Chapter 64, everybody! Happy belated New Year and Happy Epiphany!

So canon Harry was stuck in a non-magical neighborhood with no support or training for the months immediately following Voldy's return, so it makes sense his nerves were more raw than this version of Harry. Plus, since this version is surrounded by adults, he's got a bit more going for him.

Slytherinsal, thanks for the review! Eheheheh….

Labhub, thanks for the review! Glad you've been enjoying it! Yeah I'm not real into romance (I've dabbled with it in another one of my fics, The Magicians' Realm, and I've found I enjoy that one a lot better when I'm not trying to write romance), nor am I really a fan of character bashing, so I'm glad to hear you've been enjoying the fic. :)

Lucy Elizabeth Dawson, thanks for the review! They are, I love writing those two. XD

Juxshoa, thanks for the review! YES—was trying to think which movie would have the biggest first impression and decided on the one that also doubled as their introduction to dinosaurs. XD

Harry Potter © 1997 J.K. Rowling

Harry was the one to drive them off, able to summon an actual Patronus while Ron managed a faint mist—the four of them ran for the Black house since it was closest, Draco rattling everything that transpired off to Mrs. Malfoy as Kreacher prepared hot chocolate and Dobby got them blankets. Mrs. Malfoy sent a Patronus to Mrs. Weasley and Mr. Lovegood to let them know what was going on, was pacing and cursing Sirius and Remus for being unavailable when an owl came in and deposited a letter in front of Harry. Said letter claimed that Harry had violated the Reasonable Restriction for Underage Wizardry as well as the Statute of Secrecy, was expected in a hearing at the Ministry of Magic, and was also expelled from Hogwarts.

"I can't be expelled!" Harry protested. "I just got all my homework finished!"

"And if you are, then where's my letter?" Ron asked. "I was casting too—it wasn't very good, but it was still enough for them to register it."

"We were only casting out in the open because of the Dementors!" Harry exclaimed. "What were we supposed to do!?"

"I guess die?"

"If any Muggles saw us, I'll eat my wand," Draco spat.

"Enough," Mrs. Malfoy snapped, making everyone look at her. "I will send a Patronus to Dumbledore—he's the only one who can expel you, not the Ministry. As for the rest, you'll be able to explain it at the hearing."

"What if they don't believe me?"

"This is a good point," Luna said.

"You have witnesses to the event, and I can certainly testify as to what exposure to Dementors looks like," Mrs. Malfoy said sternly, brooking no argument. "Ronald, Luna, you're staying here for the night—if they attacked once they'll attack again, and I won't risk sending you out there for the simple reason of going home."

No one really had an argument for that, nor did anyone want to go to bed upstairs—they ended up camping in the living room, the boys giving Luna the couch as the rest bundled up with blankets and seat cushions on the floor.

"Kind of glad you had that whole thing with the Dementors third year," Ron told Harry once they were settled. "If you hadn't, then Remus would have never taught you that spell and we'd all be cooked geese."

Harry nodded, staring at the ceiling and hating the heavy dead weight in his stomach—he couldn't be expelled, he couldn't, this was his OWL year—

"Don't worry," Ron assured him. "Dad and Percy will get involved, they know Ministry stuff—Percy especially, think he knows enough to be Minister if he could just boot Fudge."

Harry glanced at the others—Luna was staring blankly at the ceiling, still hugging her book, and Draco was curled up in a ball and not looking at any of them. Ron was right, if it weren't for Remus teaching him the Patronus they'd all be dead.

"I think, maybe, when Sirius and Remus get back, we ought to get them to cover the Patronus charm," Harry said, looking back at Ron.

"I agree."

"Yes please," Luna said.


Snips sat at the window that night, glaring out into the gloom and trying to spy anything untoward.

"What is Mister Snips looking for?" Kreacher asked.

'Dementors,' he told him. 'Just outside of a Muggle village, far from where they're supposed to be—this wasn't an accident, someone sent them here.'

Kreacher was silent for a long time. "The dark one, you suspect."

'I do.' He should have insisted on going with them, hiding in a shirt pocket or something—immediately scolded himself, there was nothing he could do against a Dementor, to beat one off required a wand.

And he couldn't help but think that they were a portent to something much worse.

Look over at Narcissa pacing, wand out, occasionally checking the kids—tracked her as she paced past himself and Kreacher, watched as she checked everything downstairs before heading upstairs.

"Mistress Cissy blames herself," Kreacher told him. "She thinks they came here for her."

'That would be the one to send them,' Snips said.

Kreacher nodded. "It might be time to increase the scope of the Secret Order of Familiars."

Snips nodded, teeth itching at the thought of Voldemort out there—he had promised to keep Harry safe and that massive threat on the horizon would not be tolerated. 'It seems so.'

Hedwig was more than happy to collect Pigwidgeon and fly off to inform the other familiars, although Snips had to wonder what a bunch of small, slightly-magical creatures could do against Voldemort.

Although, he reflected, looking back at the sleeping teens, the man had been felled by less before.


Sirius was apoplectic enough to match Molly Weasley when he came back a few days later.

"Dementors!? In this neighborhood!?" he demanded. "How—this isn't an accident. This isn't an accident someone sent them—"

"I wanted to wait until you came back before leaving," Mrs. Malfoy said. "Obviously it's too dangerous—"

"Let's start with obviously this doesn't happen all the time—"

"You misunderstand," she said. "I'm the one putting you in danger—you know that—"

"Stop," Sirius said, pointing at her. "You do not get to blame yourself any more than Remus gets to blame himself for the full moon being this week." Gesture vaguely, thinking. "It might not be you—they might have been after Harry, timed it for when they knew we'd be gone…dangit maybe I should have done a Fidelius Charm."

"So this is my fault?" Harry asked.

"You have enemies, you should get used to this," Mrs. Malfoy said.

"Okay you chill," Sirius said. "Remus, you translated that yet?"

"It's a Ministry letter, it doesn't need translation," Remus said. "What I don't get is the expulsion—the hearing makes sense, Harry did technically violate the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Wizardry—"

"Because of the dementors!" Harry protested.

"Yes—which, when told to the hearing, will be accepted as a reasonable breach. The problem is, this doesn't pass the smell test," Remus muttered, one hand to his jaw as he glowered at the paper announcing when the hearing would be. "It feels like being railroaded even though all the proper language is used. And then—Dementors would only be away from Azkaban at the behest of the Ministry—"

"Or Moldy-Voldy," Sirius pointed out. "They worked for him before."

"We think you ought to teach everyone the Patronus Charm," Harry told Remus.

"I agree—first though, everyone to the Weasleys, I want to catch Percy before he heads out and Arthur should be coming in about now."

They filed over to the Burrow, everyone with wands out and eyes scanning, reached the Weasley kitchen without incident.

"Malfoy," Ron greeted coolly as the adults convened. "As you can see, we don't all sleep in one room."

Malfoy grimaced at him. "Now? Now you want to bring that up?"

"I missed my shot last time, seeing as how we were all too preoccupied with the whole attack at the World Cup."

"Back to our current problem," Harry said.

"Yeah," Ron said, indicating where Percy was examining the papers and giving his opinion. "I agree, it feels like you're being railroaded—I should have gotten a similar letter and I haven't yet, and I don't think I will either. They want you specifically."

"Why though?"

"Because you said You-Know-Who was back," Malfoy told him. "No one wants to hear that news. Plus with what Skeeter was saying about you—"

"Skeeter was discredited."

"The damage is already done."

Which was when an owl flew in and landed next to Harry, handing him a letter before sitting there patiently.

"Boy I hope it's not more bad news," Harry muttered, opening it.

It was not.

Dear Harry,

Depending on your progress with your homework, it may either please or disappoint you to know that you are not, in fact, expelled, as I do not consider defending yourself against Dementors to be a proper violation of school policy. Please send via return owl the date of your hearing, I would like to inform Minister Fudge that student enrollment at Hogwarts is not under Ministry prerogative. I would inform him myself, but he seems to be ignoring my owls.

Sincerely yours,

Professor Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts

PS: I do hope the rest of your vacation has been well.

"Well that's good to know," Harry gusted, relieved.

"This isn't," Malfoy said, reading over Harry's shoulder. "Dumbledore is head of the Wizengamot, Fudge can't afford to ignore him."

"Again I cite the railroading," Ron said, from Harry's other shoulder.

Harry sent the date with the owl, finally turned to the rest of the room busy outlining a war plan.

"You are going," Mrs. Malfoy was telling Sirius, like there was even an argument about that. "As head of the House of Black you have a seat at the Wizengamot and have weight—"

"Hi," Harry said, raising the hand with the letter. "Sorry—I just got word from Dumbledore that I'm not expelled."

"Good," Remus said.

"It would have been boring without you, Harrikins," George agreed.

"So next question—what's the Wizengamot?" Harry asked.

"It's like wizard court," Ron told him.

"And you won't be appearing in front of them," Mr. Weasley assured him. "It'll be a simple hearing in Madame Bones' office, she's one of those tough but fair types, she'll most likely dismiss the case as soon as she hears about the Dementors."

"You will still be going with your guardian and a legal retainer," Mrs. Malfoy said.

"Why?" Harry asked. "I mean I get Sirius, but—"

"It's important to throw your weight here and show that you mean business."

"That's not exactly necessary," Mr. Weasley started—

"Which also means it's not unnecessary either," Mrs. Malfoy said sternly. "You haven't moved about much in those upper circles, Weasley—I have. They wait for any sign of weakness and then they strike."

"And on that awkward note I'm off to work," Percy muttered. "Don't worry, Harry, I'll get to the bottom of this."

Mr. Weasley waited until Percy was gone, turned his full attention on Mrs. Malfoy.

"You're right," he said. "I don't much move about in those upper circles. Being cutthroat never interested me—it takes more work and it's more rewarding to be kind instead. Kindness gets you more in the long run than meanness does. Maybe I don't get the aplomb, but I sleep better at night. I suggest you start thinking the same."

Harry and Ron exchanged glances at Mrs. Malfoy getting color in her cheeks at that dressing down, but she managed to swallow down whatever retort she evidently wanted to give.

"You still need the retainer," she said. "I'll contact mine, he'll be willing to work on short notice."

"You're going to name-drop, aren't you," Remus sighed.

"Don't question it if it works."