[a/n]As with #49, #50 #51 #52 & #53, I credit both the ranter TGGirlHaileyHolly and polarbear20000. Sequelizes my EFFF You Harry story, from early 2017. I've incorporated all the themes the PM hit and quoted parts to explain Lady Nirvana. Don't know if TGGirlHaileyHolly has been following because I've seen neither review nor followup PM.
[a/n1]polarbear20000 Made reference to a great Trek DS9 episode in which [spoiler alert] Sisko pulls the Romulans into the war against the Dominion. I wasn't consciously thinking of it, but for those familiar, I think I'd cast Harry in both roles part Garak part Sisko just then. Though IMO that was rather dirtier.
Harry Does Different CDLXXXIIIaf
Dark Lady Nirvana VI
"We've had a few minor incidents over the last six weeks." The Director of Transportation began the meeting with an optimistic twist, "It's somewhat disconcerting that shipments by floo don't arrive at their destinations every time, but in the past year only two people have gone missing."
Harry considered it while the directors all speculated what it meant, then spoke "Mr McNaught, you have a list of what's …and who… is missing? And another point, when did the floo network last fail?"
"I believe you were involved in it." He replied after shifting scrolls around "Yes, here it is. The report says July 8 1992. Travel from The Burrow to Diagon Alley, misdirected to Knockturn Alley."
While it had certainly been traumatic, at the time, Harry had a busy life "Doesn't ring a bell. Anyway, we're talking about a quarter of a century. Nothing. Here we're talking about MULTIPLE occurrences within months. Again, do we know what is missing and who?"
"Ministry employees." Answered the Labor Director "Four in fact Leto Lynch of Personnel, Marcus Flint of Sports, this is odd …another Mark… Williams this time, from Potions. And Bonnie Wright of Floo Management."
Harry pondered the names "Flint, I know, Slytherin Quidditch team in my Hogwarts day. Williams? Always thought he was Arthur Weasley when I saw him. Now I think about it, Flint's hair color is almost mine. Anyone know the others? Especially looks."
"Bonnie has the loveliest blonde hair." McNaught almost waxed poetic.
Harry was beginning to boil "If they've come back confine them. Politely. Ask where they were, what they were doing. Try to treat it like small talk. Let me know otherwise, and I'll put Aurors on it. Back to you Brian?"
"Potions supplies mostly." Answered the Transportation Director.
Harry's expression changed, he demanded "What ingredients?"
"I'll find out." Brian seemed unworried, didn't even rush to leave.
When Harry shot the wizard a glare, Head of the Wizarding Examinations Authority Griselda Marchbanks complained "Do remember, Director, our Martial Law declaration placed you in charge while without a civilian leader. It did not confer upon you a higher rank."
"I did not intend otherwise, Director Marchbanks." Countered Harry, coolly "I have no intention of being Minister."
She snorted derisively to that "History is replete with men who made such claims. But I'll quote from Muggle fiction 'I could beat my breast decrying how I had been wronged, while setting myself on the throne.' I agreed Minister Granger lacked the judgment to handle this, but I point out our emergency began three months ago. As we've discussed, nothing provably connected to the putative Lady Nirvana for almost three weeks. At the very least, it's time to allow the Wizengamot to name a fully empowered Minister."
"We can get back to that. Right now, Brian, sorry Director Edgecombe…exactly WHAT was stolen may be of national security interest." Though he was speaking Transportation, his eyes were locked with Education and he spoke wryly "Maybe NOT, but let's make sure. Agreed?"
The Cabinet couldn't argue with that, but Marchbanks wasn't to be distracted "The nation needs normalcy. A civilian leader."
"I don't disagree." Said Harry then pausing to think, against his better instincts, he was a politician "Why don't we do this? I will repeat, I do not want to RULE. I've had to because of Nirvana, and she's still a threat. Let the Wizengamot schedule an election. Announce it before Christmas to take place after the New Year. I have a couple operations that I could give my full attention to."
Director Marchbanks looked over her bifocals at him "And what operations are those ,Director Potter?"
"Your concern for the health of our government might benefit, Griselda, if I drop out of sight for a few days." He smiled at her, not answering her question. They all knew he didn't. "I shall leave matters in your capable hands. If there's anything critical you need to know, I'll find a way to contact you."
She scowled highly suspiciously, demanded "You are putting ME in charge?"
"Unless your fellow directors object." His tone was neutral until he focused on her challengingly "You're experienced? Competent?" He wrapped the meeting… by standing, putting his hands together and bowing slightly "Directors, I salute you."
Helmuth von Moltke said "Kriegsgechichtliche Einzelschriften" "No plan survives first contact with the enemy" This axiom found expression in Lady Nirvana NOT getting assassinated the first time she visited Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. Nor the next two times.
abcij
It was a highly irritated Director of the DMLE who apparated into the room that housed an assassin who hadn't done the assassination. The instant he arrived he observed "See you've sent Dean home. Well and good. Why's she still alive after three opportunities?"
"Think I was going to put THAT in an owl?" Mordechai Berrycloth wasn't one to scare, even of an irate Dark Lord killer "But now you're here, sir, I'm glad to explain. Our Dark Lady has learned her troops are …well… have dual loyalties."
Harry quirked an eyebrow "Not a surprise. I'll bite. What of it?"
"Well, she caught Ronald at 9PM as he locked the door to go visit the Mrs." the words were casual, the tone was lethal "Seems a little operation is on for Friday next. And it might be a good idea to have the nieces and nephews skip the train."
You didn't need to be a high Ministry official to know what that meant "December 21! The Yule break!" he snapped, then growled "She's actually attacking the Express!"
"And I almost AKd her right then." The assassin nodded "Buuuuut, we now hold a huge card. And they don't know that we know. "I've had four days to plan a trap to take the whole gang."
Abcij
To say Harry was mad when he got home would be like saying Uncle Vernon was mad the day Harry's Hogwarts letters flooded the house. Merlin! Haven't thought of him in years! Wonder if he's still alive? He didn't have a chance to ponder the thought as a couple pillows framed in red enveloped him softly. For a couple minutes then, he delighted in his wife.
Only to be interrupted by giggles "Daddy kissing Mummy adain!"
"SIRIUS XENOPHILIUS LOVEGOOD!" roared Harry as he pulled away. He charged, scooped up the blond-headed boy and blew incessantly up into his belly for as long as he kissed Susan. As he handed the toddler to her, his face went serious and told her "Get Kreacher to feed the kids and fix something officey for us. Then join me and Luna. Gonna be a long night."
Susan blinked. Even with the current crisis, her husband almost never spoke so perfunctory to either of them. But before she had a chance to get angry, she saw his face. The public that knew this formidable redhead might have fainted at her compliance.
Abcij
"Well that was more than pleasant." Luna smiled into her husband's shoulder, her lips were numb.
Susan smiled as she walked in. She didn't need to ask, putting up every privacy and security ward, then with a flippancy she did not feel "Busy day at the office dearest?"
"Come here." He pulled her down across them. By far, his favorite thing in the world, as close together as absolutely possible. He'd gone from teen to mature man with these two, as if giving the Wizengamot a speech he began "One of my plans to win this war was a straight up sniper attack. Got three teams on it…" concluding "… and that's what I learned and have planned."
More than once, either or both witches squeezed a convenient body part in reaction to the tale. Luna was visibly outraged "I wish we'd got her all those years ago. Before this shite started."
"I assume we're sending an owl to Hogwarts telling the kids to stay put at Christmas." Susan was saying this with the same surety that a triangle had three sides.
Shaking his head, his ego quailed under his wives' glares he answered "I know. As a father that was MY automatic response. But, Sue, think about those vampires in the Wizengamot. They'll Crucio me for leaving any kids as bait, and WORSE! They throw you and Luna through The Veil after learning we pulled the kids. **sigh** No, the only way this will work is to ambush the ambushers. With total security. The only Aurors I'll use will be ones I absolutely trust, or swear an Unbreakable. Anyone finding out about it who doesn't will sit in a cell until after it's over."
"And me!" "And me!" came from both witches somewhere in the middle of Harry's argument.
He clutched a knee quite forcefully "For once luv, I insist here. NO. You're eight months pregnant. How can I put this? You're good, but …Sue… tell me I'm right."
"If I'm attacked, Luna, there's no one else but Harry I'd want at my back. But this is an offensive operation." The redhead petted the blonde's cheek. "A year ago I'd want you there. A year from now I'd want you there. Next week, I want to know that at least three of our children are not in danger."
In this, they all knew she was including the blond toddler that, biologically, was Luna's and her own near-Harry-clone son who also hadn't started Hogwarts. And emphasizing the developing baby Luna was carrying. She bounced a futile fist off Susan's bicep then nodded "I will be highly put out if any member of my family comes home with so much as mussed hair."
"Well except for Harry." The redhead offered lightly, combing their man's hair.
Abcij
Preparations were done late at night, or on remote stretches of the Express track. The train itself was moved off the tracks to a maintenance shop that no one was allowed in without special permission. Unspeakables were drafted for their spellcrafting skills. To ensure absolute secrecy, the considerable expenses were paid by Susan from the Bones-Potter-Lovegood vaults.
Even the Auror Corps was kept in the dark. Only in the hours before the usual 11AM departure did Susan or Luna send out a flock of carefully hoarded owls to every off-duty Auror with orders to apparate directly into the Hogwarts Express caboose.