" And the Reason you are not asking your mother? "
" She is working this weekend." Daphne smirked. "She just started working in the DMLE wing and is in charge of their long term care patient. It seems that they are trying to help her, but everything they try… they just can't fix her face."
The Witch he pegged as Astoria snorted before she walked off to remake a bed.
Snape looked about before shaking his head. "I will have to talk to Pomfrey. I will have your list by the weekend, when I return for your first lesson." He then sneered. "But why Potter?"
Daphne smirked. "In a word, Contract. Please tell Draco thank you for me. Because of him and his Father, I am going to be the Next Dark Lady."
[Flashback]
(Two Weeks ago) (1/10/95)
Greengrass, Daphne Annabeth, Heiress of the Greengrass House and the perfect Slytherin Witch was pissed. During Breakfast mail, she had received two scrolls. One from her Father telling her to relax, as not everything was as it seemed. The other was from Gringotts Contracts and Family Services, congratulating her on her engagement to the next Lord Black.
When she awoke that morning she, as well as the rest of Slytherin, Thought Malkfoy, Draco was the next Lord Black. On the way to Breakfast, Malfoy was smirking in her direction.
The scrolls had cost her appetite.
Her eye caught sight of the Heir of Potter scratching the ears of Granger's 'Cat-beast' as he fed it an end of sausage. At least the thought of him touching her didn't make her skin crawl…
A thought occurred to her, as she compared the two scrolls, before standing and running back to the Common room. In the library nook she found the book she was looking for. She flipped to the Family tree she was looking for and ran her lacquered nail down the Family Tree until she found the name she was looking for and then turned the book to the other Tree where she found the same name and followed the line to the Name she was looking for. She then double checked the index for the listing of meaning of marks.
Seeing as how many Family Trees looked like bonsai trees twisted into just a single plant… she was quick to pick apart the twisted bloodlines until she found the truth that brought a smirk to her face. The book she was referencing was charmed to constantly update itself, but it only followed bloodlines. She cross referenced with the with a book in her trunk that tracked the Lordships of each of the sacred twenty eight Houses.
"Blessed Morgana. I am sensing more than one hand in this." She spoke to the cat sprawled across her bed as the kneazle crossbreed watched the fish swim across the glass ceiling. "Father must be laughing up his sleeve at this. Mother has not weighed in just yet, but knowing her, she is taking a victory lap." She rubbed the exposed tummy of her familiar, before she stood and slinging her bookbag, returned the book to the nook and headed to her first class.
[Flashback ends]
Snape's sneer twisted, before he laughed. "A Slytherin must be careful not to bite himself when he struggles for dominance. While I have issues with the boy and his Father… you could do worse. Be careful, be safe, and be well." Snape exited the tent, heading towards the Village.
LBDLP
The Dark Lord Voldemort frowned down at the wizard that was groveling at the foot of his dias. This little worm had just reported that some upstart had declared himself to be a Dark Lord.
The Dilemma before him was an interesting development.
One hand, he could let the upstart run with it, and deplete the DMLE of their reserves and when the Time was right, rise up and take his due. Pro, this new Dark Lord would give him cover to build and expand his army of followers. Con, the Upstart was draining the cannon fodder that He was counting on for when he took his due.
On the other hand, if he moved now, it would expose him before he was ready, and prove to the Sheeple that Potter and the old fool were correct when they yelled 'werewolf'.
It was a problem he knew he would have to resolve. And quickly.
He steepled his hands as the worm crawled away safely.
LBDLP
Remus was meeting with the Packs.
"And why are you here, Stray!"
The Alpha of the London Pack sneered.
"I am not a stray." Moony bared his teeth, "It is just that my Alpha is not a Wolf. I know that some of your members have heard the rumors that the last Dark Lord has returned, and from Potter and Dumbledore crying 'wolf'." The assembled snorted at the joke. "And the New Dark Lord, the one who just declared himself and just took Hogsmead. Now, he knows about the needs and wants of the Curse of the Werewolf. He is offering employment to any member of the Packs that want to work. It will be grunt work but he will pay good day's pay for a good day's work."
" And How can we trust this new Dark Lord?" The Alpha of the Leeds Pack.
" Potter has work he needs done, and the money to pay. By declaring himself a Dark Lord, the Ministry can not object to our employment without incurring his Wrath. He knows that we prefer to run and hunt during the full moon, but that we also don't want to turn on our fellow man."
" Speak for yourself! " yelled a yellow- eyed Wolf. The only non-alpha allowed to speak, as his Alpha was Fenrir Greyback. The packs did not need the trouble that walked in a wolf's skin in these talks.
Lupin ignored the loudmouth. "We will have the option to run on land with a forest and a wall to keep us in and the non wolves out, or the option of Wolfsbane Potion. I have done both the potion and locking myself away. The Potion tastes nasty, but I never had to worry about ripping myself apart. Yes the option to run is preferred, but there is always the risk of crossing a human and… " Lupin shrugged.
"You said that we would be able to run… but with our numbers and needed space…"
"That's the first job he has for us. With a mix of muggle and magical fencing, Potter has a property that is under patchwork wards that is miles by miles square. Most of it is farmland that has fallen fallow. And our second task." Lupin looked at the assembled wolves. "Seeing as this is not something that will be decided tonight, and is not something that everyone will choose, I will leave everyone with one last offer. My Pack is open for any who want to join. If you decide you are taking Milord's offer, be at Hogsmead two nights before the full moon. Don't come looking for trouble, because you will find it." He finished his mug of beer and placed it lip down and walked off, before vanishing in a blue flash.
The London wolf nurses his beer. "He's correct. This is not something we will decide on tonight. And not something that we can agree on." He glared at the Beta in their mix, "But I will state this. Should Greyback's Master return, I am running and hiding behind Potter's skirts. My Father served under the last Dark Lord and I was given to Greyback because my Father failed in a task. He does not suffer failure and doesn't reward successes. I know Lupin enough to know that if he says that Potter will pay us good gold for our labor, we will get our gold but we will have to work for it." He finished his beer before standing, "Now if you will excuse me, but my Bitch is in heat and I plan to break her in." He exited as the others offered rude and mixed advice.
LBDLP
Snape caught up to McGonagall as they arrived out front of Honeydukes. Albus exited with a bulging bag of candy, sucking on a sherbet lemon. Snape handed Minnie into the Carriage as Albus offered the two Thestrals a blood pop each. They each took it and rolled it on their tongue as they headed back towards the Castle.
"So? "
Snape snorted. "Well the brat has done it. Everything I have seen is to the liking of the People. Because the Village is under the same provisions as Hogwarts, it enjoys an atomany from the Ministry and the DMLE only protects and serves on a volunteer basis. The people pay taxes as members of the British Empire, but House Potter owes most of the Property. Gringotts handles the majority of the rental issues, so James just had to sit back and let the gold roll in."
Minnie frowned at the younger man. "Well, they are not planning on barring the Students from visiting nor moving on the School. They are even working on providing ways to protect the students should trouble come calling during a visit.
I think I recognized many of his Guard as he calls them. They don't hide behind masks like the last Dark Lord's followers, but his Guard are using hoods like the Unspeakables. The few who were not of the Guard that I saw just had normal Hoods." Minnie peered into the bag beside the Headmaster before digging out a box of Berties beans. She opened the box and offered it to Snape before selecting a green bean.
Big mistake.
Catnip.
Oh shit…
Oh well.
"Rosey was accepting of the Lads actions, but is waiting for a week before making a final judgment. Alford finds it funny that your Champion just spit in your face, and you can't do anything without looking like an arse."
She blinked several times.
Albus hummed as he sucked on his lemon drop
LBDLP
Shacklebolt exited the Floo with a bounce to his step as he hit the Bullpen, and waved away the ash with a wave of his hand. He strode with purpose to the office of the Director. A quick rap on the door frame as her assistant was away from the desk .
"Come."
He could hear the exhaustion in her voice.
He entered and stopped to pour two fingers of Irish whiskey in two glasses. Putting one before her, he offered the other to her to clink in a toast. "Good news, on the Hogwarts front. Because Fudge has not allowed you to go to St Mungo's to see the patient, Delores has been listed as MIA from her post, and the Headmaster has filed the parchment work. He now needs a new DADA professor. I have been asked if I can take a sabbatical… or be assigned undercover to keep an eye on both Dumbledore and Lord Potter. A bonus, if you will, this year I can bring the physical abilities of next year's trainees."
Bones leaned back as she thought it over before taking up her glass and clinking it with his. After swallowing a mouthful she filled out a sheet of parchment and then finished her glass, before standing. "Follow."
She led the way to Fudge's office, and with only a single knock, shouldered the door open, knocking Malfoy aside. "I have an opportunity that I need you to okay. I can get one of my Aurors into Hogwarts to weed out what happened to Delores and to scout out this new Dark Lord. I just need you to approve the cost. I can even say he will take the Army Dumbledore is building, and shift their loyalty to where it will do the most good."
Fudge was quick to sign her paperwork, "Go, bring those young minds back into the fold."
Bones was quick to offer a small smile as exited the office. Once she was outside the door, she tapped the sheet and passed a copy to Shacklebolt. "You have your orders. Feel free to draft Tonks as your teacher's aide."
[Flashback]
Amelia Bones was feeling tired as she drug herself home through the Floo into the parlor of the Ossuary. Expecting to be met only by her Elf, Tully, she was surprised to find three witches sitting there sipping tea and gossiping. Two redheads and a Honey blond were enough to cause her monocle to fall from her face.
"Evening Auntie." She smiled as she set the cup down. "Before you get mad, please let us explain. Tonight during dinner, Potter quit Hogwarts. I and a few others decided to follow. Between my knowledge of the law and Hermione's, we agreed that by agreeing to learn from Potter and his Uncles, we can sit our OWLs in May."
"And just where is this Hermione?" The Director asked.
"Well with Harry injured enough to need a medi-witch and then everyone deciding that we were better off without Hogwarts, She was getting herself worked up in a tizzy. Potter asked if Sue had any Law books for her to find us legal coverage when we have need of it. Lovegood followed when she heard the word 'Library'." Hannah snorted. "Ravenclaws. Greengrass is tending to Potter upstairs and Longbottom is gathering herbs from the garden and greenhouse."
Her Monocle fell again. "Greengrass?"
" Daphne has earned her apprentice Healer Robes. She is patching up Potter with the help of her sister and cousin." The redhead that was not her niece smiled up at her. "We came here because we only needed Sue to invite us. If you want us to move along, we can, but we will need to make arrangements. The security is a little tighter."
Tully scampered up to the Regent of House rather than popping. "Tully so Happy. Tully has full House!" The Elf was bouncing on her toes. "Mistress want tea or vodka?" The excited Elf collected her Auror robes, herding the tired witch to her chair.
Bones sighed as she sat in her chair. "I will take a shot of vodka in my tea."
[Flashback ends]
The week following she found herself backing the new Dark Lord rising. He was ignoring certain laws that he found inconvenient, but he was not interested in hurting or killing anyone who just left him alone and allowed his people to go about their way of life. He was curious about the traditions that the old families followed and the new ways of the Muggles. He preached to his congregation that both ways were needed. ' The traditions were how we keep in touch with our roots, and no matter what we do or where we go, we must not forget them. But at the same time, we can not be blinded to the opportunities that come our way as we stride into the future.'
Of course he was willing to embrace his rage and burn to ash anyone that Threatened those under his protection.
When Greengrass pointed out he was an adult and the Black Heir, he and she were engaged and to be wed during after her next birthday and before the next after that. Bones frowned before looking at Amelia and she nodded. But due to responsibility to House Bones, and Greengrass's to her House, Harry still needed two more witches to step up.
Hannah, looking like a rabbit surrounded by krups, bolted for Neville, hugging his muscled arm. The look of panic on his face was humorous.
The Lovegood witch just hummed to herself as she wove a crown and dropped it on Hermione's head.
LBDLP
Xeno Lovegood was summoned to Hogsmead Village to Meet with his daughter at the Three Broomsticks.
As he Flooed into the Inn, he noticed that it was quiet, even for a Friday.
The few villagers that were in the Inn were sitting in a back booth, whispering between themselves.
"Mr Lovegood. Follow me. Please."
Xeno turned to look and saw a 'Hooded Monk' as opposed to a hooded Unspeakable. The style and cut of the Robes was a factor as was the Colour. These were slate grey, where the Unspeakables were more shadow black. He nodded and followed in the wake of the… he judged it to be a young witch by her size and gaite.
Into a room, he was led where he saw another grey hooded female, judging by the robe and stance, and a grey robed youth with wild black hair leaning on a cane. Both had their back to the door as they looked out the window.
A commotion outside the door was quickly proving to be Rita Skeeter and Bozo. Rita was not looking her best as she strong armedBozo into the room.
"Rita, Bozo. Come in. Xeno, welcome." The young man turned from the window.
" Mr Potter! " Rita hissed.
The Grey Hood cleared it's throat. "Um, I do believe you mean Lord Potter."
Rita perked up, "Lord is it now?"
"Rita, you came by Floo this morning. Have you seen what is floating above the Village?" Harry waved at the window he just turned from.
The green robes snorted before striding to the window and peered out. Her head snapped around to look at him. Her eyes bugging out…
"Yes, Rita. And you are invited here to interview me as my First Official Interview for the Prophet and Witch Weekly. Afterwards you are welcome to walk the Village and talk to the Villagers. Now, at the Table are four scrolls and four 'True Blue' quills. They will be activated and running throughout the entire interview as one. Any editing of my interview will be a strike against the publication that clipped it. Please, sit." He waved a hand to one side of the table, as he and the Grey Robes beside him sat on the other. "Before we get started, Anything from the Bar?"
Bozo paused in the setting up of his camera. "Fire Whiskey?"
"Gilly Water." Rita sighed as she pulled out a pad and a raven quill.
Xeno smiled brightly. "Butterbeer, warmed please"
Harry looked at the 'monk' by the door. "Four Warm Butterbeers, a whiskey and a Gilly water, please." The Grey Hood nodded, and left.
The Hood beside Potter flicked its wand, bringing the four Quills to life.
Harry smiled at the two News reporters. "Good morning. I am Lord Potter. I, as a member of the Magical Society, have decided to invite two of the biggest names in the business of reporting the news. Would you please introduce yourselves."
Xeno smiled even brighter. "Xenophilius Lovegood. Quibbler."
Rita ran her wand over herself applying refreshing and beauty charms to herself. "Rita Skeeter, For the Prophet and Witch Weekly."
" Good." Potter smiled at the two of them. "This is how we are doing this. You each get one question and one follow up. A limit of ten follow ups. Then the other gets a question. We will trade back and forth until you both run out of questions. If you ask questions that are not on the subject of why I invited you here, I will either say later, or not relevant. And the other gets to ask their next question. Now the thorn in Rita's paw; This interview is being record by four quills that I bought and being controlled by my PR witch. I understand that some editing of this interview will be needed, as I will be answering questions that only are acceptable in one publication and not the others." Harry smiled at Rita, "Rita, you are writing for two, but only get one question, you get to start us off?"
Rita licked her now ruby lips, as she pulled out her 3Q quill from her hand bag and set to scribe beside her. "Lord Potter… Or should I say, Dark Lord Potter, Why did You attack Hogsmead Village?"
"Yes, Legally I am now a Dark Lord." Harry smiled at the Witch, "I needed to do something to Announce myself as the Dark Lord. Dark, Not evil. As a Dark Lord I am not bound by certain Laws that I find… inconvenient. If I wanted to avoid the Bloodshed that my predecessors were known for, I needed a Bastion to light my Beacon. I could not take Hogwarts, as that is Holy Ground and the truly accorded neutral grounds in this Nation. As Students from both sides of the issues are there. As a repository of the future of our world, it is the last place any Dark Lord will attack if he is to find backing among the good people of our Nation. Now a Village that is eighty eight percent muggle free, and the twelve percent are in the know and sworn to silence, is a good place to start. When I arrived yesterday, accompanied by my Grey Guard, a squad just short of twenty Aurors were waiting. I know Bones did not send them because her best would have been among them."
Harry folded his hands, "I am Declaring before you good, upstanding members of Our Society, the St Mungo's is also Neutral Ground. If I can get the DMLE, if not the Complete Ministry, to agree, I am hoping that they will also agree that anyone wearing Healer Green is also protected."
Harry smiled, and it was not a happy smile. "That said, Anyone, and I mean Anyone, comes to my Village with Mischief and Malice will be met with Force. If recognized Law Enforcement comes and politely requests something of me and my people, I will promise to hear them out."
Outside someone screamed.
Tbc