CHAPTER Seventeen –

It had been an interesting three weeks for Harry and his girls. The prophet came out with an entire paper devoted to the final task of the Triwizard Tournament and the events surrounding the duel of Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter. The fact that Harry had put Albus in the hospital for a year got everyone's attention.

Minerva had been elevated to the Headmistress position and made it official that Harry had his own suite in the Lord's wing. He and the girls were all granted adult wizard status to come and go as they pleased.

Harry had heard from the Weasley Twins that the family's finances were getting very thin. He gave them his and Fleur earnings from the Tournament to start a business involving their best practical jokes and pranks.

On the Ron front, the twins informed Harry that Ron had come home evidently ranting about Harry this and Harry that on one of his weekend visit to home from his local magical school. Evidently no matter what magazine newspaper or publication he read, it always had Harry and Hermione out together on dates, trips, and the like.

What sent Ron off is the picture he saw of Harry with Daphne, Fleur, Gabby, and Hermione for a night on the town. The article explained that he was married and had three concubines. This article made Ron completely irate and as jealous as he had ever been. The twins laughed because Harry and Hermione had told them exactly what Ron had done to her and they felt no empathy for their brother.

At first both twins felt guilty because they didn't know or stop it and had no idea their brother would do anything like that. Hermione calmed and stopped them from doing anything to Ron because they had a plan. Harry asked if they could see which Weasley's were actually in on it.

For the entire semester Ron had to watch as Harry got everything in life that he wanted while he was left with a second rate education and still as poor as he ever was. Ron was in misery and couldn't wait to see Harry and Hermione at the train station to get pay back for all that he had to endure because of them.

Greengrass manor –

Lord Voldemort after the cemetery wandered aimlessly through the English country side. He had found that his magic would only allow him to apparate a few miles and with no wand it was made even worse. In the previous time and at the height of his power he no longer needed a wand. Presently he was lucky if a spell worked for him and it always left him feeling drained.

He tried Malfoy Manor and found it abandoned along with his cache of money and emergency items. Next he tried the Lestrange's, then the Knots and found both manors emptied as well. He found a goblin still going through the Avery house and although loath to ask, he walked up and engaged the Goblin.

"Excuse me but what happened to the family that lived here?" Voldemort asked him.

The goblin eyed him for many seconds before responding "What business is it of yours wizard?"

Voldemort eyes flashed with anger but then he quashed the feeling and with much effort stated nicely "I was a friend of the family and I just came back from the continent. I would like to know where to find them?"

The Goblin answered quickly "This is now Lord Potter's property and that is all I know. I believed the family moved out of England." Voldemort left with more questions than answers. He finally made it to Greengrass Manor and found Lord Lorne Greengrass answering the door.

Lorne bowed "My Lord it is true then you have returned."

Voldemort walked in "Yes I have been renewed but I have need of healing and food at the present."

An hour later Elleanor Greengrass did her best to heal his shoulder by resetting it in a sling and numbing the pain. Unknown to them it was resistant to magical healing. Once fed Voldemort and Lord Greengrass entered the study. Voldemort sat back in a high wingback chair "I have need of information. I found that Malfoy, Knotts, Lestranges, and Avery Manors were empty of even my emergency caches."

Lorne sat down heavily "Snape as well my Lord. All of them lost their magic and are now squibs in the muggle world. The ministry obliviated them and they remember nothing of the magic. My understanding, from members in the ministry, is they were taken to muggle poor houses and left to fend for themselves."

Lord Voldemort looked at him "How did this happen and do you know what happened to my caches of money and personnel things at those house's?"

Lorne looked up over his snifter of brandy "My lord the same thing that happened to you. Lord Potter ended their line for transgressions against his house. Lord Malfoy and the Minister went to arrest them at Hogwarts after he nearly beat Draco to death. He used Goblin magic to force Snape and Lord Malfoy's memories of their conspiracy to be revealed and then killed Lord Malfoy on the spot."

Lorne took a slow drink "When Madam Bones went to arrest him she could not because he revealed his Lordship ring and they could do nothing because of the evidence he had uncovered."

Voldemort grimaced "How was he able to become Lord Potter at fourteen?"

Lorne responded "Through the Minister's own stupidity. The Ministry had put an age line around the Triwizard cup and his name came out of it. They forced him to compete and therefore he had to be considered an adult in that ministry sanction event. He accepted the contract to compete and at some point accepted his lordship."

Voldemort snorted "How very clever of him." Inside he was seething because it was his own machinations that caused his name to come out of the cup. "What of Barty Crouch Junior?" Voldemort asked.

Lorne sighed "Dead my Lord. He was caught after the second task by Lord Potter. My eldest daughter stabbed him when he tried to take her hostage."

Voldemort sneered "I hope she was appropriately punished?"

Lorne looked at him "No my lord she is on Potter's side. Barty jr. tried to poison and drown Hermione Granger, Gabrielle Delacour, and my daughter Daphne. Potter saved all three of them and it created a life debt. At my daughter's urging he called the debt in and made her his concubine and she is now Daphne Potter."

"My Lord something very strange happened surrounding the younger Delacour girl." Lorne stated with unease "She was dead but Potter somehow brought her back to life. Nobody knows how and we can't find any reference to something like that happening before."

Voldemort placed his fingers underneath his chin "Explain to me the entire event."

Lorne sipped quickly "My youngest daughter's memory showed that magic collected around the two, Potter took two deep breaths before he exhaled it into her body. Within a minute she was awake and very much alive."

Lorne sat silently for many moments "Something else that is most curious is when I went to the ministry registry; Potter had already been there and invoked the Lord's right to Privacy. Anything there cannot be revealed until his death. I then had a contact check in the French registry and Gabrielle Delacour shows in the record that she is dead and died the day of the second task." Voldemort's head snapped up when he heard this.

Voldemort replied "I have never heard of such a thing and know of no magic that can do this."

Lorne then continued "People are afraid to go against Potter in any way. The minister has rooted out all past death eaters and is now clearing the elitist and bigots out. Everybody that has gone after or plotted against Potter or his family is dead or lost their magic. He is known in circles as Lord Potter the line ender because he has eliminated five families that plotted against him."

Lorne took a deep breath "The night of the final task, he and Albus Dumbledore got into a fight about Albus ignoring his parent's will and causing him to be abused. They dueled and Potter deflected Albus's worst spell. He threw one spell and broke Albus's arms and legs. Albus is in a muggle hospital for the next year as his wounds are magically resistant to healing our way. Albus has been stripped of his titles in the ICW, the Ministry and Hogwarts."

Voldemort sat up straight "You mean to tell me Hogwarts is undefended and I find myself without resources or men to invade it?" Lorne nodded sadly to him.

Train station – Kings Cross – London

Remus and Sirius were at Kings Cross with Hermione's parents catching them up on all that had happened. They had just contacted Harry to inform him that Ron and Molly Weasley were waiting at the station. They appeared to have an auror that was with them.

Harry turned to his girls and smiled "He is there and it is show time. We are five minutes out." Harry turned to Hermione "This is all for you Hermione I will stand by you no matter what you decide to do."

Harry watched the worry in her eyes "I only care what you, Fleur, Daphne, and Gabby think about me. No one else matters."

Daphne leaned in and whispered "My vote is gut him like a fish then, do I hear a second?" Hermione chuckled and rolled her eyes.

Fleur, Gabby and Daphne pushed her off the train as Fleur stated "We got your back you take care of the front." Hermione nervously nodded.

Harry was holding her hand as they made their way down the station from the front of the train. "Oi, Potter how does it feel to get my seconds?" Harry tensed and clenched his teeth.

Hermione's anger suddenly flared and she retorted "Hell Weasley with a dickless wonder like yourself I swear my virginity was still intact."

Harry began to laugh as did the rest of the people near the train and Harry retorted "You know Weasley it really was like you weren't even there?"

Hermione then chuckled "Now Harry you know that two thrusts and oh god, oh god and then roll over and snore doesn't really count as sex."

Harry then pulled in his girls in for a group hug "You know with you four around I never really get much chance to sleep at all, I am so busy."

Hermione then smiled up at him "But Harry we can all attest that you are no two stroke wonder like some little boys we know, hell I have orgasmed more with you in one minute than I did with Weasley over three months."

Daphne added in then "So that is Harry a ginormous amount of orgasms given and ittty-bitty Weasley – Zero."

Harry watched with a critical eye as mount Weasley turned red, then purple, then dark red, before going more purple from all the laughter the whole crowd was having at his expense. Harry lifted a shield just before Weasley screamed out "Avadra Kedavra!

Harry and his girls didn't even move as the spell came at them. Harry just gave his most evil grin as he looked at Ron Weasley. To everyone's shock and dismay the spell stopped at a shield and then hung there before it dissipated. A huge gong was heard throughout the station. That drew everyone's attention to the events they witnessed. The station went from a gaggle of odd noises to deathly quiet in seconds.

Molly Weasley didn't hesitate to grab Hermione by the throat "You scarlet woman I claim you as my slave for house Weasley for the harm you caused to my house's reputation."

Hermione's muggle fighting tactics came into full effect as she raised her arm up and brought her elbow down breaking Molly Weasley's hold on her. Before she even thought about it what she was doing she palmed punched her in the nose and the final hit was a kick to the chest. Molly exploded from her and flew ten feet before a train carriage stopped her momentum.

Hermione turned to find two Aurors reaching for their manacles as the closest stated "Hermione Granger you are hereby arrested for defying and attacking a pureblood in laying lawful claim to you."

Harry started laughing very hard and this had many people puzzled until he came back at them with a smile "My good man do you have any idea who I am? And for that matter do you have any idea who this woman beside me is?"

The auror sneered "Everybody knows exactly who you are Potter. It won't help her and there is nothing you can do about it."

Harry smirked "This woman beside me is the future Lady Hermione J. Potter and not Hermione Granger."

Auror scoffed "Nice try kid but you are only fourteen years old and that won't fly. You are not an adult and neither is she, so you can't be married." The auror moved forward and opened the manacles "I will be taking you and turning you over to the Weasley matriarch."

Harry stood in front of him and said with steel in his voice "Those touch her and you die. You think you can do what you want?"

The auror sneered "I am a fully trained auror and you stand no chance against me and I have another fully trained auror to back me up."

Harry smiled "Really you want to look behind you?" The auror glanced back and found his partner lying on the ground.

He looked worried and then he felt the very manacles he had out click around his wrist and his magic being suppressed. "You will never get away with this Potter!"

Harry with his eyes glowing reached out and backhanded him "Let me tell you something little man "I am Lord Potter you now have an impression of my lordship ring burned and etched to your face. A ring that cannot be worn by anyone but the Lord of a house." Harry backhanded him again "MY HOUSE which is an ancient and noble house that is now under attack by house Weasley and you Auror are part of that conspiracy."

Amelia Bones stepped from the crowd "Auror what report did you receive to come here?"

The auror seething with hate answered "I do not answer to civilians." He then turned to look at who asked and his eyes got wider.

Amelia's eyes were not happy "Last time I checked you do answer to me."

The auror turned sideways to face her "Sorry madam Bones I didn't know it was you. Mrs. Weasley came to my office and filed a report that a muggleborn witched had disparaged her house, a pureblood house, and that she was going to claim this witch for her house as a slave as compensation."

Madam Bones crossed her arms "What did you do to investigate to ensure her claims were true."

The Auror looked unsure "The claimant's word from a pureblood family is all I needed."

Madam Bones walked closer "Auror, Ministry Policy 3-341 plainly states that all claims must be investigated for their truthfulness and accuracy. Did you read this policy?"

The auror hung his head "Yes, Ma'am."

Amelia frowned "Did you follow that policy?"

The auror sighed in defeat "No Ma'am."

Madam Bones sighed "Had you investigated with the registry department before you went on this little affair you would have found that Hermione Granger is betrothed to Lord Harry James Potter, the lord of an ancient and noble house. She is in fact the future Lady Potter. She is also a minor and not of age. Knowing this now is the Weasley claim valid?"

The auror said rather sheepishly "No ma'am, Mrs. Weasley can't have a valid claim."

Madam Bones tapped the manacles and they fell off "Auror you are hereby dismissed from the active auror ranks. You can either report to the academy to begin year one again or you are fired your choice."

The Auror began to complain but Harry silenced him "Listen up you helped to attack my house and I could take your life and not be arrested. I trust your boss and will allow this…after you apologize to Lady Hermione."

The Auror thought for just a second and turned to Hermione "Lady Hermione I am truly sorry for any distress I caused you and I ask for your forgiveness."

Hermione looked at him "I will forgive you as long as you vow to investigate before acting from now on." The auror gave his vow before picking up his partner and leaving.

Madam Bones said loudly so the whole platform could hear "Lord Potter I will leave the Weasley's to you." She looked at the aurors around the platform "My Aurors will not interfere!" she received many head nods of her orders from the Aurors station around the station.

Harry walked over to Ron who was shaking and looking very scared. Harry grabbed his wand before he petrified him and brought him back to where Hermione was dealing with Mrs. Weasley. When Hermione stood back up Molly Weasley had permanently etched on to her forehead and both cheeks "POTIONS MISTRESS BEWARE" – MAKES AMORTIA – MAKES LOYALTY POTIONS.

Hermione turned to Ron and looked at him with very unhappy eyes "Ron it didn't have to be like this but it is because of your own actions. Harry and I are soul mates and it was recorded in the ministry book. Harry and I were meant to be together and you tried to steal that from us. We have half of the bond we are suppose to have. I know you knew that Harry and I had feelings for each other, I heard you say it out loud in one of your rants. It is the main reason you went after me."

Hermione moved to stand in his face "You stole something from me to hurt Harry and I can't abide by that! Fortunately for me there is a ritual that can replace what you took but it has a cost. I do have a soul bond with Harry but it is not complete and can never be complete because of you. You will do the ritual and the cost is going to be your life because that is what magic demands and this is the price you must pay for your jealousy and hatred."

Ron was wide eyed as he looked on and shaking his head no. He was frightened as Hermione chanted the spell and he could feel the life force being removed from him. Hermione was crying as Ron's life forces were received by her body. Their bodies began to glow blue before a flash of magic ended the ritual.

Ron crumpled to the floor with his eyes opened and un-seeing. Hermione looked at Harry and he wiped her tears away. Harry drew her closer to him and she put her arms around his neck "I Love you Hermione J. Granger!"

Hermione smiled "I love you Harry James Potter!" they leaned forward and kissed. Magic began to build very rapidly around them before its glow was too much for anybody to see without being blinded by it. A sudden magical release caused a wave to spread out from the couple."

Hermione closed her eyes "Hmm, I can feel it now. I can feel us."

Harry smiled "I can too. Let's get out of here."

They found Sirius, Remus, Dan, and Emma waiting on them on the muggle side of the train station. Emma looked at Hermione and smiled before whispering to Dan "She is back, look at her eyes."

Dan did look but he focused on Harry and smiled at him "Emma that is because of the man right beside her. If I ever say anything bad about him, just slap me…hard because I will deserve it. I know that is not normal for a father to feel like this but he has already proven to me that he will take care of Hermione just like family."

Sirius whispered to Remus "Why can't I ever get a father's approval like Harry does."

Remus smiled and retorted back "Until you find a pole dancing stripping Nun whose father is Satan it is never going to happen."

Sirius smiled "Girls like that are so hard to find."

Emma smacked his arm "Would you be serious."

Harry was smiling when he heard this and Sirius winked at him. Remus hung his head and shook it. "Why Emma that is the great thing about being me…I am always Sirius."

Remus, Emma, and then Dan, followed by smacking the back of his head before moaning out loud and Sirius just had a happy smile on his face.