January
Friday 3 January, 1992 Hogwarts Express heading North
Harry met up with Hermione and Neville at King's Cross the morning the students were scheduled to return to school. He had already sent Hedwig off earlier and told her to take her time.
"Harry! It's good to see you again," gushed Hermione, "How was your holidays? Thank you for the gift certificate to Flourish and Blott's!"
"Hi, Hermione and you're welcome. Thank you for your present as well. They were good once I was able to get away from my relatives. I found out that my Primary Three and Five teachers are getting married in March and that Dumbledore prevented Remus Lupin from seeking me out all those past years. We spent the rest of the holidays together and got to know each other. He's a nice guy; he was one of my parents' best friends when they were in school together. He's sort of my honorary uncle."
"That's good to hear despite Dumbledore's interference." Hermione said, "I guess you read the article about the Headmaster being arrested?" Harry nodded, "I can't believe that he could be so cruel."
"That's not the half of things. Dumbledore's been causing problems outside of the school as well. He broke into my relatives' house and set up illegal wards and curses apparently all designed so I'd be attacked, or beaten, or…whatever! What Dumbledore didn't know was that he was being recorded. Uncle Vernon asked me to escort him to the DMLE after we arrived at the train station at the start of the holidays." Harry informed them about the events following their arrival at King's Cross. Hermione was horrified and sickened that the Headmaster would do such things while Neville had a grim look on his face. He asked Harry for and received permission to share this with his grandmother and inform her of what transpired.
"So what was your parents' reaction to learning their daughter is now a published author?" Harry asked Hermione in order to change the subject to a happier topic.
"Oh, my gosh! They were thrilled! Let me tell you…" So Hermione began to gush about her parents' reactions and the conversation they had. She said that she was sad that she couldn't share the news with anyone outside of her immediate family, as they weren't 'in the know' about the magical world.
Just then the door to their compartment opened and Draco swaggered in and sneered, "Well, Potter, it looks like your 'great and glorious' leader has finally dived off into the deep end." Crabbe and Goyle, his ever-present human bookends chuckled maliciously.
"My leader? Hah! That's a laugh, Malfoy. He's the idiot who's responsible for dropping me off with my muggle relatives." Harry snarked back, "Let me ask you something though, since Dumbledore was sacked, would your father and his faction have a problem with McGonagall officially stepping in?"
Draco responded with a perplexed look and rather dumbfounded by the abrupt change of conversation, "Um… I…don't know. Maybe?"
"Find out for me, would you? I'd have no problem if the man were thrown in prison for the rest of his life. McGonagall though, would make a fine leader." Harry replied.
Draco left with his cronies, a confused look still plastered on his face. Once the door latched shut, all three of them burst out laughing.
"Well, I guess that's one way of getting rid of him without resorting to violence!" laughed Hermione with Neville practically on the floor trying to recover his dignity and wheezing for air.
"If there's one thing I've learned about the blonde idiot is that he's been clearly sorted into the wrong house. I mean, seriously, barging in like that and snarking off at us? I'd expect that of the Weasley twit!" Harry said to more laughter.
The train pulled into the Hogsmeade station a little past five in the early evening. The students disembarked from their compartments and caught a ride in a horseless carriage up to the castle. When they got into the Great Hall, Harry craned his head to see if the DMLE had released Dumbledore. To his happiness, the old goat was no longer sitting in his golden throne. In fact, said throne was no longer in the place of the Headmaster's usual spot.
In his place was Minerva McGonagall, she rose to her feet and said to the assembled students, "Welcome back to the start of the new year. I hope that everyone has had a pleasant holiday and is eager to getting back to their studies. I'm sure many of you have questions regarding the disposition of our former headmaster but now is not the time to discuss it. So without further ado, let the Returning Feast begin."
Saturday 4 January, 1992 Great Library
Harry was sitting at his and Hermione's favorite table studying for an upcoming exam for Potions that had been announced before everyone left for their holidays. Hermione, sitting opposite of him, was busy doing the same. Neville came in about fifteen minutes later and sat down just observing them.
"Harry?" he began, "I've always wondered about something. Why haven't you just tested out of Potions? With the creation of the Assistant, you could easily sit your OWLs or even your NEWTs."
Harry looked up and pondered Neville's question for a moment, "I guess I could and I could also test out for a number of other subjects as well but I think the main reason is that I'd miss the social interaction with the other kids."
Hermione looked up sharply, "Do you mean that you could've not taken this class? I didn't even know that was possible!" She whisper-yelled.
Harry just nodded, "My other reasoning is that I didn't want to be viewed as some sort of 'uber-smart' or 'The-Great-Harry-Potter' or any other kind of nonsense like that. I have enough of a problem with all the adulation I get from being the supposed 'Boy-Who-Lived' crap as a result of that night for something I don't even remember. I did do a bit of research a couple of years ago. There is a protection ritual that uses a series of runes that my mother could've engraved on my crib as well as marked upon my head and body. To protect against the power of the Killing Curse, the runic protection would have to be powered by the sacrificial act of love for another, in this case my mother's life for mine. Now tell me how a fifteen-month old baby was supposed to be able to do all that?"
Both Hermione and Neville thought about Harry's explanation. Little did they know that Severus was in the aisle right next to them and heard Harry's explanation as well. It certainly was more plausible than the usual rubbish he heard about the boy's survival and most definitely gelled with what he remembered of Lily's brilliance.
Monday 6 January, 1992 Saint Mungo's Hospital, London
Healer Jeremy Brenner was the Healer on Duty when Albus Dumbledore was brought in after his arrest just before the start of the holidays. He along with everyone else present were stunned at the sight of the most revered man since Merlin, strapped into a wheelchair and pushed into Ward 49. The old man just sat there with a vacant stare and a slight drool. Jeremy rushed up to the lead Auror and asked what happened.
"Sorry, Healer, I'm not entirely sure. All I know is that yesterday Albus received a copy of the Daily Prophet and just…snapped. We had to stun him because of his ranting and ravings were potentially harmful, especially someone his age."
Jeremy hurried to the nurses' station to call for a mind healer. When one arrived, Jeremy informed her of the situation, "No one has any idea as to what caused the breakdown though it might have something to do with the article Dumbledore supposedly read while in custody. We've put him in Ward 49 in the Janus Thickney section. I'll need a report as soon as possible." The mind healer nodded and headed off to the ward.
Later as he was settling in for a cup of tea and a scone, the mind healer returned with her report, "It's a mess to say the least, sir. His mind is so fragmented right now that it was extremely difficult to get any sort of clear images. The best I was able to get was his anger towards Harry Potter and the Board of Governors. It seems obvious now, but I will recommend that you have someone bind his magic down so he's not a danger to himself or anyone else. He's essentially catatonic and won't respond to very many outside commands. The ones he does respond to are the same that an infant would; eat, sleep, and drink, that sort of thing."
"Were you able to determine what it was about the article from the Daily Prophet that set him off?" Jeremy asked.
The mind healer pursed her lips and slowly shook her head, "Not as yet though you might want to have some go through his effects from the time of his incarceration." She shrugged concomitantly.
"Ok, thank you Healer. You're dismissed," Jeremy replied and leaned back in his chair to think about the situation. He'd work on his report later, right now he needed to contact the DMLE for their side of things.
Monday 13 January, 1992 Great Hall
A week after returning from their holidays, Harry was reading his Herbology textbook at breakfast when the morning post arrived. Hedwig landed in front of him and dropped off the paper and a letter. She waited most impatiently for him to acknowledge her and when he didn't respond she grabbed the book he was reading with her talon and tugged hard on it.
"PREK!"
Harry jumped at the sudden movement of the book and Hedwig's admonishment, "My Lady! This humble servant is most sorry for his lack of attention. I was absorbed by the information in preparation for a quiz later today and didn't notice your arrival. How might this impertinent chick make it up for you?" He apologized profusely.
"Hoot."
"Of course, Milady. I shall endeavor to retrieve as much bacon as I can carry. As a more immediate apology, may I have the honor of carrying you back up to the Owlery so that way you might rest?" He inquired with a bit of melodramatic-ness.
Hedwig bobbed her head so Harry packed up his books and stuff then placed Hedwig on his shoulder for the ride back to the Owlery. As he passed the others, he heard a bit of sniggering to his conversation with his owl but just raised his nose in mock-pomposity and ignored them.
"Pay no attention to the plebes, milady. They couldn't possibly understand your importance nor our relationship as mistress and servant!"
"Hoot!" huffed Hedwig, giving her own imperious stare at the others as the two of them exited the Great Hall.
Once he delivered Hedwig to the Owlery for her rest, Harry proceeded back to the kitchens to get a snack of some kind that didn't need to be refrigerated or was too messy to eat with one hand. He opened the paper and saw the headline in big, bold letters.
Sirius Black Innocent!
By Argus O'Malley
Ten years ago last Halloween, a date which will forever live in the memories of us all, a family was torn apart by one of history's most evil dark wizards. At the time, it was thought that Sirius Black assisted He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named in finding the Potter family. Sirius Black was on record as the family's Secret-Keeper as part of the ritual known as the Fidelius Charm. This ritual, in part, hides a secret from the knowledge from all others unless imparted by the Keeper. Upon Mr. Black's arrest, he was heard as saying over and over 'I killed them.' At the time, it was thought that he betrayed his friends for the dark side. Now though, this reporter has learned that Mr. Black never received a trial after his arrest! He was summarily thrown into Azkaban and the key 'thrown away.' New evidence has surfaced that shows that Sirius Black was in fact, young Harry Potter's godfather as per 'The Godfather Ritual.' This ritual would've killed Mr. Black the moment he tried to harm the boy! After given a trial and Veritiserum was used, the court and this reporter has learned that it was in fact another 'friend' of theirs who was the Secret-Keeper, Mr. Peter Andrew Pettigrew!
The article continued and discussed at length about the evidence that was presented, the Potter Family Will and the revelations gained from the interview using Veritiserum. At the end, the court declared Sirius to be innocent and sent to Saint Mungo's as part of their recovery treatment process for those released from the wizarding prison.
Harry read the article with joy in his heart and a huge smile on his face. He could only imagine what Dumbledore must be going through right now, as it was mentioned in the article that he was the presiding Chief Warlock at the time of Sirius' 'arrest.' He wondered if the old goat was the one responsible for not looking deeper into the whole scandal. It wouldn't surprise him, as Dumbledore was the one responsible for dumping him at the Dursleys.
He caught up with his class as they were about to head into the classroom to take their quiz. Spotting Hermione, he gave her a brief wave when he caught her eye then motioned for her to join him when class let out. She nodded then took her seat. The quiz turned out to be fairly easy; the bulk of it was an essay on the proper planting and caring for mundane desert plants and what they would do in a given scenario. The rest of the quiz was a ten question multiple choices that covered the different implements used during last term.
Once the students were finished with their quizzes, they were dismissed and asked to wait quietly outside for the others to finish and the next lesson to begin. Harry sidled up next to Hermione and asked her if she had read the morning paper regarding Sirius' trial and innocence.
"Yes, I did and I'm so happy that he was found innocent. It does beg the question as to why it had to happen in the first place. It sounds like something dodgy happened and proper procedures weren't followed." Hermione rushed out.
Harry filled her in onto his thoughts and theories as to what happened and why. She could kind of see the conspiracy theory and sympathized with him.
"It's a shame that Dumbledore has it locked into his head that anyone else is not capable of coming up with ideas or making their own decisions. In some ways, it kind of reminds me of the way people who have been spoiled as children. They've been coddled for so long, they don't have a clue as to handle other opinions." She said.
"I know, right? It's rather disturbing how similar it is. According to Professor Snape, Dumbledore wanted me to live with my muggle relatives so that way I'd be raised away from all the adulation and celebrity in this world. Snape, however, feels that Dumbledore probably hoped that the Dursleys would've been more abusive or something that would've caused me serious or life-threatening harm and I wouldn't have been able to come back." He shrugged nonchalantly, "Ehh, it doesn't matter anymore. I'm here and I'm not going away."
"So what are your plans for new inventions and such?" asked Hermione, changing the subject.
"Nothing major in the works, just refinements of existing items. I got a letter from my Primary Five teacher, Mr. Cody, who now runs the manufacturing facility that produces the Assistants. He said that the journal is practically flying off the shelves faster than they can make them. There's apparently a three month long backlog of journal orders just for Britain and seven months for the rest of the world!"
"That's great, Harry! It just goes to show; right product at the right time." Hermione congratulated him.
"It's still shocking even after all this time. I originally created it just for my own usage. I never thought I'd be a celebrity for something I actually did than for something that everyone thinks I did." He mused.
After Herbology, the two of them made their way down to the lake to sit under their favorite tree while waiting for Neville to join them. They were discussing various elements of their lives back home and how things differed to the magical world when Draco Malfoy and his two human bookends showed up.
Sighing, Harry looked up at Draco who had a sneer on his face, "What is it, Malfoy? Is it that time again for another 'potion treatment?'" Hermione just quietly chuckled.
"Very amusing, Potter. No, I'm here cause I wanted to see how you're responding to the fact that your godfather is a loony who should've remained locked up for everyone's safety. I've heard that he still howls at the moon and that he enjoys chasing after sticks."
"Yes, yes Draco. Most amusing. Did you come up with those innuendos yourself or did mummy and daddy help you with them?" Harry asked in a condescending voice. He turned a gimlet eye to Crabbe and Goyle, "What about you two? Any other witty remarks you'd like to make about someone who had to spend ten years in hell for something he didn't do?" Both boys just dropped their heads and mumbled no while shuffling their feet.
"Mr. Malfoy, your attitude is most unbecoming of a Slytherin. Are you sure that you were sorted properly? I would think that mummy and daddy would've properly educated you on the knowledge of just who Sirius Black is but it's clearly apparent that either they didn't or you're just not…teachable. It's a shame really and for your sake, I hope that Sirius doesn't find out about it. It could lead to all sorts of…future nastiness, what with him being Heir Apparent for the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Black. I may have to inform him of the blatant lies and innuendo being spread by you. As his godson, it would be imperative that I keep him up to date."
With that admonishment ringing in his ears and his face paling, Draco and company turned and hightailed it out of the area. Harry just gave a mirthless chuckle and leaned back against the trunk of the tree. Hermione on the other hand, finally figured out what the message Harry was trying to get across.
"Harry? Did you just pull rank on Draco?"
"Yup. I had to learn the basics of the 'political battlefield' last summer. I once gave an interview to Potioneer's Monthly to a room full of purebloods whose attitudes resembled Draco's. Mr. Cody helped me with the preparation and gave me a book on wizarding etiquette and a 'who's who' of the magical world's purebloods. It was there I learned about some of my family's history and our place within society. It's probably why I've been able to get along with most everyone here. Imagine if I was re-introduced to this world not knowing who I or my family was?"
"How did no one recognize you?" she asked.
"Miss Honeybloom charmed my hair to a dusty brown and my eyes to a non-descript blue. She then used a glamour to hide my scar. Plus, I introduced myself as Harold Talbot. They had no reason to suspect otherwise." Harry replied.
"So what was that part about knowing who Sirius Black is?" she enquired.
"Sirius, whether he likes it or not, is… well, he has some parchment work that needs to be dealt with first, he will be the Head of the Most Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. The family dates back to the Middle Ages during the Second Crusades. The Blacks were once a political powerhouse until recently when Voldemort decimated the British pureblood community with that stupid war. The only families older than the Blacks, at least in Britain, are the Potters and Longbottoms. My family was one of the first on the island during the Ice Age migrations and the Longbottoms were originally Viking conquerors. Draco's mother was born a Black therefore any slight against Sirius is to imply that his mother is improperly teaching him bad manners and such. If Sirius were so inclined, he could disown her from the family and withdraw the dowry paid to the Malfoys or even dissolve their marriage."
"Wow!" she exclaimed, "that's impressive."
"Give you three guesses as to how my family got the name of 'Potter?" Harry asked with a cheeky grin. Hermione just gave him a playful shove.