oooOOOoooOOOooo Chapter 19
They arrived with a thump in the Hogwarts infirmary. "Madam Pomfrey!" cried Hermione as soon as they landed.
The woman came bustling out of the back room, hurrying to Harry's group.
"What's this?" she asked, staring at the apparent statute. Madam Pomfrey knew better.
"We can't explain right now but he saw a basilisk eye. He's been petrified for a long time. He needs help!" said Harry, urgently.
"Is that Regulus Black?" she asked in shock.
"It is," Remus said, grimly. "He's been petrified for almost 16 years. Please, don't mention it to anyone. He could be in danger if anyone finds out."
Madam Pomfrey shook her head but hurriedly moved the boy behind a curtain and put him onto a bed.
Harry called for Dobby. The little elf appeared with a pop.
"Dobby! Please, get Padfoot," Harry ordered. Dobby did a weird salute and popped away.
In less than five minutes, Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Sirius were all in the room.
"What is this?" asked a shocked Dumbledore.
Padfoot howled in pain and tried to jump up on the bed.
"Please, Potter. Get your dog!" called an exasperated Madam Pomfrey.
"Could we move him to a private room, maybe?" asked Harry. "We can talk then."
They moved to the room. The whole group watched as the mediwitch tried to check the boy's vital signs. It was hard because he didn't really have any. He was like stone. His face was caught in a terrified scream. His hands clawed from where he had tried to hold onto the shore. His body contorted as he tried to kick the inferi away. It was a horrible sight.
"What do you need to help him?" asked Harry urgently.
"I need fresh, mature mandrake draft," said a frustrated Madam Promfrey. "A lot of it."
"I'll buy whatever you need. Just tell me what to do," Harry said.
"It'll cost upwards of 100,000 galleons for the amount we need, unless we wait to grow our own. We need a full buttload," she said, grimly, expecting the boy to balk. Padfoot barked frantically. "Quiet, you, or you'll have to leave!" said Madam Promfrey, sternly. The dog whined and settled right down.
"I'll pay it. Whatever it takes," said Harry. "Dobby!"
The elf appeared again. "Yes, Mr. Harry?"
"Please, get my vault key and go to Gringotts. Get 150,000 galleons out of my new vault. Bring it here," Harry begged.
"Yes, Mr. Harry," said the elf. He was gone and back in less than half an hour.
While Dobby was gone, Harry and his group explained to Dumbledore and McGonagall about Regulus' plight.
"Only two horcruxes remain? You're sure?" asked Dumbledore, urgently.
Harry swore it was true. He told them about the diadem and Harry's vision.
"The Gray Lady, the Bloody Baron, and Moaning Myrtle are all gone?" asked McGonagall, shocked.
Gabrielle answered, "They deserved to find their peace. They have moved on."
"But they had duties, well, except for Myrtle. She just existed," said the vexed professor.
Harry rolled his eyes. "They were living beings with somewhere else to be. I doubt the Bloody Baron appreciates his exit but the other two deserved to find peace."
McGonagall looked mollified but it would still mean extra duties for all of the teachers.
"This is joyous news!" said a buoyant Dumbledore. "Only yourself and Tom's familiar remain! I must research and find the ritual that will set you free!"
Harry looked thoughtful. "Set me free… in my vision, that's what Voldemort's familiar begged me to do. Set her free. In my vision, a woman was inside that snake."
"An animagus?" asked Bill. Harry shook his head.
"She was trapped inside the snake skin," said Harry.
"A maledictus, most likely," said a concerned Dumbledore. "Surely not…"
Remus gasped. "That evil beast has trapped a sentient being as his slave? We have to set her free!"
Dumbledore looked sad. "I'm not sure if we will be able to."
"But can't she do the same ritual we'll do?" asked an upset Hermione. She had studied maledicti. "A maledictus is a carrier of a blood curse which will ultimately destine them to transform permanently into a beast, though it usually takes two centuries or so to be completed!"
"He must have done something to trap her sooner," said Harry, angrily. Voldemort was such a bastard. He had ruined so many lives.
"The ritual we will perform for Harry requires the bonds of love for him to be set free. I don't think that would work with Nagini," said Dumbledore, sadly. "Death might be all that can free her."
"Wasn't there something else?" asked Harry.
"She could be bound to another master, a liege lord with at least two other vassals but we don't have any such lord available to bind her to," said Dumbledore.
Harry slammed his fist into the wall. "It's not fair! There should be something we can do!"
They all looked at Harry, watching him carefully. Harry turned to all the staring people. "What?"
"You're the only liege lord we know of. You have sovereign lands and four powerful lordships," said Bill.
"Oh no. I'm not Voldemort! I'm not going to start marking followers!" exclaimed Harry. Bill rolled his eyes.
"That's not how that works. You would have vassals, not mindless followers. They would take your mark but it doesn't have to be like the dark mark. A magical tattoo would work. Hell, I'd agree to be your vassal. You've already declared me as your account liaison. That's pretty much the same as being your steward," said Bill.
Remus looked thoughtful. "You also have Winky and Dobby, though I'd suggest you choose at least one more wizard. I'd be glad to volunteer," said the man.
Harry's mouth dropped open. "You want to be my death eaters?"
Dumbledore looked thoughtful. "You would make an excellent chamberlain, Remus. It would be something Harry could afford now that he has the Slytherin lordship," said Dumbledore.
Harry looked uncomfortable. Padfoot barked a laugh. Harry gave him a dirty look.
"I might have picked up a few other lordships, too," said Harry, hunching in on himself.
Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. Harry explained about the Gryffindor and Peverell lordships.
Dumbledore stared at Harry like he was seeing the young man for the first time. "Yes, I see it now. The Peverell legacy. You already have the cloak and the ring, don't you? I can see how this would be a great boon to your struggles. Yes, I can help!"
Everyone exchanged looks. No one knew what Dumbledore was on about. He looked at Harry, excitedly.
"Please, Harry. Cast a disarming charm on me. Now, if you would," said the excited man. He stood waiting.
"Professor? What?" Harry asked, flabbergasted.
"Please, lad. Just humor an old man. It was never meant to be me. It was always meant to be you, to aid you in your quest. Please, cast," Dumbledore said, happily. "I am still blessed to see it come to pass."
Harry looked at the girls. They just looked back in confusion. Harry shook his head but cast the spell lightly. Dumbledore's wand flew out of his hand and into Harry's own. As soon as Harry touched the wand, a feeling of power and righteousness filled the room. Harry gasped at the wave of energy that flowed through his body. Iridescent sparks flew out of the end of the wand.
"Woah!" said Harry, woozy from the power rush.
Dumbledore beamed at him. "It is as I expected. Please, keep that wand safe and hidden my boy. May it serve you as well as it served me."
"What? This is your wand, Professor," Harry said, trying to hand it back. Dumbledore shook his head.
"I have another. That wand was merely waiting for you. Please, keep it secret; keep it safe. Use it when you have great need," said the man.
Harry shook his head but put the wand in his pocket. He wasn't going to argue. Dumbledore called for an elf to bring him his other wand. It shot brilliant rainbow-colored sparks out of the end when he took it in hand. Dumbledore laughed at the pleasant sensation.
"Like putting on a well worn glove," said the satisfied man. He didn't intend to explain to Harry that he was now the Lord of Death as well. Dumbledore didn't even know what that would mean but he was sure it would help Harry in his quest against the dark.
"Now, you have willing vassals, will you seek to save an innocent life?" asked the manipulative old man.
Harry growled but already knew he'd do it. Whatever it took to kill Voldemort, without harming any more innocent people, was what he wanted.
"Gods, tell me what I have to do," spat Harry. Dumbledore smiled while Hermione and Gabrielle each took one of Harry's arms and kissed his cheek.
"You're a wonder, mon ami," purred Gabrielle. Hermione started lecturing Harry about maledicti.
Harry groaned but didn't argue.
Dumbledore explained what Harry needed to do to bind a vassal to himself while Remus and Bill listened in closely.
"We'll need a contract and to agree upon a mark," said Bill.
"Might I suggest a lion with a snake coiled loosely around its neck? The symbol of the Peverell family could fill in the background? Perhaps with a lily and a raven?" said Dumbledore. He cast a spell to show what he was thinking. A gold and red lion with a green and silver snake coiled around its neck. A black raven with a white lily in its mouth hovered over a strange symbol with a triangle bifurcated by a wand with a circle captured inside which stood behind the lion.
"What about for the Potter family?" asked Remus. He understood the symbol for Gryffindor, Slytherin, and Peverell. Though the symbol of the deathly hallows set Remus to thinking about Dumbledore's gifted wand. The raven was an obvious symbol for the Black family and the lily a symbol of Harry's mother.
"The Potters are a downline for the Peverell family, if I remember correctly," said Albus.
Harry thought about the copy of the family tree he still had in his pocket. He pulled it out and examined it.
"See! Here. About 500 years ago, the Peverells became the Potters, while the Gryffindor line became the Evanses? Can that be right? The Slytherins became the Gaunts. I'm not related to them," said Harry. They all carefully studied the canvas.
"It appears not but I am pleased to say both the Peverells and the Evanses can lay claim to you. You are the Lord of Slytherin by conquest, not by inheritance," said Dumbledore, amazed. Harry truly was the proper lord of death. It was meant to be.
Harry sighed and looked at Remus and Bill. They both thought the design was brilliant. Harry groaned and learned the spell from Dumbledore. It was very complicated.
Dobby arrived with the gold and then left again to make the purchase of the Mandrake draft while Harry was still focused on his next ignorantly noble decision.
Bill and Remus worked on the contract while Harry worked on the spell. By the time Dobby returned with the large barrel containing the Mandrake draft, Harry was ready to sit with the girls and read the damn contract himself.
"What do you need, Madam Pomfrey?" asked a concerned Harry. Padfoot might have spent most of the time draped over his brother's legs, laughing at Harry, but he was still very concerned for his kin. He whinged and licked Regulus' face.
"We'll need to bathe him in the draft until his throat opens up enough to drink it. We'll dose him three times per day until it's done. He's been petrified for a very long time. I would expect this to take at least seven days. He'll probably be stiff for the next six months, at least," she fretted.
"We'll help him," said Harry, firmly.
They decided to wait to sign the contracts and perform the spell until Regulus was on his way to healing. Harry had to drag Padfoot off of Regulus. Then, he personally helped the mediwitch bathe the mostly naked teen. His clothes didn't become petrified even if his body did. They were mostly rotted away and it wasn't going to be easy to dress him again until he started to get some movement in his limbs.
In less than an hour, Regulus was resting once more beneath a blanket, his rock hard skin shining with the mandrake draft. Unfortunately, thanks to the antics of Voldemort during Harry's second year, she knew the procedures backwards and forwards.
They stood out of the way and signed the contracts. Harry sighed again and looked at Dumbledore.
"I really have to do this?" asked the boy.
"You don't have to, Harry. It was always your choice to do what was right or not. If you always choose to do good, it just shows your exceptional character," said Dumbledore. Fleur snorted at the obvious manipulation.
Harry rolled his eyes but turned to the wizards. Remus insisted that Harry cast the spell on him first. They decided the mark should be applied to the right shoulder blade. Harry insisted that if they were getting the tattoo, he should, too. Dumbledore would cast a different spell on Harry that would create a simple magical tattoo instead of the binding vassal mark. You wouldn't be able to tell the difference by sight but the magic would be quite different.
Remus took off his shirt and turned around. Tonks practically choked. He was very well built for a man in his mid-30's. The ladies all appreciated the view.
Harry cast the spell. It felt much like the bond to Dobby and Winky. An all over whoosh of power and tightening of the skin, followed by a sense of close connection and kinship. It was actually very pleasant. Harry just wished with all of his heart he could find a way to heal Remus of his lycanthropy, too.
Remus screamed and fell to his knees. It felt like a chain was broken around his magical core. He couldn't explain it. He just suddenly felt free.
He groaned and cried out. Then, Remus' body started to shift. Everyone screamed and tried to get away. Harry panicked and shot the spell out wildly twice more. He just wanted the evil gone! He just wanted Remus to be healthy and well! His emotions and magical energy were very strong at that moment. He didn't notice he was using the new wand, not his usual phoenix feather wand. The spell hit Regulus and Dumbledore, hard. Harry was too busy freaking out about the werewolf that was suddenly before him in its hybrid monstrous state to notice the same feelings overtaking his body again.
Remus roared and kept changing. He transformed from man to wolf completely for the first time in his life. Suddenly, an animagus wolf was before them instead of the horrific monster of before. Padfoot jumped in front of Harry, who had the girls crushed into a corner. Both ladies had their wands out and ready. Padfoot growled but Remus just whimpered and rolled over to his belly.
Padfoot looked so confused. Dumbledore stepped cautiously forward, strange feelings running through his own body.
"Remus?" he asked. The wolf whined and showed its throat. "Are you yourself?"
Remus whined and nodded his wolf head. Padfoot's doggy mouth fell open in shock. He crept forward and sniffed his friend. He didn't smell like a dangerous monster. He smelled like a wolf and like Remus.
"Can you change back?" asked McGonagall, her voice hard as steel. Remus whinged deeply and slowly changed back. He lay panting on the floor. Tonks hurried forward and helped him sit up.
"What happened?" asked a confused Remus. Everyone turned to stare at Harry.
"I don't know. I just wished really hard that Remus could be cured from his lycanthropy. I don't know what happened," he said, bewildered. He looked down at the wand in his hand. "What the hell?"
He was holding the new wand from Dumbledore instead of his phoenix feather wand. "How did this… this wasn't the wand I was using?"
Harry looked at Dumbledore. The old man's eyes were twinkling. "It's a miracle. One I had never considered before, much to my great shame."
Dumbledore cast several spells on Remus and laughed a great belly laugh. "Your wish appears to have come true, Mr. Potter. Poppy, can you confirm my results?"
Madam Pomfrey came out from behind the cabinet and looked around. She looked at Dumbledore and then cast several spells on Remus. Her mouth dropped open. "No way! He's testing negative for lycanthropy. How can this be?"
Dumbledore beamed at Harry. "Power, love, and kinship come together as one to set a beloved family member free. I doubt it would work with just any person off the street but I am so proud and happy it has happened for you, Remus. You deserve to be free!"
Padfoot started jumping around and licking his friend.
"This is impossible," said Fleur, flatly. "This has never been done."
Dumbledore didn't want to give away the plot but the Lord of Death had never tried to set a family member free before. This was a completely unique situation.
Remus started crying. Padfoot barked a happy dog laugh. Fleur and Bill cast their own spells to confirm the miracle. Harry sat hard on the floor, Hermione and Gabrielle sat quickly beside him, taking him into their arms.
Tonks kissed Remus so hard it was almost brutal. The biggest obstacle between them was now gone.
It took a good 20 minutes for everyone to calm down. By the time they did, Harry was ready for this day to be over. He just wanted to eat, cuddle his babies, and go to bed.
"My turn," said a grinning Bill. "Just be careful what you wish for me," said the man, winking.
Harry rolled his eyes and felt a deep dread enter his body. What if he did something wrong? What happened to Remus was a good thing but still. Harry didn't want any more accidents.
Bill grinned and took off his shirt, turning his back to his brother. Harry looked at everyone with dread and gingerly did the spell. Nothing untoward happened this time. Just a feeling of deep kinship and a new tattoo. Harry thought of Bill as his true brother while he cast the spell. Magic made it so.
Bill turned back around and gave a little mue of disappointment. "That's a little underwhelming but I guess I'll take it." Since Harry had agreed in the contract to pay Bill 80,000 galleons per year for life, plus buy him a house, Bill was actually pretty content.
Poppy didn't trust it. She moved forward to test Bill. She looked confused for a moment. She cast the spells again and shook her head.
"What is it?" asked Bill in dread.
"You're somehow related to Mr. Potter by blood and magic. Here," she said, casting a spell. A cloth appeared on the wall. Bill looked at it in dread but stepped forward and put his hand on it. A moment later, a rather large needle shot out of Poppy's wand and pinned Bill's hand to the cloth. She cast again. The needle jerked out. Bill gingerly removed his hand. A bloody handprint was left in its wake. She stepped forward and touched a lighted match to the canvas. A whoosh of flame flew over the material, leaving a burned image in its wake. Two family trees intertwined at the top branch. Harry Potter was connected to Bill Weasley as his brother. Stranger still, it was now showing Bill as the Heir to the Prewett dynasty.
No one in Bill's family had been able to claim the title. Not even Gideon and Fabian, Bill's uncles and Prewetts by name, had a close enough blood and magical connection to the main Prewett line to claim the defunct lordship. Now, thanks to Bill's sibling connection to Harry and Harry's connection to the Black line, it was possible. Violetta Bulstrode, whose mother was born Joletta Prewett, was Harry's great grandmother. Joletta was the mother of Dorea Black Potter, Harry's grandmother. Dorea Black's mother was born of the main Prewett line. Bill now had her blood flowing through his veins. Combined with Bill's own close connection to the Prewetts, magic now recognized Bill as the rightful heir of the lordship
Bill's mouth dropped open. He turned to look at Harry. "You wished for me to be your brother?"
Harry looked uncomfortable. "I just feel like you already are. I didn't mean to make it actually true." Harry looked miserable. He kept messing up. Why did he keep messing up?
Bill laughed. "You made me a lord. I can claim the Prewett line for myself now! You've got the Midas touch, little brother," Bill said, affectionately. He didn't mind having some Potter blood running through his veins. He already considered Harry to be his little brother. If blood and magic now recognized it, too, that was all for the better. If Bill got to claim a lordship of his own thanks to his miracle-working sibling, so be it!
Bill turned to look at everyone else in the room. They were all staring at Harry with awe, except Fleur. Bill saw Fleur staring at his chest and grinned. He flexed for her amusement and put his shirt back on.
Poppy shook her head and rolled up the family tree. She handed it to Bill.
"Best go get this claimed properly before the goblins decide to penalize me, too," said a grinning Bill. Poppy wasn't paying attention to him. She had noticed something else.
"What's this?" asked Poppy sharply. She was staring at Regulus.
"What?" asked Harry in dread.
"Did you cast the spell on him?" Poppy asked.
"What? No!" Harry cried. He thought for a moment and winced. "Err, not on purpose."
Everyone hurried forward to look at Regulus. He had the tattoo on his arm instead of his shoulder. The dark mark was completely gone.
"What did you do?" asked an awed Dumbledore. He touched his own chest, right over his heart, where he felt a thrum like nothing he had ever felt before. Harry groaned.
"I may have accidentally shot the spell off when Remus turned. I just wanted the evil to be gone! I wanted Remus to be healthy and well," said Harry, mournfully. He really hadn't meant to bind someone to himself against their will.
Dumbledore laughed uproariously. Padfoot sniffed his brother's arm then ran over to Harry and jumped on him, licking his face, wildly.
"Harry! The dark mark is gone!" cried Hermione, staring at her love in awe.
"I didn't mean to," said Harry, miserably. "I didn't mean to bind someone to me against their will." He felt as bad as Voldemort.
"Oh, Harry. That's not what you did. First, it was an accident. Also, it was a good thing," said Hermione, shaking Harry lightly.
"You are a wonder, mon ami. How do so many good things happen to those around you?" asked Gabrielle in awe.
Fleur watched the boy carefully. He truly was a miracle-worker. He looked sick, he was so upset about the mistake, even though it was truly a blessing for the young man lying frozen on the bed.
Dumbledore pulled his robe away and looked at his chest. Sure enough, Harry's mark was there. He sat in thought for a moment, then removed his gloves. The black was already fading from his arm. Poppy jumped at him and cried out in joy.
"The curse! It's receding!" she said, tears falling down her face.
Dumbledore laughed. "I feel like I could dance a jig!"
"Not you, too!" cried Harry in anguish. Dumbledore laughed again. He felt truly well for the first time since he'd touched that damnable ring.
"I'm afraid so, my boy," said the old man, pulling his robe down and away to show the mark over his heart. Dumbledore smiled widely. This was his reward for doing the right thing. He was blessed with healing when death should have been his only option. The true Lord of Death made it so.
Harry groaned and banged his head none too gently against the wall. Hermione stopped him. Dumbledore was so overcome, he hugged the lad.
Padfoot spun in happy circles and barked joyfully. He jumped on Harry and licked his face once more. Harry pushed the dog down and looked impatiently at the door.
"Are we done here?" the boy asked, refusing to look at Bill and Dumbledore's happy faces, Regulus' arm, or Remus' awed face. Everywhere he looked, Harry saw people he felt he'd wronged.
"Just one quick spell for you, my boy," said a cheerful Dumbledore. Harry rolled his eyes but jerked his shirt off over his head. Dumbledore tapped his chest and Harry gasped. It was like a thousand needles stabbed him all at once. The pain was over almost as soon as it started but it was intense for the moment it lasted.
"Shite!" Harry cried. Bill laughed at him. Bill had one other magical tattoo, a small imprint of the Weasley family crest. He knew how much those hurt.
"Now I've got what? Four followers and I'll be adding one more?" asked an upset Harry. Dumbledore just grinned and copied the contract for himself. He removed the requirement for Harry to pay him 80,000 galleons and buy him a house. Dumbledore had no need of such things. He was already decently well off and he had a home. He put in a requirement that Harry had to have tea with him once per year and play a game of wizard's chess. Harry huffed at the need to sign another magically binding contract but sign, he did. Dumbledore, Harry's official new advisor, happily signed as well.
"Can I go now?" whinged the unhappy boy. He never meant to do any of this.
"Yes, you may go. I assume Padfoot will stay for a while?" asked Dumbledore. He hadn't felt this good in so long. He was so happy, he was quite literally glowing.
Harry looked at Padfoot who woofed in agreement.
"Yeah, he'll stay, if that's alright," said Harry. Dumbledore easily agreed.
Harry stomped through the castle on his way back to his rooms, Hermione, Gabrielle, and Fleur hot on his heels. Remus and Tonks stayed to watch over Regulus and Padfoot while Bill headed off for Gringotts. It was a very productive day, indeed.
They were so chuffed, or in Harry's case annoyed, that they failed to notice the strange sight of Ron in an alcove talking to Draco Malfoy.