened their mouths and great streams of fire shot out enveloping the structure and turning it into a towering inferno of flame.

Through it all, Robert got pictures from every angle he could, burning multiple rolls of film to ensure that he'd get as many usable prints as possible.

It took a while for the Obilivators to arrive, they'd been overwhelmed by the number of calls they'd received in such a short time, and Robert was long gone by the time they did. He had a friend with a dark room and he was determined to get his film developed as quickly as possible no matter how many favors he had to burn.

The first set of prints along with the negatives were locked securely in his solicitor's safe. The second went to one of his suppliers with a demand that he get royalties, the entirety of the first run of minis, and a strongly worded suggestion to put out a book of lore as soon as possible. The third set went to a local print shop with instructions to print a number of promotional posters and prints for sale to the public. The next several sets went to a number of media companies, some in exchange for ad space others in exchange for copious amounts of money. Robert was about to become stupidly rich and the Statute of Secrecy was about to get just a bit weaker.