3. Millicent

Kingsley Shacklebolt, Minister of Magic, faced the raven-haired young man with trepidation.

"Harry, I agreed to place the Malfoys on house arrest, but as far as saving others…"

"I just need to know the charges against Millicent Bulstrode," Harry coaxed.

"To decide whether to testify on her behalf?" Kingsley eyed him keenly. "I checked when you asked about her, Harry. There's not as many counts against her as there are for the others. No fatal injuries. But let me warn you: wars don't end when fighting is done. I fully expect vigilante attacks coming from both sides."

Andromeda Tonks glared at Harry. "I thought I asked you to leave us in peace!"

"I'm only here to drop off a Christmas present for Teddy," Harry insisted. "I already know you won't allow me to see him!"

She seemed to hesitate. "You'd better come in; there's something we need to discuss."

She led the way to the sitting room, somewhat unsteady on her feet.

"Are you well, ma'am?"

"I've had the flu," she replied coldly. "Nothing serious. So if you're hoping to get custody of my grandson, you can think again!"

Harry didn't say he hadn't thought of such a thing. He decided it must have been a severe bout of flu, since her face was drawn. Her hair was entirely gray now, and looked thin and brittle.

But her expression was fierce. "Gringotts informs me that you took it upon yourself to set up a trust fund for Teddy! That is unacceptable; I want nothing to do with Black money!"

"Think of it as Potter money, if you must," Harry responded. "Like it or not, Teddy is my godson, and I intend to see that he wants for nothing."

"I will see to that! Your money…and your presence, is not required. Teddy is well-provided for, and he will head the Lupin House once he's of age."

She laughed harshly at his expression. "Yes, Remus was disowned when he was bitten, but Teddy is in line to inherit, and he will restore the House. There's even a seat on the Wizengamot. We will have nothing to do with the Blacks, and nothing to do with you!"

Andromeda slammed the door in his face, leaving Harry still clutching his gift for Teddy.

He returned home to find Hermione entertaining Neville Longbottom and his girlfriend, Hannah Abbott.

"No luck, Harry?" Neville was sympathetic. His friends were all well-aware of Andromeda's animosity.

"She's totally unreasonable," Harry complained. "All I want to do is serve as Teddy's godfather, but Andromeda won't allow me to even see him."

"That's terrible." Hannah leaned forward and patted Harry's shoulder. "I see her in Diagon Alley sometimes, sneering at everyone. I know she blames the war for the loss of her family… like everyone else didn't suffer just as much. I lost my mother, but when I tried to sympathize and bond over that, she told me it wasn't the same as losing most of her family. What a nasty, bitter woman she's become! But someday she may see the light."

Harry returned her smile. He liked Hannah. After her mother had been murdered by Death Eaters, Hannah had decided to train for a Healer, and spent much of her time assisting Pomfrey.

But then her only remaining relative, her grandfather, had died, and she'd inherited the Leaky Cauldron. She'd spruced it up and made Harry and his friends welcome.

Now she invited him to a New Year's Eve Party there…"and don't worry, Harry, no Weasleys will be around!"

Harry could only be thankful for Hannah's partisanship. It would be more than awkward to encounter Ginny with her new lover, Zacharias Smith. Smith was a Hufflepuff like Hannah. He could only be glad her loyalty was to him, and not to her housemate.

"Greengrass," Harry barked, "what is this place? Looks worse than those derelict townhouses on Grimmauld Place!"

She turned her blue eyes on him in surprise. "Really? There are run-down houses where you live? Isn't your house Georgian architecture?"

"I guess." Truth told, Harry had never paid much attention to styles of architecture.

"Georgian architecture is special," Daphne insisted. "That place you own is worth a fortune, Potter!"

"It is?" Harry couldn't imagine that.

"Well, once it's all fixed up," Daphne conceded. "I could…help you with that, if you'd like."

"Never mind that right now." Harry stared at what was little more than a shack. "What are we doing here?"

"It's where Millie Bulstrode lives."

"Huh?" Harry couldn't imagine anyone living in that run-down pile that looked about to collapse.

Daphne hammered on the rickety door, but there was no answer.

"Guess Bulstrode isn't home." Harry did not try to conceal his relief.

Daphne shook her blonde head. "I don't like this. I keep thinking about what happened to Pansy."

"Parkinson?" Most of the students who'd sided with Voldemort were under arrest; Harry had assumed Pansy was one of them.

Daphne disabused him of that notion. "Pansy's dead. She caught dragon pox and died in agony. She was on her own, not even a house-elf to help her."

"I didn't know," said Harry regretfully. He'd always disliked Pansy, but she didn't deserve that.

"At the end she only weighed about five stone," continued Daphne. "Her hair and teeth fell out and she looked like the pictures of mummies from Ancient Egypt."

She stared at the door, and made up her mind. "Alohomora!"

"We're breaking into someone's home?" Harry glanced around nervously.

"Yes! Just in case…"

They found Millicent Bulstrode huddled in a shabby old armchair in a chilly sitting room, stroking a tiny black kitten.

"Millie?" Daphne knelt in front of the other girl. "I'm sorry for just barging in, but I was worried."

Millicent made a sound that might have meant laughter in another time or place.

"Since when? You never cared before, when I could have used a friend!"

Daphne winced. "I know. I'm sorry."

The other girl dragged deadened eyes up to observe Daphne's companion, and her face reflected shock. "Potter? What…"

"Millie," Daphne said urgently, "he might be able to help you!"

"Why would the Saviour of the Wizarding World pick me to save? It'll be all he can do to save Little Malfoy!"

She caught Harry's eye. "Yes, I heard about that. Pansy told me; she actually thought about begging you for help. Then she found she couldn't leave the house without getting hexed, and the Howlers never stopped coming! I think, in the end, death came as a relief to her."

And what could Harry say to that? He couldn't even promise to do what he could for Millicent, remembering how Neville and so many others had suffered under their rule.

He asked one question. "Did you fight? At Hogwarts, did you fight for Voldemort?"

Her eyes dropped. "No. I was too scared…I just hid in one of the abandoned shops in Hogsmead, and the aurors found me afterward."

Millicent turned to Daphne. "You should go. Go, and don't come back. We'll see what the Wizengamot decides. With my luck, it'll be the Veil."

Daphne got reluctantly to her feet, and started for the door.

"Wait!" Millicent struggled up. "Will you take care of Puck?" She smiled for the first time. "I named him that because he always makes mischief. Please, take him?"

Daphne nodded wordlessly and cuddled the kitten against her.

They walked away from the shabby little house.