When it rains it pours. My son came home for the Thanksgiving Holidays after a very busy week at work in which I was only able to get home for about twelve hours total. Thursday and Friday of last week I actually had off and was looking forward to relaxing and working on updating my stories. Instead on Thursday my son was bitten by a brown recluse and spent all of Thursday, Friday, Saturday and part of today in the hospital. He was released early this morning so I took a nap till 11:00 A.M. then typed in this chapter. I leave out for work tonight at about 21:00 and still need to do grocery shopping and laundry…

Chapter 5 Paying Respect

The memorial service for Harry was scheduled for September nineteenth at Hogwarts, and Albus was fuming. Cornelius had conceived of the idea of using the service as a launching point for his reelection campaign and had accordingly invited the media in what was sure to be a major circus. Harry's two best friends had threatened to boycott the service rather than lend even unwilling support to a man who had used his position and power to ridicule, deride, and belittle Harry all of last year, not to mention the fact that he had gone so far as to usurp Dumbledore's authority at the school by placing Umbridge in an ultimate authority position over it; which had led to the torture of several student, but primarily Harry, at her hands. To make matters even worse, Cornelius refused to admit that these incidents had even happened and because the only one who could have supplied tangible proof in the form of a scarred hand was dead and the body missing it looked like Umbridge was going to get off Scot free.

Everyone in the Order, all of the teaching staff, and most of the student body of Hogwarts were resentful and angry about the things that Fudge had either done or not done. If Fudge would have taken a more responsible attitude in his job instead of spending so much time trying to whitewash his reputation, things could or rather would have turned out a lot differently than they did.

Hermione and Ron were not being quiet this year about knowing Sirius or about his innocence. They figured they had little or nothing to loose, and if they were arrested for abetting a known felon that was just fine. They would raise so much stink in the ministry about Fudge suppressing evidence that the stink might never go away and Albus had to admit that with the amount of support the two had gained from the student body they had the right of it. Even Fudge couldn't ignore the amount of up and coming voters that would be leaving Hogwarts in the next few years, and if he tried to suppress the truth this time he would have to incarcerate or obliviate almost three/fourths of the third through seventh year student body. The horrible part was that if he thought he could get away with it he was willing to do just that, too.

So in order to protect his students, Albus had to do something that he thought was long overdue. He had to make a stand against the ministry. Albus bent his head once again to the piece of parchment on the desk in front of him and picking up a quill he started to work on the eulogy for Harry. For the first time since that ill-fated meeting in which his nose had been broken again, the twinkle came back to his eyes, but this time it was different, this time instead of making him look kindly and concerned it made him look vengeful. Albus put the quill to paper and started writing.

"Friends and loved ones, we have gathered here together to pay our last respects to a remarkable young man. A young man who's life was cut short because of the failings of those who should have protected him, but instead failed him on every level. He lived a life of valor, love and kindness, but he also lived a life alone. Cut off from those who should have taught him about his heritage for the first ten years of his life he was eager to embrace the magical community once he started his education here but found out very shortly that we were not so eager. Instead we as a community placed responsibility on his shoulders that no child should be asked to carry. We used this child as a whipping boy when things did not go as we might wish and we used this child ... "

September 18

Lucius was frantic. He had taken Voldemort back to his home to protect him from whatever it was that was attacking him. He had investigated spells trying to find the solution but so far had come up empty. Voldemort seemed to be wasting away.He had lost weight that he could little afford to loose and his body seemed to be shifting somehow. The pain he was in was almost more than Lucius could stand to see. He constantly screamed in pain and writhed on the bed unable to find a peaceful sleep even with the help of strong potions.

Lucius had wanted to attend the memorial service for Potter, but as things stood now he didn't think it wise to leave his charge for that long, still he was going to have to make a short appearance before the event if for no other reason than to caution his son about the attitude he had been displaying around the school. Arrogance was one thin,g but the boy was bordering on foolish with the way he was now acting. Draco needed to remember that his father's release from prison did not mean he was innocent in the eyes of the public. Some saw it for just what it was. A deep pocket and a foolish minister willing to be purchased.

Going back into the bedroom where Voldemort was finally sleeping, Lucius sighed as he started placing wards around the bed. Hopefully his master would not wake up till he got back, but just in case the wards would alert him if there was any change. After he was finished, he apparated just outside of the wards at Hogwarts and started the walk up to the school.

September 19

It was a cold and drizzly day, but that seemed fitting for the occasion. The student body had gathered in the great hall after lunch for the memorial service and for once even the Slytherins were respectful, or at least, not disrespectful. Fudge had opened the service with a speech about how Harry had been a hero for the people, supplying hope for the eventual defeat and destruction of the terror of He Who Must Not Be Named and even posthumously awarding him an Order of Merlin third class as well as a medal of valor for his battle in the Ministry of Magic last year. He also said that Harry was an icon of all that was good and brave and he knew that if the young man had survived he would stand behind the work of the ministry in trying to contain this evil. (Ron about gagged when he heard that, but having the Albus's promise that at the last he would set the record straight, he managed to contain himself.)

After Fudge was finished speaking, Harry's friends stood one at a time and gave heartfelt words about who and what Harry really was about and what he stood for. The tears started flowing, and many people felt ashamed of themselves for past actions. By the time Hermione stood, there were very few in the audience who had dry eyes and after she was finished the only ones without tears falling was those who supported Voldemort or in a few cases those in the ministry that were trying to use Harry's life and death as a stepping stone to greatness.

It was very telling that after the service the Wizengamot had convened and Cornelius Fudge was subjected to a vote of no confidence, which he did not pass. A session was scheduled for the next day to nominate candidates for a replacement and a warrant was issued for the arrest of Deloris Umbridge, Lucius Malfoy, and several other death eaters who had managed to buy their way out of prison after the ministry fiasco as it was now being called. New laws were passed in which each employee of the ministry had to submit to questioning under veritaserum which started that very day with the counsel itself. Albus was pleased. A major shakeup was occurring in the magical world and it was long overdue.

September 26

Lucius had not been outside of the manor grounds for almost a month. He was horrified at the changes his master was undergoing and felt helpless to halt the process. In an act of desperation he had finally called the Drow that had promised support to his master in the coming battles but was instead answered by one of his underlings who took one look at his master and pronounced judgment. "His soul has been split and that is destroying him. Find the pieces of his soul and reunite them with his body or he will die."

That was the catalyst Lucius needed to begin the search for the horcruxes himself. He knew that one had been destroyed, thanks to that Potter brat, but if he could find the rest of them, then perhaps it would be enough to save his master.

Lucius worked under an advantage that the other searchers didn't have. He knew his master intimately and in lucid moments he even had a source that could tell him where they were. It only took a few days before Lucius had gathered four of them together and started the arduous rituals needed to help his master reabsorb the missing parts of his soul. Lucius knew that these four did not make a complete soul, but he hoped it was enough.

October 6

Harry and Discot at the appointed time made their way to the ministry. Once there the two hurried to keep the appointment set up with Mrs. Lavens in the wills and inheritance department. Harry looked around alertly, but did not try to communicate with anyone. He whimpered slightly when the small dagger was used to collect a drop of his blood for the test necessary to determine if he was indeed a long lost part of the family Slitherine and it was with satisfaction that Discot watched as the test proved out the boy's heritage. The two left after Discot signed the necessary papers to take control of the land that traditionally belonged to Harry's family and within the wheels of the ministry the panic began. Hogwarts had been claimed by the elves once again. A floo call to the board of governors to set up an emergency meeting to determine what could be done to stop this take over of the school and grounds and if it couldn't be stopped, what should be done about moving the school to a new location?. Albus when he heard the news was amazed. He knew the elves had tried to claim some land a few years ago, but never even dreamed it was his beloved school.

The governors gathered along with the headmaster and the teaching staff. The students had been restricted to their common rooms during the meeting, and amongst them rumor ran rampant. The school was being closed, the teaching staff was being fired, the headmaster was being replaced and of course the favorite amongst all of the students except the Slytherins was that Snape was being fired, killed, replaced or at least gotten rid of some how.

In reality, what happened was that the meeting was used as a sounding board to decide who would be sent as an embassy to talk to the new owners about keeping the school open to the students, and if that were possible what, if any, changes would the elves make.

Albus, as the headmaster, was selected as well as Snape, because he represented the house they thought the elves might identify with due to the similarities between the name of the heir and his house. As a representative of the board of governors, Mrs. Longbottom was selected and now the only problem was how to get in touch with them?

October 7

Chevis was ecstatic, he had found the twin and now all he had to do was get the child away from his caregiver and get him to Discot before the child died from overexposure to dark magic. Unfortunately the caregiver didn't want to give up the child and although Chevis was hesitant about just taking the boy time was running out and if Chevis didn't act soon then it might be too late. He quickly transported himself back to the Elven realm and contacted several of his family members to supply the muscle needed to take the child if the caregiver refused once again and once he had gathered his forces he transported back to the estate. It took a lot of argument and one promise to return the child if he so chose once he reached adulthood before the caregiver agreed to relinquish the boy to the elves but finally Chevis was able to pick the boy up and cradled close to his chest he transported away.

The committee appointed to meet with the elves about the standing of Hogwarts was not having any luck locating the elves they needed to talk to. Albus, accompanied by Hegrid was touring the forbidden forest looking for the centaurs so that he could explain to them what had happened. He wasn't sure if they would cause trouble for the new masters or not and didn't want to take the chance of alienating the elves if they did try to cause trouble so here he was. Once the two crossed the creek and started to follow it down to the lake where the centaurs were reported to have a community Albus started to hear voices in the distance. The closer they came the easier it was to hear what was being said. Albus would have paused to listen in but whoever was speaking wasn't speaking in a language he could understand so with only a short pause at the edge of the clearing the two made their way to the center of the small village. It was there that Albus finally found the elusive elves.

Plastering a wide smile on his face Albus approached the blond haired elf that seemed to be in charge. "Sir, my name is Albus Dumbledore and I am the headmaster of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The school board and I have been trying to contact your people for an interview ever since the deed to the school changed hands."

The blond elf looked down his nose at the old man before he decided to reply. "Why would you feel it necessary to contact my people?"

Feeling a bit uncomfortable at the question Albus hesitated for a few seconds before he gave an answer. "I am assuming that you are the new owner of the school. As you are probably aware the school has always had excellent relations with the owners in the past but with the death of the last owner the school reverted to human control, well, it did until it was discovered that an heir did indeed exist. We need to know what if any changes will be made under the new ownership."

Discot smiled at the human before he gave him what Albus would consider being bad news. "I am not and never will be the owner of this property. The owner is of tender age as of yet and so the property will be managed by his financial advisers. If they feel it is necessary they will arrange a meeting between those you call the Board of Governors and themselves. You however will have nothing to do with this because you are at best an employee of the Board."

Albus felt his smile falter. "Well, ordinarily I might agree with you except the Board themselves have asked me and two others to meet with your…ahha…the financial advisers to the young heir to discus our concerns. I am hoping you would be willing to arrange this meeting for us."

Discot looked bored with the whole discussion. He sighed before he gave his answer. "I will pass along your message. If they decide that a meeting is in order I am sure they will contact you. Now unless there is anything else you need I am busy and will bid you good day."

Albus's smile faltered completely at the elf's rudeness but he didn't comment on it. He was still hoping to make a good impression on the elf and he still needed information. "Actually there is something else I wish to discuss with you and I am sure you will agree that this falls within my scope of responsibility. One of my students was kidnapped over the summer. Our intelligence indicated that he was taken by a Drow elf that tortured and killed the child. This child was special to us and I am seeking information on what happened to him. I would also like to arrange the return of his body for proper burial."

Anger bloomed across the elf's face. "How dare you accuse one of my people of torture and killing of a child." The elf said icily. "We hold the lives of children sacred and would never harm one. What you accuse us of is cause for war."

"I meant no disrespect to you and yours. If you were unaware of what happened then you could not be held responsible for this elf's actions but I assure you that my information is correct. I have reliable witnesses that will testify as to what happened to the child. I also had monitors that recorded the moment the child died."

Discot was livid. How dare this human make such accusations against one of his own. Oh he knew who the boy was. He wasn't stupid after all but knowing how the boy was neglected for most of his life and knowing how the child was left in an unprotected environment that allowed for his kidnapping by one as evil as Voldemort who did torture and kill children only to be accused of doing the same was to much. "Set up a meeting with this witness. I will see to it that you receive your answers at that time. If at the meeting you learn you are wrong you will make restitution old man. Now get out of my sight!"

"How will I contact you when I have the meeting set up?"

"The meeting will be on the grounds of the school tomorrow afternoon. You may bring any that you feel will support your case and I suggest you make a good job of it because if you cannot support the accusations you have made then the Elven nation and human nation are at war."

Discot transported himself home still fuming about what the old man had accused one of his own of. Landing outside of his home he started toward the door only to have his wife fling it open in her excitement. "Husband!" Oh yes she was definitely excited. "Chevis has found the twin!" by this time she had reached him and grabbing his hand started tugging him toward the door of the house.

Discot laughed at her exuberance before he pulled her back to his arms. Giving her a quick hug then placing her at his side the two entered the family room together. Stopping in his tracks Discot watched the two boys shyly getting to know each other as his daughter looked on with approval.