Harry Potter and the Delightful Dilemma
By: Sheltie
I don't own Harry Potter
A/N: I am back and with a new chap. Sorry for taking so long, but I am having a big case of writers' block that has been hindering any and all progress I have. So that means updates will be pretty slow. Sorry about that. Enjoy the new chap though.
Chapter 16
In a classroom Ron and Ginny stood with Harry, Penny, and Fleur along with Bill, Amelia and Arthur. They were all there to place the bracelets on Ron and Ginny. Bill looked over both to make sure there was no funny business going on though he trusted that Penny and Fleur wouldn't do such a thing. They even showed Bill the notes they had detailing the creation of the bracelets. Bill was impressed with this as was Amelia when she read though them. The work involved was beyond N.E.W.T. level. Heck, it was on master level of runes in fact.
The bracelet itself was made of a highly polished bronze that looked like gold at first glance. The bracelet would be placed on the ankle of the person. It had to make skin contact to become active and once that was done it had a series of runes of it to prevent tampering of any kind. No spell could cut the bracelet off and if tried it would send a mild shocking hex through the body. There were many other tamper proof runes, but those were kept secret.
There were runes that would monitor and track the person at all times no matter what or where they were. This would help them in knowing where the two were at all times in any situation.
"You two should be relieved that this option was the one settled on or else you'd be facing jail time and your family shunned by all in our world" Amelia said.
Ron looked angry while Ginny's face was blank, but for those who knew the little redhead they knew she was still plotting.
"Now, these bracelets are the alternative to jail. They are what muggles call an ankle bracelet, though these ones have more features than the muggle one. Now, you'll be allowed to be in the same classroom as Lord Potter and his companions since we know that not doing this would hinder your education, which won't do. So what they will do instead is make sure you keep your distance from those you aren't allowed to be with. You will feel slight electrical shocks if you do get too close. Nothing life threatening, but it will hurt. Along with that there are several runes on it that will monitor where you are at all times just in case we need to find you" Amelia said.
"If Mr. Weasley and Bill would place the bracelets on. I don't think Ron or Ginny trusts us at all to do it" Harry said.
Arthur and Bill did and as soon as they heard the click and lock it meant the bracelet was on.
"Now Bill, test them to see if they are working" Harry said.
Bill nodded and checked the bracelets then got back up.
"They're working" he said.
"Good, that concludes what we have to do today" Amelia said.
/Scene Break/
Things got worse with Ron as he lost his Prefect position due to his new accessory. McGonagall wanted to get rid of Ron for a while, but Dumbledore had stonewalled her before. Now she had a real good reason, she also had a suitable replacement. Neville. The lad had grown so much this year and she thought he deserved it since Harry wouldn't be able to take the spot. So Neville was named the new prefect and Lavender was super excited she would get to patrol with her boyfriend.
The Potter ladies were researching in-depth on Horcruxes. Though Luna provided much of the research since her family did a ton of it. They didn't know what kind of objects the snake wanker used at all. This frustrated the research party since none wanted to go to Dumbledore for help. Though Daphne was working on a contract that could give them a leg up on the whiskered old man. But Daphne was taking her time on this contract, she had to make sure that there was no loophole that Dumbledore could utilize for his benefit at all. No, she wanted him hog tied with no wiggle room. So that meant looking into many ancient law books for obscure laws that were still in effect though not used much now.
/Scene Break/
Dumbledore was pacing back and forth. This new wrinkle had caused much annoyance. The Weasleys didn't come to him for help. He was the leader of light and should be involved in all things that caught his interest. Most of which had a certain Potter involved in it. But no, he wasn't even asked at all. He was tossed aside and that didn't sit well with him at all. He really needed to find a way to get back into the game. He was becoming obsolete.
/Scene Break/
In the Daily Prophet there was an article that talked about a new punishment and how it was being tested it out. Though Ron and Ginny's names weren't named pretty much everyone in Hogwarts knew it was them. News traveled fast and Lavender wasn't the one to report it. No, she was too busy with her boyfriend to even care about gossip at all.
"Hmm, looks like this article was nicely done" Susan commented as she read the article.
"It is?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, I am sure my aunt had something to do with it" Susan said.
Penny read her copy of the paper and nodded.
"Yes, it does give the bracelets good publicity" she said.
"Looks like we've got a new business on our hands" Daphne said as her eyes turned to galleons.
"Oh boy, somebody better snap Daph out of her trance before she drools on the remainder of her breakfast" Parvati said.
"Hey, I don't drool" Daphne snapped.
Padma, who was sitting beside Daphne used a finger and wiped a small bit of saliva from the corner of the Greengrass' mouth. This made Daphne's cheeks pinken.
"Exhibit A" Padma said with a smirk.
Giggles and chuckles came from the table.
/Scene Break/
With Sirius now cleared, he was now taking charge of the Black house. He booted out Bellatrix and Narcissa from the family. He also annulled the Malfoy and Lestrange marriage. This would cripple Voldemort's money line since the Malfoys got a lot of their money from the Blacks. Heck, the Malfoy mansion was the only the thing that actually belong to the Malfoys. All their 'vacation homes' they had were actually Black properties. He brought back Andromeda to the family along with her daughter Tonks.
/Scene Break/
"We need more on Riddle's history" Susan said as she closed another book.
"Okay, but where can we get that?" Parvati asked.
"I can help with that."
The research group turned and found Lady Hogwarts. They haven't seen her since they first came.
"Lady Hogwarts, what brings you here?" Padma asked.
"I sensed you were in need of help. So I have come to offer all I can" Hogwarts said.
"Thank you Hogwarts" Hermione said.
"I live to serve my lord and his ladies" Hogwarts said curtseying.
Soon a large book appeared in front of them.
"What's this?" Penny asked.
"This book has all of Thomas Riddle's movements when he was in the castle" Hogwarts said.
"You mean to tell me you can track every student's movement passed and present?" Hermione asked.
"Yes and no. I can, but it would take much time to filter through them all. I've had many; many students come through along with others. It can be very confusing and it took me a long time to compile it all" Hogwarts said.
The research team got on this and began looking at Riddle's steps when he was a student at Hogwarts. They found it was very detailed.
/Scene Break/
Voldemort was frowning as he had not heard a word of anything going on. His Death Eaters were healing nicely, but the process was going too slow. Though what do you expect since the ones that have spent a lot of time in Azkaban were suffering from many problems. Bellatrix seemed to be more unhinged than she was before. The two Lestrange brothers were jittery and the dark lord was unsure if they'd be combat ready. Snape, though his exposure was not as long had his own problems, but would just sneer them off like the greasy git he was.
What really annoyed Voldemort was that he didn't know if the images he sent Potter were working or not. There was no hint at all and he was getting impatient. Now also what he's read and from his spies is that a huge source of income was gone. Bellatrix wasn't a Black anymore nor was she married to the Lestrange. Same with Lucius, the elder Malfoy, no longer had as much money as he once did. His coffers were small and once Narcissa got wind of her annulment and banishment she skipped town to places unknown.
So Voldemort wasn't in a very good spot at all and none of his plans were going well either. Even the one that the Malfoy whelp was doing. The boy was useless as far as the dark lord could tell. None of his father's traits had rubbed off on him at all. Why couldn't anything be easy for him?
/Scene Break/
"EUREKA!" an enthusiastic Daphne Greengrass cried out.
The research team jumped at this exclamation.
"What, what is it?" Parvati asked as a piece of parchment stuck to her forehead.
She had been taking a small cat nap when Daphne shouted.
"I've finished my contract" Daphne said so pleased with herself.
"Contract, what contract?" Fleur asked.
"Oh, the one I've been working on. I knew we would have trouble figuring out what Voldemort's Horcruxes would be and we wouldn't be able to get Dumbledore to spill his secrets willingly. So I devised a contract so he'd have to or he'd be penalized to the highest degree" Daphne said.
"Okay" Padma said as she peeled the piece of parchment from her twin sister's forehead.
Daphne showed the contract to her sisters and they had wide eyes when they finished it.
"This is legal?" Penny asked with a dropped jaw.
"Yes" Daphne said chirped.
"But, but, but" Hermione sputtered.
"Everything is legal and binding. All we need to do is have Harry and Dumbledore sign it with a witness to sign also. When that is done Dumbledore is powerless" Daphne said.
"And how do you expect we get him to sign this?" Padma asked.
"Hmm, that would require much thought and Slytherin cunning" Daphne said.
"I'll do it" Luna chimed in.
This had the rest of the ladies look at Luna.
"You will?" Parvati asked.
"Yes, I think this will be fun" Luna said with clapped hands and a happy smile.
None of the ladies were sure if this would be a good thing or bad thing.
/Scene break/
Malfoy looked at his plans then scraped them. He was furious. His mother wad gone, his father was broke. The Malfoy name had lost prestige. This was something Malfoy could let stand. He then began to devise a new plan to take down his former head of house, Sirius Black. Little did he know it would be the last thing he'd ever do.
/Scene Break/
Ron and Ginny were not having a good time at all with their new accessories. They were on watch everywhere. Even the teachers kept a closer eye on them. This didn't help either of them.
Ron because this was his O.W.L year and that meant the teachers seemed to keep him working either in class or detention, which now seemed to be his second home. It didn't help that Arthur had put orders on him to make sure he kept in line. Ron was no longer to eat to his heart's content during meals. The head of the Weasley house asked the Hogwarts elves and with Harry's backing to cut off Ron when they deemed he was full.
As for Ginny, she never got a moment's peace to herself since it seemed all the lioness in the den were keeping her under a microscope. She couldn't even sneeze and not have one of the lioness not know about it. Harry's Chaser teammates seemed to really take this upon themselves since their favorite Seeker was no longer playing for them. This was a way to help their little Harry in their own way.
Even their brothers Fred and George kept a closer eye on them more than any other time they've been in Hogwarts. So all in all this wasn't the best year for the two youngest redheads and would probably be just the beginning for them.
/Scene Break/
Harry had a brilliant idea. He knew how hard all of his ladies have been working and he wanted to treat them all to something lavish. He ordered them to stop all work they were doing. Most complied though Hermione had to be pried away from her books. Some things never change.
"What is it Harry, why did you make us stop?" Padma asked.
"I thought you all deserve a well deserved break and since the Easter break is coming up I thought now would be the best time" Harry said.
"What do you have in mind Harry?" Daphne asked.
"Well I talked to Sirius and we're all going to one of the Black's personal islands for Easter break" Harry said.
"Who is 'we' Harry?" Susan asked.
"Just us. Sirius is swamped with his duties as Lord Black and can't get away. Moony and Tonks were invited, but Tonks said she had other plans with her wolfie" Harry said.
Tonks and Remus have been going out for a good solid month. It took a while since Remus was still afraid how his condition would affect Tonks and he didn't want to hinder her at all. Tonks had to give Remus a swift boot in the butt both physically and metaphorically.
"So it will be just us on the island?" Fleur asked.
Harry nodded.
"I haven't a swimsuit to wear" Hermione said in a panic.
All of the ladies have grown in ways due to their rigorous training and they hadn't had time to really shop.
"Not to worry. I have that planned too" Harry said with a grin.
The Potter ladies turned to Harry at this. Harry had a plan that could only mean one thing. Disaster.
/Scene Break/
In all actuality Harry's plan was simple and shockingly went off without a hitch. The ladies went shopping spending to their heart's content on their new wardrobe. They all got new bikinis that were the same colors like the ones they wore in the summer. They all left via Portkey to their island destination for some R & R. Hermione of course had to patted down both in muggle and magical fashion multiple times to make sure she had no book on her that anything to do with research.
End of Chapter
A/N: well, that's the end of this one. I thought giving them a little break before turning the heat up again would be nice for them since I have planned to end this one soon. Thanks for reading and please review.