Chapter 8

"What do you want, scarhead?" Draco asked.

"I'm calling in your life debt." Harry said, unizpping his pants. Draco looked mortified.

"Relax, ferret that's a joke. Lemme in I have a present for Astoria." Harry said.

"She's... She's not having a good day." Draco said, worry obvious in his face.

"I think I can help, Malfoy. No joke, no bullshit." Harry said seriously.

"How?" Draco asked.

"When I collected all of those debts, the goblins confiscated a lot of valuables from the debtors. An interesting book was discovered in Yaxley's possesion." Harry said, removing a book from his jacket and handing it to him. Draco opened and turned through the first few pages. His eyes widened as he found what Harry had discovered.

"Potter, this.. It would work but I can't cast it, the amount of power... That's why you're here, isnt it?" Draco said. Harry nodded.

"Why would you do this for us?" Draco asked. Harry shrugged.

"I've encountered the solution to a problem that is within my abilities to solve. You remember Hermione going on about my 'saving people thing' I assume? Just tell people I'm being a dumb noble Gryffindor and let me help your wife, you ass." Harry said.

"I can't repay you... My father's vaults..." Draco said, desperation clear in his expression.

"I don't want anything, Malfoy, except to help her." Harry said. Draco nodded.

"Please, Potter. If you can, help them." Draco said. Harry nodded and entered their home, not letting Draco humiliate himself by begging.

"I need to get a few things together. Can you go and let her know what's going on? I'll need to go in there too, so make sure she's dressed. Best to have Scorpius sitting with her too, just to make sure it's stomped out for future generations. I'll take care of Daphne when I can." Harry said. Draco nodded and made his way to the bedroom. Harry opened a satchel and took out the materials he'd require for the spell. IT was more than just wand waving, it required a few alchemical reagents, and he would need a pepper-up potion to survive the process. He looked up as the bedroom door, hearing a horrible rattling cough coming from within. Draco gestured for him to follow.

Harry entered in and placed his kit on the bed at Astoria's feet. He looked up to see a shy little blond boy clinging to Astoria and looking at him.

"Hey buddy. I'm gonna see if I can help your mommy feel better, is that ok?" Harry asked. The boy nodded and watched.

"Potter, you need-" Astoria started before coughing violently, spitting flecks of blood into her hand.

"Relax, Mrs. Malfoy. Lay back. I will be visiting your sister when I recover from this." Harry said. He'd prepared a rune array on a parchment and set It upon a ceramic bowl at the foot of the bed. He placed a few alchemical ingredients into the bowl and with an incendio he set it alight.

"This is gonna be a little gross, kiddo. You might not want to look." Harry said, however he stared intently. Harry pulled a dagger from his jacket and dragged it across his palm, extinguishing the flames with his blood. A sickly sweet smelling smoke arose from the bowl and coalesced into a thick cloud overhead. Harry raised his wand and pointed it at Astoria and Scorpius, and spoke the incantation. He glowed with a bright white light and the spell shot forward enveloping Astoria and Scorpius for several seconds before the sound of shattering glass signaled the end of the spell.

"Crap." Harry said, collapsing forward and clutching the bed post to keep himself from collapsing.

"Potter!" Astoria said, unaware that her voice had cleared. Harry raised ah and to halt her, then reached into his jacket and retrieved a pepper-up potion, which he drank.

"Wow, that was intense. How do you feel, Mrs. Malfoy?" Harry asked. Astoria paused, breathing in deeply then out, her hand went to her mouth as she stared at him in shock.

"It's.. it's gone?" Astoria asked. Harry looked up at her and nodded weakly. His face was alarmingly pale and dark circles had appeared under his eyes. He tried to get to his feet but failed, his knees giving way, causing him to fall to all fours.

"Fu- Crap." Harry said, correcting himself as he remembered there was a child present.

"What can we do, Potter?" Astoria asked, getting up and walking to him.

"Just need a minute. Malfoy, can you help me to your parlor?" Harry asked. Draco nodded and pulled him to his feet, taking him there, where he slumped back into a chair, breathing heavily.

"I just need a couple of minutes. It was worse than I expected." Harry said.

"Let me get you some water." Draco said, walking to the Kitchen. Moments later, Astoria who had dressed walked in carrying Scorpius. Draco came in with a glass of water and handed it to Harry.

"Thanks." Harry said before draining it.

"Are you going to be ok?" Astoria asked. Harry nodded.

"It was worse than I expected, probably because we included Scorpius in it. I just need a few minutes." Harry said.

"Potter, I don't... How can we ever repay you? This has been haunting my family for centuries." Astoria said.

"Same thing I told him, I don't want anything. I had a solution and was capable of implementing it. Anyone asks, I'm just a dumb noble Gryffindor. It wouldn't be a lie." Harry said with a grin. Harry set the glass down on a nearby table.

"Does Daphne have problems with Vampires?" Harry asked. Astoria looked at him strangely.

"Not that I know of, why?" Astoria asked.

"I'm going to bring my fiancee when I do that for Daphne, just in case I can't walk out of there. Speaking of which mind if I use your floo? I don't want to risk apparating." Harry said.

"Of course, but I insist you stay here until at least you can stand on your own." Draco said.

"Thanks again." Harry said, pushing himself up higher in the chair. Harry smiled at Scorpius.

"He's a cute kid. " Harry said.

"Thanks" Astoria said with a smile.

"Shame his dad is such an ugly git." Harry said. Astoria laughed, and shockingly so did Draco. Scorpius started fussing in her arms.

"It looks like someone is hungry. If you'll excuse us. Thank you Potter, I'll never be able to thank you enough." Astoria said, taking Scorpius out of the room.

"Alright, I think I'm good to travel. There's a public floo a few miles from Hellsing manor, I can walk from there" Harry said, shakily getting to his feet. Draco walked him over to the fireplace and lit it.

"Potter, if there's anything I can do to repay you..." Draco said.

"Well, there is one thing..." Harry said, unizpping his pants again.

"Get out of here, scarhead." Draco said with a grin. Harry tossed in the powder and stepped into the green flames.

An hour later, since Harry was walking slowly, he walked into Hellsing barely able to stand. He made it through the door, and collapsed onto the floor.

"Harry you idiot, what did you do zis time?" Pip said, rushing over to help him up.

"A little too much it seems." Harry said, letting Pip help him to a chair.

"Thanks, mate. One of my classmates' wife was suffering from a blood malediction.. think of it like magical cancer, it's a curse that was put on her bloodline centuries ago. I found a way to break the curse, but it was extremely taxing. Is Seras around?" Harry asked, gasping for air.

"Let me get her." Pip said, running off. Harry nodded off and slumped over in his chair. Harry awoke hours later in the Hellsing infirmary, and looked over to see Integra sitting in a chair reading a book.

"How much trouble am I in?" Harry asked with a grin. Integra smirked.

"Less than normal since you told her what you'd be doing and that it would drain you." Integra said. Harry nodded.

"When I take care of Daphne I'm going to have Seras come with me. I wasn't expecting it to be so bad, I think it was worse because Scorpius was with her." Harry said.

"Who would do such a thing in the first place?" Integra asked. Harry sat up and shrugged.

"I've learned to never underestimate humanity's capacity for moral bankruptcy." Harry said. Integra frowned, then rubbed her belly.

"I hope this one takes after its father." Integra said.

"Yeah I heard that guy is pretty awesome. Attractive too." Harry said with a grin.

"And so modest as well." Integra said with a smile.

"Harry!" Seras cried as she wlked through the door.

"Hi babe!" Harry said weakly. She took a seat on his other side and held his hand.

"Sorry If I scared you. Breaking the curse for Astoria and Scorpius at the same time was too much I think." Harry said.

"It's ok, you told me it would be rough. Poppy is coming by later to make sure everything is ok magically." Seras said Harry nodded.

"Can you come with me when I do it for Daphne? Just in case." Harry asked. Seras nodded.

"So, did I miss anything fun?" Harry asked.

"Helena has agreed to spend a week with Zorin, Rip and Schrodinger. She's worried about you." Seras said.

"Shoot, hey can I have my jacket?" Harry asked, scooting up to a sitting position. Seras handed it to him and he pulled out the journal.

Helena, do you have your journal?

-Harry

Harry! Seras informed me that you'd come home barely conscious!

-Helena

Sorry to worry you. The spell was overwhelmingly draining. When I do it for Daphne I'm going to have Seras with me.

-Harry

You'd better. I am going to spend some time with Zorin and Rip this week, I hope you will be able to visit.

-Helena

Of course, I'm usually there once a day anyway. I hope Schrodinger comes back in time to see you. I think you're going to love him.

-Harry

I'm sure I will. Thank you for finding me, Harry. It is nice to have a friend after so many years.

"I hope she likes it with Zorin and Rip. I hate the thought of her sitting alone in that apartment." Harry said.

The next day, Harry walked to Rip and Zorin's house, he'd decided to go easy on the magic for a couple of days just because he hated feeling as drained as he was the day before. Pomfrey had visited and after being suitably convinced that he hadn't done anything reckless this time, informed him that he would be back to normal after 24 hours.

When he arrived, Rip let him in and guided him to the kitchen, which had become the social hub of the house. She explained that Zorin was out getting another chair for Helena in their parlor. They sat and Harry made a pot of coffee. Rip was excited because she hadn't thought to brew some since she discovered she could eat food with blood in it.

"How are things?" Harry asked, pouring two cups of coffee and bleeding into Rip's.

"Amazing! It's just been.. wonderful! I can't thank you enough for saving us, Harry." Rip said.

"I'm more than happy to have been able to help. Having any trouble adapting?" Harry asked. Rip shook her head.

"Only at first. We both had nightmares for the first few nights, and Zorin has had some funny looks from the neighbors, but things are smoothing over. To think this time last year, the idea of living in a house with the woman that I love-" Rip said before her hands shot to her mouth. Harry smiled.

"Oh.. " Rip said, trailing off, shocked with the realization. "Please don't tell her." Rip said, Harry nodded

"Of course, though I have to say from the outside it's quite obvious. Just like it must have been with Seras and myself, I suppose." Harry said with a grin.

"I really didn't think happy was in the cards for me." Rip said, her eyes watering.

"I've been there. I remember the year before Hogwarts, laying in my cupboard, struggling to walk. I really thought there was nothing to look forward to." Harry said.

"Cupboard?" Rip asked. Harry sighed, he thought she knew.

"Yeah. It's a long story. When I was a kid..." Harry said, telling her the story of his childhood that he'd found became easier to tell every time he did it. She was horrified first, then enraged before settling on miserable, clutching on to Harry and crying all over him.

"How did you even make it through that?" Rip asked. Harry smiled.

"You guys." Harry said with a grin. Rip smiled at him and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you for telling me that. It mustn't be easy." Rip said. Harry nodded.

"It gets easier every time. It took a while to learn that people weren't going to think less of me for having gone through it." Harry said. Rip looked pensive.

"I'm going to share something with you, Not even Zorin knows. I'm terrified of her finding out." Rip said.

"You don't have to." Harry said. She shook her head.

"It's something I've been carrying with me, and like you said the more you tell the easier it gets." Rip said. She sighed, closed her eyes and spoke.

"My birth name is Elke... Himmler." Rip said. Terror filled her as she heard no immediate response. She opened her eyes tentatively and saw Harry sitting there smiling at her.

"Do you know who my father was? What he did?" Rip asked. Harry nodded.

"You don't hate me?" She asked meekly. Harry took her hands.

"No." Harry said simply. She looked confused.

"Were you ever part of that madness? Beyond sabotaging Millennium?" Harry asked. Rip nodded sadly.

"I was part of the BDM, the 'Band of German Maidens' it was like the female Hitler youth." Rip said

"And did you join them because you actively hated Hitler's enemies?" Harry asked. Rip pondered that.

"No. I joined, because he wanted me to." Rip said, spitting the word 'he.'

"When did you leave, and start working against the nazis?" Harry asked.

"When I was sixteen. I learned what my father truly was, and scrambled to find a way to fight back." Rip said

"So when you were a girl your father forced you to join a group that tried and failed to brainwash you, which you escaped from, and then spent the rest of your life fighting against the nazis?" Harry asked. Rip pondered and then looked up at him.

"Yes. When you put it that way..." Rip said. Harry stood and took her in his arms.

"Your name is Rip VanWinkle. Elke Himmler was the unfortunate victim of her father's misdeeds." Harry said. Rip lost her composure and cried into his shirt, she felt like an enormous weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

"Will Zorin hate me?" She eventually asked.

"I won't speak for her, but I doubt it. If you want to tell her, I'll be here with you." Harry said.

"God, Harry do you ever stop giving?" Rip said, smiling at him. He shrugged and smiled. Half an hour later, Zorin knocked on the door to get someone to open it so she could carry the new chair in, and smield when she saw Harry was there. He hugged her and after they placed the chair they gathered in the kitchen, with harry preparing a cup of coffee for Zorin.

"Zorin, there is something I need to tell you." Rip said, her nerves clearly getting the better of her. Harry stood behind where she was sitting and rested his hand on her shoulder.

"What's wrong? Are you ok?" Zorin asked. Rip nodded. Again, she closed her eyes, squeezing them shut and spoke.

"My birth name is Elke Himmler." Rip said. Zorin stared in shock, and looked up at Harry. He was wearing a smile that wasn't quite reaching his eyes, however in his eyes she could detect a very clear warning. Zorin looked back at Rip, tears were leaking from her closed eyes and she was so tense she looked like she was crumpling in on herself.

"Rip, look at me." Zorin said. She slowly opened her eyes and with effort brought her gaze up to Zorin's eyes.

"I don't care. It doesn't matter, and it doesn't change anything. I love you." Zorin said with a fond smile. Harry relaxed as Rip burst into tears and leapt into her lover's arms. He'd been ready to intervene, physically if needed, but it was unneeded. Harry could detect no insincerity in Zorin's reaction. He left them in the kitchen, sitting on Helena's new chair for a few moments before they came out. Rip hugged him and left, saying she was going to meet Helena who was due to be dropped off at a bus stop a few miles away. With how fast Rip was, there was no way she would not be there in time.

"I saw that look you gave me, Harry." Zorin said with a grin, folding her arms and leaning against the doorway. Harry nodded unrepentantly.

"What would you have done if I'd reacted poorly?" Zorin asked.

"Everything I could to convince you that she was still the woman that you love." Harry said.

"And if I'd tried to kill her?" Zorin asked. Harry stood and walked up to her, staring up and into her eyes.

"I'd have hated myself for the rest of my life for killing you." Harry said seriously. Zorin smiled and hugged him.

"Thank you for being willing to protect my mate. Remind me to never get you mad at me." Zorin said, chuckling.