The Leader
Chapter 70
"One day I'll make you regret having fun at my expense," Harry warned Rick, stretching out once the Tonks had left. Thank Merlin for that, the girl was definitely a little too handsy for his comfort. "Just you wait." he added, as he accepted the file from the vampire with ease, able to joke with his own people as well as the next person.
Rick snorted, "I'm sure you will," his tone dryly amused. "Wyatt found the addresses, they're current but it will take a few days to get an understanding of their routine unless you want a smash and grab?"
"He hasn't even asked yet," Severus said, "I don't even know why I am surprised." He added, shaking his head. He'd expected Harry to ask, and had been surprised it took so long after the article was posted. However, seeing this, perhaps Harry hadn't needed to voice his thoughts for his plans to be understood.
Rick frowned, "Didn't the Knights and Death Eaters ever predict Voldemort's moves before he asked?" if you spend enough time around someone you did learn to predict them. They'd begun getting the details together the second after reading the newspaper article in the Daily Prophet.
"They did. Up until they were being tortured for 'acting suspiciously'," Severus said dryly, "Everyone soon learned to wait until they were called upon." The Dark Lord had lost it long ago, how it had remained under wraps he honestly couldn't figure out.
"I still don't understand how it could be someone you'd aspire to follow." Rick admitted, "His reputation was well known, has been for the past twenty years."
"I lived in the Muggle world, and I was quite ostracized by everyone that wasn't Slytherin. My hatred of Muggles was quite known there and it led them to accepting me. Or so I thought, I was unaware that they were more interested in my abilities in Potions." Severus revealed honestly, brow furrowing a little. "Yes, the newspapers spread their propaganda against the Dark, but everyone treated as they were at Hogwarts, I believed the wrong side. I was desperate for friends, for acclaim and understanding. Something I hadn't been able to obtain in the years of my friendship with Lily." It wasn't that she had been a bad friend, far from it, they just held wildly different ideals. He'd been wrong though, and if he could have, he would have taken it all back. Back then Lily had been an exception to the rule.
"Everyone makes mistakes when they're children," Rick conceded.
"Depends on what age you consider children to be," Severus retorted. He hated the mistakes he'd made. He didn't consider himself a child when he made them. It was funny, because he'd seen his godson making the same mistakes, he did. Yet didn't consider him an adult, didn't consider him mature. It gave him the ability to stop being so hard on himself.
"You're still a child to me, Severus, and always will," Rick teased, as Harry read through the information that Rick had given him.
Severus refused the bait, and actually saw it for what it was, "The trappings of humanity must be difficult to bear sometimes. We don't learn from history; we continue to push boundaries and pity ourselves. What do you do when it becomes too much?"
"You can sometimes be surprised," Rick said, genuinely flabbergasted by the question. No, not the question, the fact it had been asked so soon. "We all get asked that question, but it's usually much later after their turning. The excitement of immortality doesn't really begin to wear you down until the one-hundred-year point."
Severus arched a brow, "So long?"
"It doesn't really begin to get to you until everyone you once knew begins to die." Rick commented, a faraway look on his face. "Even if you had been disowned and blackballed from everything you'd ever known. Then you can only watch from afar, then find out they're dead from reading a newspaper or someone talking about it."
Severus swallowed, Rick's voice might be impassive, but there was heartbreak just lingering there. "Yes, the fear the humans harbour over us has only steadily gotten worse, to the point of almost no return."
"It hasn't increased as much as you think," Rick informed him, "We've always been hated, regardless of whether we wanted the bite or not." Thumping Severus comfortingly on the back, squeezing his shoulder in brotherly comfort. "However, when you meet your own kind, you find an understanding that you'll never gain elsewhere."
"I've never felt more comfortable, being on the light side has always been…like being in a vacuum. Stuck, one foot from doing something wrong, and cutting off part of yourself, and constantly feeling wrong footed." Severus struggled to explain, and this was a vampire formerly a wizard who sounded like he swallowed a dictionary.
"Like a person suit that is too thin, struggling to move, breathe and live whilst feeling as if a limb had been cut off." Rick stated, "Yeah, we've all been there, some folks try to go back to their normal lives after being turned. Remain light, and deride what they are, in complete denial. They're a living and dangerous dam just waiting to overflow."
Severus relaxed, "Exactly," It was rather good to have people who could understand him so well. He hadn't realized trying to return to their normal life was so…normal. He'd thought Remus was one of the rare few who stayed in the magical world despite the condemnation he received.
"I'm assuming none of what Umbridge said was taken out of context for the article?" Harry asked, listening to their conversation pleased to see Severus settling in even more. He wanted Severus to have friends outside of him, Rick would be able to introduce him to many people outside of his people. He knew Umbridge, knew her reputation and what she thought of his people. He however, wanted to make sure before punishments were meted.
Severus snorted, but had to concede the point, Skeeter did have that habit, but knowing Umbridge it wasn't required. She was one of the most loathsome creatures there was in existence.
"You assume correctly." Rick informed Harry, turning back to Severus he said, "Seriously though, we do get it. Don't hesitate to ask any of us, we're here if you need to talk." They'd even helped Harry, who thankfully had a smart Sire, and had aged him up, with innovation he hadn't seen again since, right up until Severus was turned the same way.
Harry hummed, "Difficult, very difficult." Pondering on the best way to deal with these threats – although could he really call them threats? – to his cause and the nuisances they were making of everything.
"I've not seen you struggle to find an appropriate punishment before." Rick whirled back around, giving Harry a look of utter befuddlement. Eyes gleaming, "I'd offer up my services." All too eager to provide those services.
"Our dear Rita is an Animagus, unregistered at that, Wyatt found out when she returned in the dead of the night and transformed." Harry said, a sly but vindictive smirk adorning his features, but Severus just thought he looked rather sexy and not at all vindictive. "Some sort of beetle or bug."
Severus rolled his eyes, "Of course she is," he'd often wondered how she got some of her articles. "I must confess I had wondered how she gained her information."
"Anything else, literally anything else would have been more fascinating," Harry agreed with Severus.
"It's not a bad move, very cunning." Rick argued, "Can you imagine the information she's been able to gather? The information she could discover." A thoughtful moue on his face, wondering why none of them had considered it before.
"Could she have seen anything here?" Severus asked cautiously.
"No," Harry said immediately, reassuring them. "This place and the manor and the castle are all properly protected from every and anything that could possibly gain entrance."
"He's being modest, he modified the anti-Animagus spells and caused the culprit who entered in their Animagus form to be frozen." Rick told Severus, who looked impressed and happier hearing that. Especially since there was someone who they hadn't known with such a tiny Animagus form who could have done far worse than just an article "It would suspend them in mid-air almost always half transformed." His tone enthusiastic as he spoke about it, the best part of watching the world go by was the magic invented he'd say.
"The downside to modifying instead of inventing is you get zero credit for it," Severus murmured, and he knew how that felt. He had modified the wolfbane potion, it was less deadly but still, no creature wanted to take it. "Even if it is better and your version will be used and edits made to all books published thereafter. Unless the modification actually changes everything enough to have it accepted and your name added."
"Potions?" Harry deduced staring at his mate.
"Potions," Severus agreed, Harry had done the same thing. Veritaserum wasn't the only potion he'd adapted to his own design. Sometimes they were so alike that it was mesmerising, other times saddening, especially when Harry had to make the hard calls.
"I'd detest that," Rick stated firmly.
"I don't care much," Harry shrugged indifferently, "Anything that helps us is alright by me."
"I'm with Rick, I do hate that my accomplishments aren't noticed." Severus sided with Rick. Perhaps it was Harry's youth showing through, or maybe it was just Harry honestly didn't care. Everyone was different, took to academic life for different reasons. Severus had made some amazing differences to the potions, had their potency shoot through the roof.
Rick gave him a knowing look, "Why are you having trouble? Thinking about using her to spy for us?"
"It would have been handy five years ago, but now? No, there are far greater means of getting what I want than a disrespectful, cowardly little dung beetle." Harry said coolly.
"She might not be a dung beetle," Severus pointed out amused. Although the idea did tickle his funny bone, he'd admit. The idea of betting on what kind of beetle was fun, but he was a Slytherin, and they (and he) didn't like losing money and that kind of bet was too broad to bet on with any sort of guarantee.
"Then she will be by the time I'm through with her." Harry shrugged indifferently.
Rick and Severus glanced at each other before grinning in amusement at the image that statement elicited. Severus moved over towards his mate, glancing at the information contained within the file made in just a few hours. They honestly didn't waste any time gathering all the information they need. He wondered what Umbridge's file was like.
"Find out their hours, and put an approximation spell around the block on Skeeters flat." Harry told Rick, delegating tasks as he so often did. Rick and Harry knew who to use for such tasks, all of them had their talents.
"How can she afford to live in the penthouse in the swankiest parts of London? On a reporter's salary?" Severus questions suspiciously.
Harry glanced down, murmuring, "Very nice catch." He admitted, that hadn't even caught his attention. "Her parents and grandparents aren't any wealthy names catching my attention…how about you?" duplicating the page and floating one over to Rick so he could see for himself.
"Nothing familiar, but that doesn't mean she hasn't inherited something," Rick said thoughtfully, "This would be a job for Bill, a risky one at that."
"Hardly," Harry said wryly, "You think the goblins don't know and don't approve?"
"Approving is one thing…but impugning their integrity is another thing," Rick conceded, "But I trust you, shall I have Bill working on it?"
"No, they're not worth it." Harry said definitively. "Bring Tracie to my office."
Severus blinked, "Who's Tracie?" he asked, as Rick left the room, Harry and Severus moved towards his office.
"She works at an independent contractor that publishes articles 'anonymously' well, more like small booklets, with only the truth on it. People are beginning to trust it far more than the Daily Prophet." Harry told him, "Still don't know everything yet." He'd been working hard for years; it would take longer than the short time Severus had been here to learn everything.
"Clearly," Severus replied and he couldn't find it in himself to be surprised. "Ah, Of course, Good-Wizard guide." Smart deviate attention from witches as they focused on wizards.
"Deliberated for ages before coming up with something suitable." Harry said, "She must have nixed a dozen of her own ideas before she came up with the 'perfect' one."
"And of course, it has nothing to do with how backward the wizarding world is compared the Muggle side?" Severus asked dryly. The good wizard guide? He recalled a good wives guide magazine from way back in the day.
Harry turned to grin at him, showing his fangs amused, before wordlessly flipping over more information.
"Why haven't you used her to put in a good word for…" Severus begun.
"Creatures? People weren't ready to hear that, we only use it to spread the truth, unequivocally." Harry begun to explain, abandoning the paperwork and sitting back thoughtfully. "We'll get there, they'll have no choice either that or they can walk away." He wasn't about to execute them for it. They either learned to live with creatures or they leave, it was as simple as that. If they attempted anything, they would fight back, anyone that expected otherwise were entirely foolish.
"How many do you see doing that?" Severus asked doubtfully.
Harry closed the folder, and turned to Severus, "How many refused to join a side during the last war and tried to continue on as if the war wasn't happening?" giving him a pointed look.
Severus deflated a little, conceding his point very gracefully, "Too many." It got to the point where the Dark Lord would have won within a week or two if he hadn't attacked the Potters.
"Exactly, most people are too frightened to fight back," Harry explained grimly, "They'd rather others fought in their stead while they kept their head down and carried on."
"You're counting on that happening," Severus deducted.
"Hoping," Harry corrected him, "But humanity as you know…does tend to surprise you from time to time."
Severus glanced at Harry, "It surely can." In full agreement, but thinking on Harry and how they'd met and how sure he would die. Who would have thought he'd be grateful to the unbreakable vow he had sworn all that long ago that heralded Harry's curiosity enough to let him live until he figured it all out. He deliberately did NOT think of how he'd been played by what looked like Harry's youthful naivety.
Two days later after a copy of the good-wizarding guide came out with a whole slew of information regarding Delores Umbridge the Daily Prophet naturally jumped on the bandwagon. With more information naturally being broadcasted, including the fact she was arrested with attempted blackmailing of senior officials.
"We've definitely not seen the end of this, have we?" Wyatt said, blue eyes alit with glee as he roamed over the newspaper. Which didn't just inform people but actually broadcasted the truth with interviews from the 'family' something Umbridge had so desperately hid.
"What do you think of your daughter?" asked reporter Hera Hawkins, senior reporter at Daily Prophet.
And this ladies and gentleman was all he had to say.
"My daughter has always been ambitious, and I didn't want to get in the way with her aspirations. Which is why I was taking all her suggestions to heart. When she suggested I retire we moved into this little cottage, which we did."
"Why hasn't anyone seen you in the wizarding world?" the reporter relentlessly dug for answers.
"My daughter suggested if I wanted anything I was best to ask her, that she'd retrieve it for me, for us. She's a very dutiful daughter, I'm very proud of her. I just wish she'd settle down, have a family, I'd love to see her settled before I go. My son, he has given me a grandson! He's a wizard! We're saving up what we can so he's got a vault. I snuck to Gringotts, my daughter, bless her was very angry about that, worried something would happen to me no doubt!"
"Is he that thick that he doesn't see how abusive it is?" Wyatt grimaced. "Damn it, I didn't want to feel sorry for the fools!" grumbling in complaint.
"I didn't even know you could abuse your parents…" Rachel one of their younger vampires stated, by young they meant she wasn't even a year turned yet. There was a wistfulness to her tone though, she missed her family very much. However, she was lucky indeed, that she had found a new one after what…they had done to her. She wasn't even going to dwell on them, or mention them, it made everyone here angry. They'd made sure she had someone to talk to about it though, otherwise she wouldn't have been in a good place mentally.
"It's not that you can't, it's just unfathomable, but becoming more outspoken about. Parents aren't just accepting the abuse, and keeping quiet like they used to back in the day." Severus murmured, "It's no more accepted than child abuse. In fact, most people don't wish to accept it happens."
"Like spousal abuse to men, when people think about that they think the women is the victim always." Rachel, their werewolf stated, with a bite to her tone. Anyone that knew her knew she was referring to her brother, who had been too scared (embarrassed) to admit it. Unfortunately, he hadn't survived his wife's brutality.
Severus knew he was missing something, but asked, "I'm going to assume whoever she is; she didn't survive your ire?" Rachel was strong, determined and so damn amazing. She reminded him of Lily, who was just that strong, just that determined and awe-inspiring.
The others chuffed, as Rachel's eyes gleamed orange as her wolf made an appearance. "I made her pay for everything she'd done to my brother, and then some." She'd ripped her to shreds, but knowing Severus' history she didn't state as much since Severus had almost been a victim of that.
Severus nodded slowly in agreement, wishing his own mother had an ounce of their strength. Perhaps then she may have been a little bit happier in life. Unfortunately, she hadn't, she'd continued to take his temper until her death. His father hadn't lived much longer than her, the way he drank it was hardly any surprise he'd died a mere five months later.
"How long will she get? Do you reckon?" Howard asked, the larger guard looked ready to wreak havoc if asked.
"Depends if any of those that have been blackmailed are determined to go through with having her arrested." Wyatt said thoughtfully, "Considering they haven't before now it might just be the fury that they'd been blackmailed by a half-blood, less than a half blood really."
"Agreed, look at the names, wonder what she has on them," Rick said, showing off the names of those accusing Umbridge of blackmail. "There's even the implication of Ministry secrets being exposed to a secretary."
"Fudge is accusing her of anything he can think of to distance himself from her," snorting derisively. "Insisting he'd never wanted her to be his under secretary that she had come 'very highly advised' with the best recommendations one could get. Insisting now that he knew they were not legitimate she was sacked, and arrested pending further enquiries into what kind of information she'd gleaned from the Ministry with her side business of blackmailing people." This hadn't been in the newspaper, but they had real time viewing of just how badly the Ministry was reacting to another crushing blow to their leadership.
"I have a question…why?" Severus asked, staring pensively at the newspaper, "From what I've seen so far, he's more likely to kill now question never rather than later." He didn't sound disapproving, not at all, merely curious. "Harry, I mean." Elaborating on the 'he' he meant.
When they all stared past him, he knew Harry had arrived.
"There's more than one way to destroy someone," Harry said amused, brushing his hand against Severus' shoulder in comfort. Letting him know he didn't blame him or hate him for asking questions. It wasn't how he worked, so he was free to ask as many as he liked. "Someone like Umbridge would have rather die than this news gets out." Speaking into his mate's ear.
Severus shivered, "H...how did you get in Gryffindor again?" all hot and bothered, normally he'd never really felt the need for sex, especially constantly. However, since becoming a vampire and being near Harry, finding he was his mate, he felt this constant sexual energy buzzing underneath him. It didn't help that his mate was absolutely, positively, nauseatingly sexy and when he was being vicious? Oh, there wasn't a word for it.
Sniggers and laughs went on after that pronouncement. They all knew – Severus included – that Harry had been meant for Slytherin.
"She won't get long…that's if she even ends up in prison," Rick pointed out. "What's the plan if she doesn't get put away?"
"She dies whether or not she does get put in prison." Harry said, "Wyatt is putting in for the job of Fudge's undersecretary."
Everyone froze, "Two birds one stone." Severus realized.
"With the Ministry in even more disarray, more of our own can be slid in, while we wait." Rick added.
"From what we're seeing it will be pretty damn soon," came from somewhere further into the compound.
"If we can keep helping them in simple ways…they might be led to easily accepting our leadership." Wyatt said enthused, even though he knew it would never be that simple. He wished to Merlin it would be, it would be nice not to have to hide half of him.
"Doubtful," Severus said sombrely.
"Even after we've won, we'll always have to watch our backs, they'll not stop attempting to put themselves back on top." Rick declared darkly.
"Let them, once they know they don't have to hide in the shadows I know our group will double in size. The core group is bigger than Hogwarts and the Ministry, we'll defend our position always." Harry declared strongly. "It is our time, to rule, to lead, to come out of the shadows to where we've been relegated like naughty children. Oh, it's our time." He repeated strongly.
"Our time to lead." Wyatt cheered.
"All this is thanks to our fearless leader," Rick said, an almighty roar of approval that surely would have had the entire earth shaking if not for the silencing spells up keeping everyone unaware of their sanctuary. Vampires, werewolves, sirens, half creatures, all hoping for a better future and they had found it at long last.
And for once they didn't need to kill, bite and claw their way up, they were given respect, the means to live and a leader that truly cared about them all. Not everyone in sanctuary were going to fight, and Harry was fine with that, for sanctuary had started as that, a sanctuary, along the way it gathered fighters, who were willing to fight for what they wanted.
Five minutes later Harry and Severus slipped away to the Potter property, and Rick made sure they weren't disturbed. If anyone deserved 'me time' it was Harry and Severus.
A/n – Here we go! You have the heat to thank for this update lol it's nearing midnight and I'm still up. It's still boiling here, I can only imagine just how badly off my huskies are, poor poochies! It's too hot for me I can't imagine how they are doing with it all…I know, I know I'll be complaining when it's winter 😉 haha but at least I won't be worrying about my huskies then 😊 they'll likely love the weather in winter. Hope your pets are all doing well if its hot where you all are. Now naturally we'll see Harry and Voldemort fighting, who will Severus be battling during all this? Dumbledore? Showing his true colours? Or one of the Death Eaters that Voldemort perhaps taught after losing his inner circle? or a few that were left? Do you actually want to see the takeover written out or would you like it to be combined with the duels? R&R please