Chap. 54: The luncheon and return to Hogwarts.
Molly, Helen, Meridith, and Augusta surrounded Bathilda to help the elderly witch to the dining room in case she took a spill, but they found that the old witch actually got around pretty well with her walker, though she was just a little slow.
Harry and Daphne took the lead, and everyone followed the Potters into their dining room. Hermione noticed that it was huge, and shouldn't have been able to fit in the house, when Harry muttered to her, "Expansion Charm." She looked around in wonder at the red wallpaper, which was made up of two deep shades of burgundy red, with one, a floral pattern, being just slightly darker than the other.
All the wood trim, including that around the two wall niches by the fireplace, and the cornice molding, was painted a crème color, but the ceiling was white plasterwork similar to the drawing room and hall. She was then brought out of her musing by Harry.
"I placed an expansion charm on the room last night," Harry explained to everyone as he and Daphne made their way to the head of the table by the fireplace, "and lengthened the table where I added extra chairs, which is why some don't match."
Hermione noticed that the long and wide antique mahogany table was already set with the best china, crystal, and silverware and that they had two silver candelabras placed along the length, which held three white candles, each, and were lighted. The width of the table allowed the head of the house, and his wife, to sit side-by-side at the end, and two could sit at the far end this way as well.
All the students took up the chairs at the farthest end away from the Potters so that their elders could sit closest to the head. Here, Hermione noticed that the Minister and his wife took up the two chairs to Harry's right and that Cyrus and Helen sat to Daphne's left. Next to them sat Bathilda, and next to her was Augusta.
On the other side of the table, and beside the Minister's wife, sat Gareth and Meridith, and next to them, the Weasleys. The rest of the chairs were taken up by them.
Hermione noticed that the only other thing in the room was a long, antique, mahogany sideboard, which had several bottles of wine sitting on top. There were also two bottles of Champagne on ice in two silver buckets, which must have been for dessert, she thought.
"I do hope that you'll enjoy our meal today," Daphne said, "which we'll start by having a nice bowl of Scotch Broth, and after that, Roast Beef. For dessert, we'll be having Victoria Sponge Cake."
"Ohhh," Ron moaned in a low voice, "I'm going to eat too much, I just know it."
"You?" Hermione scoffed.
"Scotch Broth is a meal in itself," Ron explained, "and then there's the roast, which will have veggies with it. I just hope I'll have room for dessert!"
"You will, mate, I'm sure," Neville replied with a snigger, which caused Tracey to giggle out loud beside him. Despite herself, Hermione had to laugh as well, and that was when the door closest to Harry swung open, which led to the back hall leading to the kitchen.
Hermione was startled when a team of four House Elves flooded in with the bowls of Scotch Broth resting on large silver trays. The four elves worked quickly, where, with a snap of their fingers, the bowls levitated and floated in front of the witches and wizards, where they gently sat down on their plates.
Hermione noticed Ron take a sniff of his soup, and lick his lips.
"I'm going to be full to bursting," Ron remarked, "before we have to go back to Hogwarts."
Next, though, the elves began to pour everyone an excellent red wine, she thought, until Harry explained that the students were receiving non-alcoholic wine due to the elder's complaints. It tasted the same, Daphne said after chiming in, but it had no kick to it. Hermione noticed Tracey and Astoria stick their tongues out at Daphne from behind their hands over this, which brought a laugh from Little Harry and Neville.
It just wasn't fair, Hermione thought, that Harry and Daphne were able to drink real wine with their elders, though both were now seen as full witches and wizards in the eyes of wizarding law, and she knew it.
"Everyone," Harry said as he made a toast, "eat up and enjoy!"
Many hear-hears were heard from around the table, as everyone picked up their soup spoons, and began to dig in after saluting Harry with their drinks for a toast.
"Oh, this is so good," Molly said, which surprised Hermione after Molly wiped her lips with the fine linen napkin in her lap. "Daphne, dear, you'll have to give me the recipe."
"I would like a copy as well, Lady Potter," Augusta remarked, "and give it to Toddy, our old elf."
"You'll have to ask Winky, I'm afraid," Daphne replied, "since it's all in her head. Of course, Kreacher, Dobby, and Splodgey are very good cooks as well, and they have their own specialties. Kreacher and Dobby know how to make Harry's Treacle Tart just right, which he eats all the time."
"That's always been your favorite dessert," Ginny asked, "hasn't it, Harry?"
"Yes," Harry replied with a nod and a smile, "it is."
Hermione noticed that this made Ginny blush before returning to her soup. The poor girl was still hung up on Harry, somewhat, even though she and Dean were now an item. Ginny, though, had accepted Harry now being married, and that his marriage was unbreakable. Harry would also never knowingly cheat on Daphne, and she knew this well. No, those two were bonded for life, and she wondered what would happen to Harry if something bad would ever befall his wife. She was afraid that it would break him.
As Hermione thought this, she noticed a small statue sitting on the shelf of the wall niche behind Daphne, which was a copy of Apollo and Daphne by Bernini. This time, though, Apollo had caught his Daphne and had won her over. She had to admit that Harry and Daphne actually did love each other, and it was still hard for her to wrap her mind around that fact. She guessed that she really didn't know him as well as she thought she did, especially since he now dressed well, and fit in with the English country house lifestyle so easily. He had become a very respectable wizard and politician, who most everyone, including the Minister, listened to when he spoke.
Conversation flowed around the table, where the elders spoke about work and family, while the students spoke about their homework and school gossip. This continued on through their second course, which was a large roast, cooked to perfection after everyone's bowls were removed. The roast beef was slightly pink in the center, and it was practically falling apart it was so tender. This was served by the elves, along with roasties, carrots, and Yorkshire pudding. The food was to die for, and that was served with more red wine.
After dessert was served, where everyone had a small plate in front of them with a huge slice of Victoria sponge cake resting on it, and after everyone received a flute of champagne, including the students for once, with only a slight argument, Hermione noticed Harry study everyone in the dining room before giving a slight nod toward the Minister, which the young witch caught.
"Everyone," Harry announced, "what the Minister and I would like you to know, is what I have done with Lestrange Manor."
This actually stunned several and silence fell over the room.
"I have converted it into a private social club for we witches and wizards; the elite of our world," Harry explained, "and for those of us who have logical minds that do not cleave to one political faction or another. No, as a matter of fact, politics will be left at the door, unless it is something urgent, where we have some private rooms set up for those discussions on the upper floors.
"Downstairs, the two drawing rooms will be set up to host the witches and wizards, and the old ballroom will be used for just that, and a bit of gaming for those who are interested. Also, each room will have a small bar for any drinks served, and everyone will be able to have tea there throughout the day at the regular times.
"The manor has a huge library, which we've already cleaned out, meaning that the worst of the books on what is considered dark magic have been locked away, and only available to those who have a genuine need to research a topic. Permission will be granted to those that need access, especially any member that works at St. Mungo's or the professors at Hogwarts, etcetera.
"We wanted a place where we wizards and witches could get away from the normal grind of work and home life, and to be able to associate with those of like minds. Thus, we made it a private and exclusive club. It is for those of us who actually wish to better our society and make sure that we never have another dark wizard that tries to destroy everything that we hold so dear. Plus, it will give the younger generations something to strive for, a membership to an exclusive club where they can rub shoulders with wizarding Britain's top magicals. Horace was so good to work with us in selecting those that he thought would fit in from all the Hogwarts houses, so if they can keep their noses clean and stay out of trouble, then we will vote on allowing all of them membership."
"Everyone seated here, today, though," Harry finished after gobsmacking everyone, "are some of the club's founding members with a permanent and no-cost membership. Thus, Dobby!"
There was a small pop, and Dobby appeared at Harry's side.
"Yes, My Lord, what can Dobby bes getting for the great Harry Potter, sir?"
"If you would, Dobby," Harry nicely asked, "could you please bring me the tray with the rings."
"As the good Master wishes," Dobby said, who then snapped his fingers and disappeared with a slight pop.
It wasn't but about a minute until Dobby reappeared, and handed Harry the tray, who was now standing, where he began making his way around the room to hand out the small, black-velvet, ring boxes.
"Inside are your rings," Harry explained as he started handing them out, "which are magically enchanted to allow you entrance to the club at any time you wish to visit. They are also enchanted so that nobody can remove them, but the owner." Harry left out that the rings would prevent them from speaking of what occurred inside the club in the future.
"But what's the club's name?" Ginny asked as she placed her ring on, which resized itself to fit her. She noticed that it was similar to a witch's signet ring, but the symbol on it was something that she had never seen before. She also noticed that the wizard's rings were just a tad larger.
"The Old Souls Club, Miss Weasley," Scrimgeour stated. "Everyone, here, has lived through dark and desperate times, and they understand what it's like to be oppressed by an individual such as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and his gang of thugs. Some of us have even been around for the other dark times before he rose to power as well." At this, Bathilda and Augusta both nodded.
"Where did you come up with the idea, Harry?" Neville asked.
"Back during the Victorian days," Harry explained, "there were two major cliques for the muggle elite, which were the Marlborough House Set and the Cliveden Set. However, there was a third called 'The Souls,' which was a small, loosely-knit, and distinctive elite social and intellectual group that existed from 1885 until just after the turn of the century. Many of the most distinguished British politicians and intellectuals of the time were members, such as the Balfours, the Wyndhams, and the Custs. The Souls was formed because of the political infighting between the members of the other two groups.
"As Wilfrid Scawen Blunt, a member of the group once said: 'It was a group of men and women bent on pleasure, but pleasure of a superior kind, eschewing the vulgarities of racing and card-playing indulged in by the majority of the rich and noble and looking for their excitement in romance and sentiment.' However, I kept the gaming, which will be monitored, because there are just too many witches and wizards that enjoy it."
"What's the symbol represent, Harry?" Astoria asked.
"The Deathly Hallows," Bathilda remarked as she admired the ring.
Hermione noticed that some held a slight grimace about this, while the others were confused. "What are they," she asked.
Before anyone could say anything else, Rufus cleared his throat and held his wand aloft.
"Let it be known that any discussion of this, after today," the Minister grumbled out, "is a state secret and punishable by law if revealed. I declare that everything else to be said here is classified as Top Secret. Do I make myself clear to everyone here?"
Everyone in the room could feel the Minister's magic wash over them from a muttered spell, thus, binding them to the secret.
Here, Harry sat down with a sigh, and Daphne took his hand. As Harry thought about what to say, Bathilda spoke up after everyone assembled agreed.
"The Deathly Hallows, Miss Granger," the old witch replied, "are a set of relics or magical artifacts that have been searched for over many long years by many witches and wizards, and they are tied to the tale of the Three Brothers. Surely, you have read that children's story?"
Hermione shook her head since she hadn't, though she noticed that Ron must have, as well as Ginny and the others.
"Surely, those can't be real?" Molly asked.
"Oh, they are," Bathilda stated, "and you are sitting in the same room with the young man that now holds all three."
"Bloody hell!" Ron, Neville, and Little Harry exclaimed at once as they stared at Harry.
Before anyone could scold the three young wizards, Arthur spoke up. "But, that was just a fairy tale told to spook the children, wasn't it?"
"All those old wives' tales, young Arthur, held a kernel of truth," Bathilda calmly explained, "since the idea for them sprang from something else. Two of the Bard's stories are thought to have come from Harry's family, the ancient Peverells, and they were from Godric's Hollow and the surrounding lands."
Here, and with another sigh, Harry spoke up. "The symbol on your ring is on my ancient ancestor's tomb, and his name was Ignotus Peverell who passed away in 1292. He's entombed at the cemetery with my parents, the Abbotts, and the Dumbledores."
Here, Harry glanced at his wife. "Could you please tell them the story, dear?" Daphne nodded, and thus, she began to recount the ancient tale of the Three Brothers in her melodious voice.
"The cloak," Hermione said with a gasp at the end, and Harry gave her a nod.
"Cor! Blimey, mate!" Ron exclaimed, "I knew that cloak was old, but not that old!"
"It was passed down from father to eldest son for centuries," Cyrus commented, and Gareth nodded in agreement. "It is ancient, and a priceless artifact."
"The resurrection stone," Gareth remarked, "Harry has locked away."
"But what about the wand; the death stick?" Augusta worriedly asked.
"Hidden," Harry replied, "where nobody can find it. I made sure of that."
"You see," Harry explained, "the three Peverell brothers did die, with two, it's said, at an early age, but my great-many-times-grandfather lived to the ripe old age of seventy-seven; almost to seventy-eight."
"Two sevens," Little Harry muttered, "the most magical number."
"His daughter, Iolanthe," Harry continued, "was my many-times-great-grandmother who married Hardwin Potter at Godric's Hollow, the first to use that surname, who was the son of Linfred of Stinchcombe, a potioneer and healer. My entire family has been in that business for years, ending with my grandfather, Fleamont."
"The stone ended up with the Gaunts," the Minister spoke up and explained, "who had married into the Peverells, and the wand had a long and dark history before it seemingly disappeared."
"Yes, but Harry found it," Neville excitedly exclaimed, "and he should use it against You-Know-Who!"
"No, old friend," Harry said with a shake of his head, "I hold one now that's more powerful than that. It was crafted by, let's say, an old family friend in the States. Plus, the Elder Wand is too easily won, and its allegiance is too easily given when mine is not."
"But Harry," Tracey inquired with a gulp, "doesn't this make you the Master of Death?"
"Supposedly," Harry admitted with a sigh, "and there is some truth about our family being Warlocks as well."
"Warlocks?" Little Harry questioned with wide eyes.
"The term may have originated in Scotland, lad," Gareth explained, "for very powerful wizards due to the idea that they had made pacts with Auld Hornie, and thus had betrayed the Christian faith and broke their baptismal vows."
"In our case," Harry explained just as Hermione gasped when the implications clicked into place, "we did, and with the Lord of Death in order to survive after calling him forth."
"Surely not!" Molly exclaimed.
"I'm afraid so, Molly," Harry replied.
"We have records at the ministry," Rufus explained, "where the Potters have been called upon several times in the past to extinguish those who have unnaturally cheated death by using dark magic. It seems that the Lord of Death has somehow protected them almost every time since Hardwin married Iolanthe, and it also seems that, even if by coincidence, the family is always called upon for help."
"Well that just put me off my cake," Ron said as he scowled at the half-eaten piece still resting on his plate.
"You always did seem a bit lucky, mate," Neville said with a smirk, "when dealing with the dark side of magic."
Here, Harry noticed Hermione adding two and two together.
"With Quirrell, when you faced he and Tom in the Forbidden Forest, and when he went after the Stone," Hermione muttered, gaining everyone's attention," and before that, when you were only one, the curse rebounded."
"Then, in our second year, when you saved Ginny from the Chamber of Secrets and faced Tom, again, and lived to tell the tale.
"Also, you were very lucky to drive off all those Dementors, saving yourself and Sirius.
"Next was the tournament, where you faced Tom, and then at the ministry, the following year, you faced him again for the last time. I can't believe what I'm saying, but it was almost like somebody, or something, was watching over you, but why not for James?"
"I don't know, Hermione," muttered Harry.
"James and Sirius were very lucky when fighting the Death Eaters," Augusta replied, "as Frank and Alice fought beside them, along with Lily. They even faced You-Know-Who a few times and lived to tell the tale. Poor Fabian and Gideon, though, weren't so lucky, but they took a lot down with them before they fell, and in the end, Frank nor Alice was that lucky either."
This, of course, set off Molly and Augusta, who began to wipe their eyes and sniff. Everyone in the room solemnly waited until the two witches collected themselves.
When everyone was ready, Harry cleared his throat and addressed everyone in the room.
"You are being told this, today, because I see you all as my family.
"What we wanted to relay to you, is that Tom is on the verge of defeat, and he has been cursed with what should be a fatal curse that might destroy him in the end."
"Fatal?" Arthur pepped up. "By whom?"
"We're not for sure," Rufus said, "but it's a withering curse placed upon his soul, which is slowly eating away at him. The curse seems to be otherworldly, and that is all that we can reveal."
"The Lord of Death, you guess?" Arthur asked, and Gareth gave a short nod.
"That is why Harry and the Ministry have been waiting to confront him," Daphne explained, surprising everyone.
"You're allowing him to weaken himself?" Little Harry asked.
"Spot on," Harry said with a nod.
Here, Little Harry chortled out loud. "Why weren't you sorted into Slytherin with us?"
Harry muttered out, "Not again," as Daphne, Astoria, and Tracey smirked at him. "Well, you see..."
After lunch, everyone had settled back into the drawing room where the elder wizards were having a glass of Cognac, and the witches some tea, while continuing their discussion. That was when Hermione thought to ask about Flint.
"Harry," Hermione inquired, "what have you learned about Flint so far?"
Harry quickly glanced at his wife and sighed before he spoke.
"We have a group of witches and wizards on Marcus' tail every time he leaves his home, and it seems that he mostly sticks to the wizarding district of Manchester since it's not far from their farm. We've just not had enough time to collect much intelligence on him yet, and we're hoping that he'll end up at a pub, drunk, where the truth can be teased out of him."
"Teased out of him?" Hermione asked.
"Something tells me that 'teasing,' to Harry, means a little Veritaserum in their drink, or looking for the dark mark after stunning the mangy berk," Little Harry remarked.
When Hermione looked like she was going to go into a tirade about Harry not being like that, Harry spoke up.
"That's about it, mate," Harry said with a smirk. "Sometimes, you have to let the Slytherin in you out to play."
Hermione looked scandalized at this, but Ron and Neville seemed to agree with him, and so did Daphne, Astoria, and Tracey. The Minister even looked proudly at Harry for Merlin's sake.
"If he's caught," Neville asked, "then where will he go?"
"Well," the Minister spoke up, "if he's indicted, he'll go to jail to await trial."
"Azkaban?" Ron asked.
"Something like that, mate," Harry replied. It wouldn't do to let them know about Moundsville in the States.
"While we're on this subject," Harry continued, "it's time that I give you a gift, which is something to protect you. Kreacher!"
It wasn't a second later that Kreacher appeared, with a slight pop, and just to the side of his master's chair.
"My Lord, what can old Kreacher be getting for the young master?"
"If you would, old friend," Harry asked, "please bring me the small walnut box off my desk in the study."
"Kreacher wills bes right back, Master!"
It didn't take long for Kreacher to retrieve the wooden box, which he handed to Harry before the old elf left for the kitchen.
Everyone watched Harry set it on the cocktail table in front of him, where he opened it, and began retrieving eight of the several small glass phials, which he handed out to Daphne, Astoria, Tracey, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville, and Little Harry.
"What is this, mate?" Neville questioned as he looked at the golden liquid inside until he heard Hermione gasp out. "You know what it is, Hermione?"
"It's Felix Felicis or Liquid Luck," Hermione explained, "like Slughorn gave out during our first class as a prize.
"Where did you get this, Harry?"
"Oh," Harry modestly replied, "I had Slughorn brew that for the ministry. We used what we needed, and saved back the rest. Quite expensive that, for twenty days worth.
"Inside each phial is one tablespoon, which will give you good luck for a day. It is to only be used in case of an emergency, like something bad happening at Hogwarts."
After everyone quickly inspected the phials, they pocketed them and gave their attention back to Harry.
"What we would like you, young wizards and witches, to do," Rufus spoke up, "is to take that if something bad happens again this year, and use that to get a message out to the Aurors and faculty as soon as possible.
"Now, Harry has told me all about your DA group, and I want you to lead the members of it to protect the other students. However, if it's Death Eaters, we do not want you to become involved with fighting them; only to contact us, and allow the faculty and Aurors to handle it."
"Two of these phials," Harry said as he retrieved two more when Rufus finished, which he handed to Daphne, "are to be given to Ernie Macmillan and Susan Bones."
Next, Harry retrieved two more, which he handed to Hermione, "and those two are to be given to Michael Corner and Anthony Goldstein, which should cover all four houses." This, Harry noticed, had emptied the small box.
After all the elder witches and wizards had flooed home, Harry and Daphne had led everyone back outside the gate, where he had another portkey waiting for them, which was the tyre from a small child's tricycle.
Here, Harry quickly looked at his watch. "We're running a little late, so, everyone, grab on."
Once everyone was holding onto the tyre, Harry spoke the trigger word, and they were off in a flash. Luckily, this one dropped them off at the Hogwarts gates, and just beside the road.
Harry and Daphne had to snort at Neville, who had his arms wrapped around Tracey's waist, while holding her upright, though both Ron and Hermione were holding each other up as well, and Ron looked a little green around the gills.
"Honey," Daphne said as she and Harry were walking arm in arm to the gates, "I don't want our day to end just yet."
"What would you like to do, dear?"
"Why not come inside since it's now three," Daphne purred, "for some tea and scones, hmmm?"
"All right, all right," Harry said while faking being put off about it, which caused Daphne to swat him on the shoulder.
"You brute, you," Daphne replied, but then laughed aloud.
This bantering went on all the way back to Hogwarts, where they entered and made their way to the great hall. None of them noticed the crowd that had formed, which was following along behind, where whispers and gossip were flowing about who was now dating who, and that they were now the power couples of Hogwarts, who were all within the Potter's inner circle. If Harry or Daphne had overheard any of that, they would have belted out a loud laugh.
However, they made it worse on themselves by all sitting together at the Gryffindor table, where Ernie and Anthony joined them, along with Luna, because there, they had Dobby to bring them a large tea service, and two baskets of scones with clotted cream, jam, and jelly.
Everyone was so involved with each other, that they didn't notice Colin Creevey snap their photo, which would find its way to the Daily Prophet, and appear in Monday's paper.
A/N: And so it continues. I thought I'd give the entire lot a break, and something special like an outing, as well as give Hermione a good education about wizarding society, before the story goes dark, again. Harry knew that he had been keeping them all in the dark, so he decided to reveal a small part of it to those he trusted the most.