Chapter 23

Harry had headed home with his sword, vanished his clothes with his wand and just collapsed into bed. He was dead to the world until noon the following day.

He was fairly confused when he woke up. Normally Dobby was there, waiting for instructions. Usually Harry's instructions were for him to go and amuse himself.

"What did you do with Dobby?" He asked raspily in sleepy voice.

"He's preparing your clothes… My Liege." Daphne grinned from the side of his bed. Pansy was next to her and Gemma and Tracey were on the other side.

"Why are you here?" He asked as he shuffled into a sitting position.

"As your Ladies, we are here to attend to your every need, Your Majesty." Pansy curtsied, all four of them were grinning.

Harry shuffled back down and turned over on his stomach. "I hate my life." He grumbled.

"You need to make an appearance Harry." Gemma chided as she pulled back the covers.

The girls gasped as Harry curled into a ball.

Harry hadn't had the energy to put on pyjamas.

"Jeeze! Can't I get a little privacy?" He snapped.

Pansy quickly took the blanket from the gobsmacked Gemma and re-covered Harry. "Tracey, get his dressing gown. Daphne, prepare his bath. Gemma, tell everyone we will be down in about an hour or so. I'll get his clothes ready."

"Alright! Enough!" Harry said with great irritation as he wrapped the blanket around himself and stood up. "Last night I pretty much conquered magical Britain and declared myself king. But I don't want to have that interfering in my personal life." He said heatedly. "Leave all that 'Majesty' stuff beyond the walls of my personal quarters or I will be… miffed.

"My only authority over you four in this home is as your Head of House. Otherwise, nothing has changed.

"Am I clear?"

Tracey sighed in disappointment. "I was so looking forward to giving the Crown Jewels a good polishing."

"I suppose we could just enjoy the rest of the day in bed." Gemma grinned before she dived onto the bed pulling Tracey with her. Daphne followed as she grabbed Harry and pulled him down. Pansy took a more sedate pace as she removed her slippers first.

Harry was wrapped in his blanket like a sausage roll. Daphne on one side and Gemma on the other.

"I hate you guys." He grumbled.

There was a knock on the door. "Yes! For god's sake come in!"

The door opened and Dudley looked in curiously. Then he saw the bed… Harry glaring from the middle of four grinning girls. "Oh… erm… I was… Fleur! Yes, Fleur is here!" He stammered.

"Oh good! Send her in." Daphne nodded.

"Erm… ok."

"Wait! Aren't you going to help me?" Harry asked frantically.

Dudley just glanced at the happy girls who were looking creepier and creepier to him by the second. "I'll… ask Fleur… to help." He said before quickly shutting the door.

"Get back here you bastard!" Harry shouted. "Your king commands it!"

"He's a muggle, Master." Daphne smirked. "He doesn't answer to the king of Magical Britain."

"I'm the High King of All Albion." Harry grumbled. "There was no division between wiggle and muggle in Arthur's realm."

"Oh… can we be there when you claim Buckingham Palace?" She asked with begging eyes.

"I am not interfering in the non-magical world. Not as the king, anyway."

"Oh Harry." Pansy sighed in disappointment. "Haven't you learnt that you don't really have a choice in these matters?"

"Of course I do! I'm the King!" Harry said indignantly.

"You told us that as soon as you realised that you were going to have to repeat several years of your life, you would only use your position as Lord Slytherin to stop people from controlling you." Pansy explained. "Within weeks you managed to put Draco in his place, acquire the Philosopher's Stone, sign a treaty with the goblins, claim three concubines and kill a man in a duel."

Harry lay there squirming for a few moments as he tried to come up with a retort. "I'm tired and going back to sleep." He then shut his eyes tightly.

That was when Fleur walked in.

Unlike Dudley, when she saw the grinning girls and the entombed Harry, she just smirked. "Are you a king or a sultan?"

Harry glared at her and said slowly. "I'm fairly certain that I am the punch line for everyone else's jokes."

At that moment, Ember woke up and was very agitated. She was chirping wildly as she hopped out of her nest and flew wonkily over to the bed on her young wings.

"No, no, no, no, No, No NO, NO!" Harry's frantic pleas were ignored by all as the little bird flew over Harry, dropped from the air and promptly vanished with her companion in flash of fire.

There was a moment's silence.

"He was completely naked under there… wasn't he?" Tracey asked Pansy.

Pansy and Gemma just nodded as Gemma tugged on the blanket Harry had been using to cover himself.


Harry landed on a hard wood floor completely naked with Ember hopping up and down on his chest.

"That bird is a bloody menace." Came an old chuckling voice.

Harry looked up. "Abe? You asked Em to bring me?"

"No, I think Fawkes did." Aberforth Dumbledore sighed as he pulled Harry up. He then pulled his wand and conjured a robe.

Harry was still uncomfortable as he was wearing just the robe. "Alright, so why did this little menace decide to kidnap me… again?" He pointed to the still agitated phoenix on his shoulder.

"It's Albus." Abe said gravely. "He's devastated and drunk and he won't speak to anyone. I guess Fawkes figured you might be more helpful."

"Take me to him." Harry instructed firmly.

Abe led Harry through to the back and up some stairs to a bedroom.

Harry was shocked and appalled. Albus Dumbledore was dressed in loose fitting trousers and a long untucked shirt. He was laying on the bed with one arm over his eyes and the other connected to a bottle of fire-whiskey.

Fawkes was singing mournfully on the headboard.

"Give us some space?" Harry requested quietly.

"Good luck lad." Abe responded in kind as he closed the door on his way out.

Harry marched over and snatched the bottle out of Albus' hand and tossed in the wicker rubbish bin by the door. On the table was a potion's bottle. He uncorked it and had a sniff. He was easily able to recognise a sobriety potion after having to shove a few down Sirius' throat a few times.

"Sit up Albus." Harry instructed firmly as he easily pulled the frail old man into a sitting position.

Albus groaned, it was pitiful and mournful. It was pain, but not physical.

"Drink." Again, Harry made no requests and didn't indulge Albus with coddling. He pressed the bottle to the man's mouth and tipped it, forcing him to drink.

Albus was too far into his misery to really fight. But he was soon sitting back against the bed's headboard and silently crying.

"What happened?" Harry asked in his calm, no nonsense manner.

"I killed him, Harry." He whispered in a hoarse voice. "I killed him and it was all for nothing. The prophecy is still active."

It didn't take much for Harry to put two and two together. He and Albus had discussed the prophecy many times, much to Harry's annoyance. Harry didn't care about it and was eager to simply destroy the orb in the Department of Mysteries. Albus had managed to dissuade him as it was a useful means of keeping track of when it was fulfilled.

They had talked about possible candidates for the 'Dark Lord' and the 'One with the power to vanquish him'.

Gellert Grindlewald was the only dark lord currently known. Harry had successfully pointed out that if it was Gellert then he himself couldn't be the one to vanquish him. Harry didn't fulfil the parts about being 'born to those who thrice defied him'.

But Albus had always been troubled and reluctant to dismiss any candidates. He still held both Harry and himself as remote possibilities for being the ones in the prophecy. Harry knew that Albus had been researching survivors of Grindlewald to see if he could find someone who did fit the prophecy.

"How many people know what you've done?" Harry asked gravely.

"No one. I made it look like natural causes." Albus said, wiping tears from his cheeks.

"You know you're a bloody idiot, right?" Harry sighed as he pulled up a chair and sank onto it. "I told you he wasn't the one. I even told you that the prophecy is irrelevant.

"Have you ever thought you or I could be the 'dark lord'?"

Albus actually laughed at that. "Despite my fears about you in your earlier Hogwarts years, I very much doubt you could be a dark lord."

Harry gave him a sad smile. "Albus, where do prophecies come from?"

Albus frowned, he didn't understand. "Seers are the ones who-"

"Yes, yes!" Harry waved his hand. "Seers are the ones who relay the words of the prophecy. But who or what creates them? Is there a god or gods that send them to us? Are the Fates real or is Fate an actual entity?"

Albus spoke carefully. "Harry, you are asking questions that all sentient beings have asked at some point. No one has a definitive answer, but there are many theories and even religions based around those theories."

"The prophecy was given to you. A recognised member of the 'light'. But, you weren't the only person to hear it. What if you weren't supposed to be the recipient?"

"You believe it was meant for Severus?" Albus clearly didn't believe that.

"What I am trying to say… and failing badly at… is that unless we can confirm where a prophecy comes from then we can never know if they are meant to aid the light or the dark.

"'Dark Lord' is subjective. Imagine two civilisations, locked in combat and war for centuries. Neither side remembers why their war started.

"Both receive the same prophecy we did."

"I understand your point, Harry. But… the only person I can think of that would have considered me a dark lord, is you."

"Albus, you're not dead yet. You've got plenty of years left to piss off some kid and his parents." Harry smirked.

Albus snorted at the audaciousness of young man. Then he remembered why he was drinking. "I'm a murderer." He said quietly.

"I prefer the term 'executioner'." Harry countered. "I'm not going to think any less of you, morally speaking. I do think you're an idiot, but that should be a given by now."

Albus glared at him.

"Deal with your grief over his death, but don't bother drowning in guilt because of your part in it. You have much more important things to do." Harry warned as he stood up.

Harry headed for the door, he opened it and turned back to Albus. "Incidentally, as the King of England, you are relieved of your role as Chief Wizard and Supreme Mugwump of the ICW. You are also relieved as Headmaster of Hogwarts. You are now assigned as the Transfiguration teacher in Minerva McGonagall's place as she will be the new Head."

Harry didn't wait for a response. He closed the door.

All though he didn't know it, his little parting speech had exactly the effect he wanted. Albus was utterly befuddled. 'King of England', fired from all roles?

Albus grabbed his wand and began to dress.


The Great Hall of Hogwarts was nearly unrecognisable. Gone were the tables and chairs where the students sat and ate. Gone was the staff table where the teachers did likewise.

Thousands of chairs were now arranged with a red carpet down the middle.

Yes. Thousands. The Great Hall, created a thousand years before by the founders, was showing the true ingenuity and ability of ancient British Magicals.

There was at least ninety percent of the British Magical population present and seated as well as the students and faculty of the guest schools and the senior members of their countries governments.

It was January 1st 1995. Just a few days earlier, during the cold morning of Boxing Day, many of the assembled had witnessed Harry claim Caledfwych.

The doors banged open.

"All rise for his Royal Highness Harry Potter, Ruler of Great Britain and all her territories." Frank Longbottom stood tall and proud in his finest robes as he announced his wife's godson.

Harry marched through the doors wearing a black shirt, trousers, boots and a red cape. On his head was a golden circlet. Behind him were the girls, walking in pairs. Gemma and Pansy and then Daphne and Tracey. The girls were dressed identically in ankle length, emerald green dresses.

Behind them came Nicholas and Perenelle and then Sirius and Amelia. Each dressed in their finest robes.

Harry reached the golden chair that usually sat the Headmaster, he turned and faced the assembled audience, standing in front of the throne. Once his entourage had positioned themselves to his sides, he took his seat.

"You may sit."

At Harry's command the hall was filled with the near thunderous sound of several thousand individuals sitting on wooden chairs placed on stone floors.

"This Boxing Day I claimed the throne of Britain." Harry said calmly and in a quiet voice. The charms on the throne and the hall meant that every person there heard him as though he was speaking solely to them. "Many people opposed me before I even made my personal attempt. They opposed me even after.

"I did not claim the throne simply to satisfy some teenage fantasy. I did so because the Ministry of Magic was corrupt and it was seeking to sink its corrupt fingers into my home." He gestured around him to the castle.

"So now I control every aspect of our country. I control education, government, law enforcement, finances… and justice. There will be many changes.

"I have been in negotiations with my friends at Gringotts. They have agreed to turn over all banking duties to my government. One of the primary reasons is that we will be adopting a new currency.

"Amelia Bones will serve for a period of one year from this day as my Prime Minister.

"Augusta Longbottom is appointed as the Chief Judge of the Royal Courts. She will appoint other judges who will answer to her.

"Together, those two honourable ladies shall raise up a new government in my name. To insult them is to insult me. To disobey them is to disobey me.

"To disobey me is treason. The penalty for treason is death.

"I sincerely hope that I never have to sentence someone for treason." Harry said gravely.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts and allowed himself a gentle smile. "Let us talk of the future. Of hope.

"We live on an island, there is plenty of room for expansion but we confine ourselves to a few places. Diagon Alley, Hogsmede, a few small villages.

"We live like we are invaders, hiding so that we won't be detected before we begin our occupation." Harry was clearly disgusted.

He stood up and continued his address, his tone was more forceful. "Every single magical person on this planet is descended from muggles." Slight grumbling could be heard. "There was a time when there were no wiggles."

"Preposterous!"

Harry's hand shot out, his wand instantly there. The old fool who dared speak out was flipped upside down into the air.

A furious Hagrid, dressed in a brand new long coat and suit made of thick basilisk hide, reached over the other audience members and plucked the man out of the air. He then carried him by his feet and tossed him at the foot of the red carpeted dias.

"What is your name, fool?" Sirius demanded as he stepped forward, casually disarming the man.

The man was now beginning to pale as realised that he had really screwed up… royally so. "Reginald Gamp, Head of the House of Gamp." Despite his fear, he would not show it. He stood and held himself proudly.

"You dare to call me a liar, Reginald?" Harry asked darkly.

"I did no such thing."

"Everyone here heard you decry His Majesty's declaration that everyone descends from muggles." Sirius snarled.

Reginald was now going snooty. "I merely claim that the boy is misguided."

*THWACK*

Reginald went spinning to the ground from Sirius' backhand. "You will show the King respect or you will suffer!"

Harry placed a calming hand on Sirius' shoulder. The older man scowled, but took a step back.

"Sir Hagrid, please hold Mister Gamp over there."

"'Course 'Arry… I mean-"

"My personal friends and family can always call me Harry." The king smiled at his first friend.

Hagrid still blushed as he hauled Gamp to the side.

Harry addressed the crowd. "Is there anyone here who holds the same views as Reginald Gamp? Someone capable of respectful discourse? It is not a crime in my kingdom to have an opinion or belief. It is only a crime to use that opinion or belief as an excuse to harm and persecute others."

A man near the back stood up. "I would be willing to debate, Your Majesty."

Harry squinted at the man who was quite far away. He gave a curious smile. "Please, come forward and we will discuss and debate my claims."

The man began walking towards them. Nicholas decided to spare the man the indignity of the long walk and had Phoenix flame him to the throne.

Now that he was closer, Harry could tell a lot more about the man. He was of Hispanic descent, mid to late forties, dressed in a suit and tie that marked him as a muggle or muggleborn.

"Could you introduce yourself?" Harry prompted as he conjured two chairs and indicated for the man to take a seat.

"Damien Martin. I'm a muggle and the father of a first generation witch who finished her schooling last year."

"And your profession?"

"I teach science at a secondary school in Birmingham."

"Cool!" Harry smiled happily. "This will be an intelligent discussion on your part then."

Damien wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. He knew from his daughter's stories that Harry Potter was, to put it nicely, eccentric. But the new King of Magical England had just made a deprecating joke about himself.

"So, Damien. I say that all wiggles descend from muggles. You claim otherwise. Why?"

Damien took a second to translate the question. His daughter and wife found the term muggle to be insulting. They adored the term wiggle.

"For a start, there is no definitive way to prove your claims." Damien began. "My wife and daughter are both interested in history. They were able to trace one family's magical lineage back by three thousand years before it vanished."

"So you don't know whether the previous generations were muggle or wiggle." Harry interjected. "Tell us, Gamp, how far back can you trace your lineage?"

"The Gamps can be traced back to the time of the Founders." Reginald declared snootily. He winced as Hagrid's grip on his shoulder tightened.

"Yeah… so what about before that?" Harry rolled his eyes. "Did the Gamps just appear out of thin air?"

"History is largely unrecorded before then." Reginald sneered at the imbecilic brat.

"My family can trace its origins back to the early Bronze Age." Nicholas spoke up. "In theory we could go further, but naming conventions were too different for the lineage ritual to map out."

"My wife's is the same, as is his Majesty's." He gave a brief bow.

"Of course, Husband, we should point out that King Harry can trace his lineage straight back to King Arthur, before that it goes through Ignotus Pervell to Godric Gryffindor himself."

"Wow, magicals way back in the Bronze Age." Harry's awe seemed a little forced. He then turned to the audience. "That is about four thousand years for you Purebloods who like to claim a thousand years of history."

"Actually, Your Majesty, we could only trace my magical lineage back as far as the Iron Age." Nicholas interjected. "Before that we were non-magicals. Perenelle's line of magicals reaches back to the end of the Bronze Age and your own line to the end of the Iron Age, which is still a good two thousand years of magical history."

"Ok, so that makes three families that can prove their ancestry started with muggles before they became wiggles." Harry said to Damien.

"Out of a population of several thousand, three is nowhere near enough to be conclusive evidence, Your Majesty." Damien said respectfully.

"Oh… well, what would be conclusive?"

"Unfortunately, due to the amount of variables, such as the sheer number of… wiggles," Harry grinned and gave Damien a thumbs up. "It isn't feasible to test them all to see if they all have muggle ancestors. And that doesn't even begin to take into account any lines that may have died out and, therefore, can't be tested."

Harry nodded thoughtfully. He then turned to Gamp. "Well Mister Gamp? What does that say to you?"

"It says that you cannot prove I have mudbloods in my ancestry." He smirked. Then he winced as he felt that half-giant hand tighten on his shoulder. "Regardless, it simply means that you cannot make those claims without insulting my honour and calling me a liar."

"Only if it can't be proven you are a liar." Harry pointed out. "Should I call you a liar, then it will be up to you to prove me wrong. I already have one way to do that."

"Or you could face me in a duel." Reginald said with narrowed eyes.

"Trial by Combat is now illegal. All disputes shall be resolved within my courts. The innocent will no longer suffer because they are bullied by those with more power." Harry said firmly.

There were murmurs amongst the Purebloods.

"You have no right to throw away centuries of glorious tradition!" Gamp shouted angrily.

Harry looked around the room with a glare. He stood up and drew Calydfych threateningly. "My word is law. Anyone who wishes to disagree may challenge me to a duel."

That shut them up. Most of them had witnessed the confrontation between Harry and the Minister. They had seen the spells hit Harry with no effect.

There were still mumblings about several upstanding members of the Ministry who could no longer perform magic.

"From this day forth, no one is allowed to make claims about blood, heritage or power without providing absolute proof. All Lordships and honours are hereby revoked." There were shouts of outrage. "SILENCE! Those who believe they have a legitimate claim to a title may petition the Crown to hear their case.

"Your ancestors may have distinguished themselves in the past, but that does not mean you have earned the right to coast on their deeds.

"Anyone who is eligible to claim their lordship or honours will be required to swear an oath of loyalty to the throne.

"You will notice that I say 'the throne', not myself. In one year's time I will stand before you. I will swear an oath that I will defend and serve my lands. That oath will be made upon an artefact that will hold this sword. In the future, my successors and heirs will not only have to be capable of drawing the sword from the stone, they will also have to swear the same oath that I will."

"This oath will be crafted by myself and others." Nicholas spoke up. "When it is complete it will be posted in its entirety in the Daily Prophet and The Quibbler. I have spoken with the Phoenixes and they have agreed to act as insurance for the country. Nobody will get near the throne if the Phoenixes don't approve."

Harry tried vainly to suppress his smile as he saw a hand raised timidly. "Get up here Hermione. Any question you want to ask is probably one that everyone will want to hear."

Hermione was now wide eyed with fear and shaking her head vigorously.

Unfortunately for the girl, Ember was ready for action. There were shrieks from the girl in question and those around her as she vanished in a pillar of flame.

Harry grunted a he caught the girl. Ember was once again trying to perfect her arrival height.

"I- I- I just wanted to know what happens if no one can claim the throne." Poor Hermione looked completely lost and confused in Harry's arms.

She didn't even put up a fuss when Harry passed her into the arms of a now equally confused Nicholas. The audience was in awe that the old man had the strength.

"It is my duty, as the Monarch of this land, to ensure that in the event I am unavailable there are trusted stewards who will be capable of leading in my absence or until my heir can be found.

"For now, Lady Amelia Bones and Lady Augusta Longbottom hold that responsibility. Things get a wee bit more complicated than that, but, this is how things are gonna be." Harry shrugged as he addressed the audience.

Harry moved back to his throne and sat down, crossing his legs and steepling his fingers. Nicholas and Sirius stepped back as well, Nicholas realised he was still holding Hermione bridal style and let her down gently.

Sirius gently guided Damien Martin back with him. Hagrid literally dragged a squawking Gamp off of the dais.

"I realise that some of you will be thinking: 'he's just an arrogant boy'. You've seen my sword and think that if you caught me off guard and without it then you could defeat me. Perhaps some poison, a blade in my back." Harry's eyes sought out those of the racist purebloods.

"Perhaps you need a final lesson in what I am capable of." He pulled a wand from his sleeve. "This wand belonged to Tom Riddle. He preferred the name 'Lord Voldemort'." The mutterings began again. "I relieved him of this wand after I killed him for a second time last year when he attempted to regain his body.

"But this is just a trifle." Harry shrugged and tossed the wand over his shoulder carelessly. "Riddle was a petulant child who thought he was better than everyone else. Beating him was child's play. Quite literally, I used a piece of information that most muggle children learn at school after the age of eleven.

"It was actually fun to watch the bastard burn!" Harry was grinning madly. He was scaring his subjects.

"So, if Riddle was so easy to defeat, why can't you defeat me?" Harry asked rhetorically. "Let me show you a true challenge." He said with a dark smirk.

People jumped and shrieked as the doors to the Great Hall opened with a bang. The shrieks continued as two suits of armour marched in, straining under the weight they were tugging with ropes over their shoulders. The ropes were attached to a series of linked floating boards.

On top of those boards was a giant snake.

"This is a thousand year old basilisk." Harry announced loudly. "Dead, of course." He added as an after-thought. You could never count on the intelligence of mobs. "I killed this particular creature back in '91. Uncle Filius was with me at the time. What you are looking at is Salazar Slytherin's personal basilisk. The Monster of the Chamber of Secrets."

The snake was in perfect condition, the way the floating boards moved made the body undulate, as though the snake was still alive. It was terrifying, especially to those who actually understood the danger of the creature if it had been alive.

Eventually the suits of armour stopped with their burden in front of the throne and kneeled.

As Harry had often said in his defence, he had no real control over Hogwarts or the armour. So it was a surprise when the two suits knelt before him.

He managed to hide it and continue his address.

"This is the second basilisk I've defeated. The first I defeated in '92." Harry watched the crowd carefully. "Yes… some of you picked up on that. The first in '92 and the second the year before, in '91.

"That's what happens when someone decides you didn't do a good enough job and throws you back in time."

Now the murmurs were starting up again.

"I originally killed Voldemort in '98. It was a hard battle and many, many, many good people died. Hogwarts was nearly demolished. Albus Dumbledore, Amelia Bones and many others were murdered by that monster or at his command."

The enchanted ceiling of the Great Hall ceased to show the sky outside. Instead, there were images from Harry's memories. Images of the battle, of the headlines he had seen in the Daily Prophet, of the people who had died, their bodies and the gruesome manner in which they met their end.

"I was mocked and ridiculed because of the stupidity of the British Wiggles. I won the Tri-Wizard Tournament with Cedric Diggory. It was a trap and we were taken to witness Riddle's rebirth.

"I returned, badly injured and with Cedric's dead body… but you all called me delusional.

"And despite that, despite all the hate that was heaped on me, I still spent the better part, of what was supposed be my seventh year at Hogwarts, on the run because the pitiful Ministry simply laid down and licked Riddle's boots.

"But I defeated him. I had earned my rest.

"Until some bastard decided I hadn't done enough and sent me back." Harry snarled.

Nicholas stepped up and placed a calming hand on Harry's shoulder. Ember wonkily flew to his opposite shoulder and lightly cooed.

With a very slight gesture from Nicholas, Harry turned and sat on his throne, leaning backwards in an almost slump.

Nicholas took up the responsibility to address the crowd, he casually twisted his wand and dispelled his glamour, revealing the true effect of the Elixir of Life. "Harry Potter is family to me and my wife. To you he is king. He didn't need to tell you that he had traversed time, but he did it so that you could understand him. Understand why he does things.

"Aside from the Hogwart's suits of armour, Harry has no army."

There was a loudly cleared throat.

"You're not my army, King Ragnok." Harry rolled his eyes. "You're my friends and allies."

"We signed a binding treaty. You provide us with political representation amongst the rest of the world and we fight alongside you against the enemies you find for us." Ragnok then gave a bloodthirsty grin. "I think we came out best in that negotiation."

"My point is that Harry has no intention of subjugating his people through fear and suffering. Those he is forced to care for are treated with great care, and even love."

"His Majesty, Harry Potter, won the houses of Parkinson, Davis and Farley when their Heads betrayed their oaths to their Lord Slytherin." Gemma spoke up, surprising Harry. "In order to save us from becoming slaves to men who wanted nothing more than to use our bodies for their pleasure, he faced one man in a duel and signed concubine contracts for us.

"His Majesty has never even asked to see our bodies." She said firmly.

Behind her, Tracy, Pansy and Harry were all blushing. Harry had no idea what was happening so had no idea what to do.

Then it got worse.

Daphne stepped forward. "Two years ago I was kidnapped. I was tied to a slave contract to be sold to the highest bidder. Sir Nicholas saved me before I could be signed away. He signed my contract on behalf of his Lord, Harry Potter.

"I am the slave of Harry Potter. Again, he has never even asked to see my body and has never demanded or commanded me. Not even my attitude or behaviour."

Harry now had his hands buried in his face in embarrassment.

Then it got worse.

"I owed James Potter a life debt." The smooth baritone of Severus Snape filled the hall. "I betrayed that debt when I told the deceased Dark Lord a prophecy that got him killed.

"When His Majesty arrived at Hogwarts in 1991, I had every intention of treating him in ways that would see me locked in Azkaban. His Majesty had suffered at my hands previously in his first time as an eleven-year-old.

"His Majesty declared the Life Debt broken and claimed me as his slave. In all the time I have been bound to him, he has only ever commanded me to keep his secrets and improve my teaching.

"Hogwarts is now the foremost institution in the world for potions lessons. It was his methods that have enabled me to create the cure for werewolves and this." Harry looked up and saw Severus holding a potion's phial.

Severus walked over to Sirius and handed it to him. He then shuddered and stepped back.

Sirius gave him a quizzical look before downing the potion. He knew that Severus was incapable of harming him.

The crowd gasped as Sirius rippled out of sight.

There was then a moment's silence.

"You do have an antidote, right?" Came the worried query from the disembodied godfather of the reigning monarch.

He was ignored by everyone… except Hermione who was prodding at the 'empty' space.

"Despite being a slave, my Master has given me the freedom to act as I wish within the bounds of the law. He even gave his blessing for my marriage." He indicated his grinning bride in the front row with a certain water dragon and various powerful allies.

"Anybody? Antidote?" *splat* "Oh come on Harry!"

The crowd burst into laughter as their new king casually tossed a spell at the area where his godfather's voice came from. Sirius Black was now covered in black tar.

"I've got feathers if you want." Harry offered without looking.

Hermione was now shaking her hand vigorously as she had been prodding the man at the time.

Harry stood up and stepped forward. Severus instinctively took a step back.

"Things are going to change. Finance, education, welfare. By the end of the year there will be many changes. The only people who will complain are those who are greedy or enjoy the suffering of others.

"For now, I will see your children back here tomorrow to continue their schooling. Happy New Year to you all."

And with that, Harry turned on the spot and vanished.