Hi all, thanks for being so patient. I know i've been really bad at submitting recently and I hope to get things a bit more organised and regularly going up. Read and review please!
Two days later they were all back in the Department of Mysteries, Killick had been working the entire time in uncovering the secrets of the Gaunt ring. They were in a room that none of them had been in before and it was deeply hidden through the winding corridors, the room was large about 16 ft by 20 ft with candle sconces throwing light everywhere. They were all seated at the long table that had been placed over to the side, Griphook had joined them as well as two goblin healers who all had extensive knowledge and understanding of curse breaking and the mind arts and the room felt full. Sirius, Remus and Harry had arrived in the middle of a very intense discussion about how they would remove the horcrux causing Harry to blanche at some of their suggestions and Arrans had quickly whisked them into a corner to talk about Hogwarts and the Marauders which kept them occupied until Harry felt ready to know.
"Arrans, what actually will happen?"
"First the goblins will did a quick assessment, although we all have experience with dark curse and removals etc the goblins really are the experts here. So they'll do an examination and determine how stable it is and then see if they can track the others and if not they will attempt to remove it."
"What did Killick do with the ring?" Remus wanted to know.
"She's trying to remove the charms on it first, turns out there's a pretty nasty blood cursing spell attached to it and so for now she's trying to resist the compulsion charms to remove that."
"Compulsion charms? As in more than one?"
"Oh yes, Riddle seemed to have put layer upon layer of them on, the common simple ones plus others that are entwined with persuasion and priming charms. It is all quite complicated and she hasn't been able to eradicate the charms without destroying the ring, plus the fact that her shields are only so strong and the constant wear is a lot on them. She is doing her absolute best." Arrans replied softly sharing in their disappointment.
"No of course, and it has only been a few days, please make sure she is aware of our thanks." Sirius said somberly as he glanced at his godson who was frowning into the distance.
"Will you all be here? During the ritual?" Harry asked.
"Nope, only Killick and Robins will be here as they have the most experience with dark artefacts and occlumency." Arrans said. "We have a shield rune that we will duck behind so we'll still be present but we're not going to intervene or be near. Is there anything you want to do before we get started?"
"Can I just go through the ritual with Griphook and everyone who will be doing it? I'd like to have some more information."
"Of course, why don't we go and interrupt them. They seem to be more arguing than discussion anyway." Arrans said as she started to lead them over to the table.
Griphook immediately turned to them, several pages of notes in front of him all written in Gobbledegook that Harry only had time to wonder about briefly before he was updating them on the ritual without Harry even having to say a word.
"Good morning Harry, first of all this is an extremely delicate and rare situation, everything we have put together has been in the last few months since we got your letter and removing the shade. These are Odberk and Narkhold they are Goblin healers, they know of the mind arts and also of Horcrux's. They are also familiar with removing curses from people and objects. First we will have you lie down over there in the middle of the room while we put up a shield, then assess the damage of the soul inside, this will be completely painless and probably comfortable. They and the two humans will draw runes around you, which should help to protect your soul and body during the removal part. Odberk and the man there will then attempt to penetrate the second soul, this will incorporate hunting it down and trying to find the link that caused you to feel connected to the ring. You will be able to feel their presence so do not be concerned and simply let them do their job. We are hoping that we will be able to track them from your mind especially as we're assuming he made them before he came after you. The runes will also protect your core slightly as this will exhaust you and we are hoping it will also keep your mind calmer and more relaxed so that you allow us easier access."
"How will you remove the horcrux? What will happen to it? Will it be like Quirrel and come out as mist? Because last time it managed to escape."
"This room is heavily protected with wards and runes, it is not getting out that I can guarantee." Griphook replied in a slightly insulted voice and Harry bowed his head in an apology. "As for the horcrux we are unsure of the form it will take but we are assuming it will come out of you like a mist, and we have several warded containers in which to capture it. And we will remove it by a very old goblin spell that has been used only eight times in our history, due to the nature of Horcruxs we believe it to be feeding off of your energy-"
"What!?" Sirius interrupted, a furious growl in his voice that had Griphook glaring at him until he muttered an apology.
"As I was saying we believe the Horcrux is feeding off your energy, not by a lot but enough that it does something to the core you can access. In this way you don't notice it affecting you and so it can carry on living inside of you. Therefore the spell we are going to use will essentially block your magic, this will cause it to try and access it."
"You want to stop his magic?" Remus said slightly faintly. "As in the one thing protecting him from the horcrux?"
"Yes."
There was a silence as Harry looked from his Uncle to his Godfather, both of whom were frozen in position as they stared at the goblin who was looking impassively back at them.
"You will start to feel weak but try not to panic it will all be protected." Killick carried on when it was clear the goblins didn't feel the need to. " However this is the part that will become painful. Or at least we think it will. We are assuming the soul will sense what is happening and will try to take control, we will do everything possible to keep it calm but ultimately you need to stay out of it alright."
"How do I stay out of something that is happening in my head?"
"Put yourself in your safe space, behind your fortress and defences and just stay. As I was saying this is the part we will attempt to track the pieces, if it is evidently not working then we will remove it. Simple, really."
"Right. So blocking my magic, getting rid of the horcrux and getting it sucked into one of the containers. Shall we get started." Harry said brightly pretending to be confident in front of two people who were clearly still in disbelief.
"You have no more questions?" Vexmoor asked, wanting to double check.
"I don't think I'll understand anymore. Lets just get it over with."
"You sure?" Robbins asked.
Harry nodded firmly and at once everyone sprung into action. Except Remus and Sirius. Who were still unable to move. Until Arrans barked at them to get their arses in gear and they shuffled out of the stupor.
While the Unspeakables and goblins started to check the room and place the correct wards around the place, Harry decided to check in with his guardians.
"Are you guys going to be okay?"
"No- ow Moony!"
"We will be fine, Prongslet." The taller man said with a glare to his best friend before smiling at his nephew. "Its just going to be a lot for us to take in especially as we can't be in there or do anything during it. Don't worry about us though, I think you have enough on your plate."
Harry smiled back at him and then looked worriedly towards Sirius who sighed and wrapped him in a bear hug.
"It'll be okay Prongslet, and I'll be okay too, its just gonna be a lot to take in at the moment. Just promise me you'll be okay?"
"As okay as I can be."
"I guess that will be good as good as I can get." He said letting go after a final squeeze.
Eventually the group declared themselves ready to begin and Harry hesitantly leant back in the chair that was tilted slightly. Remus, Sirius, Vexmoor and Arrans stepped back to the wall and activated the shield rune that immediately sent a shimmering pale blue shield across the wall until it faded and only the slight waver told them it was still up.
The others gathered around the chair and Robins offered Harry a sympathetic smile.
"We'll go as quickly and painlessly as possible. Start running song lyrics through your head."
"Huh?"
"Its a distraction technique that my mother taught me." He said with a grin and Harry managed a smile back at him.
"Ready, Harry?" Griphook asked as quietly as a goblin could.
Taking a deep breath Harry nodded.
Immediately the goblins began to chant in their language which despite the growls and grunts was actually very soothing and Harry found his eyes closing as his body started to feel as though it was being coated in jelly. Everything felt heavy and warm. Small prickling sensations was covering his body, not unpleasant but certainly leaving tingaling tendrils in their wake. Slowly the feelings rose through his body where they split, half of them centred into his chest; a growing pressure that pushed against his heart and what felt like his spine. The other half went straight into his head where he felt them tickle into every available space, seeking, searching. Finally they reached the area where he knew the shade to be and immediately the advanced on it. The tingles becoming stronger until it was a consistent pinching feeling. He became aware of others in his mind and feeling the soft urge from one of them he quickly blockaded himself behind his defences and hunkered down.
It was a peculiar feeing of having others in his brain. He was still in control and yet it felt like it wasn't his body. He supposed that was part of the rune the goblins had used in order to protect him.
Then as though a switch had been flicked, a strong thumping began in the base of his skull, he could vaguely feel the shade shifting, trying to dodge the magic that was being sent its way. It wasn't angry yet but certainly puzzled and resisting. It was already pulling on Harry and he could feel his own magic trying to respond to it and what it considered a threat. The pain was growing as the pull strengthened and tugged on his core. He could feel the others begin to use their own magic and he braced himself as he realised the stage they were reaching.
Pressure exploded across his skull, burning lines scattered past his eyes and buried themselves in his skeleton. He could feel the others determination and vaguely could hear the goblins still chanting, this time louder with human voices mixed in. The pain was bursting through every blood vessel, every cell and nerve was on fire as the battle continued. He felt so cold and small and tired, like all his energy was suddenly gone. Dizziness filled him and his stomach rolled with sudden disgust. His defences were crumbling and he could feel his soul breaking apart, he could feel something reaching towards him trying to coax him in but he didn't want to move. He couldn't move. Everything hurt, he could still feel the pressure but it was easing. Something was trying to take over, he could feel his body reacting to its claim over him. The pain was still very present and as he resisted it felt like a thousand cuts were being made into his skin, carving deeper and leeching his soul from him.
He could feel the other presences in his mind trying to clear it, pulling it away and easing it back under layers of protective magic. It seemed to go on for hours until suddenly the pain returned with a bang. Literally. It punched through his mind and rolled across his defences, obliterating them. Everything was being pulled apart and he heard a terrible scream escape and echo all around. Something had been ripped, it felt more excrutiating than he had ever thought; like a thousand volts had passed through him and his body had been torn apart. Like his very soul had been cleaved straight through. Anger, so much anger was bursting through his veins. Fury bounded around his body and squeezed his heart. Murderous rage sprung through him at an alarming rate and he immediately grabbed onto his core to anchor himself at least, trying to think of anything and everything pleasant that would stop the apoplectic coldness that had risen so suddenly from inside him.
As suddenly as it had occurred, it stopped. A strange stillness once more enveloped him and he was left panting as the pain left. He was curled in a ball, his body shaking and mind a scrambled mess as he breathed harshly. Gradually his senses returned and he pulled away from his knees, his shirt was coated in sweat and he felt his muscles shaking as he straightened. Laying back he carried on looking at the ceiling and breathed deeply, as he felt rather than saw people come and stand closer.
"How are you feeling?" Came the soft growl of Griphook.
Raising a hand he gave a thumbs up and immediately felt the surface he was on begin to rise and lift him to a sitting position.
The goblins plus Killick and Robins were all standing near and he gave a tremulous smile that faded as he gulped in breaths.
"Here, drink this it'll help." Robins said quickly passing a large mug of hot chocolate to him. "You're alright, it was a success. You're now free. Just breathe, you're okay." He kept repeating as Harry clung to the knowledge and practically inhaled the goodness in front of him.
"It's gone?"
Robins grinned.
"Its all gone, promise."
"What happened?"
"We managed to get a starting trace on where they are and how many but it clearly sensed what we were doing and tried to take over. That was when we abandoned the plan and took the thing out of you before any permanent damage could be done."
"And I'm very glad you did." He croaked, feeling the damage the screams had done to his throat.
"How are you feeling? The scans show you're alright but do you need anything?" Killick asked as she motioned towards the goblins who were still muttering in Gobbledgook as they drew runes on the chair.
Harry watched as they would briefly light up before fading and another would take its place.
"I'm okay, just shaky. And my mind feels like a shaken egg. But I'm okay. Kind of light actually."
"What do you mean?" Killick asked immediately.
Harry had to close his eyes to 'feel' around and articulate himself.
"It's like a small weight has been taken off of me. Like I've been wearing a backpack with nothing in it and yet now its been taken off I feel...well...lighter. Or its like a small but consistent headache has finally deserted me."
He opened his eyes to shrug at them. "Does that make any sense to anyone?"
"Perfectly. Something that wasn't yours has been taken out of you or lifted. It only makes sense that that pressure is no longer on you." Robbins said succinctly and with such an air of confidence that Harry couldn't help but recline back in the chair with a small smile.
"You said its gone okay?"
"More than okay, you're okay. You're free and we have brilliant news but before we get into that. Family?"
Harry immediately looked over and saw his guardians staring at him anxiously.
"I think we can free them, but if they start to strangle me..."
"We'll rescue you." Killick replied with as much humour as she could put into her voice.
With a wave of a Odberk's hand, the shield vanished and it seemed not even half a second passed before they were both next to him and although clearly wanting to bomb him with questions they kept their mouths shut and simply waited.
He nodded at them, not bothering to smile and pretend and let the exhaustion we was feeling show through his eyes.
"I'll be okay." He simply said and although Sirius' grip didn't lesson they both turned back to Griphook and the others with expectant gazes.
"We know he has seven horcruxes." Robbins started immediately. "We'd started tracing two of them and actually with the knowledge we have we were able to-" Here he cut himself off to glance at Killick who stared impassively back and huffed at her and turned back to Harry. "Well we were able to get much closer than I think we would have done beforehand. We now know for certain what the others are, we're just not sure how to get them. The diary of course is destroyed and actually was rather interesting a weak link which is how we managed to get to it so quickly; so diary, you, ring. The others we found is Slytherins Locket and the snake as well as Ravenclaws Diadem which is completely mind boggling and Hufflepuffs Goblet."
"And that thing is out of him? He's free completely?"
"Completely free, Lord Black. In fact that jar over there, is all that is left and even that is practically dead as it can no longer feed of his energy." Griphook injected and gestured with his head over to the corner which held, as far as Harry could see, a completely empty jar.
"Safe and contained, don't worry." Robins added as Sirius scowled at the jar.
"So we don't need to worry about it anymore?" Harry asked as he took the honeycomb chocolate that Remus was trying to push into his hands.
"You don't. We, of course are another matter entirely and before you ask we shall keep you informed but now we're going through more official channels."
"What do you mean?"
"We have been keeping Madam Bones informed of our actions and now that we have physical proof; we are putting together a task force. However to do that we need to put together a kind of committee to make decisions and therefore its time to bring in the Minister and no doubt a few other heads of departments that will do nothing but panic."
"Then do we need them? I mean really."
"Unfortunately with this sort of thing we need documents and permission and really we should have started this at least a month ago and before we went to the manor in the first place, we've done as much as we can while toeing the line. Now we need to start the paperwork."
"Which is why we will leave you to rest and recover. From what we understand you have an exciting day soon." Vexmoor stated as she came to stand next to Griphook who was still muttering to his colleagues as they still waved their hands over Harry who huffed a small smile and nodded with a smile.
Soon after the Unspeakables departed, Killick and Robins with their heads together as they looked over the duplicated notes from the Goblins while Vexmoor and Arrans . The room suddenly seemed a lot smaller and yet they all seemed to be breathing easier.
Remus stepped round the chair and started reading the notes, his eyebrows moving further down forehead as he took note of the terms used and the direct link that the soul piece had to his nephew. Sirius lowered his head and voice as he spoke quietly to Harry.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"I really am, a little light headed but okay. Ache of course, worse than at the manor. Like my head has been run over by a tank. But really okay. And before you ask, I'll be fine for the meeting."
"Definitely?"
"Definitely, Padfoot. Besides you've done far too much of my training for it to go to waste." He said, sitting up and trying to hide a wince that his guardians eye immediately caught and he quickly conjured a pillow to place behind him.
"Can we go home now. I really want to sleep."
"Just a few more scans I think Prongslet." Remus said gently as he continued to read without raising his head an inch.
"What did it look like?"
"Oh run of the mill scans, completely terrifying of course especially when you started flinching and screaming and clawing and then the misty thing came out of you in wailing screeching noise which was just delightful and Killick and Odberk immediately focussed on that and contained it and then got back to you, to which I am endlessly grateful for the runes because who knows the damage that could have been done to you without it."
"Could you see them?"
"They started to glow soon after the chanting began, Vexmoor was explaining how they basically bind your core an then wrap it in bubble wrap in order to protect it. When the screaming started she said that was the soul trying to fight through it and failing. Not sure what would have happened at it succeeded."
Harry reached over and gripped Sirius' hand with his own.
"I really am okay."
The Black Lord smiled at him.
"And I am certainly grateful about that. But you're going to have to give me a little time to get over it."
Before Harry could respond, Griphook spoke up.
"All the scans are complete and we are happy for you to continue your rest at home. Are there any other questions?"
"Are you su-" Sirius cut himself off at the sharp glare from the goblin. "Nope all good with me, you guys?"
At the negative response the goblins immediately bowed and returned back to the table where they began to converse in their native language as they started to exit. Griphook paused at the door to glance back and said quite dismissively.
"I am not displeased at the scans, Harry. Rest."
And then just as casually he was also gone, closing the door with a quite snap.
"You know I think that's the most emotion I've seen a Goblin have." Remus said in amused amazement. "Back home or do you want to get some food or rest a bit more?"
"Can we just go home? I think I want sleep more than I've ever wanted anything." Harry said with a tired grin as he slowly sat up and swung his legs over the chair and stood.
"Alright?" Asked Remus as he stood up a little shakily.
"Just a bit…off." Harry responded and immediately he had a couple of pillars by his side. Grumbling a little at how pathetic he felt, he never the less took hold of his guardian's shoulders for support.
Half an hour later they came through the floo and immediately Harry face planted the sofa, covering him with the thickest blanket they had, the two left him right where he was and headed to the kitchen to be greeted with a table full of bread, cheese, jams, quiche and other scrumptious things that were still light.
"Oh Coodly you star! Thankyou." Sirius said as they feel onto the food and eaerly grabbed things.
"Yes, thankyou Coodly but something stronger than juice please."
"Really Mr Moony, hardly appropriate at this time." Sirius tried to joke but immediately pushed his glass towards the bottle.
"I think its incredibly appropriate Mr Padfoot."
They both gulped down the liqueur and then poured another glass each before starting on the food.
"I can't believe so much has changed in the last few months." Remus mused after a few minutes of quiet. "Do you know what we did this morning? We watched our cub go through a procedure that split his soul in half…in half! What would Prongs have said do you think?"
"He and Tiger-Lily would have already figured it out and destroyed the bloody thing years ago." Sirius said as took another gulp of firewhiskey.
"Do you think we'll find the other horcruxes?"
"We have to. Otherwise that thing still exists."
"True, you know your idea about wrapping him in cotton wool has a lot of merit."
Sirius snorted and raised his glass in agreement but before he could say anything, Theo came through the doorway with a concerned face.
"Saw the passed out saviour on the couch, did it go okay?"
"As okay as it could have gone, the soul is out of him and we have a lead on the others . It was just…a lot."
"Will he be ready for the Wizengamont?"
"He'll want to be." Sirius sighed and massaged his temples.
"Unless he's really not okay then lets leave it up to him. He knows when he's pushed himself to a limit and we can just wait and see." Remus said as he grabbed hold of the chocolate cake and a fork and simply began eating.
"Well until he wakes up there is no point in even thinking about it. How did your morning go, Theo?" Sirius asked, suddenly desperate to change the subject to more mundane matters.
"Had more of a look into the potion, I think its possible that Riddle has come back weaker but I need another's opinion. My theory is that he's come back with not as much of the power as he anticipated."
"Okay, I'm going to need small words please." Sirius requested rubbing his head and gratefully thanking Coodly who quietly delivered a vial of headache reliver with a pat on his arm and a stern look.
Theo quickly dived into his explanation.
"Well I was thinking about it just after you left, Riddle was 'destroyed' in '81. He was torn from his body and its only because of the horcruxes that he was spared death, right? Now the horcruxes aren't proving his power, if anything they already make him weaker because they take another part of him away. Now if we think about it logically, him suddenly being brought back to full body means that the small amount of magic that kept him a spirit is now being used to charge something three times as big."
"Excellent theory, but what does it mean?" Remus asked, a rim of chocolate around his mouth.
"That its possible he's weaker now, and it would be easier to harm him. However I then had a perplexing –"
"Small words." Interrupted Sirius who now had his head resting on his arms.
"Strange thought then about the horcruxes. What are we expecting will happen to Riddle as the horcurxes are destroyed?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, the horcruxes are a part of him, if we destroy the objects that are being used to house them does it force the magic back to Riddle and therefore he gets a little bit of magic back? Or does it just destroy the magical element altogether?"
There was a moment of silence as the other two digested this information.
"I would assume it would destroy the magic entirely." Remus said slowly. "However if Riddle discovers our plan and manages to retrieve the objects before us then its possible he could absorb the soul part and leave the object. On the other hand I am not familiar enough with the complexities-"
"Smaller." Moaned Lord Black and Remus rolled his eyes.
"Confusing process of Horcruxes, I think you should send a letter to Killick before she starts. Even if she already as heard of it and got a solution if she doesn't then we have averted an issue before it became a crisis."
"No problem, I promised to send one to Daphne when I got a confirmation of her loves status." The Slytherin drawled as he left the room.
"Ah yes never keep a lady waiting." Sirius said finally raising his head and starting in on the food.
Harry slept from the rest f the day and woke up at way into the next morning. Curled up on the sofa with his favourite blanket and a giant black dog at his feet, he felt every bone ache as he rolled onto his back and stretched.
"Master Harry, is you okay?"
"I'm just tired but okay, thanks Roly." Harry said as he sat up and looked at the elf who was tugging on his own ears.
"Roly ask Coodly to heat up breakfast, Master needs strength."
Before he could reply to that Harry could only watch with faint amusement as the little creature scurried back to the kitchen. Next to him the Grim, stretched out and showed all his teeth with a massive yawn.
"Woah you need a brush…and mouthwash… and maybe some peppermints… and a tic tac."
He watched as the fur receded and the limbs shifted revealing the still yawning form of his godfather.
"Well forgive me for caring enough but sleep to forget to brush once in a while."
"Oh please Grandma and Grandpa have told me about your bathroom routine, it was ridiculous!"
"Hey it takes time to look this gorgeous."
Still teasing each other they made their way into the kitchen that had the beginnings of an omelette on the stove along with bacon and home-made muffins on the table.
"Thank you Coodly, this looks awesome. Definitely more hungry now." Harry said taking his seat and making the little elf blush.
"You is most welcome Little Master now eat." She ordered before bustling off again.
"Where is everyone? Its remarkably quiet." He commented, eagerly drinking the orange juice and smothering his muffin with honey.
"Theo is going over to pick up Neville, we figured you might want to just relax today so thought you could play some games. Remus left yesterday afternoon to go back to the farm to make sure everyone and thing was still doing okay, he took some more of his stuff with him."
Hearing the slightly morose tone, Harry glanced up, his mouth full.
"Nothing to worry about Prongslet, just missing him that's all. I know its not like he's gone gone but he's been around for almost two years now, even doing it in stages, not having him here every night is strange." Harry watched as his guardian shook himself, much like he would in dog form. "But that is change and the future and the future is good. So eat up while I get ready for a meeting with some of the higher ups in our group."
"You checking for the meeting?"
"Yep, nothing to major we're just ironing out the details and making sure we're all prepared. But everything is basically done and so it shouldn't be too stressful…or long. Oh please let it not be looong." He said suddenly as he snatched one of the slices of bacon before Harry could react.
"Preparation is the key to success." Harry responded and grinned at the scowl that appeared opposite him.
"I knew teaching those quotes would come back to bit me, anyway think you can keep out of trouble for ten minutes?"
"Only taking you ten minutes? Wow you really don't care about who's there." Harry said and ducked the swat that was aimed at his head as the man walked out.
Ten minutes later he heard the floo flare up and the voices of Theo and Neville.
"I just don't…I don't see why you don't just send her a letter! It's simple."
"Its not simple, its incredibly complex."
"Its really not."
"Yes it is, you write a letter and ask her out the worst she can do is say no."
"Exactly, she can say no!"
Raising his eyebrows as the voices got louder, Harry simply took another bite of his omelette and waited for the to appear. Which they did with barely a hello before they started in on the rest of the bacon.
"Harry tell him he's being stupid."
"You're being stupid." Harry repeated obediently.
"You don't even know what we're –"
"Your moaning about Danika and Nev thinks you should just write her a letter and you don't want to because your scared."
Theo opened his mouth before closing it and trying to affect the superior look he had used so well during his years at Hogwarts.
"Well clearly you do know what we're talking about."
"And he also thinks your stupid." Neville said proudly. "Don't forget that bit."
"Theo, I worried so much about asking Daphne out. But I knew that if I didn't I would always regret it. And before you say well look how it worked out, even if she hadn't said yes I'd always have her in my life, we became so close in those months that I couldn't imagine not, If you feel that same way about Danika then you need to tell her."
"Eurgh fine, but change of subject now please!"
"Neville, what have you been up to?" Harry asked taking pity on his friend.
"Nothing as exciting as you! But Gran has finally let me start experimenting with different flowers and shes agreed to let me start a proposition where I can finally start my own farm and start to sell."
"That's pretty awesome. But I thought you'd been doing that for a while now?"
"Yeah but Gran doesn't need to know that and now she's given her permission I can stop actively trying to hide it." He said with a grin. "But what about you? Do you want to talk about everything or would you rather just move on."
"Can talk about it, finish breakfast first?"
"Great, where's Sirius and Remus?"
"Remus has headed back to the farm, Sirius is getting ready to go to speak to some of the 'higher-ups' as he put it."
"Oh yeah Gran is going to that too, its at Lady Marchbanks. She was quite excited about it."
"Really? I know we're coming up with something really cool but I thought nothing phased her."
"This is something that has touched her, with the amount of research you guys have done into the conditions that most lycanthropes live in plus the personal stories she's had from Remus. This isn't just a normal law or normal debate about trying to keep the 'dark' side from being able to do their own thing. This is something new, and something that requires a lot of thought and research. It's the most effort she's put into her debates and station in a long time. She's got new energy."
Harry smiled as he took his plate over to the sink and started to run the hot water.
"That's good, with all the meeting my father made me attend it never seemed to go anywhere. I'm actually excited to see something get resolved and to see how well you're going rip them apart, its going to be brilliant to see them squirm and not know how to respond and have you punch their blindly prejudicial opinions back in their ridiculous faces!" Theo said with a dark gleam in his eyes.
"Okay there, its going to be great that's true but now you sound…creepy." Neville said with a small shudder.
"It's the Slytherin side, appreciate it, he's alive because of it." Theo responded with a pointed look at Harry who was helping Coodly tidy up as she shot him annoyed as well as pleading glances.
By the time Sirius came back from tidying up the three had settled in the parlour with video games and a large bowl of popcorn.
"You guys need anything before I go?"
"We're fine Padfoot, enjoy your meeting."
"Ha ha see you later."
The fire flared green and died down leaving a brief silence before Neville spoke up.
"Huh… I'm kind of surprised that he left…Thought he'd be more, you know"
"Clingy?"
"Yep that exactly."
"I saw Griphook slip him and Remus some parchment before we all left, I think they gave them a more detail 'he's okay' idea. Otherwise yeah I didn't see him leaving for at least a week." Harry said as he leaned over to grab the remote.