The Half Blood Prince Revealed

Summary :

Harry's summer before sixth year is no different from the others. Around every corner surprises, good and bad, and adventure of all kind await. And it looks like the gods have finally granted Harry a possibility for a nicer life. What will this mean for his 6th year at Hogwarts ?

General Disclaimer :

I am just playing in the sand of JKRowling's literary produced beach and am attempting to build my own sandcastle for others to enjoy.

Author's note :

So sorry I missed last week's update. I was seriously under the weather and it has taken me the best part of the week to get better. I'm making up for that though by posting two chapters today. Should be back to update next Saturday.

13 Long lost relatives

On Saturday morning Professor Dumbledore came by. He wanted to have a word with Remus and the Weasley parents regarding Order business, with Harry and if he was willing also with Mr Black.

With most more private spots on the ground floor already taken, Harry and Professor Dumbledore took a seat in Harry's large suite.

"There were a few things I wanted to tell you, Harry.

First of all, thank you for the note last Thursday. I passed the message on to Kingsley and Moody and they are going to keep an eye out on the property. They believe the Lestranges won't be going anywhere near the house now you've inherited it. But maybe some others might not be quite so smart.

I also wanted to keep you informed on the Voldemort front. Professor Snape has told us that apparently Voldemort is not doing too good at the moment. Possessing you and double-apparating with Bellatrix in such a short time somehow seems to have taken its toll. Professor Snape is constantly making potions for him to at least keep him going. Voldemort is sending out his Death Eaters, but with everyone on alert, nobody's been seriously hurt. I believe his forces are weakened with the most senior Death Eaters in holding cells. The only concern we have are the dementors. Some seem to have sided up with Voldemort and are causing some depression-plagues among the muggles. We fear that once Voldemort regains his strength and senses a bit more he might well stage an attack with them.

In the mean time Minister Fudge has acknowledged Voldemort has returned, and looks to be doing all the right things to protect the community, but in reality there's little being done. Amelia Bones from the Auror Department on the other hand, has organised Patronus classes as of next Monday for anyone who wants to learn about them. She heard that you and you fellow DA members were well on the way to learn and/or teach it, so she wanted to do something similar for the parents. The idea would be that if the people want more, regular sessions like it would be organised teaching them defence and protection spells, so they can hold out until help arrives. Since the teachers are all volunteers, the ministry can't do anything about them. Fudge did try though but the people from the Daily Prophet were quick to ridicule him so he stopped the protesting."

It would have been incredibly stupid of the Lestranges to remain in that house, so that news had not surprised Harry. However, the news of a weakened Voldemort brought some relief. Even though his friends and he were well protected he'd been worried that Voldemort would lash out in his frustration or anger. To find he was weakened … That news brought Harry the additional knowledge that he might just have a chance at beating the guy after all. As for Fudge, well no surprise there. Harry only hoped he wouldn't let Malfoy and his cronies off the hook again.

"Last but not least, Harry, on a much happier note, I looked into the family of your gardeners and have found that Mr Teague is, albeit very distantly, related to Mr Weasley and his brothers. I believe you are aware that Ginny was the first girl in many generations to be born in the Weasley family. Well Mr Teague is the sole remaining descendant of the previously last Weasley female. Apparently those red hairs are very dominant ! The Waverlys on the other hand have no other family left with neither their parents nor grandparents having had siblings."

"Well," said Harry, "in that case I'm afraid Mr Teague will be meeting an awful lot of family tomorrow, as Bill, Charlie and Percy will be here too. You will be here too, Professor ? Do we tell them about it ? I know I'd like to find distant relatives, but maybe they don't ?"

"Why don't we play it by ear, hmm. Let's see how they react tomorrow. I mean, they might hate each other on first sight."

Harry grinned, thinking that for Mr Weasley to hate anyone on sight, they'd have to wear a badge or tattoo saying "I loathe muggles".

The two of them made their way downstairs where Mr Black was waiting for them. He offered the use of the study for the headmaster's talk with the Order members and would join him there later for their own talk.

Harry made his way to the kitchen, in search of some juice. He found the entire gang sitting at the kitchen table talking and laughing, so served himself some juice and joined them. He hardly sat down when Hermione looked at him and asked "Well ?".The others had also stopped their conversation and were eagerly awaiting Harry's reply.

Harry told them about Voldemort being weakened, the Patronus classes that would start as of Monday and also about the Lestrange house and surveillance it would now be under.

This lead the twins to speculate on Harry's new role as head of the family. With Malfoy a Black descendant it made him a part of Harry's family now and the twins came up with all sorts of things Harry could order Malfoy to do. Harry had to grin at the image they conjured with their silliness. Draco coming to Harry for pocket money indeed ! But Harry did make a mental note to ask Mr Black about the Head of Family role. He did not want to find out that all this joking would actually hold even the smallest bit of truth.

The next morning found not only Harry but also Mrs Weasley and Ginny waiting by the staircase in the hall for the arrival of the three eldest Weasley siblings. Harry held back until the Weasley women had given the three a warm hug and kisses before welcoming them to Black Manor. Since everyone else was currently by the pool, working up an appetite Harry suggested to head that way and doing the grand tour some time after lunch.

"You should have told us there was a pool, Harry. We could have brought our things to join you." Said a disappointed Charlie.

"That's not a problem, guys. You'll find all you need in the changing cubicles at the back of the room."

Hearing this the three grinned, called a general hello at the others and hurried down to the cubicles. Mere minutes later they re-emerged wearing swimming trunks in different shades of grey. Bill and Charlie in their enthusiasm made a big leap into the pool, only to emerge to general laughter as they too were thoroughly protected with garishly coloured swim bands, very much like their three youngest brothers had been earlier. It didn't take Bill and Charlie quite so long to have the safety measures removed altogether when it became clear they were accomplished swimmers, much like their parents. It was quite some time later that Harry exited the pool to take a breather and sat with Remus watching the entire Weasley clan frolicking around in the pool. With Neville and Hermione as first ones to prepare for lunch and guests that would soon be upon them, the Weasleys were the only ones left in the pool and Harry regarded them with a bit of envy in his eyes. Growing up with a family like them …

Remus, sensing his mood, grabbed him by the shoulder and observed : "It would have been nice Harry to grow up with parents and siblings maybe, but you would not be the Harry we know and love now. For all you know you might have ended up like Malfoy !"

Harry couldn't help but laugh at the deadpan way Remus came with that observation and after thanking him went ahead and got changed in readiness for the coming guests.

Harry had barely finished when Professor Dumbledore arrived ahead of time.

"Hello again, Harry. I had finished my chores for the day and decided I preferred to be here rather than at Hogwarts so I came a bit early. I do hope you don't mind ? Professor McGonagall arrived back late yesterday from her stay with her sister in Australia and I wanted to be out of her way. All that apparating leaves her cranky for a day or so. Her return also means you'll be getting your results in the next few days, as promised ahead of the others so you can do your shopping in relative calm."

"Thank you for arranging that sir. It'll be nice to see Diagon Alley again."

With a small crack Mrs Longbottom arrived in the centre of the hall as well. She looked a bit sheepish when she excused herself.

"I was so looking forward to coming here again I just couldn't wait a moment longer. I do hope you don't mind."

Harry couldn't help himself and was smiling broadly. "It's no problem at all, Mrs Longbottom. As a matter of fact Professor Dumbledore couldn't wait either and arrived even earlier."

Mrs Longbottom smiled back at Harry and he was surprised at the change in her face that smile brought. Thinking she must have had a hard life, what with her son and daughter in law in such a state at St Mungo's and looking after a young boy …

When the three of them arrived in the kitchen it was to find the Weasley clan with Remus, Neville and Hermione amongst them had made it out of the pool and were now sitting at the kitchen table still talking animatedly. With his usual aplomb Ron said "Oh good Mrs Longbottom, Professor Dumbledore. You're here early. That means we can eat soon too."

They all laughed but Mrs Weasley lightly smacked him on the head berating him for his lack of manners.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, Ron. But I'm expecting four more people to join us. Joe and David are the gardeners. They usually come round very early in the morning but I wanted to make sure you knew them should you ever come across them. Their brother Luke and their friend Elijah are coming too. And if you are wondering if they are trustworthy, it's the wards that allow them on the estate in the first place."

Looking back upon the day from the comfort of his four-poster bed Harry was very happy at the way things had gone. After the first very awkward introduction (with three Mr Waverly's and no fewer than seven Mr Weasley's) the introductions had been made on first name basis. As was to be expected Mr Weasley had taken to all four of them, especially when they confessed their knowledge of muggle DIY. When Luke and the twins were introduced they discovered their shared love of invention and they spent a large part of the afternoon exchanging ideas. Elijah and Neville had been talking up a storm when Harry had told Mr Teague of Neville's mimbulus mimbletonia.

The biggest surprise had come when Joe had suddenly called out "Gussie, it's you !" and had swept Neville's grandmother up in a tight embrace and swung her around. It left them both rosy cheeked and slightly embarrassed. It had turned out that when Mrs Longbottom had been a young child she'd spent her summers with her aunt. Said aunt lived close to the Waverly family and the young Augusta, Gussie to her friends, had spent many hours playing with the Waverly siblings. That fateful summer her aunt had been ill so she hadn't visited and by the next year the entire family had disappeared.

As if to prove she really was Gussie Mrs Longbottom had recounted many of the adventures they'd lived through and slowly the three other men had to admit the stories were indeed true.

It had been a bit of a sticky moment when Mrs Longbottom had asked after the rest of the Waverly family, and Joe had asked Harry if he had not warned his guests of them. He had responded that it wasn't his secret to tell, and that he was sure no one would mind, other than that it had happened to them.

So Joe, once again had given a short version of their story, and had been pleasantly surprised by the lack of animosity from the listeners. Only the eldest Mr Weasley had seemed a bit put off, but the reason for this became known quite quickly, as suddenly he'd left the room to pop back some ten minutes later with an old photo album.

"Arthur Weasley, what in Merlin's name is that all about ?"

"I'm sorry Molly, and you all, but I wanted to be certain of something and this photo album has the proof I wanted. It's about Mr Teague."

Everybody present, save Harry and Professor Dumbledore were looking very curious now and it was Ginny who drew the conclusion out loud. "He's family !"

Arthur beamed at his only daughter, as she continued "I mean, with the red hair, it was no surprise, was it guys !"

Mr Weasley had explained that although he had not yet been around at the time, his mother, recently having met his father, had been aghast at the idea to loose one's only child. She had recounted the albeit incorrect story many times while going through the family albums. Arthur, keen on anything family related, had remembered the story and the name Teague and the parents' subsequent death had therefore struck a chord. Professor Dumbledore had explained he'd done some research and come across the last Weasley female link. When told of the lack of living family for the Waverly's Luke had shrugged and said "We always had each other, but Elijah has always felt a bit like the odd one out. I guess that little problem has now solved itself."

The whole day had been quite a success and Harry was quietly reassured that his plans for potions lessons just might work out well.

- - -

Author's Note :

Thanks for reading. Would love some feedback from you though.

If you enjoyed this (and previous) chapter(s), you might be interested to know the story is a few chapters further along on my yahoo group (for link see profile page).

Have a nice weekend all.

kadedeetje