I don't own Harry Potter. I do own the story and any original characters that I create. I seek no profit from my writings in the Harry Potter Universe. The rights are owned by J K Rowling and whoever happens to own Warner Bros.
Harry Potter returns to 4 Privet Drive a broken boy. He's seen another boy callously cut down in front of him, he's been forced to duel Voldemort, seen the ghosts of his parents and been told how proud they are of him. Then Dumbledore makes him return to Durzkaban, instead of spending the Summer with Sirius. Harry is emotionally exhausted.
Dumbledore had reluctantly taken the mail redirect off Harry Potter. The aurors collected all of Harry's mail. Dumbledore's attempts to keep Harry under his thumb had failed. He still had his various trinkets monitoring Harry that the aurors did not know about. Dumbledore did not know that Harry had fixed the blood ward that drained Harry's magic. It still drained him, but not as much as it had done. Harry set it to 5%. His mother's notes guided him.
The aurors worked through Harry's mail. They removed the hostile ones. Those who sent them were in a for a world of hurt. The ones who sent money had the money removed long since. There were over 32000 galleons in missing money. A request was made to Dumbledore to repay the money. Dumbledore claimed he had the right as Harry's magical guardian.
Amelia Bones was on a roll. She had worked out who Roy Lock was and who was behind Bumblebee Publishing. Roy Lock was Gilderoy Lockhart. The Bumblebee was the sigil of House Dumbledore. It was Dumbledore behind the young Harry Potter adventures. Amelia was going after the money. When Dumbledore claimed he was Harry's magical guardian, because the Wizengamot had voted him that position, Amelia was able to show the ancient legal position that a Lord of a Noble and Most Ancient House could only have a magical guardian from another Noble and Most Ancient House. Further research demonstrated that the Potters were still one of the Sacred 28. It would take far more than an anonymous pamphlet to remove them. The claims made in that pamphlet that the Potters had married creatures and muggleborn simply were untrue. James Potter was the first Potter to marry a muggleborn and that was many years after the pamphlet had been written.
There was one other issue bothering Amelia Bones and that was why James Potter had not named a Regent for House Potter until Harry came of age. She had been made Regent for House Bones. James had not named one for House Potter. Unless the name was in the sealed Will and was not one Albus Dumbledore. Amelia would have to get the Wills unsealed.
There was another task, Amelia Bones set herself. In 1919, the Wizengamot had passed an act that magicals would not fight in muggle wars. That was an Act of Treason. It had also been the Act used by Dumbledore to remove Charlus Potter from the Wizengamot. Setting the monocle firmly in her right eye, Amelia Bones began to send letters out by owl post to those she believed she could count on.
Harry Potter was having a hard time of it. The Dursleys had gone off on their month long holiday, without him. That was usual. What was worse was Harry had just completed his fourth year at Hogwarts about to become 15 when he was suddenly his nine-year-old self again, about to be ten and enter his final year at primary school. What a terrible year that had been. Worse, he had no idea how this had happened. There was a letter, written in his own neatest handwriting, telling him this was for his own good. He had never written such a letter.
Harry was practicing wandless magic. He had also found the trunks belonging to his parents. His mother had said the trunks were at the last place anyone would look. She'd not been prescient enough to see that was where Dumbles would dump Harry. Harry had got in touch with Amelia Bones, head of the department of Magical Law Enforcement. She was acting to remove Harry from the dirty touch of Albus too many names Dumbledore aka Dumbles who also had more jobs than anyone could do properly.
Harry had discovered his inheritance in Godric's Hollow and seen the devastation someone had wrought on the place. He had retrieved his educational trust from solicitor's in Cokeworth and cashed it in. That was in the process of happening along with a share portfolio of £20000. He had a number of accounts. One was for Lily's share portfolio. That had a notional value of around a million pounds. There was another for the house funds with around £50000 in it. That was undergoing repair from the buildings and contents insurance. There was another fund of unspecified amount that would pay for his solicitors taking action for him. Harry had them collecting the back rent from Marge and Vernon Dursley and then evicting them and Snape, before selling the properties. Then he had his personal account. That had 20k in it and would have a lot more, soon. Well, he'd buy £30000 in premium bonds and put the balance into his own account. The local council had agreed to pay him the money they should have paid since his relatives were supposed to care for him.
Harry had been hired as head chef at a local restaurant. He'd be paid 300 pounds a week. Cash in hand. The restaurant agreed to pay their share of National Insurance, too. His solicitors would deal with his tax and national insurance liabilities, too.
Harry had claimed his house rings; the Potter Lord one was now on his finger. The Peverell one had not come, indicating that it was stuck somewhere. The Black heir ring had not come. That must mean Arcturus Black was still alive. Harry could save him or at least try.
Harry had started his friendship with Hermione Granger early, this time. He was not totally sure about her. It did seem a trifle too convenient for him to have met both Ron and Hermione on the train to Hogwarts. Ron seemed to have been a plant, set up to spy on Harry, from the start. He would have to put Hermione to the test. He was, he supposed, already doing that.
Harry had already picked up the muggleborn/raised pack including the Hogwarts Rulebook. He'd learnt heaps from that. He'd picked up the 13th edition of A History of Magic from a daft old biddy, who must have been Bagshot herself. Harry was learning much from that.
Yes, Harry had changed history. Sirius Black had been freed and would soon be in his life. He had no idea where Remus Lupin was. He knew exactly where Peter Pettigrew was. Harry was tempted to go snatch him, though since Sirius was out of Azkaban, Harry no real wish to ever see the rat again.
Harry wanted to go see Ted Tonks. He did not have enough wizarding coin to retain the man. This could definitely be a problem. Well, he could go get some from Nurmengard. He did own that outright, now. Harry had only been there once, to kill Grindelwald.
He had enough emergency funds to travel once more to and from the Leaky Cauldron and purchase Hedwig a year early and get her the stand and treats. First, though to Ted Tonks.
With that decision made, Harry made his way to Diagon Alley to find Ted Tonks. The man operated out of Knockturn Alley. Harry recalled Hagrid telling him never to enter Knockturn Alley. Harry thought he now knew why.
Harry entered Ted Tonks' establishment.
"Clear off, urchin," the teller at the counter told Harry.
"I have business with Ted Tonks," Harry said.
Ted was free, as it happened. Most of the time, the man thought, if he were being honest with himself. He took one look at the boy in rags and thought, why the hell not. If he were an urchin, he could kick him out later.
"Come into my office, urchin. Let me at least help you with those letters."
Harry had picked up three magical letters that had come for him. He did not know what to do with those, either.
"Yes, sir," Harry gulped.
Harry entered the man's office and climbed into the chair that seemed to swallow him whole.
"Who are you?" Ted asked.
"I can't afford to pay you at the moment. I don't have access to my Gringotts account yet. I'm Harry Potter. I think after you've heard my tale, you'll want to take my case."
"Oh, I am all ears," Ted said. He got three or four 'Harry Potters' a week.
Harry told Ted his life history. The story started with being dumped on the Dursley doorstep the night of November 1st 1981 and continued through the beatings, not knowing his name 'til he started school, the bullying and the Harry Hunting. He did not know who his grandparents were. He heard no stories about his parents. No-one who knew them ever visited. Harry told Tonks of the triumph he had in getting Sirius freed. Harry told Tonks about the many times he had complained only for the person to forget Harry had ever been to see him, when he's chased them up about the cases.
Ted Tonks saw Harry's back criss-crossed with scars. He told Harry about the young Harry adventures written by Roy Lock and published by Bumblebee publishing.
"Does that mean anything?" Harry asked, putting his shirt and jacket back on.
"Gilderoy Lockhart probably wrote the books and the bumblebee is House Dumbledore's sigil. The chance to take down that overgrown popinjay and an overweaning ego is irresistible. I'll take your cases, without charge. I'll also take on going through your mail and send out a generic response." Tonks knew doing this for the Boy-Who-Lived would treble his business overnight.
"I've never seen this Dumbledore fellow," Harry averred. Tonks' eyes lit up. This was almost everything he'd ever wished for all wrapped up in one. Harry handed over his three letters. They were birthday cards.
Harry left Tonks' place feeling happier than he had in a long while. He entered the wandshop. It took Harry half an hour to find the right wand for him. It was a 7" redwood with the tail feather of a thunderbird.
"That will be 100 galleons, young master and I'll throw in wand cleaner and holster. I can't say fairer than that."
"I'll be paying for the lad," said a tall man in a cape and hat. He handed over 100 galleons. Harry got the items the man he indicated. Harry fitted his holster and placed the wand in it. The wand cleaningkit went into his pocket. He indicated that Harry should follow. He seized Harry's hand and apparated, right into 12 Grimmauld Place. The London home of House Black.
"I'm Arcturus Black. Let me have a look at you. Let me see why my grandson blood adopted you."
"You're not dead."
"Astute observation, young Black." Lord Arcturus chuckled.
"What do you think is going on?" Harry struggled to recall what Sirius had told him. Something about Regulus. His family all dying, except for the sisters three. Something about a portrait.
"I think Dumbledore means to have Severus Snape kill all the Blacks he can." Arcturus' eyes narrowed.
"Kreacher." Kreacher appeared. He took one look at Harry and said, "What is the dirty halfblood doing here?"
"Regulus," Harry said, not sure what he meant by the name.
"The dirty halfblood is family, cannot tell."
"Can you show?" Harry asked.
"Kreacher can." Kreacher vanished, reappearing a minute or so later with a locket. Harry felt his scar hurt, like it had with the diary and the back of Quirrell's head, which meant, "Voldemort."
Arcturus knew what the item was. "Follow me. What do you know?"
Harry followed as he talked. "I know my scar hurts when I see these things."
"Good. He transferred the piece of his soul that should have stayed in him, when his killing curse on you backfired. He's no idea where his items are and won't know they are being destroyed. Just need to open it."
"I can do that," Harry said.
Arcturus lead Harry into the firing range. Harry shouted open and Arcturus cast fiendfyre. One destroyed locket that once belonged to Slytherin, himself. Harry tried to be sorry, but he could not be.
In the main hallway, infront of everyone, Kreacher could finally tell the story of how Master Regulus had turned on the Dark Lord and stolen a soul anchor. Cygnus and his wife looked on, disbelieving. When harry took out his wand and did the Tom Marvolo Riddle into I am Lord Voldemort that disbelief turned into anger. Then into rage as the halfblood status of the Dark Lord was finally revealed.
"Who were his chief lieutenants?" Harry interjected.
"Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange nee Black?" Cygnus answered.
"You think they would have more of these things?" Arcturus enquired.
"It's possible," Harry replied. "What was that … before?"
"Slytherin's Locket. One of the Four Founders Items," Druella said. "All of them lost. The Locket, Diadem, Cup and Sword. It would be unlikely that Godric's sword would have been turned into one of those."
"What's a diadem?" Harry asked.
After the explanation was given, Harry remembered that he had seen it on detention with Filtch. It was in the Room of Requirement. He said, "If anything were to happen to the remaining Lestranges outside of Azkaban, their holdings would fall to us?" Harry meant to House Black.
"Yes," Cassiopeia responded. Arcturus' eyes narrowed.
The Blacks split up. Harry hurried to catch the house-elf. "Kreacher, do you know the come and go room at Hogwarts?"
"Kreacher does, young Master."
"The diadem is in there. You'll need one of those bags to contain it and levitate it, don't touch it."
"Kreacher will do as the young Master suggests."
Harry was left to his own devices, so he cooked an evening meal. A couple of hours later and he was back in the dungeons again. He was looking at 4 of those cursed items. Something unpleasant must have befallen the LeStranges, Harry thought. Abraxas Malfoy had brought the Diary. Five adults sent fiendfyre at the objects. Harry claimed the ring by right of conquest and put it on his finger.
"Where's the bloody snake?" Abraxas demanded.
"Where did Quirrell go?" Harry asked. "Dinner is served." They ate in the formal main dinning room. Harry caused some consternation by inviting Kreacher to sit with them and eat with them. Arcturus nodded.
Kreacher took him back to Privet Drive. Harry told him they would build a House Black that Master Regulus would be proud of. He also remined Kreacher that he had not blood adopted Sirius. Kreacher said he would be back at 10 to take Harry to get his owl and talk to the Unspeakables. Harry suggested that Kreacher only sit at the table when Harry was there to invite him and that he believed in being friends with house-elves.
Harry's attention was brought back to school by a teacher who looked as though his patience was exhausted. Harry answered the question and apologized for not responding first time. It was September 19th and his friend Hermione would be having a visitor any time now. She was now 11.
Harry's recollections of the day following the one where all the items except for the snake and him were destroyed were mixed. He learnt that the time turners were owned by his family and he got a fee every time they were used. Harry had told the man in a mask that he had not known about them until he'd told him. The Unspeakable almost swore. He had told Harry that they were just one use for a maximum journey of 5 hours back – one way.
He purchased Hedwig, a year early. He could have sworn the owl recognized him, but that would have been impossible, right?
The September meeting of the Wizengamot had started off as exactly how Albus Dumbledore expected. There had been the usual flurry of corrections to the issued minutes and a collection of items tabled for discussion later in the proceedings.
The first hint that something was not usual, not at all in accordance with Albus' expectations was when Amelia Bones rose to address the Chamber. She told the chamber that the 1919 Act banning wizards and witches from serving in muggle wars was an act of treason and needs must be repealed, instantly.
Speakers from the Dark faction as usual got up to say that muggles were not worthy of support. That ended first with the speech of Lord Arcturus Black who said that failure to join said wars meant wizards had no idea of the technology the muggles possessed. He was supported in that view by Abraxas Malfoy acting as proxy for the LeStrange seat. Albus controlled 12 seats and voted against repeal. He was sure he'd secure enough backing to stop the repeal. 38 votes were in favour of repealing the Act, with immediate effect.
Amelia's second act was to repeal the ban on Potters sitting in the Potter seat or seats. That also passed 38 votes to 12. Albus yielded the Potter and Gaunt seats to the Potter proxy Ted Tonks.
Ted, as was custom, rose to speak, "I am most grateful for the opportunity to serve as the Potter proxy. At your last meeting, this body removed Albus Dumbledore from his position as magical guardian of Harry Potter. I, for one, would like to meet this young Lord. I do not know where he lives. I do ask the Wizengamot to vote on removing the motion that appointed you young Harry's guardian. I move the vote. I also second it."
Albus lost this vote 40:10. Ted then moved to have the Wizengamot motion sealing the Wills repealed. That was also passed.
Ted then moved to remove the award of the Order of Merlin, First Class on Peter Pettigrew. That was passed. The replacement that the society had proposed was Lily Potter. That was passed, too.
Albus' biggest shock thus far was having his own Order Merlin award struck down, because the reason for its award had not taken place on Magical British territory. The recipient of the Award instead was Lord Harry James Potter for removing Voldemort. The Dark faction accepted this, because these actions were removing Dumbledore's influence from the Wizengamot.
"Where is Lord Harry James Potter, Chief Warlock?" Ted demanded.
"I am afraid that I cannot say. His safety is paramount. I'm sure you understand this, Ted." There that was dealt with. They could now get on with the Agenda.
Ted was not finished. "I move a charge of Line Theft against you and all others who have kidnapped Lord Harry James Potter."
The Dark faction cheered in support. They smelt blood in the water. Dumbledore had no choice but to vacate the chair and allow Augusta Longbottom to take over as Acting Chief Warlock. The panel of judges were Fudge, Umbridge and Bones.
Augusta threw Dumbledore a bone.
"The case cannot be decided today. This is just a hearing to determine, if there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial."
"On the night of October 31st 1981, Rubeus Hagrid refused to hand over Lord Harry James Potter to his lawful magical guardian, Sirius Orion Black, Heir to the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, on your orders, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."
"I did what was necessary to protect, Harry."
"No, you do not have the right to use his first name. You had no right to order his removal. Only someone from another Noble and Most Ancient House had the right. That is not you, Dumbledore. If it was dangerous for Lord Potter, why was it safe for House Longbottom to emerge from their Fidelius? Four days after they came out of hiding, they were attacked. Why did they wait 4 days from when Lord Potter got taken to wherever he was?"
"We've heard enough for today. We have a thick agenda to get through. I'm taking a vote. All those in favour of committing Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore to trial, please indicate. All those against. All those abstaining. By a vote of 42-8, Dumbledore is committed to trial. Mr Tonks, liaise with Amelia Bones. I am turning this session back to the Chief Warlock."
Augusta Longbottom looked ill as she made her way back to her own seat. After the session she approached Ted Tonks.
"You were raking over coals you had no business raking."
"My apologies, Regent Longbottom," Ted said, contritely.
Albus was not worried. All his instruments reported Harry Potter in good health. Arabella (Figg) had not reported any changes. No-one other than he, Minerva and Rubeus knew where Harry was. Without Harry Potter, they had nothing. All he had done he had done for the Greater Good. Why could people not see this? Only he could see what had to happen to send Tom on his next great adventure. Albus decided that he did not need to go check up on Harry Potter. He decided not to increase surveillance on Harry. He did not want the Aurors to follow them. He could not even use Shacklebolt to spy on the Ministry. Amelia was paying too much attention, right now.
The aforementioned Amelia Bones was pleased with how the Wizengamot meeting had gone. She would be talking to Ted Tonks, at length about the case. She thought Ted had proven Line Theft with Albus' actions at the house of the Potters. Still, Harry could now hear the Wills read, when he was 11. Amelia felt particularly chuffed at having persuaded Arabella Figg to move, but continue to send Albus her regular reports.
Mad-Eye Moody looked over the list of Death Eaters in the Ministry. He had no doubts about any of the 30 being Death Eaters. He was not into giving infinite chances like Dumbledore. He did not trust Severus Snape. He could not understand how Dumbledore did nor why. Those on the list took precautions. It was not going to be easy to get one on one with them.
Harry had chuckled, when the Dursleys had returned home to find that he had moved into Dudley's second bedroom. Harry had not complained about doing all the chores. He did start his job as a chef. Term had started and he'd framed Dudley and caused his gang to move away from the area. His class tutor had quickly recognized Harry's educational prowess. Harry grew to love the school library. He loved knowledge and adding to his store of it.
Hermione approached her birthday with trepidation. The knowledge that she was a witch that Professor McGonagall imparted was not new to her, but she and her parents kept that from the Professor. Her evening trip to Diagon Alley was the closest thing to a real trip out that she'd had, ever. She'd bought everything she could - that was on the list and a few things besides. She fretted that she could not afford Hogwarts: A History. Hermione was delighted to find a gift of that book from her friend Harry. He had sent a letter, too, telling her that his re-emergence into the wizarding world was a secret that a friend would never reveal under any circumstances.
Hermione was freaked out by Dumbledore getting in touch with her. She just heard his voice. He explained that he could listen into conversations and help train Hermione in exchange for doing something for him, once she got to Hogwarts. She wrote back to Harry promising to keep his secrets and telling him about Dumbledore.
Harry agreed with Hermione that Dumbledore's actions were creepy and that she should play along dumb until she learnt what it was that he wanted her to do. Harry told Hermione that he was a legacy student and was looking into making her family a Protectorate of House Potter. Harry sheepishly told her; he did not really know what he had to do nor what responsibilities that entailed.
Harry had wanted Hermione to work out for herself that being his Protectorate was good for her and her family. He tried to remember what Hagrid and Sirius had said. He had been taken to Hogwarts by Hagrid on the night of Halloween and left on the Dursley doorstep overnight the first to second November. McGonagall had been watching the house at Privet Drive all day. No that was wrong, she'd been watching the Dursleys. The Dursleys went to church on a Sunday. McGonagall would have followed them there. Harry had been locked in his cupboard whilst they went to Church. There was a blood ward in their garden. That had to have been put up by Dumbledore during that period. Dumbledore must have taken his blood to tie him to both the wards at 4 Privet Drive and Hogwarts. Just how much blood had Dumbledore taken. Hagrid had flown him to the location, arriving late. He would have left after supper. Leaving at 7pm and arriving at 11pm. Harry had not asked Hagrid about that, though.
Who had buried his parents? Dumbledore had to have been one. Snape was there. He had to have helped. They had no right to bury his parents. Harry blamed Dumbledore for ruining his property so that he could not live there and, perhaps, because Dumbledore had not been able to find something. Obviously, his parents had not had the Cloak to hide under. That would have saved them. Dumbledore had the Cloak for long enough to attach tracking devices to it. He'd always known when Harry was nearby, wearing it. Had Dumbledore tried to use Potter blood to get himself made a member of House Potter? Had he succeeded? Harry hoped not.
Why had James Potter not named a Regent? He knew he'd been marked for death. He knew Harry was underage, yet had not named a Regent. He had not known that he was the Lord. Dumbledore had put his parents and Neville's parents under tight quarantine. They had gone into hiding at Halloween in 1980 and after that Harry's other Potter relatives and his Evans grandparents had died. That was too much to be mere coincidence. What had happened to Grandma Euphemia's family?
One thing Harry had done at the Dursleys was to get his temper under control. He gets to Hogwarts and that control is gone. Had that been Ron? There was one way to find out. Harry sent a letter to Amelia Bones asking if a backfiring obliviate that obliviated the caster would also collapse a ceiling if one was underground.
Amelia was touched that Harry should ask her a specific question. She thought he was referring to something that had happened in the past. She sent back a reply that a backfiring obliviate would not cause the effect Harry had described. It would take a bombarda to have that effect.
Harry received the reply. That caused him to pause. Had the possessed Ginny done it or newly forming Tom. Tom had not had a wand. Harry discounted this. Riddle had to have been draining Ginny as Lockhart was trying to obliviate Harry and Ron. No, it had to be Ron. Ron casting a silent, wandless spell was a serious matter. Why hadn't he realised this, at the time? This revelation had turned Harry's view of Ron Weasley on its head. That Ron had been able to cast a perfect Wingardium Leviosa to cause the troll's club to knock itself out in the evening after being unable to even pronounce the spell that morning ought to have clued Harry in to Ron's abilities. Ron had hoodwinked Harry. Harry was no longer that Harry, however.
Harry's life got even busier. A sable post owl summoned him to lessons in wizarding etiquette with the Blacks. His visits to Nurmengard proved useful in using cleaning spells with his redwood wand. Harry was reading a list of Grindelwald's Knights of Walpurgis, closer to Christmas, when he came across Arthur Weasley who was listed as a Knight and born in 1930. Harry had thought he'd been born in 1950, like Molly. How had he ended up the weak ineffectual man Harry had met?
Harry felt better about killing Grindelwald after he had read the murders of the American Potters. Grindelwald had killed every Potter in America. Except for any squibs, Harry thought. Grindelwald detailed his day long fight with Lord Charlus Potter and then their break that Dumbledore had used to stun both of them. Grindelwald had noted that Albus was only a schoolteacher. He had underlined that line three times in heavy black ink. Harry had chuckled.
Ted Tonks had built his case. The Line Theft of moving Harry James Potter from his own, without authorisation. The theft of the time turner belonging to Charlus Potter, the theft of a Potter family heirloom cloak, the theft of the Potter family Grimoire, the theft of the Potter throne seat, the theft of the Potter Pensieve and the theft of all documents relating to Potter Inc.
The theft of 32000 galleons given to Harry James Potter. The illegal redirect on the owl mail of Harry James Potter. The use of Harry James Potter in stories written by Roy Lock and published by Bumblebee Publishing. Ted sued for every knut that had been made by the young Harry adventures.
Ted included the illegal burying of James and Lily Potter by Dumbledore and unknown others as part of the case. The Line Theft case also raised the illegal placement of Harry James Potter with his relatives and Dumbledore's refusal each year to produce Harry James Potter in the Wizengamot.
Harry and Hermione exchanged letters. Hedwig racked up the frequent flyer miles. Hermione was getting closer to finding out what Dumbledore wanted her to do. The pair were getting ready to take their 11 plus. They exchanged details about their school mates, only it turned out that Hermione was known as a bossy know-it-all and only had 'friends' as long as she did their work for them. She was setting the pattern that Ron had exploited and Harry now doubted that Ron had needed her help. Harry did suggest that Hermione stop trying to answer every question, first. Hermione said she would give that a try.
The first day of the Christmas holidays and Harry was going downstairs, when he heard 5 voices he had hoped never to hear again. Dudley and his 4 friends. Harry could hear Vernon smirking in the lounge. The infamous five were here to sort Harry out.