Harry leaned back in his chair as he looked around the room. Most of the offices in Gringotts looked the same with a large wooden desk and leather bound chair but Goldsmith's office was done in more black and dark wood tones since he was the senior goblin at the bank. He flicked open the file that Kingsley had given him about getting Melissa's information released and looked it over again as he waited.
Roughly fifteen minutes later the door behind him opened and Goldsmith stalked into the room.
"Mr Sun," The goblin sneered as he settled behind the desk and looked down his long-hooked nose at Harry. "You requested a meeting?"
Harry held up the file before leaning forward and placing it on the desk. The goblin flicked it open with a long finger nail before looking up at him with a glint in his eyes and a smirk twisting his lips.
"Ah, yes." Goldsmith growled. "Melissa Sharman. You requested her employee file."
"And you wrote in a clause for me to teach her," Harry said mildly. "In exchange for her file."
"A fair exchange." The goblin sneered.
"Hardly, but beside the point. You believe her skilled enough for a Master Curse Breaker to take her on as an apprentice?"
"She could be one of the best." Goldsmith replied. "Maybe even as talented as a goblin."
Harry looked the other man over, that was high praise coming from a him.
"She could be even better if you took her on," Goldsmith stated. "You have sent many wizards and witches to us over the years and most have worked out."
"Bill Weasley has moved onto being a Master Curse Breaker," Harry pointed out.
"She shows more talent than that," Goldsmith countered. "She could outstrip him."
Harry sat back in his seat, it had been a long time since he'd had an apprentice in curse breaking and the fact he was considering it was scaring him. He knew that Melissa would play a part in the future, but due to his memories still being tangled up, he wasn't sure what role he had played in her life before and whether he was following the same path. Something in him was screaming but he didn't know in which way. The thought of the woman just put him on edge.
"You have met her?" Goldsmith asked.
"Yes," Harry said. "At a café, she is strong. Both magically and willed."
Goldsmith sneered and Harry sighed.
"You offered her a job here," Harry carried on.
"Yes," Goldsmith smirked. "She has agreed to a twelve-month contract to study what we do here and how we work wards."
"Wizard or goblin?" Harry questioned.
"Wizard. We have the Weasley showing her."
"The French branch didn't offer her that?"
"She didn't want to stay in France," Goldsmith commented.
"Is she running from something…or someone?" Harry asked with a frown.
"We didn't ask," Goldsmith answered with a sneer. "We don't need to know wizard problems."
Harry barked a laugh. "'Wizard problems' is why this bank is running."
Goldsmith gave him a smirk that could have been a smile.
"I want to see how she works," Harry offered as he looked at the man.
"You will consider it?" Goldsmith inquired as he sat forward in his seat.
"Let me see how she works first," Harry countered with a smirk. "Then I'll think about it."
"Deal."
xXx
Harry looked up when Alison Malfoy was led into the interview room, her blue eyes widened when they saw him. The Auror pushed her down into the seat on the other side of the table from Harry. He locked the chain on her cuffs to the ring on the table before walking back to the door and leaving them alone in the room. Not that Harry was alone, since Ry, Severus, Dracka and Kingsley were in the next room watching them through the one-way glass. More an illusion of being alone.
"Harry," Alison greeted as her eyes looked him over.
"Blake," Harry amended. "My name is Blake Sun. The question that I want to know is who are you?"
Alison pulled back in her seat and the cuffs around her wrists tightened, keeping her in place.
"Alison Malfoy," Alison answered.
"Scorpius Malfoy," Harry said. "What is your relationship to him?"
"He's my father," Alison replied and Harry frowned.
"I find that hard to believe," Harry drawled. "I've had a few conversations with your father and you do not fit in with what he has told me."
The woman frowned as she looked at him and Harry stared back calmly.
"Nothing is adding up between you and your father," Harry commented blandly. "I know your father is from my past. That is a fact. You are not. You do not fit into that puzzle."
"You don't know me?" Alison asked.
"I do not know you," Harry stated. "Scorpius Malfoy did not age past the time that I saw him last in my time."
"Correct," Alison said with a soft smile.
"You do not bring up memories," Harry continued. "I did not know you from before I came here."
"Correct," Alison agreed as her lips twitched up in a smile. "But I know you."
Harry sat back with a frown as his mind ran through possibilities as the woman looked at him.
"If you knew a version of me," Harry mused. "He is not me."
Alison leaned forward in her chair and looked at him with soft blue eyes.
"You are the same," Alison stated. "Beaten down with time and pain and a darkness at your core."
Harry gave the woman a lopsided grin with a glint in his eyes.
"Possibly at some points in my life," Harry conceded. "So, you are from a different timeline to this one and Scorpius's timeline?"
Alison sat back in her seat as much as she could with her hands cuffed to the table
"I find it hard to believe that three timelines have crossed," Harry stated. "The fact that the timeline I came from and this one has crossed without a touching point…Lucius Malfoy."
Alison gave him a smile.
"Always thinking," Alison purred. "Always planning and working everything out. Same old Harry Potter."
Harry looked the woman over as her blue eyes locked with his and she gave him a smile.
"So," Harry said, drawing the word out. "You do not know me but a different Harry Potter?"
Alison's smile widened as a glint came to her eyes.
"The fact that you call me Harry Potter means that I haven't changed my name yet," Harry stated, thinking out loud more than anything else.
"You never did," Alison answered.
"Then you don't know me," Harry remarked in amusement.
"I know you very well," Alison countered with a smirk. "Would you like me to say in what way?"
"I'm good," Harry replied with a grin. "I get told my faults on a regular basis, I don't think I need you pointing out my more intimate ones."
Alison gave a laugh and gave him a fond look that spoke louder than her words.
"So," Harry said again. "Scorpius Malfoy, the one we have in the cells of our prison, is not your father?"
Alison gave him a smile.
"Lucius Malfoy has been busy," Harry drawled. "Draco will be pleased that he also has a granddaughter."
Alison gave a laugh.
"Poor boy," Alison purred with a smirk.
"He'll be even happier to know of our connection," Harry smirked. "So, I must have held the Hallows in your time as well for this to have come about, unless you like them very old."
Alison just gave him a look that had him shifting slightly.
"Right," Harry muttered, he'd walked into that one. "Was he as happy about it as I am?"
"Thrilled," Alison replied, with sarcasm.
Harry gave the woman a grin.
"I am confused though," Harry admitted. "Why did you go along with Scorpius's plan?"
Alison looked away for the first time and Harry watched her carefully.
"To kidnap me," Harry expanded softly into the silence. "To torture me."
"Harry would give anything to give up the curse of the Deathly Hallows," Alison whispered. "If he could, he would have."
Alison looked over at him with a raw look in her eyes.
"And you believe that I would be the same?" Harry asked softly.
"Yes!"
Harry leaned further back in his seat and looked at her, steadily.
"You wouldn't!" Alison cried. "He just kept going and you wouldn't give them up!"
"They are mine," Harry confessed. "…And I am there's."
Alison's eyes widened as they looked at him.
"You were tortured before," Alison whispered. "I saw the scars."
"Yes," Harry confirmed. "I can assume that the Harry you know wasn't?"
"No," Alison whispered and Harry cocked his head to the side. "No, he wasn't. He does not have the scars you do."
"Back to the problem at hand then," Harry announced after a brief pause. "Lucius Malfoy, he planned this?"
"He brought us here," Alison agreed. "Pulled me from my time."
"With what plan in mind?"
"To start a blood war and take the Deathly Hallows," Alison told him. "To take the Ministry."
Harry looked the woman over as she spoke those words.
"And Scorpius?"
"The same goal," Alison said and looked down.
"And your goal?" Harry asked.
Alison went quiet and still as she sat in her chair. Harry knew that Kingsley would be barking orders and getting Malfoy Manor locked down as well as contacting the goblins and Draco.
"I'm still not sure," Alison admitted. "I thought if Scorpius could remove the Hallows from you that Harry would have a chance to be rid of his."
"So," Harry stated as he sat forward in his chair. "You thought I would be a guinea pig?"
"You are older than he is," Alison mentioned as she looked into his eyes. "I can see the age in your eyes even if you look the same age physically."
"Whatever age you believe me to be," Harry stated mildly. "You would be incorrect."
Alison shivered at his words and looked away as they fell into silence. Harry waited her out, he knew she had more to say.
"Harry," Alison broached as she looked back up at him. "I didn't know he was going to do that to you."
"You thought he would have a polite conversation with me and that we would come to an agreement about me handing over the Hallows?" Harry asked coldly.
"My Harry would have been happy to do that," Alison whispered.
"I am not that man," Harry replied.
"No," Alison uttered with wide eyes. "You are not."
Harry got to his feet and paced towards the door.
"Blake," Alison called out and he turned towards her. "You are stronger."
Harry gave her a sharp nod as he stepped out of the room and into the room next door. The three men looked him over as he entered the small room. Ry grabbed his shoulder in silent support as Alison was removed from the interview room.
"Well," Harry said into the silence. "That answered some questions."
Kingsley entered the room and looked around.
"Ready?" Kingsley asked.
"Lead the way," Harry offered.
xXx
Draco stood waiting for them at the front gates of Malfoy Manor and gave them a smirk as they apparated in.
"About bloody time you arrived!" Draco greeted. "I've been here half an hour. I have more important work to be doing than waiting around here-"
"If I knew you were waiting-" Harry went to say.
"Shut it," Draco snapped before Harry could finish.
Harry gave the man a grin and Draco grabbed him in a hard hug.
"I've missed you," Draco whispered in his ear.
Harry's grin widened as Draco pulled back.
"Welcome to Malfoy Manor," Draco said with a grin. "Don't make a mess…well anymore of a mess than when you first stormed in here."
Harry gave the man a wink as he walked through the open gate and shivered slightly as the wards brushed against him. He strolled towards the mansion with Draco by his side and Ry with his team at his back. Severus and Dracka stayed back with the rest of the Aurors. Lucius Malfoy had already been arrested at the Ministry so they didn't have to worry about him being home.
Harry paused on the front porch and the others took point as he closed his eyes and opened his mind to the magic around him. He knew that he would have a smashing headache by the time he was done and Severus had made sure to have the potions ready. He took his time to centre himself as the others around him stilled, allowing him to work. He slipped out of his shoes and socks to feel the rough stones under his feet to help ground him. He slowed his breathing as he slowly opened his eyes to the magic swirling around him. The real world overlapped by the world of magic.
He carefully stepped forward with Draco by his side, the others waiting at the front door. His eyes ran over the shadows of magic and he glanced over to Draco. The man's dark magic strong as it twisted around him and Harry focused back in front of him. He was looking for one type of magic as he turned his attention on the pulses of magic around him. More dark than light.
They started on the first floor and Draco stayed close to his shoulder. He would nudge him slightly when he would have tripped as his magic sight overtook the images of the real world. He stopped briefly in one room before moving on. He lost track of time as they made their way through the house room by room. Level by level until he felt that they had moved underground and guessed he was in a basement.
Harry paused as he picked up on something and paced to the right until Draco grabbed his arm stopping him. He frowned and turned to the man in question.
"There's a wall there," Draco explained.
Harry reached out until his hand touched the wall. He could feel wards brushing his hand. He carefully picked them up and closed his eyes as he looked through them.
"Can you touch the wall?" Harry whispered, holding the wards.
Draco laid his hand on the wall and Harry picked up his magic.
"Please say I have permission," Harry said.
"I give permission to Blake Sun," Draco intoned.
Harry carefully tied in the permission to the wards that he held and with a soft click the wall vanished from in front of them.
"That fucker!" Draco snarled.
Snapping Harry out of the magic sight and he looked into the room and paled. Harry picked up the walkie on his belt.
"We found it," Harry said into the walkie. "You're not going to like it."
Draco and Harry stood outside the large room, looking at the man spread out on the stone alter. Cut from pelvis to throat with his chest cracked open and sitting wide. What Malfoy had done had taken a sacrifice and the young man on the stone had paid in his blood and life as the dark magic sat idle in the room.
Harry turned as Ry cursed behind him, with Ron and Ginny at his back.
"Bloody hell," Ron exclaimed as he looked at the man with wide eyes.
"Is it safe?" Ginny asked quietly.
"Not yet," Harry replied. "He could have set a trap."
Harry crouched down and opened his mind slightly to the magic of the room and felt the soft pulse of the dark magic along the floor and the beat of the magic of the people around him.
"Just move back," Harry requested and the others quickly give him room.
Harry took in a slow breath and focused on the rough stones at his feet before carefully reaching out. He let the dark magic run over his fingertips. The magic nipped at his hands and he hissed slightly. Dark arts had been done here and the flow of the dark magic was corrupted. He crept forward a step, then froze. He could feel time magic.
He pulled back from his magic sight and looked around the room. Taking in the details of the man and the items still around the room. Lucius had left it the way it was after he completed the ritual. Harry glanced over his shoulder at the group behind him.
"I don't know what he has done," Harry informed them.
Ry stepped forward with a frown.
"Dad?" Ry asked softly.
"The magic is corrupted," Harry explained. "Dark magic, dark arts and time magic all mixed up together. It's a mess and I'm not sure what he has done to cause that."
The group shivered at his words.
"I'm going to need time to sort it all out," Harry stated.
Harry pushed himself to his feet and pulled his phone from his pocket. He looked at Draco and the blonde raised an eyebrow in question.
"What do you have in mind?" Draco asked. "I know that look."
Harry glanced into the room and his eyes caught on the dried blood on the man's skin before turning back to the blonde.
"Pay back," Harry intoned with a glint to his eyes.
Draco nodded sharply.
xXx
Lucius Malfoy Arrested on Dark Arts allegations.
Aurors raided the Malfoy Manor yesterday afternoon after a tip off of dark arts and misuse of dark magic, both of which were found at the property. A young man was found to have been used in a dark ritual with an unknown outcome. The man, Brad Carlson, a half blood that went missing last year and leaves behind a wife and two children.
This is the second time that Lucius Malfoy has been arrested over the last three months. He was originally arrested in relation to the torture and attempted murder of a member of the Department of Mysteries and has blood links to Scorpius Malfoy. Scorpius Malfoy, whom was arrested two months ago, and is awaiting trial with his daughter Alison Malfoy after being charged with a string of offenses.
Draco Malfoy made a statement today with his mother, Narcissa Malfoy, at his side as well as Harry Potter and Blake Sun.
'I wish to state that my father, Lucius Malfoy.' Draco Malfoy announced, prominent Potion Master at St Mungo's hospital. 'In no way reflects the Malfoy name. I have handed over the Malfoy Manor to the Aurors while they conduct their investigations and both my mother and myself will be on hand to help in anyway with the investigation.'
Blake Sun also made a statement to the paper. The first he has made since speculations were made about both his name and origins of being Harry Potter from a future timeline.
'My son and I stand with both Draco and Narcissa Malfoy in this matter,' Blake Sun stated. 'They have no connection to what we have found at the Malfoy Manor or the charges laid against Lucius, Scorpius or Alison. This is a hard time for all of us and I ask for privacy in this matter. Thank you.'
xXx
Harry sat just outside the doorway to the room with Severus at his back. Dracka refused to walk down the stairs and was sprawled out in one of the living rooms, annoying the Aurors. Harry had three large stones in front of him just before the doorway as he watched the magic swirling around. It was contained to the threshold of the room, which Harry was thankful for.
"Paper just got released," Ry announced as he skipped down the stairs and both men looked over. "Not too bad."
Ry held up the paper and Harry could see the photo of Ry, Draco, Narcissa and himself on the front while Draco and himself had made a statement.
"They do go into details of Scorpius's case as well as our story and I swear that even Voldemort's name is mentioned," Ry recited as he flicked the paper open. "Four pages, not including the front page."
"Can't say I'm surprised," Harry muttered. "Vultures the lot of them."
"They seem to be on your side for a change," Ry replied and Harry snorted.
"They have a new target, Lucius." Harry pointed out as he leaned back on his hands on the floor as both men looked down at him in amusement. "Give it a few more days and the story might start to change."
"Any luck here?" Ry asked as he glanced into the room. "Why does the body look like it has only just been cut open?"
"It's the time magic," Harry explained. "It's like a status charm on the room, it looks the same as when Lucius stepped out and sealed it up."
"And when you break the magic?" Severus questioned in interest.
"Yeah," Harry said with a grimace. "That's not going to be pretty."
"And the stones?" Ry inquired as he knelt next to Harry, after giving Severus the paper.
"I'm thinking that I can key them to the magic to help draw the different magic in the room off," Harry said with a frown. "I'm just trying to work out how to key them in. The dark magic is easy…"
Harry trailed off as he looked at the magic in the room.
"And?" Ry prompted.
"Well," Harry stated with a sigh. "I'm not sure if it will all just collapse, once I start drawing off the magic, and flare back."
"Would this help?" Miller announced as he walked down the stairs and held up a time turner.
Harry eyed off the time turner as Miller gave him a smile and held it out. Harry took it in his hand and felt the captured time magic in the device.
"Try not to break it," Miller warned with a wince. "Or Dylan will not be happy."
"Did you sign for it?" Harry asked in amusement.
"Reluctantly," Miller replied. "Callum should be down soon with some other items for you as well that might help."
"Right," Harry said as he looked at the swirling magic in the time turner.
Harry glanced up as dark magic touched on him and Callum gave him a big grin with a box in his hands.
"Hey ya, Blake." Callum greeted and shook the box in his hands slightly. "I come bearing gifts."
Harry smiled at the man as he looked into the room with wide blue eyes, seeing the magic swirling around.
"Wow," Callum gasped as he stepped closer. "That's one hell of a mess."
"That's one way of saying it," Ry muttered with a dark look. "A murder scene is another."
"Oh, that too." Callum agreed with a smirk as he turned to Ry. "But that's straight forward and boring."
Ry sneered at the shorter man and Harry sighed.
"The box, Callum." Harry prompted.
Callum turned his blue eyes onto him and gave him a once over which had Ry standing straighter. Callum brushed his magic against him and Harry shivered.
"Oi!" Harry snapped. "Box, Mr Genger."
Callum gave him a smirk and crouched down with the box. His dark magic touching him lightly and Harry sighed. He could have told the man to pull it back but he'd given up telling the other Dark Wizard to do that. He also knew that one day it would get the man into trouble, though his mouth did a good job of that. He opened the box and looked through it, the wisp of time magic on it, as he looked through the lost and found items.
"Are you okay?" Callum whispered.
"Sure," Harry replied as he picked out a few items and placed them next to the stones.
"Then why are you holding your magic so tight?" Callum pressed.
"Because I don't broadcast my magic like you," Harry snapped.
Callum gave him a sneer with a glint in his blue eyes.
"We are Dark Wizards, Blake." Callum drawled with a wink.
"I am aware of that," Harry replied mildly.
"Anything in there that can help you?" Callum asked in interest. "Dogwood would only let me take this one box out of the Department."
"There are a couple of containment stones in here but I think the ones I have will do," Harry said as he shifted through the objects in the box. "Since you are here, you can give me a hand."
"I am not a Dark Wizard on call, Blake." Callum said with a sniff.
"No, but I am your boss, Mr Genger." Harry countered mildly.
"I'm the one that gets to sort out your office," Callum retorted dryly.
"Well," Harry announced as he looked over at the other man. "Now, you get to sort out this room as well. Think of it as expanding your horizons."
Callum barked a laugh and took a seat next to him on the ground. Harry looked over to Severus, Ry and Miller and the men just looked back at them in amusement. Harry gave them a smile.
"I know that look," Miller muttered. "Come on Potter, let's walk out the front door…while there's still one."
Harry looked at the other man in amusement as Ry barked a laugh.
"Bye, Dad." Ry said with a smile. "Severus have fun. Genger try not to kill my father."
Callum just glared over at Ry and gave him the finger, while Ry gave him a sneer before moving up the stairs and out of the basement. Harry ignored Callum as he cursed under his breath.
"Do you need me down here?" Severus asked.
"I could use you as an anchor?" Harry told him. "If you feel up to it?"
Severus sighed and conjured a chair with Harry's dark wand. Callum looked over at Severus in interest before looking back at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Long story," Harry muttered as he picked up the link with Severus. "Okay, I'm going to pick up the magic in the room and filter it out. Callum, I'll pass you the dark magic to ground while I work with the other magic."
Callum sighed, "I'm going to have a headache by the end of this."
Severus snorted from behind them and Callum threw a smile over to the Slytherin. Harry just focused on the ground under him and closed his eyes. He focused on the magic before him and the stones and other items scattered around him. Once he was centred he opened his eyes and looked at the soft gold glow of the time magic in the time turner. He could feel Callum's dark magic brushing his shoulder beside him.
He strengthened the connection with Severus until it was a live wire between them. He could feel Severus's presence like a hand on his back, even if the man was seated at the back of the room they were in. He reached out and touched on Callum's magic and the man reached out as well as Harry made a slight connection with him.
He turned his attention back to the room, seeing the swirl of black and gold before him. He slowly reached out and picked up the magic. He carefully picked his way through the magic, time meaning nothing to him as he worked with care. The dark strands of dark magic, he palmed off to Callum as he filtered out the time magic to the time turner. The corrupted dark magic went to the containment stones. He could feel the magic burning his hands and he had to keep a tight grip on his dark magic as he worked.
Severus would give him a slight nudge now and again if his attention wavered as something caught his attention. He built up the time magic until he couldn't fill the time turner any longer and his hand reached out blindly for another vessel as the magic built. Severus and Callum waited him out but he could feel the concern from Severus. His hand brushed something and he grabbed it blindly and poured in the time magic that he'd captured into it.
The last of the dark magic left him and he felt Callum pull back but he didn't break the connection. He filtered out the last of the corrupted dark magic into the stones before him. He pulled on the time magic in the room and siphoned it off into the item in his hand until the item glowed gold to him. With one last tug, he pulled back and opened his eyes and looked down.
He froze when he saw the item in his hand.
"Ah," Harry muttered softly as he let go of the connection with Severus. "That's not good."
Callum jumped to his feet and skipped back from him. Harry gave him a look of amusement as he slipped the item into his pocket with a wink.
"Bastard," Callum snapped.
Harry gave the other man grin before turning back to the room and getting to his feet. Leaving everything where it was as he stepped over the threshold. He carefully made his way closer to the man's body spread out over the stone. He sighed in relief when everything was where it was meant to be before glancing around. He pulled his phone and dialled Kingsley.
"Shacklebolt," Kingsley answered.
"Hey," Harry said softly. "You can move on the room now."
"Great," Kingsley said with sarcasm in his voice. "I'll have a team move in. Is Potter still there?"
"I'm not sure," Harry answered. "He was before but he left with Miller. You might need to call him."
"Thanks, Blake." Kingsley offered.
"No problems," Harry replied as he hung up.
He looked around the room and sighed, he was going to be trapped here for a while.
"Coffee?" Severus asked and Harry gave the man a big grin.
"Knew I loved you for a good reason," Harry told him as Callum gagged from the doorway.