Chapter lucky 13 –
Word count; 3, 386
AN: Okay I'm back home, but the rules have changed, I'll post one chapter to everyone I finish I've got to keep ahead of my readers somehow.
Okay – roll film
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Chapter title; desperate times, requires desperate measure's
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"You know my dear protégé; I'm half-tempted to let you try it, just to see how she'd stop you." Aberforth said trotting alongside Ron with a mused smile.
"Hermione can't stop me, Master," Ron said sadly as he slowly walked back toward the huge tent with a strong-armed …struggling Harry in tow.
"Get-off-It," protested a belligerent Harry trying hard to get free. "Let-go of me, I ain't done nothing. I don't know any Hermione and I don't want to go see someone I don't know.
"Oh I wasn't referring to your comatose lost-love;" Aberforth said to Ron - - ignoring Harry's protests. "I was speaking of the goddess of Destiny, her-self and if not her - - then the three sisters of fate. All four of them are women, you know - - and all are notorious …drama-queens.
"For centuries they have set up passion-plays just like our current one - - classic confrontations between good and evil – it was fate that arranged for Grindelwald and my brother Albus to fight each other in 1945 – just as current Destiny has arranged for Potter and Riddle to face each other wand to wand in this year of 1998. Who wins is unimportant in the grand scheme of things – but woe-be-it to the wizard that tried to prevent those fateful meetings from taking place.
This thought made Ron stop-short; - turn and openly stare at his master - - he still had the frail half-staved famous seeker in hand - in spite of Harrys frantic struggling – for Ron had indeed become that physically impressive.
"On the other hand, it's also easy to imagine how favorably the fates and destiny would look-upon the wizard who helps a prophecy along its fated path.
"I agree that we're in a spot of trouble, Ronald. Potter is getting more aphetic by the minute, by this time tomorrow he could well be as comatose at Granger - which means no show-down duel with Tom before you blow-up Hogwarts - - and Destiny won't like that at all. But just you and Granger dying down in the core chamber all by yourselves - might not fulfill Harrys Prophecy either.
"We have no way of knowing for sure - if Grangers death with you - will cut Harry's connection to Grangers vegetable brain – thus restoring Potter to fighting trim so that the historic fight with Tommie can go forward. So if we're going to fix the mess my brother made and get the world back on track, we have to fix Potter enough to face Tom – and blowing up Granger doesn't guarantee that.
"So what do we-do?
"When the reasonable approach is undoable; - - we're left with a totally-crazy solution.
"Which is?
"I taught you everything I and my brother knew about Voldemort's magical skills, and made you practice them too – until you could match him spell for spell. I taught you legilimency, Occulmency, shield spells and wand-combat - - all with the help of the last time-turner in existence. With it we turned one week into five months. With that extra time - I helped you bend your core magic into your spells making them a thousand times more powerful.
"Yes master you did," Ron replied unsure where this was heading.
"I also taught how to forcefully possess another magical person, because Tom does that too - - to bend their mind and body to your will, to leave your body and enter another - - just as Voldemort did with Potter during the Battle of the Ministry two years ago - - on the fourth of June 1996.
"Yes Master, I can do that and have - I did it with Judson to get him to turn over half the DE treasury, he was the only one who could open a certain door. But I swore never to do that again, entering his mind - - seeing 'first hand' the evil he'd done to innocent Muggle's - sickened me, I had nightmares for weeks afterward.
"The mind I want you to enter now isn't evil, just morally bankrupted - - it's also in a huge amount of pain – so what I ask will be horribly painful for you as well - for to get fate back on track I need you to take-over Grangers mind and body.
"Violate her mind? Master I couldn't do that. It would be mind-rape - for that's what I did with Judson. Of all the things I've done, all the people I've killed - - that's the one thing I've done; that I regret the most.
"I know its mind-rape …I understand that completely. But if rape is the only way to guide her back to consciousness – back to our realm of reality and out of her coma – isn't it a crime worth doing?
"She'd hate me.
"But she would have to be awake to yell at you,
"I really hate it when you're right master.
"You'll get us to it. You did with Granger.
"Yeah – that's true. But I never wanted to snog you,
"I certainly hope not." Abe replied with a chuckle.
"Right-then … how do I do this?
"Use what's left of your core magic to take control of her core magic and use that combined power to ever so carefully dismantle her mental barriers from within. But before you do that - you'll have to first purge her outer memories of the Cruciatus Curse - - gather as much as you can quickly - and concentrated it into a single pensive removable memory. I'll help you with that
"You won't get it all out - - but anything you miss will be more bearable than what is in there now. I was going to try this approach with my sister Ariana but lacked the stones to risk the possible downside.
"Which are?
"Right from the off - - It might not work at all, I still lack full access to my core magic like you do - - so I didn't have the power to pensive remove what had traumatized Ariana or unravel her problems one by one. Secondly you might not be able to access and use Granger's core magic - - we tried that with Avery – - and all that experiment did was drain all his life force - until he died a ancient squib. Third; you don't have much core-magic left - as it is - and sorting out Grangers head could easily drain your last reserves - - rendering you into an old squib – thus, the great Hogwarts core explosion plan; a moot point.
"If Potter becomes a vegetable, we lose anyway - - right?
"Reverting back to the original prophecy - - is too risky, Ronald - we both know that.
"You know I'm going to do this anyway, Master - - so what are we arguing about.
"You could get trapped in her mind, boy - - unable to get back to your own body. All kinds of disasters are possible when you try new magic - - remember what happened to that Lovegood woman, Luna's mother - - - Evanna – oh-yes …that was her name, maiden name of Lynch I believe – well anyroad - she was experimenting with - -"
"Master you're wasting precious time.
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Fifty-nine hours later –
February fourth, 1998
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"Feeling better - Mr. Potter," Aberforth asked for the tenth time that morning.
"What you really want to know is whether or not I feel anything emotionally - and the answer is HELL-YES," Harry retorted in a really foul mood. "I'm ruddy frustrated and worried sick. My only two friends are in this bloody pavilion tent on side by side on parallel-gurneys, in deep-coma's and haven't move a muscle in the last two days.
"That's not strictly true, as I told you - - there have been several large improvements in their condition.
"Yeah-yeah, - - core lines that no one can see, but you - are much stronger now and flowing in both directions between them," Harry spat, not at all happy. "But what that means you're not prepared to speculate.
"When Ronald first went into her mind, the flow was all from him - into her, - and now the power is flowing back and forth equally, that has to be significant. I'm sure they'll wake-up soon.
You said that fifteen hours ago and nothing's changed.
"Be patient Mr. Potter, - - Core power is a new form of magical science, most of my former colleges didn't believed it even exists. I spent four decades researching it and only scratched the surface. My brother Albus was a powerful wizard and he could only barely detect its presence. Most of my work was purely theoretical until I came across Ron. What he attempted with Miss Granger was technically impossible and yet - here you are - perfectly sane - - your destiny with Tom - back on track. I'm sure the Gods will be grateful for Ron's efforts and wake him and his wife shortly
"Why did he do that - - challenge me?" Harry asked
"It's complicated – a matter of being legally responsible for her - something you refused to do. But for right now - Let's just focus on waking them both up.
"Yeah but it won't be soon enough for me," Harry bemoaned. "One of the refuge prisoners from Malfoy Manor - - Luna Lovegood, spoke to a Weasley at the Delacour manor in France yesterday, which means that they know that Ron's here and badly injured - and Dean confirmed to me just this morning that Molly and Arthur along with Bill and Fleur are arriving today to inspect the damage to Shell Cottage.
"It's a Weasley home they have every right too - -"
"- - they don't care a rats arse about the ruddy cottage, this is just an excuse to come see Ron. And they'll blame me for this, you know," Harry interrupted worried to the point of near panic. "They'll say I caused it to happen as a cruel payback prank against all the Weasley's, - heaven knows for what. What do you think they'll do - when they see 'them' holding hands.
"It's just a few fingers, lightly touching - - you're over reacting.
"Have you tried to pry those few fingers apart, it's as if they're welded together- -"
"As I told you before, it's a contact point," Aberforth said with a put-upon sigh, "much better for magical transfer than the other two hundred odd airborne core lines contact points they currently share.
"They shouldn't be exchanging anything, it's unnatural," Harry said resentfully.
"Just because you don't understand this new form of magic, doesn't mean it's not beneficial to your former friend. Tell me Harry – does all of 'this' make you – feel jealous of Ron? He is not only more powerful than you are with a wand – he has also done more in the last few months to bring down Tom and his DE than you've done in the last three years combined?" Even the efforts of my brothers famous 'Order' pales in comparison. Aberforth inquired with a raised eyebrow and unable to resist the perverted urge to tease the boy, he said:
"Would you prefer that Ron share his core power spunk with Granger through fornication?
"Hell-no, and he can have her when they wake-up - - if he's stupid enough to take that super nagger back. I'm just worried about Ginny's reaction to the girl everyone's called a slag - chatting up her brother –
"Harry – please! - My theory that they are communicating via telepathy, is just that - - a theory, Aberforth said his tone amused. "Telepathy is a Muggle concept; there hasn't been a case of magical telepathy in all of our recorded history. I just thought that it would be nice if their minds merged, for a-bit. Spoken words are things that people often trip on. A mind to mind connection would bypass the loads of misunderstanding that kept them apart in the past.
"The important point is whatever they are doing in there; it broke the hex connection Albus put you under. Your emotions are your-own again. I still don't know for sure what he did and I not sure I could have canceled it on my own. I have a solid theory about Albus altering inhibitions – in Granger - - but I have no concrete evidence of how he connected you both on a mental level - that didn't involve an emotional linking. You should be grateful, that Ron did this for you - and it's even possible that they'll never emerge from this shared coma. A joint sacrifice so that you can fulfill your prophecy.
"Tweaky" – Aberforth commanded.
"You called Tweaky?
"Yes, I need you to understand that your master's family will be arriving shortly and they may attempt to separate - -"
"Separate master-n-mistress, would be very-very bad - - they-are soul-bonded now - - it would also hurt mistress's tiny-tiny baby, yes - - it would," The elf answered as if that should end any argument.
"WHAT BABY?" - came a stern question from the opening of the tent, cringing and turning slowly around, Harry saw Molly Prewett' Weasley, looking furious - - glaring straight at Harry.
"Master-n-mistress, and who are you?" The house-elf asked in a dangerous tone while assuming a defensive position in-between her master and this perceived threat.
"Tweaky this is Molly, your master's mother," Aberforth said amused beyond words to describe.
"Aberforth you old codger, don't try to pull any of your silly pranks on me - - no-one in my family owns a house-elf.
"Your youngest son now-does," Aberforth said now openly chucking softly at Molly's look of shocked surprise. You haven't seen your son since early November and a-lot has happened to him in the last three months. "Tweaky; for example, was an abused-elf …near death, when Ronald rescued it from Jugson - - a Death Eater he was - visiting – for Intel-questioning.
"What does this have to do with a baby - - ?
"- - Knowing that a house-elf would prefer death to freedom," Aberforth rambled on ignoring Molly's tiny-baby question. "Ron offer to exchange Jugson's worthless life - for his one and only house-elf. He made the DE, - - the last of the Judson bloodline, by the way – in an unbreakable oath - - transfer all kinship rights of the elf-slave to Ron's personal household. Now the only way to do that - as house-elves cannot be sold, only inherited – was for the head of the Judson household to magically declare Ron his sole heir.
So a Death Eater adopted my son Ron?
"Legally yes, but without either giving up their proper surname. Judson could renege on the deal concerning the house-elf transfer - by having a marriage produced son of his flesh and blood, and naming it his sole heir. Unfortunately – before he could do that - - he paid with his life – the very next morning for failing to better-resist Ronald's attack on the Jugson's family home. You-know-who had lost half the DE operational treasury that night so his anger was somewhat justified.
"A house elf – eh? And it is bonded by blood to serve Ron exclusively," Arthur Weasley asked in a very amused tone - as he too stepped into the tent beside his wife.
"Yes Arthur; your youngest son now has a house elf and is sole heir to the late Judson's estate. The manor house was burnt to the ground, during a 'RW' resistance raid - but all the gold in the London Gringotts vault, was safely transferred into Gringotts of Paris – more than enough to support a wife and child - - that is if he lives long enough to have them.
"Hello Aberforth - - Arthur said in greeting, My Ronnie I hear - like the rest of us Weasley's are wanted witches and wizards, the DE have a two thousand galleon reward for his capture alone – so how did this gold get to Paris,
"I arranged it for him, Arthur – along with the creation of the "Rupert Grint Resettlement Fund" which is where most of the DE operational treasury ended-up. That gold we procure from the wealthier DE ironically is used to help Muggleborn and Half-blood refuges reestablish themselves while in exile. I have friends high up among the Goblin leadership and they believe it is their vested interest to appear neutral in the human conflict. The resistance often adds to the Grint fund by recovering certain otherwise untraceable stolen items. It also provides operational funds for the resistance that I manage.
"Who is Rupert Grint?
"He was a young man, barely twenty – a Muggleborn wizard, - - the first volunteer into the resistance and the first to die in combat in an operation called 'wild target.'
"Enough distraction with trifles" - - Molly snarled – "What is that shameless jezebel doing touching my son's hand? Ronald Bilus - - wake up this instant, let go of that horrible slag - at once.
"Molly – your son and the former Miss Granger are currently in a coma, as a result of injuries sustained during the successful destruction of you-know-who's headquarters at Malfoy Manner," Madam Pomfrey snapped from behind Molly in an irritated tone. "Their hand contact has not only been very soothing to both patients. It is a-part of a special healing technic also developed by Aberforth Dumbledore to counter certain hexes the - DE - Bellatrix Lestrange used at Malfoy Manor
"If Harry would be kind enough to keep an eye on your son and his lady - -" Aberforth said in a deliberately deceptive play on words - for the old man had not identified who's Lady Hermione now was.
"- - perhaps you, Arthur and I can go outside where I can give you a more detailed report on your son's activities since he left Hogwarts last term.
Oh and congratulations Mr. Potter – on your 'friend's' – - most unexpected pregnancy," Aberforth said as he departed chuckling loudly and thus implying that Harry was now permanently trapped into a marriage he would always hate.
Harry was stunned as well, looking so horrified he didn't hear the House-elf declared angrily in a half mumble.
"Not a Potter baby at all – its pure wheezy. "