Everything is J.K. Rowlings. I only claim the plot. Everything else is hers, all the characters and the magic, all of it. Please let me know what you think though, I encourage feedback of all kinds, just be nice about it!

I also want to say a quick thank you to everyone who has favorited or followed this story. I'll admit, it has gotten far more views than I ever expected it would, especially so soon. So thank you again and hopefully I don't disappoint you!

Chapter Four

The whiskey burned. It always did. The tea to whiskey ratio was very small. The first cup had a better balance but this was his fifth cup that night and the tea was almost nonexistent. The big book of stuff, as Harry had started calling it, sat on the table in front of him. It sat there, huge and ominous. Mocking him for his uncertainty on how to proceed. How was he supposed to proceed? Ron and Ginny had rather quickly declared that he should ship the lot to Azkaban and start exploring the properties.

"Honestly, Harry, it's not such a hard decision. Why you gave yourself three days is beyond me. I would have tossed them when I was in the goblins office," Ron stated, his nose wrinkling as he stared at the list of names on the page. "They are all a bunch of snakes anyway. And see, some already had the mark. The others were probably going to get theirs this summer."

"Why are you hesitating?" Ginny hissed. "They helped destroy families. What about Fred or Remus or Tonks or Colin or Lavender? Are you seriously considering helping their killers?"

In all honesty, Harry really couldn't fault them for their thoughts. But that didn't mean he outright agreed. Really, he wasn't sure why he hadn't just sentenced them all to Azkaban immediately. Or why he was even entertaining other options or thoughts, what those other options or thoughts were still eluded him though because he hadn't been able to settle his thoughts to really think on the matter.

While the dark-haired man struggled with what to do with the lives in his possession, Ron, Ginny and Hermione had flipped through his new accounts and properties. Hermione had tallied up his overall account total as well as listed any special items lying within the vaults. Then the three of them had sorted through the properties. Trying to determine which should be destroyed and which might be salvageable enough to become liveable. They had all perked up at the thought of touring the properties, but Harry had vetoed that idea at least until he had his other problems sorted. This had caused huffs and snorts of disbelief from the Weasley siblings before they had turned in for the night.

That had been six hours ago. He had returned from Gringotts almost fourteen hours ago. What was he supposed to do? He must have dozed off to this question rolling around in his mind. His dreams filled with the faces of the dead accusing him of being a traitor for betraying them all. Accusing him of not doing enough to save them. Crying out, he bolted up out of his sleep. The kitchen chair he had been sitting in toppled over behind him with a loud crash causing him to jump and draw his wand. Feverishly searching for any intruders before his mind caught up with him and he shook his head at his foolishness. Righting the chair, Harry readjusted his glasses before focusing on the book again. A glance at the dented gold wristwatch told him he had only managed sleep for two hours. It was only three in the morning.

"Harry it's just me," a soft voice called, followed by footsteps on the stairs. Hermione was awake.

The girl in question silently walked into the kitchen and took a seat opposite him once more. They stared at each other. Well, Hermione stared at Harry while Harry stared at the book.

"What do you think I should do, Hermione?" he asked. His uncertainty and vulnerability surfacing through the question. He refused to look at his best friend, eyes trained on the book.

She was silent. Her formerly blank eyes taking a calculating gleam. "I think you have been presented with an opportunity."

"How is that, do you figure?"

"You want to make the wizarding world a better place don't you? You want to help rebuild it into something great."

"Well yeah."

"Then here is your chance. You've played hero long enough. Now it's time to play politician." Harry frowned in confusion his eyes focusing in on the book as if trying to piece her words to the book to find what she was seeing. "Harry, there are roughly fifty seats in the Wizengamot. With all the ownership you now have you account for about thirty of those votes. You can start effecting real change, start introducing positive policies with hardly any resistance."

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Didn't think of it like that. But what about these lives I am in control of?"

"I know you Harry. You aren't going to throw them in Azkaban undeserved. Offer them the chance of servitude. Let them work off their life debt."

"Yeah... I suppose that's what I was leaning towards all along. But how am I supposed to get these people to work for me? They hate me. And I'm not really fond of them either."

Hermione was silent. She was silent for so long that Harry started wondering if she would even answer his question. "Offer them a deal. They are Slytherins, they see the value of self-preservation. They have been hit just as hard by this war as we have. Offer them a chance for redemption. You are going to need help going into this political atmosphere and who knows politics and subtle dealings better than the Slytherins? At least offer them the chance. If they turn it down, well you tried."

"Hmm...you're right. Because there are changes I want to make. I want to do away with all these old prejudices. I want to make things right."

"And you are going to need their help. You know as well as I do that these people are going to be shunned from society if something isn't done to stop it. To stop the prejudices from being flipped you need to start the movement. You have power, Harry. Use it."

At these words Harry finally looked up at his best friend and his heart swelled with hope at what he saw. For the first time in over a month those light brown eyes were sparkling, they were alive with renewed hope and energy. Harry thought he would never see her passionate about anything again. Maybe she was right? Of course, when was she not? Maybe he could start the change for ending prejudices.

"Hermione, you're brilliant, you really are."

"Yeah, tell me something I don't know," she quipped back with the ghost of a smile flashing across her face before it faded once more and her eyes lost the spark and the light faded into her usual blank look.

The two settled into silence, Harry scribbled furiously across some parchment, laying out his ideas for the terms of service for the Slytherins and then the changes he wished to invoke. Every so often he would slide the paper across the table so Hermione could check it and possibly add more to it that she thought was necessary. But not another word was spoken between the two. At least until breakfast when the rest of the Weasley clan woke up and started the hustle and bustle of the day.

Showing Ron and Ginny their ideas, Harry didn't get the reactions he was hoping for but it was what he expected. The two supported the thought of him using his political power to affect change, but they weren't thrilled about his ideas for the Slytherins. Making their thoughts very clear, Harry had stepped away from them and continued his work in solitude. He received owls from Nadrig all that day informing him of the acceptances from the Slytherins. Everyone but Marcus Flint, Hestia Carrow, Fergus Cowley and Adrian Pucey had accepted.

With his plan in motion, he then had to settle on a place to live. He couldn't very well bring all these people to the Burrow. It wouldn't be right. No, he needed a place that wasn't tainted by any previous misconceptions. A place where everyone involved could put aside differences and work together. Any of the former Death Eater houses were out of the question. It just wouldn't be right; that left Potter Manor and the Peverell Estate. Harry was sorely tempted to go to Potter Manor, his ancestral home. But something held him back from it. No, what everyone needed, including himself was a fresh start from everything. His father's home could wait, maybe when he had a family of his own he could move there. But for now, he had to focus on rebuilding. So that left the Peverell Estate. As far as he was concerned it was untainted by any allegiances or previous conceptions. It should be perfect.

Glancing at his watch he saw the time was two in the morning, of the day he was to meet with the Slytherins. With a sigh, he let his feet drag him up the stairs and collapse on the second bed in Ron's room. He knew he needed to get some sleep at least. The meeting was at ten. Taking a small sip of a Dreamless Sleep Potion, in hopes that it would help him be somewhat refreshed for the day ahead, Harry slipped into sleep.