Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe belongs to the proverbial Duchess of Magic, JK Rowling, Scholastic, Bloomsbury, Warner Bros and some other high falutin' companies. No matter how much I whine about not owning anything related to the HP universe, other than a few fanfic plots, I do not profess to own - and would never dream of making any money off - JKR's wonderful world... Damn it!
A/N: Glad to see a few of you picked up on the Avengers reference. Have cookies! I now point you towards the 'reboot' movie that came out in 1998 (IMDb ref: tt0118661). It's important to the chapter a little ways in.
A/N 2: Concerning Harry's vocabulary. I believe Occlumency would do wonders for a person's vocabulary. After all, it's pretty much canon that the Art is useful for memory retention; which means the breadth of his vocabulary will expand.
A/N 3: And, yes, I know Harry was being a bit homophobic about Dumbledore's sexuality back in Chapter 6. I haven't written him to be homophobic, but that doesn't mean he won't use others' homophobia to his own ends. You'll see why, starting right now.
Chapter Eight - Teaching 'New' Magic
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Dumbledore was released by the DMLE not much earlier than lunch. He only had enough time to go back to his office and meditate for about fifteen minutes to calm down before he was up and heading for the Great Hall.
Even then, he was still irritable.
'How dare she,' he thought. 'What happened between Gellert, Abe and myself is a private family matter. She had no right to ask about that.'
He knew that was not true, as he did cast a couple of Killing curses. However, they weren't illegal, back then. The curse only became known as one of the Unforgivables after Gellert was already on his pogrom to take over Europe, not before. Which is why she couldn't arrest and charge him for it.
However, she used his 'non-denial' that he'd cast at least one of them to press him for further information concerning his relationship with the man.
He then had to claim he had no idea what the man was going to get up to at the time; and, 'It would be wrong to judge someone for something they might do in future.'
"At the time, he had committed no crime," he firmly retorted to her. "He was simply a young man, barely out of his teens, complaining about his perceived unjust treatment at the hands of the then Highmaster of Durmstrang.
"We spoke about what we'd like to see changed. Not that either of us would actually be in a position to do something about it."
"And yet, you later were in that position; as Chief Warlock and Supreme Mugwump," pushed Hammer. "Are you saying you didn't use the opportunity accorded to you?"
With a huff and with a certain finality, he replied, "All I have ever done is for the benefit and betterment of the magical world."
"According to whom?" she shot back.
He refused to answer, claiming the question to be a nonsense.
When she'd then pushed into his relationship with Grindelwald, he flatly refused to answer by claiming his relationship with anyone, so long as it wasn't otherwise a breach of law, was private and she was being rude by even asking.
"Doesn't matter," she said, sitting back and smirking at him. "You've confirmed it enough for me."
After giving that a moment to sink in she said, "Frankly, I don't give a hex what lifts your wand for you. What I do care about, Mister Dumbledore, is the following points: One; as a homosexual male and Head of House, even if it is for the Minor House of Dumbledore, you were required to hand over Headship of your House to your brother... and you didn't do that. Two; back in the first half of the century you had a pre-existing close relationship with the then ICW-declared dark lord, Grindelwald, and didn't disclose it. Three; you've since then been the supposed magical guardian of two young under-aged males... one of which was Harry Potter... and you were required to disclose your sexuality when you applied for the position of magical guardian in both cases. And four; you were required, also by law, to disclose the fact you're a homosexual when you applied for the position of Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
"Other than disclosing the pre-existing relationship with Grindelwald, that's four blatant breaches of the law, right there. As such, I so far have sufficient evidence to fully investigate. If my investigation into this matter proves my case or cases, you're going before the Wizengamot to be trialled."
Before she released him she charged him with magical assault, nine cases based on how many people he had with him and who also cast stunners, when he attacked 'Lord Peverell' in the Alley outside Gringotts. All she was waiting for was to find the Peverell man and get him to lay a formal complaint, before she could then take the matter before the Wizengamot.
"In the mean time," she said. "If I hear of one more case where you've been involved in assaulting anyone except someone wearing full Death Eater regalia or is You-Know-Who himself... your arse is going into one of my holding cells and remaining there until your very soon-to-be-held-thereafter trial. You'll have proven yourself to be an ongoing threat and likely to re-offend; which is all I need to hold someone beyond the limit of seventy-two hours.
"Stop attacking people!
"Oh! And, from this moment forth," she said, "I'm having any organisation that has not properly registered with the Ministry proscribed as an illegal organisation. Lord Peverell, if Skeeter isn't up to her old tricks, is right that your silly little Order is an illegal vigilante organisation. From now on, if any of them are spotted at the scene of a Death Eater attack and had no legitimate reason to be there, they'll be arrested and charged."
"You can't do that!" Dumbledore exclaimed, finally having been pushed 'too far'. "People of our society have the freedom to go wherever they want!"
"Hippogriff shit!" she snapped back. "They've never had that freedom. And you, from at least your time as Chief Warlock, are fully aware of that!"
That and others were the reasons the old man returned to the castle in a right royal snit.
How was he to keep the Longbottom boy in line if he couldn't take him to scenes of Death Eater attacks and witness Death Eaters, including Tom himself, being driven off?
Oh, yes. He already knew why Tom was immediately withdrawing and ordering his boys and girls to do the same when young Neville turned up. He had, after all, made sure his then pet Seer, Trelawney, knew the full prophecy.
Prophetesses, those Seers who gave prophecies, never remembered the prophecies they gave. However, Dumbledore made sure Trelawney was shown his memory of her giving the prophecy, on the chance it would have the woman kidnapped and brought to Tom.
It worked. She was, on both counts.
He also made sure she 'knew' that, as long as Tom or any of his minions... his 'hands'... didn't mark the boy, the prophecy wouldn't actually come to pass. And further made sure she 'knew' that, if Tom or one of his minions did mark the boy, then Tom would surely die.
That, too, seemed to work; as each time after that when Neville turned up anywhere, Tom and his forces immediately withdrew.
Oh, yes, Dumbledore was also pleased with how he'd engineered things to allow the Order to turn up at most attacks within minutes of them occurring.
He'd first used an alchemical-based combined loyalty-compulsion potion to create a Death Eater who would replace Snape and report to him. Then did the same with another wizard who would then work the permanent night-shift in the magical detection grid set up within the Ministry of Magic to detect underage magic and locate its source. That second person would, each night, alter what it detected to be a certain set of spells Dumbledore wanted detected; including the Unforgivables, the Dark Mark cloud and ward breaking charms used by the Death Eaters when they attacked a warded home.
For them to contact him he used the idea he'd once 'suggested' to the Granger girl to use within the DA and used himself with the Order medallions; a protean-based charm linking coins that could be used to surreptitiously send instant short messages over long distances. With a slight modification his spy would send a short message letting him know an attack was 'imminent' and he'd call in the Order. Then his monitor spy within the Magic Detection Office within the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, after also being alerted an attack was imminent, would watch for any of the spells on the list to be cast and, once detected, immediately send via their own protean-charmed galleon the location to Dumbledore.
For those homes that were warded, Dumbledore - together with a side-along apparated Longbottom and those Order members who could attend - would often be there before the Death Eaters could finish getting through the wards. For unwarded homes, such as those of the muggleborns, they'd usually be alerted once one of the Unforgivables, especially the Cruciatus Curse, was cast.
Yes, a few people died. However, Trelawney's 'sacrifice' ended up, to date, saving hundreds of lives. In Dumbledore's mind, from a strategic point of view it was well worth it. And he, Dumbledore, was willing to weather the resultant guilt of her death on his own shoulders.
It was, after all, For the Greater Good. And he needed the time to have the boy properly trained and conditioned to meet his own destiny.
He just wished people would stop doubting him and let him do what he knew needed to be done when he decided it needed doing.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
That afternoon, once Remus and Tonks turned up - again, together - Harry had them think of all the main charms, hexes and curses they used in combat. Then had them write them down in list form.
"Just the names, please," he said.
Once they'd done that, with Tonks and Sirius taking the longer times due to their own ongoing self teaching on Sirius's part and auror training on Tonks's part, he asked if they'd finished.
"Actually, it doesn't matter if you've listed them all, just yet," he corrected himself. "Just as many of the ones you're likely to use as possible."
When they nodded back he said, "Now, I want you to think of each one and see if you can think of a one syllable word you'd use in place of the incantation you already use. And write down next to the each spell on your list what that word would be.
"But, remember, you can't use the same word twice.
"While also doing that, try to not use a word that ends in a soft sound; such as 'shhh' or 'sssss' or 'fffff' or a 'double-u' unless it's for a charm that you have to continue to pump magic into, such as a summoning charm. As a secondary task, try to choose a word that also doesn't start with that sound... though it's not really necessary."
"Errr..." said Tonks. "Any examples?"
He nodded and said, "'Shoot' starts with a soft sound, but is still alright to use. However, 'fish' ends with the same soft sound and isn't."
"Whoever would use 'fish' as an incantation?" muttered Sirius.
"It's just an example, Sirius," said Harry.
"What do you use, Harry?" asked Remus.
Harry thought for a moment before he replied, "For the Expelliarmus - five syllables, there - I used to use 'Pull'. However, the double-ells make it a soft finish. So, I switched it to 'Yank'.
"'Yank' starts somewhat soft with the 'Yuh' sound, but ends with a hard 'kay'.
"However, I use 'Come' for the Accio - three syllables - summoning charm, which has a soft 'mmm' sound to finish, but that charm requires the continued pumping of magic until the summoned item reaches you, anyway; so it's neither here nor there.
"Further, the two new incantations, 'Yank' and 'Come' can be linked when you want to rip something out of someone's hand and immediately summon it to yourself so they can't get it again; such as their wand - 'Yank-Come'."
All of them immediately wrote that down.
"Remember," he warned. "That's what I use. You might find... and are welcome to... find better words to use."
"How about I tell you each of what we use and you tell me what word you use, Harry?" asked Tonks. "There's no need to reinvent the wheel, is there?"
Harry gave a shrug and replied, "Why not. Still, you're free to pick a word that better suits the way you think if my choice doesn't suit you."
She nodded and said, "Expelliarmus is Yank, right?"
"Yep," he replied. "And Accio is Come."
"Stupefy?"
"Stun. I know it starts with the sibillant 'sss' and finishes with the soft 'nnn', but I came up with that one before I set my personal rules for what should and should not be used for sounds in words."
"What would you otherwise use?" asked Sirius.
Harry gave a slight shrug and said, "Probably something along the lines of... 'Out', for 'out cold'... or 'Stub', to give it a hard end... something like that."
"Incarcerous?" asked Remus, after they'd written that down.
"Rope."
"Cutting Curse?"
"Cut."
"Duh!" said Sirius.
Harry just grinned.
Undeterred she asked, "Piercing Curse?"
"Stab."
"Protego?"
"Stop."
The Confractus shield breaker?"
"Break."
"Banishing Charm?"
"Push," he replied. "Yes, it has a soft finish, but think about how you have to keep pumping magic through your wand as you incant 'Depulso'. As such, the soft finish helps."
All four nodded.
"The Blasting Curse?"
"Bang."
"Ummm... The Confundus Charm?"
"Dope."
"Conjunctivitis Curse?"
"Blind; but I don't often use it."
"Hurling Hex?"
"Chuck."
"Stinging Hex?"
"Stig, for sting."
"Flagrante Curse?"
"Burn. Soft finish, I know; but needed to continue the flames going."
"Reductor?"
"Boom. Same."
"Incinerate?"
"Ig. Short for 'Ignite'."
"Fire Whip?"
"Whip," he replied. "A favourite of mine against the Jaffa. Scared the crap out of them."
That had Sirius and Remus chuckle.
"Try these ones," said Tonks. "Silencing charm."
"Zip!" he happily replied.
"Zip?" asked Remus.
"As in, 'Zip it shut, fool; I'm talking'," he replied.
That earned him a quick few laughs.
"Petrifier?" asked Tonks, still continuing.
"Hold."
"Leg-locker?"
"Leg," he replied. "You'll also notice I didn't use the plural. That would mean adding the 'Ess' on the end. The sibilant finish is my incantation unforgivable."
More nods.
"Dancing Feet?"
"The Tarantallegra?" he asked. "Actually, I didn't use that one. If I was to create an incantation for it, I'd use 'Feet'. That's not otherwise used."
"The Gouging Charm?"
"Oooh, going a little dark there, Miss Tonks," he said. "Used it, but not in combat. I used it to dig deep holes in dirt and rock, not against another person. Think of one."
"Gouge?" she asked.
"Possible," he replied. "But, while it's one syllable, it requires a long one and has the soft "juhhh" sound at the end.
"Dig," said Remus, firmly. "After all, that's what it's supposed to be used for, right?"
"Right," said Tonks. "'Dig', it is."
"The Severing Charm," said Tonks. "I know 'Cut's already been used..."
"Amp," said Harry. "It's short for 'amputate'."
"Freezing Charm?"
"Never used it. And 'Freeze' has both a soft start and finish."
When no seemed to have a solution, he said, "Come back to it. Remember, you can also use words that actually don't really exist, or you can use another to represent what you want it to mean."
"Knockback Jinx?"
"Ah!" he said. "A prime example of what I just meant. "I used to use 'Push'. However, that has the soft and near-sibilant finish. I then changed it to 'Pud' to give it a hard finish and it goes well with the next jinx I'd next often use; The Tripping Jinx with 'Trip' as the incantation.
"That would allow me 'Pud-Trip', to knock the person back and immediately trip them over while they were off-balance."
As the listings went on, Harry noticed Sirius, especially, had no problem going quite dark with his spells. Many of them Harry never used or knew about and, therefore, hadn't a one-syllable incantation for them.
However, Tonks looked almost horrified at what Sirius was willing to use.
"This is war, Tonks," said Sirius, noticing her reaction. "Not a school-yard squabble."
Harry quietly said, "I also had one word incantations for the three Unforgivables. Kill, Pain and Imp."
"What?" exclaimed a scandalised Tonks as Remus also looked worried. "Bu― but, they're illegal!"
"The law concerning Unforgivables applies only to ICW-member countries and those countries that also have the law," he replied. "I was well outside the jurisdiction of them all, remember? As such, I was breaking no laws.
"Further, it was me against thousands of 'devoted to their so-called God' slave soldiers and one race of beings that make Tom Riddle look like a toddler throwing a temper-tantrum.
"I sleep well at night knowing I had no choice, but to use them. However, I was very sparing in the use of them, I assure you."
"I don't think I'm comfortable hearing that," she muttered.
"Good," he firmly said. "You shouldn't be."
After they ran through the spells they'd each listed, with Luna also listing some pretty esoteric spells and telling them how she used them in combat - which gave others ideas they could also use - they took a break.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
SG-1, after making sure watchers were in place at Privet Drive, had tried to find a way into the underground section under the Old War Office in Whitehall. The building, while still in UK Government control, was no longer used as such but was still a heavily protected building.
As soon as the team had managed to get into the basement of the building to try and find a way to go deeper - Potter had informed them he'd estimated he'd been at least one hundred feet below ground - they couldn't find anywhere that would lead them deeper.
Even with 'Mister Steed' apparently greasing the wheels for them to gain access to the records of the building and its history, they couldn't find what they were looking for.
"I think he must've lied," sighed Jack, himself going over the plans.
"I don't," replied Daniel.
"Why not?" asked Jack.
"Look at the underground infrastructure," said Daniel, sliding the engineering plans over. "Underground electricity cabling, telephone cabling, fresh water pipes, sewerage pipes, the Underground rail network... The rest of the city, as you'd expect, is inter-laid with it all. However, under the Old War Office Building..."
Jack, looking for himself between the five different systems on the overlaid maps, saw what Daniel had spotted. "I see..."
"The only other places where they are also lacking is the Palace and a couple of places that are clearly protected," said Daniel.
Then he pointed to a spot off Charing Cross Road, just down from the Tottenham Court Road Underground station, and said, "And, here's another. It's in a spot in the road network that doesn't make much sense."
He had no idea he was pointing at the site of Diagon Alley and Gringotts Bank.
"No underground infrastructure, whatsoever, is laid under the ground here. It's a complete blank."
Sam, looking over Jack's shoulder, said, "I can understand the one under Whitehall. There's very likely a lot of UK military secrets under there and the civilian cablers and engineers had been told it's a no-go area. However, that second one... there's no reason for that."
"Well," said Jack. "While we wait for permission to get under Whitehall, let's go check this second site out and see if there's a correlation between the two later."
That had the team have something to do.
Though he showed no outward signs of it, Steed was a little worried about the 'thinking outside the box' leaps of logic the archaeologist was displaying. BSIS knew he was brilliant, just not this brilliant. And most 'squints' only ever focussed on their own professions and sciences, unlike what the good Doctor Jackson was demonstrating.
'I need to speak with "Mother",' he thought. 'These Yanks are getting far too close to the truth.'
As a high-ranking member of the BSIS, Steed was already 'read-in' to the facts concerning the magical world. And, yes, he knew exactly who Harry Potter was and what he meant to that world.
Also, it was a secret known only to a very small select few that 'Sir John' and the leader of the 'M' world's insurrectionist movement were related; they were cousins through his father's side and even looked somewhat alike. Then there was 'Mother', a squib whose twin brother was the current Professor of Potions at their school; and 'Father', who was a maternal cousin of both Potter and, especially, his now deceased aunt - for whom she was a near-spitting image. (1)
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After the seriousness of the short discussion on Harry using the Unforgivables, Sirius and Remus were having fun trying to think of appropriate one-syllable incantations for other spells.
"What about Apparation, pup?" asked Sirius. "Surely you took a great risk teaching yourself that."
Harry nodded and explained, "I actually had an accidental magic event around apparation when I was seven at the local primary school in Little Whinging. I remembered what that felt like.
"Then, during the Tournament, at Hogwarts I once sat in on that Professor Tofty bloke from the Ministry teaching the seventh years how to apparate. I was under my invisibility cloak, at the time.
I thought about everything he said, put it together with what I remembered of the feeling and, in my mind, used the incantation, 'Be There!' with that twist on the word 'There'.
"Even then I didn't try until the first time I came up against the first scouting patrol of Jaffa, led by their Goa'uld master. They had me encircled and one was about to fire his blasting staff at me.
"I looked at the nearest Hill, the one I sat upon the top of on my first night, and just... did it, with the thought I need to 'Be There!'
"It worked. And I've never even come close to splinching."
"Wow!" said Tonks. "That's impressive."
Remus asked, "Just... 'Be There?'"
"Yes," he nodded. "But with, as Tofty said, first using deliberation and destination in my mind on the 'Be' and determination to be there on the 'There!' as I twisted... It works."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Once Harry was ready, he had the four of them troop down to the duelling room.
There, he started with Luna first on how to switch from using the incantations they were taught to using the one-syllable incantation method he'd 'invented'. He understood she already had greater trust in him than the others, including Sirius.
Standing at the opposite end from her he loosely held his wand in his hand, "So that everyone gets comfortable with this... and, more importantly, you develop an acceptance in your heart that this is possible... we'll start with something easy and non-dangerous. We'll start with my old favourite, the Expelliarmus Charm.
"Firstly, Luna, I want you to use that charm against me with the supposedly proper wand gestures and incantation. I need you to have a fresh memory of how the magic feels as you successfully cast the charm." He then hesitated to ensure she understood and then said, "Go for it."
With a nod, Luna developed a concentrated expression and cast, "Expelliarmus!"
Harry's wand was immediately yanked out of his hand and flew off to the side a little, not quite back at her.
"Good!" he said, wandlessly and silently summoning it back to his hand. "Again!"
Again she successfully cast and again his wand went flying out of his hand.
"Excellent!" And wandlessly summoned it back again.
"Now, while only thinking of the incantation, 'Expelliarmus', verbally give the incantation, 'Yank'. Remember the feel of your magic for that charm. And keep the same wand gestures, for now."
She gave a single nod, thought hard and slowly incanted, "Yank!"
Harry was surprised when it worked first time for her. His wand was yanked out his hand and went flying.
She happily grinned at him.
"Bravo!" he laughed. "Now, we're going to take our time and slowly stop thinking Expelliarmus; and eventually only think 'Yank'."
"Try again!"
Utterly surprising him, though he was having trouble not saying so, he congratulated her when she got it done after the seventh or eighth attempt.
"Alright!" he called. "The rest of you have been paying attention, I hope. Step in here. It'll be Sirius against Luna and Tonks against Remus. This way, I know your intent is in no way going to allow you to harm your opponent. As such, your magic will not accidentally do that."
Once he had the four inside the warded area with him, facing off against each other as he said, he again instructed on how to do it. This time it was mainly to Sirius and Tonks.
Then he helped Remus, who he knew would have the most difficulty; as his mind was like Hermione's and would rebel against wanting to go against 'known facts'. He did, but unlike Hermione would, he got past it quicker.
By the end of the first session he had them practically at silent and point-casting. However, other than Luna, the other three still needed to quietly mutter the incantation. At least it was the one-syllable new one, though.
Once it was getting on to dinner time, he called a halt and said, "Same time tomorrow, folks. No rest for the wicked, I'm afraid."
Relaxing with a sigh, Remus looked to Harry, smirked and said, "You make a very good teacher, Harry."
"Bloody brilliant!" declared Sirius.
Harry smiled back at Remus and said, "I used the same method you used when you taught us the Riddickulus Charm against the boggart, remember?"
"Yes, but I was only teaching one at a time for that," he replied. "You were teaching all four of us together and spotting problems developing... and countering them... before they became an issue."
"Yeah, but I only have four students," Harry returned. "You had twenty!"
Remus just smiled, clearly not willing to argue the point.
"Alright!" called Harry. "A final pearl of wisdom for you all for today. Two, actually.
"First, you now all know that it is intent that drives your focus to shape what you want to occur; and it is your will that empowers it to happen."
He gave that a moment then said, "The next pearl is, pretty much, from a muggle movie. It's 'Do or do not. There is no try.'
"For you, that means you either commit to doing something or be prepared to not do something. You will not... Try. Try is a pre-excuse for failure. When you say, 'I will try' you are silently adding to that in your mind, 'but I expect to fail'.
"As such, the word 'Try' is banned from your vocabularies when applied to yourselves while being taught this way to use magic. Got me?"
Four voices immediately replied either, "Yes, Harry," or, in Tonks's case, she snapped out, "Yes, Sir."
Realising what she'd done, she blushed. "Sorry. Auror training kicked in."
Harry chuckled. "At least I know I have a 'command' voice that has people with military or police training automatically react to it."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
After dinner Remus and Tonks left again almost immediately afterwards, Tonks was currently on early morning shifts. And Sirius, Harry and Luna settled down with a good book each.
It was about ten minutes after Remus and Tonks left that Luna, quite nonchalantly, said to Sirius, "Just so you know, I've moved into Harry's room."
"Oh?" asked Sirius, as Harry blushed. "And into what room has Harry moved into?"
Flatly, Luna returned, "Very funny, Lord Black."
Sirius grinned and said, "Make sure you use the contraceptive charms and-or potions and be careful. Otherwise, I've no problem with it."
It was almost a further five minutes before Harry, trying to get his blush under control, asked Luna, "Errr... should I go and talk with your father?"
She smiled at him and said, "That's sweet, Love. But, for a start, Daddy's in Norway hunting Snorkacks. He won't be back for about a month. Even so, I'm of age and a 'big girl' now. I'm free to make my own decisions."
"Still..." he tried.
"Still, nothing," she firmly said. "Down the road... it would be best if you do the traditional thing and go and ask him for my hand in marriage. That, at least, will have the stodgy old traditionalists of our society give their own nods of approval. However, that is some time off yet. Besides, I wish to speak with him before then to tell him he'll be saying yes to your request."
"You'll... tell him he'll be saying yes?" Harry tentatively asked, a little confused.
"Of course!" she firmly replied. "Daddy just wants me to be happy. If I tell him to tell you 'yes' and it'll make me happy, then he knows it'll be safe to reply 'yes' to your question."
"That... sounds oddly logical," he quietly said. "And not a little like the wrong thing to do."
"It's the way it's done these days, Harry," said Sirius. "The traditionalists are satisfied the old ways are followed, while the new progressives are happy the prospective bride is in control of her own future. Everyone wins."
"Sometimes I just don't understand magical society," he sighed.
With a wry smirk, Sirius said, "That's because, a lot of what is considered tradition, can beggar belief in its stupidity."
"I'm just happy that over the past century marriage contracts have been done away with," said Luna.
"Not all of them, Luna," corrected Sirius. "However, only the truly dark families still use them."
"Such as the Blacks?" asked Harry.
"Such as what the Blacks used to be like until I took up the Lordship," he replied. "I won't allow them and I'll be instructing my heirs that the House of Black, as a whole, will no longer deal with them."
"There's not one..." tried Harry.
"For you?" prompted Sirius. Looking back down at his book he said, "There used to be. One of the first things I did when I became your regent was destroy it. It was, according to the Potter family by-laws, illegal.
"Your paternal grandfather, Fleamont, made them illegal for a Potter almost immediately after he became the Lord of your House."
"It's destroyed?" asked Harry.
"Definitely."
"Who was it with?"
Sirius looked up and replied, "Ginevra Molly Weasley."
Harry looked horrified for a few moments before he said, "Ohhh... I feel sick."
"It'll pass," said Sirius.
"Please tell me there's no more," Harry begged.
"There's no more," said Sirius. "And, no, I'm not lying. After finding that one I spent a great deal of time searching for others.
"There were a lot of offers, especially after what happened on that Hallowe'en, but Dumbledore had already refused them all even if he didn't have the right to do so. I merely signed off on them being rejected. The goblins hadn't destroyed them, because they knew Dumbledore couldn't legally reject them.
"The Weasley contract was what led me to officially announce House Weasley as official enemy of Houses Potter and Black after first telling Arthur I wouldn't do that based on Ronald's thievery and his handling of that situation. However, finding that contract was the last cast for me.
"I asked Arthur why he signed off on it on behalf of House Weasley... especially since his father was still alive at the time... and his only answer was because Dumbledore told him to. That wasn't good enough for me."
"Why... the Hell... would Dumbledore do such a thing?"
"It allowed him to pay for the Weasley children to attend Hogwarts out of the Potter accounts," replied Sirius. "It was a condition of the contract that House Potter was to pay for all of your generation of Weasley children to attend Hogwarts."
"That's... that's... despicable!"
"Yes," replied his godfather. "After a kind word from me to Bones, Arthur was able to keep his job. However, William lost his at Gringotts and had to emigrate to find work. He went to France and Fleur's family hooked him up with a French curse-breaking company. Charlie's job at the dragon farm in Romania was fine. And the twins are making a respectable living through their WWW business in the Alley. Percy lost his job at the Ministry, but Bones and I were in agreement he was just a snotty little toady, anyway. He now works for the twins as their bookkeeper. How that young man never went into Slytherin still confuses a lot of people.
"As for Ron and Ginny, their parents were only able to provide enough gold to see Ginny attend in what would have been your sixth year and her OWL year. And the rest of the family, where they could, pooled enough gold for her to attend through to NEWTs. Ron never returned to school after you left, because they couldn't afford for him to attend and it had become apparent that he only passed what OWLs he did because of all the help that Miss Granger provided him. Even his parents figured out quite quickly that, since Miss Granger wouldn't be there for his sixth year, he'd fail. As such, they'd be wasting their gold. They withdrew him.
"Since then the longest he's held a job is for six months when he went to work for his brothers stocking shelves. However, they caught him slacking off one too many times and ordered him to pull his socks up or, as it was their last warning, he'd be sacked. Then, rumour has it, he pilfered from the till and was caught. They sacked him on the spot. Even his mother yelling at them for over ten minutes in public, which is how everyone came to learn he'd stolen from them, couldn't get them to 'rehire' him.
"Since then he's only had the occasional job, but none have lasted more than two months; at which point he's either fired or it's all too hard for him and, according to him, no one should be forced to work so hard for a few measly galleons. At least, that's what Remus and Tonks have been able to learn through the meetings of the Order."
After shaking his head at the stupidity of the boy, Harry asked, "And the red-headed public merry-go-round?"
"Public merry-go-round?" asked Sirius; knowing who he meant, but not why he referred to her as a public merry-go-round.
"You know," said Harry. "Everyone gets a turn or three?"
Sirius looked back in shock for a moment until Luna, who was sitting right alongside him at the time, slapped Harry lightly on the back of his head and scowled at him. Then he roared with laughter.
"Everyone gets a turn or three?" he laughed. "Oh! That's rich!" And roared with laughter again.
"She used to be my friend, Harry," said Luna.
"Did she, Luna?" he compassionately asked. "Or, was she... almost from birth... already aiming to marry the Boy-Who-Lived and other people were just stepping stones on her way to that goal?
"I know she wasn't your friend at school, Luna," he said. "Her and your first year not withstanding, she had nothing to do with you until Hermione forced me to create the DA and you both joined, did she?"
Luna sadly looked away and quietly replied, "No."
Luna's reaction had Sirius stop laughing. "Is Harry upsetting you, Luna? Want me to take him out the back and beat the ever-loving Merlin out of him for you?"
She sadly smiled back and said, "It's alright. Something he said just reminded me of a difficult time in my life. I've already come to terms with it."
"Sorry, Love," said Harry, contritely.
Looking back to Sirius he said, "There was either a badly kept secret or a vicious rumour in my fourth year and into my fifth that, for the price of a couple of sickles a blow-job was available; a galleon got you anal. The only thing I found out was you had to be in a certain broom closet at a certain time with your coins in your hand. I also found out it wasn't a bloke, as I first thought it was, when I found out you got to play with 'her' tits so long as you were also getting one or the other of either a blow-job or anal sex.
"From the way they and other boys were carrying on, it wasn't until I was on Hadrian and had spent time sorting out my memories that I figured out it was Ginny. I figured out that, just from the way both Finnegan and Thomas would instantly shut up about it if Ron walked in, they were likely talking about someone it wasn't safe to mention in Ron's presence. Neville, however, seemed as oblivious about who it was as I was.
"That led me to reviewing other memories and, each time I heard it talked about, I remembered it was when Ron wasn't there. I also saw quite a few times when Ginny would look in some boy's direction, give him a nod and then hurry out through the portrait hole. That boy would follow less than a minute later. Then he'd come in about five minutes later with a dopey grin on his face and another boy would hurriedly leave; or she'd come back in and, sometimes, be still adjusting her clothing. The other girls also gave her the occasional filthy looks.
"Individually... I never saw it. Yet, through the accurate hindsight of Occlumency, it became plain as day. Ginny was whoring herself out." He turned to Luna and said, "Sorry, Luna."
She curled into his arm and just rapidly shock her head for a long second. "Not your fault," she quietly said. "I Saw it happening. I didn't want to, but I did. There was nothing I could do for her because she pushed me away."
After wrapping his arm around a cuddling Luna, he asked Sirius, "So, what did Ginny do with her gift of a NEWTs-level Hogwarts education?"
Sirius replied, "Well, she graduated around middle of her year; nothing special, but not a failure like her youngest brother. I'd heard both her parents were trying to get her to accept a position at the Ministry, but she seemed to believe herself too good for that. I guess that's what growing up as a child into your early teens, believing you're already locked in to a destiny of being married to a very wealthy Lord, does to you.
"She tried out for a couple of the professional Quidditch teams of the British and Irish Quidditch League and, I believe, one gave her a reserve position; the Tutshill Tornadoes, not far from her parent's place - and Luna's - in Ottery St Catchpole. As far as I know she's still a reserve with them; chaser."
"Daddy's favourite team," said Luna, sitting up a bit again. "And I think Ginny's moving up into the starting line-up this year. That's good for her career, but a waste of a Hogwarts education."
"And Hermione," Harry sighed. "My pseudo, pain-in-the-bum, big sister. She's... happy and well?"
"She is," Sirius nodded. "She's studying law... both magical and muggle... or, as it is called there, no-maj law. I'm even secretly helping by paying for that. Well, secretly from her parents, at any rate." And grinned.
"Good," sighed Harry again. "Thank you."
"You're very welcome, Harry," he replied. "She, at least... like Luna... stood by you simply because she liked you and wanted to be a true friend."
"One day, once Riddle and Dumbledore are dealt with, I'll have to let her know I'm still alive," said Harry. "Pretty much the rest of magical Britain can go jump in the Black Lake, though."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
This time, once the time was getting on a bit, Luna walked up the stairs with him. And the two entered his... their... room, together.
As Harry undressed, readying for bed, so too did Luna. However, Harry was deliberately not watching her as he knew that if he did 'Little Harry' would pop up and say 'Helloooo... Nurse!' Down to his boxers, he headed for the bathroom to brush his teeth.
Underwear was something he'd not had access to for years until the SG-1 picked him up. For almost his whole time on Hadrian he had to go commando. Before the 'Veil' he wore white 'Y' fronts bought from the cheap bin at the local by his aunt; the only 'new' clothes he ever received until he bought his first Hogwarts uniform. Now, getting back to Earth, he didn't think he could again wear something that would feel 'restrictive' around his twins.
He also didn't think he could wear pyjamas to bed again, either. On Hadrian he'd 'made-do' with just a transfigured sheet on the bed until he moved to the area where he built Safe Haven. Then it was just a sheet and a light blanket. But he did wear transfigured loose sleep pants, just in case he had to leap out of bed because the Jaffa had found him or something. There was no need for anything else.
As he stood there, having just started brushing his teeth, Luna walked by, starkers, and hopped into the shower.
Surprised, he watched her in the mirror for a moment before returning to brush his teeth.
Finished with that, he used his wand and applied his 'Harry special' shaving charm he'd perfected over the years and magicked himself smooth shaven. It might be 'cheating', but razor blades were non-existent on Hadrian. He also had a charm to clean his teeth, but much preferred the taste and feel of teeth and tongue cleaned by mint flavoured toothpaste.
He'd just rinsed out his mouth and was rinsing his brush under the tap when Luna called, "Join me, love."
Harry was happy to oblige.
His early night didn't turn out to be an early one, after all.
Before going to sleep, he looked to his naked bed partner and said, "I'm sorry and I should have said something, but shouldn't we have been using some form of protection?"
"I won't get pregnant yet, Love," she said, rolling to her side to look at him. "I take a potion that blocks that sort of thing from happening."
He nodded in the low light and said, "You'll warn me before we reach that point, right?"
She smiled and said, "Of course."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
The next morning Luna and Harry were up early as he still had a lot to do he wanted to get done as soon as possible.
They were in the kitchen eating breakfast when the Daily Prophet owl flew in and 'delivered'. As Sirius still wasn't down yet, Harry didn't have to fight for it with his godfather.
"While in the Alley I want to subscribe to my own copy," he said.
"I'll have to do it, Harry," she returned. "It won't deliver to you if you use Hardwin Peverell as the subscriber. And the Prophet will know Harry Potter has returned if you use your real name."
He nodded and said, "We'll do that, then."
As he read he saw that Sirius's letter made the front page, but towards the bottom. However, it was included as if he was interviewed for the information, rather than the information being sent to them by letter.
It covered all the main points and was accurate to what Sirius had told him was included in the letter. Lord Hardwin Peverell was the rightful owner of the Potter fortune through primogenitor; Sirius had, though a little reluctantly, handed it over; it had a 'statement' from Sirius stating he would try to monitor 'the Peverell Lord's' handling of the fortune to ensure there was no shenanigans going on; that sort of thing.
By then, Sirius was down and starting on his breakfast. Harry slid the paper down the length of the table to him.
"Front page," he simply said as he returned to his tea.
Sirius read through it and said, "Quite accurate in the details but, as you know, not in that it was an interview."
Harry nodded back and said, "Luna and I are heading straight to Diagon, once we've finished breaking our fasts. I need to go pick up my robes and go into the bank to find out what happened from their investigation into how Dumbledore learned of my presence there, that day.
"Anything you need me to pick up for you?"
Sirius shook his head and replied, "No. I'm fine. Thanks for asking, though."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
Once Luna had finished her own breakfast and had let it settle a bit, she was a much slower eater than him, Harry asked, "Ready to go, Love?"
She nodded and stood. "Let's go."
After flooing to the Leaky and making their way directly to Madam Malkin's - Harry wanted to be wearing a different set of wizarding robes when he stepped into the bank. Once inside, he was offered the small pile and asked if he could borrow one of the change rooms. They were happy to oblige.
Once changed, this time wearing the new forest green with black trim set, but again open down the front for freedom of movement, Luna dropped the rest of the entire lot, plus what he'd worn in, into her ever present clutch-purse and they left.
As soon as they stepped into the bank, before they even made it to a teller, a 'concierge' goblin met them on the floor and said, "Lord Peverell. Axe Lord Ragnok would like a word, if it is not too much trouble."
Before Harry could reply, Luna quietly said to him, "Ragnok is the bank manager, Love."
"Ah!" he said, understanding, before looking back to the worried goblin. "Then, by all means, please escort us to Axe Lord Ragnok."
The goblin gave a bow and said, "Follow me." Then he spun about and walked to the back wall where the doors led deeper within.
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
With a lot more deference being paid to him and Luna from all the goblins they passed on the way, Harry found himself led by a 'shortcut' directly to Ragnok's office.
This one had two goblin guards with halberds standing each side of the door. The goblin leading the two humans ignored them and knocked on the door in an odd rhythm.
"Enter!" Harry heard barked from within.
The goblin immediately opened the door, stepped within and said, "Axe Lord. I present Lord Potter and Miss Lovegood."
Harry had already walked in with Luna right behind him.
The somewhat old, but clearly fit and strong, goblin behind the desk immediately jumped to his feet and said to the escort goblin, "Thank you, Pickknife. You may return to your duties."
As the escorting goblin bowed and immediately withdrew, closing the door as he walked out, Ragnok walked around the desk and stood before it. Once the door was closed he immediately dropped to his knees and said, "Lord Potter-Peverell. I and Gringotts as a whole, owe you a sincere apology. Your confidential information was released to those who had no right to know of it. I offer my life as recompense."
He then, drawing it from a sheath at his lower back, laid a large knife on the ground before himself, hilt facing Harry, as he bowed his head forward.
A little surprised, Harry was a long moment before he said, "At this point, I do not wish to take your life, Axe Lord Ragnok. Re-sheath your knife, get up and return to your desk. We have matters to discuss."
After a slight hesitation, Ragnok did just that.
As he sat he indicated the two chairs before his desk and said, "Please... be seated."
As Harry sat after first letting Luna sit before himself, he said, "I had come in with the intent of withdrawing all of my wealth from this bank and handing it over to the gnomes of Zürich to handle. However, if I am satisfied with the results of both your investigation and resolution, I shall consider not doing that."
Ragnok nodded and then launched into exactly what had happened, from a Gringotts perspective, as soon as it became known someone in Gringotts had 'sold their honour to the wizard Dumbledore'.
It was discovered there were no less than three Tellers - not, Honourable Tellers - who were taking, not just the wizard Dumbledore's gold, but others as well to alert him and those others to information concerning Gringotts clients. All three had been questioned under goblin truth wards before being beheaded.
The wizards concerned were each fined twenty-five percent of their monetary holdings within the bank, with ninety percent of that being deposited into Harry's Potter vault as recompense.
The only one who tried to complain - via an 'intermediary', Arthur Weasley - was Dumbledore. He lost a further five percent of his holdings to Gringotts for the attempt. And Arthur was forbidden to return to the bank for six months lest he lose his life.
That investigation was, even before then, expanded to the rest of the customer liaison staff; with two concierge goblins and a cart goblin also losing their heads.
With now six dishonourable goblins being discovered, the investigation was broadened to all other staff. A further three were found with one having been the late Peverell Account manager, who had lost his status as the account manager for Peverell when the Potter account manager took precedence and rightfully took control of that account. He'd let it be known that the, until then, unknown wizard in black was Lord Peverell; which is how Dumbledore determined who the wizard in black was. All of them also lost their heads.
Sadly Hooknose, though not beheaded, was moved to another duty for letting slip to the ex-Peverell Account Manager that the one who took the Potter account was 'Lord Peverell'. He was rubbing his rival's nose in it. As he did not tell anyone outside the bank, he technically did not breach confidentiality. However, his slip led to a breach. As such, he was demoted to be the Account Manager of a non-Noble non-Ancient House.
Harry was going to protest, but Luna lightly pinched him on the leg. When he turned to her, she slightly shook her head. That told him enough to not question it. She later told him it was the way of the Goblins and Ragnok would have been deeply offended if he'd said anything.
Their new Account Manager would be Rockgnasher; who was considered by Ragnok to be both a 'go-getter' and more modern in his approach. And Ragnok assured him Rockgnasher would do an outstanding job for the accounts.
The way he fingered the hilt of his axe as he said so, clearly communicated Rockgnasher would do an outstanding job of the accounts or soon be doing an outstanding job of being dragon food.
When Ragnok wound up, Harry just nodded and asked, "I take it, then, you are satisfied you've rooted out all the confidentiality breakers?"
"I believe I have rooted out, as you put it, all the ones I could find," replied Ragnok. "I am... hopeful... that was all of them. Yet, I must honestly fear I have yet more to find."
Harry gave another nod and said, "Then, as you believe you have resolved the situation to the best of Gringotts's ability, I will... for the time being... withhold in going forward with my desire to transfer all my wealth to the gnomes of Zürich."
As Ragnok seemed to sag in relief, Harry continued, "As long as I continue to witness this... desire made real... of Gringotts to stop the atrocity of breaching client confidentiality, I will remain of the desire to have the goblins of Gringotts maintain physical control of my wealth."
"Thank you, My Lord," nodded Ragnok. "Is there anything Gringotts... or, I, personally... can do for you today?"
"No," said Harry, rising. "I believe that covers it." As he was about to turn away he said, "Oh. There's one thing of what happened two days ago that has been of benefit to me. It is now believed by the wizards and witches of magical Britain that I am Hardwin Peverell; not Harry Potter. I want them to keep believing that until I say otherwise; which will possibly be 'never'."
Ragnok, standing himself, nodded and said, "Then, if you introduce yourself as Lord Peverell when you enter the bank, then that is how you shall be addressed upon Gringotts's soil."
"Thank you, Axe Lord Ragnok," said Harry. "That would be appreciated."
As he spun to leave, he heard Luna say, "Thank you, Axe Lord Ragnok."
_‗_
―==(oIo)==―
ˇ
(1) Look up on IMDb, for example, which actors/actresses played what roles. Pay especial attention to who played Steed, 'Mother' and 'Father'. :)