Chapter 81 - A Magical Day Out
The Marauders surprised everyone with their patience. After all of the stories Harry and the Jewels had heard, they were more than half expecting a prank war to start within the hour. Instead, they did the other thing most observers expected. They got roaring drunk and caught up on old times and new.
The morning after their binge, Lily sent in Anko to wake them up. The wicked smile on the ninja's face did not bode well for her husband and friends, but it matched the one Lily wore. She did warn him not to overdo it, after all.
Ten minutes later, three sputtering, cold, drenched wizards walked out of the den where they'd passed out, glaring at all and sundry and generally looking like death warmed up.
"Good morning, dear." Lily told James sweetly. "Would you like some fried eggs?"
At the mention of greasy food, the men started turning green and Lily's smile widened. "Or perhaps you'd prefer the hangover cure first?"
It was obvious they weren't thinking straight, due in part to the alcohol still in their systems, because a full ten seconds passed before Sirius understood that salvation was at hand. Sadly for his friends, he shouted "Yes!" All three grabbed their aching heads in unison, making Lily laugh at their self-inflicted predicament.
Luckily, Tsunade was on hand and fixing them straight away, having a little more sympathy for the wizards when they reminded her so strongly of her own hangover-ridden mornings.
Feeling human again, the overgrown boys made their way to the table and started breakfast.
During the meal, Harry asked his parents what they would like to do now. While James was busy eating, Lily spoke up.
"First of all, I think your father and I should get changed and ready to head out. While I don't intend to visit Diagon Alley any time soon, I would like to explore London with both of you. I'm sure many things have changed since... since we were last there. Do you think you could play tour guide for your old and decrepit parents?" Lily's lips twitched at Harry's expression.
"Oh, I'm sure I could put up with your presence for that long. Maybe even a week." The innocent look he was going for was ruined when James started laughing and soon all three were laughing at the pretty lame joke.
"Son, you're going to fit in with this family just fine."
The family outing wasn't so simple as that, however. The Clan insisted on providing adequate security, despite the removal of the Death Eaters and their master.
When Harry found who would be accompanying them, he knew it was a set-up. Captain Anderson along with Team 5 of Darwin's Lifeguards were waiting for them when they got to the front door of the Compound's main building.
Despite his irritation with their paranoia, he found himself smiling all the same. For nearly half a decade, these people had been part of the Lily Potter Foundation and then joining up with the combat division, all of it under the name of the woman who gave birth to him. He knew it had to be a shock to them to meet her now, and he wondered how this would play out.
Harry sped up, getting in front of his parents as they viewed the strangers in the home.
"Mr Potter." The man greeted him, only to quirk his lips at how that term could now be confusing seeing James Potter behind his young boss. It looked like the man was back from the dead, after all. He hadn't really doubted the Clan's claims but he was sure it would be a while before anyone was truly comfortable accepting the reality of that ability as casually as the ninjas were. "Mr Potter. Mrs Potter."
"Mum, Dad, this is Captain Robert Anderson. He also serves as the head of the Darwin's Lifeguards and Darwin Division of the Lily Potter Foundation." Obviously, they weren't as shocked by the resurrections as Harry had half-expected.
James grinned as he held out his hand to the slightly older man. He still got a kick every time he heard the company named after his lovely wife. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Captain Anderson."
"Thank you, sir. With your family's permission, we'll be accompanying you today."
"Is all this security really necessary?" Lily asked, blushing at the reminder of the LPF. "I know back before our... departure, that it was, but haven't you and your men fixed that?" She was trying to avoid mentioning her son's part in the fighting. She was still coming to terms with that and feared that she might say the wrong thing or gush about how wonderful he was to a complete stranger.
"Oh, the younger Mr Potter here had a lot to do with that, Mrs Potter. We couldn't have done half as well without his contribution. He's now more important to Wizarding Britain than ever even without Riddle and his cronies around, thanks to the Foundation. If anything happened to him or his family, there would be riots in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade."
While Lily looked proudly at her son, Harry bit back a groan and asked as neutrally as he could. "Does this mean I'm going to have guards everywhere I go?"
Anderson smirked. "Oh, not everywhere. We all know just how capable you are of defending yourself, sir. Johnson here is still complaining that you cheated in his last spar with you."
"If you're not cheating, you're not trying." Harry laughed and replied in unison with the rest of the Lifeguards, Johnson included.
"James! This is your fault for corrupting him." Lily scolded her husband then winked at Harry.
It wouldn't have mattered if she had been serious. Her supposedly responsible husband was messing up Harry's hair anyway and beaming in pride at their grown son.
"Should we get going?" Harry asked, hoping to get this show on the road and maybe distract his father. "We've got a lot to sights to see."
"And shops to visit." Lily's eager smile would have scared Harry if he didn't already trust both his strength and the depth of his pockets. James beside her had no such assurance, paling until Harry laughed and led them out the door.
Despite the supposed security concerns that had required the Lifeguards' presence and how they'd look to the other passengers, they took the bus to Guildford and a train into London, using the opportunity to see all the changes to the country in the last sixteen years and get more used to the present. Stepping off the train at Waterloo an hour later, they decided to take a leisurely walk across the Thames to King's Cross rather than catch the tube. While this would take about an hour, it would let them see the city which was the whole point.
Harry was glad that his mother had made his father dress in appropriate clothes. Even if her own knowledge was over a decade out of date, it was better than the hodgepodge of clothes that James Potter had thrown on. It was clear he had no eye for fashion and Harry even wondered if the man was as clueless about the regular world as other Purebloods, until he saw James' eyes sparkling with mirth. In response, Harry decided to go overboard with a "city boy teaching his country relative" routine, managing to get a rise out of his Dad before Lily clued him into the joke.
"Yes, you're certainly going to fit in just fine, my son." James shook his head fondly.
Behind James, Captain Anderson chuckled to himself. "Oh, you have no idea."
The party ambled their way towards King's Cross, stopping to see a bunch of shops on the way. James, for all his earlier appearance of dreading the activity, was just as eager to look around as his wife, though their interests didn't overlap completely. James wanted to check out music shops whereas Lily preferred bookshops, though both enjoyed a lunch with their son at an outdoor café.
While they did all this, the Lifeguards kept a discreet distance and gave the appearance of happening to have a common destination. Such an act was strained when James was stuck with them outside a bookshop for half an hour. He struck up a discreet conversation with the five veteran muggleborns after a minute, wanting to know more about their experiences and skills and get any gossip he could about his surprising son. Eventually, he decided that they had given Lily enough time with her books and he would have to brave the dangers of a bookworm in a den of knowledge. Manfully, James entered the bookshop, ready to do battle to recover his wife and child, hamming it up for anyone who was looking his way.
Returning home later that afternoon, the Potters found the Jewels all waiting and a smiling Amelia Bones led them to the dinner table. The current Minister for Magic was clearly pleased that she had prepared the grand meal with her own hands in honour of the elder Potters' return.
Things weren't all fun and games, however.
A diplomatic letter from the head of the goblins was delivered by a surly messenger. It arrived the next day on Minister Bones' desk, courtesy of the Head of the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical creatures, Elliot Littlebottom. It was accompanied by a number of complaints about goblins, their timing, the department head's severely overworked staff and a brief notice that the entire Goblin Liaison Office was empty. The fact that the Goblin Liaison Office now reported to the Office of Magical Cooperation but he was forced to do their work even after their authority and budget had been taken from him just made his bad morning complete.
Amelia had taken the letter and looked at Littlebottom like he was an idiot until he took a seat while she read the message, something which reinforced her authority over him. The letter hid in diplomatic language a demand for the Ministry's representative to meet them not at the Ministry, where they usually were, but underground where the goblins would control the meeting. They wanted to demand concessions and amendments to the treaty in their favour, referred to as seeking equality and establishing a new era of cooperation.
After Littlebottom finally realised just who he'd been yelling at, and he gave her a satisfactory apology, Bones dismissed him from her office. Once he was gone and the privacy wards were up, she took the opportunity to indulge herself, swearing profusely and creatively.
The representative the goblins wanted to meet was Harry Potter. Any refusal or delay would risk a war.
The following day, a contingent of Lifeguards took down the wards denying them entry to an office building in London, one that had clearly seen better days. On the walls, sconces held torches that magically lit up as soon as the first squad got inside, illuminating the ground floor. The old damage on the walls dated back to Riddle's initial assault, showing that the former insurrectionist had cared nothing about the condition of the place.
That fit with what the interrogation had revealed, as Riddle had never made use of it as he had intended. He had been distracted with problems closer to home instead of completing the office building's conversion into the London headquarters of his treasonous order. As a result, he had never returned to convert the place into a base of operations. And now, he never would.
The Clan had initially wanted to take it over for themselves as another way to show off the victory over Riddle but there were problems with that. For a start, they couldn't even see the place without magical help to counter the magical defences. That wasn't insurmountable, they did have the Lifeguards working for them and employed a number of ward breakers, as well, but the other problem was that they didn't own the building. Riddle had never cared about the legalities. As far as the regular world was concerned, it was still the property of the company that had owned the site, though they had not visited it since the attack, of course. While the Clan could try to make a case for ownership, they quickly realized that acting on their greed would be far more trouble than it was worth, especially when they were aiming to reunite the Wizarding and regular worlds.
With that in mind, the Lifeguards' job today was to search the building, remove any traps and take down Riddle's wards. Once that was done, they had to apply a new Muggle-Repelling charm to the front of the building and then guard it while the Clan restored the building as best they could. That and take care of the human remains, a grisly job that the wizards were glad to leave in their capable hands. This whole operation was being performed not for profit but to redeem the reputation of the wizards and witches, when they handed back the building to the rightful owners, making restitution where they could.
It was a small price to pay to regain their honour, even if they themselves had never done anything like this. They felt dirty knowing that the same magic they wielded could be perverted into this atrocity.
In the Kitsune Compound, the Marauders were together again after over fifteen years. Remus, James and Sirius were standing around the fourth member, the traitor Peter Pettigrew. After so long, the ones who had stayed loyal were eager to confront the traitor who had cost each of them so dearly.
The rat animagus woke up slowly with the foul taste of the Draught of Living Death still clogging his mouth. He blearily opened his eyes unable to recall just when he'd gone to sleep then squeaked in fright. The demented grin on Sirius' face just inches away from him did that to him but when the free wizard pulled away, the view didn't improve for the Death Eater.
"J-James?! What? How? When?" Peter sputtered.
"Why and Where, too." Sirius barked, enjoying the way Peter flinched as much as he could and the way Peter's eyes widened further on realising he was tied up and wandless. Worse, the handcuffs were also suppressing his animagus transformation. Peter's horrified realisation of just how much pain would be coming his way was something Sirius savoured.
"The What is easy, Peter. Our good friend Severus finally paid up on his life debt. His for mine. How was a ritual, of course, though you wouldn't believe how little Dark Magic was involved. When was only days ago, though you did find out before most people. Why was obvious, to restore the Potter family, and Where was right here in this building. I expect you're still dying to know more about this ritual and neither Dumbledore nor Voldemort are still around to help you." James explained all this with the patient tone used for talking to idiots. He wanted the damned traitor thinking just how useless he was that he couldn't even do something simple like bring back the dead. A final prank from a true Marauder, one might say.
"You're in luck, Peter." Remus added, seamlessly taking over. "You see, we think you would like to learn all about it. From the inside, you might say."
"No! No! I-"
"Now, you might be wondering just why you would make such a bold and courageous move following in Dumbledore's footsteps to bring back sweet Lily." Sirius broke in. "Beyond this being a truly Gryffindor choice to make, voluntarily relinquishing your own life to bring back a wizard with a grieving family, that is. You also have to think about the other benefits you would get beyond the satisfaction of doing the right thing."
"Will you shut up?!" Peter cried.
"Ah, thank you, Peter. You set that up so well!" Sirius' grin became truly evil. "You see, if you do agree to go through with his, you will have total peace. You can't bring back James or Lily to make it up to young Harry for what you did, you can't give me back a decade of my life after you framed me for your murder, you little-"
"But you can get away from us this way and might even get our forgiveness in time for the way you betrayed us." Lupin smiled coldly as he continued their little act. "Naturally, if you don't see the wisdom in this arrangement, we will have to find some other way forward. And then there will be nothing keeping us from expressing how we feel about you for the rest of your life. Just think. We're all here and with nothing better to do than to keep you company. Why, even Snivellus agreed to do us this little favour after a day or two. How long do you think you can hold out before we convince you?" Remus' vulpine expression bared teeth in what only loosely resembled a smile.
"Don't worry, my old friend," James added, "we'll be here for you every second of every day. We won't even have to take it in shifts, thanks to a handy little trick we've picked up. You see, now we can get our rest while these new copies keep you company. Harry's such a genius, he gets that from my Lily, of course, and thanks to him, we can watch over you wherever you go. You would never be alone again. Isn't that wonderful? Watch!" James made an odd-looking cross with his fingers and suddenly, there were three of them standing before Peter, all with the same expression that he normally directed at Snape after a solid bit of pranking.
Peter felt a fear slithering up his legs and gripping his chest, squeezing at his heart, as he looked at the multiple pairs of intense brown eyes of his first friend. He remembered why, despite Dumbledore's prohibition against lethal measures, James Potter had faced the Dark Lord multiple times and survived the encounter. If Dumbledore was dead, there would be no stopping James! The thought of all that ingenuity directed against him alone, multiplied by however many copies he could make... No, that fear was a perfectly natural response! He was sure even Dumbledore would have quailed before all that potential for mischief and mayhem and McGonagall would have quit rather than even try to keep them under control.
"No. No! I wouldn't want to put you out!" Peter begged. "Please, I want to help you bring back- er, what was his name?"
"Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt. He was a true hero of the battle at Malfoy Manor. He distracted the enemy reserves, taking their focus away from his fellow Aurors as he took down Death Eater after Death Eater." James pronounced solemnly.
"A- a fine wizard obviously. Obviously deserving of another ch-chance." Peter felt the fear slither up and around his throat. "It would be my honour to help!"
"Yes, yes, it would." Sirius agreed, dialing back on the killing intent he had been projecting. "I am sure you remember the fine people who took Harry in. Just do what they say and everything will work out well for all of us."
Peter nodded fervently, not even noticing when the ninjas marched in. He squeezed his eyes shut when he felt a hand grip his shoulder as he was led away. As much as he feared death and had feared the Dark Lord, he now feared his former friends far more. His final thought was a plea to the heavens. How was he supposed to know that Voldemort would lose?
Pansy looked around her family's stately home. The house elves kept it cleaner than ever now that the rest of her family was... gone.
The morning paper had been placed next to her breakfast on the table. Thursday, the twenty-fourth of June, nineteen ninety-seven. Eighteen days since battle at Malfoy Manor. Eighteen days since Harry Potter had defeated the reborn Dark Lord. The subscription to the Daily Prophet had been a double-edged sword for the last couple of years for Pansy since Daphne's father bought the business. Her eyes filled with tears but she blinked them away angrily. She didn't want to cry again.
She looked at the paper again. "That lying rag." That was what her father had called it when it came under new management.
Pansy knew better, had known better for a while. Certainly the paper didn't get everything right but they had been more honest and hard-hitting than she had really wanted. Today's paper reminded readers that the Dark Lord and all his followers were gone. Albus Dumbledore, leader of the so-called Light faction, had nothing to do with saving everyone from the Death Eaters and was still unavailable for comment on the greatest battle in the history of Wizarding Britain. Harry Potter's Lifeguards had caught another wizard in the act, attempting to murder some Muggles, saving their lives. Unfortunately, the wizard wouldn't surrender quietly and-
Her father was dead. Her mother was dead. Her older brother was dead. All of them had been all too pleased to take the Dark Mark. Pansy had only escaped by 'accidentally' being away from home when the Dark Lord had called up her family.
Her father had tried to force her to go to him, go to Riddle, and beg him for the privilege of taking his Mark. She had never outright refused him, she was too much a Slytherin for that, but her delaying tactics could only work for so long. Pansy was sure that if the battle had been only a month later, even a week later, she would have been among the casualties.
Just like her family.
Things had been tense at home for the last few years, since she started to see through the façade that the Pureblood families put up, including her own. Despite the strain, and even though they had been getting insistent that she repair her relationship with Draco, they were still her family. She still remembered her father teaching her how to look for someone's motivations, her mother teaching her how to manipulate the other children her age, the prized but rare praise and shows of affection they bestowed on her. She still loved them even if she disagreed with them on so much.
Unfortunately, she couldn't hide away from the world forever. Her childhood home, filled with reminders of them everywhere she looked, was running low on food. She could send out the house elves to take care of the purchases, of course, but she needed to get out, to see what changes were sweeping their world. Besides, she had to discover what was left of the family fortune, if anything.
Most of all, she had to see Harry Potter.
Her decision made, Pansy got dressed for the day and headed to the Floo before wondering how she would even find him. While she hadn't taken part in the final battle, she had made a number of enemies among the other Houses as well as being a Slytherin, two things that went together very easily at Hogwarts. That would make it difficult to get answers out of people.
Luckily, she happened to be good at getting answers.
"Diagon Alley!"
The Potter family made their way down Diagon Alley looking to do some shopping and sightseeing. They couldn't even do that normally when all three of them drew attention, though for differing reasons. That was why the Lifeguards had insisted on providing a larger escort.
Unlike their trip the day before to regular London, here the Lifeguards' services were needed before they made it ten paces into the door of the Leaky Cauldron. After Mrs Lovegood's resurrection, people weren't quite as shocked at seeing the Potter's up and around as they might have been. That didn't stop a mob forming as wizards and witches seemed to come out of the woodwork, all of them wanting to see the legends for themselves.
The Lifeguards efficiently worked to organise the mob, clearing a path for the Potters and allowing the crowd to get a brief view of their hero and his parents. Word spread ahead of the group with wizards and witches gossiping as they lined the shopping district, trying to get a glimpse and talk to or touch the Potter parents. Minister Bones and her niece joined the group just minutes after they entered the much-changed Diagon Alley.
As the impromptu procession made its way to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, Harry's hearing picked out LPF employees whispering to their neighbours, all passing on similar positive messages. The return of James and Lily was a gift from Merlin or the result of an investigation into restorative magics from some mythical Potter family grimoires or even direct angelic intervention. Harry had to control his amused reaction to that one, given what his adoptive father called his wives.
On reaching their destination, the proprietor himself showed them to a few tables. His welcoming smile showed both his own genuine pleasure at their return and the awareness of what their visit would do for his business in the coming weeks. After taking their orders, both from the Potters and the Bones ladies, the older gentleman moved away to prepare their sundaes.
While they waited, the group talked. The main topic was the continuing changes to the magical shopping district in the wake of both the Knockturn Alley fire and the recent deaths in battle of many business or land owners. One wizard slipped through the cordon that the Lifeguards had thrown up to maintain order, receiving respectful looks from those who saw him.
Harry looked up at the man who was wearing Auror robes and had come to a stop a respectful distance from them. Amelia followed his gaze and greeted the wizard while Harry seallessly erected a sound barrier to keep their conversation quiet. He had a good idea what the man wanted to say.
"Auror Shacklebolt, it is good to see you up and about again."
With the silence broken, Shacklebolt's words poured out in a rush of gratitude. "Good day, Mr Harry Potter. It's even better to be up and about again. I know I wouldn't be, alive, that is, if it weren't for you and your family. New and old. So what I really wanted to say was. Thank you. All of you. If you ever need anything at all, just let me know and I'll be there. Thank you for not leaving my wife a widow."
Harry looked back, everything about him showing how seriously he took the declaration. "You are welcome, Mr Shacklebolt. I know very well how important family is and I would not deny you yours."
Looking around, Shacklebolt bowed in their direction. "I don't want to interrupt your outing any further so I will leave you to it. I just wanted to let you know, if you ever need me, I owe you my life."
After finishing his declaration, the tall, dark man exited the shop with a smile leaving Florean Fortescue to break the silence when he returned. "Here are your orders. Would you like anything else?"
"No, thank you. Everything is just fine." James told him, looking proudly at his son.
Conversation quickly resumed on a deliberately lighter note with Lily teasing James about Harry's better performance in school, saying it was obviously her influence. James just called her the smartest witch of her generation in response, earning a kiss from his wife and groans from the others. Harry's mask slipped and he coloured when both of them then turned to him and praised his results and his willingness to help his friends.
"Though did you have to help the Slytherins?" James pouted.
Harry thought it looked ridiculous and cracked up. "Yes, I did, Dad. You stick by your friends. And if they're cunning or ambitious, that just makes them more valuable when it's time to plan things like parties or pranks."
"That and most of them were beautiful young witches?" Lily teased.
"It didn't hurt." Harry replied far too innocently.
Amelia Bones shook her head in amusement at the trio and signalled Mr Fortescue to come over, paying their bill with a generous tip.
After their side trip, the group headed back out into the sunshine, their eyes adjusting quickly to the light and seeing the crowds thronging the street as word had obviously got around. Not only had the crowd grown but Harry spotted dozens of wizards and witches who didn't fit into even this diverse group and recognised a number of foreign reporters with their cameras and Dicta-Quills busily working away. Several of the foreigners waved when they saw him looking around, displaying the LPF symbol to show their membership and reassure him of their benign intentions.
While Harry was unenthused about being on display like that, he was fully aware that they had to put up with it for now. Indeed, that was a big reason for them to make this trip, at least to do so without putting on any disguises. They needed to get public acceptance as soon as possible. Shacklebolt's visit went well with that purpose and idly, Harry wondered if Naruto or the Angels had anything to do with it before deciding they probably didn't. The Auror was known to be a good sort even before he had performed his heroic sacrifice. The chance of him not taking the first opportunity to thank them was remote.
Harry was brought out of his thoughts when he almost ran into a young woman who had made it past the Lifeguards. He cursed himself for letting his attention slip like that before he noticed just who it was so close to him.
"Miss Parkinson?"
"Hello, Harry. I'm glad I found you."
"Well, here I am. What did you need?" Harry replied, slipping back into the careful phrasing needed when dealing with real Slytherins, avoiding any implied promises.
"Can't I just miss my friends?"
"Of course, where are they again?" Harry returned.
Pansy sighed. "A good question. I have been coming to terms with all the changes since, well, since, and I haven't seen them in a few weeks."
Harry nodded soberly. "My condolences on your loss, Pansy."
"Th- thank you." She cleared her throat. "I was hoping we could sit and talk?"
"It's ok, Harry. We can find our own way to the end of the street." James put in with a chuckle from behind the young witch. "Now, don't keep the girl waiting."
A nod from Lily confirmed their decision and Harry nodded back.
"Okay, Pansy, after you."
Pansy led the way confidently enough to a cafe, taking a table in the corner where they would be less noticeable. Of course, this didn't account for how everyone was still watching Harry Potter. He was the Chosen One, the Man Who Had Defeated the Dark Lord and whatever other titles they were throwing at Harry this week. Pansy threw up a mild aversion charm after the waitress had hurried over to take their order, keying him in.
Harry was content to wait for the girl to speak first. This was her meeting, after all. However, it was clear she was having trouble.
"So what did you want to talk about, Pansy?" He asked more gently than he had spoken to her in public.
"I- A lot of things, I guess." Pansy was visibly nervous, something she would never have let anyone see under normal circumstances.
"Well, where should we start?"
"Malfoy Manor."
Her choice surprised Harry. He didn't think she would be that bold. "Okay, Malfoy Manor it is."
"Can you, can you tell me? How it happened, I mean?"
"I can't tell you everything," Harry hedged, "as I don't know some things, like just why they were there or if they really thought they would win. However, they were there to fight and to kill. For all that they were attacked there, they went into the battle knowing that they would be fighting against Madam Bones' government and the Lifeguards."
"You were there, too, weren't you?" Pansy accused.
Harry nodded and answered her gently, weaving his tale. "Yes, I was. I had never been introduced to your family, however, and I didn't recognise them behind the snake-eyed masks and black cloaks that all of them were wearing. Afterwards, the enemy were identified once the masks and cloaks that concealed them had been removed."
Pansy nodded impatiently.
"Your parents fell together having gone down to a fire attack which missed them but sucked up all the oxygen. They passed out quickly and that was the end for them. They had fought as bravely as any Gryffindor even though they knew the battle was already going against them. We found them after the battle and recovered their bodies."
"And Patrick?"
"He went out with the first wave of defenders though he was at the rear. The others charged forward and he didn't quite keep up."
Pansy sighed. "He was never the fastest on his feet."
"It wasn't any fault of his determination that saw him lag behind. Unlike the others ahead of him, he had cast and reinforced his shield spell, adding other defences as he moved into the chaos. As a result, he survived longer, exchanging spells with a team of Lifeguards. His shield went down to three bone breaking hexes and he was hit by a tongue-locking curse when he tried to bring it back up. A cutting curse got him before he did." Harry paused for effect. "It was over quickly."
He didn't tell her that her brother was one of the minority among the Death Eaters who died in the battle. Nor did he explain that her parents had actually survived the battle and were scheduled to be part of a ritual later, exchanging the lives of two murderous wizards for two innocent people. He doubted she would take that well and the decision had already been made. None of the Death Eaters would be allowed to return to society this time no matter their excuses. Only if someone were actually innocent would they be spared. That didn't mean he wasn't sympathetic to Pansy in her grief, though. A white lie now could save her pain and anguish.
Pansy went completely still. Harry tactfully pretended not to notice, examining the menu while he gave her time to deal with the news.
The waitress arrived with their drinks and Harry sipped at his tea, savouring it as he waited for the girl across from him to speak.
"What happened after that? I know what the papers said but I want to know the real story. Please, Harry?"
Harry added his own protections then turned back to her. "Very well, Pansy. To start with, you remember that special talent? Well, it's as useful in combat as you would expect. At the end, I faced Riddle on the battlefield. He had let his followers fall before him and was preparing his move. The wards prevented the use of Portkeys and Disapparition but he could still have flown out. We couldn't afford to let him escape, if that was even what he intended rather than taking us with him into death, so my clones charged in carrying DMLE-rated handcuffs. Four clones attacked the legs and arms of the would-be Dark Lord, immobilising him and slapping on the cuffs on every limb. A last clone flashed up to him and.."
"And what?" Pansy demanded when he paused.
"And headbutted him." Harry laughed at her poleaxed expression.
"But- but, he fell to something so Muggle?"
"Yep! You should have seen his face, too. His minions had all failed him, his magic failed him and he lost to the teamwork and loyalty of his enemies."
"How very Hufflepuff of you to say that." Pansy responded drily. "Such a comedian."
"Thank you. Anyway, I knocked him out and he was later questioned to get all the useful information we could get from him. I suppose you could say that he fell to the superior cunning and ambition of downtrodden Muggleborns using secret tricks. If you really want a Slytherin angle, that is."
Pansy smirked. "It makes more sense, at least, than being more Hufflepuff than the Heir of Slytherin. Is he supposed to be something other than an example of his ancestor's House?"
"Well, yes, actually. Ambition and cunning alone won't get you far in life without the hard work and dedication to achieving your goals. And having the brains to learn the skills you need is obviously needed."
"And Gryffindor?"
"All the ambition or brains or hard work are useless if you're too scared to take necessary risks."
"Do you see no value in the Houses at all?" Pansy asked horrified.
Harry shook his head sadly. "The Houses are pale shadows of what they were intended to be, I believe. Gryffindor got the Weasleys. All of them for generations were put into Gryffindor by the Sorting Hat. That right there is enough to tell me that the system is broken."
"What do you mean?" Pansy asked.
Harry thought on how to explain it. "Families don't work like that. For example, you'll have one kid smart and studious who follows the rules and wants to get a high ranking job in the Ministry. That sounds like a Ravenclaw or Slytherin, right?"
Pansy nodded, both agreeing and understanding.
"And you get a boy, he's the oldest in his family and wants to do well for himself. He's got a good head on his shoulders and manages to be popular among his age group even if his parents aren't rich. He works hard for what he gets. Hufflepuff, right?"
"Or maybe Slytherin, too."
"Mhm. now they've got some young brothers, identical twins are right pains in the neck much of the time. They're always plotting something or other, some bit of mischief. They don't get caught in the act much despite their parents knowing very well what they're like. They're pretty inventive but they also sound like good Slytherin candidates, especially since they want to start their own business despite having no backing from their family."
"And the youngest Weasleys? I heard that Bill became a curse breaker for Gringotts and it's obvious that the others were Percy, Fred and George."
"Well, Ginny had an ambition. She wanted to marry the Boy-Who-Lived. She knew she was too young to be in the same year, she knew her family was too poor to attract an alliance and she was dreadfully shy when she met her hero but she was determined nonetheless. It was a common dream for girls her age but when she was eleven and getting sorted, she didn't care. She would win him over despite all of that. She worked hard, too, to get noticed, to become a good witch, to help her friends. Was she more Slytherin or Hufflepuff? The Hat called out Gryffindor instead. Maybe you could argue that it saw her potential for bravery but doesn't everyone have potential? As for Ron, well, he wanted to be the best friend of the Boy-Who-Lived! He wanted something that none of his brothers had had. His ambition was for something to set him apart from his five brothers who had been Head Boy, Prefect, Quidditch Captain and Seeker, the 'perfect' jokers and the 'perfect' good boy."
Pansy nodded.
"Somehow, all seven of them were put into Gryffindor. Now, I've met their parents and Mrs Weasley especially told her kids how they had to be Gryffindors because all Weasleys are Gryffindors. Not because her kids were actually best suited for it but because it was a tradition, something that affected their status, and Mrs Weasley is certainly ambitious herself." Harry finished with what he felt was considerable understatement about her meddling ways.
"While Mr Weasley was a joke in the Ministry, never challenging anything and always going on about some Muggle rubbish he'd found." Pansy replied.
"Hardly the picture of someone with the courage and nobility that Godric wanted, though I'll be the first to admit that looks can be deceiving." Harry chuckled remembering how true that was at times.
"Ok, I can see your point. If all of them were Sorted into the Lions' Den, then there's something seriously suspect about the process. But all of that can be explained through allowing the children to make requests."
"Then why have the Sorting Hat at all? Why not have a form where the student puts down their preference before even getting to Hogwarts? That would be easier all around and you could assign the undecideds to whatever slots are left. Keep the names of the Houses, it's good to remember the Founders, but the segregation breeds rivalries and hatred. The deaths at Malfoy Manor are in large part due to the failure of Hogwarts. Bloody Dumbledore did nothing to help there, either."
Pansy shook her head. "It's strange, you know? For so long, both Dumbledore and Voldemort have been part of the British Wizarding World. And now, these figures who were held up on a pedestal have been brought low, their reputations shredded and their power destroyed. All that's left is you. You and your alliance. Not even the Ministry is really around, though I'd think the politicians would be scrambling to fill the power vacuum."
"These are interesting times. I'd think a true Slytherin would welcome the opportunity. The only limits now are what you can do with your talents." Harry challenged her with a smile.
Pansy shook her head and grinned, accepting the challenge and the change of topic. "Somehow, I don't believe that. Money and connections have always played a part and that won't stop now. Hell, you've made it worse than ever! Anyone trying to get anywhere now has to go through your alliance."
A raised eyebrow met her accusation. "But is it really that hard to get membership?"
Pansy hesitated before conceding the point. "How did you not get Sorted into Slytherin where you obviously belonged?"
Harry laughed. "Simple. I told it that I would destroy Hogwarts if it tried to get me killed like that. A Muggle-raised Halfblood who was already famous and opposed to not only the Death Eaters but also much of the culture? Especially with that traitor Snape in charge." Harry spat out the hated name.
"You hate him that much?" Pansy was surprised at the venom Harry had injected into a simple name.
"He was a bitter and vindictive bastard as a child, as a student and as an adult. He attacked innocents over imagined slights and later as a Death Eater just because he could. He also abused hundreds of children in his care. There are few things I hate more than that. I know he's no longer at Hogwarts, one more way Headmistress McGonagall has fixed the school after Dumbledore spent decades ruining it, but I haven't forgiven him for what he's done." Harry didn't want to get into all the other reasons he hated the vile man. He was already skirting the edge of confessing that Snape was dead.
Pansy allowed her confusion to show in her voice. "He seemed to like you, though. Even referred to you as Lily's boy rather than by your surname."
"Only because he saw me as the son of my mother, whom he thought of as his own property, rather than my father's, whom he hated. Mum was great at Potions and didn't let the House rivalry stop her friendship with a Slytherin while Dad was his great rival in school. She stayed friends with Snape until Snape went so far over the line, even he knew he had screwed up. When I saved Daphne from Draco and his minions, I 'proved' I took after her instead of him. Never mind the fact that they died before they could raise me, I was judged before he got to know me. He never did see how I felt about him because, unlike him, I-"
"- Because you are a real Slytherin." Pansy cut in with a smirk. "Better to conceal your feelings and profit from him than waste the opportunity presented to pick the brains of an expert in the field."
Harry smirked back at her. "Exactly. He was a failure of a human and as a Slytherin but he knew his Potions. Pity he couldn't teach to save his life. A bigger pity he still couldn't treat his students fairly."
"And here we see why the Hat put you in Hufflepuff." Pansy laughed, feeling lighter than she had in weeks. 'I knew it was a good idea to come here today.'
"Feeling better?" Harry asked with a knowing grin when she finished.
"You know, I really am. Thank you." Pansy made the admission, surprising herself with how much she meant it.
Harry hid his smile behind a sip of his tea. "What else are friends for?"
After a little smalltalk, Pansy made her excuses and headed off home, letting Harry catch up with his parents. While James wanted to tease Harry, Lily interrupted that with a smile and some ominous words. "There'll be plenty of time to tease him when we get home, dear."
That afternoon, Harry was ambushed by a pair of lovely ladies. Or at least, they made a valiant effort. Illusions and all the sneakiness they possessed were employed as they tracked their prey. Somehow, they forgot in their planning just where they got their training.
Athena knew that she was ready to move forward with Harry to take their love to the next level. She was more mature than thirteen would normally suggest, thanks both to the clones and her environment, and blooming into a beautiful young woman. However, she had become very close with Gabrielle when the smaller blonde started at Hogwarts in her year and remained that way. She didn't want to hurt her best friend who had fallen just as hard for Harry as she had. Both girls had older sisters who had joined Harry's Jewels but only Athena had made the leap to join herself.
Although Gabby was very pretty and coming into her adult beauty, her French friend had trouble believing that Harry was really interested in her the way that she wanted him. After all, it was well known in their circles that he could ignore the Allure and he already had older, more experienced ladies. What could she offer? Athena had listened to the complaints dozens of times.
Athena called it her blind spot. She knew that her best friend loved to spend time with him, whether or not Fleur was there and that Fleur had always been her role model even more than Hermione had been for Athena. She also knew that Harry, in Gabby's mind, had become someone who would treat her like a princess. Only, did she deserve that? Would he ever see her as his little princess? Athena knew these worries were unfounded and intended to prove it.
Eventually, Gabby had let Athena wear her down and here they were, outside of the weights room, trying to keep their excitement under control while they were waiting for Harry to finish his workout. And if they happened to get a look at his hard, toned body, his muscles flexing powerfully beneath his skin, that was just a bonus.
Athena smiled as she saw her best friend all but drooling. When she looked back at Harry, she couldn't blame her. "Mmmm." 'Thank you, big sister, for teaching me those stealth jutsu. Oh, he's coming this way.'
Athena should have remembered who taught her sister, however. Just before she dropped the techniques that had supposedly let her and Gabby spy on Harry's workout unnoticed, he grinned at her, somehow seeing straight through her illusions.
"Did you know what Anko-mum told me to do about ambushes?" He asked teasingly when she finally noticed him looking.
"Huh?" Athena was confused.
"Turn them back on the ambusher. I noticed you and your silent accomplice watching me as soon as you got here."
"But, but how?" Poor Athena was embarrassed at being reduced like this to incomplete sentences. She was better than this!
"One of the things you're training in is how to sense chakra. It is another way to dodge incoming jutsu if you can feel the chakra they're made of. It makes it much harder to hit someone from behind if they can still 'see' your attack coming. It's easiest with powerful attacks. One reason why those tend to be either wide-ranging or delivered quickly is to overcome the enemy despite their evasion."
Athena nodded soberly.
Harry got to the crux of the matter, explaining it gently. "At high levels of the skill, you can detect the chakra of just about anyone. Really, when you put up those jutsu, you might as well have been painting a sign above your head telling me you were there."
She blushed and Gabby spoke up in her place with what was a far more important question in her mind. "You didn't mind me watching you then?" Her voice betrayed her nerves.
Harry smiled as he tried to reassure the young ladies. "Not at all. You certainly didn't mean me any harm by it and I know you enjoyed the show. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy getting to show the fruits of my hard work to two beautiful young ladies." Harry smirked.
"You really think I'm beautiful?" Gabby asked in a small voice. Beside her, Athena had to stop herself from rolling her eyes.
"I do." Harry dropped all trace of levity.
"And me too?" Athena asked playfully.
"You know I do, Athena." He looking directly into her blue eyes.
"So you wouldn't be ashamed to be seen in public with us, right?"
"Of course not!" Harry assured Athena. "Anytime, anywhere, honey."
"Excellent. It's a date. Take us somewhere nice. Meet us at six tonight. Now shoo." Athena giggled.
"It would be my pleasure." Harry grinned and played along, starting to turn around and head off.
Gabby panicked and interrupted him before he could go. "Wait! You, me? I mean, how can you be on a date if I am there." Gabby protested.
"Don't you want to date him? I could have sworn last night, and the night before that, and the one before it, that you said..."
"No! Yes! I do want it. Very much! But pleeeease don't tell him what I said. You swore you wouldn't tell!"
"Then where is the problem, Gabby?" Athena smiled at her exasperated friend and ignored the 'minor' complaint in her victory. "You want to go on a date with Harry and he has agreed."
"Only because you tricked him into dating me!" Gabby told her unhappily. "I didn't want it like that!"
"I am standing right here, ladies." Harry chuckled as he interrupted the pair before they could get going. "And I was perfectly serious. I have been hoping you would take a chance, Gabrielle. No tricks are needed to make me go on a date with either of you. If you're still willing, I will make sure that tonight is an evening you will never want to forget."
Gabby blushed but nodded rapidly enough to remind him for a moment of his little friend Dobby, though far cuter! Harry's attention instantly returned to the blonde in front of him when she started bouncing on her feet in happiness. He was glad the young woman before him was overcoming her shyness towards him at last.
"If you'll excuse me, ladies, I really should clean up. But first, Gabby, may I ask a favour?"
"Yes, Harry!" Gabby's heart beat loud enough in her chest for Harry to hear it a metre away as her tension skyrocketed.
"May I-"
Gabby interrupted him, smiling at Harry. "Whatever it is, Harry, my answer is yes."
Tenderly taking Gabby into his arms, Harry leaned in slowly and held the beautiful young woman to him as he laid a sweet kiss on her soft lips. The ecstatic blonde felt that her whole world narrowed to just the two of them for a slice of eternity. When they parted, Gabby pulled back with an atomic blush and a smile that wasn't fading any time soon.
Harry then drew a giggling Athena close, giving her the same treatment as he concentrated all of his attention on just her. From Gabby's looks when the brunette came up for air, Athena could see that Harry's kiss had conveyed to her a measure of his love, just as it had for her. It was only due to her greater experience that allowed Athena to recover quickly and she smiled up at him.
"Phew, you really do need to go shower. Now go before I decide you need someone to scrub your back. I'm pretty sure Mrs Malfoy would love to have that position." Athena smirked evilly.
"Okay, I'm going, I'm going. No need for threats! You trying to get me killed?" Harry made a face at Athena to make her laugh.
"Yes, we all know the position she really wants." Gabby giggled, giddy now that she finally could show Harry how she felt. She darted in and kissed him again, moaning slightly as she felt him kiss her back.
Athena pulled them apart, giggling at Gabby's pouting face, and pulling Gabby off so they could get ready. It was five o'clock and they only had an hour to prepare. After reminding Gabby of the time, Athena laughed as the other girl raced off to get ready.
Harry watched them go with a fond smile then turned around and headed off to get ready himself. He quickly made a clone to check which suitably impressive restaurants would take their reservation at short notice before ducking into the shower. By the time he got out, his clone had dispelled, letting him know he would be heading to a small upscale French restaurant with the two young ladies in a party of four.
At ten to six, he waited outside Athena's room as the pair of ladies had taken to getting ready together, coordinating their look for the night. When the door opened, he was speechless. Elegant outfits that showed Gabby's touch for fashion, they were each a vision of beauty to his admittedly biased gaze. Both outfits brought out their blue eyes though Athena's selection used stronger hues than Gabby could employ with her silver-blonde hair and paler complexion.
Despite being dazed, he held his arms out automatically for his dates to escort them to the newly set up portal area. Similar to Vanishing Cabinets and Platform 9 and 3/4, they linked two points together without the discomfort of other magical travel and were rapidly gaining in popularity. The one he needed tonight led to a quiet street in London.
Only when the ladies kissed a cheek each did he break out of his daze, a broad smile confirming how much he liked what he saw. Their matching smiles told him they liked his reaction and he dimly recalled complimenting their dress while he was out of it. For the life of him he couldn't remember just what he'd said.
Athena clung far closer to him than needed as the trio walked gracefully through the portal, something Gabby quickly copied, almost shutting down his higher brain functions as their subtle perfumes infiltrated his brain. The three of them reappeared in central London in a property rented by the Alliance for discreet transit. A minute later saw them exiting the unassuming façade as a quartet of two couples on a double date. One of Harry's clones used the Henge jutsu to disguise himself as his brother rather than a copy. Athena selflessly took the clone leaving Gabby to hold the arm of the real Harry.
Together, they savoured the cool evening air before reaching their destination, a quiet French place with efficient service, tasteful décor and discreet staff that might become a new favourite and made him glad that his parents were part-owners. The first spoonful of his onion soup told his tastebuds that it was well on the way to taking its place of honour.
Over dinner, Athena flirted with her man while whispering encouragements to Gabby to do the same with her date. Harry responded gallantly to Gabby's flirting and gently responded in kind.
"Merci, Harry. This has been a wonderful surprise." Gabby told him as they waited for their desserts.
"The night isn't over yet." Athena told her sister Jewel with a giggle.
"Oh, what did you have in mind?" Gabby asked curiously, heart racing.
Athena leaned in and whispered a few suggestions to which Harry carefully didn't pay attention, giving them their privacy, though by the way she had been looking at him, he felt he could make a guess. Gabby was nervous but blushing. Athena smiled when the French girl nodded.
"Harry, we have a favour to ask later." Athena looked so innocently at Harry, he knew it had to be fake.
"Oh?" Harry inquired, tilting his head slightly.
"Later." Athena beamed when he nodded, digging into her creme brulee when it arrived with gusto.
Harry savoured his own tarte tatin, amused at the impatient looks he was getting from first the brunette then the blonde witch at his table. A different recipe but as good as any he had tried, let alone made, and well worth the price. Harry signalled for the waiter, declining coffee and asking for the bill. He took a brief look and dropped a generous tip on top of the price of the dinner then escorted his dates out of the restaurant.
Instead of taking a pleasant stroll back to the Alliance's transport point, Athena pulled gently on his arm, pointing out an alley they could use to return sooner. Harry shook his head, wanting to let their meal settle and to build up the anticipation a little rather than rush anything and risk upset stomachs ruining the evening.
Although obviously impatient, Athena agreed to the delay and Gabby gave her a grateful smile. While the blonde was certainly eager for the next part of the evening's entertainment, she was also nervous for the same reason.
Athena reached around Harry's back, rubbing Gabby's shoulder then leaning back the other way into his clone's side for the short walk back to the portal. Inside, Athena pulled ahead, turning and walking backwards as she beamed at her soon-to-be lovers, leading them straight inside the Kitsune Compound to her room in the Jewels' wing. Once the others were inside, Athena wasted no time erecting the various privacy barriers she knew while Harry dispelled the clone.
Gabby giggled at the display then startled as Harry pulled her in for a tender kiss, melting into the love and affection he was giving her. When she broke the kiss, her heart was racing for a different reason and she moved over to Athena. "You are sure?"
"I am, Gabby." Athena smiled. "I'm thirteen years old and I've been wanting this for years. Honestly, it was my idea so I'm not going to object now!"
Harry looked over from adding the extra privacy measures. "Am I allowed to guess what you two are conspiring about?"
"You already know, don't you, Harry?"
"I didn't eavesdrop, if that's what you're asking, honey, but I can take a guess. You're asking our lovely angel here if she would use her Allure on us to make it easier for you to make love tonight, I believe?"
Athena nodded, blushing at hearing the words spoken by Harry, her nerves making a comeback.
"You do remember what happened when I let my barriers down once before, right?"
"I remember but - but I know it will be fine, this time! We've got the barriers in place so there won't be anyone overhearing anything and even if the barriers fall, there aren't any guests staying over tonight in our wing. Plus," Athena hurried to assure Harry, "I know you will have your barriers back up before leaving the room. You don't make the same mistake twice, I'm sure of it."
Harry smiled at her passionate outburst. "Very well. We all know the risks and I agree, these measures should work out. They have before, after all." He grinned at their surprised looks. "Now, why don't we move over to the lounge?"
No sooner had he said that than Harry was sat in the middle by the eager girls. He loved both of them and took turns to kiss each one as they cuddled into him, taking the time to let their hands wander over him before returning the favour. He carefully stoked the fires of their lusts, letting the present wash away the tensions and fears before, his own excitement and desire already on display. So gently the girls didn't notice, he guided them to undress each other down to their underwear. Harry let them come up for air, breathing heavily and half-lidded eyes staring at him in their desire and led the way to the bed.
Thank you as always to my betas! And thank you for reading!