A/N: One year. That's all this story is going to cover in Harry's life. 525600 minutes. Right now, Harry has three hundred and sixty three days before the final battle. Since he's got a bazillion things to do, let's get on with it.

Discussions, Deceptions and Desertions

Harry looked at all the people standing around Mr. Sharpstar's office and then back at Blaise. "Why don't you tell me who they are first and where they came from."

Blaise shrugged. "Apparently, Daphne and I are not the only ones that feel the dark lor." He looked at Harry. "Right. Riddle is insane for attempting to choose spouses for his followers. These people don't want to marry the people he's chosen either. They would rather use the bolt hole somebody told them about."

Harry sighed. He looked at all the people looking at him and sighed again. Most of them were younger girls, just about fifteen to twenty, with a few young men and nearly a dozen children. Harry looked at the children, and Daphne anticipated his question. "They're here to escape the Death Eaters that..." she hesitated, looking for the words, "play with children."

Harry's head snapped around and he stared at her. "You can't be serious," he protested weakly. Then a thought hit him and he looked at Pansy, who was looking away. She looked at him for a second, and he read the story there, as clearly as if she'd spoken.

Harry Potter knew about abuse. He'd lived through years of it with his relatives, and the only reason he hadn't connected Pansy's flinching with abuse was because she seemed so confident and self assured. The thought of children being abused touched something deep inside Harry, and his fists clenched as he wavered on the verge of accidental magic.

Harry controlled himself after a second and looked at Blaise and Daphne. "You know all of these people, don't you?" His voice was tightly controlled and quiet. Blaise and Daphne were not the only ones that shivered at his tone.

They nodded mutely, watching him apprehensively. Harry sighed, trying to release the anger that he felt. "Tonks, Ginny, Hermione, come with me." He looked at Pansy. "We're going to have a talk. Right now, come with us." Harry stopped by Neville and Luna. "Keep an eye on the new people. I'm going to sort them out in the other room. I want you two to stay out here and keep an eye on the ones out here." Harry spoke quietly, so that only those two heard him. They nodded and found places to stand that had their backs against walls, where they could see everyone.

Harry looked at Blaise and Daphne. "I want you to send these people in there," he said, indicating the conference room, "five at a time. I'm going to talk to them, a few at a time." Blaise nodded.

Harry looked at the people that were watching him, the ones he didn't know. "My apologies, but you'll understand if I want to have some words with you before I offer to bring you into one of my families. Blaise will be sending you into to talk to me a few at a time, and afterwards, we'll do what needs to be done and find everyone a place to stay."

Harry looked at Mr. Sharpstar. "Sir, may I have a couple of words with you in private?"

The Solicitor nodded. Harry and the people he'd asked for went into the conference room and Harry looked at Mr. Sharpstar first. "Is there some place we can hide these people? I understand the Potter Mansion is still intact."

Mr. Sharpstar grimaced. "Unfortunately, it's hidden by wards that will only come down when you come of age." He thought for a minute. "I know a place we can use for a day or two, until we come up with something better."

Harry nodded. "Make the arrangements, and make sure they're well protected. If I accept them, I want them as safe as if they were at Hogwarts." Harry thought about that for a second. "Safer, actually," he said, remembering all the times he'd been hurt there.

Mr. Sharpstar nodded. Harry frowned as he thought. "I'm going to talk to them, and those I accept will let you know what name they want. I want them protected tonight, if possible."

Mr. Sharpstar nodded wryly. "You're going to work me into getting an assistant, aren't you?" he said.

Harry shrugged, saying, "if they only work on things for me, pay them from my vault."

Mr. Sharpstar nodded and left to make the necessary arrangements. Harry looked at Pansy, and then at the others. "Can I ask you to step outside for a minute? I need a quiet word with Pansy."

The other three girls nodded and left the room. Harry looked at Pansy, who was avoiding his gaze. "We will talk, but right now I need you to do something else for me."

Harry laid out what he wanted from her and Pansy smirked at him. "How very Slytherin of you, Harry."

Harry finished his preparations and called Ginny, Hermione and Tonks back into the room, and told Blaise to send the first few in. They entered a few minutes later looking nervous. Harry smiled at them comfortingly. "I'm not going to do anything to you, but Hermione is going to get your name from you, and I may ask you some questions."

He nodded to Hermione, who started writing down their names. While she was doing that, Harry was looking at them with his new gift. These five were what he'd decided was normal, somewhere between light and medium grey, with no dark spots, or very small ones. Their white areas were fairly normal as well, and Harry told them what family names they could choose from and let them go.

It wasn't until the third group that Harry found something different. This group had a tall woman, and she was the darkest grey Harry had seen yet. He was about to tell her that she had to go when he took a second look. She didn't have any black spots, and she did have a single white spot, which matched the man she standing next to. Harry dropped the sight and looked at her. She was looking at him, and Harry had the oddest feeling that she knew he'd judged her, and she had been found wanting.

Harry tapped Hermione and whispered to her. She made a note by a name on her list. Harry beckoned the woman over. "I would like to talk to you, before I accept you."

The woman nodded, staring at Harry impassively. "I thought you might."

Harry frowned as she spoke. She had an accent that Harry almost recognized. He thought back, wondering where he'd heard it before. He looked at her again, and her posture brought back a memory. "You went to Durmstrang's, didn't you?" He had heard that accent before, from Victor Krum.

"I did." She was still impassive, but Harry could see the worried look on the man that was watching them.

He looked at her. "I will talk to you first, before I offer you a place with me. I have to be careful these days. What is your name?"

The mask of impassiveness cracked just for an instant, and Harry saw very real humour there. "I am Miranda Riddle." She watched him blink, and look at her again, and her eyes were gleaming with humour again. "No relation, I assure you."

Harry slowly smiled. "You like doing that to people that know Moldywart's name, don't you?" he accused.

She raised an eyebrow. "Moldywart?" she repeated, staring at him. Harry grinned as her mask slipped again. That name was turning out to be quite fun. She smiled for a second. "I will be waiting to talk to you."

She moved over to one side of the room and the man went with her. They began whispering while Harry ushered out the other three of that group, and the next group came in. Harry looked at them and froze. One of the men had a black blotch on his left forearm, one that looked very much like the one on Harry's forehead. This blotch didn't move either. His entire aura was nearly black as well, and he had the smallest white spot Harry had seen yet. Harry examined the rest of this group, and when he found them to be normal, he sent them out, holding back the Death Eater.

Harry looked at the young man and frowned. He knew him. "You were a Beater for the Slytherin team my third year," he said.

The man nodded. "I'm Emory Bole."

Harry nodded. He reached down and scratched his leg. A second later, a snake popped her head out of Harry's shirt and looked at Bole. "He's a Death Eater," she said flatly. "He had the mark within two months of leaving school and he's big into Muggle baiting. He also had something to do with the bridge collapse."

Tonks, Ginny and Hermione were staring at the snake as she hissed at Harry. Harry listened to her and then looked at Bole. "When Moldywart," and Harry didn't miss the flash of angry fear that name raised, "tried to kill me all those years ago, he gave me a couple of things. One, is this scar and the second was the Parseltongue ability." Harry smiled coldly. "I should thank him for that, as none of the Death Wankers will kill a snake, and Nagini loves to talk to her own kind."

He looked at Bole. "My friend here for example, tells me that you got your mark quickly. I am also informed that you like to bait Muggles and you helped collapse the bridge that killed so many." Harry watched the emotions that ran across Bole's face as he looked at Harry and the snake.

Bole was thinking fast. He had overheard a couple of those foolish girls talking about escaping, and he'd convinced them that he wanted to escape as well, so that he could report back with the location of this hideaway. He'd never expected to meet Potter, and the fact that Potter had spies in the Dark Lord's camp would elevate him to the inner circle, if he could just get out of here. "I did those things," he said, hanging his head.

He looked up. "I had no choice. I would have been killed if I didn't do it. I didn't have any place to run to. You have to believe me." He was nervous about being believed, but all he needed was to get back into the other room, where there was a window and a door. He'd already tried to Apparate, but this office had wards against it. If he could just get outside, he could escape easily.

Harry looked at Pansy. "What do you think?" he hissed at her in Parseltongue. "Is he sincere?"

Pansy was still staring at Bole. "Not a chance," she hissed, "he was so proud of his mark that he went around for three days in short sleeved shirts so everyone could see it."

Harry nodded. Before he could say anything, Hermione tapped him on the shoulder. "Harry, he's a Death Wanker, and no one will miss him. May I have him for an experiment?"

Harry turned, looking at Hermione and barely controlling his surprise. "What experiment would that be?" he asked.

Hermione was examining Bole as if she was about to dissect him on the spot. "He claims he doesn't want the mark, and I think we've found a way to remove it, but I need to test it. He'd be perfect, plus, since this is a bit dangerous, if he dies, no one will care." Hermione was talking calmly, as if she was discussing the weather, and Bole's eyes went wide.

Harry was beginning to get the idea. "I suppose you could use him. I don't see any reason why not."

Tonks sighed heavily. "Harry, you have to give him a chance to surrender to the authorities first," she said. "He might want to confess, rather than let Hermione do those things to him."

Harry frowned at Tonks. "Why? He'll just claim he was under the Imperius, and they'll let him go again. I think he'll make a wonderful test subject."

Hermione smiled. "Great. I'll try to keep him alive, but he may still lose the arm. I don't think he'll have many other side effects, but that's what testing is for." Hermione began spouting something, and Harry just stared at her. He was only catching one word in ten as she talked.

Bole was staring at Hermione in something approaching terror. Hermione said something he didn't understand, except two words. Neutered and his name did not need to be in the same sentence. "Wait," he said desperately, "I want to confess to the Ministry."

Harry just shook his head. "No, I'm tired of capturing people only to have them get off, saying they were controlled. I'd rather let Hermione use you for research."

Bole's eyes widened as Hermione transfigured her quill into a very sharp looking knife. "I wish I had some pain relieving potions," she fretted, "since he'll had to be conscious for this and I'd like to get his feedback. Well, something besides screaming.."

Hermione took her wand and cast a spell at Bole's arm, making a line in his sleeve just above the Dark Mark. Bole looked at it and back at the knife. "Please!" he said, nearly in tears, "Let me confess to the Ministry. I won't claim I was controlled, I promise."

Tonks sighed again. "I'm an Auror, Harry. If he wants to confess, you have to let him."

Harry frowned and looked at Bole. "I think his desire to confess will only last as long as Hermione is his only other choice. As soon as he's out of her reach, he'll have second thoughts."

Tonks nodded. "I can fix that, Harry. I'll be right back." Tonks stepped over to the fireplace and Flooed away. She was back in less than ten minutes with Gawain Robards and two other Aurors.

Mr. Robards, who had taken Amelia Bones' position after her death, looked at Harry. "My Auror tells me you have some thing for me to hear, Mr. Potter."

Harry pointed at Bole. "This man wishes to confess to being a Death Eater," he said.

Mr. Robards sighed. "I don't have time to listen to another story about being controlled, Mr. Potter. Besides, it will simply take up time in the courts, and I have better things to do. Just get rid of him, and let me know where to find the body." He turned back to the fireplace.

Bole stared at him in horror until Hermione muttered, "oh good. Now I can use him."

"Wait!" he cried, "I'm not controlled, I swear! I'll tell you everything." He looked at Hermione, who was examining the edge of her knife and watching Bole like a cat at a mouse hole. "Give me Veritaserum, that will prove it."

Gawain Robards turned around. "Are you offering to undergo the Veritaserum freely, without any official coercion?"

"Yes, yes." Bole said, watching Hermione.

Mr. Robards smiled and nodded to the two Aurors he'd brought with him. They took Bole to the fireplace and disappeared.

They had barely gone when Tonks and Hermione burst out laughing. Miranda Riddle was smiling as well. "It was a trick, wasn't it? You had no intention of experimenting on him."

Hermione looked at her and shrugged. "I actually do have some ideas in that direction," she said calmly, "but I doubt Harry would allow me to try them, as they border on the edge of Dark Magic."

Gawain looked at the people in the room and at the snake peeking out of Harry's shirt. "I think I'd like to know what's going on here."

Harry looked at him, thinking. He wasn't a member of the Order and he was honest. He looked at his aura and he was a very light grey. "Would you like to know right now," he asked, approaching him, "or in three days, after I've stolen a third of Moldywart's people?" The last half of that question was delivered in a low voice, that only Mr. Robards heard.

He stared at Harry while he thought about it. "Mr. Potter, this Saturday my assistant and I will be having dinner at the Leaky Cauldron."

Harry nodded, smiling. "Might you have room for a couple of guests?" Harry frowned. "I can't say how many right now, but there will probably be at least three, maybe more."

"I can always ask for a bigger table. I will be looking forward to dining with you, Mr. Potter." Mr. Robards left through the Floo.

Harry called in the next group and found nothing dark in them. The last group came in, and one of them was a little girl, about seven who kept looking at Harry. She bit her lip, hanging back after the group was passed, as there were no surprises in this group either. "Mr. Potter," she said hesitantly, "may I ask you something?" The little girl was about a meter high and thin, with a willowy grace and long black hair with just a hint of curls.

Harry knelt, so he was at the same level as the little girl. "Of course," he said, "What's your name?"

"Violet," she said earnestly, "momma said that touching your scar will keep the bad man away. He scares me." She looked at him, and her eyes were hopeful and innocent.

Harry smiled at her, caught in that innocence. "Of course you can." She smiled and reached, touching his scar with a one finger.

She traced it and then looked at him again. "Does it hurt?"

Harry was still smiling. "Sometimes," he said, unwilling to lie to this child.

She nodded, biting her lip. She leaned forward and kissed the scar. She looked at him and smiled. "Momma says this a kiss will make the pain go away. Does it hurt now?"

Harry's voice was a little thicker. "No, honey, not now."

She smiled. "That's good." she looked at him serious as only an young child can be. "You let me know if you need another kiss, OK?"

Harry hugged Violet gently, feeling her hugging him back. "I will, Violet."

She smiled at him and started toward the door. She stopped and looked at him. "Can I be a Potter?"

Harry nodded, and she gave him a brilliant smile before going into the other room. Harry stood up and wiped his eyes. Ginny came over and hugged him without saying a word. When she was done, Hermione hugged him. "You're a good man, Harry."

He cleared his throat. "Miss Riddle, I think it's time for our talk," he said.

She looked at him seriously. "Mr. Potter, may I ask what magic you were using, that made you accept all those people without a word?" She frowned, thinking. "It's some type of sight, I think, because your eyes would go a little strange, and then you'd look at everyone. You also knew that Bole was a Death Eater before you talked to that snake."

Harry evaluated the woman for a few minutes. She was the tallest woman he'd ever met, being just over two meters, with dark hair cut short and dark brown eyes that saw everything. "I have a sight that allows me to see certain things about people," he said finally, "and it allows me to see the Dark Mark."

She nodded. "And I am borderline evil to your sight, I take it. That's why you want to talk to me, so that you can decide which way you want to go with me."

Harry nodded, impressed with her reasoning and her blunt honesty. She nodded again. "I was a Dark Defender at Durmstrang's," she said. "I know that you probably don't know what that is, but it is the course that teaches you all the Dark Arts, so that you can defend yourself or another from them."

Harry nodded, searching her face. "But since you do know all those things, you could use them, to be a Death Eater, or other Dark Wizard."

She gave a look of mock astonishment. "You know, I never thought of that, but yes, I believe you could."

Harry liked her sense of humour. "So, convince me that you're not about to run amok, and do things we'd both regret."

She frowned. "You don't know me, so I cannot, except to offer my word." She looked at him. "If that is not good enough, then I will leave."

Harry frowned at her. She was hiding something, or had something that was bothering her, he could feel it. Remembering her blunt honesty, he gave her the same. "Why don't you tell me what's bothering you."

She squared her shoulders and looked at him. "Nobody does anything for nothing, and I know that the hidden cost is likely to be the highest. I want to know what price we're going to pay for this safety."

Harry looked at her, thinking. After a long minute he shrugged. "I have no price for anyone who comes to me for safety. Those people, and you are free to join a family, or go away. If you join one of my families, I expect you to live by the rules of that family, but that is all." He thought for a second. "That, and that you do right, by yourself and the people around you."

She looked sceptical. "Nice sounding words, but forgive me if I find that hard to believe."

Harry blinked. "Are you seriously telling me that you would feel better if we made a deal about you joining me?" he asked.

She nodded. "That way, I know that I can not be asked to do something I don't want to do later."

Harry frowned at her. "You should learn to trust some people," he said quietly, "but if you insist on doing this, give me a minute to think about it."

Harry sighed, pacing around the room as he thought. He looked up and saw Hermione reading the list of people that would be joining Harry. Harry looked at Miranda. "I'll make you a deal, since you want to pay your own way. Hermione there is going to be searching for some Dark material to help me this summer. Some of those things will be trapped or cursed. You help her, protect her over the next year, and that will pay for you and your friend."

Miranda Riddle looked at Hermione. "I protect her for a year, and that's all I have to do? What if I fail, and she gets hurt?"

Harry looked at her and tapped his temple, next to his eye. "I will know if it was deliberate. If it is, I'll deal with that. If it wasn't, then there is no penalty, as long as you did your best."

She looked at him, judging his sincerity. "Deal."

Harry nodded. "I think that concludes our business, and it's getting late. I'm going to take Ginny home, and when I come back, I'll sign the paperwork that Mr. Sharpstar will have for me, and we'll get all of you a place to stay."

Harry stepped out of the room, into the back room and took Pansy out of his shirt. She transformed and put her clothes back on quickly. Harry smiled as he noted that she'd been wearing the knife he gave her. "Thank you for your assistance," he said simply.

Pansy smiled. "I think we work well together, Harry. You go and take Weasley home and I'll talk to the new people and see what happened today." Harry nodded and stepped out into the other room. Pansy smiled again when he was gone. He'd barely noticed that she was in her knickers. A few more exposures, and they'd be ready to show him something new. Pansy's smile grew. Harry was in for a serious shock.

Harry and Ginny entered the Floo, and stepped out in the Burrow, where Harry barely managed to stay on his feet, until Ginny came though and knocked him over. She landed on Harry and he took a second to kiss her.

OoOoOoO Mr. Sharpstar's Office OoOoOoO

Miranda Riddle looked at her new charge. "Excuse me," she said quietly, "May I ask what your name is?"

Hermione looked at her. "Hermione Granger-Black. You said you studied the Dark Arts at Durmstrang's. Do you know anything about Inferi or Horcruxes?"

Miranda blinked. "Mr. Potter wasn't kidding when he said you would be looking for some Dark things." She thought. "Very little, although there is a book we may be able to find about Inferi. That other, there is nothing written about them, as far as I know."

Hermione nodded. "Do you mind if I ask some other questions about the Dark Arts? Harry will need all the help he can get."

Miranda shook her head. "I am at your disposal, Miss Black."

Hermione looked at her. "You can call me Hermione," she said.

Miranda frowned. "No, Miss Black, I cannot. There are rules to the Defender, and I will not break them."

Hermione frowned, chewing on her lip. "Why don't we start with those rules, and see where we go from there?"

OoOoOoO

Blaise was staring at the Floo, biting his lip. Daphne looked at him. They'd been friends for twelve years and in love for two. She knew what he was thinking. "They'll be along, Love. Your father wouldn't keep them back there."

Blaise sighed, turning to her. "I have been expecting my sisters since people started coming through the Floo. That they aren't here yet worries me." He studied the Floo again. "Maybe I should go check on them."

Daphne reached up and turned his face toward her and away from the fireplace. "Love," she said sweetly, "if you take one step toward that fireplace, I'll hex you into next year."

Blaise blinked. "Why?"

"Because," Daphne said, "I love you dearly, but you trust too many people, including your father. He is quite capable of holding your sisters until you come looking for them, and then holding you prisoner."

Blaise sighed. "I thought of that," he admitted, "but what if something has gone wrong?"

Daphne put her arms around Blaise. "We'll just have to wait and see," she said, praying she was right. Blaise put his arms around her, and they waited, watching the Floo for six young girls.

OoOoOoO The Burrow OoOoOoO

Harry kissed Ginny twice and was about to kiss her again, when they were interrupted. "Harry, would you please do that elsewhere? I'm getting ill here."

Harry looked at Ron and grinned. "Now you know how I felt, every time you and Hermione, who's the closest thing to a sister I have, were lip-locked somewhere."

The two picked themselves up and Harry took Ginny by the hand. Ron looked at them and wandered into the other room. Harry looked at Ginny and and smiled. "Ginny, I've been thinking about this for a while. You mean more to me than anyone I know, and I've told you that. Now, I want to show you."

Harry took a small box out of his pocket and dropped to one knee. "Ginny, would you share my life, and be my wife?"

Ginny looked at the ring Harry was holding and then at Harry. Her vision was a bit blurry, but she found his lips and kissed him, trying to make him feel the love that she felt for him. Harry enjoyed the kissing for a minute and then pulled away, looking at her tenderly. He smiled and stood up, pulling her into his arms. "Can I take that as a yes?"

"Yes." Ginny said, and held out her hand. "And you may put that ring on me, Mr. Potter," she said impishly, "before you change your mind."

Harry looked at her, smiling at the gleam in her eye. "This is my mum's ring. It was in the Potter vault, and Mr. Sharpstar was kind enough to get it for me today. I also have the wedding rings." he carefully pushed the ring on her finger, where it sized itself to her.

Ginny examined the ring. It was made of gold and delicate enough that it had to have some magic that kept it from being damaged. The base of the ring was a ruby, cut in a heart shape and being held by two hands that swept around to form the band. Ginny was expecting it to have a crown over the heart, but she looked closer, and it wasn't a crown, but a detailed stag.

Harry watched her examine it. "Is it OK?" he asked anxiously, worried about her opinion.

Ginny looked at him and smiled, pulling him closer. "It's perfect, Harry, because you gave it to me."

Molly Weasley walked in the room just as Ginny was kissing Harry. "Cough, cough," she said, smiling inside as Ginny and Harry appeared to Apparate apart. She looked at Ginny first, and noted the ring.

She looked at Harry, frowning. "Isn't she a bit young for that, Harry?"

Harry blushed, but Ginny jumped to his defence. "I kissed Harry, mum, he wasn't responsible for that."

Molly sighed, "I didn't need to know that, dear, since I was asking about your ring."

Harry and Ginny looked at each other and Harry turned back to Molly. "It is only a ring, Mrs. Weasley. It does not give me anything I didn't have before. I love Ginny, and she loves me. Sometime after she's done with school, we will get married." He looked at Ginny with a smile. "I am just making sure she knows how I feel." He grinned suddenly. "The fact that this will take me off Witch Weekly's 'most eligible bachelor' list is only a bonus."

Molly looked at them and sighed. "As long as you understand that that ring doesn't entitle you to anything, and you're going to wait until she's out of Hogwarts, I suppose it can't hurt."

Harry smiled at Ginny. "I don't think the ring has anything to do with what Ginny wants. The ring is there for other people to see how we feel about each other, not for us. I see how she feels every time she looks at me and I hope she knows how I feel, with every thing I do."

Ginny smiled sweetly. "I do, even if it took you six years to notice me."

Harry blushed and grinned. "I'm a guy. Sometimes it takes us a little longer to notice subtle things, like feelings."

Harry sighed, becoming serious. "I have to get back. I have people to hide from Moldywart. Mrs. Weasley, may I pick up Ginny tomorrow?"

Molly Weasley frowned. "Explain to me about hiding people from You Know Who first."

Harry explained about Voldemort's command, and how Harry was taking people in that didn't want to follow his instructions. Molly frowned. "Harry, he's going to be very angry about this. Won't he come looking for them?"

Harry nodded. "He might, but we're taking every precaution. I'm going to Fidelius all of them in the next couple of days, until Voldemort is gone."

Molly was beginning to worry about the things Harry was doing. They were designed to annoy You Know Who and that meant he would be doing something about it. Molly Weasley was a wonderful mother, but most mothers have one small problem, and Molly was no exception. She was unwilling to let her children go as they grew up.

"Harry, I'm sorry, but if you want to see Ginny this summer, you'll have to come here." Ginny turned toward her mother. "Mum?"

Molly looked at her baby and only daughter. "It will be dangerous out there with all of this going on, dear. I don't want you getting hurt."

Ron came back into the room at that point, and Molly remembered what Harry had said about Ron and the Quibbler this morning. "Ron," she said, making a hasty decision, "I'll need you around the house this summer."

Ron frowned at her. "Mum, I was going to work for Harry this summer. He needs me."

"Ron Weasley, I am your mother, and I need you here." Molly was beginning to get a shrill tone that all three of the younger people recognized.

Harry sighed. "Ron, mate, it's OK, I'll find someone else."

Ron looked at him. "Harry, are you saying you don't want me to help you?"

Harry shook his head. "No, but I don't want to cause problems in your house, either. If Mrs. Weasley needs you here, I'm not going to argue with her."

It was Ginny that spoke up next. "Mum doesn't need us, Harry. She just wants to wrap us in cotton and keep us in a box, where we'll be safe." She looked at her mother. "Isn't that right, mum?"

Mrs. Weasley looked at Ginny. "Ginevra Weasley, you will not take that tone with me."

Harry was watching and started to say something, but Ginny stopped him. "Harry, you go on and take care of your new families. They need you, and this is a Weasley problem right now." Ginny saw the flash of hurt on Harry's face. She crossed to him and hugged him. "I didn't mean you weren't one of us, Harry. I love you."

She turned to look at her mother. "The problem is hers, not yours or mine, or even Ron's. Mum, I think we need to have a talk." She turned back to Harry and kissed him lingeringly, ignoring Ron's retching sounds. "You go ahead, Harry and I'll be along when I can." She turned back to her mother.

Harry frowned, but at Ron's nod, he Flooed back to Mr. Sharpstar's office.

OoOoOoO Mr. Sharpstar's Office, just after Harry left. OoOoOoO

Nicholas Sharpstar was enjoying himself. He'd always enjoyed the practice of the law, but anything that twisted Moldywart's knickers had a special place in his heart. His eyes flickered for a second to the picture of his wife, dead in a Death Eater attack all those years ago. Harry Potter's accounts had been given to him by Professor Dumbledore simply because the Headmaster had known that he would rather die than help the Death Eaters at all.

Now, Harry Potter was not just twisting Moldywart's knickers, he was filling them with ants and setting them on fire. Mr. Sharpstar was not going to miss this. He'd never tell Harry this, but for the privilege of helping do the things Harry wanted to do, he would work for free.

Right now, he was collecting the names of all the people that Harry had accepted. The one Death Eater was gone of course, but that still left twenty-nine people that had to formally disown their previous families, choose new names and be adopted. That was a lot of paperwork.

OoOoOoO

Hermione was talking to Miranda, and the more they talked, the larger Hermione's headache got. Harry had made a deal with Miranda to watch over Hermione, but not knowing the rules of the game he was in, he'd worded the deal improperly. Miranda was going to protect Hermione for a year, period.

Hermione knew that Harry had only meant for Miranda to protect her during the time she was actually in the Black house, looking for the Dark magic books, but Harry hadn't worded it like that, and Miranda had taken Harry's words literally.

Hermione finally gave up on changing Miranda's mind. The woman was every bit as stubborn as Harry. Hermione grinned at that thought. She'd like to see these two in a disagreement. Harry wouldn't attack a friend, and Miranda, under her particular Defender rules, couldn't initiate an attack except to protect her charge. That meant they'd being arguing with words until one of them gave in, or one of them starved. Hermione grinned slyly. She'd bet on one of them starving first.

OoOoOoO

Blaise paced, his fear for his sisters growing as the time passed. Daphne tried to calm him, but it simply wasn't working, until the Floo flared and a small girl stepped out, her face a mask of fear and tears.

Blaise dropped to his knees, and the girl saw him. She ran to him and he folded his arms around her. The Floo flared again, and another girl stepped out. Right behind her, three more girls stepped out in quick succession.

Blaise frowned as he took in the tears on all their faces. Still holding the littlest one, the one that had come through first, he looked at the oldest. "Where's Lucinda?" he asked, fearing the answer, but having to know.

The renewed tears of the girls was all the answer he needed, and he took a deep breath. He wasn't done being shocked though, as the oldest girl reached out and handed him something. He took it automatically and looked at it.

He closed his eyes, his mourning increased. He held the Zabini crest ring, that only the head of the family wore. "Father said to give it to you," his oldest surviving sister said. "Father said, 'tell Blaise that I was wrong, I won't be at the wedding. Take the ring, and in the years to come, show it to your children and their children. Tell them my story, of foolishness and pride. Tell them why the Zabini name is gone, so that none of them ever make my mistakes.'" She looked at Blaise. "Father wasn't telling us anything, Blaise. What is going on? Why did our friends turn on us? What did he mean, the Zabini name is gone? You're still here."

Blaise sighed and took his sisters into the conference room to tell them what had happened.

OoOoOoO

Harry stepped out of the Floo and smiled. He was getting the hang of this Floo travel. He'd stayed on his feet this time. He looked at the silent group and noted two things. Daphne was crying and Blaise wasn't in sight. He looked at Daphne, and she told him what had happened.

Harry sighed. "Mr. Sharpstar, if any of Blaise's sisters want a name, offer them the Montrose name first and tell them why. If they don't want a new name, keep them with Blaise anyway. House Montrose will take care of them."

Mr. Sharpstar nodded. He handed Harry a stack of parchments. Harry looked at them and started signing. When he was done he looked around. "Where is my new family, anyway?"

Mr. Sharpstar handed him a sheet of paper. Harry read it and nodded. "You're sure they are safe there?"

The Solicitor nodded. "I've used this place before, and they are perfectly safe there."

Harry nodded. He looked around. Neville and Luna were standing in the corner, talking quietly. Harry crossed over to them. "Why don't you two go home for the night. We can meet up in the Leaky Cauldron tomorrow morning."

Neville nodded, looking at Harry. "We're going to end this soon, aren't we?"

Harry looked at Neville, and saw few signs of the awkward boy he'd been. "We are. I want to have a normal life, taking care of my families and doing things because I want to, not because I have to."

Neville sighed. "So, which of us is going to get Bellatrix?"

Harry looked at Neville for a long minute, and there was no wavering of his resolve. "You can have her. I'm going to get Snape and Moldywart, you get the Lestranges, and hopefully, we can wrap Pettigrew up for Remus."

Luna was staring at the wall. "I want Malfoy, if you don't mind."

The other two turned to her. "Do you mind if I ask why," Harry said.

"He did something to a Ravenclaw last year, and while I promised never to tell anyone, I didn't promise not to do something to him in return, so that she can sleep better."

Harry and Neville shrugged. "We don't mind," said Harry. "I will insist that you come to DA meetings, so that I can make sure you're up to the task though."

Luna smiled and wandered into the Floo. "Thank you, Harry. I'll see you tomorrow, Neville." "Snorkack refuge," she said and was gone. Harry and Neville looked at each other and shrugged.

Neville held out his hand and Harry shook it. "I'll see you tomorrow, mate," Harry said, and Neville grinned at him before stepping into the Floo and disappearing.

Harry turned around as Blaise and his sisters came out of the conference room. Harry crossed to Blaise. "I'm very sorry for your loss," he said quietly. "Will you be staying with your sisters tonight?"

Blaise nodded. "If you don't mind, they'll all be in the Montrose House."

Harry nodded, smiling slightly. "I've already told Mr. Sharpstar that they could be in your house."

Blaise looked at Harry. "My house? You're the senior Montrose."

"I am, but I am going to be extremely busy for the foreseeable future, and you will be the House head while I am busy. If you do well enough, you will keep the title, and I'll just be another Montrose." Harry sighed. "Not to mention that I don't think I could treat three houses as fairly as they deserve. You would take care of the house better, simply because you have the time to talk to your family and do things with them." Harry smiled at Blaise. "Unless you want to change jobs? I'll be the Montrose house head, and you can deal with Voldemort."

Blaise shook his head. "No, thank you for the offer, but I'll deal with the house."

Blaise went with Mr. Sharpstar to stay where ever the girls were, and Harry sat down. He was thinking about all the things that had happened today and rubbing his neck. He felt Hermione move up behind him and she moved his fingers. "It's easier for me to do this, Harry."

Harry sighed as Hermione's fingers massaged the knot in the back of his neck. He looked around. The only people left were him, Pansy, Miranda and Hermione. Pansy was sitting in a chair looking at Hermione's notes from earlier. She looked up. "You're going to focus Voldemort on you and the people around. What are you going to do to keep them safe?"

Harry sighed. "Most of the people that are accessible will be hidden under the Fidelius Charm. I am planning on letting the heads of the families Fidelius their families, so that no one but them selves know where they are, and then I will Fidelius the family heads, adding another layer of protection to the families."

Harry frowned as he looked at the three girls. "The only people I am worried about are the ones that I can't protect, but most of them will be at Hogwarts. Since we're all going to be there, we'll be able to look out for each other at least."

This was the first Hermione had heard about Harry's plan to return to Hogwarts. "Harry, do you mean we're returning for our NEWTs? I thought we were going to go Horcrux hunting."

Harry shrugged. "That was before everything started changing." He explained the new idea he'd had, and what Professor Dumbledore had said in his letter.

Hermione frowned and started a new list. "I haven't even gotten my books yet," she fretted. "I'm at least a week behind in my studies."

Harry was used to Hermione's obsession with studying and merely smiled while Pansy and Miranda looked at her in disbelief. "Hermione," Pansy said, "are you seriously planning on studying all summer?"

"Of course," Hermione said without even looking up. "The NEWTs are very important." She did look up then. "It wouldn't hurt you two to start your studies either."

Harry and Pansy shared a look. Harry had a war to win and a thousand things to do this summer, and Pansy would be right with him as he did most of them. "Hermione, " Harry said patiently, "I'll try to make a bit of time, but I really don't think there will be a lot of time for study."

Hermione looked up at him. "Don't worry, Harry, I'll help you make a schedule that will allow you a bit of study time at least."

Harry just shook his head, knowing that Hermione was just being herself with the schedules. He was about to say something to her when Dobby appeared in the middle of the room. "Harry Potter Sir," the House-elf said, "Dobby and Winky have been busy and Harry Potter Sir needs to see."

Harry blinked at Dobby's air of eager anticipation. "We'll be there as soon as we can catch the Knight Bus, Dobby."

Dobby shook his head. "Harry Potter Sir is a great Wizard. He is not needing to use the Knight bus. Harry Potter Sir is on the Floo Network."

Harry and Hermione stared at Dobby. Harry shrugged. "Pansy and I have been noticing that the House-elves are far more magical than anybody has really noticed," he told Hermione, "and I suppose we should go see what they have done."

The four of them waited for Mr. Sharpstar to return and told him what Dobby had said. Harry got his Floo address from Dobby and gave it to Mr. Sharpstar with a blush. The Solicitor merely wrote it down with a straight face until the four young people had Flooed away.

Nicholas Sharpstar looked at the address after they were gone and smiled broadly. "'Harry's Magnificent Mansion' indeed."

OoOoOoO Harry's room. OoOoOoO

Harry was the last person to use the Floo and when he stepped out into 'Harry's Magnificent Mansion', he thought at first that he had come out in the wrong place, as he had the first time he used the Floo.

Then Harry saw the girls looking around the room and Dobby standing there as well.

Harry blinked several times as he looked around what had been the smaller bedroom of Privet Drive. It was now a room ten metres across, with several doors in two walls. One of the doors had a large bar across the inside and Harry assumed that was the door that led to the rest of the house.

"Harry Potter Sir," called Dobby, from his place near one door, "this is your bedroom now, Harry Potter Sir." Harry looked around the room one more time, noting the fireplace he'd stepped out of and the table that would sit twelve, as well as the two couches and chairs in one corner of the room.

Harry opened the door Dobby was next to and had to smile. The room on the other side was nearly the size of his room in Gryffindor, but it had only one large bed. There was also an owl perch for Hedwig and some other furniture. Harry pointed at the door in his bedroom, but Dobby anticipated his question. "Harry Potter Sir has his own bathroom."

Hermione and Pansy were examining the other doors, which led to similar rooms, each with its own bathroom. The only real difference was that the other bedrooms were slightly smaller than Harry's room. Harry examined one of them and turned to Dobby and Winky, who were watching him anxiously. "Dobby, Winky, this is great. You had done wonders here. Thank you."

Dobby began bouncing while Winky just smiled happily. "Harry Potter Sir is a great Wizard. He is thanking Dobby."

The four of them wandered around the room until Winky told them that dinner was ready and they sat at the table and ate. The talk was light, as they decided that they would not discuss all the things they had to do over dinner.

By the time dinner was over, Harry was yawning and soon said good night. Pansy and Hermione sat before the fire for a bit longer and Flooed to her house. Pansy thought about joining Harry again, but decided that it would be better to give Harry another day or two to get used to her ways before she tried to take him to the next level. Pansy left a note for Harry and stepped into the Floo.

She had barely been gone five minutes when Ron stepped out of the Floo. He'd gone to Mr. Sharpstar's office looking for Harry and had been told about the Floo. Dobby popped up and looked at him. "Is wheezy staying with Harry Potter sir?"

Ron sighed, his face a mask of sadness. "Yes, Dobby. I'll be staying with Harry for a while."

Dobby showed him to a room and Ron took his shrunken trunk and sat it in the corner to unpack tomorrow.

OoOoOoO The Burrow, just after Harry left. OoOoOoO

Ginny looked at her mother. "Mum, why are you trying to keep us away from Harry?"

Molly Weasley frowned at Ginny. "Because you are too young to be facing the kind of danger that Harry will be drawing to him this summer."

Ron just stood and listened to them with half of his attention as he thought. Ginny nodded. "I see. Mum, how many times have you actually faced Death Eaters?"

"I haven't faced any and you know it." She turned to the stove. "It does not matter what you say Ginevra Weasley, you're not going to be leaving the Burrow."

Ginny's eyes narrowed for a minute and she opened her mouth, ready to scream at her mother. She closed it suddenly and and a cold mask fell instead. "Mum, I am going to ask you if that is your final word on this."

Molly continued to cook as she spoke. "It is, Ginny."

Ginny nodded. "Fine," she said in a calm voice. "Since you do not trust Harry to keep me safe, or my particular abilities, I won't ask again. In fact, I won't bother you at all." Her voice changed, flaring with the anger she was trying not to show. "I will also tell you this, mother. If you keep me from Harry this summer, I will not speak to you again, ever. In addition, the day I am of age, I will leave this house and never return." Ginny walked out of the kitchen and up the stairs to her room, where she laid on the bed, blinking back hot tears.

Ron was struggling with his own dilemma. He loved his mother, but Harry needed him, and Ron had to be there, as he had every time Harry needed him, since the night they'd beaten a troll in their first year. "Mum," he began, only to stop as his mother spun.

"Ronald Weasley, don't say anything. I said I need you here. If you choose to leave, just don't bother coming back." Molly Weasley was getting desperate. She didn't want her children hurt, but they were bound and determined to stand in danger's way.

Ron sighed as he looked around the Burrow. He went upstairs and looked around his room. Sitting on the bed, Ron thought about his options. Finally he made his decision and packed his trunk. Shrinking it and going downstairs, he looked at his mum. "I don't expect you to understand, mum, but I have to go. If I didn't go, and something happened to Harry or Hermione, I would never be able to look at myself again. I love you, mum, but I have to do this."

Molly didn't say anything, and Ron sighed as he went to the Floo. Molly turned, crying, "Ron, wait."

She was an instant too late, as the Floo flared and Ron was gone.

OoOoOoO Somewhere in England. OoOoOoO

"Malfoy, get out of my sight or I will kill you." Snape's threat was all the more chilling, since it was delivered in the same tone that one might comment on the weather. Severus Snape, former Potions Master at Hogwarts, looked out the window at the Muggles and wondered just how he'd sunk so low as to have to share a room with Draco Malfoy in a Muggle slum.

He heard the door open and ignored it. It could only be the brat's father, as he was the only person that knew where they were. He ignored them both while they talked. He wasn't a spy any more, he didn't have to do anything, or listen to everything that went on around him.

Of course, he was going to get a Dementor's Kiss if he was ever caught. Damn that Potter brat. How had he seen Dumbledore's death well enough to convince the Aurors that Snape had done it? Snape stared out the window and his thoughts were full of plans of vengeance against Potter.

In the other room, Lucius was filling Draco in on the happenings of the week. "So, the Dark Lord has decreed that you will marry Millicent Bulstrode within the month."

Draco nodded, staring at his father. "What of the agreement with the Parkinsons?"

"They will understand that the Dark Lord's commands come first. After all, the Parkinsons will not kill us for breaking what is, after all, only a verbal agreement. Besides, Pansy has been given to young Crabbe."

Lucius bent his head closer to Draco. "I also have a surprise coming for you in a couple of days. We've found a way around the wards at the Weasley hovel." Lucius smiled cruelly. "After the reports of that Weasley brat seeing Potter, the Dark Lord wants her and we have been given the privilege of guarding her until the Dark Lord is done with her."

Draco smirked. "I will enjoy guarding Weasley. I think she might make a good mistress, once she knows that no other Wizard will touch her."

Lucius shrugged. "Don't get too attached to the girl. The Dark Lord may want to kill her in front of Potter before he kills him."