11. Outcome

Word had spread, and people were crowding the Ministry.

Daphne dashed in, and sought out a tense and troubled Hermione.

"You have to stop him!"

"I tried," said Hermione wearily. "He won't be moved. I understand it…"

"Well, I don't!" Daphne snapped. "What does he owe Ginny Weasley? She deserted him for that scum Smith!"

"It's not about Ginny." Hermione pushed back her hair. "The Weasleys welcomed him, cared for him when his own relatives mistreated him. He's doing it for them!"

Daphne went very still. "Mistreated him?"

Hermione nodded, pressing her lips together. "Yes. So he's not about to let Smith destroy the only people who tried to... the Weasleys gave him what the Dursleys never did…a sense of belonging! Mrs. Weasley cried when Harry stepped in…they insisted he name the baby. He chose Cedrella Iolanthe; that includes names from the Weasley, Black, and Potter families. He is doing this for the child too."

Daphne said nothing further, but seated herself beside Hermione and clenched her hands.

Harry faced his adversary across the length of the platform, and waited for the signal.

He had not made the decision to face Herrero lightly; he knew the Spaniard would most likely kill George and beggar the Weasleys. He'd seen the viciousness in the way Herrero had bested Bill, who was clearly outclassed and could have been subdued without serious injury.

So he realized he couldn't delay; he had to take down his opponent immediately with a surprising move, for if he stuck to conventional dueling he would lose.

Yet he had one major advantage: Harry wielded the Deathstick.

The Elder Wand fairly sang in his hand, eager to engage, rejoicing to finally be reunited with one who had Peverell blood in his veins. An unbeatable wand…provided Harry was not disarmed. He clenched his teeth, resolved to not let that happen! He didn't expect that the Spaniard would bother with a simple charm like that, however. Herrero would want to kill, would want the notoriety that would come from soundly defeating The Chosen One.

Harry opened with a bone-breaker that Herrero managed to evade easily, followed immediately by a cutting curse that sliced through his thigh and caused him to stagger. But that wasn't enough to disable his opponent, though his glaring eyes indicated it had infuriated him.

The Spaniard sent the same eviscerating spell that he'd used on Bill. Harry waited until the last second before apparating behind his adversary, and casting a stunner to take him down.

Then came Harry's signature spell: Expelliarmus.

The duel took even less time than the one with Bill; Harry sensed that the Elder Wand was disappointed.


"Did you get hit? Are you hurt anywhere?" Daphne gasped.

"I'm fine," Harry said reassuringly.

The Weasleys clustered around them, gazing across the room to where the Smiths were screaming at the referee.

But Harry had not used any illegal spells, and it did them no good.

Namath Smith strode up to Arthur. "What do you want?"

"The same thing you demanded from the Weasleys." Harry stepped forward. "All of the Smith properties!"

Namath blanched. "No! What if my son were to acknowledge the child, and take her into the Smith family?"

Harry snorted. "Right! Where she'd be unloved and neglected, if not outright abused, for the rest of her life? I won't let that happen!"

Arthur put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Whatever you decide, Harry. But any Smith property will be yours! The Weasleys will have nothing to do with their money!"

"In that case…" Harry said slowly…." You may keep your property."

Smith slumped in relief.

"Instead," Harry grinned, "I require your seat on the Wizengamot!"


"Smith looked like he wanted to kill you." Daphne shivered as they made their way to the floo.

"You'd better be careful, Harry," warned Hermione. "I wouldn't put it past Zacharias to ambush you at school!"

"Or find an opportunity to hurt the baby," Daphne worried. "Maybe even attack Teddy!"

Harry nodded soberly. "That's one reason I left Cedrella at the Burrow until after exams. I'm thinking of sending Teddy there too; I don't want to take risks with the children."

"Where's Teddy now?" inquired Hermione.

"Hannah and Neville are baby-sitting," Harry explained. "But as Ella's godfather, I know I am responsible for her, not the Weasleys…especially after taking her into the Black-Potter family."

"You'll be a good father to both of them," said Daphne softly.

Hermione nodded firmly. "Of course he will! Even if he dislikes Zacharias Smith and doesn't have a good opinion of Ginny either."

"Well, naturally." Harry shrugged. "You can't blame a child for her parents! After all, I disliked Tonks, and never thought much of Remus. But I can't imagine loving Teddy any less because of that."


Daphne could see it was true by the way Harry cuddled the baby when they got back to the common room.

Hannah hovered near them, smiling happily.

"Where's Neville?" Hermione failed to spot him anywhere.

"Hmm? Oh, he wasn't feeling great, so he decided to go to bed," Hannah said absently, smiling and holding up a plush dog for Teddy to gurgle at.

"I'd better put this little one to bed," Harry decided, standing up with Teddy in his arms.

"I'll come too," Hannah offered. "I think he's used to me now."


"Hermione?" Daphne looked to the Gryffindor girl. "What did Harry have against Teddy's parents?"

"Oh, well. Remus tried to leave when Tonks got pregnant, and Harry…he has a thing about children being abandoned."

Daphne nodded. "And Tonks?"

"She and Andromeda didn't even attempt to help Sirius. Neither did Remus for that matter, although he and Sirius had been close for years! Tonks was a child when Sirius was first accused, but later… she was an auror, could have approached Amelia Bones or anybody in the DMLE, could have asked some vital questions after hearing what Harry had to say. But she didn't, and Harry won't excuse that."

Hermione was thoughtful for a long moment. "Tonks and Remus never helped Harry either, even though they patrolled the home of his muggle relatives and knew how badly he was treated! But he'll never, never hold that against Teddy."