A/N Some sexual innuendo at the beginning of this chapter but I think things are pretty PG-13. As always HP and friends are not owned by me.

Sirius stifled a yawn while knocking on his godson's door. Too many hours spent signing forms and making Ministry plans left him longing both for a drink and a bed. To his dismay, Goblins never mixed alcohol with business so his longing for a firewhiskey was as of yet unfulfilled. Eyes widening in the dim light from the hall, he caught sight of Harry pulling on his boxers as he pushed open the bedroom door. He could just make out the long, pale line of Hermione's bare back from the doorway. Tugging a white t-shirt over his head, Harry pushed Sirius back into the hallway.

"I don't want to wake Hermione unless I need to. What's up?"

Shaking his head, Sirius thought he should act like a mature adult.

"Pup, what the hell? You are fourteen years old. Remus and I might tolerate you and Hermione sharing a bed because of your night terrors but you are entirely too young to be having sex."

"Not that it's any of your business but we didn't have sex," Harry snapped out, running a hand through his wild hair. They didn't, not quite. Flashes of soft skin and roaming hands darted across his mind but he squashed those down. Now wasn't the time.

"That's where you're wrong, Harry. I may not have been around to raise you but I have a second chance to do things right and I hope I'm not too late. You both have enough on your plates without worrying about an accidental teenage pregnancy."

Harry sighed. "We didn't have sex, Sirius. But I nearly lost her today. I sort of get where you're coming from but I wasn't so much raised as smacked around until I learned how to do what was expected of me. I never had the chance to be a kid and run around or act out. Neither did Hermione, really, but she didn't have the abuse, just parents that worked all the time and left her home alone unless they wanted to show her off. I'm not used to stopping and asking permission or thinking about what another person will think about what I do. Hermione's opinion has always been the only one that mattered."

"But you do act without thinking and rush headlong into situations without taking account of the consequences. You just drag poor Hermione with you and hope she can yank the two of you, or three when you were with the Weasley boy, out alive. That's a lot to put on a girl's shoulders."

"But Hermione always thinks before she leaps - even when it's me leaping. And there is no way she is planning on getting pregnant while she is in school." He ran a hand over his face. "I don't know what to tell you so you believe me. Are we together now? Yes. But we didn't have sex."

Sirius contemplated his godson. Harry looked so much like James it made his heart hurt. Would James have just slept beside a naked Lily (hell, any naked girl while they were teens)? Absolutely not. But Harry wasn't James. James was spoiled by his parents and he was raised in a typical Pureblood household. The Marauders all thought they were hot shit back in the day.

"All right, we'll hold this for now, but plan on a talk before tonight. It's nearly six now," he handed Harry a duffle bag he'd set on the floor. "Dobby brought both of you a change of clothes and some toiletries. I'll wait here and show you where we're having dinner." He raised an eyebrow. "Don't take too long."

Hefting the bag over his shoulder, Harry snapped off a salute and went back inside to wake Hermione. Nearly four years of casting Hermione's favorite bluebell flames left Harry able to conjure the spell wandlessly as he approached the bedside table. Once he had some light, he gently ran his hand down Hermione's back causing the witch to sigh and try burrowing deeper into the blankets.

"Mi? It's past time for tea. Sirius is waiting for us to go to the dining room."

He was momentarily distracted by Hermione's breasts as she rolled towards him and out of the blanket cocoon she'd made for herself. He couldn't stop himself from reaching out and running a finger down the delicate slope of the one nearest to him, fascinated by the way the skin puckered as her nipple hardened. Sure, he'd seen pictures of naked breasts, Seamus and Dudley had a whole collection of magazines and Harry couldn't really avoid them laying around in the dorms - not that he'd really tried all that hard. And since Uncle Vernon didn't talk to him about sex and sex education for ten year olds in primary school didn't really cover what a teenage boy wanted to know, he'd resorted to reading the articles in Dudley and Seamus' magazines.

"Harry?"

"Sorry," he dropped a quick kiss to the top of her head. "I have a feeling I'm going to be more obsessed with you than normal for a while. Dobby brought us clean clothes." He lifted the duffel.

Harry was once again struck dumb when Hermione rolled out her side of the bed and raised her arms, stretching the long line of her body and completely rendering him incapable of any thoughts at all. If Voldemort apparated into the room right then, Harry wouldn't even notice.

"Earth to Harry," she chuckled. "You've already seen everything, it can't be that much of a surprise. Now, pass me the bag, please."

He shook his head. "Sorry, again, but I don't think I'll ever get used to looking at you, Mi. And just to warn you, Sirius is convinced we had sex. He opened the door right after he knocked and saw the two of us. Said he needs to talk to us later. Something about him being the adult and doing things right this time."

"Wonderful. I guess I can see his point but it's not like my parents haven't already had this conversation with me."

"Really," Harry asked, tugging a red jumper over his head, "my Aunt and Uncle didn't say anything at all. Mostly figured things out by listening to guys in the dorms and sneaking looks at magazines."

"And that's how accidents happen. My parents are both in the medical field. I got entirely too much of 'the talk' and a few medical leaflets to go with it. You don't want to see pictures of STD's up close." Harry cringed as Hermione reached for his hand. "Let's go see what the others want."

Sirius greeted Hermione with raised brows but didn't say anything else. Instead he explained they were staying in Ironfist's home as guests while making lewd faces at Harry while Hermione wasn't looking.

Sitting down in the spacious but simple dining room, the teens filled their plates before taking their seats. Hermione took a bite of steak and tried not to shovel the whole thing into her mouth as her stomach rumbled.

"Gentlemen, what did I miss while I was…otherwise occupied?"

Ironfist gave a smile without teeth.

"First of all, Mr Potter, you have been completely emancipated, declared a legal adult, no guardian necessary."

Harry grinned. "And that's a good thing. No more Dursleys."

Ironfist nodded. "Yes, that is one advantage. Also, Dumbledore has already been here to Gringotts enquiring about you and Miss Granger. He's attempting to use the fact the goblet invokes a binding contract to bring you back under his thumb. We have countered that argument by stating you will be available for the third task and that will more than satisfy any contracts you are held to. He's now petitioning the Ministry for emergency custody of both yourself and Miss Granger. I have no doubt he will return.

"Since you are now an emancipated minor, Dumbledore cannot claim custody of you." Ironfist handed Harry several pieces of parchment. "Which brings us to these. These documents concern Miss Granger. Lord Black has already signed paperwork concerning her guardianship in the magical world, this step was taken so Dumbledore could not automatically claim magical guardianship over her as a muggle born student. These papers will make Miss Granger an official vassal to House Potter. No one will be able to claim magical status over Miss Granger if you sign these."

"What do they do to Mi?"

"In the simplest sense, Miss Granger becomes a member of House Potter and all decisions concerning Miss Granger and her status in the magical world must go through you. As a minor, Lord Black may sign off on those decisions but because of the tournament you are now a fully emancipated adult - your decisions for your House are final. These papers make that official with the Ministry."

Harry looked over to Hermione and she nodded. It would be a big deal, him being responsible for another person. He was barely responsible for himself. If anything, it should be the other way around. Harry took the quill from the Goblin and grunted as he signed his name. A flash of blood appeared across his right hand for a moment and disappeared.

"Blood quill. All House business is magically binding and signed in blood at Gringotts. We will file this immediately." The papers vanished.

The goblin looked between the younger magicals. "As for the soul leech or horcrux, our curse breakers have been going over the problem and may have found a solution."

Looking over to Hermione, Ironclaw picked up where his father left off, "Miss Granger, the family protection spell you used on Mr Potter practically ensures you will need to be a part of the ritual removal of the soul leech. This is also something our curse breakers are taking into consideration. In fact, we have one waiting to speak with you both now if you are ready?"

The teens exchanged a quick glance and nodded. Neither saw Ironclaw make any movements or cast any spells but a moment later a tall man with long red hair swept back into a ponytail entered the room. He was dressed casually in dragonhide pants and vest with a khaki shirt and sturdy boots. Harry felt like he should know him.

"Gentlemen, Miss Granger, may I introduce William Weasley, Gringotts curse breaker stationed primarily in Egypt. Due to numerous encounters with soul leeches in the tombs and catacombs, we felt bringing him back to England for this would be in our best interests. He has sworn oaths to Gringotts involving the privacy of the matter."

"Call me Bill, please, and Harry Potter, I feel like I know you already from all the letters Mum has sent me over the years," William Weasley said with an easy smile as he stepped forward to shake Harry's hand. Harry grinned.

"Your family has been great. Well, except for Ron. This year he's turned into the biggest prat on the planet."

"Ginny told me. And you must be Hermione. Mum said they consider you the brightest witch of the age."

Hermione blushed. "I doubt that. But thank you. Ginny and the twins have been great friends. So you know about soul leeches?"

"Yep. Pharaohs loved to try to capture immortality. It's why mummification came about. They attempted to place pieces of their soul in gemstones stored in canopic jars - five in total - each tied to the protection of a goddess in order to remain on the earthly plane. Needless to say, it didn't work out too well - especially since they continued to insist on being mummified as part of the process to 'release their mortal chains' and achieve immortality - but the method was adopted by muggle egyptians of high status as well, just exchanging the gems for organs."

Harry could practically feel Mi's enthusiasm for this unexplored area of magical history and he had to admit, if Binns taught history like this, he wouldn't be falling asleep. But he also had no desire to be losing any internal organs either so Mi's curiosity would have to wait.

"As much as I know Mi would like to quiz you on everything you know, Bill, how will that help me?"

Bill flashed a grin reminiscent of the twins before they pulled a huge prank.

"We have a proven method for pulling those soul leeches out of the gems without damaging them. I think - as does my team - the runes we etch into the stones to draw out the foreign soul can be drawn on your body in the same way. Where we need to alter the ritual is with the goddess. Normally we ask the goddess to give up any protection to the soul - here we want to both draw out a soul and keep a soul intact - and that's where Hermione comes in."

"Me?"

"Yes. Ironclaw has been telling me about a protection spell you and Harry cast on each other, one that seems to allow your magic to protect each other. We hope to draw on your magic to keep Harry's soul in his body while we remove the fragment of He Who Shall Not Be Named's soul."

Remus frowned. "What risks will that pose to Hermione? I would imagine the magical cost would be enormous to keep a soul tethered to this plane?"

"That's what we're working on now. You know the Goblins don't classify blood magic as dark like the Ministry does and blood holds tremendous power which is another reason the Ministry outlaws blood magic outright while still researching it in the Department of Mysteries. We hope to use a combination of Harry and Hermione's blood during the ritual to strengthen their bond and keep Harry's soul in his body."

Sirius snorted. "Don't know how much stronger their 'bond' needs to get."

Harry lobbed a roll at the Marauders head. "Shut it, Mutt."

Remus and Bill looked confused while the two Goblins simply tiled their lips. "What happens to the soul once it's expelled?" Hermione asked, breaking the staring contest between animagus and wizard.

"We trap it in a pane of neutral crystal. That crystal is then melted in a furnace of fiendfyre. The fire cleanses the soul." He looked over to Sirius who was sticking his tongue out at Harry.

"Lord Black is there any way I could get a look at the ritual Hermione used?"

"Ahhh, no, I'm afraid not. I was surprised Hermione could read the book let alone cast the spell. It's in a Black family spell book. I simply gave her permission to read any book in the library and she was able to pull it off the shelf. Even Remus can't read some of those books and he has the same permission," Sirius replied, rubbing the back of his neck.

"It was worth a shot. We're adjusting things as we speak. Anything specific we should know?"

"If there are potions involved, the protection spell gets 'iffy'. Intent plays a large role with it. If the potion is made by a witch or wizard who is infusing it with any malicious intent, it won't work. Things like love potions or compulsion potions will only work if both of us are dosed with them."

Bill whistled. "Pretty impressive spell. I'll let my team know. I don't anticipate a problem but a couple of Goblins on my team just 'tolerate' us humans working with them, so I will make sure they aren't working on any potions we may use." He rose to his feet. "Thank you for meeting with me tonight and I plan to see both of you again tomorrow to go over what we have mapped out."

"Could you bring me any books you have on Magical Pharaohs?" Hermione asked while Harry chuckled beside her, trying to dodge her elbow.

"I'll see what I can do, Hermione."

It looked like Sirius was about to open his mouth but Remus got there first.

"Next on the agenda is our response to what happened at the task this morning. Harry, your outburst was projected by sonorous over the entire audience, not to mention that punch to Dumbledore's nose. It will easily be front page of the Daily Prophet. We need to get our statement out there as well."

"I thought I said everything I needed to after I knocked the manipulative bastard on his flat arse."

"Harry, language!"

"Sorry, Mi, but if the head bastard cast the enchantment on you he did a piss poor job of it. You would have been dead before Krum got to you. And if you were spelled correctly, who knows what Krum would have done to you while you were unconscious! No, the whole second task was a disaster waiting to happen. I don't see how me rehashing everything for the paper is going to help."

Hermione laid her hand on Harry's and he flipped his so their fingers could intertwine. "Alright, Harry, I understand. I'm sure Colin was taking pictures along with the photographer from the Prophet. We can write up a statement in our words for Luna to send to her Father. Reiterate what you said and remind people an eighteen year old professional Quidditch player has been stalking a fifteen year old schoolgirl. If we get it done tonight, maybe the Quibbler can have it run counter to the Prophet in the morning."

"Good idea," Harry smiled, squeezing her hand. "As long as you're the one doing the reiterating."

"We also should mention you being under the protection of both House Potter and House Black, Hermione," Remus stated while handing her parchment, quill and ink from a briefcase at his side. "Your status as a muggle born puts you in a precarious position in the magical world. While the laws should protect you equally, most won't even bother to investigate a crime against a muggle born, even the best friend of Harry Potter. Dumbledore will certainly use that as an excuse as to why he didn't ask any permission for the task, your muggle parents' permission wouldn't hold any weight in the magical world and so as headmaster he simply spoke for them."

"But what about the other hostages?"

Harry snorted. "He's probably hoping nobody asks."

"Exactly." Remus turned pale eyes to Harry. "Though this all would be easier if you wouldn't cause these huge scenes in the first place."

Harry shrugged. "Not my fault Dumbledore's nose made such a good target. And if he didn't want me yelling, he shouldn't have brought Snape."

While Hermione scribbled away, Harry looked to the other four still gathered at the table.

"Okay, we've got the horcrux in my head being worked on, we have the task taken care of, but we still don't know who put me up for this in the first place. Do we know where I can find out what this whole prophecy thing is?"

"Prophecy? What prophecy?" Hermione asked, looking between Sirius and Harry.

"I forgot you didn't know. Sirius told me while the healer was looking you over. It's the whole reason why my parents died. Voldemort was after me, not my parents. Some seer said that a child born at the end of July was destined to defeat him."

"But that's so vague! But there's more to it? Why you? When was it made? To whom?"

"Whoa there, Hurricane Hermione, slow down," Sirius held up a hand. "I only know what James told me. I can only assume he heard it from Dumbledore. I know the Department of Mysteries has an area dedicated to prophecies but I don't know much else about it. James didn't talk about it back then. I do know it's why they took Harry and hid."

"I'm just lucky like that, I guess." Harry shrugged.

"Of all the wishy-washy, hairbrained, half-baked things for magic to decide to follow…" Hermione huffed. "We need to find out the entire prophecy then. For all we know, it's done and over with and we have two old men stumbling over each other to finish something they didn't even need to start in the first place!"

"Yes, Hermione, we'll just walk right into the Department of Mysteries and ask to sort through their prophecies nicely. I'm sure they'll let us go without an obliviation."

"You don't need to be snippy about it."

"Anyway," Sirius continued, "there are two Death Eaters in the castle right now, Snape and Karkaroff. Much as I loathe the greasy git, I don't think Snape entered you. I just can't see Dumbledore's pet spy going that far off script and he would have had to have been in contact with the Dark Lord for that to happen."

Harry shook his head. "No, Snape was shocked first year to find out Voledemort was hitching a ride on the back of Quirrell's head."

"And Karkaroff is free because he gave up the names of his fellow Death Eaters, so he's not high on You Know Who's list of trusted companions."

Hermione's head raised. "Which would logically lead us to believe there is another Death Eater in the castle." She tilted her head while her eyes took on a far off look. "Harry, do you have the map on you? Will it work outside the castle, I mean, this far away?"

Harry kissed her quickly and both blushed. "You are a genius! I don't have it but Dobby could grab it for me."

A pop and the elf appeared with the worn piece of paper before saluting and popping off again.

Sirius whistled. "That is one scary house elf you've got yourself, kiddo. Handover the map and Remus and I will search for any names that jump out at us. We also need to talk about if you both are going back to Hogwarts?"

Ironfist cleared his throat. "I would hate to interrupt but I feel that before Mr Potter, Harry, can decide if he and Miss Granger can return to Hogwarts, he should first be rid of the horcrux. This link to the Dark Lord must be broken especially if he is planning on a return to power. Then and only then can we be certain a strike against him will destroy him."

Harry sighed. "I hate waiting."

The goblin grinned without teeth. "I understand the sentiment Harry but sometimes a warrior must prepare by waiting. Allow us to remove the soul leech. Send off your statement to the paper. Prepare to meet Dumbledore and the Ministry fools from the tournament here, in neutral territory as they say. Hone your strength and magic, you will need it once we find out the traitor's plan for the Dark Lord's return."

Harry nodded and the two goblins left the room, signaling the humans could remain for as long as they needed. Hermione handed off the news statement to Remus to read while Sirius stared between the two teens.

Harry couldn't stand the silence.

"Okay, Padfoot, I know you want to say something, so out with it."

Remus looked up, interested.

"Perhaps I should be taking this to Miss Granger's parents."

The room's temperature seemed to drop. Hermione glared at the animagus. "Perhaps you should not and keep your nose out of things you don't understand."

Sirius frowned. "Now, Hermione, I know I don't have the same responsibility over you as I do over Harry but I am the adult in charge of you while you're here in the magical world and after what I saw -"

"You don't know what you saw, you only think you know. Sirius, the last thing I remember is going to sleep. No dreams, no darkness, just nothing and then freezing water, numbness, and not being able to breathe. I could hardly see in the dark but I could feel Harry and he was the only thing between me and dying. If he hadn't been there…"

Harry wrapped his arms around her as she trailed off.

Sirius wiped a weary hand over his face. Nothing prepared him for this. James had to be playing some kind of cosmic prank on him by making him Harry's godfather. Remus only snickered.

"I don't claim to understand this weird thing -" He gestured back and forth between the teens by waving his hands - "you two have with each other and whether the Black family magic enhanced it or not because face it, it was there in third year when you two rescued me, but there still needs to be some limits. You are both young. Can we keep it PG-13 for now and not give this old Marauder a heart attack?"

Harry smirked. "Admitting you're old?"

"Ugh. When it comes to you two? Yes, you may have this old dog chasing his tail. Now get out of here. Let us send off this editorial to Luna and check out the map. I don't doubt Dumbledore and the Ministry's Department of Games will be back to talk to you and I highly suspect they will want to see their fourth champion this time."

A commotion near the door drew their attention. Ironfist stepped back inside.

"There's been a change in plans. Dumbledore and the Ministry are here, now. Are you ready, Harry?"

He nodded.

"Let's see if the old goat will listen to me now."

The group of four were escorted to the upper level of the bank to a wide and airy meeting room. The walls were the same white marble of the bank but they were carved with scenes depicting great Goblin battles and softly backlit from both the top and bottom. The whole atmosphere was impressive.

Dumbledore sat at one end of the long table with Minister Fudge at his right and Snape at his left. A woman with red hair liberally shot through with gray sat beside the Minister along with a tall, bald black man in African styled robes. The rest of the tournament judges sat on the other side of Dumbledore, with the exception of Percy Weasley - he was once again there instead of Mr Crouch.

"Harry, my boy, you caused quite a stir disappearing right after the task with Miss Granger like you did. It was difficult enough with you making the mistake of selecting the wrong hostage - but to just vanish -"

"Stuff it, old man. You can try and dress it up as much as you want but it was kidnapping plain and simple.

"Kidnapping? I'm sorry, Mr Potter, I'm Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. What do you mean by kidnapping?"

"Amelia, the boy exaggerates -"

"I mean, Dumbles here didn't have my permission to use Mi for the task. He didn't ask me. He didn't ask Sirius as a back up. He just took her."

"And why would the Headmaster need to ask you, Mr Potter?"

"Ahem, as headmaster, I act as loco parentis for those students whose parents are not part of the magical world…"

Harry smirked. "What about those whose parents are? Did you ask them? Because there were three other hostages under the Black Lake who were all purebloods. Does that make any difference?" He turned back to Madam Bones " And he needed my permission because Mi is under the protection of House Potter and House Black, I think that might just be as bad, if not worse, than taking a couple of pureblood students."

Dumbledore's face paled under Amelia's stare.

"Let me get this straight, Headmaster Dumbledore, you took not just one but three students out of their beds and placed them in an enchanted sleep under the Black Lake, without informing their parents or legal guardians, for a task in a magical tournament that in no way involves them? I thought we were just here to escort Harry Potter back to Hogwarts?"

"It's far more complicated than that, Amelia, I assure you."

"Oh, we will be discussing this in much more detail, believe me, Albus. Now, Mr Potter, can you and Miss Granger tell me why you are refusing to return to Hogwarts?"

Harry raised a brow "Are you serious? Do you want a list? This year alone has me stuck in a magical tournament against my will competing against of age wizards three years older than me. I had to fight against a dragon for God's sake! A Dragon! What sane person does that? Do you want the run down since I was eleven? Because that could take a while. I've already defeated Voldemort three times since I entered the magical world, and all of those times were at Hogwarts."

"Hogwarts is the safest place…"

"Really, old man? Does 'Do not enter the third floor corridor if you do not wish to die a most painful death?' Does that ring a bell? Plus, you have this off duty death eater here pretending to teach us potions…"

"Why you insolent…"

"Severus, please sit. Harry, you know I have full confidence in Professor Snape."

"That's great, I'm glad you have confidence in him but none of his students do unless they are Slytherins. Ask any of the other houses. All he does is bitch and take points." Harry turned to Percy next.

"And Percy, do you even know where your boss is? He never showed up for the Yule Ball or the Second Task and now he's skipping out on this?"

Percy puffed up his chest. "Mr Crouch has the utmost confidence in me to take care of things while he is recuperating."

Madam Bones looked through her papers and turned to Percy. "Mr Weasly, how are you corresponding to your boss?"

"Well, by owl, of course. He owled the office shortly before the holidays to tell me he was ill. Since then he has been owling me regularly with updates."

"And have you verified those owls are from Barty Crouch?"

"Of course they are! I know my boss's handwriting!"

Amelia sighed warily. "Mr Weasley, handwriting can be faked, and I assure you a first year can master the spell. Shack, we'll need to send a team to Crouch's home to check on him."

"Of course, boss."

"And what's this about fighting You Know Who? You Know Who is dead. Albus, why do I know nothing about this?"

"Harry is just being dramatic -"

"Dramatic was the Defense teacher you hired second year when I had to slay a basilisk by myself because the damn thing petrified Hermione! Or how about p-p-p-oor s-s-s-t-t-stuttering professor Quirrell? Just invite Voldemort into the castle to tea-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH! Harry, you and Miss Granger have been through a number of shocks in a short period of time. The reason I am here with Madam Bones and Auror Shacklebolt is that the Wizengamot held an emergency session this afternoon following the second task- seeing as most of the members were there in person to witness it. Those members agree that it is in both your and Miss Granger's best interest that you be returned to Hogwarts and under my direct supervision."

Dumbledore's blue eyes twinkled. "I am prepared to escort you both back tonight. I am sure your dorm mates have been missing you."

Hermione narrowed her eyes. "Madam Bones, does the Headmaster have the authority to order an adult wizard anywhere?"

""No, Miss Granger, he does not."

With a pop, the Headmaster disappeared. Panic set in amongst the Ministry set while Harry chuckled and called for his little elven friend.

"Dobby?"

"Yes, Harry Potter, sir?"

"Did you vanish the Headmaster?"

"Yes, Harry Potter, sir. The Nasty Bearded Wizard was not listening to Harry Potter. The Nasty Bearded Wizard had his wand pointed at Harry Potter's Mi. So Dobby took care of Harry Potter's Mi," the elf replied with a firm nod.

Hermione covered her mouth to try and hide her smile. "Thank you, Dobby. You are a wonderful elf."

His bat-life ears wiggled before he popped out of the room. Madam Bones sighed.

"Mr Potter did your house elf really just banish Albus Dumbledore?"