A Dementor Named Radish

by lvidler.op

Harry Potter's horcrux makes the Dementors pause. They decide that their way of following the order to take the soul of Harry Potter is to take Harry Potter with them back to Azkaban. A story in which the guards and Dementors adopt Harry and how it falls out after.

AN: The characters, except for random ones not in the books, are not mine. They belong to Rowling. AU and OOC characters. This story is a different view of the monsters called dementors. These are generally terrifying creatures. They suck out souls and eat happiness, or emotions, as a matter of course. They cause you to see your worst memory. They have dark ratty cloaks of multiple layers with the hoods up. They fly, and they are pretty fast at finding things. They also guard a prison and are directed around by the Ministry. If the Ministry can send them to do things, that means they understand human languages in order to have a job or jobs and are pretty dependable. This story started with the thought, What if Harry could understand dementors? Therefore, OC characters as well. Also special thanks to my baby brother, because I got partially stuck on what a boy his age would do.

A Dementor Called Radish (Because his name in his language is the sweet spicy fear from being momentarily startled)

There was a young man, around fourteen years of age, who looked roughly normal. The reason was his relatives were not as rough on him this summer and last so he looked roughly normal instead of just rough. His godfather, who has an assumed mass murderer had still not been declared innocent and he was not about to let his relatives that he wasn't running around mad nor that he was innocent, thank you very much. If one let them know, they would stop ignoring him as much as they had, and he preferred it if they were ignoring him. Sure, they hadn't completely forgotten he was there, and his cousin was the one to give him the most attention, but he preferred it that way.

Of course he had reasons he liked it this way. One, he got to eat more on a regular basis. Two, he had less bruises. Three, he didn't have to listen to his aunt's screeching as much, and if he had more of a typical life, that may have even got as high as number one. Four, they forgot to lock him in his room after he did a few chores, so he ended up wandering around more, and actually tied into number one. Them ignoring him also meant less chores because they would rather ignore that he was there altogether, and that was their way of protesting that, since they believed his godfather was around, they also believed that hitting him wasn't as much of an option. That meant more escapes to the park and library, which he was taking total use of. A summer with only minor servitude was amazing, and so he could sometimes pretend that he was a normal kid in a normal neighbourhood, as his relatives pretended they were.

He had been out when he had run into his cousin Dudley when the sky grew dark and the temperature dropped abruptly.

He had failed his patronus because of his cousin's interference. He blacked out.

Harry Potter woke up on the sidewalk to the sound of inhuman screeching, despite the cold still lingering. His cousin was looking particularly soulless, and the dementors were apparently arguing over whether they should eat him or not. Harry groaned, while they were not currently making him watch his worst nightmare, the aura of fear still hung around them. Harry looked up with his hand clamped to his mouth, and then decided the safest thing was to look down while between the two arguing dementors.

Any thought of escape soon left his head, as his movement was noticed. They stopped fighting and moved to block him, and then resumed conversing. The topic had changed, as they were not now fighting over an innocent in comparison, and whether or not they were legally allowed to eat these souls despite the ministry order, to "we have decided the child is innocent enough we cannot legally follow the Ministry's order, so what do we do with the child now?"

A very startled Harry Potter heard "So we'll just take a feel of the soul and drop him off with the closest relative we've been around," before a cold, hard finger touched his forehead. The pain caused him to drop his head and bury it into his hands away from the finger.

The Dementors startled once they touched his forehead. They started circling around him like buzzards over a dead carcass along the side of the road.

"The child is partly one of us."

"He has tried eating his first soul, but it has gotten stuck."

"Self-defence from half-formed instincts?"

"That would make so much sense of why he didn't die that night."

"It only complicates matters in regards to his mother's death."

"Didn't she step away three times?"

"Of course, ritual self-sacrifice. That is the only way she would have been able to die."

"That gave him the blood ward that he used to kill that man again."

"Since he's one of us, I guess we take him with us?"

"He has to learn how to eat souls so that if he tries again they don't get stuck like that. So, yeah, I guess we take him home."

"He won't like the prison. People find it too cold, so unless we want to drive him mad, we'll have to provide him warmth."

"How about..."

Ignoring the creatures around him, Harry's thoughts had run wild. So, he couldn't leave, as they wouldn't let him. These monsters were actually talking about taking him somewhere. Hopefully, he would be safe. He guessed that shouldn't surprise him. His abuse had been dismissed as an exaggeration when he had plucked up enough courage to ask to stay somewhere else. His grandparent-like Headmaster had been the one to drop him off at his relatives. His biggest enemy until recently had worn a friendly face, at least two. Why shouldn't the scariest thing out there look after him? Come on, even the second scariest creature ended up being his favorite DADA teacher. If that was the case, then Voldemort, who had both had a nice face and a snake like face, was probably working around a terrible case of identity crisis if he kept working around that logic. Snape hated him, got him into trouble, hated teaching, yet was the one that saved his life in first year on his broom. If he kept following that logic, that meant he was probably the safest person to be around. Though if he followed that logic further, that meant the Weasleys weren't actually good guys. He hated that thought. Hopefully, it didn't go that far. Either way, if Voldemort didn't get better along with his scary face, he would be nasty. Maybe he had too much pretty face angst. Or was he the exception to the rule?

A hand grabbing Harry's wrist pulled him against a dark clad back, where he jumped a piggy back to avoid being thrown over a shoulder. If he was leaving his relatives, he was leaving without protest. He was suddenly really thankful he had his wand in his pocket though. There was a chance he would end up with a Death Eater family, and they would probably still treat him better than his relatives before third year. There was also a chance he would end up with one of the nicer people, maybe even Madam Bones, Susan's aunt. In reality, if he was going somewhere, willingness would probably help him in the long run, no matter the living arrangements. His relatives, even his friendship with Ron and Hermione, were proof of that.

It was a nice flight by wizarding standards, if one got over the cold and feeling faint. He could tell when the other one would check on him though, as he would start to hear his mom again, and the faint feeling would get worse. Why were brooms still the nicest way to travel so far in the wizarding world?

.

Luna Lovegood looked slightly startled by what she was seeing. Two Dementors soaring with Harry Potter, who was being taken home. However, as not quite a Dementor he was requiring some things. Humming a tune her mother would sing when things become hectic, she gathered blankets with warming runes, a canteen filled with hot chocolate, several chocolate bars, a couple pillows, and a pressed flower in a book on meditation. The trio would be there in half an hour. She already saw that Harry required use of the bathroom, which necessitated the break. However, they would not stop there unless something attracted their attention, so she took a small hand mirror and angled it so that the light was shining upwards towards the western sky. Since everything that she could do was done, she decided to check up on the fairies in the garden outside the front window, warning them about the incoming visitors.

When the sky darkened and the Dementors started circling, she grabbed her hand mirror, and started flashing it towards the oncoming trio.

.

"Can we land there, please?"

The Dementor he was riding looked at him, and screeched, "really?"

"Yes, please. I need the bathroom."

"We may stop for that."

"Thank you."

Landing in front of the Lovegood house, he saw Luna was standing on the front step.

"Come in, come in. I have stuff ready for your trip."

"May I stop and use the bathroom?"

"Sure, take the hall way at the left, first door on the right. I'll be waiting out here."

"Thank you so much."

With that, Harry and Luna hurried inside the cottage. Harry quickly found the bathroom. Luna headed towards the living room and gathered up the pile and put it in a covered bag with extending and weightless charms on it. Once Harry came back out into the main living area, Luna handed him the bag and put the canteen on top.

"Don't worry, Harry. Just focus on learning what you can. I've packed chocolate, and the blankets just need you to tap your wand to the runes and they'll warm up. Hopefully I'll see you at school."

"Thank you so much, Luna. I hope the fairies will do well and the nargles don't come around."

"Thank you so much, Harry. I'll keep your thoughts in mind. Safe travels."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Luna headed back into the house.

The Dementors had come back from wandering somewhere to do whatever Dementors do when they take breaks.

"Are you ready to go?"

"Yes. Thanks for letting me stop."

"What's in the bag?"

"Chocolate and warming blankets."

"Excellent. This way we don't have to ask the guards for their chocolate right away."

"I'll take you this time. He wants to give his back a break."

"All right. Thanks for not looking directly at me."

"One of the things I hope you learn is how to mentally counter that affect. You seem to be at least partly a relative."

.

When Harry and his travel companions landed at Azkaban, they created a ruckus. Harry's feet hitting the ground caused an alarm to go off that was answered by both the guards and the rest of the Dementors. The guards wanted to take Harry from the two he had come with. The one he had just gotten off of slung him over his shoulder, and the other one flew in between. Once patroni were introduced, it only served to make the dementors with Harry leave faster, not furthering the guards' design at all. The dementors quickly swarmed into the basement away from everyone faster than the guards could go. Once there, they headed into one of the cave fissures where the guards didn't go.

Harry ended up being very thankful for the blankets and the warming runes. That was basically all the warmth he had in his nest, besides the warmth from the canteen, which had similar charms on it.

Learning how to access his partial abilities as a Dementor required heavy use of the book on meditation that Luna had provided. Worrying did not help his ability to focus. At least he knew now why he survived so long at the Dursleys. With the added toughness of a partial dementor's body, he had a harder time succumbing to temperatures and injuries. As for starvation, he had been, now that he thought on his experiences, eating the happiness from his relatives.

On the topic of eating happiness, he was trying not to eat too much the happiness of the duo in front of him, two guards named Richard and Claude. The two had each individually started coming up to Harry to talk. It had been headache inducing on the their parts, and they realized belatedly they were causing Harry a lot of undue strain by chasing his teachers away. Since then, they had come and individually apologized over the stress that they had unknowingly put him under. As Harry was learning and starting to find some of the traits of a dementor instinctual, he found he could, not completely stop, but minimally eat emotions while around others. While he could do do it at the same level as an actual dementor, he could make it noticeable if he tried. Since becoming sort of friends with them, he could notice it now, especially in contrast from being around the prisoners.

They were talking about getting Harry back to school in time for the fall, as well as getting his school supplies. Unfortunately, it was becoming a bit of a hassle, as either of them smuggling someone off the island was bound to get noticed and Harry had left his invisibility cloak at Privet Drive. Not to mention, Harry couldn't exactly become invisible like a true Dementor. Harry was actually grateful to the others trying to get him away, as despite being part Dementor, he still felt things a lot like a human and the cold still grated on his nerves.

"Could maybe one of the Dementors drop him off on land and we go from there?"

"Get them to do an extra wide sweep of the island and one of them pulls off and goes from there?"

"We'd have to do it tomorrow as well so it can get back on the island."

"Wait, that actually sounds doable."

"If we explain this to the rest of us guards, no one is going to mind. Seriously, some of them are still trying to find a way to separate Harry from the full Dementors."

"I can see why, I mean we don't feel cold or scared when Harry walks into a room."

"Unless he's trying."

"There's that, but I am pretty sure Harry doesn't try on a regular basis normally. Do you, Harry?"

"Until I came here, I didn't realize I could do that, so no."

"Are you going to be trying to on a regular basis while at school?"

"No. I don't want to get kicked out."

"I see where you would be coming from."

Richard looked over at Claude, who was leaning back with his chair against the wall. "I think we can do this. What do you think?"

"I think so."

It ended up Richard, who had his time off sooner, met up with Harry and the one of the other Dementors on the shore once the guard had tied up the boat. Richard took him to meet up with his family, who welcomed him with open arms. Harry was super thankful for the warm bath, a warm normal before now dinner, and even the hot water in the dish sink as he helped the family with cleaning up after. He was thankful that the guards had taken and shrunk down a couple of their uniforms for him, so he wasn't invading this family dressed in his cousin's cast offs.

"So, how was the chili?"

"It was a little spicier than I am used to, but it was delicious. Did you add more chili pepper, cayenne, or what?"

"We grow our own spicy peppers. It's a cross-pollination product of jalapenos and banana peppers. Some are a lot spicier than the others. The pepper I put in today was a little more on the spicy side. I have a spell I use to determine which ones are spicier, and the less spicy ones get used in cream sauces with chicken, or if we are having a guest that can't really handle the heat, or things like that."

"Like Great-Aunt Tolerance."

"Okay. Nice. As you can tell, I don't usually grow the hot peppers. I do sometimes use tomatoes from my aunt's garden."

"Oh, the flavour! There's no way to completely reproduce that."

"I know. The Muggles, I guess is the right term, has found a way to keep some of that, but they haven't found a way to completely reproduce that either."

"Did you grow up with Muggles?"

"Yes. I didn't know anything about magic until my eleventh birthday."

"So a month before school, like a typical Muggleborn?"

"Yep."

"Hmmm."

"So how do they do it?"

"You're talking the tomatoes?"

"Yep."

"They pick the vine, not the tomatoes. You can buy them in the store in a clump, with the vine still attached. There is usually still a netting to keep things together, just in case one of them falls off," stated Harry.

"Do you struggle with the way things are taught, knowing nothing about how magic before then?"

"Absolutely. Things are done differently, including writing utensils. We don't have anything like potions, the closest thing I can think of is cooking. The whole prejudice thing doesn't help at all either."

"Like what?"

"Like expecting us to know things we don't, and not everyone will let us look things up to find out what is going on before taking offense. I can tell you how I feel about potions now is not how I felt how I thought I would feel."

"You expected to enjoy it?"

"I like cooking once I get into the rhythm of it, so I expected to feel something similar, but then the teacher hated me and picked on me upon walking into the class."

"I guess it's something you don't really know then."

"No."

The lady of the house leaned against the counter, with her towel in her hand. She looked Harry over, before nodding to herself.

"I think we will be having you over until September 1st. While I don't have a lot of stuff on hand, I could teach you a lot of the little steps that make potions work."

"Do you mean like the ways to cut and stuff?"

"If you promise to give me your best effort, I will do so."

"Ummm."

"Don't worry. Momma's great. She taught me all she could, and Snape doesn't find much to complain about mine."

"What year are you in?"

"I'm going into second year, Hufflepuff."

"Since Snape is constantly complaining about mine, I guess I should accept the help."

"Do you do your best in class?"

"To be honest, no. I just try to a good enough job I don't blow anything up. I didn't know that was an option until one of my classmates became known for doing that. Of course, it doesn't help that he's afraid of the teacher."

"If I teach you, I want you to do your best this year and really study. Are you willing?"

"Can I think about it?"

"You can give me you decision in the morning."

"Thank you."

The preteen grinned at them while Harry wiped down the counter. The mother waved her wand and the clean water had dissipated.

"Well, since that's done, what all do you have to do this summer?"

Harry was busy that last week. Once all the school supplies and a basic wardrobe had been obtained, Richard and Harry had stopped by Privet Drive where Petunia Dursley had told them to do quickly what they had to and to leave. While this was not in concern for Harry, it got Harry and Richard out of Vernon's way before he arrived. Because Harry hadn't been able to touch his homework, the mornings were spent at the table doing that, while the afternoons were spent studying potions.

Potions with Richard's wife Patience was nowhere near as bad as with Snape. While she was strict, she also showed Harry into the kitchen with a relaxed air. She handed Harry a carrot and went over all the cutting techniques with that. It took a few carrots, but at the end of the afternoon, Harry thought it was worth it. His basic techniques, while not Snape's best, had improved, and he was able to do a lot better in a couple things. The second day was the same, while she made Pepper Up, while he chopped the ingredients. When they got to making the potion, Harry was surprised to learn he had picked up something practical from Snape's class - he was able to properly guide his magic into his potion. Of course, before it was a desperate desire to not completely fail and become Snape's target that way that had him doing it. Doing it while calm was different, and he had to figure out what exactly what he was doing in order for them to not just be a soupy mess. Once he got the trick of it though, it worked. At the end of the week, she reminded him of the return side of their deal.

Harry had also quickly penned a letter and sent it via Hedwig. Hedwig had survived because she had been able to squeeze through the bars on his window and her cage had been unlocked. It was a happy reunion, though Harry was scolded by his owl for disappearing. She also refused to leave him alone for the first couple days they were together again.

Harry was thankful for their allowance of his stay. When they headed onto the train, Harry parted from the second year once the kid found her friends, and went and found Ron and Hermione.

They assumed the nightmares were just a side product of him spending three weeks living with Dementors, as Richard had the same issue.

.

Dumbledore was feeling a little lost. Harry was not at his Aunt's and Uncle's for half of the summer. His cousin was dead, and Mrs. Figg, once he stopped to read her letters, had reported four weeks ago that Dementors had been seen in the area and that Dudley had been kissed. This confusion of where he had been was greater when he arrived with Ron and Hermione in the carriages. His happy smiles and general good health as far as he could see would mean that it was not a bad place, just that he was cut off from people. He decided to call Harry up and make sure he wasn't being recruited by somebody.

.

Snape frowned. While his instincts towards anything Potter related were offensive, he could tell the Potter brat felt different. He felt more strongly similar, but off, and it was driving him to distraction. He wouldn't be able to relax with Potter in the same room, not that he would normally, but he could normally ignore Potter's presence. No one alive knew Snape was part wraith, a similar creature to a Dementor, but more like a malevolent ghostly presence with the powers of a wizard. He had no idea how his mother had managed it, but she had helped him hide it until she died, after which he had slipped some, but it was mostly hid in a bitter persona and slightly more flaring robes. With Potter feeling more wraith-like, but off, it would be harder this year to keep himself hidden. He had a feeling that this year he would be especially hated by anyone.

.

time skip: Please assume everything happened as it was written, except for Harry actually trying in potions.

.

Harry's dream about Nagini had sent the Order into a tizzy. Harry hadn't even, until that night, realized that he was seeing things that were actually happening. While they were quick enough to save Arthur Weasley, Harry went searching for books to help him once he heard from Snape about the Occlumency. He was relieved when he found that, thanks to Luna, he already had the first few steps down. It was now up to him to figure out the rest, because he was sure that Snape would take it out on him.

Harry's prediction was correct. Snape slammed into his mind with very little warning, watching a few of his memories before leaving his head. That ended up being the pattern of the so called lessons, though they seemed to be more like very harsh tests. Eventually though, Harry was managing to keep some walls up despite the abruptness of the attacks. According to Snape's reactions when he encountered them, they were nothing like what he was expecting. Instead of not finding anything, or a rock hard surface, he encountered a taffy like curtain that clung to him even after getting through until he left. The look of disgust was as brightening to Harry as was the quick "get out and practice". When he left, Snape was mumbling about needing brain soap. He imagined that it would be like washing it off a pan with thin gloves, and feeling icky until one actually washed his or her hands to get rid of the feeling. He brightened as he was actually getting somewhere on that side.

However, them being similar but not instinctively working together creatures made the whole thing rather difficult. Harry was more on edge around Snape than previous, and Snape was pushing to have Harry leave his classroom for good as strong as he could. Hermione stated that it was like two dogs that didn't get along being shoved into the same room; they noticed mainly each other, and acted on that hatred, even if they were toning it down just enough that they could technically be in the same room and have others feel safe.

When Dumbledore and Umbridge came head to head after the DA being found out, Harry had given in to instincts a bit. The whole feeling of betrayal and then the two girls Cho and Edgecombe rubbing it in his face, he decided that if Dumbledore could defend himself, he could as well. He met Cho in the hallway, and when she rubbed it in, he had allowed himself to eat more of her smugness than he would otherwise, casting the hall into a cold gloom. He walked away, calming his eating down so it wouldn't be noticed, and allowing the air to brighten.

He hadn't expected that to impact his lessons from Snape. He had fallen into the Pensieve, and Snape had been furious at that and told the boy to leave after a furious rant. Then Snape had noticed. He could sense Harry's recent feeding off of the feeling in the room, and he snarled. Before the boy could leave as he had just demanded, he closed the door before Potter had gotten to it, and demanded that he sat down.

"You will sit down before you do anything else."

The brat had quietly done so.

"Do you know what else you have done?"

"I ate."

"Have you suddenly lost your mind? There is a Ministry toad in the school, now running it, and you give in to your feelings and eat here. You will have noticed she is going out of her way to intimidate anyone who has any connection with creatures. She wants them all dead, along with Muggleborn. You are directly on her hit list, you've felt the bite, and you still allowed yourself to eat because you were what? Annoyed? Betrayed? I have nothing against eating like you are supposed to; I thought even you weren't a big enough idiotic Gryffindor to do it in a place under her direct control. You're going to make it hard enough for the rest of us!"

The look on Harry's face had changed several times. When he realized the practical meaning of the last sentence, he had a look of understanding. Not only had he invaded Snape's memory of his falling out with his mother, but he had also made things harder for those not fully human like himself, and apparently Snape.

"You've finally gotten it? No, you're not alone in this world, stupid brat. Can you imagine if Lupin's feelings if you were something like him, but not the same? No, you're not the same as me, but similar enough I suppose."

Snape's anger had seemed to be finally wound down into searing weariness.

"Look, whatever you are, you are similar to me, but we are not meant to share territory. The simile of lions and tigers would do, I suppose. Yes, go ahead and make sure you eat, but do it in a way where there is no way she can trace it back to you. You're going to have to act like a Slytherin, though I know your lack of self preservation will hate that. Look, I first joined the Dark Lord because he said he was going to make things better. You can see what became of that promise; we now have it worse as the Ministry and those like HER are using fear as a way to control us and limit our ability to do things. Now, our hope is you, and you're going to have to hide what you are until things have changed, for Lupin's sake if not mine."

Severus Snape wearily sat down on the chair next to Harry's.

"Is there something you would like to say? Potter?"

"I am really, really sorry for invading your Pensieve. I really didn't know what my dad was like; everyone just tells me what things I am good at like James. I was the bullied person at home, until I got pulled out this year by Ministry workers, which you know from my memories. I am sorry your friendship with my mom ended that way, and I am sorry she let it die. I an understand your anger towards my family now. If we can't share territory, I am happy letting this be yours and be guest in it. I'll try to not get caught eating and make things harder for you in your home. As it turns out, there was a reason why the Dementors liked me so much in my third year. I am partially a Dementor. I'm learning, I don't know everything, but I'll try my best. Can you please accept my apology?"

"I accept your apology if we agree to not do Occlumency lessons again."

"Can we do today's lesson then, and you tell me what areas to work on?"

"With the promise of never coming to me for Occlumency lessons again, I will do so. I'll even throw in helping you when I can."

They had actually managed to have a civil lesson where Professor Snape had given Harry a detailed written things to work on with his Occlumency, and then Harry was ready to leave the dungeon for the last time as an Occlumency student. However, Severus Snape felt like he needed to have another conversation with Harry Potter.

"Harry Potter, I am also a dark creature similar to a dementor, as I've said already."

"Are you actually a vampire, sir?"

"No, but I am often mistaken for one. I am part wraith. Scarily, the ones in muggle literature are more accurate than anything Ministry allowed. The Nazgul are surprisingly accurate, though we are not dead and can handle both extremes of temperature. We can also go gaseous in shadows if required. Like you, it is amazingly hard to kill one of us. Salt only work on full wraiths though. We are sometimes called omens of death, due to our affinity with darker magic. That, and when in proper form, we are scary.

"The reason I brought this up is because I want to apologize for the way I've handled my anger with your father by passing it on you. You don't deserve that. Can you forgive me?"

Harry weakly smiled. "Yes, sir, I can do that."

Severus Snape nodded.

"Would you accept my help with keeping what you are silent and put you in places where you can eat as needed?"

Harry was a little stunned. Yes, apologizing to each other and having a proper Occlumency lesson with instructions on what books to follow up with was amazing. However, he was what? His slytherin side ticked a little. Was he offering remunerations for past conduct? He voiced the question.

"It's nice to see you're not just Gryffindor. Yes, I am."

"I will accept it. This would relieve both our senses of honour, I believe. I accept you as my creature guardian while I am here at Hogwarts."

"Thank you. I hope our relationship will improve, as will your continued study on Occlumency will improve your shields. You may go now.

"Good night, Professor Snape."

.

Harry and the DA went to the Department of Mysteries because he wasn't sure the Order would make it on time. He trusted Snape to get the word out, but he wasn't sure just how fast they could mobilize.

Bellatrix shot a spell at Sirius and knocked him through the veil. Instead of Harry attempting the Cruciatus, Harry had marched up on Bellatrix and pushed her weakened body through the veil with him, and had already walked out of it with Sirius when the others congregated there. He watched the battle between the Dark Lord and Dumbledore, having successfully fought the Dark Lord out of his brain. Harry ended up sending a note to Snape via a first year Slytherin, asking him to Obliviate Sirius of dying and coming back. The dog man had gone basically catatonic, the experience rightly not something wished on a person. After having that memory erased, he was down for a bit with the shock of almost dying, but he soon started showing the energetic childish man he had been previously.

.

"What can one man do?"

Hermione lifted her head from her book and asked, "What did you say, Harry?"

"I feel I understand the Lord of the Rings better. What can one man do against such hatred?"

"I feel the quote to follow is, 'Rise up and meet them.'"

"Ride out and meet the red dawn, though it be the world's ending."

"Are you channeling king Theoden, Harry?"

"I feel like it. I killed someone, Hermione. I killed Bellatrix."

"Why did you do it?"

"We were fighting, and she just killed Sirius."

"How do you feel about Sirius? I have an idea, but I want you to figure this out."

"I love him like an uncle that I want to have, not like the one I lived with."

"She was going after him?"

"Yes."

"I think we've all grown up since that night, and had our views of ourselves shattered. I think you should talk to someone with more experience about this, Harry."

"Yeah, mate," said Ron as he played another piece on the chess board in front of him and Seamus. "What about Dumbledore, or even, if we are talking about people who have killed others, what about Snape or Sirius?"

"I don't know. Snape is out, because of reasons we have discussed, acknowledged, and come to the agreement that unless there is no other way, we will not be in the same room as each other by ourselves in exchange for that last lesson being an actual lesson on Occlumency. Dumbledore has been avoiding me, especially as I blew up at him because the whole reason why Voldemort wanted us at there was because there is a prophesy about us. As far as I understand, the thing is complete common sense in that as long as he keeps coming after me because I have the power to defeat him which he knows not, we can't have a life really until one of us dies. I mean it was happening anyway. Why couldn't he have told me that what Voldy was looking for was already mostly completed, and that he was keeping an eye on Sirius? I mean, really?"

"You mean you feel let down?"

"Betrayed, I guess. Like the world I knew wasn't it. I feel like the world's ending."

"Ah, so like Theoden."

"Basically."

"Did HE get a good look at your mind?"

"I don't know. We were basically having a muggle fist fight. I think we were more about how much in control of my body and mind was he, not him sightseeing. According to Snape, overcoming my mind defenses makes you want a bath. My outer shield is like moist toffy and sticks to you even when you go further in, where things get stuck to it. I caught Snape muttering about wishing he could give his brain a bath the first time he encountered it."

"Did he look disgusted?"

"Oh, yeah. It was one of the quickest lessons ever."

Neville walked over. "If there's something about the whole thing to laugh about, do you mind sharing?"

"Not at all."

Harry's description of mentally seeing Voldemort covered in dirty sticky toffee and Snape desiring a brain bath upon encountering the same defenses was enough for laughter to go around the common room. It unfortunately got someone in Gryffindor a detention when the memory caught up to them in potions class and they burst out laughing on looking at Snape. The spilled potion, thankfully without much for active ingredients, didn't help matters, as he had hysterics and that was suddenly funny too. A lot of people from both houses that class dissolved into laughter after leaving, as they tried to keep it in all class. Snape just tried to keep them from exploding once he realized there was not much he could do, as scolding didn't help.

.

Harry arranged with Richard and Claude for his summer. This year, he would spend the first two weeks with Claude, most of the summer at Azkaban, and then the last week or so with Richard's family. He was arriving with Claude as he brought everything, minus Hedwig, with him. The invisibility cloak would get Harry onto the island without triggering any alarms. The rest of the guards were now at least semi-reluctantly allowing Harry on the island with his creature guardians, and nobody really wanted to get on the bad side of Dementors, which was a death sentence normally. Then Richard and Patience had together invited him over for the last week or so.

On realizing Harry was learning Occlumency and how far he had gotten, Richard offered to continue his lessons. It was because of Harry's trust in the man that he agreed. Richard also found the toffee shield disgusting, which Harry had managed to make worse upon contact, but offered more tips on how to make the ones behind it stronger as well.

Harry had taken Luna's gifts last year into account and gotten himself enough chocolate and to spare. He had also kept the blankets and canteen, though he had let both Richard and Claude examine them to see how they worked. He had even went and got a toque, a sled hat, to keep his head warm when he wasn't awake. To be honest, the cold didn't bother him as much when he was going all dementor-y.

The Dementors noticed that he was down when he arrived. Once he was back among the dementors, the two that had basically taken to parenting him sat him down on his nest and got him to talk to them. Apparently, dementor parenting tactics worked, as he relaxed enough to share everything, even the mental shock of killing someone again. Of seeing his godfather die, and rescuing him before he couldn't reach him, of seeing how close that was. He eventually cried himself to sleep, and the two got up to talk quietly.

"That's something we're going to have to be careful of," said one, whose name best translated to victory over fear, or Victoria for short.

"I know. It's going to hit him hard when he realizes that our best food kills other creatures."

"Because he has already tried to do that once, we can't avoid teaching him to do it properly."

"I suppose," said the other whose name meant long term scarring fear, or Long Scar for short, "but I hate what this is going to do to him."

" I know. It's the same for each of our young ones. Only, with our young, they've been around us long enough to have gotten used to this as a way of life and that's basically all they've known. Everyone gets attached to cute things, and young so much more than the rest. What are we going to do?"

"We'll do what we would do if he was one of ours. Be there for him."

"Only he's going to need the help from his other kind too."

"That's going to be the hard part. We'll just have to help him the best we can."

The couple hugging by Harry's sleeping body would have looked cute if you got over the fact they were Dementors. As it was, those guards used to them thought they looked cute but really scary and just avoided them.

.

Unfortunately for Harry, just because the guards were okay with him living there with the Dementors didn't mean that others were. Also, being at the prison meant that he was aware when the Death Eaters started perking back up. People gaunt as his godfather had been were talking to each other through the bars of the cells, slowly letting their hands trace the dark mark shown or invisible under their clothes. They had an increased amount of watchfulness as well. Finally it got to the point in which no one thought it was safe for Harry to go on rounds with them around Death Eater cells, and all became watchful for the prison break they were sure would happen soon. Thankfully for everyone attached to the boy, it happened after he left to get ready for school.

It didn't happen fast enough for Harry to avoid giving someone the kiss, though. Two ministry officials, whose attitudes heavily reminded Harry of Umbridge, came by and were heavily antagonistic towards the guards. Harry caught one of them slipping something to a known Death Eater in a cell, and left to tell one of the guards. However, his flight was not as silent as a full Dementors', and the man decided to silence the witness. Upon capture, Harry's identity became known, even that he was wearing a guard's uniform, and silence the witness became permanently silence the witness away from all others. Harry got away after a bit, but he was followed by the man. Harry decided the best way to survive would be to jump into a shadow at the turn of the corridor and then jump back out to attack right away. The man died with Harry's lips on his mouth, surprised eyes falling dead as the glow of the soul left the man's body. A screech from Harry, as the feeling of another malevolent soul caused Harry's instincts to send Voldemort's partial soul into Harry's digestive system through a more painful path through his head, brought guards and Dementors alike. When they burst upon the scene, Harry was kneeling over the man's body with his hands over the scar, screaming with blood down his face.

He was quickly bundled into a pair of arms, while someone else came and did an autopsy.

"Well, Potter here didn't curse him. He died from the Dementor's Kiss."

"He was slipping something to the Death Eaters, so I was going to tell someone, but he caught me."

"He did? What happened then?"

"He wanted to kill me, but he didn't like that I wouldn't stay still long enough for him to land a curse."

"Then what?"

"A Dementor kissed him. The same Dementor did something to my scar."

"Ouch."

"It hurts."

"Would you be willing to say that in front of the Wizengamot?"

"Will they ask which Dementor? If they ask that in any way shape or form, no, I won't. He saved my life."

"I'll talk to the DMLE, and we'll see what happens. Is anyone going to take the boy home?"

Richard spoke up. "I'll be taking him home with me on my leave, the week and a day before school starts."

"We already arranged it."

"So you'll be heading out of here in a couple of days then."

"Yes, sir," said Richard, nodding.

Harry nodded and then said, "Yes."

The healer and the other Ministry official looked at each other. While he was pompous, the Ministry official felt for Harry having to go through something like that at his age. He stepped forwards a bit.

"Richard, I have a feeling we might need every hand on deck here soon if the Death Eaters are looking more lively, but we've got to get the kid out of here. I am giving you leave early. I don't have a written form on me, but expect it in the next day or so. If you don't get it, send me an owl, and I'll get that sent to you."

"Thank you."

"Thank you, sir. Harry, can you get your stuff please? I'll give you a bit to say goodbye to the place."

"Thank you, Richard."

Harry got up. Once he was out of sight from the guards, a pair of cold hands rested on his shoulders.

"Harry," said Victoria, "I know what you did today was rough on you, but you make me proud. I am glad you used your abilities to protect yourself."

Scar spoke up next.

"I know the next few days are going to be really rough on you. I know you hate taking a life, and taking an unnecessary life, any life, hurts, but sometimes, you have to choose between yourself and the one attacking you. I want you to choose your own life every time, Harry."

"In case someone tells you that you had that nasty soul piece in your scar and have to do something to get rid of it, I can tell you right now, you've finally eaten it."

"I have?"

Harry's voice sounded so unsure and young even to his own ears.

Victoria scooped him up into her arms, Scar rubbing the boy's back.

"Oh, son."

Scar looked at them.

"I can check right now, just like I did when I first picked you up."

"Thank you."

A cold finger once again drifted across Harry's forehead, the finger keeping the distance between his guardian's face and his own. The face lifted up and smiled.

"Gone! Now you just have to eat the rest of it."

"The connection is completely gone?"

"Yes. He no longer has access to your mind like that."

"Thanks."

"Now go get your stuff. We'll have something for you when you get back."

Harry ran off, eager like any child to see what his parents would get him, even if it was tampered by a near death experience. Once he arrived at the main basement, however, he saw all the guards off duty and the dementors there.

"Harry, you know we've come to think of you as one of us."

"You have been taught and have learned our ways as one of our young."

Harry stopped and stood in front of his guardians, where they stood with Richard and Claude.

"We have decided to give you a name in the tongue of Dementors, so you will be known as one of us."

"We have decided to name you (the sweet spicy fear that comes from being momentarily startled)"

The two spoke as one.

"Do you accept your new name, and to become one of us?"

"I accept my new name, and to become one of you."

"We see and are witnesses" came the chorus around the room.

Harry was hugged by all in the room, and was close to becoming dizzy from being spun around so much. When it was over, he was back in front of his new parents.

"Good bye, my son."

"Good bye, Mom and Dad. Be safe."

"You'll have to tell that to your guard friends. We survive everything."

"Pretty much. Do you think we'll tell anyone how we can die when everything they've tried so far hasn't worked?"

"Nope."

"Bye guys," Harry yelled into the room. "I hope you survive everything."

A chorus of goodbyes were heard by Harry. With that, Richard took Harry home to his place. There, Patience opened the door when they arrived, having seen them from the window.

"Is something wrong? Why are you here early?"

"I was given leave early, my wife. Do you mind if we talk inside?"

"No, come in. I'll get the water boiling while you guys get your stuff to your rooms."

"Thanks for agreeing to have me here, Richard and Patience."

Patience answered from the kitchen.

"My family and I are happy to help."

With that, the men went upstairs to set their things away and clean up from their travels. Unfortunately, any travel to or from Azkaban island was guaranteed to get your clothes wet, despite drying charms. The best way to do the trip was with warming charms, as the charms wouldn't wear away as fast and worked despite the constant spray. However, that also meant the salt spray partially cooked into the clothes, making them scratchy. Once clean with a clean set of clothes on, the two men went down the stairs to where Richard's wife had set up for tea.

"My wife, that looks delicious."

"Oh, handsome."

Harry politely looked away as the two kissed, catching the view of their daughter doing the same and grinning with her hand over her mouth. The sounds of kissing stopped, and Harry looked back towards his host and hostess. Once all had sat down and thanks had been given, the food was passed around and eaten. After all was done, and everyone had a cup of tea or iced tea, everyone relaxed. Then Richard began to talk.

"Well, work was pretty normal. I mean it was cold and icy, and Harry popped up in the middle of it like last year, only this time he had spent the first few months with Claude, not dropped off by Dementors."

"Did you get your homework done, Harry?"

"Most of it, Ma'am. I have two more assignments to finish."

"I'm sure you can get it done soon, then."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Richard went on.

"Harry's been learning things from and was actually adopted by a couple in the prison this summer. They recognized him as a distant relative, and shortly before we left they had a rushed adoption ceremony. The reason we came early though is because we're expecting an attack on the prison, as Harry here caught a higher up giving each of the Death Eaters something. He tried to get to me, but the man caught him. He didn't tell the Ministry healer, but he had to kill the man to stay alive. He hasn't told me much yet, but I do know it's not something one forgets easily. He had a conversation with his parents after that to help him. The other higher up, as you know they come in duos at least, gave me leave so we could help Harry deal with it."

"Oh, Harry."

The preteen sitting beside him gave him a hug.

"I know I'm not used to dealing with a lot like Mom and Dad have, but I do know Mom gives Dad lots of hugs after he has a bad stretch."

"Thanks."

"It's hit now, has it?"

"At least a bit. You know, it's not the first time I killed somebody."

"No?"

Harry shook his head, and said, "I had a teacher try to kill me in my first year."

The parents sent a look to their daughter, and Richard pointed up the stairs. The girl, Charity, left, leaving Patience and Richard sitting with Harry on the couch.

"I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine."

"It's hitting again. I thought I was done crying. Should I leave?"

"You're not bothering us, Harry. You are allowed to cry."

"Thank you."

With that, Harry curled up with his knees to his forehead. Richard wrapped an arm around his shoulders, and the balled up Harry started sobbing.

"Why?" was the cry that came.

"We don't know. It seems life has given you a heavier load than most, but you've been given helps along the way."

"Why do people want me dead?"

"Because to the majority of us, you're the one who has done the impossible. You survived a killing curse."

"So I'm suddenly strong, huh? Did you know that until I went to Azkaban, none of my family liked me? I'm just the freak that survived."

"Harry, Harry. Don't call yourself that."

"Why not? It's what I was called before I found out what my name was."

"Harry," this was Patience talking. "Just because you grew up with ungrateful people who hated you doesn't mean that they're right. They're just jealous that you survived and no one else did."

"Oh."

This brought another round of sobs strong enough he was unable to talk. Eventually he quieted.

"Harry, are you able to talk about your first year?"

"Sure, can I have another hankie or more toilet paper? I soaked what I had."

Richard handed him another handkerchief from the pile of clean ones that were yet to be put away.

"Well, I started the year getting headaches from looking at my defense teacher, Quirrel. At Halloween, my friend Ron and I saved a girl in a class from a troll, and we had left thinking just to warn her so she wouldn't get hurt by it. Hagrid can't keep his mouth shut, so we found out what the teachers were hiding on the third floor and how to get around the first obstacle, which was a three headed dog Hagrid named Fluffy. Hagrid was bribed with information with a dragon's egg, so we had to smuggle it out of his hut to the Astronomy tower, you know, big, stone, and empty. We got caught, and the hatching dragon was sent to a dragon reserve. Draco Malfoy and I got attacked by someone attacking unicorns while on our detention in the Forbidden Forest. Quirrel jinxed my broom, Snape counter jinxed it, and the resulting battle of wills made my broom ride dangerous besides the jinx to kill me. That ended when Hermione set Snape's robes on fire, and Snape knocked Quirrel out in the chaos. We found out that Voldemort was after the stone, maybe with the help of Snape, or maybe Snape wasn't too sure of the protections on it because he was around there often and got bit by the dog. We tell McGonagall, because Dumbledore left, she believes we're lying and no one else will believe us, and Snape catches us in the corridor and sends us outside. We head back around as Snape leaves, and try and stop the theft. We are three firsties, and all of the traps have something to do with our classes that year. or something one of us is good at. We complete them, but it leaves me alone trying to keep the theft from taking place. It ends up the thieves are Quirrel and Voldemort, who was hitching a ride on Quirrel's head. Voldemort tries to kill me using Quirrel's body, and he burnt to death when I shoved my hands into his face. Voldemort's spirit flies off."

Patience just rubbed his hand, while Richard held his shoulders.

"Ever since then, every year someone has tried to kill me."

"Can you talk about the Dementors?"

"What about them?"

"Someone in the Ministry sent them to kill me. They didn't, but they ate my cousin. He hated me, and thought I was the cause of all misfortune. So when they came and it got all dark and cold, he thought it was me. He kept me from pulling out my wand, so I blacked out. I woke up to them arguing over me, and my cousin dead. They spoke of seeing if I was related to someone they knew, and they found out I was related to one of the Dementors, so they took me home to Azkaban. He was one of the couple that adopted me. Before I got there, a friend named Luna gave me some blankets and a canteen, as well as a meditation guide and chocolate. Since the blankets and canteen are rune warmed, it didn't count as casting a spell because I was just activating a magical item. So they taught me Dementor stuff, which required to be able to meditate, and Richard brought me home last year. Oh, and the guards last year kept getting in the way trying to get me away from the Dementors but that mostly stopped when Richard and Claude started talking to me. That was annoying because every time we were around a patronus, the nearest Dementor would pick me up and run away with me. This year, it seemed the Dementors and the guards had come to an understanding."

"That was helped by coming across you with the rest, cheerfully sucking out the emotions of the prisoners around you."

"It's how I survived at my relatives. Only I didn't know that, and they taught me how to do it more strongly so I would feel like them."

"Do you mean you get a cold, fear aura when you do it more properly?"

"Yes."

Richard nodded emphatically and said, "The first time I realized what you were doing, I thought for a bit that a teenaged Dementor human was scarier than a Dementor acting like a Dementor. However, I noticed you sitting and eating chocolate one day so I knew you were affected at least a little by the aura. Then you became approachable."

"I'm glad you did. I don't know you and your nice family otherwise."

"You would probably have been stuck there throughout the school year and then the Ministry would be wondering where in the world was the boy-who-lived."

"In that scenario, I'd probably have been acting a lot more like a Dementor at that point, and then that would be my battle for survival for the school year."

Richard rubbed his head and sighed.

"You are now my god son. I wouldn't give you up, now that I know you. Do you think you're alright for now?"

Harry nodded.

"Yes, sir."

"Alright. I am going to get my daughter, and then the two of you will be doing the dishes."

.

Richard and Harry were standing outside by themselves, while Patience had taken Charity clothes shopping because of her growth spurt.

"Does it bother you, when I kiss my wife?"

Harry turned to look at Richard.

"I mean, while it is called a Kiss, and that is the action that it most resembles, it's not the thing that bugs me most. It's actually the vacuum. I can't ask people to not clean their floors, though. There's only a few days left anyway. I have actually kissed someone without eating their soul, though that relationship didn't last long."

"I'm glad. I hope you have a good relationship with a special someone."

"If I survive."

"Harry, while you are part human, you are still part Dementor, and you are still rather resistant to having magic cast on you."

"And since I will be in a magic school, and Voldemort is a dark lord with a lot of pureblood followers, they will most likely try to cast a spell first. I have time to get away or into a better position."

"You have a better chance of surviving than anyone I know of. Dumbledore is old, it is only a matter of time that he makes a mistake that will kill him with his age. He is the main force going against him, despite what the Ministry says. Most people would have already died. I am sure you can do this."

"Thanks, Uncle Richard."

Richard patted his back.

"You're welcome, nephew kind of son. You do know that people will use my siblings against you, right?"

"The Carrow twins? Yes."

Richard laughed.

"Just so you have a memory of my arm without the dark mark..."

Richard rolled up his left sleeve.

An unscarred and unmarked forearm, except for a scar up by his elbow, was in front of his eyes.

Harry nodded.

"You know Voldemort is against me, but just to show you mine..."

Harry did the same. The few scars there did not cover up any mark there, either.

"I have more scars than you on my arm."

"My scar is bigger than any of your scars."

"Yes it is."

A bit of conversation happened.

"So, sixth year, huh?"

"Yep."

"We'll see what you get to survive this year."

"I hope its nothing more mind blowing than the fact I can actually eat like a Dementor."

"I am so glad that we were not required in court, but could leave a written statement, even if it had to be written with truth ink."

"Me too."

"Harry, it's nothing you could have stopped. He would have died that day one way or another with how your family protects you."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome, Harry. By the way, what does your new name translate into?"

"The definition is the sweet spicy fear of being momentarily startled."

"Would you mind if I made up a nickname based on that?"

"Nope, go ahead, just don't call me Rapunzel."

"You're not female, and calling that would be lining you up for razzing."

.

"I'll call you Radish."

"What?"

"It's a sweet spicy food, at least according to me, and it is not Rapunzel."

Harry laughed.

"I can say it as well."

"There is that."

Patience just looked at the guys with a smile, while Charity was wondering where that tiny bit of conversation had come from. Patience had already been recruited in finding an alternate similar meaning name, one that human sounds could reproduce.

"Oh, Charity. Your dad is now one of my godfathers, adopted. So, I guess that makes you my sister."

"Really? YES. I have a big brother! Just don't tell my friends I just did that, because I'll be so embarrassed."

"I'll try not to."

"Thanks. So what is your favorite colour? I need to know for presents."

"It's green."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Cool. Mine is lavender purple. Mom really likes blue, and Dad's favorite colour is blue too, but Dad likes the darker green blues better than Mom's."

Harry enjoyed the happy chatter as well as the meal, though he tried to keep his emotion eating to a minimum.

.

The ride on the train was slightly weird to Harry as Draco didn't come to bother them, Ron seemed to be trying to get Lavender's attention, and Hermione was discussing French plants with Neville. Luna looked at him.

"Hi, Harry. How are the family?"

"They are doing well last I heard."

"I am glad."

"I'm in potions, because I met Snape's O requirement. Uncle Richard found a new nickname that most everyone else can say, besides my new name. I didn't have to go to court for self-defense, as all evidence pointed to someone else killing the man and me being a bystander. Oh, and I am sure you know, but I got adopted and I have a sibling."

Hermione and Neville had apparently got the last sentence.

"Harry, really? I am so happy for you."

"I am glad, Harry."

"My new god-sister is in Hufflepuff. She's Charity."

"Charity Carrow?"

Harry looked at Neville.

"I meet her often when I meet my parents. Her dad is a prison guard at Azkaban, right?"

"Yes, and I have seen his left forearm multiple times, and no he does not have a dark mark."

"What about your new parents, Harry?"

"No, they don't, and they won't."

Luna patted his arm.

"I am glad, Harry. Keep a good eye on Draco this year, will you? He's not acting right."

"I will."

.

Harry had left his potions book in his room accidentally, so the new potions professor told him to get a used one off the shelf. Harry ended up getting one with the inscription of the Half-blood Prince. Investigations happened, which ended up being a good distraction from Ron and Lavender sticking their tongues into each other's mouths. However, investigations halted when he realized that the handwriting he was reading in the notes was a more rounded version of the spiky hand writing now decorating his defense essays. Harry's estimation of the other-part creature he knew about rose, and he spent more time trailing Malfoy.

News from outside the castle was not good. Charity was safe, and Patience for now, but Richard was under constant attack at work as the Death Eaters were trying to get their people out as soon as possible after they were put in. His new parents found they were expecting, but they had had to flee their home on numerous occasions.

That was how he ended up being in the washroom under the invisibility cloak listening to Draco's woes of being blackmailed into killing a man much stronger and older than him essentially by a dangerous houseguest.

Harry let the curse hit him. He knew if he focused on his dementor side, it would not really hurt him, and he could eat the emotions the curse required to work. Also, it just didn't have the right emotion behind it to work as it was normally meant, so it merely tingled. However, he suddenly desired to eat the boy in front of him. He held his hand in front of his mouth, and talked through it.

"Draco, I'm here to talk. You need it, which is why you are going to a ghost. I heard what you said, and I, Harry James Potter, promise on my magic not to spread that unless you ask me to or to save your life or theirs. So mote it be. Lumos. Nox. However, I am a leader, even though I hate to acknowledge it, so I can see if I can help."

"Yeah, right. We've been fighting all of school. Why would you want to help, or how can you help?"

"You are right. My former family is all dead, my new family is directly under attack, and all the safety I could offer you lies in the fact I own a creepy looking house with some nasty wards on it which I just found out literally days before coming to school. I've killed, Draco. It is not something I would wish on anyone, not even you. Also, your cousin Luna is worried."

"Second cousin."

"Still family, right?"

"Yes."

"Also, since I am going to get you to swear a vow to me so you can't give it away, if you need help, Snape really knows ways around things."

"He's been trying to get me to let him help me."

"He knows what he is doing."

"Wait, since when are you and my godfather on speaking terms?"

"Since when we have conversations not on a daily basis and we don't have to be around each other."

"Seriously?"

Draco's eyebrows were reaching for his hairline, where they were starting to blend in with his longer hair.

"We may or may not have spent last Christmas in the same house. It was an experience we will hopefully not be repeating for both our sakes. If we do, we will avoid each other. Otherwise, we will probably drive each other past our ability to cope civilly."

Snape nodded in his hiding spot just inside the girl's washroom door. True, just not for the reason that Draco would most likely take it.

"I need that vow now, before I have to leave. Sorry, but your mark smells to me."

Snape shifted slightly and noticed the reason why the time restraint had become so needed. The air in the bathroom was becoming colder and Harry's robe was starting to become ratty. Snape's silencing spell on the door was strengthened and then he stepped forwards into the view of the two boys. Nodding, he said, "Draco, we need that vow now."

"Full vow?"

"That you would not speak, or in any other way of informing others, of my double agency without my permission, unless it is to speak to save my life. You'll say it to me, and Harry will be the binder. You may come and speak to me in my rooms to deal with issues such as getting your parents safe or what the next thing to do is. Also, that you will not speak of Harry's offer without verification on why it may be needed, referring to the house. Understood?"

The chill in the washroom was now getting through Draco's grief induced state, and he was starting to shiver. Snape noticed.

"Now, before I have to get Harry out of the school."

"I understand. I, Draconis Lucius Malfoy, vow to not speak, or in any way inform others than those in this room, of Snape's double agency without Snape's permission, unless it is to save his life. I also vow to not speak of Harry's offer to others unless it is with a genuine hope to help and with verification that it is needed. So mote it be."

These words Draco spoke while he and the professor held each other's wrists, Harry holding his wand to the joined hands. The other two spoke.

"So mote it be."

The chill had steadied, and Harry put away his wand. Snape looked up and saw his mouth became firmly clamped shut again.

"Do you need to eat?"

Harry nodded.

"There's a Quidditch practice going on, if that's what you're hoping for."

Harry quickly raced out of the girl's bathroom, leaving the two Slytherins behind.

"Godfather, what is going on?"

"Just something in which we understand better how much danger we were in last year, with Umbridge."

"Umbridge, creature hating..."

"Don't say a thing if you value your life."

"Oh, right. Rumours. Are they accurate?"

"No, but sadly close enough. I know what he eats besides what's on the table, so I'm legally the guardian here in regards to that. I hope you know I take my duties seriously. Or do I need to point things out like you're a Gryffindor?"

"No, I've got it, thank you. I'll try not to put myself on the menu."

"Good. I've already kept you from that today already."

Snape snorted as he billowed out of the room, leaving Draco in a partial state of shock, hiding the true growl that wanted to come out of his mouth. He knew Draco valued his life too much to tell that even without a vow. He knew his godfather quite well.

.

The other thing Harry was having to deal with was Dumbledore's weekly meetings. Dumbledore called it training, but Harry wasn't willing to call it that. They were lessons on Tom Riddle's life, and Harry didn't feel the same towards the boy as he did towards the same person as a man. Yes, he was a dark wizard, but how did that justify Dumbledore's treatment of him? Okay, he was a bully, but why didn't Dumbledore speak of his father James that way then? It seemed he didn't fit in with others, couldn't really feel for others, so he joined a crowd that also felt no empathy. A survival hunting psychopath with no rules given to him by a trusted authority figure to stem the tide, and Britain's worst Dark Lord in ages bloomed before his eyes. Dumbledore couldn't and hadn't even tried to bridge that gap, and now it seemed insurmountable. They had leaped onto a prophesy because it was too little, too late.

It was a sentiment when he thought of his first father. He had evidence in writing, now that he found a journal, of what his father had done to Snape, and the rest of the Slytherin table while they were there. Harry had actually been disappointed the more he learned. He looked and found a year book with everyone's names, and it seemed a good portion of the Slytherin table had gone to the Dark Lord and the rest had gone neutral. What James and Dumbledore by allowing it to happen had done was to cut off any Slytherin from helping the light side. Andromeda had been in her last year when James had started, and she and a few others from that year, as well as a first year Kingsley when James left, were the exception. There was evidence there of the man he later became, but he thought, as did Hermione when she found out, that it was too little, too late. He had already made an impression, and it was barely one anyone could tolerate having experienced it first hand. There were a few that put it aside enough to work with him, as they eventually also became Aurors, and Lily eventually married him, but none joined the light faction.

As he sat and thought, a first year walked down the table to the fifth years and handed Harry a note. Thanking the boy, Harry opened it up and quickly scanned it as he wandered off.

"Sorry, guys, I have another meeting with Dumbledore this evening."

"Harry, you know something is happening here this evening."

"You'll have to do the best you can without me. Ron, Neville, Hermione, tell the DA I'm putting you in charge. Hermione, you've got the master, right?"

"Yes."

"If things go well, I'll see you later."

Ron nodded and turned back to his food and Lavender. Hermione got out her book again. Neville turned and talked with Luna. Harry quickly finished his food, went and got his stuff, and headed to the headmaster's tower.

Once in the tower, Harry got a good look at his Headmaster's hand. He was dying soon, he could feel it. He was sure Snape could feel it as well, being connected to death as they both were. He didn't have time to ponder the mortality of a very old man before Dumbledore was leading them off the school grounds so they could apparate. Dumbledore explained the cliff sight's significance to Voldemort, and then they were heading in.

A slash and blood from the old man's hand gained them entrance to a sight Harry was sure only belonged to a certain Indiana Jones. The still waters had him thinking trap, which was justified with Dumbledore telling him about Inferi. The potion smelled to Harry, and he gave Dumbledore the potion when he asked. He looked at the necklace at the bottom, and knew without opening it, it lacked a soul piece. There was no food for him here, though looking at Dumbledore, he was soon dead himself. Knowing if he survived the night he would have questions to answer, Harry picked up Dumbledore and flew him across the water. Dumbledore's hand was still bleeding, so they were let out.

Harry gave a sigh of relief. Transfiguring a leaf into a bowl, he filled it with water from his wand and gave it to the old man who was gibbering now. Dumbledore came around quickly.

"Thanks for that, now have you been always able to do that?"

"No, it was a recently acquired skill. My new parents taught me."

"Oh, yes. The ones that are in hiding right now?"

"Yes, Mom is. It's not safe for my new sibling in Mom's condition."

"I have a feeling many more will be in hiding before this is over. Well, I feel up to it, so I guess we'll apparate back."

Upon landing, the Headmaster headed up to the Astronomy tower, over which a Dark Mark hung. Sadly for Harry's lack of understanding, they headed in that direction. Draco stood there, and knocked the wand out of the Headmaster's hand with an expelliarmus. Harry stood there, uncomprehending, when Draco realized he couldn't do it. Harry's brain suddenly clicked over to a certain conversation. Snape headed up, caught the situation, and raised his wand as Draco lowered his. Harry's brain clicked into gear.

"Oh, no, you don't."

"Potter?!"

"Don't you dare give the man whom our society's ruin lays at the feet of a hero's death."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. He told me slowly over the course of the year. Goodbye, Professor, Malfoy. The rest of you, see you in Azkaban."

"Harry, the two of us have an oath. Well, I'll either get the rest to leave or become blind for days."

So speaking he turned his wand on his confederates, Harry pointing his wand in the same direction, holding onto the throat of Dumbledore's robes.

"You'll be doing what?"

"I also know what spell he speaks of."

Snape's face remained blank.

"I see. Even if our Lord is fighting against Potter, that doesn't mean he's completely against us. Snape, can you promise that this will happen?"

"I already have a couple of vows in place that would force me to continue even if I did not desire it. I can assure you he will die in minutes."

"All right. We'll wait a couple of minutes down the stairs."

With that, the group left. Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy watched as Harry's clothes grew more ratty and layered, the air became darker and colder, and an inhuman screech issued out of Harry's mouth. Snape turned around and cast the blinding and muting curses in quick succession on the man who had crept back up. Dumbledore, who was still in Harry's grasp, struggled to get away from the death reserved for criminals. It happened anyway, and the glow of the former Headmaster's soul faded as it was sucked into Harry's mouth from the mouth of his captive. Snape cast the killing curse, and the brain dead body became a corpse as it fell over the railings. The fear faded from the air as Harry turned back human, tears falling down his cheeks as he did so.

"Adios until we meet again, professor."

Snape nodded at Harry and pulled Malfoy along with him as well as the other man, who would most likely be dead at the end of the night. They and the rest of the death eaters rushed out, as Snape knew that the Order would be arriving soon. Indeed they were, as they started arriving as they left. Harry waited a few minutes before heading down, rushing around freeing people that he saw on his map of the castle.

He told people that the Headmaster had died from the Dementor's Kiss, and that a Death Eater had hit the body with the Killing curse to end any life like resemblance. He had seen Snape and Malfoy do it, and no neither of them were Dementors. He was there under his cloak, and Dumbledore had just brought him back from an outing, which is why he was there. As for what they had done, Harry told Ron and Hermione that there were somethings that they had to kill in order for Voldemort to die, but that they needed to be found. He also said he would see if he could recruit the help of the rest of the Dementors, as he was one of them. Ron and Hermione looked a little queasy, but agreed that the Dementor ability to sniff out souls and fly would help a lot.

.

Claude Dudley, very distant relation to Sir Robert Dudley, was frowning. Radish Harry James Potter had just told him that Voldemort had left pieces of his soul lying around and that he was wanting the rest of the Dementors to help. Two of his friends were over. Also, he was requesting access into the Ministry so he could eat the soul piece in a very old necklace with a snake on it. The problem was not access to the Ministry, but access to a specific part of the Ministry. To be honest, he felt he had better chance of getting it as it was near his boss's office.

He said so, saying, "It's not that I doubt your ability to deal with it. However, because it is in the same area as my boss, I am legally allowed to be there, so I can get to it better. I'll say that, although it hasn't been noticeable, that there is a compulsion charm on it put there by one of its last owner's, which is the truth. As for verifying it, can it be found with a spell?"

"I would assume so."

Hermione was reading over all that Harry had written about the memories about Tom Riddle. "Harry, you wrote here that Voldy felt Hogwarts as his home. The locket is Slytherin's. What other artifacts about the school do we know of? You saw through the snake's eyes when she attacked Mr. Weasley, so does that mean that the snake is a horcrux as well?"

"Godric Gryffindor had a sword, and I know that wasn't a horcrux as it didn't die when it got covered in basilisk venom."

"Rowena Ravenclaw had a diadem, and Hufflepuff has a chalice."

"Thanks. The one in me I already ate, so that one is gone too."

"That is some ruddy luck, mate."

"I know, Ron, I know."

The Slytherin necklace was easily obtained and eaten. Harry found that at least this evil dictator didn't taste bad and had another bout of understood problems coming to terms with it. The advice from Ron though was, "If it tastes good, it tastes good, Harry. You do have different digestive abilities than us, so you maybe have different senses of taste as well. Maybe it's his evilness that has that specific tang?"

"You mean there maybe a reason that dementors would want to eat a soul condemned to death besides the fact it is food?"

"It is a thought. You don't have to agree or anything. I wouldn't worry about it for now."

"Thanks, Ron."

Hermione laughed. "I see your ability to handle emotions has grown."

"We all grew after the Ministry."

.

"Good news! Dad has decided to help us. He and Rage are going to hover around the country. Since Snape is less of a threat than I am actually, we're going to stay with Padfoot and Moony. Dad has my two way mirror so he'll let us know that way what they find. Also, my god parents and their immediate families are going into hiding with us right away as well."

"That means that you'll have to answer instead of Padfoot, because he won't be able to understand if they don't speak English."

"I know they understand it, but we'll see how it goes."

"Harry, I don't think Padfoot wants to see a Demetor's face that close. I know I wouldn't."

"Yeah, it's the stuff of nightmares."

"I get it, I get it. We're scary creatures."

"At least you don't show it as much as Snape does."

"Heh. That could also be because he's that much older than me and he is trying to intimidate everyone in his classes."

Not much was said about that.

.

Hufflepuff's cup and Horcrux were discovered by Harry when he went to his vault and smelled that particular soul down there. A brief discussion with Griphook the goblin and one of the higher ups allowed Harry to search for "a person locked in a vault." Apparently, there had been precedence and was legal. Who knew? Hermione stabbed it with a basilisk fang while Harry filled out the required paperwork afterwards.

Ravenclaw's diadem was sensed by Harry's adopted Dad in Hogwarts. Sirius quickly gave the mirror to Harry after seeing that particular type of dark hooded face. It brought back a lot of memories and still was technically on the run. Harry didn't think that counted, because he had already died once. Maybe freeing Sirius and making sure that all beings taken to be imprisoned in Azkaban had to be given a trial could be the next goal on his list. Either way, Sirius did not want to see a Dementor's face again.

Remus had already moved out and married Nymphadora Tonks, so Sirius was alone until the non-Death Eater Carrow family moved in with the Golden Trio.

Harry sent a message to Minerva McGonagall to see if they could get in the castle over the summer for a quick visit. Upon learning that they were killing Horcruxes and had found that one was in the building, she let them in. Harry could sense it once he got to the higher floors, and was smelling it fairly strongly outside the wall to the Room of Requirements. He asked the room for it, and ate the soul piece after entering the room.

Hermione pointed out that he was starting to feel colder to the touch.

Harry suddenly had to deal with that he might end up feeling more like a Dementor than he wanted.

.

Scar and Rage informed Harry that the last pieces of soul of Voldemort's were in his body and in his snake. Harry thanked them, and then asked if they were going home after that. The two Dementors decided to hang around.

Harry told Sirius, who informed the rest of the Order. They met in the Black House, including Snape. They were against him being there, because he was for killing the previous Headmaster. Snape informed him of his promise to Dumbledore to kill him, and that Dumbledore had forced him to promise that. Harry spoke of the Horcruxes and how the snake and Voldy himself were the last two. Snape quickly told him of how in the same day Dumbledore made him promise to kill him, he had also informed him of the Horcrux in Harry. Harry let them know he had already eaten it. Moody cast a spell to make sure. When it cam up clean, all the adults were relieved. Harry also told of the two Dementors who were also willing to help. Moody took charge after that, the more junior aurors giving the cues to everyone else to listen to him. They had a battle to plan.

.

It was fast moving. It was noisy. It was bright with flashes of light that people were trying to avoid. Harry and the rest of the trio, the Order members, two Dementors, and the rest of the teachers from Hogwarts were fighting the Death Eaters and Voldemort. There were not every Death Eater there at first, which made downing the first ones that much easier. However, because of the attack on the wards gave the Death Eaters time to call for reinforcements, that wasn't all of them they had to deal with. They were expecting that though, and that is when Harry and the two full Dementors came out of hiding. Snape's fear aura came out at that moment he landed, and attacked his fellow Death Eaters from behind. Draco stood next to his godfather helping him. Lucius on seeing that, left the fight, not willing to harm his son or friend. Shortly after, Nagini went towards Draco and Harry saw it, but couldn't as he was holding a shield for and alternating attacking with Sirius.

"Draco. AK or Fiend Fire! Nagini!"

Draco looked around and saw the snake coming across the floor. He had a straight line of sight. He fired an AK, and it bounced. It thankfully landed on the cieling, but it zoomed by Scar which got his attention. Scar ate that piece. He dropped the snake, and Draco shot another killing curse at the snake, and this time it died.

The sight of his dead snake got Voldemort's attention like nothing else did.

"You killed my snake. You swore yourself to me, and you killed my Horcrux! This is the ultimate betrayal! You and THAT WRAITH!"

Harry apparated and landed in front of them.

"You, my ultimate enemy. Why of course you had a hand in this!"

Snape stated. "I vowed myself to protect Harry. So I will do."

Draco offered next. "You blackmailed me. You never deserved my loyalty, only my family."

Voldemort chuckled. "Your father isn't here, young Malfoy. How about..."

Harry, who had taken the talking to slowly creep closer, suddenly stood straight up, with his face to Voldemort's face. Voldemort stared as his robes formed a hood, became ratted, and the cold aura emanating from the boy became a lot stronger. Harry leaned in, and gave him the Dementor's Kiss, sucking the rest of the man's soul from his body. As there wasn't much left, it was quickly done.

"How about anyone who was fighting to keep from getting killed by their lord when the fighting was over surrender now?"

The words stilled only those nearby.

"Sonorus. STOP! VOLDEMORT'S DEAD! ARE YOU WILLING TO SURRENDER?"

Wands started falling. Wizards and witches knelt with their hands in the air, and were quickly guided over against the wall where Moody stood by. Bellatrix, her husband, and brother-in-law were some of the last few that refused to give up. Molly Weasley was the one to finally kill her. Snape killed Rudolphus. The rest who refused to surrender were also killed. Lucius, guided by Dora, formerly Tonks, came back inside, gave his wand to Moody, and went to join the others against the wall. In the matter of half an hour after Voldemort died, the fighting stopped.

Then it was a matter of picking up the pieces.

Aurors came from the Ministry. They arrested the Death Eaters, who were left tied up against the wall, with the discarded wands in a pile by their feet. The Dementors standing over them also meant that they tried to escape a lot less. Aurors also taken the dead with them as well.

Narcissa had called for them from Grimmauld Place, where Draco had convinced her to go as soon as the wards were being attacked. He had been given a muggle envelope with the address in it for that purpose and given a vow to use it only for that purpose. It was a large portion of why he hadn't attacked Harry. Family was that important, and one didn't attack those who were protecting your family.

The Aurors let Narcissa know when the bodies and the rest of the Death Eaters, as well as the few werewolves that had been there including Greyback, were taken off the property. They ended up staying at Grimmauld until the Manor could be repaired.

Trials were completed. Everyone arrested were sent to prison of given the Dementor's Kiss. Greyback was one of them given the Dementor's Kiss. Lucius Malfoy was once again in prison, and though his term wasn't shortened, he was sent to a portion with less Dementor exposure. The Lestranges had already died. Theodore Nott and many other Slytherin children had become orphans, but as Avery said, "We're free now. Yes, society will hold our parents against us, but we never really joined in. We're scarred, but free. Draco and I are not the only ones like that."

The Ministry was in uproar. Claude had pushed Harry forwards, and he had finally shown the back of his hand and given a statement on truth parchment to Madam Bones about Umbridge's detentions. Umbridge and Fudge were arrested, and Rufus Scrimgeor was not being looked on nicely because he wanted to arrest the people who had taken down the Dark Lord Voldemort finally, including the one of the prophesy. No, he was not looked on favourably. There was also the fact that the Wizengamot were once again sentencing family members, former acquaintances, and rivals. People were having a hard time trusting each day.

In the midst of all that, the Hogwarts letters went out. This year Hogwarts was allowing early arrival for any without housing. As this included kids from families on both sides of the conflict, the teachers found it smart to not allow wands to the early arrivals lest they take out their losses on their counterparts. While verbal and written confrontations took their place, it was easier to handle by their heads of houses.

Severus Snape did not become Headmaster, as he felt some normalcy was needed in the dungeons as a good portion of his Slytherins arrived early. Some of them brought siblings too young to be in classes, but had nowhere else to go. These family groups were given rooms of their own.

Others were too young and had no one in Hogwarts. Richard Carrow, as well as Remus Lupin and many others, took in as many as they could. Some, like Harry had been, were sent into the muggle world to other squib family members and orphanages. Harry hoped they didn't have childhoods like his.

.

"It's the same."

Theodore Nott looked at his classmate as they headed down Diagon Alley to get school supplies with one of the teachers. He knew what he was feeling. All that fear and terror in the last year, and it surprised him how little the permanent damage was. Windows that had been smashed were mended or replaced. Businesses that had been targeted by Death Eaters, not that there had been many, were being replaced and the street was full of celebrating people.

"What are you doing here? People like you shouldn't be here!"

Theo stopped when he felt his sleeve snagged and looked into the enraged face of the person holding him. She continued to screech in his ear.

"It's your fault my brother is dead!"

"Hey, stop."

Another hand joined the lady's and worked the hand from the fabric. Harry Potter, along with the Weasley twins, stood there. "They were child soldiers, not a fate I would wish on anyone. They've already been to trial, and now they are getting ready for school, just like everyone else our age is doing here. No trouble, right Nott?"

"Right. I'll see you at school, Potter."

"See you later, Nott, Malfoy, Professor. Now Ma'am..."

Theo's voice was scratchy. Tears filled his eyes, and he turned away before they could fall. He, Draco, and Sinistra hurried away to their next stop. He was glad for peace. Gladness because the sun was shining down a bit through the clouds of the recently rainy weather made him realize how lucky he was to see today. He could be dead like Gregory Goyle on a battlefield, or sent to Azkaban because he didn't see anything wrong with what he had done like Victor Crabbe. He was thankful to only have a limit on his spell usage with an Auror coming to check that randomly, though it would be on evenings or weekends while school was in session.

Luna was in her garden. She was getting things ready for the proposal that would happen in half an hour. It wasn't hers, because Harry would ask her in the coming year. She being part fae would stand out to Harry soon even more, and he would be glad to have someone who could have a similar lifespan.

Dean Thomas was at school, along with Justin Finch-Fletchly. Neville, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny had gone over to visit, bringing treats with them. Ginny and Dean were definitely flirting, and after a while started ignoring the others.

Daphne Greengrass was writing a letter to her betrothed, while her younger sister sat with a book in the living room. While from a neutral family hadn't hurt them as much, even they knew that the war going longer than the few months it had would have had a large impact on them. It sobered them.

The Slytherins, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, Gryffindors, and many others helped each other dealing with their many losses and moving forward.

Back in Diagon Alley, a lone figure started playing a harp. Someone else grabbed a harmonica. Someone from the crowd began to sing along. Many stopped to listen. Many tears fell.

Peace always seems to have more value after war.