A/N: I'm kind of in the zone right now with this story so updates might come pretty quick. In the next few weeks I will be posting the starts of a couple more stories so keep an eye out. Hope you like this chapter.
Standard Disclaimer-I don't own Harry Potter. Just the stuff I make up about him.
Chapter 5 - Order of the Phoenix
Harry didn't wake the next day until nearly mid day. He needed the sleep and no one seemed too keen on waking him up. His meeting with the goblin council had been an exciting one. He had filled in the others when he returned to Shell Cottage the night before. It was a long night. So many questions and only him to answer them. Griphook had stayed at Gringott's and returned to wherever it was that he called home. He did promise that either he or Rockfang would be in touch soon. For the first time in a long time Harry felt good about the war. He felt like they could win this thing and return England to some semblance of civilization. Right now everything was chaos and anyone who stood for what was right was considered a fugitive. More than any of that, he just wanted peace. He'd been alive for almost 18 years and 17 of those were spent in constant danger. Whether it was from his horrible relatives, Voldemort, or the Dark Tosser's faithful minions, life had never been easy. He just wanted to settle down and enjoy life. He hadn't said anything to Ron and Hermione yet but he was really dying to see Ginny. He needed to tell her that he never should have broken up with her and that if she'll have him, he wanted her back. Then maybe after he defeated Voldemort he could marry her and have a real life and a real family. A knock at the door broke him out of his day dreaming.
"Harry? You awake? Fleur and Dobby made brunch. I know you have to be hungry."
"Yeah, just a minute Hermione, let me put a shirt on and I'll be down. See you in a minute."
"OK hurry up. Dobby won't let anyone else eat until you come down and Ron is chomping at the bit."
"Sure thing Mione. Just a sec."
Harry joined the rest at the table and to his amusement he saw Dobby standing on the table in front of Ron with an oversized rolling pin cocked back like a club ready to strike at any minute.
"Thank God you're here," muttered Ron. "Bloody mental house elf won't let me eat. He already beat my hand with that rolling pin of his for trying to sneak a measly roll."
Harry laughed out loud and everyone else snickered or giggled along with him.
"Ron, Dobby is not mental. Dedicated, hard working, and diligent are better words. Thank you Dobby for defending your hard work from being spoiled by the likes of this red headed nutritional black hole."
Everyone else burst into laughter as Dobby turned, smiled then bowed low to Harry in thanks.
"You is welcome Harry Potter sir. Dobby is most relieved you think so. Harry Potter's Weezy friend thinks Dobby is crazy. Dobby thinks Ron Weezy eats like animal and should consider others who have to eat. Now that Mast…Harry Potter is here, everybody should eat now." Dobby disappeared and in his place was left a veritable smorgasbord of breakfast and lunch like foods. The snickers and laughter died down quickly as everyone realized just how hungry they were and tucked in.
As he ate Harry thought about what needed to happen next. The night before when Harry had mentioned the 'goblin hit squads' and their plans to eliminate death eaters a few at a time, Ron had thought the idea was brilliant. He suggested that they do the same. After all, with Harry's new powers, they weren't in much danger he reasoned. Hermione had argued that there was always danger even with Harry around and that Ron shouldn't talk about taking lives in such a cavalier fashion. Harry's opinions on killing death eaters had changed recently. He didn't consider it murder when you killed a murderer while defending yourself, but he wasn't going to seek them out, or hunt them down either. There was a line somewhere in there between self defense and murder and he didn't want to tread too closely to it. Harry had then mentioned that they should finish their mission and then prepare for one final confrontation where they would have as much help as possible and others could distract the death eaters while he faced Voldemort. Ron and Hermione reluctantly agreed. A tapping on his shoulder was the trigger to snap him out of his mini memory trance.
"Is you finished with your meal Mast…Harry Potter sir?"
"Yes Dobby thank you….Dobby how does the bond work between a house elf and their master. Technically you work for Hogwarts right, and you just help me as a friend? You're a free elf?"
Dobby winced and cowered for a moment. "House elves cannot be free elves for long. House elves get magic from their masters so if they be free they be losing their magic like Winky was losing hers. Professor McGonagall had to take Winky as her elf so Winky wouldn't be dying. House elves has to be accepted into their master's family then Master's magic can protect house elf. Dobby loves Harry Potter sir and Dobby can be seeing that Harry Potter sir accepts Dobby as family, so Dobby agrees to be Harry Potter's elf…Dobby is bad elf for being sneaky. Dobby will punish himself."
"No Dobby. Do not punish yourself. I do consider you family and I should have known about our bond. I should have asked you a long time ago. Dobby, you have been my elf for a long time haven't you?
"Yes Master Harry. Dobby has been your elf for 3 years. Dobby's magic was getting weak so when Dobby feels bond with Harry Potter, Dobby accepts it and his magic gets strong again."
"Dobby my first official order is this: no more calling me master or sir. Just Harry. Kreacher won't listen to me, but I think you will. Can you do that?"
"Yes Mast…Harry. Thank yous. Dobby be best elf Harry ever saw. Thank yous."
"Well that was interesting," said Hermione.
"Yeah, kinda kills SPEW if you ask me. Free elves die so…nice one Mione."
"Oh shut up you."
"What you heard him. No master. No magic."
"That doesn't mean they have to be degraded and…
"Oh would you two just snog each other and get it done with?
Ron and Hermione looked shocked. The real kicker was the source of the comment. Luna, who hadn't said but 10 words during her stay at Shell Cottage was still looking at the two of them as if expecting an answer.
"No. Well get it done soon. I don't think the rest of us can take the tension for much longer. Wrackspurts favorite meal is stress energy. If you two don't take care of it, this whole house is going to be infested."
As everyone at the table reacted in various ways to this little drama, Harry took the opportunity to get Bill's attention. "Bill I think we need to get the Order together for a meeting. What's the most secure location we have available?"
"Muriel's. It's a fortress, I warded it myself and it's under the fidelius. We will be safe there."
"Ok. Can you call a meeting for this evening? High Importance. I think I need to update a few people on what's been going on. I could use some help too."
HP+++++++HP+++++++HP
At the start of the Order meeting Harry was happy to see some familiar faces. Oliver Wood was there as were Alicia Spinnett, Katie Bell, and Angelina Johnson. Lee Jordan was there with the twins and Charlie. Unfortunately missing were Professor's McGonagall and Flitwick. They probably knew they were being watched at the school and couldn't risk it. Dora Lupin wasn't there either as she had just given birth this morning to Teddy Lupin, their first son. Harry smiled at Remus as he remembered earlier in the day when Remus had burst into Shell Cottage proclaiming it was a boy and hugging Harry at the same time. It was rare for Remus to show so much emotion so Harry had reveled in it. Harry easily agreed to be Teddy's Godfather and had fun razzing Remus about the report that Teddy's hair was already pink like his mother fancied.
Kingsley Shacklebolt stood and called the meeting to order. "I believe Harry and his friends have some news for us tonight but before we get to that does anybody have any other business?"
All the Weasley's raised their hands. The twins piped up first.
"We find it curious…"
"..that without our business being open…"
"…we find ourselves considerably wealthier…
"…than we were before. We were hoping…"
"…that could be explained to us."
All the red heads present seemed to be nodding along as if in agreement, then as the twins finished their little show all of them turned towards Harry. In order to head it all off he decided there was no time like the present.
"I've recently come into my inheritance. If your name is Weasley, Lupin, or Granger you will find yourselves suddenly quite wealthy. Remus wipe that scowl off your face, both Marauder's posthumously demanded that you be taken care of. If you fight this they'll prank you from the grave and you know it. As to Hermione and the Weasleys, well, you're my family, I have to take care of you."
"Harry dear we didn't take you in so you could reward us with money. We never wanted that," Molly Weasley said quite loudly.
"I know you never wanted it and I respect that, but the fact remains that you did take me in and I love you for it. Whether I like it or not this money is a part of who I am and you guys are going to benefit from it dammit. If you don't like it just accept it and keep your mouths shut." He said the last with a growing smirk so that everyone would know he meant no harm by it.
This led to a giant Weasley, Granger, Lupin, Potter hug that took far too long to break up.
Kingsley got everyone's attention once again. "Any other news before I give Harry the floor?"
"Xeno Lovegood is dead."
"So are John MacMillan and Cyrus Greengrass."
"Those three were all purebloods. Why would they be attacked?" inquired Molly.
"Xeno was killed because he failed to detain us after death eaters captured Luna," Hermione offered.
"John MacMillan was a spy for me in the Wizengamot and Cryus Greengrass was rumored to be smuggling half bloods out of the country," responded Kingsley.
The melancholy in the room was palpable.
"Well I have better news," said Harry. "The goblins are on our side."
"What how can that be true?" asked Hestia Jones. "The goblins have always remained neutral in wizard conflicts. The only time they fight is against us for their own reasons."
"Well it's true this time," Harry answered. "I met with the Goblin Nations Council."
"You've met Rockfang and Ragnok?" asked Arthur in shock.
"I have, and the rest of the council as well. Rockfang himself actually handles my finances, but that doesn't matter. What matters is they're with us, and that's just the beginning. The Malfoy's, Bellatrix, Wormtail, Greyback, Nott Sr., Avery, and 9 other no name death eaters have been killed by me in the last 5 days. Before you lose your minds…let me explain."
Harry took the next half hour or so to tell them everything with the exception of the Hallows and the horcruxes. He had to go outside and show everyone his griffin form which they were all impressed with, even Molly Weasley. Remus insisted he have a marauder's name. They agreed on 'Talon'. It was a solid name and worthy of a marauder. As the meeting headed back inside, Harry continued.
"Look, Ron, Mione and I have a mission that Dumbledore gave us. We can't tell you any more about it, but we're almost done, and when we're done we'll be ready to end this." Rockfang had sent word to Harry earlier that day that Gringott's goblins had located a cup belonging to Helga Hufflepuff in the Black family vault, and confirmed it was tainted with dark soul magic, leaving just one more horcrux besides Nagini the Dark Lord's pet snake.
"We all agree that the best course of action is to take back either the ministry or Hogwarts and make a final stand there. My vote is for Hogwarts. It's only being defended by a few death eaters and dementors. They're using the wards to keep it out of our hands mainly. I think we can get around that somehow connect with the DA, McGonagall, and the other teachers and take back the school. McGonagall can take over the wards and just like that it's ours. We would probably even have as much as a week to prepare to defend it as well. Vold…The Dark Tosser doesn't move that quickly. That will give us time to get defenders there, including goblins and maybe some house elves. Voldewanker won't even know what hit him. In fact…Dobby."
Pop. "Harry calls for Dobby."
"Dobby, can you get someone through the wards of Hogwarts?"
"Dobby can get through the wards but he can't take someone else through. Magic of school is too strong."
"Can you get a message to someone specific for us?"
"Of course, who should get Harry's message?"
"Either Neville Longbottom or Seamus Finnigan. Tell them Harry wants to take back the school and needs their help. Tell them to alert the rest of the DA but to be careful and don't tip off Snape."
"Ok Harry. Dobby will do it." Pop.
"Now we wait…..
"Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, I'd really like to see Ginny would that be alright?"
Just then the door to the family room burst open and a red haired blur shot through like a rocket, hitting Harry full speed and knocking them both to the floor. Harry regained his equilibrium and said "Hi Gin. It's good to see you too!"