"Where is she going?" Kingsley asked.
"Oh, sorry, she is a wanted criminal in the sanctuary of Hogwarts. She's been sent to her dungeon cell." He smiled and turned away.
"What?" Several at the new table demanded.
"Harry you can't just kidnap a member of the Wizengamot." Kingsley tried to hide his grin.
"I didn't." He climbed the steps and took the headmaster's chair, "As heir I have the right to detain prisoners who are a danger to this school or its students. She was arrested for torturing students during her time as a professor."
"How did she torture students?" he asked.
"Blood quill." Harry answered and leaned over the table to show his own fist, "We had to use it to write lines for detention. Blood quills were banned from Hogwarts per the change in our charter in 1768 when it was deemed to be too harsh of a punishment for minors."
"Harry, did you say you are the heir?" August Longbottom was one of the people Harry had insisted should come.
"I am." Harry stated, "I am Gryffindor and Hufflepuff by family and since I conquered the last heir of Slytherin I have also gained that title. Ravenclaw had no heirs and her part was split between the other three. And as such I have declared Hogwarts a sanctuary from an unjust government. No one may ever ignore the Charter of Hogwarts."
"The Board of Governors can change the charter." Another man smirked.
"Well they could except for one little problem." Harry smirked back, "The Charter states that any group governing this school who tries to take out the sanctuary clause will be ejected and a new one picked by Hogwarts if necessary. If they continue to ignore her she will remove their magic. Since the Board of Governors must come here to make changes she has her opportunity. It doesn't take but a moment."
"What is unjust in our government?" Augusta asked with a smile.
"There are many things unjust about your government." Harry replied seriously, "First and foremost is the most recent law requiring us to marry whom you have picked. My second issue is the 'reasonable' restriction for underaged magic. I see nothing reasonable about it when it does nothing to stop the magic at magical homes it only watches muggle homes. It is just one more way you persecute them. Then we begin to talk about the laws for creatures."
"You have no say in our laws." The man from before stated.
"And you are?" Harry asked.
"Daniel Greengrass." He stated.
"Daphne, is this your father?" Harry asked.
"It is." She stood smirking at the man, "Hi Dad, I told you I'd find a way to marry who I want."
"YOU…" he began.
"Do not speak." Harry ordered and the man, though his mouth was moving no sound emerged. He turned to Harry angrily, "My word is law here. You will not speak harshly to anyone who is living here. This is a sanctuary from all laws that I don't like. If you want us to rejoin your society you will be changing the laws."
"We don't need your kind." Daniel sneered when his voice was released a moment later.
"What are you going to do without us?" Harry asked, "You are not just losing us in this room. You are also losing the friends and family and anyone else that does not agree with these forced marriages and unjust laws. Just these here out number you a twenty to one."
"That's what you think." He grinned, "We have seventy law enforcement personnel just outside the doors."
"Actually you don't." Harry grinned, "They were ejected shortly after they entered the school. I have allowed the two in the room to stay since they are just protection detail for the minister."
"I didn't authorize aurors. I didn't know you could eject them either." Kingsley's glare at Greengrass turned to a grin at Harry.
"He has complete control of the school." Minerva added from her position at the Gryffindor table, "He can do what he pleases. It's just lucky that he has a modicum of mercy for you."
"He is going to take over just like You Know Who." Greengrass growled angrily.
"No." Harry's gaze narrowed on the man, "I am nothing like that maniac. My only goal is to make a world where we can all live healthy, happy lives. If Hogwarts didn't agree she wouldn't let me continue. If I was anything like Voldemort she would not have told me I was her heir."
"Mr. Greengrass, shut up." Augusta glared at the man, "You are making a fool of yourself. No one believe Harry to be anything like that fowl, evil…"
"Minister, I am suggesting you all review the laws on the books and think again." Harry Interrupted what he was sure would be a long and deserved list of attributes, "Dinner is served."
Kingsley ignored the food and stood to talk to Harry, "What about people who have broken the law, are you hiding them too?"
"You tell me what law they have broken and I'll decide if I'll keep them or not." Harry offered, "For instance if Greyback shows up he'll be tied up with a bow and sent to you."
"Fair enough." The man nodded and turned away.
"By the way Mr. Greengrass, I have created a mail ban on harmful spells and substances, portkeys and verbal assaults." Harry offered with a slight smile, "I do not tolerate any abuse on my people. Ignore that advice at your own peril. You have been warned."
Harry made his way to the headmaster's office after the visitors had left. He entered the office and moved around the desk to sit in the chair.
"Harry?" Albus' voice had him turning around, "What are you doing my boy?"
"Hello Professor." Harry grinned, "I'm sitting in my new chair."
"What?" he wasn't the only portrait that was shocked, "What happened to Minerva?"
"This morning I was given a notice by the ministry." Harry explained about the law and the new wards on the school.
"The heir." Albus shook his head, "Only you Harry."
"I know." He agreed, "Hermione said the same thing, several times actually."
Harry slept very well that night and at breakfast the next morning they got a nice surprise. The Prophet had arrived and on the front page was a picture of Harry and Kingsley taken several months ago. The article said that Harry was the founder's heir and had set up the sanctuary wards on the school. It stated that while the marriage law had been the catalyst he was insisting that all laws be reviewed. The article was straight forward and the truth. Not something that happened very often. By noon Harry was beginning to receive mail. Not a single howler made it through his wards. He was informed of each one who tried.
"Daphne, Astoria." Harry called from the front between Sprout and McGonagall, "Your father tried to send a howler. It was turned back by the wards but just so you know, he's very angry."
"I knew that without the howler." Daphne grinned and Astoria nodded from beside Draco.
"Did anyone else get one?" Ron asked they had not heard from their parents.
"No." Harry offered a reassuring grin, "But several portkeys and hexed letters were turned back. Most of the hexes were meant for me."
"Padma and Parvait's parents sent a portkey as did Draco's mother." He offered, "Portkeys were sent back with a note attached that says you are not being held against your will though you may not be supporting the full overhaul that I am requesting."
"That works." Draco shrugged, "What is the next step?"
If everyone hadn't already been paying attention they were now. Harry looked thoughtful so they let him think without interruption. However when he started to nod his head they looked around wondering what was happening.
"We need to prepare for a siege." Harry said, "They may try to sneak in and arrest us. So preparation is the key. Werewolves that come will need to be protected on full moons. Lastly, Hagrid, I know you don't want to but we need to cull the spiders. They're numbers need to be brought into balance or we'll lose the forest and have the forbidden Acromatula nest instead."
"They wouldn't do that." Hargrid argued.
"It's in their nature to expand their territory." Harry pointed out, "The centaurs can't keep them in check anymore. They've been let go for too long. I agree that Aragog wouldn't have done anything to us but his children don't have the same feelings for you that he had."
"That's true." Hagrid agreed, "I don't have to kill them all, just cut down numbers right?"
"Right." Harry agreed, "If any of you want to help him with research or work let me know. We'll find the most humane way to do this ok?"
"Alright Harry." He agreed.
"Does anyone have ideas for protection against invasion?" Harry asked.
"What does Hogwarts have by itself?" Hermione asked.
"We can activate the statues." Minerva stated.
"Then we have the wards and things that surround the school." Harry added, "I've also extended the wards out several hundred feet. We're protected until almost the edge of Hogsmeade and the Shrieking shack has been included."
"Then we need to protect the passage to Honeydukes." Hermione pointed out, "Have any of the rest of them been cleared?"
"They were all cleared last year." Harry said thoughtfully, "Seven passages to work on. George you know them all don't you?"
"Yes Fred and I found them over the years." He agreed, "We don't know where all of them lead."
"Get a team and scout them." Harry suggested, "Wands at the ready because we don't know anything about them."
"I'll work with Hagrid." Ginny volunteered with several others, "We can start in the library, Hagrid will you be joining us there?"
"Sure." He agreed.
"The rest of us need to work throughout Hogwarts fixing her." Harry stated, "Go out in groups of four at the minimum I don't think there are any intruders yet but it's best to be sure. Two people working two watching and switch places often so no one gets too tired. See me for directions to the worst places."
Hermione approached Harry as groups were forming and she was followed by Ron, "Shall I join Ginny in the library or do you have something else for us?"
"I have something else for you." Harry indicated Hermione, "What do you want to do Ron?"
"I'll take a group down to the chamber." He suggested, "We can clean up the mess and set it up for an emergency shelter or something."
"Good idea." Harry nodded.
Harry sent the groups that approached him to different areas. The house elves each joined in with the groups to help with repairs and the clean up after they were done. When it was down to just Harry and Hermione he turned to her with a slight frown.
"Do you happen to know the counter for Fiendfyre?" he asked.
"No." she looked thoughtful, "But we can find it. We should check with Draco first and see if he knows."
"He was headed to the library wasn't he?" Harry asked, "I was rather surprised he wants to go after the spiders."
"I think it's more that there isn't any physical labor involved." Hermione smarted back.
"I suppose he is working on the way to kill them and hasn't volunteered to go after them himself." Harry agreed as they walked to the library.
Several teachers were in the groups studying for various reasons. Some were studying the spiders and others were working on protections that could be placed. The rest had joined groups to do the repairs. They found Draco easily enough.
"Sure I know the counter spell for fiendfyre." He replied and gave them instructions on wielding it, "Surely the fire would be out by now. It wouldn't have anything more to burn."
"If there is even a spark still alive it is a hazard." Harry pointed out, "The elves throw broken things in there all the time and we have had an exceeding amount of broken things as of recent."
"Good luck." Draco turned back to his studies.
Harry headed out and made his way to the room with Hermione hot on his heels, "What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking I hope the fire is gone." Harry grinned at her, "I don't really want to test my abilities on an unknown spell."
"You'll do fine." She grinned back.
"I'm rather surprised Ron didn't want to come with us." Harry nudged her as they walked, "I mean I'm rather surprised he let you out of his sight."
"Well actually." Hermione sighed, "I think we're on the verge of deciding we're better off as friends."
"I'm sorry." He put his arm over her shoulder and gave a squeeze.
"I'm not." She accepted the hug anyway, "The kissing was nice but… honestly I don't think he likes me as much as he thought, at least not that way. What about you and Ginny?"
"Everything was fine until I died." Harry shrugged, "When I came back, things just looked different."
"I'm surprised she didn't have a meltdown on you." Hermione added.
"We talked." He offered with a shake of his head, "Suddenly the things she wanted I didn't. She wants to be famous, I want a quiet life. She doesn't want kids for a while and I can't wait to start a family. When we really sat down and talked about things we realized that we want opposite things."
"So it has been more than just snogging?" Hermione asked with a smirk.
"Once we got past the snogging we have plenty to talk about, we just don't want the same things." He explained with a grin, "With Cho after the snogging there wasn't anything left."
"I was ever so glad when you figured that out." She chuckled at him, "So who has your eye now?"
"Not so much my eye as Hogwarts." He sighed, "She's given me a list of names, of those that are here, that would be compatible magically speaking. Parkinson didn't even make the list."
"Who made the list?" she asked as they arrived at the room.
"You did but, no offense, I won't date my sister." He shuddered.
Hermione giggled and replied, "Good because I don't want to date my brother either. Where am I on the list?"
"Fifteenth." He scrunched up his face, "I don't know all the factors but it seems power levels are more important than knowledge."
"What number is Ginny?" she asked as Harry began to pace in front of the door.
"Tenth." He said when he was through and the door appeared, "But she could be first and I'd still say no. I do not want to be in the lime light. Curiously enough Luna made the top five."
"Really?" Hermione watched him reach for the door after pulling his wand, "I wouldn't have guessed that high."
Harry opened the door and found very little. It was a much smaller room with a layer of ash that looked to be several inches deep. He cleared out a section of ash near the door and then conjured a piece of wood and set it down in the space.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Other than us what is available for the fire to consume if there is a spark left?" He asked in return.
"Good idea." She shuddered.
Little by little the two of them banished the ash from the room. Neither of them thought it was a good idea to banish it all at once. If there were sparks under the ash they would hopefully uncover them a few at a time rather than the many that could be hidden all at once. They breathed a sigh of relief when the ash was all gone and no sparks were found. Harry picked up the wood and they both stepped out of the room. When he began to pace again Hermione was confused.
"What room are you asking for now?" she wondered.
"I'm asking for our DA room." Harry said as the door appeared, "I don't know if the fire could have spread to the other rooms or not so I'm going to look in a few just to make sure."
"You are full to bursting of good ideas today." She teased him.
"Thank you, thank you." He gave her a mocking bow before he opened the door with the wood in his left hand.
The room wasn't on fire so he tossed the wood in just to make sure the sparks would be attracted to something before he summoned it back and paced again. He repeated the process several times and was satisfied that none of the dreaded flame had lasted this long.
"Well I'm glad that's over." Hermione grinned as they headed back.
"We are too." Harry replied and then chuckled as Hermione's confusion, "Hogwarts and me."
"Is she sentient?" Hermione wondered.
"Yes to a point." Harry answered, "Hogwarts is magic. This is where the first school of magic was started. Always before there was a master teaching a novice. Here the largest concentration of magic was gathered and has stayed for more than a thousand years."
"But magic isn't contained to one place." Hermione argued.
"True but something is here." He stopped and put a hand to the wall, "It's powerful and magical. I'm saying this place is special and I'm privileged to know what she wants."
"I think you're pretty special too." Hermione hugged him, "I'm glad we're friends."
"Me too." He gave her a one armed hug.
"So who else is on that list?" she asked with a grin.
"That would be telling." He replied, "I intend to keep it to myself until I rule a few people out."
"Like who?" Hermione asked innocently.
"You and Ginny." He gave her a mock glare, "And a few others."
"Will you tell me as you knock them off the list?" she asked.
"Yes. I will give you the name and the position once they are not on the list." He agreed, "I'll tell you that there are fifteen places."
"I was last?" she sounded affronted.