Just as Dirk had predicted, at half four, Barchoke and Ashrack returned, signed the contracts, and after bowing to Dirk, they left.
Albus frowned, "Why did they bow?"
Dirk slowly stood. "Because, they are sorry for what comes next for me." He sighed. "They screwed you. They did it by Law and Treaty. Ministry Law and Treaty. I have been invited to 'Drinks' while I describe your faces when you learn the full truth."
Fudge and Albus grabbed the contracts, and began reading. "As long as no lord, heir or scion lives… The Ministry can claim… yada yada." the rotund minister muttered as he read through the contract. Finding nothing, he spit, turned on his Heel, and left the Boardroom to 'Collect' his due.
"You better join him, Sir." Dirk started packing his briefcase. "If I remember correctly, you both need to be there to collect, and they can dock you both fines and penalties if you try to collect separately."
As Albus rushed after Fudge to the Lobby and the Tellers, Cresswell flagged down a 'runner' and asked to be escorted to the 'outbound' floo. He went straight home. Sometimes it pays to be the Director of a Department.
HGWT
Having driven to the House, changed to clothing more fitted to shopping and Dinner, left Padfoot with Lupin, and got Hermione dressed and into the car, Dan was now driving the Four Human's and large Cat back to Harrods. As they climbed out of the Range Rover, Harry shimmered back into his human form.
Amelia flicked her wand, and handed Dan a Hot Wheels sized Range Rover.
"Saves on parking, the three of us can undo it." Harry nodded.
"Speaking of Saving on labor and undoing it…" Hermione had a tisted look as she snuggled into Harry's side. "He Made me Promise that you could offer… Dobby!"
"Miss Grangy… Harry Potter!" The elf grappled the wizard's knee. "Yous Home!" The Little guy shimmered in joy. "Bond Dobby?"
"If that is what you want. Closest thing I have to a house is the Wagon, and the Garage but you are welcome." Harry spoke, not knowing exactly what he was offering. Just that it made his friend happy.
"Garage?" Hermione asked, "You were not joking?"
"Not Joking. Need to talk to Mister Weasley tomorrow after I register with Creatures." Harry grinned at his friend. "I found a trade I enjoy out there. Crafting the Warlock Wagon, I got to learn the Muggle 'auto' trade and with my 'improvements' I perfected my transfiguration, charms, learned runes and enchanting…" Harry sighed, "The Warlock can not fly, but she can run. And she can take on a lorry… and win."
"Harry!" Hermione was shocked. "Why would you be trying to take on a Lorry?"
"Rescue the children from the slave traders and sex raiders." Harry growled. "If you can not run, you had better fight, or find someone who can. I was that Someone." He pulled her close, and nuzzled her neck, "I need to return… but not for good."
They spent over three hours in Harrods re-outfiting Harry. Dobby took everything to the Grangers, as it was purchased. Emma got to stretch her credit cards, and Harry would pay Dan back later. Harry included all forms of 'pay back'.
They then went to a very nice place to dine, and when they were done, Amelia portkeyed them all to Bones Manor.
Tully was pleased to have guests, and had the place set up.
While Harry and Hermione went to bed in separate rooms, Dan and Emma enjoyed the gifts of a Magical Suite.
Just after ten, when everyone was snuggled down, Hermione joined Harry in his bed. She had just got him back, and she was not losing him again, Damn it!
All was quiet…
All was Dark…
But something woke Potter just about two am, and he stood from the bed, pulling from the clinging arms of his witch, to stand at the window peering out into the moonless night.
"What is it?" Hermione asked, sleepy.
"He is here." Harry sighed, "He is Giddy. He thinks this is a good showing of his Strength. A quick and easy Victory to shock and awe the Rank and File." Harry turned from the window, pulling the curtains closed, and lighting a candle by the bed. "Go get dressed, then wake your Parents. I will wake Amelia." He shed his bedrobe. "Dobby, I need my Leathers." Harry was quick to dress in his runed reinforced leathers, pants, vest, weapons belt that held three pistols, a 1911 9mm, a colt python .45, and a desert eagle .50 cal.) and his trench coat that had the silver moon backlighting a Hart, Grim, and an Owl. He slung the M79 thumper bag over his shoulder as he slid his wand into his boot.
Out in the Hall he took the eight steps to Amelia's door and knocked, only to have her stick her lit wand in his face.
"Oh thank Merlin it is you." She sighed. "I just felt a couple of Wards go up. The kind that keep people from running when…"
"Tommy Boy is here."
"Who?"
"Tom Riddle." Harry crossed to her window to peer out. "The Dark Lord himself. He believes this will be a quick and easy Raid, He gets to shock and awe the newbies, but not risk his own hide or power."
"That's just…" Amelia shrugged into her Auror robes over her nightgown. "Thank Hecate Susan is at Hannah's tonight." She moved to meet the coming hordes at the front door.
"No Director." Harry spoke forcefully. "Get the Grangers out, by elf if you have too, call for reinforcements, and man the wards. Once Hermione and her parents are safe, give me a five minute count, and let Him in. Only Him. Once he is in, the wards can hold the rest out, but his spells will not affect the wards." He strode to the Front Door, where Dobby handed him his bowler. "Dobby. Protect the Grangers. Get them home. I will call if I need you."
He stepped out, locking and sealing the Doors behind him as he strolled toward where he felt Voldermort. As He walked he drew out the M79, loaded a 40mm grenade round into the chamber and hip fired it over the Dark Lord's head.
"Morning Tommy Boy!"
HGWT
Everything was going perfectly.
Yesterday He rose from his Bed fully charged and revitalized.
The Minions were spread out to watch him bring down the wards, defeat the Director of the DMLE, kill her and burn the Bones Manor to the ground. Because of the low nature of most of the 'Rank and File' or as Bella called them, the 'Stank and Vile', he understood some looting and less savory actions were planned by the 'boys', but he could care less. This was to Prove his Power…
Thump!
"What?" He asked.
"Morning Tommy Boy!" A figure dressed in black was walking toward them, working something in his hands. An explosion bloomed behind him, shrapnel lacerating the minions behind him. The voice sounded familiar…
"Who Dares!" the Dark Lord roared.
"Oh, Tommy!" the young man sounded hurt, "I give you my blood, and you forget all about me? I'm hurt." the thing in his hands clicks, thumps, and hisses, as he pops something from its back. He digs into the pouch hanging off his hip. "If You're going to be like that… I will just have to take it back."
HGWT
[eight hours earlier]
Albus exited the Floo into his Office Pissed.
The grit-suckers had only given him and Fudge 30 sickles. "That is what the Account has for the Headmaster and the Minister." quoted the teller. They were then invited to exit the bank. At sword point.
"Headmaster." the tired voice of his spy brought the old man about. "The Dark Lord is awake." the normally shallow looking man looking truly hagrid right now. "He has proclaimed he was working on a plan, and tonight, he will show his followers the true Might of Lord Vol…" He noticed something, and snatched the contract from the old man's fist. "You tried to acquire the Potter and Black accounts? What did that get you?"
"Thirty Sickles… to share with Fudge."
Snape snorted, before he began to laugh. "Oh, this will be a feather in their hat for sometime. A prank of this caliber,
Black will be laughing over this for months. To think, to have pulled this off. How much did this cost you and Fudge? Rental of a boardroom, what eight hours at three Galleons per hour, the back log of all paperwork that piled up today, the hours you had to sit there listening to Fudge… all for thirty silver pieces." He chuckled, "Almost Slytherin, that insult was."
"Insult?"
"Thirty Pieces of Silver. The Price of Betrayal." Snape looked at Albus. "Potter just called you a Judas. A betrayer of the highest order."
"Potter is dead."
"Is he?"
"He went through the Veil, right after Black did. The night of the battle at the DoM." Albus spoke to Snape as if to a child.
"Yes. And The Dark Lord's power dropped so low that he has been bedridden since." Snape returned. "But yesterday, He rose anew!" He scanned the contract… "Here it is. 'As long as no lord, heir or scion lives', which means that at the time they signed this, the Goblins knew Potter, if not Potter and Black, had survived the Veil and returned."
"Impossible!" The old man collapsed into his chair. "But How?"
"As much as I detest to say it; this is Potter you're talking about." Snape sighed. "Headquarters?"
Albus jumped from his seat and scuttled to the fireplace. A pinch of powder… "Black Bastion." Walburga's choice of address, and to change it, Sirius would have to visit Floo Central and change it personally. The flames flashed green and died. The Floo was blocked at Headquarters. Sirius must have locked down the house. A second pinch… "Diagon Alley!"
Albus vanished in a green bloom.
Snape helped himself to Albus's century old scotch. Four fingers at a time.
HGWT
Albus Appeared in the Leaky Cauldron, only long enough to twist into the Either… and out over the Black Lake. Dragging himself to shore, he dried himself off, and tried again. Three Broomsticks … Leaky Cauldron … across the street from Headquarters.
As he climbed the stairs to the door, the wards let him in… to the Forie where Lupin met him with a wand. Then he felt the 'kiss' of metal behind his ear.
"You can drop your wand on the silver tray, leave the way you came, or take a nap." A growl was heard from over his shoulder. He tossed the elder wand into the silver tray by the door.
[Stupify]
The Blackness took him.
He jerked awake … bound to a comfy armchair.
"Now, Alby." Sirius growled as he sat across from the wizard, "We need to talk."
"And by talk, we mean you speak the truth, as we ask questions. You don't answer… and the Questions become…pointed." Lupin smiled at his pun as he poked the Headmaster.
HGWT
"Oh, Tommy!" the young man sounded hurt, "I give you my blood, and you forget all about me? I'm hurt." the thing in his hands clicks, thumps, and hisses, as he pops something from its back. He digs into the pouch hanging off his hip. "If You're going to be like that… I will just have to take it back."
"Potter?" the noseless wizard sneered. "But you are …
"Like You Tommy, I have left this mortal coil." the cocky teen grinned. "Unlike you though… I have journeyed beyond the Veil. I have walked those lands…" Harry worked the device in his hands, "And I have Returned." the device bucked in his hands, only this time a flash of flame flared from the one end. "And I came back with gifts."
Off to Voldermort's right hand twenty masked minions crumpled and fell to the ground. Potter worked his device again. "I must say, Tommy boy, these new recruits are lacking a little something. Some kernel of …" the device kicked… and thirty minions fell. "Suave de vie. Some Jean ès qua?"
"Huh?"
"You don't speak french?" the boy tilted his head as he folded the device and tucked it into the bag hanging from his shoulder.
"Never needed to."
"And yet, given your Nom de plume…"
"My what?" Voldermort drew his wand.
"Exactly." Harry drew a metal wand from behind his back. "Where is Dear Bella? I so dearly wanted to give her a kiss."
"She is running another Errand for me." Voldremort sneered. "The unlucky ones that failed when you last danced with Dear Bella… Well, She is off to collect the losers while I showcase my Power."
"If it was just you versus Madam Bones… yeah, you would have taken the Victory. " He raised his black metal wand… it barked three times. Three more fell, their masks had a new hole in the forehead. Harry looked about… "Fifty-three dead… and you have failed to bring down the wards…" the wand was pointed at him, barked twice, and pain bloomed in each of his shoulders… causing him to drop his wand.
Fear bloomed behind his eyes, he knelt to grab his wand, "Home!" He vanished in a swirl.
HGWT
Dobby appeared at Harry's knee. "Grangies Home." the little guy hugged his knee. "Tully is seeing to Bonesy."
Harry turned and walked to the front Door, Dobby trotting at his Heel. "Keep an eye on the Grangers. First Sign of trouble, get them to safety." He knocked on the Door. It opened with a wand pointed at his nose.
"Why should I let you in?" Madam Bones demanded.
"Maybe you should not." Harry smiled back, "But I wanted to see how you were doing. Dobby says Tully has you in hand?"
"Yeah." the wand twitched. "Where are you going?"
"No idea." Harry grinned. "Hermione and her Parents are Home, but I have the Rover. My going there before dawn could draw attention to them. That leaves here, the Garage, or… Headquarters." Harry nodded. "I will go to Headquarters."
"Headquarters?"
"Order of the Phoenix." Harry snorted. "Albus's fan club, mostly." He reaches down to scratch Dobby behind the ear, "Hey buddy. Can you take me to Sirius?"
The two of them vanished…
TBC